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That figure drops to around 286,000 deaths if 95% of Americans wear masks when leaving their homes. However, the figure could also reach as high as 620,000 deaths if social distancing mandates are lifted and not re-imposed and mask usage rates remain unchanged.
The most recent projections also show that cumulative worldwide COVID-19 deaths could total 2.8 million by January 1, in which case about 1.9 million more people will die because of the respiratory illness by the end of 2020. The model also predicts that worldwide daily deaths from COVID-19 in December could reach 30,000.
“These first-ever worldwide projections by country offer a daunting forecast as well as a roadmap toward relief from COVID-19 that government leaders as well as individuals can follow,” said IHME Director Dr. Christopher Murray in a news release.
“We are facing the prospect of a deadly December, especially in Europe, Central Asia, and the United States. But the science is clear and the evidence irrefutable: mask-wearing, social distancing, and limits to social gatherings are vital to helping prevent transmission of the virus,” Murray added.
The forecast indicates that the 10 countries with the highest cumulative death tolls by January 1 will be India, the US, Japan, Spain, Brazil, Mexico, the Philippines, France, Russia and the Netherlands.
Murray also warned that there could be a seasonal rise in COVID-19 cases in the Northern Hemisphere during the winter months, since the disease has followed similar seasonal patterns to pneumonia so far.
“People in the Northern Hemisphere must be especially vigilant as winter approaches, since the coronavirus, like pneumonia, will be more prevalent in cold climates,” Murray noted.
The same model also predicts that the US COVID-19 death toll will exceed 260,000 by Election Day on November 3.


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. . .
Free forum : Only the strong will survive. . .
Welcome to The Nintendo Forum Site!
Free forum : Adult Gaming Community
Soldiers of Honor is a gaming clan for the first-person shooter Battlefield 1942. We are a competitive clan of mature gamers and are looking for recruits to join our team!
Socialist Freedom Party - eRepublik
Gaming community dedicated towards achieving and keeping new and old members
Bine ai Venit pe forumul Nostru !
Online Gaming Community for COD4 Enthusiasts.
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Dobrodosli Na Forum Servera Coper Gaming! Uzivajte u Forumu !
The Order is a Herosmash clan made up of the most skilled PvPers. We're dedicated to staying on top, while being team players and a good example to others. Check the Joining topic if you want to apply.
We are a Volunteer, Non-Profit Society dedicated to Networking for Vancouver BC Tabletop Gamers and Beyond. . . !
Free forum : Find all the useful tips, trophy guides and reviews to Japanese and niche games.
Some dusty old forums managed by a big nerd.
Parthenon alliance page for Dawn of Titans on IOS.
The Crew is a gaming community based in GarrysMod's HL2RP.
Steamy Games is a generic video game discussion board that has only one unique thing about it: its name.
entropia mining tips, entropia mining guide, Entropia Universe forum, Miners Elite Forum, mining entropia, entropia universe mining, entropia guides, entropia universe help
The forum for discussion of gaming topics for the Twisted Empire Network Gaming group.
Independent Islands : A nation-states region.
Home of Clan ADDICTION a muti-platform video gaming community ranging from PC, Playstation 4, & Xbox One gaming consoles.
This forum isn't for a real motorcycle club but it is a roleplay MC on the Next Generation Gaming Community. If this interests you, check out our forum screenshots.

domain: hobby


text:
CPR log cleaner and brightener
CPR powdered wood cleaner by Sashcco
- Oxygenated bleach cleaner and brightener
- Gentle on wood
- Removes variety of stains
- Brightens sun-damaged wood
- Environmentally friendly
- Easy to mix and apply
- Can help to clean up and lighten old chinking.
For basic cleaning figure on approximately 1000sf per 1/2 gallon of concentrate.
For brightening double the concentration.
Click HERE for an estimating chart. Hit your 'back' button to return to this area.
Keywords: CPR wood cleaner, wood cleaner, wood brightener, clean logs, clean wood, clean wood siding, clean decks, remove mold

domain: chemistry


text:
Free coloring pages dolphins 80 best animals coloring pages images in 2019 coloring free coloring dolphins pages
Encouraging Creativity. By having your children take part in coloring activities such as online coloring or printable coloring sheets you are encouraging their creativity. Helping a child develop their imagination and creativity will help them learn to express themselves. Some children may have a difficult time expressing themselves but as they continue to be creative they will often start to open up more readily. If your kid likes sports you are at the right place. In the sports coloring page category you can find: boxing coloring pages, tennis coloring pages, soccer coloring pages, rugby coloring pages, hockey coloring pages, baseball coloring pages e.t.c. She just loves to color in their dresses and jewellery and the more brilliant and extravagant she can make them the better. She has really improved with her hand eye co-ordination and creativity since she started regularly using these too. I always ask her to autograph her amazing works of art and I can see over time how much better her writing has become. I know I will treasure these momentos when I am older. Found on some portion of printable coloring pages are the much-awaited adventures of the character. You can also see there some of the friends that Dora meet and encounter in her quest. The monkey and other animals can be traced in the coloring pages as well.
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26 Bars & a Band
26 Bars & a Band has literally changed the face of the retractable dog leash. Fun, cool, unique designs bursting with personality paired with high-quality parts, the Avant Garde collection is a must-have designer leash for dog owners.
- 26 Bars & a Band Crosswords Retractable Leash, Medium free shipping at $49
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domain: design


text: The project also aims to extract resources and chemicals from the textile waste and recycle them as well. Nylon Recycling Category The Nylon Recycling category of Recycler's World includes various types of scrap, regrind or repro Nylon. Shaw Industries . PA nylon scrap PA66 GF33 Regrind nylon waste Black and White PA recycled plastic regrind. Lower melting temperatures means that some microbes or bacteria and other pollutants can remain in the substance after melting. We recycle Nylon Plastic with the advanced automation technology and highly efficient workforce, we have the proficiencies to process recycled plastic into products by revamping any thermoplastic/biodegradable/postconsumer plastic materials. Some programs only allow containers with necks.Virgin Plastic Uses - Some garbage and shopping bags, milk and cream bottles, bleach, detergent and household cleaner bottles, motor oil containers, butter containers, yoghurt tubs, milk crates, rubbish bins, pipes and moulded products.Recycled Plastic Uses - Oil bottles, recycling containers, drainage pipes, floor tiles, synthetic timber, fencing, laundry detergent bottles. The BI-870—A Dielectric Constant Meter from Brookhaven Instruments, Graphene-enhanced Window Films for the Automotive Industry, The Development of Stronger Cobalt for Fuel Cells, Expanding Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technology for a Greener Car Industry, Researchers Create an Advanced Alternative to 3D Printing, New Polymer Captures Ammonia Preventing Air Pollution, Manchester-Based 3D Printing Company Set to Revolutionise the MedTech Industry Using Graphene, Utilizing Laser Doppler Vibrometry in Aerospace Vibration Testing. Plastic recycling codes come from the The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc. (SPI) that introduced its resin identification coding system in 1988 after lobbying by recyclers. We produce and use re-processed plastic material in our products with the higher application which tends to utilize plastic in the products rather than ending of in landfills to pollute the environment. Look for symbols 2, 4, … Add to Favorites 1/5. Nylon Recycling Email Forum NEWS GROUP: CLICK HERE TO JOIN FORUM. Where two monomers are involved, the polymer will carry two numbers (e.g. The number is a resin identification code, used to help recycling plants sort materials.Recyclable plastics are labeled with numbers 1-7 to tell workers what kind of plastic it is, and how it should be processed. It can be clear, white or coloured. May be accepted by synthetic timber or plastic timber makers.Virgin Plastic Uses - Cleaning product and detergent bottles, shampoo bottles, food packaging, wire conduit, medical equipment, pipes and fittings, siding and hoses.Recycled Plastic Uses - Pipe and fittings, decks, panelling, truck mudflaps, drainage mats and flooring, speed bumps, mats and shoes. Once your nylon messenger or camera bag is worn out, simply stick it in a box and mail it to the company at the address provided on … Unlike other recyclable materials such as glass and metal, the nylon doesn’t melt at high temperatures (M melting 190–350 °C). 20 … Innovative approach: Chemical Recycling. Wellman’s post-consumer recycled-content (PC-RC) nylon 66 is third-party certified by Scientific Certification Systems (SCS). An Italian company that recycles post-consumer nylon will spend over $40 million to acquire a North Carolina fiber manufacturer. The economics of recycling nylon are not very appealing, however . 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text: London, Gollancz, 1989. First Edition. First Impression. Hardback. A fine copy. One of Pratchett's earlier Discworld novels (8th DW, 1st City Watch). The BBC recently announced an upcoming series based on characters introduced in the present title (not an adaptation as such). The present copy is in fine condition, tips just a little bumped. Cover art by Josh Kirby [7335, Hyraxia Books].

domain: literature


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I keep thinking about the drawings I would like to make. I want them to express my understanding of the spirit and sacredness in each moment. I just can't seem to focus on the thing that seem right for any length of time. I keep shifting from one concept to another that seems better...but my expectations are dashed and I feel deflated and defeated.
I know I can do this.
So I pick myself up with my Moleskine sketchbook and go out with my dear husband to draw in a nearby arboretum. How lucky I am to live near such a beautiful space. ifind the first place to comfortably place myself and my sketchbooks. I dedicate my time to only observing...not judging. I document what I see and feel.
What I notice, changes, as I observe and make my marks. I give up the certainty of knowing where I am going in my work. I let my hand and spirit lead. After a few attempts and without expectations I find my drawing has revealed more than I expected to me. You may see the drawing on the left. Click on it to see other journal sketches, most of which I have done since the new year began.
The same process can be followed in your life. Sometimes you just can't control things the way you want. Life isn't going the way you imagined it. Whoever told us that it would? Being creative occurs when you take what is in your imagination begins to take form in something tangible.
"Every moment you choose, is art.” Ikko Tanaka
Does that ever happen to you? You know you have some great ideas inside of you, but don't quite get them on paper the way you would like. Or you have an idea of a difference you would like to make in the world and it never seems to happen.
Get physical! Just start! Over thinking can sometimes be a way to procrastinate making the commitment to yourself.
- Make a physical movement and begin to create your idea. Begin to change things physically around you to support your creation.
- Set a time limit. Take one day at a time.My initial limit was two hours.
- Do not expect to know the outcome of your efforts.
- Respond to your own work as you are creating it.
- Be ready to begin again and again and again until it feels right in your gut.
- Be honest with yourself. Do not make a mark, write a word, sing a note or teach a lesson just because it looks like it is ok. Make this "mark" because you feel and know that it is true.
- Set it aside to look at later.
- Love the great parts of what you have created.
- Begin again the next day.
As the poet Wallace Stevens said, “Art helps us to live our lives.”
“Art reveals meaning- through the process of creation and the process of observation.”
Shirley Tilghman at Princeton’s 262nd Commencement 2009
Find other ideas about how to jumpstart creativity, I recommend you read Mary Jaksch' blog post at Goodlife Zen,and check out the video of Alan Watts at the end speaking of work as play. Find more ways to get at that creative side of you at Zen Habits with Leo Babauta.
Don't forget your 6 changes for the new year. Keep on going boldly through your days!


text:
Mental Health Awareness
S28The Daily ShowCharlamagne Tha God - Mental Health Awareness - Extended
"The Breakfast Club" host Charlamagne Tha God discusses his journey to becoming a mental health advocate and explains why he thinks men are afraid of seeking therapy.
S25 • E155The Daily Show with Trevor NoahBig Sean - "Detroit 2" and Reigniting His Passion
Rapper Big Sean talks about his chart-topping new album "Detroit 2," its dive into his personal struggles with anxiety and depression, and his unexpected collaboration with Dave Chappelle.
S22The Daily Show with Trevor NoahElizabeth Ford - Examining Mental Health and the Prison System in "Sometimes Amazing Things Happen"
"Sometimes Amazing Things Happen" author Elizabeth Ford examines mental health in the prison system.
S27 • E134The Daily Show with Trevor NoahJenifer Lewis - "Walking in My Joy"
Jenifer Lewis joins Trevor to share her experience of receiving a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame, wisdom from her mental health journey and stories from her memoir "Walking in My Joy."
S26 • E100The Daily Show with Trevor NoahJeremy Lin - Championing Mental Health Awareness and More
NBA star Jeremy Lin talks about his wild journey as a pro basketball player, his passionate advocacy for mental health awareness and taking a stand against anti-Asian bigotry.
S22The Daily Show with Trevor NoahKate Fagan - Uncovering Madison Holleran's Private Struggle in "What Made Maddy Run"
"What Made Maddy Run" author Kate Fagan discusses the suicide of college athlete Madison Holleran.
S26 • E81The Daily Show with Trevor NoahMiguel - "Art Dealer Chic Vol. 4"
Singer-songwriter Miguel talks about dealing with pandemic life, the release of his new EP "Art Dealer Chic Vol. 4" and his advocacy for mental health.
S28 • E35The Daily Show with Trevor NoahNeal Brennan - "Blocks" and "Brand New Neal"
Comedian, writer, director and producer Neal Brennan talks about his long friendship with Trevor, his Netflix special "Blocks," his mental health journey and the "Brand New Neal" tour.
S28 • E17The Daily Show with Trevor NoahT-Pain - Reflections with No Regrets
Grammy Award-winning artist T-Pain talks about his openness to discussing depression amid the ups and downs of his career and shares the personal lessons he learned throughout it all.
S25 • E111The Daily Show with Trevor NoahTaraji P. Henson - Providing Free Mental Health Services via the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation
Actor Taraji P. Henson talks about the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation, her charitable initiative providing free virtual therapy sessions for underserved communities.

domain: celebrity


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The Bernese Mountain Dog is considered a working dog. They are strong, large, and have been known to accomplish tasks such as rescue work where heavy pulling is involved. They are smart & fast learners which will thrive in early developmental training.
The Bernese Mountain Dog has a shoulder height of 58-71 cm (23-28 in) and weighs 36-50 kg (80-110 lbs). Bernese Mountain Dogs have low hanging, thick tails, deep chests, and round feet. Males are larger than females, but both are very strong. The Bernese Mountain Dog is slightly longer than it is tall.
The Bernese Mountain Dog is distinguished by its highly recognizable tri-color pattern of their coat. It has a solid black body, legs, head and ears, rust or tan colored cheeks and calves, and white chest, muzzle (with a stripe running up to the forehead), toes, and tail tip. Their coat is highly weather resistant, and they do shed all year round.
Bernese Mountain Dogs are great with children and are protective of their loved ones. They get along well with cats and other household pets.
They will require regular grooming with a brush and comb, particularly in areas that are prone to tangles especially behind the ears, neck, legs, and hindquarters. Bernese Mountain Dogs have an average lifespan of 7-8 years. Even though their lives are shorter than other dogs, the amount of joy of having a Berner in your family can not begin to be measured.

domain: pet


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We are here for you to provide the important current affairs April 29 2018 which have unique updates of all daily events from all newspapers such as The Hindu, The Economic Times, PIB, Times of India, India Today, Indian Express, Business Standard, all Government official websites. Our complete current affairs helps you to get more marks in Banking, insurance, UPSC, SSC, CLAT, Railway and all other competitive Exams.
- Daily Current Affairs
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Click here to try Current Affairs Quiz : April 29 2018
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President of India visits Madhya Pradesh on April 28 and 29
President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, visited Madhya Pradesh on 28th and 29th April, 2018.
Overview of President’s visit to Madhya Pradesh:
i. On April 28, 2018, President Kovind graced the 27th convocation of Dr. Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya, Sagar.
ii. He also attended the Satguru Kabir Saheb Mahotsav, organised on the occasion of 620th Pragatosav of Satguru Kabir in Sagar.
iii. On April 29, 2018, President attended an ‘Asangathit Shramik Sammelan’ organised by Government of Madhya Pradesh, in Guna district. In Guna, he also addressed a function related to Mini Smart City Mission of Government of Madhya Pradesh.
Central assistance for irrigation projects in drought prone areas of Maharashtra
On April 27, 2018, Expenditure Finance Committee of Union Finance Ministry accepted the proposal of Union Ministry of Water Resources to provide Central Assistance for completion of 8 Major/Medium Irrigation projects and 83 Surface Minor Irrigation (SMI) projects in Vidarbha, Marathwada and drought prone areas of rest of Maharashtra.
Central assistance for irrigation projects in Maharashtra:
i. Estimated cost for completion of these projects is Rs. 13651.61 Crore.
ii. Although Central Government will provide financial assistance to meet the cost, Maharashtra State Government too will have to raise a part of it, which can be done by availing a loan from National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).
iii. All these projects are expected to be completed latest by 2022-23. Post completion, additional irrigation potential of 3.77 lakh ha will be created in the above stated regions.
Quick Facts about Maharashtra:
♦ Capital – Mumbai
♦ Current Chief Minister – Devendra Fadnavis
♦ Current Governor – Chennamaneni Vidyasagar Rao
♦ Important National Park – Sanjay Gandhi National Park
Delhi govt to set up Rogi Kalyan Samiti in every Assembly constituency
Delhi government will set up ‘Rogi Kalyan Samitis’ in each Assembly constituency and ‘Jan Swasthaya Samitis’ in state-run dispensaries, poly clinics and mohalla clinics in order to provide support to the health institutions in the national capital.
Delhi Govt’s initiative to support health institutions:
i. An official order in this regard was issued by Delhi Health and Family Welfare Department on April 26, 2018.
ii. As per the order, ‘Assembly Rogi Kalyan Samitis’ will have an advisory role in assisting health facilities, develop and customise strategies. The ‘Jan Swasthaya Samitis’ will be set up as its sub-committee.
iii. Each ‘Assembly Rogi Kalyan Samiti’ and ‘Jan Swasthaya Samiti’ will receive Rs 3 lakh as grand-in aid every year.
Lands get unique number in Andhra’s new project ‘Bhu Seva’
On 28th April 2018, Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister (Revenue) K E Krishnamurthy initiated Andhra Pradesh government’s ‘Bhu Seva’ (land hub) project aimed at offering integrated services related with land.
i. As per the Bhu Seva project, each land parcel will be given a Bhudhar Number. The Bhudhar Number is an 11 digit unique number.
ii. It will help in easy identification of the details of land parcel. A pilot project of this scheme was launched on 11th April 2018 in Jaggaiah Peta Mandal and Vuyyur Nagar Panchayat of Krishna district.
iii. K E Krishnamurthy said that, Andhra Pradesh is the first state in India to complete geotagging of each land parcel in the state. Ch Vijayamohan is the Mission Director of Bhu Seva Mission.
Some museums in Andhra Pradesh:
♦ Bhagwan Mahavir Government Museum
♦ Victoria Jubilee Museum
♦ Visakha Museum (Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation Museum)
Centre to launch National Disaster Database
Indian Government will soon launch a uniform and credible national-level disaster database on UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR’s) insistence to implement its commitment to the Sendai Framework.
About National Disaster Database:
i. India’s National Disaster Database will be a dynamic platform having locally obtained and validated data on nationwide losses of properties and lives occurring due to disasters.
ii. The state authorities will be directed to mandatorily report and feed all disaster-related losses in the platform on real time basis.
iii. Having National Disaster Database will not only reduce dependence on estimates given by external entities about the losses caused by man-made and natural disasters in India but will also help Central Government in deciding the quantum of future investments in critical infrastructure.
iv. During 2005 and 2014, India was affected by 167 disasters that caused damages to the tune of $47 billion.
v. According to UNISDR, India ranks among the top four countries in the world with highest number of reported disasters.
Indian Culinary Institute inaugurated
On 27th April 2018, K.J.Alphons, Minister of State for Tourism (Independent Charge) and Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology inaugurated the Indian Culinary Institute (ICI) at Noida.
Noida Campus of the Indian Culinary Institute inaugurated:
i. The Indian Culinary Institute (ICI) has been set up by the Ministry of Tourism. Dr.Mahesh Sharma, Minister of State for Culture (Independent Charge) and Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change was the Chief Guest of the event.
ii. The Noida campus is one of the two ICI campuses. The other one is developed at Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh.
iii. The Noida campus has been set up on an area of 5 acres. The total project cost is Rs.98 crore.
iv. It comprises academic block, commercial area, hostels for boys and girls, guesthouse for visiting faculties, water harvesting, etc.
v. ICI offers courses in Diploma, Under Graduation, and Post-Graduation and research in Culinary Arts.
vi. It has well equipped kitchen labs, micro biology lab, Cuisine theatre, Training Restaurants, fully equipped class rooms, library, and a modern hostel which can accommodate 400 students.
Some stadiums in Uttar Pradesh:
♦ Green Park Stadium
♦ D. Singh Babu Stadium
♦ Dr. Akhilesh Das Stadium
Naveen Patnaik launches Odisha Skills, Dharmendra Pradhan opens 3 facilities
On 28th April 2018, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated ‘Odisha Skills 2018’, the state-level chapter of India Skill competition organised by National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) in Cuttack, Odisha.
Odisha Skills 2018:
i. The Odisha Skills 2018 coincided with the birth anniversary of the architect of modern Odisha Madhusudan Das. It is a two-day competition.
ii. It saw participation from nearly 7000 participants in six sectors and 25 skills from all over Odisha.
iii. Union Petroleum and Skill Development Minister Dharmendra Pradhan also inaugurated a skill-cum-common facility centre for filigree craftsman of Cuttack.
iv. He also launched a Pipe-Fitter-City Gas Distribution course that will begin at the Skill Development Institute at Bhubaneswar from 9th May 2018.
v. He also launched the Urja Ganga Gas Pipeline skilling project in Sukinda in Jajpur district.
vi. The project will offer training to semi-skilled and unskilled workers involved in the Jagdishpur-Haldia and Bokaro-Dhamra natural gas project.
vii. He said that within six months Cuttack will host an International Filigree Exhibition-cum-Workshop.
viii. A tripartite MoU was signed between NSDC and Gems and Jewellery Skill Council of India and Edujobs Academy to work for the Cuttack facility, on the occasion.
ix. He awarded pre-learning certificates issued by the Skill Development Institute to five goldsmiths. He said that within two years all goldsmiths and filigree artisans of the city will be offered training and certificates.
About National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC):
♦ MD & CEO – Manish Kumar
♦ Headquarters – New Delhi
HP CM inaugurates Rs 39.65 crore water supply scheme in Mandi
On 27th April 2018, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur inaugurated the Kanda Pattan-Sarkaghat Water Supply Schemeat Cholthara in Mandi district, Himachal Pradesh.
Kanda Pattan-Sarkaghat Water Supply Scheme:
i. Jai Ram Thakur said that, the Kanda Pattan-Sarkaghat water supply scheme has been developed at a cost of Rs 39.65 crore. It will benefit more than 31,000 people of that region.
ii. He said that 30 new developmental schemes are present in the first budget presented by his government.
iii. He said that, out of 69 highways sanctioned for Himachal Pradesh, tenders have been floated for 53 projects.
iv. He added that, the age for getting old age pension without any income criteria has been decreased to 70 years from 80 years.
v. He announced Rs 1.40 crore for construction and metalling of several roads, Rs 2 crore for building bridges, Rs 1 crore each for establishing laboratory and building science blocks in four senior secondary schools of that area.
Some National Parks in Himachal Pradesh:
♦ Great Himalayan National Park
♦ Inderkilla National Park
♦ Khirganga National Park
Sikkim C.M becomes India’s Longest serving C.M
On 29th April 2018, Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling surpassed the record of former West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu as the longest serving Chief Minister of any Indian state.
Sikkim C.M becomes India’s Longest serving C.M:
i. Jyoti Basu was Chief Minister of West Bengal for 23 years from 21st June 1977 till 6th November 2000.
ii. Pawan Kumar Chamling became Chief Minister of Sikkim on 12th December 1994. He completed his 24th year as Sikkim Chief Minister on 29th April 2018.
iii. He entered politics in 1973. He became a member of the Legislative Assembly in 1985.
iv. He founded Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) in 1993. He formed the state government in 1994.
v. He is also a poet with pen name ‘Kiran’. He received Bhanu Puraskar award in 2010.
Some wildlife sanctuaries in Sikkim:
♦ Maenam Wildlife Sanctuary
♦ Kyongnosla Alpine Sanctuary
♦ Fambong Lho Wildlife Sanctuary
BANKING & FINANCE
India GDP likely to grow 7.5 pc in FY19: Deutsche Bank
As per a report by Deutsche Bank, Indian economy is likely to register Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth of 7.5 per cent in financial year 2018-19.
Outlook of Indian Economy – Deutsche Bank:
i. Deutsche Bank’s 7.5 per cent growth forecast for 2018-19, marks an improvement as compared to the likely 6.7 per cent growth in 2017-18.
ii. Positive factors leading to higher growth: Improvement in capacity utilisation which should expedite private sector capex recovery, uptick in GST collections due to implementation of e-way bill, bad loans resolution plan and Government’s focus on infrastructure investment.
iii. However, higher global oil prices, anticipated rate hike cycle from the RBI and negative impact of the banking sector frauds on credit may pose a challenge to higher growth trajectory.
Quick Facts about Deutsche Bank:
♦ Founded in – 1870
♦ Headquarters – Frankfurt, Germany
HDFC Bank unveils IRA 2.0
HDFC Bank has launched IRA 2.0, the second version of its interactive humanoid at the Koramangala branch in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
More Details about HDFC Bank’s IRA 2.0:
i. IRA 2.0 has been developed by HDFC Bank in collaboration with Invento Makerspaces and Senseforth Technologies.
ii. Through voice based navigation, IRA will interact with customers, answer bank-related queries, frequently asked questions and will guide them inside the branch.
iii. The first version of IRA, which was launched in January 2017 at HDFC Bank’s Kamala Mills Branch in Mumbai and is currently stationed at its Palarivattom branch in Kochi, Kerala.
iv. HDFC Bank has also launched its virtual assistant ‘EVA’ (Electronic Virtual Assistant) on Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant which allows customers to procure basic bank account related information through voice chat from the comfort of their homes, without having to pick up a phone, tablet or laptop.
v.Information that can be procured through HDFC Bank’s ‘EVA’: Information about bank’s product features, interest rates, fee and charges, credit card reward points/payment date/expiry date, branches address, IFSC, process to block/unblock cards and what to do if one forgets pin.
Quick Facts about HDFC Bank:
♦ Founded in – 1994
♦ Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
♦ Current MD – Aditya Puri
♦ Tagline – ‘We Understand Your World’
Economic growth likely to hit 7.5 pc in FY19: Niti VC Rajiv Kumar
As per Niti Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar, Indian economy is expected to grow by at least 7.5 per cent in 2018-19.
Outlook of Indian Economy – Rajiv Kumar:
i. Mr. Rajiv Kumar believes that India’s economic growth in 2018-19 will come on back of improvement in investment cycle and capacity utilisation.
ii. He added that overall economic environment has become extremely positive, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflow in India is increasing and capacity utilisation has risen to 74 %.
iii. Mr. Rajiv Kumar has recommended that Indian Government should now focus on consolidating reforms that have been initiated in past four years.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
Govt. collects Rs 7.41 trillion from GST
As per data provided by Union Finance Ministry, Government has collected Rs 7.41 trillion in taxes in the first year of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) ending March 31, 2018.
GST collection figure:
i. Rs. 7.41 trillion collection includes Rs 1.19 trillion of Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST), Rs 1.72 trillion of State Goods and Services Tax (SGST), Rs 3.66 trillion of Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST) and Rs 620.21 billion of cess for first eight months and Rs 240 billion addition for March 2018.
ii. Tax collected under GST regime is split 50:50 between the Centre (CGST) and the states (SGST) while tax on inter-state movement of goods as well as imports is Integrated-GST (IGST), that accrues to the Centre.
iii. Besides, cess levied over/above these taxes on sin and luxury goods is used to compensate revenue shortfall faced by states on account of implementation of GST.
Quick Facts about GST:
♦ Rolled out on – July 1, 2017
♦ Type – Indirect Tax
♦ Tax Slabs – 5%, 12%, 18% 28%
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
Parijat Industries wins prestigious NSCI Sarvashrestha Suraksha Puraskar
Parijat Industries (India) Pvt Ltd, an Indian agrochemical company, has been conferred the “Sarvashrestha Suraksha Puraskar” gold award for the year 2017.
Parijat Industries wins prestigious NSCI Sarvashrestha Suraksha Puraskar:
i. The award was given away by Santosh Kumar Gangwar, Minister of State in the Ministry of Labour and Employment, at an event in New Delhi.
ii. The award was given for consistent and effective operational safety, performance and executing occupational safety and health (OSH) management system procedures at Parijat Industries (India)’s manufacturing plant at Ambala.
iii. The NSCI (National Safety Council, India) Safety Awards are national level awards for occupational safety, health and environment.
iv. They are awarded for effective Safety Management System and efficient safety and health performance by organisations in manufacturing, construction and MSME sectors.
About Parijat Industries (India):
♦ Chairman and Managing Director – Keshav Anand
♦ Corporate Office – New Delhi
APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS
SBI rejigs portfolio of top brass
India’s largest bank, State Bank of India (SBI) has reshuffled the roles of its top management.
New roles of SBI Top Management:
i. Padmaja Chunduru, who was in charge of digital banking and new businesses will now be in charge of SBI’s global treasury operations while C Venkat Nageswar, who was in charge of global treasury operations will be the new MD & CEO of SBI Capital Markets.
ii. PN Prasad, who was heading mid corporate group will be the chief risk officer while DA Tambe will be the new chief information officer.
iii. Among other important reassignments, Arijit Basu, who was earlier heading SBI Life, will now head corporate accounts group while Sanjeev Nautiyal has been appointed as CEO of SBI Life.
Quick Facts about State Bank of India (SBI):
♦ Renamed in – 1955
♦ Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
♦ Current Chairman – Rajnish Kumar
56th Belgrade International Boxing Tournament in Serbia
56th edition of Belgrade International Boxing Championship was held at Belgrade in Serbia from 24th to 28th April, 2018.
Indian Boxers’ Performance at 56th Belgrade International Boxing Tournament:
i. Indian boxers won three gold, five silver and five bronze medals at this championship.
ii. Among Gold medal winners, Sumit Sangwan won the final bout by defeating Ecuador’s Castillo Torres in 91 kg category.
iii. Indian woman boxer Nikhat Zareen won Gold medal in 51 kg by defeating Greece’s Koutsoeorgopoulou Aikaterini in the final bout.
iv. Himanshu Sharma (49 kg) too won Gold medal by defeating Algeria’s Mohammed Touareg in the final bout.
v. Silver Medal Winners: Jamuna Boro (women, 54kg category) and Ralte Lalfakmawii (women, +81kg), Laldinmawia (men, 52kg category), Varinder Singh (men, 56kg category) and Pawan Kumar (men, 69kg category).
vi. Bronze Medal Winners: Narender (men, +91kg category), Rajesh Narwal (women, 48kg category), Priyanka Thakur (women, 60kg category), Rumi Gogoi (women,75kg category) and Nirmala Rawat (women, 81kg category).
BOOKS & AUTHORS
Former PM Manmohan Singh launches economist Rao’s book
On 26th April 2018, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh released ‘My Journey from Marxism-Leninism to Nehruvian Socialism’, a book written by former Planning Commission and Finance Commission member C H Hanumantha Rao.
My Journey from Marxism-Leninism to Nehruvian Socialism:
i. Manmohan Singh said that, C H Hanumantha Rao is a creative thinker, social activist, and distinguished economist.
ii. He said that, the book shows that C H Hanumantha Rao was not very happy with Emergency and the suspension of human rights and civil rights in India, referring to the 1975 Emergency imposed by late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Nick names of some Indian cities:
♦ Auroville (Pondicherry) – City of Dawn
♦ Jamshedpur (Jharkhand) – Steel city, Pittsburg of India
♦ Dhanbad (Jharkhand) – Coal Capital of India
International Dance Day – April 29, 2018
On 29th April 2018, International Dance Day was celebrated all over the world.
International Dance Day:
i. International Dance Day was founded in 1982 by the Dance Committee of ITI (International Theatre Institute).
ii. International Dance Day is celebrated every year on 29th April, which marks the birthday of Jean-Georges Noverre, the creator of modern ballet.
iii. Every year a an International Dance Day Message from an outstanding choreographer or dancer is circulated all over the world.
iv. The author of the message is chosen by the International Dance Committee of ITI and the Executive Council of ITI.
v. This day aims to celebrate dance, cross all political, cultural and ethnic barriers, and bring people together through dance.
About International Theatre Institute (ITI):
♦ President – Mohamed Saif AL-AFKHAM
♦ Headquarters – Shanghai, China

domain: news


The Chronicle reports that state senators (mostly Republicans) are throwing obstacles in front of Senator John Carona's "local option" bill. This bill would allow counties to choose from a menu of fees and taxes to fund transportation projects as they see fit. Options would include imposing a local gas tax or raising vehicle registration or driver's license renewal fees. "No taxes or fees" would be on the menu, too -- and any increase would require voter approval.
This is a measure long overdue. Cities and counties need to regain control of their local infrastructure. Cities and counties know their needs better than TxDOT. Cities and counties certainly know their preferences better than TxDOT. We need to devolve more control to the locals, and "control" requires money. This bill doesn't go far enough, in fact; counties and cities not only need the right to raise new money, they need to get back some of the money they now send TxDOT.
State Republicans are raising a ruckus, though:
Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, called it a "disaster" that, with so many exemptions added, puts the whole new tax burden on "my two favorite people, the police officer married to the school teacher."
There are a couple of points worth making here. The first is that Patrick's "police officer married to the school teacher" probably lives in the 'burbs, and suburbanites suffer especially hard from dilapidated infrastructure. Perhaps the police officer and school teacher prefer better roads (or a rail option) to slightly higher fees and taxes. There are always trade offs. Under the local option, they'd at least get to vote in a local election. Patrick and company apparently think the policeman and school teacher are better off when the decision is made for them by suddenly paternalistic Republican senators sitting a couple hundred miles away.
That leads to the second point. The "local option" bill is not a tax hike. It gives county voters discretion to tax themselves if they'd like better infrastructure. Voters in some counties might prefer creaky infrastructure to higher gas taxes or vehicle registration fees. Others might prefer more roads, or better roads, or more money for transit. The point is that counties could sort themselves according to their own preferences. And gain more say over their urban form rather than having it dictated to them by the bureaucratic TxDOT.
Perhaps that's the senators' real objection. They fear that if urban areas get even a limited choice over their own infrastructure, they might make choices that the Legislature doesn't like. The Lege doesn't like the "local" in "local option."
Yesterday I went to the "Urban is Core" forum downtown, hosted by DANA, Austinist, the Downtown Austin Alliance and seven other organizations. I try to go to at least one of these forums per race. They're fun and I get a chance to put some names with faces. They rarely affect my vote, though.
Take the race between Chris Riley and Perla Cavazos for Place 1. I already have plenty of information about them from their work on the Planning Commission. If I want to know how someone will handle an issue in the future, I care a lot more about his track record than his campaign promises.
The race between Chris and Perla should not be a close call for anyone who cares about urban density and urban form -- or who wants to balance ANC's increasing weight on Council.
Chris gets the benefits of density. He's worked for it. He's voted for it. He established his bona fides a long time ago. For example, as a Planning Commissioner, he voted to allow additional height for 7 Rio, a slender 34-story tower proposed for the site of Ranch 626 on West 7th St. (I doubt it will ever be built, but that's not the point here). He voted for 7 Rio even though, as a downtown resident, he was more likely to be affected by it than most other city residents.
Perla toed the ANC line. At the Urban is Core Forum, she actually cited OWANA's opposition as a justification for her vote, as if OWANA, on the other side of Lamar, ought to have a greater say in downtown development than the people who actually live there. That was a good example of how ANC's hard-line invoke neighborhood support when it serves their interests and ignore it when it doesn't. Expect more of the same if Perla is elected. Laura Morrison has proven that she will follow ANC policy rigidly and inflexibly. We don't need another person on Council who takes her marching orders from ANC.
Management style also matters to me. As a Planning Commissioner, Perla had a tendency to micro-manage. For example, I recall that at one of the hearings on Phase II of the Domain, Perla (and a couple of other commissioners) spent an inordinate amount of time discussing the kind of vegetation the developer should use around the retention pond. That's not really their job; the city has staff for that.
None of this implies that I always agreed with Chris's votes as Planning Commissioner. I frequently disagreed with him. But if 100% agreement were my standard, I'd never get to vote.
This is an important race. ANC already has an implacable advocate on Council in Laura Morrison. While Perla is unlikely to be as militant as Morrison, make no mistake -- she is ANC's woman. With Wynn (and possibly McCracken) leaving, Council is in real jeopardy of sliding into ANC control. That's not good for anyone who cares about Austin's natural development into a more livable, urban city.
Streetsblog has an interesting interview with John Norquist, the president of the Congress for the New Urbanism. He discusses boulevard design, highways' impact on cities, and the benefits of dense, local street networks.
He also discusses a CNU proposal to use federal funds to encourage the latter:
The first step is to allow federal funds to be used to bring street networks up to a standard of 150 intersections per square mile. So if you have a suburban sprawl kind of situation where the intersection density is like at 40 per square mile, if you have a project that’s going to bring that intersection density up to 150, then the state would be eligible for getting federal funding to go in and do that.
As much as I prefer grids to cul-de-sacs, I think this is a bad idea.
First, it’s important to distinguish between local street networks and major arterials like boulevards and highways. States and the federal government (indirectly) pay for most highways, while cities pay for most boulevards and other arterials. Norquist rightly complains that the feds have shaped highway design and location for decades. Not to mention the mix of highway and transit spending.
Local streets are different. Local street networks look like they do because cities don’t build them anymore. They instead are platted, built and paid for by subdivision developers. They don’t become public streets until dedication, when cities take title and the responsibility for maintaining them. Cities thus have privatized their grid design. We should not be surprised, then, that developers ignore spillover benefits -- especially connectivity -- when laying out their streets.
Cities do plat and build the arterial roads that link subdivisions to the rest of the city. But we can’t get intersection density by redesigning arterials. Arterials are one-dimensional; grids are two-dimensional. CNU understands that, which is why it wants federal funding for local street networks with a minimum intersection density.
I’m sure developers would be perfectly happy with CNU's proposal. It would eliminate one of their two major infrastructure costs. (The other is running connections from the subdivision to the local water, sewer and electric lines.) Developers would lose some developable lots because a dense street network needs more pavement than the minimal street networks developers build. But I’m sure developers would gladly give up 10% of their buildable lots if cities would agree to build their streets.
Do we want to abandon developer-financed local streets? Even if cities and the feds paid just part of the cost, this would be an immense expense. Most cities don't have the money. It would take billions per year -- every year -- to make a noticeable difference in city structure.
It is also a bad idea to subsidize developers and property owners. Reducing the cost of building subdivisions would get us . . . more subdivisions. If you dislike the relentless spread of single-family subdivisions, then you want developers to bear all the cost. (Actually, you should want developers to bear all their costs regardless.)
Such a subsidy could be efficient in theory if it were limited to the extra expense incurred by the developer to densify their street networks. But developers would have no incentive to disclose their true costs, and local officials could not figure that out on their own.
Finally, it is a bad idea to get the feds involved in local street design. If “incentives” meant “funding,” the feds would dictate street layout, just like they dictate highway width, turning radii, and drinking ages. Cities wouldn't use their scarce dollars to build more than the feds require. Developers certainly wouldn't. And the federal government might not do it the way you or I want it done. Suppose the feds, thanks to lobbying by property owners and developers, decided to fund only 100 intersections per square mile? Or 75? Then 100 or 75 intersections per square mile is what would get built.
There would be enormous pressure to go with less dense networks since they are cheaper. Developers would continually push for less dense networks even if the cities were footing the bill -- sacrificing 20 houses for road funding might be a good deal, but sacrificing just 10 houses would be a better deal.
So whenever someone wanted to change the rules for local street design, they'd have to run to D.C. That's worked real well in the past, right?
Suppose the federal government gave you and your neighbor $500 each to buy a new bike, but what you really wanted was a $250 shopping spree for running gear instead. So you offered to sell your $500 federal check to your neighbor for $250 in cash so everyone’s dreams could be realized.
That is essentially what several cities in Los Angeles County planned to do with federal stimulus money, until the local transportation authority, its face slightly reddened, pulled the plug on the plans. A spokeswoman in Washington for the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure said Wednesday that the swaps would be illegal.
“We have already put governors, transit agencies and large metropolitan planning associations on notice that we intend to aggressively oversee that the funding is utilized as Congress intended,” the spokeswoman, Mary A. Kerr, said by e-mail.
Under the federal stimulus package intended to improve the nation’s infrastructure, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Authority was set to dole out roughly $215 million in sums of at least $500,000 each to the county’s 88 cities to get their projects moving.
Many cities on the list, however, did not have qualifying projects because they are too small or cannot move as quickly as the stimulus law stipulated. So the transit agency encouraged the cities to do with the stimulus money what they often do with other money — swap it with other cities at a discounted rate.
These swaps sounded innocuous enough:
Irwindale, which has roughly 1,500 residents, agreed to sell its $500,000 allocation to the city of Westlake Village — 9,000 residents — for $310,000 in cash, which would go into Irwindale’s general fund.
“We have a general fund deficit this year,” said Robert Griego, the city manager of Irwindale, which got offers from a half-dozen cities for its money. “So we probably would have used it to avoid people getting laid off.” Torrance, a city in southern Los Angeles County, moved to snap up transportation dollars to spruce up major arteries, and planned to buy a $500,000 share from Bradbury, another small city, for about $315,000.
“We thought it was kosher,” said Eric Tsao, the finance director of Torrance. “We could have leveraged more for our projects, and the other cities would have had some money to do what they would like. You can’t do much with $500,000 in infrastructure anyway.”
But when the exchanges were brought to light on Monday by The Pasadena Star-News, the transit agency quickly intervened. It sent letters to cities clarifying that the only swapping allowed would be federal money for equal amounts of state transportation money.
I understand why the federal government wants its transportation dollars spent on transportation projects. But unless the Times left out part of the story, the cities purchasing the "transportation dollars" intended to use the dollars for transportation projects. If they hadn't, they presumably wouldn't have been able to buy the transportation dollars at such steep discounts.
The feds' intervention was not necessary to protect the stimulus. Stimulus dollars do not have to be spent as efficiently as private investments, but that does not mean they have to be spent as inefficiently as possible. For example, paying 100 guys $10 an hour to dig holes in a desert might be stimulative but it wouldn't provide as much stimulus as paying 50 bus drivers $20 per hours to keep the buses running. The bus drivers provide a social benefit, which leverages the stimulus dollars; the hole diggers do not.
The cities' swaps obviously made everyone better off. The cities that sold the dollars got cash to offset budget deficits and cuts in city services and employment. The cities that bought the dollars got more transportation than the sellers would have gotten for much more money. The feds, almost by definition, got more stimulus and more transportation. Thus, I'm baffled.
Ben Wear discusses (but unfortunately does not link to) a report from a task force created by the Texas legislature to examine TxDot's public-private toll road partnerships. These partnerships have stoked a lot of opposition. The task force offered a mixed evaluation; it is unlikely to settle the debate.
I think privatizing toll roads is a bad idea, at least for now and maybe forever.
Privatizing roads is unpopular. Some people simply can't abide turning public roads over to private companies. Some think the deals amount to corporate charity. And public-private agreements include contract provisions that infuriate some people. These include clauses limiting speed limits or capacity increases on parallel roads. These are necessary to assure the private operator that revenue will be stable, which in turn is necessary to sell bonds. But most people don't see them that way.
There is already plenty of resistance to tolling roads. It will take the public time to get accustomed to them. There is no need to link tolls and privatization, which simply stokes more opposition to tolls.
There is another reason to oppose privatization. Privatization requires that each new road pay for itself. For reasons I've explained before, the roads that ought to be tolled are the congested, older roads. Properly pricing these older roads with congestion tolls would generate revenue to fund new capacity -- whether new roads or commuter or light rail. Pricing new roads does little to relieve the congestion on existing roads. Instead, it discourages trips that ought to be taken while doing nothing to discourage trips that shouldn't be taken. (This is exacerbated by TxDot's insistence on charging flat tolls rather than variable congestion tolls.) It should be no surprise, then, that new toll roads rarely pay for themselves.
We ought to treat our roads and transit systems as a network. We should care about network capacity and network congestion and not so much about the revenue generated by a given road. Privatization encourages us to chop up the network into little pieces. That's counter-productive at best.
Brian Rodgers and others who organized the Stop Domain Subsidies campaign have formed a new group (PAC?) called ChangeAustin.org. It describes itself as "an amalgam of local activists dedicated to activism (Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, Greens, and independents!)-new and old-who believe the future determines the past."
The Propositon 2 supporters were in fact a motley crowd: old-line neighborhood activists, local businesses who resented the City subsidizing their competition, average joe's who resented payola to swank shopping centers, and fiscal conservatives and libertarians. I have trouble believing that these normally fractious groups can organize into a cohesive political force. There just aren't enough issues for them to agree upon.
Roads, for example. ChangeAustin.org identifies "toll roads" as one of its hot-button issues. I think its agin' 'em, although their blurb isn't crystal clear. You don't need a PAC to oppose tolls roads, though; everyone but me and perhaps six of this blog's readers hates them.
So what does ChangeAustin.org want to do about roads? I'm not sure, other than hold townhall meetings to talk about them and, I guess, hope for a kumbaya moment:
The story on the Texas toll wars is a long and winding road - pun intended. Suffice to say, we at ChangeAustin.org would like to call a truce. Right now everyone is losing. We’re losing time and money, and we could be losing a lot of money as the new Obama administration gets set to invest in public infrastructure. This investment could help end the toll road war and bring us together to solve our transportation dilemma. But the “road warriors” must understand that the transportation paradigm has changed. We no longer can bet on cheap fossil fuels. We can no longer ignore the cost (financial and human) of growth for growth’s sake, to our environment and to our very way of life, in pure economic terms.
Many groups that have sprung up to address this issue. What we at ChangeAustin.org are advocating to do about this is something really quite simple. The new Austin City Council, following the election next May, could hold a series of townhall meetings across the city and invite neighbors from suburbs and inner cities, including our neighbors in surrounding towns and counties, to come together to see what we can agree on. We need to do this outside the confines of the CAMPO setting, which has become way too adversarial. It’s our strong feeling that–for much too long–people throughout the region have been divided on a narrowly framed debate. Toll roads or no tolls road, and if no toll roads, how do we intend to fund roads. Let’s end the debate and start talking, then go to our officials and tell them what they really need to hear.
Holding townhall meetings to discuss roads is laudable. Devising a sensible regional transportation plan is a good idea. But I don't see the various constituents of the SDS campaign coming together on roads; roads will be a wedge issue for them.
"Suppose that Jack and Jill draw equal amounts of water from a community well. Jack's income is $10,000, of which he is taxed 10%, or $1,000, to support the well. Jill's income is $100,000, of which she is taxed 5%, or $5,000, to support the well. In which direction is the policy unfair?"
Jack and Jill are getting exactly the same amount of water but the government has decreed that Jill pay five times as much for it. Doesn't seem fair. But Jack must pay a larger percentage of a much more modest budget to get the water; the tax is more of a hardship for Jack than Jill. Maybe Jill should be paying more.
Carpe Diem says an honest person will admit that this question has no indisputably right answer. Prof. Landsburg himself asked "If I can't tell what's fair in a world of two people and one well, how can I tell what's fair in a country with 250 million people and tens of thousands of government services?"
Let's assume we agree that this taxing scheme is fair. Consider a simple twist:
The well produces 2,000 gallons. The government taxes Jack $100 for each 100 gallons he draws from the well. Jack would be willing to pay $200 for the first 100 gallons, $190 for the next 100, and so forth, so that he would be willing to pay $100 for the tenth barrel of 100 gallons. Because Jack will keep buying water until the marginal price equals the marginal value to him, he will spend a total of $1,000 for 1,000 gallons.
The government taxes rich Jill $500 for each 100 gallons she draws from the well. Jill values the first 100 gallons at $590, the second 100 gallons at $580, the third 100 gallons at $570 and so forth; she is willing to pay $500 for the 9th barrel of 100 gallons and only $490 for the 10th barrel. Jill keeps buying water until marginal price equals the marginal value to her so she spends $4,500 for 900 gallons; she's not willing to buy the last 100 gallons.
100 gallons remain in the well. Jack could buy that last 100 gallons for $100, but he doesn't value them that much. Jill is willing to spend $490 for that 100 gallons, but that is not the tax we agreed was "fair" for Jill.
Is this tax scheme still fair if it wastes 100 gallons of water?
Economics can't answer this. All it can do is identify the dead-weight loss from the tax policy (here the 100 gallons of water left in the well).
I imagine 80% of political arguments are isomorphic to one of these two examples. Which is why I try to stay out of political arguments.
Why do Texas politicians load their campaign ads with so much rural imagery? The ads are full of pastures, cows, ranchers, mountains, sometimes the Palo Duro canyon. Cornyn is particularly fond of cows.
It isn't just Cornyn, though. Virtually every Texas ad uses rural imagery.
Why? Texas is an urban state. 71% of the population lives in an urbanized area. The average Texan lives at a density of over 3,000 ppsm. Nearly 15 million people live in the Houston, Dallas, San Antonio or Austin metropolitan areas alone. Most of us rarely encounter (live) cows; even fewer of us work on ranches or at farm equipment stores.
But these ads must be targeting urban/suburban residents -- it is a waste of money for either liberals or conservatives to target rural votes because they are much more likely to be conservative than the average city-dwelling Texan.
I don't think politicians are stupid; they must have good evidence that rural imagery works. What I don't understand is why so many urban-dwelling Texans identify themselves with a lifestyle their families abandoned generations ago.


“Wait for the right one. Jumping the gun only results in shame and remorse. Don’t regret your first time.” In essence, this is the gist of Audi of America’s series of new ads for the upcoming A3 Sedan (badged as just the A3 in the US, where the three-door hatch and five-door Sportback variants are not sold).
No, Audi’s abstinence movement is not about what you think. It’s a call for first-time luxury car buyers to make the right choice – or wait for the perfect candidate (Audi A3) to arrive – and not fall into the metaphorical traps of the usual suspects (the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class, E90 BMW 3 Series and previous-gen Lexus IS are featured in the ads).
The third video, titled “Buyer’s Remorse” is my personal favourite. “I really enjoy driving, but it’s been tainted. People judge me now.” How true!
So over to you – do you find the series of Audi A3 ads clever, hilarious, or uncalled for? Tell us your opinions and/or favourite scenes below.


text:
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domain: geography


text:
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domain: law


For more information:
Tanja Feldmann, Project Director
+91 11 4949 5353
Integrated, whole-city planning is vital for improving quality of life for all urban residents.
Urbanisation is accelerating everywhere in India: rapid population growth has turned villages into towns and towns into cities; and expanding cities envelope rural settlements nearby. The dividing line between rural and urban is no longer clear-cut. Administrative structures at local, state and national level struggle to manage such complexity and rapid change. Without a ‘joined-up’ approach, it is not always clear where responsibilities lie: who provides basic public services like water, sanitation and waste collection? Where, when and by whom is infrastructure built? Without planning, urbanisation has a devastating impact on the environment: rubbish litters streets and wastewater pollutes surface and groundwater; fertile land becomes unproductive.
As the population expands to occupy more physical space, the land becomes an increasingly precious commodity, land and house prices rise, and pressure increases on green areas and public spaces, both from developers and from the urban poor who, excluded from the housing market, make their homes on any available space. In 2012, over 18 million families in India were living in inadequate housing, mostly poor and in urban areas.
The Inclusive Cities Partnership Programme (ICPP) with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) and selected state governments to promote an integrated and holistic view of city planning. First, all three levels of government - central, state and municipal – need to work together, and need to interact also with the private sector and civil society. Second, planning should consider the whole city
perspective, dependencies and knock-on effects of any intervention. Third, inclusive cities design policies and programmes that favour the poor and marginalised, upgrading informal settlements, for example, or increasing access to affordable housing. Finally, liveable cities are more than just houses and workplaces: parks and green spaces, clean air, culture, public spaces… all of these determine quality of life.


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Private Market Glossary
What is a qualified purchaser?
A qualified purchaser is an individual or entity that meets certain financial requirements, based on Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rules, which enables them to invest in a wider range of vehicles than the average investor. Generally, for an individual to be a qualified purchaser, they need to have at least $5 million in investments ($25 million for entities).
A better understanding of a qualified purchaser
A qualified purchaser can be any of the following, according to SEC rules:
- An individual that has at least $5 million in investments
- Family-owned companies with at least $5 million in investments
- Trusts that meet certain criteria, such as the person who contributed to the trust being a qualified purchaser
- Persons such as institutional investors that, for their own account or for the accounts of other qualified purchasers, have at least $25 million in investments on a discretionary basis
As a qualified purchaser, an entity is generally allowed to invest in a wider range of investment options. For example, qualified purchasers can invest in 3(c)(7) funds, which allows for a larger number of investors compared with 3(c)(1) funds. Because the qualified purchaser standard is higher than the accredited investor standard, a qualified purchaser generally meets the SEC requirements for accredited investors as well.
What role does a qualified purchaser play in the private market?
A qualified purchaser is a type of investor who can participate in certain alternative asset vehicles, such as 3(c)(7) funds. This standard gives fund managers and advisers when interacting with qualified purchasers to launch investment vehicles that offer more flexibility in terms of the number of participants than the type of vehicles available for accredited investors. This ultimately enables the fund to grow to a bigger size and invest more capital through a single vehicle.

domain: finance


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30 October 2018
Welcome to the Countercept Meetup Halloween Special! Come one, come all for an evening of horrific breaches, ghoulish malware and TTPs to keep you up at night!
The evening will feature two bone-chilling talks from Alex and Arran along with the usual truck load of beer/pizza and some special Halloween treats.
6:15pm - Welcome beers and registration
6:30pm - Devilish Tales From Derbycon - Alex "Wanacry" Davies
7:00pm - A Nightmare Breach - Arran "Magecart" Purewal
7:45pm - Pizza, beers and networking.
9:00pm - Finish.


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The National Health Service (NHS) stands as a remarkable symbol of public healthcare, aiming to serve the health needs of millions. However, one persistent challenge it faces is the staffing crisis. Exploring the implications, causes, and potential solutions for this staffing shortage is vital to ensuring the NHS’s continued efficacy.
The nurse shortage in the UK is a major issue that makes it difficult for them to navigate numerous difficulties with staffing and placement accessibility. A small number of universities have also thought about terminating their nursing programs in light of all these issues.
1. The Scale of the Staffing Crisis
Numbers Tell the Tale: The NHS, an institution that stands as the cornerstone of public healthcare in the UK, has historically grappled with staffing shortages, a concern that raises alarms not just within the health sector but resonates with the larger populace that relies on its services.
A deep dive into the figures brings the magnitude of the crisis into sharp focus. As of 2019, there was a glaring gap with the NHS being short of approximately 100,000 staff members. This deficit was not just limited to one profession in the healthcare system but spanned across various roles – from nurses and general practitioners to specialized doctors and support staff.
What is even more alarming is the potential future of this trend. Projections based on current data and workforce trends suggested a potential shortfall reaching up to 250,000 by 2030. This is not merely a statistic but an indication of a potential health care collapse if not addressed promptly.
- Aging Workforce: As experienced professionals reach retirement age, there aren’t enough new recruits to fill their shoes. The problem is exacerbated by the lack of enticing incentives for young individuals to consider a long-term career within the NHS.
- Demand-Supply Mismatch: The training slots and opportunities in medical and nursing schools have not kept pace with the increasing demand for healthcare professionals. This mismatch between the number of trained professionals and the required number has continually widened gap.
- Work Pressure and Burnout: Existing staff often withstand most of the shortages. They contend with longer shifts, increased patient loads, and constant pressure of delivering quality care under strained circumstances. This has led to decreased job satisfaction and early burnouts, with many choosing to leave the profession or seek opportunities overseas where work conditions might be more favorable.
Considering these factors, the figure of 250,000 by 2030 is not merely a prediction but a clarion call to the stakeholders to institute robust measures to tackle the crisis head-on. Addressing this requires a combination of short
2. Impacts of the Staffing Shortage
- Patient Care: Staff shortages directly impact the quality of patient care. From increased waiting times to overburdened emergency departments and even treatment errors, the patient’s experience takes a hit when there aren’t enough hands-on deck.
- Professional Burnout: With existing staff working overtime and handling more patients than recommended, burnout is an alarming consequence. This not only affects healthcare professionals’ mental well-being but also creates a vicious cycle, as burnt-out staff may leave the profession, exacerbating the shortage.
3. The Underlying Causes
Changing Demographics: As noted from the 2021 Census, the median age of the population of England and Wales was 40 years. With 24.4% of the population aged 60 and over, the aging population requires more healthcare services, putting additional pressure on the NHS staff.
Diversity in Workforce: The NHS is home to employees from various ethnic backgrounds. Understanding the age demographics of these groups is essential. For instance, 60.5% of people from mixed ethnic groups were under 25 years – potentially indicating a young, dynamic workforce ready to fill roles but requiring training and support.
Overall, this makes it very challenging for nurses to find employment while there is a real staffing shortage. This gap needs to be filled with some genuine solutions that cause the problem to be solved on both ends, where recruitment agencies can help and nurses can save lives.
Bridging the Gap – Solutions on the Horizon:
- Recruitment Agencies: With specialized recruitment agencies, the NHS can quickly fill staffing voids with qualified professionals. Agencies like Mylocum understand the specific needs of the NHS, ensuring that the staff provided are both qualified and a good fit for the role.
- International Recruitment: Given the global nature of the healthcare profession, looking beyond the UK for qualified staff can be a viable solution. This strategy requires a robust and streamlined immigration process for healthcare professionals.
- Training and Development: By investing in the training and development of current staff, the NHS can not only enhance the quality of care but also improve staff retention rates. Offering opportunities for advancement and skill development can motivate staff to stay and grow within the NHS.
- Technology and Automation: Implementing AI and other technological tools can handle administrative tasks, freeing up medical staff to focus on patient care.
5. The Path Forward
It is obvious that the NHS staffing crisis cannot be solved by simply recruiting additional professionals; rather, it requires a multifaceted strategy that takes into account both immediate and long-term effects. However, it may begin by recruiting additional staff through recruiting firms who concentrate on finding nurses and doctors in the UK. As the NHS continues to navigate this staffing crisis, partnerships with entities such as MyLocum, which not only hires within the UK but also does international recruitment, become invaluable in solving the problem on a larger scale. It also leads to creating employment opportunities for migrants, while also increasing the economy of the UK by encouraging people from beyond the UK. However, recruitment is just one piece of the puzzle.
The path ahead is undoubtedly challenging. But with the combined efforts of the NHS, recruitment agencies, policymakers, and the medical community, there’s hope to bridge the gap and ensure the UK’s healthcare system remains robust and resilient.
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domain: health


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Parenting at it's very best.
Kuwait Times Headline: Kuwaiti juveniles charged with hunting gun misuse
Source: Kuwait Times LINK
I love how they say "misuse of a hunting gun, which resulted...." yeah, like if you aim, squeeze the trigger, and discharge a bullet at a HUMAN that is the "result" of the "misuse." And the kids (who would be charged as adults in the States) claimed that they were "only having fun." What a crock of shit.
They probably shot poor people who won't/can't file cases against them.
Didn't they shoot a cleaner in the back (misuse) like 11 times (resulted) or was that another case of great parenting as well?

domain: sociology


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I learnt Interactive Design in my Multimedia Design diploma too. This is my final project which is creating an interactive story for kids. I chosen The Lion and The Mouse to be my main story but I changed it a little bit to match with the kids nowadays. For the design, I made it simple and easily to understand. I try not to do too much of interaction because i want kids to focus on the story and the meaning behind of it.
I created the lion and the mouse become human form because I believe that kids would feel easily according to their environment. I remain the characteristics and the attitude of the lion and the mouse, then I created a very simple story to lead kids read it easily and understand the story.
My main purpose of this project is to create an interactive story for kids, so I actually more focus on kids rather than focus on very special effect for the interaction. I believe that the message is the most important things of all.

domain: artistic


text:
Studio Houses for Sale in Troia, Portugal - £1,838,298
Troia, Grandola, Setubal, Portugal
Property ID: 39925335
|Bathrooms||6 - Bath|
You can reach Troia via Alcá;cer do Sal or by ferry from Setúbal, crossing the River Sado estuary.
On arrival, the Troia peninsula offers much to be explored. You can play golf, have surfing lessons,
walk along the beach or watch the dolphins. You can also wander around and discover the region’s
cultural heritage, such as the Carrasqueira village on stilts and the Troia Roman Ruins which
actually reveal how the area was rich in natural resources two thousand years ago.
Sugarcubes Villas are minimalist 3 villas located in Soltroia Comporta Coast, designed by Montenegro Architects.
Located between pine trees, its architecture of abstract volumes draws angles toward the sea and the Mediterranean forest.
The experience of the interior space is amazing at every step. The geometry is unrepeatable, providing a unique experience to users. The landscape varies from the interior this is reflected in the variety of shadows projected by the white volumes
Please enquire for more information
Kids play area
Features great views
Near a golf course
Near the beach


From GRHC: “Green Roofs for Healthy Citiesâ€™ mission is to increase the awareness of the economic, social, and environmental benefits of green roof infrastructure across North America and rapidly advance the development of the market for green roof products and services. Although the current market does not value many of the tangible public and private benefits of green roofs to their full potential, we are striving to facilitate changes that will bring green roof technologies to the forefront of high performance green building design, implementation and maintenance.” Green Roofs for Healthy Cities North America
” The development of the green roof market requires that we:
Research the public and private community building and community-wide benefits of green roofs in various cities and climate zones across North America.
Develop and provide value added products and services to our Corporate and Individual membership base.
Engage a wide variety of stakeholders and educate the general public on the many social, economic and environmental benefits of green roof infrastructure.
Establish cost effective public policies to recognize the public benefits and fund the widespread implementation of roofs thereby helping to reduce the higher upfront capital costs associated with green roof technology.
Develop professional training and accreditation courses to facilitate excellence in green roof design, implementation and maintenance.
Facilitate the international exchange of information on policies, products, science and research.”
In 2006, the Green Roof industry grew by more than 25%, visit the Green Roofs for Healthy Cities North America website for additional information.


text:
Monday, July 28, 2008
My graphite drawing of Omar was just accepted into a juried show sponsored by the Orange County Center for Contemporary Art. The theme of the show is Animal Magnetism and will be running from September 4th thru the 28th, with the opening reception on September 6th from 6-10pm. This is very exciting since I haven't entered art competitions in a very...very... very long time! But now that I'm starting to get a nice body of work going I am able to start entering juried shows. I'm starting locally (LA area) then will branch out further as I draw more pieces I think have a chance of winning.


text:
The Troubles in the 1980s and 90s (Marianne McDonalds translation was originally produced in Ireland, directed by Athol Fugard). Oedipus and his mother, jocasta. Euripides' lost story edit The dramatist Euripides also wrote a play called Antigone, which is lost, but some of the text was preserved by later writers and in passages in his Phoenissae. 1930) The Island, play by Athol Fugard (b. 1977) Antigone, opera by Vassily Lobanov, libretto by Alexey Parin (1988) Antigone by Henry Bauchau Antigone's Red (2002 short societies in Pride and Prejudice play by Chiori Miyagawa The Burial at Thebes (2004 by Seamus Heaney, adapted into a 2008 opera with music by Dominique Le Gendre Antigone, play.
Learn the meaning of the girls name, antigone on Baby Name Wizard, your trusted source for baby name origins, popularity and more! of sophocles antigone written play that This An overview of the history of the independent checnya Essay a comparison of beowulf and. or explanation of the names of persons and places in the departments of biblical, political and eccles.
The History of Taoism, History Coursework, The Man who makes History,
1946) Antigone, opera by Mark Alburger (b. Antigone on Robben Island. Sophocles: The Plays and Fragments. The Island, where two imprisoned anti-Apartheid activists perform. Athol Fugard, Winston Ntshona, and John Kani used the play as inspiration for.
The performance featured Juliette Binoche as Antigone, with Ivo van Hove as the director. 3 4 Gallery edit Oedipus and Antigon by Franz Dietrich Oidipus a Antigona by Hans Knoechl (1883) Oedipus and Antigone.
Acts as a History of the Early Church
Recent Singapore History
The History of Hummurabis Code
Ap History Essay


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The Tidemaster is the cost-effective way to accurately record water height, with the added option of gathering meteorological data using its ultrasonic wind speed and direction sensor.
Valeport’s industry-leading TideMaster Tide Gauge is as the core of Tidestation, bringing Pressure, Radar and hybrid tidal observation techniques coupled with interfaces to other meteorological and 3rd party systems.
A portable survey solution for monitoring of Tide, Met and other sensors, the TideStation Portable is housed in a large, rugged ABS case.
The Model 106 is the ideal instrument for coastal and estuarine applications and other light-duty survey work.
Many of the issues traditionally associated with water level measurement have been solved in the VRS-20 pulsed K-band radar level sensor.
Ease of operation makes the Valeport ‘Braystoke’ Model 001 flow meter ideal for field study use and an invaluable tool for hydrometric work.
Ease of operation makes the Valeport ‘Braystoke’ Model 002 flow meter ideal for field study use and an invaluable tool for hydrometric work.
The Model 801 Electromagnetic Flow Meters measure the speed of water in Open Channel environments with exceptional accuracy.


- Nov 29, 2023
NASA Smallsats Can Aid Hurricane Forecasts with GPS
Eight briefcase-size satellites flying in a row may be key to improving forecasts of a hurricane’s wind speed — detecting whether it will make landfall as a Category 1 or a Category 5.
NASA’s Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS) fleet, launched in 2016, was designed to show whether the same GPS signals your phone uses for navigation can be used to measure winds deep within a hurricane or typhoon. The answer appears to be a resounding yes.
Weather forecasting models have gotten much better at predicting the future track of a hurricane or typhoon, but they haven’t improved at predicting its maximum wind speed, which scientists call intensity. That’s because these tropical giants are steered by outside forces, such as regional winds, but their intensity depends on forces within each storm. And while many satellites can see the external winds, they can’t see through a hurricane’s thick clouds and rain.
CYGNSS Principal Investigator Christopher Ruf of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor explained: “To predict intensity, you have to measure wind speed right in the middle of the storm and, until CYGNSS, there hasn’t been a way to do it other than flying Hurricane Hunter planes.”
The new CYGNSS data proved to be an excellent match with Hurricane Hunter data collected at the same time during 2017’s hurricanes Maria, Irma and Jose. The eight small satellites — orbiting with only a 12-minute gap between each one — collected more data on each storm than could be gathered during a Hurricane Hunter flight.
How to See Through Rain and Clouds
To see what’s in the atmosphere, many Earth-observing satellites send out electromagnetic signals with wavelengths that are just fractions of an inch long. To these short-wavelength signals, a drop of drizzle, speck of dust or any other airborne particle is an impenetrable obstacle. Even though the wavelengths are longer than these tiny particles, they are close enough in size that signals bounce off particles like a billiard ball colliding with another ball. By “reading” these scattered signals, researchers can discern the shape and location of clouds and other obstacles that the signals ran into.
In other words, short wavelengths let researchers see a storm but not see through it.
CYGNSS, on the other hand, uses GPS signals. Their wavelength is 7.5 inches (19 centimeters) long — far longer than either the short wavelengths most satellite instruments use or any raindrop ever measured. At that wavelength, Ruf said, “You don’t see a raindrop at all. You just go right through it.” That enables CYGNSS to see through a hurricane and measure the winds at the ocean surface.
GPS satellites, operated by the U.S. Air Force, are in a much higher orbit than the CYGNSS fleet. As a GPS satellite flies over a tropical cyclone, its signals pass unimpeded through the storm and bounce off the ocean surface. In their lower orbit, CYGNSS’s downward-looking GPS receivers are able to intercept signals returning upward. Distortions in these bounced signals show how rough the sea is, enabling researchers to calculate the wind speed that caused the roughness.
Turning Signals Into Measurements
CYGNSS’ eight small satellites have worked well since launch, but the mission’s scientists ran into a major hurdle on the path to processing the GPS signals into wind speed data. In designing the mission, scientists assumed that GPS signals are broadcast at constant strength. But when the scientists started to collect data, they found that the signal power from most GPS satellites changes during each orbit and that the degree of change differs from satellite to satellite. These variations threw off the CYGNSS satellites’ measurements of high winds by as much as 11 mph (18 kph).
“We spent a year or more working on the problem, and we finally got it figured out,” Ruf said. “Basically, the Air Force turns the power up when they go over certain parts of the world where bad guys are trying to jam the signals.” Stronger signals are harder to jam.
Once the CYGNSS team understood the issue, they found a workaround. Each CYGNSS satellite carries not only a primary GPS receiver to collect signals bouncing up from Earth’s surface, but also a secondary, smaller receiver for location and tracking. The team reprogrammed the smaller receivers to measure the strength of the broadcast signal arriving from overhead, which gave them the information they needed to correctly process the signals returning from below.
With that problem solved, the researchers could turn to the task of assessing how CYGNSS data would affect hurricane forecasts.
Experimenting with a research version of the same hurricane model that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) uses for forecasts, the scientists added CYGNSS data to reconstructions of two of 2017’s notable storms, hurricanes Harvey and Irma. The addition of CYGNSS data produced more realistic forecasts, not only of the storms’ intensity, but of their tracks and structure. Other studies have shown similar improvements in forecasts of different storms.
An Unexpected Watery Bonus
To Ruf’s surprise, CYGNSS has proven to have an unforeseen application. The CYGNSS team had planned to routinely turn off their receivers when the satellites fly over land, but the team decided to simplify their operations by having the satellites collect data all the time. Two postdoctoral students at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, decided to look at the data from over land. “It was really luck as much as anything, but it turns out there’s all kinds of nice science you can do with the land data to measure soil moisture and flooding,” Ruf said.
As the former students, Clara Chew (University Corporation for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado) and Hugo Carreno-Luengo (Barcelona, Spain), have documented the value of the data, NASA has now officially extended the scope of the mission and invited the science team to redefine the mission purposes. There may be other applications waiting to be discovered as the eight small CYGNSS satellites keep watching hidden winds in tropical storms.


Kaitlyn is joined this week by country music artist, Carly Pearce! Carly was nominated for CMA's New Artist of the Year and won Breakthrough Video of the Year for her song, Every Little Thing. She comes on to discuss her music career, how she met her husband and fellow country singer, Michael Ray and how she stayed true to herself through rejection. Later, she shares a confession, answers some questions from listeners and gives valuable hair advice!
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text:
Anne-sophie NOALES, 22
Email: click here
Network: New Zealand
Present Country: New Zealand
Join Date: October 30, 2017
Last Updated: November 17, 2017
Last Signed In: November 23, 2017
Hi guys, It would be so fun to share a part of my trip with someone ( not french people !)
I just want to explore the 2 isles, do helpx, hikings, learn english language and surf !
Maybe see you soon :D
Hi ! My name's Anne-Sophie, a funny french girl, kind and always smilling ! I think that I am a positive person,and hard worker. I like nature, breath fresh air and just enjoy life :)
Actually I'm in Mount Maunganui with a Working Holiday Visa! I want live with local people, discover their food, traditions...and talk with them ! I have a basic english level but thanks to you I could improve my english ( it's an absolute certainty ! ) and to finish I love cats but I'm afraid of medium /big dogs :/ ...
I do cooking, cleaning, gardening and
baby-sitting ( in france I was an organizer in summer camps / holiday centre for schoolchildren )
So, I hope see you soon !