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The England World Cup team should be built around the philosophical, the tactical, and the technical model of Liverpool's successes this season.
It has undoubtedly been Liverpool's year. Sitting atop the Premier League table with a five-point lead, they have won their last eleven consecutive games, and have scored 96 goals in a campaign that has unexpectedly yet excitedly ushered in a new era of league dominance.
They stand just three steps away from Premier League heaven, a triumph that would eternally inscribe their name amongst the best and most exciting teams to have ever graced the Premier League. Whilst those around them have struggled, Liverpool have continued to answer almost all of the questions asked of them. Barring an extraordinary and unlikely collapse, they will be the new Premier League champions.
One of the hallmarks of Liverpool's success this season has been their attacking proficiency. They have established themselves as probably the most exciting attacking side in Europe, scoring three or more goals in five of their last six away league matches.
The cog in the fast-moving wheel of Liverpool this season has been 33-year-old captain, Steven Gerrard whose form has prompted manager Brendan Rodgers to labelling him Europe's best controlling midfielder right now.
As captain, his inclusion in the England first-team is a certainty, and with 13 goals and 10 assists in the league this season, he will undoubtedly offer a reinvigorated attacking option that seems to have been dormant over the past few seasons.
Turning towards the attacking options, Daniel Sturridge will no doubt be one of the first names on the team sheet. The striker's rehabilitation at Liverpool has been one of the club's greatest success stories. Signed in January 2013 from Chelsea for a fee of £12m, questions were asked by the Liverpool faithful; it was a hefty amount of money for a player who had proven himself rather changeable in terms of how many clubs he had played for.
Nevertheless, his attacking partnership with Luis Suarez (what has now been coined as the "SAS" – Suarez and Sturrdige) has been a revelation this season, and more than deserves a starting place in England's World Cup team.
Turning to one of the youngest players in the current England squad, Raheem Sterling, manager Brendan Rodgers recently dubbed him the 'best young player in European football at the moment'.
Raheem on present form is easily the best winger in the country. Even in Liverpool's draws against Aston Villa and West Brom this year, when a number of the bigger names were off their game, Raheem Sterling was still effervescent, and Liverpool's best chance of creating a winning goal. With Theo Walcott's injury, Andros Townsend struggling to get minutes for Tottenham and Aaron Lennon inconsistent for Spurs, Raheem must surely be in the driver's seat for Brazil.
Moving back into midfield, we have Jordan Henderson, or rather, Steven Gerrard's guard dog. What Henderson does so well is press the ball, keeping a high tempo to the game and seems to have an ever-lasting engine; his work-rate is, in my opinion, one of the best in the league.
He's been hugely influential to Steven Gerrard's form this season, to what Liverpool have already achieved and also to what they are possibly on the cusp of achieving. Henderson will be an invaluable asset to the England side, especially against the likes of Italy who will make no doubt make the midfield work for the ball.
Finally, turning to the defence, right-back Glen Johnson will be vying for a starting place for Liverpool. There is no doubting he will be on the plane to Brazil, but the interest will be in his pursuit of the starting spot ahead of Kyle Walker. What he lacks in skill, he makes up for in his wealth of experience and loves to get forward which will suit England I think.
Tactics-wise, England could do very well in following Liverpool's example. Carrying the 4-1-2-3 formation that has been so successfully worn by Liverpool this season, with a midfield three consisting of a deep-sitting Gerrard, and then a more central Wilshere and Henderson, England can very much transpose their domestic midfield dynamic onto the international stage.
Up top, with Sterling occupying the wide-left position, Rooney acting as a central target man, and Sturridge playing out wide on the right, goals will surely follow.
So, in my opinion, the starting eleven for England should definitely take a red complexion: the best way to breed success is to create an atmosphere stimulated by winners, and Liverpool, providing they are able to maintain their form coming into the last three games of the season, will offer up five Premier League winners to and England side that has lacked consistency in recent years.


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Two Features You Do Definitely Not Comprehend Concerning LASIK Eye Surgical ProcedureThe eye can be examined with relative ease regarding both its function and its structure. A functional evaluation includes the capability to relocate the orbit and the response of the pupil to light and accommodation.
The function of the eye may be evaluated in numerous methods. The patient may be asked to identify illuminated letter or items of differing sizes on what is referred to as the Snellen chart.
On the other hand, the examination of the structural part of the eye may be made in numerous methods. Tension within the eyeball is determined by a "tonometer." In specific illness, especially in glaucoma, the stress in the eyeball is increased considerably.
However, it should be well kept in mind that a client with an eye problem may have other problems also. Frequently other physical conditions are primary and impact the eye as a repercussion. The look of the eye can notify the physician and the client to difficulties in some disruptions of other parts of the body even prior to other symptoms provide themselves.
One's reliance on sight is emphasized when one faces a short-lived or possible irreversible loss of this important sense. When corrective measures are sought, particular forms of vision correction such as contact lenses or spectacles are recommended.
On the other hand, some people are bothered with that they have some framed lenses or contact lenses in front of their eyes.
For this factor, advanced surgeries were established to encourage reduced usage of contact lenses or glasses. Among which is the now popular LASIK eye surgery.
Essentially, LASIK eye surgery is the brief term for "Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis." Like its tangible counterpart, LASIK eye surgery is another kind of vision correction. The only difference is that with this type of surgery, one's vision is fixed completely.
With LASIK eye surgical treatment, the refractive errors in the cornea are completely changed. This can be done utilizing an "excimer laser."
The primary function of this surgical treatment is to produce a threadlike, rounded "flap" in Learn More the cornea utilizing a blade called "microkeratome." In a series of unfolding and laser processing, the cornea is finally reformed, enabling better the eye to direct more light into the retina.
Popularity vs. Disadvantages
In the middle of the growing appeal of LASIK eye surgical treatment, there are still disadvantages that individuals should understand. Most likely, the main reason why this type of eye surgical treatment has ended up being well accepted is due to the fact that most of its cases had actually succeeded.
In spite of its success, there are still some downsides. Here is the list:
1. It is an operation used to the most delicate part of the eye
Because LASIK eye surgical treatment includes the operation of the retina, which is one of the most sensitive parts of the eye, the majority of individuals say that the operation can be extremely risky.
In other words, a basic error might practically trigger an individual's life time blindness. It is essential to consider many factors before deciding whether LASIK eye surgery is the best corrective step one has to go through.
2. It is not a perfect treatment
LASIK eye surgery might correct your vision but it does not always imply that it can give you a best vision. Even if statistical reports reveal that 70% of the clients might have 20/20 vision, this does not always imply they have perfect vision.
Given all these things, it can be deduced that, in spite of the popularity of the operation, LASIK may not constantly be the ideal eye surgical treatment the way the majority of people view it
Conversely, the assessment of the structural part of the eye might be made in a number of ways. It ought to be well kept in mind that a patient with an eye problem might have other issues. Frequently other physical conditions are primary and impact the eye as a repercussion. The look of the eye can signal the physician and the client to difficulties in some disruptions of other parts of the body even prior to other signs present themselves.
Like its tangible counterpart, LASIK eye surgery is another form of vision correction.

subset: commoncrawl


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Satya Today is led by Christian professionals working in various fields.
In order to support ourselves and our ministry we also run a Website designing and developing Company Called SEA SITE SOLUTIONS. We provide services in Web Design and Developing, Logo design, Template Design, Visiting Card, Designing and Printing Brochures, Softwares etc.
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Please check our portfolio.


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Korea Telecom made a splash in early 2017 with its announcement that it would roll out a trial 5G network ahead of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. The trial network is expected to cover events in Bokwang, Gangneung, Jeongseon, PyeongChang, and Seoul.
The plan was for Korea Telecom 5G to use proprietary specifications to explore 5G use cases and prepare to launch a 28 GHz pilot service by October 2017. According to Korea Telecom, the rollout will be both pre-standard and pre-commercial, with the company hoping that components of the work will be integrated into the 3GPP standard. KT expects full commercial deployment in 2019.
Korea Telecom 5G Tests with Ericsson
Korea Telecom 5G partnered with Ericsson to plan the deployment and optimization of the trial 5G network. The 28 GHz network features a virtualized radio access network (vRAN) and core system. The companies are jointly developing beamforming and tracking technologies for 5G/4G LTE interoperability to help operators optimize capacity and coverage.
Korea Telecom and Ericsson are also conducting tests along the Incheon Airport Railway, which is a high-speed rail line connecting Seoul with Incheon International Airport. The tests included a handover between 5G base stations along the railway and a peak throughput of 4-Gb/s.
"Stability and interoperability among multiple services, systems, and device manufacturers needs to be verified well in in advance of the trial network," said Seong-Mok Oh, Korea Telecom's head of networks. "We are raising the bar through our collaboration with partners such as Ericsson, who are leading 5G technology and standardization."
Korea Telecom 5G Tests with AT&T and Verizon
In mid-2017, AT&T announced its intent to work with Korea Telecom, focusing on software-defined networking (SDN) and network functions virtualization (NFV). A crucial meeting between the two companies took place at the Korea Telecom Research & Development Center, with the participation of AT&T Chief Strategy Officer John Donovan and Lee Dong-myeon, director of the Korea Telecom Technology Convergence Center.
"We expect that cooperation through AT&T's SDN/NFV leadership and Korea Telecom 5G leadership will create synergies to solve challenges of the telecom industry in the future," said Lee.
Korea Telecom 5G is also working with Verizon to demonstrate a live hologram call over their 5G trial networks. The demonstration call between Korea Telecom 5G and Verizon featured company employees who appeared on each other's monitors as 3-D hologram images. The 5G trial network was deployed over the 28 GHz spectrum.
Additional 'Korea Telecom 5G' Resources
Ericsson Views 5G as the Key to the Networked Society
AT&T's 5G Efforts Focus on mmWave, Faster Broadband
SK Telecom Pushes Ahead With 5G in South Korea
Verizon's 5G Urgency: An Ambitious Plan for the 5G Future


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We don't ordinarily take single item orders but the receiver of this gift is one of my favorite people in the world. She's a person who shares my love of flowers and I'm pretty sure I inherited her green thumb.
Happy Valentines Day Great Grandma P!
Love Grandma Jo and Amanda
Recipe for Love Box contained gerbs, intuition roses and tulips.


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NVIDIA's exclusive games continue with one new release this week, after releasing Super Meat Boy and Stikbold last week. This week's game is "Stealth Inc. 2: A Game of Clones".
The game, whose tagline plays off of the series Game of Thrones (which, by the way, is returning this weekend), is a platformer with a unique stealth mechanic. Your character wears night vision goggles, which glow green, until you're in the light. Then your goggles become red and you're a target. Your character has to try to stay out of well-lit areas in order to survive.
You play as one of many clones, the clone you play as changes each time you die. You explore your home, a cloning laboratory, and have to escape and find the meaning of life.
Stealth Inc. 2: A Game of Clones is $10 to download on Google Play on the Shield TV and Shield Tablet. You get to play through sixty levels without ads or in-app purchases. It's gotten good reviews on other platforms including the Wii U and PS4, and it should be a pretty solid buy on the Shield TV as well.


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In the Matter of Shanda Games Limited, unreported, 25 April 2017 and 16 May 2017 (Segal J.), is the second time that the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands has determined the 'fair value' of a Cayman Islands company's shares in the context of a merger under Part XVI of the Cayman Islands Companies Law (Revised) (the "Law") (the "Dissent Regime") and the first time that it has done so in relation to a company with operations in the People's Republic of China ("PRC").
Following a five day hearing involving rigorous cross-examination of the parties' valuation experts, the Cayman Court concluded that the fair value of shares in Shanda Games Limited (the "Company") was more than double the final merger consideration (US$8.34 per share, up from US$3.55 per share) and that the fair rate of interest to be paid by the Company on the judgment amount was 4.295% per annum from 4 January 2017, being the date that the petition was filed with the Court for the determination of fair value.
In a decision that is being appealed by the Company and Dissenting Shareholders ("Dissenting Shareholders") to the Cayman Islands Court of Appeal1, the Grand Court elaborated and provided further guidance on the various principles for determining fair value which were discussed in In the Matter of Integra Group, unreported, 28 August 2015 (Jones J.), the first time that the Cayman Court determined a company's fair value under the Dissent Regime. In this article, we discuss a number of issues arising from this latest decision, handed down over two separate judgments on 25 April and 16 May 2017, which will be of particular interest to Cayman companies with operations in the PRC and to practitioners advising them.Ā A more in-depth discussion on the other recent legal developments, can be found here and here in the Ogier series: Appraisal Actions in the Cayman Islands.
Facts in Shanda
The Company was incorporated on 12 June 2008 as an exempted limited company under the laws of the Cayman Islands.Ā It is an online game developer, operator and publisher and one of the PRC's largest video game companies.Ā
On 25 November 2009, the Company completed an IPO of its American Depository Shares ("ADS") on the NASDAQ at an offering price of US$12.50 per ADS and remained publicly listed until it was taken private by way of a merger effected between the Company and Capitalcorp Limited ("Capitalcorp"), with the Company as the surviving company, whereby Capitalcorp merged with and into the Company on 18 November 2015 (the "Effective Date" / "Merger") at a price of US$3.55 per share (US$7.10 per ADS) (the "Final Merger Consideration").
The Dissenting Shareholders who desired to be paid 'fair value' of their shares under section 238(1) of the Law converted their ADSs to registered shares in the Company after which they proceeded to trigger the Dissent Regime in accordance with section 238(2) by giving the Company a written notice of objection to the Merger.Ā Unable to reach an agreement on the fair price to be paid, the Company presented the petition ("Petition") pursuant to section 238(9) of the Law seeking the Grand Court's determination of the fair value of the Dissenting Shareholders' 8,822,062 Class A Ordinary Shares together with a fair rate of interest, if any, to be paid by the Company upon the amount determined to be the fair value.
After determining the manner by which the Company's shares were to be valued, Segal J. held that the as at the Effective Date the Company's fair value was US$8.34 per share (US$16.68 per ADS).Ā
The Company's Disclosure Obligations
At the same time as the Petition was issued, and as has become standard practice in appraisal actions in the Cayman Islands, the Company issued a summons seeking an order for the case management of the proceedings, including as to how evidence was to be adduced. In this case, the parties agreed directions, in the form of two consent orders ("Directions Orders"), designed to ensure that all the documents and information held by the Company and relevant to the fair value determination were disclosed.Ā The Directions Orders also provided that all additional documents or information needed and requested by the parties' experts would be made available to them. Ā
In this case, the Company was found to have been in breach of at least part of the Directions Order. Unlike in another dissent case brought under s.238 of the Law (In In the Matter of Bona Film Group Limited, Unreported, 13 March 2017 (McMillan J)2); however, the Court declined to sanction the Company's breach by debarring it from adducing evidence of fair value.Ā Instead, the Court made it clear that the failure by a company to ensure that the parties' experts have sufficient documents and information to enable then to prepare their reports on a satisfactory basis would result in sanctions on costs against the defaulting company and possibly the appointment by the Court of its own expert with powers to take possession of the relevant documents and computers and exercise the Company's rights against third parties who have relevant documents.Ā
The Court was also prepared to accept the Dissenting Shareholders' submissions that it could and should draw all available inferences against the Company on factual issues where (a) the Company could or reasonably ought to have been able to answer any question or respond to any factual point but failed to do so and (b) where the Company could reasonably have been expected to have had documents which would have shed light on an issue, then the court should infer that the Company's response and /or documents would not have assisted the Company's case.
Significance of Delaware and Canadian Jurisprudence to the Dissent RegimeĀ
In Shanda,Ā the Court noted that section 238 of the Law was drafted using the same core concepts and terms (as well as similar procedural mechanisms) as appear in the law of Delaware and (Canada).Ā Accordingly, it considered that, in appraisal actions, it is appropriate to have regard to the decisions of the courts of Delaware (and Canada) provided that the law and practice in those courts fits and is consistent with the law and practice of the Cayman Islands. Ā
This approach is consistent with the position Jones J. took in Integra save that whilst he sought guidance from both Delaware and Canadian jurisprudence, in Shanda the Court only referred to the Delaware cases noting that it is preferable, where possible, to ensure consistency of approach by focusing on one rather than a multiplicity of jurisdictions.
Fair Value Determination
Integra was the first time that the Grand Court considered the meaning of and approach to appraisingĀ 'fair value'.Ā In his judgment, Jones J. made clear, inter alia, that 'fair value' for the purposes of section 238(1) of the Law:
- means the dissenting shareholders' proportionate share of the business as a going concern in a hypothetical arm's-length transaction with the resulting common shareholders' equity value distributed amongst common shareholders on a pari passu basis without incorporating any minority discount or premium for the forcible taking of shares
- excludes any element of value arising from the accomplishment or expectation of the merger
- is to be proved by any methods, which are generally considered acceptable in the financial community and are otherwise admissible in Court
Similarly, as discussed further below, in Shanda, Segal J. held that when the Court determines a company's fair value in appraisal actions, it is the minority dissenting shareholders' shares in the corporation as a whole that is being valued.Ā Ā
Valuation Methodologies In Shanda
Valuing a company is a fact-sensitive exercise and theĀ appropriate valuation approach will vary from case to case.Ā The Delaware courts have relied on a variety of techniques to determine the fair value of a company's shares including the final merger consideration as evidence of fair value3.Ā
In Integra, Jones J. identified three possible valuation approaches (without giving regard to the final merger consideration as evidence of fair value),4 namely:
- the Market Approach, which encompasses a valuation based on trading prices of (a) the company's own shares; and (b) the shares in comparable companies operating in the same market sector
- the Income Approach, which provides an indication of value by converting cash flows to a single current capita value using, inter alia,Ā the DCF method
- the Cost (or asset-based) Approach, which provides an indication of value using the economic principle that a buyer will pay no more for an asset than the cost to obtain an asset of equal utility, whether by cost or construction.
In Shanda, however, Segal J. took a firmer approach in relation to the merger price concluding that it is for the court to conduct a fresh assessment of all factors relevant to value rather than to start from the position of the final merger consideration as being the best evidence of fair value.Ā Although this approach is broadly consistent with the Delaware jurisprudence's recent shift away from the final merger consideration being evidence of fair value , in In Re: Appraisal of Dell, Inc (Del, May 11, 2016), currently under appeal to the Delaware Supreme Court, the Delaware Court has maintained the proposition that the final merger consideration can be the best evidence of fair value provided that the transaction has resulted from a competitive process and fair auction involving a rigorous sales process involving the wide dissemination of confidential information to a large group of prospective buyers.Ā
In In re Appraisal of DFC Global Corp., C.A. No. 10107-CB (Del. Ch., July 8, 2016), also on appeal, the issue in the appeal is whether in appraisal actions, the Delaware Court should defer to the final merger considerationĀ that was reached as a result of an arm's length auction process.Ā ĀGiven that the Court in Shanda placed heavy weight on both Dell and DFC Global to determine how valuation issues in appraisal actions can be disposed of, it is likely that the Delaware Supreme Court's decisions in both cases will influence how the Court determines future section 238 proceedings in the Cayman Islands.ĀĀĀ
Ultimately, the burden of establishing the reliability and persuasiveness of a particular methodology in any given case will be for the party seeking to rely on it.
In this case, there were two principal issues before the Court concerning valuation methodology:
- The first, was whether a minority discount should apply to the Dissenting Shareholders' interest in the Company (the "Minority Discount Point"); and
- The Second was in relation to the inputs and analysis that the Court should use in constructing the DCF analysis Ā(the "Valuation Point").
The Minority Discount Point
A central issue when determining the fair value of a company's business as a going concern is whether the court should (a) value the dissenting shareholders' shares or (b) value the company as a whole with the pro-rata share of the value awarded to the dissenting shareholders.Ā In Integra, Jones J had regard to the principles established by Delaware and Canadian law and agreed with the proposition that when determining fair value, it is not appropriate or permissible to apply a minority discount.5
In Shanda, the Company nevertheless sought to argue that a minority discount should apply to the Dissenting Shareholders' interest in the Company on the basis that theĀ Cayman Court should first and foremost have regard to a line of English judicial authorities dealing with unfair prejudice under the English Companies Act.Ā Under that Act, the English courts have ordered members, against whom a finding of unfair prejudice has been made, to buy the petitioner's shares but to be valued with a minority interest.Ā
Disagreeing with the Company, the Court distinguished appraisal cases from unfair prejudice cases on the basis that the statutory language in the English Companies Act was different from the language used in section 238 of the Law and because the Dissent Regime imposes a fairness requirement.Ā Accordingly, Segal J. determined that a minority discount would not apply to the Dissenting Shareholders' shares; and affirming the approach in Integra , the approach to be taken by the Courts is to value a dissenting shareholders' minority interest in a company as a whole rather than their block of shares.
The DCF Methodology
In Integra, the appropriateness of the valuation approach was the subject of argument between the parties.Ā The Court favoured a 75% / 25% weighting to the DCF method / the Market Approach respectively.Ā ĀHowever, in Shanda the experts agreed that the DCF methodology was the only valid applicable methodology to value the Company the differences.Ā
The DCF methodology involves three basic components: (1) the cash flow projections; (2) a discount rate and (3) the terminal value. In this case, the experts disagreed on each of these components ¢ the projections to use for future cash flows, the discount rate and the terminal value. The Company's expert concluded that the Company's fair value as at the Effective Date was US$9.56 per ADS (being US$2.46 per ADS more than the Final Merger Consideration) whilst the Dissenter's expert valued the company at US$27.03 per ADS (being 19.93 per ADS more than the Final Merger Consideration).Ā
- The Projections
The Company's expert used the Company's projections in his DCF model whilst the Dissenting Shareholders' expert, having identified numerous inconsistencies and errors in the Company's management projections, replaced them with his own.The Court determined that the Company's management had been given the opportunity but had failed to clarify or provide a suitable explanation to resolve the apparent errors and inconsistencies and to demonstrate that their model and projections were reasonable.Accordingly, the Court inferred and concluded that there were errors and that the management forecasts were unreliable.
- The Discount Rate
One of the underlying components for calculating the discount rate is the cost of equity; defined as the rate of return required by a company's common stockholders.Ā Cost of equity models have three components in common: risk-free rate, beta and equity risk premium.Ā
In Shanda, the significant issue in dispute between the parties' experts was in relation to the appropriate beta to be used for valuing the Company.Beta is a measure of volatility: the covariance of the return on an individual stock against the return on the market; small variances in beta will have the largest effect on the outcome of the DCF valuation.
The Company's expert sought to apply a directly measured beta (the Company's own beta) on the basis that doing so is the customary practice and the preferred approach when dealing with publically traded stocks in efficient trading markets.He adopted a beta of 1.78.The Dissenting Shareholders' expert, however, estimated the Company's beta by reference to the betas of two peer companies and adopted a beta of 1.00, concluding that it was impossible to use the Company's measured beta for two principal reasons:
- The Company's beta estimate was out of date because it was based on data relating to a 22 month period before the valuation date and the share price was trading by reference to the proposed merger price contained in the January 2014 non-binding offer announcement, approximately two years before the Merger (the "Staleness Point"); and
- The Company had used data relating to the period which the Court termed the "China Effect" in the U.S markets occurring from early 2011 to late 2013 (the "China Effect").
The Staleness Point
The Dissenting Shareholders' expert opined, and the Court agreed, that the pre-deal announcement data used by the Company's expert raised a serious doubt as to its reliability.However, the Court also agreed with the Company's expert that the Company's beta was unlikely to have changed in the two year period between the announcement date and the Effective Date.
The China Effect
Perhaps of more interest is the so called 'China Effect'.The Court was referred to various studies demonstrating that events of 2010 and 2011 affected market appraisals of Chinese companies in the US when "a good number of Chinese companies were discovered engaging in fraudulent accounting practices.Ā These practices affected the US market views of Chinese companies in general regardless of whether a particular company was fraudulent or not".Ā
The Court was alive to the fact that the research on which the studies were based represented, to some degree, works in progress; limited data sampling and that none of the papers had been published in peer-reviewed publications.Nevertheless, it noted that the papers appear to show a clear consensus among experts in the field and that there was a significant adverse impact on the value of the all Chinese companies listed in the US and that many shares were undervalued.
Although the papers had not been published the Court determined that there was sufficient evidence of the problem identified by the Dissenting Shareholders' expert "to raise material concerns that the data derived during the relevant period has been subject to exceptional and distorting effects such that it might be unreliable and result in an error in the beta estimate"6.ĀĀ
Ultimately, the Court considered that both experts' methodologies were consistent with accepted practice but that there were risks of error associated with both approaches.Accordingly, it concluded that in such circumstances, the correct approach was for the Court to use and rely on both estimates and adopted the average of the experts' betas: 1.39.In taking this approach, the Court noted that the Delaware courts7 had used the average of the experts' estimates of beta as well as a blend of direct and indirectly measured betas. Ā
The Court's approach to competing valuation opinions
Given the different approaches taken by the experts in their respective valuations, the Court made clear that the proper approach to the resolution of disputes between the experts is for each of them to establish, on a balance of probabilities, that their valuations are reasonable and reliable and that (a) if only one is reasonable and reliable, the Court should follow and apply that approach; (b) if both appear reasonable and reliable, the Court must decide which is to be preferred; and (c) if neither is reasonable and reliable, the Court must make its own determination of fair value.
Availability of a Chinese Listing
In Shanda the Dissenting Shareholder's expert referred to the upside of, and value to be derived from, a Chinese listing as a way of checking that his own valuation was not unrealistic but made clear that the reference to a Chinese listing and the valuations based on Chinese trading multiples did not form part his valuation. ĀAccordingly, the Court concluded that the question of whether it would be permissible to rely on the availability of a Chinese listing for the purpose of a section 238 fair value did no arise in in the proceedings8.
Given the prevalance of Cayman Islands companies with operations in the PRC whose intention is or has been to 'go-private' and to later relist in China's A-Share IPO market, this particular feature of the merger is likely to be the subject for the Court's determination in the near future.
The Fair Rate of Interest
The Court also determined that the fair rate of interest to be paid by the Company on the judgment sum of US$73,575,995 is 4.295% per annum, payable from 4 January 2017, being the date the Petition was filed.Ā
Referring to Jones J.'s conclusion in Integra that the fair rate of interest was the mid-rate between a company's assumed return on cash and the rate at which it could borrow (the "Mid-point Approach"), Segal J. noted that in that case, the Court was not offered any evidence by the dissenting shareholders in relation to the rate of interest they could have earned on the sums payable to them or what an objectively ascertained investor could have earned on such sums as a prudent investor.
Applying the approach outlined by the Delaware Court in Cede & Co., Inc. v. Medpoint Healthcare, Inc. (revised opinion dated 10 September 2004), the Court noted that the statutory language in appraisal actions is designed to protect the dissenting shareholder from the effects of a forced merger and to compensate them for being out of their money for the relevant period.Ā
Accordingly, like Integra, the Court was of the view that the Mid-point Approach is consistent with the statutory mandate to establish a fair rate of interest, an exercise which it considered is comparable when awarding interest in a judgment on a debt or damages claim under the Judicature Law (2013 Revision). In that respect, Segal J. commented that the Court may have regard to the prescribed rate (that is the statutory rate of interest payable on judgment debts which is 2.375% as a reference point but not one on which much weight is to be placed).
The Court noted that when determining the fair rate of interest to be paid, it relies on the parties' assistance to provide it with reliable evidence in the form of a financial expert's opinion.ĀĀ In this case, there was no expert opinion making it impossible for the Court to form a view as to which indices a prudent investor would use, in what combination and with what weighing.
The Court concluded that as regards:
- the borrowing rate: the rate of interest that the Company could earn on the judgment sum during the relevant period was the prime rate for dollars being 3.5%.Ā The Court determined that the prime rate was appropriate given that the Company is debt free, has substantial revenues and the balance of the evidence suggests that the Company is a prime rate borrower; and
- the prudent investor rate: in the absence of expert evidence providing assistance enabling it to, inter alia, compare the different indices and funds and make an informed assessment on whether particular indices are appropriate and if so, what indices and weighting of investments are to preferred, the Court was nevertheless prepared to take into account that when applying the prudent investor standard, a prudent investor could justify a higher rate of investment than Āone put forward by the Company, namely that a prudent investor would be limited to investing all the funds in three month fixed deposits in the Cayman Islands.Ā Adopting one of the low risk indices for investment grade corporate bonds put forward by the Dissenting Shareholders, the Court used a rate of 5.09%.
Accordingly, the Court determined that the fair rate of interest to be paid by the Company is the mid-point between 3.5% and 5.09%, i.e. 4.295%9.
In any given case, there is a need for the Court to consider all evidence that may be helpful in its determination of company's fair value and the recent decisions discussed above serve as a reminder that a company's failure to engage with the proceedings and comply with its disclosure obligations may give rise to adverse inferences being drawn against the company in the proceedings and in more serious cases may debar the company from adducing evidence on fair value all together.Ā
The key point in Shanda is that the Court has shown that the reliability of the parties' and their experts' evidence is central to the Court's process for determining fair value in appraisal actions.Ā It is now settled law that the parties' experts are the 'best judge' of what information is relevant and are therefore given a wide latitude of discretion when assessing the relevance of a company's books and records for the purpose determining a company's fair value. Consequently, valuation experts can expect to be subjected to rigorous examination of their valuations and companies which are undergoing or are considering a going private transaction would be well advised to ensure that their evidence will stand up to such scrutiny.
1 The appeal is expected to be heard on 4 September 2017.
2 In In the Matter of Bona Film Group Limited, Unreported, 13 March 2017 (McMillan J), the petitioning company was debarred from adducing evidence on fair value on the basis that "there [appeared] to be serious defaults in [Bona Film's] documentary discovery process and ultimately a failure to put forward any expert evidence" (Bona at p. 4 para. 12).
3 Merion Capital L.PĀ and Merion Capital II LP ¢v- BMC Software, Inc. C.A No. 8900-VGC.
4 Integra, paras. 29 - 32 at pp. 13-15.
5 Integra at p.11
6 Shanda at p.82 para. 150(f)
7 In re Appraisal of Dell, Inc. (Del. Ch. May 2016) at 45.
8 Notably, in Dell Inc., the Delaware Court held that the value arising from the accomplishment or expectation of the merger must be excluded from its determination of a company's fair value.ĀĀ
9 It was argued by the Company that the Court could only award simple and not compound interest.Ā That point was not in dispute and was accepted by the Dissenting Shareholders.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.


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"I thought long and hard about what I really wanted, what my passion was. And I decided I wanted to be a fucking zombie."
-Rick, Zombie Boy, June 2008
I just stumbled over this guy's interview and I gotta say, he totally nails my sense of humor. Even if you're not a fan of braaaaaaaaains, go read it, seriously, it's funny and it will actually make you think, too. He's the perfect example of a person society thinks must be stupid/uneducated/a total delinquent, but then the person says, "Up yours, society," and spouts off some well thought out, totally cogent and memorable quotes, thereby kicking society's collective ass and sending them slinking away. Yes, this is probably a little insane* but even if you hate all tattoos, you at least have to admire his dedication. I know I have a little crush..
Extra credit : Gala's Guide to Getting Great Tattoos Without Regret
* Rick also says, "I sacrificed my whole future for this." So please, please don't get even a small tattoo unless you absolutely love it and have thought about it for a long time. If you have, then go for it, baby!


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Paypal temporarily disabled
" Sex in the air" by Fantasy_Angel
Categories: No category
Characters: Original Character(s), Other, Reader, Various, You
Description: On a dark and stormy night Reno and (reader insert) get traped in a dark cold castle and the only way for them to keep warm is by getting closer. Will this lead to an erotic extravagansa? One could only hope.
Posted: 05/23/08 | Deadline: None
All fan fiction represented in this archive are © their respective owners and/or authors. All original works are © their respective authors. No reproduction of the written works in this archive is permitted without prior consent of their respective authors. All Rights Reserved. Icons used on this site are from famfamfam.com. Protected by Spam Poison Bleach, Ichigo are © Studio Pierrot, TV Tokyo, Dentsu, and Tite Kubo.


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|coin 1
|coin 2
|coin 3
|coin 4
|coin 5
|coin 6
|coin 7
What coin collectors do during Saturday? I do not know for others, but for amateur collector like me, I sort coins! And what did I find? Well no big findings but only these seven coins I separate it from others.
Anyone would like to try why I separate these coins? ;-)


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HOMESTEAD, Fla. – There were times when Dale Earnhardt Jr. didn't think he'd make it here.
Through the grueling rehabilitation to come back from a concussion, and even when he was back behind the wheel of the No. 88 Chevrolet, Homestead-Miami Speedway was not a given.
"When I started in Daytona, I didn't know whether I would finish, you know, feeling delicate and feeling compromised and knowing how easily that could happen again," Earnhardt acknowledged. "I confided in my friends and family and my wife that I was worried that I could get another concussion and how disappointing that would be."
But Earnhardt did make it to Homestead, and he's ready to take in everything that comes with the final start of his NASCAR Cup Series career.
"With everything we've been through, with the concussion and trying to come back, the emotion was, 'Man, I'm so glad I get to run this last year,'" he said. "So, I'm sitting here healthy. And I'm going to run this last race. And I got all the way through the year, so I feel blessed. I feel really good with it."
The driver admitted last week that he wasn't positive he was ready to face head on all of the emotion that would surely come flooding out, "like the cork coming out of the bottle."
But now that the final weekend has arrived, he's embracing every single bit of it.
"I'm not dreading any of it," he said. "I can't wait to get into the hauler to see (No. 88 team crew chief) Greg (Ives) and get the car and see all my guys. And I can't wait to go practice with them and work, and do what we've been doing all of these years."
That, after all, remains the goal – to work together to finish as high as possible.
But this weekend in particular, the most important word there is simply "finish."
"I'd like to finish the race in one piece, whatever that is," Earnhardt said. "Obviously, you want to do as well as you can. But no matter where we finish, (I'd just like) to be able to pull down pit road, stop the car, and get out. And then, see my guys and do all that."
Earnhardt noted that he has always enjoyed coming to Homestead-Miami Speedway, and he's seen some success at the venue, even if he has yet to find Victory Lane.
He has one top-five and two top-10 finishes at Homestead, though he has finished inside the top 15 in four of his last five trips to the track, including a career-best third-place finish in the 2013 event.
"I like the track and I'm glad we are ending on one that I like," he said. "I'm looking forward to getting on the track and get our car handling, and see if we can make the thing get around there pretty good so we can have some fun on Sunday."


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There are so many things in life that are just beyond our control. Sometimes when events turn against us and we think happiness will never be ours the forces of nature inexplicably open new possibilities. This happened to me recently. I live near St. Louis where the winters are cold. This year we were hit by a destructive ice storm which knocked off the electric power to over half a million people. Trees downed miles of power lines. Most of my neighbors moved to cities that had power or with relatives outside of the storm area. I decided to stay at home. I put into service two fireplaces that I had not used in years. One in my living room and the other in a spare bedroom. I have an oil lamp collection which generally is for decoration but came in handy as a source of light.
I own a health club about 15 miles away in another city which had power. I spent the days during the power failure at work and at night slept at home by a cozy fire. I live alone so the only one I had to cuddle up to was my faithful dog. It was very quiet at night. Almost no cars traveled the icy street in front of my house. The only sounds were the crackle of logs in the fireplace and the snaps of tree limbs outside breaking under the heavy weight of snow and ice. It was moments like these I would have loved to be holding a special guy. I am told you must first dream something before it becomes true. My insatiable imagination has provided me with enough dreams to make anything possible.
About midnight on my second night without power, I heard the sound of a vehicle a few doors down from my house. I peered out my window to see a large bucket truck from the electric company and a lone linesman. I went out on my porch to look around. My majestic 30 foot pine tree in my front yard was missing most of its branches. They were broken off by the ice. I scanned both sides of my street as I shivered from the sub-zero temperatures. No lights were visible except those emitting from my oil lamps and from a spotlight from the truck down the street. I downed a shot of Kentucky Bourbon to warm me and then curled up near the fire. I heard the wind whipping along the eaves of the house and the clatter of sleet and freezing rain on the roof. I felt a wave of loneliness come over me but it was overtaken by my fatigue as I drifted off to sleep.
Two hours later I awoke to the sound of banging. At first I thought the remains of my pine tree and finally broken free and hit the house. I realized it was someone at my front door. Have you ever seen pictures of firemen who has fought a fire in freezing weather and who has ice sickles hanging from their hat? That is what this guy looked like. He was wet and covered in ice.
Just wondered if I could come in for a while and warm up?, the linesmen asked.
Of course, come in, its awful outside, I said. You need to get out of those wet clothes and move close to the fire.
He removed his ice encrusted hard hat first followed by his soaked coat.
You take all those wet clothes off and I will get you some towels and a blanket, I told my unexpected visitor.
He hesitated for a moment until I reassured him we were alone and I had seen a naked man before. He flashed a weak smile and disrobed while I found some towels. The linesmen dried off and warmed his body at the edge of the fireplace.
My name is Jay. You will be staying the night, I insisted. The weather is not fit for man or beast tonight.
Thanks Jay, Im Matt. I'm going to take you up on your offer. I have never been so cold in my life.
I handed Matt a glass of whiskey followed by a cup of hot coffee to help warm up his insides. Matt dropped the wet towel and moved closer to the fire for some warmth. It was then that I noticed his beautiful body. The glow of the fire illustrated his manly form. It reflected light on his handsome face, muscular physique, and tight butt. What really captured by imagination was his magnificent penis and hairless balls. I immediately got a hard on. I showed him the way to the bedroom where another fire was waiting for him. He climbed naked into the king sized antique bed and snuggled under the covers. When I started to head back to the living room to spend the rest of the night Matt took my hand.
I need to be with someone would you sleep next to me? he asked.
I nodded yes and climbed into bed with my house guest. We talked for a while. I found out he was from Wichita, Kansas. The power company had requested help from all over the Midwest. He told me he was homesick and very lonely. When I reached over to console him we bonded instantly. I held him throughout the night and when we awoke the next morning Matt had an enormous erection. Without asking his permission I held Matts hard cock in my hand and began to slowly stroke it. He let out a few low moans and said only two words: Suck me.
As I cradled his balls in my hand I wrapped my lips around the head of his excited penis. His whole body responded. His toes curled, ass hole and balls tightened, muscular legs flexed, and his cock grew even harder. My mouth and tongue seemed to have total control over my new beautiful friend. I licked his phallus from end to end. I planted little kisses down his saliva covered manhood. We were both eagerly anticipating his orgasm. He wanted to feel the exhalation and resolution of discharging his load and I wanted to taste his essence. I stroked him, sucked him, and stroked some more. Soon he convulsed slightly and he shot his semen in my warm and waiting mouth. I swallowed and sucked again to extract all of the remaining cum. It was a glorious way to start the day. We lingered in bed finding ways to arouse each other. Matt had to return to work but I made him promise to return that night for something special.
I drove to my gym to do some paperwork and to supervise my employees. A lot of handsome guys come to my club to work out and I always enjoy the view. Today was different. When I saw a guys cock I thought of Matt. When I saw a nice butt I thought of Matts ass. I lusted for Matt all day. When my club closed I drove home and found the power was still out but Matt was in his truck waiting for me. The power outage had ironically became a good thing because it meant more time with Matt. I told him to get in my car and we would go to my gym. I unlocked the door to my club and turned on the lights. Matt had not had a shower in a couple of days so I directed him to the locker room. I watched him wash his sexy body. I wanted to jump his bones right there but I had other things in mind. When he bent over to pick up the soap I viewed an unforgettable sight. His wet balls and cock hung low between his legs and his ass hole puckered.
When is the last time you had a great massage Matt?, I asked.
I cant remember but I sure could use one. All my muscles hurt from climbing poles all day.
I will take care of that Matt and I will do some pole work myself.
I had Matt remove his towel and lie face down on the massage table. His ass looked so hot I had to work on that first. I kneaded his butt cheeks and pulled than apart.
Oh wow that feels good, Matt moaned.
Now this is not part of our normal massage here at the club but you are a VIP.
A VIP? Matt repeated.
Yes Very Important Penis. I massaged Matts anus and then inserted one and then two fingers.
Im getting a hard on! Matt exclaimed.
Me too, I answered.
We moved to the hot tub next. We relaxed for a while until we both wanted to play, as Matt massaged my cock underwater. It felt so good I did not want him to stop. When I could not hold off any longer, I came. We watched ribbons of cum rise to the surface of the water. Then it was back to the showers for some more water sports.
When we got back to my home we headed directly to bed. As it turned out the power did not come back on for a week but we came many times.
Winter gave way to Spring and then to Summer. I still miss Matt. Maybe the forces of nature will bring him back to me or maybe I will have to drive to Kansas.
The Wichita lineman is still on my mind.
The Badpuppy.com model in these pictures is Justin
© Badpuppy Enterprises, Inc. 1995 - 2019


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MISSION VIEJO – Boy Scout Troop 1602 of Mission Viejo held an Eagle Scout Court in honor of its own "Magnificent Seven" on June 2. The seven Scouts, all 18, were in the same patrol, the Wolverines, and all made Eagle Scout within a 6-month period.
This event was held at Shepherd of the Hills United Methodist Church in Mission Viejo. Mission Viejo Mayor Rhonda Reardon and Laguna Hills City Councilwoman Melody Carruth presented Certificates of Commendation from their cities to each Scout. In addition, all eight Scoutmasters of Troop 1602, stemming back to the late 1970s, attended the ceremony.
Presenting the seven Eagle Scouts:
Mission Viejo resident Michael Damyen, who graduated from Mission Viejo High School last week, joined the Cub Scouts in 2001. He earned 42 Merit Badges and made Eagle rank in August. For his Eagle Scout project, he planned, organized, and oversaw the planting of 1,000 plants as part of a beautification project for Mission Viejo. The site for his project was Olympiad and Applegate. He stayed in steady communication with the city in the planning stages through to completion, coordinated the efforts of 50 volunteers, mostly Scouts along with family and friends.
Laguna Hills resident Jamie Foundoulis, who graduated from Laguna Hills High School last week, joined the Boy Scouts in 2007. He earned 21 Merit Badges and made Eagle in October. For his Eagle Scout project, he built and installed two planter benches at Shepherd of the Hills United Methodist Church and Preschool campus in Mission Viejo. The project added six planters and 16 feet of bench.
Laguna Hills resident Collin Wasley is also a recent LHHS graduate. He joined the Boy Scouts in 2006, earned 33 Merit Badges, and made Eagle in November. For his project, he constructed a 60-foot long equestrian fence near Laguna Hills High School. The fence aids the cross country team, which had to map out and redesign the course each year.
Matthew Klister of Laguna Hills, also a LHHS graduate, joined the Boy Scouts in 2006. He earned 30 Merit Badges and made Eagle in November. He built a floor lectern for the pastor of Mission Lutheran Church in Laguna Niguel for his Eagle Scout project.
Steven Reames of Laguna Hills is a LHHS graduate. He joined the Cub Scouts in 2002, earned 24 Merit Badges and earned Eagle rank in November. For his project, he built an information kiosk for La Paz Intermediate School in Mission Viejo. Students now have a place to post fliers about upcoming events. One wall of the kiosk also provides a protected map of the school, which serves as a directory for students and visiting parents to help locate classrooms.
Laguna Hills resident Hunter Kempf just graduated from JSerra Catholic High School in San Juan Capistrano. He joined Boy Scouts in 2007, earned 26 Merit Badges, and made Eagle in February. He created a tactile trail for the J F Shea Therapeutic Riding Center in San Juan Capistrano to use in its in therapy sessions to stimulate the rider's senses of touch and sight.
Alex Sacharske of Laguna Hills, also a LHHS graduate, joined the Cub Scouts in 2001. He earned 31 Merit Badges and made Eagle in February. For his project, he madea large, three-sectioned compost bin for Laguna Hills High School's California Native Plants Garden; reducing the school's need to buy fertilizer.


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This past weekend Team Garmin MTB headed to the Tankwa Trek where Yolandi teamed up with Theresa Ralph and I partnered with Hannes Hanekom for the event.
Hannes is a farmer in the Witzenberg Valley which we traverse on stage 1 of the Tankwa Trek. In fact Hannes and his brother are responsible for most of the track we followed on day 1, so my partner had some intimate local knowledge. Hannes invited me to ride the Cape Epic with him this year, so this would also be a dry run for us as team mates.
Theresa and Yolandi have raced together quite often so their partnership is well established. Good thing too as they would need every possible advantage to be competitive in the small but strong ladies field.
The Tankwa Trek is known for its beautiful setting at Kaleo Guest Farm situated at the top of the Gydo Pass a few kilometres outside of Ceres. The rugged terrain of the 'Koue Bokkeveld' creates a dramatic backdrop to what has become one of the most competitive and international stage races in South Africa. Little wonder as the race is organized by Dryland who are known for their professional organization and friendly, hospitable attitude.
Stage 1 is arguably the hardest of the event with almost 2000m of climbing crammed into 89 very harsh kilometres. Yolandi and Theresa deliberately started slow and paced themselves well to finish strongly in 5th place amongst the UCI ladies teams. Hannes and I did the same, albeit somewhat more unintentionally, leaving some gas in the tank for the next 2 days.
Stage 2 is similar in length and ascent to day 1 but it is characterized by the Du Toit Drop – a 3km singletrack drop with 10% gradient and the Merino Monster – a 10km climb with pitches as steep as 20%. In between is some tough riding ranging from rocky singletrack to windswept farm roads.
Yolandi and Theresa were going well when for some unexplained reason an amateur rider tried to embrace Theresa in the passing, sending a bunch of riders to taste some Tankwa dust. Bottom of the pile was Yolandi who was forced to nurse a sore knee and shoulder to the finish. Understandably she was NOT happy.
Hannes and I played our usual waiting game finishing strong after suffering through the middle section of the stage. After the leaders in our category succumbed to a bee sting which forced them to abandon, Hannes and I also took over the green jersey. It's not the way either of us would like to take a leader's jersey, but our consistent performance and hard fought placing afforded us the opportunity to capitalize on the situation. Besides, we would have our own drama soon enough…
Stage 3 is also around 90km but with a lot less climbing it is always a super quick stage. Yolandi was struggling on the opening district roads where her swollen knee made it hard to keep up on the fast pedalling sections. Theresa was her usual loyal team mate self pacing Yolandi where she could. Once into the singletrack Yolandi channelled her inner sand beetle and the girls finished in 5th place on the stage and 5th overall for a solid result.
Barely out of the start gate Hannes and I decided to make the final day tough for ourselves by crashing into each other. With the leaders speeding away in a cloud of dust, we settled down to a lonely chase. When your closest competitors have Tour de France legend Udo Bolts in their ranks you know you are up for a fight, but we kept our heads and did what we do best – plug away. We caught and passed them at the final waterpoint riding steady to the finish to claim a category win.
It was hard to say goodbye to the Witzenberg Valley and our friends who hosted us over the weekend, but it helped knowing that we would be back soon enough!
Until next time, happy trails!
Melt and Yolandi


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Inaugurated in 1979, the Havana International Convention Center is the foremost institution specializing in events and congresses in Cuba. The facility is located only 20 minutes from downtown Havana, in a residential area in the western part of the city and extends over an area of 60 000 square meters. The center is surrounded by exuberant vegetation which harmonizes with the tropical greenery of its interior gardens.
The Havana International Convention Center organizes, promotes and hosts congresses, conventions, symposia, conferences, national and international meetings, fairs and exhibitions. It has an extensive network of official agencies throughout Latin America, North America and Europe which, in conjunction with associations or companies interested in these services promote and market the activities organized for each of the international events and fairs programmed during the year.
The professionalism and dedication of its workers have made it a leader in the Cuban congress and exhibition industry.
For further information please contact:


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Wow! It was a beautiful week! The kids and I had the entire week off for spring break, while Zeke had a measely 4 day weekend. We spent the day today clearing sticks and such in order to get ready for our retention basin and basement. We are hoping to have the retention basin started within the next 1 to 2 weeks, weather permitting. Here is what I learned today in the woods...
1. Stick detail is my least favorite job ever.
2. Pricker bushes are not my friend.
3. If you are wearing work gloves and you grab a pricker bush, the work gloves do NOT protect your hand. I now know this from experience. Ouch.
Pappy (Zeke's father) took the kids fishing. I loved this comment from him... "Paul has a unique fishing technique. He casts his lure, puts his fishing pole down and proceeds to run up and down the bank, throwing sticks and rocks into the water to scare the fish out to his bait." Paul did not catch anything. Abby caught a sunfish.
I am posting a few pictures that I took today. I am hoping that the next time I post pictures it will be of a retention basin.
This photo is of the creek across the street from our property.
Zeke built a gate at the bottom of our driveway out of cedar posts.
The foreground of this photo shows where the retention basin will be.


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I should have posted about these polishes long ago. But I'm
an excelent procrastinator - lol - so i didn't. But this way I get
to show you them all at once. I only have four polishes from
The Mythicals Collection. My first a-england Polishes.
Then I had to get six polishes from The Legend Collection.
From The Mythicals Collection I have:
Morgan Le Fay, Galahad, Perceval and Merlin.
From The Legend Collection I have: Bridal Veil,
Saint George, Dragon, (tristam eyes) Princess Sabra,
Ascalon and Princess Tears. I skipped Order of the Garter.
Tomorrow I will show you swatches of the Mythicals Collection.
And the Legend Collection on Wednesday.
__ __ __
__ __ __
And that's a "Piece of Pie"


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New product
Warning: Last items in stock!
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Adult YELLOW extra soft Bamboo toothbrush
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Brush with Bamboo's handles are completely biodegradable, and they're made entirely out of organic Chinese Moso Bamboo
for every BE MY FLOWER toothbrush 0.05€ go to "Taki's animal shelter" in Krete. Thank you for participating!


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After a long day, what better than to come home to a haven of tranquility - designed by MiCasa for you!
From our elegant seamless wardrobes, to our functional bedsides, to our luxurious bespoke headboards or designer beds, MiCasa has everything for you not to want to leave your room.
Available in a range of sizes and finishes, the Prestige Bed can be ordered for delivery in 6 to 8 weeks.
2 Drawer with Wood / Lacquer Top. The Replay bedside table comes in a range of modular sizes and can be mixed and matched. Designed for floor standing installation.
The Replay chest of drawers comes in a range of modular sizes and can be mixed and matched. Designed for floor standing installation.
Looking for bespoke upholstery - then look no further than MiCasa's Evita collection. From sofas, and occasional chairs to dining chairs and headboards - each piece is carefully crafted using high quality. Price stated is for COM.
The Happy Bed is an extremely linear model made entirely from wood with tapered legs. The curved edges contrast nicely with the geometric lines in the headboard and the rest of the structure. Base price is for king size.
A minimal structure in shape and colour, where the central part highlights the only visible design element. A handle recessed in the door, in the same colour to provide a general sensation of a light airy composition.
This Sliding door range is ideal for those who want to take full advantage of their space. Modular and well equipped, the SMA system comes with different types of doors and moduale sizes
The Symphonia dressing table has a gas sprung lift up section with mirror, polished edge and LED light, jewellery compartment and large side cupboard for storage.A Hi Tech Kit option is available to provide an i-phone control box with integrated speakers, Bluetooth, USB, Aux and SD connections.
Bespoke winged buttoned headboard in velvet. Price on application as it varies due to size and fabric combinations.
Padded dressing table stool.
Elegant wave padded buttoned bench available in various fabrics.
Childrens bedroom setting - Various colours, finishes and size available.Sit with one of our designers to go through your space and needs.


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Canary Islands
Decided last minute to join some friends I've made in Madrid on a trip for 6 days to the Canary Islands. The islands are pretty far South and even in the end of January (when it was still occasionally snowing in Madrid) we were tanning on the dunes next to the ocean.
Couldn't really pass the offer up, by the end was very glad I didn't! The moon was full, yellow, and looked enormous over the airport lights during our early morning takeoff:
Partied pretty damn hard. We rented two apartments for the week three blocks from the beach.
Flew back home in most turbulence I've ever experienced. Really great trip, got kicked out of bars, rolled down dunes, read two books, and came back a little more tan, a lot more relaxed. Success.


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"Have sandwich hands, Mommy! Have sandwich hands!"
My two-year old darts toward me with his "sandwich hands" and I barely dodge them as they come careening toward my already snot-covered jeans. I lift him up and take him to the trash can, helping him loose the last bits of PB&J from the creases of his fingers before carrying him off to the bathroom sink for a wash.
Sandwich hands. The phrase makes me chuckle.
His own disgust toward the sticky mess on his hands makes me chuckle even more. If you don't like it, why don't you learn to eat cleaner, little one? How many times will we go through the song and dance of having sandwich hands after a meal?
And just like that, I'm reminded of the lessons in my own life I have to learn over and over again. The sticky-fingered sandwich hands I shove deep into my pockets and pretend don't exist until I need to use them again and end up wiping strawberry jelly mess over everything.
If only I'd washed them.
But, people are messy — broken.
And it's the people I love that leave me disappointed as I assume they'll never say or do something that would hurt my feelings. And then when they do, I carry the burden of being unforgiving: harnessing bitterness or frustration below the surface, ready to make its mark on the next unrelated interaction.
But Jesus reaches down and taps me on the shoulder. He reminds me of His overwhelming love for me, the love that covered my own shortcomings. The love that says, "You are forgiven and I have called you to forgive." (Eph. 4:32)
A lesson I need to be reminded of. Often. That love covers a multitude of sins. (1 Peter 4: 8)
And patiently, He carries me to the trash can and wipes the crumbs from my fists. And without tiring, asks me to wash my hands — forgiveness.


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Thank you for checking out our blog pages.
We are so happy that you decided to check out our blog pages and hoping that you will follow us and keep in contact with us. Here are a few ways that you can contact us
- contact us via email. this is probably the quickest and easiest way to get information to us. we can be contacted at this email
- contact us via messenger. Sign into messenger and look for Paul Belcher. You should recognize me by my picture of my family there.
- Contact me via Facebook. Here there are two ways to reach me.
- paulbelcher1 – again you will see this picture of my family up top
- Go to Facebook pages and find the following Comec Ministries International. On both Facebook pages you can contact me publicly or leave a message on messenger as a private message, Private messages preferred.
- contact me via messages. leave a message for me in messages rather than messages
- Contact me via mail. You can reach me via mail at the following address. 9102 92A St. Fort St. John, BC Canada V1J4M2
- Via Phone. Although we do not have a landline you are free to contact us via our cell phone. Our Country Code is 01. (250)329-8131


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- Average temperatures will rise by 4-5 degrees
- Sea levels will rise 12-24 inches
- Precipitation will increase 5-10% with the number of extreme weather events rising even faster
Climate change necessitates change from us. Human change starts small, and it's everyone's responsibility. That's why I became part of the White Roof Project – because simple, tangible, change comes in many forms. Painting a roof white is one baby step toward reducing emissions. White roofs lower summer energy use. They're relatively cheap, and they save building residents money over the long-term. Perhaps more importantly, a DIY roof project motivates residents and communities to do more.
I've helped coat lots of roofs around New York City. There's a simple joy in spending a spring day doing good for the earth while doing good for the wallet. It can inspire even the staunchest non-believer – I've seen it.
One day after the one year anniversary of Sandy, White Roof Project needs your help to keep the ball rolling. Join us at our annual party White Is The New Black. Details here: www.whiteroofproject.org/whiteisthenewblack/. This event supports our work for an entire year. It's a celebration and the largest funder of efforts to spread the white roof cause across the states while paying for nonprofit and low-income projects in New York.
Even if you can't make it, check out our DIY roof packet and become part of the solution. Climate change is here, and human change begins with you.


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With the sudued reaction to the significant decrease in vocations to the national seminary in Maynooth this year, it is worth noting that our neighbours in England and Wales are experiencing a reasonably dramatic increase in vocations.
It is expected that 38 men will be ordained to the priesthood in England and Wales in 2013 - alomost double the number ordained in 2011. A recent report in England's Catholic Herald reported these projections, noting that the number of seminarians for the diocese of Southwark alone (26) has more than doubled since 2005, when it only had 10.
The Southwark vocations website states that a 'campaign of prayer has coincided with a dramatic increase in the number of men coming forward as potential candidates for the priesthood. That same archdiocese appointed a full-time vocations director earlier this year. This was the first time in 30 years that this had happened.
Irish dioceses might like to take note!


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|Agroforestry in the West African Sahel (BOSTID, 1984)
In determining the potential productivity and sustainability of an agricultural system, it is often useful to analyze the energy flows that connect the farmer with his crops and livestock. Energy flow, as used in this report, refers to the transformations and sequential dependencies of solar energy as it passes through the food chain.
Solar energy is the ultimate source of all life on earth. The basic source of energy for man is the chemical energy derived from food. The ultimate source of this food is vegetation. In energy analysis, this vegetation is termed "primary production." It is based on the capacity of plants to transform solar energy into chemical matter through photosynthesis. Man exploits solar energy by eating plants or the animals that eat plants. This relationship is often expressed 'in terms of the following unidirectional energy flow: primary production (vegetation) > herbivore (livestock) >carnivore (man), with subsequent recycling through decomposers such as bacteria and fungi (Bayliss-Smith 1982).
The amount of solar energy available for primary production is a function of geographical position. This energy is conventionally measured in joules (J). One joule equals 0.239 calories. A larger unit, megajoules (MJ), is often used to describe inputs of solar energy. One MJ equals 239 kilocalories, Approximately 10.5 MJ/day are required in human diets to maintain basic metabolic processes and regenerate tissue. In the Sahel, the annual input of solar radiation is on the order of 0.63 MJ/cm2--much higher than inputs in humid tropical or temperate regions.
Only a relatively small proportion of incoming solar energy, 1 J/cm2/hr, is converted into chemical energy as a result of photosynthesis by plants. Because photosynthesis is inefficient in its use of solar energy, it is necessary for farmers to increase vegetative cover and to arrange it in such a way that its foliage can achieve optimal productivity. The amount of foliage is often measured through the leaf area index--the total leaf area (in cm2) per unit of soil surface (in cm2). Experiments with many crops have shown that a considerable amount of solar radiation is wasted by falling in the gapsbetween leaves and between plants (Bayliss-Smith 1982). Too much plant cover can also be harmful because many leaves will be shaded and will therefore function inefficiently.
Although variation in leaf area index, availability of water and nutrients, and other factors will account for most differences in crop performance, the efficiency of photosynthesis is also influenced by the proportion of visible light that can be converted into carbohydrate by different plants. These differing capabilities relate to the so-called C3 and C4 pathways for carbon dioxide use; the former generally associated with temperate species, the latter often associated with plants in tropical and arid regions. The C4 species, such as millet and sorghum, are able to convert very high light intensities into chemical energy more efficiently than C3 species.
Temperature, moisture stress, and nutrient availability also impose constraints on plant growth. Moisture stress is of particular importance in the Sahel. Approximately 100 mm of rainfall per month is necessary to sustain crop growth. Hence, the hydrological growing season in the region between the 400- and 750-mm isohyets would generally be from 2-4 months. Nutrient deficiency is both an important constraint and the only one that is not, in practical terms, beyond the farmer's ability to control. Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium are particularly important nutrients.
In a traditional Sahelian agroforestry system, trees, shrubs, and annual crops are often integrated in such a manner that leaf area indices are relatively high, permitting correspondingly high levels of productivity during the short growing season. The prominence of C4-pathway staples, such as millet, sorghum, and maize, further contributes to the productivity of traditional agricultural systems. The deep-rooted trees and shrubs in the systems provide a wide range of products of importance to local populations, forage for livestock, and microclimates that support greater crop diversity. They also recycle critical nutrients, including the important nitrogen contributions of leguminous species such as Acacia albida. Research in Senegal has revealed that yields of millet and groundnuts grown under A. albida trees on infertile soils increase from 500 +/-200 kg/ha to 900 +/- kg/ha. In addition to increased crop yields, there are 50-100 percent increases in soil organic matter, improved soil structure, increased water-holding capacity, and a marked increase in soil microbiological activity beneath the trees (Felker 1978). In addition to nitrogen-fixing rhizobial bacteria, there are larger populations of other important soil organisms, such as the mycorrhizal fungi that are so important in facilitating phosphorus uptake in plants. The increased stability and productivity of these systems reduces the need for extended fallows.
The perennial components of traditional Sahelian agroforestry systems are also effective in intercepting rainfall, promoting ground water recharge, and preventing erosion. According to some climatologists, there is also a possibility that increased perennial ground cover increases or maintains higher levels of rainfall (National Research Council 1983).
Departures from traditional systems of agroforestry in the Sahel have often included the clearance of trees and shrubs from agricultural lands. Land is cleared for a variety of reasons: the perceived need to reduce competition with crops for water, to eliminate roosts for granivorous birds such as Quelea quelea (black-faced diochs), and to permit the use of mechanized farm equipment. Unfortunately, the clearance of woody perennials also results in lower potential productivity: the leaf area index and ground water recharge are often reduced, soil temperatures and soil-water relationships become less stable, soil ecology is disrupted, nutrient cycling breaks down, and erosion increases.
In many instances, complex mosaics of traditional C4 food crops and legumes have been replaced by mono cropped systems of comparatively less efficient C3 cash crops such as rice and cotton. One result is that a much narrower range of food and other plant products is available for local use, with a corresponding reduction in the self-reliance of rural populations. In the absence of leguminous field trees, these crops require heavy applications of costly commercial fertilizer. Fertilizer requirements are further increased as the mineral nutrients contained in the crops (approximately 5-10 percent of the dry weight of the plants) are lost to the system with the export of the crops. It has been estimated that in some areas the shift to open-field cultivation has reduced the human carrying capacity of the land from 25-40 individuals/km2 to 10-20 individuals/km2 (Felker 1978).
Two strategies of land use have been employed so far and will, to some extent, continue to be essential in the Sahel. The first is based on nomadic pastoralism and is characterized by:
· Extensive use of vast areas for grazing
· Mobility of people and livestock, as a flexible reaction to even small environmental and climatic changes
· Year-long engagement in land use; seasonality is met by rhythmic migration, adapted development of herds
· Multiple exploitation of plant cover but no cultivation of plants
· Little regular market sale of production
· Animals (cattle, camels, donkeys, goats, and sheep, as well as wildlife) are at the center of all traditional life.
The second strategy is based largely on sedentary rain fed agriculture, characterized by:
· Intensive use of small favorable sites
· Relative immobility of residents; if applicable, shifting or rotation of fields within easy reach of the family compound
· Short season of concentrated agricultural efforts, dependent on rains (July-October), seasonal "unemployment" frequently taken up by nonagricultural jobs in towns and cities
· Cultivation of a few plant species for specific products; supplementary multiple use of natural vegetation
· Only minimal livestock (e.g., small ruminants such as goats) kept for products used in the household (milk, meat, hides)
· Field crops beyond subsistence demand are regularly sold or exchanged for various goods.
Additional strategies of regional importance, but more localized application, would include the highly productive recessional (decrue) agriculture practiced along the margins of seasonally fluctuating lakes and rivers.
Sedentary agriculture is expanding northward, and there is increasing overlap and competition as well as a mixture of the original two basic types of land use. The mayor problems and conflicts arise in the transition zone between pastoralism and rain fed agriculture.
Natural stands of trees and shrubs have always played a supportive role for both pastoralism and agriculture. With important exceptions such as oasis agricultural systems, however, they have seldom been regenerated or newly planted by local people. In most areas of the Sahel, continuous selective exploitation and land use practices that are incompatible with tree growth have changed the original climax, eliminated many species of trees and shrubs, and resulted in degraded stands on the one hand and in local concentrations of certain species on the other. For example, such highly esteemed trees as Prosopis africana, Lannea spp., and Ximenia americana survived only in the southern savanna lands; apart from relic stands, they have disappeared from the Sahel proper. Other species, such as Adansonia digitata (baobab), Butyrospermum paradoxum (shea-butter), Parkia clappertoniana (West African locust, or nere), and Calotropis procera, concentrate in disturbed areas around human settlements. Bush fires have also played and still play a decisive role in species selection, resulting in a "fire-climax" in which only a few resistant species survive.
Tree culture as a preliminary stage of real "forestry" never had a place in traditional land use systems. Therefore, in discussing the following three agroforestry systems, the multiple and sometimes intensive use of naturally growing trees and shrubs largely represents the forestry contribution. These three systems are variants of the two land use strategies involving trees: first, mainly with livestock (silvo-pastoral systems); second, with agriculture (agro-silvicultural systems); third, with both in combination (agro-silvo-pastoral systems).
Silvo-pastoral land use is predominant in all areas of the Sahel not used for agriculture. There are two main types of silvo-pastoral systems. The first predominates in the northern part of the Sahel where there is little rainfall and where nomadic or transhumant pastoralism is the main land use. Trees and shrubs, which form a more-or-less open canopy over the grasslands, according to site conditions, supply a substantial part of the livestock's fodder needs.
H. N. Le Houerou (1980) has suggested that, under prevailing conditions, up to one-third of all forage could be supplied by trees and shrubs. Leaves and fruits account for about 5 percent of average livestock fodder needs during the rainy season and up to 45 percent toward the end of the dry season. Their importance, however, is not only to be measured in kilograms of available dry matter but, even more importantly, in terms of fodder quality (for example, content of digestible protein, minerals, and vitamins). Research in northern Senegal has shown that an average tropical livestock unit (corresponding to one 250-kg bovine) consumes about 1,200 kg of grass and herbs and more than 500 kg of woody forage between November and July (dry season). As the net annual increase of grass and herbs in this region is between 300 and 1,300 (average 700) kg per hectare (ha), and that of accessible and digestible forage from woody plants is about 120 kg/ha, empirical research has shown that during the entire year, about 5 ha of average bush land are needed to feed one tropical livestock unit. There is considerable variation, however, subject to soil and rainfall conditions. Only 1 ha will be needed on highly productive sites--for example, in seasonally flooded depressions; over large parts of the drier northern Sahel, however, at least 10-20 ha or more will be required.
Trees and shrubs of the Sahel have thus played a significant role in livestock management. Governments in the past often responded to apparent demand by establishing vast silvo-pastoral reserves, now under the supervision of the national forest and range management services. In addition to forage, trees and shrubs furnish important supplies of edible fruits and leaves to the many people who do not grow agricultural crops. They also provide wood and many other products, including medicinals from the "ever-present pharmacy.
Natural grasslands with a relatively high proportion of trees and shrubs continue to form the basis of a more-or-less sustainable silvo-pastoral land use system over millions of hectares and for millions of people. Growing populations and steadily increasing numbers of livestock, however, have led to critical and destructive developments during the past few decades. Without improvement and controlled management, the carrying capacity of northern Senegal appears to be just below 1 person and 25 livestock units per square kilometer (100 ha). This would result in the annual removal and consumption of over 125 kg of woody forage and around 5-7 kg of wood and minor forest products per hectare, compared with the annual increment of 120 kg of accessible and digestible woody phytomass and 123 kg of wood and bark as measured at Fete-Ole, Senegal. In other words, pressure on woody forage has reached its critical level in most areas, whereas wood consumption for household use becomes destructive in concentrations of more than 25 people per square kilometer. These figures, although provisional and of rather local validity, not only indicate the definite limits to further growth but also explain the existing threat of desertification in some parts of the Sahel.
A second type of traditional silvo-pastoral system is found mainly in the southern Sahel (largely in areas with more than 500 mm annual rainfall) and in the transition zone between pastoralism and rain fed agriculture. Here, on the same plot of land, crops of millet, cow peas, and groundnuts are grown during the rainy season. After harvest the fields are opened to livestock to feed on agricultural residues and weeds; during the rainy season the livestock are maintained on the surrounding grasslands. This form of rotation is well established and adapted to the ecosystem and to local needs, and is practiced by sedentary or semi sedentary farmers, often by agreement with migrating herders (Gallais 1975). The system comprises a phase of green fallow over several years, where trees cut at stump level recover. These fallows usually offer much richer grass and herb vegetation than surrounding bush lands. Woody plants play a subsidiary role in this system; trees are lopped, and leaves and pods are collected as additional fodder. Leaves of bushes and trees sprout 6-8 weeks prior to the arrival of rain, supplying a valuable protein source at the time of greatest forage scarcity.
Agro-silvicultural systems combine tree and shrub utilization with rain fed or, occasionally, irrigated plant production. Most include a livestock component as well. Perhaps the best-known examples are the oases of the desert and sub desert zones. These systems are described in detail in the early literature of the northern Sahel.
Travelers' chronicles dating from the Middle Ages to the late nineteenth century describe agro-silvicultural systems in the northern Sahel that contained a far greater diversity of crops than is found in the region today. There was frequent mention of northern grains, such as wheat and barley, as well as Mediterranean vine and tree crops such as grapes, olives, and figs. Many of these crops were associated with Berber and Arab settlers from the north and were apparently supported by summer rains, the more frequent winter rains received in the past, and by supplemental irrigation (Robert 1976).
Other major grain crops included sorghum, millet, and maize. Garden crops grown in the oases included broad beans, lubia, peas, carrots, okra, turnips, swedes and cabbage, cucumbers, various kinds of melons, pumpkins and squash, purslane, eggplant, tomatoes, radishes, beets, onions, garlic, and chili peppers. Sugar cane was also widely grown. Important exports from the oases included mallow, sesame, saffron, cumin, coriander, "Sudan" chilies, raisins, cotton, indigo, esparto grass, and henna. Noteworthy among the trees and shrubs associated with these systems were date palms, lemon trees, Seville orange trees, mulberry trees, pomegranates, and almond, peach, and apricot trees. Wild species exploited for food included colocynth, Zizyphus spp., Hyphaene thebaica (doum palm), truffles, Nitraria tridentata, and wild grains such as the seed of Aristida pungens (Nachtigal 1879, Levtzion and Hopkins 1981).
Representative of the agro-silvicultural systems of the southern Sahel would be that of the Yatenga region of Upper Volta. In the Yatenga systems, the areas nearest the settlements are under almost permanent cultivation. Fertility is maintained by nutrient cycling through trees--particularly Parkia clappertoniana, Tamarindus indica (tamarind), and Butyrospermum paradoxum; short, 2-year fallows; and by dressing the fields with ash and manure collected in the pasturelands beyond the zone of cultivation.
The crop rotations employed in the region largely reflect soil qualities. For example, the following rotation would typically be associated with hydromorphic soils:
Year 1
Maize associated with cotton
Years 2-6
Sorghum and cow peas
Years 7-9
Year 10
Grazed fallow
On better agricultural soils, the fallow period is frequently eliminated:
Years 1-6
Year 7
Sorghum and cow peas
In this rotation, cotton is associated with cereals every 2 years. On lands that are degraded or difficult to cultivate, millet and sorghum are cultivated for a period of 5 years, followed by grazed fallow or the cultivation of groundnuts (Food and Agriculture Organization 1981).
Today, a number of agro-silvicultural systems appear to be practiced in the Sahel. Gardens are found within settlements where water is available, usually with a tree component that provides shade and shelter and, often, edible fruits or leaves. The same holds true for intensively managed, irrigated, and fertilized gardens near urban centers. Both subsistence home gardens and cash-generating market gardens are highly productive. Fruit and pod-bearing trees, shade trees, and hedges or living fences are the "forestry" components, sometimes supplemented by decorative woody plants. Mangoes, citrus trees, guavas, Zizyphus mauritiana (Indian jujube), cashews, palms, Ficus spp., and wild custard-apples are prominent kinds of fruit trees. Shade is often provided by Azadirachta indica or similar species, while fencing is provided by thorny species of Acacia and Prosopis, and by Commiphora africana, Euphorbia balsamifera, flowery shrubs such as Caesalpinia pulcherrima (paradise-flower), and other species.
Close to the settlements is a ring of suburban gardens, often irrigated, in which cassava, yams, maize, millet, sorghum, rice, groundnuts, and various vegetables are grown, for subsistence as well as sale, depending on the ecozone.
Outside the villages in areas of adequate rainfall are bush farms, often more than 1 ha in size, where the region's main agricultural crops such as millet, sorghum, maize, and groundnuts are grown. These farms may be and sometimes are so far away that people have to build shelters to stay there for many days without returning home. Woody plants are often cut from the fields to avoid competition with crops or to deny nesting to birds, and for use as fencing material. Where possible, however, Acacia albida or food trees (for example, Butyrospermum paradoxum, Parkia clappertoniana, Tamarindus indica, Borassus aethiopum (ronier), and Hyphaene thebaica) are left and often carefully maintained and protected. With some regional variations, a very old and sophisticated tradition of food-tree culture flourishes, which has resulted in an almost perfect combination of single-tree management and intensively managed farmlands and therefore merits detailed study.
These systems combine all three elements of crops, trees, and livestock in both space and time. Two systems are mentioned here. The first is a rotation system that is common in the Republic of Sudan but is also known in Chad and Niger. It is based on about 20 ha of family-owned land subdivided into 4 sections to be rotated every 5 years. For example:
Years 1-5
Plantation of Acacia senegal trees; in between agricultural land
use (for
example, where millet is cultivated).
Years 6-10
First harvest of gum arabic from the trees;cutting grass from
fallow land.
Years 11-15
Period of full yields of gum arable; controlled grazing possible
Years 16-20
Final harvests of gum arable; clear felling of the acacia trees
(used for
firewood, charcoal,posts); grazing.
The rotation continues with replanting and agricultural use in the twenty-first year. Depending on site quality and rainfall, these 20 ha can maintain a family of 5-10 people.
The second system is found in many parts of the Sahel where rainfall and ground water level permit the growth of Acacia albida, the remarkable multipurpose tree of semiarid Africa. Outstanding examples are to be seen in Senegal (near Bambey) in parts of Upper Volta, and in southern Niger (Dallol-Maouri). Acacia albida is, in fact, often regarded as a sacred tree. Proverbs refer to it: "The tree is your better friend: it never demands but always gives. The sultans of Zinder, in former times, used to cut off the hands of people who illegally felled an Acacia albida.
This leguminous, nitrogen-fixing tree has a deep tap root system that enables it to tap lower sources of water and nutrients inaccessible to agricultural plants. It is leafless during the agricultural season and therefore does not compete with crops for light. It produces leaves and provides ample shade during the hot dry season--a phenomenon known as reverse foliation. The leaf litter of the trees contributes nitrogen, other nutrients, and much-needed organic matter to the fields. In addition to soil improvement, which results in up to 100 percent higher yields than those outside the range of Acacia albida crowns, this tree produces large quantities of qualitatively valuable forage by shedding its apple-ring-like pods during the dry season. The wood is used for local construction and as fuel. The thorny branches serve as fencing material, and many parts of the tree provide medicine for people and livestock. About 20 adult trees per hectare will guarantee an almost perfectly balanced system of agroforestry with high yields in millet production in the rainy season (Figure 4) and more than 1,500 (sometimes as much as 2,500) kg of pods for feeding cattle and small ruminants; that is, sufficient for the supply of one tropical livestock unit per hectare in the fodder deficient dry season. Therefore, Acacia albida has been given high priority in agroforestry projects in suitable parts of the Sahel.


text: On Thursday, August 11, 2011, Gerry Kieftenbeld passed away peacefully with his family by his side, at the age of 86 years. A Prayer Service will take place at 7:00 p.m., Sunday, August 28, 2011 at St. Emerence, Riviere Qui Barre, Alberta. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 a.m., Monday, August 29, 2011 at St. Emerence, with interment to follow at St. Emerence Cemetery.


text:
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