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Earlier this year, the super regulator APRA released its hit list of poorly performing super funds.
This underlines the longstanding truth that super doesn’t work. It doesn’t get enough people off the pension and it costs the budget more than it saves. The system is not focused on outcomes. It is focused on itself.
The ongoing insider trading scandal where 67 super employees are suspected of trading on secret information for personal gain underlines this point. The $3 trillion superannuation sector is Australia’s most privileged industry. It charges $30bn a year in fees – or around a third of the $100bn in annual contributions.
The 2021 Intergenerational Report forecasts that the sector will balloon to $34 trillion by 2061, dwarfing everything.
Super is too big to fail. It is our biggest gamble. We have to make sure we have the right formula for workers. At the moment, we don’t.
Australians stand to be the biggest losers from the super system. In exchange for the vague promise that it will benefit them in retirement, Australians see nearly 10 per cent of their pay flow into superannuation funds. Sluggish returns aren’t good enough.
To fix this, I’ve put forward a discussion paper with a bold but simple idea: a single default fund for superannuation, managed by the Future Fund – called Super Guarantee Australia (SGA).
Why do we need this important change?
The need for action is clear. The Intergenerational Report forecasts a lacklustre decline in dependence on public pensions – from 70 per cent of the eligible population to 60 per cent by 2061.
Moreover, the fiscal cost of the sector is expected to increase on the back of tax concessions – already the single largest tax concession.
Who can think of another mandatory savings system which costs more than it saves? To put it plainly, the costs outweigh the benefits. That’s a bad outcome.
Adding to this is the costs imposed on workers as consumers. The Productivity Commission (PC), in its most recent comprehensive evaluation of the superannuation system, stated: “The costs incurred by the Australian superannuation funds are some of the highest in the OECD.”
As Brendan Coates of the Grattan Institute says: “People have got to choose what product that they are in (and) making those choices has historically been really hard.”
Superannuation is an asymmetric market. On one end, you have a $3 trillion industry with unrivalled political, economic and commercial clout. On the other, you have the Australian worker. It is time to tip the scales back in the right direction.
That asymmetry suits big finance and big unions who pillage the accounts with high fees. Dracula would be proud.
Why the Future Fund?
As an established independent fund, SGA would likely provide better performance, lower fees, and have fewer conflicts than the retail or industry sectors.
SGA could be the default for all Australian workers. Not compulsory, but a starting point.
The Future Fund has been a world-class public asset manager.
It has outperformed the median superannuation fund. The average annual return of the Future Fund over the past decade has been 9.1 per cent per annum.
According to Chant West, the median growth fund has returned 8.1 per cent per annum since the introduction of compulsory super. Meanwhile, many super funds have delivered just 5 or 6 per cent.
It should be noted that this is a challenging comparison because the Future Fund hasn’t received a contribution for 15 years, while super funds receive around $100bn in annual inflows.
For too long, the superannuation sector has operated as a closed cartel, like a closed shop. Large funds have benefited from hundreds of billions in legally mandated inflows.
In turn, tens of billions have been siphoned in fees for extraneous and wasteful purposes.
The workers have been shafted. The cosy relationship between unions, the ALP and the industry super sector has often meant that workers were “defaulted” into funds without any thought to their quality or appropriateness.
The money has driven the decisions as super funds are on track to give $30m to ALP-affiliated unions by 2030, based on electoral commission data.
So let’s end the rent-seeking. By forcing private funds to compete with SGA, a model investor, all funds will lift their game.
As a commonwealth government entity competing with semi-private corporations, Super Guarantee Australia would be required to adhere to the principles of competitive neutrality.
This idea has strong support: The Hancock Review of national superannuation proposed a public option for super in 1976.
Peter Costello, former treasurer and Future Fund chairman, expressed support for opening up the Future Fund to superannuation in 2018.
Paul Keating won’t like it. He handed the pot of gold to the unions and financiers 30 years ago and they have been more interested in running super for themselves rather than for workers.
Australian workers have paid the price – an eye-watering $30bn a year in fees and no public dividend. It is time to smash up the sclerotic super cartel.
Andrew Bragg is a Liberal Senator for NSW.


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Charleston Mortgage Rates- Dow you know the cost of waiting?
- The “Cost of Waiting to Buy” is defined as the additional funds it would take to buy a home if prices and interest rates were to increase over a period of time.
- Freddie Mac predicts that interest rates will increase to 4.8% by this time next year, while home prices are predicted to appreciate by 4.9% according to CoreLogic.
- Waiting until next year to buy could cost you thousands of dollars a year for the life of your mortgage!
Call the Experts at ChuckTown Homes Real Estate today and lock in your housing cost for life while rates are still sooo low!!!

domain: news


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Wang Hengjiang, deputy general manager for China Mobile's terminal subsidiary, revealed during Qualcomm's Chinese partner summit that in 2012, the company's sales of TD-SCDMA
An insider has revealed to the Chinese local media that China Mobile will start its TD-LTE terminal tender in early August 2012, which is
From January to June 2012, China's mobile phone shipment reached over 190 million units, including 107 million 3G mobile phones, according to statistics released
Li Wang, executive vice president of the Chinese mobile phone brand Coolpad, revealed that the company plans to completely stop manufacturing mobile phones and
Mats H Olsson, Ericsson's head of China and Northeast Asia, said during the Ericsson Business Innovation Forum held in Shanghai from May 17 to
During China Telecom's recent meeting on the placement of 3G handset orders, Xiao Chaojun, the vice president of Beijing Tianyu Communication Equipment, positioned the
Alcatel Shanghai Bell and Datang Mobile have jointly announced that the two sides signed a cooperation agreement to promote the commercial development of TD-SCDMA
With a total investment of RMB2.9 billion, Huawei will set up the world's largest data processing center and 3G R&D center in Nanjing.
Commit, a Chinese TD-SCDMA chip manufacturer which may face bankruptcy because of a loss of capital, has announced plans to stop business operations and
South Korean electronics manufacturer Samsung has obtained a TD-SCDMA mobile phone order from China Mobile.

domain: economics


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Four wins in their last five league games have kept Ange Postecoglou’s side in touch with the Champions League spots.
Spurs trail fourth-place Arsenal by one point and are six behind leaders Liverpool. They will also be 11 ahead of United if they earn a rare win at Old Trafford next Sunday.
Ten Hag is desperate to return to winning ways, having suffered five defeats in December alone and 14 in 28 games during his woeful second season at the helm.
The pressure on the Dutchman to produce results has been turned up a notch by the imminent completion of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s £1.3billion deal for a 25 per cent stake and total sporting control.
He has stressed that United’s fortunes will improve once his key players return from injuries that have undoubtedly contributed to his struggles this term.
Lisandro Martinez and Casemiro returned to training this week, while Harry Maguire and Mason Mount are expected to enter contention by the end of the month.
Clickhere to join our WhatsApp community to be the first to receive breaking and exclusive Man Utd news.
But Tottenham have received two boosts of their own in the build-up to the match, which will make United’s task to securing a crucial victory all the more difficult.
The Lilywhites will likely visit M16 with fresh firepower as Timo Werner closes in on a short-term deal from RB Leipzig.
Tottenham have reportedly agreed to take the former Chelsea forward on loan, with the option to buy him in the summer for no more than £17million.
Werner has battled injury problems this season, resulting in just 14 appearances featuring two goals and an assist.
However, the 27-year-old counters United’s relief of having to not face Son Heung-min, who is at the Asia Cup with South Korea.
He joins Brennan Johnson, Dejan Kulusevski and Richarlison among the visitors’ firepower, and they are due a significant boost in defence, too.
Micky van de Ven enjoyed a sensational start in England after his switch from Wolfsburg, starting all 12 games before being forced off with a hamstring injury in the 4-1 defeat to Chelsea in early November.
The rapid centre-back trained this week and returned to the bench in Spurs’ 1-0 FA Cup win against Burnley on Thursday. He will likely be ready to start at Old Trafford.


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Temptations lyric video available now!
Ask and you shall receive! We've been getting a bunch of requests for lyric videos for our music so we are thrilled to release a brand new lyric video for our latest single 'Temptations'! Scott Rudd Film did an incredible job putting this together and we can't wait to see you all singing along at a show real soon!
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domain: entertainment


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Pop star Beyoncé has teamed up with her mother, Tina Knowles Lawson, to support a mobile virus testing initiative in their hometown of Houston, Texas.
The #IDIDMYPART campaign, taking place this weekend, aims to bring awareness of the daily testing available at a local medical centre.
It will also provide free masks, gloves, household supplies and 1,000 free tests “administered under safe conditions,” according to a statement.
“The virus is wreaking havoc on the Black community so we need a movement to prioritise our health,” Ms Knowles Lawson said.
Figures from the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention suggest that 33% of people who’ve been taken to hospital with the virus are African-American, yet only 13% of the US population is African-American.
“Testing is crucial because it helps find hot spots and saves lives,” local Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee said in the statement. “Texas has a very low Covid-19 test rate, second lowest in the nation.”


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Your wedding day is one of the most special days in your lives. I want to help document that day and make sure you never forget it. I aim to create stunning wedding photojournalism that will tell the story of your big day. We’ll talk about how we can photograph you so that your pictures are as important to you as they are to me.
Wedding photography is my passion, and I love nothing more than seeing the best day of the couple's life unfold right before my eyes. To capture the best day ever, I create natural, relaxed yet classic wedding images with a modern touch.
Allow me to capture the most important day of your life! Crafted with care and attention, my photography is defined by visual storytelling. My eye for detail gives great insight into you and your story. I am honoured that you are considering me for your special day, and can't wait to be a part of it!
More wedding photos on my website: www.ufniak.co.uk.

domain: artistic


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What Did Plato Contribute to Philosophy?
30 JUL 2018
Plato is arguably the single most influential philosopher of all time with major contributions to contemporary and modern philosophy. So significant is the Plato contribution that the modern British philosopher, Albert North Whitehead, quipped that "the safest general characterization of the European philosophical tradition is that it consists of a series of footnotes to Plato." If Whitehead overstated his case, it was not by a wide margin. Plato's contribution extends to virtually every area of philosophy.
1 Plato's Social Philosophy
Although Plato's writings extend to every corner of academia, political philosophy was his most common subject. In "Republic," perhaps the most famous of his dialogues, he tackled the difficult questions of what constitutes justice and how a just state should function. Plato's answers were controversial and "Republic" has encouraged philosophical debate in every century after its writing. Later philosophers like Robert Nozick and John Rawls drew heavily on Plato's work in constructing their own conceptions of justice and the state.
2 Philosophy of Rhetoric
Plato also studied and wrote extensively on rhetoric or the art of persuasion. Two of Plato's most important dialogues, "Phaedrus" and "Gorgias," address questions about the nature of rhetoric. For Plato, rhetoric and argument were ways to deduce truths about the world through careful introspection. However, he also saw rhetoric as a potentially dangerous weapon in the hands of sophists and demagogues. Later philosophers like Aristotle, Cicero and Augustine expanded on Plato's philosophy of rhetoric.
3 The Platonic Epistemology
Yet another of Plato's essential contribution to philosophy is his work on epistemology. Epistemology is the study of knowledge, or how people come to know things. Plato was among the first philosophers to consider the idea of a priori knowledge, defined as knowledge that exists independent of experience. In "Republic" and other dialogues, Plato argued that human experience was always limited and deceptive. The real truth he said emerged not from the real world but from the world of ideas. Plato argued that idealized "forms" represented the true, perfect version of every thing or idea in the universe. This powerful concept has puzzled and inspired great philosophers like David Hume, Martin Heidegger and Jacques Derrida for generations and inspired these social philosophers and their contributions.
4 Plato's Dialectic Explored
Beyond his writings and findings, the Plato contribution to philosophy that involved a new method for answering philosophical questions was created. Nearly all of Plato's writings took the form of dialogues between Socrates and various other characters that were part of Plato's social philosophy. The characters disagree and argue with each other. Plato's use of dialogue pitted arguments and ideas against each other allowing the best ideas to rise to the surface. This dialectical method ensures rigorous scrutiny of every premise and conclusion. Although few modern philosophers write in dialogue, the dialectic has influenced subsequent methods of philosophical explication.

domain: library


The Grand Stade de Lyon is on course to sell out for the Champions Cup final between Saracens and Racing 92 on Saturday, live on Sky Sports 2. One thing we can predict for certain is, come the final whistle, there will be a new name on the trophy, as neither side has yet tasted glory in European rugbys premier cup competition.Racing 92 will make their first appearance in a final and are the ninth Top 14 club to play in a European Cup decider, while Saracens will be appearing in the final for a second time after losing 23-6 to Toulon in 2014. Top of the PoolsSaracens swept aside all before them in a tricky Pool 1 that included Toulouse, Ulster and Oyonnax.The north London side kicked off their campaign with a 32-7 win over Toulouse. We take a look Saracens route to the 2016 European Rugby Champions Cup final It was an impressive display from Saracens and they backed it up in Round 2 with a superb second-half performance away to Ulster.Sarries scored 22 points after the break in Belfast to come away 27-9 winners and underline their ambition to go one better than they did in 2014. Owen Farrell will be hoping to help Sarries to their first Champions Cup success Rounds 3 and 4 provided back-to-back wins against Oyonnax - a 45-10 win at Stade Charles Mathon before a Chris Ashton hat-trick inspired them to a 55-13 victory at home the following week. The bonus-point win put comfortable distance between them and the chasing pack in Pool 1.Mark McCalls men then secured their home quarter-final in Round 5 with another impressive win against Ulster, this time winning 33-17 to secure their fourth bonus-point victory of the pool stages.In their final game of the group stages, Saracens kept their 100% record intact as they travelled to Stade Ernest Wallon and beat Toulouse 28-17. When is the Champions Cup final on Sky? When is the Champions Cup final and how can you watch it on Sky Sports? Meanwhile, over in Pool 3, Racing were drawn with Northampton, Glasgow and Scarlets. Their first match was scheduled to be against Glasgow, but was postponed following the terror attacks in Paris.The Top 14 side got their Champions Cup campaign off to a winning start with a bonus-point 29-12 victory over the Scarlets at Parc y Scarlets.Dan Carter then had his first taste of European rugby with the Paris-based side as he helped Racing to a 33-3 win over Northampton in Round 3, but a week later there was a blip as Saints held them to a 9-9 draw at Franklins Gardens. We take a look at Racing 92s route to the 2016 European Rugby Champions Cup final In early January, Racings postponed Round 1 game against Glasgow took place at Stade Yves Du Manoir. The French side tightened their grip on Pool 3 with a 34-10 bonus-point win, and a week later racked up the biggest win in the tournament when they demolished Scarlets 64-14 at home.The final round was not a good one for Racing, as they were well beaten by Glasgow Warriors in Kilmarnock - 22-5 thanks to a try from Stuart Hogg. However, they had done enough to advance as Pool 3 winners and secure home advantage in the quarter-finals.Knockout stagesRacing hosted three-time champions Toulon in the quarter-finals in battle that went to the wire. The scores were tied 16-16 before a 79th-minute penalty from French scrum-half Maxime Machenaud kicked Racing into their first semi-final, knocking out the reigning champions. PRO12 v Premiership: Who wins? Which league has the best players? In their semi-final against Leicester, it was Machenauds try in the third minute that helped Racing to a 19-9 lead with the game closing out. Though Leicester hit back with a try with a minute remaining, Racing held on for a 19-16 win at City Ground.Saracens came under intense pressure in their quarter-final and had to come from behind to beat Northampton after trailing 10-6 at half-time. Sarries were far from their best but stepped up in the second half to beat their Premiership rivals 29-20. Saracens beat Wasps 24-17 in their semi-final It was another Premiership side in the semi-finals for Saracens as they won a thrilling encounter against Wasps. The power of their back row finally took its toll on Wasps, who made Sarries really fight for their place in the final in a 24-17 win.The finalThe two best teams in Europe will now meet. Will Saracens be able to keep their 100% win record and lift the trophy? No team has ever won the tournament after finishing the group stages as top seeds.Can Racing 92 triumph, propelling Dan Carter into an exclusive club of players who have won the World Cup, the Rugby Championship, the Super Rugby title and the Champions Cup?The five to do so are Bryan Habana, Bakkies Botha, Danie Rossouw, Brad Thorn and Ali Williams. Juan Imhoff scored a try during Racings quarter-final against Toulon The Sky Sports team will be in Lyon to bring you all the action as it unfolds, with special guests Paul OConnell and Jonny Wilkinson joining us to share their views.Tune in from 3.45pm on Sky Sports 2 this Saturday to watch Saracens v Racing 92 in the Champions Cup final Also See: Farrell keen to emulate Carter Champions Cup final on Sky Sports WATCH: Fodens trick shot WATCH: Greenwoods Favourite 5 DJ Chark Jersey . The Lightning are 2-0 so far on a four-game road trip, giving the club five straight wins as the guest and improving Tampas away record this season to 11-8-2. Wholesale Jaguars Jerseys . -- Devin Hester is done returning kicks in Chicago. http://www.wholesalejaguarsjerseys.com/ . Mitch Holmberg added a goal and three assists. Connor Chartier also scored for the Chiefs (3-0-0). Luke Harrison spoiled Garrett Hughsons shutout bid with a power-play goal at 13:17 of the third period. The Spokane goaltender finished with 28 saves, including a Brandon Fushimi penalty shot in the second period that would have tied the game 1-1. Will Richardson Jersey . After Martin Skrtel put the Reds in front from close range at Stamford Bridge after only four minutes, Hazard hit back in the 17th with a superb strike. Etoo gave Jose Mourinhos team a decisive lead from Oscars back pass in the 34th. Leon Jacobs Jersey . Shot outdoors against the stunning backdrop of Banff, Alta., the networks 30-minute original production airs tonight at 8pm et/5pm pt on TSN2. The four All-Star teams will play for $100,000 in prize money during TSNs annual skins game, airing live this weekend on TSN from The Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre. LILLE, France -- Aaron Ramsey has matched Gareth Bale for high-class play and a team-first ethic during Wales magical advance to the semifinals of the European Championship.But the team is going to have to cope without the verve and vigor of the Arsenal midfielder against Portugal after Ramsey picked up another yellow card during the teams 3-1 victory over Belgium on Friday.Unselfishness was even a factor in the 25-year-old getting himself suspended for the semifinal match in Lyon on Wednesday. Ramsey was punished for intentionally handling the ball to break up a Belgium attack when Wales was under pressure leading 2-1 in the 75th minute.If they have to take one for the team then, so be it, and Aaron has done that, Wales coach Chris Coleman said after the greatest night in the nations soccer history. I am absolutely gutted for Aaron because hes been outstanding in this tournament.Ramsey covered his face with the front of his red Wales shirt, understanding right away the consequence of his action -- he wont be playing against Cristiano Ronaldos Portugal.His frustration was perhaps intensified because the first yellow card he received at Euro 2016 seemed avoidable -- shown for a minor foul late in stoppage time of a 1-0 win over Northern Ireland in the round of 16.We said before the game tonight that one or two of the boys were on yellows but weve got to do what we need to do to get through, said Coleman, who also lost defender Ben Davies for one match after he received a second yellow card as well.dddddddddddd Theyve been outstanding, both players, but they did what they needed to do, what the team needed from them.I am certainly very proud of both players and their contributions, the coach said.Ramsey, known as `Rambo to teammates, has been immense in the No. 10 shirt as a creative playmaker who does not shirk defensive duty.His early goal against Russia set Wales up for a 3-0 win and top spot in Group B, and his four assists, including two against Belgium, are tied for most at Euro 2016 with Eden Hazard.It was Ramseys surging run into space to collect Bales long pass that helped set up Hal Robson-Kanu for moment of individual brilliance to lift Wales into a 2-1 lead in Lille.Hes a world-class player but we have world-class players throughout our squad, Robson-Kanu said of Ramseys influence. We have a squad here, thats the point. Im sure the players who step in will perform.One candidate is Andy King, a member of the Leicester squad that beat Ramseys Arsenal to win the Premier League title.That surprising and crowd-pleasing title win has fueled belief that Wales -- or Iceland, which plays France in a quarterfinal on Sunday -- can go all the way.Robson-Kanu suggested Euro 2016 has not seen the last of Ramsey.I am sure he will be ready for the final, he said. Stitched Jerseys Cheap Jerseys 2020 Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping China Jerseys Cheap Cheap Jerseys Wholesale Wholesale Jerseys 2019 Cheap NFL Jerseys China ' ' '
t123, 17.05.2018 07:21


data, awards, description –
AJ+C’s design brings a modern, unique building to life, effortlessly finding its place within a long-established school.
A multi-purpose school facility AJ+C was commissioned to design the new Abbotsleigh multi-purpose sports hall and sports field. There was also requirement for a 166-vehicle parking area, function rooms, change facilities, an artificial turf sportsfield, grandstand space and reconfigured access roads, pathways and landscaping.
Innovative, sustainable, comfortable The facility’s southern end curves to transition into an extended roofline beyond the actual building. This creates a visually remarkable profile and conveys a sense of energy and movement. Ecologically sustainable design is incorporated throughout, with natural ventilation a key feature of the design. The building’s major sporting hall will not require mechanically assisted heating or cooling.
Functional and integrated The building provides the large volume required for team sports, while featuring facades broken down in scale by louvers or screens to blend into the school environment. Materials and finishes harmonise with the surrounding bushland palette.
- Site18,752 m²
- GFA3,240 m²
- 2018World Architecture News (WAN) Awards
Sport in Architecture Award
- 2017Ku-Ring-Gai Council People's Choice Awards
Contemporary Design Commendation
- 20162016 Timber Design Awards
for Timber Flooring
- 20162016 Learning Environments
for New Construction Major Facility
- 2016Australian Institute of Architects William E Kemp Award
Best Education Building in NSW
- 2016Australian Institute of Architects Award
news, video, testimonials –
- Media Release: AJ+C multipurpose sports hall wins top NSW educational architecture award


Pig CAFOs in North Carolina
by Quinn Steven
North Carolina is one of the American strong holds for great barbecue, particularly for its pulled pork, ribs, and “pig pickin,” which is when a pig is smoked whole, then guests pick the meat right from the smoker.[i] Something has to supply the pork for all that barbecue; that’s where North Carolinian farms come in to play. North Carolina is one of the largest pork producing states in America; in 2012 that population was over 9.5 million hogs and approximately 2,400 swine facilities.[ii] These animals are not kept on your traditional family farm; instead they are raised on industrialized factory farms called AFOs, Animal Feeding Operations.
These AFOs are operations where animals are kept and raised in confined structures for more than forty-five days. If an AFO exceeds a certain size, it is called a CAFO, or a Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation. Approximately 15% of AFOs meet the EPA’s size threshold to be called CAFOs, meaning they contain more than 1,000 animals in one facility. In North Carolina, an AFO can be classified as a CAFO with only 300 animals if the CAFO directly or indirectly disposes of waste into a body of water.[iii] Even though these AFOs and CAFOs are efficient uses of space, they also lead to a host of economic, environmental, health and humanitarian issues. For the scope of this blog, I will focus on the environmental and health impacts of CAFOs in North Carolina.
Where you have animals, you have waste. When CAFOs are introduced to an environment, they create an exorbitant amount of waste because hogs produce two to four times the amount of waste that a human can.[iv] On these AFOs and CAFOs, animals are fed with genetically modified corn and soybean based feed to fatten them up. They are also preemptively given antibiotics to prevent them from becoming ill. All of the chemicals in their food, the antibiotic resistant pathogens growing inside of them, and the noxious gases that these animals digestive tracts create as they try to digest the highly processed feed are released into the environment through the animals’ waste. CAFOs dispose of this waste using a “liquid slurry” process through which they build waste lagoons.[v] In North Carolina, these waste lagoons are especially threatening because of the state’s high water table, [vi] because it is more likely for the chemicals, pathogens, and animal waste to leech into the fresh water supply. Over the years this has occurred multiple times, one example was in 1995, 25 million gallons of animal waste spilled into North Carolina’s New River killing over 10 million fish and forcing the river and surrounding wetlands to be closed.[vii]
If the waste lagoons are not sufficient to completely dispose of waste, the CAFO managers will spray the waste over surrounding forests and fields, making the waste, pathogens, and harmful chemicals airborne. As a result, many CAFO workers contract respiratory conditions and pulmonary disorders, and studies have shown that children living in neighborhoods near CAFOs have a higher likelihood of developing asthma.[viii] Even the process of these animals producing waste is environmentally harmful. Because of how the animals’ digestive systems function, they produce methane gas and nitrogen dioxide when they expel waste. These gases are more potent greenhouse gases than carbon dioxide because they trap heat more efficiently. Altogether CAFO emissions make up about 7% of the United States’ contribution of greenhouse gases.[ix]
In addition to these environmental and health conditions attributed to CAFOs, there are also a host of social and humanitarian concerns associated with CAFOs, so why then does approximately 99% of meat in America come from this style of farming?[x] For one, these CAFOs supply the vast quantity of meat necessary for fast food companies to offer burgers on the dollar menu and to supply meat to the masses for very low costs. Although the individual cost for each farmer to operate a CAFO is very high, government subsidies and vertical integration make the system economically preferable for high executives in meat-producing companies. It is difficult for smaller farmers who work for the larger companies to transition to a more sustainable form of farming because often they have inherited these CAFO farms and incurred the coinciding debt. The farmer’s individual debt comes from buying into contracts with large companies, buying animals to support those contracts, and from having to regularly take loans that allow them to update their facilities according to the company’s standards.[xi]
While CAFOs may appear to be the cheapest, most efficient way to produce meat for the masses, this is because the social cost of producing the meat becomes an externality rather than included in the actual cost. If the economic value of the environmental impact, health impacts, and the government subsidies that make the prices of CAFO-produced meat cheap were added to the retail cost of the meat, consumers would suffer severe sticker shock.[xii] Similarly, CAFOs seem as if they could produce an infinite supply of meat for the world’s ever-growing population. This assumption is also false. If these methods of meat production are continued and even expanded, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, soon the land will be exhausted of its nutrients or made toxic from waste contamination.[xiii]
Rather than expanding CAFO meat production methods, the federal government should give subsidies and stimulus to more sustainable methods of agriculture. Currently, the US federal government provides approximately $5 billion in subsidies for less sustainable agricultural methods. Without those subsidies, food produced from conventionally grown crops and livestock would drastically increase in price.[xiv] If these subsidies were put toward more sustainable methods of food production instead of conventional ones, then more environmentally sound, humane food production methods would be encouraged and their resulting product would become increasingly affordable.
Sustainable agricultural methods can actually benefit the environment rather than cause harm. Sustainable livestock operations, for example, mitigate some health and environmental damages by forgoing chemical additives and antibiotics for their animals. They also produce significantly less waste than CAFOs by virtue of raising fewer animals. While more sustainable agricultural methods must raise fewer animals than CAFOs, they can still supply a substantial amount of meat.[xv] We cannot out-produce demand, especially as more countries develop economically and turn toward a diet containing more meat. Ultimately, the solution to the environmental and health issues of mass farming must come form populations adopting more vegetarian diets. While meat-based diets can negatively impact the environment, plant-based diets have significantly less environmental impact.[xvi] Therefore, we must fundamentally change people’s diets by increasing plant consumption while decreasing meat consumption to create a sustainable environment.
Your blog highlights some of the most pressing problems concerning North Carolina swine production. The problems with sanitation in North Carolina farms are even starting to affect the pigs: in 2015 the state suffered a severe onset of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus, which forced many farms to quarantine their pigs and dealt a blow to hog farmers across the state. This setback, however, does less to affect that price of pork nationally than it does to the international market. Indeed, the majority of NC pork isn’t consumed in the US, but on the Asian markets (Iowa supplies America’s pork, much to my chagrin). NC breeders specialize in producing pigs whose meat is classified as ‘silky pork’, a softer, sweeter variety that is the mainstay in Japan and some parts of eastern China. Thus, when considering subsidies on CAFOs, one most also consider what impact these would have on international trade. Would it be worth it to the United States to subsidize improvements to hog farms if those improvements would not directly affect the quality of meat in the United States? It would be very interesting, and I encourage you to research this further, to look at the effects the Pacific Trade Agreement will have on the hog industry in North Carolina.
I think it’s great the you chose to talk about CAFOs for your blog post—it’s such an important topic that I think is really overlooked! In one of my other classes called the Politics of Climate Change, we heard from a recent Harvard Law grad who talked about the environmental injustice issues surrounding CAFOs in North Carolina. I think an important part of the CAFO equation is that the majority of communities surrounding these feeding operations and poor and overwhelmingly african american. This means that african americans are disproportionately subjected to the host of health consequences you outlined. And what is more, accidents associated with CAFOs are projected to increase (such as flooding of waste lagoons) with global warming, because global warming will cause more severe weather events. This subjects these communities to even more environmental injustices. So not only is the issue dangerous to human health overall, it’s actually at it’s core an environmental justice issue. And these poorer communities that surround CAFOs often lack the resources or the knowhow to mobilize against the CAFOs—the very operations that are forcing them to stay inside because of the foul odor and flies, and subjecting them to water contamination due to lagoon flooding.
I really resonate with your point about subsidies. As we talk more and more this semester about whether or not a price reflects the true cost of the product, I have become a large supporter of incorporating all negative externalities into pricing. In this case, I am against the $5 billion of subsidies that you mention goes towards funding non-sustainable farming practices. There are so many struggling small farmers who cannot pay for marketing efforts such organic certification. And it seems like that $5 billion would be better suited towards funding these operations that are more environmentally friendly and socially responsible.
I also agree with the movement for a more plant-based diet. Although I don’t think that Americans will suddenly cut meat completely out of their diets, I believe that a strong educational program could encourage consumers to make smarter choices (eating more plant-based meals) for their health and the planet’s. This educational program could both come from curriculum as well as a media campaign. Not enough people know about the health effects of eating meat raised in CAFOS: increased greenhouse gas emissions, increased water pollution, increased air pollution (especially locally), increased antibiotic resistant pathogens, and more.
I think it’s beyond doubt at this point that CAFOs contribute significantly to emission of greenhouse gases, and that the solution lies with a nationwide change in mentality toward our diet. However, there are countless issues in our country that would be solved with a nationwide change in opinion, but have yet to enjoy such ubiquity and unanimity, and I don’t think CAFOs are any different in this respect. I’m also not sure about the feasibility of a sweeping national vegetarian/vegan movement; while it certainly isn’t impossible, we would have to overcome personal preferences, cultural backgrounds, traditions, established local markets… This is exactly like how, in a previous class discussion, we discussed how we students will demand mangoes despite the fact that mangoes are out of season in our area. As long as people know that the option exists, is favorable, and can be obtained (at little cost to themselves, anyway), it will be extremely difficult to convince them to regress to a state where that option no longer exists.
Rather than attempting to change the popularity of meat/meat products, I think it would be more feasible to continue pushing the organic food movement. We should focus on increasing availability of organic and/or locally-grown food, especially in urban areas where fresh, locally-grown food is hard to come by. A big contributor to this problem is the continued unaffordability of organic/locally-grown food, which in large part is due to the current government system of food subsidies, as you mention in your blog. Rather than the government waiting for greater demand in organic food before shifting their subsidies to organic food farmers, I think that, in order to see greater change in diet across the nation, the government should take the first step in shifting subsidies to support organic food; it’s difficult to convince people to begin or continue buying more expensive, supposedly-healthier options when the cost of these supposedly-healthier options does not seem to be decreasing. I understand that subsidies for intensively-farmed, inorganic foods and for systems like CAFOs are built not only on historical policies but also on current relations between the agricultural community and lawmakers, as well as actual demonstrated preferences of the common people; but I think that for the future of our country, both in terms of personal physical health and in terms of the wellbeing of the environment, it is important to begin taking steps to shape the national diet, both at the policy level and at the grassroots level.
With so many environmental issues plaguing the country, the problems in our very own backyard are often overlooked. I thought your blog did a great job of shifting our focus back on environmental degradation taking place within our own state and shedding light on the multi-faceted problem that is the pig industry and meat production. I was especially intrigued by the component of environmental justice as many neighboring communities are now experiencing health effects due to the nearby lagoons. Reminding me of Anderson, et al. v. Pacific Gas and Electric with Erin Brockovich, I found the subsequent health effects, and likely reduction in house values, an interesting component that is often forgotten to be taken into account in environmental costs. It seems as though the health costs experienced by neighboring communities should certainly be mentioned in labeling when consumers purchase the meat. Buying pork would no doubt be a more expensive option if approached through a holistic lens, not just including monetary measures. I think your suggestion of subsidies to promote sustainable agriculture is a good alternative. With the initial costs often being what prevents farmers from growing sustainably, subsidies may help to encourage environmentally friendly growing and production practices. Although drastic, I also appreciated your suggestion of vegetarianism as a solution. With such a myriad of issues from health problems, to waste disposal, to antibiotic resistance, to greenhouse gas emissions, a decrease in meat consumption would no doubt promote sustainable practices and at the very least, decrease the need for mass meat processing.
I really enjoyed this post, and I liked that you were able to clearly and thoroughly explain the environmental impacts of this hugely complex issue. I completely agree with your assessment that we will need to shift the world to more of a plant based diet – not only will the environment be positively affected, but also human health will improve as well as our ability to feed the world. Producing meat is incredibly energy intensive, much more so than producing non-meat crops and requires an incredible amount of water that fruits/vegetables do not. Though from a human health and environment stance, your proposal is pretty sound, there are definitely huge economic considerations that need to be made. For one, much of our economy is tied to food (especially meat production). Forgetting about even the huge companies producing meat themselves, we must consider secondary operations that rely on meat (restaurants, fast food, transportation, packaging, etc.). These industries would suffer if meat were removed and especially those who are employed by them (think about the many people employed by fast food restaurants in America). Nevertheless, I do think that with gradual policy changes, the culture in America and the rest of the world could change in such a way that will reduce our meat consumption.
I also agree that our subsidies for these huge farms are misplaced. While I also agree that smaller farms and sustainable agriculture need subsidies to encourage better practices, perhaps a policy could be imagined that would still provide subsidies to larger farms but only if their animal farming practices were made more sustainable. Since the farm bloc is so influential in politics, this may be a more middle ground policy that could induce them to practice better farming methods.
Your blog makes some fantastic points, most of which I think have been discussed by most of the comments at some point. One aspect of your discussion that I was especially interested in (which I think caught some of your other readers’ eyes as well) was the discussion about government subsidies supporting unsustainable practices. I think beyond changing individual diets or altering major trade agreements, showing the true cost of meat products across the U.S. could make a significant difference in our consumption practices. It is one thing for farmers to be producing meat at the cheapest rate in isolation, but it is a whole new argument to consider that these farmers are producing meat at the cheapest rate because the government manipulated market prices to make these unsustainable practices the cheapest option.
Your arguments about environmental justice and human and environmental health are undoubtedly compelling for anyone interested in protecting the environment, but unfortunately it seems that only the economic arguments have an impact at the executive level. I think the subsidy argument draining $5 billion from our government would be considerably convincing in an effort to reallocate resources and improve conditions across the board in the meat industry.
I think you highlight a very pressing problem not only in North Carolina but all of the US. Before taking this class and then reading your article, I had only ever viewed CAFOs from a humanitarian point of view. Knowing that excess waste from the CAFOs is spread across giant fields (and thus sprayed into the air) it utterly repulsive. I had also never considered the even bigger health effects that CAFO waste has like respiratory and pulmonary problems with children.
In class we discussed potential solutions for disposing CAFO waste, and even if we did find a way to dispose of waste, it is not a long-term solution. Like you stated in your blog and according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, soon all the land will be exhausted of its nutrients or made toxic from waste contamination.
However, I do like your shorter-term solutions. You propose that the government should change where subsidies are allocated. This is a wonderful idea in theory, however, if you have seen a film like Forks over Knives, it is easy to see that politicians have personal incentives that often trump what is best for the environment. They have special agreements with big factory farmers and get personal benefits for making policy in big farmers’ best interests. To change this, one would have to change the way the game of politics is played, and I don’t see an easy way to do this.
Thus, I like your last idea. We need to have a cultural change where our diets shift away from being so meat heavy and become more plant based. I have recently become a vegetarian, and it is a lot easier than people think. Even if people don’t ditch meat altogether but adopt something like meatless Monday, it could make a huge difference.
My first concern is about the change in classification [by the EPA] of an AFO to a CAFO if it directly or indirectly disposes of waste into a body of water. If the EPA is aware of AFOs disposing of waste in order for them to alter their classification, are they shut down or fined? What happened after the incident in 1995? What were the effects on the wildlife in the river and wetlands and what were the impacts on human health in the area? Did drinking water become contaminated?
In regards to your last paragraph, in an ideal world, everyone would shift to a more vegetarian diet. We would consume way less meat and all the awful effects you wrote about about would be mitigated. But, I think this is an extremely unfeasible possibility. As countries become more and more developed, they’re going to shift to a more meat based diet. With this being said, I have no idea how anyone wold be able to shift the meat eating paradigm across the world. Public awareness of the dangers of CAFOs may be a start but I think even the educated will continue eating meat.
CAFOs are hidden and are extremely hard to gain access to. Last semester I read a book called Omnivores Dilemma by Michael Pollan. A third of his book was attributed to the industrial food chain. He went to a CAFO but he was not let inside. I think if there were ‘glass walls’ or more imformation disclosure, people would really know what goes on in CAFOs and MAYBE change dietary practices. But the feasibility and likelihood of that is slim.
[i] Sisk, Taylor. “North Carolina Travel Guide: NC Barbecue,” Matt Barrett’s Travel Guides, Web. Accessed Feb 29, 2016.
[ii] Monson, S. (2010). “Earthlings.” Documentary. Nation Earth, Burbank CA.
[iii] Environmental Protection Agency. “Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations.” April 5, 2002.
[iv] Marks, Robin. “Cesspools of Shame: How Factory Farm Lagoons and Sprayfields Threaten Environment and Public Health,” NDRC, (July 2001): 7. Web. Accessed Mar 10, 2016.
[v] Sang, R.L (2010). “Understanding Ammonia Emissions from Swine Animal Feeding Operations in North Carolina.” North Carolina State University. Raleigh, NC.
[vi] Sang 2010
[vii] Marks, 40.
[viii] Wing, S., D. Cole, G. Grant. (2000). “Environmental Injustice in North Carolina’s Hog Industry.” Environmental Health Perspectives 108(3):225–231.
[ix] Cassuto, D.N. (2010). “CAFO Hothouse: Climate Change, Industrial Agriculture and the Law.Animals & Society Institute Policy Paper.” Web. Accessed Feb 29, 2016.
[x] Monson 2010
[xi] Ladd, A., B. Edwards (2002). “Corporate Swine, Capitalist Pigs: A Decade of Environmental Injustice in North Carolina.” Social Justice 29 (3): 26–46.
[xii] Cassuto 2010
[xiii] Steinfeld H, Gerber P, Wassenaar T, Castel V, Rosales M, de Haan C (2006). “Livestock’s Long Shadow: Environmental Issues and Options.” Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (Rome, Italy): 390.Web. Accessed Mar 15, 2016.
[xiv] Urry, Amelia. “Our crazy farm subsidies, explained.” Grist. (April 2015). Web. Accessed Mar 18, 2016.
[xv] Larry Satter, “Amazing Graze,” Agricultural Research 48, no. 4 (April 2000).
[xvi] Smith, Carol. “New Research Says Plant-based Diet Best for Planet and People,” Our World. United Nations University. (November 2014). Web. Accessed Mar 16, 2016.


You know Portland is getting its groove back when the Bureau of Transportation creates a large new public plaza and it takes us nearly a week to get it up on the front page.
Between the new lane design of Naito near the Steel Bridge, a few new traffic diverters on neighborhood greenways, and the launch of bike share, we haven’t had the chance to share this excellent news. So here you go: PBOT has taken another giant leap in the ongoing transformation of the wide expanse of pavement just outside Voodoo Doughnuts on SW 3rd at Ankeny.
The push for streets with fewer cars in this part of Old Town began over five years ago. From the start the political push has come from local business owners who understand that wide streets full of cars are not good for their bottom line (or the health of their city).
More recently, those business interests aligned with sophisticated activism from Better Block PDX, a grassroots group that specializes in temporarily re-imagining public space. Their 2014 demonstration of a new plaza and protected bike lane on SW 3rd and Burnside helped forge key alliances with the Old Town Chinatown Community Association, the Portland Bureau of Transportation, and Commissioner Steve Novick.
One year later the protected bike lanes were made permanent. And now here comes the plaza.
I got the chance to see the new plaza myself a few days ago and it looks fantastic. Before I share more photos of what it looks like now, check out this before shot from Google Streetview:
And here’s what it looks like today:
From my observations so far the design works well. People have immediately taken to walking and hanging out in the space, people are parking in the right places, and there was even a busker playing guitar. All early signs of success! And keep in mind that PBOT has only done the striping and defined the outlines of the space. There will be more design elements added in the weeks to come.
There’s a ribbon-cutting planned for 12:00 to 1:00 pm on August 9th. Stay tuned for more developments.
— Jonathan Maus, (503) 706-8804 – email@example.com
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Brilliantfiction – Chapter 730 – Harlow And The White Witch blue-eyed sheep reading-p2
Novel–The Cursed Prince–The Cursed Prince
Chapter 730 – Harlow And The White Witch slap whispering
The Cursed Prince
“Certainly, you will be interested in getting together with him straight away and can’t even continue to be for a pleasant speak to this old young lady,” the white-colored witch grouchily stated.
“You’ve advanced significantly, princess,” the witch crooned. “I can stink the smell of another region as well as water upon you. You’ve traveled such a long time all by yourself in the future on this page. With the an ice pack dragon possibly, but you are up to now away from home.”
“You have ears, don’t you?” Marguerite brought up a brow in hassle. “He or she is not right here.”
Section 730 – Harlow Plus The White Witch
Thank you so much, Kelly Goodwin, for gifting a castle with this book right now! Your help and support means the world in my experience.
Harlow clenched her hand around the bow and made a decision not to say other things but only nodded in confirmation. This girl seemed to feel that Harlow was fired up in order to reach her potential spouse Marguerite didn’t know how drastically wrong she was.
The White-colored Witch glanced at an ice wall structure and spotted Harlow’s ice cubes dragon reflection. She pursed her mouth and shrugged. “You have the possibility that your particular dragon is aware where Ice Prince is. Nonetheless, I actually suspected until this is most probably a migration.”
sorry for the inconvenience in a sentence
“Your dragon is currently fully grown and also needs to lover,” The White Witch chuckled. “Not surprisingly, it would instantly need to mind in Install Tempest to get a mate.. But with regards to whereabouts in the guy you try to get, go elsewhere.”
England in America, 1580-1652
“Pardon me for being rude, but I’m simply on this page in order to reach together with the Ice-cubes Prince,” Harlow explained securely.
A ice cold chuckle echoed in the huge throne space in the ice fortress, the white witch’s gaze narrowed at Harlow and she stated. “Remedy the problem and you should not redirect it in my experience, my dear. Will not analyze my patience and simply notify reality or perhaps be changed into ice cubes.”
The princess was thrilled since, whilst she observed messenger hawks together with other locations which might have sent extended-length emails from across the sea, Harlow was attempting to keep the minimum account.
“I can give them information if you’d like.” The bright white witch shrugged. “I imagine we have a authority of wizards there to have my content. They’re no Renwyck, but Draec’s very own wizards and mages also are qualified adequate.”
“Concerned to fatality undoubtedly.”
On the other hand, to disagree with all the white-colored witch might result in Harlow’s quick demise. So, she decided to continue being tactful. “Yes, I have got indeed derive from afar. I get pleasure from the hospitality, but I am certain that my parents are concerned about me.”
“Your dragon is now fully harvested and also needs to significant other,” The Whitened Witch chuckled. “Naturally, it will unexpectedly prefer to brain here in Position Tempest to identify a lover.. But when it comes to whereabouts of your gentleman you seek, go elsewhere.”
“Pardon me for being impolite, but I’m simply in this article to meet up with together with the Ice-cubes Prince,” Harlow mentioned strongly.
“Do you wish to have anything to ingest or maybe a snack?” the witch requested Harlow.
“You’ve come a long way, princess,” the witch crooned. “I could odour the aroma of some other continent as well as ocean for you. You’ve traveled such a long time all on your own to come here. With an ice dragon possibly, but you are at this point out and about.”
tenterhooks in a sentence
The princess was satisfied since, while she discovered messenger hawks and other places that could have dispatched long-range messages from all over the seas, Harlow was continuing to keep a low description.
“Nervous to fatality certainly.”
“You will have the ears, don’t you?” Marguerite increased a brow in annoyance. “He or she is not on this page.”
An apology for the study of northern antiquities
“Pardon?” Harlow couldn’t aid but check with all over again.
“You may have the ears, don’t you?” Marguerite heightened a brow in aggravation. “He is not below.”
“You’ve come a long way, princess,” the witch crooned. “I can aroma the fragrance of some other region plus the water to you. You’ve traveled so long all on your own to come below. With the an ice pack dragon possibly, but you are at this point out of the house.”
Princess Harlow had taken a deep breath and said. “The An ice pack Prince is my mysterious present sender and he forwarded me a note that I have been guaranteed as his new bride as a result of deal between him and my mommy.”
Harlow could think that this gal was evaluating her visual appeal for that of themselves. Marguerite finally nodded slowly and gradually and gestured within the princess. “You are a fabulous gal. Probably much less attractive as me, but you’ll do just good.”
“No scarring damage, we can’t possess any of that particular as being a woman.” The White Witch smiled at Harlow and appeared closely at her. She was inspecting the princess and judging her every function in such a discriminating way.
Princess Harlow had a deep inhale and reported. “The An ice pack Prince is my mysterious present sender and then he dispatched me a letter i always have been claimed as his bride-to-be due to the deal between him and my mom.”
Harlow could believe that this woman was contrasting her look to this of themselves. Marguerite finally nodded carefully and gestured with the princess. “You happen to be fabulous woman. Most likely less fabulous as me, but you’ll do just fine.”
“Thank you so much.”
“Nervous to loss of life without a doubt.”

domain: literature


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Radio idol, Autism Speaks to host inaugural Female Football Frenzy fundraiser for Autistic children
Female Football Frenzy ™ or F3 is a mobilized fundraising campaign centered on the likes of a sport most commonly associated with men…football. F3 brings together women (men are invited too) from varying backgrounds into one setting for purposes of fun, football, and fundraising for the needs of the community. The inaugural F3 event will support Autism Speaks – the Philadelphia Affiliate of the National Autism Association, Monday, November 7, 7:30 PM and continue through the duration of the Monday night showdown between the Philadelphia Eagles and Chicago Bears. This all takes place at the South Philly Bar & Grill located at 1235 E. Passyunk Ave.
The brainchild of 900AM WURD’s 2010 Radio Idol winner and host of “The Tashyra Ayers Show”, F3 kicks off its efforts with a fundraising drive that will run through November 7. “F3 is based on innovative philanthropy,” said Tashyra Ayers. “There are many women that have a love for community and sports alike,” said Ayers. “So, why not bridge the gap? There are women who are as in tune with Monday night showdown as they are with “the cause”.
F3 will undoubtedly bring together entrepreneurs, corporate executives, philanthropists, home-makers, and mothers and daughters alike. F3 is supported by retail giant General Mills Feeding Dreams Initiative. Special invited guests include Philadelphia’s own neo-soul recording artist Bilal, whose son is Autistic, and wives and girlfriends of the Eagles. The ideal setting for this event is the South Philly Bar & Grill.
“It’s really important for us here at South Philly Bar & Grill to give back to the community. We just celebrated three years here on the corner between Pat’s & Geno’s, and one of our constant goals is to expand our customer base, bring in more people who are fans of Philly sports, and do something good at the same time,” says South Philly Bar & Grill’s Kenny Brownell. “It’s just a win-win across the board with the F3.” A percentage of the F3 specialty drinks will go toward Autism Speaks. Special drinks include ‘First Down’, ‘Necessary Roughness’, and ‘Quarterback Sneak’. Attendees will have an opportunity to win Eagles paraphernalia, gift baskets, and other Philadelphia sports branded materials. Select Eagles players will make post-game appearances.
Autism Speaks is the proud first year benefactor of Female Football Frenzy ™. A representative of Autism Speaks will also be in attendance. “Autism will ultimately affect us all,” said Afea Tucker, advocate for Autism awareness and education. “These children will not remain children for long. They will grow up to be college students and seek careers,” Afea stated. “We need to be ready and educated on how to handle this delicate population.”
One in every 110 children is diagnosed with Autism making it more common than any other childhood disease. This event will assist Autism Speaks in kicking off its 2012 season with the United Nations sanctioned-World Autism Awareness Day in April 2012. Yearly, ‘Walk Now for Autism Speaks’ events are held in more than 80 cities across the US.
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This week, Daniel Torday discusses “The Last Flight of Poxl West”; Alexandra Alter has news from the literary world; Frank Bruni talks about Barney Frank’s new memoir; and Gregory Cowles has best-seller news. Pamela Paul is the host.
Welcome to Rave Reviews Book Club's RAVE WAVES: BUY THE BOOK, where guest host Beem Weeks welcomes RRBC Author Lisa Mauro. We will discuss Lisa's book, THE PLACE WE WENT TO YESTERDAY. Join us as we explore this book and become better acquainted with Author Lisa Mauro.
This segment of BUY THE BOOK is being sponsored by Bethany Turner, the very talented author of I'VE LOVED THOSE DAYS.
If you'd like to know how you can get your own commercial recorded or read live on one of our shows, please visit RaveReviewsByNonnieJules.Wordpress.com. This link will take you to the RAVE WAVES page.
In honor of this Leo New Moon John Norseman will have a conversation with us, about his journey and the courage within to share this journey. Offering inspiration for writing our own story in the world.
Muse Broadcast is also honored to have Essence Ka Tha'ras sharing with us a Metatronic Numerology reading associated with our New Moon.
"John Norseman was guided by Spirit, to write Journey of a Shaman the surpose being to provide help, guidance, hope and inspiration to as many people, of all ages, as possible." Throughout the writing anad creative process of Journey of a Shaman John Norseman kept in communication with Spirit for direction of book. One day when John asked Spirit if he was on track, the reply was quick as well as brief and he knew later he would find the answer. John Norseman later that day had a conversation with a gentleman Harvey, who saw in John what he wished to gain from life. Harvey asked John for guideance and inspiration.
John Norsemans response was:
"Follow your heart, not your head."
"Walk away from all negativity."
"Remember that there is nothing to stop you from achieving anything you want, except the blocks in your own mind."
This week, Vu Tran discusses his debut novel, “Dragonfish”; Alexandra Alter has news from the publishing world; Ruth Franklin talks about Lucia Berlin’s stories; listeners share what they’ve been reading; and Gregory Cowles has best-seller news. Pamela Paul is the host.
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This week, Gary Rivlin discusses “Katrina: After the Flood”; Alexandra Alter has news from the publishing world; Joe Domanick talks about “Blue: The LAPD and the Battle to Redeem American Policing”; and Gregory Cowles has best-seller news. Pamela Paul is the host.
This week, Arthur C. Brooks discusses “The Conservative Heart”; Alexandra Alter has news from the publishing world; Susan Southard talks about “Nagasaki”; readers offer changes to the literary canon; and Gregory Cowles has best-seller news. Pamela Paul is the host.
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Madhya Pradesh: An unfortunate incident has been reported from Madhya Pradesh's Sehore district as a two-and-a-half-year-old girl fell into a 300-feet deep borewell in a field on Tuesday. According to police, efforts are on to rescue the toddler who is currently stuck at a depth of 20 feet.
Rescue operation is underway
As per an official, the incident occurred at Mugavali village in the afternoon. Rescue operation is underway with the help of JCB machines under the supervision of senior officials.
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who belongs to Sehore district, took cognisance of the incident and directed officials to ensure that the girl is pulled out safely. Officials of the Chief Minister's Office are also in touch with the district authorities, it was stated.
Similar incident had happened in Gujarat
Earlier, the body of a two-year-old, who fell into a borewell in Gujarat's Jamnagar district, was retrieved after hectic rescue efforts by multiple agencies for 19 hours, an official said on Sunday. The toddler belonged to a tribal family working as labourers on a farm at Tamachan village, some 40 km from Jamnagar city. She had been stuck at a depth of 20-feet after falling into the nearly 200-feet-deep borewell in an agricultural field while playing at around 9.30 am on Saturday.
A massive operation involving the Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and local fire personnel was launched to rescue the girl. She was brought out at around 5.45 am on Sunday and declared dead, Jamnagar taluka development officer N A Sarvaiya said.
(Further details are awaited)


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Stocks with Implied Volatility Movement
- Unemployment Rate Drops to 4.6%
- Bond yields slip on U.S. jobs data, euro steady before Italy vote
- Alibaba (BABA) Founder Jack Ma Discuss Plans to Retire; 'I Don't Want to Die at the Office'
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domain: finance


text:
Find Reading Pennsylvania unemployment offices, including state, federal, and department of labor offices. Unemployment offices provide information on unemployment eligibility and status, compensation, and filing weekly unemployment claims or benefits.
Reading Unemployment Office 501 Crescent Avenue Reading PA 19605 610-988-1300
Coatesville Unemployment Office 250 Harmony Street Coatesville PA 19320 25.3 miles from Reading 610-384-9393
Lebanon Unemployment Office 243 Schneider Drive Lebanon PA 17046 25.8 miles from Reading 717-274-2554
Pottsville Unemployment Office 203 East Arch Street Pottsville PA 17901 27.9 miles from Reading 570-622-5253
Lancaster Unemployment Office 1016 North Charlotte Street Lancaster PA 17603 28.5 miles from Reading 717-509-5613
Allentown Unemployment Office 1601 Union Boulevard Allentown PA 18109 32.6 miles from Reading 610-437-5627
Norristown Unemployment Office 1855 New Hope Street Norristown PA 19401 35.4 miles from Reading 610-270-3429
Jim Thorpe Unemployment Office 69 Broadway Jim Thorpe PA 18229 37.5 miles from Reading 570-325-2701
Hazleton Unemployment Office 75 North Laurel Street Hazleton PA 18201 42.7 miles from Reading 570-459-3854
Chester Unemployment Office 701 Crosby Street Chester PA 19013 45.1 miles from Reading 610-447-3350
Phillipsburg Unemployment Office 75 South Main Street Phillipsburg NJ 08865 45.1 miles from Reading 908-859-0400
Wilmington Unemployment Office 4425 North Market Street Wilmington DE 19802 45.3 miles from Reading 302-761-8085
PA CareerLink Nueva Esperanza 4261 North 5th Street Philadelphia PA 19140 47.4 miles from Reading 215-324-0746
Suburban Station CareerLink 1617 John F Kennedy Boulevard Philadelphia PA 19103 48.1 miles from Reading 215-557-2592
PA CareerLink Philadelphia North 990 Spring Garden Street Philadelphia PA 19123 48.4 miles from Reading 215-560-5465
York Unemployment Office 841 Vogelsong Road York PA 17404 50.1 miles from Reading 717-767-7600
Harrisburg Unemployment Office 100 North Cameron Street Harrisburg PA 17101 50.3 miles from Reading 717-783-3270
Newark Unemployment Office 225 Corporate Boulevard Newark DE 19702 50.8 miles from Reading 302-368-6622
Thorofare Unemployment Office 215 Crown Point Road West Deptford NJ 08086 51.6 miles from Reading 856-384-3700
PA CareerLink Philadelphia Northeast 3210 Red Lion Road Philadelphia PA 19114 52.3 miles from Reading 215-281-1038
An unemployment office, sometimes also called a labor office, serves to increase employment and decrease unemployment among the local workforce. This office acts as a clearinghouse of job opportunities for unemployed workers while also screening applicants and providing benefits for them. An unemployment office also offers education and retraining programs for workers who have been laid off during plant closings.
Unemployment offices oversee the disbursement of benefits. They provide applications, help applicants complete them, verify the information to be submitted, and also oversee the disbursement of unemployment benefits once approved. In addition to in-person visits, most state labor offices allow for the filing of unemployment claims online.

domain: geography


text:
There’s a few great places to discover indie artists you might not know, or some you only know by name. I’ve been blessed this week to discover some great flavors of music and want to share them with you. Best of all, most of this music is available for free. So there’s some good news for people with little or no money who are hungry from some fresh cuts of music. I’ve organized the listing by location of where to go. Click the Artist/Album link to go to the site to access the music.
This is a great sampler recently added to Amazon’s free music page. All you need is the Amazon mp3 downloader and you’re set. Standout tracks on this variety album include The Monarchs (a nice piano driven rock band similar to Rachael Yamagata) and Jay Nash (a groovy rock band with nice rhythm and hooks). For the most part, the songs on this album are fun tunes perfect for a car ride or dinner party.
Another new selection to Amazon’s music page. This selection contains more rock and alternative bands, many of whom seem to be channeling a 70s/80s style in their sound. I like how some of the classic elements of rock are being retroactively reinfused into modern music. It’s a great nod to the pioneers of several forms of rock music and a way to subtly say thanks to those older acts. Standout tracks on this sampler come from Surfer Blood, The Generationals, Chris Bathgate (with a softer folk tune compared to some of the rock on this other tracks).
……..There are quite a few samplers and free music on the Amazon music page available without cost. However, in my opinion not all of them are worth it, even though they’re free. If you enjoy collecting music and having TONS of stuff, even songs you’ll never listen to, then ignore what I will say next. But if you’re like me and you want the music you add to your playlist, iTunes, iPod or other mp3 player, then check out the previous samplers as well as Friendly Fire Recordings 2011 Sampler, Nail Spring 2011 Sampler, Police Teeth-Summertime Bruise (single), Landon Smith and the Real Matt Jones-Picture (single), Royal Bangs-Glass Helmet (single), and Nail 2011 SXSW Sampler. Just about everything else just didn’t work for me. By all means though, sample everything you see and download it if it works for you. These are the acts that worked for me.
Also, if you haven’t checked this site out, you certainly need to do so. They’re called Daytrotter and they record exclusive sessions with indie artists in their studio who stop by and take 2 hours to record a unique experience with them. I love the way the sessions are presented and if you sign up for a free account, you get access to the sessions with some of my favorite indie and emerging songwriters and bands like Iron & Wine, Meiko, Rosi Golan, The Rocketboys, Vampire Weekend and much more. I&W is a pretty recent recording including a lot of his new album, which I fall more in love with the more I listen to it. Rosi is a feature artist on The Appetizer, and her session has some of my favorite songs as well as a new one. Check them all out.

domain: hobby


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Nina who is well known for her savage clapbacks to media trolls has currently issued a warning to those who still underrate her.
The reality star took to social media some moments ago, to dish out words of advice to those who still mistake her for the little naive Big Brother Naija 2018 housemate.
Nina who stated that she is no longer at the receiving end, added that she now serves people whatever they give her.
Read what she tweeted below:-
We Deeply Appreciate Your Visit Today, We Hop You Like It Here As You Stay With Us For A Better Experience In Music Entertainments.
To show major appreciation, here is my best tip, plus more ideas from Jagahits.com Category Of Most New & Latest Incredible Songs You Would Love to check Them Out Pleaese Navigate Through The Category Tabs And See For Yourself.
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Porsche, Audi lift VW to record underlying profit
By Andreas Cremer
WOLFSBURG, Germany (Reuters) - Record Audi and Porsche sales helped Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE: Quote) swing to a record underlying profit in 2016, although a bigger than expected charge from the diesel emissions scandal meant it missed estimates for its operating profit.
Sales of the German carmaker's luxury brands lifted underlying operating profit before special items 14 percent to 14.6 billion euros ($15.5 billion) in 2016, after the company reported its biggest ever loss in 2015.
VW forecast broadly stable earnings this year.
Underlying profit was broadly in line with forecasts for the world's biggest car manufacturer by volume sales, which hiked its dividend more than expected after group sales rose to new highs, with an 8.1 percent jump in fourth quarter deliveries.
Volkswagen (VW) is struggling with the fallout from its admission 17 months ago that it rigged U.S. diesel emissions tests, a scandal that some analysts have estimated may cost it more than $30 billion in fines, compensation and vehicle refits.
VW has since embraced a costly shift to more electric vehicles and last year eclipsed Toyota (7203.T: Quote) as the world's top-selling carmaker with record deliveries of 10.3 million.
ONE-OFF CHARGES Continued...


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Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country is an American science fiction/adventure film and the sixth installment in the Star Trek franchise. It was directed by Nicholas Meyer and written by the collective team of Leonard Nimoy, Lawrence Konner, Mark Rosenthal, Denny Martin Finn and Nicholas Meyer. It was produced by Paramount Pictures and released theatrically in the United States on December 6th, 1991. It is the final film in the series to feature the full cast from the 1960s Star Trek television series. The movie stars William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk, Leonard Nimoy as Captain Spock, DeForest Kelley as Doctor Leonard "Bones" McCoy, James Doohan as Captain Montgomery Scott, Walter Koenig as Commander Pavel Chekov, Nichelle Nichols as Commander Nyota Uhura and George Takei as Captain Hikaru Sulu. Other cast members include Christopher Plummer as the antagonist General Chang, Kim Cattrall as the Vulcan lieutenant Valeris, Brock Peters as Admiral Cartwright, David Warner as Chancellor Gorkon and Rosana DeSoto as Azetbur.
Notes & Trivia Edit
- Production on Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country began on April 16th, 1991 and concluded on July 2nd, 1991.
- Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country was produced on a budget of $30,000,000 and grossed $94,000,000 worldwide.
- Nicholas Meyer also directed Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.
- Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry passed away on October 24th, 1991, little more than a month before the US theatrical release of the film. He did however get to see the completed film.
- This film marks the final appearance together of the original series' cast. It also marks the last appearance to date of Nichelle Nichols as Uhura and the final appearance of DeForest Kelley as Doctor McCoy prior to his death in 1999.
- 1991 proved to be a busy year for Leonard Nimoy. In addition to starring in as well as co-writing and co-producing Star Trek VI, Nimoy also reprised the role of Spock for the two-part "Unification" storyline from Star Trek: The Next Generation, which aired in November, 1991.
- Spock makes a reference to former U.S. President Richard M. Nixon with the line, "Only Nixon could go to China". This was a reference to Nixon's 1972 visit to the People's Republic of China where he met with Chairman Mao Zedong, making him the first U.S. President to ever travel to the PRC.


text: A rough-and-tumble alternate universe story of how the crew of the USS Enterprise first got together under the command of Capt. James T. Kirk. It has a bright sense of humor, and for the most part, doesn't take itself too seriously. There were plenty of winks and nods, and it was kind of fun to see young Kirk, Spock, Uhura, Chekov, Sulu, McCoy and Scotty acting like 2000-era twenty-somethings. Not for purists, but fun and enjoyable.


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NOBODY would want to be awake twenty-four hours. Our bodies deserve to rest and feel a moment of silence, with eyes closed and the mind unloaded of thoughts of miseries. But for some, they sleep without actually sleeping at all, just closing their eyes in darkness with the disturbed soul crying inside.
Their body lies flat on bed but runs so fast, while the mind travels without direction and the soul continues to hear unhealed voices. This is what I call fake sleeping and when it persists, can eventually lead to the desire to forever sleep.
What is then “forever sleep”? Of course, a comatose patient appears to be sleeping all the time, but at least the heart is beating. But for a person who appears sleeping in a coffin not breathing is totally different. I guess to die due to natural death or accidents would elicit fewer questions on the exact cause of death, as compared to successful suicide. Now, I think you know what I mean…
To be human is to experience ups and downs, like a wheel, sometimes one is on top and sometimes one is at the bottom. There is no guarantee that a person can live without imperfections. While to be human is to accept vulnerability. People will experience betrayal, failures, abandonment and vast challenges in life inevitably - no one is exempted from misfortunes.
Hence, Suicide, in my opinion is the hopeless desire to sleep forever, it is a permanent form of mind, body, and soul deactivation to be numb and feel no pain by ending one’s life with no intention to re-experience how it is to be human and vulnerable. And for reasons people don't fully understand, it is just that sometimes people just reach such depths of hopelessness and terrible pain, making them believe that they would better sleep forever.
So, how do we prevent suicide?
Recognize the warning signs and take them seriously. Commonly, people who would want to end his life are those who are pre-occupied with thoughts of death. They also talk much about wishing not to have been born, saying goodbye with extreme feelings of guilt, shame, worthlessness, and self-hatred. Others engage in self-destructive behaviours. It is important to take the clues as a serious emergency, for it can save many lives. Further, one should give special attention to a person who has attempted suicide in the past, because it is a strong indicator that he or she might do it once more.
Give the person the opportunity to express his or her feelings. Listen without bias, with the intent to understand and not to reply. Respond with empathy and the person’s hesitancy to open up can’t service. This is one way of relieving a person’s pent-up negative emotions and may prevent the risk of suicide attempts.
Talk openly about suicidal thoughts. When a person thinks of committing suicide, it surely an indication of a cry for help. One should take the initiative to ask the person what he or she is planning. But never attempt to argue him or her out of committing suicide. Allow the person to feel that he or she is not alone and that hurting experience may pass. It is therapeutic for the person to know that you care and is available to listen.
Be persistent that the person should not be alone. When a person feels hopeless, they think that nobody can help them and so, it is essential that he or she should never be left isolated. Somebody should watch over suicidal people and anything that can be used to harm themselves should be removed. Most importantly, finding out other services or professional help where to refer the suicidal person can greatly help.
Respond quickly. Offer fast and proactive assistance. Do not tell the person to contact you, when they need you. Instead, try to reach out to the person, there is no need to further wait or observe. Time is very important to save a suicidal person.
Even after the immediate suicidal crisis has ended, continue to get in touch with the person. Your support is vital to ensure person remains on the recovery track.
Do not allow experiences of injustices to cause further injustice unto you. If you die, you still can no longer feel relief from pain. But you will actually cause devastating pain to the people you will leave behind.
Remember that to be human is to be vulnerable, making us the most vulnerable… But vulnerability will always be the birthplace of our courage leading us to explore darkness until we discover the infinite power of our strengths.
Ahh... Sometimes we are trapped into a dark place and that everybody seems to hate us, and we feel like we can’t just live with the pain on a minute longer, please never sleep forever because of that rain, tomorrow, when you wake up, will be another day with rainbows after the pain. So, please do not sleep forever.