Traffic came to a standstill around Port Talbot this morning because of a protest by steelworkers.
Employees from the Tata plant were demonstrating after being told that they were to be replaced by cheaper labour from elsewhere in the EU.
Our Correspondent Richard Morgan reports from the picket line.
More top news
Cloudy skies mean we'll escape largely frost-free overnight! Feeling much milder with drizzle in the east at times.
A hospital worker has been jailed after admitting forging the signatures of colleagues and a patient to get money.
It's all very well to talk about 'average' weather , but what actually IS it? Well, it varies depending where in Wales you live!


This post is also available in: Italian
Past week, Nutanix has released the Acropolis File Services (AFS): a web-scale native file serving solution built using the same technology that powers Nutanix Enterprise Clouds.
Announced at the last .NEXT Conference, this solution open also to non VM based services and make Nutanix a more complete storage vendor. AFS make possible manage storing and serving unstructured data, like home directories, user profiles, application logs and department shares, with the same Nutanix technologies and approach.
You can have a standalone AFS cluster service users, virtualization platforms or applications:
Or still use the same Nutanix cluster and hyperconverged platform and deploy AFS along with virtualization applications and desktops on the same Nutanix cluster allows in-step scaling. Applications, users and file storage consolidates on the same cluster, improving cluster utilization and unifying management:
AFS instances are each backed by an autonomous file system and protocol stack, with distributed metadata for Share, Directory and File structures and currently supports SMB 2.1, but adding support for NFS and SMB 3.0 is a matter of developing or extending protocol adapters.
AFS is actually available in tech preview through a non-disruptive software upgrade.


text:
Gianfelice’s art stands out this issue. Maybe it’s because everything Williamson does–Jackson is being held hostage–needs to be a surprise. There’s the villains taunting him so their taunts need to be visually rendered, there’s the allies doing a surprise attack, the surprise needs to be rendered. Even though there aren’t any huge set piece fights (I think they average three or four panels), the art’s essential.
Also essential is giving Jackson someone to talk with. Williamson can run him through the Bond henchmen and Bond villain–a comparison the comic itself raises–but giving him a chance to connect with a “regular” character is necessary to jump start the arc. Ghosted has been doing fine, but once Williamson unveils the damsel in distress’s secret, it improves.
While the flashback stuff is calculatedly compelling, Williamson hasn’t introduced complicated intrigue in the arc until now. It seems worth the wait.
Writer, Joshua Williamson; artist, Davide Gianfelice; colorist, Miroslav Mrva; letterer, Rus Wooton; editor, Sean Mackiewicz; publisher, Image Comics.

domain: literature


She started her music professionally in 2014 after the support of her father and being signed into B.MAX entertainment.
She released her first official single “Be my lover” which was produced by Dr Rad in 2015 and her current single is “celebrate”.
Paulina Olamiposi Nana Akua Bello, known in showbiz as Pauli-B is a Nigerian and Ghanaian recording artist, performer and entertainer best know for her chart topping single
The afrobeat artiste is currently signed on B.MAX entertainment.
She hails from Ondo State in Nigeria.
She graduated from George Harvey Collegiate Institute, Toronto Ontario Canada in 2016, currently schooling in university of Toronto (U of T) with the determination of being a lawyer, while in high school, she decided to pursue
Paulina Bello has listed Tiwa Savage, Becca, Yemi Alade, Celine Dion, Mzbel and Omowunmi as her music influences.


A model has been developed to express the flow stress of two-phase materials in terms of the continuity and grain size of the component materials. The model is based on the original statement of the grain size dependence of the flow stress of a single-phase material and is quite general. However, this general statement does contain some parameters which need to be evaluated for the particular composite of interest. This has been done for ferrite-pearlite composites and some success is claimed in predicting the effects of interlamellar spacing, ferritic grain size and pearlite volume fraction on the flow stress. Ferrite-pearlite structures represent a simplified situation in that it has been assumed that the composite consists of a bimodal distribution of grain sizes of a single phase (ferrite) but it is intended to extend the treatment to ferrite-martensite structures.
ASJC Scopus subject areas


text:
Pamela Rabe in 'The Secret Rapture'
SYDNEY THEATRE COMPANY
By permission of
THE ROYAL NATIONAL THEATRE
THE SECRET RAPTURE
by David Hare
(in order of appearance)
ISOBEL GLASS – HEATHER MITCHELL
MARION FRENCH – PAMELA RABE
TOM FRENCH – JOHN GADEN
KATHERINE GLASS – LINDA CROPPER
IRWIN POSNER – HUGO WEAVING
RHONDA MILNE – GABRIELLE MASON
There will be one interval of twenty minutes
DIRECTOR – RODNEY FISHER
DESIGNER – ROBERT KEMP
LIGHTING DESIGNER – JOHN RAYMENT
DRAMATURG – THERESA WILLSTEED
STAGE MANAGER – DI MISIRDJIEFF
ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER – ALAYNE KOWALD
PRODUCTION PHOTOGRAPHER – BRANCO GAICA
Scene One: Robert’s Bedroom
Scene Two: The lawn of Robert’s house
Scene Three: Isobel’s office
Scene Four: Robert’s living room
Scene Five: Isobel’s new offices
Scene Six: Tom’s office
Scene Seven: Katherine’s flat
Scene Eight: Robert’s living room
This production of The Secret Rapture opened at the Drama Theatre of the Sydney Opera House on Wednesday, 14th February, 1990.
Allegorical tale of Maggie and the 1980s
The “secret rapture” is the moment when nuns meet Christ; or to put it more generally, the moment when those dedicated to the pursuit of the Good encounter it. Though David Hare has given this title to his play, The Secret Rapture is not about a religious journey or experience.
Yet the words act as an echo, a suggestive whisper, behind the work -while Hare explores moral questions of good and evil in human behaviour.
In The Secret Rapture’s world, “good” is love and care and concern for others, epitomised by Isobel; “evil” is utter selfishness (Marion, Isobel’s sister) and self-absorption (Tom, her brother-in-law), the pursuit of mammon and that parasitical condition peculiar to many of us — where ideas of self-worth are only gained by living off or through the strength of others (Katherine, the young widow of Isobel’s late, beloved father; and Irwin, her lover).
In no uncertain terms does Hare make it clear that “evil” is the definition of Thatcherism in Britain, and the moral climate of the 1980s elsewhere.
Hare does not leave it there. The Secret Rapture’s ultimately disturbing thesis is that it is impossible for good to triumph — or even to survive — in such a life-sapping, emotionally abortive climate. It is therefore particularly fitting — or is it ironic? — that the most difficult part to pull off, as he has written it, is Isobel (Heather Mitchell). Isobel has a Nast capacity for loving, for caring and a strongly developed moral responsibility towards those less fortunate than herself. Hare’s rather slight plot centres on her struggle to survive as herself — “just be” — as her family and her lover act and react, sometimes violently, to her acts of “goodness”: her understanding of them and her love for them.
Under Rodney Fisher’s astute and tight direction, Mitchell manages to negotiate the strait between the Chary-bdis of sanctimoniousness and the Scylla of all-forgiving tolerance, inherent in the character, by injecting into her Isobel an underlying puzzled despair and pain.
Hugo Weaving as Irwin is also faced with the extremely difficult task of moving from calm rationality into almost psychotic, emotional dependency. Here, the plot structure is not so sure, asking an enormous leap on the audience’s part into accepting his character’s disintegra-tion. Weaving skilfully pulls it off.
Likewise, Fisher’s gamble in allowing Pamela Rabe’s arch-conservative Marion and John Gaden’s superb performance of Tom to verge close to comic caricature throughout the play, to collapse in its final moving moments into a deeply felt, genuine relationship, pays off beautifully.
It gives a positive and uplifting ending to what is a fundamentally pessimistic view, leaving a message of hope in the air. It suggests that the chance of experiencing some kind of secret rapture might not just be as a faint echo, but as a tangible possibility.
Source: The Sydney Morning Herald | 16 February 1990
Photos: Branco Gaica

domain: artistic


text:
2 pcs Large eggs
As applicable Salt
As applicable Olive Oil
Omelette is one of the best dishes for breakfast. Today we will learn different types of omelette.
- 2 Egg
- ½ eggs pinch of salt
- It is possible to add a little milk or cream to make the taste more subtle.
- Break eggs in a large enough bowl with salt and pepper
- Beat gently with a fork until fully homogenized yellow and white
- Pour immediately into a hot pan
- Cook evenly
- Serve as soon as possible.
Mushroom omelette: Add to the eggs 40 grams of mushrooms, thinly sliced and sautéed. Arrange the omelette on beautiful blades of sautéed mushrooms.
Pea omelette (Omelette Clamart): Fill the omelette with 2 tablespoons of peas and butter (add the cooking lettuce if necessary). For the presentation, slice the omelette lengthwise and arrange a spoonful of the same peas.
Herbed Omelette: The herbs to be added to the eggs are parsley, chives, chervil and tarragon chopped in equal proportions.
Spanish omelette (tortilla): Add to eggs: a portion of finely chopped onion and sauteed, two parts of tomato fondue and chopped parsley.
Omelette with ham (omelette à la fermière): Add 100 grams of chopped lean ham to eggs. Sprinkle with a pinch of chopped parsley.
Bacon omelet: Add to the eggs 100 grams of pork belly cut into matches and sautéed.
Sausage omelette: Add to the eggs two sausages cut into small pieces, which you have previously cooked in a pan or in water.
Emmental omelette (Swiss omelette): Add 50 grams of Emmental cheese and a dollop of cream to the eggs.
Omelette au comté (Omelette à la Jura): Add to eggs 50 grams of Comté cheese and a dollop of cream.
Potato Omelette: Fry thinly sliced potatoes. Add them to the omelette at the time of cooking.
Apple omelette (dessert): Also known as a Breton omelette. Sauté an apple sliced with butter in the pan, then add the beaten eggs.

domain: food


On average, listings lease in the $40's per square foot per year. The Capitol Hill submarket is seeing a decline in rates. In the last 3 months, the median rate decreased $5 per sqft per year. That's a 11% decrease in rent.
Compared to the rest of the Seattle Metropolitan Area market, the Capitol Hill region has greater rates, and you'll need to make a great offer to be in this hot submarket.
In the last 90 days, 10 listings have been posted online, which means new listings are probably going fast. You'll want to be prepared to tour spaces as quick as possible. About 10% of the listings in the Capitol Hill are subleases, so you will probably need to consider the implications of signing a direct lease with the building. There aren't many listings below 2,000 square feet on the market, so finding a space for a small business might be tough.
The standard measurement for office space in this area is around 930 sqft. Most properties in this area are approximately 4 stories. Most buildings in this area were built in 1922 and are Class B.
Not much of the real estate is used for commercial space, so it might be hard to find office space. Waste services is the dominant industry in this market. Commute by car is the most popular way to get to work amongst Capitol Hill occupants. Commuting close to an hour and a half a day is the norm for those who opt to reside in this part of town.


text:
In new book, Bond embraces ‘smart power’
Missouri Sen. Kit Bond doesn’t often seem to be on message with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton when it comes to foreign policy. But in his new book on Southeast Asia, the outgoing lawmaker is touting the "smart power" approach. "I believe the best defense we have against future attacks is to build strong friendships ...
Missouri Sen. Kit Bond doesn't often seem to be on message with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton when it comes to foreign policy. But in his new book on Southeast Asia, the outgoing lawmaker is touting the "smart power" approach.
Missouri Sen. Kit Bond doesn’t often seem to be on message with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton when it comes to foreign policy. But in his new book on Southeast Asia, the outgoing lawmaker is touting the "smart power" approach.
"I believe the best defense we have against future attacks is to build strong friendships with the moderate people and governments of the region," Bond said at a private reception held late last week to unveil the volume, entitled The Next Front: Southeast Asia and the Road to Global Peace with Islam, "We can do this — in part — by exercising Smart Power. Smart Power is using a combination of military power, and economic, diplomatic and humanitarian initiatives. Smart Power recognizes that before a person can choose his politics, he must have enough to eat, and a safe community in which to live."
Bond wrote the book, which has been in the works for five years, with unlikely coauthor Lewis Simons, a 1986 Pulitzer Prize winner. He and Bond "are about as far apart on the political spectrum as you can get," Bond said.
The fact that Bond gave credit to Simons for his contribution shows that he doesn’t see eye-to-eye with Clinton on everything.
Also attending the soirée were such bigwigs as Director of National Intelligence Adm. Dennis Blair, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-KY, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s top Republican Richard Lugar, R-IN, U.S. Institute of Peace President Richard Solomon, Australian Amb. Dennis Richardson, and Singapore’s Amb. Chan Heng Chee.
Josh Rogin covers national security and foreign policy and writes the daily Web column The Cable. His column appears bi-weekly in the print edition of The Washington Post. He can be reached for comments or tips at email@example.com.
Previously, Josh covered defense and foreign policy as a staff writer for Congressional Quarterly, writing extensively on Iraq, Afghanistan, Guantánamo Bay, U.S.-Asia relations, defense budgeting and appropriations, and the defense lobbying and contracting industries. Prior to that, he covered military modernization, cyber warfare, space, and missile defense for Federal Computer Week Magazine. He has also served as Pentagon Staff Reporter for the Asahi Shimbun, Japan's leading daily newspaper, in its Washington, D.C., bureau, where he reported on U.S.-Japan relations, Chinese military modernization, the North Korean nuclear crisis, and more.
A graduate of George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs, Josh lived in Yokohama, Japan, and studied at Tokyo's Sophia University. He speaks conversational Japanese and has reported from the region. He has also worked at the House International Relations Committee, the Embassy of Japan, and the Brookings Institution.
Josh's reporting has been featured on CNN, MSNBC, C-Span, CBS, ABC, NPR, WTOP, and several other outlets. He was a 2008-2009 National Press Foundation's Paul Miller Washington Reporting Fellow, 2009 military reporting fellow with the Knight Center for Specialized Journalism and the 2011 recipient of the InterAction Award for Excellence in International Reporting. He hails from Philadelphia and lives in Washington, D.C. Twitter: @joshrogin
More from Foreign Policy
Saudi-Iranian Détente Is a Wake-Up Call for America
The peace plan is a big deal—and it’s no accident that China brokered it.
The U.S.-Israel Relationship No Longer Makes Sense
If Israel and its supporters want the country to continue receiving U.S. largesse, they will need to come up with a new narrative.
Putin Is Trapped in the Sunk-Cost Fallacy of War
Moscow is grasping for meaning in a meaningless invasion.
How China’s Saudi-Iran Deal Can Serve U.S. Interests
And why there’s less to Beijing’s diplomatic breakthrough than meets the eye.

domain: politics


text:
Jammu, August 12
Mountainous region of Doda district witnessed a unique kind of ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign, where family members of the absconding terrorists hoisted the National Flag ahead of the Independence Day.
The Tricolour was hoisted by family members of at least four such terrorists who as per Military Intelligence are either now based in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (POK) or absconding elsewhere but are still involved in operating a terror network.
However, the families of these terrorists also appealed to them to return and surrender before the security forces. Family members, including brothers of these terrorists, hoisted the Tricolor at their homes.
Najab Din, brother of terrorist Nazir Gujjar, alias Abu Manzil, who is absconding since 2004 but still active, said that the Tricolour was hoisted at his home not due to any pressure but due to their patriotism. “My brother picked up arms as he was misguided by some miscreants and crossed over to the other side of the border. Nazir is still being used by those elements. But if the government wants him to return and surrender, we will appeal to him to do so,” said Din.
“We are not sure whether he (Gujjar) is wrong or not, but I believe in the government and hope that he will be allowed to return. Our family faced severe poverty as I was not able to complete the education due to a social stigma after my brother went away,” said Din.
Several youths from Doda and Kishtwar district of Jammu division had gone to Pakistan to get training. Many of them never returned, and most of those who came back were shot dead in encounters or surrendered.
Taseen Malik, brother of another ultra Salim Malik who was only 15 years old when he went to Pakistan for arms training, said that this August 15 is different as several homes in the area are hoisting the Tricolour. “Lamhon ne khata ki, sadiyo ne saza paayi,” said Taseen.
“We are trying even now that if the government agrees, we will convince him to return. There is no doubt that he chose the wrong path. I am sure that he must be repenting in Pakistan. It is through media reports and local intelligence agencies who tell us that he is still in Pakistan,” said Taseem.
An Army officer based in a unit in Doda said that under the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign, families of terrorists who have fled to PoK and elsewhere expressed their desire to hoist the National Flag.
“These families have severely been hit due to militancy which is evident by the state they live in now. Their children got brainwashed and ran away to Pakistan during their adulthood and are being used by Pakistani agencies to actively work to revive terrorism in this region,” said the officer who did not want to be named. He further informed that the Army had invited the families to hoist the Tricolour in a Doda unit on the Republic Day this year that motivated them to take part in the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign.
The other two absconding terrorists whose family members hoisted the National Flag are Shabbir Ahmad, absconding since 2001, and Abdul Hai of Hizbul Mujahideen who is actively involved in circulation of hawala money in Jammu and KAshmir as per Military Intelligence.
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domain: sociology


text:
S. Larry Schlesinger, MD, F.A.C.S., is a board certified plastic surgeon with more than 30 years of plastic surgery experience in Hawaii. He has performed more than 19,000 plastic surgery procedures.
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon having performed over 19,000 plastic surgery procedures in Hawaii.@Pre-operatively, we give you a complete explanation of the procedures you are about to embark on.@Personalized care from both Dr. Schlesinger and his attentive staff.@Dr. Schlesinger's belief and our company policy is that surgery doesn't end at surgery. It ends when you have gotten the best possible results that your genetics and good plastic surgery can provide.@We believe in value-added. We go above and beyond most patients' expectations to give not only good surgery, but actually an outstanding patient experience.
- Cosmetic Surgery
- Plastic Surgery
|1221 Kapiolani Blvd Ste 1025||Honolulu||Hawaii||96814|
|75-5665 Kuakini Hwy||Kailua Kona||Hawaii||96740|

domain: medical


In 2013 Astronaute released their first EP ‘Myriad’. A collection of five lo-fi and acoustic songs distributed via online platform Noisetrade.
In 2015 Zeal Records released their debut album ‘Petrichor’. The ‘Petrichor’ tour brought the band to famous venues like Botanique, Ancienne Belgique, Depot, 4AD, STUK, Muziekodroom. And to music festivals like Little Waves and Pukkelpop. Astronaute has played support shows for Amatorski, Spain, Damien Jurado, Sophia, Sam Amidon, Isbells, Marble Sounds.
In 2018 Astronaute will release their second album ‘Circle’ on their brand new record label KLANKZALF. ‘Circle’ was recorded in Studio Finster, Antwerp with Joris Caluwaerts.
Astronaute is Myrthe Luyten & Bert Hornikx.
But the band has seen many shapes and forms. Thanks to all who have helped Astronaute in any way.


text:
- Fairfield , CT
- 17 Services
- 5 Payment Methods
St Vincents Urgent Care
Urgent Care Facility in Fairfield, CT
St Vincents Urgent Care is an Urgent Care Center located in Fairfield, CT. They offer 17 services which include ekg, x-ray, headaches, flu, rash and skin problems, and infections.
With the cost of health care always increasing, don't get surprised at your office visit! St Vincents Urgent Care accepts 5 different payment options. Make sure to contact their office prior to your appointment to confirm the copayment or coinsurance you may be responsible for. Always verify the status of your health plan deductible to know your true out of pocket costs.
St Vincents Urgent Care provides the following services
The goal of preventive medicine is helping to ensure that diseases and injuries do not happen. This contrasts with other areas of medicine, which focus on treating and curing them.
Our data indicates this center does not offer Preventative Medicine. Contact St Vincents Urgent Care for any questions you may have pertaining services offered.
St Vincents Urgent Care accepts the following payments
1055 Post Rd
Fairfield, CT 06824


text:
The first federal income tax came into being with the Revenue Act of 1861. Before that, the people living in the American Colonies were paying taxes to England, unless that is, until 1776 when the colonies won their freedom. Now American citizens have to pay federal income taxes, state and local taxes, sales taxes, property taxes, use taxes and more. However, certain exemptions are available that are applicable to some types of income and properties. One can also claim a personal exemption when they file their state and federal income taxes.
Federal tax rates can vary, depending on how much taxable income the taxpayer makes each year. The tax rates generally vary from 10 percent up to 39.6 percent , with the higher taxes waged on higher income earners. Each year every citizen who earns a minimum amount of income has to report it to the IRS. American citizens who do not report their incomes to the IRS are tax evaders by definition. Tax evaders eventually have to pay the back taxes they owe when the IRS catches them. People who have IRS problems and who need help with Irs tax problems often live in fear of IRS tax levies, wage garnishments and personal property seizures by the IRS.
Many people need help with IRS problems today. Problems with IRS are not the kind of problems you want to ignore. Before the IRS can levy your wages or bank accounts, you have a right for a hearing. Tax resolution services provide professional help with IRS problems. Tax advice attorneys provide help with IRS problems today.
To see more, read this.

domain: finance


text:
My fascination with mythology started when I received a book of myths as a child, a blue-covered volume with a gray bearded man looking out, eruptions of light etched behind him. Around the same time, I also found a set of action figures – generous marks of my youth – featuring the pantheon of Greek gods. They were superheroes to me, like Thor, with his superhuman strength, speed, and trustworthy hammer. They had gifts and abilities that no mere mortal could possess.
Zeus shared a place on my shelf with other plastic replicas of beings from comic book realms. His lightning bolt fit easily in his small toy hand. This was also around the time when Clash of the Titans came out – the first version, of course, featuring Laurence Olivier. The movie featured its own comic book adaptation, firmly cementing the notion that the Greek gods were like those of the DC and Marvel ilk, and the movie featured its own line of action figures.
Beyond the obvious example of Thor, other deities that have made their way into the pages of popular comic books are Hercules, Hecate, Athena, Artemis, Neptune, Dionysus, Venus, as well as several others. Amazons and Atlanteans feature in comic books, as do angels and demons. Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman comic series incorporates many of these figures, and even features a character named Lucifer Morningstar. With so many examples, it is obvious that comic books blend the world of superheroes with gods, goddesses, and other cosmological figures.
Additionally, the very constitution of a superhero harkens back to mythological figures. These characters are godlike, heroic, otherworldly, and often responsible for more long-lasting events. Often, they represent both the virtues that our society endears, as well as the vices. They can be violent, deranged, or alcoholic. More and more frequently, they seem to return from the dead. Their enemies share many of the same qualities, and the role of superhero and super-villain sometimes blends and reverses.
Now, of course, the kids are reading Percy Jackson, weaving ancient myths into a sarcastic present, repurposing old images in a new setting. Mythology is collected as a fragment of young adult literature, but the upshot is that the new generation will have a generous foothold not just on Greek gods, but also Roman and Egyptian stories. When young people read The Odyssey for the first time, they are likely to feel a sense of déjà vu. Ironically, these books are now being adapted into graphic novels.
My own search through legend, myth, and theism culminated in my studies as a religion major in college. Gone were the images of colorfully decorated gods swooping down from Olympus to thrash broadly drawn villains, as well as the early sketches and stories I made of superheroes defeating the myths I found in my own life. These pictures were dropped somewhere into long-term memory. As a student of theology, I waded through the genealogies of Old and New Testament, the stories, poems, and parables of Biblical literature.
Whether telling a story to explain the presence of a crater, or positing the existence and interactions of a Creator, myths, legends, and parables reveal something of heaven, and of the hand holding the quill. Or pen. Or tapping on the keyboard. One can find these stories in the pages of religious texts and classic literature; the same stories show up in entertainment media, like graphic novels and comic books.
[Russ Cope write frequently on blogs. His work has appeared in Wilderness House Literary Review, The Bitchin’ Kitsch, and Mount Parable.]

domain: library


Greece’s tourism sector is off to a dynamic start, expected to generate increased revenue in 2023, said Tourism Minister Vassilis Kikilias.
“Strong tourism growth in 2023. Dynamic start to the new year,” he said via his twitter account on Monday.
In an interview on Sunday to ANA-MPA, Kikilias expressed confidence that the sector would continue its positive course after estimates of 18 billion euros in revenues in 2022, which exceeded by 3 billion euros initial forecasts and approached pre-Covid 2019 levels.
The minister went on to add that the surplus will be distributed to vulnerable groups.
Looking ahead, Kikilias said that Greek tourism would generate strong revenues in 2023 and that there were solid foundations for further tourism development.
“Greece laid robust foundations this year,” said Kikilias, “bringing ‘brand Greece’ to the world’s Top 5, as one of the safest countries in Europe and the world… international giants trust Greece which is currently experiencing an ‘investment spring’,” he said.
Kikilias also referred to 2023 tourism ministry targets which include achieving sustainable goals.
The first steps in this direction have already been made with groundbreaking initiatives such as the “Rhodes Co-Lab”, “ASTYBUS” on Astypalea, “Just Go Zero” on Tilos, “GR-eco Islands” on Chalki, the “Aegean Neorion Innovation Center” on Syros and the “Naxos Smart Island”, he said.
“In 2023, we will channel RRF resources into the construction of projects and infrastructure that will facilitate our transition to a circular economy, with an emphasis on waste and water management, electric mobility and sustainable urban mobility, decongesting land gateways, airports and ports, energy upgrades, the shift to renewable energy sources and the protection of biodiversity.”


text:
Kind-hearted Geordies are being asked to donate £5 to help pay for hot meals for the homeless and vulnerable this winter.
The People's Kitchen, a volunteer organisation which has provided hot meals, friendship and essentials for Newcastle's homeless for 30 years, has launched its Christmas 'Feed a Friend' campaign. It is asking for people to pledge £5, to pay for a three-course hot meal for someone who might otherwise have to go without.
The meal is more than just a chance to eat. The People's Kitchen says a hot dinner - which many of us take for granted - is not always available, both to the street sleepers and those who are 'sofa surfing' around friends' or relatives' houses. As well as basic nutrition, a meal is a chance to chat and socialise.
Maureen Armstrong, who leads on Corporate Social Responsibility for The People’s Kitchen explained the difference a five pound donation can make.
She said: "We often take everyday things like a hot meal for granted but for many people living on the streets or sofa surfing between other people’s homes, a hot meal isn't always readily available.
"Apart from providing nutrition, eating a hot meal can be a social event encouraging friends to chat and enjoy each other’s company. It can also be a healing aid too for those with medical conditions helping to rebuild the body with nutritious and healthy meals.
"We can provide a three course meal for just £5 and all of the associated support that goes with it. If you can donate, it would be a tremendous Christmas gift to our friends."
Last year, more than £80,000 was raised by the People's Kitchen's fiver campaign. More then 200 volunteers give 3,500 hours of their time to run the People's Kitchen, which us run entirely by volunteers and is given no government funding.
How to donate a fiver to feed a homeless or vulnerable friend in Newcastle this Christmas
To donate, head to www.peopleskitchen.co.uk/feed-a-friend
Donations can also be made through the NEoffers.co.uk website neoffers.co.uk/products/homeless-newcastle-upon-tyne-christmas


text:
The term smile makeover is thrown around frequently these days. At Dr. Joe’s in Smithtown, NY, some of our patients aren’t familiar with it. A smile makeover is the process of improving a person’s smile. This can be done through many different procedures.
At Dr. Joe’s, our dentist is an expert in smile makeovers, as well as other dental procedures. After years of training, we can confidently say that our dentist can perform whatever procedures are needed to improve a person’s smile or restore it to its former glory.
The way your smile looks should only depend on you. If you love your smile, we shouldn’t change it. On the other hand, those who have certain concerns regarding the way their smiles look will need to get work done.
Through the use of simulators and mock materials, we can work together to reach a potential outcome that you would be satisfied with. Our work and procedures begin after you say that you’re pleased with the outcome presented on the screen or through a mock.
A smile makeover is a general term that encompasses many things. Veneers, implants, teeth whitening, and others are aspects of smile makeovers. One patient might need an implant while another might need veneers and whitening.
Since our teeth go through different things, what has to be done is also variable. People who have missing teeth will need implants for a more complete looking smile. Additionally, not replacing missing teeth can lead to the rest of the teeth shifting and moving out of place, creating gaps and irregularities.
Veneers are thin layers that can be stuck to the front surface of teeth. We usually apply dental veneers in Smithtown, NY to the front teeth only. They’re beneficial when a person has a damaged tooth that looks odd or a tooth that can’t be whitened.
We have so much to offer in terms of smile makeovers. Our dentist in Smithtown, NY has spent years training and acquiring knowledge and skills to give you the smile makeover that you deserve. Our smiles are essential, and no one should have to compromise on their smile.
If you live in Northport, the Hamptons, Bay Shore, North Massapequa, East Quogue, Mid Island, North Shore, South Shore, Port Jefferson Station, Dix Hills, Deer Park, Huntington, Commack or the surrounding areas and need smile makeovers in Smithtown, NY, visit us at Dr. Joe’s in Smithtown, NY.


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HORRY COUNTY, SC (WMBF) - A Loris woman said her son was one of the two people injured in an early-morning shooting at a home off Main Street within the city limits on Wednesday.
Amanda English said she was at the same home where the shooting took place, and that it was her son who was shot and later released from the hospital.
She said he was packing boxes with his grandfather on the driveway when a car pulled up and started shooting. He claims he had to shoot back.
"My son reached for the gun, got the gun and started shooting," said English. "He didn't know where he was shooting, he was just retaliating."
Loris police have not released any information yet about the identities of the suspects or the victims. Chief Karen Shepherd previously confirmed two people were shot early Wednesday morning.
One victim was transported to Loris Hospital and another victim was taken to the Grand Strand Trauma Center.
Loris Fire Chief Jerry Hardee said the shooting happened around 1 a.m.
Horry County Fire Chief Justin Gibbins said one gunshot victim was transported from the Loris Hospital's emergency room to the Grand Strand Trauma Center.
One victim was taken into surgery Wednesday morning, and the other was in stable condition, according to Shepherd.
Stick with WMBF News for the latest information.

domain: news


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Great Tilkey Honey
After winning The National Food Producer Of The Year Award we decided we had to have some really nice and superior quality labels produced for us. That’s why we called Ruth at Labels Plus, and how pleased we are that we did. Just look at the quality of the labels to match the quality of our Honey!
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01376 563105 or please visit us on our Facebook page
We really hope you like our Honey as much as we do


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J&A Racing Women’s Summer Fitness Camp present by Athleta
Sunday, July 15 – Thursday, July 19, 2018
Join us for an experience that will change your outlook on fitness. Take the best parts of summer and add in like-minded women who want to join you for group workouts and motivational speakers. Fitness Camp will include a guided bike ride in False Cape State Park, the Adventure Park at the Virginia Aquarium, paddle boarding with a sunset yoga practice, and evening socials. All campers will receive a premier goodie bag that includes an Athleta top and other exclusive perks.
With the exception of Sunday, camp will kick off every evening at 6pm. Sunday, July 15th will be a morning event.
Camp Experience: $280 per person. Registration is limited to 30 women and will SELL OUT.
This event is now sold out!
Thank You to our Camp vendors:
**You must be at least 21 years old to participate**
Questions? Please contact Camp Director, Ryan Conrad at 757.412.1056 or email@example.com

domain: hobby


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Lance Stroll has revealed further injuries he sustained during his cycling accident after qualifying eighth for the Formula 1 season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.
The Canadian returned to the cockpit on Friday after wrist injuries sustained in a cycling accident put him out of pre-season testing.
He looked in major discomfort on Friday in the car, but felt better on Saturday, and qualified eighth fastest, only three spots behind teammate Fernando Alonso who had been an outside bet for pole.
Speaking after the session, the Aston Martin driver revealed that he also suffered a broken toe in the accident.
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Stroll also injured big toe
"There's pain, because I broke [my wrists] and I got surgery 12 days ago," Stroll explained when asked by RacingNews365 how he was feeling.
"The doctors cleared me and it is feeling good. I can bear with it, bear the pain and I am grateful to be here.
"I was coming out of surgery 12 days ago, it's exactly two weeks today [Saturday] since my accident, I couldn't move both hands and couldn't walk.
"I had a broken toe as well, the big toe on my right foot, so the light was very far at the end of the tunnel.
"Out of surgery 12 days ago, out of the hospital 10 days ago, so I'm pretty grateful.
"I'm feeling better every lap, and I'm starting to just get more trust in my body and what my hands can do and also just [getting used to] the car.
"Missing three days of testing and getting into a rhythm and feeling different set-up items, it just [takes] time in the car, but at the end [of qualifying], I started to feel like I was getting into a better rhythm."
Stroll also revealed that he is taking medication for the injuries, with his toe being "fine."
"It is a bit painful, but it is not anything that is limiting me," he explained.
"[I'm taking] paracetamol and ibuprofen."
Ahead of the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, RacingNews365.com journalists Dieter Rencken and Michael Butterworth analyse where each of the F1 teams stands after pre-season testing.


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When: Sat., May 14, 7 p.m. 2011
An a cappella performance of chants, rounds and songs from many cultures and traditions around the world takes place at 7 p.m., Saturday, May 14. Signing is provided. $10 at the door; proceeds support a scholarship fund. Call 743-0991, or e-mail email@example.com for more information.


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‘Stop this sideshow’: Next step for Pies after Buckley’s ‘huge twist’
Nathan Buckley played his hand on Wednesday afternoon when he declared he wanted to coach the Pies beyond 2021.
But how the next few months play out is anyone’s guess, with the contract discussion unlikely to go away.
AFL 360 co-hosts Gerard Whateley and Mark Robinson debated the big talking points around Buckley’s future at the Collingwood Football Club.
Watch the 2021 Toyota AFL Premiership Season. Every match of every round Live on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-Days Free Now >
THE MAGPIES TWIST
Collingwood’s tune has certainly changed in the space of a week with Buckley declaring his hand on Wednesday.
First it started with new president Mark Korda telling SEN on Thursday Graham Wright would manage the ‘process” of deciding who would coach in 2022.
But on Saturday, Wright said on SEN’s Crunch Time he was “as surprised as everyone else” when told he would be in charge of the call.
Foxfooty.com.au senior AFL reporter Tom Morris revealed a Monday morning meeting cleared the air which confirmed Wright would be a key figure in the call.
CEO Mark Anderson told Sportsday on Tuesday that Buckley would prefer to discuss his future towards the back-end of the year, only for the current Collingwood coach to declare he wanted the job at his weekly press conference.
“It’s a huge twist,” Robinson said on Fox Footy.
“I’m glad to hear Nathan Buckley wants to coach… they’re playing a game of tennis and he has rifled a forehand down the line and it’s now Collingwood waiting to play it back.
“They’re not going to play it back… until Round 15-16. It will be hot on the agenda. That’s where it will heat up.
“Buckley has told Collingwood he wants to coach and now it is up to Graham Wright, Paul Licuria, Peter Murphy and Mark Anderson to decide on his future. That’s where it lands. In the meantime everyone will have an opinion from this weekend until Round 15.”
Whateley believed the “terms of engagement” had dramatically changed after his bold declaration.
“If Buckley is chips in, I’m resigning him immediately,” he said.
“If they believe that Buckley is the man to rebuild, stop this sideshow. If they believe it. Clearly they don’t believe it because they would sign him,” Robinson added.
Collingwood now know Buckley’s intention is to coach in 2021 if they want him.
“They didn’t have a decision to make until now because Bucks hadn’t tipped his hand, they didn’t know what they were dealing with,” Whateley said.
“They didn’t know his level of commitment and level of determination. They didn’t know his intensions, he has now made that perfectly clear.
“Mark Anderson told us last night that they didn’t know and it was really clear it was going to be at the back-end of the season.”
WHO’S GOT HAND?
As for who had the upper hand on discussions, both Whateley and Robinson were split after Buckley’s press conference.
“It’s a much bigger decision for Collingwood now that Buckley has said that I ain’t walking,” Whateley said.
“I don’t think that gives Buckley hand. I think Buckley lost hand,” Robinson added.
“They’ve let them know. Collingwood will be deciding on Buckley rather than Bucks talking to them about what he wants to do. I think the footy club have got hand and he will be judged on what happens from now on.”
HOW IMPORTANT ARE RESULTS?
Collingwood has two must-win games against Gold Coast and North Melbourne inside the next month, with poor results likely to go against Buckley’s chance of getting a new two-year deal.
“Most intriguing part of today is that each result and how magnified. It looked like the results might diminish importance, they have never been more important,” Whateley said.
“This week is huge. The week after is enormous,” Robinson added.
“We’ll keep it one-week at a time. The North Melbourne game. Sorry North Melbourne people, but everyone thinks they are the worst team in the competition.
“We’re going from a ground zero build. If they knock over Collingwood in two weeks, you (Gerard) will be busy on radio.”
BUCKS SETTING THE LIST UP FOR THE FUTURE – REGARDLESS OF IF HE IS THE COACH
Collingwood revealed first-year player Caleb Poulter would be making his debut on Saturday, making the young gun the club’s fifth debut for the season.
And Robinson believed it showed Buckley fully understood where the list was at and how important it was to set the club up for the future.
“He’s playing political games Bucks. When he threw out ‘if I have a two-year contract’, oh really? Good on him, he can do whatever he likes, he’s a smart man,” he said.
“Bucks is playing the game right now, I think he is doing the right thing. Play the kids, he knows their list. As much as they say we are still aiming for finals, he knows where they are.
“Just look at all of the other teams in the competition, there are 12-15 teams better than them. They are not playing finals, so what are you going to do? Start building for the future, you hope to be part of the future, bring it.
“Tony Shaw knew he was leaving this Collingwood team, he coached for the future. I’m not comparing the character. Shaw did that for the Collingwood Football Club and I think Buckley will do that next year. If he’s not coaching, he will coach for the next coach coming in.”
HOW WILL BUCKLEY GET THE JOB?
Robinson believed the onus was on the playing group to implore the board and make a call based on their beliefs.
Put simply, if the players want Buckley, then he should remain the coach for the near future.
“There’s one way in my opinion and that’s if the playing list go to the club and say ‘we want Nathan Buckley, we think he is the right man’ and it can’t be Scott Pendlebury,” he continued.
“They know Buckley can coach or can’t coach, he’s a coach. Matt Rendell would disagree. Bucks said it today, we’re going to have to talk about the environment between the players and the coaching staff.
“That’s it Gerard. If the players turn on Buckley, Buckley is gone.”
The Herald Sun chief football reporter also believed the outside noise could play a part if results went down the current path.
“Buckley picked the date. It depends on results because there will be anarchy in the stands if they lose to the Suns,” he said.
“In all these situations, it’s how strong the football club will be to ignore the noise. People will always say ‘nah, nah that’s outside noise’. But the noise is so deafening on the outside and they are only human beings making these decisions it affects them. We’ve got to make a decision.
“He might say I understand it’s time to walk away for the good of the club. I’m not ruling Buckley saying ‘it’s my time to go’.
“It won’t be as fierce if they have a couple of wins.”

domain: sports


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An Account Of The Deep-Sea Ophiuroidea: Collected By The Royal Indian Marine Survey Ship Investigator (Classic Reprint)
The Preface to the Account of the Deep Sea Madreporaria collected by the Royal Indian Marine Survey Ship 'Investigator,' recently published by order of the Trustees of the Indian Museum, explains briefly how the 'Investigator' collections came to be made and to be deposited in the Museum.
I have here only to thank Dr. Koehler, in behalf of the Trustees of the Museum and of the past and present Naturalists of the Ship, for his kindness in naming and describing the Ophiuroidea collected up to the end of the year 1895.
The present Fasciculus relates only to the Deep-sea Ophiuroidea, and Dr. Kœ:hler desires it to be known that he himself has not corrected the proofs either of the text or plates.
About the Publisher
Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com
This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully: any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
*An electronic version of a printed book that can be read on a computer or handheld device designed specifically for this purpose.
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The International Monetary Fund and Economic Stabilization: The Argentine Case (Bibliographies and Indexes in Women's)
Diary of one of the original colonists of New Glarus, 1845. Form Wisconsin historical collections. Vol. XV: pp. 292-337


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Poppy is a cute girl who enjoys playing with her small doggy friends. She does an adorable little hop to let other dogs know when she's ready to play.
At home, Poppy is mellow and content to keep to herself. She's working on her leash- and crate-training. When left alone, she's quiet and non-destructive.
Poppy is looking for a patient adopter in a loving home, possibly with a small doggy sibling. Since she's small and on the shy side, she would probably do better with older, respectful kids. Poppy is also heartworm positive. It's a treatable condition and the cost is covered in her adoption fee. You can learn more about heartworms here:http://www.austinpetsalive.org/heartworms/
Watch a cute video of Poppy and her friend Boo Radley here!: https://youtu.be/ES8_54JyrRg
Come meet this cutie today!

domain: pet


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Well-behaved pets are welcome at BIG4 Ulverstone Holiday Park on all caravan and camping sites
The great news is a selection of our CABINS are now pet friendly.
These cabins MUST be booked direct by phoning our friendly team on 03 6425 2624
- Pets allowed on caravan and camping sites.
- Pets must not be left alone in cabins at any time.
- Pets allowed in a selection of cabins, these MUST be booked direct to ensure the correct cabins are allocated.
- Pet friendly cabins attract an additional $25.00 cleaning fee which will be added to your cabin price.
- Pets are not allowed on any bedding or furniture that belongs to the Park.
- For the comfort of all guests, dogs should be kept on a lead at all times.
- We ask that guests clean up after their furry friends.
- Pets must not enter any of the communal buildings with the exception of assistance dogs.
- Dogs accepted at the discretion of the park manager.


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Business owners relieved as Gov. Ivey announces end to extra unemployment benefits
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) - A new state decision will affect some 80,000 people on unemployment.
On June 19, Alabama is pulling the plug on federal boosts to unemployment, including that extra $300 a week for those collecting benefits.
Driving around north Alabama, now hiring signs aren’t hard to find, which is one of the reasons Governor Ivey announced she’s putting a stop to the $300 a week in additional unemployment.
The pandemic unemployment programs mean Alabamians have been getting up to $575 a week in unemployment for up to 54 weeks due to the pandemic, as opposed to standard unemployment benefits capping out at $275 a week for only 14 weeks.
“Two years ago, pre-covid we would have a busy Saturday night and we would have 14 people working. I’ve got eight or nine, if I’m lucky, now,” Stan Stinson said.
Stan Stinson, owner of multiple local restaurants including Earth and Stone Wood Fired Pizza says it’s been a major challenge getting enough staffing to serve his customers.
“At my barbecue place at Stovehouse, we’re closed on Mondays now because I don’t have the staff to run continuous operations,” he explained.
Other business owners place most of the blame on the additional weekly unemployment benefits, including the Alabama Department of Labor and Governor Ivey, who says in part, “increased unemployment assistance, which was meant to be a short-term relief program during emergency-related shutdowns, is now contributing to a labor shortage that is compromising the continuation of our economic recovery.”
ADOL has paid out more than $5 billion in claims in the last year, which is more money than the last 12 years combined with the help of those federal dollars.
Alabama Senator Arthur Orr says he understands there are valid reasons for some people not returning to work, but he thinks some concerns shouldn’t be around anymore.
“The child concerns, the fear concerns of catching the virus, with the vaccines now widespread, getting down to the lower ages, you should not be seeing this fear among the general folks out there, we just need to get back to work as a state,” Orr said.
The Alabama Department of Labor will continue paying out the additional $300 a week for new claims filed before June 19th. By the way, Alabama’s unemployment rate is the lowest in the southeast right now, at 3.8%.
If you are looking for work, but don’t know where to start, help might be closer than you think!
There are 53 different Career Centers across the state to help you. They have coaches on-site to help you with your resume, job searching tools and can connect you to employers.
Before you visit a career center, you’re asked to write down descriptions of your previous jobs. From there, someone will help you find a job matching your skill sets.
“We’ll sit down and do an interview with you we will go over everything we have to help you. I would just encourage people to come in and let us help. We are a free service to you and that to me is huge,” Melissa Anderson, senior manager at Career Center Decatur said.
Anderson says walk-ins are welcomed Monday through Friday.
Click here to find the closest career center to you.
Copyright 2021 WAFF. All rights reserved.


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Yakuza: Of the End Welcomes New Character
Famitsu has revealed another character to appear in Sega’s upcoming zombie-slaying PlayStation 3 title Ryu Ga Gotoku: Of the End, (the Ryu Ga Gotoku series being called “Yakuza” in the West). Takeshi Tanigawa is a researcher studying zombies, and given that Tokyo looks to be overrun with them in this game, the job seems timely. Below, she’s the lady in the lab coat.
Players can go to Tanigawa frequently throughout the game and receive information as well as new side missions from her. Just how many of the game’s dozens of hours or so of optional content come from her specifically is not revealed, though. Tanigawa works with the “Kamuro Shield” organization, generally overseeing a quarantine area.
Tanigawa can issue special assignments to the protagonists as well, the completion of which can land very rare valuable items in addition to the other usual bonuses that would come with finishing a quest. Some of these can only be obtained through her assignments. Moreover, players will slowly unravel mysteries regarding Tanigawa’s strange past as time goes on. That is, of course, if they want to. The main story of Yakuza: Of the End is said to only be about 10-15 hours long, with the huge majority of the gameplay being optional.
While Western gamers have been able to enjoy main-series Yakuza titles, the one-off gamees such as this haven’t made it across the ocean. Yakuza 4 will be released this month in North America, but Of the End has yet to receive a localization announcement. The PSP spinoff, Black Panther: Yakuza New Chapter,came out last fall in Japan, but Sega has been silent about a North American release, where it is considerably harder to sell a PSP game. The PS3’s Yakuza: Kenzan also never made it. We’ll just have to wait and see if Of the End breaks the trend.

domain: entertainment


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We found 5,479 reviewed resources
Fall Resources Grades 3-5
3rd - 5th
It's that time of year, the leaves are changing, the air is crisp—it's fall! Add a touch of season-related whimsy to your classroom with a collection of festive resources created to support grades third through fifth. Here, you will find a video, lessons covering science, English language arts, math, and art. Also included are printables for writing and vocabulary activities.
First Come the Zebra Teacher’s Guide
1st - 5th CCSS: Adaptable
New ReviewAccompany a reading of First Come the Zebra written and illustrated by Lynne Barasch with a teacher's guide equipped with before reading, vocabulary, and after reading activities. Additional social studies, science, music, art, math, and...
The World Is 0.28% More Peaceful Than a Year Ago
6th - 12th
New ReviewSome days, the world seems like it is becoming darker, but research suggests that the world might actually be becoming a more peaceful place. An informational reading passage accompanied by a series of activities builds English language...
The Gifts of Wali Dad: A Tale of India and Pakistan
6th - 12th CCSS: Adaptable
New ReviewIt is more blessed to give than receive. A story about Wali Dad opens a collection of character-based reading passages from authors such as Leo Tolstoy. Vocabulary words and discussion questions enhance the text.
Analysis: Why It Matters That North Korea Plans to Go to the Olympics
3rd - 12th CCSS: Adaptable
North Korea's decision to send athletes to the 2018 Winter Olympics has eased international worries about attending the Games in PyeongChang. Read an article by the Washington Post and adapted by Newsela that sheds light on the current...
What Is in a Sentence, Paragraph, and Story?
4th - 12th CCSS: Adaptable
Language arts is made up of many parts. Learners review the parts of a sentence, as well as how to make a simple sentence into a complex sentence, before examining full paragraphs and identifying the topic, body, and concluding sentence...
Family Titles, Pronouns, Writing about a Person
4th - 12th CCSS: Adaptable
How is your grandmother related to you? How is your cousin related to your grandmother? Learn about family relationships and pronouns with an activity that guides pupils to write two short narratives about members of their families.
Verbs: Regular, Irregular, Simple Past Tense
K - 8th CCSS: Adaptable
Adding -ed to the ends of most verbs can change a sentence to the past tense—but what about verbs like think or draw? Provide class members with practice activities that focus on both regular and irregular verbs in the simple past tense.


Gay Virginia state Delegate Mark Levine, currently running for lieutenant governor, has spent his life fighting for progressive change – and winning.
“I’m always fired up,” he told LGBTQ Nation. “There’s a lot of injustice in the world. I’ve got a lot to do.”
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Levine, who is currently serving his sixth year in the Virginia legislature, has the potential to become the first out gay lieutenant Governor in any of the 50 states, as well as the first out gay man elected to statewide office in Virginia.
“There’s no doubt that representation matters,” said Levine, a longtime LGBTQ activist who is considered a pioneer in the marriage equality movement.
He brings solid advocacy credentials to the job. Levine co-founded Marriage Equality California and helped launch the Valentine’s Day Marriage Protests, an act of civil disobedience that caught on nationwide. He also co-wrote Washington D.C.’s marriage equality law.
While he is not running just to break these barriers, he does strongly believe that visibility is power.
“I would argue the single most transformative thing any of us in the rainbow community did is come out of the closet,” he said. “When we were hidden, we were in danger… The more people thought they didn’t know us, the more likely they were to take away our rights and discriminate against us. Visibility for our community has been the key to our success.”
If he wins, Levine hopes to completely transform the lieutenant governor position, which is currently a part-time job that consists of two months presiding over the Senate.
He hopes to make the role full-time.
“Lieutenant governor is the only office holder in all of Virginia that is both the legislative and executive branches,” he said, “so it’s a great problem solving place where we can help people who need legislation and people who need executive action.”
He hopes to do what he learned as an activist and what he has continued to do as a delegate: speak directly to those in need to find out what needs to change. Thus, he has pledged to visit all of Virginia’s 133 counties to speak with residents about how he can help improve their lives.
When I said I hope to set the model, I meant it. I believe Virginians deserve a full-time year-round LG, one who takes the time to meet personally with folks in every Virginia county and city to bring your best ideas to Richmond. https://t.co/0JNspydm0l
— Mark Levine (@DelegateMark) May 4, 2021
Among other issues, Levine hopes to tackle the school-to-prison pipeline, raising the minimum wage, increasing broadband access, increasing paid family medical leave, and combatting laws that discriminate against the LGBTQ community.
“There’s a lot of inequality,” he said. “Income inequality, gender inequality, racial inequality. There’s absolutely inequality for the rainbow community…It’s all about giving people an equal chance.”
The first law he ever wrote passed unanimously. Moved to activism after the tragic murder of his sister by her husband, Levine lobbied the Tennessee legislature to pass stricter laws protecting the victims of domestic violence and their children. Doing so helped Levine’s parents win custody of his niece and nephew after his sister was killed.
Since then, his work to protect domestic violence survivors has continued.
Thrilled to help open new 24/7 urgent care clinic for sexual and domestic violence survivors & their children on Alexandria/Arlington border near I-395. I obtained federal funds to open first one in Fairfax. Now, I’m overjoyed we have four throughout NOVA. Next stop, statewide! pic.twitter.com/JzbRI1UxLr
— Mark Levine (@DelegateMark) May 8, 2021
As a Virginia delegate, Levine is known for forming the Virginia Transparency Caucus, which led to the live streaming and archiving of all Virginia General Assembly committee proceedings and votes so all is accessible to the public.
Creative problem solving, he has learned, is key to public service.
“I’ve done a lot of very proud problem solving outside the legislature. Because sometimes the best creative ideas don’t have legislative solutions, like me getting a federal grant for 24/7 sexual assault nurse examiners, so someone who is sexually assaulted in the middle of the night can get help.”
Levine hasn’t been sleeping much these days, as he is currently running two races at once. In the midst of his Lieutenant Governor campaign, he is also vying to keep his delegate seat, which he will resign if he ends up winning both.
“I want to serve Virginia in any capacity I can,” he said.
The Democratic primary takes place on June 8. The Republicans have already nominated Winsome Sears, an extreme pro-Trump conservative who is anti-choice, anti-gun control, and wants to impose stricter voting laws in Virginia, including requiring photo IDs at the polls.
We need a champion who will fight for common-sense gun safety laws, enact affordable health care, and finally tackle our climate crisis. Sears will not be that champion. I look forward to debating her and defeating her in the fall. pic.twitter.com/qaKpCstH6F
— Mark Levine (@DelegateMark) May 12, 2021
Levine wants voters to know that he wears his heart on his sleeve, that he is direct and honest and expresses the same feelings in public that he does in private.
“If people want the experience, know-how, and cleverness of an insider,” he said, “with the passion and drive and fight to stop injustice of an outsider, then they should vote for me.”


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Visit the Hospital Prefer member page.
This plan includes a tiered network called Hospital Prefer. In this plan, members pay different levels of cost sharing depending on the tier of the hospital delivering a covered service or medical supply. A hospital's benefit tier may change annually on January 1. Please consult the Harvard Pilgrim Hospital Prefer Provider Search Tool to determine a hospital's tier in the Hospital Prefer Network. You may also call Harvard Pilgrim at 1-888-333-4742 to request a paper copy of the provider directory.