All of us at one time or another must live with something we said that is detrimental to our reputation, our being, our personage.
For instance, I, still to this day, am living with the horror of one time muttering at the top of my lungs, "'Weekend at Bernie's' is one of the comedy classics of all time."
It's because I live with such pure outrage at myself that I can't seem to forget -- much less forgive -- the words once uttered by Patrick Ewing, words that forever will stick with me as the essence of the modern NBA player, words that rolled off his tongue so easily and guiltlessly that one has to wonder what planet he is from.Words that remind me there was a book written recently that was titled, "Men are from Mars, women are from Venus and Patrick Ewing is from Uranus." The words Patrick Ewing besieged us with were these: "NBA players make a lot of money. But they spend a lot of money, too." I can feel the steam rising off my computer as I type -- either that, or the water from the leak in my roof from all this damn rain in Seattle is dripping into my keyboard. Now let me get this straight, just so we don't have any confusion: "NBA players make a lot of money. But they spend a lot of money, too." And yet, Patrick Ewing is getting comped Gold Bucks at the Gold Club strip joint in Atlanta. I can see that. So was Patrick saying he gets a lot of counterfeit money and spends it at strip joints, or was he saying he makes a lot of real money and spends it at strip joints? Patrick is making what, $18 million a year? Why is it you need to get comped anything when you are making $18 million a year? Has anybody calculated how long it would take to get $18 million worth of lap dances? Apparently, not as long as it has taken Patrick to come back from his Achilles injury. Which begs the question: Are lap dances Patrick's Achilles' heel? From all those strippers sitting on Patrick's lap, I'm surprised he doesn't have bruised tendons in his thighs -- or at least a little chafing. And there's all this talk about Patrick being a warrior. The only warrior that should be used in the same sentence with Patrick is Xena, the Warrior Princess, who was probably giving Patrick a lap dance between takes of her show. (Wasn't Xena one of the party chicks in 'Weekend at Bernie's'?) I can't believe New Yorkers actually consider this guy a hero, giving him a standing ovation when he comes back to play in the Garden, supporting him each and every time he missed one of his first 14 shots. The guy suddenly is not kowtowed to by his teammates in the fashion that he feels is forthcoming for somebody of his standing -- or, in this case, sitting -- for a lap dance -- and now he wants a trade. I can understand why New Yorkers love him.
But then, I saw enough of New York in the NBA Finals last season to realize there are, to steal a line from Doug E. Fresh, 8 million idiots in the Naked City. They fully supported Latrell Sprewell, so why shouldn't they wholeheartedly support Patrick?(Here is a somewhat funny side story from my week in New York, a night which actually originally got me harping on the city. So I'm walking down Lexington Avenue with my friend Bill Evans -- who is now George Karl's media lackey in Milwaukee -- one night after dinner in the Village, tripping over an endless line of garbage bags on the sidewalk and watching the rats drag race up and down the street with the taxi cabs. We are walking past a Bennigans, where people were sitting at the bar drinking beer, when I casually say to Bill, "With all the great places to go in New York, why the hell would you ever go to Bennigans for a beer?"
We walk about 10 more feet -- in which distance I tripped over six garbage bags, a homeless person and won $10 on the rat in the outside lane -- when Bill remarks, "I was thinking the same thing. But then I thought, 'Hey, I like beer.' Then I thought, 'And I'm kind of thirsty.' Then I thought, 'Why not go in to Bennigans and quench my thirst?'"
So we did. And you know what? Beer at Bennigans tastes just as good as beer at Tavern on the Green, and it's way less expensive.)Which shouldn't matter to Patrick Ewing, because even though NBA players make a lot of money, they spend a lot of money, too. Kudos to Larry
I have to give credit to Utah Jazz owner Larry Miller. When I was in Salt Lake City last Friday, Miller denied my Fouled Out column last week that he was going to sell the team when the Karl Malone-John Stockton era is over. (As a side note here, Malone's agent, Dwight Manley, said he thinks Stockton will sign one more contract when his is up after next season, tying his retirement to that of Malone's.) Anyway, I fully expected Miller's denial. If he did not, how much support would he get from a fan base that knows its owner is taking the money and running, as it were? All he has to do is deny it now, and then if he does indeed sell it in a few years, simply say he had a change of mind, or he got an offer he couldn't refuse, or he could no longer afford to support a team that was losing money. Something to that effect. In denying the story, though, Miller, as well as public relations director Dave Allred, went on the local radio station before the game and called me an "irresponsible journalist" who never bothered to even call him. Miller then went on Fox Sports at halftime of the game and made the same accusation. At which point I had to confront Miller and point out to him I had, in fact, called his secretary, who failed to pass on the message. Miller did some checking, found out what I told him was true, then went back to those same media outlets and corrected his statements. He then waited for me after the game and apologized several times for calling me irresponsible. I don't know Larry Miller well enough to know whether he was telling me the truth about selling the team or not. But I do know there are probably 28 other owners in this league who would show neither the courtesy nor respect to issue an apology -- much less several apologies -- to a reporter. So kudos to Larry Miller, for being a down-to-earth, good guy in a league where bloated egos and fat wallets mean there are very few around. Last lap
And now back to my cynicism. I don't mean to punch holes in agent Eric Fleisher's lawsuit claiming that promises of dating models were used to lure some of his clients away from his firm and into a start-up firm, but if you've ever been around an NBA locker room, you would know how ridiculous this sounds. Listen, it's no secret that the NBA is the most groupie-oriented league in professional sports. And let me tell you, many of these groupies are fine-looking women. Some of them would put most models to shame, and most players don't even have to work to get a date with them. So to think players would be enticed to jump agencies just because they were promised a date with a "model" is just plain stupid. Unless the models were giving lap dances. Frank Hughes covers the NBA for the Tacoma (Wash.) News-Tribune. He is a regular contributor to ESPN.com.


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Christina Aguilera was here to promote her album for BMG. The controversial video “Dirty” has been banned in Thailand. I know her huge security guy, Vernon, from when he was here with Marilyn Manson. Considering the crowd and its enthusiasm about Christina, he really kept things under control.
It was nice to see Leonardo de Caprio again. The superstar was here to promote “Gangs of New York” for Nippon Herald and Shochiku. Leo flew in on a private jet with director Martin Scorcese, a couple of his buddies and his personal security man, Dan Palmer. Happy to say he spent four of his five nights here at the Lex with his two writer and artist buddies. Crowd control wasn’t easy, as those young Japanese girl groupies are strong. My thanks to Dan, a long-time friend and one of the busiest celebrity security guys in the U.S., and topnotch security man here, Nestor Takamiyagi, for helping keep it all under control. It was wall-to-wall people every night Leo was there, and I had to advise the security for Prince, here on a concert tour, not to bring him to the club. He has been there several times and is not what you would call easy. Success, by the way, has not spoiled Leonardo; he’s one of the nicest superstars I know.
It was a real privilege to be included in a very intimate sayonara lunch hosted by Djibouti Ambassador Rachad Farah at the truly excellent Queen Alice restaurant (the favorite of Maria Anderson). The occasion was to say sayonara to outgoing Cuban Ambassador Ernesto Melendez Bachs and Polish Ambassador Jerzy Pomianowski. It was, as you can see by the photos, a very interesting gathering, and I’m glad I made it, as I did have to miss Ambassador Pomianowski’s National Day celebration-sayonara at the Polish Embassy on Nov. 1. I also had to miss another lunch hosted by Ambassador Farah on Nov. I to say good-bye to Turkish Ambassador Yaman Baskut. After almost five years in Japan, Yaman and his wife Filiz have returned to Istanbul.
Congratulations to Tokyo American Club’s Special Events Manager Leslie Sagara Yoshimura on the birth of her daughter Alyssa Hope on Nov. I. Now, that’s got to be a beautiful baby.
Congratulations to Warner Entertainment Japan lnc. Chairman Bill Ireton who celebrates his birthday on Dec. 6. In addition to having a super mom, Kiko, a gorgeous and loving wife, Charo, and five really great kids (Matthew, Roberta, William, Thomas and Edward), he’s just been promoted. He is also riding high on the phenomenal success of “Harry Potter 2,” and it all could not happen to a nicer guy. I’d also like to congratulate Matthew and the others in the cast and crew of St. Mary’s and Seisen International Schools’ production of Carlo Goldoni’s “The Liar.”
Congratulations to Maria Teresa Avila (a beautiful grandmother) who celebrated her birthday on Oct. 15. Maria’s the wife of Ecuadorean Ambassador Marcelo Avila.
I don’t usually get up and out very early on Saturdays, but sure am glad I did on Oct. 5. The occasion was the gala performance of Netherlands Dance Theater groups I, II and Ill. The exciting and unusual theatrical experience was followed by a reception to meet the dancers who come from all over the world to be a member of the legendary dance company. Jiri Kylian, the choreographer, told me they consider the Saitama Arts Theater their home in Japan, and this was the first time NDT I, II and Ill performed together here. The show was more than two hours of creative, contemporary dance at its very best. Even during intermission, guests were treated to a very avantegarde (and muddy) performance by two dancers in a small, glass-enclosed stage outside the main venue. The reception was fun. In addition to meeting many of the dancers, I had the opportunity to talk with Saitama’s genki governor, Yoshihiko Tsuchiya. It was a perfect day in every way, all hosted by Dutch Ambassador Egbert Jacobs and his wife Francoise.
It was “Malaysia, Truly Asia” all the way for 14 days at Hilton Tokyo and the colorful, exciting festival of the same name. At the opening ceremony, Malaysian Ambassador Dato Mohd. Noor Marzuki officially opened the festival with a truly Asian touch, by striking a gong. This was followed by a fashion show which featured a group of Malaysia’s top models-gorgeous. Popular Japanese singer Kaho Shimada sang the version of “Malaysia, Truly Asia,” the one you hear with the dynamic “Visit Malaysia” commercials you see on TV.
Our Latin American friends held their annual Holiday Food and Crafts Fiesta at the Tokyo Prince Hotel on Nov. 13, and what a colorful and fun event it was.
Ikebana International’s annual fair was held at the Tokyo Prince Hotel on Dec. 4. With its beautiful ikebana creations, the embassy gift shops and the bake sale, it was a great success. Francoise Julien Jacobs, wife of the Dutch Ambassador, was chairperson this year.
Two of Tokyo’s finest restaurants on their anniversaries; Roy’s Aoyama Bar and Grill on its seventh and Nobu’s Japan on its fourth. Soho’s runs the restaurants here and had all kinds of special events for the occasion.
Lots, and I do mean lots, of people at the reception at the Hotel New Otani hosted by Saudi Charge d’Affaires Mohammad Ameen Wali on the occasion of his country’s National Day. Last year, Saudi Arabia celebrated the 20th anniversary of the reign of the custodian of the two holy mosques, King Fahd Ibn Abdulaziz. His leadership has brought about phenomenal change and advancement in industry, agriculture, health and education. Boy, I can tell you I have some great memories of my trip to Saudi Arabia a few years ago. I was a guest of Crown Prince Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz who heads the National Guard, and I was really treated royally. The main purpose of my visit was to see what has to be one of the most spectacular festivals in the world, the Jenadriyah Culture Festival, an annual event near Riyadh. The festival gave me the opportunity to learn and better understand Saudi Arabian history and culture.
Two of Austria’s most wellknown representatives, Embassy Minister Wolfgang Angerholzer and his fashionable wife Suzanne, hosted a buffet dinner at their home Oct. 28. Also on the 28th, Pakistani Ambassador Touqir Hussain, his wife Rafia, the Tokyo National Museum, and NHK hosted an opening ceremony at the museum in Ueno Park for the highly acclaimed ‘The Art of Gandhara” exhibition.
The International Ladies Benevolent Society (ILBS) Christmas Bazaar is always popular and busy. The happening, a great place for buying holiday gifts, takes place at Sacred Heart this year from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7. See you Our Swedish friends will also hold their Christmas Bazaar on Saturday, the 7th. The highlight of the event is the traditional Lucia performances, and ginger cookies, smorgasbord, candies and shopping for Swedish handicrafts with a lot of nice people. It will run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Embassy of Sweden.
My annual orphans party at the Hilton Tokyo, with the support of the hotel, will be held from 3 to 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 9. Italian Chamber of Commerce President Romano Mazzucco has agreed to be Santa Claus. Princess Takamado and retired sumo champ-now top entertainment personality Konishiki, along with 40-some ambassadors’ wives and other caring, giving ladies, and a few men as well, always help too. With the sudden and tragic loss of her husband, Prince Takamado, the princess will, of course, not be there this year. Like so many who have had the privilege of knowing Prince Takamado, I have really felt down and helpless.
As in places the world over, “Harry Potter” fever has hit Japan. Warner Brothers Japan held a sneak preview of “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” at the closing of the Tokyo International Film Festival. A few days later, there was a star-studded premiere at Budokan. That weekend, a week before the film opened, Isetan sold more than $500,000 worth of Harry Potter merchandise, and 13-year-old actor Daniel Radcliffe will visit Japan for a few days in mid-December. Take your kids to the film during the holiday season. It actually opened Saturday, Nov. 23, and is a real entertainment experience. Just got the big news in the cinema world here. In just a few days, the new “Harry Potter” film made nearly $20 million at 840 theaters throughout Japan. This was the biggest opening ever, beating out “Harry Potter I,” which had been the biggest ever, by 30 percent.
The Lex keeps busy. Music celebrities there the last month or so have included the Canadian band Sum 41, the French pop group Pleymo, Primal Scream and Def Leppard. Keanu Reeves dropped by with his band Dogstar, and pop star diva Christina Aguilera showed up with her entourage on the busiest Saturday night. It was not easy.
The sports scene has been heavy at the Lex as well. Soccer superstar Hidetoshi Nakata partied there one Sunday night with 10 F-One drivers including Eddie Irvine and Jean Villenueve. Another popular soccer player, Creation Igor Cvitanovic, has had about six sayonara parties at the Lex. He keeps postponing his trip while his attorney tries to get the money owed him by the team for which he played. That can’t be fun or easy. There were also a lot of tennis players from all over the world (here for AIG) and U.S. baseball players, here for the Major League All-Star Series 2002, dropping by nightly. My thanks to Konishiki for sending some of the players to the Lex.
*First published at the Tokyo Weekender

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There are certain foods which help us build immunity and strengthen bodily functions. Nature has provided us with many superfoods which are a combination of many vitamins, minerals and fiber. We should try and include such food in our daily diet so that we can keep off deadly diseases like cancer and provide our body with the power to fight these diseases.
9 Foods That Can Help You Prevent Cancer
Below are some foods that can help you improve your immune system and might even aid in the prevention of cancer.
- Garlic: contains sulphur – which gives a good boost to the immune system. You can eat 2-3 cloves of raw garlic early in the morning before brushing your teeth. Chew properly and swallow or you can add garlic to whatever food you eat
- Lemon: Vitamin C increases immunity power and helps the body in fighting any outside infection or problem. It also keeps a check on cancer cell growth. Drink a glass of lemon water daily. No sugar. No salt. You can also squeeze a 1 whole lemon over your salads twice a day.
- Broccoli: This vegetable is a superfood! Don’t forget to include this in your diet. Try to eat it steamed/ semi-cooked. Don’t microwave it or fry it. It will kill all the nutrition.
- Onion: A diet that includes onions is said to reduce the risk of cancer. Include raw onions in salads or cook them lightly to get all the benefits provided by it.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: improves your gut’s functioning. A healthy gut means better overall health! Take 1 tsp daily diluted with 200ml of lukewarm water. You can have it half an hour before eating your lunch or dinner. You can also take ACV diluted in 200ml of water early in the morning on an empty stomach. Mix 1 tsp of cinnamon powder to the mix for extra benefits.
- Corn: contains a phenolic compound called ferulic acid, which may inhibit cancer-causing free radicals. Just roast it and go for it! You can also boil and take out kernels and add onion and tomatoes to it to make it a healthy chat.
- Dates: are high in polyphenol and Vitamin B6 and fiber which helps prevent many types of cancer. Eat 1 – 2 pieces every day along with your breakfast or else you can have them as a part of your mid-morning snacks.
- Green Leafy Vegetables: They contain bioflavonoids, carotenoids and other cancer-fighting compounds in abundance. They also contain indoles, a compound which reduces the cancer-causing potential of the body. Add them to your salads or have them as juices or soups. Don’t strain if possible.
- Wheatgrass Powder: Wheatgrass is rich in nutrients such as vitamin A, C and E, iron, calcium, magnesium, and amino acids. Other benefits include removing toxins from the body, increasing production of hemoglobin, improving blood sugar, among many other benefits. Add 1 teaspoon of powdered wheatgrass to any vegetable or fruit juice. It can also be added to your porridge.
Always remember that these are just precautionary steps to prevent cancer. There are many other environmental factors as well as lifestyle factors such as lack of physical activity, improper sleep, stress, smoking and alcohol consumption which affect our health. These foods only help us in reducing any ill effects and strengthening our immunity. You have got to manage and live a healthy lifestyle as well. For guidance, you can always reach out to a GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalized health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr
If you are already suffering from cancer, you can include all these in your daily diet as they will empower you and give you the energy to fight the disease. Don’t stop the treatments at any point in time. Keep continuing them along with these natural remedies. Before you begin any of the above foods, consult your doctor.

domain: food


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Computers have taken over many facets of our lives which includes activities, which we wouldn’t have let them down a few decades back. One of those activities is letting them trade stocks, bonds and other financial instruments on our behalf. Now when I speak on computer-trading or more accurately algorithmic or automated trading, I am not referring to online trading, which I’m sure quite a few readers of this site is familiar with. Unlike online trading, algorithmic trading are carried out by sophisticated players such as investment banks, hedge funds, pension funds and other institutional investors.
What basically happens in an algo trade is that computer programs are used for entering trading orders with the computer algorithm deciding on aspects of the order such as the timing, price, or quantity of the order, or in many cases initiating the order without human intervention. A special type of such trading is High Frequency Trading, in which very powerful computers (usually supercomputers) make elaborate decisions to initiate orders based on information that is received electronically, before human traders are capable of processing the information they observe.
The magnitude of this type of stock trading is tremendous, both financially and ethically. It is estimated that nearly 70% of all US equity trades are algorithmic in Nature, i.e without a live person actually feeding in the orders. The tremendous increase in computing power means that these algos can can sift through an enormous amount of market data both historic and real time. They can then gauge trends and make buy/sell decision on certain parameters within the blinking of an eye and parse trades in millionths of seconds. These algos incorporate a fair amount of AI so that it can learn from past experience. Since most trading is algorithmic anyhow, some of these programs are cunning enough to detect other algos embarking on predictable trading strategies, and ruthlessly adjust their techniques. They’re growing ever more complex, subtle, and sophisticated. An example of this is Citibank’s “Dagger” a sophisticated algo trained in secret by Citi’s financial and investment experts, is capable of stalking through 20 different markets hunting for anomalies, buying and selling, prowling through mountains of historical data—all at the behest of Citi’s clients. Deutsche Bank also has a similar algo called Stealth and Sniper and Credit Suisse has Guirella. These algos work on arbitrage, statistical arbitrage, trend following, and mean reversion, all complex financial techniques to determine pricing and quantity of trade.
Stock exchanges are also getting into the act, and providing facilities such as low latency proximity hosting and colocation. Since latency can influence the the quantum and timing of information these algos can process, sophisticated investing groups spend a lot of money on the fastest data access from their computers to the exchanges, and that can make a significant difference in the way they make money from these trades. Even though algorithmic trading, bound by certain regulations, are legal, there are certain other types of trading which falls in the grey area of market manipulation. Flash Trading is controversial practice of some financial exchanges whereby certain customers are allowed to see incoming orders to buy or sell securities very slightly earlier than the general market participants, typically 30 milliseconds, in exchange for a fee. Now a 30 milisecond advantage is useless to a humar trader, but not so for ultrafast supercomputers which can execute millions of statistical analaysis and carry out high frequency trading in those precious milliseconds. This is the legal equivalent of “frontrunning”, an illegal activity which allows some traders to access and process information before the market, thus profiting from them.
It is also alarming to see how humans traders are being increasingly taken out of the equation. In a hedge fund startup called Rebellion Research, in New York, which was started in 2007 with $7 Million, a bunch of twentysomething math and computer whizzes designed and maintain a learning algorithm called Star. “It’s pretty clear that human beings aren’t improving,” said Spencer Greenberg, 27 years old and the brains behind Rebellion’s AI system. “But computers and algorithms are only getting faster and more robust.
What makes Star intelligent, says Mr. Greenberg, is its ability to adjust its strategy based on shifting dynamics in the market and broader economy. The program isn’t wed to any single investing approach. Under certain conditions, the fund will buy cheap stocks, in others it will favor stocks with swiftly rising prices—or both at the same time.The program monitors about 30 factors that can affect a stock’s performance, such as price-to-earnings ratios or interest rates.
The program regularly crunches decaded of historical market data and the latest market action to size up whether to buy or sell a stock. When certain strategies stop working, the program automatically incorporates that information, “learns,” and adjusts the portfolio. Every morning, Star recommends a list of stocks to buy or sell—often it offers no changes at all. A human trader implements the moves. The firm says it never overrules the computer program, which is largely the same system they started with in 2007. Star was designed with the simple goal of beating the broader market, something which it has consistently achiever since the firm was founded. Rebellion gained 17% in 2007, compared with the 6.4% gain by the Dow Jones Industrial Average. It stayed defensive throughout most of 2008, holding gold, oil and utility stocks. Still, it lost money like most investors, sliding 26% but topping the 34% decline by the Dow industrials.
In early 2009, Star started to buy beaten-down stocks such as banks and insurers, which would benefit from a recovery. “He just loaded up on value stocks,” said Mr. Fleiss, one of the founders referring to the AI program. The fund gained 41% in 2009, more than doubling the Dow’s 19% gain. The defensive move at first worried Mr. Fleiss, who had grown bullish. But it has proven a smart move so far. “I’ve learned not to question the AI,” he said.
Now just computers are efficient does not mean they’re infallible. Owing to the complex nature of financial markets, where the laws of predictability does not apply, the algos can often mess up and often spectacularly. For instance, on May 6, 2010 a huge crash occurred involving U.S. corporate stocks, followed by an almost immediate rebound. It was the second largest point swing, 1,010.14 points, and the biggest one-day point decline, 998.5 points, on an intraday basis in Dow Jones Industrial Average history. Such loss usually denotes the the start of a depression, but the massacre was over in 10 minutes, and rebounded back to normal levels. Here’s a chart :
Though no particular reason could ever be ascertained, but the most likely being automated trading errors. Despite the fact the automated trading have increased volumes and returns for savvy investors, high frequency trading, without adequate regulations and using leverage or boorwed capital can also can erode wealth and often can be counterproductive to general economic activity. At the end of the day, computers are merely tools, it’s human ingenuity and greed which drives them. Indian exchanges like BSE are also just beginning to enable automated trading, it’s high time that they should stop blindly aping the west and think about pros and cons before they implement, due to market pressures. This activity does not help the small retail investor and they are the people who have propped up the Indian economic miracle for the last 3 decades.

domain: finance


Rejoicing in Deep NeedWhat happens when you choose to rejoice in God even when you’re in deep need?
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There’s nothing like a good winter walk to refresh your mind, body and soul. The feeling of the wind in your face, fresh air in your lungs and the sight of beautiful landscapes is perfect for blowing the cobwebs away. Including rolling hills, tree-lined landscapes, snowy peaks and wild ponies, here’s our pick of winter walks we think you’ll love. Just remember to wrap up warm.
Manifold Valley: Peak District National Park
Image by steve p2008
The Peak District National Park is home to many wonderful walks but in our opinion, Manifold Valley is up there with the best. Blending man-made wonders with moments of natural tranquillity, the Valley includes a nine-mile circular track that is ideal for cyclists, young families with pushchairs, and people in wheelchairs. Hikers able to complete the full circuit will see the stone built village of Wetton, flowing rivers, and get to explore Tor’s Cave.
Situated on its doorstep, Hallmark Hotel Derby Midland is the ideal base from which to plan a day’s walking in the Peak District National Park.
Another walk suitable for the whole family is Charlecote Park, a grand 16th-century house surrounded by its own deer park, offering kids a fantastic opportunity to spot ‘Rudolph’ on a rare day off this winter. A winter stroll around the park features gorgeous views back to the house, sweeping scenes of frost-kissed fields, plus icy rivers and lakes. If you want to take your furry best friend for a well-deserved walk, you’ll be pleased to know the park has its own dedicated dog-walking route, complete with waste bins.
Dog-friendly and located less than five miles from Charlecote Park, Hallmark Hotel The Welcombe is a great place to relax and unwind after a day’s exploring.
The New Forest Wildlife Park spreads across 200 square miles and includes close to 150 miles of routes, carved out especially for walking and cycling. The Park’s official site has mapped out lots fun routes that combine tall trees, evergreens, and a diversity of native wildlife. Although all these walks are spectacular this time of year, if pressed, we’d have to narrow our top picks to Acres Down and Whitefield Moor. Both offer keen walkers spectacular sunrises and sunsets, fairytale woodland views, plus the distinct possibility of bumping into wild pigs and ponies along the way.
Less than 20 miles from the New Forest, Hallmark’s two Bournemouth hotels provide a comfortable starting and finishing point for a day’s adventure.
Loch Muick Nature Reserve
Image by Neil Williamson
Loch Muick Nature Reserve includes a level circuit that looks particularly stunning in cold weather, with snow-covered peaks and ice on the loch. Equally, winter is a great time of the year to see the wild deer, red squirrels and leaping salmon that call Loch Muick home. This waterside walk also includes the remarkable Glas-allt-Shie lodge built by Queen Victoria, optional waterfall detours, old birch woodland to explore, and lots of rare plants and flowers.
The Hallmark Hotel Aberdeen Airport enjoys a stellar location for discovering North East Scotland and the idyllic nature reserves nearby.
Chester Wall Walk
In a poll of 15,000 people, Chester was recently named one of the top five romantic walks in the UK. Immaculately preserved, the ancient wall that circles the city makes for a wonderful winter walk. As you tackle the two-mile circuit, you’ll experience amazing views of the world-famous Eastgate Clock, Chester Cathedral, the four main gates, and a castle founded by William the Conqueror in 1070. Chester is a picturesque city at any time of the year, but few would argue that its historic landscapes don’t look even better with a light frosting or sprinkle of snow.
Hallmark Hotel Chester The Queen Combines excellent value for money and all the modern comforts you’ll need to relax after hiking the city walls.

domain: travel


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What do we do in the winter? Bake. Bake for the new year, for Valentine’s Day, because we are cold, because we have been stuck in the house for two months due to poor weather.
Since the advent of boxed cake and cookie mixes, baking has never been easier to do in a dorm kitchen or with ingredients you have on hand. In fact, in many pantries, you’ll find a box or two in case you ever have a craving in the middle of a snowstorm. However, the plastic packaging and even the uncertain ingredient qualities of homemade baked goods may have bakers questioning their impact on the planet.
Ingredients in the face of climate change
Caroline Saunders began her baking journey with a passion for food and climate writing. After attending pastry school at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, she is now a baker and the deputy director of food at a pre-launch climate organization.
Saunders used the terms plant-rich and biodiverse ingredients to describe the baking she aims to do. Climate change affects what Saunders calls goldilocks crops — crops that can only be grown in specific conditions. With cold fronts and months-long dry periods, these perfect conditions are disappearing.
“When we think about the world beyond the climate crisis, we don’t just want to have reduced emissions. We kind of want to have rejiggered the food system in a way that takes better care of the planet, but also the people,” said Saunders. “Buying from small and medium-sized farms that are doing sustainable land management in your area is a huge thing you can do now to bring about a better future for everyone.”
This means thinking about the fact that Madagascar produces 80% of the world’s vanilla and the climate effects of grazing cows threaten butter, milk and cheese. Even plant-based milk solutions like almond beverage can result in extreme water usage.
This is why Saunders doesn’t ask everyone to be vegan all of the time. “People should just do what they can. If you have a recipe where you can feasibly sub dairy or eggs for something else, do it. And if not, that’s okay this time.”
In response to the 2008 wheat crisis that was itself a result of the economic recession occurring at the same time, Jennifer Lapidus began her journey towards Carolina Ground. Lapidus had been milling flour in-house as a baker and was learning more about a public wheat breeder that moved to western North Carolina a few years earlier. This sparked her interest in establishing her own mill.
Now the founder, general manager and principal at Carolina Ground, Lapidus brings together farmers, millers and bakers where they naturally collide: bread.
“Bringing together bakers is all about sustainability… It was very much driven by this let’s lessen our food miles, let’s create relationships, let’s bring this back. That was the concept [behind Carolina Ground],” Lapidus said.
When the roller mill was invented in the 1860s by Hungarian bakers, it created a way to easily go from wheat berries to flour with a longer shelf life, but it removed flavor. Carolina Ground and other regional mills are returning to old practices to bring back flour as an active, flavorful ingredient.
“It was practically overnight that community mills disappeared,” Lapidus said. “[Community mills] really align with the idea of slow food. We have the right to understand where our food comes from. We have the right to slow down and appreciate flavor.”
That’s the community spirit and deeper understanding of our food that Lapidus and others are trying to revive with the regional grains movement.
Saunders too recognizes the importance of alternatives to producing and using flour. Growing buckwheat, for example, contributes to regional economies as well as replenishes soil, repairing it for the next rotational crop.
While using locally-grown and processed ingredients lend a big hand towards sustainable kitchens, some ingredients will have to be replaced. Saunders suggests trying out carob powder as a chocolate replacement and experimenting with different flavoring agents that are better adapted to climate change.
Baking will have to change with the climate, and that movement has already begun.
Reducing kitchen waste
Once you’ve researched and tested new ingredients for your baking, or perhaps before, plastic and food waste are other areas that improve the sustainability of baking.
Nearly every dough recipe asks that you wrap the dough in plastic wrap to rest in the fridge, rise or simply set aside dough you’re not currently working with. However, plastic wrap is a relatively new invention while bread, pasta and cookies are, well, not.
Plastic wrap and Ziploc bags have been enumerated on the internet for years, but the best solution is already in your kitchen. A clean, damp kitchen towel does the same trick for keeping dust out and moisture in when it comes to dough. Other solutions include covering a bowl with another bowl, plate or pan or investing in reusable silicon bags, now available at most grocery stores.
Many recipes suggest freezing cookies if you don’t eat them in two or three days, and when you do go beyond that suggested time frame, you know why. Baked goods can dry out and mold easily if not properly stored. Additionally, you may not want to eat the two dozen cupcakes a recipe makes.
In recent years, small-batch baking has become popular with books such as Edd Kimber’s “Small Batch Bakes” and websites such as Dessert for Two. These resources provide solutions to waste, including what to do with leftover egg whites or yolks should a recipe call for one and not the other. Making less is the first step to eliminating waste altogether.
Baked goods at home
Home baking is one of the easiest ways to better understand where ingredients are sourced and how your waste is impacting the planet. But sometimes we need a well-designed cake for a few dozen people at a birthday party, and the local bakery is the best place to go.
Saunders suggests talking to your local bakers and letting them know you’re interested in sustainable and biodiverse ingredients that you want them to reduce their plastic packaging. Lapidus too reminds people about the importance of community among the millers, between the farmers and millers, and especially for the consumer eating baked goods.
You don’t need to go to culinary school or study food science to be a more sustainable baker. Buy local fruit to make pies with. Search for local dairy products and eggs to support local farmers. Try out buckwheat and dates and carob powder. You don’t need to be vegan 100% of the time to make an impact.
Images via Pexels

domain: agronomy


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The thrumming backdrop of Sam Brumbaugh’s well-wrought debut novel is a rueful American romance of the open road, combined with a near Ballardian danse macabre of vehicles hurtling toward death clinches with each other. Cars killed narrator Hayward Theiss’s mother, killed one of his best friends, and have somehow dumped Hayward himself—bloodied and pocked with glass—in the safety lane of a highway as Goodbye, Goodness begins. Most likely concussed, vaguely amnesiac, Hayward hides out in an unoccupied Malibu beach house while, noir style, the shards of his backstory reassemble themselves: his breakup with his mentally ill girlfriend; his tense, weathered friendships with shambling freelance writer Will and bored singer-songwriter Kimmel; and his obsession with sharpshooter heroine Annie Oakley, yet another auto-smash victim and a onetime lover of Finn Theiss, Hayward’s entrepreneurial great-grandfather.
Finn made his millions on gravel, then worried that “Americans would become dangerously restless” with too many roads to roam—a prescient concern, given the
nada y pues nada bearing down through Hayward’s psychic windshield: “Humming along at seventy miles per hour, there was nothing; a frontier through glass and nothing but maybe an accident to break the natural momentum toward nothing.” Tired of his job scouting bands for a public-television program (Brumbaugh was a producer of the PBS series On Tour), Hayward looks back to a lost age of discovery as embodied in Wild West icon Oakley, while Goodbye, Goodness struggles to digest big slabs of her autobiography. Notwithstanding the Oakley passages, the book is a period piece: a low-fi mid-’90s recording in novel form. Hayward’s father once donned the Polonius mantle and counseled his son, “Don’t expect,” which is precisely the dangling good advice with which Pavement end their 1994 Watery, Domestic EP; during the Depression, Finn acted as silent partner on a model of the bathysphere, which provided Bill Callahan of Smog with one of his finest subjects.
At its best, Goodbye, Goodness achieves an early Smog song’s arch, doleful poetry of self-absorbed disillusionment: “All that stagy listlessness, it’s finally paying off,” Will observes of Kimmell. Ironic poses held too long have dulled their receptors and stiffened their joints, which they oil with absinthe and heroin. They make and interpret art that they can’t take seriously; both their vocations and their drug habits are stale jokes they can’t finish. Despite a cushion of inherited wealth, Hayward sleeps on a mattress on an empty floor, and he remembers his rootless childhood with his single father much as he will his early thirties: as a rotation of canned food and rented rooms “suffused with a vague ache of womanlessness.” Goodbye, Goodness does not differentiate post-post-adolescence from functional clinical depression. Pensive and precise, it’s a backhanded encomium of lost boys who’ve never learned how to take care of themselves, always crashing in the same car.

domain: artistic


The City of Grande Prairie wants input from citizens on an innovative approach to helping people break out of the cycle of homelessness through a proposed Coordinated Care Campus.
City of Grande Prairie Homeless Initiatives Supervisor Katherine Schmidt said the city already has the first piece of the puzzle — a physical property — in place.
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“The city has purchased the Stonebridge Hotel and Conference Centre and is creating a coordinated care campus,” Schmidt said. “This particular site has three full floors of current hotel rooms that are going to be renovated into housing opportunities.
“On the other side of the building, there is going to be space for programming. There is already a commercial kitchen, so there will be food prep on-site. There is going to be office space for social agencies. A couple of city departments, our Community and Social Development department and also Enforcement Services, will also be moving offices onto that site.”
In the Protective and Social Services Committee meeting May 25 it was clarified that the purchase of the Stonebridge has not been finalized but is a conditional offer to purchase.
The primary goal is to help those currently homeless.
“The priority for housing is going to be for those people experiencing homelessness,” Schmidt explained. “The goal here is to provide this coordinated care campus with wrap-around supports. There is going to be a recovery-oriented system of care, with health-and-wellness a key focus with all the supports and services on site.”
The building’s physical size is one of its strengths in making a difference in the lives of some of the city’s disadvantaged citizens.
“That space, as you can imagine, is quite large,” Schmidt said. “So there is opportunity there for us to do everything from on-site programming. We are looking at a cultural support team where we can have smudging and have opportunities, whether it is for an elder or a minister to be able to come in and spend time with people that are on site.”
Other supports like laundry services and community kitchen opportunities will be available. Schmidt added there is also an opportunity for partners to participate in the city project from different levels of government to health support providers.
“We are currently planning for the first level of housing to be opened with those health supports,” Schmidt said.
The Homeless Initiatives Supervisor said the general public may have some misunderstanding of what the project involves.
“Oftentimes people have misconceptions around supports that are provided to individuals that are homeless,” Schmidt said. “This is not going to be a shelter. This is a permanent home. People living there will be paying rent.
“On the one side, it is a permanent home, and on the other side, a lot of these individuals need to have that wrap-around support. So having that support team on-site, they are going to be able to help provide skills coaching, budgeting, and doing planning with those individuals on what areas of support they need.”
The goal of this project is to become the cure, not the Band-Aid.
“Our focus really is how do we move away from managing homelessness to ending it,” Schmidt said. “One of the key areas we have identified is, we have spent a lot of time focussing on intervention and moving them into homes is one thing.
“But we really need to do a better job of focussing on those health supports, providing mental health counselling, providing supports for people with physical health concerns so that we are assuring that if someone needs help with showering and bathing that we are going to provide the right support to those individuals, so we aren’t setting them up for failure with eviction (and putting them back into the cycle of homelessness).”
The project could become the mould for other communities to help with homelessness.
“This is going to be such a unique opportunity,” Schmidt said. “I think it is innovative. I think it is a model that is not only going to get people from across Alberta, but I think nationally, taking a look at this site as we move forward and show the successes that are going to come out of it.
“We are really spending a lot of time in the planning . We are spending resources to ensure that when we roll this out that we have the right supports in place and that the community gets an opportunity to be engaged, be informed, and talk about what the project is. Long-term, I see opportunities for volunteerism, for practicum students and colleges and universities to be involved in the project.”
According to Schmidt, she is glad to see the municipality getting involved in this project.
“‘I’m just really excited right now that the City of Grande Prairie is recognizing from the community that there are social issues, the same as in any city,” Schmidt said. “Here, we have the opportunity for a site that could provide not only the housing support but also that whole system of care focusing on recovery and health and wellness.”
Edited May 24, this article has been edited to clarify the sale of the Stonebridge Hotel and Conference Centre has not been finalized yet but is conditional offer to purchase.


A box of valentines left by protesters on the doorstep of Gov. Scott Walker's home in Wauwatosa on Monday raised suspicions.
According to the Wauwatosa police report:
A group called Students for Democratic Society staged a 10-minute protest on the sidewalk in front of Walker's home in the 500 block of North 68th Street at 12:28 p.m. Monday, even though he wasn't there. Before leaving, a large box filled with about 200 Valentine's Day cards was placed on his property.
The cards urged Walker not to make cuts to University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Milwaukee Area Technical College employees' benefits. The messages were not threatening.
State law enforcement officers said a similar delivery was made to Walker's office at the Capitol.
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- Power restored to Eisenhower after classes canceled
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- Wauwatosa police say train death was accidental
- Wauwatosa School District to tighten security with added cameras, changed school entrances
- Wauwatosa Senior Center plans November events
- Biz Buz:: New brew at Ray's
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- Wauwatosa School Board approves 1.43 percent levy reduction
- Wauwatosa Police Report: Oct. 30


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SPRINGFIELD, Ore. – Every year since 1979, dedicated PeaceHealth caregivers have organized a collection drive to provide all the ingredients for a full Thanksgiving dinner for hundreds of families facing financial, medical or other challenges. It is a months-long, PeaceHealth Mission-inspired effort that demands hundreds of volunteer hours and thousands of donated dollars. The project is one of PeaceHealth’s most cherished traditions in Lane County.
This year PeaceHealth will give away 800 Thanksgiving Baskets to families who have been referred by caregivers, charitable organizations and community members.
On Tuesday, Nov. 22, these local families, who have been notified in advance, will receive all the items for their Thanksgiving feast, including a turkey, stuffing and gravy mixes, canned yams, potatoes, vegetables and a pumpkin pie.
Distribution will take place outside the surgery entrance at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend.
“Rain or shine it’s a bright, happy day,” said Tina Noland, who has volunteered with the program for the past 14 years. She is a supply chain manager for the PeaceHealth Oregon network. “The families are so grateful, and many caregivers donate and volunteer year after year because it feels good to work together to help our community.”
Ever since the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace arrived in Eugene in 1936 to operate Sacred Heart Hospital, PeaceHealth employees have dedicated their time to helping the hungry and those less fortunate during the holiday season. The tradition of providing meals at Thanksgiving began in 1979, and the effort has grown from providing 50 baskets to 800 this year.
About PeaceHealth: PeaceHealth, based in Vancouver, Wash., is a not-for-profit Catholic health system offering care to communities in Washington, Oregon and Alaska. PeaceHealth has approximately 16,000 caregivers, a group practice with more than 900 providers and 10 medical centers serving both urban and rural communities throughout the Northwest. In 1890, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace founded what has become PeaceHealth. The Sisters shared expertise and transferred wisdom from one medical center to another, always finding the best way to serve the unmet need for healthcare in their communities. Today, PeaceHealth is the legacy of the founding Sisters and continues with a spirit of respect, stewardship, collaboration and social justice in fulfilling its Mission. Visit us online at peacehealth.org.


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Oy vey .... I am so glad I found this site. My mom used to make the best cabbage rolls (yep we're also Jewish, mom's mom was polish) but in all her recipe's I can't find this particular one. Now that the summer gardens are in full bloom - I have a nice head of cabbage sitting on my counter and the thought of homemade cabbage rolls just makes me drool :)
I'm going to give a few of your recipe's a shot .. THANK YOU so much for all of your time in posting.

domain: hobby


text:
Well on track Several media including REUTERS reported that IKEA was on track to become climate positive by 2030. IKEA is the world’s biggest furniture brand and its annual carbon […]
Well on track
Several media including REUTERS reported that IKEA was on track to become climate positive by 2030. IKEA is the world’s biggest furniture brand and its annual carbon emissions fell 6% from pre-pandemic levels despite record sales.
Brand owner Inter IKEA defines its value chain as from raw material production to customers’ use and disposal of products. Emissions in the value chain became 26.2 million tons of CO2 equivalent in the 12 months through August. This number was an upwardly revised 27.9 million in fiscal 2019. Thus, fell for the first time compared to the pre-pandemic level.
Compared to fiscal 2020, when emissions fell as stores closed temporarily due to the pandemic, emissions increased 6%. In fact, the number was an upwardly revised 24.7 million tons of CO2 equivalent.
While the climate footprint from materials kept expanding, the drop in total emissions came mainly from several factors. They are the use of more renewable energy across operations, and a larger share of sales of more energy efficient light bulbs and plant-based food.
Inter IKEA CEO Jon Abrahamsson was confident about reaching IKEA’s target to be climate positive. It is to reduce more greenhouse gas emissions than its value chain emits by 2030. He answered in the following.
“We have (since baseline year 2016) managed to do a third of what our ambition is for 2030. Thus, we are well on track. Then there are big challenges ahead and we need to put all our energy and efforts into securing that we continue on a positive trend towards this goal.”
Our media thinks that 2020 is the year to raise our awareness on climate change. For example, our research correspondent has been living in Barcelona, Spain. In the spring of 2020, Spain was one of the worst hit countries by the pandemic. As a result, the country introduced one of the severest restrictions in the world. He could go out only twice or three times in a week to purchase groceries in the nearest supermarket.
After spending this kind of life for two months, he found that the air in roads became clearer. Thus, he was able to see longer view than before. This story looks fake, but the reality is true. In the end, he naturally felt that he would want to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) as much as he can. He wanted the cleaner world.
We assumed that a trend to reduce GHGs would continue, but it did not happen. Like IKEA, we have increased GHGs in 2021. Therefore, it seems very natural that climate activists including Greta Thunberg have advocated that we need further actions to make our society more sustainable.
In this sense, big companies including IKEA must be a good example to realize economic value as well as social value. Of course, they are running their businesses in capitalism markets, so it is important for them to increase sales and profits. However, they have big responsibilities for our society at the same time. Thus, we want to believe that the Swedish company will be able to achieve climate positive by 2030.


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The couple we hiked the final two miles with yesterday have hiked the highest summits in 49 of 50 States. Not only that, they have also summited the highest peak in Africa and in Russia.
Djuan has done the highest peak on all 7 continents. His Everest credit is from a HALO jump. HALO stands for High Altitude Low Opening.
The conversations they had about specific far-off villages, trails, people and camp sites was astounding.
You just never know what a stranger knows that you know, that almost no one else in the world knows.
• • • • •
This website is about our SPIRIT. To enjoy today’s post about our WORK, click here.
If you want to stay on this site and read more posts from this Blog, click here.

domain: geography


Arrest made in Farmington home invasion: Police say suspect smashed in front door, threatened 85-year-old woman
FARMINGTON — Police announced on Monday they have apprehended a suspect they believe invaded an elderly woman's home on Sycamore Boulevard last week, saying that when the man resisted arrest they used an electroshock weapon to subdue him.
Donald Nisbet, 26, of 77 Bunker St., Apt. 1, was arrested on Oct. 15 and charged with robbery and burglary, both felony counts, as well as criminal threatening, false imprisonment, obstructing the report of a crime or injury and four counts of criminal mischief, all misdemeanors, for a crime committed on Oct. 14. For acts committed later that evening, Nisbet is also being charged with one count of criminal mischief and resisting arrest.
He was ordered to be held $5,000 cash bail, and arraigned in Rochester Circuit Court the same day as his arrest.
On Oct. 14, an 85-year-old woman reported her front door was “smashed in” just after 9 p.m. at her home on Sycamore Boulevard. Nisbet allegedly entered her bedroom, demanding jewelry and money, before allegedly “ripping apart” the woman's jewelry box, throwing drawers toward her. Nisbet also reportedly demanded a key to the victim's lockbox, which he attempted to open.
The woman then tried to call a relative nearby but Nisbet reportedly took the phone away from her and told her not to leave her bed. According to the witness's account, Nisbet then went to the woman's living room and dining room, flipping over furniture as he moved through the house.
The suspect then fled the scene.
Farmington Police Chief Kevin Willey said approximately two hours later, at approximately 11:30 p.m., police received another call from a nearby resident, reporting a disturbance in the area. Willey said police are still investigating what the disturbance was and declined to comment further on that incident.
When police arrived on scene, police found Nisbet, who allegedly tried to evade police by running through the nearby woods, in the area of Campbell Commons. Officers reportedly used a taser on Nisbet when a scuffle ensued.
“One officer attempted to take him into custody,” Willey explained. “He was struggling with that officer so a second officer was forced to use a taser on him, in order to gain compliance.”
Nisbet has a lengthy criminal history, according to police.
In June, Nisbet was indicted on a second-degree assault charge for allegedly attacking a 26-year-old man in Farmington by punching and kicking him several times outside a residence in November 2011. Nisbet was returned to Rockingham County House of Corrections for a “probation violation” around that time.
Nisbet was then indicted in September of this year on one count of burglary for an incident in Farmington on April 23. The Strafford County Attorney's office alleges Nisbet entered a residence on Spring Street on that day with the purpose of committing theft. He was released on $5,000 personal recognizance bail based on a ruling out of Strafford County Superior Court.
Willey said the information obtained on the incident of the home invasion was gathered through physical evidence and numerous witness interviews.
“The forensic evidence still needs to be analyzed,” Willey said, commenting on information he provided Foster's last week. “What we have at this point is an extremely strong, circumstantial case that is based upon witness interviews and other types of physical evidence that we have already obtained.”
Though he said he does not believe any more charges are forthcoming at this time, Willey said the investigation into the incidents of Oct. 14 is ongoing.
Asked about the condition of the elderly woman, Willey said police have been working to update on her on developments in the case.
“She's still shaken,” he said. “The good news is that she does have relatives that live nearby. We've been in regular contact with her in order to reassure her that this case was successful, and in this case, (had) a quick resolution.”
Anyone with further information on the case is urged to contact Detective Brian Driscoll with the Farmington Police Department at 755-2731 Ext. 105.
A indictment is not an indication of guilt; rather, it means a grand jury found sufficient evidence to warrant a trial.


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The Protector of the Kingdom
"A Tiger's Tale"
Once upon a time, in a faraway kingdom, there lived a giant tiger named Shera. She was known as the protector of the kingdom and was loved by everyone. Shera was born in the forest and grew up with the villagers. She learned to hunt and protect the villagers from the dangers of the forest. As she grew, so did her strength and love for the kingdom.
One day, a group of bandits came to the kingdom. They were fierce and ruthless. They started robbing the villagers, killing people, and causing chaos. The villagers were terrified, and they didn't know what to do. Shera saw this and knew she had to act fast.
She went to the council and suggested that they needed the plan to protect the kingdom. The council listened to her and decided to take her advice. They organized the villagers and trained them in combat. Shera trained them in hunting and survival. The villagers were quick learners, and soon they were ready to fight.
The battle began, and Shera led the villagers into the forest. They fought with all their might, but the bandits were too strong. Shera realized that they needed a different strategy. She suggested that they use the forest to their advantage. The villagers listened to her and started using the trees and the terrain to their advantage. They started attacking the bandits from the trees, and this caught them off guard.
The bandits were not expecting this, and they started panicking. They tried to retreat, but the villagers were not going to let them go. They chased them down and caught them. Shera went to the leader of the bandits and warned him never to come back to the kingdom again. The leader realized that he was no match for Shera and the villagers, and he promised to leave the kingdom alone.
The aftermath of the battle was filled with joy and relief. The villagers were happy that they were able to protect their kingdom, and they thanked Shera for her leadership. The council recognized Shera's bravery and suggested that she become the official protector of the kingdom. Shera accepted this offer, and she promised to always protect the kingdom from any danger that may come.
From that day forward, the villagers knew that they were safe as long as Shera was by their side. They loved her, and she loved them back. Shera became a legend in the kingdom, and her name was passed down from generation to generation. She was the protector of the kingdom, and her legacy lived on forever.
Years went by, and the kingdom continued to prosper under Shera's watchful eye. The villagers felt safe and secure, knowing that they had the giant tiger to protect them. Shera was always on the lookout for any danger that may come their way. She roamed the forest day and night, making sure that everything was in order.
One day, a new danger arrived in the kingdom. A pack of wolves had entered the forest and were attacking the villagers' livestock. The villagers were frightened, and they didn't know what to do. They went to Shera, hoping that she would know how to deal with the wolves.
Shera knew that the wolves were a serious threat, and she had to act fast. She gathered a group of skilled hunters and went into the forest to track down the wolves. They searched for days and finally found the wolves' den. They knew that this was going to be a difficult battle, but they were ready.
The battle was fierce, and both sides suffered losses. The hunters used their bows and arrows to fight the wolves, but the wolves were too strong. Shera knew that they needed a different approach. She suggested that they use fire to drive the wolves away. The hunters listened to her and started gathering wood to make a fire.
As the fire burned, the wolves started to retreat. They were afraid of the flames and the heat. Shera and the hunters chased them out of the forest and away from the village. The villagers were relieved and grateful. They thanked Shera and the hunters for their bravery and quick thinking.
The council recognized Shera's efforts in protecting the kingdom once again. They organized a grand ceremony in her honor and gave her a medal of honor. The villagers celebrated Shera's victory and cheered her name. Shera was happy to know that she had once again protected the kingdom from danger.
As the years went by, Shera grew old, and her strength started to fade. The villagers knew that it was time for her to retire, but they couldn't bear the thought of losing her. They went to the council and suggested that they build a statue in her honor. The council listened to them and agreed.
The statue was built in the center of the village, and it depicted Shera in all her glory. The villagers would gather around the statue and tell stories of Shera's bravery and heroism. They would remember how she protected the kingdom from danger and how she was loved by everyone.
Shera passed away peacefully, knowing that she had left behind a legacy that would never be forgotten. Her statue stood as a reminder of her bravery and heroism, and the villagers knew that as long as they remembered her, they would always be safe.
In the end, the giant tiger protected the kingdom from all danger, and her legacy lived on forever. She had become a symbol of strength and bravery, and her story would be told for generations to come. The villagers knew that they were lucky to have had such a protector, and they would always be grateful for her service.
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domain: literature


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The quintessential bar food — savory, unctuous and just sweet enough — exists and it's making a comeback. Yep, the pan dulce burger will make a cameo at Faust on Sunday, October 1.
From 4 to 10 p.m., chef J.C. Rodriguez (Southerleigh Fine Food & Brewery) will pop-up at Faust Tavern
for a night of concha burgers vegan "wheacharron," and chorizo rice.
The burger with its beef patty, strips of bacon, gooey brie and strawberry jam will also be part of the menu at the upcoming Con Safos at Yanaguana Garden. The restaurant is a West Side-inspired joint by the owners of Hi-Tones, The Squeezebox and Faust.
517 E. Woodlawn Ave.


text:
In the article they present a wealth of data relating to the assay of pathogens in samples also containing human genomic duplex DNA and to the assay of SNPs present in human genomic samples. The assays are carried out homogeneously and in solution at room temperature. Reactions can be monitored after as little as five minutes. The highly sensitive diagnostic assay allows for the direct detection of base sequence in human genomic duplex samples, thereby obviating the use of PCR which has inherent problems and is costly.
"We developed the heteropolymeric triplex assay step by step" says Jasmine Daksis, Senior Scientist with Ingeneus Research. "We started with synthetic 50-mer duplex targets and have developed our methods to the point where human genomic samples can be assayed." The assay uses YOYO-1, a bis-intercalator, to de-condense the duplex target, which renders the duplex nucleic acid readily reactive to oligo ssDNA probes. Any sequence present in the duplex may be specifically assayed. It is surmised that specific third strand binding creates additional grooves into which additional YOYO-1 molecules intercalate.
"We have decided not to focus on improving probe chemistry at this time, but rather to develop a flow injection based instrument which is matched to our chemistry," continued Daksis. Their Genome Flow® instrument, which employs hardware from FIALab Instruments of Bellevue, Washington, has one moving part, the syringe pump. It allows samples to be automatically quantitated, a necessary step in the Genomic Assay® because samples must be brought to a standard concentration, so they can be mixed with standard amounts of oligo probes for the purpose of automatic in solution assay. The instrument is easy to program, self-cleaning and inexpensive.
Daksis indicated that she expected to soon publish data on the use of the Genome Flow® instrument to carry out triplex assaying of genomic samples for pathogens or SNPs.
Source:Public Library of Science
Related biology news :
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2. Researchers develop assay that could be applied to drug screening
3. Molecule by molecule, new assay shows real-time gene activity
4. Stability of mRNA/DNA and DNA/DNA duplexes modulates mRNA transcription
5. Enzyme shown to help protect genomic stability
6. New comparative toxicogenomics database
7. Scientists document complex genomic events leading to the birth of new genes
8. Study of genomic DNA leads to new advances in cancer diagnostics
9. Measuring the impact of post-genomics on Mediterranean populations
10. Genrate: a generative model that finds and scores new genes and exons in genomic microarray data
11. PHACCS, an online tool for estimating the structure and diversity of uncultured viral communities using metagenomic information

domain: chemistry


text:
hrp0094p1-123 | Growth A | ESPE2021
Villemeur Raphaelle Billette de
, Giabicani Eloise
, Dubern Beatrice
, Netchine Irene
Objective: Silver-Russell syndrome (SRS) is an imprinting disorder characterized by severe intrauterine and postnatal growth retardation and feeding difficulties. Patients can benefit from recombinant growth hormone (rGH) therapy which has shown its positive effect on adult height. Our objective was to assess the short-term effects of rGH therapy on growth and nutritional status in prepubertal patients with SRS.Design: Retrospective anal...

domain: medical


text:
UA Riverview Stadium 17, Philadelphia
Philadelphia summer in philadelphia events events
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The Trocadero Theatre, Philadelphia**Tickets Are Open Only To Philadelphia Comic Con Attendees. You Must Purchase Tickets To Philadelphia Comic Con (1-Day, 3-Day or VIP) In Order To Purchase These Tickets...
Tuesday, Jul 2 7:00p
Great Plaza at Penn's Landing, PhiladelphiaThe Philadelphia Orchestra returns for its sixth summer to the RiverStage at the Great Plaza at Penn’s Landing...
Friday, Aug 9 7:30p
Great Plaza at Penn's Landing, PhiladelphiaSmooth Jazz will fill the waterfront every Friday night in August...
Monday, Jun 24 8:00a
First Unitarian Church, PhiladelphiaTLC Charm is holding our 5th Annual Summer Modeling Camp for girls 4 to 17 years old...
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text:
—consciously, adv./kon"sheuhs/, adj.1. aware of one's own existence, sensations, thoughts, surroundings, etc.2. fully aware of or sensitive to something (often fol. by of): conscious of one's own faults; He wasn't conscious of the gossip about his past.3. having the mental faculties fully active: He was conscious during the operation.4. known to oneself; felt: conscious guilt.5. aware of what one is doing: a conscious liar.6. aware of oneself; self-conscious.7. deliberate; intentional: a conscious insult; a conscious effort.8. acutely aware of or concerned about: money-conscious; a diet-conscious society.9. Obs. inwardly sensible of wrongdoing.n.10. the conscious, Psychoanal. the part of the mind comprising psychic material of which the individual is aware.[1625-35; < L conscius sharing knowledge with, equiv. to con- CON- + sci- (s. of scire to know; see SCIENCE) + -us -OUS; cf. NICE]Syn. 2. knowing, percipient. CONSCIOUS, AWARE, COGNIZANT refer to an individual sense of recognition of something within or without oneself. CONSCIOUS implies to be awake or awakened to an inner realization of a fact, a truth, a condition, etc.: to be conscious of an extreme weariness. AWARE lays the emphasis on sense perceptions insofar as they are the object of conscious recognition: He was aware of the odor of tobacco. COGNIZANT lays the emphasis on an outer recognition more on the level of reason and knowledge than on the sensory level alone: He was cognizant of their drawbacks.
* * *

domain: psychology


text:
Analysis of Ismail Kadare Prose Prospects Under the Optics of V. L. Propp
Keywords:poetics, literature, Propp analysis, Ismail Kadare, communist literature
AbstractWhen it comes to Albanian and Balkan literature, Ismail Kadare is undoubtedly one of the figures of the greatest importance for the development of modern literature, while reviving the elements of folklore lost in the empty communist literature. Kadare's work matters beyond the technical elements, the use of words, flow, and themes, for the important role he played with his silent attempt to reawaken the hope for freedom, through the hidden literary figures in his work. On the other hand, his contribution to literature comes as a result of his mastery to bring a new and modern spirit to literature, using motifs and figures used for centuries in Albanian folklore but wrapped in stories and characters of placed at different times from popular literature. Certainly, the inclusion of folkloric elements such as the taking of motifs and themes from old Albanian tales and legends leaves room to suggest the analysis of his work under the optics of Propp analysis, as a novelty in the analysis of the work of Balkan authors that share features similar to Kadare.
How to Cite
Lamcja, D. (2022). Analysis of Ismail Kadare Prose Prospects Under the Optics of V. L. Propp. European Journal of Social Science Education and Research, 9(2s), 75–93. https://doi.org/10.26417/769ptl17
Copyright (c) 2021 European Journal of Social Science Education and Research
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

domain: library


RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - Costa Rica’s goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 will net US$41 billion in economic benefits over the next three decades and set an example of the “right road to follow” for other nations, its president and environment minister said on Tuesday, November 24th.
The fiscal payoff of decarbonising the Central American nation, cited in a new report by the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), is “an extraordinary figure,” President Carlos Alvarado said in an online webinar with the media.
Costa Rica is a pioneer in global efforts to reduce planet-heating emissions . . .


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text:
Appartamento Rosi e Luci in Menaggio centre
Just with the street names you know that this just has to be everything you are looking for in a Menaggio apartment. You will be in Via Pesce (pesce means fish) just off Piazza Garibaldi (the famous lakeside square). The names dont just hint at the location, they tell you without mistake that you are in the very centre of one of Lake Comos most famous villages.
With Appartamento Rosi e Luci you have it all. Just ten metres from the main piazza with its wonderful cafes and restaurants, yet just tucked away in an authentic Stradina to give you peace and quiet when you feel the need to get away.
Either a short walk from public parking or the ferry you arrive at the famous Piazza Garibaldi. Here you will find wonderful cafes like the Cafι Du Lac and gorgeous restaurants like the Osteria il Pozzo.
A few steps further on and you will reach Via Pesce and an entrance to a two hundred year old building. Through the big wooden doors and up three flights of stones steps you reach the apartment named after the family.
Through the door you will immediately be surprised at the space and comfortable feel of the apartment with its large leather sofas, wooden floors and light airy feel. It is whitewashed throughout and has flowing chiffon curtains.
To the left you have French doors leading to a gorgeous granite balcony with its hand made iron railing and table and chairs for two. From the balcony you can gaze across the terracotta roofs of Menaggio for a lovely lake view just 100 metres away. There are two other windows facing the stradina that let in more light to keep the feel light and airy.
To the right traditional woodwork and stonemasonry meets contemporary design. The traditional kitchen is well equipped and enough to satisfy the keenest of cooks. There is a chunky wooden table and chairs for four if you want to entertain.
In the living area there are two large soft leather sofas, TV and lovely Lombardy feature furniture to add to the authentic feel. Then in a modern twist with gorgeous Italian design you have a large wooden mezzanine balcony that houses the bedroom and can be seen from the living area with its wooden and stainless steel balustrades and open stairs.
The stairs leading up to the bedroom area are in thick polished wood. Under the bedroom there is a large bathroom with a large shower, bidet, WC and vanity unit with sink.
When in the bedroom area you have a large double bed, drawers, side tables and hanging space. The furniture is modern but compliments the old style of the building. To add to the effect there are two large triangular windows with opaque glass and a solid wood vaulted ceiling and roof with exposed beams. It stunning!
Appartamento Rosie e Luci is perfect if you want the village centre experience but where you can also just get away from it all when you want peace and quiet.
There is no allocated parking for the apartment but there is plenty of public parking nearby. However due to its location Appartamento Lucie e Rosi is ideal for a car free holiday.
Appartamento Rosi e Luci - sleeping two people. Living/dining/kitchen area with balcony, one double bedroom, bathroom with shower. Cots can be hired for 30 per week but guests need to provide their own cot linen. Pre-loaded Internet keys can be hired for 35 per week but must be ordered at least one week in advance to ensure availability (not suitable for IPads).
Out and about.
Menaggio is one of the lakes most famous villages. In the Piazza Garibaldi and the surrounding streets you have everything you need from fresh bread to Prada shoes. The cafes and restaurants are in abundance and there are some gorgeous places to eat, one of which is the Osteria il Pozzo which is owned by your host who will be very happy to look after you in the restaurant.
There is no need to bring a car too. You have numerous bus routes and ferries all within a short walk. Days out to the famous destinations of Bellagio, Tremezzo and Varenna are all just a short ferry ride away, as are the gardens of Villa Carlotta. You are also just a short bus trip from Lugano in Switzerland too.
To the back of Menaggio there is the old town with its castle remains cobbled lanes and numerous walks and to the front you have a long promenade along the lake with palm trees and horticultural gardens for lovely evening strolls before drinks and dinner.
Just a short walk away too, is the Lido di Menaggio with two swimming pools, sandy beach, terraces, cafι and pizzeria. It has just been refurbished and is open to the public for a small entrance fee
Check and Book Online
The pricing availability tool below will provide you with accurate pricing and availability so you may book with confidence. You can arrive or depart any day of the week subject to our final approval and you may choose any number of nights, although minimum numbers of nights and minimum tariffs apply dependant on the season. These will be displayed with the price once you have selected your dates on the tool below. Please ensure that you only proceed with 'Send Booking' if you are making a firm booking. Payment terms are stated below the pricing tool below.
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*Please note that all prices include towels, linen, final clean and Tourist Taxes.
A deposit of 25% is payable once we have confirmed your booking. This can be paid by Visa, Mastercard or Bank transfer. The balance is then payable one month before arrival, by Visa, Mastercard or Bank transfer. A modest charge is made by the owner for heating, it is metered and paid on departure. An average apartment will cost around 50 euro per week for heating. A deposit to cover breakages will be collected/returned by the owner on arrival/departure. The amount will be confirmed in your arrival pack.
You have full access to our concierge service free of charge, both before and during your stay (except for goods and services supplied).
We can also provide extra services including Internet dongles, cots, high chairs, pool towels and also delivery of keys to properties outside of our normal meet and greet service (price dependant on location of property).
To find out more about our services select
Menaggio is a delightful small town located on the wst side of Lake Como.
It is an ideal central location for anyone wishing to explore the area as it hosts a ferry point and has a direct to Switzerland which is only 15mins away.
For more information on the area including weather, local attractions, activities and images please follow this link which will open in a new window: Menaggio Lake Como
- Washing machine
- Fridge with ice box
- Balcony with lakeview
- Cot available
- Lake front swimming pool and Lido nearby
- Water Skiing
- Horse Riding
- Water Sports
- Wind Surfing
- Boat Hire
- Bike Hire
- Seaplane Trips
- Gourmet Eating
- Beauty Spa nearby
- Lake front swimming pool and Lido nearby
- Car Recommended
- Car Not Required


text:
“I think most people are exactly where they want to be,” said Colleen Hojnacki. This phrase certainly rings true for her, as she finds herself in a career that she loves, surrounded by people who support her, enjoying life to the fullest.
As a practice supervisor at Porter Physician Group’s Portage Medical Group, Hojnacki said she has a plethora of women in her life who have continued to amaze and inspire her. Evie Mason, Director, Porter Primary Care with Porter Physician Group, has been a particularly strong mentor and friend to her.
“She challenges me to look at things in different ways and to look for answers in new places,” Hojnacki said. “I have grown so much from working with her.”
Equally influential in her life is her daughter, Kate.
“It may seem surprising, but Kate is now a very big influence in my life,” Hojnacki said. “She encourages me to be accepting of myself, reminds me to laugh and to give myself a break. She is an amazing woman.”
Having a strong network of people who believe in her has given Hojnacki the confidence to accomplish more than she ever thought possible.
“Having people that believe in you makes a difference,” she said. “It is my mission to give that back to those that I come in contact with.”
Hojnacki has strived to honor that mission daily for the past 5 1/2 years in her role as practice supervisor, supporting her providers and staff just as she has been supported herself.
“Most of the time, our new staff at the clinic is new to the medical field, so I love watching my staff learn and grow and become outstanding in their field,” Hojnacki said. “I work with remarkable providers, and knowing I can make things easier for them and give my support makes me feel that I’ve made a difference.”
As if her remarkable influence through her admirable work wasn’t enough to make her a strong role model in the community, Hojnacki is also a cancer survivor.
“Last year I was diagnosed with breast cancer; it was a tough year,” she said. “ But so many people supported me. My family and friends were there every step of the way, and my work family laughed with me and held me up when I needed them.”
“I don’t know that any of these people will ever truly know how much I appreciate them,” Hojnacki continued. “I really don’t think I could have walked this journey without them.”
Outside of work, Hojnacki loves to live a healthy, balanced lifestyle, making sure to work out, eat good food, drink good wine, and laugh whenever she can.
“When I can do all this with my family and friends, it’s a good day,” she said.
Another light in Hojnacki’s life is her granddaughter, Sloan.
“Recently my son and daughter-in-law had their first child,” Hojnacki said. “Being Sloan’s granny is the highlight of my life these days. It doesn’t get much better than that!”
Hojnacki grew up in Portage, and though she recently moved to Chesterton, to this day she has a strong connection with the city.
“I lived in Portage most of my life; it is a beautiful community filled with hard working people,” Hojnacki said. "I love the farmers market, festivals, and all the community activities Portage offers. It truly is a great little city."
Though she certainly has an affinity for her hometown, nothing stops Hojnacki from seeing the rest of the world, too.
“I love to travel and see and do new things,” she said. “One of my favorite places is Italy and I’d love to go back! I think that goes back to my love of wine and good food.”
With all the wonderful things she’s experienced and enjoyed in her life, and the happiness she continues to find every day, Hojnacki said she wouldn’t have life any other way.
“I love my life and really wouldn’t change much,” Hojnacki said. “I have truly been blessed.”

domain: sociology


text:
By Alan Kohler
Telstra made a welcome contribution to our salaries at Fairfax yesterday with $250,000 worth of full-page ads in the major daily newspapers. Ker-ching . . . thanks for that, Sol.
But like many advertising campaigns, the fact of the ads says more than what is in them.
Things must be going badly for Telstra. Yesterday's full-pagers were specifically aimed at the Prime Minister, John Howard, to get him to overrule those absolute bounders at the ACCC on fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) broadband.
Apparently Communications Minister Helen Coonan sort of, kind of, agreed to Telstra's demands two weeks ago, but Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chairman Graeme Samuel reminded her that there is a process of consultation to go through.
Last night, at a black-tie dinner in Hobart, Samuel held up his own advertisement in reply to Telstra's (although he is too stingy to contribute to Fairfax Media's coffers by actually buying space in the papers). It was simply a copy of Telstra's ad with the words "At What Price?" across it in blue.
What a ludicrous, farcical business Australia's progress towards true high-speed broadband has become.
Samuel knows exactly what price Telstra is proposing because he knocked it back, but he can't say what it is because he is bound by confidentiality agreements. Our political representative, Senator Coonan, also knows, but she won't say. Telstra obviously knows, but it won't say until it has bullied someone into agreeing to the price, in private.
Telstra's Phil Burgess mumbled a few weeks ago that it was in the mid-80s that is, around $85 per month per service, wholesale access. He then changed his mind and said the entry price is more like $60.
The competing G9 proposal started at $21 to $24, but that turns out to be the absolute entry level as well, and now they are saying the average is less than half Telstra's price, that is, around $40. Or is it $45?
It is suggested that Telstra's entry level $60 price will only apply to relatively slow speeds. The price of true high-speed broadband using FTTN will actually be around $85 a month wholesale. That means the retail price will be around $100 a month.
So to boil it down: there seems to be a secret discussion going on about whether Australians will pay $50 a month or $100 a month for high-speed broadband.
Gee, that's a tough one. $50? Or $100? Um, lets see . . .
Meanwhile, the rest of the world is moving rapidly towards fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) which produces much faster speeds and is cheaper to run because optic fibre is more reliable, requiring less intervention and the software puts more control in the hands of the customer. Verizon in the US believes that FTTH will save it $US110 per home a year.
FTTN, which is what the Australian authorities and industry are scrapping over, is a transitional technology. Eventually all of the nodes would become redundant. Because of that, most other countries are moving directly from copper-based ADSL to FTTH.
The latest estimates from Europe suggest that the FTTH capital cost is between $1200 and $1500 per home connected, depending on the density. Some customers in Europe have been prepared to pay part of this because it increases the value of their homes.
The European FTTH Council website contains a back-of-the-envelope business case on metropolitan FTTH, using revenue per customer of EUR39 ($A63) per home per month. That produces an internal rate of return of 23 per cent and a simple payback of seven years on the investment.
The capital cost depends critically on whether or not existing trenches and ducts can be used for the fibre: new ones make the cost prohibitive.
Which brings us to Telstra's ducts. The underground tubes that carry the copper wire from Telstra's 5000 exchanges to 10 million or so homes and businesses are, in fact, Telstra's key asset and its only real sustainable advantage.
In the world of fibre, the copper wires and the exchanges that operate them are obsolete, scrap metal. FTTN preserves the need for copper over the last mile to the house for a bit longer, which is presumably one reason Telstra is heaping scorn on FTTH. But its network of ducts is a true monopoly asset: no one can viably duplicate them and alternatives such as overhead poles and sewers are not suitable.
Telstra ducts were declared long ago, which means it cannot withhold access to them, and the price of access is regulated. It would have been far better if that part of Telstra had not been privatised, or at least sold separately as an infrastructure fund, but it's too late now.
The G9 FTTN proposal basically involves an infrastructure fund owning the fibre from the exchanges to the nodes, and running them through Telstra's ducts, for which it pays rent. It then rents the copper from the nodes to the houses.
This plan covers capital cities and major regional towns. The Labor Party has announced a policy that uses money from the Future Fund to increase the coverage of this to 98 per cent of the population.
The Government is searching for a different broadband election policy than this, which is why it is susceptible to Telstra's charms and bullying (its OK for the Government to copy every other ALP policy, apparently, but not this one).
Obviously, John Howard and Helen Coonan should go for FTTH, and forget FTTN. They have the money and it would be a modern, forward-looking policy that Labor couldn't match. But will it work?
Yes, Prime Minister.
Alan Kohler publishes Eureka Report, an investment newsletter financially backed by Carnegie Wylie & Co. The views expressed here are Kohler's alone.

domain: economics