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Middle East peace process
Paris, July 27, 2010
President Sarkozy spoke on the telephone yesterday evening to Mr Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority, and this evening to Mr Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel.
He stressed to his two interlocutors the urgency of reactivating the peace process and need for the parties to act in accordance with this objective.
In this context, President Sarkozy called for a rapid resumption of direct negotiations, the extension of the moratorium on settlement building and halting of the measures affecting the balance in Jerusalem. To be constructive, these negotiations should cover all the final-status-related issues, including those pertaining to land, on the basis of the 1967 borders, security and Jerusalem.
President Sarkozy assured Messrs Netanyahu and Abbas of France's support for and commitment to the implementation of the solution of the two States, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security./.


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Ladybug in Super Slowmo
I had no idea their wings looked like that.
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Blessings Delayed, Blessings Missed
Blessings Missed Trailer from Family Gravity Media on Vimeo. Personally, I had certain goals before I wanted to meet before becoming a father. These aren't goals I think every person should have, but they were important to me. – I … Continue reading
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A collection of videos of Sentinel Challenges at the Tomb of the Unknowns
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Fully Functional Camera Costume
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Jesus Body Diet Pills
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Bag of Randomness
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subset: commoncrawl


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After barely getting a sequel to Pacific Rim off the ground, director Guillermo del Toro is already cooking up plans for a full-fledged trilogy. You've got to respect the ambition.
While promoting his new family flick Book of Life, del Toro chatted with Collider about his plans for the future of Pacific Rim. The first film was a moderate success in the U.S. but a solid hit globally, which finally led Legendary Pictures to pull the trigger on part two.
Del Toro is already in deep development on a Pacific Rim animated series, and he said they plan to start shooting the sequel film in late 2015. But the best part? While scripting Pacific Rim 2, del Toro is already laying the groundwork for story arcs that will set up a third installment. He teases a mix of new and old characters, and an ending that sounds almost like a cliffhanger:
"We got the first draft of the movie now, and we are going to spend another 4-5 months on the screenplay before we start pre-production. We start pre-production next year in August-September and start shooting November-December next year … Some of your favorite characters come back, some others don't because we have decided that we're going to shoot ambitiously and say 'Let's hope we have three movies,' so some characters come in at the end of the second, hoping that it will ramp up on the third one."
As if that news wasn't enough to get us psyched up for more Jaeger vs. kaiju battles, the studio has also revealed the first tantalizing teaser poster for the sequel. Check it out above. It doesn't reveal much, but it looks like another Breach has opened up and is in need of patrol. Hard to tell much on the locale, but it definitely looks like a different setting than the first film.
What do you think of the trilogy plan? Is the universe big enough for three films and an animated series?
(Via Collider, Pacific Rim Facebook)


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What Makes Merrick Design and Build Different?
As a remodeling firm in the DC area, we have a lot of competition. There are a lot of people performing remodeling these days – from those who have been running small operations out of their homes, to those who recently lost their job and have entered the market, to other firms who are about our size or larger performing the range of projects we do.
So, what makes us different from other remodelers? We could say it's our superior service, but you probably hear that phrase a lot when it comes to a host of services you buy.
Here are some tangible differences that we offer:
– As of February 5th, 2010, we extended our existing two-year remodeling warranty to a five-year warranty. We made this change to support your lasting enjoyment of your remodeling project and to display the confidence we have in our products and services. The warranty extensions are retroactive for all jobs completed within the last five years and cover all work on the project.
– We apply a teaching and learning mindset with our clients. We hope to teach you and learn from you as we work together and our staff supports a reciprocal experience for you. We provide expert advice and enjoying learning about the intangible information you share with us regarding your vision for and use of your remodeled space.
– Merrick Design and Build is an active member of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) on the local and national levels. Being a part of this association provides us with a connection to those in our market and provides valuable industry information that we share with you. Several members of our team also hold certifications through NARI, which have been earned through many hours of training and hands on experience.
– Our longevity separates from many others in the market. More than 20 years of experience is at your fingertips as we work together. We encourage you to tap into our knowledge of remodeling ideas, products and regulations that we've gained through the years.
As always, we're here to speak with you about your projects, questions, thoughts and ideas. Reach me today at (301) 946-2356 or email@example.com.
David Merrick
Merrick Design and Build


text: Status: New Owner: cmpil... at gmail.com Labels: Type-Defect Priority-Medium Milestone-en-1.7 New issue 140 by cmpil... at gmail.com: ch05: svnsync walkthrough refers heavily to CollabNet's Subversion repository ... which is no more. http://code.google.com/p/svnbook/issues/detail?id=140 In Chapter 5, the svnsync walkthrough refers heavily to CollabNet's Subversion repository, but that repository is no longer in existence. Rework this section to not refer to that repository. (This should be done for the 1.6 version too, technically.)


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Residential Care Home for the Elderly
A Home for life
South East London Baptist Homes opened The Elms in 1953 as a secure, comfortable and caring home for elderly Christian people. Nowadays the residents come from many Christian denominations.
Registered as a Residential Care Home, The Elms has maintained an enviable reputation. Repeatedly praised by inspectors for its professional standards and devoted staff, it is known for its truly caring, homely atmosphere. The comfort and well-being of the residents is always paramount.


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Celcakes and Celcrafts is a family company set in York in the UK. Originally set up by David and Margaret Ford based around Margaret's love of cake decoration and now involving their daughter Sarah.
All Cel-Cakes products are tried and tested whether the moulds for cakes or the Cel-pads, Cel-Boards, flower formers and rolling pins that are perfect for modelling and sugar flowers.
Celcakes have some really innovative designs such as the modelling guide and shape moulds to help with all your projects.


text: This probably has more to do with Celestica's own issues as anything else. But, many OS7 phones probably are entering EOL so manufacturing naturally needs to be wound down. Who knows? You'll get the usual anti-RIM brigade suggesting this is another nail in the coffin when in fact it seems more like a normal wind down.


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Our Beliefs
We believe:
That the Godhead eternally exists in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit; and these are one in nature, attributes and perfection.
That man was originally created in the image of God; but that he fell from this sinless state through sin and therefore possesses a nature of sin.
That God has established marriage as a lifelong, exclusive relationship between one man and one woman and that all intimate sexual activity outside the marriage relationship, whether heterosexual, homosexual, or otherwise, is immoral and therefore sin. We believe that God created the human race, male and female, and that all conduct with the intent to adopt a gender other than one's birth gender is immoral and therefore sin.
That, as promised in the Old Testament, the eternal Son of God came into the world to show God to men and become the redeemer of a lost world. To this end He was born of a virgin and received a human body and a sinless nature.
We also believe that He was perfect, suffering life's temptations and trials yet He was sinless. He retained His absolute deity while He was completely man.
We believe that He voluntarily became the sacrifice for the sin of the world by His death on the cross and that He arose the third day and reigns now in Heaven interceding for us.
We believe that, due to sin, no one can enter the Kingdom of God unless he has personally believed in and trusted himself to Jesus Christ as his Savior.
We believe that our redemption has been accomplished solely by the blood of Jesus Christ through our acceptance of His gift.
We believe that "all Scripture is given by inspiration of God," by which we understand that Holy Men of God were moved by the Holy Spirit to write the Holy Bible, which is without error in its original state.
We believe that, as Christians, we are to walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit. We realize that we still possess an old sin nature, but that, in Christ, we also possess a divine new nature; and that a constant warfare exists within our lives. We know that as we supply the old nature with fleshly interests it grows and becomes dominant and, conversely, as we supply the new nature with spiritual interests it becomes dominant and also grows.
We will, to the best of our abilities and understanding, seek an honest involvement with Jesus Christ and with others.
We will strive for balance in our lives in order to enjoy fellowship with God and to promote sharing this experience with others.
We believe that Christ will return to receive to Himself all those who are His. We also believe that this is the blessed hope set forth in Scripture and that we are to be constantly looking for and desirous of this, the rapture.


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(800) 448-3572
Dura-Go® Velvet/ Gloss Polycarbonate is coated for HP Indigo printers. This material is offered 10 mils thick with tipping paper to protect the surface and ensure the printers ability to feed the film properly. Optimized for superior ink adhesion, this film is typically used for high performance graphics where durability is a high priority, including Nameplates, faceplates, overlays and durable labels.
Dura-Go Velvet / Gloss Polycarbonate Data Sheet
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16700 West Lincoln Avenue, New Berlin, WI 53151
Ph: (800) 448-3572 • firstname.lastname@example.com
Ph: (800) 448-3572 • firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
- Swallow Group Dropzones:
- Skydive Hibaldstow
- Skydive Spain
- Skydive Algarve
Don't go hungry! Aside from our own onsite cafe DineZone, there are many food options within a few miles from Skydive Hibaldstow.
Our Location
The Whistle and Flute
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The Sutton Arms
The Thatch Inn
Zeera Spice Lounge
Meat Inc
San Pietro Restaurant
Mumbai Lounge Brigg
Red Lion Inn
Address: Railway St, Barnetby DN38 6DG, UK
Phone: +44 1652 688238
Website: http://www.whistleandflute.net/
Address: Brigg Road, Wrawby, Brigg DN20 8RL, UK
Phone: +44 1652 655658
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Phone: +44 1724 763061
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Address: 10 West St, Scawby, Brigg DN20 9AN, UK
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Phone: +44 1652 655565
Address: 7-9 Robert St, Scunthorpe DN15 6LU, UK
Phone: +44 1724 847751
Address: Caenby Corner Services, Caenby Corner LN8 2AR, United Kingdom
Phone: +44 1673 878176
Website: http://www.meatinc.co.uk/
Address: 11 High St E, Scunthorpe DN15 6UH, UK
Phone: +44 1724 277774
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Phone: +44 1652 600800
Website: http://www.mumbailoungebrigg.co.uk
Address: 45 High St, Broughton, Brigg DN20 0HY, UK
Phone: +44 1652 659418
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Starz, a cable network best known for screening films, is branching into producing series -- and one of the most promising, Party Down, premieres at 8:30 p.m. tonight. The show is about a hapless bunch of starving actors fronting as caterers as they wait for their big break -- and Adam Scott, a familiar face thanks to movies like Step Brothers (he played Will Ferrell's younger bro), told me all about it in the following Q&A, conducted during his recent promotional visit to Starz's Englewood headquarters.
Westword (Tyler Nemkov): How did you get involved in Party Down?
Adam Scott: Rob Thomas, Paul Rudd and I have been friends for years, and we were bouncing this script around for a long time. A couple years ago, we did a homemade version and forgot about it. But out of nowhere, Starz wanted to turn it into a series. It came together completely accidentally.
WW: Starz is not thought of as a place for TV shows. Did any of that process into your decision -- à la Jon Hamm in Mad Men?
AS: When you're starting in this situation, you have the opportunity to kind of define yourself within the network. I think Starz has been really smart, much in the way AMC [the home of Mad Men] was a couple of years ago. The audience doesn't need to be huge and expectations are lowered a little ratings-wise because that stuff doesn't really matter anymore. With funnyordie.com and YouTube, this is the kind of show where people will just find a way to watch it.
WW: Does the show parallel real life for you?
AS: Well I never was a caterer, but I did deliver pizzas. As far as base humiliation goes, acting is a tough business. It's a tough, embarrassing thing to do for a living when you're starting out and you better not have any ego or pride, because that will be wiped away clean by utter devastation. The writers locked into that and perfectly articulated it -- just that feeling of being a nothing in the entertainment industry.
WW: This show seems to be part of a new style of comedy, relatively free-flowing and abrupt. How do you feel about being a part of this?
AS: Yeah, it's my favorite kind of comedy to watch. I think we are in a golden age of comedy right now and I'm just kind of flattered to be there. I feel like these guys are just geniuses, and if Party Down can be somewhat of an offshoot of that movement, we'd all be flattered to be thought of in that way.
WW: What's it like working with Paul Rudd? Seems like one of the more strange, hilarious people ever.
AS: It's great. He's a total weirdo, but I've known him for about fifteen years and he's a terrific guy. We have similar sensibility in comedy, and having the opportunity to work together was great. He was busy during the shooting, but if we do a second season, hopefully we can get him in a few.
WW: How was working with Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly in Step Brothers?
AS: At first it's terrifying, to try to improvise with all those people: Will Ferrell, John Reilly, Rob Riggle. On that set, I learned not just about comedy, but acting in general. Those guys want everyone to be great, and they'll just do anything and see what sticks. But those guys are so hilarious. It's just pure joy to be on a set like that. Everyone is just trying to make each other laugh. Adam McKay, Will and Judd [Apatow] are the funniest guys around. They just know how to craft comedy. I would honestly come home with stomach cramps from laughing so hard.
WW: Did people treat you differently after Step Brothers? You played a character that was easy to hate.
AS: Well, thanks. It's really fun to get recognized for Step Brothers. It's been funny, because the majority of people recognizing me are under the age of thirteen, and it's a pretty dirty movie. But then I remember when I was that age and I was watching Caddyshack, Blues Brothers and The Jerk. It's so cool that I was in one of those kind of movies and these kids are watching. I still can't believe I'm in one of those kick-ass comedies.
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WW: Where does your inspiration come from? Who are some of your favorite actors?
AS: Raiders of the Lost Ark is my favorite movie and it's why I wanted to be an actor. I'm probably not the only one who feels that way about that movie; I don't think I'm alone there. I get inspired by movies like The Jerk and Three Amigos, which is fucking brilliant. When I got older I got into Scorsese and John Landis and the Monty Python comedies in the '80s.
WW: You smoked a joint in Step Brothers and in an episode of Party Down, you smoke another. Do you ever smoke weed for inspiration?
AS: I used to a lot. I grew up in Santa Cruz, and it was a right of passage. You know, like most people my age, I used to smoke lots of pot, but now I have kids. I don't have time, but I wish I did. I wouldn't wake up. I would just sleep constantly, and it would be terrific to watch TV all day and eat Hot Pockets and bonbons.


text:
Tomato Firmware v1.28.8752 ND USB Ext
USB support integration and GUI,
Linux kernel 126.96.36.199 and Broadcom Wireless Driver 22.214.171.124 updates
Under USB and NAS > USB Support — Check Core USB Support, USB 2.0 Support, USB Storage Support, Ext2/Ext3 and NTFS support.
Click Save and it starts "Settings saved. Some services are being restarted…" after which the "Core USB Support" is disabled.
Have tried only enabling the Core and savings and/or other variations with same results.


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(CNN) - A posh weekend at an annual yacht race off the coast of England has embattled BP CEO Tony Hayward once again treading water in social media, and tweeting a defense.
After Hayward took a verbal pummeling on Capitol Hill last Thursday over his company's handling of the Gulf Coast oil spill, photos surfaced Saturday of the CEO spending this weekend clad in sunglasses and a ball cap at the J.P. Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race off Britain's Isle of Wight. His 52-foot yacht "Bob" was part of the festivities.
In an apparent response to the slew of online complaints about Hayward's weekend away and his management duties, BP tweeted Hayward's response Saturday: "Gulf response efforts remain my top priority. To assure continued focus, Bob Dudley will support me on this full-time to make it right.Tony."
Washington (CNN) – Rep. Bart Stupak, a leading Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said BP CEO Tony Hayward looked "absurd and ridiculous" giving non-responsive testimony at Thursday's Gulf oil spill hearing.
"It was frustrating, not just to me but to the American people," Stupak said in an interview on CNN's "John King, USA." The Michigan congressman pointed out that the committee had sent Hayward a letter outlining the lines of questioning they intended to pursue and yet he still did not answer their questions.
"There comes a point in time when you almost become absurd and ridiculous. Unfortunately, I think that's how Tony Hayward looked to the American people," Stupak said.
Separately, Stupak defended the White House for including Attorney General Eric Holder in a Roosevelt Room meeting with BP executives on Wednesday. Holder's Justice Department has an active investigation into the oil giant following the disaster.
"I think it was worthwhile having the attorney general [in the meeting]. He helped put some parameters there," Stupak said.
New York (CNNMoney.com) - Lawmakers ripped into BP chief Tony Hayward on Thursday, accusing him of being ill-prepared for congressional testimony and not cooperating with an investigation into the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
In Hayward's first congressional appearance since the April 20 disaster, lawmakers wanted to know if BP had cut corners in an effort to save money in the run up to the explosion.
Questions during the 7-1/2 hour hearing, which included two recesses, focused on the well's design and the measures taken while BP was attempting to seal it before it exploded.
"Did BP make a fundamental misjudgment" in using one long piece of well casing instead of many shorter pieces, as other oil companies said they would have done, asked Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif.
"I wasn't involved in that decision," replied Hayward, saying that the single piece was better for the well's long-term stability.
Waxman produced transcripts from BP's engineers saying that the single casing was "unlikely to be successful." Waxman said BP went ahead with it anyway to save $7 to $10 million.
Hayward said he was "not prepared to draw conclusions about this accident until the investigation is complete."
"This is an investigation," said Waxman. "Are you cooperating with other investigations? Because they're going to have a hard time reaching a conclusion if you stonewall them, which it appears you are doing today."
Washington (CNN) - As BP CEO Tony Hayward gets grilled on Capitol Hill Thursday, a senior administration official acknowledged Hayward never had any direct one-on-one contact with President Obama during Wednesday's White House meeting.
In defending that decision, the official said there was nothing the president needed to say to Hayward that he didn't say to the entire group.
Obama met for 20 minutes with the group of BP executives, then individually in the Oval Office for another 25 minutes with Chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg.
Asked if the president used strong language to scold the executives, the official insisted that the tone was "businesslike."
The official, who was present for part of the meeting, suggested the real arm twisting took place in the days leading up to the meeting and that while there were still sticking points, BP executives showed up aware of what they needed to do.
(CNN) - Lawmakers on Thursday will get their first chance to grill BP CEO Tony Hayward, the man fighting to save his and his company's reputation as BP fights to stop the oil gushing into the Gulf of Mexico.
Hayward will testify before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, which is chaired by Democratic Rep. Bart Stupak. The hearing will examine what caused the explosion on the Deepwater Horizon rig in April and the oil disaster.
A letter to Hayward from House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman, D-California, says a congressional investigation alleges that the besieged oil company took a low-cost, speedy approach to drilling the now-broken deepwater well responsible for the growing spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
The hearing comes a day after Hayward met with President Obama, who last week charged that if it were up to him, Hayward would have been fired by then.


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Please note that due to Christmas holidays liquidity in the markets will be thin which can potentially lead to increased volatility in the markets.
Housing starts came in at 1256k vs 1228k as expected and building permits data came in at 1328k vs 1260k as expected.
Housing starts have moved up and down during the year, the gains are concentrated mostly in multifamily homes and fact that permits rose 5% is a very encouraging sign. Existing home sales for the month of November came in at 5.32m vs 5.2m as expected.
Current account data for Q3 show deficit of -$124.8bn. Deficit has now grown to 2.4% of GDP, up from 2% in Q2. Increase in deficit was mainly caused by deficit in goods. Stronger USD, tariffs and slowing global demand are culprits for the data.
FED has raised interest rates by 25bp to the range of 2.25% - 2.50% as expected. New dot plot signals 2 rate hikes in 2019 instead of 3. Powell assessed risks as roughly balanced and said that FED is data dependent. He also stated that rates have now reached the bottom end of the neutral range and that there is no need for policy to be accommodative. GDP and inflation forecasts have been revised down. The fact that inflation is a bit below the target gives FED the room to be patient. FED will continue with unwinding of its balance sheet as planned which is not helpful for the stocks.
Durable goods for the month of November came in at 0.8% m/m vs 1.6% m/m as expected with prior reading being -4.3% m/m. Capital goods orders nondefense ex air came in at -0.6% m/m vs 0.2% m/m as expected, capital goods shipments nondefense ex air came in at -0.1% m/m vs 0.2% m/m as expected ex transportation category came in at -0.3% m/m vs 0.3% m/m as expected for a wide range of misses across the report.
This week we will have housing data, trade balance data and data on consumer confidence.
Important news for USD:
According to the president of the National Assembly. the lower house of the Parliament of France, France's budget will be bigger than EU's limit of 3% of GDP next year. It is expected that it will reach 3.4%. During the weekend agreement was reached between Italy's coalition government leaders and PM regarding the budget and growth was slashed from 1.5% to 0.9% or 1% to make it more credible. Finally the revised budget was accepted by the EU with budget deficit of 2.04%. One less worry for the EUR going on.
Final Core CPI for EU for the month of November came in at 1% y/y as expected. Headline CPI figure dipped a bit and came in at 1.9% y/y vs 2% y/y as expected. October trade balance data came in at 12.5bn EUR vs 14bn EUR as expected.
This week we will have inflation data from Germany.
Important news for EUR:
UK PM Spokesman has stated that talks between UK and EU are still ongoing regarding the Brexit process. Reminder that UK Parliament is on recess from December 20 to January 7. Currently it is expected that debate on Brexit deal will begin on January 9.
UK November CPI data came in as expected on all fronts, 0.2 m/m, 2.3% y/y and core CPI 1.8%. Retail Sales for November came in at 1.4% m/m vs 0.3% m/m as expected. Retail Sales are now up on 3.6% y/y. Many factors can contribute to this nice beating of the estimates, Black Friday offers, raising wages in the UK and even stockpiling of goods due to Brexit uncertainty. This data will have a positive impact on Q4 GDP.
BOE has left bank rate unchanged at 0.75% as expected with vote of 0-0-9, meaning that all 9 voting members voted unanimously for no change. They now see inflation falling below 2% in January due to falling oil prices and project Q4 and Q1 2019 GDP at 0.2%. Brexit uncertainties have intensified since November and main challenge is to asses their implications. They also see downside risks to the global economy increasing. Dovish statement in the midst of all surrounding uncertainties.
Australian government has revised their economic outlook and now it predicts higher surplus for the fiscal 2020, lower GDP and wage growth forecast for the 2018-19.
The RBA meeting minutes showed that board members agree that next move in rates will be likely up than down but that there is no strong case for near-term change in policy. Currently markets price in rate hike for Q1 of 2020. Sluggish household incomes, high debt and falling home prices have been stated as primary downside risk factors. Falling unemployment and job growth present a positive for Australian economy.
Australian employment change data came in at 37k vs 20k as expected for a big beat. Participation rate came in at 65.7% vs 65.6% as expected for the highest value ever. Unemployment ticked up to 5.1%. Another strong report showing that labour market is tightening, All gains in the employment change came from rise in part time employment change which is a bit of a downer.
New Zealand services PMI for the month of November came in at 53.5 vs 55.4 the previous month. PMI numbers are down across the globe so this data follows the trend. Business confidence in New Zealand came in at -24.1 vs -37 the previous month. This is the highest reading in 8 months and shows improvements in employment and investment intentions. Troubling is that figure is still negative showing that majority of respondents reporting expect worsening of business conditions in the coming year.
GDT Price Index sees prices up 1.7%. After a run of 13 consecutive months this makes a second consecutive auction of rising prices after the previous being 2.2%. BoP current account for Q3 came in at -6.149bn NZD vs -5.935bn NZD as expected. Lower dairy prices and higher oil prices in the Q3 contributed to a widening deficit. November trade balance came in at -861m NZD, exports were down a bit at 4.94bn NZD vs 4.98bn NZD as expected and imports came in line with expectations.
Q3 GDP numbers came in at 0.3% q/q vs 0.6% q/q as expected and 2.6% y/y vs 2.8% as expected. Since RBNZ had projected Q3 at 0.7% q/q so the result is less than half of the projected target. Rate hike is out of the question due to the miss in GDP numbers, however it will be interesting to hear if this has changed RBNZ neutral policy or they think rate hike is appropriate.
BOC Poloz stated in an interview that he expects no recession in Canada in 2019 and that Canada's economic fundamentals are quite solid. He also stated that rates need to be more neutral with economy near full capacity.
CPI data for the month of November came in at 1.7% y/y vs 1.8% y/y as expected with prior reading showing 2.4% y/y. Monthly figure came in at -0.4% m/m as expected. There was a drop in all three major categories, goods came in at -0.7% m/m, services came in at -0.1% m/m and energy came in at -4.8% m/m. Core measures were also down but all three of them (core, median and trimmed) came in at 1.9% y/y. Since the decline in inflation is caused by more than falling oil prices it will be hard for BOC to continue their hawkish rhetoric and it can rule out the idea of rate hike in January.
Canadian manufacturing sales came in at -0.1% m/m vs 0.4% m/m as expected with prior reading showing 0.2% m/m. Wholesale trade came in at 1% m/m vs 0.4% m/m as expected. Machinery and personal/household categories were particularly strong. ADP employment in the month of November came in at 39k vs 2k the previous month. Strong rebound after previous month with trade, transportation and utilities leading the way.
Retail sales for the month of October came in at 0.3% m/m vs 0.5% m/m as expected. The ex-autos component came in at 0% m/m vs 0.2% m/m as expected and contributed to the weaker than expected reading. GDP figure for the same month came in at 0.3% m/m vs 0.2 % m/m as expected showing growth in 15 our of 20 industrial sectors with construction activity down for the 5th consecutive month.
Trade balance data for the month of November came in at -737bn Y vs – 630bn Y as expected. Exports came in at 0.1% y/y vs 1.2% as expected and imports came in at 12.5% y/y vs 11.8% as expected. Lower exports and higher imports, trade tensions and slowing global demand contributed to bigger than expected trade deficit.
BOJ has left interest rate unchanged at -0.10% as expected. They will keep current rates low for extended period of time and will continue to buy JGBs (Japanese Government Bonds). Governor Kuroda stated that downside risks are centred overseas and reiterated that impact of US – China tariff war is rather limited on Japan.
National CPI number came in at 0.8% y/y as expected with prior reading being 1.4% y/y. Decline in headline number is mostly due to falling energy prices. CPI excluding fresh food and energy came in lower at 0.3% y/y vs 0.4% y/y as expected. Inflation is heading in the wrong direction, away from the target level of 2%.
This week we will have monetary policy minutes, CPI for Tokyo region, employment and consumption data as well as data on industrial output.
Important news for JPY:
Swiss government cut growth and inflation forecasts so the new numbers are GDP at 2.6% for 2018, 1.5% for 2019 and 1.7% for 2020. Inflation is now seen at 1% for 2018, 0.5% for 2019 and 0.7% for 2020. November trade balance numbers came in at 4.74bn CHF vs 3.75bn CHF as expected. Exports rose 1% m/m while imports fell -1.5% m/m. Steady growing exports are positive for Swiss economy.
You can follow all economic events on the Economic Calendar page on our Website. MT4 server time is set to GMT + 2 and if you need assistance converting MT4 server time to your local time you can use some of the online time converters such as WorldTimeBuddy.
Please note that this analysis should not be used as investing advice as it is only an overview of the economic events influencing the markets.
Please remember that MT4.VAR. and MT4.ECN. accounts have Market Execution. Please note how Execution works during high impact news and other times of low liquidity.
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Featuring Faculty Guest Blogger Dr. Sharon J. Lynch
Participants in our 10th annual Educational Symposium for Research Innovations (ESRI), or at least those who were lucky enough to wake up early on Saturday morning for the keynote address, had the extra bonus of hearing Dr. Joan Ferrini-Mundy's superb talk about the National Science Foundation's commitment to improved STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) education at all levels. The timing of ESRI and of Ferrini-Mundy's visit was exquisite, coming just a few weeks after President Obama reaffirmed that the state of our union hinges on continued investments in education to meet changing job and skill needs of the coming century. (By the way, major kudos to Professor Rick Jakeman, the faculty supervisor for ESRI, and to Chris Harriss, Student Chair, for pulling off yet another outstanding conference!)
Today I am happy to welcome my first faculty "guest blogger" to this site, Professor Sharon J. Lynch, who is involved in critically important research on STEM education. Here Professor Lynch reviews preliminary findings from her NSF-funded project. I urge you to read on for her thoughtful summary, which is not only substantively rich but also is a model for the ways in which GSEHD strives to connect rigorous research to improved policy and practice.
February 25, 2013
Inclusive STEM High Schools: Test Beds for STEM Education Innovation
by Sharon J. Lynch
George Washington University (GSEHD)
Principal Investigator for NSF-funded: Opportunity Structures for Preparation and Inspiration (OSPrI)
(Opinions expressed here are based on early findings and in no way reflect the opinions of the funding agency.)
In his 2013 State of the Union address, President Obama once again signaled his strong support for STEM-focused high schools (as he did in 2011). The President pointed out the need for high schools that better prepare students for 21st Century jobs that require technical skills, and singled out , "…P-Tech in Brooklyn, a collaboration between New York Public Schools and City University of New York and IBM, students will graduate with a high school diploma and an associate's degree in computers or engineering. We need to give every American student opportunities like this."
Our research on inclusive STEM high schools (ISHSs) has found them to be pockets of innovation, inspiration, and hope. Such schools are often born at the grassroots level. But they are catalyzed by accessory public or private funding to spur fresh new thinking about STEM teaching and learning. They break the boundaries between formal and informal education, or secondary and college course sequences, to bring opportunities to students. ISHSs accept students primarily on the basis of interest rather than aptitude or prior achievement to provide the STEM preparation needed for a STEM college major. They provide programs of greater depth and breadth and inspiration than required for high school graduation in their state. ISHSs enroll students through an application process that does not require high test scores. The students who attend these schools include the range of "regular kids".
We are betting that ISHSs are likely a major policy lever in STEM education because they are test beds for innovative education in the 21st Century. They may be the game-changer that alters students' perspectives and develops untapped pools of talent through community based efforts. The missions of ISHSs are aimed at students under-represented in STEM careers such as African American and Hispanic students, or students from low SES backgrounds. These schools also target "first generation" students—those who are the first in their families to attend college. The result should be a net increase of STEM-qualified minority students who can enter the workforce at all levels. ISHSs are public schools of choice; some are charter schools, but most are not. Students and their families choose to attend because they want a more rigorous and engaging high school experience through a focus on STEM subjects. They know that the ISHS offers a variety of experiences and opportunities to students who either want to do STEM, or who understand that their STEM knowledge and skills give them a leg up them to success, no matter what career they eventually choose to pursue. This democratizes STEM.
ISHSs are potentially ubiquitous. The carefully planned and supported ones seem to flourish in rural, urban and suburban communities. Local community resources are gathered around a common vision. These schools can have modest facilities, but use community resources to expand opportunities. If ambitious in vision, the returns can be substantial if the school has community support, from organizations that range from 4H clubs to major corporations. ISHSs require the freedom to hire STEM teachers who have exceptional backgrounds, but who are also willing to innovate and collaborate to achieve the school's mission.
STEM identities are changed when regular students elect to do STEM. Minority students come to see STEM knowledge and skills as important and accessible. They become more confident as opportunities open up. They are increasingly engaged in STEM as their knowledge and skills progress. This changes stereotypes about who can do STEM in a healthy way as communities come to see potential in minority students as performers and resources. This holds promise for closing achievement gaps in STEM.
However, a note of caution is important. The ISHSs that we are studying have been carefully selected by expert nomination and prescreening as "exemplar" schools, rather than being randomly picked from the array of schools that label themselves as STEM schools. The goal of our study is to identify the critical components across successful ISHSs to help define a scalable model that can be replicated. While our study is young, it seems clear that ISHSs have the capability of changing up school cultures. They purposefully create and offer opportunity structures to students. Graduates can access a 21st Century economy with the 21st Century skills that will help them to succeed.
February 25, 2013


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- When: October 17-21, 2012
-Where: Giang Vo Exhibition and Fair Centre, Hanoi
Vietnam's capital city Hanoi will host the 21th Vietnam international industrial fair at Giang Vo Exhibition and Fair Centre from October 17-21.
The fair will create the opportunities for investors seeking for market.
It will also bring local producers chances in trade exchange, co-operation, technological innovation, quality improvements, market development & penetration to have a firm premise in the integration into WTO.
This is an annual event. Last year, the exhibition attracted 132 domestic and 107 foreign enterprises to exhibit and nearly 7000 visiters. Many memorandum, economic contracts, technology transfer contracts were signed between participated enterprises. Many investment projects signed with high trade value. The fair also attracted thousands of tourists to visit the working trades and attend seminars, conferences to introduce projects and products during the fair.
Address: 1st floor, HiPT building, # 152 Thuy Khue street,
Tay Ho district, Hanoi, Vietnam
Tel: +84.4. 3936 6616, Fax: +84.4. 3936 6617
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When you've got a particular car that you simply like but don't want to undergo the trouble of getting an auto loan and repaying it you must think about auto leasing. MVR is a generally used report when writing auto insurance, and it stands for Motor Automobile Report. At Wharton Auto Group we provide a broad choice of new and used Cadillac and Nissan Cars, Vans, and SUVs to Parkersburg and the surrounding Marietta, Vienna, Wiliamstown, and Mineral Wells areas as well as close by Belpre, Ohio.
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After 19 Years of Insomnia, Brain Fog, ADD, and Fatigue, I Need Your Prayers
December 18, 2013
For 19 years I've suffered from weak adrenal glands ("mild adrenal insufficiency" or "adrenal fatigue"). So insomnia, fatigue, brain fog, and ADD have been my normal life 29 of 30 days/month.
I have tried more natural cures and alternative therapies than you can imagine. But with only partial success.
So I'm planning to get autologous stem cell therapy 39 hours from now: Stem Cell Therapy. Hopefully the Lord will regenerate my adrenal glands.
If the Lord heals me, I'll worship Him. And if He doesn't heal me, I'll still worship Him because He's still worthy. And He will fully heal me and you in the new creation.
Will you please pray for me? Thank you.
Comments (2) | More: Blog
2 Responses to "After 19 Years of Insomnia, Brain Fog, ADD, and Fatigue, I Need Your Prayers"
Yes, I will pray for your healing. I ask God to heal you so that you may continue the great work you are doing for Him!
Sal, thank you so much! The Lord has given me improved health since the therapy.
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Eco-Friendly Painting Services
As your eco-friendly painting contractor, we strive to paint in sync with the planet. At A Touch of Color, we support your commitment to the environment by using zero VOC paints, which include lines from many manufacturers. It is not just about the product. Our green painting practices involve a commitment to lower the carbon footprint of your painting project.
A Touch of Color Painting keeps carbon emissions low and supports our local economy. We visit vendors within our local economy when purchasing supplies for your project. As a local company, we also keep travel low by working on homes and businesses in and around the Triangle area. But it doesn't stop there. Our eco-friendly painters reduce waste by reusing painting tools and equipment. When available, we purchase plastic or sustainable painting products and containers made of recycled materials. We also reuse the containers used in each painting project.
No Harmful Odors
VOC is an abbreviation for Volatile Organic Compound. These photo-chemical compounds affect the air we breathe, creating ground level ozone. VOCs may react in the air we breathe for months and even years, especially when using interior oil based paints. These gases are also emitted by water-based paints, stains, solvents, and other toxin heavy products. VOC air pollution could cause nose, eye, throat or skin irritations. Extensive contact with VOCs could cause liver and kidney cancers, as well as damage to the central nervous system, which includes the brain. It could also lead to respiratory problems, headaches and/or nausea.
Shopping Green Paint Products
If you are looking for the most environmentally safe and durable paints, it is necessary to look for both "zero-VOC" and "non-toxic," products that use a zero-VOC tinting system for adding colorant. Many manufacturers produce zero VOC lines under false pretense. Most of these claims are for the paint itself and do not apply to the tint or colorant used to make the paint. These zero VOC claims are ultimately false advertising, known as "greenwashing." Subscribe to our blog for details on products and more!
Our Business Practice
If you would like to get your house painted, ATOC ensures professional painting results. We provide quality, integrity, and professionalism at a fair cost. ATOC is both a licensed and insured painting contractor. We are efficient, punctual, detailed and stay within budget. Entrusting us with your project and personal space is something we take very seriously. We provide qualified professionals that have the skills and experience to complete all painting tasks. We also provide a team leader on every project ensuring great business practice, communication, and quality. We are your Raleigh eco-friendly house painters.
Having Trouble Choosing Paint Colors?
Stress yourself no further! Trying to choose colors that will work within your home? There is no reason to hire a decorator. With a signed contract, our painting experts will schedule a free color consultation. We will help you find the color that best fits your home. As you are considering colors, it is important to understand that there is always a slight variation between an ink swatch and an actual paint color. It is always beneficial to get color samples and apply them to multiple areas during this process. Remember to look at all samples in natural sunlight. Unnatural light can give off the wrong undertone of the color.


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Our hours of operation are from 8:30 to 6:00 PM EST. All Orders that are placed before 2 pm EST are processed and shipped the same day depending on availability. Some products are made to order and the lead time varies from 2-5 days. We will notify you if this the case. Order vary in arrival times depending on location but you can expect your order to arrive between 1 - 5 working days TO MOST COMMERCIAL LOCATIONS.
If needed, we will ship products directly from the manufacturer which may speed up the shipping process or if item is not in stock. Please be aware that our stock changes frequently. Please note that ALL Special Orders are not returnable or refundable. There is also a restocking fee of 15% on regular orders. "Special "Orders" are those that are custom made to the customers specification (Ex. Size, Length, etc) or if the manufacturer has them listed as "special order" on their end. The special order items will be noted or communicated to you prior to processing the order.
We want you to be happy with our service and the products you buy. So if you have any question and are unsure please ask us via email before you buy. This avoids shipping charges for both parties. Regardless, if you are not satisfied we will accept your returns before the 30 days after your purchase. Remember that special orders can not be returned and all returned products must be in a good resalable condition. If there are damages caused by you there will be a restocking fee that will apply.
Dental Burley Chucks is for use with emery cloth band to dress down dentures. Simple adjustment by turning the knurled nut in the middle of the arbor. Dental chucks are the important parts of the denture improving system in the dental labs and clinics. The dental chucks are the small, partly cylindrical shaped instrument which is used to shape the denture according to the required dimensions. Many a times, the dentist is not satisfied with the looks of the dentures. At that time, the dental chucks are used. Dental burley chucks are quite popularly used in the dental labs and clinics and they have proved to be of great benefit for the successful finishing of the different types of dentures in the dental clinics. The dental burley chuck is used along with the emery cloth band which is inserted into the chuck and then it is connected to the handpiece. The handpiece is then operated with the motor. Many a times, these dental burley chucks are fixed in the self rotatory machines kept in the dental labs. The arbor is quite long as compared to the head of the chuck. Therefore, it can be adjusted from the middle of the arbor and the band and the head of the chuck can be coordinated and fixed accordingly. The finishing as well as polishing of the dentures have been done in an appreciating way in the recent times. The speed of the handpiece can be customized by the user so that the denture can be improved in minutes. Therefore, dental burley chucks are of great use in the denture appearance modification in the recent times. There are various types of chucks available for the left side as well as the right side of the denture. This insures that the band and the chuck can adapt properly on the surface of the denture and work in a proper way.
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Archive for November, 2010
'Antilia', The New Mumbai High-Rise Building – What A Mother !
2010-11-22: It is difficult for any foreign news item, no matter how important, to penetrate the current economic media haze in Ireland and Europe … but latest reports from India put the casualty list after the Five-Storey Residential Building Collapse at Lalita Park in East Dilli's Laxmi Nagar Area … which occurred on Monday evening (local time), 15 November 2010 … at 69 people dead, 82 injured, with perhaps as many as another 20 people still missing.
The Occupants of 38 Similar Neighbouring Properties have been told to immediately vacate the buildings by Dilli's Municipal Authority.
Faulty Construction appears to have been the principal cause for this serious collapse, according to media reports. It may also have been an extra storey illegally added to an original, weak building structure … and/or heavy water logging of the building's basement from the nearby Yamuna River during recent storms.
Dilli … its local name … is a very old and large city, and is the Capital of India. New Delhi refers to the relatively more recent British Imperial Quarter … the urban plan of which and its principal buildings were designed by the British Architect, Edwin Landseer Lutyens (1869-1944).
Within India, today, there is a strong political desire to achieve 'Developed Country' Status by 2020. However, in Developed Countries … Collapse Level Events (CLE's) are completely unacceptable … witness the public reaction to the collapses on 9-11 in New York.
The 2005 National Building Code of India … a copy of which is close at hand in my Dublin Office … is not mandatory. It closely resembles the informal (i.e. not legal), but prescriptive, 'Draft', 'Revised Draft' and 'Proposed' Irish Building Regulations dating from the 1970's and 1980's … another Irish solution to an Irish problem ! The 2005 Indian Code has been drafted to deal with a large range of simple building types, their construction and related issues … certainly not any sort of Iconic, High-Rise Building of Innovative Design. Anyway, the Code is still only at the initial stages of being adopted in India's different States. AND … there is not yet in place a National System of Local Building or Independent Technical Control … never mind an 'Effective' System of Control !
In a lightly regulated European legislative environment … it may come as a surprise to find out that the level of non-compliance on building sites in France, for example, has been placed as high as 68%, according to a colleague from CSTB (Centre Scientifique et Technique du Bâtiment) … the rate of non-compliance which was found by Energy Ireland (SEAI) on Irish building sites was 70%.
In India's unregulated legislative environment … higher levels of non-compliance should be expected amongst indigenous building organizations. AND … the percentage rate of non-compliance with foreign building organizations should be assumed to at least match those European figures quoted above.
There is a further complication in India and most of the rest of the developing world, however, because U.S. building design consultants will typically use one of the United States of America's National Model Building Codes (including the International Building Code, which is also a U.S. National Model Building Code) … in preference to local building codes … whatever the local codes do, or do not, say. We have a long experience of this approach in Ireland ! BUT … the U.S. Model Building Codes are not being adapted to suit local site conditions, building practices, safety factors, etc. It sounds messy … and it is very messy !!
A few quick words about INDIA (Bhārata or Bharat, in Sanskrit) … a federal republic and a burgeoning country of extreme contrasts … which has a population of some 1,173,108,018 People (July 2010 estimated, U.S. CIA's World Factbook).
Rapid economic development has driven India to prominence on the world stage … despite pressing problems such as significant overpopulation, extensive poverty and a startling degree of social inequity, environmental degradation, such as deforestation, soil erosion, overgrazing, desertification, air pollution from industrial effluents and vehicle emissions, water pollution from raw sewage and run-off of agricultural pesticides … and the widespread corruption which is a natural consequence following an extended period of harsh external imperial domination. India became an independent country in 1947.
For the last few years, I have been travelling to this beautiful, complex land … from Chennai (Madras) and Bengaluru (Bangalore) in the south … to Dilli in the north. Over 70 years before … my father, a native of Midleton in County Cork, was a teacher in Kolkata (Calcutta) and further north than Dilli. He was trapped, there, from coming home during the 2nd World War (1939-1945).
For me, it has been a warm and rewarding experience to meet the people of India.
And … I am also very grateful for the hospitality shown by FSAI (Fire & Security Association of India). Working together, we have successfully set a future direction for the FSAI's National Fire Safety Agenda in India.
Less recently in the news and, it seems, always for the wrong reasons … Mumbai (Bombay) … where of the approximately 14 Million (1.4 Crore, an Indian Unit of Measure) People living in this western city … capital of the State of Maharashtra, and the financial and entertainment capital of the country … an estimated 7,500,000 (75 Lakhs, an Indian Unit of Measure) People survive in its Slums.
Mumbai is also located in a Seismically Active Zone, due to the presence of 23 fault lines in the region …
During past years, a pattern of extraordinarily violent 'Hive-Attacks' have been carried out in Mumbai, with the aim of causing widespread terror amongst the general population and disrupting the city's important Social & Economic Environments. The attacks have involved the strategic targeting of Built Environment Places of Public Resort, Iconic Buildings, High-Rise Buildings, Buildings having a Critical Function, Transport Infrastructure and Service Utilities:
- On 12 March 1993 … a series of 13 co-ordinated bombings … up until that date, the most destructive bomb explosions in Indian history … beginning at the Stock Exchange Building … resulted in 257 deaths and over 700 injuries.
- On 11 July 2006 … 209 people were killed and over 700 injured when seven bombs exploded on the city's commuter trains.
- Commencing on 26 November 2008, and lasting for three days … a series of ten co-ordinated attacks resulted in 175 deaths, 308 injuries, and severe damage to a number of luxury hotels and historical landmarks.
How strange it is, then, in this particular city … that at the end of October 2010 … after seven years of construction … an Indian businessman, Shri Mukesh Ambani, and his family … should choose to occupy their own 27 floor/173 metre tall Private Mansion … an Iconic, High-Rise Building of Innovative Design … within the near-sight of millions of slum dwellers ! The building is called 'Antilia' … the name of a mythical island in the Atlantic Ocean, lying to the west of Portugal ?!?
OK … Let's Get the Easy Bits Over First …
1. Architecturally … and somebody, somewhere needs to say this … 'Antilia' is a mother of an ugly building. There is an old joke about a committee starting out to design a horse, and ending up with a camel. In this case, a group of people started to design an impressive building, and ended up with a spotty rhinoceros !
2. From the point of view of Sustainable Human & Social Development … consider the resources used in the design, construction and operation of this mother … an architectural phallic symbol of obscene opulence and cheap looking 'bling-bling' … in close proximity to extensive and deep-rooted slum poverty. It may be 'Green'(?) … BUT … this building is certainly Anti-Sustainable ! Is it any wonder that a Class Action has recently been taken against the U.S. Green Building Council and its LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Building Rating System in the U.S. Courts ?
The Difficult Issues …
3. Structural Resilience … I would really like to be assured, by a person competent to do so, that 'Antilia' has actually been designed to withstand "a magnitude-8 earthquake" (according to local media reports), i.e. no significant damage will occur to the structure or fabric of the building.
AND … that 'Antilia' has been designed to properly resist disproportionate damage in the event that any "military grade explosions" (according to local media reports) happen in the building, i.e. no significant damage will occur to the building's structure.
But … why only "military grade explosions" ? If an 'incident' does take place in the building, it will not be the poorly equipped Indian Army who will be placing the 'ordinary' explosives … and the Army will not have the required expertise to place the explosives in the most vulnerable part of the structure.
Never assume that the people who plan these sorts of 'incidents' are anything other than highly motivated, intelligent and technically competent !
4. Fire Protection & Safety … this requires much repetition … but the 2005 National Building Code of India cannot deal adequately with this type of building … an Iconic, High-Rise Building of Innovative Design. AND, most obviously … the 2005 Indian Code does not incorporate any of the important Recommendations contained in the 2005 & 2008 NIST(USA) Reports on the 9-11 WTC Buildings 1,2 & 7 Collapses. I have suggested that this be done, with urgency, during an upcoming revision to the Code … but there is resistance !
9-11 in New York exposed a catastrophic failure … at all levels … in all of OUR common practices and procedures (architectural, engineering, first emergency response, regulatory, legislative, etc., etc) … used to design, construct and operate buildings generally !
So … what does 'Antilia' … say about the Man … the Institutions of Governance and State Administration within Maharashtra … and India generally … at this time ???
Has this Man been well served by His Advisors … technical and otherwise ????
New SDI Report on Climate Change Adaptation – Comments ?
This is the HomePage of my Technical Blog … but on a separate WebPage (see the toolbar above), I have been slowly building content, with links to related sources of information, on the subject of a CIB Working Commission 108 International Climate Change Project, which is about to enter its final important stage.
When published in the spring/early summer of next year … 2011 … the CIB W108 Report: 'Sustainable Climate Change Adaptation in the Built Environment' will comprise 2 Parts:
I – International Synthesis on Sustainable Climate Change Adaptation.
II – National Perspectives on Sustainable Climate Change Adaptation.
Today, 18 November 2010 … I uploaded onto that separate WebPage the National Report for 'IRELAND', which will appear in Part II of the CIB Publication. I am the person who drafted this report … and it has not been an easy task ! You will see that much attention is paid to institutional and implementation issues.
I now invite comments on the National Report … any comments … from those with a particular interest in the subject … and from the general public.
Comments should arrive here no later than Monday, 20th December 2010 … pretty please !
Before commenting upon the National Report, however, it would be useful if you also took a glance at the following three relevant documents …
- Ireland's 5th National Communication (NC5) under the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, dated 3 March 2010 ;
- UNFCCC In-Depth Review of Ireland's 5th National Communication (NC5), dated 2 November 2010 ;
- EU WHITE PAPER – Adapting to Climate Change: Towards a European Framework for Action … European Commission Communication COM(2009) 147 final, dated 1 April 2009.
2009 EU White Paper – 'Introduction' (Page 3, first three paragraphs)
Climate change increases land and sea temperatures and alters precipitation quantity and patterns, resulting in the increase of global average sea level, risks of coastal erosion and an expected increase in the severity of weather-related natural disasters. Changing water levels, temperatures and flow will in turn affect food supply, health, industry, and transport and ecosystem integrity. Climate change will lead to significant economic and social impacts with some regions and sectors likely to bear greater adverse affects. Certain sections of society (older people, people with activity limitations, low-income households) are also expected to suffer more.
Addressing climate change requires two types of response. Firstly, and importantly, we must reduce our greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), i.e. take mitigation action … and secondly, we must take adaptation action to deal with the unavoidable impacts. The EU's recently agreed climate change legislation puts in place the concrete measures to reach the EU's commitment to reduce emissions to 20% below 1990 levels by 2020 and is capable of being amended to deliver a 30% reduction if agreed as part of an international agreement in which other developed countries agree to comparable reductions and appropriate contributions by economically more advanced developing countries based on their responsibilities and capabilities. However, even if the world succeeds in limiting and then reducing GHG emissions, our planet will take time to recover from the greenhouse gases already in the atmosphere. Thus, we will be faced with the impact of climate change for at least the next 50 years. We need therefore to take measures to adapt.
Adaptation is already taking place but in a piecemeal manner. A more strategic approach is needed to ensure that timely and effective adaptation measures are taken, ensuring coherency across different sectors and levels of governance.
2009 EU White Paper – The Proposed EU Framework: Objectives & Action (Page 7, #3)
The Objective of the EU's Adaptation Framework is to improve the EU's resilience to deal with the impact of climate change. The framework will respect the principle of subsidiarity and support overarching EU objectives on sustainable development.
The EU's framework adopts a phased approach. The intention is that phase 1 (2009-2012) will lay the groundwork for preparing a comprehensive EU Adaptation Strategy to be implemented during phase 2, commencing in 2013.
Phase 1 (2009-2012) will focus on four pillars of action:
1) building a solid knowledge base on the impact and consequences of climate change for the EU ;
2) integrating adaptation into EU key policy areas ;
3) employing a combination of policy instruments (market-based instruments, guidelines, public-private partnerships) to ensure effective delivery of adaptation ; and
4) stepping up international co-operation on adaptation.
For phase 1 to be a success … the EU, national, regional and local authorities must co-operate closely.
The proposals set out in this paper cover actions to be taken in the first phase and are without prejudice to the future structure of the EU budget and to the current and future multi-annual financial framework.
IRELAND – Part II National Report for CIB W108 Climate Change Project
In the spring of 2007, the Department of Environment, Heritage & Local Government (DEHLG) – Ireland's statutory Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) – published the 'National Climate Change Strategy 2007-2012'. This document can be accessed and downloaded at … http://www.environ.ie/en/Environment/Atmosphere/ClimateChange/ It is of concern to note, however, that 'Climate Change' related content is not easy to find on this WebSite ! Comprehensive Enabling Climate Change Legislation, which this Department, and the Irish Government, initially promised for Easter 2010 … and then June 2010 … has, at the time of writing (mid-November 2010), still not made an appearance in the Dáil (Ireland's Parliament) !
The Department of Environment, Heritage & Local Government (DEHLG) lacks strong and competent political direction and the institutional capacity to effectively co-ordinate and oversee the implementation of National Climate Action. For this reason, closer scrutiny of its activities will be required from the Dáil Committee System.
Contrary to current practice … Foreign Development Aid should not be used to obtain any sort of domestic or in-country credit for Ireland's National Climate Change Strategy !
Specifically concerning Climate Change Adaptation … the following is stated on Page 45 of the 2007-2012 National Climate Change Strategy Document …
'As part of a comprehensive policy position on climate change, the Government is committed to developing a national adaptation strategy over the next two years. This strategy will provide a framework for the integration of adaptation issues into decision-making at national and local level.'
The DEHLG does not, however, intend to publish a National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy until 2013 (Ireland's NC5).
Climate Change Action in Ireland – Summary
Ireland's Climate Action to date, i.e. effective Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Implementation, has been laboriously slow and lethargic. It may best be characterized as 'Business as Usual', combined with some 'Cosmetic Tinkering at the Edges' as the need arises … the universal excuse, almost a mantra, being that "the competitiveness of the national economy must not be impaired". National Performance has been guided by an official policy of exploiting to the maximum all of the UNFCCC Kyoto Protocol's Flexibility Mechanisms while, at the same time, showing a stark indifference to Climate Adaptation … an over-reliance on Marketing Campaigns in the public media as opposed to mandatory implementation on the ground … and a preference for 'Soft' Performance Estimation on paper/computer monitor rather than the more painful 'real' performance calculation, which would generate reliable data and statistics to be managed by Ireland's Central Statistics Office, in co-ordination with EuroStat in Luxembourg.
Despite the importance of the Construction Sector in Ireland and Europe … and its very large adverse impacts on regional and local climate … a significant barrier to concerted Sectoral Climate Action exists because 'construction' is not yet identified as a separate Sector, by either the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland) or the European Environment Agency (Copenhagen) … in National and European Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emission Databases. Furthermore, our systems of governance and institutional organization, at both levels, do not appear to have the capacity … either to understand or to manage an effective response to the climate challenges created by the Sector.
Climate Change Mitigation Efforts are failing in Ireland; the current economic downturn merely camouflages that unpalatable fact. Therefore, the necessary corrective actions described in this National Report fall under the heading of 'Climate Change Adaptation'.
Irish Nursing Home Care – Dysfunctional National Governance !!
On Tuesday last … 9 November 2010 … Ireland's Office of the Ombudsman issued a Report to the Irish Oireachtas (the Dáil and Seanad) … in accordance with Section 6(7) of the 1980 Ombudsman Act … concerning an Investigation based on more than 1,000 individual complaints made, since 1985, on behalf of older people who were unable to get long-term nursing home care from their health boards … now the Health Service Executive (HSE).
Please Note Well … this Report is not just about Older People !
This document raises a number of very serious and fundamental issues concerning our current system of Dysfunctional National Governance in Ireland. Every Irish person should, therefore, expend a small bit of time and effort in making themselves familiar with these problems … especially in the run-up to any by-elections … or, perhaps, even a general election … and certainly before we enter a prolonged period of being hammered in a Draconian Series of 4 Budgets !
This Report places a major question mark over the positions of Ms. Mary Harney T.D., Minister for Health & Children (a woman of strong 'Boston-esque', neo-liberal and anti-social convictions) … and the Senior Civil Servants (plural !) in Her Department.
And don't be fooled into thinking, either, that the Department of Health & Children is our only dysfunctional national ministry ! See my previous Posts.
Ms. Emily O'Reilly, Ireland's Ombudsman, deserves our full support !
This is the Full Ombudsman's Report …
9 November 2010 – Office of the Ombudsman
WHO CARES ? An Investigation into the Right to Nursing Home Care in Ireland
Click the Link Above to read and/or download PDF File (621kb)
Conclusions (Executive Summary)
The conclusions of this investigation are easily stated:
- The Health Act 1970 has required the State to provide nursing home care for those who need it.
- It is an open question as to whether that obligation continues in place, notwithstanding recent amendments to the Health Act 1970.
- The State has failed consistently to meet this obligation over four decades.
- The State has failed over that same period, and despite repeated commitments (especially since 2001), to amend the law so as to bring actual practice and legal obligations into harmony.
- Very many people over these decades have been deprived of their legal entitlement.
- Access to nursing home care over this period has been marked by confusion, uncertainty, misinformation, inconsistency and inequity.
- Very many people over this period have suffered significant adverse affect.
- This situation has been allowed to continue with the full knowledge and consent of the responsible State agencies.
- Arising from these failures, the State is now facing several hundred legal actions from, or on behalf of, people seeking compensation for the costs incurred in having to avail of private nursing home care.
- These particular failures, which have been allowed to continue for decades, point inevitably to wider failures in government.
The conduct of the investigation and the preparation of this report for the Oireachtas have been marked by an unprecedented level of rancour and disagreement.
The Department, in particular, has laid a multiplicity of charges against the Ombudsman regarding the manner in which the investigation has been conducted. Amongst its charges are:
- that the Ombudsman exceeded her jurisdiction in undertaking this investigation ;
- that the Ombudsman failed to abide by fair procedures particularly in relation to the provision of a draft version of the investigation report ;
- that the Ombudsman displayed prejudice and objective bias in the course of the investigation ;
- that the Ombudsman displayed arrogance in purporting to interpret the law ;
- that the Ombudsman has purported to deny the State bodies concerned their right to have the litigation (detailed in this report) determined by the Courts.
The Minister, acting on behalf of the Government, has informed the Ombudsman that the Government supports the submission of her Department in which these charges are made. While the HSE, in general, has been more temperate, it has specifically charged the Ombudsman with attempting to influence the outcome of court proceedings. In effect, the Department and the HSE are saying that the Ombudsman undertook this investigation in bad faith.
In fact, the Ombudsman's motivation in producing this report was five-fold:
1. To highlight the very significant difficulties faced over several decades by families seeking to make arrangements for long-term nursing home care for a family member.
2. To represent, in many instances through their own words, the distress and upset (including financial) of people who complained to the Ombudsman's Office over the years in relation to nursing home care.
3. To highlight the inadequacy and the tardiness of the State's responses to these problems.
4. To raise the issue of whether and, if so how, people adversely affected should have some recognition of having been failed by the State.
5. To raise wider questions of governance prompted by the practices highlighted in this report.
In the 2001 Report: 'Nursing Home Subventions', the then Ombudsman expressed the view that the issues of bad administration dealt with in that report reflected significant dysfunction in our system of government. That view could, with only minor contextual amendments, be reproduced in full here with the same validity as in 2001.
The then Ombudsman identified deficits in three sets of relationships which, in his view, contribute significantly to this dysfunction.
These relationships are:
The Relationship between the Oireachtas and the Executive – the Constitutional model whereby the Legislature makes the laws and the Executive implements them has become a fiction; in fact, it is the Executive (Government) 'which decides policy; which proposes legislation and ensures its passage through the Oireachtas and, subsequently, in its executive capacity ensures that the laws are implemented'. Parliament is relatively powerless and not in a position to exercise the role (including that of calling the Executive to account) envisaged in the Constitution.
Relationships within the Executive – in the past, there was a clear division of functions as between the political (Ministerial) side and the official side. The integrity of the governmental process depended, to a large extent, on the official side being seen to be non-political; the tension inevitably generated by this division was regarded as necessary and healthy. "Good government", as Professor Séamus Ó Cinnéide put it, "depended on a certain distance and balance between the two sides". This distance and balance no longer applies and, again to quote Professor Ó Cinnéide, this change is part of "an unspoken revolution in our system of governance". Again, another key element in the overall model of government has been discarded or, at the very least, diluted considerably.
Relationship between Department and Health Boards – similar to the relationships within the Executive, the relationship between the Department and the health boards is most effective where the latter are prepared to keep a certain distance from the former and to exercise, as necessary, their status as independent, statutory bodies. But the health boards, for the greater part, failed to act independently; to 'a large extent, health boards appear to act in relation to the Department as if they are satellites rather than independent bodies […] The majority of the health boards were prepared to continue with a scheme, about which they increasingly had doubts, for as long as the Department told them they should.'
The present Ombudsman comments on these three areas from the perspective of today and concludes that, if anything, matters have disimproved rather than improved. In relation to the role of the Oireachtas, the Ombudsman observes that parliament has been sidelined and exercises only a limited role. Reflecting the views of many commentators, the Ombudsman observes that our governmental arrangements are undermined significantly by virtue of having an Executive which is too powerful and a Legislature which is too weak.
As regards relationships within the Executive, and taking the example of the Department of Health & Children, the Ombudsman observes that the distance between Ministers and senior civil servants – which was a necessary feature of our model of government – no longer exists. In the wider context of the health service, the Ombudsman draws attention to a continuing confusion as to the respective roles of the HSE and of the Department.
Findings (Executive Summary)
The Ombudsman finds, in relation to the type of complaints dealt with in this investigation, that the health boards (HSE) failed to fulfil their obligations to older people under section 52 of the Health Act 1970 and that this failure came about with the full knowledge and agreement of the Department. As a result of these failures, very many older people (and their families) suffered significant adverse affect over several decades. The Ombudsman finds that these failures of the health boards (HSE) and of the Department constitute (to use the language of the Ombudsman Act) actions "based on an undesirable administrative practice" and also actions "contrary to fair or sound administration". These findings are at a level of generality as this investigation is an 'own initiative' one rather than one linked to specific, named complainants.
The Ombudsman takes the view that the HSE and the Department should acknowledge formally that the State, in the case of older people needing long-term nursing home care, has not been meeting its obligations under section 52 of the Health Act 1970. This acknowledgment could be in the form of a public statement from the two bodies and could be made on a 'without prejudice' basis.
There is no satisfactory solution to the issue of whether there should be financial redress for those who have been adversely affected by the State's failure to provide long-stay care. The financial consequences for the State, in meeting a recommendation to compensate all those adversely affected, would be enormous, potentially running to several billion euros. In present circumstances, it appears this is not a cost which the State can meet. Nor is it likely that the State will be in a position to meet this type of charge for many years to come. On the other hand, not to recommend financial redress, might be seen as condoning maladministration and allowing bad practice to go unchecked. It would also mean that individual people and their families are being left with nowhere to turn and with a financial burden to bear which, as the Ombudsman understands the law, should have been borne by the State.
With considerable reluctance, the Ombudsman takes the view that in present circumstances the public interest is best served in not recommending any specific redress in the sense of financial compensation for those affected adversely. The Ombudsman suggests that some thought be given within the Department to devising some limited scheme under which families which have suffered serious financial hardship might be assisted. One possibility, in this regard, is that the existing Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme might provide the statutory mechanism for the making of one-off payments, based on exceptional need, for such people affected adversely by the State's failure to provide nursing home care for a family member.
The Ombudsman feels it is vital that steps be taken to prevent situations, such as described in this report, coming about in the future; or, where they do come about, there should be mechanisms in place to deal with them at an early stage. The Ombudsman proposes that, in future, measures to deal with such instances should be conducted with full transparency and in the public domain. The Ombudsman proposes the creation of an independent group whose function would be to advise Government on how best to handle legal actions, or threatened legal actions, which involve numbers of people and which arise from a contended failure of a State agency to meet statutory obligations particularly in instances where those claimed to be affected belong to a vulnerable group in society. Past examples of situations where such an approach might have been helpful include:
– the army deafness claims ;
– the contaminated blood claims ;
– education rights of autistic children ;
– provision of secure care for children ; and
– the right of older people to long stay nursing home care.
This proposal is based on the premise that the State should react to such situations, not simply in legalistic terms, but in terms which have regard both to legal rights (including human rights), to the State's finances and the overall public interest. The proposal envisages that, while ultimate legal responsibility for dealing with such claims will continue to rest with the State (and its relevant agency), the direction of the State's response should have regard to the advice of this group. Amongst the options for this group would be that of stating a case to the High Court, perhaps at an early stage, in order to get legal clarity where that is needed. The overall thrust of this proposal is that the State's response to situations of this kind should be speedy, be made at an early stage, and be based on considerations of fairness and the public good rather than, as tends to happen at present, being defensive, combative and legalistic.
Some thought might be given to the possibility of such a group acting as adviser to the Attorney General in fulfilling the role of guardian of the public interest or, alternatively, that this group would replace the Attorney General in fulfilling that role. In any case, there is certainly considerable scope for improving our governmental mechanisms with a view to ensuring that, where these major issues arise, they will be handled always with a view to securing the public interest.
Emily O'Reilly – Ombudsman – November 2010
Hazards in Attic Roof Spaces – A Strong Dose of 'Reality' !
It's all happening here ! From trawling the depths of European Union (EU) Legislation in my last Post … to the heights of Attic Roof Spaces in Ireland … what a magnificent contrast !!
This Post has nothing to do with this law, or that law … or the proper technical control of these sorts of troubling situations. It has everything to do with a strong dose of 'Reality' … and the typical sorts of Serious Hazards which lurk quietly, unannounced and generally unheeded in most houses … houses which are occupied by ordinary, average people.
The following photographs could have been taken in almost any house, anywhere in the country ! These particular photographs, however, were taken during a House Inspection for a good friend, somewhere in County Wicklow, during May 2010 …
There are simple Design and Construction Solutions to all of these problems … and Competent, Independent Technical Control over the works being carried out is absolutely essential.
BUT … Dysfunctional Government Departments and State Agencies are still … to this day … directly sponsoring and knowingly contributing to these hazardous situations in our homes !
EU Sustainable vs. Green Public Procurement – Beware !
2010-11-02: For a long, long time … too long … I have been bleating on about the major and substantial difference between Sustainable Design and Green Design … or 'Sustainability' and 'Green-ness'. See my previous Posts.
This bores me no end !
HOWEVER … there are some serious implications if this difference is not properly understood … particularly by individuals, groups or organizations attempting to advance the Application of Criteria which address Social and/or Ethical Concerns within, for example, the European Union's Public Procurement Framework … or the EU's Construction Product Framework.
The following is a nice little example of exactly what I am talking about … explained by no less an authority than the Directorate General for Environment in the European Commission itself … on its very own Public Procurement WebPage at http://ec.europa.eu/environment/gpp/index_en.htm … as viewed, by me, on 2010-09-12 …
[ For a moment, let's just overlook the simplistic and crude 'three pillars' understanding of Sustainable Development. See my previous Posts.]
Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) … means that public authorities seek to achieve the appropriate balance between the three pillars of sustainable development – economic, social and environmental – when procuring goods, services or works at all stages of the project.
Green Public Procurement (GPP) … means that public authorities seek to procure goods, services and works with a reduced environmental impact throughout their life cycle compared to goods, services and works with the same primary function that would otherwise be procured.
Practical Differences Between SPP & GPP !
GPP is often more easily accommodated than SPP within the existing legal and practical framework of procurement. Green requirements can be included in technical or performance-based specifications for products, services and works. Provided the conditions set out in the 'Helsinki Bus' and 'Wienstrom' Cases, and Evropaïki Dynamiki vs. European Environment Agency (EEA) … are met, green award criteria can also be applied (further information on these cases is available at http://ec.europa.eu/environment/gpp/case_law_en.htm).
The application of Criteria aimed at addressing Social or Ethical Concerns can be more difficult in the context of regulated public procurement procedures. Public authorities are specifically empowered to include social requirements in their conditions for the performance of contracts or to reserve certain contracts for performance by sheltered workshops or employment programmes (Articles 26 and 19 of Directive 2004/18/EC respectively).
My Note: DIRECTIVE 2004/18/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, of 31 March 2004, on the co-ordination of procedures for the award of public works contracts, public supply contracts and public service contracts.
[ For another moment, let's just overlook the unfortunate use of disability-related language … which fails, utterly, to take account of the 2001 World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability & Health (ICF). See my previous Posts.]
Article 19 – Reserved Contracts
Member States may reserve the right to participate in public contract award procedures to sheltered workshops or provide for such contracts to be performed in the context of sheltered employment programmes where most of the employees concerned are handicapped persons who, by reason of the nature or the seriousness of their disabilities, cannot carry on occupations under normal conditions.
The contract notice shall make reference to this provision.
Article 26 – Conditions for Performance of Contracts
Contracting authorities may lay down special conditions relating to the performance of a contract, provided that these are compatible with Community law and are indicated in the contract notice or in the specifications. The conditions governing the performance of a contract may, in particular, concern social and environmental considerations.
ANNEX VI – Definition of Certain Technical Specifications
For the purposes of this Directive:
1. (a) 'technical specification', in the case of public works contracts, means the totality of the technical prescriptions contained in particular in the tender documents, defining the characteristics required of a material, product or supply, which permits a material, a product or a supply to be described in a manner such that it fulfils the use for which it is intended by the contracting authority. These characteristics shall include levels of environmental performance, design for all requirements (including accessibility for disabled persons) and conformity assessment, performance, safety or dimensions, including the procedures concerning quality assurance, terminology, symbols, testing and test methods, packaging, marking and labelling and production processes and methods. They shall also include rules relating to design and costing, the test, inspection and acceptance conditions for works and methods or techniques of construction and all other technical conditions which the contracting authority is in a position to prescribe, under general or specific regulations, in relation to the finished works and to the materials or parts which they involve ;
(b) 'technical specification', in the case of public supply or service contracts, means a specification in a document defining the required characteristics of a product or a service, such as quality levels, environmental performance levels, design for all requirements (including accessibility for disabled persons) and conformity assessment, performance, use of the product, safety or dimensions, including requirements relevant to the product as regards the name under which the product is sold, terminology, symbols, testing and test methods, packaging, marking and labelling, user instructions, production processes and methods and conformity assessment procedures ;
2. 'standard' means a technical specification approved by a recognised standardising body for repeated or continuous application, compliance with which is not compulsory and which falls into one of the following categories:
– International Standard: a standard adopted by an international standards organisation and made available to the general public ;
– European Standard: a standard adopted by a European standards organisation and made available to the general public ;
– National Standard: a standard adopted by a national standards organisation and made available to the general public.
In order for a Criterion … any Criterion … to be acceptable within the European Union's Public Procurement Framework, it should be expressly linked to the subject matter of the Contract … should be specific … and should be capable of objective verification.
Beware !!
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