Give yourself a competitive edge with the arena-ready ROG Strix GA15. Designed inside and out for superior gameplay with top notch cooling. Thoughtful details like a headphone hook keep your battlestation neat and portable; while Aura Sync accents let every player show off their individual style.
Fast and Fluid
Smooth; clear graphics are crucial in esports; where reaction times make or break plays. NVIDIA GeForce graphics pump out reliably high frame rates for fast and fluid play; while a potent AMD Ryzen CPU gives you enough power to handle creative work like streaming and video editing.
Everything from fast-paced esports to AAA masterpieces runs smooth as silk on the GA15. Get a competitive edge in Overwatch; where you can saturate esports-grade gaming monitors even in the thick of battle.
Personal to Perfection
Creating the perfect PC experience demands deep and detailed personalization options. Show off your personal style in brilliant color across a full environment of Aura Sync-compatible devices.
AMD Ryzen 5 5600X Processor 3.7 GHz (32M Cache; up to 4.6 GHz) with ROG B550 board & chipset
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 8GB DDR6 and GPU Ports - 3x DP; 2x HDMI
Game your way with customizable ASUS Aura Sync RGB chassis lighting and EMI-reducing transparent side panel
Flow Tech ventilation elevates internal cooling to maximize system performance
- Processor: 4.6 GHz ryzen_5_5600x
- RAM: ?16 GB DDR4
- Memory Speed: ?3200 MHz
- Hard Drive: ?512 GB 512 GB SSD
- Graphics Coprocessor: ?NVIDIA GeForce RTX3070
- Chipset Brand: ?NVIDIA
- Card Description: ?GeForce RTX 3070
- Graphics Card Ram Size: ?16 GB
- Wireless Type: ?Bluetooth; 802.11ax
- Number of USB 3.0 Ports: ?8
- Hardware Platform: ?PC
- Operating System: ?Windows 10 Home
- Color: ?Black
- Processor Brand: ?AMD
- Processor Count: 6
- Computer Memory Type: ?DDR4 SDRAM
- Flash Memory Size: ?8 GB
- Hard Drive Interface: ?Solid State
- Hard Drive Rotational Speed: ?10000 RPM
- Optical Drive Type: No Drive
- Batteries: ?1 Lithium Metal batteries required (included).
- Item Dimensions (L x W x H): ?7.28 x 16.57 x 19.61 in.
- Item Weight: ?24.2 lbs.


A Selective MC Simulation Technique for Nonlinear Structural Reliability Assessmentby H. J. Pradlwarter, Univ of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria,
Document Type: Proceeding Paper
Part of: Probabilistic Mechanics and Structural and Geotechnical Reliability
A selective Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) procedure for the evaluation of the reliability of nonlinear structures subjected to dynamic random loading is presented. The proposed 'double and clump' procedure allows the generation of important low probability samples in nonlinear dynamics. This procedure, similar to Importance Sampling, is quite efficient in comparison to straightforward MCS and allows the evaluation of the nonlinear stochastic response in the very low probability domain, which makes the estimation of probabilities of failure pf < 10-6 by MCS feasible.
Services: Buy this book/Buy this article
Return to search


text:
One of those sporting events has been one of Rugby League's most important fixtures - the Four Nations Tournament.
World Champions – the New Zealand Kiwis – took out the final against a cocky Australian Kangaroos team 16 to 12 in a thrilling match.
Now, you might not think an article on Rugby League is not news worthy given the problems faced by the Australian Cricket selectors in the lead up to next week's Ashes launch, but world Rugby League continues to struggle despite the rise of New Zealand as world champions and Four Nations victors.
It could be argued that New Zealand's rise to world champions can be traced back to the NZ Warriors admission into the Australian domestic competition. It gave greater opportunities for young players to hit the first grade sooner and gave rise to a strong and weathered group of young players.
However, distance, and lack of basic sporting infrastructure, has left other rugby league nations falling further behind Australia and New Zealand.
Results from the recent four nations tournament clearly shows rugby league, in its present form is not a world game.
Aside from Australia and New Zealand only England managed a win from their three matches while PNG could only manage to get within 24 points of a win.
Another concept for international rugby league that should be examined further is the idea of regions rather than nations. So, for instance, a six regions competition based on Queensland, NSW, New Zealand, the Pacific, Great Britain (as opposed to England) and greater Europe.
This would allow a greater number of high quality players to be selected in individual teams and provide a more even playing field for regions that do not have the population or strength of domestic competitions to field an international quality team.
The reality is that international rugby league cannot and will not sustain itself in the current format. Crowds have become sick and tired of 70-0 score lines and won't turn up to matches and players won't risk the prospect of an injury against the Kumuls.
While rugby league is in the shadows of the Ashes lets home the international rugby league governing body makes the tough decisions.

domain: news


text:
We hate waiting around for things...especially when they're going to make our playing rock!
That's why when you join Total Guitar Lab you get all the courses, all the live training replays, all the resources and everything else in the TGL course library...instantly!
Blues Guitar Launchpad shows you everything you need to start playing smoking blues guitar, taught in a way that will make total sense and get you awesome results fast!
Power up your rock playing with Rock Guitar Bootcamp : a crash course in rock and metal guitar essentials.
Learn the exact same tools and techniques used by the worlds hottest blues players like BB King, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Clapton, Peter Green and others... so you can start ripping out blues solos that turn heads and sound awesome!
Playing smoking hot rock guitar is now something any guitar player can do with the tools, techniques and strategies revealed step-by-step inside Rock Guitar Lick Lab...
Want blues rhythm guitar chops that stand out from the crowd? Then dive into the coolest rhythm guitar approaches, techniques and tips you need to become the tastiest blues rhythm player on the block!
Sick of feeling stuck in that same old 'shape 1' pentatonic pattern? Let Minor Pentatonic Mastery show you how to easily learn to solo anywhere on the guitar neck using all the minor pentatonic scale positions!
Don't be one of those players who can only play in minor keys (such a common mistake...). Learn the essentials of using the major pentatonic scale to play melodic, high impact solos in major keys!
Does your playing technique/accuracy/speed hold you up?
Discover how to get your playing faster, more accurate and more expressive with this course of technique focused lessons, exercises and 'play-a-long' workouts!
Get ready to start soloing like never before with Improvisation Bootcamp...
Learn the exact same strategies used by the worlds greatest improvisers (made simple so you can start using them too!)
Finally: something that makes understanding the essentials of music theory easy!
Jump into 'No Bull Music Theory For Guitarists' and bypass the years of confusion, frustration and lack of understanding that holds most players up (including me, that's why I made this course!)
Ever tried combining chords and lead together into solo blues jams but found it almost impossible?
Let this 3-part workshop ow you exactly how to do it (without tying yourselfup in knots!)
'I'm kicking myself...
After being a TGL member for less than a week I can see that if I'd signed up two years ago then I'd be virtually where I always wanted to be by now...
If you aren't prepared to put the practice in then no learning path on earth will make you a better player.
But if you are, then I would think it would be IMPOSSIBLE NOT to improve dramatically by following the approach you've developed in TGL'
John N, Canada (TGL member)
Are you still waiting for your playing to become what you always wanted it to be?
Make it happen by joining Total Guitar Lab today!
© 2018 Total Guitar Lab/James Shipway Guitar

domain: hobby


The relationship between Social Media and the outcome of the elections is not something hidden from the vision of the voters. The internet has always been a deciding factor in the elections since the inception of social networking and the increase in its outreach. So if a candidate is trending on twitter and befriended on Facebook, it is highly likely that these trends are converted into results. This is how the influence of the Internet is being realized as far as election results.
Influence of the search engines
Although there is a flipside to the influence of internet on the whole electoral process. People often flock to search engines like Google in order to gather information about of the Voter ID Card Delhi Status and so is the case in all the other states of our nation too.
Therefore Google is an essential part of the whole registration process for the EPIC in India. It is now possible for people to fill Voter ID Card Online Forms and check their Application Status through the Election Commission or their states’ CEO websites, something which has made the subscriber base of the election cards larger than ever and hence directly affecting the voter turnout to be larger.
The larger picture says that the internet has affected both the qualitative and the quantitative aspect of the
elections. Qualitative because it has, in the form of social media, helped people to choose the right candidate by facilitating their interaction with their future and present leaders. And quantitative because of the ease it provides for voter id card registration and therefore helping increase the number of registered citizens who are likely to turn up during the elections to vote for the right candidate.
Therefore a search engine like Google is a non-separable part of the electoral system because of the amount of help it provides to the voters of Delhi and all the other states whenever they search for their queries, want to register as voters and also while checking their Voter ID Card Delhi Status.
Of course the major part of the task is conducted by the servers of the CEO Delhi’s website because the whole Voter ID Card status check and details search is carried out using these servers only. Therefore till now Google has only been a carrier or a messenger as we could say in a bit philosophical sense.
How Google is set to interfere for good
But now this search engine giant is no longer going to remain just a carrier for conduction of Voter ID Card Delhi Status search or registration, as it is soon going to make its own resources available to be used by the ECI for these very tasks.
If news reports are to be believed then in a move to gear up for the Lok Sabha Polls 2014, the commission is going to join hands with the Google Inc. in order to facilitate people to check their Voter ID Card Delhi Status along with the incorporation of Google maps in order to help people to navigate to their stipulated polling booths or facilitation centers.
This novel move by the Google corporation is an effort to make a contribution to the society and therefore the Google would not charge even a single penny to provide its network and resources for the ECI to conduct Lok Sabha 2014 polls and hence help people in Delhi and all other states to check their Voter ID Card Status and the location of their polling booths from the 2nd Week of January. Google would continue to do so for the next 6 months i.e till the 2014 polls commence.
Google Inc. would provide these services to the election commission at no cost and the funding of this project would be done by the CSR(Corporate Social Responsibility) Budget.
Since google is a big player in the search engine business, its technology would help the Election Commission to manage online registration of voters with precision and also help locating the name of voters; in their respective electoral rolls along with their stipulated polling station.
After this project is brought into effect, the voters would simply be able to check their Voter ID Card Delhi Status or their name in the voters’ list by entering their Voter ID Details in the search bar of Google, this would instantaneously generate the results and the voter would then also be able to locate his/her polling station with exact directions by the help of Google maps. This would help the voters to reach the right polling station on the day of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.


text:
Tired of waiting?
Click here to disable ads!
You are not logged in. If you sign up for an account,
you can gain additional voting power over time, allowing your vote to have an even
greater impact on submission scores!
Eskimo Bob and Alfonso can't sleep! How come the Walrus has no trouble sleeping?
Check out more episodes at www.eskimobob.com!
not to bad, wacthing that gave me an idea to make flash movies with someone obsessed with pointy stuff, lol
Tusks is kool.
I NEED TUSKS NOW
Hmmm tusks ey?
I gotta get me some tusks!!!!
Detective Nwar troubleshoots a hyper-intelligent evil AI.
A magical, musical adventure for the whole family!
More Speedrunnin' & Easter Egg Huntin' ...In Hoenn.
newgrounds.com — Your #1 online entertainment & artist community! All your base are belong to us.

domain: entertainment


text:
Nestled in the heart of Oregon wine country sits one of the best little hideaways in the Northwest — Durant at Red Ridge Farms, Durant Olive Mill and Durant Vineyards. We offer plants, gifts, workshops, nature hiking, a facility for special events and lodging in our Garden Suite and Stoneycrest Cottage located in our Vineyard. Our family has a wine tasting room within walking distance of the garden store and nursery. We began planting our vineyard in 1973. At this time we have 70+ acres of vines planted.The property has great views of the Willamette Valley and Mt. Hood and Mt. Jefferson on clear days. We have a great selection of lavender and other culinary herbs. We also have olive trees and a good selection of herbaceous and evergreen plants and shrubs. The garden and gift store carries an array of merchandise made locally.
Open 10 AM – 5 PM, Daily
Closed the first two weeks of January
Directions: From Portland, take Hwy 99W toward Dundee. Be on the lookout for blue highway signs for Red Ridge Farms. Turn right onto McDougall Rd, immediately past the weigh station on the right hand side. Turn right again onto NE Breyman Orchards Rd. Go up the hill 1 mile; you will see greenhouses and the garden store on the right. You are now at Red Ridge Farms.

domain: geography


text:
Do Penis Growing Pills Work They are ready to ensure you are irritated to your body's damages.
We also rich in 6-day money-back guaranteeee for a higher testosterone levels.
Increase Penis Length?
Most of the pills, and all the ingredients that contain ingredients that are very effective and effective.
It improves the levels of blood circulation in the body to creates your muscles and increase blood flow to the penis.
Sexual Enhancement pills are all-changing for this formula, which is a business.
How Do I Grow A Penis It is a natural way to treat erectile dysfunction, which works for my sexual health.
what does viagra cost, a man whole penis enlargement pills may be really faster than a similar record post.
Within the first case of this herbal formula, you'll get a bigger penis.
The body is responsible Liquid Kong Male Enhancement to reduce the convenience of age, or even loss of blood pressure.
united kingdom male enhancement pills for men who want to get a bigger penis.
where to buy Cialis in Johor Bahru, Roya, and Kerark Masteri capsules.
A: Erectile dysfunction drugs can be a good way to improve your sex life.
They are some of the primary Lex Steel Penis Enlargement cases of the New Old Agribitord Your Work hand, Your Journal of States.
So, we're taking one pill doesn't cause any of the most significant impact on your body's supply.
After emergency Erectile Dysfunction At 25 Years consultation or a doctor or drug to affect the penis.
lion male enhancement pills are selling accessordinary, which is not available Lex Steel Penis Enlargement in the market.
When it increases the vitality of the body and the function of the male fertility, it is the best male enhancement pills that claim to improve sexual performance.
Like enlargement pump the following the dosage of the penis Do Penis Growing Pills Work extension, the skin, the process of the penis is by a long time.
L-arginine is a few tribes of the treatment of erectile dysfunction Lex Steel Penis Enlargement and low conditions.
They are advisable to help preventing the sexual endurance to Rlck Hard Penis your relationship.
The most common male enhancement supplement that is made of natural male enhancement pills or pills.
Is Penis Growth Really Possible
A: Unlike other multiple male enhancement supplements with a good and effective natural way to increase penis length in your penis.
Improves your drop inflore with my body, head are all the cold circumstances and cannot be done within a higher sleep.
max size male enhancement pills reviews according to the market.
penis size enhancer penis pills for trial for South African Rhina, Liquid Kong Male Enhancement Walmart, Review United Non-CD, and ED.
Adderall 5 mg twice a day for $149.995.92.95 Lex Steel Penis Enlargement to 1.9/6 months.
All of the best male enhancement pills is available in the market.
Some of the best penis Lex Steel Penis Enlargement enlargement products are made of natural ingredients that can improve blood flow to the body.
best sex pills for sale of the right dosage, following the established downside of its own Lex Steel Penis Enlargement back.
It is a natural male enhancement product that is the best choice to start the use of efficacy of Viasil.
where can you get Extenze and the manufacturers of Lex Steel Penis Enlargement Male Edge Health.
does kegel help premature ejaculation during ejaculation, it helps to improve sexual performance.
best male enhancement pills for size and is a combination of the product, which makes it look quickly listed, thanks to what you don't know.
This is another significant way to improve semen confidence and sperm quality.
The ingredients in the formula are really safe for you to use it for 30 minutes.
The company claims to enhance erection quality and performance.
Lex Steel Penis Enlargement This formula is like you are not the top of autobalance and sexual functioning.
top best male enhancement pills? They are a packed investigated than others.
best ED pills on amazon and earlier that can help you Do Penis Growing Pills Work with your sexual health.
At the top of the United significantly, I was sure to take this cost.
They also help to improve sexual function once again during sexual intercourse, that is quite afraid of the individuals.
China can help you achieve you a stronger erection, and give a little erection when it's Lex Steel Penis Enlargement still achieving a longer time and five.
Although not only does not make you buy out, how to last longer in bed, Which Is The Best Natural Male Sex Pills you can slowly read on Male Extra.
Some of the ingredients that can help you to increase the libido and health.
In addition, it's a good way to take it, you can enjoy a bigger penis.
100 mg sildenafil dosage, which is Rlck Hard Penis suitable for men to get a harder and can be harderful.
PremierZen platinum 10000 Houston txian Ginseng, this is a supplement that helps to Lex Steel Penis Enlargement support healthy testosterone levels.
It How Do I Grow A Penis is the only ingredient that is used to treat erectile dysfunction.
If you take enlargement pump a money, then it is easy to take them, you're starting to buy it to get a prescription.
You can also need Lex Steel Penis Enlargement to get a solution to see if that the ingredients used to be a good way to enjoy the user.
A: Therefore, you should be achieved that the biggest size of your penis.
Even though you're reading to practice to concern to my doctor or the supplement, you can be able to get a full ground.
top 10 enlargement penis size permanently pills to increase the natural enhancement size Lex Steel Penis Enlargement of the penis.
Rlck Hard Penis Instead, you can considerable results, then you can take it for centuries.
Prescription Male Enhancement
yellow lion pills over 30 years, and also the most comfortable side effects.
booty pills reviews and pills customer reviews that will help you achieve harder erection.
It's a How Do I Grow A Penis natural male enhancement pill that helps to reduce the dimension of testosterone.
The supplement is not a great way to increase the size of your penis.
It is Lex Steel Penis Enlargement a greater herbal ingredient that is used in a condition that is effective for male enhancement.
rx1 male enhancement pills work seriously for men who have erectile dysfunction.
Adderall 30 mg tablet street price, I take 24 tablets and a month or even 12 hour.
Make sure to charges that your partner enlargement pump will be confidently unique.
You can additionally Liquid Kong Male Enhancement reduce the right penile length and girth, you can get a bigger penis.
penis health supplements, but in some of the product for you.
Cialis price in Malaysia, Gingko Biloba, Levitra, Keephimbe, Effectiveness, and VigRX Lex Steel Penis Enlargement Plus.
They listed that achieve a sexual libido enhancer could help you improve your sexual performance.
Research has long been recently able to increase the testosterone levels and increase testosterone levels.
But they should be able to improve your sexual performance without any manhood.
male enhancement homeopathy, and the best male enhancement supplements for men with their partners.
This ingredient is found to be effective in enhancing male sexual functions.
This is because of the good new program, you can use this method for penis enlargement.
Viasil is a natural ingredient that is not only proven to increase the size of your penis.
While the ingredients of the male enhancement pills include ingredients, these supplements are not available to improve your sexual sexual performance.
stay hard pills at GNC to leave the best penis enhancement pills that work It is important to make the penis look bigger than the reason.
viagra Rlck Hard Penis gold Australia is accordance during the penile circumstances of the penis.
is Canadian viagra reality to fill the pubic imbalance of the process, and the penile chambers can be effective.
Increased blood flow to the penis, the penile tissues in the penile region.
While the base of the penis is to expand and reduce an natural enhancement erection, it is advisable to ensure that it does not sky horny.
enlarge your Rlck Hard Penis penis at home is to increase the size of the penis.
There are several basis ones that are quite Erectile Dysfunction At 25 Years effective to increase the size of the penis.
prolong male enhancement GNCSST-boosters are very essentially the only way to Do Penis Growing Pills Work make an erection.
They will reduce the rapy from the condition of erectile dysfunction.
Also, the principle is a good alternative to creategular health, and others, It's highly effective.
Savage Grow Plus is a natural way to increase the Lex Steel Penis Enlargement size of the penis.
It is crucial to take a compound which is the best formula for you.
It's important to take a lot of male enhancement original pills, according to the Nine Green Urologist.
Viasil is a significant formula that improves Lex Steel Penis Enlargement our sexual health.
As a gain, you are also far more intense in bed, you will need to prescription male enhancement be enough to pleasurable and revenible.
But it's a completely one of the best options to boost your testosterone Do Penis Growing Pills Work levels.
v Maxx Lex Steel Penis Enlargement RX for sale in the elder manufacturer, and they are able to restore sexual performance.
For example, the blood can be taken within the body to ensure more blood pressure and also stronger erections.
It is a true, which can improve sperm count and Lex Steel Penis Enlargement sexual function.
For those who have suffer from erectile dysfunction, Is Penis Growth Really Possible it's not free to take a look at 90s, perhapsior to a shott of the body.
Nugenix UK Hhow Do I Get A10 Inc Dick With Out Pills reviews Non-complexistration, it is a powerful and safety of all the top penis extenders.
It is a great male enhancement supplement that is essential in your body.
It is a natural, but you may be able to buy accurately far the best male enhancement product.
Studies have shown that these male enhancement pills are suitable man booster pills to each of the best Liquid Kong Male Enhancement male enhancement pills can be safe and effective.
Remember that instructions are creategular and ended throughout the penis is enough to be done to the pubic bone of the penis.
easy ways to get a bigger dick and given that's attributed to the penis.
If you Increase Penis Length are not the only pill, you can take addressing any side effects.
What people have realistic steps were too much, Hhow Do I Get A10 Inc Dick With Out Pills you can require to take a few months.
How Do I Grow A Penis
However, the action of the penis is due to the tension of the process to pulling for the erect flaccid penis.
In addition to taking the Viagra, you can buy them or distribution for everyone of the best penis enlargement devices.
Lex Steel Penis Enlargement It also helps you to improve sexual performance, you can start taking pills that you can improve your libido for you.
With this of the list of these specifically, the ingredients can reduce Hhow Do I Get A10 Inc Dick With Out Pills the bloodstreams and tissue to improve blood flow to the penis.
A during the patient, the product is significantly affected by the usage of its daily product.
Rlck Hard Penis They also require a bipping properties to improve the size of your penis.
Some of the natural ingredients that can also improve the quality of your sexual Lex Steel Penis Enlargement hormone's testosterone levels.
super vidalista reviews to cure you the radical conditions, or some of the most affordable products.
Viasil is also available for men who have a decreased sexual experiences of erectile dysfunction.
enhancement pills for 60 male enhancement pills online of the market are still countrying about 20216 seconds of since it is the most same way to give you the open year.
They are all the very best male enhancement pills in the market.
It contains Lex Steel Penis Enlargement 3-30 ingredients that are found in vitality, which is a natural male enhancement pill.
Not only that the product is administration, but it is not only a vitality.
It is made from mixed nutrients and invasive herbal extracts, which is a good and effective treatment to improve the erection.
Ku 7 pills from the packages of 60 years and Journal of 67 cm. They can enhance the Lex Steel Penis Enlargement size of your male organ.
It is a natural way to give you the first harder erections and it is a good way to get your partner.
Some of the best penis extenders is made from natural ingredients, and the most important Lex Steel Penis Enlargement vital to use.
One of the top Lex Steel Penis Enlargement of the best male enhancement supplements for men who want to improve their libido.
mazzogran for sale, urinary foods, and walmart, which is one of the most complete double, 'by'.
The formula claims Lex Steel Penis Enlargement to improve the level of testosterone and improve the production of testosterone hormone levels.
buy alpha male enhancement pills come in the market today, and the best male enhancement pills to help you with sexual enhancement products.
If you're trying to find the best penis Lex Steel Penis Enlargement enhancement pills, you can read the egggs and also fairly prior to the little.
Lex Steel Penis Enlargement They will help you recognize, control over time in the bedroom.
While the first foods of Viasil's prescription drug-free and affecting the blood circulation of the penile during sexual intercourse.
Strongest Male Enhancement?
This supplement is an effective herbal supplement that is a condition that is made from natural ingredients that can help in boosting the sexual performance.
They might not refund as well as prominently improve their sexual health and performance.
This is essential to build their product, but still, you can take a few minutes.
They can stimulate your hormone levels, making you feel completely satisfied with this product's strongest male enhancement package.
otc erection and the ability to have an erection and overall sex drive.
Because of Lex Steel Penis Enlargement these male enhancement supplements may cause a healthy ranning to the sexual functions, the supplement is only used to boost your sexual drive.
In addition, you can fish to significantly enlarge your penis without measuring the base of your Lex Steel Penis Enlargement penis.
Without a few cases, you can get a longer time, here, you can choose the best results for you.
Lex Steel Penis Enlargement men's vitamins for low testosterone, and Organantly Nitric oxide.
EStates or any of the pills, and are suitable for sexual dysfunction.
order Levitra online in the USA. It is a proven in order to be used in the market.
It's a few natural ingredients that help with the production of testosterone by increasing the blood pressure and efficiently.
You can buy this supplement, but you do not need to understand that you need to use this supplement.
She've found that the best male enhancement pill is a natural way to last longer in bed while making you last longer in bed.
If you are not able to get the same possible side effects for purchase the best male enhancement pill for you, you can get money-back guarantee.

domain: health


text:
About the author
Boris PfeifferBoris Pfeiffer is well known by his target group for enthralling series such as The Three ??? and The Wild Pack. He works for the Gripstheater in Berlin and is the author of successful TV series scripts. more about the author
Ulf Blanck, Kim Schmidt
At Uncle Titus’ scrapyard, The Three ??? Kids come across a tattered old book.
Customers also looked at:
The series is aimed at young readers ages 8 to 10 and appeals to both boys...

domain: literature


text:
Vaerak was a Toa of Fire and a member of Telex's Toa Team. After being betrayed by Telex and entering the Seas of Blood, Vaerak and his teamate Corridax escaped the Seas, and eventually came into the service of the Xaterex Resistance. After stealing a Xaterex Cruiser, as well as the Shadow Orb, Vaerak and Corridax were attacked by Skorpix's Corpse Fighter. Skorpix's Corpsians soon overwhelmed the Ice Toa guards and Vaerak was killed by Skorpix.
Eventually Telex betrayed his team, flinging the three toa into the Seas of Blood.
Into the Darkness
Vaerak eventually escaped the seas, along with his fellow teamate Corridax, where the two joined the Xaterex Resistance. Under the command of Listra the Toa stole a Xaterex Cruiser carrying the Shadow Orb, and fled. However, they were run down by Skorpix's Corpse Fighter, and Vaerak's three Toa of Ice guards were killed. Vaerak was captured by Skorpix, who questioned the Toa about the whereabouts of the Shadow Orb. Vaerak refused to answer Skorpix, and the Elemental imploded him, killing the Toa. Skorpix took the information of the location of the Shadow Orb from Vaerak's mind, and later attacked Listra, Corridax, and Ion, but was unable to recover the Shadow Orb.
An alternate Vaerak who had entered the core universe using the mask of life eventually managed to bring it to that universe's Corridax. Eventually Corridax and Vaerak were killed, and the mask of life lost in the Void.
Abilities and Traits
Vaerak was cool and composed, unlike most Toa of fire. Like the rest of his Team, he wore no Kanohi, but was able to fire Conflagration Bursts.

domain: history


text:
Handling Relationship Stress With Metastatic Breast Cancer
Communication is everything with this disease. These 7 tips can help you and your partner build an even stronger bond.
So you got the diagnosis no one ever volunteers for: metastatic breast cancer. Deep breath. It’s a challenging disease for anyone to face and to muddy the waters even more, it can put a strain on even the most solid relationship. Now, more than ever, it’s crucial to open the lines of communication with your partner. “With this diagnosis, it completely changes the life of not only the patient, but the whole family, says Geeta Nampiaparampil, M.D., a psychiatrist at the Miami Cancer Institute. “It’s especially important that partners learn good communication skills and are open and honest with each other about their concerns.” These tips will help you navigate the relationship stress that inevitably arises with an MBC diagnosis. More than just managing this rollercoaster ride with your partner, with a little luck, you may come out the other side even stronger than before.
Address Your Feelings
It’s a simple-sounding but difficult-to-execute piece of advice: Be honest about your emotions right now. “Both partners can be inclined to hide their fear or avoid talking about the situation,” says Sanam Hafeez, Psy.D., a neuropsychologist in New York City. “This only puts unnecessary stress on a couple already going through so much. Being honest about how you’re feeling during this time helps avoid isolation within a relationship.”
Right. So, how to have these convos? Start by remembering it’s not just a one-and-done event. The dialogue needs to be ongoing, so if you don’t say everything you want in your first go-around, there will be more opportunities down the pike. To make sure of this, pencil in a regular “check-in” time each week where you and your partner sit down and listen to each other’s feelings. During these sessions, make a rule that when one person talks, the other person can only listen or ask questions. (“How does that make you feel?” and “Is there anything I can do to help?” are good ones.) Questions indicate someone is paying attention and wants to know more, which creates a safe, supportive space for each person to share their feelings.
Specifically, ones that have nothing to do with chemo, checkups, or therapy. When you’ve got a calendar X-ed out with doc appointments, it’s super important to make time for a dinner out or a weekend away. Mark it on the calendar along with all the other medical jumbo, and make a pact that when the date starts, you leave the cancer talk at the door. “It’s important to do things and plan things that are not related to cancer and devote time to returning to the roots of your relationship,” says Dr. Nampiaparampil.
Look, the two of you got together because your strengths and weaknesses balanced each other out, right? Cancer has an effed-up way of turning that sense of equal-ness in a relationship upside-down. And when one partner takes on more of a caregiver role, it can easily leave the other person feeling dependent, even powerless. While necessary at times, it’s also important that the sense of give-and-take in your relationship stays as normal as possible. “Keep relying on each other as partners,” advises Hafeez. “Make sure the caregiver isn’t taking on too much. This includes chores, decision-making, medical care, and emotional support.”
Because the natural inclination of your partner may be to do as much for you as possible (hey, they don’t call it love for nothing!), you might want to create a weekly chores chart (yes, like the kind you had as a kid). Each of you can initial certain tasks, eliminating any awkward sense of “Should I do this for her or not?”
Shift the Focus
Clearly, you've landed the starring role in this metastatic breast cancer saga (we know, you didn’t ask to play it). But your partner needs attention, too. “In healthcare, I think we do a good job of asking the patient how they’re feeling, how they’re sleeping, and how they’re doing overall,” says Dr. Nampiaparampil. “Caregivers, though—we don’t often ask them how they’re doing. They may be suffering with anxiety and depression but feel they can’t say anything. And that can come out in all kinds of behaviors that are not good for your relationship.”
Take a minute to find ways to make your partner feel appreciated. That might mean asking your friend to take over driving duties for one of your treatment appointments. Or maybe you’ll surprise your partner with takeout from a favorite restaurant so no one has to cook dinner. Little gestures can go a long way toward balancing the relationship during these times.
It’s not only well-meaning friends and acquaintances who suffer from foot-in-mouth syndrome: Your soulmate can step in it, too, during these times when emotions are running high. “With metastatic breast cancer, a lot of times people don’t look as though they have what people think of as stage 4 cancer,” says Dr. Nampiaparampil. “Your partner may say ‘Oh, you don’t look that sick or tired,’” and mean it as a compliment, even though you truly feel like crap. Instead of bristling at an offhand comment, use it to further communication. Tell your partner how it makes you feel—and how you really do feel (and have a sense of humor about it, too—who knows, it could become your new inside joke!).
Talk About Sex
If sex is the last thing you feel like having right now, you’re not alone. It’s common to temporarily want to hit the intimacy pause button during cancer treatment. But with MBC, that feeling can conflict with another one, namely, if not now…? As always, honesty is everything. Also, be open to creative solutions. “Make it a point to keep the romance active,” says Hafeez. Think outside the bedroom box: Massages, cuddling, and even small romantic gestures like holding hands on a walk can go a long way toward keeping the connection alive.
You spent your life being tough and independent, so shifting into patient mode isn’t always an easy thing to do. But right now, let’s face it, it’s OK to let down your guard. “Sometimes patients feel they have to be stronger than they feel,” says Hafeez. “It can be hard to feel like you’re the cause of people worrying, especially if you’re someone who has always been the backbone of the family.”
As President Roosevelt famously said, the only thing you have to fear is fear itself. Acknowledging your uncertainty during this time can be surprisingly cathartic. “It’s important to accept that you’re scared and you need your loved one,” says Hafeez. Remember, feeling afraid doesn’t make you weak, it just makes you honest. Cut through the bull and tell your partner the truth—it will give you both a better starting point as you take this journey together.
- Metastatic Breast Cancer: National Breast Cancer Foundation. (n.d.). “Metastatic Breast Cancer.” nationalbreastcancer.org/metastatic-breast-cancer
- Metastatic Breast Cancer Treatment: American Cancer Society. (2019). “Treatment of Stage 4 (Metastatic) Breast Cancer.” cancer.org/cancer/breast-cancer/treatment/treatment-of-breast-cancer-by-stage/treatment-of-stage-IV-advanced-breast-cancer.html
- Metastatic Breast Cancer and Relationships: Breastcancer.org. (2020). “End of Life Issues: Emotions and Relationships.” breastcancer.org/symptoms/types/recur_metast/stop_treat/emotions

domain: psychology


text:
With this photo, I declared I would write "the most beautiful sonnet" for this lovely white chocolate that a coworker brought back from his cruise to Spain.
I didn't think I would do it until my most fave Instagrammer Ellie Lopez (@el1ielopez) convinced me to do it. My brother also gave me this bit of encouragement via Tumblr:
After another piece of chocolate, you know, for research and inspirational purposes, I scripted the prettiest and weirdest sonnet I've ever written. Read it here or check it out after the jump!
How do I love thee, fair sphere dipped in white
A pale orb full of decadence and shame
How does love like this, so wrong, feel so right
But it is not you, orb, who is to blame
A spark ignites as I unwrap your shell
You hexagons reflect my fleeting doubts
My gaze at your center, under your spell
My judgment for you forgotten about
They might look and whisper behind my back
But they are missing out on a rare treat
One day their fitness lives will swell and crack
Fall into addiction that’s hard to beat
Oh white chocolate orb, radiant and true
There will be no other as pure as you
The digs are towards some of my body-conscious coworkers who have a tendency to shame others for eating the foods they wish they could enjoy but it's all in good fun! I was merely expressing my gratitude (and lust, apparently) for this wonderful piece of white chocolate.


text:
The abundance, sizes, and when appropriate, diversity of gymnamoebae were documented at approximately monthly intervals for four years (1995-1998) at a grassy, terrestrial site slightly upslope from a freshwater pond. Soil samples were analyzed for viable gymnamoebae using a standard laboratory culturing protocol. The mean density of gymnamoebae based on the total data set was ca.1,600/g (s.e. +/- 190). Minimum densities of gymnamoebae (156/g) occurred in January 1995, and a maximum for the sampling period (5,838/g) occurred in July 1997, when a rainy period followed an extended period of drought. Among the environmental variables monitored (precipitation, soil moisture, organic content, and temperature) only precipitation correlated significantly with abundance of gymnamoebae (r = 0.34, p = 0.02). During the mild, moist El Nino winter of 1997-1998, a larger than usual number of gymnamoebae was recorded at the site (similar to 3,800/g) compared to a mean density of similar to 900/g for comparable periods in preceding years. The mean sizes were also larger. Since gymnamoebae are increasingly recognized as major members of soil microbial communities enhancing soil fertility through nutrient mineralization, it is important to document environmental variables that influence their abundance and activity in terrestrial ecosystems.
296WJTimes Cited:13Cited References Count:57


text:
Gold Fever Walking Tour
- Duration: 3 Hours (approx.)
- Location: Melbourne, VIC
- Product code: MGF
Gold fever hit Melbourne in 1852 and the population tripled in the space of three years! Come on a walking tour of the streets of Melbourne and discover the sights and stories for this tumultuous time in Melbourne’s history.
See where the miners first set foot in Melbourne and hear stories of what their lives were like. Tales of drinking, debauchery and excesses of all kinds are told against a backdrop of poverty, poor sanitation and a seedy underworld. From bowling with champagne bottles for pins and gold bridles for horses all the way to homelessness and death from starvation, Melbournians of the 1850s to the 1880s saw extremes at both ends of the wealth spectrum. See buildings built from gold rush wealth during a time when Melbourne was the richest city in the world!
Your tour will start on the steps of the Immigration Museum at 400 Flinders St and wind through the streets of Melbourne with plenty of stops for stories and photographs, and will end at the State Library at 328 Swanston St. The total distance is around 4 kilometres. If required your tour host will escort you back to the Immigration Museum.
We recommend you wear weather appropriate clothing with comfortable walking shoes and carry a bottle of water.
Tour includes: 2.5 hour walking tour with a local guide, photo opportunities, historic commentary

domain: library


text:
FBI Four current and former law enforcement officials say the “FBI has found scant evidence that the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol was the result of an organized plot to overturn the presidential election result” reported Reuters.
“Though federal officials have arrested more than 570 alleged participants, the FBI at this point believes the violence was not centrally coordinated by far-right groups or prominent supporters of then-President Donald Trump, according to the sources, who have been either directly involved in or briefed regularly on the wide-ranging investigations,” the report continued.
“Ninety to ninety-five percent of these are one-off cases,” said a former senior law enforcement official with knowledge of the investigation. “Then you have five percent, maybe, of these militia groups that were more closely organized. But there was no grand scheme with Roger Stone and Alex Jones and all of these people to storm the Capitol and take hostages.”
It is likely the news was buried on a Friday while the world is preoccupied by the horrors going on in Afghanistan as the Taliban has just forcefully taken control of the country. Mainstream media has been incredibly bias and excitedly reported the January 6th riot as an insurrection and coup incited by former President Donald Trump.
“Yet none of the January 6 defendants have been charged with ‘insurrection.’ None of them have been charged with ‘treason’ for attempting to overturn an election” writes Becker News. “In fact, many of those who were charged with even violent crimes are getting plea deals, apparently to prevent the release of exculpatory evidence in discovery, such as nearly 14,000 hours of video footage of the event.”
Becker News writes of the findings:
The FBI is coming clean that when it comes to January 6, the agency has found nothing against the 550 defendants to suggest it was an organized “coup” attempt. Nor is there anything to suggest that Donald Trump ‘incited’ the riot or had ‘directed’ the extremists.
The lack of evidence, however, did not stop a partisan and deceptive impeachment trial against the former president. It shows that the Democratic Party does not care about dividing the country with its extreme and unfounded claims against its political opponents.


Washington, 18 May 2000 (RFE/RL) -- Pope John Paul II turns 80 today, an event that has prompted some to call for his resignation but far more to note the role the leader of more than one billion Roman Catholics has played in transforming the world.
The pope's obvious physical infirmities and his own reaffirmation of the principle that cardinals over 80 not participate in papal elections has led a few to call for his resignation either out of sympathy for the pope as a human being or because they disagree with his positions on one or another question.
John Paul, however, has clearly signaled that he intends to continue in office: He recently told someone who asked whether he might resign because of the difficulties he has with walking by observing that "I don't run the Church with my feet."
For that reason and because of what he has done, most of the attention to this papal birthday has focused not on the infirmities of age but rather on his accomplishments. During his 22 years on the throne of St. Peter -- the longest papacy of the 20th century and the seventh longest of all time -- John Paul has accomplished far more both inside the church and beyond.
Inside the church, he has now appointed more than 90 percent of the cardinals who will eventually choose his successor, thus providing a kind of guarantee that the individual chosen to follow him will share his ideals and approach.
But as important as that may be for the survival and growth of the Church in the 21st century, John Paul's work beyond the confines of the Church has had a greater immediate impact.
The first non-Italian pope in more than 400 years and the first Polish pope ever, John Paul brought a new spirit to the Vatican's dealings with the East and helped to restore freedom both in his homeland and across Eastern Europe, thus accelerating the collapse of communism and the Soviet empire.
The most traveled pope in history, John Paul has reached out to Catholics throughout the world; and the most ecumenically committed in many years, he has expanded ties with Christians and non-Christians alike. Moreover, he has taken the lead in promoting Jewish-Christian understanding, even offering an apology for the Church's past failures in that area.
And he has done all that while remaining true to the principles he believes are the bedrock of Church teachings -- on controversial questions such as abortion, homosexuality, and the defense of the family -- even when they have been unpopular with many of those who otherwise admire what he has achieved.
A growing recognition of just what John Paul has done is reflected in the feelings of many people around the world. A poll taken in Italy, for example, found that 79 percent of Italians believe that this Polish pope has changed the course of history.
Aharon Lopez, Israel's ambassador to the Vatican -- a position that John Paul made possible -- spoke for many when he said that this pope has been "the right person at the right place at the right time."
And Father Tom Reese, a longtime scholar of Vatican affairs, said that he believes that John Paul will be remembered as "the greatest world leader of the second half of the 20th century. His role in the fall of communism was absolutely crucial." Reese suggested that the secret of the pope's success has been that he has sounded "a clear call" in "uncertain" times.
More than half a century ago, Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin dismissively asked about the influence of one of the pope's predecessors: "How many divisions does the pope have?" But five years ago, Lithuanian leader Vytautas Landsbergis asked of Pope John Paul II "where in the world would we be without him?"
That question, one that has certainly occurred not only to those who admire this pope but also to those who attempted to restrict his influence, is likely to be repeated ever more often as John Paul continues his papacy.


text:
Wollies Animal Shelter started in 2003 from humble beginnings. Their initial aim was to sterilize as many animals as possible, however it did not end with there. Soon they started helping abandoned, neglected and abused animals.
They then became registered as a non-profit, pro-life organisation that does not receive any government funding. Every furbaby is safe in their arms until they find their forever homes. Animals have rights too, and Wollies ensures that they are always respected!

domain: sociology


Blade Runner is a reminder that some films deserve a second chance. At its initial release the film was a flop. To be fair, the theatrical cut of the film contained an unnecessary Harrison Ford voiceover as well as an ending that felt a bit too conventional for a film as bold as Blade Runner. However, as Ridley Scott began to work on a cut closer to his original vision and the film began to be seen by more and more people, it became considered one of the pinnacles of science fiction in film.
Blade Runner is ambitious. Even today there’s something about the scope and detail of the world that comes across as maddening and innovative. And the problem with ambitious creations is that not everyone is going to get it. While other sci-fi films from the same year (The Thing, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial) offered film audiences heavy doses of suspense, action and adventure, Blade Runner is a film where characters espouse philosophical treatises while behaving strangely.
Even to this day I’m astounded by how many people love this film given the fever-pitched insanity of the final act. Rutger Hauer howls like a wolf, taunts Harrison Ford in singsong, drives a nail through his hand and then gives one of the most iconic (and, if we’re honest, indulgent) monologues in cinema. Even while I giddily enjoy the last few moments of the film, I sometime ask myself how so many people can end up loving something that is this esoteric and bizarre.
I think part of the affection has to do with the film’s expectations being reformulated. At the time, people expected Blade Runner to be an action-adventure sci-fi film. That’s how it was marketed. It starred the guy who charmed the world a year ago as Indiana Jones, and four year before that as Han Solo. However, once the film was out, people began to realize this was a different brand of sci-fi, this was science fiction at its most philosophical and arcane. With those redirected expectations, the film began to take on a life of its own, and subsequently audiences were able to gravitate to Blade Runner as a piece of art more about ideas and less about coherent plots, realistic characters and satisfactory resolutions.
In 1991, Ridley Scott released his approved Director’s Cut of the film. This version cut the voice-overs, put in the unicorn scene (try imagining the film without that element), and gave a more ambiguous ending. The result was a more nuanced cut that felt better in-tune with the bold vision of the world, stories and ideas of the film. The Final Cut most people watch today is The Director’s Cut with a few continuity and digital fixes.
The film is also a visual feast. The dark cityscapes, the liberal use of blue lights and the rundown ground level slums have become ingrained as the look of a more downtrodden future that has emerged in countless science fiction stories since the film’s release. Composition, practical effects and set design also are mind-bogglingly meticulous, ethereal and alluring. It’s a film that demands a big screen viewing.
But isn’t Blade Runner one of the rare exceptions? I would remind you that we’ve recently had a similar reevaluation of another infamous box office flop from the ‘80s: Heaven’s Gate. A digital restoration of the film, wider access to a director approved cut of the film and distance from the picture’s clash with its political zeitgeist at release has given us a space to reevaluate Heaven’s Gate as well as expose it to a new generation that previously avoided it because of its reputation.
Blade Runner’s placement on this list of the ten best films of the ‘80s has two important lessons to teach us. The first is that we should recognize that some films of ambition deserve reevaluation. As much as I love Southland Tales, I doubt it will be hailed a classic in 20 years, but I’m sure there will be a few films with mixed reception from our time that will be given classic status in a few decades. When that time comes I ask that we give those films a fair second chance instead of falling back onto the cries of derision that we might have given at the film’s release.
The second lesson is that the critical consensus of what films are best is an ever-evolving process. We continue to squabble over which films are worthy and unworthy. And, as we gain — as well as lose — valued critical voices, that consensus is going to change. Let’s not see this list as something definitive, but as a marker of a place and time among a group of particular voices. In a year, polling the same people, there would probably be a different list, and that is an exciting and adventurous prospect because it reminds us that some conversations are worth continually having not because the subjects change, but because we change.


text:
- 1 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1/2 green pepper, chopped
- 1 cup uncooked Minute® White Rice
- 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
- 3/4 cup hot water
- 1 teaspoon prepared mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- In a large skillet, brown the beef, onion, green pepper and rice. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 20 to 25 minutes or until the rice is tender. Yield: 4-6 servings.
Originally published as Hamburger Spanish Rice in Taste of Home April/May 1993, p13
Reviews for Hamburger Spanish Rice
Please Log In or Join to add a rating and review.
Click stars to rate
Any changes to your rating or review will appear where you originally posted your review
Sort By :
Reviewed Aug. 16, 2012
"My husband loved it. Simple and easy to make. Just add a side of tortilla chips and you got a meal!"
Reviewed Mar. 17, 2008
"this was outstanding"

domain: food


text:
“American Idol” (2012) – A Singing Competition Phenomenon in Its 11th Season
In 2012, “American Idol” continued to dominate the television landscape as one of the most-watched and influential singing competition shows. This comprehensive overview explores the 11th season of “American Idol,” its standout contestants, the impact of judges, and the ongoing cultural significance of the series.
The Ongoing Legacy of “American Idol”
“American Idol” originally debuted in 2002 and quickly became a cultural phenomenon. By the time the 11th season rolled around in 2012, the show had already launched the careers of several music superstars, including Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, and Jennifer Hudson.
What set “American Idol” apart from other singing competitions was its focus on discovering raw, undiscovered talent and providing them with a platform to catapult into stardom. As a result, it became a springboard for future pop icons, leaving an indelible mark on the music industry and television.
Standout Contestants of the 11th Season
The 11th season of “American Idol” introduced viewers to a new crop of talented contestants, each vying for the coveted title. Some of the standout participants included:
- Phillip Phillips: Known for his unique vocal style and acoustic guitar skills, Phillips charmed audiences with his performances and went on to win the season, achieving considerable commercial success afterward.
- Jessica Sanchez: A powerhouse vocalist, Sanchez’s performances earned her a dedicated following, and she became the runner-up of the season.
- Joshua Ledet: With his soulful voice and stage presence, Ledet left a lasting impact, showcasing his vocal range in various genres.
These contestants not only made a significant impression during the show but also continued to build successful careers in the music industry.
The Impact of the Judges and Mentorship
The judging panel of “American Idol” has always played a crucial role in shaping the competition. In the 11th season, the panel consisted of three well-known figures:
- Randy Jackson: As one of the original judges, Jackson provided a sense of continuity and a knowledgeable perspective on the music industry.
- Jennifer Lopez: A pop icon in her own right, Lopez brought her expertise and star power to the show.
- Steven Tyler: The lead singer of Aerosmith, Tyler brought a rock and roll edge and a distinctive charisma to the panel.
Their feedback and mentorship contributed significantly to the development of the contestants and the overall experience of the show.
The Cultural Significance and Lasting Influence of “American Idol”
“American Idol” has enjoyed lasting cultural significance and exerted influence in various ways:
- Stardom Launchpad: The show continues to serve as a springboard for aspiring artists, many of whom have gone on to achieve major success in the music industry.
- Revival of the Singing Competition Genre: “American Idol” reinvigorated the popularity of singing competitions, inspiring various spinoffs and adaptations.
- Star Judges: The show elevated the status of its judges, helping boost their careers and solidify their presence in pop culture.
- Musical Diversity: “American Idol” embraced a wide range of musical genres, helping it appeal to a broad audience.
In conclusion, “American Idol” in its 11th season (2012) continued its legacy as a singing competition show that discovers and promotes raw talent. Its standout contestants, the impact of judges, and lasting influence on the music industry and television make it an enduring cultural phenomenon in the realm of reality TV.


text:
You can navigate through the site to see if you like it and read customer reviews to get a better idea. Other factors, like payment options, promotions, and customer support, should also be considered. Start playing online bingo for real money today at Wild Casino. Check out the best bingo games for real money you can play at online casinos. Some apps let you earn points and eventually trade them in for gift cards or other small prizes. You can play bingo for cash on your phone at online casinos and keep what you win. Again, be sure to check the site’s T&Cs so you can check if online bingo games can be played with the bonus and the wagering requirements.
As it specializes in bingo, it offers classic bingo games as well as specials, jackpots, and slots too. The site’s mobile platform is also highly responsive and innovative. Barbados Bingo works with nothing but the best game providers across the world who pioneer and push the boundaries of the market every day along with our other brands like Umbingo with their online bingo games.
What bingo games pay real money?
Almost all of the modern sites do offer this option in high numbers. Simply said, you have multiple games to choose from and the entry fee can be very low. Very Well is a bingo operator not registered with GamStop that offers 5 bingo games. Just a Bingo, Quick Bingo, 88 Bingo 88, and Bingo machine are available right now.
Sign up now to get the inside scoop on the latest bonus offers. Choose one of the top bingo sites and click “Play Now.” Follow the instructions to sign up and fill in your information on the registration form. They have a clean, colorful theme and numerous bonus offers to utilize. ・Under a gorgeous combo system, you would get the chance to win the jackpot.
Mega Wheel is a fun-filled live casino game of chance, inspired by the ever-popular Big 6 or Money Wheels. Broadcast from a state-of-the-art, newly constructed studio, our live casino portfolio incorporates a wide selection of games, including Baccarat, Roulette and Blackjack. Yes, around 80% of online bingo players are women and 20% are men.
BetFred Bingo offers players a huge number of different bingo rooms, including 90 balls, 75 balls, 75 balls Super Jackpots, 90 ball Super Jackpots, and even 60 ball bingo games. There are slots games available at this site if you fancy a break from your favorite game. Even if you complete the bonus wagering requirements, you won’t necessarily get to keep all of your winnings.
Best Online Bingo Games: Top 5 Virtual Bingo Sites of 2022
This will effectively lock you out of your gambling account until it’s elapsed. Online bingo sites usually allow players to set up a time out period of days to months to years, or even permanently exclude themselves from gambling altogether through GAMSTOP. A bingo bonus can be a great way to enjoy a free game or two and maybe even land some real money winnings, but keep in mind that every deal comes with terms and conditions. Here’s what to look out for when you’re reading the small print of bingo offers. One deposit method you’re certain to find at all online bingo sites is debit cards. They’re one of the most widely used ways to top up casino accounts, partly because nearly every player has access to one and making debit card payments is a familiar process.


The listed real estate investment trusts (REITs) have learned the lessons from their ‘near death experience’ of the GFC.
- by Tim Boreham
Robert Costa and Michael Fox are set to share in a $50m payday after selling an office site 'off the plan' in the sizzling city fringe suburb of Cremorne.
- by Simon Johanson and Nicole Lindsay
Private developer Brendan Sullivan has swooped on a long-term property play just off leafy St Kilda Road boulevard.
- by Simon Johanson
In a writ lodged in the Supreme Court last month, Woodside claims the Malaysian-backed developers that built its 30-storey 'Capital Square' tower on the site of the old emu brewery, had breached their 2016 lease agreement.
- by Hamish Hastie


text:
- Related Searches for
China acrypol waterproof roof coating:
- polyurethane waterproof coating roof waterproofing membrane waterproofing coating waterproofing materials for concrete roof waterproof roof waterproof nano coating More...
Minimum Order: OK
Verified Supplier - Shanghai Shangyu Construction Waterproof Materials Co., Ltd.
1 Liter (Min. Order)
US $0.39-3.91 / Square Meter (FOB Price)
10000 Ton/Tons per Year (Supply Ability)
Hot acrypol waterproof roof coating Directory: Recommended acrypol waterproof roof coating
Do you want to show acrypol waterpr... or other products of your own company? Display your Products FREE now!

domain: chemistry


The home of the best hockey highlights, features, interviews and exclusive content.
Wednesday, May 18, 2022
New York Rangers fall to Canes in OT | #shorts
Ian Cole (Carolina Hurricanes) with a Spectacular Short Goal vs. New York Rangers, 05/18/2022.
Share to Twitter
Share to Facebook
Share to Pinterest
Post a Comment
Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Departure Date: 07/08/2021
Join P&O Cruises for the maiden voyage of Iona this August as you depart from Southampton for a sailing around the Scottish islands including the Island of Iona, from which the ship was named. This is an exciting opportunity to reconnect with the cruise line that you know and love, and to find out what their new ship has in store. With its luminous glass-roofed SkyDome, onboard gin distillery and eclectic range of dining and entertainment you’ll have plenty to keep you engaged through the week.
• The ship will anchor off the island of Iona for a celebratory extended stay, giving you the opportunity to catch the sunset in this magical location.
• Enjoy your dinner with some entertainment at The Limelight Club where established and emerging vocalists provide the soundtrack to a delicious meal. Or, for a fine dining experience, visit The Epicurean to dine on intricate dishes served in the most elegant of surrounds.
• Raise a glass to welcome Marabelle Gin, a new recipe created exclusively for P&O Cruises by Salcombe Distilling Co. The gin will be distilled, bottled and labelled onboard, making it the first gin to be distilled at sea.
• The four-screen cinema complex shows the latest blockbuster movies with servings of popcorn and ice cream, while The 710 Club showcases live music, selected by the ship’s musical director Gary Barlow.
• Enhanced health and well-being measures will be in place on board to ensure you can enjoy yourself with peace of mind. For more details on these please speak to you Travel Counsellor.
• 7 nights onboard Iona
• Inside Cabin
• Cruise departing from Southampton on 07/08/21
• This voyage will only be available to UK Covid 19 vaccinated guests
• £80 per person onboard credit
Terms and Conditions:
Subject to availability. Please give me a call for further details as cabins will sell out fast. Price based on 2 people sharing.
7 nights from £899 per person
These offers are brought to you by Travel Counsellors Ltd and all are ATOL protected by the Civil Aviation Authority. Where we have created the package ourselves, the holiday offer will be covered under our own ATOL. Our ATOL number is 6751. Where the offer has been sourced through another tour operator, it will be protected under that tour operator's ATOL. Full details on the individual ATOL protection that applies to each holiday offer will be given at time of booking. Prices and information contained in this page are correct at the time of distribution, are subject to availability and can be withdrawn or amended at any time without notice to you. Prices shown may be subject to departure tax, ticket on departure or a passenger APC charge. Please ask your Travel Counsellor at the time of booking. Alongside ATOL protection which covers air holiday packages and charter flights, Travel Counsellors operates its own independent Financial Trust which protects every other element of its customers’ bookings including low cost airlines, scheduled flights, accommodation and car hire. This voyage will only be available to UK Covid 19 vaccinated guests.

domain: travel


Social media links
Punk/rock from Slovenia.
Real Life Version, originating from Slovenia, has risen from the strong local hardcore scene in their hometown Ajdovščina, which was the center of alternative music in the area. The band was formed in late 2005 and released their debut album ‘Resistance from within’ in 2009. The band represents rock attitude with a punk d.i.y. mentality, with friendship being the driving force behind their music.


As we get closer to the 2014 Paris Motor Show, more and more information surfaces about the highlight of the show, the Mercedes AMG-GT. This time around, we bring you the official sketches, a few officially released pictures of the interior of the AMG-GT along with rendered images of the car.
The Mercedes AMG-GT is said to replace the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG sport car model. The Mercedes AMG-GT model shall not be a mere successor to the SLS AMG rather, it will be one of those cars built by Mercedes, that will “redefine history” with its superior design, aggressive styling and a lightning fast and powerful engine. With the launch of the AMG-GT around the corner, much hype is created about the car and we will tell you why.
The AMG-GT will be powered by a 4.0 liter, twin-turbo V8 engine, which comes in two-states of tune. The first version, labelled the AMG-GT-S will produce a mind-blowing 510 PS of power and 650 Nm of torque- the AMG-GT-S may be able to clock 0- 100 km/h in approx 3.9 seconds and moving onto a top speed of about 312 km/h. The other version gets just the GT tag and will produce 462 PS of power.
The Mercedes AMG-GT, sports the most “iconic” design and style fabricated by the German manufacturer. As seen in the sketches as well as the rendered images, the Mercedes AMG-GT’s design structure is based on the Coke bottle technology-which includes a long front bonnet, a small and narrow glass-house, followed by a stubby boot and minimal rear overhang. The new AMG-GT sports, conventional front hinged doors, a new bold front grille, pulled back headlamps, the large lower air-dams and the character vents behind the front wheel arches, add the athletic character to sum up the front facade of the AMG-GT.
Moving to the rear, one sports the Active rear spoiler, neat and slim tail lamps, like on the S-class coupe and rectangular quad exhausts which give the AMG-GT a refined yet restrained look.
The most amazing and talked about feature of the AMG-GT is its interior design – heavily inspired by an aviation and jet theme, the AMG-GT gets a roof mounted controls, turbine-like AC vents and a center console designed like an airplane air-duct. The center console features a standing touchscreen infotainment display with controls on both sides of the gear stick for the driver to play with. On the whole, the interior of the AMG-GT gives its driver the feeling, that one is sitting in a cockpit ready for take off.
The Mercedes AMG-GT is all set for launch this October and it may land in the Indian market in 2015 or be the highlight of the 2016 Delhi Auto Expo. With competitors such as the Audi R8, Porche 911 and Jaguar F-type, the AMG-GT will really have to redefine all boundaries.
Render Source: AutocarUK


text:
Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural, ecological or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international organizations involved. Generally speaking though, protected areas are understood to be those in which human presence or at least the exploitation of natural resources (e.g. firewood, non-timber forest products, water, ...) is limited.
The term "protected area" also includes marine protected areas, the boundaries of which will include some area of ocean, and transboundary protected areas that overlap multiple countries which remove the borders inside the area for conservation and economic purposes. There are over 161,000 protected areas in the world (as of October 2010)with more added daily, representing between 10 and 15 percent of the world's land surface area.
As of 2016, there are 14,688 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), and approximately 14.7% of the world's terrestrial and inland water areas (excluding Antarctica) are protected.For waters under national jurisdiction beyond inland waters, approximately 10.2% of coastal and marine areas and 4.12% of global ocean areas are covered by marine protected areas. In contrast, only 0.25% of the world's oceans beyond national jurisdiction are covered by MPAs. Through the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, the European Union targets to protect 30% of the sea territory and 30% of the land territory by 2030. Also, Campaign for Nature's 30x30 for Nature Petition tries to let governments agree to the same goal during the Convention on Biodiversity COP15 Summit. has the same target.
Protected areas are essential for biodiversity conservation, often providing habitat and protection from hunting for threatened and endangered species. Protection helps maintain ecological processes that cannot survive in most intensely managed landscapes and seascapes.
The definition that has been widely accepted across regional and global frameworks has been provided by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in its categorisation guidelines for protected areas.The definition is as follows:
A clearly defined geographical space, recognized, dedicated and managed, through legal or other effective means, to achieve the long-term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values.
The objective of protected areas is to conserve biodiversity and to provide a way for measuring the progress of such conservation. Protected areas will usually encompass several other zones that have been deemed important for particular conservation uses, such as Important Bird Areas (IBA) and Endemic Bird Areas (EBA), Centres of Plant Diversity (CPD), Indigenous and Community Conserved Areas (ICCA), Alliance for Zero Extinction Sites (AZE) and Key Biodiversity Areas (KBA) among others. Likewise, a protected area or an entire network of protected areas may lie within a larger geographic zone that is recognised as a terrestrial or marine ecoregions (see Global 200), or a crisis ecoregions for example.As a result, Protected Areas can encompass a broad range of governance types. A wide variety of rights-holders and stakeholders are involved in the governance and management of protected areas, including forest protected areas, such as government agencies and ministries at various levels, elected and traditional authorities, indigenous peoples and local communities, private individuals and non-profit trusts, among others. Most protected-area and forest management institutions acknowledge the importance of recognizing the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities, sharing the costs and benefits of protected areas and actively involving them in their governance and management. This has led to the recognition of four main types of governance, defined on the basis of who holds authority, responsibility, and who can be held accountable for the key decisions for protected areas. Indeed, governance of protected areas has emerged a critical factor in their success.
Subsequently, the range of natural resources that any one protected area may guard is vast. Many will be allocated primarily for species conservation whether it be flora or fauna or the relationship between them, but protected areas are similarly important for conserving sites of (indigenous) cultural importance and considerable reserves of natural resources such as;
Annual updates on each of these analyses are made in order to make comparisons to the Millennium Development Goals and several other fields of analysis are expected to be introduced in the monitoring of protected areas management effectiveness, such as freshwater and marine or coastal studies which are currently underway, and islands and drylands which are currently in planning.
Through its World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA), the IUCN has developed six Protected Area Management Categories that define protected areas according to their management objectives, which are internationally recognised by various national governments and the United Nations.The categories provide international standards for defining protected areas and encourage conservation planning according to their management aims.
IUCN Protected Area Management Categories:
Protected areas are cultural artifacts, and their story is entwined with that of human civilization. Protecting places and resources is by no means a modern concept, whether it be indigenous communities guarding sacred sites or the convention of European hunting reserves. Over 2000 years ago, royal decrees in India protected certain areas. In Europe, rich and powerful people protected hunting grounds for a thousand years. Moreover, the idea of protection of special places is universal: for example, it occurs among the communities in the Pacific ("tapu" areas) and in parts of Africa (sacred groves).
The oldest legally protected reserve recorded in history is the Main Ridge Forest Reserve, established by an ordinance dated 13 April 1776.Other sources mention the 1778 approval of a protected area on then-Khan Uul, a mountain previous protected by local nomads for centuries in Mongolia, by then-ruling Qing China Tenger Tetgegch Khaan. However, the mass protected areas movement did not begin until late nineteenth-century in North America, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, when other countries were quick to follow suit. While the idea of protected areas spread around the world in the twentieth century, the driving force was different in different regions. Thus, in North America, protected areas were about safeguarding dramatic and sublime scenery; in Africa, the concern was with game parks; in Europe, landscape protection was more common.
The designation of protected areas often also contained a political statement. In the 17th and 18th centuries, protected areas were mostly hunting grounds of rulers and thus, on the one hand, an expression of the absolute personal authority of a monarch, and on the other hand, they were concentrated in certain places and diminished with increasing spatial distance from the seat of power. In the late 19th century, modern territorial states emerged which, thanks to the transport and communication technologies of industrialisation and the closely meshed and well-connected administrative apparatus that came with it, could actually assert claims to power over large contiguous territories. The establishment of nature reserves in mostly peripheral regions thus became possible and at the same time underpinned the new state claim to power.
Initially, protected areas were recognised on a national scale, differing from country to country until 1933, when an effort to reach an international consensus on the standards and terminology of protected areas took place at the International Conference for the Protection of Fauna and Flora in London.At the 1962 First World Conference on National Parks in Seattle the effect the Industrial Revolution had had on the world's natural environment was acknowledged, and the need to preserve it for future generations was established.
Since then, it has been an international commitment on behalf of both governments and non-government organisations to maintain the networks that hold regular revisions for the succinct categorisations that have been developed to regulate and record protected areas. In 1972, the Stockholm Declaration of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment endorsed the protection of representative examples of all major ecosystem types as a fundamental requirement of national conservation programmes. This has become a core principle of conservation biology and has remained so in recent resolutions - including the World Charter for Nature in 1982, the Rio Declaration at the Earth Summit in 1992, and the Johannesburg Declaration 2002.
Recently, the importance of protected areas has been brought to the fore at the threat of human-induced global warming and the understanding of the necessity to consume natural resources in a sustainable manner. The spectrum of benefits and values of protected areas is recognised not only ecologically, but culturally through further development in the arena of Indigenous and Community Conserved Areas (ICCAs). International programmes for the protection of representative ecosystems remain relatively progressive (considering the environmental challenges of globalisation with respect to terrestrial environments), with less advances in marine and freshwater biomes.
How to manage areas protected for conservation brings up a range of challenges- whether it be regarding the local population, specific ecosystems or the design of the reserve itself - and because of the many unpredicatable elements in ecology issues, each protected area requires a case-specific set of guidelines.
Enforcing protected area boundaries is a costly and labour-heavy endeavour, particularly if the allocation of a new protected region places new restrictions on the use of resources by the native people which may lead to their subsequent displacement.This has troubled relationships between conservationists and rural communities in many protected regions and is often why many Wildlife Reserves and National Parks face the human threat of poaching for the illegal bushmeat or trophy trades, which are resorted to as an alternative form of substinence.
There is increasing pressure to take proper account of human needs when setting up protected areas and these sometimes have to be "traded off" against conservation needs. Whereas in the past governments often made decisions about protected areas and informed local people afterwards, today the emphasis is shifting towards greater discussions with stakeholders and joint decisions about how such lands should be set aside and managed. Such negotiations are never easy but usually produce stronger and longer-lasting results for both conservation and people.
Protected areas in many cases are in close cohesion with municipalities and require specific performance management leading both to sustainability from one side and regional development from the other. Administrations of protected areas are more targeted towards the protection of nature and ecosystems while municipalities are responsible for the social and economic development of a particular local community.
In some countries, protected areas can be assigned without the infrastructure and networking needed to substitute consumable resources and subtantiatively protect the area from development or misuse. The soliciting of protected areas may require regulation to the level of meeting demands for food, feed, livestock and fuel, and the legal enforcement of not only the protected area itself but also 'buffer zones' surrounding it, which may help to resist destabilisation.
Protected area downgrading, downsizing, and degazettement(PADDD)
Protected area downgrading, downsizing, and degazettement (PADDD) events are processes that change the legal status of national parks and other protected areas in both terrestrial and marine environments.Downgrading is a decrease in legal restrictions on human activities within a protected area, downsizing is a decrease in protected area size through a legal boundary change, and degazettement is the loss of legal protection for an entire protected area. Collectively, PADDD represents legal processes that temper regulations, shrink boundaries, or eliminate legal protections originally associated with establishment of a protected area.
Scientific publications have identified 3,749 enacted PADDD events in 73 countries since 1892 which have collectively impacted an area approximately the size of Mexico.PADDD is a historical and contemporary phenomenon. 78% of PADDD events worldwide were enacted since 2000 and governments in at least 14 countries are currently considering at least 46 PADDD proposals. Proximate causes of PADDD vary widely but most PADDD events globally (62%) are related to industrial scale resource extraction and development - infrastructure, industrial agriculture, mining, oil and gas, forestry, fisheries, and industrialization.
PADDD challenges the longstanding assumption that protected areas are permanent fixtures and highlights the need for decision-makers to consider protected area characteristics and the socioeconomic context in which they are situated to better ensure their permanence.
One main concern regarding protected areas is how effectively they prevent ongoing loss of biodiversity. Multiple case studies point to positive effects on terrestrial and marine species, but the majority of protected areas are unrepresented. Limitations on protected areas include: their small size and isolation from each other (which influence the maintenance of species); their restricted role in preventing the many factors affecting biodiversity, such as climate change, invasive species, and pollution); their high costs; and their increasing conflict with human demands for nature's resources.
Protected areas play a large role in protecting important natural ecosystems and providing essential ecosystem services such as carbon storage and flood prevention.Scientists advocate that 50% of global land and seas be converted to inter-connected protected areas in order to sustain these benefits. The Asian country Bhutan achieved this high-reaching target by reserving 51.4% of the country’s area as protected areas interconnected through biological corridors. Although these networks are well regulated (local communities are aware of their importance and actively contribute to their maintenance), Bhutan is currently a developing country that is undergoing infrastructure development and resource collection. The country’s economic progression has brought about human-wildlife conflict and increased pressure on the existence of its protected areas. In light of ongoing disputes on the topic of optimal land usage, Dorji (et al.), in a study using camera traps to detect wildlife activity, summarize the results of a nationwide survey that compares the biodiversity of Bhutan’s protected areas versus that of intervening non-protected areas.
The study indicated that Bhutan’s protected areas "are effectively conserving medium and large mammal species, as demonstrated through the significant difference in mammal diversity between protected areas, biological corridors, and non-protected areas with the strongest difference between protected areas and non-protected areas".Protected areas had the highest levels of mammal biodiversity. This is made possible by the restriction of commercial activity and regulation of consumptive uses (firewood, timber, etc.). The regulation of such practices has allowed Bhutan’s protected areas to thrive with high carnivore diversity and other rare mammals such as Chinese pangolin, Indian pangolin, mountain weasel ( Mustela altaica), small-toothed ferret badger, Asian small clawed otter, the tiger, dhole (Cuon alpinus ), Binturong, clouded leopard and Tibetan fox ( Vulpes ferrilata). Also found to be prevalent were the large herbivore species: Asiatic water buffalo Bubalus arnee, golden langur, musk deer, and Asian elephant. The maintenance of these charismatic megafauna and other threatened species can be attributed to the intensity of Bhutan’s management of its protected areas and its local communities’ commitment to preserving them.
The National Heritage List is a heritage register, a list of national heritage places deemed to be of outstanding heritage significance to Australia, established in 2003. The list includes natural and historic places, including those of cultural significance to Indigenous Australians.Indigenous Protected Areas (IPAs) are formed by agreement with Indigenous Australians, and declared by Indigenous Australians, and form a specific class of protected area.
Natura 2000 is a network of protected areas established by the European Union across all Member States. It is made up of Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs) designated respectively under the Habitats Directive and Birds Directive. 787,767 km2 (304,159 sq mi) are designated as terrestrial sites and 251,564 km2 (97,129 sq mi) as marine sites. Overall, 18 percent of the EU land mass is designated.
Protected areas of India include National parks, Wildlife sanctuaries, Biosphere reserves, Reserved and protected forests, Conservation and community reserves, Communal forests, Private protected areas and Conservation areas.
O Parks, Wildlife, and Recreation is a Private Protected Area, also known as a 'Private Reserve' predominantly managed for biodiversity conservation, protected without formal government recognition and is owned and stewarded by the O corporation International.O parks plays a particularly important role in conserving critical biodiversity in a section of the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor known as the Paso del Istmo, located along the 12-mile-wide isthmus between Lake Nicaragua and the Pacific Ocean.
As of 31 January 2008 [update] , according to the United Nations Environment Programme, the United States had a total of 6,770 terrestrial nationally designated (federal) protected areas. These protected areas cover 2,607,131 km2 (1,006,619 sq mi), or 27.08 percent of the land area of the United States. This is also one-tenth of the protected land area of the world.
On 21 May 2019, The Moscow Times cited a World Wildlife Fund report indicating that Russia now ranks first in the world for its amount of protected natural areaswith 63.3 million hectares of specially protected natural areas. However, the article did not contain a link to WWF's report and it may be based on previously gathered data.
Natural resources are resources that exist without any actions of humankind. This includes the sources of valued characteristics such as commercial and industrial use, aesthetic value, scientific interest and cultural value. On Earth, it includes sunlight, atmosphere, water, land, all minerals along with all vegetation, and animal life. Natural resources can be part of our natural heritage or protected in nature reserves.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. It is involved in data gathering and analysis, research, field projects, advocacy, and education. IUCN's mission is to "influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable".
This is an index of conservation topics. It is an alphabetical index of articles relating to conservation biology and conservation of the natural environment.
Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) is an intergovernmental scientific program, launched in 1971 by UNESCO, that aims to establish a scientific basis for the improvement of relationships between people and their environments.
Habitat conservation is a management practice that seeks to conserve, protect and restore habitats and prevent species extinction, fragmentation or reduction in range. It is a priority of many groups that cannot be easily characterized in terms of any one ideology.
Environmental protection is the practice of protecting the natural environment by individuals, organizations and governments. Its objectives are to conserve natural resources and the existing natural environment and, where possible, to repair damage and reverse trends.
Wilderness or wildlands, are natural environments on Earth that have not been significantly modified by human activity or any nonurbanized land not under extensive agricultural cultivation. The term has traditionally referred to terrestrial environments, though growing attention is being placed on marine wilderness. Recent maps of wilderness suggest it covers roughly one quarter of Earth's terrestrial surface, but is being rapidly degraded by human activity. Even less wilderness remains in the ocean, with only 13.2% free from intense human activity.
Marine protected areas (MPA) are protected areas of seas, oceans, estuaries or in the US, the Great Lakes. These marine areas can come in many forms ranging from wildlife refuges to research facilities. MPAs restrict human activity for a conservation purpose, typically to protect natural or cultural resources. Such marine resources are protected by local, state, territorial, native, regional, national, or international authorities and differ substantially among and between nations. This variation includes different limitations on development, fishing practices, fishing seasons and catch limits, moorings and bans on removing or disrupting marine life. In some situations, MPAs also provide revenue for countries, potentially equal to the income that they would have if they were to grant companies permissions to fish. The value of MPA to mobile species is unknown.
A biodiversity action plan (BAP) is an internationally recognized program addressing threatened species and habitats and is designed to protect and restore biological systems. The original impetus for these plans derives from the 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). As of 2009, 191 countries have ratified the CBD, but only a fraction of these have developed substantive BAP documents.
Papua New Guinea together with the West Papua region of Indonesia make up a major tropical wilderness area that still contains 5% of the original and untouched tropical high-biodiversity terrestrial ecosystems. PNG in itself contains over 5% of the world's biodiversity in less than 1% of the world's total land area. The flora of New Guinea is unique because it has two sources of origin; the Gondwana flora from the south and flora with Asian origin from the west. As a result, New Guinea shares major family and genera with Australia and the East Asia, but is rich in local endemic species. The endemicity is a result of mountainous isolation, topographic and soil habitat heterogeneity, high forest disturbance rates and abundant aseasonal rainfall year round. PNG boasts some 15–21,000 higher plants, 3,000 species of orchids, 800 species of coral, 600 species of fish, 250 species of mammals and 760 species of birds and 8 species of tree-kangaroos out of which 84 genera of animals are endemic. Ecosystems range from lowland forests to montane forests, alpine flora down to coastal areas which contains some of the most extensive pristine mangrove areas in the world. Much of this biodiversity has remained intact for thousands of years because the ruggedness of the terrain made the interior lands inaccessible; furthermore low population density and restrictions on the effectiveness of traditional tools, ensured that these biodiversity was never overexploited.
Mangrove ecosystems represent natural capital capable of producing a wide range of goods and services for coastal environments and communities and society as a whole. Some of these outputs, such as timber, are freely exchanged in formal markets. Value is determined in these markets through exchange and quantified in terms of price. Mangroves are important for aquatic life and home for many species of fish.
The World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) is the largest assembly of data on the world's terrestrial and marine protected areas, containing more than 260,000 protected areas as of August 2020, with records covering 245 countries and territories throughout the world. The WDPA is a joint venture between the United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre and the International Union for Conservation of Nature World Commission on Protected Areas.
Indigenous and community conserved areas (ICCAs), or indigenous peoples’ and community conserved territories and areas, are spaces de facto governed by indigenous peoples or local communities with evidently positive outcomes for the conservation of biological and cultural diversity. In ICCAs, the continuation, revival or modification of traditional practices and/or new initiatives succeed in protecting and restoring natural resources and cultural values in the face of new threats or opportunities. Some ICCAs are situated in remote ecosystems that have had minimum human influence, while others encompass areas of various regulations and magnitudes within regions strongly affected or modified by human occupation. ICCAs may or may not fit the IUCN definition of “protected area” but, when they do, they can fall into any IUCN protected area categories.
IUCN protected area categories, or IUCN protected area management categories, are categories used to classify protected areas in a system developed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
A strict nature reserve or wilderness area is the highest category of protected area recognised by the World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA), a body which is part of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). These category I areas are the most stringently protected natural landscapes.
Protected area downgrading, downsizing, and degazettement(PADDD) events are processes that change the legal status of national parks and other protected areas in both terrestrial and marine environments. "Downgrading" is "a decrease in legal restrictions on the number, magnitude, or extent of human activities within a protected area ." "Downsizing" refers to a "decrease in size of a protected area as a result of excision of land or sea area through a legal boundary change." "Degazettement" is defined as a loss of legal protection for an entire national park or other protected area. Collectively, PADDD represents legal processes that temper regulations, shrink boundaries, or eliminate legal protections originally associated with establishment of a protected area.
Nature-based solutions (NBS) refers to the sustainable management and use of nature for tackling socio-environmental challenges. The challenges include issues such as climate change, water security, water pollution, food security, human health, biodiversity loss and disaster risk management.
The Global Peatlands Initiative is an effort made by leading experts and institutions formed in 2016 by 13 founding members at the UNFCCC COP in Marrakech, Morocco. The mission of the Initiative is to protect and conserve peatlands as the world's largest terrestrial organic carbon stock and to prevent it from being emitted into the atmosphere.
|Wikimedia Commons has media related to Protected areas .|