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Most of us associate exercise with improvements in physical health. For many years now the mantra that we can improve our fitness and prevent heart disease, strokes, diabetes, arthritis, and other illnesses through an active lifestyle has often been repeated. However, we rarely discuss how important an active lifestyle is for brain health. This article explores the lesser known but equally important benefits that partaking in a regular well-managed programme of exercise has for our brains and mental health.
Many of these perks surround a long-term investment, allowing us to have an improved quality of life as we age. However, there are also many immediate improvements we can make to our brain health – whatever age you are – and help to prevent or manage mental health conditions.
"Much evidence is converging on the concept that lifestyle factors such as exercise can improve learning and memory, delay age-related cognitive decline, reduce risk of neurodegeneration, and play a part in alleviating depression." – Carl W. Cotman et al.
The word exercise covers a multitude of different types of activities and the impact on brain health may vary depending on which type you undertake. Most exercise can be divided into two different categories: the kind which increases breathing and heart rate (aerobic) and can last for a sustained period; and the type that engages our muscles in a more intense way for shorter periods (anaerobic).
An example of the former could be cycling for an hour, and an example of the latter could be weight training in the gym. There are also some types of activity that may not fit neatly into either of these categories such as yoga, which improves flexibility and balance as well as strength.
Aerobic activities have been identified as beneficial to brain health, particularly as we age. The area of the brain that benefits from these activities is the hippocampus. This region is primarily concerned with learning and memory functions. Regular exercise induces growth and structural changes in the hippocampus. In other words, whatever age we are, we can help enhance our intellectual abilities and memory by going for that brisk walk or cycle ride two-or-three times a week, for 20 minutes or longer. Yoga is also known to produce these physiological changes, even though it does not generate the same increase in blood flow and oxygen through the brain.
As well as improving our memory and learning ability, there is evidence that regular aerobic exercise can help to slow or even reverse the impact of diseases like Alzheimer's, by reducing the plaque accumulation in the brain which causes the disease. Research has shown some sufferers experience improvement as a result of maintaining an active life.
Photo by Nathan Cowley from Pexels
So what about anaerobic activities like weight training, climbing or gymnastics? Recent research suggests that these types of exercise help enhance cognitive functions that decline as we age – such as executive functions, the way we approach and carry out actions, our reasoning ability, and decision making. However, the studies are recent, and more work needs to be done to replicate the degree of certainty associated with the benefits of aerobic activity.
The brain thrives on regular exercise, but what about our mind – the conscious manifestation of our brains? The good news is that exercise produces many hormones and chemicals which stimulate a feeling of positive well-being. Endorphins, our natural anaesthetic, flood the body during exercise, giving us that natural high on which so many athletes thrive. Similarly, another valuable chemical, Seratonin, is produced during exercise.
"Serotonin is the molecule of willpower, of delaying gratification. Decreased serotonin activity can lead to an inability to create and act on well-formed plans. That can mean having difficulty finishing things, or feeling a little down, or getting annoyed easily, or being unable to control your impulses" – Psychology Today
This is good news for many who suffer from depression. Although it would be far too simplistic or optimistic to suggest that going for a run can cure severe clinical depression, it certainly can contribute to any treatment plan and help those who may be experiencing high levels of stress which can contribute to depression over time. Seratonin can also help with better sleep patterns, another plus for a healthy lifestyle.
Image by Messan Edoh from Pixabay
More recent research into brain health has linked exercise to another chemical process.
"…recent evidence points to a pleasurable and pain-killing firing of the endocannabinoid system: the psychoactive receptor of cannabis." – The Guardian
The anti-anxiety effects of cannabinoids have long been promoted, to the extent that many sufferers use CBD and other cannabis variants for their mental health relief. The fact that these chemicals can be produced naturally via exercise means you can enjoy their benefits without having to pay for expensive – and sometimes illegal – substances.
Overall, it is clear that our lifestyle choices – and this is the keyword: "choices" – contribute positively to our brain and mental health. It is important to note that our attitude to exercise plays a vital role in the process as well. Doing something we want to do and enjoy is pivotal. Forcing ourselves into training that we are not enjoying can be counterproductive. You have to start small and find something you enjoy. It suppresses the release of those beneficial hormones, instead releasing stress hormones like corticosteroids and adrenalin – which can have a detrimental effect on us.
The final piece in the jigsaw puzzle of brain health and exercise is the impact that mindful activities have on our mental wellbeing. Taking part in sport or physical activity provides a focus for the conscious part of our mind. Most sports require us to have "in the moment" concentration. Some sports, such as competitive games, require a high level of skill. These quick reactions give us temporary relief from the other issues in our lives that may be causing us stress. Activities, such as hill walking or cycling, allow us to be absorbed in the splendour and awe of our surroundings, uplifting us and giving us a temporary escape from worrying. These types of activities promote the production of alpha brainwaves, which are relaxing and beneficial to our mental wellbeing.
All sport, whether competitive or not, often involves a "performance goal." Whether it be winning with your team or finally nailing that new skill that you have been working on brings confidence and improved self-esteem. This can help to reinforce feelings associated with success and achievement and stimulate chemicals in the brain such as serotonin – the feel-good hormone
Exercise benefits both physical and mental health if you can find the time and activity which suits you best, it could help you to get the best out of life well into your old age.
Learn more about how health & fitness can benefit your mental wellbeing.
Retired PE teacher. Can ride further on a bike than most people half her age. Demon at the climbing wall. Resident fitness expert.


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GridAKL Mural Art Day
What to do with a boring black wall bordering the outside courtyard at the John Lysaght building? Invite the GridAKL community to come along and paint it! So that's what we did and the result is pretty darn fine. Check out this cool little vid made by our friends from Phoenix #thebetterdrinksco – the GridAKL Paint a Mural Art day. Love!

subset: commoncrawl


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How you can Sign-up the Customized Motorbike through Tyler Powrs
Discovering how you can sign-up the customized motorbike or even chopper starts well before a person existing your own completed motorbike in the nearby enrollment workplace so you can get every thing lawful to take the actual freeway. Actually, the procedure starts using the buy of the initial component as well as proceeds through the construct procedure as well as following. This particular statement handles the most typical circumstances that occur while preparing to join up the customized constructed motorbike. Vintage motorbikes aren't protected because the procedure is quite complicated and many customized develops these days aren't constructed through vintage elements.
To begin with a person should be aware that each Condition from the Marriage is actually somewhat various within it's laws and regulations as well as precise methods with regard to signing up the customized constructed motorbike, however numerous elements tend to be a similar. To be able to make sure, nevertheless, that you don't neglect to us dot each and every "i" as well as mix each and every "t" on the way, you need to open up the conversation having a useful consultant at the nearby enrollment workplace to understand any kind of unique particulars as well as needs which may be particular for your Condition. Actually, it's a good idea to try to find somebody in the enrollment workplace who's useful as well as pleasant and become particularly good for this consultant simply because you will likely have to request a few queries on the way as well as using a get in touch with that knows that which you are trying to perform may make sure a pleasing encounter whenever discovering solutions in order to difficult queries.
A few Says restrict the amount of "builder's titles" an individual may make an application for inside a particular time period without having keeping a company permit like a motorbike contractor. Within additional Says, this particular restrict isn't merely depending on builder's game titles however is actually, rather, in line with the quantity of automobiles associated with any sort that are entitled inside a individuals title inside twelve months. For instance, to be able to avoid individuals through utilizing their entrance grass in order to open up unlawful car or truck plenty, Sarasota produced the regulation saying that the solitary person couldn't name 10 or even more automobiles inside twelve months unless of course they might show possibly these people possessed as well as went the actual automobiles (such like a vehicle collector) or even these people used to become company. Make sure to find out about such rules in your town.
High of the procedure necessary to sign-up your own customized constructed motorbike will be based on just how a person acquired the actual components as well as gear accustomed to construct the actual bicycle. When the motorbike had been bought like a container situation along with body as well as motor components, you ought to have acquired the actual name towards the motorbike using the buy. This can be a crucial in order to prosperous enrollment. The automobile Id Quantity (VIN) about the body as well as motor ought to complement the actual VIN detailed about the motorbike Name associated with Possession as well as permit you to very easily move the actual name. However numerous circumstances aren't that easy as well as every scenario offers varying needs. Prior to taking a look at particular customized construct situations, let us consider the areas of the procedure that are exactly the same for every kind of construct.
Conserve Just about all Documents: What ever documents occurs together with your components or even that is supplied in the vendor ought to be taken care of. Each and every main element must have some form of evidence of possession supplied that says the actual VIN.
Emissions Examination: In certain Says, automobile emissions should fulfill particular requirements set up legally. Many of these Says perform think about motorbikes to become a kind of automobile and for that reason should satisfy the needed emissions amounts allowed legally. This particular is definitely the situation within Ca, however increasingly more Says tend to be environment requirements because worldwide heating gets increasingly more of the issue. Should you reside in a situation that has lawfully set up emissions requirements, you need to study from your own Division associated with Cars precisely what gear should be integrated in to your own customized construct to manage emissions as well as exactly what requirements your own motorbike should fulfill. Additionally, ask by what accreditation you have to acquire as well as exactly where assessments could be operate on your own finished, practical motorbike to be able to acquire a good emissions certification.
Security Examination: Following set up, you have to existing your own functional customized constructed motorbike to some police force company inside your Condition to have an examination in order to approve how the motorbike is actually road-worthy and also to approve the actual odometer environment. This particular generally should be carried out about the correct Division associated with Cars type along with a little charge is generally cost for that support. These types of security home inspections are just legitimate for any particular time period, generally 3 months.
If the security examination uncover difficulties that trigger the actual customized constructed motorbike in order to fall short the actual examination, you will probably need to spend the actual charge anyhow. Whenever you solve the problem as well as come back with regard to an additional examination, you'll once again have to spend the necessary charge, therefore avoid posting your own bicycle with regard to examination prior to it's ready in order to move the actual overview associated with police force officials that will definitely take a look at each and every fine detail.
Name Software: Whatever the technique accustomed to construct your own customized bicycle, you will have to get yourself a Name associated with Possession, or even a minimum of possess evidence of software associated with this kind of, prior to signing up the actual motorbike. The precise kind of Name as well as needs, nevertheless, differ in line with the kind of construct.
Evidence of Insurance coverage: Just about all Says need insurance coverage end up being continued automobiles to become powered about the roads, highways, as well as freeways of this Condition. Evidence you have insurance coverage about the motorbike should be supplied to be able to sign-up the actual motorbike.
Brand new Customized Constructed Motorbikes
A brand new customized constructed motorbike is generally described, for that reasons associated with enrollment, like a motorbike put together through brand new components, generally aftermarket components, that is put together with a individual besides the producer associated with motorbikes by utilizing main elements that are bought through sanctioned producers associated with element components as well as that are associated with the actual Manufacturer's Declaration associated with Source (MSO).
This really is, possibly, the easiest situation with regard to receiving a name for any customized constructed motorbike. Simply because every component that's bought has a repayment invoice and also the bigger elements for example body as well as motor additionally should have the legitimate MSO, the actual contractor merely will save as well as sets up all these crucial bits of documents till finishing the actual motorbike. Components that don't have MSOs must have the initial invoice preserved with regard to evidence of in which the components had been acquired. You should have the ability to show which every single component had been acquired lawfully.
Regarding the actual body as well as motor, the actual VINs detailed about the MSOs should be noticeable about the finished customized constructed motorbike with regard to confirmation. In the event that these types of amounts don't complement, it will likely be nearly impossible to join up the actual bicycle, therefore make sure that the actual documents incorporated with your own main elements complement the actual amounts about the elements and when a mistake is located, get in touch with your own provide supply instantly. Don't set up the actual component as well as believe that you could function everything away later on; you may have to come back the actual element inside a most detrimental situation situation and also have alternative delivered. Whilst these types of mistakes are extremely uncommon, something may and frequently may happen throughout a customized motorbike construct task and also the enrollment workplace isn't any spot to achieve the first conclusion you have a significant concern along with VINs as well as MSOs.
The actual motorbike will have to end up being offered to some nearby police force company in your town to have an examination associated with road-worthiness, assessment from the VINs, as well as accreditation from the odometer reading through. This particular accreditation is needed for that following actions along the way.
The next phase along the way is actually software to have an Designated IDENTITY Quantity. This involves completing a credit card applicatoin as well as supplying photocopies of paperwork, such as the police force examination, together with any kind of costs billed because of your location. This really is after that posted towards the Division associated with Cars. In the event that authorized, a good Designated IDENTITY Quantity dish is actually produced as well as sent by mail for you. This particular should be correctly attached towards the motorbike.
Following, the Certification associated with Name for any Customized Constructed Motorbike through Aftermarket Components should be acquired. The initial helping paperwork, together with a credit card applicatoin with regard to Name, and also the particular charge billed because of your Condition, should be posted.
When the name is actually obtained within the postal mail, you are able to acquire insurance coverage as well as consider Evidence of Insurance coverage towards the Enrollment Workplace. You will have to spend the standard charge with regard to signing up the motorbike together with costs related to finding a permit dish.
Package Motorbikes
If you're creating a customized motorbike depending on an entire package you bought which include the actual moving framework as well as motor, the actual VINs as well as MSOs is going to be incorporated with the actual package. If you opt to make use of a package that doesn't range from the motor and also you buy a brand new aftermarket motor, you will have to make use of the MSO for that body in the package and acquire a good MSO for that motor out of your provider.
The rest from the procedure is going to be the same as which of additional situations.
Brand new Moving Framework as well as Brand new Aftermarket Motor
Whenever you buy a moving framework which to put together your own customized motorbike, you'll be supplied with the required MSO as well as VIN. You have to make sure the actual paperwork fits the actual amounts about the framework. Your motor may appear along with VIN as well as MSO.
The rest from the procedure would be the identical to which associated with additional circumstances.
Customized Constructed Motorbike Put together through Utilized Non-Salvage Components as well as Elements
This case gets a little more hard unless of course the actual motorbike contractor is actually nicely conscious of needs as well as guarantees just about all documents is actually easily available. The actual body bought should have a definite Name related to this, because should the actual motor.
The word "non-salvage" doesn't imply that a few of the components or even elements might not originate from the damaged motorbike. It will imply that the actual damaged motorbike is not designated the Save Name, in certain Says known as the Scarped Name. Quite simply, should you choose a individual keeping a definite name to some damaged motorbike who would like to market the actual motor in the motorbike whilst scrapping other areas, you have to make sure that you possibly have the Name towards the motorbike or even a person get in touch with the local Division associated with Cars as well as, combined with the vendor, complete a good affidavit or even additional type needed through the Condition with this scenario. When the vendor must market the actual body because scrapped, the local DMV may let you know the procedure to follow along with to ensure that each events tend to be guarded and also have the actual lawfully needed documents. This particular varies through Condition to convey, therefore make sure to grasp your own area's needs with this scenario.
Through maintaining just about all bills because evidence of buy as well as making sure you've name towards the motor as well as body, or even additional evidence of possession suitable for your condition, you are able to improvement with the procedure with the regular security examination, titling, covering, as well as enrollment.
Customized Motorbike Constructed through A few or even Just about all Restored Components
This particular situation is among the harder circumstances along with that to make sure your own customized construct is going to be simple to name as well as sign-up. Whenever a motorbike may be in an incident as well as announced the "total loss" through the insurance provider and also the State Division associated with Automobile, the actual name is actually obtained from the automobile, decreasing this to some heap associated with components which may be offered in order to individuals as if you who're looking for inexpensive components for any customized construct.
Since the description of the complete reduction merely indicates the price of rebuilding the whole motorbike in order to it's unique, secure working situation is actually very costly to do, this particular doesn't usually imply that all the components as well as elements tend to be useless to some customized motorbike contractor. If you're likely to alter the actual body anyhow, you might not thoughts just a little harm using regions of the actual body. A few specialists may straighten the body without having deterioration the actual body power actually when it's somewhat curved. Probably the motor wasn't critically broken however all of those other motorbike is actually past restore and also you would like which particular motor for the customized construct.
A few Says allow it to be particularly hard in order to name the motorbike which include restored main elements. It may really end up being advantageous in certain circumstances in order to go on and purchase the whole motorbike and acquire the actual Name that has already been designated because Save unless of course the vendor is actually prepared to submit the actual Save Name along with just buy associated with a few of the components. Usually, the vendor will need the actual body as well as motor to visit collectively to be able to submit the actual name because they are the actual components which have the actual VIN shown about the title's encounter.
Should you purchase 1 motorbike to find the body and acquire the Save Name by using it and purchase an additional bicycle to find the motor and acquire the Save Name with this element, you need to be who is fit within nearly every Condition. Before you decide to commit the cash, nevertheless, take time to phone the neighborhood DMV and become very sure from the rules inside your Condition in order to existing 2 Save Game titles using the additional evidence of possession for the customized renewed motorbike.
In several Says, the actual security examination needed could be more considerable and much more pricey, however compared to which necessary for customized constructed motorbikes utilizing non-salvaged elements. Nevertheless, the price continues to be generally below $100.
Whenever you get yourself a Name for any motorbike that was made from restored components, the actual Name will in all probability have the explanation associated with "Restored Salvaged" or even it might still merely end up being condition "Salvaged Title". A few Says, nevertheless, will give you the thoroughly clean name towards the customized construct motorbike, great deal of thought as though this had been merely made of utilized components. Seek advice from the local DMV to understand the precise plan concerning this problem in the event that this issues for you. So long as their state problems a legitimate Name, it is possible to join up the actual motorbike. Consequently numerous customized contractors don't contemplate it a poor meaning to possess a Restored Name for his or her customized trip.
In the stage associated with trying to get the actual Name, all of those other procedure is equivalent to along with additional customized construct tasks: http: //www. custom-choppers-guide. com


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Sugar Is Sweet For 'Canes
The Miami Hurricanes can call themselves Sugar Bowl champions. National champions would be nice, too.
Playing for a possible share of the national title, the No. 2 Hurricanes defeated No. 7 Florida 37-20 Tuesday night, with Ken Dorsey passing for 270 yards and fullback Najeh Davenport scoring two touchdowns.
Miami (11-1), hoping for a performance that would give voters in the Associated Press media poll reason to name them No. 1, struggled early before finally putting away the Gators (10-3).
The Hurricanes won the in-state battle that turned into a Bourbon Street brawl, and now must wait another day to see whether the victory will mean yet another split championship in college football.
"I feel like we are champions regardless," Miami receiver Santana Moss said. "We did what we had to do. I'm going to root for Florida State, because they're in the state. If they don't do their part, I won't be mad."
The issue of a split title is moot, of course, if No. 1 Oklahoma defeats No. 3 Florida State in the Orange Bowl on Wednesday, in the Bowl Championship Series national title game.
"We beat the No. 1 team in the nation, the No. 2 team in the nation and six teams with winning records," Miami coach Butch Davis said, recalling a season that included victories over Florida State and Virginia Tech. "I think our kids deserve every opportunity to be called national champions."
Miami held a considerable 53-point lead over Florida State in the last AP poll.
Were the Hurricanes impressive enough?
Not until Davenort scored with 4:21 left after Florida quarterback Rex Grossman's second interception of the night was this game secure. Hurricanes' mascot Sebastian the Ibis sensed it, running onto the field and drawing a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
A few minutes later, the Hurricanes were jumping around at midfield. Then the wait began. Dorsey said he'll be watching the Orange Bowl intently.
"If Florida State wins, we have a great shot at being co-national champions," Dorsey said. "If Oklahoma does it, we can't do anything about that. They'd have my vote for fighting through the tough season they had."
Miami hopes to get credit for a small comeback of its own.
After a Dorsey interception, Florida went ahead 17-13 on Earnest Graham's 36-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter.
But the sophomore quarterback responded by moving Miami 80 yards in 12 plays, capped by a 19-yard touchdown to D.J. Williams. A third-down, roughing-the-passer penalty by Gerard Warren kept that drive going.
After Florida stalled, Daryl Jones returned a punt 44 yards to put the Hurricanes in striking range, then Davenport responded with the play of the game.
Linebacker Marcus Oquendo-Johnson had perfect coverage on Davenport and looked like the intended receiver, but the fullback reached over his helmet and snatched the ball away for a 10-point lead.
Another impressive point for the Hurricanes: They won with their leading rusher, James Jackson, injured most of the games and Moss playing with a hurting back.
"They're a better team than us," Florida coach Steve Spurrier said. "They made more plays when they had to. They played with more discipline and more purpose. They're just a lot better team than we are."
Among the factors voters will consider when they decide on a champion: Florida State's 30-7 victory over Florida in the final regular-season game and, of course, Miami's 27-24 win over the Seminoles back in October.
They'll also look at a 10-game winning streak, an offense that averaged 42 points a game and a defense that made big plays when it had to all season.
Miami showed parts of all that against Florida but also failed to capitalize on abundant opportunities.
A lot of this may have had to do with Florida, an overlooked underdog that came into this game hoping to get a good start on next season.
Spurrier was at his devious best. On two occasions, he pulled out one of his favorite tricks, the Emory & Henry Formation, where only three offensive linemen remain near the ball on the line of scrimmage. He uncharacteristically looked toward his running game to provide power, and it did.
When Graham scored on the play after Keiwan Ratliff's interception early in the third quarter, the Gators had the lead and the Hurricanes were simply concerned with winning the game, not the national title.
"Florida has too many great playmaker to shut them down," Davis said. "They're going to make some plays. You have to withstand the storm and minimize the damage."
Experience helped the Hurricanes do just that, and they started to look like champions toward the end.
Clinton Portis ran for 98 yards, most after Jackson went out, to keep the Miami offense moving. Moss had 89 yards in receptions even though he was hurting.
Jeremy Shockey, who caught the winning touchdown in Florida State, caught four passes and one touchdown, which gave the Hurricanes a 10-7 lead early.
Miami won its 10th straight since its 34-29 loss to Washington put it in what coach Butch Davis called a "single-elimination" situation.
This was no playoff that's several years away but the Hurricanes felt they had done everything they could to add to the national titles they won in 1983, '87, '89 and 91.
This was, however, a once-fierce rivalry that had been on hold for 13 seasons. It immediately regained its fire when the two teams made it to New Orleans. Several players fought on Bourbon Street, and both teams said it would surely add to the fire of the renewed in-state rivalry.
©2001 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed


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"The yet-to-be-launched Mi 4 definitely looks like it could be worth the long wait"
Unless you've been living inside a cave all this while, you'd have heard of a smartphone going by the name of the Xiaomi Mi 3 (review). The brand's maiden offering in India has been making huge waves in the country ever since its pricing was first announced, and has been selling like the proverbial hot cakes. Xiaomi has been following a flash sales model, selling a limited number on Flipkart on a weekly basis. The Mi 3 units have been flying off Flipkart's virtual shelves, and buying one is more a matter of luck, deft fingers and the blessings of the online gods, than pure spending power. Not that you need a heavy purse to afford one – at Rs 13,990, the Mi 3 offers the world for mere peanuts, and decimates everything else within sight, mighty titans priced double included. Counting the four batches sold till date, there are at least 55,000 proud owners of the Mi 3 in India by now.
In a strange turn of events, the day the Mi 3 went on sale in India, Xiaomi unveiled a new flagship, the Mi 4, in its home country. Many in India wondered if it'd be worth waiting for the Mi 4 (which sports better specs), instead of buying the Mi 3, and we tackled that query in detail earlier. Xiaomi's Hugo Barra later went on record, revealing that the Mi 4's LTE variant will definitely make its way to our shores, but only by the end of the year. Now that's a long time to wait for a smartphone, and as of now, we don't have an inkling of how much it'd be priced at when it lands. We've gone ahead and managed to get our hands on a brand new Xiaomi Mi 4, and even though its official launch in India is way off, here's a look at the contents of the retail box, followed by our first impressions on Xiaomi's latest flagship.
Unwrapping the Mi 4 box from the outer packaging it was shipped in turned out to be anticlimactic, since it's the same plain Jane brown cardboard box the Mi 3 comes in. Save the Mi branding on top, there's nothing to distinguish it from its sibling's retail pack.
We may have been a tad disappointed in not finding a fancier box, but it does make sense for the brand since it only sells its devices online and doesn't need to bother with snazzy packs to flaunt on store shelves.
Our brand new white Mi 4 unit saw first light of day, at least in India, as soon as we tore open the transparent shrink wrap and opened the box. Quelling our first instincts to play with the device as soon as we got our eager paws on it, we put it to the side for the time being to check the other contents of the box.
Turns out, the Mi 4 retail box is almost exactly the same as the Mi 3 pack from the inside too. Xiaomi includes a two-pin wall charger and a micro-USB cord, but there's wired headset included. You'll also find a smaller cardboard box, containing the SIM eject tool and the standard quick start guide and other documentation inside.
With that out of the way, we showered our affections on the Mi 4 to check it out closely and see its design and build for ourselves. At first glance, the Mi 4 looks more compact, and much more premium than its predecessor. It oozes class, and that's mainly due to the stainless steel frame running around the sides. The chamfered edges make it look like an iPhone, but the Mi 4 manages to stand out with an identity of its own, thanks to a solid build and a glossy rear that totes a subtle textured pattern. The rear panel isn't removable, and hides a 3,080mAh battery inside.
In terms of controls and port placement, you'll find an ejectable SIM tray on the left. This gobbles up a micro-SIM card, unlike the Mi 3 that accepts a conventional mini-SIM by default. A power key and volume rocker are placed on the right, while the micro-USB port and a speaker is located at the bottom. The top is home to a headset socket and an infrared blaster that provides universal remote functionalities in conjunction with a preloaded app.
In terms of the display size and quality, the Mi 4 isn't much different from its predecessor, since the latest flagship also carries a 5-inch full HD display. However, this time, the vendor has chosen OGS technology for the display. The fascia also sports three backlit Android navigation keys below, along with the usual fare including the earpiece, front camera, sensors and notification LED on top. Mi branding can also be found on both the front as well as the rear.
The Mi 4's 13-megapixel primary camera boasts an f/1.8 aperture, as compared to f/2.2 on the Mi 3. This should translate into better low-light imaging, not that the Mi 3's camera is bad in any way. Another feather in the Mi 4's cap is that its primary camera is capable of shooting 4K videos, a feature its predecessor can't boast. Also, keeping the currently raging selfie fad in mind, the front shooter on the latest smartphone has been bumped up to 8MP.
The Mi 3 is hardly a wimp when it comes to pure number crunching capabilities, but the Mi 4 takes things to a different level. The Mi 4 is powered by the top-end SoC from Qualcomm, the Snapdragon 801 chip that utilises four cores clocked at 2.5GHz. Then there's 3GB of RAM, which, in combination with the zippy processor, should make sure that the device makes mincemeat of everything thrown at it, and multitask like there's no tomorrow. Internal storage is still 16GB (there's a 64GB variant too, but it remains to be seen if that'll ever make its way to India), and since the microSD card slot is missing in action, you can't add more. A little over 12GB is available to use out of the box, and you can always make use of the USB OTG support to mate external flash drives with the smartphone. A 4G version of the Mi 4 (and one that'll work with the LTE bands in India too) is incoming, and that'll be the one that eventually be launched in India. As of now, the hooking-up options include 3G, dual-band Wi-Fi (including support for the latest ac standard), Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot and wireless display mirroring.
When it comes to the softer side of things, Android 4.4.2 KitKat forms the underlying platform, with Xiaomi's own MIUI v5 ROM on top. An update to MIUI v6 is expected very soon, and we can't wait to see what new features it brings. We'd urge you to to dive into the software section of our Mi 3 review to get a complete lowdown of the interface and tons of useful features offered by MIUI, but suffice to say that the UI is exactly the same as what we saw on the Mi 3, complete with theme support and no dedicated app drawer. All app icons are present right on the home screens, and you can add widgets and custom folders as you deem fit.
With MIUI, Xiaomi has attempted to change the face of Android as we know it completely, and despite being stock Android fans, it's hard for us to ignore the smorgasbord of useful little touches, along with granular control over every facet of the OS that MIUI offers. Apart from geeks who'd love this aspect, the beauty of the UI lies in the fact that it's also extremely easy to come to grips with, even for newbies. Another of its mainstays is that Xiaomi keeps issuing very frequent updates, adding new features based on user feedback, and squashing bugs as soon as they're discovered. This makes MIUI almost a living, breathing platform, that's highly community driven and keeps evolving at a rapid pace. And more than the hardware itself, this is really where the key to smartphone nirvana really lies.
Needless to add, we'll be bringing you a deeper look at what the Mi 4 can really do, and a detailed evaluation of its capabilities, including the camera, the performance, and the battery life. Keep your eyes glued to this space.
Photos and video by Pratik Vyas


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Lyric of the Day: John Ondrasik
It may sound absurd, but don't be naive
Even heroes have the right to bleed
I may be disturbed, but won't you concede
Even heroes have the right to dream
-Five For Fighting, Superman : chorus 2
Beautifully pieced song.
I'm a sucker for a twining melody combined with contemplative lyrics. Throw in some allusion and you've got a keeper.
Love how this whole thing is pieced together. Mm!
P.S. Rediscovered this song after listening to the Boyce Avenue cover. Have to do a cover of this myself someday!
Posted on January 30, 2012, in lyric of the day and tagged five for fighting, lotd. Bookmark the permalink. Leave a comment.


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Jean (VanBuskirk) Haney
May 9, 2019
Jean (VanBuskirk) Haney, 89, went to be with her Lord in her sleep the evening of Thursday, May 9, 2019.
Born in Saylorsburg on Jan. 3, 1930, she went on to graduate from Chestnuthill High School in 1947 and from West Chester State University in 1951.
She married James Edwin Haney on Aug. 18, 1951, at her family's home in Saylorsburg.
Jean retired to the family farm in 1978, where she was active in the community and at Mount Eaton Church.
Jean and Jim moved to the Albermarle Retirement Community in Tarboro, North Carolina, in 2011.
She is survived by her husband James, three children and their spouses, eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.


text: nomadcapitalist 0 Report post Posted March 15, 2013 I want to show some pages on my navbar and others in the footer only. How do I select which pages show up where? I clicked the "Use Child Pages For Secondary Nav" but it only shows a list of the child pages underneath my navbar. You can see how my navbar is larger than normal because of pages overflow at nomadcapitalist.com www.nomadcapitalist.com Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


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Do you need help with meal planning? Cook Smoky Whole Chicken in your Instant Pot and use the meat in recipes throughout the week. It's almost as easy as buying a rotisserie chicken!
Did you know you can cook a whole chicken in your Instant Pot? As long as it fits, of course. (Make sure you check that first.) Pressure cooked whole chicken is unbelievably moist and flavorful, especially when you stuff some garlic cloves, onion wedges, and lemon halves into the cavity. One recipe tester said "The smoky whole chicken came out so juicy! I got a chicken a bit over 4 pounds and cooked it for 25 minutes – it was perfect!" The rule of thumb is 6 minutes per pound, by the way.
Full disclosure here… the skin will not be as crispy as it gets in the oven. But my co-author Simone Harounian (an RD and CDE) advises not eating the skin anyway because of its fat content, so it doesn't really matter. I do recommend cooking the chicken with the skin on rather than removing it, however. This helps keeps the meat juicy.
How to Use Smoky Whole Chicken in Other Recipes
Cook the chicken on the weekend, the use the meat in soups or on top of salads for quick meals on busy days. You could also get creative and try dishes like these:
- Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Chicken Enchilada Stuffed Acorn Squash
- White Chicken Lasagna with Spaghetti Squash
- Chicken Chili Verde with Hominy and Pumpkin
Don't forget to save the bones so you can make Chicken Bone Broth and eat the cooked garlic too!
Smoky Whole Chicken (Instant Pot)
Cooking a whole chicken in your electric pressure cooker is almost as easy as buying a precooked rotisserie chicken!
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon herbes de Provence
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 (3 1/2-pound) chicken rinsed and patted dry, giblets removed
- 1 large lemon halved
- 6 garlic cloves peeled and crushed with the flat side of a knife
- 1 large onion cut into 8 wedges, divided
- 1 cup Chicken Bone Broth or low-sodium store-bought chicken broth, or water
- 2 large carrots each cut into 4 pieces
- 2 celery stalks each cut into 4 pieces
In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, salt, paprika, pepper, herbes de Provence, and cayenne.
Place the chicken on a cutting board and rub the olive oil mixture under the skin and all over the outside. Stuff the cavity with the lemon halves, garlic cloves, and 3 to 4 wedges of onion.
Pour the broth into the electric pressure cooker. Add the remaining onion wedges, carrots, and celery. Insert a wire rack or trivet on top of the vegetables.
Place the chicken, breast-side-up, on the rack.
Close and lock the lid of the pressure cooker. Set the valve to sealing.
Cook on high pressure for 21 minutes.
When the cooking is complete, hit Cancel and allow the pressure to release naturally for 15 minutes, then quick release any remaining pressure.
Once the pin drops, unlock and remove the lid.
Carefully remove the chicken to a clean cutting board. Remove the skin and cut the chicken into pieces or shred/chop the meat, and serve.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
The rule of thumb for cooking whole chickens is 6 minutes per pound: a 3-pound chicken will take 18 minutes and a 4-pound chicken will take 24 minutes.
Repurpose tip: Save the bones to make Chicken Bone Broth and strain the liquid remaining in the pot to replace some of the water in the bone broth recipe for even more flavor.


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1600 Amphitheatre Parkway
94043 Mountain View
94043 Mountain View
Website: www.google.com
Social Media Links:
ProfileCompanies come to Google Cloud to transform their businesses. Our comprehensive portfolio --- from infrastructure to apps to devices --- helps enterprises innovate faster, scale smarter, stay secure, and do more with data than ever before. Check out our booth to learn more about Google's meeting room solutions. With a combination of capable hardware and thoughtfully designed, innovative software, Google Cloud customers can transform the way their organization communicates.
- Commercial
- Conferencing & Collaboration
- Digital Signage
- Interactive Display


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Labraswell had een nieuw boekomslag of tijdschrift cover ontwerp nodig en lanceerde daarom een wedstrijd op 99designs.
Een winnaar werd gekozen uit50 ontwerpen ingezonden door17 freelance designers.
Leslie Braswell
I need an ebook cover designed for my ebook (see dimensions below). Must be delivered in pdf and jpeg. For Amazon Kindle
Title of the book: Ignore The Guy, Get The Guy
The Art of No Contact
Subtitle: A Woman's Survival Guide to:
Mastering a Break-Up and Taking Back Her Power
Author: Leslie Braswell
What the book's about:
Learning how to handle a breakup the smart girl way. Why crying, begging, and loosing control of emotions pushes men further away. What to do after a breakup to get their life back on track, or their ex back.
The promise of the book: Is to teach women that silence speaks louder than words after a breakup.
What emotion I want the book browser to feel when they see the cover:
Fun. Sassy. Classy. Clean. Feminine. I want it to give women confidence.
Dimensions: For Amazon Kindle
• A minimum of 625 pixels on the shortest side and 1000 pixels on the longest side
• For best quality, your image would be 1563 pixels on the shortest side and 2500 pixels on the longest side
-Must be noticeable at postage stamp size
-Use Bold Fonts that make the headline instantly readable
-I want it to be classy and feminine
I want you to be creative. The one thing I don't want is photo art of actual people. I want the title to pop. I like White/black/pink but am open to your ideas. I want it to be classy and feminine. Images are great but not a must. I would like options with the title/subtitle/author as well.


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Alt-J have unveiled two new videos for their new song 'Every Other Freckle'.
The videos were both directed by Olivier Groulx, with one following a boy and the other following a girl. You can watch one at the top of the page and the other below, via Stereogum.
The band will appear on the Late Show with David Letterman tonight, alongside fellow guest, actor Steve Buscemi. Alt-J will play tracks from their forthcoming second album, 'This Is All Yours', due for release on September 22, via Infectious.
Meanwhile, it was recently announced that the band would play their biggest-ever headline date at London's O2 Arena next year. The show will take place on January 24. Prior to that gig, the trio will embark on a seven-date tour of the UK and Ireland to coincide with the release of their new album, starting at Glasgow Academy on September 18, with shows set for Manchester, Wolverhampton, Brighton, Dublin and London's Alexandra Palace.
Alt-J will play:
Glasgow O2 Academy (September 18)
Manchester Apollo (19,20)
Wolverhampton Civic Hall (22)
Brighton Centre (23)
London Alexandra Palace (24)
Dublin O2 Arena (27)
London, O2 Arena (January 24, 2015)
To check the availability of Alt-J tickets and get all the latest listings, go to NME.COM/TICKETS now, or call 0844 858 6765.


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Brycon is continually looking for experienced and dedicated individuals who have the desire to work for an exceptional organization.
- Read and interpret red-line construction drawings and blueprints, e.g., isometrics, piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&ID), etc.
- Responsible for communication towards the education of the younger or less experienced workers
- Responsible for daily Pre-Task Planning of all work performed in the field.
- Assist journeyman pipefitters with the demolition and installation of equipment, pipe and structural steel on site.
- Assemble piping and valves in module and compressor package.
- Prepare pipe and fittings for tacking, hoisting, and rigging.
- Hydrotest, assemble, and install pipe spools in the fabrication facility.
- Measure, cut, and thread pipe to required shape.
- Install supports, valves, piping, and control systems.
- Remove and replace worn components and reactivate system.
- High school diploma or GED.
- Registered with the appropriate apprenticeship board as an apprentice pipefitter or welder.
- Previous experience working as an apprentice in the oil field industry.
- Previous construction experience.
- Training in H2S Alive, WHIMIS, CSTS, Bear Awareness, Gas Detection, and Standard First Aid.
- Must successfully complete pre-employment drug and alcohol testing.
- Valid driver's license and a clean driving record.


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Mariana R. Glass, M.A., L.P.C.
Have a password? Log in:
User Name:
Haven't seen Mariana Glass before?
This online service is designed to schedule non-emergency appointments only.
If you are experiencing an emergency in which life, health, or property are
in danger, please call 911 or another emergency response service immediately.
If you have forgotten your user name or password, contact Mariana Glass by phone: 828-230-2217


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The White House issued a statement early Monday afternoon condemning the two terrorist attacks that have claimed at least 31 lives in Russia over the past two days. And it strongly suggested that, six weeks ahead of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia should welcome more help from the U.S. on security matters.
Here's the full statement from White House NSC spokesperson Caitlin Hayden (emphasis added):
The United States condemns the terrorist attacks that struck the Russian city of Volgograd and sends deepest condolences to the families of the victims with hopes for the rapid healing of those wounded.
The United States stands in solidarity with the Russian people against terrorism. The U.S. government has offered our full support to the Russian government in security preparations for the Sochi Olympic Games, and we would welcome the opportunity for closer cooperation for the safety of the athletes, spectators, and other participants.
The Winter Olympics are about 40 days away, and Russia is reeling from the latest two attacks. Never has a host country been the scene of so much violence so close to the Games.
Business Insider Emails & Alerts
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Floor Show Portfolio
As professional floor cleaners for residential and commercial spaces, we are proud of the fact that our clientele is extremely impressed with our work. Our gallery of before versus after the cleaning, speaks about our dedication and quality-driven effective solutions. Take a look at our gallery below.
Residential Floor Cleaning For a Healthy Living Space
Depending on the kind of floor you may have, Floor Show helps clean the floor with the help of our professional team and modern equipment.
There are some corners and indents on your floors, which are overflowing with dirt and bacteria that your naked eye cannot see. Our Allergy Relief service disinfects and deep cleans your floor thoroughly and makes your floors children-friendly. This service comes especially handy if you have an infant in your home.
Get Spotless Floors with Us!
Floor Show has been an ace floor cleaning professional since 1990. Our professional team and modern equipment are sure to remove the toughest of the stains effectively. Get in touch with us today and customize our floor cleaning services to suit your unique requirements.


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Add the Service Optimizer companion app to ES Optimizer.
By bundling Service Optimizer™ and ES Optimizer™ with their mobile companions, you put all of ES in direct contact with Smart Facility Software's Task Management Database. These products create two-way communication between Managers and Technicians and revolutionize real-time response to your customers.
The Industry's Premier Software used by over 950 Hospital ES Departments every day.
Determine long-term staffing requirements and organize ES tasks. ES Optimizer is the industry's leading tool that lets you plan smartly and get the most from your budget, and the best from your people.
Connect ES Technicians to ES Optimizer's Task Management Database with a mobile device.
Instantly put your ES plan into action by digitally assigning tasks and receiving automatic progress updates from Technicians. No real-time continuous internet connection needed. The Mobile Devices sync with ES Optimizer dashboards and reports, saving Managers hours of manually entering activity records from paper assignment logs.
All your devices work together to execute your ES Department plan.
Everything ES Optimizer's Project Work module does, in terms of assigning and completing project work, can now be handled through the ES Optimizer Mobile™ app for Supervisors and the ES Service Optimizer Tech Mobile™ app for Employees.


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This card took more time and planning than if it was really layered but it turned out great!
Ingredients: MFT: Blueprint 11 (panel); A Muse Studio: Peeps Trio; PTI: Scrambled Eggs (basket), In the Meadow (drifts - "grass"); Reverse Confetti: Carton Cuties (chick); SP&Co.: Easter Bunny Sentiments; Doodlebug: Sweetheart and Hello Spring pattern papers


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- 100% PVC material quality.
- Stable delivery:7 to 15 workday after confirming the order.
- Excellent shielding interference effect.
- Connect to minimize induced signal noise.
- Testing devices for FCC and CE Acceptance.
Specification of hirose 12 pin connector IO cable harness assembly
Name:IO Camera Cable
# Technical Specifications
Connector: HRS 6PIN, HRS 8PIN, HRS 12PIN, M12
Wire Specification: 26AWG OD:4.8mm
26AWG OD:6.2mm
26AWG OD:7.5mm
Shell: PVC
Operating Temperature:-20~80℃
# Features:
- Japanese original Hirose or domestic premium brand connector
- High flex shell, multi-strand pure copper conductor, multi-layer shielding, high-speed transmission of signal without attenuation, stable signal transmission at high speed
- Excellent noise and bending resistance, as well as superior transmission performance and mobile durability
- Oil-resistant outer layer for industrial special environments
- Compliance with environmental ISO and RoHS certification
Suitable for a variety of industrial automation drag chain environment, robot arm, etc.
Applicable brand: Balser、Panasonic、Sony、Dalsa、Baumer、Cognex、JAI、AVT、OMRON、Vieworks
# Customized:
- 1/3/5/8/10 meters (can be customized for various lengths)
- Customizable bayonet fixing or screw fixing
- Elbow connection or straight plug
- One-piece molded connector or assembled housing
- OEM customization
Testing Report of bnc to bnc cable CoaXPress cable for industrial camera
- The Wire Testing Machine is for testing comprehensiveness of cable like insulation.
- Then to make sure the safety of the wire to avoid short circuit or case broken.
- Microcomputer twisting machine for two pairs of twisting wire's setting. Then to make sure they are different reduce signal's interference.
- The Low resistance testing can test the common range of resistance cable. Then make sure all the cables achieving the standard range.
- Tensile Testing machine will examine the tensions of the cables . Then to ensure the bending of cable.
- The bending is more than 10 million times and the general type is more than 5 million times.
How to order
- Bulk orders and sample orders are available and welcomed.
- For the private ordering, please provide your samples and drawings.
- Your comments and interests are much appreciative, please send your requests to us. Our sales stuff will provide detailed quotation, specification sheet and catalog to you for reference.
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text: 22Feb 2019 0 dinner, fast and easy, gluten free, healthy, vegetarian, veggies/sides, WHAT I'M COOKING healthy, vegan, weight loss, weight maintenance Permalink Written by Suzie Durigon My Secret go-to Dish for Weight Maintenance Have you ever heard that saying, "once a fat kid, always a fat kid"? Oh no? You haven't? That's probably because I made it up :( I was... Read more Share on:


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Views of Mark Eyskens on the BENELUX and on current European and International Affairs
Former Belgian Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs
More than 60 yearS of BENELUX
In fact the 60th birthday of BENELUX could be fake news. Actually the BENELUX is much older. The idea of creating a bond started already at the end of the Second World War in London when the three governments of Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxemburg, were in exile in London and realized that a new form of cooperation and an intense relationship starting from an economic and commercial union would be necessary to protect the interests of the three countries. But also financially it could be a tool to coordinate the fluctuations of the rates of exchange of the involved currencies. These ideas were in a later phase implemented in European treaties and today we could state that the BENELUX started as an experimental lab for the later integration of the European Union. The BENELUX was an incubator for what later happened. The most important treaty related to the BENELUX celebrated its 60th anniversary a few weeks ago in Brussels.
As far as the BENELUX University Center (B.U.C.) is concerned: this is a rather old idea. It stems from the Netherlands and was created by Professor van der Geld who is a very dynamic man. He is in fact a psychologist and involved in coaching people and organizations. His idea was to have the BENELUX idea imbedded in university circles, to make professors of the three countries disperse their ideas to students of the other countries. I have an important chair in the B.U.C. and from time to time I am invited in the Netherlands, Belgium or in Luxembourg to explain the state and activities of the BENELUX. When I was a minister —
I have been active in different Belgian governments for 16 years — I was always impressed by the coherence and the creativity of the BENELUX.
European integration and the idea of Subsidiarity
During this period European Summits were organised with only 12 member states: it was in the years just before and after the Cold War. Ministers knew each other in a very intimate way: we phoned each other in a direct way, before smartphones existed and we met on a regular basis face-to-face, formally but also informal. Sometimes in beautiful castles and other enclosed environments where confidentiality was the rule. These first confidential meetings were called the gimmick meetings, always following the Chatham House Rule, where the presence of the participants was not disclosed. Journalists were far away. We succeeded in breakthrough compromises that were at the end essential for the future development of the European Union.
In my career I have known several Presidents of the European Commission, but the most creative, impressive and daring one was Jacques Delors. He was President during 10 years. He just had one handicap: his English was not good, so he kept speaking French, which was still a dominating language in diplomatic Europe. Arriving at meetings he was always carrying a small notebook in his pocket. While opening it he said: 'Last night I couldn't sleep very well but I came up with an idea', proposing either a solution for a problem, or new initiatives, starting the discussion. I remember a crucial meeting on the Treaty of Maastricht in Ireland, after the fall of the Berlin Wall. We were completely blocked by the attitude of the British, Margaret Thatcher and her Minister of Foreign Affairs Douglas Hurt being absolutely opposed to the transfer of political sovereignty to the 'bureaucrats in Brussels'. Jacques Delors said: 'When I was a young student I got a lecture on the social doctrine of the Catholic Church.' When he was young, Delors had been a syndicate militant in the Christian Union, studying the social doctrine of the Catholic Church and a crucial concept in that doctrine is subsidiarity. For the Catholics it related to the Catholic school system. The Catholics wanted to protect their schools and declared that 'Schools have to be independent, totally autonomous, except when they are unable to realize things by themselves: at that moment government could intervene'. This concept limited the intervention of the government.
Can we perhaps apply the concept of subsidiarity to Europe? Nations continue to do what they can do, but as soon as they can't — because we are becoming more and more interdependent — then they call on a higher level: and that will be the European Commission, the European Council or the European Institutions. Ms Thatcher replied she would consider this. And after a break in the negotiation process she said: 'I can live with that'. The concept of subsidiarity became part of the Treaty of Maastricht and a key to the solution. Great Britain remained in the European boat although their interpretation of subsidiarity was a different from ours. For us subsidiarity meant that as many competences as possible should be transferred to a higher level. For the British it was the contrary: to keep the maximum of competences at the lower level of the national states. Today all this is questioned and perhaps over with the Brexit.
The BENELUX as a lab of ideas
I believe that more than ever the BENELUX should play the role of a lab of ideas and a broker of compromises as it was the case in the past. Given the present situation, which is extremely difficult, I think the three BENELUX countries could try to build a solid bridge between the two most important countries in the Union: France and Germany. The relation between the two major players depends often upon the electoral success in both countries. The government of Ms Merkel is weakened today. The BENELUX has a proven record to propose solutions.
Yesterday morning I had a meeting with Manfred Weber, president of the Group of the EPP in the European Parliament. And he explained the intricacies of the European attitude of the different political parties in Germany. And we had the same problems in the BENELUX: in the Netherlands the Christian Democrats are less European minded than we are in Belgium and in Flanders. But this could be also a kind of enrichment by comparing our positions and trying to find a common denominator. So we have several problems in Europe today starting with a lack of leadership. The time of Adenauer and Robert Schuman is the past. But I am convinced that French and German leaders supported by the ideas of the BENELUX, could propose something intelligent resulting in a new model of coherence and consensus within the European Union.
I remember that Foreign Ministers of Eastern European countries like the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and even Hungary would interrogate me: 'How does the BENELUX work? Could we do the same in the Eastern part of Europe?' In result the VISEGRAD countries were founded similar to the BENELUX.
Secondly, the enormous challenge of immigration could completely destabilize the European Union if each country is applying its own measures in order to protect its own borders which leads to a negative disruption of the European Union. In the BENELUX we have an extensive experience of migration. After WWII Belgium attracted a lot of Italians and Turks, as miners. The Italians moved in general to Wallonia and the Turks to the Province of Limburg. Recently during the Turkish elections many of these very well integrated Turks in Limburg were voting for Erdogan, but also for the opposition, which led to campaign fights in the streets of Hasselt and other villages in Limburg.
The migration problem is an extremely complex problem. We have to face three categories of immigration. First the war refugees: they have to be protected by article 3 of the European Treaty of Human Rights and they can get asylum when they fulfill well defined conditions. We have to share this responsibility. The number of asylum seekers has decreased in a spectacular way: in two years it has decreased by more than 40% which we should be able to control.
Secondly we are confronted with the economic refugees. How to make the difference between an economic and a political refugee? What about ethics and morality? When you are starving in your country why not immigrate to our wealthy nations? In parallel politicians should explain to the public that the European demography is going down in a rapid way, particularly in Germany.
At the end of this century, we will be confronted in Europe with a demographic deficit of minus 50 million people due to the phenomenon of the aging of the population — which is a very expensive burden because of health services — and the lack of young people. The youth are needed for the labor market and to balance our social security. Birth rates in Europe have fallen down, so we need young people coming from outside Europe and organize this influx. We need a selective policy of immigration, capable to integrate, responding to vacant jobs on the labor market.
Without the demagogy of populism. The BENELUX could play a moderating role by practicing political pedagogy, explaining to the population what the situation is and what the long term problems are.
The problem of a democracy is that democracies function on a short term basis with elections every four to five years. On the other hand long term problems have an horizon of 20/25 years. Take the climate: we urgently have to take measures in order to reduce the warming of the planet for the next decades. In general voters vote for the short term. And politicians want to be re-elected. We have dysfunctions of democracy due to the friction or conflict between short term and long term problems and solutions, the revolution of digitalization and the fact that everyone is active and online all the time. We are evolving towards a formula of government led by a permanent opinion poll. All political parties test public opinion every day. When a measure is unpopular it is bound not to happen and in a way this weakens democracy. I hear the stories and I read in writings that strong regimes with authoritarian governments and leaders are more and more appreciated. In Italy, some are calling back the figure of 'Il Duce' Mussolini. President Putin has also many sympathies.
I have already proposed to modify our voting system. I am a great defender of the Belgian obligatory voting system. Take for instance the case of Donald Trump in the United States: he has been elected by 26% of the potential American voters because 48% didn't show up. The Brexit was only approved by 36% of the potential British voters because 30% didn't go and cast their vote. So these are minorities, overrunning and overturning completely the economic mechanism and political situation. We are obliged to go and vote as in Greece and Luxembourg.
Secondly, we only have one vote: one man or woman, one vote. In many countries you have many political parties, which results in a great volatility on the political market and a big and intense competition between parties. And people change. In the past 20/30 years children voted like their parents for the same political parties. But that situation has changed. In Brussels, for federal elections you have approximately 13 different parties with hundreds of candidates and thousands of focus points in their electoral programs. But you have only one vote to decide.
At the end you vote for one party and when that party steps in the government with at least two or three other parties we create a coalition government with four parties. This means the party you voted for, can only realize a smaller part of its program, which could frustrate the voter. The party cannot apply entirely what they promised because they are in a government with other parties. I am in favor of what I call 'point voting'. Don't give one vote to each voter, but for instance ten or twenty votes. And he could spread his votes like he or she wants for different candidates and different parties.The voter, by spreading his votes, is constructing the coalition and weakening the power of the presidents of political parties. I received a lot of criticism and one of the major criticisms was that technically this would be very difficult to organize. But in times of computerization and digitalization, I think that this should be feasible. We have to (re-)think this election case over and the BENELUX could become a lab to propose an improved alternative of our democracy.
The role of the BENELUX in current international relations
During Cold War, we lived in a bipolar world with two blocks. The fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War without using arms was almost a miracle in history. Thanks to courageous leaders as Gorbachev, Mitterand, Thatcher and George Bush Sr. After 1989 the world became multipolar with fewer large countries: the United States, China, Japan, the European Union and Russia dominating the field. Today there is disorder and chaos in international relations where alliances are changing according to the topic of the day, One could speak about an 'a-polar' world, without a significant polarity. Due to the presidency of Donald Trump and his behaviour the United States are politically weakened. They are no longer taken seriously. Whereas China is making an enormous effort, although they have some economic problems and although — once you travel through China and you go into the villages — it is still a bit of a developing country. But in cities welfare is increasing and in parallel the development of digital industries is widespread. This will have an economic impact on other continents and industries. The car industry in Europe, particularly the German car industry, has been strongly hit by Dieselgate scandal that will cost a fortune. Volkswagen has to pay one billion euro. Meanwhile the technological and market shift from gas engines to electrical cars is happening today. The Chinese have decided to ban all their gasoil driven cars by the latest in 2030 and replace them by electrical cars. They are now already manufacturing electrical cars for export to Europe at an extremely reasonable price: 15 000 euro for a fully electronical car. This will become a deadly competition for the European car makers.
The Belt and Road Initiative is another major Chinese project, rebuilding the Silk Road of the Middle Ages, and bridging China to Europe. In this context China has already acquired big stakes in the harbour of Piraeus/Athens and is building a railway from Peking and Shanghai to Europe with a huge impact on costs. Costs will decrease and be lower than maritime costs. The train connection will go to the sea ports of Northern Europe: Antwerp, Rotterdam, Hamburg, Rostov, Gdansk, increasing competition. We are living in a disruptive world and looking at the global map, Europe is a small peninsula hanging on the Eurasian continent up to Siberia and Vladivostok.
With Russia we have to be more constructive. We should also have the moral courage to imagine if we were in the same situation as the Russians after the end of the Cold War: the explosion of the Soviet Union and the implosion of Communism. Russia lost their ideology and lost 12 republics, evolving from provinces in the Soviet Union to independent countries. For me the annexation of the Crimea is a footnote and knowing that the Crimea was given to Ukraine when it was still a province of the Soviet Union under Khrushchev. The referendum in the Crimea gave a majority of 95% in favor of the annexation by Russia. I don't believe that sanctions are efficient and are not worthwhile.
The Russians and President Putin today and all his predecessors, beginning with Gorbachev have a history of feeling cheated by the Western countries, the United States and Europe. In 1989-1990, after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Western Ministers, obtained from Gorbachev that he accepted the reunification of both Germanies, becoming a full member of the European Union. The Americans added that Germany should also become a member of NATO. For Gorbachev this was a bridge too far. "We are now dismantling the Warsaw Pact. You should do the same with NATO and you should at least neutralize a reunified Germany within NATO: so no American basis, no nuclear weapons on the territory of the big Germany". The European countries were divided. But Bush Sr said: 'No, that is impossible, that we cannot accept.' Helmut Kohl took also a very strong position: 'If the price for the reunification of my country is that my country should become neutral, then I refuse reunification.' President Bush and his Minister of Foreign Affairs Jimmy Baker, a very intelligent man, would solve the situation with Gorbachev face-to-face proposing a re-election scheme with Gorbachev, at that moment the first elected President of Russia. By influencing the supply and demand and subsequently the market prices of oil in collaboration with the oil producing countries in the Middle East, which also had a parallel impact on the Russian gas prices. Enabling Russia to create income by augmenting gas prices, Gorbachev would be able to invest, increase employment rates, build new companies, and finally be re-elected. In this scheme unified Germany would become a full member of NATO again.The first months the oil prices remained stable and on a rising level. But as from the fourth month oil prices started to decrease and even collapsing within six months going against Gorbachev's naive reasoning. At that moment confidence in the Western partners was shattered and anti-American feelings were nurtured. It is difficult for Russia to trust Americans. That lack of trust was handed over from Gorbachev to Jeltsin and finally to Putin. I think that Germany and France, together with the BENELUX, should improve our contact again to improve our relationship and build trust.
The new French President Macron has created the basis for a renewed relationship with President Putin. Our Belgian Prime Minister, Charles Michel, has been in the Kremlin recently (March 2018) and was treated with great respect. These are positive signs but it should result in an outcome soon.
Barbara Dietrich


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Serving hope, one hot meal at a time
By Theodore Sam
One-year-old Sumaya tries to feed on her mother's milk. Her mother Amandru gently pulls little Sumaya's mouth away from her breast again. Her breasts are empty. It has been more than seven days since she could last breastfeed Sumaya.
You can see from her face that Amandru is tired. Physically, mentally, emotionally. A blank expression is on her face and she stares through the crowd of children, women and men holding pans in their hands, waiting to receive their meal. With not much strength left to wait in the long queue, Amandru and her three children rest on the side of the tent where the meals are being served. World Vision, partnering with the World Food Programme (WFP), serves hot meals to refugees who arrive at various border crossing points from South Sudan into Uganda. This is the first proper meal Amandru and her children will have eaten in weeks.
Amandru fled from her village near Yei in South Sudan, which is more than 220 kilometers away from the Ugandan border, where the refugee reception center has been set up. Amandru and her children reached Uganda after about four weeks of walking.
When fresh violence broke out in South Sudan in July 2016, Amandru's husband was shot dead. She was out in the field working on the land, when she heard the news of her husband's death from someone in her village, who saw her husband's body lying on the road. "Many people were being killed every day. With my husband shot dead, I was scared to stay in the village. I went and hid in the bushes with my children. A few days later my house was completely burned down," recalls Amandru.
Amandru set up a makeshift hut in the bushes and survived with her children Sumaya, Ariye (4) and Madasi (6) by eating just once in two days for many months.
I had some beans that I carried along with me when we fled. But every day I was worried that the beans would run out and we would have nothing left to eat. So we started eating only one meal a day for a few weeks and many days ate just once every two days.
- Amandru
Sometimes Amandru would go back to her farm to get some sweet potatoes from their land. "But it was unsafe and scary. I saw dead bodies," she says.
With finding food becoming a challenge, and the others hiding in the bushes with them leaving, Amandru too decided to cross into Uganda.
For over four weeks Amandru and her three children walked every single day from morning till night. "The children are still small, so we had to rest six or seven times every day," she said, gently rubbing little Sumaya's dusty hair.
Throughout the entire four-week journey, Amandru and her children survived eating only peanuts, the four of them sharing just one handful of peanuts per day.
Amadru's body language changed as soon as a World Vision staff offered to help get the meals for her. The four of them sat down near the tent, little Sumaya on her mother's lap. The children were eager to start eating, but Amandru made sure the three children washed their hands before they touched the food.
The four of them ate their meals. Their faces brightened and they smiled.
Amandru and her three children arrived at the recently established Imvepi reception centre in Uganda. The latest figures show there are more than 890,000 South Sudanese refugees residing in Uganda, with estimates this will reach 1 million by the end of June. Since April 2017, new arrivals from South Sudan into Uganda have averaged more than 2,800 per day.
According to The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) the South Sudan refugee crisis is the fastest growing crisis in the world right now.
World Vision is on the ground distributing food and other items, providing child protection, and improving access to clean water and sanitation.
The simple hot meal at the reception center has put a smile back on the faces of Amandru and her children. However, the desire to rebuild a peaceful life for her children rests on the hope that the world will stand by her.
Find out more about how you can support our work in South Sudan.


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Don't miss today's KND Thriller of the Day
Throwback & Backlash: Love, Lust & Murder
Ménage as Pressure Cooker.
About to boil over. . .
Book One: Throwback
It started innocently enough with a dead car battery and a mean Pyrenees mix. But before the day was done, Fred Reed, a Midwestern boy with a troubled past looking for a fresh start in California, was in love. The only thing standing in his way is Margie's husband, Frank, a bounty hunter, who Fred happens to work for. She can't leave him, and Fred doesn't see himself as a murderer, although the bruises on Margie are becoming harder to ignore.
Margie's scheme to make Frank's death look like an accident seems like the perfect plan. But murder is best served neat, and lust and greed make for a potent cocktail that's liable to combust. Now Fred's caught up in a dangerous scheme that's quickly spiraling out of control, as he proves he'll do anything for love and money.
Fast-paced and full of twists and turns, Kirk Alex's first book in the crime thriller series, Love, Lust and Murder, will keep readers turning the pages long past midnight.
Book Two: Backlash
Revenge is a dish
best served . . . methodically.
It's the name he gives the stray pit bull intent on following him around. And what's on Fred Reed's mind when he gets out of jail fifteen years after taking the fall for a slipshod murder.
The pre-dug graves are ready, one for each of them. The detective who put him away and the two women he once loved.
The hunt is on. But this time, they're the hunted.
Kirk Alex dishes up another helping of vengeance, deception, and suspense in the riveting second book of his crime noir thriller series, Love, Lust and Murder.


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Ultima Fury (T・アルテマ, T Arutema?, lit. T. Ultima) is a recurring ability in the series. It is a Limit Break ability exclusive to Lulu.
See also: Firaga Fury, Flare Fury, or Thunder Fury
Final Fantasy XEdit
Ultima Fury is an Overdrive for Lulu, obtained once she learns the Ultima spell. It is a Rank 10 ability, allowing for a maximum of 4 castings of Ultima with a power of 28 (40%) of normal power, making it potentially weaker than Flare Fury.
Final Fantasy Airborne BrigadeEdit
This section about an ability in Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade is empty or needs to be expanded. You can help the Final Fantasy Wiki by expanding it.
Final Fantasy Brave ExviusEdit
This section about an ability in Final Fantasy Brave Exvius is empty or needs to be expanded. You can help the Final Fantasy Wiki by expanding it.
[view · edit · purge]Ultima means "the last" in Latin and many Latin-based languages. In the Spanish versions of many Final Fantasy games, it is written as "Artema," a close transliteration of the Japanese katakana.
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Mount Kismet
"Warmer Lanes (1lp)"
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Tracklist A1. Snake Dancer (05:10) A2. Afga (04:16) A3. Mount Kismet (05:59) A4. Arif (05:13) A5. Targajh Movement 1 (02:27) B SIDE B1. Teenage Fantasy feat C.A.R (03:32) B2. In The Desert (07:43) B3. Sheeba (04:46) B4. Djinn (05:39) B5. Targajh Movement 2 (02:31) Key Selling Points Mysterious trio Mount Kismet are dropping debut single Teenage Fantasy on Oct 11th, and their debut album Warmer Lanes on Nov 15th via Disco Halal. Strung together by the dark, alluring vocals of French-Canadian artist C.A.R., the 1st single, Teenage Fantasy combines sparse, synth-driven cold wave with the kind of Middle Eastern electronic elements that have become synonymous with Disco Halal. The track will feature alongisde 9 other tracks on Warmer Lanes. Based between Berlin and London, Mount Kismet is a project driven by an eastern music obsession and a taste for the heavy pulse of drum machines and the rumbling of analog synthesisers. The groups only other release, the track Prunes & Dunes, was included in Perfect Strangers, a various artists compilation put out on Disco Halal last year. An established artist in her own right, C.A.R. has previously collaborated with the likes of Maceo Plex, Red Axes and Bawrut. Based in Berlin, but firmly rooted in the diverse and forward-facing musical scene of Tel Aviv, Moscomans Disco Halal label hails from beneath the minarets of the Holy Land. The imprint exists to present a tight-knit and growing community of musicians and producers, each transmitting their unique musical identity, yet each united by a unique sensibility, as well as a harmonious balance of rhythm and experimentation
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