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Although spina bifida exists in forms that have no effect on function, such as spina bifida occulta, the term we use the term interchangeably with myelomeningocele.
Although the term "bifida" comes from the Latin and means "split in two," the condition affects more than the spine. It also involves the spinal cord and its coverings; often the spinal cord and nerves are in a sac protruding from the child's back. The area involved can be anywhere along the spine but usually occurs at the bottom of the spine.
No one is sure what causes spina bifida, but the best explanation is that multiple factors are involved, some environmental and some genetic.
When a certain combination of these factors is present, normal spinal cord development is altered. Spina bifida develops during the first month of pregnancy, usually before the woman realizes she is pregnant. Neither parent is to blame.
Fetal spina bifida can be diagnosed by ultrasound examination prior to birth, between 18–22 weeks of pregnancy. This diagnosis is made in conjunction with a blood test to confirm what is found on the ultrasound. Fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be performed to provide additional information regarding the anatomy of the spine and brain.
Occasionally, even today, a child is born with a defect so extensive that his life cannot be saved. However, most children born with spina bifida are vigorous, active newborns. But they possess a defect that, if left untreated, is potentially lethal. Early closure of the back by a neurosurgeon and control of hydrocephalus ensure survival and preserves function.
A superficial look at a child with spina bifida would suggest that the condition involves only paralysis of the legs, but brain malformations and hydrocephalus can also result. Most children with spina bifida have problems that are usually evident at birth, such as bladder and bowel dysfunction, paralysis of the legs, and lack of sensation.
The major initial crisis of the newborn child with spina bifida involves the nervous system — the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves. The primary problem is that a portion of the nervous system is exposed and vulnerable to infection. This must be dealt with promptly to prevent infection and loss of function. Functional disturbances of the nervous system are also of concern.
The nervous system operates by small electrical impulses like a telephone system. Continuing the analogy, the brain acts as the computerized central telephone office. The spinal cord functions as the main cable from the central office, and the peripheral nerves of the arms, legs, bladder and bowel act as individual phone lines. Messages flow to and from the brain as electrical impulses along these lines — the nerves.
In spina bifida, problems exist at several levels in the system. The individual lines — the peripheral nerves of the legs, bladder, and bowel — are part of the deformity on the child's back. Often, they are lost during development or destroyed as the sac expands on the child's back. The closer a nerve is to the end of the spinal cord the more likely it is to be involved and lost. Unfortunately, the nerves for bladder and bowel function are connected at the very end of the spinal cord and are almost always lost.
The next nerves upward connected to the spinal cord are those for the feet, ankles, calf, knee, thigh, hip, etc., progressing up the child's trunk. Thus, as spina bifida becomes more extensive or higher on the child's back, the more likely is the loss of more and more function. However, only in rare cases is the lesion high enough to involve the arms.
There are two types of lines (peripheral nerves): outgoing and ingoing. The outgoing system is the motor nerve system and ends in the muscles of the legs, bladder, and bowel. Loss of these nerves breaks the contact with the brain, and the child loses voluntary movement of the muscles involved. In fact, if these nerves are lost early in development before birth, the affected limb is not stimulated to develop and remains smaller than normal.
The loss of motor function is not evenly distributed over the limbs and spine. The opposing muscle groups — those on the front of the leg that oppose those on the back — can be partially paralyzed and out of balance. The resulting muscle imbalance tugs and pulls the bone and limbs into various deformities. This compounds the problem of paralysis, making walking much more difficult. Orthopaedic surgeons can now correct these deformities, allowing children to stand and most to walk with assistance, although sometimes individuals with a significant amount of motor loss might find a wheelchair a better mode of transportation in adult life.
The ingoing system is the sensory system. The sensory loss is usually in the same area as the motor loss and means that the sensation of pain, temperature, and touch are lost. Without pain, which acts as the body's essential alarm system, the child has a much greater exposure to injury. One of the first ways in which parents need to be on guard against possible injury is by carefully testing the temperature of the child's bath water. Vigilance to the areas of lost sensation is key to avoiding cuts, bruises, irritation, and pressure sores.
The next level involves the covering of the main cable — the bone, muscle, and skin — which doesn't close properly during development, remaining open like an "open book," leaving the central nervous system exposed. Parts of the cord may actually be destroyed during development, or the organization of this portion of nervous tissue may be abnormal; nerves end blindly or make wrong connections and short circuits interfere with the cord's function. Both sensory and motor pathways are involved, but usually the sensory system suffers more.
Because of both motor and sensory loss to the urinary system, a variety of abnormal patterns of function are seen. Some children retain large volumes of urine, while others can only hold a small volume of urine and dribble continuously. The sphincters that open and close to control the flow of urine and feces are deprived of voluntary control, and so require artificial aid.
Children born with spina bifida have a brain complication known as the Chiari II malformation. Generally speaking, all children born with spina bifida have this malformation of the brain, regardless of the presence of hydrocephalus.
There are different types of Chiari II malformations, but the kind associated with spina bifida usually is one type: the brain is compressed into the foramen magnum, the bony opening at the base of the skull through which the spinal cord exits. It is not known why this malformation is associated with spina bifida. Fortunately, the internal connections of the brain are correct, and therefore the child can still be expected to have a normal intellect.
However, in many children, subtle abnormalities of brain function are recognizable with more sophisticated forms of neuropsychological testing. The most common problem in children with spina bifida is the coordination of hand movements with what they see — hand-eye coordination. With sophisticated testing, a child's particular problem, if any, can be identified and, with proper therapy, can often be corrected or minimized.
Another major difficulty that may be present at birth or shortly afterward is hydrocephalus; "hydro" indicates water and "cephalus" indicates the head).
The brain and spinal cord share a circulation of a salt water-like liquid called cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The fluid is continuously made deep within the brain and flows through the brain by passing through some large compartments known as ventricles and narrower passages interconnecting the ventricles. CSF finally passes out of the brain at the back of the head and then over the surface of the brain and spinal cord to ultimately return to the blood system at the top of the brain. Any obstruction to this circulation acts much like a dam in a river.
The river below the dam decreases in size and the river above the dam expands into a lake. This extending lake of fluid fills up the ventricles within the child's brain. The increased pressure causes the child's brain and skull to expand to accommodate the enlarging amount of fluid at the center of the brain.
Fortunately, today we can control hydrocephalus. This is because of improved diagnostic equipment available to pediatric neurosurgeons that can differentiate between progressive hydrocephalus and an enlarging head that will eventually stabilize.
Because of the Chiari II deformity in children with myelomeningocele, dams or obstructions are formed along the river. In approximately 30% of the cases, the obstructions are low ones, partially obstructing the fluid, but CSF eventually spills over, and the progression becomes relentless. With early treatment, the brain impairment is reversible but left untreated the brain can be permanently damaged. Today, this is a treatable condition, and the hydrocephalus can be controlled.
Paralysis of the vocal cords occurs in a small percentage — approximately 2–3 percent — of children with spina bifida. It usually occurs in those children who have hydrocephalus. It is characterized by noisy breathing, also known as stridor, and is usually present at first only when the child is upset.
It may progress from airway obstruction to difficult breathing requiring an opening, known as a tracheostomy, be made at the windpipe, or trachea, below the vocal cords, thus bypassing the obstruction. Complications of hydrocephalus to this degree are rare.
After fetal spinal bifida is diagnosed, the staff in the Divisions of Orthopaedic Surgery and Neurosurgery at Lurie Children's counsels the parents regarding what to expect when their baby is born. Plans are made to assure the baby is delivered in a hospital that has a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) with a neonatologist present at the delivery. Often a cesarean delivery is necessary to avoid damaging the baby's spinal cord.
Research has yet to determine if surgery on the fetus in utero is beneficial to the infant. Researchers hypothesize that early repair may prevent hydrocephalus. However, any surgery performed in utero has additional risks. The results of these studies will determine if fetal intervention can improve the long-term outlook for children with spina bifida.
After the birth, spina bifida requires good communication between physicians and extreme vigilance on the part of families. A slight decline on a muscle test or change in bladder or bowel function may indicate a serious underlying complication such as a shunt malfunction. Shunts are tubes and valves that carry the fluid to another body cavity where it can be returned to the blood either directly or by absorption through the lining of the body cavity.
Muscle changes or changes in bladder or bowel function may also indicate a "tethered cord," in which the spinal cord attaches to surrounding tissue and cannot move freely. Both shunt malfunctions and bladder and bowel changes need immediate intervention to prevent permanent damage.


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I am the CEO of EDEL Technology Consulting, a custom software and digital products company. EDEL was recently judged by the Ghana IT and Telecoms Industry Awards as the IT Consulting Firm of the Year. I am also Founder of Women in Tech Africa, Africa's largest women in tech group with members in over 30 Africa countries and physical chapter in Ghana, Kenya and London. I am a Mandela Fellow for President Obama's Young African Leaders initiative (YALI) and been featured in BBC and CNN for work in technology and women leadership. I sit on numerous boards of numerous companies in Ghana, Nigeria and South Africa and has ambitions to grow EDEL Technology Consulting to the whole of Africa.
Women's Forum: Why did you choose to be a speaker at the Women's Forum Mauritius 2016?
I have always been passionate about technology, innovation, women leadership and empowerment. The theme (Bringing more women and youth into the innovation movement) on which I will speak at the forum aligns with my goal and is also one of the reasons why I founded Women In tech Africa; the realization that the percentage of women and men in the tech industry is minimal. I saw this as an opportunity to share my experience and provide my thoughts on how the theme can be achieved. Secondly, because it is a privilege to share the stage with other great women who are having an impact such as the President of the Republic of Mauritius H.E. Dr Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, the Managing Director of IMF Christine Lagarde among other women.
Women's Forum: In your opinion, what more is needed to improve women's advancement in Small Island Developing States like Mauritius and Africa?
Technology. A lot more women need to go into ICT. Young ladies must be encouraged to take up ICT courses so we have a handful of women developers.
Women's Forum: Tell us more about Women in Tech Africa and its mission.
I run two organizations, EDEL technology Consulting and Women in tech Africa. EDEL Technology Consulting provides IT services for international organizations including the World Bank, Dalex Finance, Chartered Institute of Marketing Ghana (CIMG) and Clean Team Ghana among others. EDEL Technology Consulting is currently working with United States Africa development fund (USADF) to build a micro working platform to help shape the future of work across Africa ; and recently won the IT Consulting firm on the Year in the GITTA 2016 Awards in Ghana
Women in tech Africa was born from my own experience of being the only women who worked on a project in Nigeria. When I started working in the tech environment I felt I needed a network of other women who do what I do to be able to network with each other, share ideas and even for support. Women in tech Africa is the largest women in tech group globally with over 2000 members in 30 countries with physical chapters in Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa and London. WITA mission is in three folds:
- Creating today's female leaders and role Models for tomorrow's Women
- Showing the world what a strong African woman in capable of achieving
- Support African growth through technology
Women's Forum: As Founder of Women in Tech Africa and CEO & Founder of EDEL Technology Consulting, what advice would you give to aspiring women leaders?
"Remember the mistakes you make are all part of learning, so instead of overthinking things just do it, and on your way down you will figure it out"

subset: commoncrawl


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We've been subscribed to PLDT for the last 3-4 years. We're very happy with our fast and stable DSL connection. I'm really glad that PLDT is continuously innovating and providing services that make life easier and more convenient.
Anyhow, sometime last week, PLDT introduced the most advanced PLDT HOME Telpad. In case you're not familiar with the PLDT HOME Telpad, it's a unique handset unit which combines a tablet and a telephone. You can use it to call, e-mail, play games, watch videos, surf the internet, and more. Aside from that, Telpad plans also come with a HOME DSL speed boost!
The PLDT HOME Telpad can do even more things. Let's start with using it to control your TV. Turn it on, turn it off, change channels, adjust the volume… yes it works just like a remote control. In order for us to experience the full power of the PLDT HOME Telpad HC7, five different stations were set up during the event for guests to visit. Let me to walk you through its functions:
|Station 1: Telpad HC7 Controlling TV and DVD Player
The first station was beside the TV. As demonstrated above, the PLDT HOME Telpad can control the TV and also the DVD Player.
|Station 2: Telpad HC7 Controlling FAM CAM
Another thing the PLDT HOME Telpad can control is the advanced FAM CAM.
How is this different from the basic FAM CAM that I have? For starters it has pan, tilt, and zoom functions. It also has a built-in mic and speaker for 2-way communication. You can not only see but also talk to your family members across the miles in real time. There's also an SD card slot on this model.
|Station 3: Telpad HC7 High Fidelity Speakers (Via Bluetooth)
The PLDT HOME Telpad is equipped with built-in bluetooth speakers so you can listen to the music you have in your gadgets' playlists anytime.
|Station 4: Telpad HC7 as WIFI Repeater
Do you have places at home where the WIFI signal can't quite reach? Just place your PLDT HOME Telpad unit there and voila, you've got yourself a WIFI repeater so you'll never lose access to the internet.
|Station 5: Telpad HC7 DLNA Capability
Yes, the PLDT HOME Telpad is DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) capable. This simply means you can use it for more lifestyle-related activities such as home automation.
You can connect to your home devices and control them via the PLDT HOME Telpad. Turn the aircon on or off (and even adjust the temperature), dim the lights, turn up the music… you can customize and control your Living Room, Kitchen, Master Bedroom, etc.
Sometimes we forget to turn off the lights, TV, or aircon at home when we're out. We can just turn everything off using the PLDT HOME Telpad's reservation function where you can set a time for when to turn off your appliances at home. This is really awesome because you know you have backup plan to help you conserve energy in your home. Given all the things it can do, it's really an integral part of a connected home. 🙂
The most advanced PLDT HOME Telpad is available on PLDT HOME DSL plans 990 and up. Log on to http://pldthome.com/telpad for more information. All PLDT HOME Telpad Plans come with landline, broadband, and tablet. You can add as low as P500 per month to your existing PLDT HOME DSL Plan to upgrade to a PLDT HOME Telpad Plan. Just add P145 for 12 months to avail of the most advanced Telpad.
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Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! We will be featuring August's SOTM, which is called A Chocolate Affair, a super sweet set of 16 yummy stamps. CTMH has sweetened the deal by offering this stamp for FREE when you place an order of $50 or more during August!
On to the hop...If you have come here from Adeline's Blog you are on the right path! Should you get lost along the way, please go to back to Helen's Blog.
On to the hop...If you have come here from Adeline's Blog you are on the right path! Should you get lost along the way, please go to back to Helen's Blog.
This month we have 60 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's SOTM (and other great CTMH products) on their blogs. This is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one! Here we go!
Thanks for taking the time to stop by. Please feel free to leave a comment or follow my blog. If you don't have a consultant and would like to order this set, please go to Maureen's Online Store or contact me.
Next up is Priscilla's Blog! Let's see what she has in store for us. And remember, I'd give up Chocolate, but I'm not a quitter! I'd also give up Paper Crafting, but hey I'm no quitter!! Too bad the same isn't true about going to the gym!!
Thanks, Maureen:)
CTMH Supplies used:
Ink: Chocolate-- of course! (Z2111)
Paper: Sarita (X7171B)
Ribbon: Outdoor Denim Blue Chevron (Z1808); Silver Shimmer Trim (Z1799)
Containers: Clear Treat Tubes (Z1823); Clear Pillow Boxes (Z1840)


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Published on 15/08/2015 in
David and Philippe offer a variety of French repertoire providing a show with the most beautiful songs of "Calogero", "Jean Jaques Goldman", "Balavoine", "Cabrel" and the Grand "Jacques Brel". Hits that any French person knows, sang with passion by the French singer David Cherman.
David rubbed shoulders with the greatest, he will sing their titles Thursday on one of the most unusual scenes of France, over 100 meters underground, surrounded by the public and the 400 stalagmites of Aven Armand.
"Good idea," is the name that the show that promises to be both leading and subjugating, thanks to the music of David and Philippe and to this Aven whose perfect resonance is a delight for both musicians and spectators.
Aven Armand's live concerts became a staple of the summer for locals and tourists of Lozère and Aveyron.
The concert of David Cherman will be the third and last concert of the summer at the Aven Armand.
More Videos on our YouTube channel


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So you get up and turn off your alarm clock…
…groggily check your phone and fall back to sleep…
and once again you're in a dream where you're with people who want to be around you
and they laugh at your jokes and non-jokes
and share your interests and listen to your insights
and see how hard you work on everything that matters to you
and appreciate the things you forgot about yourself
and don't shame you for whatever you feel, regardless of rationality
and want you to be yourself, yet improve
and tease you to make you laugh
and make you feel beautiful (especially when you don't)
and are willing to point your flaws in a respectful manner
and remind you it's okay to be weak sometimes
and it's definitely okay to cry
and some things are not your fault
and if they are your fault, maybe this or that solution will help? But it's okay to cry for now…
and share to you perspectives that you didn't consider
and help you pick at a problem, that shouldn't even matter to them
and are open to you about their struggles
and make you feel like you really know them
and inspire you to travel the world to meet them one day
and are willing to connect to you regardless of time or distance, because it's the connection that matters
and are willing to adjust for you, even if it means being uncomfortable for a sec or more
and try to see things from your point of you
and they might people who have hardly anything in common with you, but they make you feel less alone…
So you open your eyes again, not sure if it's a dream, and check your phone.
And all of them are there laughing, sending you articles, gifs, hearts, and hugs. They're real and they always have been.
And you smile because they probably don't how they help you get up in the morning.


text: Tips for your garden from Trotec – garden shed and garden fence jigsaw work Posted on May 16, 2018May 16, 2018 by Christoph Detrée The 2018 gardening season officially arrived last week with a wonderful spring weekend. And hobby gardeners everywhere are immediately rolling up their sleeves in order to put the finishing touches to their oases of well-being. In doing so, you can of course count on our support: whether you want to saw, grind, pump, barbecue or heat – at Trotec you will always find the right high-performance tool and device. Today you will learn about the questions of how, what and where in our big 10-part garden series … Read More Posted in TROTEC, Up To Date | Tagged with Cutting, Garden tips, Jigsaw, battery powered, sawing | Leave a comment


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Our bestie Anne Hirsch is back with Season 3 of the Anne Hirsch show! She kicks things off by interviewing South Africa's first lady and the most famous white woman in the world - Tannie Evita Bezuidenhout!
24.com publishes all comments posted on articles provided that they adhere to our Comments Policy. Should you wish to report a comment for editorial review, please do so by clicking the 'Report Comment' button to the right of each comment.


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We are delighted to announce that our candidates have once again achieved a great set of results, this can be seen through the pass rate percentages across all three of the CISI Chartered Wealth Manager exams.
With some testing examination questions across all three exams the results are all the more pleasing for the candidates. Especially with a number of our candiadtes still achieving merits in both the Portfolio Construction Theory and the Applied Wealth Management exams.
Please see below for our Chartered Wealth Management exam pass rates compared to the national averages.
The results from the Financial Markets exams are especially impressive. Many candidates have found this exam tricky as it is the first of the three exams that make up the qualification. However these results suggest that candidates don't need to find another route to earn an exemption for this exam, but find a training provider that puts the candidates success first. Here at FSTP we encourage our candidates to actively participate in their study session and not just turn up to listen to a lecture. Our small group sizes allows candidates to do this and ask questions of the experienced tutor who has taken the exams themselves.
As a CISI Premier Training Partner we believe that our reduced class sizes provide our candidates the opportunity to explore the syllabus whilst deepening their understanding and interpretation of the content alongside dedicated and experienced tutors.
FSTP offer a variety of solutions for each of the CWM papers, whether students are looking for an 8 day classroom course or 2 day revision only workshop, 1:1 tuition, a marked mock exam to establish knowledge and understanding before the live exam or even short 1:1 Skype sessions – there are options available to meet specific needs. To find out more information visit our CISI Chartered Wealth Manager qualification page.
Our online Student Area enhances the classroom courses with a study planner, podcasts, updated past paper questions, additional reading materials, revision mock exams, end of chapter questions and course slides with tutor notes.
In addition we are now delivering in-house courses for the CISI Certificate in Corporate Finance (CFq) as well as the IAD, FP&A, PCIAM and CWM qualifications.
Alternatively call the office on 0203 178 4230 to discuss your needs and course availability.
Other posts which may be of interest to you:


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|December 30, 2009
|7 Ways to Increase Your Online Visibility
|By: Ken Herron
Ken Herron is a cool hunter for new ideas, strategies, and technologies to fully leverage the value of world-class brands by using technology to develop stronger emotional connections between companies and their customers. Ken earned his MIM from Thunderbird, and his BA in International Economics and German from Drew. Ken lives in the epicenter of marketing innovation, Boston, Massachusetts. Follow him on Twitter.
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text: In this work, organoclay reinforced high density polyethylene (HDPE) nanocomposites were prepared at lab scale using a batch mixer. Processing conditions, maleic anhydride modified polyethylene (MAPE) type and MAPE/clay weight ratio, were optimized. The microstructure of the resultant nanocomposites was analysed by XRD and melt rheology tests and flexural properties and thermal stability were evaluated. Three types of MAPEs with different melt flow index (MFI) and MA content all improved interaction between HDPE and clay, and promoted clay dispersion. Nanocomposites where the MAPE with MFI most similar to HDPE was used showed the best exfoliation of clay and strongest HDPE-clay interface. Mechanical properties were slightly improved while thermal stability was distinctly enhanced in these HDPE nanocomposites compared to neat HDPE and HDPE nanocomposite without MAPE. The prepared HDPE nanocomposites show potential to improve thermal stability of wood plastic composites for structural applications providing.


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The confines of the Art Center on Jefferson Street proved to be a cozy retreat from the rain showers that pelted Burlington Saturday morning.
It also was a great place to find some local art and art supplies.
"We've got a lot of original photographs, we have a lot of prints and paintings, original artwork, frames," said Hillaurie Fritz-Bonar, director of communications for the Art Center.
The annual Art and Artifact Boutique Sale started at 7 a.m., and the first hour was reserved for Art Guild members. When it comes to art, having first pick is important.
"It helps to be here early, and I didn't get here early," Jennifer Berge of West Burlington said. "But they still have a lot of nice stuff."
Berge, who has been a regular at the annual sale for the past five years, walked away with an oil painting last year that now sits above her piano. She held a large frame in her hand Saturday morning, and still had more perusing to do.
"I kind of like this," said she while picking up a small ceramic bird.
Attendance at the Art Center has grown since Tammy McCoy took over as executive director last year.
Money earned from the sale will be used for daily operations and expansion. The number of participants in the Art Center's regular classes has increased as well, and McCoy recently added staff to meet those demands.
"I've had to hire four staff, and we have brand-new summer art camps, and we have to have enough to pay the instructors," McCoy said.
That's not all the Art Center needs. The building is in need of a new heating and air conditioning system, and McCoy is getting bids to see how much it will cost.
"There's five units on the roof, but only three of them are working," she said.
McCoy said in a previous interview it could cost as much as $30,000, and the Art Center already has received a $10,000 grant from the Harry and Virginia Murray Foundation that will help with the costs.
Wendi Riggens, who owns Wendi Riggens Photography in downtown Burlington, makes sure to never miss the annual sale. She's an artist herself, and likes to paint popular fiction icons from series such as "Dr. Who" and "Harry Potter."
"I'm looking for some canvases to repurpose," she said. "Canvases are not cheap."
Being a member of the Art Guild allows discounted access to child and adult classes at the Art Center, and Riggens has taken full advantage of the opportunity. She's not the only artist in the family.
"We love the kids' classes. We have a 2-year-old and a 6-year-old, and they love coming down here," Riggens said. "My son is doing the summer camp here."
Roxie and Michael Huffman of Fort Madison walked out of the Art Center with a metal sculpture, a couple of stained glass window pieces and a glass wind chime. It was their first time at the sale, and they were having a ball.
"This is the first year we knew about the sale. My husband is fairly artistic, but I'm not. I just appreciate it," Roxie said.
Terri Brinck of Burlington was checking out a collection of narrow steeple photos and looking for something to donate to the annual Burlington Fine Arts League gala that will take place later this year.
"I just appreciate art, and I think it's an important part of our community. I just want to be a part of it, and help it continue," she said.
For more information about Art Center programs, visit www.artcenterofburlington.com or call the Art Center at (319) 754-8069.


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Conceptualization, planning, modelling and execution of electronic media content and its delivery via the internet using technologies (such as markup language) suitable for rendering and presentation by web browsers or other web-based graphical user interfaces (GUIs).
Graphic Design is the process and art of combining text and graphics to communicate an effective message in the design of logos, graphics, brochures, newsletters, posters, signs, and any other type of visual communication. Today's graphic designers use desktop publishing software, such as the Adobe Creative Suite and a variety of digital techniques to achieve their goals.
Also Known As:
A collection of web pages, images, videos or other digital assets that is hosted on one or more web servers, usually accessible via the Internet.
A document (or file), usually written in HTML, that is almost always accessible via HTTP, a protocol that transfers information from the web server to display in the user's web browser.
Static (or HTML) websites are generally hard coded by a web designer or web developer and have "stationary" pages that don't change everytime they are visited. Most content (unless third party script is included) remains "static" until it is manually updated by a web designer or coder.
Static websites tend to be cheaper to design and develop but more costly to update as owners who do not know HTML code will need to hire a web designer every time they need to make changes. Static websites often become dormant if their owners cannot afford to pay for updates.
Dynamic websites are compiled of various components, scripting languages (such as PHP, ASP, JSP) and a database, and can be modified by the end user (the client) on their own computer. Dynamic websites usually have a lot more functionality than a static website and are interactive.
Dynamic websites are more costly to develop, especially for proprietary content management systems, but after the initial development fees, they are usually cheaper to update.
CMS is the abbreviation for content managed system and is software that has been developed to enable website owners to easily and quickly update their content without having to know HTML code or needing to contact their website designer to do it for them. CMSs are used to run dynamic websites.
Most web hosting companies offer CMS applications, such as WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal, OpenCart, osCommerce and ZenCart (for online stores), with their economy hosting packages, making dynamic websites much more affordable. Many also offer low cost or free templates that you can use with your CMS package.
Third party websites also offer a variety of Open Source CMS templates, add-ons and plug-ins that you can easily upload and install to your current CMS package at no extra cost, and hundreds of premium themes are available for a small fee.
You don't need to customize these templates before adding your content, but if you want your website to be unique, to stand out from the crowd and/or to match your print material, you will need it customized.
Responsive web design is a method of designing websites that enables optimal viewing in multiple devices and at various screen resolutions, from desktop computers to the smallest smart phones. RWD uses flexible images and a fluid layout with percentages or proportional grids which adapt to the device on which the responsive website is viewed. Media queries are used to define different style rules in the CSS (cascading style sheet).
A responsive website takes longer and costs more to develop than a fixed width website, especially those with complex layouts and design elements, but with today's ever increasing use of mobile devices, a responsive website will be available to a much wider audience and is well worth the initial investment.
"Web development is a broad term for any activity related to developing a web site for the World Wide Web or an intranet. This can include e-commerce business development, web design, web content development, client-side/server-side scripting, and web server configuration. However, among web professionals, "web development" usually refers only to the non-design aspects of building web sites, e.g. writing markup and coding. Web development can range from developing the simplest static single page of plain text to the most complex web-based internet applications, electronic businesses, or social network services.
For larger businesses and organizations, web development teams can consist of hundreds of people (web developers). Smaller organizations may only require a single permanent or contracting webmaster, or secondary assignment to related job positions such as a graphic designer and/or Information systems technician. Web development may be a collaborative effort between departments rather than the domain of a designated department."
Source: Wikipedia (March 26th, 2009)
Your website, and ultimately your business, will be taken more seriously if your website looks professsional. Like your business card, your website is often the first thing your potential clients see.
If your website looks cheap or home-made, what impression does it give your potential clients?
It is important to give potential clients, as well as your regular clients who've never seen your website, the right impression when they visit your website for the first time. If not, they may never revisit and, worse still, they won't buy from you. Read the 8 reasons why your business needs a website.
Meta descriptions are added to the background coding in the head section of each page of your website. They primarily serve three purposes:
Meta descriptions help drive traffic to your website, and like your web content may ultimately determine the success of your website as a marketing tool for your business.
Good meta descriptions are, however, just as difficult to write as the content of your website or the text for a good ad, but because they help generate traffic to your web site it is important to include them on your website. Google recommends the following:
You can improve your site's ranking, branding & click through rates. Just follow the recommendations given by Google
A site map is like the contents page of a book: it lists the title of each section and sub-section (the pages) of your website. Unlike a book, however, each item listed in the site map contains a hyperlink to the corresponding page.
Site maps are therefore particularly useful on websites with several sections and pages as they give visitors an idea of the content as well as enabling them to navigate to pages that are not listed in the main navigation menu bars. A sitemap that includes the full URL to each page also enables search engines to index your website's content which is important for search engine optimization.
The length of time it takes to create a fully functional website is based on several factors. Custom design work can take anywhere from 1 – 4 weeks, depending on the complexity of the design and the number of revisions you require. The development phase requires an additional 1 – 6 weeks, depending on the number of pages, and the functionality required. Of course, these are general guidelines, and we will make every effort to meet the timeframe you have in mind.
We are a WordPress shop. Nearly all of our clients' site use it as the CMS, although some use custom PHP.
We also specialize in XHTML, CSS and Flash, but are very experienced with JavaScript, DHTML, XML, PHP, and others. Although it's unlikely, if there's something we can't do, we can reach out to our network of partners for additional services (at no additional cost to you).
Absolutely! In fact, we encourage it. We build your website on our development server, and provide you with a username and password so that you can log in and monitor the progress of your site. During this phase, we encourage your feedback if something isn't quite the way you envisioned it or if you've changed your mind. Once your site is ready and you have provided your approval, we release it live on your server and submit your URL to the major search engines.
For small projects, 50% of the estimated fee must be provided prior to beginning work, with the remaining payment due upon completion of the project. For larger projects, an initial payment representing one-third of the estimated total fee is required. The second payment is required upon the halfway point, with the final third due upon completion of the project.
Yes. Our web design and development service includes configuration of your email accounts, detailed monthly traffic reports and basic search engine optimization services. Basic SEO includes submission of your site to the major search engines, and the setup of your primary metatag information (Page Title, Description and Keywords). Additionally, your site is built from the ground up with search engine friendly technologies and methods.
A'awa Consult offers three options for maintaining and refreshing your site content. We don't care which option you choose, but we strongly encourage you to update your site regularly.
Web hosting is the service of storing data that keeps websites up and running for users. Every single website that is online has a host server, and almost all use a web host to manage that storage. Not all web hosts provide the same level of quality, though. Uptime, and data speed and quantity of transfer are the best measures of a host's success. You can often pay more to get data transferred in higher quantities, faster. Most web hosts offer unlimited bandwidth and disk space at a speed that is perfectly fine for small-to-moderate sized businesses or individuals. For companies with burdensome websites, they may need to seek out a more advanced web host.
A shared web hosting service is an agreement whereby each user gets a certain portion of total available resources. Multiple domains are hosted by the same server, which means that the server's capabilities are split between multiple domains. This means that these websites will not experience as robust of performance as a website that has a dedicated server applying all of its resources solely to one website. If requests come in for multiple websites on the same server simultaneously, the server will only be able to transfer so much information at a single time. For low-bandwidth websites, the delays will often be unnoticeable, but for more burdensome websites, the delay can be significant.
A domain name is the actual name of a website, and every single website has a domain name. To obtain one, you need to purchase it through a domain registrar. Domains can cost anywhere from a few dollars a year to hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, based on the contract and popularity of the domain. Every domain name is actually pointing to an IP (Internet Protocol) address, which is a series of numbers. Because most people can't remember 10 digits in perfect order, domain names serve as easily-remembered alias for visitors. Probably the best known domain name is google.com, and Google's IP address is 22.214.171.124… which is easier for you to remember?
Bandwidth is the amount of data that is accessed while viewing a website. Every time a user views a website, data is transferred, and the measurement of that transfer is bandwidth. In general, images, audio files and video files are higher in bandwidth than text. That means that if you have a more burdensome website in terms of bandwidth – if you have lots of video or streaming audio, for example – you have a higher bandwidth requirement than someone with a simple text-only website, or someone with only a few low-resolution images. Some web hosts offer unlimited bandwidth, and some place a cap on it.
Disk space refers to the total space available for a user to store files on at any time. Files may be any type - HTML, images, videos – and at any single given time, the total file size may not exceed the disk space. How much disk space you need is dependent on what type of media and interactions you'll be hosting through your site. Your email account's storage is also counted in disk space, so if you have large files that will sit in the account, that will boost your disk space needs. Remember that although you might not need much space now, you want wiggle room to expand and grow in the future, without switching hosts.
You can find out how many people visited your site through a number of different third party resources, such as Google Analytics or StatCounter. Some hosts provide easy ways to incorporate these tools into your website to start tracking, but some don't give you any help in setup at all. It's important that businesses install some sort of traffic counting tool on every page of a site and regularly decipher the data to make improvements to marketing and sales plans. For personal websites, traffic counters are merely tools of curiosity, but the numbers certainly are fun to keep an eye on!
When you purchase an account with a web host, one of the services you receive is a certain number of dedicated email accounts for any domain hosted on that account. Some web hosts give you one email account, or 20 email accounts, or unlimited email accounts. Those email accounts are managed from the control panel of the web host and you can set up email accounts, change their passwords, and set up email forwarders, all from that control panel. You can also set up a dedicated email account to send from a web-based email service like gMail or an offline service like Outlook.
This is an abbreviation for Secure Sockets Layer. This is a common protocol used to communicate information securely online. This protocol provides a safe path that runs between two Internet-connected machines or two machines on the same internal network. It is an extremely handy tool used by web browsers who need to connect securely to a web server, given the wild insecurity inherent in the Internet. SSL usually operates and sets up a secure session with little or no interaction from the person actually visiting the web site. You may notice the browser displaying a padlock or the address showing a padlock and a green bar – those are the hallmarks of SSL doing its magic.
Unfortunately, the short answer is that without adding in some level of protection, your site is probably not protected from hackers. Some web hosts give you that added protection, and some don't. For example, some web hosts provide SiteLock Security, which works hard to block hackers and spammers. If you are using WordPress, your site is inherently more secure than many, but it is still extremely important to install plugins focused on boosting security.
You can – and should! – back up your website regularly. From the control panel, there should be a Backup function, and with one click, you can save all of your files, if they are under 500 MB. If they total more than that, you will need to save your databases in partitions. To back up your website, is also as simple as through FTP simply dragging your PUBLIC.html folder over to your computer and copying the files in that way. You will not back up your email accounts like that, though. If you have doubts about your web host's security, you can set up an email forwarder and have everything duplicated in an online email service like gMail or an offline one like Outlook.
In order to choose a hosting package that will fit your needs, begin by thinking about the goals of your business. The biggest differentiators between hosting packages are the size of disk space, monthly data transfer, number of emailboxes and tools such as open source applications and programming languages. After you determine how you plan to use your site and the amount of traffic you expect on your site, you'll be able to identify which package is best for your business.


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- WiFi
- Pets admitted
- Rural
- Family
- Eco-friendly
Choose your room
The farm with terraces overlooking the sea has 8 rooms, including three doubles, two triples and three quadruple. A beautifully restored farmhouse on the terraces planted with olive trees, in the traditional rural landscape, surrounded by the Ligurian coastal forest with a splendid view of the sea reaching the bay of Portofino. Haven of peace and greenery, where the traffic is a distant memory, with a wonderful reception outside the formal patterns, ideal for hikers and nature-loving tourists who want to unwind from hectic city life. To arrive at the farm after parking the car must travel a narrow road and about 100 steps. We recommend it to better organize your luggage! This agriturismo with views of the Gulf of Tigullio, offers rooms and studios with free Wi-Fi.


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Cellule Souche, Zee Artist Series from URFabulous in 2008.
Zee 'Art is Medicine' 2.5 inch mini-figure Cellule Souche, released in 2008 by URFabulous and Character Station. Limited to 1,111 produced. The Zee Artist Series features designs from Cruz, Denis Hérisson, Dr. Acid, Flying Förtress, Geoffrey Baumbach, Nathalie Oswald, PIX and Sady.
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This exquisite green tea is scented with Jasmine flowers for seven nights and then hand rolled into pearls. The result; a tea fit for the Emperor. As the leaves unfurl in your cup the dragon is revealed. A Chinese Classic and one of our must have teas!
This brew is perfect for sitting quietly in contemplation, and mediation. It also Pairs wonderfully with asian cuisine.
This is a Fireside Tea Favourite!
|85ºC (185ºF)
+/- 3min
|Medium - Low
*All Infusion times and temperatures are suggestions and can be adjusted to your taste.
Sold Out - $10.00
Rose and chamomile harmonize their aromatics with a zesty lemongrass finish. This herbal infusion exudes a heady and dreamy fragrance. Sweet, seductive and well balanced. Thanks to the essential oils in...
This premium tea that is roasted and contains relatively little caffeine and tanins. It has a lovely light amber infusion with a savory and warm fragrance. A sophisticated toasted and nutty flavour...
This is the brew that chocolate dreams are made of - this delectable infusion has the irresistible notes of chocolate, irish cream and vanilla. One of our favourite Tisanes! This is...


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Congressional moves against Bermuda were renewed unexpectedly in May, when Reps. Nancy Johnson and Richard Neal from the insurance-rich states of Connecticut and Massachusetts introduced a second round of proposed legislation to "close the Bermuda loophole", as the proponents' spin has it.
The legislation would represent a break with tradition; most countries tax their own people and residents. If the US reaches out to tax foreigners in other lands, every other country in the world would feel free to tax US corporate interests in their own countries with similar eagerness.
Before there was time to digest the news came a story that the US's resolve to beat the tax havens was faltering. Had President Bush lost faith in the OECD's behaviour and would he withdraw from its activities? Andres Oppenheimer of Knight Ridder wrote that the OECD "bad boys lists had worked ... and moved several countries – including the Cayman Islands and Bermuda – to clean up their act to (win) OECD approval." The spin on that line is received differently in Bermuda and the Cayman Islands.
Yet there it was, the very next day, more or less. "Bush to OECD: Drop Dead". Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill wrote in a newspaper article that the effort by the Paris-based Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) was "too broad and not in line with the Bush administration's tax and economic priorities".
O'Neill wrote what may amount to a death knell for the Europeans. "I am troubled by the underlying premise that low tax rates are somehow suspect and by the notion that any country, or group of countries, should interfere with any other country's decision about how to structure its own tax system," O'Neill said.
Those words must have gone down well in the Caribbean. Two weeks earlier, Antigua had dropped a letter off to President Bush, writing on behalf of the Caribbean community. The message was delivered at the riotous Quebec City meeting of world powers.
The OECD tax regime, the Caribbean islanders told the President, "poses an immediate and detrimental threat to countries in the region." He was urged to "let the OECD know that your administration will not agree to the imposition of sanctions against your friends and allies." Pulling no punches, the Caribbean communiqué blamed "left-wing ideologues in certain European treasury departments who believe in the notion of high taxation".
President Bush is in the throes of distributing a $1.3trn tax cut and was in no mood to stand by and let his Caribbean neighbours be caned for having low taxes.
The 'Bush doctrine' on taxes was crystal clear, although its authorship was initially confused. At about the time Donald Rumsfeld broke off diplomatic relations with the Chinese and then withdrew his withdrawal, blaming secretarial errors, O'Neill's article appeared in The Washington Times, originally assigned to one of his staff, before being reissued as O'Neill's.
Explaining government policy is O'Neill's job. His predecessor in the Clinton administration was Lawrence Summers, who was equally adamant that the OECD initiative was a good idea. "In today's global economy, it is vital that we put an end to international tax practices that encourage tax evasion and improper tax avoidance and that distort capital flows," Summers said in 1999.
No problem there for O'Neill. "The United States must make every effort on our own to obtain the necessary information to enforce the US tax laws," O'Neill said. "We cannot tolerate those who cheat on their US taxes by hiding behind a cloak of secrecy." He recommended, tellingly, that the work of the OECD be centred instead on catching non-taxpayers onshore, by means of co-operation and information exchange.
The news will be well-received in the islands. Bermuda and the others which caved in early have benefited in different ways. Insurance is booming in Bermuda with 'the OECD stamp of approval'. In the Caymans, the government, which came to power after a national election in which its opposition to the OECD was an issue, will be seen as conquering heroes as the trade blocs line up for the next round of history.
The main driver behind the Bush doctrine was simple enough to divine, although everyone had the good grace not to mention it. With the tax havens forced to regulate and price themselves out of existence, the next lowest offenders in the resultant new world order might have been of the stripe of Jersey, Guernsey, Dublin and quite quickly on from there up to Uncle Sam. Brussels dictating policy to Washington? Tax policy? Sounds unlikely in that light.
And so the Caribbean islands may have been saved. Things will never be the same again, however the OECD firecracker sputters and burns before it finally fizzles out.
"An international initiative to identify and eventually sanction countries used as tax havens could improperly interfere with the laws of those countries," O'Neill wrote, framing the Bush doctrine.
The relevance of all this cannot be lost on those attempting to interfere with Bermuda's laws by means of the renewed Congressional push to tax reinsurers.
Johnson and O'Neal's Reinsurance Tax Equity Act 2001, code-named HR 1755, seeks to impose a new tax on all foreign-owned US insurance companies. The bill follows complaints to Congress by several large US insurers, including Chubb and Hartford, that by moving to Bermuda, American insurers could avoid paying US taxes. "They felt this gave a competitive advantage to those based offshore in low tax or no tax jurisdictions," said press reports.
Last year's Congressional moves were aimed exclusively at Bermuda. They stalled in committee. This year's proposal targets everyone offshore, which in insurance terms means not only Bermuda and the Cayman Islands, but also Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey, Monaco, Switzerland and technically, Dublin, as well as half a dozen Caribbean jurisdictions which are keen to build meaningful infrastructures suitable for large reinsurance operations. It would also establish the US as the official lowest taxpayer in the reinsurance world, technically speaking.
The new proposals, in essence, would deny a US income tax deduction on the premiums on the offshore reinsurance of US risks.
These denied deductions would be allowed later only if reinsurance recoveries were received. Insurers showing they are subject to foreign tax equal to a percentage of US corporate income tax or volunteering to be taxed based on income relating to US business could avoid the deduction deferral. At least one major, Allianz Re, already voluntarily pays that tax on its Bermuda operations, believing that you can make money in Bermuda even after tax.
Spokesman Wendy Davis-Johnson of Bermuda-based ACE, commented: "Cloaked under the moniker of tax fairness, representatives Nancy Johnson and Richard Neal have introduced a protectionist measure aimed at improving the competitive advantage of several US-based insurance companies by increasing taxes on their internationally-based competitors.
"The bill would extend the reach of the Internal Revenue Service in international tax matters by exempting US insurers from the proposal if they prove to the satisfaction of the US Treasury that their parent companies pay a specified level of tax in their home countries. Presumably a foreign corporation not otherwise subject to US taxation would have to submit to audit by the IRS in order to prove its case, increasing administrative costs on both public and private sectors," she said. ACE has been particularly vociferous on the subject.
"The Johnson/Neal bill is the third in a string of increasingly harsh proposals advanced by a handful of US companies, all of which violate the letter and spirit of US international trade and tax policies and could have severe consequences globally on US industries and trade relations," ACE said.
Introducing the bill to the House of Representatives, Rep. Neal said that tax advantages "for some foreign companies over US-owned companies is patently unfair and should be eliminated immediately. Our legislation solves the problem by deferring the deduction for reinsurance premiums until the loss is paid in recognition that the primary insurance covers US business risk. This would only apply when reinsurance to parent companies in tax havens is used."
Neal added: "This is clearly a very technical issue, but that should not stop Congress from moving quickly to shut down this loophole. If we do not stop this practice, other US companies will be forced to relocate to Bermuda or be bought by a Bermuda-based parent in order to stay competitive."


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1. "Unbelievable": Antifa protest Copenhagen Christmas demonstration
"For Freedom" Denmark, led their second annual Christmas march into Nørrebro, Copenhagen, playing Christmas carols and serving a traditional Danish Christmas cookie to bring attention to the absence of Christmas lights and decorations in the highly multicultural area. In response, ANTIFA showed up in large numbers requiring a massive police presence to protect the dozen or so Danish revellers.
2. Just how many Muslims won political office in 2018? The numbers may surprise you!
Many of you are familiar with a couple of congressional seats that were picked up by Muslim women and the first Muslim state attorney general put into office in Minnesota. What you may not realize is just how many political offices were filled by electing Muslims in 2018. Even more concerning is the high percentage of Muslims voting and their openness to promote the fact that they want to "change" our culture and society.
First, the information comes from JETPAC, which stands for Justice Education Technology Political Advocacy Center. According to their Mission Statement:
"Jetpac (Justice Education Technology Political Advocacy Center) seeks to build a strong American Muslim political infrastructure and increase our community's influence and engagement.
We will take our place at the table across all levels of government.
Our philosophy of change is rooted in a community-based approach, grassroots mobilization, civics training, and technology application. We have developed our own training curriculum, as well as proprietary social media technology and automation tools, to give our Fellows the skills and resources they need to win elections."
3. "Friends forever": WATCH Chuck Norris and Hungary PM Orban in bromance over troops and Trump
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban was spotted hanging out with none other than Hollywood actor and walking epitome of badassery, Chuck Norris. They cruised around Budapest as Orban showed off the nation's anti-terrorism unit.
The men bonded almost immediately. Invited to visit the country by charity group Hungarian Baptist Aid, Norris looked fascinated right from the start.
"I've read so much about you that I feel we've already met," the actor was heard saying before clenching Orban in a warm embrace.
Video of their meeting can be seen HERE.
4. Italy sentences Moroccan Nabil Benhamir to 5 years for terrorism plot
A Genoa court has sentenced Moroccan citizen Nabil Benhamir to 5 years and 10 months in prison for terrorism.
Rabat – Police arrested the 29-year-old man in July 2017 for abusing his former partner. A judge sought a second arrest warrant following an investigation when his name was found in the black list of foreign ISIS fighters.
Italian police said Benhamir had received "the call" to action and was awaiting instructions on how to carry out terror acts for ISIS.
At sentencing yesterday, the ISIS-linked suspect did not appear in person but was connected by video conference.
Benhamir is believed to be an ISIS member who returned to Italy from Syria to train other ISIS members to make explosives, reported Italian outlet Giustizia News24.
5. ITALY: Teen stabbed in bar queue row
(ANSA) - Pavia, November 28 - A 19-year-old Egyptian man stabbed a 17-year-old Italian in the thigh after a row over who was first in the queue at a disco's bar near Pavia Tuesday night, sources said Wednesday.
6. Report: Terrorists from Taliban, ISIS sneak in with migrants
A new report on the security flaws at the U.S. border confirms President Trump's claims that terrorists from mostly Middle East criminal networks have hidden among migrants entering the country illegally.
There have been at least 15 confirmed cases of terrorists from groups like ISIS and the Taliban trying to enter the nation, and at least 100 total migrants from nations that harbor terrorist groups have crossed the border since 2001, the year of the 9/11 attacks, according to the report from the Center for Immigration Studies.
"While President Trump may have raised the prospect of terrorist border infiltration to gain political advantage, facts would support his contention that Middle Easterners from places like Syria, Iraq, and Egypt, as well as from South Asia and the Horn of Africa, do indeed routinely travel the same routes as Hondurans to the U.S. southern border and that some terrorist suspects have traveled among them," the new analysis said.
7. Bosnian Mayor: The arrival of any more migrants has to be stopped immediately
Suhret Fazlic, the mayor of the northwestern Bosnian city of Bihac, calls for stronger action to control and to stop the influx of migrants transiting through Bosnia and Herzegovina. A huge number of them are stuck at the external EU border and there are not enough emergency accommodations.
8. Candice Malcolm Tweet: Why does CBC tell people to have fewer kids to reduce carbon footprint, but then advocate for mass immigration?
Why is the CBC telling Canadians to have fewer children to reduce our carbon footprint, while at the same time advocating for increased immigration to make up for declining birth rates?— Candice Malcolm (@CandiceMalcolm) November 29, 2018
If having fewer people in Canada is good for the environment, why bring 1M new ppl per year? pic.twitter.com/AkwVOBbjqn
9. Google employees debated burying conservative media in search
Google employees debated whether to bury conservative media outlets in the company's search function as a response to President Donald Trump's election in 2016, internal Google communications obtained by The Daily Caller News Foundation reveal.
The Daily Caller and Breitbart were specifically singled out as outlets to potentially bury, the communications reveal.
Trump's election in 2016 shocked many Google employees, who had been counting on Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton to win.
Communications obtained by TheDCNF show that internal Google discussions went beyond expressing remorse over Clinton's loss to actually discussing ways Google could prevent Trump from winning again. [...]
Byer falsely labeled The Daily Caller and Breitbart as "opinion blogs" and urged his coworkers to reduce their visibility in search results.
10. Belgium faces a "persistent terror threat" and a "wave of jihadism" because prisoners are being radicalised by Islamic inmates, country's spy agency admits
Belgium faces a "persistent terror threat" and a "wave of jihadism" because prisoners are being radicalised in jails, the country's spy agency has warned.
The State Security Service said Belgium faces a "considerable problem" of extremism in jails and that convicted terrorists continue to re-offend.
Belgium's domestic intelligence agency warned today that the country faces a persistent terror threat, in part because of the radicalisation of prisoners.
The country has already been hit by several attacks claimed by the Islamic State group, including the bombings in Brussels in March 2016 that left 32 dead.
Attacks across the border in France have also been traced to Brussels-based cells, including the November 2015 assault on Paris targets that killed 130 people. [...]
"Taking into account the persistent recidivist tendency among former terrorism detainees, never mind radicalised common criminals, Belgium will continue to face a latent terror threat for some time to come," it said.


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Author Archives: kimboykin
When I was making my bed yesterday, I kept hearing something like a branch hitting one of the windows–only there was no wind and no branch for that matter. Living in our house, stuff like that isn't unusual, but since it was cleansed for good several months ago, my first thought was "They're back." So I ignored the noise and kept at it, but the noise kept at it too. I'd just finished arranging too many pillows on the bed when I gave up and looked at the window to see the culprit–an adult male blue bird.
My good friend and fellow author Anna Lee Huber (and fabulous 2013 RITA nominee in two categories) and I commiserate sometimes about how crazy this whole debut author thing is. One minute you're soaring and the next minute you've looked at last week's sales on Amazon's Author Central and you're plummeting to the ground.Then you'll get another good review or an email or Facebook post from a happy reader, schedule a couple of book club appearances, or look at those darned sales again when you swore you wouldn't and WALLAH! They're up again. It's hard to stay on an even keel in real life as it is, but throw in the complications and joys that come from a foray into creating and selling imaginary worlds and it's next to impossible.
I stood there watching this tenacious little fellow I was sure was trying to tell me something, and then it hit me. The metaphor isn't about me. The poor bird had nearly wracked himself silly trying to make his point and it wasn't about luck or happiness.The point is that he keeps trying.
This past weekend, I had the privilege of attending the Romance Writers of America conference in Atlanta with 2000 other writers. Granted, I'm a women's fiction author, but I enjoy the romance genre for a lot of reasons, but for the most part, I read for a satisfying ending. Not necessarily a guaranteed happily ever after, but an ending that reminds me ultimately all is well with the world or everything will eventually be well.
I think that persistent little blue bird was meant to remind you and me that whether you're selling books in the marketplace or trying to sell your first novel to a traditional publisher, the only way any of us will find a satisfying ending is to keep fluttering our wings and believe that one day the window will open.
Here's a SAD fact. I went looking for a prototype of the formidable Sarah Jane Farquhar, the protagonist's BFF in my debut novel THE WISDOM OF HAIR and couldn't find one. I put "blond plus sized woman" in the search engine and then "big beautiful woman" and a bunch of other combinations of these two trying to find SJF. What I got from thousands of clip art pics were photos of skinny, very pregnant women, unattractive grossly obese women, but no Sarah Jane Farquhar. I settled for this woman, who really ISN'T SJF in real life, and ask that you picture her forty or so pounds heavier.
Believe it or not, I had this same discussion with my editor, when Sara Jane was originally 80-90 pounds overweight. Leis, who is the size of a number two pencil suggested, "let's make her 20-30 pounds overweight. Eighty or ninety pounds is just too much." I asked her to picture a taller, drop dead gorgeous Melissa McCarthy, when that didn't work, I negotiated and sadly, I settled for Sara Jane being 50-60 pounds overweight.
So why is this so sad? The fact is SJF is physically based on a wonderful woman I knew when I was a kid, Vaughn Hannah, who was so beautiful inside and out, she made your forget her size.
Miss Vaughn owned a salon; her hair and makeup were always perfect, and when she wasn't wearing her uniform, she was always impeccably dressed. I loved her for a lot of reasons but mostly because she'd let me brush out her perfectly coiffed French twist, put makeup on her and then tissue it off with Merle Norman cold cream.
I think it would be really hard for Miss Vaughn, who was every bit as formidable as Sara Jane Farquhar, to thrive in the world today. We live in a time where size matters, where big isn't considered beautiful. BUT that's what I love about SJF, she transcends her size.
I was on a women's fiction panel recently and was asked which character in The Wisdom of Hair was the most fun to write. Hands down, the answer is Sara Jane and I shared the story about the weight negotiation with my editor. There happened to be a man from NY in the crowd who runs a charity called for women with diabetes called Divabetic whose mantra I absolutely adore. GLAM MORE, FEAR LESS.
Max Szadek was thrilled to hear the story of my fight to keep Sara Jane big and beautiful. In his words, "You had me at Sara Jane Farquhar." I'm not saying we should all gain a ton of weight, and neither is Divabetic. What we are saying is there ARE beautiful BIG women out there and it's time we gave them their due.
By the way, check out my podcast interview on Divabetics from June 25, the link in below. I was on with Max and renown chef, Robert Lewis, aka The Happy Diabetic. It was great fun.
Links: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/divatalkradio1/2013/06/25/the-mr-divabetic-show-with-author-kim-boykin
Even if it's just for a day or a locking yourself in the bathroom for a couple of precious hours, everyone needs to get away. But summer is right around the corner and, to a lot of folks that means vacation time.
Anyone can come up with a gazillion places to go and things to do, but the focus of this prayer meeting is those precious minutes that can revive and often times save us from doing bodily harm to those we love and even those we don't. So here are some creative mini-vacations to rejuvenate your or at least get you through the day. Some cost money and some don't but all of them are guaranteed to get you through the day.
1. Massage is the best $50-75 per hour plus tip you will ever spend for a mini vacation. I'm not sure whether it's the therapist's actual hands on approach or just the fact that someone is focusing on taking away your stress for an hour, but this is at the top of the list for a reason. If you can't afford a professional massage, even if you just slather some lotion on yourself and really work on your hands and feet, you will feel better, so much so that you might work the kinks out of your legs and lower back.
2. Music soothes the savage beast, even that stressed out beast in you who really just needs to stop. Listen. Give into the music. While a lot of people like to listen to classical music, some nice acoustic, or soulful jazz instrumentals for relaxation, I like to listen to music I grew up with, Van Morrison, The Eagles, Crosby Stills & Nash, Neil Young, of course. I think the music reminds me of a time when I had no idea of what stress really is.
3. Makeover yourself by locking the bathroom door and taking time to tend to you. Put a good facial on or mix one up ahead of time in the kitchen. Slather your wet hair with a good conditioner or something as simple as mayo, wrap your head in the towel and soak in a hot bath. Feel your body rise and fall as you connect with your breathing. And for God's sake, don't forget to pout the DO NOT DESTURB sign on the door.
4. Memoir anyone? Yes writing can be relaxing and writing YOURS story down is a way to trick your mind into remembering a lot of really good stuff and maybe some not-so-good stuff, but getting your story down can been both relaxing and healing.
5. Meditate your way to relaxation. With my ADHD, this one is tricky for me. A lot of times while I'm lying on my back, conscious of my breathing, with my mind completely clear, okay for me that's not possible, I fall asleep. But that's okay, your body knows what it needs and is ready to take you on that much needed vacation, even if it's just for twenty minutes. Do this where you have some room to spread out, and just go with it. You'll be amazed at how rejuvenated you feel.
Okay, these are just the M's, but I'm hoping as you read this you're committing to that mini-vacation right now. Maybe you're way ahead of me and you've already poured the bubbles in the bath. Calgon, take us away!
While Charleston was voted the number one tourist destination in the WORLD by Conde Nast Magazine last year, there is more to see beyond the Holy City. We have a house on the Isle of Palms and today is the last day we'll be here because the renters will have it all summer. There are SO many wonderful places to eat and things to see without crossing the Cooper river, I thought I'd give you a little taste.
Just across the connecter from the Isle of Palms is Old Mt. Pleasant. Now, this Lowcountry town has nomountains and is about as flat as you can get, but it is aptly named for it's fine shops, restaurants andhomes that are every bit as charming as the Battery mansions. One of the more colorful establishments isThe Wando Fish Company, which is right on the docks of Shem Creek. They sell the freshest fish, shrimpand crabs around and they also have my FAVORITE sign in the whole world pictured here with the niceman who tried to give me a orange tabby with the four pounds of shrimp I bought for dinner.
Next door to The Wando Fish Company is The Wreck. Now the Wreck doesn't look like much and it's hardas hell to find, even with a GPS, they have some of the best and freshest seafood you will ever put in your mouth. But don't go there expecting something fancy because the place has paper table cloths and the food is served on paper plates. However it's been written up in every foodie magazine from Bon Appetit to Southern Living for it's tasty seafood. My favorite part of the menu, other than the Charleston red rice, and jalapeno grit cake that comes with every meal, is the London Broil. Not because I've actually ordered it, I love the way it's listed in the menu. LONDON BROIL- We are a seafood establishment and we do not claim any expertise in the cooking of beef. If you order it, it's yours.
When you pull up in the Wreck's parking lot, even after you're having a hard time find a parking place because the place is packed with locals and lucky tourists who've found the joint, you'll wonder if this is the right place because there's no sign. Just a red welcoming door on a shack that looks like it's falling down, but it's not. Get out of your car. The view of the creek and the Cooper River bridge is beautiful, and the food is spectacular. You won't be disappointed.
The Lowcountry is as good as it gets. Y'all come!
DEER BE DAMNED! Now available in a spray :-)
Pardon me while I write a little rant about Bambi and his family who has twins 85% of the time and NO natural predators (there are NOT enough coyotes) to keep them out of my flowers. I KNOW you're convinced this winter will NEVER end, but it will soon and Bambi and his obnoxious family will be lining up at your landscaping like it's an all-you-can-eat buffet.
And here's another news flash, sure my bio says I have 126 rose bushes, but that was three years and many trips to Witherspoon Roses ago, still that doesn't give deer the right to chow down on the roses or the rubeckia that is trying desperately to surface, which BTW is supposed to be DEER PROOF. Or the hibiscus we wintered and stick outside on the garage on sunny warmish days, which seems to have invisible EAT ME signs growing off it's spindly branches. If Bambi and his brood are THIS hungry in March, when the hydrangeas and azaleas come along, they won't stand a chance!
YOU TOO may have this problem, and since this blog is about food and writing, I'm going to share my special recipe to keep the deer away. THIS REALLY WORKS and depending on the amount of rain, lasts for about a month. But you have to watch you plants for nibbles, which means it's time to re treat. Best of all, it doesn't smell like dead people like some of the stuff you pay a fortune for at the garden center.
Now, if you have a deer problem, I know you've probably been advised by well-meaning souls to put out hair clippings or send your husband outside to mark his territory around your flower bed (which no matter how old they are, men really seem to enjoy,) but I can tell you from experience that doesn't work. The only thing in ten years that has kept the deer nation out of my roses consistently is Deer Be Damned!
PS While this IS a miracle worker, I do NOT have a recipe for warmer weather, but I WISH I did. Here's hoping spring is right around the corner! HAPPY GROWING!
18 eggs Leave them out of the fridge for several days.
1 gallon of buttermilk. Leave it out of the fridge until it separates and the water is on top.
3 bottles of habanero sauce The cheap stuff in the Hispanic section (costs <$2)
Spreader Sticker or dish soap.
In a bucket with a lid, strain the pepper sauce. I pour the WATER only from the buttermilk through the strainer to make it go faster. You can also add water to the strainer until the particles that WILL clog your sprayer are separated out. Add the eggs and blend with a hand held blender or mixture. If you're spraying roses and you use a different pepper sauce, MAKE SURE it doesn't have any oil in it because it will discolor the foliage a little.
Put about 1/3 of the mixture in a 2 gallon sprayer with 1/4 t. of Spreader Sticker of some dish soap and fill with water and spray in the evening or morning when it has time to dry. ENJOY your flowers!


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Real Shades Switch Sunglasses
Does your child want a pair of sunglasses that will make them look like the coolest kid on your entire block? If so, then they will absolutely love the Switch sunglasses available through Real Kids Shades. In addition to featuring an iconic styling, these shades also come in four different color changing options. Outside of having a highly fashionable look, they also provide great protection for your child's eyes with lenses that provide 100 percent UVA and UVB protection when your child puts them on. They are a win-win for both parent and child.


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It's true. Homeschooling doesn't require patience…
…anymore than motherhood does. After all, isn't it part of every mother's journey to educate her children whether or not she chooses to actually homeschool them?
I can't tell you how many times over the last seven years that I've heard the following statements; "I don't know how you do it.", "I don't have enough patience for that." and "I can't imagine being at home with my kids 24/7.". I could give you countless examples of statement that moms have said to me when they've found out I homeschool, but these are the top three statements that I hear time and time again.
As a homeschool mom, I want to encourage all moms to consider the following facts before writing themselves off as too impatient to homeschool.
From the time children are born a mother's responsibility is to care for her children. Part of caring for our children requires teaching them how to get dressed, tie their shoes, brush their teeth and clean their room. These lessons are all part of a child's education and each one requires a mother to be patient. A child's view on an appropriate outfit for a trip to town my cause a bit of drama, as could attempting to teach them how to tie their shoes for the hundredth time. So, once again the truth is that a mother's patience is required whether she homeschools her children or not.
If you have considered homeschooling your children, you can do it. There are so many amazing homeschool resources both online and in book form that will help you throughout your homeschool journey! Also, there are many willing homeschool moms that would love to help you get started and be there throughout your homeschool journey.
The patience you need to homeschool is the same patience you will use throughout your motherhood journey.
As a homeschool mom, I want to encourage other homeschool moms to remember that our homeschool journeys are a part of our motherhood journeys. The patience we need in our homeschool days is already in us. We use it each time we remind our children to put their laundry away again, hang their winter gear up or take the trash our for the tenth time.
So, the next time that your homeschool day seems to be requiring more patience than normal, remember that you have options! Consider putting the books away, take your kids for a walk in the park, play with your kids for the afternoon or visit the playground in town. Sometimes everyone, (including mom!), just needs a break from the lesson plans!
[Tweet "#Homeschooling doesn't require patience anymore than #motherhood does."]
Homeschool moms, how do you handle questions regarding the patience you must have to homeschool?
Non-homeschool moms, why do you believe/feel that homeschool moms require patience than you do?


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€8.00 On Sale
The debut album of our electric ensemble.
Music for the future we will never forget. The soundtrack of our beloved nights.
Blind rivers for our sounds, strong mountains for our Hope.
Five tracks, five musicians + 1. Recorded live, mixed alive.
We are what you listen.
We are what you see.
We are what we play and this is our playground.
Like pilgrims of memories, with pierced hearts, we watch the Tree of Life.
And it feels good.
And it feels fine.


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You can list stopped containers with
docker ps -a and then log with their name/id if you want to remember an easier version.
docker system prune does both at the same time plus other useful delete, like detached networks and volumes.
For the 1st point, the container is no more listed with
docker ps -a . As well, when I ask docker to print logs of the container after the launch, I get the error:
Error response from daemon: No such container: c91a701ad8d8f
Maybe your trick may not work systematically, don't you think?
For the 2nd point I was not aware of this command. I'll try it.
By searching more on your first point, container is completely removed because I use the run command with the
--rm option.
Without this option I can get the logs after the container termination. Thank you!
After 3 years on Evernote, I switched 1 years ago to TiddlyWiki. It is free and customizable.
Today I edit my "Tiddlers" inside Firefox and use the TiddlyFox Firefox extension to save it on my disk. Then I commit the changes in a private git repository.
I find it handy and effective
Curious, will the move to WebExtensions cripple your usage? I just checked and it looks like the maintainers are at a loss for how to migrate given the lack of a save-to-file api. That uncertainty has prevented me from really adopting Tiddlywiki for general/desktop usage, even though it is very good on Firefox for Android.


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BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) It started June 15. St. Johnsbury Police Chief Clem Houde suddenly got suspended after 25 years with the department.
A WCAX News public records request of the chief's cellphone messages revealed after-hours conversations with a female subordinate officer, and Houde told a local newspaper he "made some mistakes" after submitting a "resignation by retirement." But the town has remained mum, citing it as a "personnel matter" which is exempted under the state's public records law.
It's the same response we received when we asked similar questions about longtime Shelburne Police Chief James Warden.
"I'm not going to comment publicly on any personnel matter," Shelburne Town Manager Joe Colangelo told us.
Emails obtained by WCAX show Warden was suspended for three days starting July 19. But the town has refused to shed any light on what happened.
Warden has been the department's police chief since he was hired in 1987, but internal documents show his leadership position was taken with his sudden suspension. So far, there has been no public explanation given.
At a public meeting Tuesday, the Shelburne select board announced they had signed a separation agreement with Warden. It "converts" his role from chief to a temporary department consultant but it keeps his current compensation and benefits until his permanent departure at the end of January 2018. He will also be allowed to cash out on more than 250 hours of unused vacation time. And his three-day suspension will be erased from his personnel file, limiting town officials from ever commenting on what happened.
Reporter Tyler Dumont: With such few answers, how can the public keep its trust?
Chloe White/Vermont ACLU policy director: It's very difficult.
White says when it comes to police chiefs, with great power comes great responsibility.
"When you're held to a higher standard like that, the public has a greater interest in knowing what's going on," White said.
And a higher standard of enforcing the law. But just last week, Randolph Police Chief Daniel Brunelle was accused of breaking it. He was charged with two misdemeanor counts of domestic assault against his estranged wife. He remains on paid administrative leave.
The former Shelburne chief's attorney told us his suspension was "completely unjustified" and his departure was for medical reasons.
We attempted to get comments from Houde and Brunelle but their phones have been disconnected.


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The last.
Last weeks are not weeks at all. This is just pattern sets of missed days. They are pretty simple but despite that I've tryed to add some fun elements in coloring or composition.
I was asked how I am coming up with the ideas for my pattern designs. In quite a difficult question. After all, this project is not commercial or social-driven. It does not have a general idea that sums up all the works and it has no intention to prove anything. It's somewhat personal - I just draw anything that comes to my mind. On the 50th week, I drew patterns with socks and turtles just because I found it's fun and cute. Nothing else.
Well, I've remembred that the project is actually about experimenting with different techniques, So after the pixel works I've tried to mix traditional pencil sketches with vector coloring in AI. And I don't like it at all. Not only because of bad drawings (that's the matter of practice) but I found the process itself rather boring. To clean pencil for digital product is a torture for me and the final piece is nor really good for patterns. But that the matter of taste and habit.
Different pixel art and, one more time, zentangle butterfly.
Floral patterns, pink fashionista clothes and the new ones - I've tryed to draw some sort of pixel art, but of course pixel art in Adobe Illustrator is a weird thing. It's like drawing with the squares while moving them on the grid. However it's funny.
I am starting to get bored with ornaments so it's time to change the theme again. However today is the last batch of ornaments made with madpattern.
Continue making fun ornaments :)
I fastly made the video. It's just the process without any explainations because now I just don't have that much time and energy to make a tutorial (and I still doubt I need to).
Played with madpattern. So it can be called an entertainment with work benefits :)
It's strictly personal blog. Work takes most of my time, but occasionally I write some notes about books, films and games. I'm inspired to share information about art culture, self-education and experimental projects.
Maria Zvonkova — 2D artist. Drawing for games.
© 2015-2020 mzwonko — All Rights Reserved.


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Partridge Island in New Brunswick is one of Canada's oldest and most important historic sites, but it is slowly being destroyed by vandalism and neglect, and there seem to be no easy answers as to how to turn that around.
The island, which in the 1700-1900s served as North America's first quarantine station or for newcomers, was deemed off limits by the federal government because of ongoing vandalism and concerns over environmental hazards, and has not been accessible to visitors for decades.
However, vandals have continued to do damage there, and calls on Ottawa to stop the slow destruction of the abandoned island, which belongs to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, have fallen on deaf ears.
The island, which has been described as "Canada's best-kept historic secret" and a "neglected treasure," has a fascinating past.
Formed from a 300-million-year-old volcanic ash deposit, it housed New Brunswick's first lighthouse in 1791, showcased the world's first steam-powered fog alarm in 1859, and was home to New Brunswick's first Marconi radio station in 1905.
It also served as a strategic military zone for 150 years, beginning with the building of a wooden army barracks in 1800. A gun battery was built during the war of 1812 and more island defences were installed and manned until the end of WWII.
But Partridge Island, a national and provincial historic site that sits at the mouth of the Saint John Harbour, is perhaps best known for its role as an entry-point for immigrants who had to go through its quarantine station set up to control the spread of infectious diseases such as cholera, smallpox typhus, scarlet fever, yellow fever, and measles. Quarantine facilities included a "delousing plant" where immigrants had to endure a kerosene shower.
In 1847, more than 16,000 immigrants arrived in Saint John, most of whom were Irish fleeing the Great Famine. Many succumbed to the fever scourge that year, and in 1927 a 20-foot Celtic cross was erected on the island to honour the Irish who died.
Conservation or Development?
For the past 40 years, Saint John author and historian Harold Wright has been studying Partridge Island and working to protect it.
He says the vandalism goes back to 1950, but has increased "1,000-fold" since 1995, shortly after the island's heritage museum was closed and the last light-keeper laid off.
"They've destroyed so much," he says. "They've spray-painted graffiti on every piece of concrete rock, stolen monuments, destroyed grave markers, burned down a building. … I had bones that I picked up over the years and in 1985 we reburied them. Last year someone even tried to dig up that coffin."
Local developer Saint John Waterfront Development has an extensive plan in the works to open the island to tourism, but finding the money to fund it is proving a challenge.
The company believes that if there was public access to the island and its historic highlights restored, it could attract over 100,000 tourists a year, including history buffs and people with ancestral ties to the island.
Wright, who has lived and worked on the island and written several books about it, agrees it should be open to the public, but thinks a large-scale restoration project like Waterfront has in mind would be financially unsustainable and unrealistic.
"They're proposing up to 150,000 visitors a year. When you take a look at it, none of these sites in Eastern Canada get a fraction of that," he says.
Instead, Wright would like to see the federal and provincial governments fund conservation and protection of the island, with a modest interpretive centre built on the mainland—what he calls a "poor boy's version" of Waterfront's plan.
"You're not going to rebuild it exactly the way it was, but you're going to protect it so that it doesn't get any worse."
On Monday, Saint John mayor Mel Norton announced that a new committee has been tasked with creating a vision for the island's future. The eight-person committee includes Wright, Waterfront Development, and other stakeholders such as the Port of Saint John and Irish and Jewish community representatives.
'A very special place'
The federal government has expressed some interest in re-opening the island. This year's budget set aside $200,000 toward an engineering feasibility study of the rocky breakwater, the only link by land connecting the island to Saint John. The study will examine options to provide safe access to the island.
Wright says that although Saint John MP Rodney Weston and Premier David Alward are onside with reopening the island, they want the City of Saint John to kick in part of the cost, which could pose an obstacle as a "huge number" of locals don't support any investment in it.
"The number of people that are opposed to it have shocked me," he says. "They say we're cutting money to our veterans, cutting money for the military, to hospitals and education … to spend millions of dollars on Partridge Island."
Still, he hopes plans to reopen it work out, although he believes vandalism will remain a problem.
"I want people to be able to go out there. I want my kids to be able to go out there. When I kick the bucket, my will states that my cremated remains will be buried on the island. … It's a very special place for me and my family."
St. John resident Richard Chapados (alias) has been to the island twice in the last two years. He asked that his real name not be used as he didn't get official permission to visit the island. He says he would like to see it publicly accessible again, but hopes that doesn't mean it will "lose its novelty."
Chapados, 28, says he saw signs of vandalism there but its natural beauty remains intact. On his last trip he spotted a partridge—the bird that is the island's namesake. Partridges are thought to have long disappeared from the island.
"When my friends and I were walking through some brush, one ran out, squawking. I think we might have disturbed its nest," he says.
"Maybe the partridges are returning. That would be cool, a good omen."


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Ethiopian Jews' advocate Barbara Ribakove to speak in Windsor.
Ron Stang Special to the Jewish News
Editor's Note: Due to illness, Barbara Ribakove will be postponing her visit to the spring.
Barbara Ribakove is one of the world's foremost advocates for the resettlement of Ethiopian Jews, a process that has been going on for decades, but which is not quite complete.
Ribakove will be in Windsor on Dec. 7 to talk about the plight of Ethiopian Jews, their current status in Israel and the role of her New York-based organization, the North American Conference on Ethiopian Jewry.
The world has watched as large populations of Ethiopians resettled in Israel, most in dramatic airlifts, such as Operation Moses in 1984 and Operation Solomon, which Ribakove was involved with, in 1991. In the latter, some 14,000 Ethiopians were moved from Ethiopia's war-torn civil war capital Addis Ababa in 36 hours.
Ribakove's connection to Ethiopia began in the early 1980s.
She had long been an advocate for Jewish resettlement, first with Romanians during Communism. In 1981, she was asked to go to Ethiopia "to see what had happened to the Jewish community during all those years of war and isolation," she said in an interview with the JN. She eventually led 18 missions to the country.
The Ethiopian Jews were the "the poorest people in one of the worst countries in the world," she said.
Yet these Jews had deep religious and cultural practices and, despite hardships, held strongly to the idea of Zion. "Ethiopian Jews were raised at their mothers' knees with word that 'We are Jews; God wants us to be in Jerusalem," she said.
Her organization, along with The Jewish Agency, the Israeli government and American support, organized aid, logistics and helped raise millions of dollars for the airlift and resettlement.
But there have been some 8,000 Ethiopian Jews left behind, and it has been a struggle to get them resettled. The government of Benjamin Netanyahu recently announced 1,000 admissions for 2019. "They had announced they would take in 1,000 in 2018 and never did," Ribakove said.
While Israel has done "wonderful" things in the past to resettle Ethiopians in recent years, its commitment has waned.
"Very often we are told it's financial; it's expensive to move Ethiopian Jews" due to lack of education, she said. Some even question if they are Jews due to superficial conversions to Christianity to survive.
Despite isolated cases of racism in Israel, the Israeli population has embraced Ethiopians, with marches of solidarity and a legal system that has rules against discrimination and hate speech.
"When the cases are taken to court, the Ethiopians win," Ribakove said. "This is not Jim Crow."
Barbara Ribakove, director of the North American Conference on Ethiopian Jewry, will speak at Congregation Beth El, 2525 Mark Ave., Windsor, Dec. 7 during 7 p.m. Shabbat services. Her talk is open to the community at no charge. For more information, call Rabbi Lynn Goldstein at (519) 969-2422.
Editor's Note: Due to illness, Barbara Ribakove will be postponing her visit to the spring.


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i am who i am. i said what i felt. even if it was irrational. even if it was overzealously articulated out of sheer frustration. i am me.
i will not apologize for feeling what i felt (or will ever start to) or how i choose to feel it. i am not fueled by reasons. i am a machine of my emotions – its acceleration depends how happy or how angry i'll get.