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In my mind, Kosovo is a series of snapshots:
There is the bus we took to get here, which has no license plates because vehicles with Serbian plates in Kosovo or Kosovo plates in Serbia might be damaged when left unattended.
There is the flag of Kosovo, almost always accompanied by the Albanian flag, the EU flag, and the American flag. Outside of Kosovo's capital, people display the Albanian and Serbian flags far more often than the national flag of Kosovo, which was designed by Western diplomats after international intervention brought the war here to a standstill.
There are KFOR vehicles. One drives through the city. One drives up to a monument, just long enough for the men inside to peer out at the two guards (one is an Albanian Kosovar, the other is a Serbian Kosovar) to make sure they are getting along, and then pulls away. Five of them swarm the checkpoint in front of a 14th Century monastery. The men inside them wear uniforms from Turkey, Italy, and other countries contributing troops to the NATO peacekeeping mission in Kosovo. They are here to keep the peace. They carry machine guns.
The bridge in Mitrovica, a city divided between people who are Serb and Albanian by ethnicity but Kosovar by citizenship (kind of–that part's complicated). This is one of the last towns in Kosovo where you can find a concentrated population of Serbs; it is also one of the last towns to recover from violence. Until this year, our program did not bring students to Mitrovica.
Graffiti, where the conflict rages on between Serbs, Albanians, and the international community. Graffiti claiming who belongs where and where Kosovo belongs. Graffiti telling America and the UN to "go home."
A woman sitting out in the rain, a napkin neatly placed in front of her on the ground waiting for donations. A man stops and gives her an umbrella. One woman walks past her, like most people, but turns when she's half-way up the stairs and returns with coins.
A man parallel parking, squeezing his car between two others in front of the restaurant. Another man driving by stops, honks his horn, and uses hand signals to help the first man park. Then he drives away.
A student we stop and ask for directions who asks where we're from and begs us to meet him for coffee and conversation later.
Our waiter at a local vegetarian restaurant who remembers exactly what we ordered the night before and tells us it's okay if we can't afford the cake on our last night here. "We can just give it to you."
A statue of Mother Theresa (she was born here).
The poster of a girl from the city of Peć who is the world champion in Judo. Because Kosovo is not recognized by the UN as a country, she competed in the Olympics as an Albanian.
+Unpaved roads. +Newly built houses. +Gas stations. +The EU flag. +More Albanian flags.
My perception of Kosovo is disjointed. Its people are determined to have Kosovo recognized as an independent country; however, as one politician described it, Kosovo at this moment looks like a "NATO state." I struggle to understand what it means to be Kosovar–aside from the fact that being Kosovar means struggle. People I listened to define themselves by who they are not, or by who they consider a friend. This is why the flag of Kosovo is accompanied by the flags of Albania, Serbia, the United States, and the EU, among others. The flag of Kosovo on its own is meaningless. Every time I see it, I think I'm seeing the EU flag at first. Based on my impression, that's all the flag of Kosovo is: a reminder that this state is under international supervision. Without the Albanian or Serbian flag next to it, the Kosovar identity is unstable.
Absolutely I believe that Kosovo has its own identity; I believe that people here can live as Kosovars without the need to assure you they are Serbian or Albanian by ethnicity. They chose to live in Kosovo rather than seek refuge in Serbia or Albania, which to me indicates that something about this state is more meaningful to their identity than the flags of those countries. But the flag of Kosovo does not reflect whatever that identity is. Until Kosovars find a way to express their national identity, the international community will only see the flags of Albania, Serbia, the United States and the EU. The international community will not understand who Kosovars are and why they deserve independence.

subset: commoncrawl


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Active Ingredients: Yerba Mansa root, Pleurisy root, Lomatium root, Grindelia herb, Wild Cherry bark, Goldenseal root, Elecampane root, Burdock root, Cinnamon bark,
Other Ingredients: Vegetable glycerine, Rocky Mountain artesian spring water & organic gluten-free alcohol.


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Plant returns and exchanges:
Here at Greener House Nursery we always try our best to source excellent plant stock from Australian growers. Our plants come from all over the country and from multiple growers. Our mission here at Greener House is to provide high quality, affordable plants alongside correct and accessible information and guidance directly from us.
What sets Greener House apart is that we are always available to talk via email or Facebook if you require care information, and we also work really hard to publish our own guides to our website for free. You are never alone in your plant journey.
However, if a plant you have purchased has health issues originating from before your purchase please contact us immediately and we will organise an exchange or refund. We care that your indoor plant experience is positive and productive!
To help the process run smoothly please take as many photos as you can and contact us directly. Please provide proof of purchase. If you are a member with us we will have your receipt in our computer system. If not, you can tell us the time and date of your transaction and we will be able to find the transaction in our system.
Plants are a living organism and must be treated correctly to guarantee proper health; therefore, we only offer refunds and exchanges within 30 days of purchase. This is why we ask that you contact us as soon as possible so that we can work towards a quick solution.
We do not accept change of mind returns.
Please contact us via email@example.com or message our Facebook page to organise a refund or exchange. Make sure to contact us online before coming in store to make sure we can help you. Be sure to include the following details:
- Proof of purchase
- Photos of any issues
- A detailed description of the issue
We are happy to work with you to find a solution.
Other Products and Accessories
We offer a 30 days return policy on all other products you have purchased if they are faulty or damaged. Please follow the steps set out above to make the return process as smooth as possible.
Products Purchased Online
If you have received a product via our online store that is faulty or damaged your return can be made in-store or via post/courier within 30 days. So that we may refund the item, plus any extra postage charges incurred, please make sure to contact us in the same way as detailed above to organise a return. We do not accept change of mind returns.
Online products can look different online than they do in person, that is why we do offer a change of mind exchange within 14 days of receipt, provided the item is shipped back to us at the customer's expense. This policy excludes plants.
We thank you for your cooperation and understanding. Greener House Nursery is a small business run by only a handful of hard working people. We are constantly learning and trying to improve Greener House so that we can provide the best service possible. Your feedback is greatly appreciated and we are constantly trying to implement new and exciting ways of bringing more indoor plants into your life.
Thank you,
Joshua Tynan - Greener House Director and Founder


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The Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown says he has legal advice that the emergency heritage listing of the Jordan River levee site near Hobart means no roadworks can be done there.
The Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke has decided to grant the emergency listing, saying the site provides Tasmanian Aborigines with a direct link to their ancestors and is culturally important for future generations.
The area at Brighton contains about three million indigenous artefacts, some up to 42,000 years old.
A bridge is scheduled to be built over the levee, as part of the $176 million Brighton Bypass project.
Bob Brown says his advice is that the listing means the bridge cannot be built.
"There are severe penalties for causing significant damagee to such a site," Senator Brown said.
"Now that can't happen - you can't put this bridge through this heritage site without causing significant damage.
"The Minister has done the right thing by giving emergency listing and it now warrants the full weight of the Commonwealth in terms of analysing the values of this site and ensuring its protection."
But the State Heritage Minister Brian Wightman says he has advice from the Commonwealth that the listing will not affect work on the bypass, and the Federal Minister Tony Burke says there is nothing he can do to stop the bridge.
Mr Burke says Federal approval for the bypass had already been given when the artefacts were discovered, and that approval cannot be reversed.
"No matter how the issue of the road is resolved, we have a site here of extraordinary significance that should be considered under the processes we have for the National Heritage Council, as to whether or not it should be formally listed for national heritage."
Aborigines celebrate
Tasmanian Aborigines are celebrating the Federal Government's intervention.
Michael Mansell of the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre says the emergency heritage listing is a good development.
"This is an absolutely wonderful piece of news and it is a tremendous boost to the campaign to gain, not only recognition of the importance of this area to the people of Tasmania generally, but also to the struggle that we've had to endure and maintain to get the Federal Government to intervene," Mr Mansell said.
Aboriginal Heritage Officer Aaron Everett says it is further recognition an alternative route for the bypass is needed.
"It's a big step for the Aboriginal community, just to find that the area is going to be put on the heritage listing you know it's certainly going to make the wider community see the significance of this area," he said.
"We've known what this area means to the Aboriginal community and it's just good to see the Federal Government have actually seen what's going on and have taken a step forward."
The Commonwealth will now undertake an assessment to determine if the site needs permanent protection.
It is expected to make a recommendation by October next year.


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LTA has forged a partnership with Andrew Means and The Impact Lab.
This partnership allows us to offer top-of-the-line Data Analytics services to our clients.
The Impact Lab's tag line: Helping organizations doing good, do better.
The LTA team works closely with Andrew to make sure that his design and analysis skills are front and center, we handle the rest – so that his impact can reach more clients.
About Andrew
- One of 8 People to Watch in 2014 from the Journal of Philanthropy for his work w data
- Associate Director of the Center for Data Science & Public Policy at the University of Chicago
- Founder and President: The Impact Lab
About the Impact Lab
Data, Analytics, and Research for Good
Simply put, we help you answer your questions.
What is our impact?
How effective is this program?
What can our company do to increase the return on investment of our corporate social responsibility initiatives?
How should we talk about our impact?
We're happy to brainstorm and discuss your Data Analytics needs, whether it be a straightforward survey or a sophisticated year-over-year analysis of your Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation data.
Just reach out to Robert Leming, email@example.com to get things started. We'd love to discuss your challenges.


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Imagine tucking in at your favorite sushi restaurant… the tea is poured, the seaweed salad has been consumed, and you're eagerly awaiting the arrival of your first sushi roll. The plate of sushi arrives, packed with raw fish, and your mouth begins to water. While sushi isn't everyone's favorite food, no one bats an eye at the fact that most sushi contains raw fish.
People would have a much bigger issue if someone invited them to try out a new raw chicken restaurant that just opened. Raw pork? Raw beef? Not something you see on many – if any – menus… so why is there this huge discrepancy? Why can some meats be eaten raw, while others can't?
Short Answer: Certain forms of raw meat are far less prone to pathogens, bacteria or viruses that can infect humans. A number of factors affect whether you can eat raw meat, including preparation, hygienic conditions, source of the meat, and species of the animal.
Raw Meat in Your Diet
While some people are incredibly paranoid about their food being undercooked, there are actually a number of meats that you can eat raw. Believe it or not, you probably already do. Beef tartare is a popular dish in certain European nations, and that consists of raw beef. Eating raw beef isn't widespread, but people who prefer their steaks rare are leaning towards the raw side of that meat. Raw beef can contain bacteria on the surface, but parasites can't penetrate the dense meat, so most of the dangers lie on the exterior. That's why a rare steak, once the outside has been cooked, is perfectly safe to eat in most cases. Furthermore, there are few pathogens that cross between cows and humans, decreasing the risk even further.
Raw pork isn't something you hear about too often, but that is more because of the taste and consistency of raw pork, versus cooked pork. Cooking this meat tenderizes the meat, and improves the flavor significantly. Pork is also far more susceptible to trichinosis, a parasitic infection of the tissue, as well as worm cysts. Pigs who grow up in pens and don't have access to a normal omnivorous diet have a high risk for these illnesses, which can be passed on to humans.
Even the thought of raw chicken turns people's stomachs in many cases, immediately conjuring up the word Salmonella and the violent gastrointestinal days to follow. It's true that chickens tend to harbor a large amount of salmonella and E. coli, particularly when kept caged up without access to their normal diet. However, there are some who believe that properly pastured, healthy chickens can be eaten raw, but few people forego a perfectly cooked piece of chicken for a slippery raw breast…
Fish, on the other hand, is the great raw option for those who can't stand the idea of waiting for something to cook. Sashimi and sushi restaurants are wildly popular all over the world, and most people don't bat an eye at eating raw fish. The reason for this is that most fish is caught in cold waters and then frozen before being served to you. On the off-chance that there are parasites or cysts in the fish, they are killed during this process. There is also a huge difference – evolutionarily speaking – between fish and mammals, and far fewer pathogens are able to "cross over". Finally, fish that you buy is usually not ground or mixed, which is common in beef, chicken and pork (e.g., ground beef). This means that one infected fish won't be able to also infect large volumes of commercially sold fish.
How Do You Know When It's Safe?
As we showed above, there is not a black-and-white answer when it comes to eating raw meat, but the most important factors to consider are how the meat is prepared, where it came from, and under what conditions the animal has been raised. Even when it comes to sushi, fish that has been thawed out and refrozen or refrigerated for an extended period might not be your best choice. Eat sushi from restaurants that get their fish fresh or within 2-3 days – there are plenty of delicious and reputable sushi spots out there!
When it comes to beef, you want to ensure that the cows were not raised in tightly packed conditions and forced to eat grain from troughs their whole life. Words like free-range and organic have become slightly misleading in recent years, as the definition of these terms is subjective. Look for grass-fed beef if you want to make steak tartare or ensure that even your raw beef is safe. Cows evolved to digest every nutrient that is available in grass, but the same isn't true of grain. A strong, grass-fed cow that spent its days roaming a pasture will have a healthy immune system and pose little threat to people who choose to eat it raw. In other words… not like these guys…
In terms of chicken and eggs, you want to find chickens that have been "pastured", which is basically the same as grass-fed. This means that they will enjoy their proper diet of insects and grubs (they're omnivores, after all), rather than purely chicken feed. This will allow them to have a strong immune system, which they won't have if they are on a purely "vegetarian" diet. Also, ground chicken faces many of the same risks as beef and pork, allowing potentially contaminated meat to blend with perfectly good meat from countless other animals.
Pork is something that few people would ever choose to eat raw, as the flavor and texture improves significantly when it's cooked. Considering the conditions in which so many pigs live, and how few are allowed to roam widely and eat their preferred diet, it's best to avoid trichinosis and keep your bacon cooked!
Basically, you can potentially trust raw meat from farms and distributors that employ humane and sustainable methods of raising their animals, but remember, there is always a certain amount of risk with raw meat, so choose wisely!
- Raw Foodism – Wikipedia
- Microbial Pathogens in Raw Pork, Chicken, and Beef: Benefit Estimates for Control Using Irradiation – Oxford Academic (Oxford University Press)
- Time.com
- Sushi Delights and Parasites: The Risk of Fishborne and Foodborne Parasitic Zoonoses in Asia – Oxford Academic (Oxford University Press)


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Urban Decay's New Monochromatic Palette Is Coming At You So Soon
A trend seems to be emerging in beauty for spring, and one of your favorite cosmetics brands is in on the action. What's this mystery product and trend? Think pink because Urban Decay's new Backtalk palette is coming, and it's part of a larger movement. From Viseart's new palette to Kim Kardashian's hair, pink is in, and this gorgeous collection of colors proves that UD has cashed in on what may be the biggest trend of spring.
If you want to get the palette before the first official day or floral skirts and open toed shoes, when can that happen? Good news, UD fans. The Backtalk palette is coming your way so soon.
The brand announced the latest addition to their eyeshadow, blush, and highlighter lineup earlier this week, and the hype certainly seemed to be real. Comments on the brand's Instagram images range from tears over wallets (because fans need this beauty) to praise for the easy to travel with shape and design of the new product.
Thankfully, those who have already fallen in love with the mauves and pinks of the palette and its dual sides don't have to wait long to snag it. According to the brand's Instagram, the Backtalk Palette is set to launch on Mar. 8, so mark your calendars, Urban Decay fans, because this travel-friendly, on-trend palette may just be the must-have of spring.
Urban Decay Backtalk Palette, $46, Sephora
According to the brand's social media page, the Backtalk palette was inspired by their bestselling Vice lipstick of the same name. The comfort matte lipstick is a stunning pink hue, and it's clear in the new palette that it was certainly created around that shade. Inside, Urban Decay customers will see eight eyeshadow shades with a mix of metallic and matte finishes on one side, and on the other, they'll have coordinating blushes and highlighters meant to craft the perfect monochromatic look. All you need to complete it is the Backtalk Vice lipstick.
Urban Decay Backtalk Palette, $46, Sephora
If you were worried about the price, don't be. If you've shopped Urban Decay before and are familiar with their pricing, this cost won't be a surprise to you. According to the Urban Decay website, the Backtalk Palette will retail for $46. That's slightly less than their famous Naked Palettes, and while this has fewer eyeshadow shades, it does come with a removable mirror, two highlights, and two blushes, so the retail price certainly seems fair in comparison to the brand's other products.
Urban Decay Backtalk Palette, $46, Sephora
This also isn't the first time that Urban Decay has launched a dual sided palette. Back in April of last year, the brand launched the Naked Shapeshifter palette which also features two sides. One can be used for color correcting and highlighting with cream products while the other is designed for contouring with powders. It was an all-in-one contour, highlight, and color correcting palettes, and now, they're moving that design in shadows, blushes, and highlights with Backtalk.
Urban Decay Backtalk Palette, $46, Sephora
Where will you be able to shop the palette? It's going to be an exclusive to Urban Decay's website, their stores, and Sephora. If you were planning to shop at Ulta, you may need to look up your closest Sephora or UD location to swatch this beauty in person.
Even before the launch, fans have already started praising the lipstick inspired, monochromatic palette on social media.
It's no surprise that fans are stoked though given the brand's reputation for crafting cult classic shadows. Those Naked palettes anyone? There's a reason even Naked I is still around.
If you're a lover of all things pink and mauve, adore monochromatic looks, or have an obsession with the Backtalk Vice lipstick, the new Urban Decay Backtalk Palette may just be your new beauty bae. Mark your calendar for Mar. 8 because this stunner is coming at you super soon.


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SIMON COWELL XFACTOR GROUP LYRIC 145 HAS NEW MUSIC & ORIGINAL OUTLOOK Guess who is back, like they...
X-factor's live performance aired on Fox Network was full of peaking 'boobs', over the top costumes, and weird...
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Location: Barcelona, Spain
Arch Coll:Â Josep Ribas
Year: 2017
Fruit of the same Avila contest, in the case of Enric Granados, the added value of the building is given by its situation. Here you should optimize the parking (not the object of this contest) and control that the space to the street did not serve the homeless to sleep or people can pee. The lobby is too dark, so we propose a change of materials, with a large format porcelain stoneware in light color (off-white). Also, the new integrated lighting (linear profiles embedded in the ceiling) and stainless steel linings must allow to generate reflections and change the overall appearance. Allowing to work outdoors is a real treat. In the case of a single tenant, it is important to make the terraces accessible from as many levels as possible through diferent stairs … In that case, the ground floor would be a cafeteria, a place for informal meetings, meeting rooms, hot desk stands (Unassigned) and other facilities. In addition to the eco-efficiency criteria of both buildings, in the case of Enric Granados, there will be a space in the building to build a rainwater collector to irrigate the new gardens.


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New York Republicans gathered on Friday in Rochester to begin choosing a candidate to challenge the Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand, a Democrat, for one of the state's United States Senate seats.
Wendy E. Long, a Manhattan lawyer active in conservative circles; George Maragos, the Nassau County comptroller; and Representative Bob Turner, a congressman who represents portions of Brooklyn and Queens, were chosen to face off in a primary election. John Eligon reported on the convention and filed this video dispatch.


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9th November 1956, Page 53
9th November 1956
Page 53
Page 53, 9th November 1956Close
New International Traffic Rules Soon?
E International Convention on Road Traffic, which was signed at Geneva in September, 1949, may be ratified by the Government early next year. The Minister of Transport said last......
Speed Limit Meeting Postponed
T HE further discussion between the employers and the unions, expected to have taken place at the end of October, on the proposal to increase the speed limit on heavy goods......


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Sadly, I did not review Denzel Curry's TA13OO album. When it first dropped, I'll admit, I slept on it. And I thought it would be wack of me to try and play catch-up. It was arguably the best hip-hop album of 2018 nonetheless. Luckily for me, the South Florida artist returned rather quickly. Less than a year after TA13OO, Denzel Curry is still in his bag. At a concise 29 minutes, these 12 tracks embody the tropical yet gritty atmosphere of America's southernmost metropolis. This album is brash, cool, and clean like early-2000's Brad Pitt in a white linen button-up. The title track opens up the project well. Curry's vocal layers rest gorgeously atop an eerie sample loop. Each track transitions forward in effortless fashion, showcasing the young emcee's diverse sonic palette. Songs like "WISH" and "P.A.T." would typically never appear on the same hip-hop record. Here they flourish.
Although ZUU pales in comparison in terms of lyrical substance to his past work, it is a refreshing change of pace. Each album marks a new level of growth for Denzel. He urged his fans on Twitter to approach this album with an open mind. Some underrate him while others gas him ceaselessly. Personally, I find him properly rated, though I do believe many gloss over his talents. Few of his contemporaries match melody, madness, and musicality such as he. This is for those who are unsure of Curry's brand of rap. He is not always intense and introspective. He knows how to have fun too. "SHAKE 88" is a strip-club anthem perfect for those endless summer nights. Even though it's not my favorite type of track, it serves its purpose with competence. Additionally, "SPEEDBOAT" and "RICKY" are solid singles. These casual bangers bridge the gap between suave and grime.
Conversely, I still have my gripes with this project. In spite of pristine production value, ZUU features two handfuls of surface-level lyrics and unexceptional guests. Coming from an artist of Curry's caliber, these shake-that-ass and grab-the-strap bars deflate over time. However, he indeed sprinkles his potential throughout this album, hinting at what is to come in subsequent years. And while he does water down his substance here, he still met his goal of releasing of a homegrown-vibe record. From start to finish, ZUU is entertaining and easily digestible. It functions as a seasonal placeholder, but with much more polish than your average rap act — in about half the time. Basic bars aside, these beats ebb and flow successfully beneath Denzel Curry's high-energy performances. This will not go down as one of the year's best. Yet for the next couple months, it will come in handy for playlisters across the country.


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'A home away from home' in the truest sense!
Our institute has a well equipped hostel for students. For parents and students alike reaching out for a hostel can be an overwhelming experience. For the former it is sending their precious away from them. And, for the latter a new life where every step, each decision and every endeavor will act as a fuel to shape their future!
We at GHRAET ensure to engrave a culture to aid the students in adjusting, learning and living in a conducive environment. It's our priority to provide them with social, mental and physical safety. Comprehensive care along with the latest in technology tools are made to work in the arena of safety measures. Alarm systems, warden, security staff are pursued for accomplishing the same.
Our hostel rooms are well furnished and have adequate lighting and ventilation facilities. We do comprehend the need to study in the late hours after college, thus, we have well equipped reading rooms to make this easier. We do have a round the clock power supply. After a diligent day at college the students need recreation facilities at their disposal. Hence, we have the recreation room to relax. And, for the sportsperson in you, plenty of sports facilities to hone your gaming skill or simply bask in the freshness!
That one aspect that the students miss the most is the home cooked food. It is to take care of this criterion our mess provides with piping hot and fresh food for them. It is every bit delicious and maintains the hygiene standards. We do comprehend the need of medical assistance at any time of the day. Hence, we make sure to provide them with 24/7 ambulance facility and medical assistance if the need might arise.
The hostel provides with:-
- Well furnished and spacious rooms with cot, study table, chair and cupboard- aiding in making education as your sole aim
- Mess providing with hot and fresh food- to keep you energized
- Recreation room to relax- to replenish you after a day's work
- 24/7 ambulance availability- to tackle any health related issues
- A Medical facility for assistance- to assure health care
- Uninterrupted power supply- Eliminating any obstacles
- Sports facility - to ensure an all round development
And, before we wrap up:-
Your college life is the first experience you witness the world as an individual. Away from the heaven of your parents' arms, you have immense to look forward to. They have trusted you with their money, their dreams and your life. Enjoy this beautiful phase of your life, but do remember to inculcate it with discipline, knowledge and skills. The studies you pursue here, the knowledge you gain in this tenure and the character you build will be the stepping stone for your future. Make every minute count!
Student Life
Atheletics / Sports
"Sports is a metaphor for overcoming obstacles and achieving against great odds. Athletes, in times of difficulty, can be important role models."- Bill Bradley
This is exactly in our mind when we encourage sports in GHRAET. Development of uniqueness in character, the 'never say never' attitude and a raring attribute to fight till the last sweat drop are gifts of sports. And, we definitely aspire to endow it on our students. Education is not just about academic knowledge and its practical application. It is building of the personality, enriching human life and ingesting the finest character traits. Undoubtedly, all of this is possible with sports.
Thus, our curriculum has been so designed which inculcates rich academics along with sports activities in the day to day life of the students. We are bound to fabricate a healthy community and develop lifelong connections with the society; we are very much a part of.
We aim to develop the following attributes associated with Sports at GHRAET
- Development of sports forum
- A sports coordinator assigned to every institute
- Intra group sports competition to be organized periodically
- Invite sports personality in the college to give lectures and take sessions to benefit students
- Organization of a grand event in the college at the college or the University level
- Awards for the sports personality of the year
- Scholarships for the eligible sportsperson.
the above aims in mind, we have catered to the following salient features of sports in our colleges:-
- Outdoor games- a plethora of outdoor games make sure to provide the much-needed fitness regime for students. Hence, we have the separate outdoor grounds for volleyball, cricket and football.
- Indoor games- we comprehend the need for indoor sports facilities for our students. Hence, we have developed table tennis, carom, chess, pool and other similar facilities in our indoor sports room. They are well equipped, well lit and well ventilated. There are sports teacher available to assist the students with any query or guide them better.
- Competitions- periodically inter- group competitions are organized in the college to motivate the sports person. Then, there is also the intercollegiate held to choose the better among the best.
- Scholarships- the deserving candidates/students are always applauded by the RGI. Hence, we provide them with scholarships to do better in their field.
In the Raisoni Group of Institution, there is always an amalgamation between the knowledge through books and that through sports.
Whenever in doubt remember-"Champions keep playing until they get it right"- Billie Jean King
Department Magazine


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Oh Hot Damn This Is My Jam—Use these sassy stickers to add some personality to your mason jar lids for your homemade canned jam, jelly, or fruit preserves. These labels are just the thing to make your jars gift-ready!
- Set of 6 stickers
- Choose the size from the first drop-down. The sizes listed are for the diameter in inches, and are optimized for regular and wide mouth sized mason jar canning lids.
- Choose the fruit that you would like on your stickers. If you would like a mix of different fruits, please specify the varieties and quantities in the "note to seller" box at checkout.
Custom sizes are available upon request. Don't see the fruit that you're canning? Send me a convo—I'd be happy to create stickers for any fruit of your choice!
These stickers are NOT waterproof. They should be applied to your canning lids after the jars have been fully dried and cooled.
Please note: these stickers are made to order and will take 1-3 days before they will ship.


text: Listen Radio Spice FM Live Online Streaming. Spice FM Telugu is a first Telugu language online radio station which delivers music of all genres in various languages. The main theme of Radio Spice FM is to promote local talent and local product at the global stage. Founded by Mr. Pratap Kolagatla in year 2017. Its transmission home located in 3rd Floor, SQuareindia Enclave, Ring Road, VizianaGaram, Andhra Pradesh. It also try to plays evergreen best songs and news in local language.


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This is the presentation that I gave at the recent SAAHE conference in Port Elizabeth.
Tag: systematic review
When I was at the WCPT conference last year I came across the CONSORT guidelines for the publication of systematic reviews of RCTS, which I'd never heard of before. I made a note to look it up and finally got around to doing it. I thought would be quite helpful in planning and carrying out these kinds of research projects, so I'm sharing a few notes here.
CONSORT stands for Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials and is an "evidence-based, minimum set of recommendations for reporting randomized trials". In addition to the CONSORT statement, there is a checklist that can be used for evaluating the quality of reports of clinical trials. It is, in essence, a description of how to conduct and report on systematic reviews. If you're interested in conducting systematic reviews of any trials, then this is definitely something to pay attention to.
Additional resources for the CONSORT guidelines
- CONSORT 2010 Statement: updated guidelines for reporting parallel group randomised trials. BMJ 2010; 340 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.c332 (Published 24 March 2010)
- CONSORT checklist for reviewing reports of trials
- Link to a PDF of the Consort diagram.
Our faculty has implemented a 3 year research project looking at improving Student Success and Engagement in the faculty. The project is being coordinated across several departments in the faculty and is the first time that we are collaborating on this scale. I will be using this blog as a public progress report of the project, in order to highlight our processes and challenges, as well as to report on draft findings. Here is the abstract of the project proposal.
Achieving promising throughput rates and improving retention remains a challenge for most higher education institutions. Student success in South African higher education has been unsatisfactory and universities have not been effective in developing strategies to enhance students' learning experiences. Low throughput and poor retention rates have been identified as challenges in the Faculty of Community and Health Sciences at UWC. While success rates of students in the faculty are reported as students who complete their qualification in the shortest possible time, many students require an additional year to graduate. It is important to develop strategies that exploit students' capacity to engage in their learning, as this may create a space that is conducive to student success. Therefore, the aim of this project is to identify and implement strategies to improve student success in the CHS faculty at UWC through an exploration of student and lecturer engagement. This project will explore student engagement in relation to the domains of assessment, academic literacies and tutoring.
Design-based research has been selected the overarching method as it is informed by the teacher's desire to improve learning, based on sound theoretical principles. All of the undergraduate students (N=2595) and lecturers in the CHS faculty will be invited to participate in this study. Phase 1 includes the implementation of the South African Survey for Student Engagement (SASSE) and the Lecturer Survey for Student Engagement (LSSE). We will also conduct in-depth interviews and focus group discussions among key informants, who are likely to have insight into the challenges experienced in the areas of assessment, literacy and tutoring, and will be identified through purposive sampling. In addition, document analyses of UWC Assessment policy, Teaching and Learning policy and the Charter of Graduate Attributes will be conducted.
During phase 2, a systematic review will be conducted in order to ascertain which interventions have been demonstrated to increase student engagement in higher education. This data will be combined with the insights gained from Phase 1, and used to inform a series of workshops and seminars in the faculty, aimed at developing and refining principles to enhance student engagement. In addition, course evaluations and other documents will be reviewed, and data related to the domains of assessment, literacies and tutoring will be extracted and compared to the recommended guidelines and principles derived from the systematic review. These principles will then be used to inform interventions that are then implemented in the CHS faculty.
Following implementation of the interventions, Phase 3 will consist of focus group discussions with lecturers and the students who were involved in the project, especially those in areas of assessment, literacy and tutoring. A second South African Survey of Student Engagement (SASSE) and Lecturer Survey of Student Engagement (LSSE) will be conducted at the end of 2016 in order to determine if there has been a change in student engagement. By the end of Phase 3 of the project, a range of interventions within the domains of assessment, literacies and tutoring would have been implemented and evaluated. Ethics clearance will be sought from the University of the Western Cape Senate Research Committee, as well as permission from the Registrar and the various Heads of Department in the Faculty.
This is quite a long post. Basically I've been trying to situate my current research into a larger curriculum development project and this post is just a reflection of my progress so far. It's probably going to have big gaps and be unclear in sections. I'm OK with that.
Earlier this week our department had a short workshop on developing the cases that we're going to use next year in one of our modules. We're going to try and use cases to develop a set of skills and attitudes that are lacking in our students. These include challenges with (text in brackets are stereotypical student perspectives):
- Problem solving and clinical reasoning (Tell me what the answer is so that I can memorise it)
- Critical analysis (Everything I read has the same value)
- Empathy (The patient is an object I use to develop technical skills)
- Communication (The use of appropriate professional terminology isn't important)
- Groupwork (Assessment is a zero sum game…if you score more than me it bumps me down the ranking in the class, therefore I don't help you)
- Knowing vs Understanding (It's more important for me to know the answer than to understand the problem)
- Integration of knowledge into practice (What I learn in class is separate to what I do with patients)
- Integration of knowledge from different domains (I can't examine a patient with a respiratory problem because I'm on an orthopaedic rotation)
- Poor understanding of the use of technology to facilitate learning (social networks are for socialising, not learning)
I know it might seem like a bit much to think that merely moving to case-based learning is going to address all of the above, but we think it'll help to develop these areas in which the students are struggling. The results of my ongoing PhD research project will be helping in the development of this module in the following ways:
- The survey I began with in 2009 has given us an idea of digital literacy skills of this population, as well as some of the ways in which they learn.
- The systematic review has helped us to understand some of the benefits and challenges of a blended approach to clinical education.
- The Delphi study (currently in the second round) has already identified many of the difficulties that our clinicians and clinical supervisors experience in terms of developing the professional and personal attributes of capable and competent students. This study will attempt to highlight teaching strategies that could help to develop the above mentioned problems.
- I've also just finished developing and testing the data capture sheet that I'll be using for a document analysis of the curriculum in order to determine alignment.
- Later next year I'll be conducting an evaluation of the new module, using a variety of methods.
All of the above information is being fed into the curriculum development process that we're using to shift our teaching strategy from a top-down, didactic approach to a blended approach to teaching and learning. Development of the cases is one of the first major steps we're taking as part of this curriculum development process. I'll try to summarise how the cases are being developed and how they'll be used in the module. This module is called "Applied Physiotherapy" and it's basically where students learn about the physiotherapy management of common conditions.
In the past, these conditions were divided into systems and taught within those categories e.g. all orthopaedic conditions were covered together. The problem is that this effectively silo's the information and students see little crossover. In fact, reality is very rarely so conveniently categorised. Patients with orthopaedic conditions may develop respiratory complications as a result of prolonged bed rest. Patients with TB often also present with peripheral neuropathy, as a result of the association of TB with HIV. So, the purpose of the cases is also to integrate different conditions to help students understand the complexity of real-world cases.
In the first term we'll use 2 very simple cases that each run for 3 weeks. The reason that the cases are simple is that we're also going to be introducing many new ideas that the students may have little experience with and which are important for participation in the cases e.g. computer workshops for the online environment, concept mapping, group dynamics, presentation skills, etc. The cases will increase in complexity over time as the students feel more comfortable with the process.
Each case will have an overview that highlights the main concepts, learning outcomes, teaching activities, assessment tasks and evaluation components that the case encompasses. The case will be broken up into parts, the number of which will depend on the duration and complexity of the case. After the presentation of each part, the students (in their small groups) will go through this process:
- What do I know that will help me to solve this problem?
- What do I think I know that I'm uncertain of?
- What don't I know that I need to learn more about?
These questions should help the students develop a coherent understanding of the knowledge they already have that they can build on, as well as the gaps in understanding that they need to fill before they can move on with the case. Each part will involve students allocating tasks that need to be completed before the next session and role allocation is done by each group prior to the introduction of the case. During this process, facilitators will be present within the groups in order to make sure that students have not left out important concepts e.g. precautions and contraindications of conditions.
At the next session, each member of the small groups present to each other within the small groups. The purpose of this is to consolidate what has been learned, clarify important concepts and identify how they're going to move forward. At the end of each week each small group presents to the larger group. This gives them the opportunity to evaluate their own work in relation to the work of others, make sure that all of the major concepts are included in their case notes, as well as opportunities to learn and practice presentation skills. Students will also be expected to evaluate other groups' work.
There will be a significant online component to the cases in the form of a social network built on WordPress and Buddypress. We will begin by providing students with appropriate sources that they can consult at each stage of the process. Over time we'll help them develop skills in the critical analysis of sources so that they begin to identify credibility and authority and choose their own sources. They will also use the social network for collaborative groupwork, communication, and the sharing of resources.
Finally, here are some of the tasks we're going to include as part of the cases, as well as the outcomes they're going to measure (I've left out citations because this has been a long post and I'm tired, but all of these are backed by research):
- Concept mapping – determine students' understanding of the relationships between complex concepts
- Poetry analysis – development of personal and professional values e.g. compassion, empathy
- Reflective blogging – development of self-awareness, critical evaluation of their own understanding, behaviours and professional practices
- Peer evaluation – critical analysis of own and others' work
- Case notes – development of documentation skills
- Presentations – ability to choose important ideas and convey them concisely using appropriate language
This is about where we are at the moment. During the next few months we'll refine these ideas, as well as the cases, and begin with implementation next year. During my evaluation of the module, I'll be using the results of the student tasks listed above, as well as interviews and focus groups with students and staff. We'll review the process in June and make changes based on the results of my, and 2 other, research projects that will be running. We want the curriculum to be responsive to student needs and so we need to build in the flexibility that this requires.
After reading through this post, I think that what I'm saying is that this forms a basic outline of how we're defining "blended learning" for this particular module. If you've managed to make it this far and can see any gaping holes, I'd love to hear your suggestions on how we can improve our approach.
This is the presentation that I gave at the AMEE conference earlier today. It's the results of a systematic literature review I did as part of my PhD, where I looked at the use of blended learning in clinical education. The abstract doesn't give much information owing to the fact that I had to be very brief with my submission. The presentation is (a little) more detailed.
Here's the abstract:
Here's the presentation (better to view at Prezi.com, space is limited here):
- @AMEE_Online this is great, how do we go about claiming the year's membership? #
- RT @Jane_Mooney: Great game-based learning resources for educators from @judithway http://t.co/f1wyv1P #
- Just registered for #amee2011 after spending 19 hours in transit. The world is smaller than it used to be but it could be smaller still #
- @jane_mooney I'll look out for u & your poster. If u want 2 chat I'd love to hook up. My PhD is on blended learning in clinical education #
- @paulderoos Good luck with the free accommodation for #amee2011 I'd help you out if I could 🙂 #
- Gearing up for #amee2011 where I'll b presenting a systematic review on blended learning in clinical education. Let me know if u'll b there #
- @amcunningham Official AMEE & Medical Teacher twitter accounts are using #amee2011 #
- @amcunningham no doubt there are good sessions, it's just all a bit overwhelming right now. Trying to make some sense of the programme #
- @amcunningham nothing official about hashtags, just assumed it'd be the full date, will use whatever the convention is 🙂 #
- @amcunningham I've been looking at the presentation sessions for that period & nothing has grabbed me yet. Maybe I'll come to your workshop #
- @amcunningham Yes, I'll be at #amee2011 starting to get excited about it now. We'll definitely hook up 🙂 #
- @amcunningham See you're facilitating a workshop on social media at #amee2011 You know what level the session is aimed at? #
- Announcing the Zotero 3.0 Beta Release http://t.co/EmDnU32 #
- RT @amcunningham: An analysis of clinical reasoning through a recent and comprehensive approach: the dual-process theory http://is.gd/WrvHwI #
- The use of tense in Lit review. http://bit.ly/ma0MBm. I also prefer the present tense to situate the conversation in a current context #
- 13 Photographs That Changed the World. http://bit.ly/iK9LFP #
- "Dropbox Lied to Users about Data Security, Complaint to FTC Alleges" » http://bit.ly/kfkEBD #
- Let Them Surf http://ow.ly/1sX2Lt. Eliminate cheating by redefining what it means "to cheat" #
- How I Talk About Searching, Discovery and Research in Courses http://ow.ly/1sX2Gx. Good tips for novice & experienced researchers #
- $10 Million Tricorder X-Prize http://ow.ly/1sX2vG. A tricorder is a (currently) fictional mobile device for medical diagnosis #
- @the_archive We're pushing for systematic reviews in most postgrad work in our dept. May go some way to increase status? #
- Why Social Media Tools Have a Place in the Classroom http://ow.ly/1sX2il #
- @the_archive Just finished a systematic review & agree that they have value. Not about removing them, just being more rigorous #
- The Problem with Literature Reviews http://bit.ly/lLaQh5. The context is in regard to looking to the past, as opposed to the future #
- Guidelines on addressing negative comments in social media http://bit.ly/jCPR8u #
- Managing your library with tags and filters http://bit.ly/jhuBoQ. Helped address many issues I had with my MSc research #
- Doctor In Your Pocket, WebMD Comes to Android http://rww.to/kRPwry #
- Interactive 3D Human Body Search Engine Debuts http://rww.to/laGspb. Interesting. Not sure if there's enough detail for clinical education #
- Yale Collections Now Free Online http://rww.to/k4Z9ln. More commons resources for academics and students #
- Organise research on Mendeley with tags and other latent information http://bit.ly/iUzdpN #
- RT @primarytrainee: Curriculum should be experienced not delivered #earlyyears #
- Learning outcomes mean starting at the end and working backwards i.e. figure out where you want to be, then how you're going to get there #
Writing support group
I was talking to a colleague on Friday about how difficult it is to commit to spending a few hours to writing, and that even when you do, there're always emails, phone calls, etc. that interrupt the process. I'd been thinking about this for about a week, after a friend of mine told me about the Pomodoro technique for more productive time management. Now that work pressure is easing up a bit (all exams have been prepared, very few lectures remain, and we only have one more group to move through their clinical placements), we can start spending more time on our own research activities in the department.
A few of us have started collecting data and drafting initial outlines of our first phase articles (we're going for PhD through publication), and need to spend dedicated time to get finished. In addition, I have 2 other articles unrelated to my PhD that I need to get out by the end of the year. That's 4 articles in total that I'd like to have submitted in the next few months…what was I thinking?
So anyway, we've decided to start a writing group within our department. We'll meet once a week for a few hours, out of our offices and disconnected from the net, with instructions from admin not to disturb us. I'm hoping that this will give me enough momentum to get it done, as well as create a bit of a support group. It's easy to find an excuse when it's just you, but when your group is asking how you're getting on, it's much harder to procrastinate.
We'll see how it goes.
- RT @sguilana: the web doesn't forget, an article at NY times magazine worth reading: http://is.gd/dHIl9 #
- RT @wesleylynch: Awesome – need this on a t shirt – RT @jacquesmillard: the periodic table of irrational nonsense http://ow.ly/2gbQb. #
- Podcast with George Siemens on Social Learning Networks: from theory to practice http://bit.ly/9fCUQa #
- Teaching for Transformative Learning http://tinyurl.com/32tyqnu #
- Be like the bamboo: 7 lessons from the Japanese forest http://tinyurl.com/2b8nvta #
- What if they threw a party and none of us came? Thoughts on open access and academic publishing models http://tinyurl.com/2wqob9a #
- @PaulaBarAsh Great to meet up with you at #saahe Hope we can arrange to do some cross-institutional work with students. Keep in touch 🙂 in reply to PaulaBarAsh #
- Just arrived at ORT, have a few hours to kill before home to CPT. #saahe conf went well, I learned a lot, thank you organisers #
- @ileducprof I'm sorry but this is not productive. Good bye in reply to ileducprof #
- @cristinacost Sometimes doing nothing is the most useful thing you can do… in reply to cristinacost #
- RT @jay_swan: Think illegal immigrants are taking US jobs? Take one back, I dare you. http://ow.ly/1qJZPm (brilliant) #
- @PaulaBarAsh It's a pleasure. Finishing presentation up now and will put on slideshare before bedtime. Are you staying for rest of #saahe in reply to PaulaBarAsh #
- RT @PLE_SOU: It's official: @PLE_BCN is now @PLE_SOU . See you in Southampton next year! #PLE2011 #PLE_BCN #PLE_SOU #
- @ileducprof Why make flippant comments in public spaces about deep, complex social issues? We're trying to fix them but it's a hard problem in reply to ileducprof #
- @journalproject Yes, seriously. The comment was neither informative nor constructive, so why bother? in reply to journalproject #
- @ileducprof Why South Africa specifically? There's plenty of global inequity to feel bad about. Why not Brazil, or India, or even America? in reply to ileducprof #
- RT @rvidal: Android apps on the way! We will be seeing some cool stuff show up soon using the Mendeley Open API! 🙂 #
- RT @mendeley_com: People already developing Android Apps against our API; we're also looking to hire iOS/Android developers! Awesomeness 🙂 in reply to mendeley_com #
- Mendeley: 1st iPhone app available. Gr8, research going mobile, but no mention of Android version = sadness 🙁 http://tinyurl.com/2wxq42g #
- Less Than 1 Year Until The Internet Runs Out of Addresses. Post re. IPv4 & IPv6 http://tinyurl.com/39btg86 #
- BlindType: Touchscreen Typing for the Maladroit. Interesting keyboard interface http://tinyurl.com/25jbgef #
- Sit Back and Watch the World Tweet By: 5 Cool Twitter Visualizations http://tinyurl.com/2arewr2 #
- The eXtended Web and the Personal Learning Environment http://tinyurl.com/2wgu5ja #
- xWeb – Siemens weighs in on the conversation http://tinyurl.com/259eudp #
- xWeb – short comment from Downes on the eXtended web. This looks like an interesting direction http://tinyurl.com/3yzrdpr #
- @carlcrisostomo thank you 🙂 in reply to carlcrisostomo #
- RT @wollepb: looks like commenting and liking will play a major role in education in the next years #fsln10 #
- RT @SpectrumAcademy: When should a scientist's data be liberated for all to see? (source: Scientific American) http://bit.ly/9hKDdm #
- Just finished workshop on curricular alignment, feeling quite drained but have new insights for ethics module & assessment #saahe #
- @sywot Where can I find out more about the interactive PDF? Sounds very cool in reply to sywot #
- @cristinacost Never mind to previous question, I see that #ECE11 is in July, might just be possible 🙂 in reply to cristinacost #
- @PaulaBarAsh More research type tweeple: @janedavis13, @sywot, @torrest, @lindacq in reply to PaulaBarAsh #
- Getting ready for last workshop of the day, by Debbie Murdoch-Eaton: Curricular alignment, what does it mean? #saahe #
- Insightful talk by Francois Cilliers on pre-assessment effects of summative assessment in clinical settings #saahe #
- @cristinacost not sure if I can fit in #ECE though 🙁 will have to keep checking dates, funding, time available, etc in reply to cristinacost #
- @cristinacost PLE conf is a priority for me, as is #AMEE Oz conf dependant on funding, but would be good for my #phd in reply to cristinacost #
- Great presentation by Herman von Rossum: integrating clinical events into curriculum devel. but no attempt to address community engagement #
- PLE2010 Conference – what did we achieve http://tinyurl.com/328hkyv #
- My supervisor & I r planning to attend this Australian conference on blended and distance learning http://tinyurl.com/35nfv5w #
- Debbie Murdoch-Eaton: what grad attributes are important, how they are relevant to med ed & how to integrate into the curriculum #saahe #
- Great presentation by Bill Burdick on aligning health education with the health needs of local populations #saahe #
- All about Personal Learning Environments (Part 2) http://tinyurl.com/36py5hp #
- MySpace and Facebook: How Racist Language Frames Social Media (and Why You Should Care) http://tinyurl.com/2f8rmjl #
- Knowledge sharing, one at a time http://tinyurl.com/26bxjcw #
- A Thought from Rick's Presentation. Interesting short post from David Wiley http://opencontent.org/blog/archives/1546 #
- Getting ready for day 2 of #saahe Interesting keynotes ahead, will try to update #
- Just shared a draft systematic review with my 2 supervisors on Docs. Now to sit back & relax before the pain begins #phd #research #
- @PaulaBarAsh Some tweeple for u @cristinacost, @thesiswhisper, @pgsimoes, @antoesp, @courosa, @gsiemens, @amcunningham, @mpaskevi, @czernie #
- RT @Tuism: When all evidence points to the contrary, it's difficult, if not stupid, to keep the faith on what you're told. #fb #
- First day of #SAAHE over, will blog notes and reflection in a little bit #
- @weblearning Thanks for coffee and the chat 🙂 in reply to weblearning #
- Just met the only other tweeter at #SAAHE conference. Hi @paulabarash 🙂 #
- @techczech sounds great, am at a conference without dedicated access for next few days…what/when did you have in mind? in reply to techczech #
- @techczech Different dynamic with clinicians & educators in health. Clinicians slow 2 implement new research findings, little communication in reply to techczech #
- #Scribefire just crashed & I lost all my notes from the conference so far. Silly not to have a "Save" feature to store content locally? #
- @techczech what sort of practitioners? I think that in health, clinicians are more interested in outcome than process in reply to techczech #
- @ryantracey I think the point is that just because you have access doesn't necessarily mean you can participate in reply to ryantracey #
- @techczech Love the idea that funders get more insight into research process. More holistic than final research products in reply to techczech #
- Comparing apples with oranges: online vs face-to-face learning in community colleges http://tinyurl.com/38mdmsz #
- it seems its not JUST the connectivity divide http://tinyurl.com/2us4ypo #
- blogging your research http://tinyurl.com/34nm94h #
- Technology not isolating us??? http://tinyurl.com/y89cfjk #
- Skin Whitening, Tanning, and Vaseline's Controversial Facebook Ad Campaign http://tinyurl.com/3693pjh #
- Just arrived in Jo'burg, on way to Mellville. #SAAHE conf starts tomorrow at #Wits looking forward to it #
- @dkeats Thanks, will follow it up in reply to dkeats #
- @dkeats Interesting idea re. ePortfolios and portability, think it's an essential concept. Would love to follow that conversation in reply to dkeats #
- @dkeats OK, if Kewl is not an LMS, how would you define it? I can't find a differentiator between it and e.g. #Moodle in reply to dkeats #
- @dkeats Probably won't have any free time while I'm at #Wits Have arranged to hook up with @paulscott56 when he gets back from US in reply to dkeats #
- @dkeats Unfortunately, won't be attending eSkills. Looks like it's going to be an interesting discussion in reply to dkeats #
- @cristinacost Pearl Jam always makes me remember when my life was less complicated 🙂 in reply to cristinacost #
- @gsiemens If you have the time, try #Daemon and #Freedom by D. Suarez. http://bit.ly/anXY8P = Good review but has spoilers. Similar concepts in reply to gsiemens #
- Listening to Release by Pearl Jam. Makes me think of good times…Springfield, late night coffee, "us against the world" #
- @paulscott56 Sounds good. Let me know when you're back and have some space in your schedule. I'm pretty flexible #
- @paulscott56 Based at #UWC but at #Wits for rest of this week for conference. Not sure if I can fit it in while there. When u back from US? in reply to paulscott56 #
- @paulscott56 "Despise" was probably 2 strong a word anyway. Let's just say that I have some issues with it. Who is best person to demo 4 me? in reply to paulscott56 #
- @paulscott56 Fair enough. Are you doing any of the coding on #Kewl I must be honest, it's been more than a year since I played with it in reply to paulscott56 #
- @paulscott56 I feel the same way about any #LMS it's not a personal thing against #Kewl in reply to paulscott56 #
- @paulscott56 Mostly ideological issues with constraining learning in a system that students lose access to when they leave in reply to paulscott56 #
- @weblearning As far as I know, the policies are not online. I can email you the documents though? DM me your address if you're interested in reply to weblearning #
- @weblearning I despise Kewl and (almost) everything about it. No, I do everything on my own on a private server with open source tools in reply to weblearning #
- @weblearning I'm going to be at #Wits from tomorrow until Saturday for the #SAAHE conference. Staying in Mellville if you want to chat? in reply to weblearning #
- @weblearning I'm a lecturer in the physiotherapy department at UWC 🙂 #
- News: Whither the Wikis? – Inside Higher Ed http://bit.ly/bjLxLx #
- @farrylpurkiss No problem 🙂 #
- Listening to Farryl Purkiss for the first time, and loving it http://bit.ly/bjPMb2 #
- Decided to give #Rhythmbox a proper chance…and really enjoying the experience. Got tired of trying to figure out the complexity of #Amarok #
- #UWC 2nd yr #physio students had their first patient encounters today. Always 1 of my favourite days of the year. All nerves & excitement 🙂 #
- @weblearning Looks interesting, will give it a read. You know that I'm not at UCT, right? in reply to weblearning #
- Engauge Blog > How Klout scores work. In case you were wondering about Hootsuite's influence ranking system http://bit.ly/dpMiYJ #
- @weblearning We have a teaching & learning policy mentioning integration of tech., & a grad attribute policy mentioning lifelong learning #
- RT @pgsimoes: #facultyfocus Student Learning: Six Causes of Resistance http://dlvr.it/2qMWd #
- RT @pgsimoes: 20 Fantastic Content Ideas For Your Online Community Guide (@richmillington) http://ow.ly/2dRjp #
- RT @SkepticSheep: "If at first, the idea is not absurd, then there is no hope for it." ~ Albert Einstein #
- Web 3.0: The way forward? Very interesting presentation by Steve Wheeler http://bit.ly/cS9Y0e #
- RT @timbuckteeth: Learning and Web X.0: http://bit.ly/9SIVy1 #
Summary of PhD progress
I'm writing this after having read Christina's post on her thoughts on the PhD process, and following a few of her links to other PhD students who are blogging their own progress. As I'm going through a little slump at the moment, I thought it might be useful to write a short post on where I'm at right now, to review what I've done so far.
A few weeks ago I spent 3 days on a writing workshop with colleagues in my department who are also registered for their PhD's (there are 4 of us), where I worked on my systematic review (see the proposal). I managed to trim the original 103 articles that I gathered during my first, second and third search rounds, to about 60. Then I went through those 60 with a more critical eye, removing what wasn't appropriate. Finally I narrowed the list down to 20 articles that we eventually conducted independent critical reviews on, and came to consensus with my supervisor, where we finally agreed on 7 articles that matched my inclusion criteria. The article is now ready to be written up, although I'm uncertain of the format. The outcome of the systematic review will be a peer-reviewed publication that identifies some of the ways in which blended learning has been applied in clinical education, and which will inform the development of my own module (one of the later objectives).
My fourth year research group has just finished capturing the data they gathered from a survey we drew up together, where they looked at the role of social networks to facilitate reflective learning. This survey forms part of my first objective, as well as the first component of my SAFRI project (which will later include focus group interviews with staff members, and an additional survey of the students). Immediately after conducting the survey, I have also held workshops with 2 classes so far, to facilitate the process of working within the network, and will be completing workshops with the last 2 classes in the next few weeks. Tomorrow the group will submit an outline of the first few sections of a draft article, and I'll be presenting some tentative results at the SAAHE conference next week (see the abstract).
I've also recently finished a first draft of an article based on a small, wiki-based project I ran in our department last year (you can still comment on it). Strictly speaking it's unrelated to my PhD as it doesn't fit into the proposal, but is still work in a related field. Finally, I gave a presentation on PLE's to the Centre for Teaching and Learning at Stellenbosch University. Again, PLE's are not explicitly addressed in my PhD proposal, but as I'm leaning more and more towards that concept as having great potential in reflective learning, I think it might ultimately end up playing an important part in the project.
Now that I look back at my progress over the past 6 months, maybe a short break is in order…?


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Posted On 22 Dec 2018
Since 2017, Windows 10 has included a handy feature to save space on your hard drive by using the Files On-Demand Feature to send files to OneDrive. By right clicking on the saved files, you have the option to send it to OneDrive, which uploads the file and removes it from your hard drive and leaves an icon that you can click on to download it when you need it. This is a handy feature for saving hard drive space; however, users had to choose to do it. Now, with the October 2018 Windows 10 update, this can be done automatically.
There is now a OneDrive option in Storage Sense, the application that searches your hard drive for files that had been in the recycle bin for over a month, and unused temporary files, and delete them. With the new update, this application can now be told to examine the entire hard drive and upload files to OneDrive if they haven't been used for any period between a day and two months.
To activate this feature, go to Settings> System> Storage and switch on Storage Sense. Choose "Change how we free up space automatically," "OneDrive" and select when content should be moved to OneDrive if it has been opened.
The application will leave behind an icon so that you can see what files you have in File Explorer and where they are. There are three types of icons for OneDrive files: A blue cloud, which means the file only exists in OneDrive; a green tick in a white circle, which means the file is still on your hard drive, but it might be sent to OneDrive when you're running low on space' and a white tick in a green circle, which means the file will never be removed from your hard drive.


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"But, what do you want to do?" Agustina Comas does not remember the number of times she has heard this question since she decided to create clothes through upcycling, a process of recovers, transforming and replacing discarded products. "Factories reject pieces that do not go through quality controls every day. This leftovers are raw material for us," says the 36-year-old Uruguayan designer and creator of the brand that bears her name.
The company is installed in a shed in Butantã in the west area of São Paulo. The main material for the brand is the discarded fabric from the manufacture of men's shirts, which is turned into women's dresses, skirts and blouses under Comas' close watch. "Our work begins with the selection of discarded pieces. We identify the best fabrics and choose the ones that, from our design perspective, are the richest," says the designer-entrepreneur, who studied textile design and fashion at Escuela Universitaria Centro de Diseño de Montevidéu Agustina. Since Comas was created in July 2015, the brand's work has prevented 3,000 meters of fabric from being dumped in the trash.
Brazilian fashion had already been on Agustina Comas' radar since the early 2000s, when her father, owner of a transportation company, gave her some magazines on the subject. During her last year at university, she got a press credential from El Pais of Uruguay and went to São Paulo Fashion Week as an international correspondent. She went to all the fashion shows and parties: "I put myself out there, equipped with my snapshot camera."
Those two weeks of intense programming were enough for her to exchange her desire to live in Europe for a new home in São Paulo: "It was in São Paulo that things were happening." She landed in the city in 2004. She had already graduated and decided to look for an apprenticeship. "I didn't know anyone. It was another language and another country, but I thought: I'll take my chances. I started sending resumes everywhere." Finally, she met Jum Nakao and had the opportunity to work as an intern on the stylist's team in the iconic collection A Costura do Invisível presented at SPFW in June of that same year. They spent more than 700 hours shaping the elaborate paper clothes worn by models with Playmobil wigs. In the end, all dresses were destroyed on the runway. "I cried backstage," says Comas.
The performance gained recognition from the French Fashion Museum as one of the greatest fashion shows of the century. "Jum prepared me for the market. His knowledge added to my education, which was very good for me." Later, Nakao was invited to be the fashion director of the brand bearing the name of tennis player Guga Kuerten. "He called me to make the men's line, something that I had always enjoyed. We set up a team and started to develop the brand." It was a bold project. Everyone moved to Florianópolis and spent a year living in the capital of Santa Catarina. But the business didn't take off and the company closed six months later.
The stylist improved her method of creation over the years while working for brands in Brazil and Uruguay. In 2008, she learned how to "think with her body," working on the In-Use project she developed with fellow Uruguayan Ana Inés Piriz. "We started creating clothes from our own clothes: We wore the same piece in different ways, created a repertoire of ideas and took pictures of everything. It was a way of deconstructing the process to achieve a result that we would not reach by drawing," she says. The idea of this experience is "to throw one off."
Today, the stylist teaches the method, the same one she has adopted at Comas, in her workshops. She proves that from a single shape, which is the men's shirt, you can develop a variety of pieces, such as saia universal (all size skirt), with a waist adjustment system that makes different bodies to fit on it.
The idea of working with waste from the textile factories came from thinking about the production process. "I was shocked when I started to think about all the garbage generated and the damage it could cause," she says. "I wanted to do something to change that, but I was not connected to people. I was not experienced. I was constrained by that. So, I decided to begin working in a textile factory." The figures released by Associação Brasileira da Indústria Têxtil e de Confecção (ABIT) help to support the stylist's conviction that there is an immediate need to find solutions. In the Brás and Bom Retiro areas alone, ABIT estimates that 20 tons of textile waste is thrown out every day. In Brazil, the clothing sector reached 5.5 billion pieces produced in 2017. About 5 percent of this total is wasted.
"I only understood the term upcycling in 2010, when I was on holiday in London and saw a shop window with 'clothes made from clothes'," she says. After deep research, she met with other brands with similar ideas in England, Austria and Rio de Janeiro. "I realized that waste is a real problem and if well-managed can bring money and resources to lots of people. It is a kind of symbiosis relationship, in which the small industry establishes a bond with the big one and everyone benefits."
Despite having the same fashion-industry background as those working with bigger brands in the industry, Comas still faces barriers trying to get raw material for her products. "I've been in contact with two suppliers who do not understand the project. As the process is new, there is no consolidated supply chain, we have to create it."
To keep the business working, the stylist maintains parallel jobs, as a training coordinator at instituto Renner and a consultant at Associação Brasileira das empresas de Componentes para Couro, Calçados e Artefatos (Assintecal). She says that her ignorance in management led her to start a business. "Anyone who understands business plans would never have done it," says Agustina, who is helping to turn the unlikely into viable. It's inspiring.


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Author has written 33 stories for Gundam Wing/AC, Akira, Fruits Basket, Princess Tutu, Harry Potter, and Naruto.
Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership to any of the characters in my fanfiction that were not created by me. I make no profit from any of these stories nor intend to do so. Stories containing adult language, sexual situations and/or extreme violence are intended only for mature adults. Such stories have been edited and labeled for the viewership of this site. I do not want or condone anyone who is not a mature adult to read such stories. Anyone who chooses to do so accepts social and legal responsibility for his or her own actions and choices.
Story Updates:
Amour is still being updated.
I would like to update Advent of Glory.
Evermore is suspended, but I've worked on it a little and I want to pick up again. I have good intentions!
I am writing original work.
Recommended Anime:
Full Metal Alchemist (for plot, characters, originality, action, sentimentality)
Kaleido Star (for easy entertainment, hard-work ethics, and visuals)
Princess Tutu (for plot, characters, originality, fairytales, literary/cultural interest)
Card Captor Sakura (for easy entertainment, adorable romantic pairings, lovable characters, magic)
Fruits Basket (for comedy, drama, character, values, and pairings)
Cowboy Bebop (for character depth, action, humor, episode-sized plots, music)
Gundam Wing (for plot, characters, political/historical/ideological interest, pairings)
Naruto (but not the fillers)


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Immigrants Welcome
Over seven years ago, a group of concerned community members in the Leavenworth area formed the Immigration Justice Group in response to the needs within our immigrant community. The impetus for our work has become more evident in recent years, as anti-immigrant fervor has reached a fever pitch.
Recently, our group began distributing a small 3" round decal with the words "Immigrants Welcome" to local businesses and organizations for window display. By choosing to display this decal, businesses and organizations indicate a welcome that should be part of our national conversation in these critical times.
As residents of this town know, the Leavenworth economy is sustained by service industries that cater to the tourist's dollar being spent locally. Many of these businesses depend on minimum wage labor to provide essential services and keep operating costs low and competitive. Many of these service jobs are held by immigrants who are our neighbors, friends, the person you see in the grocery store or on the bus.
We deeply appreciate and are grateful for our immigrant neighbors. Our Upper Valley has and continues to be greatly enriched and supported by our immigrant community. Words of welcome indicate an inclusiveness and a respect for the contributions of all who live in, serve, and visit our community.
If any businesses or individuals would like decals or further information on how they can participate in the Immigration Justice Group, they may email email@example.com.
Linda Kelly
On behalf of the Immigration Justice Group
NCW Media Newspapers
- The Leavenworth Echo | Leavenworth, WA
- Cashmere Valley Record | Cashmere WA
- Lake Chelan Mirror | Chelan, Manson, Entiat, WA
- Quad City Herald | Brewster, Pateros, Bridgeport, Mansfield, WA
- Wenatchee Business Journal | Chelan, Douglas, Okanogan Counties, WA


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105th District Michigan State Rep. Triston Cole (R-Mancelona) recently joined his House colleagues in voting for legislation to develop access to natural resources and purchase land.
Natural Resources Trust Fund projects and purchases in Otsego, Charlevoix, Antrim, Montmorency and Oscoda counties total more than $9.9 million.
If approved, some of the money would go to the Boyne Valley Trailway and Boyne's waterfront Open Space park.
Cole of Mancelona, said he is looking forward to the expanded recreational opportunities approved by the House, which include:
• Boyne Valley Trailway development – Phase 1. This $1.02 million project develops 3.6 miles of the 6.1 mile paved Boyne Valley Trailway connecting Boyne City to the village of Boyne Falls.
This trailway will extend and enhance the Regional Trail System by connection to the Boyne City to Charlevoix Trail and the Little Traverse Wheelway.
Phase I of the Trailway project connects to Boyne City streets with a trailhead at the Boyne City Airport with existing paved parking and modern bathroom facilities.
• Acquisition of approximately one acre with road frontage to provide access to village-owned land on the Boyne River.
This $70,400 acquisition provides the only access point to view the falls in Boyne Falls and the only connection to property owned by the village of Boyne Falls on the Boyne River.
• Acquisition of approximately 4.6 acres with 600 feet of shoreline on Lake Charlevoix in Boyne City.
The site will be used as an open space park available for general public use and enhance the economic development opportunity for adjacent properties including the public boat launch, commercial and residential properties in the immediate area. Cost for the project is $3.2 million.
• A $2.74 million acquisition of a 389-acre former camp property in Antrim County's Milton Township for a new public recreation area.
The property includes all of 60-acre Maplehurst Lake, stands of northern hardwood forest and open meadows.
The property is well-suited for hiking and cross country ski trails, fishing, wildlife viewing and boating.
• Development to improve river access at Briley Township Park in Montmorency County.
The six-acre park features nearly 1,800 feet of river frontage on the Thunder Bay River and is a popular destination for fishing, events, and festivals.
Improvements will feature low-impact development concepts to minimize negative impacts on the river.
The $255,800 project will renovate a building for restrooms, and feature a new fishing pier and shoreline fishing, a kayak/canoe launch and new walkways within the community park.
• Development of four outdoor tennis courts at the Otsego County Sportsplex to allow for the growth of tennis programs in Otsego County.
The Sportsplex currently includes a hockey rink, Olympic-sized pool and meeting space for local school and community activities. The project will cost $300,000.
• A $2.32 million project to develop an 11-mile multi-purpose pathway from Waters northerly to Wisconsin Avenue in Gaylord.
The entire trail, which runs parallel to the rail corridor, is currently used as a regional snowmobile trail and is part of Michigan's Iron Belle Trail.
"Northern Michigan is a treasure trove of amazing natural resources, and these projects will add to the opportunities families and outdoor enthusiasts have available," Cole said. "The added tourist trade coming north to enjoy our vibrant outdoors will also help local economies grow."
The funding is comprised of revenue from the lease of state land and is designated on an annual basis in partnership with local governments for the projects.
The bill now goes to the governor for consideration.


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For immediate release:
Date: Saturday, October 13
Note: In Ontario the Simulated Emergency Test will be held on Saturday, October 13 but at Emergency Operations Centres that are located in Municipal offices, that can't get access on the weekend, the SET will also be held on Wednesday, October 10.
The Simulated Emergency Test is a North America-wide exercise in emergency communications, administered by the American Radio Relay League and the RAC Emergency Coordinators (EC) and Net Managers (NM). Both the Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES) and the National Traffic System (NTS) are involved.
The SET weekend gives communicators the opportunity to focus on the emergency-communications capability within your community, while interacting with NTS nets. RAC administers our Canadian SETs.
Among other objectives we aim to strengthen the relationship between ARES and served municipalities and relief agencies. It is vitally important that this be done at the local EC level.
Purpose of SET:
1) To find out the strengths and weaknesses of the ARES, NTS and other groups providing emergency communications.
2) To provide a public demonstration to served agencies, such as the Red Cross, of Emergency Preparedness and, through the news media, of the value to the public that Amateur Radio provides, particularly in time of need.
3) To help Radio Amateurs gain experience in communications using standard procedures and a variety of modes under simulated-emergency conditions.
For more information please visit: https://wp.rac.ca/simulated-emergency-test/


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September 25, 2012, EDMONTON –Canada West men's hockey coaches think that 2011-12 champion Saskatchewan has the best chance to take the 2012-13 conference title, with a slight advantage over Manitoba and Alberta.
With the eight coaches not permitted to cast a vote for their own team, the Huskies picked up four of eight first-place votes, while Manitoba (3) and Alberta (1) both received strong consideration.
Here are the complete voting results, based on a 10-8-6-4-3-2-1 system (first-place votes in parentheses):
1. Saskatchewan (4) 64
2. Manitoba (3) 54
3. Alberta (1) 50
4. Calgary 38
6. Lethbridge 17
7. Mount Royal 13
8. Regina 8
As defending Canada West champions and with a lineup that returns 20 players from last season, the Saskatchewan Huskies look poised to earn their way into the 2013 University Cup, to be hosted next March at Rutherford Rink in Saskatoon. All-Canadian Derek Hulak, along with other All-Stars and both goaltenders are all back.
Placing second in the coaches' poll, the Manitoba Bisons watch some key graduates, including captain Mike Hellyer and Jared Walker, leave the program, but remain a veteran lineup at all positions. All-Canadians Blair Macaulay and Jeremy Schappert lead a list of stars who return for the upcoming season.
The Alberta Golden Bears remain formidable and look to reclaim the conference crown. With most players back for the team's 100th Anniversary, along with some new recruits to bolster the depth the scoring, defence and goaltending are all intact. A host of All-Canadians and All-Stars litter the rtoster.
After coming within a hair of winning their first Canada West men's hockey title since 1996, the Calgary Dinos try to overcome some key grads and have others step it up a notch in 2012-13. Gone are Reid Jorgensen, Teighan Zahn and Dylan Hood, but returnees include former CIS Goaltender of the Year Dustin Butler, Brock Nixon and Taylor Stefishen
While the UBC Thunderbirds have made strides in recent years, a .500 record will get you a tough seeding when it comes to playoffs. Eleven-year head coach Milan Dragicevic believes he has assembled a good blend of veterans and new recruits to challenge for their first Canada West banner since 1971.
Despite a veteran group of talent in 2011-12, the Lethbridge Pronghorns finished sixth and went on to be swept in the first round of playoffs last season. Gone are goalie Scott Bowles, forward Dustin Moore and defender Ryan Pottruff, leaving a younger, less experienced roster that looks to compete in a tough conference.
After a stellar 2011-12 season in the ACAC college ranks, the Mount Royal Cougars try their hand at the CIS level. Head coach Jean Laforest has added 10 new faces. Kevin Knopp is the team captain, scoring leader Tyler Jewitt piled up 29 points in 28 games last season and both goaltenders from last season return for another year.
The Regina Cougars squeaked into the playoffs in 2009 and have not made a return to the post-season since. With the addition of Mount Royal, the task gets more challenging for first-year head coach Todd Johnson. Matt Strueby is expected to be on the top line, while goaltenders Lucas Gore and Andrew Hayes provide a veteran presence in goal.
A complete 2012-13 Canada West men's hockey preview will be published on Wednesday.


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Agricultural and Conference Center
Clerk to the Board of County Commissioners
Procurement & Contract Management
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program
Union County Organizational Chart
Septic Systems, Wells, & Water Protection
Birth, Death & Marriage Records
Agricultural and Conference Center
Septic Systems, Wells, & Water Protection
Building Inspection/Permit Fees
Traffic Citations/Court Collection Fees
Water/Sewer Leaks & Emergencies
Birth, Death, & Marriage Records
Ag Center Facility Reservations
Library Meeting Room Reservations
Cane Creek Park Camping Reservations
Union County Contact Information
Union County Code of Ordinances
Union County Organization Chart
UCSO Daily Civil Report Status List
Posted on October 30, 2019
By Brett Vines
October 30, 2019
Left to right: Honorable Hunt Gwyn, Robyn Mobley, Jackie Grignon, Denise Davis, Vicky Purser, Adan Nardozzi, Det. Gary Veasie, Chastity Conway and Heather Waleski
Union County Human Services' Community Support and Outreach Division was presented the Community Based Advocate Award at the 11th Annual Violence Prevention & Intervention Service Awards luncheon on October 24.
The Violence Prevention Task Force of Union County is a community-based team dedicated to the prevention of all abuse and violence. The team reaches out to the community through education and awareness to ensure violence, in any form, is not tolerated in Union County.
Each year, the Violence Prevention Task Force recognizes individuals and organizations in Union County that go "above and beyond" providing assistance related to domestic violence, sexual assault, child maltreatment and elder abuse.
This year's award winners were the Honorable Hunt Gwyn - Distinguished Humanitarian; UC Human Services Community Support & Outreach Division - Community Based Advocate; Det. Gary Veasie (Monroe PD) - System Based Advocate; Chasity Conway, SANE (Atrium) - Outstanding Service Provider.
Other nominees from Union County's Human Services department were Adan Nardozzi (CMARC, Public Health), Jackie Grignon (Child Welfare, Social Services), and Robyn Mobley (Child Welfare, Social Services).
Anyone in Union County can be nominated for a Violence Prevention & Intervention Award. Winners are chosen by the task force based on narratives showcasing their intervention efforts.
Union County Government Center
500 North Main Street, Monroe, NC 28112
704-283-3500 | Contact Us


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Although Q2 2019's GDP growth of 2.1% exceeded expectations, housing's share of the GDP declined to 14.6%, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).
Recording its sixth-consecutive negative contribution to GDP growth was home building and remodeling, which fell to just 3.1% of the GDP.
The NAHB stated the lack of housing supply caused by "ongoing housing affordability issues" continues to threaten the market.
According to the NAHB, housing-related activities contributes to the GDP in two ways. First is through residential fixed investment (RFI), which is the measure of home building, remodeling contributions, and multifamily development contributions to the GDP. It also includes construction of new single-family and multifamily structures, residential remodeling, production of manufactured homes and brokers' fees.
The RFI for Q2 2019 was 3.1% of the economy, totaling $589 billion. The second impact is the measure of housing services, which entails rents paid by renters and owners, and utility payments. Housing services for the quarter was 11.5%, or $2.18 trillion of the economy.
The NAHB states that the RFI historically averages around 5% of the GDP, while housing services hovers around 12%.
The Fed's possible decision on interest rates on July 31 could give the housing market a boost, as many feel it lower mortgage rates and spur activity. A WalletHub report stated there is a 78% chance the Fed drops interest rates, and that mortgage rates could fall if they do
"Mortgages have fixed rates that are priced with a far longer timeframe in mind than other borrowing vehicles," the report stated. "However, that is not to say Fed rate changes don't make mortgages more or less expensive for new borrowers."
WalletHub's estimates a rate cut could drop the cost of mortgage by around 10 basis points.
The Fed has cost the average homebuyer more than $38,000 since 2015, assuming an 80-basis point rise on a 30-year fixed rate mortgage from January 2015 to January 2019. WalletHub states that increase is due solely to the nine Fed rate increase occurring during that time.
A rate could be what the market needs, as CNBC reported last week that the overall volume of mortgage applications for the week fell 1.9%.


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Classic Fuji Arts | Switch to the New Fuji Arts Site!
Item Number:
Original Kuniyoshi (1797 - 1861) Japanese Woodblock Print
Inuzuka Shino Moritaka on the on the Horyukaku Roof
Series; The One and Only Eight Dog History of Old Kyokutei, Best of Refined Authors, circa 1835
The One and Only Eight Dog History of Old Kyokutei, Best of Refined Authors - Written by Kyokutei Bakin over a period of almost thirty years, the epic 106-volume novel "Nanso Satamoi Hakkenden" tells the story of eight samurai brothers who are descended from a mysterious union between a dog and Princess Fuse. The daughter of Lord Anzai of the Satomi clan, the princess gave birth to them in the form of eight green crystal balls, each bearing the character for a Confucian principle, which were scattered across the country, becoming human children born to different families. They did not know of each other's existence until they slowly met by happenstance and decided to pledge their brotherhood. Each bears the character for dog (inu) in his name. Their exciting adventures are chronicled in this tale, which was hugely popular during the Edo era.
Inuzuka Shino Moritaka on the on the Horyukaku Roof - Great portrait of the Eight Dog Warrior Inuzuka Shino Moritaka during his famous fight with Kenpachi Nobumichi on the roof of Horyukaku, a tower of Koga Castle. Here, the samurai raises his sword above his head as two guards attempt to restrain him with a chain. One grabs hold of Inuzuka's elbow as he grips his iron truncheon, while his fellow guard had been knocked down on the tiles, his lantern beside him. Another lantern flies past Inuzuka's head. A terrific action scene with a great composition. The first time we've offered this Kuniyoshi design.
Artist - Kuniyoshi (1797 - 1861)
Image Size - 13 1/4" x 10"
Condition - This print with excellent detail as shown. Backed with paper. A few small holes, repaired. Slight toning and soiling, a few creases and marks, paper slightly curled. Please see photos for details.


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Cadillacs and Dinosaurs (Arcade) - Not one, not two, but three portly adversaries barrel toward Mustapha. Like a prized bullfighter, he stylishly steps aside and watches as they miss their m...
This is a blog all just for me. It has no purpose whatsoever except for me to share some of the random nonsense I happen to be thinking about in my day-to-day life. Sometimes it sure is nice not to have a purpose.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
All the Time in the World!
This morning, I've been able to get a lot done because my toddler is actually sleeping! Every once in a while, I luck out and he's so exhausted that he will nap well, fall asleep early, or sleep in late. It is amazing how much I am able to accomplish when I have this free time! It really makes me think that I must have wasted a lot of time before he was born, because I would have had this "free time" all of the time. It is another instance of how you don't fully appreciate what you have until you don't have it any longer.
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Great post, It's a Mad Mad World! LOVE!
Reblogged from It's a Mad Mad World:
"It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to."
-- J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings


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Recent Posts
Tag Archives: censorship
Photography vs. Pornography
I was born and raised in the New York City area, which is one of the most progressive parts of the U.S., or at least it used to be. In the 1970s movie theaters in midtown Manhattan openly advertised real … Continue reading
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Stolen Youth: Jaycee Dugard PART 2
Please read PART 1 Stolen Youth: Jaycee Dugard to understand the context of this post. Child kidnapping is an emotional subject to think about and discuss, but this case merits more attention than it has already received. Not brief and superficial … Continue reading
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The biographical documentary "Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist, Rebel" (Phase 4 Films, 2010) is a very long and complicated story about a great man. What Mr. Hefner accomplished in his life is amazing, and inspiring. He certainly deserves the praise of … Continue reading
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