text:
At 3M, we discover and innovate in nearly every industry to help solve problems around the world.
Metal-free nanotechnology in 3M™ Window Film Prestige Exterior Series rejects up to 97 per cent of the sun's heat-producing infrared light and up to 99 per cent of UV rays, helping the Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame reduce energy costs by 8 to 12 per cent annually.
Use silver metallised and weatherable polymeric film with a solar-weighted total hemispherical reflectance of 94% to direct light. The result: Brighter LED lamps in Africa.
Using aluminium composite for the conductor core of a power line means you can carry twice the electrical power at half the weight—without disrupting existing infrastructure.
Micro-structured prisms optically direct as much as 80 percent of exterior natural light in and up, helping a first-of-its-kind Net Zero Walgreens drugstore produce more energy than it consumes.


text:
Princeton Reverb Reissue
$ 135.00
Mercury Magnetics transformers are the highest quality transformer upgrades for the Princeton Reverb (vintage and reissue models) and they work exceptionally well to put the final touches on an amp with our modification kits. The tone is open, clear and articulate. It sounds like taking a heavy blanket off of your amp.
If you're unsure of which transformer to upgrade we suggest upgrading the output transformer. The output transformer is the most closely related to the tone of the amplifier. Upgrading the entire set will significantly improve the performance of the circuit as well as tone.
Please contact us with any questions about upgrading your transformers and if you have an amp that you don't see represented here we can help find the right transformer for you!
Transformer product photos are for reference only and the actual transformer may look different.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
1301.0 - Year Book Australia, 2002
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 25/01/2002
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Most of Australia's population is concentrated in two widely separated coastal regions. By far the largest of these, in terms of area and population, lies in the south-east and east. The smaller of the two regions is in the south-west of the continent. In both coastal regions the population is concentrated in urban centres, particularly the State and Territory capital cities. Half the area of the continent contains only 0.3% of the population, and the most densely populated 1% of the continent contains 84% of the population. The distribution of Australia's population is shown in map 5.14.
Source: Regional Polulation Growth, Australia and New Zealand (3218.0). While New South Wales remains the most populous State, with 6.5 million people at June 2000, the fastest growth has occurred in the Northern Territory and Queensland, with increases of 10.1% and 9.2% respectively in the five years to 2000. In contrast, the population of South Australia grew by just 1.9% over the same period and Tasmania declined by 0.7% (see table 5.15).
The main factor changing the distribution of Australia's population is internal migration. During 1999-2000, 367,390 people moved from one State or Territory to another, a similar level to the previous year. In 1999-2000 only Victoria and Queensland recorded net interstate migration gains. Tasmania's population declined by about 430 people, as natural increase in the State was offset by continued net interstate loss (see table 5.16).
Table 5.17 sets out the estimated resident population in the major population centres at June 1995 and 2000. About 70% of Australia's population growth between 1995 and 2000 occurred in the capital cities, the most significant increases being on the outskirts of these metropolitan regions. Of all the capital cities, Sydney and Melbourne had the largest growth in the five years to 2000, with increases of 264,000 and 222,000 people respectively. The fastest capital city population growth over the 1995-2000 period occurred in Darwin, by an average of 2.3% per year. Brisbane and Perth had the next fastest growth rates, with average annual growth rates of 1.8% and 1.7% respectively. While much of the capital city growth has tended to occur on the urban fringes of the capitals, spectacular growth rates in the inner city areas have been a dramatic feature within Australia's two largest capitals. From 1995 to 2000 the inner city Local Government Area (LGA) of Sydney grew by an average of 15% per year (population of 24,900 in 2000) while the LGA of Melbourne (population of 52,000 in 2000) had annual average growth of 6.6%. Other major population centres experiencing significant population increases between 1995 and 2000 were Gold Coast-Tweed and Sunshine Coast which grew by 3.5% and 3.4% respectively, while Cairns and Kalgoorlie-Boulder increased by an average 2.4% and 2.2% per year respectively. Rapid population growth was also recorded in most LGAs elsewhere along the Queensland and New South Wales coastline and in some LGAs in the south-west corner of Western Australia. Some areas of Australia have experienced significant population decline in recent years. While some of the population declines have occurred in established suburbs within capital cities and major urban centres, the fastest population decline has occurred in rural areas. Most of this decline has been caused by net migration loss. Such population loss is associated with technological, social and economic changes and industry restructuring in local economies.
In 1911, 43% of Australians lived in rural areas. This proportion fell steadily and in 1976 14% of the population lived in rural areas. Between 1976 and 1991 the decline appeared to have halted, with a slight increase in the proportion of people living in rural areas (see graph 5.18), which may have been due to people moving to rural areas surrounding the cities, but still working in the city. However, the 1996 Census showed that, once again, the rural population had decreased as a proportion of the total population.


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Large Rectangle | 72" x 24"
Individually packaged with 100% recycled and recyclable paper.
Standard turnaround: Estimated to ship in 15 days from the date of purchase, plus 2-5 business days shipping time with choice of USPS or UPS shipping. Delays may occur.
Expedited turnarounds: Guaranteed delivery in 15, 10, or 7 calendar days from the date of purchase with UPS shipping.
In the interest of sustainability, each product is made to order in both the colors and sizing you select. Please verify your color selection by purchasing a ColorMatch Chart prior to ordering.
We always stand by our commitment to excellent product quality, however we cannot honor returns or exchanges for any reasons other than manufacturing defects because your products are custom made to your specifications.


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Ask the Victorian Government to implement a world class container deposit scheme
Victoria has now committed to a Container Deposit Scheme (CDS) to start by 2023. It needs to be the best scheme maximising recycling; with great convenience for consumers who want to redeem their 10cents; and a credible governance system.
The Boomerang Alliance has joined forces with Victorian community organisations and groups to push for action. The Victorian government originally was defending inaction on CDS with questionable statistics on litter and recycling rates. We took actions to dispel myths, raise awareness and presented the true cost of inaction.NSWs 'Earn and Return' has collected over 5 billion containers in 36 months and increased recycling rates from 35% to over 70% under its ''split responsibility'' model with the independent Coordinator and Network Operator. This is supported by the Victorian government for the state's CDS.
QLDs 'Containers For Change' which operates under the system favoured by Coca Cola has significant problems with inconvenient refund points; alleged fraud; and lower recycling rates. Nevertheless, Coke and Lion have embarked on a campaign to reverse the government's position because they can make a profit from a poorly performing CDS by keeping consumer refunds.
NOW we need to win the battle for a CDS that works best for consumers and recycling.
Sign this letter to Lily D'Ambrosio thanking her for the CDS and maintaining her government's support for the BEST system.
Sign up to our campaign and join us in clean-ups, media stunts and other actions
Donate to our campaign
A container deposit scheme is based on a refundable deposit able to be redeemed by the consumer or collectors at convenient locations. In other words, people get cash for recycling their containers. There are over 40 such systems around the world including in South Australia, the Northern Territory, the ACT, NSW and Queensland. WA, Tasmania and Vic are planning to follow suit in 2020, 2022 and 2023, respectively.Dear Ms D'Ambrosio,
Thank you for supporting the introduction of a 10 cents refundable deposit on drink bottles and cans in VICTORIA under the split responsibility model.
Victoria is now the LAST state to commit to a container deposit scheme (CDS) but can learn the lessons from other Australian states - and have the best CDS. As your research has shown, the NSW split responsibility model works best and Victoria can adopt its key features for the environment, jobs, convenient access for refunds and charities.
We support you rejecting the weak approach proposed by the big beverage companies, Coke and Lion.
A best practice CDS can help with the recycling crisis, as it produces reliable streams of sorted, uncontaminated materials that are of higher value and can underpin a local recycling industry.
Please keep me in touch with your work on scheme design.
Yours sincerely,
Christopher Moore signed Sign The Open Letter: Ban Plastic Bags via Stevie Bee 2016-11-02 16:27:42 +1100
Sign The Open Letter: Ban Plastic Bags
In July 2017 Environment Ministers are meeting to discuss what to do about plastic bags.
Tasmania, the ACT, The Northern Territory and South Australia have already banned single use plastic bags and Queensland is introducing a ban in July 2018.
We're making sure when they meet that the NSW, Victorian and WA Ministers know there is huge community support for taking action on plastic bags. We've joined with 49 community and environment groups, representing thousands of members, to write an open letter demanding greater action. Add your name to the open letter today to let the ministers know you support a ban on plastic bags.
There is increasing evidence that even though a small percentage of bags are littered and then broken up into smaller and smaller pieces – they have a devastating impact on the environment. This includes so called 'biodegradable' bags, which are just as dangerous in the marine environment.
With the CSIRO Marine Debris Report 2014 estimating there are over 124 billion individual pieces of visible plastic littering the Australian coastline – and a large legacy of plastic from previous years becoming microplastic – action needs to be taken on multiple fronts.
Plastic pollution is a major threat to wildlife. Globally it is estimated that 1 million sea birds and over 100,000 mammals die every year as a result of plastic ingestion or entanglement. Of great concern are the secondary microplastics derived from broken up bags and bottles.
We estimate that some 180 million bags enter the Australian environment every year.
Read the full letter and our policy recommendations here
Thanks to our partners who joined the open letter.
Dear Minister,
Environment ministers have been discussing the issue of removing plastic bags from the litter stream and marine environment for long enough.
Every Australian wants our stunning rivers, oceans and waterways to have a clean and healthy future. Plastic pollution infests waterways, clogging them with plastic bags, packaging and microbeads. In Australia, the CSIRO Marine Debris Report 2014 estimated there are over 124 billion individual pieces of visible plastic littering the Australian coastline.
The tripartisan 2016 Senate Inquiry into Marine Plastic Pollution urged Australian state and federal governments to ban plastic bags and microbeads as a matter of urgency.
Tasmania, the ACT, the Northern Territory and South Australia have already banned single use plastic bags and can improve their legislation to include 'so-called biodegradable' bags which are just as big a problem in the marine environment as conventional plastic bags.
We are calling on Environment Ministers in NSW, Victoria and Western Australia to catch up and take immediate action by banning single use plastic bags (including so-called biodegradable bags).
Plastic pollution is lethal. We need strong action now.


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First, I wanna say...
I'm very sick, in fact I've been sick for the past week. I woke up few times in a night, couldn't sleep well. I told my mum I suspected myself have urinary tract infection (UTI), she was very worried, because she often has this problem, there was a time...she went to hospital because of this. Mum forced me to see doctor last week, but I was stubborn, I thought I will be fine as long as I drink plenty of water. Until few days ago...I woke up from sleep and I felt too painful...I couldn't sleep. Yesterday I took my mum's advise and went to see doctor. Today, I'm Okay, but still a bit painful...I hope I will be fine very soon.
Okay, enough for that, now I'm going to tell you a joke, a very funny one
My dad went to buy lottery last Sunday (My parents told us just now), my dad saw his friend in the counter. My dad approached the man, and started to pinch his buttock for a few times (continuously). HAHAHAHAHA!!!!! I just don't understand why my dad didn't give a tap on his friend's shoulder instead. But then, the man ignored my dad, didn't look at him. I'm very surprised the man didn't shout at my dad and say STOP PINCHING MY BUTT!
My dad didn't give up, this time he pinched few more times...finally, the man couldn't stand it. He turned back, looked at my dad...
"Ah...I'm sorry.
I thought you are my friend..."
My dad almost fainted! The man wasn't his friend!!!
The man looked frightened and ran away!
My stomach is very painful...I laughed too loud! That poor man...I'm sure he was scared to death, thought my dad is homosexual :P


text:
I would like to write a package using as much of LaTeX3 stuff as possible (in particular expl3
, xparse
and xtemplate
What should I read to learn these?
In particular: I know that there are good introductions to expl3
and xparse
. I remember having read something very nice on xtemplate
(with examples etc.), but could not find it (I googled the LaTeX3 project site, CTAN, the TUGboat and PracTeX journal). Can anyone help me finding that?


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About the Inflight Institute
Inflight was founded in 1999 by Mr. Ivan Noel. His vision was to allow potential Cabin Crew a chance to experience a "virtual" airline ground school to enhance their chance of success.
Our founder noticed that a significant percentage of students, within airline's ground schools, were not succeeding. This was due to a lack of preparation and knowledge. His vision was to help students. After a particularly memorable and heartbreaking failure of a student, he declared "We must do more as an industry to ensure students are prepared for ground school"… and the Inflight Institute was born! Since then tens of thousands of students have succeeded with the help of the Inflight Institute.
Internationally recognized aviation professionals create all of the Inflight Institute's programs. We are trusted and work with many of the world's national and international airlines on a daily basis. We are directly connected to the aviation industry and are known as world leaders in the industry.
No matter wherever you live we can help you to become a Flight Attendant!
Many factors play a part in you becoming a crew member. In addition to personality, ability, and customer service experience - knowledge is critical to your success. The Inflight Institute is designed to provide you with that knowledge.
Airlines look for their recruits to:
- Be Customer Service Driven
- Have a Pleasant Manner
- Possess Good Communication Skills
- Have a Team Player Attitude
- Be Conscientious
- Have Confidence!
Let us help you with the rest!
Soar Above the Competition
We know the importance of having a competitive edge in the very challenging world of aviation. The Inflight Institute has developed programs that meet international standards set by:
And many others — meeting the strictest aviation regulations in the world!


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1 m = 1.1 yd
Composition: | 96% Silk 4% Elastane |
Weight: | 68 g/m² |
Width: | 121 cm |
Manufacturer: | Taroni |
Country: | Italy |
Categories: | Blouses, Dresses, Skirts |
This flowing silk chiffon features a dull rose color. Delightfully soft to touch, our translucent fabric contains a touch of elastane for a lovely stretch. With its satin finish, silky hand and gorgeous sheen, it is a perfect cloth for any lightweight apparel.
Silk chiffon is a plain woven fabric created from twisted crepe yarns. It is lightweight, extremely sheer, has a slightly bumpy texture and a soft hand. Chiffon resembles georgette in drape and feel, but is a touch lighter and more see-through. Silk chiffon fabrics are available both in solid colors and in prints. The prints are represented with floral, animal, abstract geometric, polka dot, paisley and other patterns. Silk chiffon is often used for elegant dresses and blouses, as well as skirts and other spring/summer clothing.
Silk chiffon is produced by such legendary French and Italian brands as Taroni, Ruffo Coli, Belinac, Carnet, Frontline, Etro and Jakob Schlaepfer, whose experienced silk designers create true masterpieces. The highest expertise in silk weaving and impeccable reputation among the leading fashion houses ensure perfect quality.
We offer worldwide shipping on all items in Tissura online shop. Delivery to USA, UK, UAE, Australia and rest of the world.
We accept bank transfers and payments by credit and debit cards. Learn more about our payment and delivery terms.
All fabrics on our website are priced by the running meter. The term "running meter" or "linear meter" is used in the fabric industry.
To convert meters to yards, use the conversion factor 0.9144. In other words,
1 Yard = 0.9144 Meters
1 Metre = 1.0936 Yards


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Connecticut recently made the historic decision to legalize same-sex marriage. Now special interests and right-wing groups want to hold a constitutional convention to overturn the courts decision. They also want to force the state into banning abortion rights, give special tax cuts to big corporations, and eliminate certain workers rights and benefits.
Make sure to sign Love Makes A Family's pledge against question 1!
Two TV commercials against question 1:
Monday, October 20, 2008
Connecticut Say NO to Question 1 on the Ballot!
16 comments:
More than ever, Im involved in politics. I m voting to allow the PEOPLE of Ct to make these choices, not you or the courts. Im voting YES, and Im emailing hundreds upon hundreds of people so they can wake up to this issue.
- October 23, 2008 at 7:40 AM
The people of Connecticut should be able to make their feelings known, and it is cowardice to try to stop people from voicing their feelings. If the majority of people want something, they should be able to vote what they want. I say this as a GLBTQ ally. Say YES to question 1 and let's defeat the right-wing religious nutcases and rich special interest groups once and for all!
- October 23, 2008 at 8:28 AM
- Queers United said...
Anonymous the majority shouldn't be able to decide the rights of the minority. Marriage is a civil rights issue and the court has gone along with the constitution.
- October 23, 2008 at 10:34 AM
Majority rule isn't a "when we like the result" ideal.
- October 23, 2008 at 8:52 PM
- Queers United said...
The supreme court followed the law and upheld the constitution which grants freedom and liberties to all. Denying same-sex marriage is unconstitutional.
- October 23, 2008 at 9:08 PM
I say let the PEOPLE vote! Remember the Bill or Rights? "We the people..." Let the people vote.
I am voting YES on Question 1 and I'm encouraging more and more people everyday to vote yes.
More and more I am involved in politics. - October 24, 2008 at 6:32 AM
I am not pro gay marrage but I am not nor will I be republican. But I do not believe in back door politics. Let the courts decide. Lets elect those that will allow our courts and judges work for us and not special interests.
- October 27, 2008 at 7:29 PM
I'm voting no to question 1. We elected people to lead our state in hopes they would make the right choices. As far as I'm concerned, they have made right choices. Why would we change that? It's a slap in the face to our elected officials.
- October 27, 2008 at 8:54 PM
Vote YES! Choice gives you and all people the right to change laws that have been wrongly enacted by special interest groups. Thats why we are votjng YES!
- November 1, 2008 at 11:04 PM
I think when we all think about gay rights and abortion we should all think about this message.
What if the child, they worked so hard to keep from being aborted grew up to be gay, does his life still count in their eyes? My email,
firstname.lastname@example.com - November 3, 2008 at 3:04 AM
Vote No to Question one, a gay person doesn't make someone any less of a person. They should be able to be happy with the one they love and be legally bonded with that person such as straight people can. Who is to say what sexuality is right and wrong anyways. You must be pretty naive and ignorant to sit there and vote yes. You need to get over your prejudices and realize this state is made up of many different people.
I'm voting No tomorrow at the polls. Case Closed. - November 3, 2008 at 9:54 PM
Ananymous on November 1 at 11:04 wrote: "Vote YES! Choice gives you and all people the right to change laws that have been wrongly enacted by special interest groups. Thats why we are votjng YES!"
This statement is inaccurate. The Convention is not about changing laws that have been "enacted by special interest groups" - it is about changing the State Constitution - a whole different kind of law (not statutory). - November 3, 2008 at 11:17 PM
- November 3, 2008 at 11:17 PM
Vote Yes! No judge should be able to ennact the will of the people without even knowing what the will of the people is. This is about alot more than gay marriage.
- November 4, 2008 at 5:02 AM
I will be voting yes on Qestion 1....And its more than about gay marrige, We can possibly start banning abortion. Thats worth it.
- November 4, 2008 at 7:21 AM
- Queers United said...
The judges upheld the constitution which guarantees equality for all. It is activist judges who don't allow gay marriage and people being unconstitutional when they approve bans.
- November 4, 2008 at 9:51 AM


text:
PUR Glue LIne
Acrylic E-Series doors produced by Corona Millworks feature a nearly invisible glue line. Our IMA Novimat Contour edge bander uses less glue and provides better penetration without losing the strength of the bond. PUR (Polyurethane) adhesive can be up to six times more moisture resistant than EVA glues, and posses a faster curing time. PUR adhesives are unfilled, producing tight joints and is transparent so it can be used with edgebanding material of almost any color. Additionally these doors are more resistant to heat, water, moisture, and steam.
Additionally, our E-Series doors are backed by a 1-year limited warranty.


text:
Amid the Parisian upheavals of May 1968, a group of young doctors decided to go and help victims of wars and major disasters. This new brand of humanitarianism would reinvent the concept of emergency aid. They were to become Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), known internationally in English as Doctors Without Borders.
After the revolt of May '68 burst onto their black and white TV screens, the French public soon saw other, more frightening images. For the first time, television broadcasted scenes of children dying from hunger in remote corners of the world.
In southern Nigeria, the province of Biafra had seceded. This minuscule territory was surrounded by the Nigerian army and the Biafran people were decimated by famine. The French Red Cross issued an appeal for volunteers.
Medics in Emergencies
For a number of years, Max Recamier and Pascal Greletty-Bosviel—volunteer doctors with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Geneva—had been regularly intervening in armed conflicts.
"Contrary to popular belief, the Red Cross is not a medical organization at all," says Max Recamier. "Pascal and myself were the only two doctors they knew because of our previous mission in Yemen, so they asked us to find some doctors for the ICRC. The first one to volunteer was Bernard Kouchner, who was much younger than I was; he was just finishing his studies and hadn't even finished his thesis yet, but he volunteered to go over there."
A team of six set off on the ICRC mission to Biafra: two doctors—Max Recamier and Bernard Kouchner—as well as two clinicians and two nurses. Being thrown into such a bloody conflict was a real shock for these fledgling doctors, who found themselves having to provide war surgery in hospitals that were regularly targeted by the Nigerian armed forces.
Recamier and Kouchner believed the world needed to know about the events they were witnessing: civilians being murdered and starved by blockading forces. They openly criticized the Nigerian government and the Red Cross for their seemingly complicit behavior.
In the following three years, other doctors began to speak up. These doctors, or "Biafrans," as they were known, began to lay the foundations for a new and questioning form of humanitarianism that would ignore political or religious boundaries, and prioritize the welfare of those suffering.
"A New Medicine"
In 1971, Raymond Borel and Philippe Bernier, journalists from the medical review Tonus, issued an appeal to establish a band of doctors to help people suffering in the midst and wake of major disasters.
The "Biafrans," who had been attempting to start an emergency medical response group themselves, jumped at the chance.
"In the back of our minds was the fact that we'd already done this and we wanted to do it again," says Bernard Kouchner.
"We wanted to ensure sufficient knowledge of this new type of medicine: war surgery, triage medicine, public health, education, et cetera.
"It's simple really: go where the patients are. It seems obvious, but at the time it was a revolutionary concept because borders got in the way. It's no coincidence that we called it 'Médecins Sans Frontières.'"
People First
MSF was officially created on December 22, 1971. At the time, 300 volunteers made up the organization: doctors, nurses, and other staff, including the 13 founding doctors and journalists.
MSF was created on the belief that all people have the right to medical care regardless of gender, race, religion, creed, or political affiliation, and that the needs of these people outweigh respect for national boundaries.
MSF's First Mission
MSF's first mission was to the Nicaraguan capital, Managua, where an earthquake in 1972 had destroyed most of the city and killed between 10,000 and 30,000 people.
In 1974, MSF set up a relief mission to help the people of Honduras after Hurricane Fifi caused major flooding and killed thousands of people.
Then, in 1975, MSF established its first large-scale medical program during a refugee crisis, providing medical care for the waves of Cambodians seeking sanctuary from Pol Pot's oppressive rule.
In these first missions, the weaknesses of MSF as a greenhorn humanitarian organization would become readily apparent: preparation was lacking, doctors were left unsupported, and supply chains were tangled. It became a turning point; the movement began to fracture.
Organized or Guerilla Doctors?
Claude Malhuret, MSF's president from 1977–78, says: "There was a very real opposition between people who didn't want things to become structured—who wanted to stay a small commando unit of emergency doctors—and others who wanted to get organized."
"They didn't want to become a sort of Red Cross, but nonetheless to be more organized than we were. Not just doctors pitching up with a few drugs in a plastic bag and not enough to work with."
At the Annual General Assembly in 1979, MSF's internal conflicts finally erupted. A vote was made on whether MSF should become more organized or remain a band of guerilla doctors. Eighty percent voted in favor of the former.
Bernard Kouchner and his "Biafran" counterparts resented the move and left MSF to found Médecins du Monde, or Doctors of the World.
Building MSF
From this point, the new "realist" leadership of MSF—spearheaded by Claude Malhuret and Rony Brauman—would help transform MSF into the professional organization it is today.
Since 1980, MSF has opened offices in 28 countries and employs more than 30,000 people across the world. Since its founding, MSF has treated over a hundred million patients—with 8.25 million outpatient consultations being carried out in 2014 alone. MSF has also maintained its institutional and financial independence, and the organization has continued to be critical of both itself and the broader aid system when appropriate, all in the name of trying to help direct more effective and timely aid to those who need it most.


text:
Melissa Sullivan email@example.com
Monday July 08 2013
Bakersfield, Calif., - ProSoft Technology, Inc. a leading industrial communication company, is pleased to announce the release of the PLX81-EIP-61850 EtherNet/IP to IEC 61850 Client gateway. The gateway is designed to provide a fast and flexible solution for enabling an EtherNet/IP device to monitor and control data from up to 20 remote IEC 61850 servers.
The module operates as an EtherNet/IP server, supporting both Class 1 and Class 3 EtherNet/IP services. Primary data transfer is performed through a Class 1 server connection supporting up to 10 Implicit I/O connections. Additionally the module can also communicate with up to 2 other EtherNet/IP Clients using Class 3 messaging services.
The gateway configuration file is stored in an industrial SD card to allow for rapid disaster recovery. Extensive diagnostics for the gateway and for both EtherNet/IP and IEC 61850 networks are available via the configuration utility.


text:
During the initial exam a full health history will be taken. Questions will be asked regarding symptoms, health and lifestyle. Your acupuncturist also may check pulses and your tongue and may conduct a physical exam. This information is then organized to create a complete, accurate and comprehensive diagnosis of where Qi has become blocked or imbalanced. After the interview process, you may receive an acupuncture treatment. Visits with your acupuncturist may last from thirty to ninety minutes.
- Driftless Healing Arts114B W Court St.
Viroqua, WI 54665608-515-8352 - Mon9am - 2pm / 4pm - 6pmTue9am - 2pmThu4:30pm - 7:30pmFri9am - 6pmSat8am - 2pm


text:
Submit Search
Close search
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Goose Fables/The Goose That Laid The Golden Egg (Bilingual Book) - Arabic/EnglishAuthor: retold by Shaun ChattoIllustrator: JagoThere are two classic goose fables in this one book: Aesop's The Goose that Laid the Golden Egg, and the Buddhist fable Tortoise and the Geese.
Note: Depending on language edition, title will appear as Goose Fables or The Goose that Laid the Golden EggTHIS TITLE IS AVAILABLE IN MANY BILINGUAL EDITIONS.REVIEW
This bilingual book comprises two fables: Aesops The Goose that Laid the Golden Egg, and the Buddhist tale The Tortoise and the Geese. In The Goose that Laid the Golden Egg, a foolish hunter captures a goose. When the creature lays a curious-looking egg, he doesnt know what to do! He brings the egg to a friend in town who recognizes that it is, in fact, a golden egg. The hunter is able to sell the eggs, and begins to lead a life of luxury. Sadly, like many people, the huntsman wasnt happy with what he had and he decides to cut open the goose to get all the eggs at once. His greed is his downfall. In the second fable The Tortoise and the Geese, tortoise just wont stop talking. Eventually the other animals cant stand it and leave him to talk to himself. One autumn, two geese come to his pond and befriend him. When it is time for them to fly home, tortoise begs to accompany them. He has devised a way for them to carry him. The geese have to hold a piece of wood and tortoise must hang onto it with his mouth. The only catch is: he cant talk! Needless to say, he cannot resist and falls from the sky, only to land on a leafy bush and almost on hare. Tortoise apologizes to hare and admits that sometimes he talks without thinking - tortoise has learned his lesson.Both fables are illustrated by award-winning childrens book illustrator, Jago. On his website, Jago describes himself as loving strong colors and interesting textures. This is apparent in the beautiful and unusual illustrations in these stories. Jago is also the illustrator of other Language Lizard offerings such as Fox Fables, The Elves and the Shoemaker, and Little Red Hen and the Grains of Wheat.
- Maureen Pugh, Culture Connection Newsletter
Exclusive Multicultural Content$1000+ Bilingual Book Giveaway


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In a strip club is all about temptation. An evening full of sexual pleasure where the eye gets what it wants. Enjoy the bar and sensual view of erotic dancers who give what you ask for. Let the naughty sexy ladies work for you while you sit back and enjoy your time.
(806) 748-0077


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Land of the Lost – Super Bowl Trailer
See the Super Bowl TV Spot for the sci-fi comedy based on the classic television series Land of the Lost.
Will Ferrell stars as has-been scientist Dr. Rick Marshall, sucked into one and spat back through time. Way back. Now, Marshall has no weapons, few skills and questionable smarts to survive in an alternate universe full of marauding dinosaurs and fantastic creatures from beyond our world – a place of spectacular sights and super-scaled comedy known as the Land of the Lost.
Sucked alongside him for the adventure are crack-smart research assistant Holly (Anna Friel) and a redneck survivalist (Danny McBride) named Will. Chased by T-Rex and stalked by painfully slow reptiles known as Sleestaks, Marshall, Will and Holly must rely on their only ally – a primate called Chaka (Jorma Taccone) to navigate out of the hybrid dimension. Escape from this routine expedition gone awry and they're heroes. Get stuck, and they'll be permanent refugees in the Land of the Lost.


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A year after the abduction and murder of Pakistani investigative journalist Saleem Shahzad, little has been done to investigate the powerful Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and their possible involvement in the murder. Meanwhile another journalist, Murtaza Razvi, was killed in April 2012, and numerous other journalists in Pakistan have reported death threats.
The death threats continue.
A government inquiry into Shahzad's murder said it was unable to identify his killers. It speculated that any of a number of state, non-state or foreign actors, including al-Qaeda or the Taliban, could have been responsible.
True, but why no mention of the ISI? SEE THE REST OF THIS POST


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They were advertising paid phpBB styles and work (which looked a complete rip-off price) within their mails.
To stop this happening again, I urge you to go to Your UCP click on Board preferences, and make sure you check your "Users can contact me by e-mail:" to No and then submit at the bottom.
If you are running a phpBB forum with styles, mods, etc make sure you blacklist this IP
Code: Select all
Spammers - complete vermin!


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NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. government revised its Zika travel warnings Friday, saying it's OK for pregnant women to travel to Mexico City and other places at high elevation in outbreak regions.
The kind of mosquito that spreads the Zika virus is rare at higher elevations because of the lack of humidity and other conditions, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Infections from Zika or the related dengue virus haven't been seen high up.
Since mid-January, the health agency has advised pregnant women to avoid travel to areas with Zika outbreaks because the virus may be linked to a surge of birth defects in Brazil. The list has grown to about three dozen destinations, most in Latin America or the Caribbean.
Friday's revision excludes any part of those countries above 6,500 feet (2,000 meters).
CDC officials insisted science drove the change, but acknowledged there were concerns that overly broad travel warnings might unnecessarily hamper trade and tourism.
"I suspect several countries will be quite pleased" by the revision, said Dr. Martin Cetron, who leads CDC's division of global migration and quarantine.
Five of the countries have large cities or sizeable areas at high altitudes, including Mexico City, Bolivia's La Paz and Colombia's Bogota.
Mexico Health Department's Dr. Cuitlahuac Ruiz Matuz said authorities there had objected to a blanket travel advisory for the country before it was issued, and had lobbied CDC for a change.
"Now they are correcting things a little bit," Ruiz said.
He argued that the CDC should be even more specific and report where Zika has been detected. There have been 143 confirmed cases in Mexico, 128 in the southern states of Chiapas and Oaxaca. The remaining 15 are spread over six other states.
Besides the capital, Mexico has other large cities such as Puebla, Toluca and Guanajuato and the popular tourist destination of San Cristobal de las Casas at elevations above 6,500 feet.
Experts think most people infected with Zika virus don't get sick. And those that do usually develop mild symptoms — fever, rash, joint pain, and red eyes. But the unexpected numbers of birth defects in Zika outbreak areas of Brazil have raised alarms.
An estimated 40 million U.S. travelers went to Zika outbreak destinations last year, including about a half million pregnant women, CDC officials estimate. The CDC advises all travelers to Zika areas to use insect repellent and take other steps to avoid mosquito bites.


text: A Community Text Arises (Beverly J. Moss) Quantity in Basket:noneCode: 1-57273-395-0 Price:$42.50 Title: A Community Text Arises Sub-title: A Literate Text and a Literacy Tradition in African-American Churches Author(s): Beverly J. Moss, The Ohio State University Publish Date: 2003 Pages: 192 Format: Cloth Quantity: A Community Text Arises emerges from an ethnographic study of literacy in three African-American churches. These data illuminate the ways that the primary model of a literate text is shaped and used in African-American churches. Chapter 1 examines how the African-American church has operated as a community within the larger African-American communities. As a result, this chapter provides a historical, sociological, and theological perspective on African-American churches and an overview of the major components of the church community. Chapter 2 introduces, through ethnographic descriptions, the churches that the authors studies and Chapter 3 highlights the features of the major literacy event and text in African-American churches—the sermon. Through close analysis of individual sermons the author illustrates how the sermon functions as a community text. Chapter 4 focuses solely on the sermons of one minister to highlight rhetorical strategies that are used to create and main community identity. The analysis in chapters 3 and 4 provides a view of a text that calls into question traditionally held notions of text inside and outside the community. Therefore, chapter 5 deals with the implications of this study for how text is defined and the relation between oral and written texts.


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Analyze soil samples for their components, ability to hold moisture, fertility and PH
How do you know if a soil is good for agriculture? What elements need to be added to soil for it to be good for farming? These are some of the question that millions of farmers from around the word are challenged with when they are planning purchase or take over a new land for agriculture. To find the answer they will have the soil tested by specialized laboratories. These tests will help the farmers make the right decision and protect their investment.
Project description:
In this project you will use some relatively simple methods to collect some soil sample and analyze it for it's moisture, pH, organic mater or other factors that may affect the fertility of the soil.
Details of this project:
More details or support for this project is available at the members section of
web site. Material needed for experiment or a science kit about this title may be available at MiniScience.com.


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The eccentric singer - who performed while sitting on a moon sculpture- picked up gongs in four out of the six categories she was nominated for to win Best Female, Best Song and Best Video for 'Born This Way' and Biggest Fan, a brand new award that celebrates artists with the most committed fanbase.
Justin Bieber, Bruno Mars and 30 Seconds to Mars each won two awards with Baby hitmaker Justin winning Best Male and Best Pop, Jared Leto's band picking up Best World Stage and Best Alternative gongs and Bruno taking home awards for Best Push and Best New Artist.
The surprise win of the night went to Korean boyband BigBang, who beat off competition from acts including Britney Spears to take home Best Worldwide Act while Eminem picked up the Best Hip Hop artist.
Katy Perry was presented with the award for Best Live Act and Linkin Park were voted as Best Rock while Jessie J presented a moving video tribute to the late Amy Winehouse.
Coldplay opened the ceremony at Belfast's Odyssey Arena with 'Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall' while performances from Gaga, Justin Bieber, David Guetta, Ludacris, Taio Cruz and Jessie J got the 8,000 strong crowd moving.
Rock legends Queen, who were handed the Global Icon award from Katy Perry, closed the show with a medley of hits from their extraordinary musical career, accompanied by American Idol star Adam Lambert.
Selena Gomez hosted the awards while guest presenters included David Hasselhoff, Katy Perry, Evanescence's Amy Lee, actress Hayden Panettiere, supermodels Bar Refaeli and Irina Shayk, and 'Jersey Shore''s Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi and Jenni 'JWOWW' Farley.
In a first for the MTV EMAs, two outside broadcasts were built into the show, with Northern Irish rockers Snow Patrol playing for more than 15,000 fans at a spectacular outdoor stage built directly in front of the historic City Hall while 1,200 Red Hot Chili Peppers fans were treated to a gig at Ulster Hall.
MTV EMAs 2011 winners:
Best Female Lady Gaga
Best Song Lady Gaga
Best Video Lady Gaga
Biggest Fans Lady Gaga
Best Pop Justin Bieber
Best Male Justin Bieber
Best Alternative 30 Seconds To Mars
Best World Stage 30 Seconds To Mars
Best New Bruno Mars
Best Push Bruno Mars
Global Icon Queen
Best Hip Hop Eminem
Best Live Katy Perry
Best Rock Linkin Park
Best Worldwide BigBang


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QR codes are popping up everywhere and you may have wondered what they were. What is a QR (Quick Response Code)? QR codes are pixelated squares that you can scan with a smart phone app. Scannning the QR code with your phone will bring you directly to a website or landing page. The JustRite QR Codes on the packaging and in JustRites Catalog will link a stamp set to JustRite's Design Gallery for that set. Now you can scan the code with your phone to see what your favorite designers have created with a set before you purchase the set in your favorite store. You can use your smartphone to access the design gallery for your stamp set from your craft room when you are ready to use your set or from our mini flyers or catalogs when you are sitting in a car waiting to pick up your child from a sporting event!!
Here is a smaller version of our Shabby Chic Labels Four QR code for you to play with if you have a smart phone!! Very cool huh?
You may already have a QR code scanner already on your phone - if you don't you can upload any of these apps - for your iPhone - Red Laser (free), NeoReader (free), Optiscan ($1.99) For your Android Phone - QR Droid.
Blog Candy Alert - Don't forget that their is Blog Candy on the JustRite Blog-a $50.00 shopping Spree. To enter to win go to the JustRite Blog and answer the blog candy question. The Blog Candy is open for comments until Friday Night at 12 pm EST. The winner will be announced on the JustRite Blog on Monday October 3rd during the release post. Good luck to everyone!
Today over at the JustRite blog, we are hopping with previews of the October JustRite release and today the design team are previewing some sweet new stamps and I am excited to be able to show this one that I created using the sweet set: Grandma's Doilies which is a 3 1/4" JustRite Original stamp set that also coordinates with the large scalloped circle Spellbinder's dies - and have the coolest shapes and designs on them! I love how all the shapes fit with each other and it is so much fun to create patterns that overlap and coordinate with each other :)
I stamped three of the smaller circle with the different color inks and then cut out the centers and popped them ontop of each other. Using some bling I covered the circles around the smaller circles and then sponged the edges. I stamped the larger doily in green and cut it out and then cut out the center with my circle nesties and then layered up the card using some fall papers from my stash and then covered the edges with some ribbon and some corner buttons. I left the card sentiment-less (Gasp! ;) but sometimes I realize I need a blank card for whatever occasion might pop up and I realize that I might need to make some more any occasion card. I love how this card came out - it was so much fun to make and bling out :)
Card Ingredients:
Paper: Fall paper stash and Bazzill cardstock
Stamps: Grandma's Doilies 3 1/4" stamper from JustRite Stampers
Inks: Memento Bamboo leaves, Rich Cocoa, Tangelo, Cantaloupe and Berrylicious from Chalk Ink
Accessories: Buttons from stash, American craft ribbon, dimensionals, liquid pearls, Want2Scrap pearls
I love these fun doilies and I couldn't stop playing with these fun shapes! I can't wait to see what the sweet ladies from the Design Team have created with all of the stamp sets that are part of this awesome October release!
JustRite Inspiration
Becca Feeken
Debbie Olson
Mona Pendleton
Sharon Harnist
Kathy Jones
Kazan Clark
Stephanie Kraft
Heidi Blankenship
Michele Kovack
Sankari Wegman
Kellie Fortin
Angela Barkhouse
Barb Schram
Thanks so much for stopping by!
Big hugs,


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Today's post is a mixture of my Christmas DIY projects and regular Christmas Decor. If you missed my Christmas Tree Decoractions 2018 post, you can view that HERE. I really love Christmas not because it's my birthday, it's just a beautiful festive time of year. If you believe in Jesus Christ, it's also a time to remember the reason for the season.
I wanted to incorporate more teal to my silver decor on the counter, so I added this snowflake that contains hints of teal. I added the little teal gem in the center.
Mirrored Wall Decor and Snowflake Candle Holder
Candle Holders with Lights


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The Female Brain
Автор: | |
Чтец: | Louann Brizendine |
Длительность: | 7 hours |
Дата выхода: | 2007 |
Издательство: | Random House Audio |
Since Dr. Brizendine wrote The Female Brain ten years ago, the response has been overwhelming. This New York Times bestseller has been translated into more than thirty languages, has sold nearly a million copies between editions, and has most recently inspired a romantic comedy starring Whitney Cummings and Sofia Vergara. And its profound scientific understanding of the nature and experience of the female brain continues to guide women as they pass through life stages, to help men better understand the girls and women in their lives, and to illuminate the delicate emotional machinery of a love relationship. Every brain begins as a female brain. It only becomes male eight weeks after conception, when excess testosterone shrinks the communications center, reduces the hearing cortex, and makes the part of the brain that processes sex twice as large. Louann Brizendine, M.D. is a pioneering neuropsychiatrist who brings together the latest findings to show how the unique structure of the female brain determines how women think, what they value, how they communicate, and whom they'll love. Brizendine reveals the neurological explanations behind why • A woman remembers fights that a man insists never happened • A teen girl is so obsessed with her looks and talking on the phone • Thoughts about sex enter a woman's brain once every couple of days but enter a man's brain about once every minute • A woman knows what people are feeling, while a man can't spot an emotion unless somebody cries or threatens bodily harm • A woman over 50 is more likely to initiate divorce than a man Women will come away from this book knowing that they have a lean, mean communicating machine. Men will develop a serious case of brain envy.
Download and start listening now!
Основные характеристики | |
Автор | Louann Brizendine |
Чтец | Louann Brizendine |


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Managing Director & Senior Partner; Head of Social Impact Practice for EMESA; Member of BCG's Executive Committee
Related Expertise: Corporate Finance and Strategy, Portfolio Acceleration, International Business
By Patrick Dupoux, Tawfik Hammoud, Seddik El Fihri, Marc Becker, and Abdeljabbar Chraïti
For the past decade, Africa has been one of the world's hottest growth markets for private equity investment. In the early 1990s, a mere dozen Africa-based funds managed a combined $1 billion; today, more than 200 funds manage upwards of $30 billion. More funds are making more deals in more industries and more countries—and are making more successful exits. The expectations of investors in private equity funds are also rising as development finance institutions are being joined by global institutional investors that are far more focused on high returns.
Is Africa's private equity boom really being driven by economic fundamentals? Or is a bubble building? In the view of some analysts, the growth has come too fast. Too much money is chasing too few sound investments, they fear, pushing up prices of African corporate assets. What's more, the surge of capital is coming just as a sharp downturn in commodity prices has slowed economic growth across the continent, reigniting fears of currency devaluations and dividend repatriation.
We believe that these concerns are understandable. But they are not the right concerns. It is true that many resource-dependent African economies have entered a period of economic uncertainty after a decade of robust growth. Yet the continent has economic strengths that should continue to present attractive growth opportunities for private equity for the foreseeable future. The region's rapidly expanding companies can absorb immense foreign investment and generate high returns for investors. Another driver: Africa has tremendous needs for private capital to fund its continued growth. To fully capture this opportunity, however, investors need to broaden their investment approach.
Too many private equity investors are pursuing the same kind of target with the same kind of deal structure. Overwhelmingly, both major international and local funds are focusing on Africa's limited pool of large, profitable companies that have proven track records of sound management and the potential to grow regionally or even internationally. Most funds are looking for minority positions in these companies.
Such strategies have worked well for many funds and will continue to deliver strong returns for some of them. But the market for such deals is getting crowded, driving valuations up and returns down. To earn high returns in Africa's rapidly evolving landscape, fund managers must pursue alternative investment strategies that include segments currently underserved by private equity.
Look beyond the narrow cohort of the continent's corporate elite and you'll see that Africa is awash in opportunity. Dynamic small and midsize companies are emerging as national leaders. Many startups are building innovative, disruptive business models and leveraging digital technologies. Established family-owned enterprises now led by a new generation of well-educated managers are seeking capital to expand. And attractive, high-potential assets are sitting on the books of diversified companies that no longer regard those holdings as core to their business. The challenge for private equity funds is to identify these targets and make the deals happen.
The private equity industry needs to consider more-flexible African investment strategies and expand its offerings to the continent's companies. Funds should consider such options as investing in majority stakes and strategic partnerships. They should also consider offering evergreen funds rather than only funds with timing constraints for divestiture. In more-developed economies, private equity funds still reap a significant portion of their returns through financial restructuring and improving the bottom line with better management. In Africa, by contrast, funds are more likely to achieve high yields by investing in companies with sound industrial and development plans, such as expansion in new markets, and by reinforcing management. Controlling stakes may put investors in a more powerful position to add value to their acquisitions and provide more options to sell assets.
By adapting their investment approaches to Africa's evolving environment, private equity funds will be better aligned with the major structural changes underway on the continent. One such change is the growing role of global institutional investors, such as pension funds and insurers, as the chief investors in Africa-focused funds. This shift in the market will dramatically change the way the private equity industry approaches the continent. While development finance institutions certainly seek profitable investments, they also have a mission to advance the development of industries. Institutional investors, by contrast, seek maximum returns.
Making the transition needed to fulfill these expectations for higher returns will not be easy. Not all funds have the capabilities in local African markets to identify and address small targets and other new types of opportunities. Because reliable information and the intermediaries that typically bring them deals are still scarce in Africa, funds must establish a strong on-the-ground presence in a number of markets to originate deals and perform due diligence. Even if funds have experienced managers, local technical and investment expertise will become more critical. As they invest in smaller companies and take more majority positions, funds will also need to be able to help companies accelerate their growth and create significant value. There is also a big need in Africa for smaller, sophisticated, and more specialized funds with strong local expertise that can help prepare the field for strategic buyers and larger funds.
Development institutions such as the World Bank's International Finance Corporation (IFC) pioneered private equity investment in Africa in the early 1990s. Their mandates still include the promotion of economic and industrial development, so these institutions are willing to take greater risks and expect lower returns than traditional investment funds, which are measured solely on returns. Mired in economic stagnation for decades, the continent has long been almost completely off the radar of the world's leading investors.
Africa's emergence from that prolonged period of stagnation to become one of the world's next great growth markets has changed investors' attitudes dramatically. (See Winning in Africa: From Trading Posts to Ecosystems, BCG report, January 2014.) From 2013 through 2015 alone, private equity funds mobilized $10 billion to invest in Africa and completed $14.8 billion in deals—more than double the level of the previous three years. The changes are bringing increased diversity on several fronts:
One clear sign that Africa's private equity market is maturing is the rising number of exits. The growing presence of large funds and principal investors is greatly broadening the market for African corporate assets, making it easier for existing investors to divest. An average of 40 exits by private equity funds was recorded in Africa in 2013, 2014, and 2015, compared with an average of 29 for the previous five years. What's more, "secondary exits"—sales of companies or equity stakes by one fund to another—accounted for 23% of private equity asset sales in Africa in 2014. That was about the same proportion as in Europe and compares with an average of 14% over the previous six years.
Investors are confident that Africa remains a strong growth opportunity. Half of the global limited partners surveyed by AVCA in 2015 said they regard Africa as more attractive for private equity investment than other emerging and frontier markets. Ninety-one percent also said that they plan to either hold or increase their private equity allocations in Africa over the next few years.
The rapid increase in investment funds has raised concerns that a private equity bubble is emerging—essentially that too much money is chasing too few companies—and pushing the prices of available African assets to high levels.
The crash in global prices for the commodities upon which many African economies heavily depend has heightened this concern. Political events and a terrorist presence in several northern and central African nations have added to fears that the continent's impressive economic revival over the past decade is in jeopardy.
The commodity downturn clearly has cooled African economies. Revenue from natural resources across the continent plunged from a high of $460 billion in 2008 to about $250 billion in 2014. Largely as a result, GDP growth in Africa slipped from almost 7% in 2012 to approximately 4% in 2014. The initial terms-of-trade deterioration is estimated at 18.3% for the continent in 2015, and several economies are close to recession in 2016.
Despite these risks, we believe that Africa remains one of the world's greatest growth opportunities for private equity. The following factors support this bullish outlook.
Private equity penetration is low. Despite rapid growth in recent years, the amount of private equity and principal investment capital mobilized in Africa remains very low relative to world standards. Private equity assets under management are approximately 1% of GDP in western countries. In sub-Saharan Africa, by contrast, private equity assets under management are a mere 0.1% of GDP. What's more, even though Africa accounts for 3.1% of global GDP, only 0.9% of global private equity funds that are raised focus on the continent.
Africa's macroeconomic fundamentals remain strong. Healthy economic growth in the decades ahead is likely to greatly expand Africa's capacity to absorb private equity investment. The continent has enormous needs for physical infrastructure, and there are growing opportunities for large-scale investments in real estate, industry, and services. Although growth in aggregate real GDP in 2016 and 2017 is expected to remain well below the 5% annual average recorded from 2007 through 2014, most economists project that it will soon rebound to historical levels. Average growth of 6% to 9% is projected in economies such as CÔte d'Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Rwanda, and Tanzania.
Africa is one of the world's fastest-growing destinations for foreign direct investment, particularly in sectors such as energy, transportation, and real estate. The continent's working-age population is projected to keep climbing for another five decades. Africa's skilled talent base is also expanding. The portion of college-age Africans enrolling in tertiary schools more than doubled, to 7%, between 1990 and 2010. What's more, nearly 400,000 African students were studying in nations such as France, the UK, and the US as of 2010. A high percentage of this African diaspora expresses interest in returning home to work upon graduation.
Africa's rapidly growing consumer class will be a powerful driver of growth. Household expenditure tripled across the continent from 2004 through 2013. The number of middle-class and affluent Africans, those with annual incomes of $1,600 or higher on a purchasing-power-parity basis, is projected to roughly double by 2024, to 166 million, and to reach 270 million by 2034. The continent is projected to add 50 million people with annual incomes of $8,400 to $20,400 over the next two decades and 17 million people with annual incomes exceeding $20,400.
The pool of investment targets is growing. Most funds focus on companies that are considered very large in Africa's context—those with annual revenues of more than $100 million, assets of more than $200 million, and more than 1,000 employees. There are some 5,000 such companies on the continent, and their number is growing. Indeed, Africa is producing more companies that are competing successfully with multinational corporations and are expanding globally. (See Dueling with Lions: Playing the New Game of Business Success in Africa, BCG Focus, November 2015.)
However, there are nearly 11,000 African companies with revenues of $10 million to $100 million, assets of $20 million to $200 million, and staffs of at least 150. This is the fastest-growing segment of African targets—but it remains off the radar of most large private equity funds and principal investors.
The investment environment is improving. Despite the economic challenges and policy missteps in many African economies, the overall investment ecosystem is developing steadily across the region. As more private equity funds, investment banks, and institutional investors establish a local presence in more African economies, they are bringing expertise in a greater variety of deal structures and investment techniques. The pool of local lawyers, auditors, consultants, and bankers with private equity experience is also expanding. By the same token, more African companies are gaining experience in advanced finance.
Governance, too, is improving in many sub-Saharan African nations. CÔte d'Ivoire, Benin, Togo, Senegal, and the Democratic Republic of Congo rank among the nations that have improved corporate governance the most, according to the World Bank's Doing Business 2014 report. The growth of regional and continent-wide professional associations is making the business environment more transparent. While political risk remains high on the continent, it is improving in many economies. A number of governments are becoming more business friendly.
Alternative options for raising capital are scarce. The difficulty that African companies face in raising capital from local equity and debt markets presents a big opportunity for private equity. Only four African economies—Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, and South Africa—have stock exchanges with a market capitalization of more than $50 billion. In fact, the 29 stock exchanges on the continent have fewer than 2,000 listings combined.
The small scale of African equity markets makes it difficult for companies to raise the capital they need to grow—or for their founders to exit their business—through initial public offerings. There were only 28 IPOs in Africa in 2015, comprising approximately 2% of the more than 1,200 IPOs done globally. These IPOs raised a combined $12.7 billion (less than 1% of capital raised globally through IPOs)—which does not come close to bridging the financing gap in Africa.
To unlock Africa's potential, funds need to understand the changing dynamics of the continent's private equity markets. The entry of new kinds of investors is transforming the market. Opportunities to invest in different kinds of target companies are opening. Successful funds are deploying different investment strategies. New intermediaries are opening offices. While the trends present opportunities, significant challenges remain.
The Changing Investor Profile. A new breed of investors in Africa-focused funds is changing the private equity landscape in fundamental ways. As private equity matures in Africa, the role of development finance institutions is diminishing, while more traditional limited partners, such as pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, and endowments, are accounting for a greater share of private equity capital.
These new investors bring different expectations. The primary mission of development finance institutions such as IFC is to make an impact on an economy and to help develop private capital markets. Africa's new institutional investors, by contrast, seek high returns—often much higher returns than they can expect in other markets. A recent survey by AVCA found that 52% of limited partners expect that private equity returns in Africa will be higher than in other emerging markets. Indeed, nearly half report that the performance of their African investments already has matched or exceeded their expectations.
New Investment Targets. Historically, private equity funds have focused on a very specific kind of investment in Africa. They have targeted big, profitable companies that dominate their local markets or are regional leaders. Private equity funds also want companies with proven track records of sound, enlightened management. The supply of such mature targets, however, is well short of demand in Africa. As the competition for these assets intensifies, achieving high returns grows more challenging.
Investors that broaden their horizons will find abundant investment targets. Great opportunities in Africa are with smaller companies that are growing fast—and have the potential to grow much further with infusions of outside capital and management help. For example, Africa has a number of what BCG calls local dynamos, which are rapidly growing companies that are bidding to become national leaders. (See 2014 BCG Local Dynamos: How Companies in Emerging Markets Are Winning at Home, BCG report, July 2014.)
The continent also features many established family-owned companies that are led by professional, second-generation managers, many of whom have been educated in the US and Europe. The private equity fund managers we have interviewed say that the new generation of family business leaders is more open than their elders to accepting outside capital and partners to modernize their operations and expand beyond their borders. A recent survey by PwC found that 24% of family businesses in Kenya, for example, prefer to raise capital from private equity, and that 37% plan to sell or float their companies, compared with a global average of 20%. There are also a significant number of family-owned businesses across Africa run by founders who wish to sell their companies, often because they are apprehensive about transferring their businesses to heirs they do not regard as having the skills or business aptitude to succeed.
Yet another rich source of opportunities consists of the holdings of established African companies seeking to shed assets that they no longer regard as core. Many of these opportunities lie in family businesses that used their cash over the years to diversify into businesses that have grown more competitive or that aspire to put their capital to better use in other sectors.
Different Investment Strategies. An additional distinct characteristic of Africa's private equity market is that private equity funds prefer to acquire minority positions in a broad portfolio of holdings. When AVCA surveyed investors in 108 African deals, 80% of the respondents said that they invested via minority positions—compared with only 20% in developed economies. Given the high degree of volatility and the complex business environments in many African economies, fund managers maintain that minority stakes help manage risk. General partners who prefer minority stakes say that they feel more comfortable in Africa when they find the right kind of partner—one who knows the field and can manage the business day to day. They also say that it can be tough to find business owners who are willing to cede control unless they are under duress and that the scarcity of experienced executives in Africa makes it difficult to replace incumbent managers.
Some leading private equity funds are taking a different approach, however, and investing in more majority stakes. By exercising control, these managers say, they can better manage risk and create value because they can move more decisively. Controlling stakes also open more options for exiting because funds do not have to align with a majority investor. We found that the majority holdings of several significant private equity funds with both kinds of investments outperformed their minority holdings.
Funds can also explore evergreen investment structures. Currently, most funds are obligated to liquidate holdings and return capital to investors over a certain time frame. Evergreen funds, which have no fixed time frame, offer the flexibility to hold on to assets until it is the best time to sell and to roll the proceeds of divestitures into new investments.
As will be explained below, however, adopting a more active approach to creating value has several important implications. It often means that funds must hold their investments for longer periods of time and invest more resources in building an on-the-ground presence to manage companies in the portfolio. It also means that returns must be higher to justify the greater cost.
Africa's Costly and Complex Investment Ecosystem. The investment ecosystem in Africa is not as well developed as that in the US and in Europe. Access to information is limited, and on-the-ground expertise is in short supply. Investors must navigate a wide variety of business cultures and customs and do business in many languages. This is why transactions in Africa often take 18 to 24 months to complete, far longer than in developed economies.
As a result of this incomplete ecosystem, operating successfully in Africa is costly and requires substantial investment to build local capabilities. Africa-focused private equity funds employ more staff than similarly sized funds elsewhere. The median employment level of international private equity funds is $112 million in assets under management for each staff member. For Africa-focused funds, the median is $45 million.
Most global investment banks still cover Africa from offices outside the continent. Only a few have operations in several African nations. Given investors' scarce local presence, the number of intermediaries and sources of information is growing—leading consulting companies have recently started to open offices across Africa, for example. The number of African financial advisors and both international and African legal advisors with private equity experience is growing as well.
Still, the demand for such expertise outstrips the supply. For the time being, private equity funds must spend more time and money in Africa originating deals and performing due diligence on their own.
Africa should remain one of the world's greatest growth opportunities for private equity for decades to come. We believe that, to attain the high returns that investors expect given their perception of the continent's risks, the industry will need to become more flexible. Funds should consider new kinds of investment targets and strategies. The winners are also likely to be firms that invest in the local capabilities needed to originate and assess deals and add value to their holdings.
We see some positive evolution in Africa's private equity landscape. Funds are demonstrating a better understanding of local constraints, and a number have successfully adapted their investment strategies. Still, the industry requires another leap to better capture the potential. We suggest that private equity firms consider the following approaches.
Unlock new investment opportunities. Given the intense competition for Africa's limited supply of big, mature, profitable, and professionally managed companies, many of the best opportunities on the continent lie with companies that are not traditional private equity targets. Funds should consider exploring fast-growing companies with disruptive business models, for example, and family businesses led by a new generation of management talent. Creating specialized funds with specific capabilities to address this potential might be necessary. Funds should also look further afield than South Africa and Nigeria, currently the two dominant markets.
Identifying and assessing high-potential targets takes more effort in Africa than in more mature markets, where investment banks and other intermediaries generally furnish such services. Given the continent's current shortage of experienced intermediaries and reliable information, private equity firms will need to invest in building their own capability to originate and screen deals. They must also invest more time and resources to perform due diligence. The rewards of such efforts can be high. A study by AVCA found that general partners that conduct extensive due diligence on target companies and their management generate returns that are significantly higher than the average in Africa.
Consider diverse investment approaches. The strategy of managing risk by investing in minority stakes in a broad portfolio of African companies has worked well for many private equity funds. But the industry should consider alternative approaches. Doing more deals in which funds hold controlling stakes may be counterintuitive to the approach typically followed by a private equity fund in a market such as Africa. But majority strategies make it easier to manage market volatility and increase value creation by giving funds greater freedom to accelerate growth, execute M&As, bring in experienced managers and board members, introduce better corporate governance, and identify possible strategic buyers.
Funds should also consider being more flexible with regard to maturity periods for their investments. Most funds currently adhere to very strict timelines. They must divest an asset within five years, for example, regardless of the economic or business circumstances at the time. Because African markets tend to be volatile, time horizons should be less rigid. Funds may need to hold an investment for seven years, for example, to reap the full value of their investment. Or they may be able to take advantage of an ideal selling opportunity that arises a year earlier than expected.
Reinvent the exit strategy. Unlike in most mature economies, the options for divesting a holding in Africa are limited. Private equity funds must therefore begin to actively consider a realistic exit strategy from day one. Funds should identify potential buyers for African corporate assets before they even make the investment. They should analyze how a holding complements the development strategies of potential buyers and what will be required to make that asset attractive in the future. By planning a realistic exit strategy at the outset, funds can minimize the risk that they will find little appetite for their asset when it comes time to sell. In particular, by identifying potential buyers very early and then shaping the assets to better fit the buyer's strategy and needs, funds could create true exit options for their investments.
Invest in building capabilities. Africa's underdeveloped investment environment means that private equity firms need to build significant on-the-ground capabilities in Africa that they normally do not require in more developed markets.
The current shortage of investment banks and other middlemen that typically screen opportunities and bring them to investors means that funds often must be able to originate their own deals and perform their own due diligence. Some of the best-performing African funds have built these capabilities internally. They have invested in local offices and staff across the continent. They have hired people who intimately understand the local markets and have their own intelligence networks and personal contacts inside family businesses. Such capabilities cannot be easily acquired. They must be built over time at a very local level.
Many private equity firms also need to develop capabilities to create value in their holdings by providing management expertise and strategic guidance. They need people with the necessary business sense and field experience to make decisions that general partners will trust. In particular, there will be a growing need for mentors who can nurture relatively small companies, which is a skill in itself.
Pursuing new investment strategies in Africa will be challenging for many private equity funds, and building local capabilities may seem costly—particularly in a region where funds are already struggling to generate the returns that their investors expect. By investing to build organizations that can navigate Africa's complex investment environment, gain an inside track on the best deals, and add value to companies, firms can build powerful competitive advantages. The bold actions taken now could well differentiate the winners from the losers in what promises to be the world's greatest growth market for private equity.
This report would not have been possible without the efforts of our BCG colleagues Paul Acheson, Stéphane Baleston, Nizar Bennani, Abdeljabbar Chraïti, Jérôme Hervé, Adam Saga Ikdal, Hans Kuipers, Stefano Niavas, and Antoon Schneider.
Managing Director & Senior Partner; Head of Social Impact Practice for EMESA; Member of BCG's Executive Committee
Managing Director & Senior Partner;
Chief Client Officer & Chair, Industry Practices
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About Cyprus
Cyprus, tucked away in the top right hand corner of the Mediterranean and at the South-Eastern corner of Europe, is located between Europe, Asia and Africa and rightly claims to be a stepping stone to three continents. Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean and has been an independent country since 1960 and a member of the European Union since 1st May 2004. The history of the island goes back to the Neolithic Age, the Ancient Greeks and the Romans. Churches and monasteries still stand from Byzantine times, castles and palaces from the days of the Crusaders and Frankish Lusignans, and walls from the Venetian days.
It is an island chosen by the mythical gods and goddesses of Ancient Greece, who indulged themselves here in sport, pleasure and tragedy. Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty, emerged from the Paphos foam to become a famous cult figure-centre of attraction for the first visitors who flocked to the island to worship her. In Cyprus there are times that one can enjoy all seasons in the same day!
Through thousands of years different civilizations met on the island. Traces of this are still evident today. Even though Cyprus is one of the newest members of the European Union, it provides a door from which many professionals in Cultural Heritage may pass through to come in contact with European as well as international colleagues. Our main objective and goal by organizing this event in Cyprus is not only to bring the know-how and technology to the island, but also to
bring it to the region of the Middle East where some of the ancient civilizations of the world were born.
Location, Area and Population
Cyprus is situated in the north-eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea, 33Β° east of Greenwich and 35Β° north of the Equator and has an area of 9.251 square kilometres, of which 1.733 are forested. The population of Cyprus at the end of 2001 in the government controlled area was 705.500. The total population of Cyprus at the end of 2001 (including estimates for Turkish Cypriots) was 793.100. The capital of the island is Nicosia (Lefkosia) with a population of 206.200 in the sector controlled by the government of the Republic of Cyprus. It is situated roughly in the centre of the island and is the seat of government as well as the main business centre. The 1974 Turkish invasion and occupation of nearly 37% of the island's territory literally cut the capital in half.
Cyprus has played a leading role in the history of the Eastern Mediterranean. Her history is one of the most ancient in the world. The oldest remains of civilisation go back more than 13000 years. Cypriot prehistory dates from the beginning of the 6th millennium BC.
The discovery of copper on the island in the third millennium BC brought wealth and trade to Cyprus. The settlement of Myceneans and later Achaeans in the 15th century BC resulted in the development of the island into an important centre of Greek civilisation. The Achaeans founded Greek kingdoms in Cyprus on the Mycenean model, and introduced the Greek language and religion as well as the Greek way of life. The institutions of these kingdoms were maintained until the Roman period. Cyprus was very well known to the ancients for her copper mines and her thick forests. Her natural wealth and her strategic position made her the bone of contention between the powers of the Eastern Mediterranean in antiquity. She was conquered in turn by the Assyrians, Egyptians and Persians. Nonetheless, Cyprus managed to preserve her language and cultural heritage intact.
In the 5th century BC Athens played an important role in the affairs of Cyprus, collaborating closely with the Cypriot kingdoms. During this period, the King of Salamis in Cyprus was Evagoras, who acquired international fame. After the division of the Empire of Alexander the Great, who had freed Cyprus from the Persians, the island became one of the most important centres of the empire of the Ptolemies of Egypt. Later, in 58BC, Cyprus came under Roman rule. Both in the Ptolemaic and the Roman period, the sanctuary of Aphrodite in Paphos was the centre of the national, religious and cultural life of the island. Christianity was brought to the island by the Apostles Paul and Barnabas. The latter came from Salamis and was the founder of the Church of Cyprus. In 330 AD, on the division of the Roman Empire, Cyprus became a province of the Byzantine Empire and from then on followed fully the fortunes of the Greek Orthodox world. The Byzantine period left a rich artistic and architectural heritage in Cyprus.
During the Crusades, Cyprus was conquered by the King of England, Richard the Lionheart, on his way to the Holy Land. Richard transferred Cyprus to the Order of Knights. The Knights then sold the island to the French Lusignans, who established a feudal kingdom on the pattern of those in the West. The Lusignan period lasted from 1192-1489 AD, when the last Lusignan Queen, Catherine Cornaro, was compelled to transfer her rights to the Republic of Venice, which ruled Cyprus until its conquest by the Turks in 1571.
The Ottoman conquest resulted in the creation of a Turkish Cypriot community in Cyprus. This population came from the members of the Ottoman army who settled on the island and from Christians who of necessity became Moslem. According to the last official census in 1960, the Turkish Cypriot community made up 18.3% of the whole population of Cyprus.
During the Ottoman period there are records of many instances when the Greeks and Turks of Cyprus joined together to struggle against the oppressive yoke of the Ottomans. Ottoman rule lasted until 1878, when the fear of the Sublime Porte of a Russian attack, led to an agreement between Britain and Turkey which provided for the cession of Cyprus to Britain in return for assistance from Britain to Turkey in the event of a Russian attack on the borders of Turkish provinces. British rule lasted till August 1960 and Cyprus was declared an independent Republic (http://www.cyprus.gov.cy).
There is a large number of websites that you can visit and learn almost all you want to know about Cyprus and its people. The websites given below are among the most important and contain even more useful links that you can visit.
- Aspects of Cyprus - (http://www.aspectsofcyprus.com)
- Cyprus Government - (http://www.pio.gov.cy & http://www.cyprus.gov.cy)
- Holidays in Cyprus - (http://www.visitcyprus.com)


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By Ramzy Baroud
During his talk sponsored by the New American Foundation in March 2008, author Parag Khanna addressed the rising challenges facing the US's global hegemony. According to Khanna, China and the European Union are the new contenders with the battlefield being a global 'geopolitical marketplace.'
Aside from Khanna's insight, one statement particularly puzzled me greatly. "Why am I talking about Europe, China, and the United States? What about Russia, what about India, what about Islam ..what about all those other powers?" Initially, I thought it must have been an error. The speaker must surely realize that Islam is a religion, not a political entity with a definable 'geopolitical marketplace.' But it was not an error, or more accurately, it was a deliberate error. Khanna went on to explain that Islam doesn't have 'that kind of coherence' that allows it to spread its power and influence, unlike the dominant other powers which he highlighted. According to that odd logic, Islam and Brazil were discussed in a similar context.
This sort of twisted reasoning has flourished as an academic discipline-turned-industry since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Sure, it existed prior to this date, but its 'experts' and their then few think-tanks were largely placed within a decidedly pro-Israel, Zionist and right-wing political orthodoxy. In the last decade or so, the relatively specialized business multiplied and became mainstream wisdom. Its numerous 'experts' – who are more like intellectual purveyors – became well-known faces in American news networks. Their once 'politically incorrect' depiction of Arabs, Muslims and the non-western world at large, became acceptable views which were then translated into actual policies used for invading countries, torturing prisoners and flushing Holy Korans down toilets.
It is impracticable to rationally argue with those who are essentially irrational. Many of us have tirelessly tried to wrangle with those who want to 'kill all Muslims' whenever someone claiming to be a Muslim is accused of carrying out or planning to carry out an attack somewhere in the world. The 'debate' rages on, not because of the power of its logic, but because of the heavy price of blood and gore that continues to be paid due to the deliberate misinformation, utter lies and subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) intellectual racism that defines much of the American media and academic discourses.
Numbers are of no relevance in such discussions because absurd media pundits are not swayed by facts. In the United States, there have been nearly 900,000 gun fatalities in the last 30 years or so (1980 to present) compared to around 3,400 terrorism-related fatalities in the last 40 years or so (1970 to present). These figures include victims of the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. This unsurprising fact was recently referenced by MSNBC's All In With Chris Hayes and raises some critical points.
If the US wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and Yemen (plus numerous other lesser acts of violence committed in the name of 'fighting terror') were indeed compelled by the preciousness of American lives, then the least US Congress should do is tighten gun control laws in their own country. But respected members of Congress are fighting the good fight to keep things as they are, in the name of protecting the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution – "..the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."
But rights are infringed at will whenever it suits US foreign policy makers and their intellectual peddlers. Despite the fact that the war on Iraq was illegal and that torture of prisoners is a loud violation of the US's own Constitution and the Bill of Rights, America's war rages on and the Guantanamo gulag is thriving. One cannot help but think that the US's legal, political and even moral blind spots must always somehow involve Muslims.
But of course it's more complicated than this. Muslims are not targeted because they are Muslim. Yes, of course, religion and skin color are important layers in the massive 'crusade' – a George W. Bush term, not mine – in America's so-called war on terror. But 'hating Islam' is also a convenient pretense to achieve foreign policy objectives that are centered around imperial domination, thus natural resources. Neither American foreign policy makers, nor their media cheerleaders who hardly take a day off from smearing everything Muslim, are not interested in Islamic theology, history, spirituality or values that are meant to espouse uprightness in the individual and righteousness in the collective. But there is an army of dishonest people who would rather comb through every shred of Islamic text to highlight passages out of context just to prove that Islam is fundamentally flawed, teaches hate or 'anti-Semitism' and that it celebrates a supposed 'culture of death.' These very men and women would have done the same, as their predecessors have, to demonize any other culture, religion or community that sat on large deposits of oil or dare exist in an area of strategic importance to the United States or within an alarming proximity to Israel.
The anti-Islam tirade received another boost following the Boston Marathon Bombings of April 15, 2013, which were blamed on two American-Chechen brothers, Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev. The anti-Muslim circus was back in town, as political jugglers, along with media acrobats seemed to reach the ever predicable conclusion: hate all Muslims and do whatever possible to exploit any tragedy to further US hegemonic interest in the Middle East. Eric Rush, a Fox News pundit, summed up that sentiment when he called for the killing of all Muslims following the bombings and then later claimed that his tweets were meant to be sarcastic. Ann Coulter, on the other hand, called for women to be put in jail for 'wearing a Hijab.'
This type of hate-mongering is of course not random, no matter how palpably 'crazy' the people behind it are. It is an essential component of ensuring that a largely uninformed public is always on board whenever the US is ready for yet another military adventure involving Muslim countries.
All of this rhetoric must also be juxtaposed with what is happening in the Middle East. There, yet a new war is brewing, one that is largely aimed at ensuring that the current chaos underway in the so-called 'Arab Spring' countries will yield favorable results from the view points of Israel, America and the west. The new push for military intervention started with Israeli allegations that the Syrian regime is using chemical weapons against opposition forces, followed by British-French allegations, and finally, despite brief hesitation, concurred by U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel.
Over 70,000 people have reportedly been killed in the Syrian civil war. In the last two years it has become a hub for unprecedented regional and international rivalry, a Great Game of sorts. The US, Israel and their allies have watched as Syria, once considered a 'threat' to Israeli security, descended into inconceivable brutality involving the Syrian army, various factions and bands of fighters from near and far. It was a matter of time before the US and its allies made their move to seal Syria's fate and to ensure quiet at the Israeli northeastern frontier.
For that to happen, Muslims must be hated and dehumanized in ways that would make war a tad less ugly and future violence, in some odd way, 'justifiable.'
The official purpose of Hagel's recent visit to Israel was to finalize US arms sales to Israel and other countries which total about $10 billion. Knowing how such weapons have been used in the past, one can hardly appreciate the 'sarcasm' in Eric Rush's tweet of wanting to 'kill them all.' Per the history of US foreign policy, violent words often translate into violent action and here lies the real danger of the supposedly crazy bunch who equate Islam to Brazil and wish to incarcerate women for wearing scarves.
– Ramzy Baroud (www.ramzybaroud.net) is an internationally-syndicated columnist and the editor of PalestineChronicle.com. His latest book is: My Father was A Freedom Fighter: Gaza's Untold Story (Pluto Press).


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Android API Differences Report
This report details the changes in the core Android framework API between two API Level specifications. It shows additions, modifications, and removals for packages, classes, methods, and fields. The report also includes general statistics that characterize the extent and type of the differences.
This report is based a comparison of the Android API specifications whose API Level identifiers are given in the upper-right corner of this page. It compares a newer "to" API to an older "from" API, noting all changes relative to the older API. So, for example, API elements marked as removed are no longer present in the "to" API specification.
To navigate the report, use the "Select a Diffs Index" and "Filter the Index"
controls on the left. The report uses text formatting to indicate interface names,
links to reference documentation
, and links to change
description. The statistics are accessible from the "Statistics" link in the upper-right corner.
For more information about the Android framework API and SDK, see the Android Developers site.
Added Packages | |
android.content.pm.verify.domain |
android.hardware.lights |
android.view.displayhash |