The 2023 Subaru Crosstrek continues to lure buyers, bundling a car-like ride and interior comfort with the ground clearance and all-wheel-drive ability of an SUV. While it lacks the tall roofline of many competitors, the Crosstrek has a very roomy rear seat, a reasonably sized cargo bay, and good fuel economy.
Offered with a choice of two gas engines and manual or automatic transmissions, the Crosstrek stands apart from competitors like the Toyota Corolla Cross, Kia Seltos, Jeep Compass, Honda HR-V, and Chevy Trailblazer. There’s also a plug-in hybrid option, but it’s not as fuel-efficient as the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid.
With the continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), the 2.0-liter Crosstrek is rated by the EPA at 28 mpg city/33 mpg highway/30 mpg combined. With the manual, the 2.0-liter Crosstrek drops to 22 mpg city/29 mpg highway/25 mpg combined.
Crosstreks fitted with the larger 2.5-liter engine come exclusively with the CVT, and they are rated at 27 mpg city/34 mpg highway/29 mpg combined. That means the 2.5-liter Crosstrek models provide more power with almost no drop in efficiency compared to the 2.0-liter versions.
As this is likely the final year for this generation Crosstrek, Subaru has added a limited Special Edition trim with exclusive paint color and interior treatment.
2023 Subaru Crosstrek
(starting at $23,645 with 6MT, $24,995 with CVT)
The base Crosstrek comes standard with a 152-horsepower 2.0-liter boxer engine, Subaru’s Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive, and a 6-speed manual transmission (6MT). Although finding this version will likely require quite a bit of legwork, the wait may be worth it for those who enjoy shifting their gears.
A manual transmission Crosstrek varies significantly from one equipped with the CVT because Subaru deletes the EyeSight driver-assist system and a few other features.
The 6MT’s all-wheel-drive system is also different, using a mechanical viscous coupling center differential that routes torque evenly in a 50/50 front/rear split. Another feature worth noting is the incline start assist, which prevents the vehicle from rolling backward when the clutch is depressed.
Standard equipment for the base Crosstrek includes rear privacy glass, power side mirrors, auto-on/off halogen headlights, variable intermittent wipers, a rear wiper/washer, 17-inch alloy wheels, remote keyless entry, and black roof rails.
Basic interior features include automatic climate control, power door locks, power windows with auto-up/down front windows, a tilt/telescoping steering wheel with controls for the cruise, audio and Bluetooth, carpeted floor mats, and a multifunction display. Cloth upholstery covers the seats, including a manually height-adjustable driver’s seat and 60/40-split-folding rear seats.
A 6.5-inch color touchscreen operates the radio and infotainment system, connected to a 4-speaker stereo. The system includes Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a rear backup camera, and a single USB-A charge port.
Opt for the CVT automatic, and you’ll get better fuel economy and an advanced electronic all-wheel-drive setup capable of routing power to the wheel or wheels that need it most.
The CVT brings Subaru’s X-Mode, designed to improve traction at low speeds. Hill descent control keeps speed in check when descending steep inclines, and SI-DRIVE changes throttle mapping and shift points for better acceleration. Auto-start/stop is also standard, but drivers can switch it off.
The CVT option carries Subaru’s EyeSight suite of active safety features. The package includes forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with lane centering, lane-departure warning, and lane-keeping assist.
Additional options included when ordering the CVT are Rear Seat Reminder (which urges the driver to check the rear seat before leaving the car), a color 4.2-inch LCD instrument cluster display, overhead pin lighting, and an upgraded tire pressure monitor with readouts for all four tires.
There are no options or packages for the base Crosstrek. However, you’ll find numerous dealer accessories, including roof-mounted racks for bikes, skis, and kayaks, as well as pet-friendly accessories and various add-ons for protecting the interior and exterior.
With the $1,225 destination charge, the 2023 Subaru Crosstrek CVT costs $26,220. On a 60-month loan with 3% financing and zero down, the monthly payment comes to about $471. See 2023 Subaru Crosstrek models for sale
2023 Subaru Crosstrek includes:
- Apple CarPlay and Android Auto – These apps pair a smartphone with the car’s infotainment system, granting full access to music, navigation, phone book, and messaging.
- Automatic climate control – This automated system keeps the cabin at the desired temperature, eliminating the need to fiddle with the temperature control constantly.
- 6-speed manual – A rarity these days and a feature no other competitor offers. The Crosstrek’s manual transmission provides better driver control. It also deletes EyeSight, a plus for folks not looking for additional driver aids.
- Available X-Mode – This system is most helpful when off-roading or tackling deep snow, adjusting the traction in low-speed situations for maximum grip.
2023 Subaru Crosstrek Premium
(starting at $24,795 with 6MT, $26,145 with CVT)
The Premium adds about $1,000 to the base car’s price, but if you live in a region where cold weather is a regular part of life, you’ll find the added features worth every penny.
Like the base car, the Premium derives power from a 2.0-liter engine and comes standard with a 6-speed manual transmission. The CVT upgrade includes all features mentioned in the base trim.
The Premium’s most attractive features are its heated front seats, windshield-wiper de-icers, and heated side mirrors. Also part of the Premium package are headlights that activate when the front wipers turn on, fog lights, welcome lighting, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob.
While the touchscreen size remains 6.5 inches, the audio system gains two additional speakers for a total of six. It also gets a single-disc CD player (yes, they still exist). SiriusXM satellite radio, two USB-A ports (one for charging and one for data), a Wi-Fi hot spot, and access to Subaru Starlink Safety and Security features are standard. With a paid subscription, buyers can opt for services that send maintenance reminders, can help locate a lost or stolen vehicle, and allow remote start and climate settings via a smartphone.
The Premium trim comes standard with a rear cargo cover, lighted vanity mirrors, a lighted glove box, and backlit rear door power window switches.
Besides the CVT upgrade, buyers can opt for a package with a power moonroof, a blind-spot monitor with lane-change assist, rear cross-traffic detection, a 6-way power driver’s seat, and keyless access with push-button start.
With the $1,225 destination charge, the 2023 Subaru Crosstrek Premium CVT costs $27,370. On a 60-month loan with 3% financing and zero down, the monthly payment comes to approximately $492. See 2023 Subaru Crosstrek Premium models for sale
2023 Subaru Crosstrek Premium includes:
- Power driver’s seat – Permits a greater range of motion to help find the perfect driving position but lacks any adjustable lumbar support.
- Upgraded audio – Brings two additional speakers, SiriusXM satellite radio, and a CD player, plus access to Subaru Starlink services.
- Heated front seats – A must-have for cold climates, these two-stage heated seats are a welcome addition on cold winter days.
- Windshield-wiper de-icers – Using heating elements at the windshield’s base, this system helps prevent ice and snow from building up on the wiper blades.
2023 Subaru Crosstrek Special Edition
(starting at $26,745)
The Crosstrek Special Edition builds off the Premium CVT, adding exclusive Desert Khaki paint, dark gray 17-inch alloy wheels, black door handles, and black badging. The SE’s interior gets black and red upholstery with red contrast stitching, low-luster black accent trim, and an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen.
With the $1,225 destination charge, the 2023 Subaru Crosstrek Special Edition costs $27,970. On a 60-month loan with 3% financing and zero down, the monthly payment comes to about $503. See 2023 Subaru Crosstrek Special Edition models for sale
2023 Subaru Crosstrek Sport
(starting at $27,995)
The Crosstrek Sport trim may be our pick for the best overall value. Its main advantage over the Premium and SE is a larger 2.5-liter engine that bumps horsepower to 182. Along with better acceleration and passing power, the Sport also comes standard with an improved CVT that simulates the gear changes of an 8-speed automatic. It also gets steering wheel paddle shifters and EyeSight.
One feature found only on the Sport is Dual-Function X-Mode, which includes an additional setting for Deep Snow and Mud.
In addition to the Premium CVT’s standard equipment, the Sport adds oversized black wheel arches, unique exterior badges and trim, a black Sport grille, and 17-inch dark gray alloy wheels. Keyless access with proximity key fob and push-button start come standard, along with dual USB charge ports for the rear seat.
The Sport’s interior features StarTex water-repellent upholstery in gray with yellow stitching and a yellow Sport logo. Yellow stitching also graces the steering wheel, doors, and dash. An LED light built into the rear liftgate is another Sport plus.
A single option package adds a blind-spot monitor with lane-change assist, rear cross-traffic detection, a power moonroof, and an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen. For some reason, the Premium’s available 6-way power driver seat fails to make the cut, an omission some may find a deal killer.
With the $1,225 destination charge, the 2023 Subaru Crosstrek Sport costs $29,220. On a 60-month loan with 3% financing and zero down, the monthly payment comes to about $525. See 2023 Subaru Crosstrek Sport models for sale
2023 Subaru Crosstrek Sport includes:
- 2.5-liter engine – If there’s one thing everyone agrees on, it’s that the base engine in the Crosstrek is woefully underpowered. The Sport’s 2.5-liter engine solves this issue yet still returns impressive fuel economy.
- Dual-Function X-Mode – Along with the standard X-Mode settings for Snow/Dirt, the Dual-mode system includes a more aggressive mode for Deep Snow/Mud.
- Sport styling – With its dark gray wheels, oversized black wheel arches, and unique badging, the Sport is the most stylish of the Crosstrek line.
- Available 8-inch Starlink infotainment – The larger 8-inch touchscreen looks better, reacts faster, and offers more real estate for viewing icons and information.
2023 Subaru Crosstrek Limited
(starting at $29,495)
The Limited is the best-equipped Crosstrek trim, offering more upscale features and additional driver aids but also a higher price tag.
Building off the Premium, the Limited gains the Sport’s a 2.5-liter engine, 8-step CVT and SI-Drive, but with the single-mode X-Mode system.
The Limited’s cabin features leather upholstery, a 6-way power driver’s seat (but still no lumbar support), an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen, a color multi-information display, a rear-seat armrest with built-in cup holders, and keyless access with push-button start.
The Limited furthers its status as top dog with 18-inch alloy wheels, steering-responsive LED headlights, LED fog lights, automatic high-beam headlights, and Reverse Automatic Emergency Braking.
Options for the Limited include a power moonroof, an 8-speaker Harman/Kardon audio system, and built-in navigation powered by TomTom.
With the $1,225 destination fee, the 2023 Subaru Crosstrek Limited costs $30,720. On a 60-month loan with 3% financing and zero down, the monthly payment comes to about $552. See 2023 Subaru Crosstrek Limited models for sale
2023 Subaru Crosstrek Limited includes:
- Steering-responsive LED headlights – Bright LEDs provide an impressively long light pattern, while steering-responsive headlights help illuminate dark corners by turning in the direction of the steering wheel.
- Reverse Automatic Braking – Sensors in the rear bumper can detect objects behind the Crosstrek and alert the driver. If the driver fails to stop, the system automatically applies the brakes, slowing or stopping the vehicle before an accident can occur.
- Automatic high-beam headlights – Using light sensors, the headlights can detect oncoming traffic and automatically dim the high beams. Once the coast is clear, the high beams automatically reactivate.
- Available Harman Kardon audio – Attached to a 423-watt amp, the eight Harman Kardon speakers deliver impressive sound quality. However, unlike the other Harman Kardon system in Subaru vehicles, this one does not include a subwoofer.
2023 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid
(starting at $36,845)
The most fuel-efficient Crosstrek is the Hybrid. It employs a 2.0-liter gas engine paired with two electric motors/generators for a combined output of 148 horsepower. The Crosstrek Hybrid can be plugged in, although it’s not necessary. With a full battery, the 2023 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid has an all-electric range of 17 miles.
The Crosstrek Hybrid mirrors the content found in the Limited but adds a few hybrid-specific features. Among them is a unique instrument cluster with hybrid readouts and a hybrid-specific multi-information display.
The Hybrid features special Starlink upgrades that allow operation of the interior climate controls without starting the car and the ability to automatically set a charge time outside peak hours to help save money.
Some notable interior differences include the Hybrid’s blue and gray leather seating, blue interior accents, and blue stitching. There’s also a reduction in cargo space due to the battery pack placement below the cargo floor. The fuel tank also is three gallons smaller.
The Hybrid offers only one option package containing a power moonroof, navigation, the Harman Kardon audio system, and a heated steering wheel.
The Crosstrek Hybrid has an EPA combined fuel economy rating of 35 mpg and an impressive range of 480 miles.
With the $1,225 destination fee, the 2023 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid costs $38,070. On a 60-month loan with 3% financing and zero down, the monthly payment comes to about $684. See 2023 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid models for sale


text:
The Year in …
Sci-Fi & Fantasy Books
In 2001, Kelley Armstrong introduced female werewolf Elena Michaels in Bitten, an unplanned first installment in what would become the popular Otherworld series.
Eleven years and 12 books later, the urban fantasy of werewolves, witches, vampires, necromancers, half-demons and more reached its impressive finale with Thirteen (444 pages; Dutton; $26.95). And not without some wide-ranging changes.
In the series’ second volume, Stolen, we met 12-year-old witch and sorcerer Savannah Levine. Thirteen is the grown-up Savannah’s story, an epic that has heaven and hellhounds, good and evil, at war. But Savannah has help; Armstrong reunites readers’ favorite characters, living and dead.
And she begins the book where it all began: the prologue to Bitten.

domain: artistic


Wednesday marks the first day that the 2022 Tour de France truly enters the Alps and race leader Tadej Pogacar is sure to come under pressure.
The Slovenian has looked largely bulletproof in his quest for a third straight Tour win and after questions regarding Team UAE Emirates' ability to support him, they clearly decided they were happy to lose yellow if needed on Tuesday.
Magnus Cort took the victory and Pogacar couldn't resist a late dash to the line to try and improve his 39-second lead over Jonas Vingegaard, but the Dane held his wheel.
There was a shake-up, though, with Bora-Hansgrohe's Lennard Kamna now second on GC after getting in the breakaway, with Jumbo-Visma's Vingegaard third.
On to Wednesday and with two hors catégorie climbs, there will be chances to attack for the favourites and there is sure to be drama.
There is another dilemma to discuss. Thursday is Bastille Day and with the peloton riding to Alpe d'Huez, some French riders may hold something back to preserve energy for the big one.
|What||Tour de France, Stage 11|
|Where||Albertville to Col du Granon|
|When||11:15 UK Time, Wednesday 13th July|
|How to watch||Live on ITV4, Eurosport, Discovery+ & GCN+|
Race director Christian Prudhomme has admitted that he sees Stage 11 as one of the days on which he expects the Tour to be lost, with the hairpins of the Lacets de Montvernier providing some early sting before the road truly turns upwards.
The category one Col du Telegraphe is the first of a trio of monster climbs, as the peloton then attacks the Col du Galibier before finishing atop the Col du Granon.
This is just the second time the Col du Granon has been used in the Tour, with Spaniard Eduardo Chozas the first man over the top in 1986.
Both the Galibier and the Granon are classified as hors catégorie. This is translated as 'beyond categorisation' and was originally used to categorise climbs the organisers didn't think could be passed by bike, with some even insurmountable on four wheels.
The profile of the route means a big group is likely to go away early before being whittled down. However, with a relatively flat start, they may not all be climbers and the favourites could sweep through to battle it out for the stage victory.
It is impossible to ignore the reigning champion on a stage like this. Pogacar won twice in the Pyrenees in 2021 and has already triumphed twice at this Tour, including at La Planche des Belles Filles.
It's incredible to see someone who is just 23 look so strong, but what has been just as impressive in 2022 has been his nous for getting in the right move, notably tacking onto Jasper Stuyven over the cobbles on stage five.
While UAE Emirates may not be as collectively strong as some of the other teams, his main lieutenant, Rafal Majka - a two-time winner of the polka-dot jersey - looks to be in fantastic form and should be able to guide him into the final kilometres.
From there, Pogacar will be left to battle it out for himself, but as we've seen so often, he is a firm believer in attack being his best form of defence.
The Colombian climber is having a stealthily impressive Tour and is part of a two-pronged assault from Arkea-Samsic. While team-mate Warren Barguil is happy to try and get in the breakaway, perhaps in pursuit of the mountains jersey, Quintana has been diligent in marking the big men.
Now 32, it is six years since he was last on the podium at the Tour, but that could prove to be an advantage if he breaks away as he may not garner the respect he once did.
Similarly, his long-held issues against the clock will give him extra freedom as any rivals will feel they can take time back off him later in the race.
Quintana's form has been good this year and the 'Condor of the Andes' will see Wednesday as a chance to claim a third career stage win.
A value effort this one and a pick dependent on how well he has recovered after being involved in a few scrapes over the first week.
Woods was a contender for the mountains prize throughout last year's Tour, even wearing the jersey on stage 14 and has enjoyed another quietly efficient season.
The Canadian has twice won mountain stages at the Vuelta a Espana and unlike last year when he had a go at a GC push, the 35-year-old has a licence to roam, especially with Simon Clarke already securing a win for Israel-Premier Tech last Wednesday.
A rider who has battled adversity throughout his career, a win on one of the toughest days of the Tour would be fitting.


text:
(click/touch triangles for details)
- Silent the warrior smiled, and pleased resign'd To tender passions all his mighty mind; His beauteous princess cast a mournful look, Hung on his hand, and then dejected spoke; Her bosom laboured with a boding sigh, And the big tear stood trembling in her eye.Book 6 (75% in)
- Prayers are Jove's daughters, of celestial race, Lame are their feet, and wrinkled is their face; With humble mien, and with dejected eyes, Constant they follow, where injustice flies.Book 9 (75% in)
- Now o'er the fields, dejected, he surveys From thousand Trojan fires the mounting blaze; Hears in the passing wind their music blow, And marks distinct the voices of the foe.Book 10 (5% in)
- To brave Laodocus his arms he flung, Who, near him wheeling, drove his steeds along; Then ran the mournful message to impart, With tearful eyes, and with dejected heart.Book 17 (92% in)
There are no more uses of "dejected" in The Iliad by Homer - (translated by: Pope).
Typical Usage (best examples)


text:
We Are On The Edge - 50th Anniversary Celebration
Art Ensemble of Chicago
Warning: Last items in stock!
The Art Ensemble of Chicago has been at the forefront of creative improvised music since 1969, and has long served as the flagship ensemble of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM), the august Chicago-based organization that also fostered the careers of members such as Muhal Richard Abrams, Anthony Braxton, Henry Threadgill, and Wadada Leo Smith, among many others. The greatness of the Art Ensemble has always been the shared commitment of its original members – Roscoe Mitchell, Lester Bowie, Joseph Jarman, Malachi Favors, and Famoudou Don Moye – to the total realm of African diasporic music: what they have long-termed “Great Black Music—Ancient to the Future.” Also important are the group’s disparate musical and artistic personalities, comprised of jazz, advanced compositional techniques, theatrical performance, poetry, Pan-African percussion, all tied together with improvisational flair and the exploration of pure sound.


On March 24, 2022, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, announced the “geopolitical awakening” of the EU due to Russia’s aggressive war against Ukraine. This “awakening” policy includes the Union’s coordinated response to weaponization of interdependencies, or in other words, the deliberate use of economic ties as a weapon. A clear example in this context is the Kremlin’s manipulation of Europe’s energy dependence.
There are numerous other examples, including those related to critical raw materials and “minerals of the future” (such as lithium, titanium, nickel, cobalt, etc.). How is the European Union developing the idea of strategic autonomy from defense and security to the economy? What transformations are occurring in the internal market and the EU’s common trade policy in response to the increasing (geo)politicization of economic relationships? Which legal instruments have been adopted, and which are planned? And how do these new challenges and responses affect the economic integration between Ukraine and the EU? We provide answers to these questions in this article.
Strategic autonomy of the EU: development through crises
EU strategic autonomy refers to “the capacity of the EU to act autonomously – that is, without being dependent on other countries – in strategically important policy areas.” The Union’s approach to defining these strategic areas aligns closely with the chronology of crises that the EU has faced over the past decade.
The trigger for a serious discussion on the need for EU autonomy in the realm of security and defense was the concern over changes in the foreign policy and defense priorities of the United States during the Trump presidency. Trump’s statements about the necessity of the United States withdrawal from NATO and the unwillingness to defend Eastern European allies in the event of a Russian attack seriously undermined transatlantic unity and strengthened the positions of states advocating for strategic autonomy.
One of the significant practical outcomes of the debates within the EU during the Trump era was the establishment of the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) in 2017, aimed at deepening cooperation among EU member states in the defense sphere. PESCO can be considered a “success story” because this structure has enabled more than 50 innovative projects in various areas, from enhancing the EU’s capabilities at sea to creating a joint EU intelligence school.
However, even though almost all EU member states have joined PESCO (except for Denmark, Malta, and the UK, which was still a member in 2017), there is no consensus yet among them regarding the future of strategic autonomy in the defense sphere. The main topics of debate in this context revolve around the necessary investments in defense and the balance between strategic autonomy and EU-NATO relations. This is why even the EU’s Strategic Compass, adopted after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, envisions the creation of a rather limited joint EU military force and does not compel member states to invest a specific percentage of their GDP into defense.
The move toward strategic autonomy in the economic sphere within the EU is equally challenging and controversial. The economic dimension of the concept gained importance in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, which vividly demonstrated how much the EU relies on imported goods. Disruptions in supply chains due to epidemic control measures in China and other countries complicated access for EU citizens and companies, initially to medical masks and other medical and pharmaceutical goods and later to semiconductors (chips) and raw materials. Globally, the pandemic revealed the vulnerability of complex supply chains and prompted a shift toward bringing certain production back to the EU from third countries (known as “reshoring”).
The Russian war against Ukraine as a challenge to the strategic autonomy of the EU
The war waged by Russia against Ukraine significantly reinforced the EU’s determination to develop strategic autonomy in both the defense and economic spheres. It added another crucial dimension to the concept – energy security. Even before the war, the EU’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, drew attention to the “militarization of interdependency” phenomenon in the global economy. “According to these views, trade, investments, market access, transportation, technology, tourism – everything that was the subject of enhanced cooperation within globalization has become an instrument of political influence, domination, and fierce competition without rules,” the director of the Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine, and currently the Ambassador of Ukraine to Japan, Serhii Korsunskyi, wrote in 2021. This characterization is highly relevant to Russia’s policies concerning both Ukraine and the European Union. The blocking of Black Sea ports, attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, and threats to reduce oil and gas supplies to European countries are vivid examples of Russia’s militarization of food and energy resources.
Besides Russia’s actions, its war against Ukraine has unquestionably contributed to politicizing geo-economic relationships. On the one hand, a large-scale interstate war prompts certain actors to use force to achieve their political objectives (as seen in Azerbaijan’s actions regarding Karabakh and the large-scale attacks by Hamas on Israel). On the other hand, it leads to an “arms race” for strategic deterrence. Both phenomena require increased military-industrial capabilities, which objectively exacerbates the shortage of critical raw materials. Mutual deterrence and competition on the global stage are also realized through a wide range of economic warfare. These means vary from complete economic blockades to imposing import and export restrictions and regulatory measures, such as denying permits and licenses. They may also include (often reciprocal) sanctions and freezing of financial assets. The widespread use of such trade measures further undermines the significance of the World Trade Organization (WTO), which has been facing a crisis for some time, partly due to the ineffectiveness of its dispute resolution mechanism.
Josep Borrell’s declaration of the “geopolitical awakening” of the EU comes against the backdrop of an increasingly fragmented, militarized, and competitive world. This awakening marks a shift from the dream of a globalized planet where free trade, investments, and interdependencies promote peace and development to a reality where any significant dependency can be used as a weapon.
EU efforts toward reforming the internal market
In response to the new challenges, the EU is making efforts to enhance the resilience of the Single Market and the Union’s ability to resist and counteract players who employ economic coercion for political purposes. According to research from the Irish Institute of International and European Affairs, the main directions of the EU’s internal economic policy currently include managing strategic dependencies, diversifying supply chains, strengthening industrial capabilities, and efforts to support human rights and environmental protection through market power.
As with the concept of strategic autonomy in the security and defense sphere, EU member states have different views and priorities related to the single market development. For instance, Denmark, Sweden, and Finland have been historically strong proponents of the open EU market and expressed concerns about economic autonomy as a form of protectionism, at least before Russia’s war against Ukraine. Over time, however, these countries have become more conscious of the need to strengthen the single market and proportionally limit free trade if necessary to ensure the competitiveness of the EU on the global stage. Germany, having learned from the economically and reputationally painful experience of overcoming energy dependence on Russia, has emphasized managing strategic dependencies and developing digital sovereignty. On the other hand, France proposes prioritizing industrial strengthening within the EU rather than increasing independence from external influence.
Therefore, today’s actions by the EU to reform the single market should be understood as a complex set of multi-vector and consensus-based efforts. The main tools for reform include legislative instruments, investment programs, and strategic partnerships. Table 1 presents some of the most well-known initiatives, and below, we will discuss those relevant to Ukraine’s EU integration efforts.
|Legislative instruments||Single Market Emergency Instrument||The legislative proposal aims to ensure the uninterrupted functioning of the single market during crises, particularly those related to difficulties in the operation of international supply chains.|
|Regulation setting up a Union regime for export control, brokering, technical assistance, and transfer of dual-use goods||The regulation sets out detailed rules for the export and other forms of transfer of dual-use goods and services, i.e., those that can be used in both civilian and military sectors.|
|Foreign Direct Investment Screening Mechanism||This instrument aims to coordinate national systems for screening foreign direct investments to ensure that such investments do not grant investors significant political influence.|
|Regulation concerning the exercise of the Union’s rights for the application and enforcement of international trade rules||The regulation governs the application of a wide range of restrictive measures by the Union in response to violations of international trade rules by trade partners of the EU.|
|Anti-Coercion Instrument||The legislative proposal aims to allow the EU to apply a wide range of restrictive measures in response to instances where third countries use economic coercion against the EU to achieve their political goals.|
|Investment programs||European Chips Fund||The Fund aims to strengthen semiconductor (chip) supply chains and increase the EU’s market share in the global semiconductor market to 20%. It will support the development of the semiconductor ecosystem and facilitate access to financial and investment opportunities for relevant startups.|
|Important Projects of Common European Interests and Industrial Alliances||These are cross-border projects in the fields of innovation, infrastructure, and research that simultaneously receive support from the European Commission in accordance with EU state aid legislation and private investments. Approved projects are dedicated to topics like Microelectronics (32 and 56 participating companies from 5 and 14 member states, respectively), Batteries (17 companies from 7 member states and 42 companies from 12 member states), and Hydrogen (with 35 companies from 15 and 13 member states respectively).|
|Digital Europe||The program is aimed at funding projects in five key areas, including supercomputers, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, the development of technical skills, and the application of a wide range of digital technologies in society and the economy.|
|Strategic partnerships||Global Gateway||The “Global Gateway” is an international investment program of the EU aimed at expanding market access and building infrastructure partnerships with third countries in transportation, climate and energy, education and research, digitalization, and healthcare. The program partly serves as an alternative to the Chinese “Belt and Road Initiative,” also known as “One Belt, One Road.”|
|The EU-US Trade and Technology Council||The Trade and Technology Council is a transatlantic diplomatic initiative aimed at coordinating economic and digital policies between the United States and the European Union. It focuses on various aspects of economic cooperation, including building more resilient supply chains.|
Note: The legislative proposals highlighted in yellow have not yet been adopted
Single market reforms and Ukraine’s European integration
The Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU, initialed in 2012 and signed in 2014, aims to “establish conditions for enhanced economic and trade relations leading towards Ukraine’s gradual integration into the EU internal market… and support Ukrainian efforts to complete the transition into a functioning market economy by means of, inter alia, the by progressive approximation to the EU acquis.” However, even a superficial review of the EU’s efforts in transforming its internal market reveals that Ukraine is integrating into a significantly different internal market than the one that existed a decade ago: one that is more tense and regulated, ready to create new opportunities for internal players and provide safeguards against external ones, but paradoxically more vulnerable due to potential regulatory errors.
The Single Market Emergency Instrument proposal is a vivid example of increased tension and regulation. It envisions five modes of market management in case of crises, ranging from establishing an advisory board to monitor the current situation and supply chains to two modes of emergency market regulation. According to a study by Samina Sultan and her colleagues from the German Economic Institute in Cologne, the emergency market regulation modes during crises involve a wide range of restrictions on member states and businesses, such as obligations to create and manage strategic reserves. The drawback of the instrument, as the authors point out, is its focus on financial sanctions rather than incentives to engage companies in EU member states in the production of deficit goods.
The question is whether the adaptability of decentralized control processes through markets is insufficient and requires strict vertical regulation during crises. The concept of “crisis” in the proposal is somewhat vague, and its direct link to the shortcomings of international supply chains functioning may pose a risk of frequent application of crisis mode, potentially disrupting market mechanisms. Depending on the nature of future crises and the practice of implementing this instrument for emergencies, Ukraine’s participation in it may have both advantages (responding to crises within a large market bloc, assistance in forming reserves, and financing businesses) and disadvantages (top-down regulation, potential sanctions for business actors).
Regulating the use of unilateral restrictive tools by the EU in response to violations of trade norms by trading partners or exerting political influence on the EU through economic measures is undoubtedly an important step toward a more resilient market. For instance, the Anti-Coercion Instrument, which the EU Council and the European Parliament recently agreed upon politically, primarily serves as a deterrent tool to prevent third countries from contemplating the use of economic pressure on the EU for political purposes.
For Ukraine, harmonizing its laws with EU legislation on restrictive instruments (tariffs, quotas, regulatory measures) would undoubtedly be a step forward in the context of both economic integration and foreign policy cooperation with the EU. However, there is a potential risk of conflicts and a “narrowing room for maneuver” in relations with third countries, such as countries in the Global South, if Ukraine applies restrictive measures to them in accordance with its commitments within EU instruments. On the other hand, participation in EU instruments will extend the “umbrella” of EU market power to Ukraine, deterring third countries from exerting economic pressure on Ukraine.
At the same time, Ukraine’s integration into the new internal market instruments will also bring new opportunities for businesses, including technology startups. Ukrainian companies, researchers, and public institutions can already apply for funding under the “Digital Europe” program (with a budget for 2021-2027 of 7.5 billion euros) to develop shared digital infrastructure and support digital transformation. Participation in the European semiconductor fund and important projects of common European interest will undoubtedly contribute to both Ukraine’s integration into the internal market and technological development.
In summary, the current stage of reforms in the EU internal market presents both new opportunities and challenges for Ukrainian stakeholders, especially in the context of crisis management and relations with third countries.
The material was created in the framework of the Jean Monnet Module INTEGTRADE, funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the European Commission can be held responsible for them.
The author doesn`t work for, consult to, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have no relevant affiliations


text:
Robin will lead an easy, friendly ride to Golden Acre Park.
Start point - Roundhay Park (junction of Princes Avenue and Lidgett Park Road).
Saturday, 1 April, 2017
Ride distance (m):
Golden Acre Park

domain: geography


U.S. Is Oligarchy, Not Republic
Comment by Julio Severo: This article, published originally by WND, addresses a very real problem in the U.S. As a pro-life and conservative Christian, I have to reach the same conclusion. Abortion was legalized in the U.S. in 1973 in the administration of President Richard Nixon, considered a conservative and of the Republican Party, also considered as generally conservative. In that time, the absolute majority of the American people was against abortion. In fact, the U.S. was then the most Protestant nation in the world. However, there were big business groups interested in the legalization of the unborn’s killing. The Supreme Court, which legalized this heinous crime, imposed it on all the U.S. states, violating the independence of each of them. In the issue of the so called gay “marriage” the same problem is happening. Most of the American people do not want this aberration. Yet, interest groups want to impose this aberration on the population. If then there is a “democracy” in the U.S., it is working just for those having more power and money. It is not working for the defense of life and family. It is in the full reality, as my definition, a “government of money, by money, for money.” Read and spread the following article:
A recent study by professors Martin Gilens of Princeton and Benjamin I. Page found that the U.S. now resembles more of an oligarchy than a democratic republic.
“The central point that emerges from our research is that economic elites and organized groups representing business interests have substantial independent impacts on U.S. government policy, while mass-based interest groups and average citizens have little or no independent influence.”
The author of a recent commentary about oligarchy in the 21st century, Matthew Continetti, of the Free Beacon, might even suggest that last phrase be repeated.
“Mass-based interest groups and average citizens have little or no independent influence.”
In a recent interview with TPM, Gilens stated, “I’d say that contrary to what decades of political science research might lead you to believe, ordinary citizens have virtually no influence over what their government does in the United States. And economic elites and interest groups, especially those representing business, have a substantial degree of influence. Government policy-making over the last few decades reflects the preferences of those groups – of economic elites and of organized interests.”
“Since Reagan, every president has come from Harvard or Yale. Because these are considered the most prestigious education institutions in the United States, the graduates that they produce are funneled straight into Washington or are given positions in some of the major media outlets,” Marc E. Fitch said.
“It’s a belief that merely by attending these schools you are somehow a superior individual and deserve a position of power. You don’t see too many peanut farmers like Jimmy Carter or generals like Eisenhower even trying to go into politics anymore. Even Sarah Palin was mocked for the college she attended. I think that, in itself, could be the cause of the separation of the policy makers from the people.”
The affluent attend elite universities that are among the most fervently leftist and liberal institutions in the country. Gilens states that the affluent tend to hold more socially liberal positions than the majority.
“We’d see, perhaps ironically, less liberal policies in some domains like religious or moral issues. Affluent people tend to be more socially liberal on things like abortion or gay rights.”
Gilens cites the lack of a Worker’s Party or Socialist Party as part of the problem but Fitch says… they are often just replacing evil with a greater evil.
“You would just end up with more of the same. This is a deeper cultural issue about personal responsibility and honesty. You can throw as much money as you want at a politician but it is his or her job to put their constituency before their own pockets. That is not happening in any way. Until we consider moral character over celebrity in politics we will keep ending up in this position.”
Noted the study, “Who governs? Who really rules? To what extent is the broad body of U.S. citizens sovereign, semi-sovereign, or largely powerless?”
Gilens said, “Both parties have to a large degree embraced a set of policies that reflect the needs, preferences and interests of the well to do.”
Edited by Julio Severo from WND article: Study: U.S. is oligarchy, not republic
Via Julio Severo in English: www.lastdayswatchman.blogspot.com
Recommeded Reading:Has Obama failed to advance leftism in America?


text:
Tollbooths and Roadblocks
I’ve had my share of embarrassing moments. One of them took place a few years back when I entered a tollbooth on a freeway without any money. Ugh. I just wanted to make progress and that silly booth stopped me. On one occasion, the tollbooth became a roadblock. It didn’t have what it took to pass through. I had to borrow the money from the guy behind me. What a humiliating moment for me.
For many students, this is a picture of life. They can’t seem to progress through adolescence. They can’t or won’t pay the price to grow up. The tollbooth becomes a roadblock. I know I have mentioned this before, but I am picking up new evidence that his is a worldwide phenomenon. Listen to the proof:
— In one survey, students themselves indicated the mark of adult responsibility and the exit from adolescence is: having my first child. Americans aren’t doing this until 27.5 years old.
— Originally, adolescence spanned from 12-18. In 2002, the National Academy of Science redefined this season as the period extending from puberty at approximately 12 to age 30.
— The MacArthur Foundation has extended it further, funding a major research project that argued the transition into adulthood doesn’t occur until 34 years old.
— The phenomenon is worse internationally. Kids stay home until their 30s and are called KIPPERS, Boomerang Kids, Freeters and Nesthockers. They don’t want to leave mom.
The Postponed Generation
Here is the problem. The term adolescence was created and published just over a century ago, by psychologist G. Stanley Hall. The word is taken from the Latin “adolescere” meaning: “to grow up.” It was meant to be a “doorway” from childhood into adulthood.
Today, it’s become a period of exploration and experimentation, trying to find one’s identity. This is very normal and natural, but there’s a difference between doing it at 16 and doing it at 32.
There is a new demographic group that’s expanded worldwide. The years between eighteen and twenty-five have become a distinct life stage—a strange, transitional “no man’s land” between adolescence and adulthood in which young people stall for a few extra years, putting off adult responsibility. Most of these are not bad kids or troubled kids or even stupid kids. They just don’t see the need to grow up because life is working for them just fine right now. They seem to enjoy a season of exploration without the demands of paying bills, or providing for someone else.
In my next blog post, I plan to share nine reasons why I think this is happening. But for now, I want to hear from you. What do you think is the cause of the postponed entrance into adulthood?

domain: sociology


text:
The newest Destiny 2 season dropped yesterday, and with it came reissues of Reckoning weapons (which had long been sunset). A fan favorite, Spare Rations, also returns with new perks alongside its Taken counterpart. But the methods for getting these two guns are quite different, so let’s take a look at how, specifically, to target-farm Spare Rations in Destiny 2.
Related: All New Strand Aspects in Destiny 2 Season of the Deep
How to Farm Spare Rations in Destiny 2
To farm Spare Rations, you first need to acquire Spare Rations. A little paradoxical, I know, but the easiest method to get it quickly is to cross your fingers and Focus Deep Engrams at the Sonar Station in the H.E.L.M. using the bottom-most row, called “Reckoning Weapons,” until you get one.
Spare Rations can also be acquired from the new Fishing activity – all you need to do is catch a Legendary fish, then trade it with the Sonar Station in the H.E.L.M. for a chance at reprised Reckoning weapons, armor, and more.
Once you’ve acquired six weapons from either Season of the Deep (the Taken versions) or the reprised Reckoning weapons, you can focus-roll Spare Rations for four Deep Engrams a pop. This is a little expensive, but it’s worth doing if you’re chasing a specific roll.
The Best Spare Ration Perks in Destiny 2
With a new reprisal comes new perks, so let’s quickly take a look at those found in the first and second row, along with my top picks for both PVE and PVP.
First Row Perks
- Snapshot Sights (PVP)
- Rapid Hit (PVE)
- Moving Target
- Offhand Strike
Second Row Perks
- Focused Fury
- Kill Clip
- Kinetic Tremors (PVE)
- Opening Shot (PVP)
- Vorpal Weapon
Best of luck to anyone farming this fan-favorite hand cannon! Between running activities and fishing up some honkers, you know where you can find me.

domain: game


text:
Tag: Starwood HotelsView All Tags
Bloody Mary is looking pretty spry at 80 years old. The cocktail was born when a St. Regis New York Hotel bartender named Fernand “Pete” Petiot spiced up a tomato juice and vodka libation with celery salt, pepper, cayenne, lemon and Worcestershire sauce – reinventing his simple cocktail formerly enjoyed at Harry’s Bar in Paris. The name “Bloody Mary,” though, was deemed too vulgar for the hotel’s elegant King Cole Bar patrons in 1934 and it was re-named the “Red Snapper.”
To celebrate the 80th birthday of this most-ordered cocktail at The St Regis New York (it’s so popular, in fact, that as Starwood opens new St Regis properties around the world, they introduce a local version of the cocktail in each destination), they’ve bottled the bevvie so that you can take it home with you and wake up to it the next morning (there are worse things you could do).
The Red Snapper Bloody Mary mix is bottled in a limited-edition bottle designed by renowned fashion illustrator, Bil Donovan, and produced by Arrowhead Farms, celeb event designer Bronson van Wyck’s cocktail line. You can get it at the Arrowhead Farms online boutique for $28 starting Nov 26.
Now if you prefer to stay over at The St Regis New York and just enjoy a morning-after Bloody Mary cocktail on the premises (no judgment) a room will set you back $665 per night in January.
[Photos: St Regis Hotels & Resorts]
We feel so much better now! Forget the disappointing images from inside St. Regis San Clemente Palace in Venice; we finally have some renderings that show what the hotel will look like following its €25 million renovation.
Gone are the golden-hued walls, the dark wood, and, most importantly, that wonky bed skirt. Instead, we have much lighter décor, a purely white bed, a beautiful coffee table, and a few pops of blue in the furniture and pillow. The Grand Deluxe room above has a low headboard and statement mirror, while the one below goes for something with a bit more flourish and replaces the blue accents with green.
Hotel Rebrandings / Hotel News / London Hotels / Luxury Hotels / Oetker Collection / Starwood Hotels / St. Regis Hotels / Hotel Renovations / → All Tags
We may have known that The Lanesborough London was going for a full-scale renovation (including auctioning off all furniture and trinkets from inside the hotel), but in a surprising twist on the road to its reopening next year, it will no longer be a St. Regis Hotel, but become part of the super-posh Oetker Collection instead.
That means a whole range of things: an exit for St. Regis from the London market, Starwood being one property down (Luxury Collection’s Park Tower is a few minutes west, Sheraton Park Lane a few minutes east), and Oetker Collection debuting another major capital property in addition to its Parisian palace Le Bristol (the seven other hotels lean towards resorts, like the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc).
Along with the announcement, we have a first glimpse of the Albert Pinto-designed interiors, with a rendering of a suite above. While brand new, the interiors look to stay true to the Regency era the hotel took its design cues from before. The suite brings in red / burgundy tones, while a room rendering below goes for a warm green.
Hotel Openings / Hotel Opening Rates / Liverpool Hotels / Aloft Hotels / Starwood Hotels / → All Tags
The “Northern England Hotel Scene” has hitherto not been a phrase that slips easily off the tongue, but the northern cities are killing it this year, with a Beatles hotel, a football hotel and a retro Manhattan hotel all journeying north of the Watford Gap.
You’ll find no Beatles murals here. Instead, you get a magnificent conversion of a grand 1903 building which was on English Heritage’s At Risk register, and had been closed for 20 years, before Starwood jumped in and turned it into the UK’s second Aloft.
Because of the history, the 116 rooms are pretty much all different (there are 97 room types, according to the Liverpool Echo). All, though, have high ceilings, ‘floating’ beds and Bliss amenities - and "Savvy" rooms have more architectural features, while "Aloft" rooms are more standard. And then those public areas – stained glass windows, wood-paneled conference rooms, and a stucco-roofed lobby. What more could you want?
SPG Keyless / Starwood Hotels / Starwood Preferred Guest / Hotel News / Keyless Entry / Mobile Check-Ins / → All Tags
UPDATE: Hilton Hotels also announced a "mobile room key deployment" today for four of its brands – Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts and Canopy by Hilton. HHonors members can open their hotel room doors via smartphones starting in spring 2015.
Back then, you had to be an SPG member (duh) and an Aloft reservation, but also, you had to apply to be a tester of the keyless entry. Now, starting on Wednesday, November 5, all you'll need is the SPG app on your smartphone and a reservation at one of the participating W, Element or Aloft Hotels, made directly through Starwood.
Here's how it works (you can watch the video above or read the step-by-step instructions below):
Hotel Openings / W Hotels / Beijing Hotels / Starwood Hotels / Rosewood Hotels / Luxury Hotels / Hotel Hype / → All Tags
What’s more, we actually have a photo from inside the hotel: we present to you, above, what a Spectacular Room looks like. A step up from entry-level Wonderful Rooms, they run at $318 under the “Extraordinary W Offer”. That shoots up to $451 for a fully flexible rate. The room comes in at nearly 540 sq ft, with the prerequisite open plan bathroom and some interesting purple herringbone-style art-slash-headboard. That pattern comes back in the hardwood floors and what we think could be quite a pretty blue area rug.
The exterior of the hotel leaves no doubt about this being a W either: check it out below.
We were thrilled to hear earlier this year that London’s Sheraton Park Lane would be getting its long overdue makeover, ripping out dated and faded guestrooms and freshening up public spaces. Now we can we show you a bit more of what you can expect post-renovation in the 303-room hotel.
Starting with accommodation, by mid-next year all rooms will look like the above, a huge leap forward compared to today. There is the Sheraton Sweet Sleeper Bed at the heart with the requisite fresh white sheets, Art Deco influences in lighting fixtures and furniture, and what looks like an etched glass mirror panel above the bed.
Hotel News / Historic Hotels / Starwood Hotels / Luxury Collection Hotels / Napa Hotels / → All Tags
Need an excuse to start planning another trip to the wine country? Starwood Hotels has got your back, with the announcement that historic Acacia House, on Main Street in St. Helena, will be renovated and become Las Alcobas, one of its Luxury Collection Hotels.
True, you need a little bit of patience, with opening planned for somewhere between autumn 2015 and early 2016, but it’s never too early, right?
The renderings of the site and the building above are all we were able to dig out from the architect’s website, which shows how everything around the main house will be razed to make way for a number of new annexes that we presume will house the majority, if not all, 57 rooms. The above doesn’t scream luxury hotel to us, but we’ll reserve judgement until we’ve seen more. Meeting facilities, a signature restaurant, and spa with outdoor pool will be added as well.
Airport Hotels / Hotel News / Hotel Openings / Le Meridien Hotels / Starwood Hotels / Bangkok Hotels / → All Tags
Being in the middle of a brand refresh isn’t stopping Le Méridien Hotels from opening new properties, with next month the addition of Le Méridien Suvarnabhumi, Bangkok Golf Resort & Spa. While it’s too early for some of the new brand elements to pop up in the room design, the first images show an attractive, if relatively safe, contemporary look, golf course views, and a balcony with sunbed.
The tenth Starwood hotel and third Le Méridien in Bangkok, the hotel brings some much needed competition to the city’s airport hotel game, dominated by the Novotel BKK Airport at the moment. Being a 15-minute drive away, Le Méridien can’t quite beat the Novotel’s terminal location, but with fresh rooms and much more extensive facilities, it should shake things up nonetheless.
Westin Hotels / Starwood Hotels / Hotel Labs / Hotel Design / Starwood Design Lab / Model Rooms / → All Tags
HotelChatter spent the day at Starwood HQ in Stamford, Conn., learning about the coming design refreshes for Le Méridien and Westin Hotel. We completed a full-on design immersion day, which included a guided tour of Westin and Le Méridien model rooms. What did we learn? Well, one brand wants to serve you craft cappuccinos, refreshing booze drinks and elegant eclairs. The other one wants to make sure you have work out gear, super foods and proximity to plants. Somehow this crazy juxtaposition seems to work. Obviously, there are more details to share. We showed you Le Méridien yesterday. Now it's Westin's turn..
The coming Westin Hotels 2015 refresh continues on the themes of aiding and abetting your travel well-being.
Westin has long wanted guests to leave healthier than they arrived, and to help continue that desire, the brand is giving guests plenty of ways to recharge while in their new guest rooms.
Here are three things that got our attention as we walked through the model room and checked out their new hotel design schemes.
Le Meridien / Starwood Hotels / Hotel Labs / Hotel Design / Starwood Design Lab / Model Rooms / → All Tags
HotelChatter spent the day at Starwood HQ in Stamford, Conn., learning about the coming design refreshes for Le Méridien and Westin Hotel. We completed a full-on design immersion day, which included a guided tour of Westin and Le Méridien model rooms. What did we learn? Well, one brand wants to serve you craft cappuccinos, refreshing booze drinks and elegant eclairs. The other one wants to make sure you have work out gear, super foods and proximity to plants. Somehow this crazy juxtaposition seems to work. Obviously, there are more details to share, starting with Le Méridien.
Le Méridien is in the midst of a design refresh. The theme? Mid century modern. The influences? French film, Monocle magazine, and eclairs.
The LM brand is banking on the fact that people have the desire to experience their destination, and want to do so even if they are in town for 36 hours, most of which will be comprised of business meetings, meaning most guest time will be spent at the hotel.
Here are 5 design details that got our attention as we walked through the model room and new hotel design schemes.
Hotel Delays / Hotel Openings / Koh Samui Hotels / Thailand Hotels / Sheraton Hotels / Starwood Hotels / → All Tags
Sometimes there’s no such thing as too much of a good thing. At least, so think Starwood, who are on track to open a Sheraton in Koh Samui. It will join their current roster: a W Retreat, a Le Méridien, and Vana Belle, part of the Luxury Collection.
The Sheraton will take over the current Imperial Samui Beach Resort, which had 141 rooms. It’s on the same beach as the Vana Belle, and only two hotels away.
Unfortunately, all good things come to those who wait. The Sheraton was down to open in December, but it’s not yet listed on the Starwood website, and (HT Flyertalk) it’s now showing up on Starwood’s forthcoming hotels list, and is down for March 2015. Although, since it’s not yet available to book, even that may be optimistic.

domain: design


text:
Ellesmere Island, Nunavut — It’s August, and there’s snow on the ground. The six-week summer has already passed; our 24-hour daylight will drop to 16 in just a month’s time. Small, brittle leaves crunch underfoot as I walk across tundra that’s already beginning to freeze for the long winter ahead.
The top of the world is a cold place. I’ve been at a field camp here in the Canadian high Arctic gathering climate change data from one of the most remote and isolated regions of the planet. It is barren, wild and beautiful. Yet this place is not beyond the reach of our carbon emissions.
The land up here is warming faster than most of the planet. The 2013 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report projected that the Arctic would warm much more rapidly than the global average, with warming over the land far greater than over the ocean. And it is a particularly sensitive land, where a diverse array of birds, mammals, and plants eke out an existence through eight months of winter while relying on a delicate balance of summer temperatures.
As a doctoral candidate at McGill University in Montreal, I have spent three years researching how the planet’s changing climate is affecting the polar desert ecology of the high Arctic. It’s precisely this balance of climate and permafrost, ice and ecosystems that I’ve come here to study.
In this wide-open space, with all its dangers and difficulties, lies a land that is deservedly called the Garden Spot of the Arctic. More than 600 miles north of Alaska, it harbors more than 150 species of brightly flowering plants. This is where the North American continent has ended and broken into a disjointed network of islands, some of the largest and least explored on earth.
It’s a difficult place to call home. The polar desert differs from the lower Arctic by its extreme dryness, relative lack of plant life, and brutally cold winters. It would remind me of Middle Eastern deserts — dusty soil, dry riverbeds, spattered flecks of vegetation, beautiful rock formations — if it were not surrounded by towering mountains and ice caps.
Vast stretches of flat, dry desert are cracked by the harsh winters into miles of patterned ground. The winter shatters the land into an array of shapes – polygonal patterns that repeat endlessly over vast distances. They are underlain by massive bodies of buried ice that sit in a fine equilibrium with the surrounding permafrost.
Permafrost occurs in polar and alpine areas where the ground temperature remains below 32 degrees Fahrenheit for many years. But as the planet warms, permafrost can thaw. Together with the melting of ground ice (known as thermokarst), it creates the potential for enormous changes in the Arctic landscape.
The dynamics of thermokarst are of particular interest to Arctic scientists. Wayne Pollard of McGill is a 25-year veteran of high Arctic permafrost research. He has been coming here to study the various thaw processes that give rise to the area’s unique landforms.
“Most importantly under today’s climate,” he says, “are the potential impacts of global warming on permafrost temperature and distribution, which would affect surface erosion and vegetation through runoff and thaw.”
Dr. Pollard has been studying a particular kind of thermokarst landform known as a thaw slump – a vertical exposure of massive buried ice that begins to melt more and more of the ground when exposed to summer air temperatures. These visually impressive features resemble large mudslides eating their way across the surface of the polar desert.
While they are a natural part of the landscape’s evolution, it is the current change in their frequency and distribution that may signify the effects of a warming climate.
The summer of 2012 was one of the hottest on record for the Canadian high Arctic, with an average high in July of 54 degrees Fahrenheit and some days approaching 70. The relatively sweltering heat under the 24-hour sun caused hordes of mosquitoes to erupt, driving the resident wildlife and us nearly insane with their attacks. During that trip north, Dr. Pollard noted not just that there was a 30 percent increase in the number of thaw slumps, but that they were also causing the highest amount of erosion ever observed for this area.
“The broader scientific community supports the idea that extreme summers like 2012 are a sign of increased global warming in polar regions,” he said. “One year on its own can be a simple anomaly; however, several summers within a fixed time period, about 10 years, is more likely part of a longer-term trend.” And whether this trend is part of a natural cycle of warming or linked to human factors, he continued, “is still difficult to resolve.”
Much of the region is still developing, in geologic terms: Areas of lower elevation are relatively young, having risen from the sea as little as 1,000 years ago. Teasing out the effects of climate change, as opposed to natural landscape processes, requires careful analysis.
One way to do this is to examine parallel lines of climate research to see if the trend is detected elsewhere.
On neighboring Axel Heiberg Island, glaciologists Miles Ecclestone of Trent University and Luke Copland of the University of Ottawa are measuring how much mass the glaciers are losing. One hunk of ice in particular, the White Glacier, has one of the longest monitoring program of any glacier in the Canadian Arctic.
“The mass balance and ice core records tell us that recent climate patterns are unusually warm, particularly since the mid-1990s,” Dr. Copland says. “For the White Glacier, these past two decades of annual mass balance measurement have been overwhelmingly negative; indeed, most glacier mass balances are becoming increasingly negative” — the greatest losses, he added, since records began in the 1950s.
On the Cusp of Climate Change
Animal and plant species around the world may be threatened by warmer global temperatures.
This means that hot summers are becoming more frequent — an ominous sign for polar desert ecosystems that rely on stable ground ice. In addition to the catastrophic collapses of thaw slumps, melting ice causes depressions in the ground that collect snow and water runoff that give rise to meadow and wetland communities in place of desert.
The effects of warming don’t stop at the green stuff. Changes in a plant community cascade up the food web to the grazing musk oxen, hares and other herbivores that live in the desert. And while a greener Arctic with more vegetation sounds like a boon to the animals that eat the plants, the end results are not so simple.
Paradoxically, any beneficial effects of a warmer climate on herbivores’ food sources could be offset by rising humidity. That, in turn, means more snowfall, which blankets the plants that the musk ox, the largest Arctic herbivore, needs to survive.
Niels Martin Schmidt is the scientific leader of Zackenberg Research Station in northeastern Greenland, a latitude similar to the Canadian high Arctic. He has been studying the plant-herbivore interactions of musk oxen in Greenland and finding that changing winter conditions regulate their populations.
In particular, after snow-rich winters, the musk oxen have a much harder time getting to their food source and surviving these harsh conditions, and an increase in starved carcasses are found across the area.
If the duration of winter declines, Dr. Schmidt says, the population of musk oxen may gain in the short term. But “in the long run, higher temperatures will lead to fewer musk oxen, because of more unstable winter conditions.”
The high Arctic is changing. The interactions among all the elements of the region are complex, especially given the added influence of human-driven climate change. And that’s the particular threat of climate change: When we disturb one aspect of the system, we affect all the other parts that rely on it, with unforeseen consequences for the Arctic and the entire planet.


The Ministry of Environment, Climate Resilience and Urban Renewal wishes to advise residents of Lower Goodwill of a massive clean-up campaign on Sunday, 14th October, 2018.
Residents from Lower Murphy’s Lane to Didier Lane are asked to place galvanize, stoves, refrigerators, electronics and other appliances out for collection. Items should only be placed out between 7:00am to 9:00am Sunday, 14th October 2018.
Transportation is provided therefore please lend a hand in loading the trucks.
Let’s help keep our city clean!!


text:
Situated in the center of Guayaquil, this boutique Manso Boutique Hostal offers rooms fitted with all necessary comforts and the on-site restaurant serving special vegetarian and seafood cuisine. Manso Boutique Hostal has welcomed guests since 1940, renovated in 2008 it combines the best of its history with modern facilities.
If you came to Guayaquil on business, you would appreciate high-speed internet access provided across the entire property.
Services such as room service and tour desk are also provided for your convenience.
Each hotel room features air conditioning and Wi-Fi as well as private bathrooms with a hairdryer and all essential toiletries. Also there are rooms with river views over the city.
The on-site dining options feature continental breakfast served in the hotel’s breakfast room. The hotel’s on-site restaurant offers its own distinct style, exceptional menus and wine-list, which makes it a perfect spot for spending a wonderful evening with your family.
A continental breakfast is served at the price of USD 3 per person per night.
Wireless internet is available in public areas
and is free of charge
No parking available.
The staff at the hotel speaks English, French, Spanish, Portuguese.
Year renovated 2008.
Nestled in the nightlife district and 3km from the city center. Just 30 minutes from the center of Guayaquil.
With fast access to Simon Bolivar airport, which is 5km away.
- City Center - 1.3mi
- Airport Simon Bolivar - 2.5mi
from 3 pm
until 1 pm
Pets are allowed on request
|Children and extra beds||
Other hotels in Guayaquil
Starting from: US$115
Starting from: US$134
Starting from: US$46
Rooms and availability
Manso Boutique Hostal Location
- Current hotel
- Hotels nearby
- Underground Railway Stations
- Train Stations
- Attractions for Tourists
- Convention Centers
- Food and meals
Hover above the icons to see hotel photo and details.
Click the hotel to go to the main hotel page.
Why book with us?
- No prepayments
- Pay at the hotel, credit card details are only required to guarantee your booking.
- Low prices
- Enjoy our best price guarantee and special offers.
- Free cancellations
- Usually cancellations can be made without charge close to your arrival date (check policies).
- Guaranteed room
- You get instant confirmation directly from the hotel's reservation database.

domain: travel


text:
The information provided on this blog is to, the best of our knowledge, accurate and up-to-date as of the date of posting. However, please be aware that information can change rapidly and without notice. Therefore, we cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information presented after the posting date. It is advised that readers exercise due diligence and independently verify the accuracy of information they find on this blog news feed. Here are links to the most current information available in relation to our Membership, Saskatchewan Case Law, and Saskatchewan Legislation.
Organized by the Department of Justice Canada, the Public Prosecution Service of Canada, the Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions of Quebec and the Ministry of the Attorney General of Ontario, this is the first national conference on language rights in Prosecutions. The four sessions of the Conference will bring together judges, federal and provincial Crown attorneys, defence attorneys, and language rights experts from across Canada. The conference will be held on September 28 and 29 and October 27 and 28, 2021 from 13:00 to 16:00 (EDT) at each of the four sessions.
Eight different panels (two at each of the four sessions) will cover a variety of subjects, such as bilingual and unilingual trials under the Criminal Code, the provincial linguistic regimes in penal matters, jury selection, the Gladue principles, unrepresented accused, the legacy of the Beaulac judgment, and the future of linguistic rights in criminal matters. A different guest-speaker will also be present at each of the four sessions.
There are close to 1,000 virtual places available for each of the four sessions. When registering, please mention if you will attend one, two, three or four sessions and specify which ones.
Registration is free and simultaneous interpretation will be provided. Professional Development and Training Hours will soon be confirmed.
The names of the panelists and guest speakers will soon follow. Please register by responding before September 1, 2021, to Alison Williams at firstname.lastname@example.org.

domain: law


text:
Zhengzhou near Greentown Square hotels reservation.
The China Pingmei Shenhua Group Zhengzhou Business Hotel (Zhongguo Pingmei Shenma Jituan Zhengzhou Shangwu Binguan) is located at the intersection of Zhongzhou Avenue and Hongzhuan Road close to the Zhengzhou central business district. [View Detail]
Location:Jinshui132 East Hongzhuan Road (Hongzhuan Dong Lu)(132)Hotel Map
8.8km away from Greentown Square
The Shijixing Aishang Hotel offers quick access to both Zhengzhou Railway Station and Zhengzhou Xinzheng Airport.The on-site restaurant serves an assortment of delicacies for both Chinese and Western palates or guests can choose to indulge in the comforts of room service. Basic services. [View Detail]
Location:JinshuiZhengbian Road (Zhengbian Lu)(200)Hotel Map
9.1km away from Greentown Square


text:
Halloween's happening at Elsternwick!
A reminder that all Council Libraries will be closed on Friday 29 September for the AFL Grand Final Public Holiday. Return chutes remain open for your convenience and our digital library is always open.
Join special guest and author, Juliet Sampson, as she shares her latest picture book, Follow the Rainbow. Followed by our regular StoryTime and some rainbow-inspired craft. This session will be Auslan interpreted.
Suitable for ages 3 and up. Free event and no bookings required.
© 2023 Glen Eira City Library

domain: library


text:
Frank McCourt has paid back hundreds of thousands in questionable Dodgers charity salary expenditures
Jun 23, 2011, 8:25 AM EDT
If Frank McCourt only misses the June 30th payroll by only $122,000, we know why! Jim Peltz and Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times report:
Dodgers owner Frank McCourt repaid more than $100,000 to a team charity after the state attorney general found the funds had been used primarily for the benefit of the club’s former chief executive, Jamie McCourt.
McCourt paid that back in March. This payback is not to be confused with the money McCourt paid back in connection with the $400,000 the charity — the Dodger Dream Foundation — paid the Dodgers’ lobbyist Howard Sunkin in 2007. $400,000 from a charity whose total charitable assets were something less than $2 million at the time state authorities became aware of Sunkin’s payment. The Dodgers have another charity — a cancer charity — which has also seen excessive payments to executives, though it’s unclear what kind of scrutiny that has come under from state or federal officials.
And no, I would not be surprised if federal officials were paying attention to this on some level. When you’re dealing with charities, you’re dealing with tax deductible money. And the IRS cares if tax deductible money is going to executives for decidedly non-charitable purposes.
But by all means, Frank, introduce some “acrimonious and extreme litigation” into all of this so that this stuff can be discovered and scrutinized more.
- CC Sabathia looks like a reliever 3
- And That Happened: Monday’s scores and highlights 14
- AL All-Star voting update: now “only” five Royals in the starting lineup 59
- Andy MacPhail introduced by the Phillies. And the first topic of conversation is sabermetrics 18
- What a world: Orioles are in first place and Ubaldo Jimenez has been their ace 16
- Settling the Scores: Sunday’s results 99
- Steven Matz stellar on the mound — and at the plate — in his major league debut for the Mets 19
- The 2015 Gillette Home Run Derby will have a new format 34
- With the same-sex marriage decision, the San Francisco Giants get another big win (275)
- Joe Maddon is the latest manager to rip instant replay. He’s got a point. (108)
- Settling the Scores: Sunday’s results (99)
- And That Happened: Monday’s scores and highlights (79)
- And That Happened: Wednesday’s scores and highlights (75)

domain: finance


text:
Amino acids are the building blocks of all human and dietary proteins. Of the 20 different amino acids nine are essential. Essential amino acids include the three branched-chain amino acids leucine, isoleucine and valine, which make up approximately one third of skeletal muscle in the human body.
These essential amino acids cannot be synthesised by our bodies; this makes our diet highly important as it is the only source of supply. An amino acid supplement provides a convenient and easy way for you to keep your levels of amino acids high throughout the day, making it a well suited supplement for those wo are always on the go. Mixed with water, an amino acid supplement can be used during or after your workout. It’s a convenient way to provide your body with the essential amino acids it needs.
AMINO X®- BSN®’s Cutting-edge intra-workout amino acid formula.

domain: biology


text:
Made in Hell 5
Series: Made In Hell Book: 5 of 7
With the Church finally wiped out of this city, the Port of Rengfri is entirely at my disposal. I’m free to run my businesses as I please, unleash my minions on all of my enemies, and even take any home I like for my own.
But there’s a stubborn and annoyingly beautiful angel trailing me who’s determined to have the last word.
It’s hard to care much about her, though, when I’ve got a sweet and innocent elf grabbing all of my attention.

domain: literature


text:
Statement Of Vice Chairman Leahy On The Trump Administration Continuing To Withhold Aid to Puerto Rico
It has been 810 days since Hurricane Maria destroyed the homes, businesses and lives of countless American citizens of Puerto Rico, and for 810 days President Trump and his administration have been dragging their feet on delivering aid that the island desperately needs. Implementing appropriations passed by Congress and signed into law is not optional. It is not left to the whims of a President who holds a petty political grudge against the American people of Puerto Rico.
Today marks 90 days since President Trump and his administration broke the law by failing to comply with a deadline set by Congress to deliver on funds appropriated by Congress to help the island recover. This is not optional. This is not normal. And this is not acceptable. I stand with Chairwoman Lowey and Chairman Price in calling out the administration’s egregious and petty treatment of the people of Puerto Rico at their press conference this morning, and I look forward to continuing to work with them to make sure this injustice is stopped.
# # # # #
Next Article Previous Article

domain: news


text:
Trauma Nursing Across the Spectrum is organized between 14 Jul and 15 Jul 2014.
Trauma Nursing 2014 will be held in Sydney, New South Wales Australia. The Seminar venue is Cambridge Hotel.
Trauma Nursing 2014 can be a base where lots of valuable matters will likely be talked about. A few of these tend to be Medical, Nursing, Trauma, Trauma Nursing and Nursing Skills.
Trauma Nursing Across the Spectrum is twice a year(6) Seminar.
Ausmed Education Pty Ltd is the organizer of Trauma Nursing 2014, Trauma Nursing Across the Spectrum.
When you are in Sydney for Trauma Nursing 2014, check out these three must visit areas and fall in love with the allure of this city:
Address : 212 Riley Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010, Australia

domain: medical


text:
The first residents of Ka Lamaku, a community of tiny homes constructed to house the homeless in Kailua-Kona, are expected to move in this week.
On Monday, HOPE Services workers spent the afternoon under the blazing sun outfitting the 18 tiny homes constructed earlier this month at Hawaii County’s Old Kona Airport Park with move-in kits, including storage containers, buckets and coolers, to welcome the shelter’s first occupants.
“We’re hoping if everything works as it supposed to, a few people are suppose dot move in (today), if not the morning of the first,” said Sharon Hirota, Hawaii County Mayor Harry Kim’s executive assistant in charge of homelessness issues.
The temporary shelters, measuring 10-by-8 feet each, will accommodate individuals experiencing homelessness. Each unit can house up to two people.
HOPE Services, which the county has selected as its service provider, will provide 24/7 security, as well as bring in other nonprofits, including health care providers, to provide wraparound services and ultimately connect residents with long-term housing options.
“We’re excited that the project is becoming a reality,” Hirota said. “We are very thankful to the community who has put int heir energy in making this possible.”
Attempts to reach Brandee Menino, HOPE Services CEO, were unsuccessful as of press-time Monday. She previously told West Hawaii Today that more than a dozen individuals camping in front of the organization’s Friendly Place campus had expressed interest in moving to the new shelters at Old Kona Airport Park.


BMW M5 (2011 – 2017) Review
BMW M5 (2011 – 2017) At A Glance
At a time when the motoring world seems focussed on green cars and low emissions, it's surprising that high performance saloons are still around at all. And yet if anything, there is more choice than ever. From the Audi RS6 to the mightily impressive Jaguar XFR, if you want a rapid large four-door car, there are plenty to choose from. Yet one name still stands out - the BMW M5.
It has a heritage stretching back to the mid 1980s and has become revered as one of the best - and fastest - cars on the road. This is the fifth generation of the M5 and it continues that tradition with even more power than before - 560PS to be precise - which makes it the most powerful production car BMW has ever built. The big news is that it's fitted with a twin-turbocharged V8 rather than the 5.0-litre V10 of the outgoing M5.
Purists will welcome the move back to a V8 (even if it is a turbocharged unit) and it also means a considerable improvement in fuel economy along with lower emissions. The outgoing M5 is only capable of 19.6mpg with a CO2 output of 344g/km - and that's according to the official BMW figures. This new model returns a claimed 28.5mpg meaning you'll spend far less time fuelling it up, while emissions are cut to a much more respectable 232g/km.
Being fitted with twin turbochargers means more low down torque, making the power of the new M5 more accessible in everyday driving. It's fitted with a new seven-speed automatic gearbox with two clutches to provide super-fast gear shifts. It's docile and relaxed at steady speeds, yet snappy and aggressive when you want it to be.
The M5 is not especially cheap to buy new with a price tag of £73,040 but it stands head and shoulders above any other performance saloon and is better than plenty of cars that cost considerable more. The key to its success is its all round ability. It's just as comfortable sitting in traffic or cruising on the motorway as it is tackling tight bends and twisting roads. Add to that the immense performance, a great V8 sound plus superb handling and it's easy to see why the M5 is such a success.
Real MPG average for a BMW M5 (2011 – 2017)
Real MPG was created following thousands of readers telling us that their cars could not match the official figures.
Real MPG gives real world data from drivers like you to show how much fuel a vehicle really uses.
Diesel or petrol? If you're unsure whether to go for a petrol or diesel (or even an electric model if it's available), then you need our Petrol or Diesel? calculator. It does the maths on petrols, diesels and electric cars to show which is best suited to you.
We need your help with our latest Satisfaction Index, so that we can help others make a smarter car buying decision. What's it like to live with your car? Love it? Loath it? We want to know. Let us know about your car - it will only take a few minutes and you could be helping thousands of others.Help us with the Honest John Satisfaction Index now


text:
Active strength training or stress exposure can enhance or overdo a tissue, it depends on the dose. And the appropriate dose will vary depending upon the tissue, joint position, volume, etc.
For example, if I want a tissue to get better at producing force, it has to be in a position to do so. Think about an elbow bent at 90 degrees. The elbow can easily work in both ways. Now, hyperextend that elbow and ask it to work. It becomes more difficult/impossible depending upon the leverage the muscles have to do work.
I can still load that hyperextending elbow (that can’t actively do work) and it/the tissue will still experience stress. This is stress exposure. (Perhaps think “passive strength”, simply an improvement in the quality of the material and not what the material can do…)
Joint Position where the muscle can work.
The muscle is experiencing the stress of the dumbbell and can actively fight back because of the elbow bend.
Joint position where muscle CAN’T work (well).
The muscle is still experiencing stress but can’t really do anything about it.
Both can have adaptive or maladaptive effects but both have different good and bad doses. It depends on what you want out of the training and stress.
This was the finger question: what is happening when our finger joints get hyperextended? They lose the leverage to actively work but they still see stress. This is necessary for those positions we find ourselves on the wall like full crimps, etc. but they come at a higher cost because of the joint position and inability to actively produce force.
The fingers slightly flexed (bent) position allows the muscles to really pull and actively work.
Speaking to the fingertip joint (the DIP Joint) it is hyperextended, you can see the wrinkles just before my fingernail. This position doesn’t allow for that part of the finger to actively work. It is just experiencing the stress but can’t do anything to fight back.
A more force-producing position may be an open hand position where the joints are more flexed, etc.
Neither is “good or bad”. But, each has a different reason and appropriate amount of use that makes sense. A general answer would be to probably spend the majority of your time in strength training land with the joint positions that can actively work. Then, micro dose the stress exposure when appropriate. You NEED to do it, but it is also easier to overdo.

domain: health


text:
Also starts up pigment joint venture
Clariant, a Swiss supplier of specialist chemicals, is further strengthening its presence in China with the official opening of its new Greater China headquarters in Shanghai today (20 October). The facility also includes a new technical application centre for pigments.
Hariolf Kottmann: China is one of the fastest-growing markets for Clariant (Photo courtesy of Clariant)
The company has also announced the start-up of its new Quinacridon pigment joint venture in Hangzhou.
Additionally, in September 2009, Clariant launched its multi-purpose-plant (MPP) in Zhenjiang. A new ethoxylation facility in Dayabay, the industrial hub in Southern China, is currently under construction. It is scheduled to open in June 2011.
By the middle of next year, Clariant will have invested approximately CHF150m in China in the last two-and-a-half years.
China will account for an 8% share of the worldwide Clariant business this year. The company currently employs 1,300 people in the region and is represented in 13 cities across 21 locations.
‘Setting up the new Greater China headquarters and the new production site in Hangzhou reflects Clariant’s confidence in the stability and growth of the Chinese economy,’ said Hariolf Kottmann, Clariant’s chief executive.
‘With a sales increase of about 30% in 2010, China is one of the fastest-growing markets for Clariant.’


text:
Buying an item listed on
the Heritage Guns Web Site
The combination of firearm retail legislation, the unique nature of our products and rules concerning the cross border use of charge cards means that you will not find a 'Buy It Now' button on our web site!
We regret that we do not have charge card facilities of any kind.
Stock levels of our accessories and the status of our larger items such as cases or guns change day by day so we would invite you to contact us in the first instance by email to establish availability and current price.
Once the item's availability has been established, if you wish to proceed with the purchase, we will issue an detailed invoice (including all relevant taxes and shipping costs) and supply you with payment details.
In the case of firearms, the invoice will also incorporate an Insurance Waiver which must be signed, dated and the original returned to ourselves or our agent by recorded post before the firearms can be shipped.
Payment can only be made by cash in person or by cheque or wire transfer to our banks in either the UK or USA. In the case of wire transfer, we ask that ALL transfer charges are paid by the customer (at both the originator and recipient banks). Some banking systems will have an option to do this on the wire transfer instruction, others not, in which case we can supply you with an invoice that includes the charges at our end.
Payments in currencies
other than UK Pounds Sterling
A short email inquiry to us will result in a prompt price quotation in your own currency.
Alternatively you can go to any of the web sites that give up to date official exchange rates, eg. XE.Com, apply the rate to the UK Pound Sterling price, add 5% to the result for currency exchange charges and this will give you a reasonably accurate price in your chosen currency.
Where the payment is made to our USA bank account, the invoice will be issued in US Dollars and we will calculate the invoice to take account of the international transfer charges that we incur moving the funds back to the UK. These charges vary between banks and although we make every effort to minimize them, if the sums are considerable, it way be worth investigating if transferring the sum directly to our UK bank would save you money.
If you opt for this, do not forget that you need to arrange for the correct amount in UK Pounds to be credited to our UK bank account, almost certainly a very different figure to the US Dollar amount divided by the official government exchange rate!
The Dreaded VAT
All sales to customers
within the EU are subject to VAT. The rate is currently 20%.
Confusingly, there is also a rate of 5% for items over 100 years of age
but this is only applicable to IMPORT VAT. To keep prices for sales
within the UK and EU as low as possible, we use the 'VAT Margin'
scheme whereby the vendor only needs to charge VAT on the 'value added'
portion of the item, not the original cost. However, there is strict
rule that VAT can not be itemised in either the original purchase
invoice nor our sales invoice. This means that VAT can not be recovered
by a VAT registered business.
To be honest, it is best to ask for a price including all costs and taxes and then there is no room for misunderstanding.
Sales to customers who reside outside the EU are generally 'Zero Rated' for VAT, i.e. there is no VAT on that purchase.
However, this exception only applies to the 'sale of goods', not 'services'. Therefore, if you ship a gun, case or accessory to us for any servicing or repair, the bill will be subject to VAT @ 20%. Yes, we know that is just plain weird but it is the law.
Cross Border Purchases
As described in Export & Import, exporting items subject to export control such as firearms can be complicated and costly so we export a majority of such items in bulk to be exhibited at appropriate venues across the USA. Those items not sold at the event are often left behind in the USA on consignment with our trusted agents. These can then be purchased directly from the agent for little more than the list price.
Three day, non-firing inspection
Generally firearms on consignment in the USA can be shipped subject to a 3 day, non-firing inspection period.
Firstly we will issue an Invoice/Insurance Waiver which must be signed, dated and returned by recorded mail to our agent. You will then pay in full for the item plus the outbound insured shipping and once the payment has cleared, the item will be shipped.
You then have three days from the day of receipt for you or your experts to examine the item (but not test fire it with live ammunition). Unless we hear from you before the end of the 3 days inspection period, the sale becomes final. If you have a valid reason to believe that the gun is substantially not as described and notify us within the 3 day inspection period, you can return the gun IN ITS ORIGINAL CONDITION by insured shipping at your own cost. If the gun arrives back with us in a reasonable time, is totally unmarked and in its original condition, we will refund the cost of the gun but not any shipping charges. Any damage to the gun will be rectified in our workshops in the UK and an amount to cover shipping to the UK and the labour/parts incurred will be deducted from the sum originally paid.
Please see the Warrantees page dedicated to this matter.

domain: economics


text:
by Barbara Kingsolver
I've read several of Kingsolver's books (who hasn't read The Poisonwood Bible?) and enjoyed them very much, but of all her books, this one is my favorite.
If you've ever read Kingsolver you'll know what a great writer she is: poignant, powerful, graceful, with marvelous characters and insight into human nature. She writes with strong overtones of the natural world, of community, and frequently, the effects of modern life on the natural world (in this book, pollution—and I know that sounds horrid, but it really isn't, let me finish).
This story is the story of Codi, a woman who feels as if she fits in nowhere, and her return to the town she grew up in. And it is a story of how she got pregnant as a teenager and lost the baby, and how that loss affected the rest of her life.
I love the story because it is a love story, and it is a story about healing, reconciliation, and learning what belonging really means. (Really. Pollution is a side-plot, really it is.)
I don't know how many times I've read this now, but I love reading it every time. I always forget just how good it is. (So why don't I own this one yet?)


text:
From the desk of Jonathan Kegler, Lower School Principal: It is important that we plant the seeds of promise at a young age and stress the importance of what college can mean for a student. At this level, the thought of college tends to come from what college the parent attended or they are exposed […]
This year, our senior class joined our Pre-K and Kindergarten classes for the day. They were each assigned a “buddy” or two and traveled to different stations around our Lower School.
Fifth graders experienced a virtual reality field trip to Great Britain thanks to our new Google Expeditions kit. Garrett Gandy and Zachary Rhea both commented that the experience felt like they were really there. “It was awesome looking around,” Garrett said as students looked at the knights on the Bosworth Battlefield where King Richard III […]
This week, fourth graders attended a mock trial. Jack is on trial for killing the giant. Students played the roles of attorney, judge, bailiff, witnesses and jurors. Jack was found guilty.
Fifth graders completed a museum project that was three months in the making. In March, each fifth grader chose a hero found in the American Freedom Museum, studied their story in the museum, and conducted their own research at school and home to write a short presentation story. In April, they studied about an artifact […]
Second Graders have been studying the ocean. As a culminating lesson, Mrs. Batis brought her scuba gear to school for a lesson to all Second Graders. Students learned the names of the equipment and the uses. Some students tried on the equipment to get a feel of what it would be like. Mrs. Batis shared […]
To kick off this week of “Paws” for Books at the Lower School, a special guest came to chapel. The Larios family dog, Jo Jo, helped promote the book fair.
Robot project began with a story, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, by Beatrix Potter. Then students used iPads to research how to plan a garden. Small groups collaborated to create a paper garden based on research findings. Students also considered measurements between rows that allowed our robots to move through and among vegetables. Then fifth […]
Mrs. Attebery’s Winners of the Bridge Invention! There are over 250 cubes sitting on their bridge and it’s still standing! Way to go future engineers!
On Wednesday, March 21st, our 5th grade class departed for the famed NASA headquarters in Houston. This is a much anticipated annual trip for our students as they enjoy their first overnight trip as a Brook Hill student. Upon arrival in Houston, the students got a behind the scenes experience at NASA’s space museum. The […]
Many of our students at the Lower School participated in a speech meet today in Kaufman. Congratulations to all of them for such hard work!
At the end of Fine Arts Week at the Lower School, the Lower School Orchestra students got to perform several songs for an assembly of their peers, teachers and families.


text: Only a short post today as I was spending most of the morning on the phone with some PR folks in Germany talking about the German National Computer Science Competition (page in German). I participated in and was one of five national winners in one of the early years this competition was held. They called to find out what I thought of it all these years later (this year marks the 30th anniversary of the competition overall). I told them that I had very fond memories and was glad to see this tradition continue for a number of reasons (other than feeling good about winning). At the time it was the first formal recognition that spending a lot of time learning how to program a computer was something potentially worthwhile. My parents had been super supportive but still didn’t quite know what to make of computers and there was nothing at school. It also was a great way of meeting other kids who were really into computers which was particularly great for me as I lived in a relatively small village. The competition with its emphasis on algorithms helped spur my interest in a deeper understanding of computing which has served me well over the year. Finally, as a winner I automatically qualified for an important scholarship which helped pay part of my way through Harvard as an undergraduate. So I continue to be grateful for the existence of this competition and am happy to see it still going strong!

domain: history