text:
In his latest tirade, Israel Folau has targeted New Zealand rugby’s favourite frosted tipped halfback, Justin Marshall.
“Hell awaits those that say the word Boomfa, for it is a sin to increase the ego of Justin Marshall” Israel posted on Instagram over the weekend after running out of ideas of which minority he can persecute next.
Instagram CEO, Kevin Systrom, told Thai Castle that this latest post doesn’t breach their community standards as anyone who runs around on national television yelling Boomfa, “Should probably get what’s coming to them”.
Justin Marshall is reportedly ‘devastated’ and ‘won’t speak to the media at this distressing time in my life’. It has been rumoured that Justin had just signed a distribution agreement with Planet 8 to sell ‘Boomfa’ jerseys with 2000 jerseys sitting in his spare bedroom. This latest Folau tirade may see demand fall.
It’s been an interesting month for Israel, who has been banned from playing rugby for Australia and the Waratahs whilst also being asked to run for the newly formed ‘Coalition party’ which is being backed by Brian and Hannah Tamaki. It is not known if Israel will decide to run or not.


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text:
June 29, 2009 5:20pm CST
When the entire world is in the throes of a recession,when job losses are abound and nations,industries and sectors are starved of liquidity - Do you guys think the humongous amount of money that is exchanging hands in the transfer market is kind of gross and insensitive,keeping in mind the global sentiments . I have no reservations against players of Kaka or Ronaldo's calibre fetching such a mind boggling transfer money . But you will see even the prices of average players have become inflated which totally tilts the scale in favour of the big clubs who have the financial clout . Dont you guys think Fifa should put a cap on transfer spending to create a more level playing field and to honour global sentiments?
29 Jun 09
Talk of a transfer cap is difficult, but i do agree that the 80M for Ronaldo and 56M for Kaka is boardering on ridiculous. Being a Bolton Wanderers fan, ie a small club in the Premier League, we are negatively effect by these prices. With only a small budget players are costing more and more and we are simply going to end up unable to compete. The gap between big and small clubs can only get better and with the amounts of foreign owners now in the premier league it seems the only way to compete now i with moeny. On addition to this youth talent with be stifled with English players unable to come through the ranks and being replaced by expensive foreign talent. I do think Fifa need to do something else spending will simply end up snowballing out of control

domain: finance


text:
The cultivation of hardy pecan, Carya illinoinensis (Wangenh.) K. Koch (Juglandaceae), has increased in Brazil in the current century; however, the knowledge about insect pests is limited. This report deals with the occurrence of Gymnandrosoma aurantianum (Lima) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in pecan trees for the first time in Brazil, discussing symptoms and possible risks.
The cultivation of hardy pecan, Carya illinoinensis (Wangenh.) K. Koch (Juglandaceae), in Brazil started in the 1870s, but significant expansion occurred only during the 1960s and 1970s due to governmental stimuli aiming to bring in new investments for forestation (Backes & Irgang 2004; Ortiz & Camargo 2005). Economic exploration of pecan cultivation garnered attention in Brazil in the 21st century due to its high revenue, crop nutritional value, use of lands with irregular (sloping) surfaces, and the development of integrated systems with pastures for animal production, or the cultivation of pecan along with other crops (Fronza et al. 2013, 2018; Martins et al. 2017). In 2017, harvested areas were concentrated in the southeastern (21%) and southern (79%) regions of Brazil. The state of Rio Grande do Sul increased its production area to 86% between 2007 and 2017, and is currently the largest producing state, accounting for two-thirds of the total harvest area in Brazil (IBGE 2017). Simultaneously with the increase of pecan orchards in the country, pests seem to be damaging plants; however, information on this problem continues to be limited. This is the first report of the occurrence of Gymnandrosoma aurantianum (Lima) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in pecan in Brazil.
Pecan samples were taken from 2 areas in May 2018: 1 in the municipality of Uraí in the state of Paraná (23.315200°S, 50.501339°W) from a pecan orchard of about 80 ha, which was planted in 1965. The second was taken in the municipality of Chapada in the state of Rio Grande do Sul (28.070686°S, 53.155628°W) from an orchard of about 5.2 ha, planted in 2009, which was attached to another area of about 27.6 ha of pecan trees planted between 2013 and 2014. In these 2 areas, plants were sampled randomly. Three nuts infested with lepidopteran caterpillars were found in Uraí and 5 were found in Chapada, respectively. Insects were fed in order to obtain adult moths (Fig. 1), which were identified according to Adamski & Brown (2001).
The damage on fruits occurred by excavation and perforation of the light green with darkish green outer pericarp layer (husk) that encloses the endocarp. The larval feeding resulted in deep galleries, even promoting some grooves in the outer pecan pericarp. Excrement (frass) of the larvae were found between the outer pericarp layer and the endocarp as shown in Fig. 2. On these infested pecans, the damage did not reach the endocarp, but galleries did compromise the pericarp, which might imply risk of contamination by microorganisms, and trouble for transportation and storage because of shorter shelf life.
Twenty phytophagous insects have been identified that feed on pecan plants, 3 of which are common in North America where this species is indigenous: Phylloxera devastatrix Pergande and Phylloxera notabilis Pergande (both Hemiptera: Phylloxeridae), and Monellia caryella (Fitch) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) (Paulsen et al. 2013; Boscardin & Costa 2018). No species recorded in Brazil belongs to the Tortricidae family, although 2 species have been found in pecan nuts and trees in North America: Cydia caryana (Fitch) and Gretchena bolliana (Slingerland) (both Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) (Ree & Knutson 1997; Thompson & Conner 2012; Boscardin & Costa 2018).
Gymnandrosoma aurantiana is known in Brazil as the citrus fruit borer, and became a key pest by the end of the 1980s, when larval injuries on fruits became serious damage, and compromised the use of fruits for industry or for consumption in natura, resulting in loss of production up to 50% (Prates 1992; Parra et al. 2004; Carvalho et al. 2015). This led to research efforts aimed at lowering losses, and basic studies on biology, rearing techniques, monitoring, and use of egg parasitoids, which resulted in parameters for G. aurantiana pest management, particularly in the state of São Paulo, the largest citrus producer in Brazil (Garcia & Parra 1999; Vilela et al. 2001; Parra et al. 2004; Bento et al. 2006; Molina & Parra 2006). In Mexico, the egg parasitoid Trichogramma platneri Nagarkatti (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) was effective in pecan orchards when the abundance of tortricidae C. caryana was low or moderate (García-Nevárez & Tarango-Rivero 2013).
In the southern states, particularly in Rio Grande do Sul, pest management is not common in small orchards with citrus plants, which is why the pest status of G. aurantiana is unknown. Moreover, the increase of pecan harvest areas, as well as the existence of abandoned orchards from the last century, may pose a threat to pecan production (Ortiz & Camargo 2005). These zones may serve as additional reproduction sites, and become sources of infestation for commercial pecan areas. Considering that other tortricid species already are recorded in pecan, and that G. aurantianum is a key pest in citrus plants and is hosted by other plant species (Silva et al. 1968; Molina & Parra 2006), it is reasonable to presume that the incidence of this pest in pecan could increase and eventually reach economic injury levels.
The authors thank Vitor O. Becker, the director of Scientific Research Institute “Uiraçu” for identification of G. aurantiana, Leyla Koc for the English review, and F. G. Gonçalves for providing pictures of G. aurantiana larvae.

domain: agronomy


Steve Monforto is the talk of the nation after his daughter throws back a foul ball at Citizens Bank Park — and he responds with a huge hug.
Steve Monforto wins the award for father of the year after his reaction to his daughter throwing a foul back back onto the field of play at Citizens Bank Park during a recent Philadelphia Phillies game.
Here's the backstory. Monforto has been attending Phillies games for years but never snared a foul ball. He finally does so after making a pretty good catch. After handing the ball to daughter Emily, she then threw the ball back onto the field.
His reaction was the best: He flashed the biggest smile and hugged his daughter.
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Minister for Finance Tanneer Harish Rao blamed the BJP party of indulging in Gobel’s propaganda in Dubbaka with regard to the allocation of funds by the Central government.
Addressing the media today, Harish Rao claimed that BJP leaders especially its president Bandi Sanjay had surpassed all limits and made Gobels be ashamed of himself. “Had Gobels alive today, he would have committed suicide after seeing the BJP leaders who have overtaken themselves indulging in Gobel’s propaganda”, said Harish.
Referring to a video being circulated in social media over an incident that occurred in Kalwakurthy elections in 2018, Harish said that video is being widely circulated by BJP cadre claiming it to have occurred at Dubbaka bypoll. “We have complained about this to the EC and the perpetrators were caught and sent to jail”, he said.
Harish Rao said that another propaganda being launched by BJP is Rs 3 crore central funds of STF sanctioned by the Centre had been swindled by TRS leaders which were released by the Municipal Commissioner to the contractor to construct a Town Hall in Dubbaka and temple in. The money was released even before the Contractor could start construction work of townhall.
He said such claims are far from the truth as no contractor had been finalised yet. “Hence, where is the question of releasing money and to whom?”, he questioned.
Harish Rao further condemned another claim of BJP Corporators from Karimnagar who is camping in Dubbaka that the centre is paying Rs 1600 out Rs2000 in the old-age pension scheme and Rs8000 is being given in KTR kits by the Centre while the state government is bearing only Rs400 and Rs2000 respectively in the above schemes.
Hence, he has thrown a challenge to the BJP leader Bandi Sanjay to come to Dubbaka centre and prove that the Centre is paying any money to these schemes. “If you prove that even a single rupee has been sanctioned by the Centre, I am prepared to resign and if you fail, will you resign to your BJP president post” questioned Harish.
He also expressed the hope that the results of Huzurnagar and Nizamabad will repeat in Dubbaka as well.

domain: news


text:
Gartner’s works appear to be pages, torn loose from the inventory of memory. However, the coded language of which we can only try to guess the meaning strikes us as quite familiar: as if the artist first proceeded thorough self analysis before addressing the spectator.
Gartner approaches the spectator from the very core of his being and shows fragments of his life which appeal to our emotions and stimulate our imagination. (Pierre Restany, Paris)
no upcoming exhibitions
You are an artist and want to become a member of Mad Art? That's possible!Become a member

domain: artistic


text:
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — After years of work and six days a week at the gym, Kara Eaker is keeping calm and prepared headed into Olympic Trials in St. Louis.
“It’s just kind of like shocking kind of feeling, like it’s happening,” she said. “You have to just really think about just doing the gymnastics and not making a big deal about it's Olympic Trials.”
Eaker is one of 18 women who will compete for a spot on the U.S. Olympic Gymnastics team and one of two from the Kansas City area. Both Eaker and Leanne Wong train at GAGE Center in Blue Springs.
For Eaker, the training to get to this point started more than a decade ago with a little girl who beamed every time she went to gymnastics class where the family lived in Warrensburg.
“Really rapidly her coach was like, ‘she needs to go somewhere where she’s gonna go further’,” said her mom, Katherine Eaker.
“It wasn’t like, ‘I don’t want to go to practice today.’ It was like, ‘It’s time for practice!’ you know? So we’re like, ‘OK, this isn’t going away,'” said her father, Mark Eaker.
From a young age, Kara Eaker "always wanted to be there early and get there early and then she’s always like the last one out the door, still.”
That driven focus may come with sacrifice and pressure, but for Eaker it also comes with balance.
Despite a demanding schedule, she makes time for hobbies like calligraphy.
You can see beautiful hand-written quotes all over her room. She went to prom and graduated from Grain Valley High School with a stellar GPA.
“4.57, graduated with advanced classes,” said her mother. “Yeah we’re proud of that,” her father agreed.
“We go to school from like 7 a.m. to noon and then we have to be in the gym by one o’clock and then we’re there until about 7 p.m.,” said Eaker, who said she doesn’t really talk about gymnastics at school.
She heads to college in the fall for gymnastics and to study engineering, another of her passions.
“The idea of getting to make something from scratch? I just like that idea,” she said.
Her mother, Katherine, said her daughter is shy and humble through her successes.
“She has exceeded anything that we ever expected her to, you know we’re so proud of her and not just gymnastics,” said Katherine. “She’s an amazing student, amazing person and those are the things that are most important to us.”
Eaker leans on her family, including her sister, Sara.
"She is my best friend. I don't know where I would be without her," Eaker said.
Mark Eaker says "she's just a regular girl" — a regular 18-year-old girl who was also a 2018 and 2019 World Team Champion in gymnastics among other accomplishments.
Eaker said her teammates, including Leanne Wong, are like extended family.
“I love training with Leanne. I mean like, just watching her push herself to be her best, it just inspires me to push myself to my best,” she said. “Sometimes we don’t have the best days and it’s just that bond that keeps us going and just telling each other that it’s like, 'It’s not over. It’s okay, we can do it.'“
Their bond reminds Eaker she's "not alone in this."
While she strives for perfection, she learns from mistakes, too.
“Forget that it happened but remember how to change it and how to fix it,” she said.
“You’ve just got to keep pushing and remembering why you’re doing this in the first place,” she said.
Why is she doing it in the first place? It’s simple: “Because I love it.”
U.S. Gymnastics Olympics Team Trials begin for women Friday night in St. Louis.
Eaker will be there, hoping to earn a spot on Team USA and go to Tokyo.


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Our default place to go for affordable but good Dim Sum is Crystal Jade. I find the service good and my tea or iced water is regularly topped up. I really love the porridge, steamed BBQ pau and carrot cake here. We were at the Bishan Junction 8 branch which I haven’t checked out in quite a while. In Singapore there is a dizzying array of choice when it comes to Asian food and sometimes we just don’t know what to eat.
Noticed that the supermarket has been upgraded. It’s now NTUC Finest and you can even do your own check out by scanning your items.
Something new at Bread Talk – Danish Bars. But I wasn’t too tempted.
The Four Leaves Bakery looks revamped too. It’s about time, as Bishan’s Junction 8 has been looking quite tired.

domain: food


text:
"Batgirl Begins, Part Two" is the second part of the two-part episode which acts as the premier of the third season of The Batman.
En route to the hospital, Pamela revives and a giant plant knocks the ambulance over, takes out the guards, and pulls her out of the vehicle. It takes her to a greenhouse and embraces her in a healing plant cocoon.
Batman investigates and finds traces of plant life, while Gordon is chastising his daughter. Gordon receives a report on Pamela's disappearance, while Bruce analyzes the leaf sample. A recovered Pamela awakes to find she is part plant and fully healed, and that she can cause plants to grow and obey her mental commands. Barbara is considering her career as a future crimefighter when the plant in her room comes alive and then Pamela arrives.
Pamela toys with Barbara then announces she plans to launch a new wave of eco-terrorism and is taking the name "Poison Ivy." She departs and Barbara decides to help her friend, but can't call in her father since he'll just arrest Pamela. Barbara uses the Bat Signal to contact Batman and brief him on the situation. Batman takes off without her while Poison Ivy breaks into Chlorogene and uses plants to cover the entire building. Batman confronts her and Barbara, dressed in a batlike costume, jumps in to save him. They both end up captured and Ivy drops them off the building. Batman manages to rescue them both while Ivy escapes, and Batman tries to warn Barbara off and reveals he knows who she is
Poison Ivy goes on a rampage astride a giant plant, confronting Commissioner Gordon and the police. She discovers she has the ability to give off spores that makes the police obey her every command. She takes Gordon prisoner and takes off back to the greenhouse, where she dangles the Commissioner over an acid vat. Barbara returns to her apartment and hears the news about her father. Batman tracks her down but Ivy is ready and attacks. Batman is equipped with wrist-mounted "weed cutters" and goes to work.
Barbara is back to fighting a mind-controlled Batman long enough for him to shake off the pheromones. Ivy is lowering the Commissioner into the acid and Barbara goes after him but is grabbed by Ivy's plants. Batgirl frees her father with an expert batarang throw and Batman uses explosives to knock the villainess out. Batman frees Barbara but Ivy returns on an even larger plant. Batman tries to freeze her with cyro-capsules while Batgirl deals with Ivy's mini-plants. Ivy deflects the cyro-capsules but Batman dumps her into a pond before getting ensnared. Batgirl grabs one of the cyro-capsules and tosses it into the pond, freezing Ivy once and for all.
Gordon thanks his daughter, who reluctantly accepts the name "Batgirl" rather than "Batwoman." She makes her exit and fortunately Gordon (missing his glasses) doesn't recognize his daughter. Later Batgirl and Batman meet and Batman lets her decide to tell her father. She departs, but it's clear she plans to continue her new career as crimefighter. Batgirl then narrates the closing moments, saying that it's just the beginning as Batgirl swings on her bat-rope through Gotham, feeling happy about her new career.
Voice Cast and Characters
- Rino Romano as Bruce Wayne/Batman
- Alastair Duncan as Alfred Pennyworth
- Danielle Judovits as Barbara Gordon/Batgirl
- Piera Coppola as Poison Ivy
- Jim Cummings as Temblor
- Mitch Pileggi as Commissioner Gordon
- Batgirl's outfit is purple, which is a reference to the outfit Yvonne Craig wore in the 1966 Television series.
- Batgirl is the narrator in part-two.
|Previous episode:||Next episode:|
|"Batgirl Begins, Part One"||"A Dark Knight to Remember"|

domain: entertainment


For real life experiences from real people, check out our participants blogs and Humans of Camp America stories...
Need something to watch while you're stuck at home? Don't worry, we have you covered with some staple Camp movies, and some quirkier camp shows, to keep you entertained!
I grew up in the noughties, before smart phones and Instagram and I still had a multitude of pressures and insecurities, like most teenage girls do. With the rise of social media, I can’t even imagine how much pressure young teenage girls must feel now.


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A top official at the U.S. Dept. of Energy says a planned $1-billion carbon-capture project on a large coal unit near Houston represents "a major milestone" in the DOE's effort to maintain coal-fired generation as a viable way to meet energy needs and carbon-emission regulations.
Christopher Smith, principal deputy assistant secretary for fossil energy at DOE, says the Petra Nova Carbon Capture Project at NRG Energy's 610-MW W.A. Parish Unit 8 is significant because it would be the first commercial scale, post-combustion project to be added to a U.S. coal unit and could help states and utilities comply with proposed carbon-dioxide goals.
The Parish project will use an amine-based process to remove 90% of the carbon dioxide (CO2) from diverted flue gases equivalent to a 240-MW portion of Unit 8. The project will be the largest of its type on an existing coal unit. A similar post-combustion, amine-based carbon capture project is under development at a coal unit at SaskPower's Boundary Dam power station in Saskatchewan, but that unit's capacity is only 110 MW.
The DOE says the technology, once completed and on line, is expected to capture about 1.4 million metric tons of CO2 annually from the coal-fired plant in Texas.
The captured CO2 will be compressed and delivered via a new pipeline to the mature West Ranch oil field in Jackson County, south of Houston. There, the CO2 would be used in enhanced oil recovery, significantly increase oil production and sequester the CO2. DOE is supporting the project via a $167-million Clean Coal Power Initiative grant.
NRG Energy Petra Nova Holdings co-owns the carbon-capture project with JX Nippon Oil & Gas Exploration Corp. Arun Banskota, president of NRG Energy, says the cost of the project will be offset by the revenue generated by increasing the oil output of the West Ranch oil field to more than 15,000 barrels a day from today's 500 barrels a day.
The West Ranch oil field is jointly owned by the NRG Energy-JX Nippon joint venture and Hilcorp Energy Co. The oil field currently is estimated to hold about 60 million barrels of oil recoverable from enhanced oil-recovery operations. At an average of $100 per barrel, the value of the recoverable oil would be about $6 billion.
Because of the enhanced oil-recovery element of the project, "the [carbon- capture] project is economic" and will not adversely affect the Parish coal unit's ability to generate low-cost power in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas' competitive power market, says Banskota. "That is the beauty of this project: We will be producing clean energy from a coal unit at a competitive price," he says.
The project will be constructed under a fixed-price contract by a consortium of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Americas and TIC, also known as The Industrial Co. Preparations for a construction start in late 2014 are underway, with operation expected by late 2016.
About $7 million of the $167 million DOE grant already has been received by the project's co-developers for the initial design and engineering phase. Other financing elements include loans totaling $250 million, to be provided by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation and Mizuho Bank.
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text:
We work with restaurants, hotels, offices and boutiques, amongst others, complementing their experiential offer with an unforgettable sensory makeover.
We also carry out projects for art consultants and event organizing companies, as well as for interior designers, decoratorsand architects, who need a textile art specialist to advise and implement the conceptualization of their project.
Based on the individual decorative needs of each client, we design a bespoke proposal that best fits to your artistic style and your space.
We take care of the entire project, from initial concept and design right through to final installation, either through the creation of a multidisciplinary production team composed of technicians and artisans, or by acting as supervisor in the development of each phase of the projects execution.
Contact us! and together we will find the best solution for your space.

domain: design


text:
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Surname Saturday - "Can you help me find some family names?"
Well, there is nothing I enjoy more than the "ancestor hunt". In the past, I have started some family trees for friends, getting them a good start and then letting them run with it. So, I told her that I would start one for her, make her an editor, and then once we found the names and information we needed, she could keep using that one or start her own. That's when the fun started!
Step one is writing down what you know. In this case, we didn't know a great deal. She is young enough that her parents and most of her grandparents fall into that "after 1930 Census" category so you really have to get creative to find information. She knew her parents names and a couple of grandparents. That is about all we had to go on, but it was a beginning, and luckily for me, the names weren't "Smith" or "Jones".
I began the family tree on Ancestry.com, listing her name as the "Home Person" and entering her parents names and birthdates. Then, I added the grandparents names that I knew. I didn't know birthdates or birthplaces or where they had lived in the country. I was just assuming they were from Ohio. I started with her grandfather Turocy. Right away, I discovered someone I thought might be him in the 1920 census, living in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. His father and his mother were listed as having been born in Czechoslavakia. I wrote to my friend, asking if her family was from the Cleveland area. She told me they were indeed. Soon, I discovered an obituary for her grandfather and the names from the census were a match with the name in the obit. So, now we had gone back another generation, with new names that my friend had never known. Investigating her great grandfather proved to be fascinating. We discovered he had immigrated to the United States in 1907.
My next step was looking into any databases that might be available for Cuyahoga County. I started with the Cleveland Public Library and I wasn't disappointed. Their list of online databases includes the Cleveland Necrology File Index. At first, I wasn't too optimistic that I would find anything right away. An index usually gives just basic information and instruction on how to obtain the actual documents. However, this index is actually a gold mine of facts. It lists the ID number of the obituary, name of the newspaper in which it appears, and microfilm roll number; all pretty standard. But, the bonus is that it lists the name of the deceased, the place, date, and time of the funeral service, and every name included in the obituary. Luckily for me, maiden names were also included. From those files, I was able to link new names to my friend's tree. Within just a couple of days, we had grown her tree by several generations on both her maternal and paternal sides. She now has some World War I and World War II draft registration and enlistment forms that contain the signatures of her great grandfathers and uncles. She knows the immigration details of most of her ancestors. The best part is, she can continue to grow her family tree, because like all trees, it is a living, always changing thing. There are always more documents, article, photographs, and cousins to find.

domain: library


text:
R&D Tax Credits are a crucial part of business development, incentivising growth and innovation across the UK.
By claiming back research and development-related costs through this Tax Relief scheme, businesses are able to reinvest part of their existing spending into pioneering research.
The HMRC’s most recent R&D statistics offer valuable insight into what’s been going on in with R&D Tax Credits in the 2020-21 tax year (as well as revised stats for 2018-19 and 2019-20). Below we give a detailed summary of the key takeaways from HMRC’s report.
1. Amount of Tax Relief claimed
This is big news: the estimated amount of R&D relief claimed back this year has decreased from the previous year for the first time ever. The total amount claimed through R&D Tax schemes for the 2020-21 tax year was £6.6 billion – a 4% decrease from the previous year.
Of that amount, £4.2 billion was claimed through the SME scheme, and £2.4 billion through the RDEC scheme. This correlates with £38.1 billion of R&D expenditure, which is an 11% decrease on the previous year.
If you’re wondering why there’s been a decrease, the government have attributed this drop to the Covid-19 pandemic, which prevented businesses from pursuing R&D to the same extent that they usually would.
2. Number of R&D Tax Credit claims
There was an estimated 89,300 R&D claims made during the 2020-21 tax year. This is a 7% increase on the previous year, and suggests that despite the drop in total R&D claimed, technical innovation isn’t slowing down anytime soon!
Of the 89,300 total claims, 78,825 of these claims came through the SME scheme, and 10,475 through RDEC. The RDEC figures are particularly interesting:
Only 3,990 of RDEC claims came from large businesses, with the remaining 6,485 coming from SMEs operating under the RDEC scheme. Considering the RDEC scheme is intended primarily for big businesses, the fact that SMEs accounted for 2/3 of total RDEC claims may impact how the schemes operate in the future.
The total number of claims from small or medium-sized enterprises has significantly grown during the 2020-21 year. It represents a 7% increase in the SME scheme claims, and a whopping 20% increase in RDEC claims. This increase makes up for the 9% reduction in claims from large businesses.
So why have RDEC claims from SMEs risen so much? It could be because more have made successful grant applications, or perhaps that they are undertaking R&D as sub-contractors. Either way, it will be interesting to see if this trend continues over the next few years.
3. Regional analysis
As expected, London still dominates the R&D Tax Credit world. The city is a hub for innovation and business, so it’s really no surprise that businesses in London make up 21% of total claims, and 31% of the total amount claimed.
Even outside of the capital, London’s influence remains clear. Areas close to London, such as the South East and East of England, have far greater levels of R&D investment than elsewhere - making up 15% and 12% of claims respectively.
The rest of the UK experienced a more equal level of investment, with the devolved regions and the North East being noticeably low in terms of both number of claims and amount of R&D Tax Credits claimed. The North East did experience a 12% increase, but the number of claims there still sits at less than 3,000, which is still significantly less than the dominant regions.
4. Industry sector analysis
Once again, the Information and Communication (22%), Manufacturing (21%), and Professional, Scientific and Technical (19%) sectors dominate the R&D sphere – amounting to 70% of the total R&D credit claimed this tax year! Within these sectors, there is a clear need for research and development, and it’s great to see that they are reaping the benefits of the government incentive.
5. First-time R&D Applications
Though the first-time R&D applicant data for the tax year 2020-21 hasn’t been included, the 2019-20 tax year saw a decrease in first-time applicants – the last time this happened was the 2009-10 tax year.
The number of first-time RDEC applicants increased by 19%, but first-time SME scheme applicants decreased by 7%, leading to a 4% decrease in overall first-time applications. Despite this, the SME scheme still completely dominates the RDEC scheme in terms of both first-time and returning applications.
6. Collaboration with ONS
It’s widely known that the HMRC and Office of National Statistics (ONS) publish inconsistent R&D data. Each year, the HMRC publishes their R&D statistics, and the ONS publishes the results of their Business Expenditure on Research Development (BERD) survey, but there are significant differences between them.
There are a number of reasons for this, such as varying data collection methods, data coverage, and definitional differences. It makes them difficult to compare and raises questions about the reliability of their data.
This year, the government has decided to tackle these disparities by publishing a joint HMRC-ONS article. Hopefully, this will create more coherent results and better inform R&D policy in the future.
These statistics paint an interesting picture of the future of R&D Tax Relief. The increasing number of claims, along with the increase in SMEs taking advantage of the RDEC scheme, is hugely promising.
In light of the big changes announced in Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s 2022 Autumn Budget, we look forward to seeing how these statistics change in the coming years.
If you would like an experienced R&D Tax advisor to help you complete your Tax Credit claim, get in touch with Claim Capital, who will complete your claim in 3-5 days at an affordable fixed-fee.


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September 30th, 2017
This week on The Sneaker Podcast, we discuss Clo's longtime sneaker struggles, Mike recaps the opening event of a new store in Montreal, Alex takes us on a trip to the City Of Angels, and we try and chisel out a Mount Rushmore of sneakers! Listen Now! #TheSneakerPodcast
June 24th, 2017
This week on The Sneaker Podcast we talk about what we had on feet the day of the podcast, Alex picked up some HEAT, and we give our thoughts on a previous episode. Listen Now! #TheSneakerPodcast
April 22nd, 2017
This week on The Sneaker Podcast we have our sneaker family in town from all across the country to hang out and talk about the one thing that unites us. #TheSneakerPodcast
December 17th, 2016
In this episode the crew sits down to talk about our year in review, how we've gotten to where we are now, changes to the podcast in 2017 and we talk about our top sneakers this year. Have a great holiday and we will see you in 2017. #TheSneakerPodcast
December 3rd, 2016
This week the crew takes a step into the realm of event hosting with the first in a series of live discussions. We are proud to present a special broadcast affair, OFF AIR with The Sneaker Podcast : AN Originals WORKSHOP
November 26th, 2016
This week JustKalby joins the crew to talk about what its like being a sneakerhead in Calgary, Chris gives us part 2 of his Week Of Greatness trip to NYC thanks to Foot Locker Canada, and story's from All Star Weekend in Toronto! #TheSneakerPodcast
November 12th, 2016
This week the whole crew sits down to talk about some new pickups, we talk a bit about music, and we play a brand new game called Sneaker Pod Story Time!
November 5th, 2016
This week we are live from Sole Exchange Canada in Montreal for Episode 20!!! Lots of special guests, Sneaker Talk and more. #TheSneakerPodcast
October 29th, 2016
This week the crew sits down with Sneaker Customize Guru.......JACK THE RIPPER. Jack tells us about his love for creating and his art. How long it takes from start to finish, and we play #TheGreatestGame.
October 22nd, 2016
This week the crew sits down to talk about Alex's trip to NYC, we go on a bit of a rant, and we take a trip to our "Happy Place"


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Posted on 2018-01-29, by luongquocchinh.
Author: Lawrence M. Krauss | Category: Astronomy and Cosmology | Language: English | Page: 336 | ISBN: 1476777616 | ISBN13: 9781476777610 |
Description: Internationally renowned, award-winning theoretical physicist, New York Times bestselling author of A Universe from Nothing, and passionate advocate for reason, Lawrence Krauss tells the dramatic story of the discovery of the hidden world of realityâ€”a grand poetic vision of natureâ€”and how we find our place within it. In the beginning there was light. But more than this, there was gravity. After that, all hell broke looseâ€¦ In A Universe from Nothing, Krauss revealed how our entire universe could arise from nothing. Now, he reveals what that somethingâ€”realityâ€”is. And, reality is not what we think or senseâ€”it's weird, wild, and counterintuitive it's hidden beneath everyday experience and its inner workings seem even stranger than the idea that something can come from nothing. In a landmark, unprecedented work of scientific history, Krauss leads us to the furthest reaches of space and time, to scales so small they are invisible to microscopes, to the birth and rebirth of light, and into the natural forces that govern our existence. His unique blend of rigorous research and engaging storytelling invites us into the lives and minds of the remarkable, creative scientists who have helped to unravel the unexpected fabric of realityâ€”with reason rather than superstition and dogma. Krauss knows many of them well and is uniquely positioned to explain the science they discover. _The Greatest Story _challenges us to re-envision ourselves and our place within the universe, as it appears that "God" does play dice with the universe. In the incisive style of his scintillating essays for The New Yorker, Krauss celebrates the greatest intellectual adventure ever undertakenâ€”to understand why we are here in a universe where fact is stranger than fiction.
The Greatest Story Ever Told So Far: Why Are We Here?.pdf
- Ebooks list page : 35772
- 2018-01-30[PDF] The Greatest Story Ever Told So Far: Why Are We Here? [Audiobook]
- 2020-04-20The Greatest Story Ever Told So Far Why Are We Here
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- 2020-12-09American Gods S02E04 The Greatest Story Ever Told 1080p BluRay DD5 1 x264-hdalx
- 2017-11-25[PDF] The Greatest Story Never Told: A Scientific Inquiry into the Evidence of the Fall of Man from a Higher Civilization in Antiquity
- 2018-01-06[PDF] The Big Book of Hoaxes: True Tales of the Greatest Lies Ever Told! (Factoid Books)
- 2017-12-26[PDF] The Greatest Trade Ever: The Behind-the-Scenes Story of How John Paulson Defied Wall Street and Made Financial History
- 2017-10-24[PDF] Holocaust: The Greatest Lie Ever Told
- 2017-06-14The Greatest Story Ever Toldso Far Why Are We Here
- 2017-05-11The Greatest Story Ever Toldso Far Why Are We Here
- 2017-02-08[PDF] The Greatest Trade Ever: The Behind-the-Scenes Story of How John Paulson Defied Wall Street and Made Financial History
- 2021-06-08UFO the Greatest Story Ever Denied 3 UFOs from Outer Space 2016 1080p WEBRip x265-RARBG
- 2020-12-30Bonkers S03E19 The Greatest Story Never Told 480p DSNP WEB-DL AAC2 0 H 264-JETIX
- 2020-10-22The Christ Conspiracy: The Greatest Story Ever Sold
- 2018-01-04[PDF] The Greatest Educators Ever
- 2018-01-01[PDF] The Greatest Experiment Ever Performed on Women: Exploding the Estrogen Myth
- 2017-10-21[PDF] The Greatest Trade Ever: How One Man Bet Against the Markets and Made $20 Billion
- 2017-09-18Dot.Con The Greatest Story Ever Sold
- 2017-01-09[PDF] The Greatest Trade Ever: How One Man Bet Against the Markets and Made $20 Billion
- Download links and password may be in the description section, read description carefully!
- Do a search to find mirrors if no download links or dead links.


MOVEMENT OF GAS PIPELINE AND CENTRAL GAS STATION COMPLETED
In mid-October 2020, ELES in Kidričevo started the construction of the international high-voltage transmission line 2 x 400kV, Cirkovce-Pince, which will also connect the Slovenian transmission electricity network with the Hungarian transmission electricity network.
In the area of Lendava, more precisely on plots k. o. Lendava and k. o. Petišovci, the route of the transmission line runs above the area of the gas network – a low-pressure gas pipeline with a diameter of 9 5/8” in length of over 1000 m (7 bar), a high-pressure gas pipeline of diameter 6” in a length of over 1000 m (70 bar) and a condensate line with a diameter of 4” , also in a length of 1000 m (6 bar).
There was also a CENTRAL GAS STATION (CPP) in the immediate vicinity, in one part of the power line’s area of influence.
Due to the construction of the transmission line, the owner and operator of the aforementioned gas pipeline network, Petrol d. d., joined the investment of moving the segment of gas pipelines and CPP. The investment was defined as the implementation of mining works in accordance with ZRud-1 – Mining Act. As a contractor who met the conditions for carrying out the mentioned mining works, had appropriate references, as well as adequate personnel and technical competences, we were chosen to carry out the works. A contract was concluded with the investor. For gas pipeline relocation in September 2021 and for CPP relocation in November 2021.
Both projects were demanding in terms of implementation and safety. During the relocation of the gas pipelines, it was necessary to ensure an uninterrupted supply of consumers. With CPP, however, work must be carried out while part of the process is running undisturbed.
Performed work in moving CPP
Temporary relocation of one production line outside the influence area of the transmission line
Technology – relocation of equipment and installations
Relocation of the low-pressure gas pipeline
Relocation of high-pressure gas pipeline
Heating and plumbing
With good cooperation with the investor, the involvement of subcontractors in the construction (Legartis d.o.o.) and electrical (El-eks d.o.o.) works, and the involvement of their colleagues (Jože Hozjan, as technical manager of mining works, Simon Törnar, as operational manager of works), welders, installers and others, we completed the work within the stipulated time. After a successful technical takeover, we put both systems into operation within the contractual period.


It adds enhanced security to the algorithms used for system and partitions encryption making it immune to new developments in brute-force attacks.
This is acceptable to the legitimate owner but it makes it much more harder for an attacker to gain access to the encrypted data.
VeraCrypt storage format is INCOMPATIBLE with TrueCrypt storage format. Hidden volume (steganography) and hidden operating system. Read more


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The in-laws are in town! (Doreen’s sister, her husband, and their two sons). So as usual when we have visitors, we took them to beautiful Annecy and while they wandered the old town I went cycling.
On a perfect day, I took the Annecy bike path all the way to Ugine (30 kilometres). Just before Ugine was a turn off to Col de l’Arpettaz.
The Climb: 16.5 kms (10.2 miles); Ascent: 1,200 metres (3,940 feet)
If you like hairpins, this is the climb for you. A fantastic climb on a small very quiet road, winding up through alpine farms and a deciduous forest.
I had tried this climb in May 2006, but bumped into deep snow and couldn’t make it to the top. Unfinished business!
I used a road bike, but the road surface is poor. It’s a bit better down the other side. Perhaps better with a hybrid bike.
Such a pleasant climb alternating between the woods and alpine farmland. And as usual, ever improving views. At the top, Mont Blanc is barely visible, but I descended a couple of ks down the other side for a full view.
At the very top is a gravel road that goes all the way to Col des Aravis – a mountain bike project. Note, the Col sign has a spelling mistake (photo at top).
A bumpy descent and then a nice return to Annecy on the bike path. A 95 km loop.

domain: travel


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I have scars. And 1 ... 2 ... 3 ... 4 ... 5 of them are on my face. They never irk me or cause dismay, like a tattoo might if it never matched the tattoo in my mind's eye. They're simply around, a collection that I couldn't help but accumulate, friends I couldn't help but meet, mistakes I couldn't help but make, lessons that I couldn't help but learn.
Here are their stories.
5. He sits to the left side of my eye, about an inch long, following the outer curve of my eye from bottom to top. I sometimes think I can still see where the stitches were but it's probably a projection of my memory. He would be the only bad-ass scar (simply because he's the most obviously displayed on my face) if it wasn't for how we met, a report that is most decidedly not bad-ass since being bad-ass involves convincing everyone that you will always be invincible. I wish I could tell you his story but I don't know it, really, it's just a sort of fun house memory, warped with smoke and a weekend back and drinking to make things stop changing and a pill and a rude hospital bed awakening and a time that people said I almost died but I never believed them. It was the first and only time I did not control myself. It cost me about as much as a house.
4. He's right next door, hidden beneath my left eyebrow. He's about the width of a nickel, making my eyebrow point weirdly and sparsely. When I lived in Washington D.C. between junior and senior year of college with my fiancé it was hot and we would buy Slurpees every night and sit on the stoop in whatever clothes we felt like and never tire of talking to each other. Mine was cherry. He slurped Mountain Dew. We never said no to each other, because that's just what that sort of love felt like, and so we never said no to anyone else either, and so we didn't say no to a houseguest who was apartment hopping or his rather eccentric sometimes boyfriend. On a night when the sometimes boyfriend drank too much I decided he needed to go, a notion that he violently resisted. Since I was a boy who pokes and destroys, and a college boy who liked to get into fights with a lover looking on, and the one who always handled everything, I made him leave. And I got a scar.
3. The next scar is between my eyes but you can hardly see it. He's a crease, really, on the bridge of my enormous nose. The story is much longer than this will give credit for, and by now others tell it better, but it is mine. A great friend from school, a man who I would always admire, head-butted me in the face for kissing his girlfriend. This man had a well-known propensity for head-butting people, and so I asked him if he was would do it to me. He said no, and, like an asshole, I kissed her. I bled all over my bathroom, and woke up having crusted half of my pillow and one side of my bed with blood, feeling very wronged but having been put soundly in my place to hear anyone tell it. A few days later, another great giant of a friend set my nose while I bit down on a belt. Then, since he had accidentally pushed it too far, he wrenched it back in the other direction and set it again. Now it is just a crease.
2. I find the next difficult to describe. He's not a scar that I like to look at. He's small, on the right side of my top lip, and he doesn't seem to have a shape as much as a few dots along a line that pull on my skin and sometimes keep one side of my mouth from smiling fully. He's frozen a bit of my smile in time, smashed into my face by a steering wheel the moment that my brother died, a penance among many.
1. She's the only she, a crater on the surface of the big full moon that is my forehead. If #5 were Orion's belt, you could follow him to her, a little Sirius from Canis Major. She's the silliest but oldest, filled in with love and lots of overlooking. See, having no self control does not mix well with chicken pox for an 8 or 9 year old. My mother dutifully applied calamine lotion to the little red dots, cooing over me when I was good with my hands behind my back, and taping the tips of my fingers when she thought I was cheating. It was the first and only one that I picked. Mothers are always right.
It's funny how our lives are written everywhere — sometimes initials carved on branches, sometimes 140 characters at a time — when all the time, whether we know it or not, we're the paper.


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A newly released study in New Zealand argues that many English-speaking immigrants to the country are held back by their inability to comprehend the “small talk” that typically takes places in New Zealand workplaces. Such informal conversations, the study indicates, are conducted in a “distinct form of ‘New Zealand English’ … developed from the merging of Maori and European cultures.” It is unclear, however, how much such misunderstandings stem from actual linguistic differences, as New Zealand English is fairly close to British English, from which it developed. Cultural presuppositions seem more important. In the New Zealand workplace, the study contends, self-deprecating humor, informality, and chatting are greatly valued. Such a style is said to derive from the attitudes of both the English settlers and the indigenous Maoris. Employees from Hong Kong and Japan, the study states, have a particularly difficult time adapting to such a cultural milieu.
Maori cultural influences are stronger on New Zealand’s North Island than its South Island. It would be interesting to see if workplace culture differs on the two islands.

domain: sociology


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|Number of locations||73 (2016)|
|Number of employees||8,400 (2015)|
TechPlaza is a Paroyan chain of stores selling consumer electronics worldwide. Since 2012 locations have been opened abroad.
The chain is one of the larger players in the Paroyan consumer electronics market. It is known for its public liability and good customer service.
TechPlaza was founded by the brothers Paul Chasledon and Marc Chasledon. The first TechPlaza opened its doors in 1967 in Guttley, Madison. The store was a success due to the television and the supplied service for installation, since many people did not know how it worked. With the advent of personal computing, the store grew massively. In 2012, it opened its first location abroad in ...
|This list is incomplete. It will be expanded in the future.|
|6 Morris Street, Unity Market||Trevers||Paroy||map|
|Pedestrian City Shopping District||Quentinsburgh||Freedemia||map|
|Av.Tamarindia, no.4, Centro Empresarial||Barra da Grama||Brasonia||map|
|Miles Street Mall, Babelictown||Carran||Auleus||map|
|Litoral Shopping, Ilha Sentinela||Alcântara||Luslandia||map|

domain: economics


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Shigeru Miyamoto Reveals What’s Going on With the Next Mario Game
Shigeru Miyamoto says that Nintendo will share information on the next Mario game when the time is right.
Shigeru Miyamoto, the video game designer, producer, and game director credited for the birth of Mario and The Legend of Zelda franchises—among many others—recently spoke about the next Mario game, the future of the Mario franchise, and other Nintendo gaming franchises as well. According to GameSpot, the father of Mario, Shigeru Miyamoto, revealed that he’s always working on the Mario franchise and that Nintendo will share more information when the time is right.
Admittedly, this is a pretty vague statement considering that the most recent Mario game, Super Mario Odyssey, was released in 2017 as the world’s third-best-selling console, to great acclaim. However, it would seem that the work on the Mario franchise, as well as other Nintendo franchises, goes beyond the scope of video games alone.
But, first things first. Super Mario Odyssey was one of those launch games for Nintendo Switch, and it was a culmination of everything the fandom has seen and loved about Mario games that have been released up to that point. It was an open-world adventure that took players on an intergalactic journey.
It’s still one of the best platformer games that have ever been released, and fans aren’t wrong when they call Super Mario Odyssey the perfect Mario game.
That’s why fans have high expectations for the franchise’s sequel, as well as anything else Nintendo has in store for the Italian plumber. This includes the upcoming Mario film starring Chris Pratt, for which the fandom has very high expectations despite the horrible history between movies and the gaming medium. So, while those in charge of the franchise are continuing to develop it, Shigeru Miyamoto and Nintendo are reluctant to disclose any details about upcoming releases until the time is right.
Besides confirming that Mario is safe and sound, Shigeru Miyamoto also touched upon the upcoming film stating that Nintendo has a lot of gaming characters and that they shouldn’t be confined exclusively to video games. In fact, he strongly advocates for the implementation of Nintendo’s characters in media beyond video games. It’s a worthwhile business opportunity when done correctly, and Nintendo certainly has the funds and the talent pool to pull something like that off.
Let’s try and condense this a little bit with what we know so far. Shigeru Miyamoto stated that the development work on Mario never ceases, but the company hasn’t announced any upcoming games, seemingly focused entirely on the upcoming film. Super Mario Odyssey was released along with Nintendo Switch—the world’s most popular handheld console whose lifespan was extended by the ongoing semiconductor shortage, and major gaming titles like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
But that doesn’t change the fact Switch is already at the end of its lifecycle and that Nintendo hasn’t announced any new gaming hardware. Instead, Nintendo’s main focus right now, at least gaming-wise, is to complete and launch The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom—and extend the lifespan of its gaming hardware, increasing their chance to once again make history. So, while Shigeru Miyamoto’s statement stands, it’s highly improbable that we’ll see any signs of a new Mario game within the next 12 to 24 months.

domain: game


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Before I knew it I was totally enjoying Lincoln’s Diary but not because of the title or locale any longer. Now it was because I was enthralled by the story and characters. Let me explain.
I was initially drawn to D. L. Fowler’s novel, Lincoln’s Diary, by the title. Since I was a child I’ve been both a Lincoln and a history buff. After I started to read I realized many of the settings were local for me and I could ‘see’ where Sarah was, what stores and neighborhoods she was passing. But as I kept turning the pages the plot and characters became strong and enticing.
Sarah is cleaning out her mother’s house when a courier arrives with a check in payment for some documents her mother had sold to a university professor in California. Sarah becomes curious as to what her mother might have sold. Her Grandmother Cassie had always talked about the Lincoln Diary that Sarah’s grandfather had given her to keep safe. Mom wouldn’t sell that, would she?
Sarah goes to California to talk to the professor in person only to find he has been murdered just before her scheduled appointment. Now she’s not only being accused of the murder but she’s receiving threatening phone calls and being stalked. And now the federal government is weighing in expecting her to just turn over the diary, which, by the way, she’s only heard about.
Does the diary prove that Abraham Lincoln planned his own assassination? What kind of reason would someone have for doing such a thing?
D L Fowler and Harbor Hill publishing have brought us a fast paced journey started by the simple act of asking a question and now things have spiraled out of control.
About the Author: DL Fowler likes to say he gets inside people's heads and writes fiction based on what he finds in there. He served in the military as a linguist, and his early years were spent in Southern California where he attended high school and college, earning a bachelors degree in English at USC. He currently lives in the Pacific Northwest with his wife near their three grandchildren.
Visit www.dlfowler.com to see some Lincoln trivia questions, his blog, his flash fiction and more.
Review by Lynnette Phillips, Avid Book Reviews


Orthogonal signal correction (OSC) is a spectral treatment that allows the portion of spectral information orthogonal to changes in analyte concentrations to be removed. In this work, the effect of using OSC on low-scatter near infrared (NIR) spectra was examined in order to determine analyte concentrations at different levels in samples containing additional components with very similar spectra. To this end, transmittance spectra for virgin olive oil were used to quantify oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids, which were found to account for 63-75, 8.9-13.4 and 0.2-0.9%, respectively, of total fatty acids. Partial least-squares regression (PLSR) was used for calibration and the results thus obtained were compared with those provided by the more usual NIR spectral pre-treatments. As shown in this work, OSC effectively removes information not correlated to the target parameter, which substantially decreases the number of PLS components required to construct calibration models. This, however, does not increase predictive ability because not all variability not correlated to the concentration of the target analyte is orthogonal to it. © 2001 Elsevier Science B.V.
|Journal||Analytica Chimica Acta|
|Publication status||Published - 15 Mar 2001|
- Data pre-treatment
- Fatty acids
- Near infrared spectroscopy
- Olive oil
- Orthogonal signal correction


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|Shows at the Purple Fiddle|
Visit Dave Asti on the web!
-Founding member of West Virginia’s award winning bluegrass band “The Hillbilly Gypsies” 2001-2016
Voted best WV band 2014
Hailing from Charles Town, West Virginia, Dave Asti has been performing live music for over 20 years. As a founding member of the critically acclaimed group, The Hillbilly Gypsies, Dave entertained audiences far and wide with his unique and energetic style. A multi-instrumentalist and entertainer, his versatile technique is influenced by many genres. From Blues to Bluegrass, Swing to Rock, and beyond, there are no boundaries in his approach to musical sensibility.
-Notable television performances:
WV Mountain Stage – PBS
Song of the Mountains – PBS
Ulster Scots Santer Documentary BBC
-Notable live performaces:
Poppy Mountain Bluegrass Festival 2005-2015
Outer Banks Bluegrass – 2013-2014
Carter Family Fold 2009-2015
IBMA World of Bluegrass


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Lately I’m obsessed with quilting. For over a year now I have slowly been working on my first sampler quilt using Craftsy’s 2012 Block of the Month class taught by Amy Gibson (an AMAZING teacher!). I made The Asterisk Block and the Wonky Pound Sign Block way back in January 2012. Now I have six more blocks to share with you bringing it to a total of 8/20 blocks! In no particular order:
Sunny with a chance of Hex (not entirely finished)
Hexagon Row Block
Broken Spider Web Block
Chunky Chevron Block
I wish I had better pictures but the phone pics will have to do for now. I have trouble keeping my bias edges straight, my balkan puzzle block is slightly distorted but I’m going to leave it as is, a memento of the learning curve.

domain: hobby


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If you are looking for a nutritious, hearty, and delicious meal, then look no further! This veggie-packed and easy-to-make dish is prepared with no-boil pasta and finished with a nutty cheesy topping. It is sure to satisfy vegetarians and meat lovers alike!
This lasagna can also be made vegan or gluten-free, utilizing the recommended substitutions. One serving of lasagna will please your taste buds as well as provide an abundance of plant-based protein, gut-boosting fiber, and immune-supporting antioxidants. The Bolognese sauce can also be used in multiple applications (topping pasta, salad, or rice, stuffing cabbage, sweet potatoes, or mushrooms, or as filling for a healthful sloppy joe’s or Shepherd’s pie). This comforting dish is a great dinner option everyone is guaranteed to enjoy.
- 3 cloves garlic, minced 10-15 minutes before use and leave on cutting board to develop the maximum amount of allicin (health-supporting property)
- 2 tablespoons oil (olive, avocado, or sunflower)
- 1 medium yellow onion, minced
- 2 small or 1 medium carrot, diced
- 2 cups mushrooms, diced
- 1 zucchini, diced
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ cup green lentils (French green lentils work best)
- ¼ cup vinegar (red wine or white wine vinegar works best)
- 4 cups tomato sauce (no sugar added), divided into 3 cups and 1 cup
- 3/4 cup water or vegetable stock
- 3 handfuls spinach
- 1 bunch of fresh basil chopped or 2 tablespoons dried basil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 9 sheets of no-boil lasagna noodles (gluten-free or regular)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella or vegan mozzarella (optional)
- ½ cup shredded parmesan or vegan parmesan*
- * pulse in a food processor until cheese texture: ½ cup walnuts or almonds, 3 Tbsp nutrition yeast, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp garlic powder
- Heat oil over medium heat in a large pot that has a lid. Add onion, carrot, mushrooms and zucchini and sauté for 5 minutes until onions are translucent. Add in red pepper flakes and Italian seasoning and continue to sauté for 2 more minutes until fragrant.
- Add the lentils, garlic, bay lead, and vinegar, stirring to combine with vegetables. Cook for 2-3 minutes to reduce vinegar by half.
- Stir in 3 cups tomato sauce, stock or water, and basil. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low to simmer for 30 minutes covered with a lid.
- Remove lid and bay leaf, stir in spinach to wilt, taste, and season with salt and pepper.
Building the Lasagna
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Using a 9×13 baking pan, spread a thin layer of olive oil and ½ cup of tomato sauce on the bottom of the pan. Place 3 sheets of lasagna noodles on top of a thin layer of sauce. Top then with 1/2 of Bolognese sauce then 1/3 cup of cheese. Repeat with 3 sheets of pasta, remaining bolognese, 1/3 cup of cheese, then 3 sheets of pasta, ½ cup of tomato sauce, and 1/3 cup of cheese.
- Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, then sprinkle with topping and cook for another 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes before cutting and serving.
Lasagna will keep fresh for 4-5 days, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months in freezer safe container. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating. It’s easy to reheat by placing it in a 400-degree F oven for 20 minutes.
Lentils: Good source of plant protein and folate. Areas around the world that have been identified to live the longest (Blue Zones) through research beans have been shown to be a common staple of consumption. Excellent source of dietary fiber that promote gut health (prebiotic), gut bacteria love beans.
Mushrooms: Make sure to cook your mushrooms to increase digestibility, degrade a possible toxic compound found in raw mushrooms and release nutrients that are stored in their thick cellular walls. Mushrooms are a very good source of dietary fiber (beta glucan), and one of the only foods that can store vitamin D when exposed to the sun. They contain anti-inflammatory properties and are rich in minerals such as selenium (an antioxidant). Their high potassium content can balance out sodium in the body.
Tomato Sauce: A great source of lycopene that helps reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease and protects skin integrity. Cooking tomatoes in a healthy fat (such as olive or avocado oil) increases the amount of available lycopene that the body will absorb.
Zucchini: Nutrient-dense vegetable packed full of fiber and water that aids in digestive health. The insoluble fiber helps us stay regular and the soluble fiber is a “prebiotic” food for the good bacteria to promote a healthy gut. This vegetable’s high amount of zeaxanthin (a powerful antioxidant) also plays a role in preventing oxidative stress to reduce the risk of developing cancer.
Spinach: Greens such as kale, spinach, collards, mustard greens, arugula, and chard have been shown to protect bones from osteoporosis, reduce inflammation, support a healthy gut, strengthen the immune system, protect cognition, and supply high amounts of antioxidants. They are among some of the best cancer-preventing foods.
Basil: Contains a range of protective vitamins such as Vitamins A, C, and K, as well as essential oils with high antioxidant properties due to the phytochemicals that help reduce oxidative stress in the body. These phytochemicals are known to reduce the risk of cancer, but also prevent age-related macular degeneration, and support liver and cardiovascular health. A unique component of basil is its ability to enhance and preserve the healthful properties of other ingredients it is combined with.
Garlic & Onions: Considered a prebiotic, meaning it feeds the “good” bacteria in our gut and promotes a healthy digestive system. Research supports that the compounds in garlic and onions, such as allicin, have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and cardioprotective properties. If you chop your garlic 10-15 minutes before using it will have the maximum amount of active allicin.


Sundome in Talks with Arena Football League to Bring "Arena 2" Franchise to Yakima
Yakima, WA - The Yakama Sun Kings could be sharing the Sundome with another sports franchise next year.
Sundome administrators are in talks with the arena football league about bringing an "Arena 2" franchise to Yakima.
Representatives from the Spokane Shock were here today to check out the facility for the league.
The Sundome had a team from the National Indoor Football League five years ago, but it folded after only one season.
"Arena 2 football is part of the Arena Football League and I think it's set the same way. It's the same product for the different markets, smaller markets," says Greg Lybeck, Assistant General Manager of the Sundome, "I think it's a better product for our fans to see and they'll pay to see it."


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The Stagecoach-owned company warned of "severe disruption". Train drivers' union Aslef has ordered stoppages to take place on Monday 31 March, Tuesday 1 April, Wednesday 2 April and Thursday 3 April in an escalating row over pay.
More than 350,000 passengers a day use SWT with 200,000 of those travelling into London. Stagecoach-owned SWT forecasts only a "limited" service will run on strike days with many trains replaced by buses.
SWT managing director Stewart Palmer said he regretted the disruption to passengers and was trying to avert the strikes.
- More about:
- P Funk


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Why? Sunny Sydney is one of the world's top holiday destinations, offering stunning beaches, vibrant nightlife, superb shopping and delectable restaurants. When? The most popular time to travel to Sydney is during the summer months, between November and March, when it is constantly hot and sunny. Winter in Sydney (June to August) is mild but damp, and nights can be chilly. Who for? Sydney caters for all ages. Sun-lovers head for the beaches; families can explore the attractions of Darling Harbour; gourmets delight in the restaurants at The Rocks; adventurers can climb the iconic Harbour Bridge; while the less active can stroll the magnificent Botanic Gardens. Sydney is also a popular gay holiday destination, especially during late February when the annual Gay and Lesbian Mardis Gras takes place. More Info: Our Sydney travel guide includes everything from essential information on currency and entry requirements to full reviews of restaurants, attractions and upcoming events.
Sunny, seductive Sydney is a high contender for the title of the world's most ideal city. It is slick and smart, the streets are clean, the neighbourhoods and busy pedestrian precincts pristine, the parks sublime, the water in the huge harbour blue, and the landmark buildings breath-taking. Sydney's population is approaching five million, but it is easy to leave the frenetic urban pace behind with just a simple ferry ride to the North Shore for a bush walk, enjoy a stroll along the harbour beaches or take any one of a number of daytrips to explore the 'real' Australia on the city's doorstep.
Just like its characteristic white-sailed Opera House, Sydney seems to cruise effortlessly through nights and days filled with myriad entertainment opportunities, sophisticated shopping, memorable museums, and strings of beautiful beaches. Visitors find it exhausting to take it all in, even though the tourist precinct where most of the interesting attractions are to be found is concentrated in quite a small area around the down-town waterfront and harbour area.
The fact that Sydney is a thriving seaport and industrial city has been cleverly concealed behind attractive pleasure and leisure grounds and residential suburbs, making full use of the scenic, watery geographical location. The harbour area is dominated by the span of one of the world's largest arched bridges, backed by towering skyscrapers. It is all a far cry from the remote penal colony established by the British back in 1788.
Another plus for visitors is that compared to most big cities Sydney offers excellent, reasonably priced food, accommodation and public transport. The city has an excellent suburban rail network, with its hub at Circular Quay in the city centre, and full use is made of the waterways with ferries and passenger jet boats plying to and from various points.
Time: Australia is divided into three time zones. Eastern is GMT +10, Central is GMT +9.5, and Western is GMT +8. Other than the Northern Territory and Western Australia, all states observe daylight saving time in summer. Electricity: Electrical current is 240/250 volts AC, 50Hz. Three-pin plugs are used but are different to those in most other countries, so an adapter is normally required. Money: The Australian Dollar (AUD) is divided into 100 cents. Notes come in denominations of A$5, 10, 20, 50 and 100. Banks and bureaux de change exchange most foreign currencies. Travellers cheques are also welcome everywhere, but banks take a small commission and it is better to take cheques in major currencies (e.g. US dollars or Euros) to avoid additional charges. Credit cards are widely accepted and ATMs are freely available throughout the country. Banking hours are generally 9.30am to 4pm Monday to Thursday, and 9.30am to 5pm on Friday, but some banks offer extended hours and some are open on Saturday mornings.
Currency Exchange Rates A$ 1.00 = C$ 0.91NZ$ 1.12 0.41US$ 0.82R 5.72Note: These rates are not updated daily and should be used as a guideline only.
Language: English is the official language. Entry requirements for Americans: US nationals must have a valid passport for intended period of stay. An Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) is required. Entry requirements for UK nationals: UK nationals must have a passport valid for intended period of stay, or an identity document showing a photograph. An Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) is required for British passport holders endorsed British Citizen or British National (Overseas) if residing in Hong Kong. Other British passport holders are not eligible for an ETA and require a visa. Entry requirements for Canadians: Canadian nationals require a passport valid for intended period of stay, or an identity document showing a photograph. An Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) is required. Entry requirements for South Africans: South African nationals must have a passport valid for the duration of the stay. A visa is required. Entry requirements for Irish nationals: Irish nationals must have a passport valid for the intended period of stay, or an identity document showing a photograph. A visa is required. Entry requirements for New Zealand nationals: New Zealanders require a valid passport to enter Australia. Although a visa is not a requirement, New Zealanders have to apply for a Special Category Visa on arrival by completing a passenger card. Passport/Visa Note: Visitors must hold sufficient funds and all documents required for further travel. An ETA is an electronically issued and verified visa, not visible in a passport. ETAs are issued to passengers travelling for tourist or business purposes. Tourist ETAs are valid for 12 months or the validity of the passport (whichever is shorter) for multiple stays of up to three months each, and business ETAs are also available for multiple entries of up to three months each. ETAs are obtainable online at: www.eta.immi.gov.au or through most travel agents. Embassy or Consulate in US: Embassy of Australia, Washington DC, United States: +1 202 797 3000. Embassy or Consulate in UK: Australian High Commission, London, United Kingdom: +44 (0)20 7379 4334. Embassy or Consulate in Canada: Australian High Commission, Ottawa, Canada: +1 613 236 0841. Embassy or Consulate in South Africa: Australian High Commission, Pretoria, South Africa: +27 (0)12 423 6000. US Embassy or Consulate: Embassy of the United States, Canberra: +61 (0)2 6214 5600. UK Embassy or Consulate: British High Commission, Canberra: +61 (0)2 6270 6666. Canadian Embassy or Consulate: Canadian High Commission, Canberra: +61 (0)2 6270 4000. South African Embassy or Consulate: South African High Commission, Canberra: +61 (0)2 6273 2424-7. Health: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required by travellers over one year of age arriving within six days of having stayed overnight or longer in an infected country. No other special immunizations or medications are required for most trips to Australia, however insect repellents are strongly advised for the Northern Territory, north Queensland and north Western Australia, as well as certain parts of New South Wales and Victoria, because of the risk of Murray Valley encephalitis, Ross River virus infections, dengue fever and other mosquito-borne illnesses. Beach-goers are warned to beware of jellyfish in the coastal waters; stings have proved fatal on occasion. Another health risk is sunburn, and visitors are advised to take precautions. Medical services are excellent, but can be expensive so travellers should ensure that they have adequate insurance. Australia has a reciprocal health agreement with the United Kingdom providing for free hospital emergency medical treatment; proof of UK residence is required. Tipping: A gratuity of between 5 to 15% is usually expected in cafes and restaurants in the larger cities, though tipping is a relatively new phenomenon in Australia. Taxi drivers are happy to be left with the change. Safety: The crime rate in Australia is low, however travellers should be aware that tourists could be targeted by petty criminals. Be vigilant about personal possessions and travel documents, particularly in popular tourist destinations such as along the Gold Coast. There has been an increase in incidents of spiked drinks and women in particular should be cautious in nightspots; many victims were also sexually assaulted. Tropical cyclones normally occur between November and April in some parts of Australia, usually in Western Australia, Queensland and Northern Territory. There is a serious risk of bush fires in summer, especially in Victoria, Tasmania, New South Wales and ACT; fires in December 2006 and January 2007 were worse than ever due to the long-standing drought and caused major disruption to traffic and the evacuation of homes. Customs: Generally an informal attitude, in dress and behaviour, prevails in most social and business situations. Sport, particularly rugby and cricket, is almost a religion. Business: Australian business culture is generally relaxed and informal, although punctuality for meetings is imperative, and business dress is conservative: a dark suit and tie for men and a skirt suit for women. Women expect to be treated the same as their male counterparts, and firm handshakes between both men and women are standard at the beginning and end of every meeting. Business cards can be exchanged, but there are no formalities regarding this practice. In business dealings, brevity is appreciated and 'plain talking' is respected; however do not try to rush decision-making, as input from all sectors is customarily considered before reaching a conclusion. Business hours are generally 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday. Communications: The international access code for Australia is +61. The outgoing code is 0011 followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 001144 for the United Kingdom). The area code for both Canberra and Sydney is (0)2. Local calls from public payphones are unlimited and cost a standard rate, while international and long distance calls are charged according to the time spent on the phone. Mobile phone operators use GSM and CDMA networks (area code (0)4); mobile phones are available for rent. Internet cafes are widely available. Duty free: Travellers to Australia over 18 years do not have to pay customs duty on 2.25 litres of alcohol; 250 cigarettes or 250g cigars or other tobacco products. Gifts are included in the A$900 duty-free allowance. Fresh produce and animal/plant products are prohibited.
Message Edited by LL_Editor on 06-07-2007 03:58 PM
Sydney is a fantastic walkable city to explore and enjoy. When in Sydney, make sure you take one of the many boat tours of Sydney Harbour, see an opera at the opera house and shop in the "rocks" neighbourhood. For those more adventurous you can hike up the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

domain: geography


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Tributes have poured in for Godfather star James Caan following his death at the age of 82.
The actor — whose most memorable role was as Sonny Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola’s masterpiece The Godfather — died on Wednesday evening.
His family said in a statement on Twitter: ‘It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jimmy on the evening of July 6.
‘A legend’: Tributes have poured in for Godfather star James Caan following his death at the age of 82. He is pictured here in 2007
‘The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time.’
Rob Reiner, who directed Caan’s movie Misery, wrote: ‘So sorry to hear the news. I loved working with him. And the only Jew I knew who could calf rope with the best of them. Love to the family.’
Maria Shriver wrote: ‘So sad about Jimmy Caan. He was a legend. He was always kind to me. Sending his family my love.’
Guardians Of The Galaxy director James Gunn wrote: ‘Rest In Peace James Caan. There are so many movies of his I love, The Godfather films of course being at the very top, but here are a few more I adore (Thief in particular was a Gunn family classic — I had the poster on my wall in high school).’
Film legend: Rob Reiner, who directed the Caan-starring thriller Misery, wrote that he ‘loved working’ with the late actor
It’s a hit: Reiner and Caan’s adaptation of Misery, based on the book by Stephen King, was a critical and commercial success; Caan (center) seen with Reiner (R) and Michael McKean (L) in 2014 in NYC
Chilling: Caan starred in Misery (pictured) as a popular writer who is imprisoned by a homicidal nurse (Kathy Bates) obsessed with his romance series after she finds him in the wake of a car crash
Paying tribute: Maria Shriver wrote: ‘So sad about Jimmy Caan. He was a legend. He was always kind to me. Sending his family my love.’
The filmmaker included several posters for Caan’s most acclaimed films, including Michael Mann’s thriller Thief (1981), The Gambler (1974), the buddy police comedy Freebie And The Bean (1974) and Wes Anderson’s feature debut Bottle Rocket (1996), which Caan starred in with Luke and Owen Wilson.
Adam Sandler, who was joined by Caan in 1996’s Bulletproof and That’s My Boy (2012), tweeted that he ‘loved’ the veteran actor ‘very much.’
‘Always wanted to be like him. So happy I got to know him. Never ever stopped laughing when I was around that man. His movies were best of the best. We all will miss him terribly. Thinking of his family and sending my love.’
Sweet: Adam Sandler, who was joined by Caan in 1996’s Bulletproof and That’s My Boy (2012), tweeted that he ‘loved’ the veteran actor ‘very much’ and was ‘so happy I got to know him’
The movie star began his career appearing in off-Broadway productions.
He subsequently starred in numerous TV roles, including appearances in the ABC series ‘Naked City’, as well as ‘Route 66’, ‘Alcoa Premiere’ and ‘The Untouchables’.
Caan made his film debut in 1963, when he starred in ‘Irma la Douce’, an American rom-com. He also appeared in ‘The Glory Guy’ in 1965 and ‘Brian’s Song’ in 1971, before he landed his breakout role in the Francis Ford Coppola-directed ‘The Godfather’ in 1972.
In the iconic film, he appeared alongside a host of Hollywood A-listers, including Al Pacino, Marlon Brando and Robert Duvall.
Caan was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the film, while he was also nominated for a Golden Globe.
The New York-born star reprised his most iconic character in ‘The Godfather Part II’ in 1974.
Caan only worked sporadically during the 1980s, but he still appeared in a number of well-known films over recent decades, including ‘Thief’ in
1981 and in the Christmas comedy ‘Elf’ in 2003.
Caan was also set to star alongside the likes of Oscar Isaac, Zendaya, Adam Driver and Cate Blanchett in ‘Megalopolis’, the much-hyped new movie from legendary filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola.
Caan was married four times, but got divorced to his last wife, Linda Stokes, in 2017.
Originally posted 2022-07-07 18:48:34.


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The slideshow begins with candid shots of the proposal, which took place on the steps of a gazebo. There’s also a close-up shot of the ring, followed by a video of the accessory being examined by a jeweler. (FYI, the engagement ring features an oval-cut diamond that’s set on a sparkly band.)
“THE EASIEST YES,” Biles wrote. “I can’t wait to spend forever & ever with you, you’re everything I dreamed of and more! let’s get married FIANCÉ.”
Owens (who’s a safety for the Houston Texans) shared a similar slideshow on his personal Instagram account and captioned the post, “Woke up this morning with a fiancée [ring emoji] [heart emoji].”
He continued, “Appreciate my dawg @don_julio314 for helping me set everything up, she really had no clue what was coming [laughing emoji] @zofrost you went crazy on this one bro really made the night special.”
Biles and Owens first met on social media back in March 2020, and they immediately hit it off (even though Owens didn’t know very much about Biles’s career). “This was a match made in heaven. There’s no better person for me,” he told Texas Monthly. “She loves me, she’s so affectionate. I just love that. And it’s just intoxicating seeing how much work she puts into everything.”
Congratulations, you two.
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domain: celebrity


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Finnish finance minister says Greek aid approval not certain
HELSINKI Nov 20 (Reuters) - Finland's finance minister said on Tuesday she was unsure whether euro zone finance ministers would approve Greece's next loan tranche at a meeting later in the day.
"I'm not at all sure that it will happen. More information is needed before a decision can be made, so the situation is very much open," Jutta Urpilainen told reporters after a parliamentary briefing.
Finance ministers had been seen as likely to give tentative approval for the next tranche on Tuesday though the money is unlikely to be disbursed before December and a deal on debt reduction may require further talks.
Urpilainen repeated that Finland was ready to give Greece more time to reach its financing programme targets but said a restructuring of its debt was out of the question.
- Pope attacks mega-salaries and wealth gap in peace message
- Air strike kills 15 civilians in Yemen by mistake: officials
- Probation for drunk Texas teen driver who killed four sparks backlash
- Atheists face death in 13 countries, global discrimination: study
- South Africa admits error over 'schizophrenic' Mandela signer |


InfoWars' Alex Jones Permanently Banned From Twitter
Twitter has permanently banned the accounts of radio show host Alex Jones and InfoWars, saying his recent actions violate the social media company’s abusive behavior policy.
Twitter said, “We took this action based on new reports of Tweets and videos posted yesterday that violate our abusive behavior policy, in addition to the accounts’ past violations.”
The action appears to stem from a video of a heated exchange between Jones and CNN reporter Oliver Darcy. Jones was upset over Darcy complaining to Twitter about Jones’ tweets and lobbying for his suspension.


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Let’s take a break from 2022, and even referendums.
Have you ever read Article 46 about “consumers”?
They have the right to goods and services of reasonable quality; to the information necessary for them to gain full benefit from goods and services; to the protection of their health, safety, and economic interests; and
compensation for loss or injury arising from defects in goods or services.
Where do the fish and tomatoes come in? Newspapers recently told us that fish from China may be contaminated.
And tomatoes (and other vegetables) have high levels of pesticides and bacteria. We have had various other food scares – antibiotics in poultry and cattle, for example.
Is our food safe?
What law does protect Kenyan consumers? One of the oldest ways of cheating consumers is to have inaccurate (maybe deliberately so) weights and measures. Kenya has had a Weights and Measures Act since 1912, and the Weights and Measures Department carries out many inspections of weighing devices.
The Trade Descriptions Act makes it a crime to make misleading statements about prices and qualities of goods, for example. The Hire Purchase Act protects consumers who make hire purchase agreements (you use the goods in return for payments by instalments, and at the end of the time you become the owner). They must be told how much it would cost to buy the goods outright, and once they have paid at least two-thirds of the price, but then default, the owner cannot take the goods taken back without a court order.
The Sale of Goods Act says that if goods you buy are not fit for use you can get your money back (and, by the way, the machines that KRA requires for retailers that make it easier for KRA to claim VAT do not affect our right). And even if you do not buy goods, but they are defective and cause you some injury, you can claim compensation.
But the transactions of consumers for goods and services have become much more complex.
CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT
In 2012, Parliament passed this Act well within the constitutional deadline of four years, with a lot of civil society input.
A summary of all its contents would make for very boring reading, but here are a few examples.
It assumes that a consumer is at a disadvantage in dealing with a business — this may be true of some businesses, but not perhaps of some jua kali businesses. This approach shows in the rule that if a contract is unclear it must be read in a way that benefits the consumer. It allows consumers to get out of contracts that are unfair: If the price “grossly exceeds” the price at which similar goods or services are readily available to similar consumers, or
if the contract is “excessively one-sided”
— not in favour of the consumer, to take two examples.
If you get an estimate of work, and you agree to the work being done, the provider must not charge more than 10 per cent over the estimate — unless you ask for extra work to be done.
If you enter into certain types of contract, such as for “personal development”, which means things such as health and diet, photoshoots for modelling,
martial arts, sports, or dance, you should have a cooling-off period. This means that within 10 days, you could cancel the agreement. It would not apply if the services were offered by a club you are a member of. It specifically does not apply to golf clubs — an interesting sidelight on where political influence lies.
If you ask for repairs to be done you must be given an estimate of how much they are likely to cost.
NOT ENOUGH YET
There are a number of problems with the Act. Like so much recent legislation, it shows signs of having been drafted in a hurry, enacted in a hurry and without proper consideration by our highly paid MPs.
Apparently, those who drafted the Act thought they were creating criminal offences: That sellers etc who did not do what the Act required committed a crime. But they failed to do so. A court will not treat as a crime a failure to do something (or not to do it) unless the law says very clearly “[a person who does/fails to do….] commits an offence”. The Act never says that.
A second problem is that it is not limited to what we usually think of true consumer situations. Consumer protection laws often protect only individuals and only if they are not buying or using the goods or services for their business or profession. The assumption is that the business purchaser does not need the same protection; indeed may be in a stronger economic position. But think of the farmer who sells milk to Brookside – who needs protection: the farmer or Brookside. But under our law, Brookside is the consumer!
A third problem is more the fault that of the relevant Ministry. In a complicated area of the law like this it is common to put the outline only in an Act of Parliament and fill in the details in regulations, made by the Minister and approved by Parliament.
This Act constantly mentions things that will be “prescribed”. This means set out in regulations. It uses “prescribed” 86 times. And it says that the Cabinet Secretary must make those regulations.
But there are apparently no regulations made under the Act. (The Consumer Federation of Kenya, COFEK, produced a draft in 2014, but it does not seem to have been adopted.)
Among the things that are supposed to be “prescribed” is an amount charged for personal development to make the provisions mentioned earlier applicable. In other words, what I said earlier about personal development contracts is not actually operational because no-one has specified the threshold fee that make the rules applicable.
Time share agreements, where you buy the right to use or let a particular house or apartment in a resort for a few weeks each year must have certain terms, — yet to be prescribed. Yet companies have started to advertise time shares.
In other words, large chunks of this Act are actually not operational as yet – six years after it was passed.
Two particular failures are about legal procedures to enforce the Act. Consumer claims often involve quite small losses, but very many people have suffered the same loss. One useful strategy is to enable a few people to bring a claim on behalf of all the people affected — a class action. Those affected might be in the thousands. The Act envisages class actions. But there are no court rules made for such actions, and at least one judge has suggested this means no such actions can be brought. To be fair, this judge may have been rather narrow in his approach.
Another way of dealing with large number of small claims is to have special courts to deal with small cases. The Small Claims Court Act was passed in 2016, but has not yet been made effective.
And even if fully enforced the Act has weaknesses. Many countries prohibit unsolicited credit cards; the Act does not. And though banks (not under the Act) are supposed to tell borrowers the true cost of borrowing, there are many mobile apps some lending at annual percentage rates of
some hundreds of percent a year.
HOW ABOUT FISH AND TOMATOES?
Finally, the Consumer Protection Act is really for the middle classes. But the ordinary poor citizen of this country is affected by poor service, and contaminated food. They are also affected by the sort of advertisements we all receive on our phones inviting us to take out loans.
Despite Article 46 and a large number of laws, we have a long way to go before the rights of consumers are properly protected. Nor do we yet have law to provide for “fair, honest and decent advertising” as the Constitution requires.
Clearly government commitment to this area of law is limited.


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A few exterior shots… this is the west side of the estate. It’s a large, private fenced area that is ours alone. It will be a perfect place to watch sunsets and have fires, plus it’s a wonderland of smells for Roxy’s many daily patrols.
This doorway leads into the kitchen.
I am imagining that Indiana Nelson, our dee-vine Lady of the Manor, chose this particular blue because it nearly matches the rich Cerulean blue of the Sonoran desert sky.


02124 Local News for 02124 Dorchester Boston Boston-South Shore Metro Greater Boston Massachusetts USA. Headlines. Patriots sweep up Mattapan Square in preperation for Boston Shines. Your Town. The Boston Globe Mattapan News. Dorchester's Pope John Paul II Park now home to seven new crabapple trees. Shooting On Boston’s River Street Leaves 1 Dead. Wbur.org - Boston. Money set aside for Mattapan parks in mayor's five-year Capital Plan. Blog Posts. Taste of the Nation 2012. Fun And Fearless In Beantown. We Can Hear the Meat Sizzling Now. Grub Street Boston. WED 4/25: Science, Talk, Rock. Cheap ThrillsBoston. City councilors balk at BPS school-move plan; want to look at moving Fenway High to JP, not Mission Hill. Universal Hub. Taste of Dorchester to Be Held on April 26, 2012. Boston Restaurant Talk. Hyperlocal Solutions. Local Places. Latest Headlines in Detail. Latest Blog Posts in Detail. Crime Reports. Missing Child from 495 Norfolk Street Found. Boston Police Department News. Man shot in chest in Mattapan. Myfoxboston.com Myfox Boston. Identification Wanted: Detectives Continue to Seek Community Assistance to Identify Individual Connected to Commercial Break-in at Mattapan Market (see pic).
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Download Real Variables With Basic Metric Space Topology PDF Book by Robert B. Ash. Soft Copy of Book Real Variables With Basic Metric Space Topology author Robert B. Ash completely free.
Reviews of : Real Variables With Basic Metric Space Topology by Robert B. Ash PDF Book
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Tesla posts wider losses for 3rd quarter, says figure reflects higher engineering cost for Model S
Electric car maker Tesla, posted a much wider net loss for the third quarter when compared with the previous year. The company says that the figure reflects higher engineering costs, and that the Model S sedan is still on schedule. Last year”s third quarter loss came in at $4.6 million. That number swelled this year to $34.9 million. Revenue for the same period fell 31.4 percent to $31.2 million.
The company is expecting to continue to report losses until at least 2012 when it launches the Model S.
During Q3 of 2009, Tesla spent just $1.3 million on R&D. This year, that figure shot up to $26.7 million.
” The near term quarterly profitability is not a particularly meaningful goal because we”re spending on the order of half a billion dollars over the next nine quarters,” Tesla CEO Elon Musk said in a conference call. “So you can expect to see some fairly significant expenses there. It”s really the only way to execute the business given that we”re going from roughly 600 units a year to roughly 20,000 units a year.”
– By: Stephen Calogera
Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)