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Slide to see the images
Meet Ishka an orange tabby with white young female. She is a Loving Care cat rescue kitty and available for adoption, she is in foster care right now living in Harrisburg.
Ishka is sweet, she loves attention and a good massage. She has a special set of front paws that you can see on the pictures. The paws do not hinder her walking and they give her a unique look. She is super friendly and needs a great kitty parent.
Her adoption fee is $75.00 which includes Felv and FIV testing which is negative, shots, worm and flea treatment. Spaying is the responsibility of the adopter and proof will have to be sent to Loving Care cat rescue once done.
If interested, contact Susan at firstname.lastname@example.org or 717-579-5853
Thank you for looking.
Loving Care cat rescue is a no kill cat shelter helping cats and kittens in Central Pa find wonderful forever homes.


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Tennis Slider Dog Toy
Our Price $30.97
Keep your curious pooch searching for treats and fun in every area of the Tennis Slider Dog Toy! Puzzle to find treat or ball. Shaped like tennis ball Made of plastic. Why We Love It: This Tennis Slider Dog toy is a unique combination of a tennis ball and a treat puzzle. Dogs must learn to rotate the two outer panels to reveal tennis ball chambers on both sides. Once both outer panels are open, the center slider is free to move back and forth, revealing additional treat chambers on either end. This puzzle has a total of four treat chambers and two tennis ball chambers, with two tennis balls included.

domain: pet


text: Try to be God and make your proper universe in this unique play. Generate life, complete the world, populate the territory with animals and various mystical creatures. Develop and upgrade civilizations, kingdoms and second settlements. Build new buildings, roads and whatever you want. Get creative. Create the world of your dreams and show it to everyone. If you want, you can even destroy everything very simply. For example, you can use various natural phenomena or large-scale and destructive weapons, because this is your world. Everything exists and improves as long as you want it! Start an exciting game right now.

domain: game


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Greg Carter is CEO of business finance provider Growth Street
It hasn’t been long since companies everywhere were scrambling to meet the 25th May deadline for the GDPR to become law. And with new maximum penalties of €20m or 4% of global turnover, the game has changed for those businesses who may have previously been complacent about their use of customer data.
Already, there are rumours that Dixons Carphone could be in line for a sizeable fine after a data breach was announced in June. It’s not yet clear that the Dixons Carphone breach will be investigated under the new GDPR rules, but it’s a warning for all businesses that in these cases, public reputations as well as company bank balances can be on the line.
For SMEs, however, the threat of bigger fines are only one part of the broader GDPR equation. For instance, it could well change the way many businesses market to prospective customers. It may also affect the way SMEs build and scale international trading relationships. It’s clear that legislation as wide-reaching as the GDPR may place a wider set of demands on growing businesses than many firms may have at first realised.
Welcome to the GDPaRty
I think the preparation most firms will have gone through pre-GDPR is actually a very useful process. Since May 25th, the onus has been on businesses to take greater control over all forms of user data. Some, like pub chain J D Wetherspoon, have taken drastic steps: Wetherspoon deleted its entire customer database in 2017, seemingly to wipe the slate clean and build their lists from scratch.
Another prominent effect of the GDPR for SMEs could be changes in the way businesses market themselves to potential customers – especially companies trading B2C. The era of cold emails to random sets of bought email addresses could well be over – instead, businesses may have to focus on engaging their existing audience and thinking cleverly about ways to reach new segments. (However, it’s worth remembering the thousands of businesses that have historically depended on relatively cost-effective tools like email marketing to kickstart new conversations. For these SMEs, the GDPR is likely to only make a hard job harder.)
Business owners around the world should also be considering the GDPR’s ramifications. By defining new standards regarding the protection of citizens’ data, the European Union has set the tone for any organisation wishing to interact with EU customers. Clarifying individuals’ rights over their personal information, as well as allowing people to better define exactly who can access that information, could have profound effects not only in EU territories, but across the world.
I speak to businesses every day who are looking to grow and expand. Exporting is a big part of many ambitious businesses’ growth strategies. I foresee the GDPR potentially having important implications for UK and EU companies which export to international markets. For instance, developing trading relationships with partners in another country may involve the transfer of certain pieces of customer data. Will this make it unnecessarily difficult for businesses to export, or will it just mean customers having better oversight of where their data is being used at any given time?
Lessons to be learnt
Protecting customer privacy is a complex issue. But I believe that in the long run, the SMEs who get on top of their data and make every effort to comply with the GDPR’s stipulations will be well-positioned. There are elements of the GDPR, such as its rules around intellectual property and trading overseas, that may appear confusing for those SMEs who don’t have legal and operations teams in-house.
Firms need to know not only about GDPR’s impact on their own business models, but the wider implications for customers, partners and suppliers. Although the big news stories are likely to centre on large corporations falling foul of the GDPR, SMEs should not be complacent.

domain: economics


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Violet lebeaux - craft, beauty and cuteness in melbourne, Violet writes about cute things, girly fashion, beauty finds sometimes hime gyaru fashion (姫ギャル) and crafty tutorials. she is currently located in melbourne. Hairdresser luke kalat | best blonde highlights natural, Stylist luke kalat is the expert hairdresser and colorist for blonde hair salons and highlites in nyc. his specialties are: blonde highlights, classic cuts and blondes. Pastel blonde hair | seagull best hair salon manhattan nyc, Pastel violet - lavender hair color pastel violet - lavender hair color.
Ultraviolet - wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, Discovery "ultraviolet" means "beyond violet" (from latin ultra, "beyond"), violet being the color of the highest frequencies of visible light.. How to color women's hair -- colour placement, chestnut, Watch the full video: http://myhairdressers.com/hairdressin free trial: http://myhairdressers.com/hairdressin tracy hayes' advanced creative colour. Ultra violet (feminism), Children – they are more than a third of india’s population. happily, india’s constitution guarantees special attention to children through necessary and.

domain: artistic


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LOCKDOWN LEVEL 1 Ver3 [ DAY 24]
TOTAL DAYS 393 – 7 HOURS 38 MINUTES
Vaccine rollout day 80 / J & J VACCINE DAY 68 [SUSPENDED DAY 10]
By the close of trade on Thursday 22nd April 2021, the South African rand weakened against the US dollar. Tokyo Sexwale held a rather explosive news conference that has the Nation gasping at the allegations that were being levelled. Scam or No scam we need to know the truth.
- Russia announced on Thursday it was ordering troops back to base from the area near the border with Ukraine, apparently calling an end to a buildup of tens of thousands of soldiers that had alarmed the West. The currencies of both Russia and Ukraine rose sharply after the announcement, signalling relief among investors just hours after Russia also ended war games in Crimea, the peninsula it occupied and annexed from Ukraine in 2014. A confirmed pullout of the troops brought in on top of the permanent contingent will likely be welcomed by Western countries.
- In the US, the number of people filing new claims for unemployment benefits fell to a 13-month low for the week ended 16 April, suggesting layoffs were subsiding and thus strengthening expectations for another month of blockbuster job growth in April as a re-opening US economy unleashes pent-up demand. President Biden has tweeted that a capital gains tax of 43.4% is on the cards for the wealthy, For New Yorkers, the combined state and federal capital gains rate could be as high as 52.22%. For Californians, it could be 56.7%.
- President Joe Biden’s likely proposal to nearly double the tax on capital gains lopped a quick 30 points of the S&P 500. Wall Street traders, predictably focused on the policy’s implications for investing, said it was too soon to panic, but that prospects of a higher levy on stock profits could foment near-term selling as investors look to skirt a higher rate. The benchmark index for U.S. equities slid from about 4,180 to 4,150 in the minutes after Bloomberg reported Biden will propose almost doubling the capital gains tax rate to 39.6% for those earning $1 million or more, an increase from the current base rate.
- Existing home sales fell to a seven-month low in March, pulled down by an acute shortage of properties, which is boosting prices and making owning a house more expensive for some first-time buyers.
- The yield on benchmark government bonds mostly rose yesterday. The yield on 2026 bond rose to 7.25%. Further, the yield on 2023 bond declined to 4.71%, while that for the longer-dated 2030 issue rose to 9.12%.
In early trade on Friday 23rd April 2021, the US dollar is trading marginally lower against the South African rand at R14.3122, while the euro is trading marginally higher at R17.2012. The British pound has gained against the South African rand to trade at R19.8266.
By the close of trade on Thursday, the euro advanced against most of the major currencies.
- The Australian federal government on Wednesday used a new anti-China law to tear up agreements signed between the state of Victoria and China on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), in an unreasonable and deliberate provocation against China. Not surprisingly, the move has drawn the ire of officials in Beijing. On Thursday, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry urged Australia to immediately reverse its wrong decision and stop irresponsible words and deeds regarding the China-Australia relationship, or China will definitely respond “firmly and forcefully.”
- China is taking small steps to undermine the global role of the dollar. The goal is to replace the dollar with Chinese technology solutions to match China’s increasing financial clout. Recently there have been major developments. The first is using the renmimbi central bank digital currency for cross-border payments with a number of central banks. The second is creating an attractive alternative to the International Monetary Fund’s lending facilities in Asia. And the third is the partnership between the People’s Bank of China and SWIFT to operate financial messaging.
- The European Central Bank (ECB) decided to keep its policy unchanged, while market players look for clues on when the central bank’s massive monetary stimulus might start to be wound down.
- Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is set Friday to declare a state of emergency in Tokyo and the western Japan prefectures of Osaka, Kyoto and Hyogo in an effort to curb a surge in COVID-19 during the upcoming Golden Week holidays. Tougher restrictions such as having establishments that serve alcohol temporarily close and shutting down major commercial facilities will be in place from Sunday through May 11. The emergency declaration, covering roughly a quarter of Japan’s population of 126 million and about a third of its economy, comes with just three months to go until the Tokyo Olympics begins.
- Asian shares rose on Friday after the European Central Bank left policy unchanged, extending a rebound following a sharp selloff earlier in the week, but gains were capped as investors considered the impact of a possible U.S. capital gains tax hike. The ECB’s decision to keep copious stimulus flowing came despite its prediction of a strong rebound in the euro zone economy from mid-year as COVID-19 infections are brought under control.
In early trade on Friday, the euro has advanced against the US dollar to trade at $1.2036, while it has weakened against the British pound to trade at GBP0.8722.
LOCKDOWN LEVEL 1 Ver3 [ DAY 21]
TOTAL DAYS 390 – 7 HOURS 35 MINUTES
Vaccine rollout day 77 / J & J VACCINE DAY 65 [SUSPENDED DAY 7]
By the close of trade on Monday 19th April 2021, the South African rand strengthened against the US dollar.
- South Africa recorded large current account and trade surpluses in the last two quarters of FY20 on higher demand for commodities as global trade conditions eased with the falling COVID-19 infections and a subsequent loosening of restrictions on economic activity.
- The selling pressure on the greenback, evident last week, despite a series of stronger than expected economic reports, carries over into the new week’s activity. The euro punched through the $1.20 cap that had blocked it last week, and the dollar is testing the JPY108 level, which it has not traded below since early March. Most emerging market currencies are also firmer, and the JP Morgan Emerging Market Currency Index is moving higher for its fifth consecutive session after last week’s 1% gain. The US 10-year benchmark yield is a couple basis points lower at 1.55%.
- Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said challenging China in the South China Sea will only lead to violence, and that he will only do so if Beijing drills for oil in the disputed waters. “If we go there to assert our jurisdiction, it will be bloody,” Duterte said at a televised briefing late Monday, his first remarks after hundreds of Chinese vessels were spotted at a disputed reef in March. Duterte said it’s not the time to confront China and that he’s “not so much interested” in the marine resources in the disputed sea. “I will give them five Coast Guard ships, and they can chase it. They can play with each other, and see who’s faster,” Duterte said. The Philippine leader however said he will send Navy ships in the contested waters if China begins to drill for oil. “If they get the oil, that would be time that we should act on it,” he said.
- Chinese President Xi Jinping called for greater global economic integration and warned against a new “Cold War” and ideological confrontation in “whatever forms” at the opening ceremony of the 2021 Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) on Tuesday.
- A new understanding is emerging at talks aimed at salvaging Iran’s nuclear deal with global powers, Tehran’s chief negotiator said on Saturday according to Iranian state media, as China’s delegate also reported progress. Abbas Araqchi said after a meeting of remaining parties to the 2015 deal that the Iranian delegation had submitted proposed texts on nuclear issues and the lifting of sanctions, and that work on a common text, “at least in areas where there are common views”, could begin.
- The yield on benchmark government bonds rose yesterday. The yield on 2026 bond rose to 7.18%. Further, the yield on 2023 bond advanced to 4.91% while that for the longer-dated 2030 issue rose to 9.06%.
In early trade on Tuesday, the US dollar is trading lower against the South African rand at R14.2130, while the euro is trading higher at R17.1322. The British pound has marginally gained against the South African rand to trade at R19.9012.
By the close of trade on Monday, the euro declined against most of the major currencies.
- The German Bundesbank monthly report showed that economic output decreased in 1Q21, as stricter and longer-lasting restrictions increased the losses in many service sectors.
- When asked where UK unemployment will be at the end of this year, most economists would, probably say ‘higher than it is now’. But predicting how high remains a tricky question to answer and highlights how several aspects of the crisis in the jobs market differ from previous recessions. Let’s start with the noticeable difference – the furlough scheme. The extension of wage support through the winter lockdown and now until the end of September has helped the jobs market turn a tentative corner over recent months. While payroll-based employment is still down some 2.4% on pre-pandemic levels, there has been a gradual recovery outside of the consumer services arena no doubt as firms have become more adept at operating through lockdowns. The admin/support sector, for instance, has now all-but-erased the 6.3% fall in employment seen amid the pandemic.
- Russian jets have struck a terrorist training camp northeast of Palmyra, destroying 24 vehicles and half a ton of explosive materials while killing up to 200 militants, the Russian military has announced. After confirming intelligence about a camouflaged terrorist camp in the Syrian desert, the Russian Aerospace Forces carried out the airstrike, and destroyed two terrorist structures, “up to 200 militants, 24 pickups with heavy machine guns, as well as about 500 kg of ammunition and components for creating improvised explosive devices were destroyed according to Rear Admiral Aleksandr Karpov.
In early trade on Tuesday, the euro has advanced against the US dollar to trade at $1.2066, while it has gained against the British pound to trade at GBP0.8632.
LOCKDOWN LEVEL 1 Ver3 [ DAY 17]
TOTAL DAYS 386 – 7 HOURS 35 MINUTES
Vaccine rollout day 73 / J & J VACCINE DAY 61 [SUSPENDED DAY 3]
By the close of trade on Thursday 15th April 2021, the South African rand strengthened against the US dollar. In South Africa the Health Minister launched the Electronic Vaccination Programme which can be found at https://vaccine.enroll.health.gov.za/#/
- The U.S. dollar struggled to rally on Thursday despite very strong U.S. economic reports. According to the latest releases, the U.S. economy roared back to life in March and early April. Retail sales, the most anticipated piece of U.S. data this week blew expectations as stimulus checks and vaccinations fueled robust demand. Consumer spending jumped 9.8 percent in the month of March, easily outpacing the market’s 5.9 percent forecast. This was the strongest increase since May of last year. Gas and auto sales contributed to the rise but spending ex autos still rose 8.4 percent.
- Initial claims for state unemployment benefits decreased to the lowest level since mid-March 2020 for the week ended 10 April.
- In response to the rocket fired from Gaza at Israel earlier tonight, IDF fighter jets and attack helicopters just struck a Hamas weapons manufacturing site, a weapon smuggling tunnel and a military post.
- China’s economy grew at a record pace in the first quarter, official data showed on Friday, expanding 18.3% from a year earlier as the recovery from the coronavirus slump accelerated. The growth in gross domestic product (GDP) was slower than the 19% forecast by economists in a Reuters poll, and followed 6.5% growth in the fourth quarter last year. It was the strongest growth since at least 1992 when official quarterly records started. China’s economy has largely recovered from last year’s COVID-19 induced paralysis, fuelled by global vaccination progress, resilient exports and government stimulus.
- Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took sweeping action against 16 entities and 16 individuals who attempted to influence the 2020 U.S. presidential election at the direction of the leadership of the Russian Government. This announcement follows the Intelligence Community’s (IC) “Assessment of Foreign Threats to the 2020 U.S. Federal Elections.” The IC assessment addresses the intentions and efforts of key foreign actors, including Russia, to influence or interfere with the U.S. elections and undermine public confidence in the election process.
- The yield on benchmark government bonds fell yesterday. The yield on 2026 bond fell to 7.25%. Further, the yield on 2023 bond declined to 4.97% while that for the longer-dated 2030 issue fell to 9.09%.
In early trade on Friday, the US dollar is trading higher against the South African rand at R14.2072, while the euro is trading higher at R16.9866. The British pound has gained against the South African rand to trade at R19.5572.
By the close of trade on Thursday, the euro declined against most of the major currencies.
- German consumer price index (CPI) rose in line with market expectations on a monthly basis in March.
- This week, the ECB published an overview of the consultation responses it received on its digital euro survey. The results show a variety of demands a digital euro would need to fulfil, including privacy, security, low costs and ease of use
In early trade on Friday 16th April 2021, the euro has slipped against the US dollar to trade at $1.1957, while it has gained against the British pound to trade at GBP0.8722.
LOCKDOWN LEVEL 1 Ver3 [ DAY 9]
TOTAL DAYS 378 – 7 HOURS 25 MINUTES
Vaccine rollout day 66 / J & J VACCINE DAY 54
By the close of trade on Thursday 8th April 2021, the South African rand strengthened against the US dollar.
- In the South Africa, on the data front, manufacturing output contracted more than expected in February, led by declines in the output of petroleum, chemicals, rubber, plastics, furniture and metal products.
- Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Thursday signaled the central bank is nowhere near to reducing its support for the U.S. economy, noting that an expected rise in prices this year is likely to be temporary, and warning that an uptick in COVID-19 cases could slow the recovery. “Cases are moving back up here, so I would just urge that people do get vaccinated and continue socially distancing,” said Powell, who has been vaccinated himself, speaking at an economic forum during the virtual International Monetary Fund and World Bank meetings.
- On March 31, 2021, President Biden released the American Jobs Plan (AJP). This plan proposed $2.3 trillion in new federal spending on various forms of public infrastructure, research and development, workforce training, affordable housing, and caregiving. Later reporting confirmed that the AJP would include an additional $400 billion in clean energy tax credits not specified in the administration’s original announcement. In total, the AJP proposes $2.7 trillion in new federal spending over the next 8 years, 2022 to 2029.
- China’s producer prices climbed the most since July 2018 as commodity costs surged and the economy’s recovery strengthened. Consumer prices gained for the first time in three months. The producer price index rose 4.4% in March from a year earlier after gaining 1.7% in February, the National Bureau of Statistics said Friday. The median forecast in a Bloomberg survey of economists was 3.6% The consumer price index rose 0.4% from a year earlier Key Insights After months of deflation, producer prices have started to pick up sharply this year as the cost of oil, copper and agricultural goods rallied.
- On the data front, the number of people filing new claims for unemployment benefits unexpectedly rose for the week ended 2 April, but the increase likely understated the rapidly improving labour market conditions as more parts of the economy reopen and fiscal stimulus kicks in.
- The yield on benchmark government bonds fell yesterday. The yield on 2026 bond fell to 7.36%. Further, the yield on 2023 bond declined to 5.14% while that for the longer-dated 2030 issue fell to 9.21%.
In early trade on Friday, the US dollar is trading higher against the South African rand at R14.5474, while the euro is trading higher at R17.3152. The British pound has gained against the South African rand to trade at R19.9762.
By the close of trade on Thursday, the euro advanced against most of the major currencies.
- The eurozone producer price index (PPI) increased at an accelerated pace on an annual basis in February due to surges for energy and intermediate goods.
In early trade on Friday, the euro has slipped against the US dollar to trade at $1.1964, while it has weakened against the British pound to trade at GBP0.8672.
LOCKDOWN LEVEL 1 Ver3 [ DAY 8]
TOTAL DAYS 377 – 7 HOURS 25 MINUTES
Vaccine rollout day 65 / J & J VACCINE DAY 53
By the close of trade on Wednesday 7th April 2021, the South African rand weakened against the US dollar. Today president Ramaphosa heads to Mozambique for a Troika summit on Security and top of the agenda the risk that Al Shabab insurgency has to the Region.
- Meanwhile, the IMF forecasted growth of 3.1% for SA, up from an estimate of 2.8% made in January. It forecasts global growth of 6.0% in 2021, an increase of 0.5% from its January projection, reflecting a rapidly brightening outlook for the US economy.
- In the US, the Fed minutes from its March meeting showed that easy policy will stay in place until it produces stronger employment and inflation, and won’t be adjusted based merely on forecasts.
- Chicago Fed President, Charles Evans, stated that he is optimistic and confident in his forecast for stronger growth this year, but said that the Fed will need to see actual progress toward its goals, not just improved forecasts, before reducing its massive bond buying program.
- On the data front, trade deficit widened in February. U.S. consumer borrowing surged in February by the most since late 2017 as a broader re-opening of the economy from pandemic restrictions helped spark an increase in credit-card balances. Total credit jumped $27.6 billion from the prior month, the largest gain since November 2017, after a revised $94 million January gain, Federal Reserve figures showed Wednesday. On an annualized basis, borrowing rose 7.9% in February. The gain in February credit exceeded all estimates in a Bloomberg survey of economists. Revolving credit climbed $8.1 billion, the most since December 2019 and only the second advance in a year.
- The Kremlin said on Wednesday that Russia would keep military forces near its border with Ukraine for as long as it saw fit and a high-ranking Moscow security official added it could take “measures” if necessary. Western nations have called for restraint after Ukraine raised the alarm over a buildup of Russian forces near its border and violence rose along the line between Kyiv’s troops and separatists in Ukraine’s east. Russia’s Security Council secretary, Nikolai Patrushev, said Russia had no plans to intervene in the conflict.
- The yield on benchmark government bonds fell yesterday. The yield on 2026 bond fell to 7.37%. Further, the yield on 2023 bond declined to 5.17% while that for the longer-dated 2030 issue fell to 9.31%.
In early trade on Thursday 8th April 2021, the US dollar is trading lower against the South African rand at R14.5572, while the euro is trading lower at R17.2866. The British pound has marginally gained against the South African rand to trade at R20.0272.
By the close of trade on Wednesday, the euro advanced against most of the major currencies.
- The eurozone business activity bounced back to growth in March, underpinned by a record expansion in manufacturing.
- Growth in Germany’s private sector accelerated in March to its highest level in more than three years as the services sector fared surprisingly well despite extended coronavirus curbs and a third wave of infections.
In early trade on Thursday 8th April 2021, the euro marginally advanced against the US dollar to trade at $1.1926, while it has weakened against the British pound to trade at GBP0.8632.

domain: news


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From the Memorial, head east on Hanna Avenue for about .2 miles. The Library will be on your left.
The Corcoran Library has opened their doors to a new museum exhibition honoring the 100th anniversary of the steadfast institution of Corcoran High School. Take a journey down memory lane with yearbooks, team photos, badges, memorabilia, and much more as we celebrate the enduring legacy of CHS panther academics and athletics. The high school has been a beacon of excellence within our community for decades, so come down and enrich the future by honoring the past.
The Corcoran Library Branch was opened in February of 1913. It was originally located in the Storzbach building on Whitley Avenue. The branch was then moved to the old school building in the City Park, which was next to the Veteran’s building, then known as the Legion Hall. After that building was condemned, the branch was moved back to Whitley Avenue and was housed in the Neeb building until that building was razed. It was not until 1959, 46 years later, that a permanent home became a reality for the library upon completion of the county building. (Extracted from an article in the Corcoran Journal, November 15, 1962). The library is now located at 1001 Chittenden Ave.

domain: history


The 71st National Sample Survey data on consumption expenditure related to healthcare is a grim reminder of the state of the healthcare system in India. The broad message is clear: An increasing number of people are accessing healthcare from private facilities, which places a massive financial burden on them.
This trend is more pronounced in urban areas. Only a very small number of people are protected by insurance – either publicly funded or private. Consequently, a significant section report that in addition to relying on household savings for medical treatment, they are forced to borrow money, with some reporting that they are forced to sell assets to meet medical costs. The data indicates major variations across states, with Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra emerging as states with the most privatised health systems.
The National Sample Survey reflects data collected in 2014. Overall, it shows that 71.7% people in rural areas and 78.8% people in urban areas accessed treatment from private facilities. This includes those who were admitted in hospital, and those who availed of out-patient care. Only 11.5% of people in rural areas, and 3.9% in urban areas received care from public primary care facilities such as dispensaries and primary health centres. This indicates the poor outreach of public facilities.
Reliance on private care
The recourse to public facilities has actually decreased since 1995-'96, and is a worrying trend. In rural areas, the number of hospitalised patients treated in public facilities has remained stagnant – 43.8% in 1995, 41.7% in 2004 and 41.9% in 2014. The National Rural Health Mission, initiated in 2005, while seemingly successful in arresting increasing privatisation, has not been able to reverse the trend. In urban areas, the for-profit private sector has expanded rapidly, and the number of hospitalised patients accessing public facilities has declined from 43.1% in 1995 to 38.2% in 2004 and further to 32% in 2014.
The data is corroborated by evidence of the rapid expansion of private hospital chains, which are often supported by a range of government subsidies, across urban India. Also, recourse to treatment in private facilities is not restricted only to the economically well off. Among the poorest economic class, 42.5% in rural areas and 52% in urban areas reported that they accessed hospital care through for-profit private facilities.
The growing dependence on private medical care places a significant burden on household expenditure. On an average, for every episode of hospitalisation, patients pay Rs 6,120 in the public sector and Rs 25,850 in the private sector – four times more in the latter. For certain ailments, the cost of treatment in the private sector is much higher – it stands at Rs 78,050 for cancer treatment and Rs 43,262 for heart ailments.
Patients are also being asked to pay significant amounts even when they are treated in public facilities. While disaggregated data is not available, it is likely that the bulk of expenses incurred in public facilities are on buying medicines and devices and on diagnostic procedures that are not provided free of cost in most public facilities.
The impact of expenditure on medical care is clearly catastrophic, especially for the poorest households. The NSS data indicates that on an average the expenditure incurred on one episode of hospitalisation, for the poorest economic class (who report a household monthly consumer expenditure below Rs 800 in rural areas and below Rs 1,182 in urban areas) is Rs 11,805 and Rs 12,516 for rural and urban areas respectively. In other words, an episode of hospitalisation of one member of the family leads to a catastrophic financial burden – more than their entire year’s consumer expenditure – on India’s poorest families.
Hundreds of thousands of families, thus, are being forced into penury and destitution because of medical costs. The financial burden on poor families is not limited to hospitalisation. The poorest families also report an average expenditure of Rs 524 per episode of illness on out-patient treatment. The NSS data also indicates that families are forced to cover expenses by dipping into their savings, by borrowing from various sources, and even by selling assets. In rural India 67.8% of families reported that they met such costs from savings, 24.9% reported that they were forced to borrow money and 0.8% reported that they sold assets like land and jewelry.
The ruinous impact of medical expenses is particularly pronounced as only a minority is protected by any form of insurance in spite of the wide claims made by publicly funded social health insurance schemes like the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana. Only 14% of people in rural areas and 18% in urban areas were found to have some form of publicly funded insurance.
Paradoxically, the poorest were less likely to be covered by publicly funded insurance – 10% of the poorest class in rural areas, and 7.7% in urban areas had such insurance cover as compared to 17% and 15% from the richest class. Private insurance cover was negligible for all economic classes except for the richest class in urban areas – 12.4% of whom report some form of private insurance cover.
The gloomy picture that the NSS data paints of the Indian healthcare system should ordinarily be a cause for introspection and urgent remedial measures. We are steadily moving on a path where every illness in the household will push the entire family into a financial trap. Unfortunately, given the recent trends of cutting public health expenditure, it is difficult to believe that those who construct public policy are really paying attention.
Amit Sengupta is the national convenor, Jan Swasthya Abhiyan.


By Chrysandra Medley
On Saturday, September 15, NASA successfully launched the Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2), a mission meant to measure the changing height of Earth’s ice over the next 3-7 years.
This comes at a critical time, as the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets rapidly lose ice and contribute to sea level rise, requiring continuous monitoring.
ICESat-2 will carry the Advanced Topographic Laser Altimeter System (ATLAS), an instrument that will send 10,000 laser pulses a second to Earth’s surface and measure the height of ice sheets, glaciers, sea ice, and vegetation by calculating the time it takes the pulses to return to the spacecraft.
“The round-trip travel time of individual photons of green light from the spacecraft to the Earth’s surface and back is timed very precisely,” said ESSIC / CICS associate research scientist Sinead Farrell, “The spacecraft’s location is also precisely measured using GPS and star trackers. Using this information, we can obtain very precise measurements of terrain on the Earth’s surface.”
Farrell is a member of the NASA ICESat-2 science team, a group of about 20 scientists who guide NASA on mission development before launch and evaluate new data after launch. She first became involved in this work in 2003 with NASA’s original ICESat mission. Since then, she has also worked on the Operation IceBridge mission, an airborne mission designed to bridge the gap between the two ICESat missions as well as verify the accuracy of the space measurements.
The precise and complete coverage afforded by ICESat-2 will enable researchers to track changes in land and sea ice with unparalleled detail, providing better understanding of what drives these changes.
“Sea ice acts as a blanket, insulating the ocean from the atmosphere. It is so bright that it reflects sunlight back to space during the summer, helping to cool the planet,” says Farrell, “Changes in the sea ice cover impact both weather and climate, and can also alter the circulation of the ocean.”
Science team members will have access to data in just a few weeks post-launch to begin accessing the algorithms used to process raw data into meaningful measurements. This data is expected to be made public in the Spring of 2019.
In addition to her work at ESSIC and CICS-MD, Sinead Farrell is a visiting scientist at the Laboratory for Satellite Altimetry, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Center for Weather and Climate Prediction (NCWCP), and an affiliate of the Cryospheric Sciences Branch at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). She is also a principal investigator on the NASA/NOAA Ocean Surface Topography Science Team as well as the NASA ICESat-2 Science Definition Team.
To keep up with ICESat-2, follow updates posted on the mission homepage, and look for regular tweets by @sineadlfarrell. To keep up with what is happening at ESSIC, be sure to follow our Twitter (@essicumd) and Facebook accounts.


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Cyprus Introduces Registers of Beneficial Owners - April 2021
The Prevention and Suppression of Money Laundering Activities Laws of 2017-2021 provided for the establishment of a central register of the beneficial owners of companies or other legal entities in Cyprus. In addition, a central register of all owners of bank accounts will be created and held by the Central Bank of Cyprus. Cyprus entities formed before 16 March 2021 will need to register their Beneficial Owners by 16 September. Entities formed on or after 16 March 2021 are subject to the new requirements immediately.
For more detailed information on these new requirements, read our briefing note.

domain: law


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The Agricultural Research Center Kompetenzzentrum Obstbau-Bodensee (KOB), sent an important donation to the Bio plant Center of Ciego de Ávila.
Located in Ravensburg, Germany, the KOB sent to the avilanian institution equipment for meteorological and environmental measurements, necessary in the different agro-science study processes.
They also delivered materials and reagents for the development of biotechnological research, useful in the field of in-vitro cultivation and natural products extracted from plants.
Dr. Manfred Büchele, director of the KOB, is the driving force behind this and previous donations.
There is a close collaboration between the KOB institution and the Bioplants Center, which includes the participation of avilanian researchers in studies carried out in the laboratories of the German scientific institution.

domain: agronomy


In 2020, Ghana switched from using ROTARIX® to ROTAVAC® in its national immunization program. PATH worked with Ghana Health Service and the University of Ghana to analyze the economic implications of this switch. These four fact sheets explore the key results of these analyses, collectively providing a case study on Ghana’s rotavirus vaccine product switch.
(Manuscript pending submission to a peer-reviewed journal.)
Publication date: May 2022


Former Playboy Cyber Babe of the Month Mary Beth Decker gets real in a very nice gag/headset ensemble.
This is about the coolest bit of gag imagery I've seen on any reality series. Which isn't saying a lot, reality series have been about the poorest provider of gag scenes in the history of television, and that includes news shows, which have the occasional gagged protestor to spice things up and even occasionally gag their own news anchors.
The thing that makes this gag so compelling of course is the combination of headphones and gags. They look great. In combination, they have an almost science fictional look to them at first glance.
The contest in this episode of Road Rules: South Pacific is to navigate an obstacle course while sensory deprived. Four of the team members are blindfolded and two of them can see. But the catch is that the two who can see wear headphones so they can't hear and duct tape gags so they can't talk to the blinded members of the team to help them. I guess they have to guide them by touch.
The scene lasts a good 15 minutes. That's one of the advantages of bondage scenes occurring on reality shows. It's not some hasty rescue scene that's compressed as tight as possible to move the plot along, it's a CONTEST and they take all the time they need to let it happen.
And it is our very great fortune that one of the team members who is gagged and headphoned is Mary Beth Decker, a former Playboy Cyber Babe of the Month. That's her in the photo. They were really serious about keeping her from talking to her teammates -- they used two pieces of tape on the gag. Tasty, tasty. A pair of dark glasses -- the big wraparound kind -- would have really hit the spot here.
I'd happily watch reality shows if they did this sort of thing more often. But of course, they don't.


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I was watching the ongoing coverage of the tragedy and horror of the Brussels terror attack and couldn't help but be reminded how wrong the "all lives matter" crowd is. Like everyone else, I am saddened and horrified by what happened in Belgium. But the constant coverage, the Twitter hashtags, the changed profile pics, the Belgian colors being used, all go to show how much we as a nation and world for that matter, only seem to care when Europeans die. I just wish our compassion wasn't so selective.
I doubt most people who are watching the coverage of the recent attacks even know much about other attacks on non-Europeans just days and weeks before what happened in Brussels. As of of this writing I read that 34 people have died in the terror attack in Brussels, with at least 230 more injured. That is scary and very sad.
How much do you know about the car bombings in Ankara, Turkey on March 13th where 37 people died and more than 100 were injured? Saturday a suicide bomber killed four more. ISIS claimed credit for that too. Two suicide bombers blew themselves up and killed 24 worshippers at a mosque in Nigeria on March 16. How much news coverage did you watch? How much did social media share tweets and pics? (In fact the Boko Haram which took responsibility for that attack has been responsible for about 20,000 deaths in Nigeria in the last six years with little outrage and sadness from America and the world.) Also on March 16 of this year, a bomb on a bus in Pakistan killed at least 15 and injured more than 30. The Taliban took responsibility. On March 13 at a resort in the Ivory Coast, gunmen opened fire and killed 16 people in a horrible attack on vacationers. Pakistan also saw another terror attack on March 7th when 10 people were killed and more than 30 injured by a suicide bomber, also with or in support of the Taliban.
Remember these are all March attacks that didn't come near the 24-7 coverage we get of Brussels. We could go on and on throughout the months and find many more examples of how deaths of Muslims and non-Europeans just don't get the sympathy that they do when they happen in Europe. A day before the horrible Paris attacks for example, which of course the world covered in great detail, 43 people died in a bombing in Beirut. Almost completely ignored by our mainstream media and no social media hashtags or profile pic changes.
This is why I also find it so ridiculous and hypocritical to read or hear of all the criticism directed at President Obama for daring to keep his schedule and attend a baseball game in Cuba in the immediate aftermath of the Brussels' horror. Or the outrage that he danced the Tango in Argentina while Europe and the world continued to recoil from the images and tragedy in Belgium.
I ask every one of those critics and readers to tell me what plans they changed when any of those other equally horrible non-European tragedies I just mentioned happened. I don't recall Congress making any changes. I don't recall any leaders doing anything differently. And I sure don't recall the Twitterverse coming together to express outrage, horror and sympathy. Give me a break. Obama did the right thing by continuing his plans. The world does go on and must go on. If we treated every terror attack equally, as we should, whether they happen in Europe, Africa, Asia or wherever and whether the victims be Muslim, Christian or whatever, then we really would have to stop everything to mourn. Because despite the uneven coverage, the terror happens way too often and we would never get anything done if we changed all our plans.
With that being said, I do believe we need to realize that despite our words to the contrary, we don't treat all lives the same. The proof is in our reaction to tragedy around the world. Some tragedies matter much more than others. This is unarguable. What happened in Belgium is awful. But it is no more or less awful than what happens to people that don't look or believe like the majority of Americans. If we are going to be outraged and horrified then let's not limit it to certain people. And if we choose to be selective in our concerns then don't give me the "all lives matter" platitude or act surprised when certain parts of the world call us hypocrites and don't trust our speeches and pontificating about how much we care about the world when what we really care about is what part of the world.

domain: politics


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Hi! Today I'm sharing a card that I made last week. I forgot that we were going to a suprise 60th birthday party and I hadn't made a card yet. So I had to make one really fast as we were going to the party in less than an hour. It took me about 15 minutes to make this one. Now I don't like doing that but you do what you gotta do. The bad part is though, the party was for someone who works for Hallmark Cards here in Kansas City! YIKES!!! Talk about pressure to make a really nice card...I tried my best. I hope she liked it!
I used a stamp set called Watercolor Trio by Stampin' Up and also a scallop punch by Stampin' Up. The paper is from Archiver's. I used my Big Kick and Nesties to make the embossed square where the image is stamped and lightly sponged the background too. Click on the picture to enlarge it.
Thanks for coming by to see me....have a crafty day...Mary

domain: design


The Greatest Ballads From Elvis Presley’s Career
Elvis Presley - maria mountain824 / Youtube
Although he was known as the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, Elvis Presley also excelled at performing heartfelt ballads. This idea was cemented by the fact that his ability to sing a love song was the driving force for his lasting fame. Below, we present the top 5 greatest ballads of Presley, shown below.
“Love Me” – Elvis (1956)
Many people consider “Love Me” to be Elvis Presley’s greatest doo-wop single. Elvis makes masochistic romanticism seem really endearing. Full-throated vocal performances like these might be over the top at times, but they go wonderfully with this.
“Love Me Tender” – Single (1956)
Elvis’s “Love Me Tender” is one of his most tender recordings. The CBC reports that an interview with music director Ken Dary may be found in the 2006 book The “Love Me Tender Years” Diary. Darby remarked on the unique interpretation of “Love Me Tender” by Elvis. “Elvis has the most terrific ear of anyone I have ever met. He does not read music, but he does not need to. All I had to do was play the song for him once, and he made it his own. He has perfect judgment of what is right for him. He exercised that judgment when he chose ‘Love Me Tender’ as his theme song.”
“Loving You” – Single (1957)
Paramount named Elvis Presley’s second film after a slow song from the soundtrack, much as 20th Century Fox did with his debut film. Elvis’s rendition of this Leiber-Stoller song was classic and heartfelt, in contrast to the up-and-down vocal approach he had previously delivered to some of his songs. Although its A-side partner, “Teddy Bear,” rocketed to the top of Billboard’s chart, “Loving You” still maintained a very long run on the Top 100.
“There’s Always Me” – Something for Everybody (1961)
Elvis Presley claimed “There Always Me” by Don Robertson as his own during a late-night recording session at RCA’s Studio B in Nashville on March 12, 1961. Unlike the vocal fade-outs heard in most of his ballads, Elvis clearly had fun recording this one, which had a loud voice finale. Jorgensen claims that Elvis afterward proudly played the recording for Robertson.
“Can’t Help Falling in Love” – Blue Hawaii (1961)
“Can’t Help Falling in Love” had a successful run on Billboard’s Hot 100 beginning in late 1961, and was played at innumerable weddings in the early 1960s. It spent 14 weeks on the chart overall, including 8 in the top 10. After reaching #2 on the charts on February 3, 1962, it became Presley’s third most successful ballad overall and is widely considered to be Presley’s greatest ballad of all time.


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Apple CEO Tim Cook dinner attends the China Improvement Discussion board in Beijing, China March 23, 2019.
Thomas Peter | Reuters
Apple CEO Tim Cook dinner is on a go to to Shanghai, in accordance with a publish on his official Weibo account on Wednesday, forward of the inauguration of a brand new retail retailer and declining iPhone gross sales within the nation.
A video connected to the publish confirmed Cook dinner taking a stroll alongside one of many metropolis’s widespread vacationer districts and having breakfast with Chinese language actor and tv persona Zheng Kai.
In response to a press release on Monday, the brand new retail retailer, positioned within the metropolis’s Jing’an district, will open Thursday.
Cook dinner usually visits China — a significant market and manufacturing base for Apple — to launch merchandise, open factories, and meet with native officers. Earlier this month, Apple additionally announced plans to develop its analysis facilities in Shanghai and Shenzhen.
His newest journey additionally comes amid reports that iPhone gross sales in China declined 24% within the first six weeks of 2024 in contrast with the identical interval a yr earlier.
The decline in gross sales was partly attributable to abnormally excessive shipments by Apple at first of 2023 but in addition elevated competitors from native manufacturers similar to Huawei, in accordance with analysts.
Final yr, Cook dinner visited China in October following experiences that iPhone 15 gross sales within the nation have been weaker in contrast with gross sales of the sooner mannequin.
That journey got here a month after experiences on workers at China’s central authorities businesses being banned from utilizing iPhones for work. The Chinese language Overseas Ministry denied the experiences.
On Friday, Apple reportedly agreed to pay $490 million to settle a class-action lawsuit alleging that Cook dinner misled traders a few steep downturn in iPhone gross sales in China again in November 2018, in accordance with a preliminary settlement filed in Oakland, California, federal court docket.


US Champion Santino Marella defeated Jack Swagger.
The Miz cut a promo complaining about not being scheduled to be in a match at Wrestlemania.
R-Truth defeated The Miz.
Eve cut a promo about how she wants to make up for what she did to Zack Ryder.
Pin Up Strong (Beth Phoenix & Natalya) defeated Eve & Tamina Snuka by pinfall after Eve jumped off the apron when Tamina went for a tag.
Jericho cut a promo about how he's the best in the world at everything he does.
Chris Jericho defeated Kofi Kingston.
WWE Tag Team champions Epico and Primo defeated Zack Ryder and Mason Ryan.
The Big Show defeated Daniel Bryan by disqualification after Jack Swagger interfered and attacked Show.
CM Punk cut a promo in response to Jericho. Punk said he would find Jericho and kick his ass.
WWE Champion CM Punk defeated Dolph Ziggler, despite Chris Jericho interfering and hitting Punk with a codebreaker.
Randy Orton was not present at the event even though he was advertised to face Bryan and Show in a triple threat match.
Thanks to Nick for contributing to this article. Got a news tip? Send it to us by clicking here.
Photo: John Cena Suffers Broken Nose On RAW
Security Asks Fans To Stop Streaming At RAW, Finn Balor Milestone, Becky Lynch On WWE SmackDown
More Special Guests For This Week's WWE Tough Enough, Lita Wears A GoPro In The Ring (Video)
Ronda Rousey UFC Embedded Episode, UFC Rankings Movement, UFC 190 Countdown (Video)
Brock Lesnar - Paul Heyman Update, WWE 2K16 Commentary Team, Kevin Owens, Paige - Steve Austin
Steve Austin's Podcast Returning To The WWE Network Next Week, Guest Revealed
No Hulk Hogan Signs Allowed At RAW, Triple H Announces Raffle, Jack Swagger On WWE Superstars
Big Update On The Rumors Of WWE SummerSlam Being A Four Hour Pay-Per-View This Year
WWE Star Fuels Rumors On A Possible Gimmick Change
Rey Mysterio On How He Left WWE, If Door Is Open To Go Back, Never Winning WWE IC Title, More
Brock Lesnar - Undertaker Note, When Stephen Amell May Confront Stardust On RAW, David Otunga On TV
More Racist Comments By Hulk Hogan Released


Ford is only one in a long list of carmakers that have invested in the area. Since 2011, BMW, Honda, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan-Renault and Toyota have all opened R&D centers in Silicon Valley.
Automakers who've set up shop or invested in Silicon Valley software companies to develop self-driving car technology.
General Motors opened its Advanced Technology Silicon Valley Office in Palo Alto to develop an HTML browser for its Cadillac CUE in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) system.
Nissan is focused on developing autonomous vehicles at its Silicon Valley facility, while Honda's operations there are working on human-machine interface technology, big data, connected vehicles and cybersecurity.
Not only are the companies opening up R&D facilities, they're also recruiting rock star security and system engineers from the mecca of computer development, Jon Allen, a principal at management and tech consulting service Booz Allen Hamilton, said in an earlier interview with Computerworld.
Meanwhile, a former mid-level Apple engineer heads Ford's new Palo Alto R&D center, just down the street from electric-car maker Tesla Motors.
GM opened its Advanced Technology Silicon Valley Office in Palo Alto to develop an HTML browser for its Cadillac CUE in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) system.
"This isn't your grandfather's automotive company any more. The [car makers] are moving away from simply being hardware manufacturers to becoming software developers," Allen said. "Fundamentally, the auto industry cannot be seen as just automakers any more. They're mobile developers."
"And, look at who Apple is hiring. They're hiring auto executives," Allen added.
Sign up for CIO Asia eNewsletters.


MOSCOW — Scientists have identified the hardiest animal, which is able to survive any astrophysical catastrophe and will outlive humans by billions of years, until the end of the Earth.
Scientists have identified the creature that will survive on Earth the longest. It’s able to withstand all the astrophysical catastrophes that would wipe out humans and the rest of Earth’s animals.
The creature is the “tardigrade,” an eight-legged animal that is also known as a “water bear.”
The tiny tardigrade usually measures less than 1mm in length and can only be seen under a microscope. The water-dwelling microbes have been discovered in the harshest regions of Earth, for example in Antarctica, Japanese hot springs, 5,546 m up a Himalayan mountain and on the ocean floor of the northern Gulf of Mexico.
Tardigrades can endure extreme temperatures of up to 150 degrees centigrade, or down to absolute zero. They are capable of surviving up to 30 years without food or water – half their lifespan – and of withstanding huge doses of radiation.
“Without our technology protecting us, humans are a very sensitive species. Subtle changes in our environment impact us dramatically. There are many more resilient species’ on earth. Life on this planet can continue long after humans are gone,” Dr. Rafael Alves Batista, co-author of a paper, called The Resilience of Life to Astrophysical Events which was published in the journal Scientific Reports, said.
“Tardigrades are as close to indestructible as it gets on Earth, but it is possible that there are other resilient species examples elsewhere in the universe. In this context there is a real case for looking for life on Mars and in other areas of the solar system in general. If Tardigrades are Earth’s most resilient species, who knows what else is out there.”
The research considered three potential catastrophic events for life on Earth: a large asteroid impact, exploding stars in the form of supernovae or gamma ray bursts.
They found that there are no near-Earth asteroids with a big enough potential impact to kill off the tardigrade, nor is there a potential supernova or gamma ray burst close enough to Earth that would render them extinct.
Tardigrades are even able to survive in space, scientists have found. In 2007, thousands of the creatures were attached to a satellite, the ESA’s FOTON-M3 mission, which launched several experimental payloads from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
Incredibly, after ten days in a space vacuum, facing ultraviolet radiation from the Sun and charged particles from space called cosmic rays, the scientists were able to rehydrate and revive 68 percent of the animals. (Sputnik)


The king of mechanical contractor software is here to stay. Smart Service reigns supreme over a blissful kingdom, one that’s free from wasteful scheduling practices and the onerous stink of double data entry. Smart Service opens the door to scheduling and dispatching for mechanical contractors with one mechanical contractor software solution that features full-fledged Quickbooks integration.
Almost everyone uses QuickBooks to handle their contracting business' accounting needs. If you’re already using the program for finances, why not use it to tackle the scheduling of your mechanical contractor jobs at the same time? Smart Service is a QuickBooks expansion that adds all the functionality a mechanical contractor company could possibly want. Learn more.
Service agreements have become a crucial source of revenue for mechanical contractors all over the world. With these deals responsible for so much of your bread and butter, you need a reliable method to keep them straight. Smart Service excels at scheduling recurring work. In fact, this mechanical contractor software boasts its own, dedicated service agreement module! Learn more.
The future belongs to the mobile app, and mechanical contractor businesses can either adapt or get left behind. iFleet is the mobile companion piece to Smart Service, and oh, what a companion it is! Outfit your workforce with iFleet, and they become service industry all-stars. This mechanical contractor work order app makes your team totally self-sufficient. With schedules, histories, and equipment info, your mechanical contractors will be ready to take on the world.
An asterisk (*) indicates a required field.
Capitol Heating & Air Conditioning
Read Kari's story.


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There’s nothing more fun and exciting than Sylvan’s Robotics & Science courses in Litchfield! Each week, your child will learn how to construct and animate a new LEGO® robot while acquiring vital engineering and science abilities throughout the process — it’s super fun! Our cutting edge-courses are perfect for keeping your child inspired, engaged and having fun outside of school. Our programs also give your child a real edge for the future by equipping him or her with vital 21st century competencies.
Our Robotics & Science Programs Offer:
- Personal attention and small class sizes, with no more than 12 students per session
- Cool, hands-on projects that make learning a fun and exciting experience
- The camaraderie of collaborating with a partner to construct and animate a variety of LEGO® robots
- Easy-to-learn software that’s fun to play around with
- STEM-focused education that focuses on helping students develop important 21st century skills
- Regular communication, so parents can stay in the know about each week’s topics and what students learned

domain: hobby


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Labour leader David Cunliffe has had to perform a U-turn after this morning announcing Labour was against oil exploration in the Maui's dolphin mammal sanctuary, when it actually approves.
National has jumped on the gaffe, saying Labour is hypocritical because it allowed 13 wells to be drilled in the area.
The Government has opened up 3000 square kilometres of a marine mammal sanctuary for oil exploration on the North Island's west coast – home to the Maui's dolphin. The Green Party obtained documents revealing that last week.
This morning Labour came out opposed, aligning itself with the Greens.
"I don't see any need for the exploration permits to overlap the sanctuary, so yes, I'm opposed to that," said Mr Cunliffe.
- READ MORE: Smith checking answer over dolphins
But this afternoon saw a U-turn from Labour, because the last Labour Government approved 13 wells to be drilled in the area.
The Greens continued their criticism of the Government today.
"His legacy to this country will be to drive the Maui's dolphin toward extinction," said Green Party co-leader Dr Russel Norman.
However John Key dismissed the complaints as "a load of mumbo jumbo".
"He wants to close down Taranaki, the thousands of jobs that are supported there, and what is incredible is that David Cunliffe […] wants to do that as well," said Mr Key.
But it turns out Mr Cunliffe is open to exploration in the dolphins' home if "done responsibly".
source: newshub archive


This doesn’t normally happen, but Justin Bieber’s “My World 2.0” has knocked Usher’s latest album “Raymond v. Raymond” down to No. 2 and has re-gained his No. 1 position on the Billboard 200 albums chart, as reported by Billboard.biz. Justin’s latest effort pushed over 100,000 copies this week, while Usher’s only moved 92,000 units.
Last week, Raymond v. Raymond debuted at No. 1 on the 200 albums chart with over 300k copies sold and My World 2.0 was moved from its No.1 position to No. 2 with 280k copies. And now, Usher and Justin have switched places, which is kind of funny since Usher is publicly known as Justin’s mentor.


If you read my review of Jetpack Joyride, then you’ll know how easily I can recommend the game, especially since it’s only $.99. But seeing as the US economy is still not doing as well as we all would like, maybe $.99 is too much for most people to spend right now. Well, now you don’t have a reason not to pick up Halfbrick’s latest and greatest now that it’s being offered completely for free on Facebook.
The first thing you’ll need to do is have a Facebook account, which if you should already have unless you actually care about your privacy and not reading countless updates from people you went to high school with on what they’re currently eating. Once you have your Facebook account ready, here’s what you’ll need to do:
- “Like” the Free on App Store Facebook page
- Click here and allow Free on App Store access to your basic information
- Click the “Redeem Now” button
- Enjoy your free copy of Jetpack Joyride


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Indexing on a Roll, Volunteers Continue to Amaze
Indexing is increasingly being recognized as an engaging and unifying activity that brings the Spirit and helps further the work of the Lord. The 1940 U. S. Census Community Project has given Latter-day Saints an opportunity to link arms with thousands from other faith traditions, as well as civic and social organizations (more than 150,000 volunteers in all), to make this large and valuable record collection freely available to everyone.
The recent success of the “Five Million Record Challenge,” held July 1 (July 2 in some areas of the world), demonstrated just how popular and engaging indexing is becoming. On that day, over 46,000 volunteers participated, and they indexed more than double the goal set by indexing and arbitrating a total of more than 10.3 million records in one 24-hour period.
“Apparently we set the goal too low,” said Mike Judson, FamilySearch manager for indexing volunteer development. “We continue to be amazed by the number of compassionate volunteers donating their time so others can trace their family history. Their enthusiasm for indexing historic genealogical records to make them searchable online is astounding and incredibly gratifying.”
At current rates, the 1940 U. S. Census will be fully indexed and arbitrated by early August. Consultants, indexing directors, family history center directors, and local priesthood leaders are naturally interested in maintaining the enthusiasm of their indexing volunteers. FamilySearch is pleased to announce that just before completion of the 1940 U. S. Census, a new major effort, the U. S. Immigration and Naturalization Community Project, will commence and will surely further engage and invigorate indexers and arbitrators in North America.
As the U. S. is largely a nation of immigrant families, the records in this collection (Immigration & Naturalization) are a foundational element of American research. Many millions of these records are currently available as images in the Church’s collection, but they now must be indexed in order to make them searchable. As with the 1940 U. S. Federal Census, FamilySearch will seek support from Church members as well as genealogical societies and the general public to accomplish this next goal. Six individual projects in the collection have already been posted in the indexing tool. Each is listed with the designation “U. S. (Community Project).”
FamilySearch is also launching large-scale national and regional projects from other parts of the world and in multiple languages. For example, the recent historic partnership with the National Archives of Italy allows FamilySearch to index millions of Italian civil registration (birth, marriage, and death) records. Thousands of volunteers (Italian speaking as well as others who can learn simple Italian phrases) are needed to meet this challenge. Similar plans are being developed for Latin America. In some cases, stakes within the U. S. and Canada will be invited to assist with these large international projects.

domain: library


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And Once Again Guest Art- Borei and Gekido
Posting this a tad earlier than normal since I’ve got a giant blog to write,
This piece is from an old fan I got just around the time AOA first started being posted. She disappeared sometime ago and I haven’t heard from her since, so heads up VoN if you’re still alive you’re pretty chill! Aside from the ones by my editor this was the first really detailed fanart I got, but more importantly it was the first one from a stranger who I’ve never talked to before. I’ve only gotten one more of those since then, but I dream of the day where my inbox gets flooded with nonstop fanart from my fandom.
Listen up though guys because I have some serious stuff to talk about. Nothing bad, but I’m going to start the 3rd Tale on Monday and use Friday for one more guest art. I’m sorry for this decision but after I put things in perspective I figured I could use the extra day. I am very close to finishing the 3rd Tale and I have a GIGANTIC amount of work to do to get me ready for the 4th Tale (besides actually scripting it from the rough drafts, which I’ve yet to do but won’t take tremendously long).
So far right now I have on my plate:
- Studying Japanese Architecture and doing painting studies/concept art of this from sources like Princess Mononoke
- Studying Japanese clothing, weapons, armor and such from Ukiyo-e paintings
- Studying armor from Samurai movies such as Seven Samurai at my editor’s behest
- Improving my feet, torso and hip anatomy at my editor’s behest
- Working on the designs of two main characters and gathering reference and inspiration for them
- Lastly, Dragon Ball studies. The lowest priority but also sadly what gets me the most traffic on social media…
Ugh, so much to do. All of it is really fun but geez, I need my own studio to better deal with the giant stuff I have to learn and improve on. Not to mention I’ve really been wanting to read more reference books on Japanese mythology that a friend procured for me, but I’ve not had the time…
Just a reminder to everyone that if you’d like to make it easier for me to make all of this content then supporting me on Patreon is the #1 way to do so. I put every ounce of my life into And Once Again, and you can think of Patreon as my tip-jar. Every little bit helps, but if you can’t support me that way then help out by sharing And Once Again with your friends, making fanart and commenting on the site! Anything I can get to further spread my influence helps way more than you could possibly imagine.
Also, if you wanna see some speed drawing videos of me working, go follow my Youtube channel! I’m going to be uploading lots of vidoes that I titled Watch Me Draw! Where I post sped up vids of, well, whatever I draw. Check out my first one:


Regan Crotty ’00, who has served as the Director of Gender Equity and Title IX Administration since 2014, is leaving her position this month, University Spokesperson Michael Hotchkiss told The Daily Princetonian.
“Regan Crotty has accepted a position as assistant general counsel for a leading global law firm. A search is underway for her successor,” Hotchkiss wrote. “Randy Hubert is serving as interim director for the office”
As of Saturday, Nov. 12, Crotty’s page on the Sexual Misconduct and Title IX website had been replaced.
“Students with an ongoing matter with the Title IX Office were notified that Regan was leaving and that Randy Hubert would be the point person going forward,” Hotchkiss said.
Hubert previously worked as a University Investigator through the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Students (ODUS).
Both Crotty and Hubert declined to provide comment to the ‘Prince’ for this story.
Crotty became the University’s inaugural Title IX administrator shortly after the University was found to be in violation of Title IX by the U.S. Department of Education in 2014 for “failing to adopt and publish grievance procedures that provide for the prompt and equitable resolution of student complaints of sex discrimination/harassment, including sexual assault” and for failing “to respond appropriately to complaints of sexual assault.”
In April 2019, Title IX student protests arose on campus in the wake of the University taking disciplinary action against a student who graffitied “Title IX Protects Rapists” on University walkways. The University fined the student $2,723. The protesters claimed that the University’s punishment was overly harsh.
Crotty became one of the targets of the protest, with the student organization Princeton Students for Title IX Reform (PIXR) initially calling for her immediate dismissal. They later amended these demands to call for a review of her actions. PIXR held a 200-hour long protest outside Nassau Hall.
Michele Minter, Vice Provost for Institutional Equity and Diversity, reflected on Crotty’s time in the position in a written statement to the ‘Prince.’
“She has led the development and evolution of the policies, handled interactions with the Office for Civil Rights in the U.S. Department of Education, overseen annual reporting, led training for all campus populations as well as organized online training, and managed committees and the WeSpeak survey,” she told the ‘Prince.’ “Most importantly, she has led processes that have responded to campus parties with empathy, fairness and high standards.”
PIXR co-founder Tori Gorton ’21 reflected on Hubert’s interim appointment to the position, writing, “For both Ms. Hubert and the subsequent person to fill these roles, we also hope that the University will implement annual external reviews of their adjudication practices and decision making which involves consulting the community members they interact with.”
Crotty, an alumna herself, previously served as the Director of Student Life of Wilson College from 2012 to 2014. She also has held roles at the University as an investigator and in the Office of the Vice President for Campus Life, according to her LinkedIn page.
Editor’s Note: This piece has been updated as of Nov. 17, 7:45 p.m. to include comment from Vice Provost Michele Minter and further comment from University spokesperson Michael Hotchkiss.
Olivia Sanchez is a news contributor for the ‘Prince.’
Please send any corrections to corrections at dailyprincetonian.com.


Police commissioner: Fire East Haven's top cop
East Haven police vehicles are seen outside the police department in East Haven, Conn., in this December 2011 file photo. / AP Photo/Jessica Hill
EAST HAVEN, Conn. The police commission chairman in a Connecticut town where officers are accused of harassing Latinos is calling for the dismissal of the police chief.
Frederick Brow says police Chief Leonard Gallo should be fired for what he called a "breakdown in control" of the police department.
Mayor Joseph Maturo Jr. is expected to make an announcement in connection with the scandal Monday morning, but the topic isn't clear.
The FBI arrested four officers last week on charges they waged a campaign of harassment against Latinos, including assaults and intimidation. The officers have pleaded not guilty.
Gallo confirmed to The Associated Press that an announcement would be made later Monday. He declined to comment further.
The police commission will vote Tuesday on whether to recommend to Maturo that Gallo be fired.
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My family and I all love our place in Mazatlan, and we think you will too! We are located right in the popular Golden Zone, near the El Cid resort. Walk into the open air reception area at Islas del Sol (the building's name means "Islands of the Sun"), and you will see the waters of the Pacific Ocean framed by graceful archways. The swimming pool is straight ahead, ringed by palapas (thatched palm umbrellas) and palm trees. A mere 7 steps down from the pool area and you are on the beach!
The condo itself is lovely, with an open layout. Open the beautiful native wood door, step inside and enjoy the view - the blue waters of the Sea of Cortes are straight ahead, framed by Deer and Bird Islands. On this floor is a fully equipped kitchenette, dining area and living room. Proceed downstairs and view the 2 bedrooms, each with a full bath. The master bedroom has a king size bed and the same magnificent view as the living room, while the second bedroom sports a full bed and looks out to the mountains. The unit is also characterized by beautiful Mexican tile and unique wood details.
Whenever you’d like to eat out, there is an enormous range of restaurants that line Camaron Sabalo, the main street in this area. You can choose from traditional Mexican fare to Spanish, Italian, Sushi and of course, fresh delicious seafood. When you want to eat in, take advantage of the well-laid out kitchen to prepare your own meals.
The ocean is Islas del Sol's backyard. You can walk or jog in either direction on the sand, swim in the gorgeous waters of the ocean, relax on the beach, or be even more active and go boogie boarding, parasailing, surfing, sea kayaking or use a jet ski. If you prefer to use the pool, there are small palapas built in on the patio as well as a large palapa for bigger gatherings. Our building is located on the main street, Camaron Sabalo, which changes name but runs the length of almost the entire beachfront in Mazatlan. There are many hotels, clubs, restaurants and stores nearby. There are public buses as well as taxis and pulmonias (golf carts for hire) to take you easily to the Aquarium, Center (market, cathedral, colonial plazas, small museums) and outlying beaches (Playas Brujas and Cerritos). If you are driving, there is secure parking directly across the street.

domain: travel


text:
Senior National Conference leader and Minister for Higher Education Mohammad Akbar Lone Thursday said that NC under the dynamic leadership of Omar Abdullah will emerge as single largest party in the upcoming Assembly elections.Addressing an election rally in his native village Naidkhai in Sonwari, Bandipora, Lone said, “In the last almost six years the NC led coalition government left no stone unturned in mitigating the sufferings of common people. But some political parties who have vested interests have launched false propaganda against the NC.”“People of Jammu and Kashmir will give befitting reply to these opportunists who have always worked against the interests of people of the state,” he added.Highlighting the achievements of present government, Lone said, “Passing of RTI Act PSGA Act have made the functioning in government offices transparent. Though there might be some lacunas still, these will be taken care of when NC forms the next government.”
Lone appealed the people to vote the candidates on the basis of their performance. “Kashmiris are wise enough to make distinction between right and wrong. NC is party of late Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah sahib who always championed the cause of Kashmiris and ensured they are empowered,” he added.The Minister expressed confidence that NC will win enough seats to form the government on its own in the ensuing elections.

domain: sociology


text:
Welcome Lil MacDonald!
The Anna Leonowens is thrilled to welcome Lil MacDonald to the position of YCW Archives and Collections assistant for the summer of 2022! Lillian is a Queer, Acadian artist originally from Cape Breton. They’re entering their fifth and final year at NSCAD. They’re a cartoonist and photographer investigating identity, everyday life, and horror and they hope to publish a graphic novel someday. This summer Lil will be continuing the work to digitize the NSCAD Lithography Workshop Fonds - a project we have been working on for several years and hope to have complete by the end of this summer.
For more information about Young Canada Works programs visit: young-canada-works.canada.ca
For more information about the Gallery's archives and collection visit: theanna.nscad.ca/permanent-collection-archive
Posted May 30, 2022


DALL-E is a neural network-based generative model
DALL-E is a neural network-based generative model created by OpenAI that can generate images from textual descriptions. It is an extension of the GPT-3 model and uses a combination of techniques such as transformers, attention mechanisms, and generative adversarial networks (GANs) to create high-quality, unique images from textual prompts.
DALL-E is capable of creating a wide range of images, including animals, objects, and even scenes that do not exist in the real world. It can also manipulate existing images, change their features or background, and create new variations.
Below you will find images, and the prompts used to create them. Just to get your creative juices flowing!


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PURPOSE: To analyze the relation between alcohol consumption and the risk of disability pension among middle-aged men. METHODS: In the mid-seventies, complete birth-year cohorts of middle-aged male residents in Malmö, Sweden, were invited to participate in a general health survey. The 3751 men with complete data who constituted the cohort in this study were followed for 11 years. Alcohol consumption was estimated from the scores obtained from a test designed to identify subjects with alcohol related problems. RESULTS: Of the 498 men granted disability pension during follow-up, 48 stated to be teetotalers. The cumulative incidence of disability pension among teetotalers was 19%, whereas, it was 12% and 16%, respectively, among men with low and high alcohol consumption. The adjusted relative risk (RR) for acquiring a disability pension (using the group with low alcohol consumption as reference) was 1.8 among abstainers and 1.3 among men with high alcohol consumption. CONCLUSIONS: Alcohol overconsumption, as well as teetotalism, showed a positive relation to disability pension, and a moderate alcohol intake was found to be beneficial with respect to the risk of future disability pension.
BACKGROUND: Obesity has, in a number of studies, been found to correlate to disability and mortality, primarily due to diseases of the circulatory and musculoskeletal systems. In addition, an excess mortality among underweight subjects has been observed in previous studies. METHODS: Five complete birth-year cohorts (1926-1930) of male residents in Malmö (n = 7697) were invited to the survey at the Department of Preventive Medicine, Malmö General Hospital, and 5926 (77%) attended with complete data. Each subject was followed from inclusion, defined by the date of examination, until the end of the calendar year when he turned 58, a total study period of approximately 11 years. Data on about 300 questionnaire items and laboratory tests were determined at the health survey visit. Nationwide Swedish data registers were used for surveillance. RESULTS: Of the participants, 4.7% were underweight, 37.7% overweight, 7.3% obese and 50.3% normal weight; 849 (14.3%) had been granted disability pension at the end of follow-up, 717 after screening. After adjustment for smoking there was a J-shaped relation between body mass index (BMI) and incidence of disability pension, the relative risk ( with the normal group as reference) among underweight men being 1.9. For the overweight subjects it was 1.3 and for the obese 2.8, all differences were significant. Disease of the musculoskeletal and circulatory systems and mental disorders accounted for 67.2% of all main diagnoses resulting in disability pensions during follow-up. A total of 377 (6.4%) men died during follow-up. Diseases of the circulatory system, neoplasms, injury/poisoning and diseases of the respiratory system accounted for 91.8% of the deaths. CONCLUSIONS: Both underweight, overweight and obesity were related to risk of disability pension, with a J-shaped risk relationship.
OBJECTIVES. To describe the size, overlap and mortality of four cardiovascular risk groups, in order to give a scientific background for the prevention of cardiovascular disease in a representative urban population. SETTING. Section of Preventive Medicine, Department of Medicine, Malmö University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden. SUBJECTS. Between 1974 and 1984 22444 men born between 1949 and 1921, constituting 75% of the total male population in these age groups, took part in a comprehensive screening examination aimed at detecting risk factors for cardiovascular disease. INTERVENTIONS. Those at high-risk of developing cardiovascular disease were referred to their general practitioner or to special clinics for hypertension, hyperlipidaemia and diabetes. The follow-up, which lasted until the end of 1991, averaged 12.2 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES. Total death (n = 1450) and death from ischaemic heart disease (IHD) (n = 471). RESULTS. Hypertension was found in 13%, hypercholesterolaemia in 19% and diabetes mellitus in 2.6% of the subjects; 49% of the subjects smoked. Multiple risk factors were found in over 17% of the total cohort. Despite the intervention, all-cause mortality during follow-up was increased three-fold in smokers and in men with hypercholesterolaemia, four-fold in hypertensive men and five-fold in men with diabetes, compared to men with no risk factors. The vast majority of deaths (81%) occurred in men who smoked, had hypertension or had high serum cholesterol. Ischaemic heart disease (IHD) was increased five-fold in smokers, seven-fold in men with hypercholesterolaemia, nine-fold in hypertensive men and 12-fold in men with diabetes. Again, the vast majority of IHD deaths (86%) occurred in the first three categories. Combinations of risk factors substantially increased total mortality as well as IHD mortality. CONCLUSIONS. The large proportion (64%) of the population with risk factors for cardiovascular disease and the substantially (5-12-fold) increased IHD mortality in those risk groups, calls for actions aimed at preventing premature IHD deaths. Such action should include measures directed towards the whole population and comprehensive treatment programmes for high-risk individuals, including intervention to stop smoking. The substantial overlap between risk factors calls for one high-risk clinic caring for all risk groups.
OBJECTIVES. Hyperhomocysteinaemia is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. We explored possible determinants of plasma homocysteine and cysteine concentrations amongst middle-aged and elderly subjects. DESIGN AND SUBJECTS. Of 501 35-95-year-old randomly selected residents of Lund and Malmö, Sweden, 244 (49%; 131 men, 113 women) were investigated. RESULTS. Total plasma homocysteine concentrations were higher in men than in women (mean +/- SD: 13.9 +/- 4.1 and 12.3 +/- 4.1 mumol L-1; P
A total of 5,950 male Malmö residents (from five cohorts, 1926-30) were health screened on two occasions, with an interval of 4-8 years. Disability pensions were granted to 215, of whom 123 were screened both before and after being pensioned. Those 123 constitute the study group reported on here. Among answers to the questionnaire, back and joint pain were the most common complaints mentioned. However, the most striking distinction between the study group and controls was the values of gamma-GT (gamma glutamyltransferase), indicating overconsumption of alcohol in the group of prospective pensioners. Complaints concerning the back were also an outstanding feature of those belonging to the highest deciles of gamma-GT after--but not before--the disability pension had been granted.
Regional programs for secondary prevention of coronary artery disease have been under development for nearly a decade in Sweden. To achieve maximum adherence these programs were created in close collaboration between hospital and primary care physicians. The programs are local applications of national guidelines and aim to support compliance among both patients and physicians. In January 1998 the Swedish Society of Cardiology and the Swedish Association of General Practice launched a program for quality control and quality assurance of these initiatives. So far, 51 of 79 districts have joined the program. Patients' diaries used for risk factor registration contain 7 report cards on the management of risk factors and medication. These cards are sent to a central registry upon release from the hospital, after 3-6 months, and annually for 5 years. Results from the first year point to differences between the various districts with respect to compliance with both local programs and European guidelines. Overall, results are promising and indicate that this program is successful and leads to improved management of patients with coronary artery disease.
OBJECTIVES: To assess quality of life in patients after acute myocardial infarction (AMI), coronary artery by-pass grafting surgery (CABG) and percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) as compared with healthy controls. DESIGN: Self-administered questionnaires were completed 1 month and 1 year after the event. SETTING: Department of Cardiology, University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden; 1989-1992. SUBJECTS: 296 AMI, 99 CABG, 18 PTCA patients and 88 randomly selected healthy controls were included; 349 patients completed the entire programme. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Quality of life in the dimensions of perceived general health, thoracic pain, breathlessness, feeling of arrhythmia, anxiety, depression, self-esteem, experience of social life and sex life. RESULTS: Patients differed from controls in both psychological and somatic aspects of QL after 1 month. Furthermore, 1 month after the event AMI patients experienced more anxiety (P = 0.001) than CABG patients, whilst CABG patients experienced a poorer sex life (P
This article presents the relevance of norm values to a battery of Quality of Life questionnaires for use in upper gastrointestinal disorders. The derivation of reference values offers an important contribution by confirming the ability of the questionnaires to differentiate patients from healthy controls. Two self-administered questionnaires, the Psychological General Well-being (PGWB) index and the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS) were used. The norm values were derived in a randomly selected sample from a Swedish population consisting of 4624 individuals (reference group). The patients comprised more than 900 patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GORD) included in clinical trials. In the reference group, males reported significantly higher values on well-being as compared with women, whereas women reported more pronounced gastrointestinal symptoms than men. Generally, the younger persons and the group aged 60-70 years reported the highest well-being. Among gastrointestinal patients women scored lower and reported more symptoms than men. With increasing age, well-being improved and symptoms declined. Even though the well-being and symptoms scores differed between patient and the reference group similar patterns in terms of age and gender were observed. In summary, the results show that there are differences with respect to gender and age among normal controls as well as in GORD patients. These aspects have to be considered in clinical studies. The results also support the discriminative ability of the Quality of Life instruments.

domain: medical


text:
Washington DC, 1972
The smell of Sunday morning sizzling chicken livers -- and I’ve fallen into that time tunnel. The scent is curling up the stairs, down the long hallway, and into my childhood bedroom, to tug me awake -- no, I don’t want to eat the chicken livers, but I love the smell -- and the lure of watching my father create havoc in the kitchen is too hard to resist. So I slip out of bed, and traipse down to the kitchen in my flannel nightgown to watch him cook his favorite breakfast -- and watch my mother grimace at the mess -- the oily spatula smears, the egg shell drips, the pile of dishes tottering in the sink.
I’m calling my little brother Peter to come down for breakfast, and soon he shuffles down the steps carrying his Baba blue blanket with his thumb in his mouth and sleep in his eyes.
My dad eagerly spreads open his Sunday newspaper, riveted, as he has been for months, with the breaking Watergate Scandal. He reads it hungrily while voraciously digging into his chicken livers. The smell of chicken liver and sweet onions imprints on me permanently, mixed with the counterpoint of history unfolding. I get to work with a bamboo-handled grapefruit spoon, digging into a precious grapefruit that was shipped from Florida in a box of citrus. One of our favorite winter treats.
It’s the early 70’s, and outside our house, hippies and Hare Krishna roam the streets of our neighborhood. Barefoot from Memorial Day to Labor Day, our feet grow callouses on the hot Georgetown brick sidewalks. Baskin Robbins is the new thing. Butter Brick Road is everyone’s favorite flavor after the trip to the pool. Dirty, bare, calloused feet; long, tangled hair. Hamburger Hamlet for family night out, Coca cola all summer long for the whole family, and beloved pop tarts with sweet strawberry filling burning your tongue before school. For dessert, we dissect our Hostess Ho-Hos, peeling the chocolate from the surface before unrolling the creamy cake. Unstitching the Ho-ho architecture is half the joy. And of course, as a backdrop, the war, the protests, the lines for gas going round the block…
It’s Sunday dinner time now. There is no newspaper at dinnertime, no fast food or TV dinners for Sunday Supper. My mom places a large scandinavian wooden platter in the middle of the dining table. Sometimes it holds a roast beef and Yorkshire pudding (my favorite), but this Sunday it’s a giant tongue, resting there in a fleshy arch as if it is about to speak. You can almost count the taste buds, glistening under the chandelier.
My dad picks up the carving knife, ready to slice.
OK, let’s screech away from the confusing thought of that tongue, and go for Plan B.
Let’s take comfort in the Sunday standing rib roast beef. The king of the Sunday Supper. The raison d’être for the Yorkshire Pudding. The supper my mother still makes for me when I visit her. The survivor from my childhood. Roasted to a perfect medium rare, with a line of browned potatoes, salted and geometrically laid out on the platter. Yes, roast beef will always be a source of comfort.
Here’s the recipe my mom still uses to make this dish, if you need some comfort, or want to cook a Sunday Supper for your friends or family, to set on your favorite platter in the middle of the dining table.
The worn recipe page.
My mother and daughter, Roast Beef underway.
Hannah, my daughter, prepping the Yorkshire Pudding.
This is the same dining table and chairs from my childhood. The same Sunday Supper. Food is identity and family -- it's the glue, the comfort, the memories...

domain: food


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Beautiful 278 Acres with 7 ponds great for bass, and catfish fishing! There are 7 different pastures for rotational grazing, fenced and cross fenced! Mature current harvested Pecan Trees throughout. Cattle pens, barn, 30*40 Shed. 3/2 Farm House goes with!
From Bokchito go north to Armstrong academy rd turn east go 2 miles turn south on Academy rd go approx 1 mile property on the west side.
Rock Creek - Sch Dist (B98)

domain: geography