Nikki Bowdish, a baker who lives on Peterson Terrace in Middlebury, recently started a small home bakery and has joined in the “Bakers Against Racism” bake sale. Caroline Corrente, whose Haymaker Buns is in Middlebury, has also signed on with the 1,000-plus bakeries worldwide that are selling cookies, cakes and other baked goodies to fight racism. Businesses participating Bakers Against Racism will give 100% of the proceeds to specific causes and organizations: Bowdish to Black Trans Travel Fund and the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund; Corrente to Black Lives Matter and The Equal...
MIDDLEBURY — Managers of the downtown Middlebury rail bridges project have tentatively picked July 13 as the starting date for a 10-week closure of both Main Street and Merchants Row, during which a 360-foot-long concrete tunnel will be installed in place of what were two 1920s-era rail spans.
Jon Griffin, project manager for the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans), disclosed the date at a recent Middlebury selectboard meeting. The 10-week closure will also result in the temporary detouring of Vermont Rail freight traffic.
“There’s some possibility (the start date) could flex a little...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In the past six months since the novel coronavirus first reached the United States, about 115,000 Americans have died and roughly 36 million have lost jobs.
Meanwhile, Congress has struggled to keep up with the nationwide devastation despite passing four bills authorizing $3 trillion in aid for coronavirus relief, including more than $1 billion for Vermont.
As the nation faces recession and lawmakers debate over the scope and goals of the next relief package, here’s a breakdown of how the congressional response to the COVID-19 pandemic has affected Vermont and what work...
MIDDLEBURY — After half a decade closed to most motorized vehicles, Middlebury’s Creek Road could reopen to cars and trucks by the end of this week.
The Middlebury selectboard this past week gave its final approval to a Creek Road reopening plan that’s contingent on installation of guardrail at nine key locations.
Creek Road runs from Court Street on its north end to Three Mile Bridge Road on the south end. The road has been closed to through traffic for the past five years, due to flood-related damage. It’s currently gated at two locations, with access granted to farmers and the few...
RIPTON — Middlebury College has canceled the 95th annual Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference because of ongoing concerns over COVID-19.
The conference had been scheduled to take place on the college’s Bread Loaf campus in mid-August.
“All of us here at the conferences feel tremendous regret that the pandemic will prevent us from joining together in person this summer, but we are eager to do our part to protect the writers we serve from possible exposure or transmission of the coronavirus,” wrote BLWC Director Jennifer Grotz in a June 15 email to the conference community.
September’s Bread Loaf...
SOCIAL DISTANCING REQUIREMENTS for the COVID-19 pandemic forced a new kind of graduation ceremony at Middlebury Union High School and other secondary schools throughout the land. Students on Saturday rolled up in decorated vehicles to pick up their diplomas from a makeshift stage in front of the MUHS building.
Independent photo/John S. McCright
MIDDLEBURY — Four fruitful years at Middlebury Union High School this past Saturday came down to one last meander down the horseshoe driveway fronting a building that had become home away from home for the more than 127 members of the class of 2020.
It was a chance to drive off into the sunset, and each student took full advantage this past Saturday.
One-by-one, they rolled up to a makeshift stage in sleek coupes, revving Jeeps, powerful trucks and classic autos, most of them decorated with the black-and-orange colors of MUHS and bearing bright signs announcing each matriculating senior....
NEWLY MINTED OTTER Valley graduate Alia Edmuns gives a shout out from the family vehicle after OV’s socially distance graduation on Saturday.
Independent photo/Lee J. Kahrs
BRANDON — It’s amazing what we can get used to.
For decades each June, graduating seniors and their families, teachers and school officials packed Otter Valley’s gymnasium for the area’s biggest coming-of-age event of the year, high school graduation. It was usually very warm and close in OV’s House of Noise, but that never seemed to dampen the enthusiasm for the day.
Then came 2020, the year of an unprecedented coronavirus pandemic that forced the closure of school buildings three months ago and ushered in a “new normal” of face masks and social distancing.
As a society, we have adapted,...
MIDDLEBURY UNION MIDDLE School Guidance Counselor Jeff Murawski is retiring this month after 31 years helping students make the transition from elementary to secondary school.
Independent photo/John S. McCright
MIDDLEBURY — Jeff Murawski might be 65 years old, but he feels like he’s still in his 30s.
No, the Middlebury Union Middle School guidance counselor hasn’t found the fountain of youth.
It’s his students that have kept him young.
“I’ve always liked my job and I’ve always enjoyed going to work,” Murawski said during a recent phone interview. “The great thing about kids this age is they come every year as 12-year-olds and leave you at 14, and they’re always the same age. It makes you feel, in some weird way, like you haven’t gotten older. I’ve really enjoyed that part.”
After 31 years of helping...
ETIRING ADDISON CENTRAL School reading specialist Sheryl Thurber and school guidance counselor Alyshia Murphy (left) pose with young Addison residents at a recent kindergarten screening at the school. Thurber is retiring from the Addison Northwest district after 44 years, the last two decades
ADDISON — Longtime Addison Central School reading specialist Sheryl Thurber shares a background with many others who have chosen education as their careers.
There’s family tradition.
“There are a lot of teachers in the family,” said Thurber, 63, who is retiring this spring after 44 years as an Addison Northwest School District employee.
And parents who read to her.
“My mother was a teacher. She was a kindergarten teacher and read to us all the time,” said the longtime Bristol resident who grew up in Vergennes.
And a love of reading.
“We come from a long line of readers, so I was always a...
ONE OF THE VUHS morning meeting groups of seniors sends their mortarboards flying on Friday evening, June 12, after VUHS Principal Stephanie Taylor announced they have earned their degrees.
Independent photo/Andy Kirkaldy
VERGENNES — It wasn’t a typical graduation evening for the Vergennes Union High School Class of 2020.
But then what has been typical over the past four months for the class’ 68 seniors, months filled with distance learning and isolation and uncertainty?
Friday evening’s festivities saw a parade through Vergennes organized by parents and community members that followed a socially distanced ceremony held in front of the school.
The ceremony saw seniors grouped by the dozen — they were sorted by their morning meeting home rooms. The stars of the show were driven up to a stage at the back of...


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Celebrated musician Shawnee Talbot, (Mohawk, Six Nations Grande River) has just announced a casting call stating she is looking for 10-15 year old First Nations dancer for her newest video 'Warrior Heart.' The dancer must be available to shoot in Toronto on June 3rd and the audition takes place May 15th.
According to Talbot, "Modern dance as well as traditional dance experience is a plus, and the part is paid work."
"The song is not out yet," Talbot told ICMN, "But the song will come out at the same time as the video on June 19th. It's been a long time in the making. I am also excited to work with youth. It is important for me to feature our Native youth and our culture through dancing." As ICMN has previously reported in last year's "The 2016 50 Faces of Indian Country" magazine of which Talbot was one of 50 notables featured in the magazine, Shawnee Talbot is a singer/songwriter whose hard work and powerful voice have enabled her to perform across Canada and the U.S., and appear on Disney TV, Canadian Idol, and the Glass Tigers Canadian tour, where she shared the stage with Lady GaGa, Roxette, and Tegan and Sara. [text_ad] Talbot, who openly identifies as Two Spirit, tackled issues related to that in her single and video Mirror Me, which speaks to the struggle of self-identity. It has played on radio stations across North America, and was used on several TV shows, including Mohawk Girls. The official video was added to the popular Canadian music site Much Music, and hit number one on the Aboriginal Music Countdown in 2013. After releasing the single Canadian Cry in 2015, which addresses the Canadian government’s accountability for all the murdered and missing aboriginal women in Canada, Talbot performed the song on the Indspire Awards. Talbot says she is looking forward to her new video Warrior Heart. "This is my second video but the first time we are doing something like this," she said. For those interested in auditioning for the part, send a photo and/or video as well as explained experience to email@example.com. More information available on Shawnee Talbot's Facebook post. Follow Vincent Schilling (Akwesasne Mohawk) - ICMN’s Arts and Entertainment, Pow Wows and Sports Editor - Follow @VinceSchilling

domain: news


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DescriptionThe first years of life are paramount in establishing our endogenous gut microbiota, which is strongly affected by diet and has repeatedly been linked with obesity. However, very few studies have addressed the influence of maternal obesity on infant gut microbiota, which may occur either through vertically transmitted microbes or through the dietary habits of the family. Additionally, very little is known about the effect of diet during the complementary feeding period, which is potentially important for gut microbiota development. Here, the gut microbiotas of two different cohorts of infants, born either of a random sample of healthy mothers (n = 114), or of obese mothers (n = 113), were profiled by 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. Gut microbiota data were compared to breastfeeding patterns and detailed individual dietary recordings to assess effects of the complementary diet. We found that maternal obesity did not influence microbial diversity or specific taxon abundances during the complementary feeding period. Across cohorts, breastfeeding duration and composition of the complementary diet were found to be the major determinants of gut microbiota development. In both cohorts, gut microbial composition and alpha diversity were thus strongly affected by introduction of family foods with high protein and fiber contents. Specifically, intake of meats, cheeses and Danish rye bread, rich in protein and fiber, were associated with increased alpha diversity. Our results reveal that the transition from early infant feeding to family foods is a major determinant for gut microbiota development.
|Period||23 Jun 2016|
|Event title||10th INRA-Rowett Symposium: Gut Microbiology|

domain: medical


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Cosmetic Dentist in Angschied (Rhineland-Palatinate) Other Cities in Rhineland-Palatinate > Rhineland-Palatinate > Germany
Cosmetic dentistry is one of the most specialized and searched for dental type offices searched for online. As soon as you uncover a fantastic dentist who can carry out these cosmetic procedures you will have the ability to get your physical teeth problems taken care of. Cosmetic dentistry in Angschied offices are all over and you can start looking by means of the dentist listed below. You will have no problem in getting a dentist who can help you make a new straightened set of teeth.
Cosmetic dentistry is one of the easiest ways to get your unwanted aspects of your teeth fixed so you don't have to be self-conscious if you smile, there are dentist who can help you in each way. Cosmetic dentistry is among the most important aspects in helping patients with teeth problems regain their smiles and confidence by means of any of the procedures needed and used to fix teeth.
When you are looking for Cosmetic dentist in Angschied, start your search on the effortless to use web page DentalBy and you will come across a great dentist that can correct any teeth difficulties which might be hurting your appearance.
Nearest Cosmetic Dentist in Angschied, showing 646
Fritz-Wunderlich-Straße 49, Kusel, Deutschland
Burgfriedstraße 25, Daun, Deutschland
Balduinstraße 49, Zell (Mosel), Deutschland
Rheinstraße 37, Horhausen (Westerwald), Deutschland
Granastraße 18, Konz, Deutschland
Luisenstraße 7, Worms, Deutschland
Kaiserstraße 4, Pirmasens, Deutschland
Westring 17, Landau, Germany
Mainzer Straße 93, Heidesheim am Rhein, Deutschland
Gartenstraße 19, Daun, Deutschland
Friedhofstraße 9, Sembach, Deutschland
Cusanusstraße 39, Bernkastel-Kues, Deutschland
Marktstraße 3, Wörth am Rhein, Deutschland
Mainzer Straße 49, Ingelheim am Rhein, Germany
Neustraße 31, Westerburg, Deutschland


Same issue here, very low sound coming through the mic. I have also tried all the advice on the forum but the issue remains. Using Android devices to monitor Wyze Cam 2.
Im having the same issue with new camera. Updated the firmware right out of box so i dont know if its the firmware or not but the camera will not pickup sound in live feed or recorded video. However if i disable the auto night vision i get sound on both setting nightvision off and on but if i switch it back to auto nightvision i loose sound again
I’m having the same issue with one of my cans. Mic works fine, but all I get is static when trying to listen to audio picked up by the camera. Very disappointing. 3 others working fine.


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In the apparel and accessories sector, Cortiez Clothing is a shining example of elegance and inventiveness, providing a distinctive fusion of originality, high standards, and cutting-edge designs. In the cutthroat world of clothing, Cortiez has made a name for itself by emphasizing contemporary design and adhering to eco-friendly procedures. We dive into the core of Cortiez Clothing in this in-depth analysis, including its background, design ethos, iconic collection, and influence on the fashion scene.
A Journey Through Cortiez’s History
Origins and Vision
Cortiez Clothing was established in 2010 by the innovative designers Marie Cortiez, who was driven to combine wearable fashion with artistic vision. From its modest origins in a little studio, Cortiez has grown into a well-known worldwide brand for its avant-garde strategy for apparel design.
Evolution of Design
Cortiez has continually tested limits and reinterpreted fashion conventions over several decades. The corporation’s design philosophy is distinguished by vivid colors, unusual shapes, and daring patterns. Every book reveals Maria Cortiez’s distinctive style and meticulous dedication to detail while telling a distinct story.
The Artistry Behind Cortiez Clothing
A deep-seated dedication to originality and innovation is the foundation of Cortiez Gear. The design philosophies of the company are based on inclusiveness, long-term sustainability, and artistic expression. Because each item is expertly made, both functionality and aesthetic are perfectly balanced.
The designs found in Cortiez’s collections range extensively from sophisticated evening dress to casual casual. Among those is the “As time Chic ” line, which combines high fashion sensibility with urban aesthetics. Every item in this collection reflects Cortiez’s avant-garde commitment to design and is a work of art.
Collaborations and Partnerships
Cortiez Clothing has established partnerships with esteemed musicians, ranging influential people, and institutions to craft unique collections that strike a chord with a wide range of consumers. These collaborations have broadened Cortiez’s horizons and enhanced its artistic fabric.
Sustainability and Ethical Practices
Cortiez is dedicated to using ethical and environmentally friendly supply chain processes. The company uses fair labor practices, purchases environmentally friendly supplies, and backs programs that lessen their negative effects on the surroundings. Setting sustainability as a top priority, Cortiez leads by experience in the fashion sector.
The Impact of Cortiez Clothing on Fashion
In the realm of fashion, Cortiez Clothing serves as a trailblazer, frequently establishing the mood for next seasons by its creations. Influencers and fashionistas alike have developed a devoted following for a company because of its ability to predict and adjust to changing fashions.
Redefining Beauty Standards
The clothing industry has benefited greatly from Cortiez’s promotion of difference and acceptance of one’s body. In an effort to redefine beauty norms and promote diversity, the brand uses models throughout its campaigns that range in age, dimension, and ethnicity.
Cortiez Clothing – Where Innovation Meets Style
To sum up, Cortiez Clothing is proof of the strength of originality, ingenuity, and ecological responsibility in the industry of fashion. Fashion aficionados throughout the world are captivated and inspired by Cortiez because of its distinctive designs, dedication to ethical procedures, and influence on fashion trends. Savor the charm of Cortiez Clothes of welcome a new age of finesse and flair.
Exploring Cortiez’s Signature Collections
The Urban Chic collection by Cortiez embodies the fusion of urban streetwear with high-fashion elegance. This collection features bold patterns, edgy silhouettes, and a color palette that speaks volumes. From statement hoodies to sleek joggers, each piece in the Urban Chic collection is designed to make a statement and exude confidence.
Cortiez’s dedication to sustainable is demonstrated by its eco-friendly collection, which features clothing made of natural fibers, recycled materials, and cutting-edge textiles. The collection in question demonstrates Cortiez’s commitment to ethical fashion techniques while also advancing the understanding of the environment.

domain: design


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All pork has an underlying sweetness and lightness that pairs best with light-to-medium-bodied wines with lots of fruit and low tannins.
Pork has, unfortunately, come to truly embody its nickname as “the other white meat”. Lean and easy to cook dry as a bone, it cries out for something to rescue it. That something could easily be a wine. Pair a good wine with a good cut and a good sauce and you can be in pork heaven.

domain: food


The Saanich Police are warning residents of an aggressive new phone scam that is happening this week. In some cases, the scammers have changed their call display to show “Saanich Police Department” or display the SPD main phone number of “250-475-4321.”
The scammers claim that a breach has occurred with the recipient’s Social Insurance Number (SIN) and ask the recipient to verify the last three digits of their SIN card. The scammer then threatens the person that they owe money because their card has been compromised.
The scammers are being extremely aggressive and demanding that people withdraw money from their bank accounts and then deposit it into local Bitcoin machines. ITunes cards (and subsequent numbers) are also being requested from residents. To date, none of the residents have reported losing any money.
If the recipient expresses concern to call or attend the Police department to ensure validity, the scammers continue to impersonate the police and threaten to arrest them as soon as they attend the police department.
“The Saanich Police will never call you and ask you to withdraw money or direct you to Bitcoin machines,” stated Detective Sergeant Damian Kowalewich. “If you suspect that a scammer has called, document the caller ID number and hang up. Do not provide any personal information to the caller. We are also asking residents to share details of this recent scam with any vulnerable persons in their lives.”
If you suspect that you have received a call from one of these scammers please report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre http://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/index-eng.htm
D/Sgt. Damian Kowalewich
- Scam alert: Fake calls from police departments demanding bitcoin payment
- Scam: SIN scammers impersonate VicPD Officer
- Millennials account for half of all scam victims, Vancouver police launch NanaSays
- Are you one of the 101 million email accounts compromised via Ebrite, in a 2013 breach identified in 2019?
- BCSC wins in U.S. court to enforce order against fraudster
- Better Business Bureau’s top 10 scams of 2018
- Online dating – know what you’re signing up for
- Cyber fraud affecting businesses in the West Shore
- BC Hydro warns customers about scams after record number of attempts to defraud in 2018
- Crackdown in Mumbai has big impact on CRA tax scam
- Public warning as email-based “sextortion” scams reported
- Pornography scam uses your username and password information to extort bitcoin payment
- Emergency scam with a concerning variation
- New scam strikes with a new slick twist
- RCMP issue reminder that “gifting clouds,” aka pyramid schemes, are illegal
- Business directories: Double-check before writing them a cheque
- Scammers are at it again, this time threatening legal action
- A special prize just for you? Don’t be fooled into believing you are a sweepstakes winner
- March is Fraud Prevention Month: Here are some safety tips
- Fraud awareness: Merchants beware of counterfeit credit cards
- CRA scam prompts warning from detectives
- Don’t fill their wallets with gift cards
- Sooke RCMP issue CRA phone scam alert
- ICBC warning customers of text message scam
- No the CRA won’t tell you to e-Transfer Bitcoin or pay in iTunes cards
- Business e-mail compromise scam prompts warning
- Compromised image extortion trend leads to police warning
- LETTER: Scammed Sooke senior shares this randsomware story
- Envelope theft: Protecting yourself on your special day
- SCAM Reminder: CRA does not do transactions with links!


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Business Book Award Longlist: Must-Read Titles Of 2015 by Andrew Hill, Financial Times
The promise and perils of technology dominate the longlist for this year’s Financial Times and McKinsey Business Book of the Year Award.
The 15 titles include Ashlee Vance’s Elon Musk, a biography of the charismatic entrepreneur behind the Tesla electric car, Digital Gold by Nathaniel Popper, on the development of the virtual currency bitcoin, and The Rise of the Robots, by Martin Ford, about jobs and automation.
Only one technology book has won the prize before —The Everything Store, about Amazon, in 2013. But this year’s tech contenders also include: How Music Got Free, Stephen Witt’s story of how online piracy nearly brought down the recording industry; Losing the Signal, by Jacquie McNish and Sean Silcoff, about the rise and fall of BlackBerry; and Steve LeVine’s investigation of how battery science is advancing, The Powerhouse.

domain: library


Grass fires burned several homes in the Amarillo area and forced authorities to close a highway and evacuate workers at a nuclear weapon plant. At least one firefighter was treated for burns. One fire southeast of Amarillo burned 2,000 acres and five homes. Another in Canyon severely damaged an apartment complex. A third fire burned about 6,000 acres and forced the evacuation of 2,500 workers from the Pantex nuclear plant, the nation's primary disassembly site for nuclear bombs. Pantex also stores plutonium.
From Times Staff and Wire Reports
Copyright © 2019, Los Angeles Times


Like the North Carolina and Virginia mandates already in effect, this law will require that all private insurance policies sold in that state cover compression supplies. The Louisiana bill was passed unanimously by both its state House and Senate, and now all that remains is for the bill to be signed into law by the Governor.
We need your help to pass the Lymphedema Treatment Act so that patients everywhere, including Medicare beneficiaries who can’t be helped by state mandates, have coverage for their compression supplies. If your Representative is not yet amongst our cosponsors, please continue to contact his or her office.
I urge you to call your Rep’s DC office, this week, and speak to the Health Aide. When you do, ask for his or her direct email address so that you can send this information about the bill. A link to look up the phone number, as well as lots of helpful tips on what to say and what questions to expect, can be found in our Advocacy Handbook.
This is important information for those that are dealing with lymphedema issues and those that may or may not have to deal with it in the future. I hope you will take a moment to help your fellow survivors and work for PA to also pass a lymphedema treatment mandate.
It is a great day! S


Press Conference: Jason Tarver Tuesday
Aug 19, 2014
Defensive coordinator Jason Tarver spoke to the media after Tuesday's practice and discussed the challenge of playing against QB Aaron Rodgers and the Packers this week.
Marshawn Lynch shows off his Beast Mode store and Skittles machine | Raiders: Talk of the Nation
Raiders host Kristine Leahy is joined by former running back Marshawn Lynch to discuss opening his Beast Mode store in Las Vegas and answers rapid-fire questions on this episode of Raiders: Talk of the Nation.


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SEARCH BLOG: ECONOMICS
I understand the desire of bloggers to have catchy post titles, hence the title of this post. I was actually doing a title parody of a post at Carpe Diem: People and Businesses Trade, Not Countries.
It's a simple, but overlooked point: Countries don't trade, individual American consumers make voluntary decisions to buy products produced by foreign companies (e.g. check the country of origin on the tags/labels on your clothes), and individual American businesses voluntarily buy from, and sell to, foreign firms and consumers. Most of the discussion about trade focuses on aggregate trade statistics at the "country level," like reports of a $56.5 billion U.S. trade deficit in September, a $700 billion U.S. trade deficit for 2007, a $195 trade deficit with China this year, or a $14 billion trade surplus with Netherlands this year.Of course, the title is perfectly accurate because a "country" is composed of individuals including those who run businesses... but the title is somewhat misleading when the author tries to equate actions of individuals with those of multinational corporations and governments [yes, comprised of individuals].
Like Walter Williams points out, those aggregate trade data can disguise the fact that it was individual American consumers and businesses making voluntary decisions on buying and selling products every day that result in some country-level trade deficit or surplus when trade data between the U.S. and other countries is aggregated at the end of a month, quarter or year.
Bottom Line: People trade, not countries. Therefore, any restrictions on trade in the form of protectionism hurt American people, i.e. U.S. consumers, and the workers and shareholders of U.S. businesses. A tariff on Japanese-made products is not a tariff on the country of Japan,it is really a tax on American consumers and businesses who voluntarily decide to buy products made by Japanese producers.
My responses to the article and some other comments about the article. This:
Countries don't trade, but governments facilitate trade through treaties that are either enforced or not.And this:
When you go to the store to purchase an item, you probably don't look at the country of origin. You don't look for the "made with child labor" label. You don't read the "prices kept low through currency manipulation" disclaimer. You don't read the part of the owner's manual that tells you "designed by carefully copying quality products."
Individuals do NOT engage in trade... well, 99.9999% don't... they purchase available products. Small businesses do NOT engage in trade... they purchase available products from suppliers. Large corporations with resources to specifically source as they want DO engage in trade. Governments that award contracts based on price DO engage in multinational sourcing... DO engage in trade.
For those who wish to equate purchases at a local store with arranging for large volumes of goods to be brought in from other countries for distribution, sale, or incorporation into a larger product/assembly, then I concede the concept that individuals trade. But beyond such superfluous and meaningless comparisons, the argument is specious.Further reading here.
Qi, trade does not necessarily enrich all. The Chinese, for example, have siphoned billions... perhaps trillions... of dollars from U.S. companies through intellectual theft... THEFT. You can call that trade if you wish, but counterfeiting and intellectual property theft is just another form of Barbary pirating.
Economists want to view the world through "principles" of trading and thereby lose credibility with those who truly understand the actual interchanges.
Now, if placing boundaries around what is considered acceptable is "an infringement on my freedom allowing to choose who I want to trade with," perhaps your freedom should be re-examined.
Going back to the original point; individuals make purchases or exchange their labor or knowledge for payment... a micro form of "trade" in a loose semantic way. But trade, in the sense of transactions impacting nations, is far upstream of those individual purchases which are "an infringement on my freedom allowing to choose who I want to trade with" by driving out of business through unethical practices [by our standards and laws] those local and national businesses with whom they compete.
But you might save a buck at Wal-Mart as a result.
... and individuals fire weapons and fly planes and sail ships... not governments.... Governments don't make war.

domain: finance


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A long, cylindrical variety of squash, native to Asia, that is generally harvested when it is between 1 to 2 feet in length, but can be grown as long as 8 to 10 feet. It has a dark green outer skin with longitudinal ridges covering a somewhat spongy and fiberous pulp, somewhat similar to a cucumber. If picked when it is young, about 6 to 10 inches in length, the meat is tender and similar to a zucchini in flavor. When allowed to grow longer in length, the squash becomes bitter tasting and less flavorful. It is a good squash to add to salads or stir-fried foods. Since the meat of this squash is very absorbant, it takes on the flavors of other ingredients as it cooks. As a very small and young squash, it is sliced into round pieces and used as an ingredient for soups, stews and rice dishes. Larger sized squash are most often served as a vegetable dish or cut into smaller pieces for stir-fried dishes.
After harvesting, Chinese okra should be kept refrigerated in a paper bag for 5 to 8 days. As an Asian squash, this variety has many different names. It is known as dishrag or dishcloth gourd, luffa, loofah, ridged loofah, ridged gourd, silk gourd, silk squash, see gua, sin qua, sing qua, smooth squash, sponge gourd, as well as cabatiti, ghosala, hechima, kwa, muop khia, patola, patolang, see kwa, shui, sing gwa, sinqua, sko ah, sze gwa, ta toorai, and tooria, and tsu kua. The dishcloth or dishrag name refers to the fiberous webbing that forms inside the older and larger squash, as they mature, that can be removed and is actually used for washing in some countries.

domain: agronomy


That’s somewhat pricier than the outgoing RDX, which started at $32,895, but the latest-generation RDX has a substantial increase in features, better fuel efficiency and more performance.
The 2013 RDX comes with a more fuel-efficient and powerful V-6 engine that produces 273 horsepower (33 hp more than the outgoing 2012 model’s four-cylinder motor) and should achieve an estimated 20/28/23 mpg city/highway/combined or 19/27/22 mpg when equipped with all-wheel drive. The boost in fuel efficiency is aided by a new adaptive electric power-steering system that replaces the old model’s hydraulic system.
Standard features include leather upholstery, heated front seats, a power moonroof, backup camera, 360-watt stereo, passive keyless entry, push-button start and a noise-canceling system. If you compare it with the outgoing RDX, you actually lose some standard features, such as automatic climate control and high-intensity-discharge headlights. Also standard are 18-inch alloy wheels and a more sophisticated rear suspension damping system, comparable to the Honda CR-V (on which the RDX is based).
All-wheel drive adds $1,400. The Technology Package — which includes a navigation system, automatic climate control, premium stereo, power liftgate, fog lights, HID headlights and real-time traffic and weather reports — costs $3,700. The RDX tops out at under $40,000.
The new model is longer and wider than the RDX it replaces, and it compares favorably with its competition. The 2012 Lexus RX 350 starts at $39,075 and doesn’t include features like a backup camera. The 2013 BMW X3 starts at $37,995, but with its new fuel-efficient four-cylinder motor and standard power liftgate, it is fairly competitive in terms of pricing. The 2012 Cadillac SRX starts at $35,485 and isn’t nearly as fuel efficient as the RDX, nor, arguably, is it as well-equipped. The 2012 Audi Q5 starts at $35,600 and is comparably equipped to the RDX. None of the Acura’s competition is as fuel efficient as the RDX, however.
Continue reading below for more detailed pricing information.
2013 Acura RDX Pricing (2012 Pricing)
RDX: $34,320 ($32,895)
All-wheel drive: $1,400 ($2,000)
Technology Package: $3,700 ($3,100)
Destination: $885 ($885)


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Sunday, January 20, 2013
Jennifer's (TFEQ) quilt
Hey there! Happy Sunday Morning! I have finally finished quilting and trimming up this magnificent quilt by Jenny. Its name is TFEQ (Totally F****** Epic Quilt). A bit racy for a quilt name, but it does have the very best fabric ever in it. 100 glorious courthouse step blocks. I bet you can play eye spy with it and pick out the Suzuko Koseki fabric and lovely bits of Denyse schmidt and independent fabric from various spoonflower designers. All the text fabric is just wonderful.
I know if you have been using instagram or twitter you have been suffering with tons of pictures of this quilt...I just love it so and I am so delighted with how it has turned out. Each quilt seems to take on a life of their own when they are here in my studio and this quilt and I have had such a great time together.
I used 2 layers of batting - one wool and one cotton. Both Quilters Dream. So the fluff factor and texture is off the chart. OK, so lets just look at pictures.
My New Gammill arrives tomorrow! I will need some more quilts to quilt...so if you have a top or 2 (or more) that needs quilting shoot me an email!
I had to give this little pin up girl some more flames.
Have a great day and happy quilting!


The A-37 Dragonfly was developed in 1963 by modifying the Cessna-built T-37 trainer. Although the A-37 resembled the T-37, in fact there were few interchangeable parts with that trainer. Prefix letters may also be added to the designation, as with the OA-37 Dragonfly, where the letter O prefix means that this attack aircraft has an additional role of observation. The aircraft was perfect for FAC (Forward Air Control) and a number of examples were modified into OA-37Bs, which consisted mostly in the addition of radios.
Hardpoints were added to the wings, as were wing tip fuel tanks. The cockpit got upgraded avionics as well as ejection seats. In flight refueling capabilities were also added to the aircraft. In addition there were retractable FOD screens to prevent debris from entering the engines and a 20mm gatling cannon was added. The modifications increased the weight of the aircraft so larger engines and stronger landing gear were required. It sported two General Electric J85-GE-17A turbojet engines, which developed 2,850 pounds of thrust. The wingspan of this plane was 35 feet, 10 inches. Its length was 29 feet, 3 inches and the plane's height was 8 feet, 10 inches. The aircraft weight 14,000 pounds fully loaded. Its maximum speed was 507 mph at 16,000 feet with a range of 460 miles. The ceiling for the Dragonfly was 41,765 feet. The armament of the A-37 consisted of a 7.62mm minigun mounted in the nose capable of firing 6,000 rounds per minute. The aircraft had also been modified by mounting eight hardpoints on the wing, which could carry up to 4,800 pounds of ordnance. Different configuration consisted of two machine gun pods, two 2.75-inch rockets and four bombs; or in place of the gun pods, two 250-pound bombs or four Sidewinder missiles. The aircraft had a crew of two.
Cessna built 577 A-37s over 10 years. Production ended in 1977. Its ease of maintenance and pleasant flying abilities make it well liked. They saw extensive service in Vietnam from the late 1960s onward. Many were turned over to the South Vietnamese Air Force and after that country was overrun by North Vietnam, many were left and operated by the victors.
As communist-sponsored insurgency grew in the 1960s, the Air Force delved into creating a low cost, efficient aircraft to counter this threat. The increase in guerrilla type activity around the world necessitated a response by free society. Using a more expensive plane to deal with two or three dissident wasn't economically feasible, hence the Dragonfly. Vietnam became the proving ground for the A-37. The plane was refitted with a refueling probe in the nose; reticulated foam was added to the self-sealing fuel tanks to protect against fire or explosions if hit by incendiary anti-aircraft rounds. The cockpit was armor-plated and the undercarriage was strengthened to carry greater weight and to enable the aircraft to operate off rough remote airstrips.
The 604th Air Commando Squadron, in Operation Combat Dragon, moved from England Air Force Base, La., to Bien Hoa, South Vietnam, and was tasked to test it's a-37s in combat over three months. The pilots knew this plane well, having "cut their teeth" on the T-37 trainer. The squadron initiated its test Aug. 15, 1967, flying 12 combat sorties a day in support of ground troops and against enemy supplies being shipped into South Vietnam. The daily sortie reached 60 by the end of September. In October, some of the planes were shipped to Pleiku where pilots began flying armed and visual reconnaissance missions and night interdiction flights in Tiger Hound. Tiger Hound was an area roughly 90 miles long in Laos bordering on South Vietnam territory used by the North Vietnamese to infiltrate troops and supplies. It was also the code name of a special Air Force, Navy, Marine and Army task force that began interdicting southeastern Laos. When the testing period drew to a close, the Dragonflies had logged more than 4,000 sorties without a single combat loss. One plane went down as a result of an unfortunate maneuver after the aircraft returned to its home base. The squadron was then attached to the 14th Air Commando Wing at Nha Trang. The unit however, continued to fly out of Bien Hoa.
The test proved to be a huge success. The pilots were pleased with the planes' maneuverability. It accelerated and decelerated rapidly and its combat delivery system was highly accurate. The maintainers also heaped their praise on the aircraft. It was easy to fix. Turn around times often averaged just over 90 minutes between missions. Although the Air Force sought to purchase more A-37s than originally planned, the plane was subsonic and didn't fit into Tactical Air Command's long-range plans to develop an attack aircraft capable of meeting contingencies throughout potential world combat theaters. This wasn't the first time special operators were flying "low and slow," so to speak.
The A-37 made its debut in the special operations arsenal in 1967 when the 4410th Combat Crew Training Wing began training U.S. and Vietnamese Air Force in the A-37B. The first A-37B arrived at Hurlburt Field in December 1969 for the 603rd Special Operations Squadron. In July 1970 the 427th Special Operations Training Squadron assumed transition training in the A-37. When the 427th SOTS inactivated July 15, 1972, the mission of training Dragonfly pilots fell on the 6th Special Operations Squadron, which was redesignated the 6th SOTS. The mission now included all A-37B training for the Air Force military assistance program. Eventually the 6th SOTS became a part of the 1st Special Operations Wing.
The A-37 was operated by many ANG and Reserve units. The last OA-37 operated by US Forces was retired in 1992. However, many of these airframes have been given/sold to friendly countries in Latin America including Guatemala, Colombia, Dominica, Uruguay, and others.
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My husband delivered last year on this statement. Actually, he delivered in more ways then one. However, at the beginning of last year, that meant our first trip out into the world since we had moved away from Europe. We decided as a present to ourselves after my hubby’s second deployment that we would take a cruise.
I enjoyed our trek south of the US immensely. It was very different from what we had explored before, and we got to cross off something that had been on my bucket list since I was a middle schooler: climbing on a Mayan Pyramid.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T4i
Lens: 18-135 mm IS STM
Date: January 2015
Location: Costa Maya, Mexico

domain: geography


text: Get unique results every time when you design with this strand of 5x12mm paint brush jasper melon beads. Each barrel-shaped bead displays a random pattern of blue, grey and brown tones across their smooth surface. The result is a variety of colors that resemble the splatter from a paint brush. With their unusual shape and medium size, these beads make wonderful spacers in necklace and bracelet ideas when paired with larger beads in solid colors. Try them with smooth, black glass beads or rich gold components for elegant designs.

domain: artistic


By Ali Khalil
Bahraini police firing shotguns and tear gas crushed the camp in Manama of a month-old pro-democracy protest on Wednesday in an operation that left five dead and sparked Shiite outrage across the region.
The violence prompted US President Barack Obama, whose country is a close ally of Bahrain, to express "deep concern," as his secretary of state said the deployment of Gulf troops to quell political unrest was the wrong response.
Early on Wednesday morning, hundreds of riot police backed by tanks and helicopters assaulted demonstrators in Manama's Pearl Square, clearing the symbolic heart of the uprising in the strategic Gulf kingdom.
The Shiite opposition, which has been the backbone of protests demanding political change, said three demonstrators were killed in the raid, while the government said two police died in hit-and-run attacks by opposition motorists.
The violence came a day after King Hamad, supported by troops who arrived on Tuesday along with armoured vehicles from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, declared a three-month state of emergency in his Sunni-ruled state.
In the wake of the violence, Obama telephoned King Hamad and King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia to express "deep concern," stressing the need for "maximum restraint" and "importance of a political process," his spokesman said.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton criticised the Gulf deployment, in remarks to journalists in Cairo.
She said it was "the wrong track. And we believe that a long-term solution is only possible through a political process."
"What is happening in Bahrain is alarming, and it is unfortunately diverting attention and effort away from the political and economic track. That is the only way forward to resolve the legitimate differences of the Bahrainis themselves."
Police and troops on Wednesday fanned out across the city where protests and gatherings were banned and a dusk-to-dawn curfew was slapped on the business district, which had been under the protesters' control for three days.
Shiite villages around the city remained cut off by the security forces and phone lines were down. A curfew was announced in central Manama from 4:00 pm to 4:00 am.
Human rights activists said medics seeking to tend to wounded Shiites had been beaten by police, injured people left untreated, and security forces blocked access to hospitals.
Bahrain's Health Minister Nizar Baharna, a Shiite, announced his resignation after police burst into a Manama hospital and 12 Shiite judges also stepped down in protest at what they termed the "excessive use of force."
Police arrived at Pearl Square in tanks and buses before moving in on the mainly Shiite demonstrators, who had been camped out in the square for a month.
Thick clouds of back smoke mixed with tear gas over the area as the protesters' tents were set on fire.
With helicopters hovering overhead, troops then entered the nearby financial centre to clear it of demonstrators' roadblocks and the handfuls of protesters still remaining after clashes there on Sunday injured more than 200 people.
Shots were heard as troops escorted a bulldozer into the Financial Harbour business complex, the centre of a regional finance hub that hosts major international banks and multinational corporations.
The protesters are demanding reform from the Sunni dynasty that has ruled the strategic archipelago -- a US ally and home of the US Fifth Fleet -- for more than 200 years.
As the upheaval dragged in regional rivals and the United States, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad condemned the intervention of Saudi-led Gulf forces to prop up the Al-Khalifa royal family as "foul and doomed."
Iran later withdrew its ambassador from Bahrain "in protest at the killing of the people of Bahrain by its government," a day after the Gulf state recalled its top envoy in Tehran.
Iranian Defence Minister Ahmad Vahidi said the Bahraini leadership had committed a "strategic and political" blunder and warned that the intervention would cost its "legitimacy."
"Such actions will increase tensions and undermine regional stability and security," said the defence minister of Shiite Iran.
The spiritual guide of Iraq's majority Shiites, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, "appealed to Bahraini authorities to stop violence against unarmed citizens."
In Beirut, hundreds of supporters of the Shiite militant group Hezbollah held a rally to denounce the Saudi intervention.
Around 16 people have been killed since the protests started in Pearl Square last month, as mainly Shiite activists took to the streets emboldened by revolts that toppled autocratic regimes in Tunisia and Egypt.


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Broadcom is developing a 3G/HSPA processor on a 65nm CMOS chip.
LG announced it has sold more than 300,000 units of its 5-megapixel camera-phone LG Viewty, in the past five weeks in Europe.
ZTE has selected Trolltech' s Qtopia Phone Edition application platform and user interface for its Linux-based mobile phone.
Google' s Android handset software platform has too much bugs and is unworkable according to developers.
Nokia and Brightpoint NA have renewed their distribution agreement in the US.
NSN has completed the world’s first LTE multi-user field trial in an urban environment with mobile data rates up to 173 Mbit/s. It has signed a deal with RadioFrame Networks to cooperate on the development of 3G Femtocell Home Access.
Apple tries to sell the iPhone in Japan through DoCoMo.
ALU and ICO demonstrated first Mobile TV broadcast in North America based on the DVB-SH satellite/terrestrial standard.


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Flamingo & Palm Tree Patches by Meri Meri
Only limited to shipments within Singapore; deliveries outside of Singapore unavailable
Add a touch of tropical beauty to your clothes with these brilliant iron-on canvas patches. Featuring a funky flamingo and palm tree, embroidered with neon and gold thread.
Comes in a pack of 2.
*Please note, the patches should be applied under adult supervision.
Materials: Natural cotton canvas, neon & gold thread
Pack Size: 75mm x 115mm x 3mm


Study Looks At Summerville Trail
Tuolumne, CA — The Tuolumne County Transportation Council will review a study looking at a proposed trail system that would connect Summerville High School, downtown Tuolumne, and Black Oak Casino.
Funding for the study, which includes three different alternatives, came from the Tuolumne Public Health Department, via a Community Transformation Grant. There will be discussion about the item at Wednesday’s TCTC meeting. Actual construction of a preferred alternative would come years down the road.
“What they are going to do is accept the final report, and then recommend that we put those three alternatives in our regional transportation plan,” says Darrin Grossi, TCTC Executive Director. “After that, we’ll work with either Tuolumne County, or the Tribe, to secure funds and move a project forward.”
The cost to complete all the prep work, combined with the actual construction, could be in the ball park of around $2 million.
The TCTC Board of Directors will also hear an update on the planned Peaceful Oak interchange project in Standard. Wednesday’s meeting starts at 3pm in the Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors meeting room.


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Private Mekong Delta Tour
Take a cruise along the upper Mekong River and experience life in the Mekong delta and visit its fruit orchards, coconut groves and bee-keeping farms. Discover how coconut candy and enjoy traditional southern Vietnamese folk music.
per adult from
Hotel pickup available
What's included :
- All taxes, fees and handling charges
- Bottled water
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Transport by air-conditioned minivan
- Professional guide
What's excluded :
- Visa arrangement
- Travel insurances
- Drinks and personal expenses (Laundry, phone calls, etc)
- Services not clearly mentioned above
- In the morning depart Saigon by minivan and travel down to My Tho, a journey of around 90 minutes. On arrival, take your private boat to start your Mekong adventure.The boat will cruise along the river (a branch of the Mekong) for sightseeing such as Fish Farm, Dragon island,Turtle Island …and stop off at Unicorn island visiting abundant orchards of tropical fruits
The boat will then stop at a quiet village where you can have a short walk to experience real Delta village life, and traveling into the forest where you can visit fruit orchards before stopping at a riverside restaurant for a delicious and filling lunch, featuring such local delicacies as elephant-ear fish and river shrimp, washed down with some cold drinks or beers . After lunch, it’s time to board a sampan for a relaxing trip along narrow canals. Visit a family business which epitomizes the idyllic rural lifestyle, taste the delicious coconut candy and observe the pastoral life as you roaming through the fruit plantation village.
You will then get back to your boat, which will return you to the quayside to your waiting vehicle and the drive back to Saigon.
Departure Point :Traveler pickup is offered
Return Detail :-
Hotel Pickup :
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- A minimum of 2 people per booking is required
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
- You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

domain: travel


Analysts expect climate change, combined with the political realities of either addressing the effects of it or not, will have increasing impacts on municipal credit in the coming years.
Droughts, fires, flooding, changed temperature patterns, reduced snow cover, and higher sea levels may all come from climate change and all have the potential to impact municipal credit. At least for the near-term, hurricanes are climate change’s most expensive impact on municipal governments and their communities.
Scientists say that global warming and climate change are expected to increase the number of hurricanes and how many are categorized as intense. the Caribbean
And hurricanes are also chiefly of interest because of their potential impact on municipal creditworthiness and bondholder protections, particularly for issuers already in difficult financial situations.
“Risks to municipal bonds include damage to key government or utility facilities, changing migration patterns, relocation of key employers, and rising insurance costs,” said John Ceffalio, senior analyst for CreditSights. “Increased vulnerability can also raise capital costs, both for resiliency ahead of disasters and rebuilding after disasters.”
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s initial 2022 outlook forecasts another above-normal season. This would make it the seventh straight above-average hurricane season.
“Hurricane risk is nothing new in the Caribbean, but climate change is making those hurricanes more frequent and more severe, and raising sea levels,” Ceffalio said.
Just this year, NOAA is predicting 14 to 21 named storms with six to 10 hurricanesand three to six of those will be classified as major storms.
Additionally, NOAA expects global warming will lead to more Category 4 and 5 hurricanes, the most devastating varieties, in the coming years. Climate change will add precipitation to hurricanes, potentially leading to more flood losses.
“Hurricanes account for over half of the estimated $1.7 trillion in total economic losses from severe weather events recorded since 1980,” Moody’s Investors Service said in a June 2019 report.
Climate change’s intensification of hurricanes may already be taking place. Four out of the five costliest hurricanes in U.S. history took place in the last decade, Moody’s said.
Intertwined with this impact is climate change’s increase in sea levels. NOAA believes that sea levels in the U.S. rose 10 to 12 inches from 1920 to 2020 and will increase by a similar amount by 2050. According to NOAA and others this is certain to increase the impact of hurricanes and their flooding.
The lingering effects
Hurricanes are not just potential problems for public finance. Their threat of these events lowers real estate values and economic activity. In January, McKinsey Global Institute wrote regarding hurricanes and sea level rise, “In Florida, for example, estimates based on past trends suggest that losses from flooding could devalue exposed homes by $30 billion to $80 billion, or about 15% to 35%, by 2050, all else being equal.”
Some environmentalists and observers think sea level rise will force the abandonment of Miami and perhaps New Orleans, along with some less prominent cities, by 2100. Concern about sea level impacts is already having a profound impact on Miami. Real estate prices in the Little Haiti neighborhood are climbing quickly because it sits on elevated land. An academic study showed that land near Miami’s coast is valued less than it would otherwise be.
Populations can shrink after hurricanes and, as in the case with New Orleans and Hurricane Katrina, they sometimes never fully return. Government and public utility revenues can decline. Infrastructure expenses from damaged capital stock frequently soar.
The general operating environment can be marred for months, years, or even decades due to the general destruction of public infrastructure. After Hurricanes Irma and Maria devastated Puerto Rico in 2017,service was not fully restored until nearly a year later.
Ratings and creditworthiness
In a separate piece released in June 2019, Moody’s Investors Service outlined how it sees hurricanes affecting credit. In most cases hurricanes have not resulted in ratings changes, it said. However, after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the agency downgraded more than 30 public finance issuers. Hurricane Sandy led it to downgrade fewer than 10 issuers on the East Coast. Hurricane Harvey in 2017 led to five downgrades.
The impacts on municipal bonds have already gone beyond downgrades. Entergy New Orleans, a provider of gas and electricity to New Orleans, was in financial straits before Katrina but the hurricane pushed it into bankruptcy.
In 2019 after its power lines triggered wildfires in what may have been a climate change influenced drought in California, the state’s largest utility, Pacific Gas & Electric, filed for bankruptcy. Albeit not related to hurricanes, The Wall Street Journal called it the “first climate change bankruptcy.” The utility had over $900 million of municipal bonds outstanding at the time.
How hurricanes may affect the Caribbean territories’ credit is hard to lay out, as Moody’s and S&P Global Ratings no longer rate essentially any Puerto Rico municipal bonds. S&P rates Housing Finance Authority bonds but these are federally supported.
Fitch Ratings only rates the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority. In a November 2020 report, it gave the authority an ESG Relevance score of 4 for “exposure to extreme weather events,” indicating moderate importance.
When Puerto Rico’s Fiscal Agency and Financial Advisory Authority was asked how Puerto Rico’s government and its authorities were preparing for hurricanes, it responded that current plans are to deposit $130 million annually into an Emergency Reserve Fund until it reaches $1.3 billion. In cases of a disastrous hurricane, Revolving Loan Funds supported by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other federal departments could provide liquidity.
“Finally, in the case of a federally declared natural disaster, the government can issue additional disaster recovery debt to support recovery efforts and it would not be considered as part of the debt limit threshold as set forth in the Plan of Adjustment,” FAFAA said.
In October 2021 Moody’s said “high exposure to physical climate risks” was one of five key credit challenges facing the U.S. Virgin Islands and its matching fund bonds, whose senior lien the agency rates Caa2. Exposure to environmental impact is also a significant factor in its rating of the islands’ Water and Power Authority bonds at Caa2.
For a particular borrower’s hypothetical exposure to climate change to become an actual indicator of default or distress, “the physical (and related policy) perils with which their location is threatened need to actually occur and the borrower’s security has to be vulnerable to those perils,” noted Matt Fabian, partner at Municipal Market Analytics in a June report. “So the better and more resilient the pledged bondholder security, the more severe things will need to be on the ground for a default or impairment to follow.”
In other words, strictly geographic climate risk scores and similar “need to be re-expressed or recalculated pursuant to each separate municipal security type within that area,” the report said. And because every geographic region in the U.S. contains a range of municipal bond credit types, the local transformation of long-term climate change risk into an imminent credit risk is as a cascade, from the least well-secured borrowers to the best, as conditions worsen.
“It’s thus useful for even high-grade, governmental lenders to consider the climate-related impairment trends occurring, or likely to occur, in the states where they specialize,” Fabian wrote.
MMA found in its database 11 borrowers that entered the default and impairment database “because of (or had a pre-existing impairment worsened by) a natural disaster that itself may well have been caused or exacerbated by climate change.”
“These situations highlight how: 1) competitive enterprises, single-site facilities, and growth-dependent financings are all more exposed to single or multiple environmental events; and 2) inadequate insurance coverage or a weak state policy frameworks are highly detrimental details.”
Over the last few decades federal policy has been to cover most but not all reconstruction costs after hurricanes. For major hurricanes the Congressional Budget Office estimated that federal disaster assistance between 2005 and 2015 covered 62% of the costs.
In March 2021 the Brookings Institution released “Inviting Danger.” “Most [federal] policies have focused on ‘building back the same,’” wrote Sadie Frank, Eric Gesick, and David Victor. “While that might have been tolerable in an era of modest impacts from natural disasters, that era is ending. An urgent national priority is creating the right incentives so that private and public sector investments reduce the future damages from climate change and make the country more resilient.”
“Many government policies create incentives for people to make economically detrimental decisions, including settling and building on land exposed to hurricanes, floods, and wildfires,” they wrote. “These policies already cost taxpayers tens of billions of dollars.”
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is starting to try to buy out properties suffering from repeated losses, they wrote, but this approach has been quite limited.
Studies show resilience funding is much more cost effective in the long-term, said Ari Sillman in “A New Approach to Disaster Relief Funding,” a paper done for a branch of Harvard Law School, and much more of the funding should be headed this way.
The Brookings study “made the point that when it comes to these [hurricane] events we should be discussing recovery versus resilience,” said John Hallacy, president of John Hallacy Consulting. “I cannot agree more. However, spending on projects that will probably reap some benefits in the future is less immediate than clearing debris and rebuilding in the aftermath of an event. At a minimum, the rebuilding should be done to a higher building code standard.
Ceffalio said, “Generous federal disaster aid has protected bondholders from hurricanes and other natural disaster risks, but there are increasing demands on federal disaster dollars. There is no guarantee federal aid will continue to be so generous. Territories are particularly vulnerable since they have no congressional representation.”
It is possible that, “federal dollars could be increasingly used to relocate residents away from disaster-prone areas,” Ceffalio said. “This would remove property from the tax rolls and reduce tax revenues. My understanding is that Canada is increasingly taking this approach.”
Private flood and hurricane insurance is also becoming much more costly in areas prone to hurricanes. This may also encourage people to leave the areas, affecting the financial health of the governments and public utilities that serve them.
Less federal support to recover from natural disasters “is the direction where we are headed,” said Andrew Teras, Breckinridge Capital Advisors director of municipal bond research.
In 2018 the federal government adopted the Disaster Recovery Reform Act. It set asides more federal money for pre-disaster mitigation, adjusts the post-disaster cleanup to include resilience, and gives localities the authority to build to the latest building codes.
In coming years hurricanes will have the most effect on municipalities and public issuers that are already in financial distress, Teras said.
Increasingly, the federal government may focus its natural disaster resources on centers of economic activity, Teras said. This means that smaller communities may get less aid.


You’ve heard the song millions of times. The Final Jeopardy music that plays when the contestants are writing their final answers. You’ve also probably heard it at various sporting events when teams take time-outs. OR any event that involves some sort of “waiting”. It’s iconic. But where did it come from?
The creator of Jeopardy, Merv Griffin, originally wrote the “Final Jeopardy” theme as a lullaby for his son, and called it “A Time for Tony”. Which sort of makes sense. I can hear how it would make you sleepy. He then decided to use it for the show as the music for the final question.
Ever since then he has made more than $70 million in royalties from it. Unreal.
Image credit: Getty Images


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On June 1 NAV Canada will host its 21st annual golf tournament in support of the Shock Trauma Air Rescue Society (STARS) Air Ambulance.
The golf tournament will be held at the River Ridge Golf and Country Club in Edmonton.
Rick Hubbs, an air traffic controller for NAV Canada, said he hopes to see the tournament grow to be its biggest event yet this year.
“It wasn't as large an event as it is this year,” he remarked. "We're trying to make it as big as possible. We're already about 90 per cent full."
In past years, Hubbs said that around 40-50 golfers would participate in the tournament. This year there is capacity for 144 golfers.
"If we can get 144 this year so be it, we'll just keep going and going and going,” Hubbs said.
Since STARS and NAV Canada have been long-time neighbours at the airport grounds, and in light of STARS rescues that hit close to home in recent years, Hubbs said the goal is to raise at least $20,000 for the air ambulance.
"We work with STARS all the time so we're very aware of them, we've always been involved with them,” Hubbs said.
NAV Canada has a group of volunteers within the company who work to raise funds and awareness for registered non-profit charities in the Edmonton area. Some recent causes for NAV Canada include Habitat for Humanity build, MS Bike rides, the Lois Hole Foundation, Lives in transition and the HOPE Mission.
For the STARS golf tournament, Hubbs added that NAV Canada has committed to matching every dollar raised.
"We do a lot of charitable work in and around the community. It's giving back,” he said. "We anticipate around $15,000 to $20,000 raised.”
"NAV Canada will match each and every dollar raised, regardless of the amount."
During the tournament, there will be a number of prizes for golfers, as well as a silent auction and a Boeing 737 simulator. There will also be a STARS helicopter on site for photos, Hubbs added.
"We're going to put the helicopter on the ground for the tournament, and all the golfers will be getting a keepsake picture beside the helicopter with their team."
For any golfers wanting to register for the tournament, or anyone wishing to volunteer or make donations to STARS, they can contact Rick Hubbs at 780-720-2237 or email Rachlle Clayton Rachelle.email@example.com


Forbes has released the list of the 10 ‘richest’ musicians in Africa for this year.
The list is capable of generating heat based on how some artistes are rated higher than others while others that some may expect on it are completely left out.
While Akon is rated no one with $80m, Don Jazzy is rated fourth with $60m.
Some are, however, likely to be too surprised in terms of how Wizkid is rated above Davido.
According to the rating platform, Wizkid commands $0m, while Davido is said to be worth $16m.
Here is the list:
Akon has over 35 million albums sold worldwide and also a popular musician in Africa and also in the world.
He has won numerous awards including five Grammy Award nominations and has 45 Billboard Hot 100 songs under his belt. He tops the list according to Forbes Africa.
Akon net worth is estimated at $80 million currently this 2018.
2. Black Coffee
The multi-award-winning artist’s real name is Nkosinathi Maphumulo.
He was born in South Africa’s house music province, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and raised in the Eastern Cape province, where Nelson Mandela hailed from, before moving back to KZN to study music.
He is second richest artist in Africa but first in South-Africa with a current net worth of $60 million this 2018.
3. Hugh Masekela
Hugh was born in Witbank, east of Johannesburg. He has released more than 43 albums and performed with Marvin Gaye, Dizzy Gillespie, The Byrds, Fela Kuti, Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder and Miriam Makeba.
He is also one of the richest African musicians today.
4. Don Jazzy
Don Jazzy is ranked fourth richest musician in Africa and also first in Nigeria.
Like many artists, his real name is Michael Collins Ajereh, and he started playing music as a child in church before moving to the UK to pursue his career.
Don Jazzy net worth currently is $30 million.
Tinashe was a child model by the age of three. The twenty-four-year-old sang before she could talk and made her first appearance in 2000 in the film Cora Unashamed.
Her voice also starred in the cartoon feature film The Polar Express alongside Oscar-winning actor, Tom Hanks.
She is the fifth on Forbes list on richest African musicians.
By the age of 10, Jidenna Theodore Mobisson knew he wanted to do music but was afraid to tell his father who wanted him to be an engineer.
He is ranked sixth according to Forbes Africa.
Wizkid is arguably currently the uncrowned king of African music.
Grammy Award-winning artist, Alicia Keys and husband Swizz Beatz, danced to his songs Ojuelegba and Caro, with Keys posting a video on her Instagram account with the caption, “This song makes me happy”.
Kylie Jenner also posted a video of herself dancing to Wizkid’s music on Snapchat.
He is seventh richest musician in the African continent according to Forbes List, with a net worth of $20 milion.
Davido is a popular Nigerian artist and who achieved celebrity status in just five years. He said it was people like P-Square and D’Banj who made him believe this was possible.
He became famous for his widely acclaimed 2012 debut album “Omo Baba Olowo”. His net worth currently is $16 million.
Michael Owusu Addo started out as an underground rapper and through the help of Duncan Williams, his former manager, his career was launched.
Staying true to his identity, he is a big advocate of Azonto, a Ghanaian genre that is said to have been born out of Kpanlogo, a traditional dance.
Forbes estimated Sarkodie net worth to be at $5 million
His first single off his fourth album, Mewu, sold almost 4,000 copies on the first day of its release in Ghana. He was also the first Ghanaian to win a BET award.
10. Oliver Mtukudzi
Oliver Tuku Mtukudzi has 65 albums under his belt, more than the legendary Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston.
It’s a remarkable career stretching back 41 years with songs that have enlivened parties all over the world.


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If you enjoy playing with just jewels deluxe casino games then you need to take your cellular phone with you once you head outside to enjoy yourself. With the ever rising number of casinos in the world today, it gets really difficult for individuals to keep tabs on time. The best way to enjoy playing casino games is to play with them when you’re on the go. By way of instance if you want to play some baccarat then you can simply put a wager of one dollar and play up to ten minutes. It can be a great way to invest a few bucks in a casino and you don’t ever have to leave your residence.
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But if you still do not know about the world of mobile casinos then you must know about the latest craze in gaming – the jersey gambling. As it was launched in 2021, a lot of people from all over the united states and UK have begun to appreciate this exciting gaming option. There are millions of consumers who play these games daily. The main reason mobile gaming is enjoying such an overwhelming response is because of the very simple reason that these new jersey mobile casinos are providing real sports betting experience to their users.
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domain: game


Description: Freedom of Information Act lawsuit seeking EPA disclosure of directives to EPA employees since beginning of Trump administration concerning public communications about EPA work and review of EPA work by political appointees.
Ecological Rights Foundation v. EPA
Filing Date Type File Action Taken Summary 07/26/2021 Judgment Download Plaintiffs' claims dismissed with prejudice and jurisdiction retained to resolve plaintiffs' request for attorneys' fees and costs. 07/23/2021 Stipulation Download Stipulation for entry of judgment filed. 07/15/2021 Stipulation Download Stipulation and [proposed] order filed regarding withholdings and dismissal of claims. 08/06/2018 Complaint Download Amended complaint filed. 01/18/2018 Complaint Download Complaint filed. Environmental Organization Filed FOIA Lawsuit Seeking EPA Directives to Employees on Public Communications About and Political Review of Work. An environmental advocacy organization filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit in the federal district court for the Northern District of California seeking to compel the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to produce instructions issued to EPA employees since President Trump’s inauguration about speaking publicly about their work or about review of EPA work by political appointees. The organization submitted its FOIA request on February 1, 2017 and alleged that EPA had failed to issue a final determination on the request. The complaint alleged that the documents sought were “crucial” because, among other reasons, they would “reveal the impact of partisan politics on the agency’s priorities, operations, and implementation, all of which have consequences for imperiled wildlife, catastrophic climate change, and public health in communities across the country.”


|SIC 2008||Periods||Large and medium-sized enterprises Profit/loss account Operating costs Labour costs Social security contributions (mln euro)|
|86101 University hospitals||2020*||1,139|
|86102 General hospitals||2020*||1,846|
|86103 Specialised hospitals (not mental)||2020*||169|
|86104 Mental health hospitals||2020*||871|
|Care for disabled persons||2020*||1,473|
|87901 Residential care for children||2020*||207|
|87902 Residential care for other persons||2020*||181|
|88991 Social work for children||2020*||110|
|Residential and home care||2020*||2,809|
This table includes national statistics on income statements, balance sheet figures and staff of enterprises and groups of enterprises with main activity hospital care, mental residential health care, care for the disabled, nursing home care, home care, residential care for other persons and youth care.
The target population consists of enterprises and groups of enterprises in the following classes of the Standard Industrial Classification 2008 (SIC 2008):
86101 University hospitals;
86102 General hospitals;
86103 Specialised hospitals (not mental);
86104 Mental health hospitals;
8720 and 87301 Care for disabled persons;
8710, 87302 and 88101 Residential and home care;
87902 Social assistance with residential care for other persons;
87901 Social assistance with residential and day care for children;
88991 Social work for children.
From 2015 onwards the population has been altered significantly by including privately financed health care and micro enterprises. Only limited information is published about micro enterprises, but it adds to a complete description of the targeted health care classifications of SIC 2008. Furthermore SIC 86222 Practices of psychiatrists and day-care centres for social health has now been removed from the population as it will be published in statistics of care practices rather than institutions.
In 2020 healthcare professionals received a 1 000 euros net bonus for Covid19 efforts. This was provided by the Ministry of Health to the healthcare providers, which in their turn payed their own employees including their self-employed and temporary workers. The gross amount of this payment by the ministry to the healthcare providers is recorded as 'Subsidies'. The payment of the bonus including tax payment is recorded as 'Labour costs' and the payments to temporary workers as 'Other personnel costs'.
Data available from: 2015
Status of the figures:
Figures for the last year are provisional, previous years are definite.
Changes as of April 22nd 2022:
Provisional figures over 2020 were published for 'Social work for children', 'Social assistance with residential and day care for children' and 'Residential care for other persons'. The same figures for 2019 were updated to definitive figures.
When will new figures be published?
In the first quarter 2023 provisional figures over 2021 will be published. At the same time provisional figures over 2020 will be updated to definitive figures.
- Large and medium-sized enterprises
- Enterprises or groups of enterprises containing at least one enterprise with more than 10 employees or a total operating return of more than 700.000 euro or assets of more than 350.000 euro. This in contrast to small enterprises of which there many in the health care sector.
On these larger enterprises, or health care institutions, we have more financial data available than we have on small enterprises.
- Profit/loss account
- Operating costs
- The costs made to achieve the operating profits, that is the purchase value of the turnover, labour costs, and depreciation on assets, and other business expenditure.
- Labour costs
- Total of gross wages and salaries of employees and the social contributions payable by the employers.
- Social security contributions
- The contributions paid by employers to social security. These include imputed and actual social premiums and actual pension premiums.


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Recently, the Mumbai Bench of the Tax Tribunal had an occasion to examine the taxability of advance received towards development rights, having linkage to performance conditions stipulated in the Development Agreement. Further, while the order is passed after 90 days, the Tax Tribunal has observed that the period of lockdown is required to be excluded in computation of the 90 days and after excluding this period, the order is passed within 90 days. We, at BDO in India, have summarised the ruling of the Mumbai Tribunal and provided our comments on the impact of this decision.
Facts of the Case
Taxpayer being a builder and developer, entered into an agreement to redevelop a slum property with six co-operative societies (whose members were the slum dwellers). Pursuant to the agreement, the development rights were transferred to the taxpayer. Subsequently, the taxpayer entered into joint venture agreement with Shivalik Ventures Pvt. Ltd (SVPL). Under the joint venture agreement, taxpayer transferred development rights for a consideration of INR 54mn to SVPL. The consideration was to be paid to taxpayer as under:
- INR 8.6mmn - at the time of entering into the joint venture agreement,
- INR 22.68mn - on “obtaining IOA and commencement certificate” by the joint venture; and
- INR 22.68mn – when all slum dwellers vacate and shift to transit accommodation.
Under the Joint Venture Agreement, certain obligations (procure / obtain LOI and IOA from Slum Rehabilitation Authority, obtain consent from six societies for SVPL to develop the property, shifting of all slum dwellers to temporary alternate accommodation vacating the property etc.) were casted on the taxpayer. Further, the Joint Venture Agreement provided that INR 8.6mn was to be refunded if the taxpayer was not able to get 25 percent of the slum dwellers to vacate the said property within 5 years. As the amount was contingent, the taxpayer treated INR 8.6 Mn as advance and did not offer it to tax.
However, the tax officer treated the entire consideration as taxable on the following basis:
- Taxpayer follows “mercantile method of accounting” under which the transactions are recognised as and when they take place, the revenue is to be recorded when earned and the expenses are reported when incurred.
- The taxpayer had transferred the development rights and handed over the possession of the property. It qualifies as ‘transfer’ under section 53A of the Transfer of Property Act, 1872.
- Since, the taxpayer follows mercantile system, the accrual of income does not depend on the receipt of income and therefore, the income was earned when transfer was complete.
- The condition to treat INR 8.6mn as an advance till 25% slum dwellers vacate the property by modifying agreement was a colourable device to evade taxes.
Aggrieved, the taxpayer filed an appeal with the First Appellate Authority which ruled in taxpayer’s favour and hence Tax Officer preferred an appeal before the Tax Tribunal.
The Tax Tribunal held that the income has not accrued to the taxpayer in the year in which INR 8.6 mn was received. While coming to this conclusion, the Tax Tribunal made the following observations:
- While the taxpayer was to help SVPL to get the development rights in favour of the joint venture, the payment was to be received by him “as original developer appointed by the said societies” and this payment cannot be read in isolation with all its obligations under the joint venture arrangement. It was a composite agreement, irrespective of whether we look at the modifications or not, and all the terms of the agreement were to be read in conjunction of each other.
- When a taxpayer had an obligation to perform something, and the same has not been performed, nor is the taxpayer in a position to perform such obligations, then partial payment for fulfilling these obligations cannot be treated as income in the hands of taxpayer.
- Since the obligations under the Joint Venture Agreement have not been performed, the income in question never accrued to the taxpayer.
- Following principle of Conservatism (which was recognized in Supreme Court’s decision in case of Chainrup Sampatram), loss is to be accounted as soon as it can be reasonably anticipated, but anticipated profits are not to be accounted until they actually arise.
- Until the obligations for performance of which an amount is received, such a receipt cannot have an income character in the hands of the person who is still to perform such obligations. For this, it relied on Supreme Court’s decision in case of E.D. Sassoon & Co Ltd.
- Under mercantile method of accounting, the relevant point of time is not the actual receipt of income but the point of time when right to receive that income, in character, crystallised.
- Even if the modification in the agreement is ignored, the fact still remains that the income could accrue only on performance of obligations. Further, it is not open for the tax officer to disregard the modifications in agreement merely because it results in clear and unambiguous negation of tax liability in the hands of taxpayer.
The Tax Tribunal also stated that while the order has been passed well beyond the time limit laid down under Rule 34(5) of the Income Tax (Appellate Tribunal) Rules, 1962 i.e. 90 days from the date of hearing, due to the current extraordinary times arising on account of COVID-19 pandemic, the period of lockdown needs to be excluded in computation of the 90 days. For this, the Tax Tribunal referred to the decision of JSW Ltd wherein it had been held that for the purpose of computing the period of 90 days, the period during which the lockdown was in force needs to be excluded.
While the Tax Tribunal’s reiterates that the concept of accrual of income still holds good, it is pertinent to note that the ruling is pronounced for the fiscal year when Income Computation and Disclosure Standards (ICDS) were not issued. Unlike Accounting Standard 9 - Revenue Recognition which permits recognising revenue when there is reasonable certainty its collection, ICDS IV on Revenue Recognition does not refer to the test of ‘reasonable certainty of ultimate collection’ for service contracts. Further, ICDS IV does not recognise completed contract method for service contract (except where the contract period is upto 90 days). Hence, one needs to take into cognizance ICDS while relying on this Tribunal decision.
 ITO vs Newtech (India) Developers [ITA No. 3251/Mum/2018 (Mumbai Tribunal)]
 Chainrup Sampatram Vs CIT [(1953) 24 ITR 481 (SC)]
 E D Sassoon & Co Ltd Vs CT [(1954) 36 ITR 27 (SC)]
 DCIT Vs JSW Ltd  116 taxmann.com 565 (Mumbai Tribunal)


As I write this I’m sitting in an Airbus A319 at the end of one of Heathrow’s runway. I’m not going anywhere as there’s a bit of wind outside that’s making it impossible for the pilot to get the plane going in roughly a straight line. The way the planeContinue Reading
Van sales in the UK are rising, and rising more quickly than car sales are. That has to be good news for the economy, as it is an obvious sign that there is enough business about to keep investing in new vehicles, but I do wonder if there is somethingContinue Reading
Great Wall Motors are pushing to become the first Chinese manufacturer to get a significant foothold in Europe, and have now opened a European factory, the first one built by Chinese auto brand in an EU country.


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“Rainy Days With Bear”
Author: Hull, Maureen
Bored with rainy days, Bear takes wonderful trips all over the world in his imagination.
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Eptesicus Fuscus, more commonly known as "Yikes! There's bat in the house!"
A bat captured in Needham recently tested positive for rabies, public health officials are warning.
The bat, detected in late-February, is the second found in the town with the potentially-fatal virus since September, according to the Needham Health Department.
Rabies is transmitted through the saliva of infected animals. In humans the virus enters the central nervous system, often causing a fatal inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that rabies causes 55,000 human deaths a year worldwide.
The Needham Health Department has issued a warning that residents use caution if a bat is found indoors. Local health officials are advising residents to secure the bat in a room and contact the animal control officer at the Needham Police Department. The animal control officer will capture and transfer the bat to the state’s public health laboratory for testing.
For more information visit the Massachusetts Department of Public Health online.
-- Laurent K. Meade
This blogger might want to review your comment before posting it.


2331 St. Marks Way, Sacramento, CA 95864
History of Orville Wright Park
Development of the northwest corner of the Orville Wright School property for a tot lot and small park area had been recommended in the original master plan. Although the allotted space was minimal in terms of neighborhood needs; however, no other vacant parcels were available in the immediate area for consideration of park development. In 1984, the district reached an agreement with the school district to purchase the 4.2 acres of open space at this site for $84,000 through the Naylor Act.
This neighborhood park is 4.2 acres. Orville Wright Park is open to the community from sunrise to sunset. When visiting the park, all dogs must be on a leash.
- Horseshoe Pits
- Sand Volleyball Court


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Shrimp Mango Bisque; Jicama, Spinach & Orange Salad; Seasoned Pita; V8; Chocolate Pudding
Lunch is always the most difficult meal for me. When I am at home, my husband does all of the cooking. But when I am at work, I eat whatever is around. That includes a lot of donuts and fast food. I have terrible workplace eating habits. This is why Diet-To-Go may very well be ideal for me. Someone gives me the food and I don’t have to worry about cooking it. I might have to just warm it up a bit but that is easy.
The main portion of today’s lunch is shrimp mango bisque
When I first read the label, I made a ‘blech’ face. I had mango many years ago and I hated it. Needless to say, I don’t eat a lot of mango nowadays. But I am determined to get through this!
This is the first Diet-To-Go meal that I have had to heat up. (I don’t count toasting a bagel as heating it up.) I put it in the microwave for about three minutes on high and it came out nice and hot. Easy peasy. While I didn’t hate the soup, it wasn’t awesome either. I did enjoy the slight spiciness of it but, by the end of the bowl, the spiciness got to be a little too much. Luckily, there was a pita in there that I could munch on between spoonfuls to help break up the heat.
My favorite part of the meal was the jicama, spinach & orange Salad
That was totally unexpected. The flavors nicely complimented each other. The citrus from the orange masked the bitterness of the spinach. Meanwhile, the jicama gave it a crunchy texture that had an amazing mouthfeel. It should be made a main course instead of just a side.
A 5.5 oz can of low sodium V8 and some chocolate pudding accompanied the meal. V8 is another food that I have always looked at but never had the guts to try. It actually tastes like tomato. Like a cold marinara sauce or something. I love tomatoes, though I don’t know how often I could drink this stuff. It is a little overwhelming after a few sips. Definitely an acquired taste.
Finally, the pudding!
Both the pudding and the V8 were still frozen when I took them out of the refrigerator. Thankfully, the pudding was mostly thawed when I finished eating my lunch. Even partially frozen, the pudding was SO good! Personally, I kinda like when my pudding has little chocolate ice crystals in it. The pudding came in a little plastic cup so I’m not sure exactly how much there was. I just know it was exactly the right amount to stave off any chocolate cravings without making me feel sick.
Even though the bisque was not my favorite type of soup, I would say that this meal, as a whole, was a success. I did eat all of everything that was presented to me. There wasn’t anything that was overly terrible. (In their defense, I could have told Diet-To-Go that I don’t like spicy and they would have left it out. This is totally my fault.) And, really, I might try that soup again sometime. I bet it tastes better the second time around.


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The text below was taken from We Go Out and translated into English:
With over six years of experience in the electronic music scene, Pedro Cezar, the name behind the CZAR project, has been crafting an identity focused on beats with a distinctive groove and basslines with distinctive characteristics that make his music increasingly authentic. Passionate about Tech House, the DJ and producer believes that this subgenre is perfect for clubs because it has such a danceable vibe that it’s practically impossible to stand still.
One of the results of his work as a music producer is the release of the track “Starling,” which came out on Thursday, June 3rd and was inspired by the small Starling bird, which has breathtakingly bright plumage and a strong and sudden flight. The record label signing the track is Bass Box Recordings, a sub-label of Deep Bear Recordings.
In addition to “Starling,” the artist is also the creator of tracks like “Sick,” “Dancefloor,” and “Their House,” and has accumulated performances at various well-known venues in São Paulo, such as Espaço das Américas, Transamérica Expo Center, CLUB A Moema, The Year, Teatro Mars, and High Line.
We took the opportunity to have a chat with CZAR to learn more about his Tech House influences, including artists, record labels, and events, as well as his creative process and more. Check it out:
CZAR, pleasure to speak with you! We’ve noticed from your productions and sets that you’ve established a strong connection with Tech House. Can you tell us which artists currently inspire you and serve as references for your productions?
The current generation of artists that I’m personally enjoying and see standing out with their highly energetic productions includes Martin Ikin, Biscits, Dom Dolla, Sidepiece, Chris Lake, Fisher, and the newest addition to this list, John Summit. These artists are by far the best references I have for producing my music due to their groovy basslines and beats that complement each other very well, and the techniques used in this style make each track unique.
Which Tech House record labels do you follow and would like to release your tracks on?
In addition to Tech House artists, there are some record labels (from which I dream of releasing a track, haha) that I’m really enjoying their recent releases. They are Insomniac Records, Repopulate Mars, Black Book Records, and The Myth of NYX. In my opinion, anyone who enjoys this subgenre should definitely follow the playlists of these record labels!
Which events, clubs, and parties do you believe have contributed to strengthening Tech House in Brazil?
Talking about the famous parties (which we haven’t been to for a while, sadly), the clubs I’m most excited to play at, where I feel a strong connection, and that everyone probably knows are Laroc, Green Valley, Privilège, and not to forget the NAFF parties and the massive Só Track Boa. The atmosphere in these places is insane, and the vibe is indescribable.
Do you believe Tech House will continue to thrive in the Brazilian electronic music scene after the return of events?
Considering a scenario where everything returns to normal (and I hope it happens soon), I see the Tech House scene in Brazil growing significantly in the coming years. Considering that the pandemic left us with almost 2 years without dancefloors, many producers changed their sound with all that free time or dove headfirst into production. I can include myself in that category, as I was able to stop and think about what I really wanted to play and produce, and as you can see, the answer is pretty obvious by now.
How do you go about crafting your set, and has the pandemic in any way changed your production style or performance?
The current situation has allowed us to take a breather and understand more about ourselves, which led me to further refine my sets. Time has enabled me to develop more techniques and realize that the collection of songs in a set should tell a captivating story that engages the audience. The main factors that show it’s me up there, playing and dancing like crazy, in addition to my passion for what I do, are the choice of the right song at the right moment, but with an eye on the future. What do I mean by that? Before playing a show, I always imagine myself there, thinking about the energy, happiness, excitement, and moments. I align the songs, and when I start playing, it feels like I’ve already lived that moment, and everything goes smoothly. At first, there’s that nervousness, wondering if people will enjoy it, but when you plug in the USB, you’re seen through the music you’re playing, and it feels like everything is in your favor.
To wrap it up, how would you describe the track “Starling”?
My main inspiration for “Starling” was a small bird with dazzling plumage and a strong, sudden flight. The music captures the key characteristics of this bird, with leads and synthesizers designed to emulate its brilliance. The buildup of tension and the release of energy in the track were inspired by the bird’s flight. When I’m producing, I make various changes that often shift the direction of a track drastically from where it started. In the case of this track, the creative process was so quick that I sort of already knew where I wanted to go with it.
Listen to CZAR’s track “Starling” on Bass Box Recordings, now available on major streaming platforms.

domain: entertainment