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When you buy a home and let's say you put 20% down and borrow 80% mortgage. That mortgage is called a first mortgage as it is in the first position on the title of your property. If later you borrow more money secured by your house without paying-off the first mortgage, that mortgage is called a second mortgage as it's charge shows up after the first mortgage on the title of your property.
So, the Second mortgage in Canada is when a homeowner already has a first mortgage and wants to borrow more money, in addition and on top of the existing first mortgage, using the equity in his home.
How Much Second Mortgage You Can Borrow
How much you can borrow in the form of a second mortgage on your home will depend on how much lendable equity you have in your home. Lendable equity is different from actual equity.
To find out how much equity you have in your home, you take the market value of your home and subtract the amount of the first mortgage. The balance left is your equity. For example, the value of your home is $1,000,000. You have a first mortgage of $600,000. $1,000,000 – $600,000 = $400,000. So, $400,000 is the equity you have in your home. However, you cannot borrow the whole $400K as that will be going to 100% of the market value. You can only use some of this equity to borrow additional money on your house in the form of a second mortgage.
How To figure out your Loan-To-Value (LTV) Ratio
The amount you can borrow on this $400K equity will depend on many factors and the type of lender you are borrowing the second mortgage from. Generally speaking, the max you can borrow on a second mortgage is 75% of the market value even though there are lenders who go up to 90% of the market value. This 75% of the market value is called loan-to-value (LTV) ratio.
If the value of the house is $1million and let's say you want to borrow up to 75% LTV or of the market value, then this is how to calculate how much you can borrow. 75% of the $1 million is $750,000. Subtract the first mortgage of $600K from $750K and you get $150K. So, in this particular case, you can get a second mortgage or a home equity line of credit for $150K.
It is a quick and simple way to raise capital for debt consolidation, home renovation or any other purpose or emergencies.
Second Mortgage Interest Rate
To calculate the rate of the second mortgage in Canada, Benevolent Bancorp Funding looks at the equity of your home. The rate will depend on the lender and on what LTV you are looking to borrow.
The home equity mortgage rate with a bank is way lower than the rate from a private lender. But you have to have excellent credit and good verifiable income in order to qualify for a home equity loan from a bank.
On the other hand, the rate for a private mortgage does not depend on your credit or income. The rate for a private second mortgage from a private mortgage lender is strictly based on how much equity you have in your home and the type and the location of the property. The rates for private mortgages are almost totally based on the LTV. The lesser the loan to value ratio (LTV), the lower the rate.
How Does One Build Up Equity
The equity of your home might increase or decrease temporarily but in the long run, it will increase because of real estate appreciation.
Besides real estate appreciation, the equity of your home can increase in multiple ways. Here are some ways that it can grow:
If you are paying off your mortgage steadily every month, your equity will increase since you are reducing the balance on your mortgage in Vancouver.
If you make renovations/improvements that will increase the value of your home and your equity will go up.
Types of Second Mortgages in Canada
1 Year Fixed Term Second Mortgage
The average private second mortgage in Canada is for a one- year term. This mortgage provides you with the capital you need to do whatever it is that want to do; use the time to fix your credit or income situation or meet any financial emergency.
However, so long you have been paying your mortgage payments on time, the mortbgage can be renewed for another year and even longer. We try to keep your interest and your monthly payments as low as possible here at Benevolent Bancorp. We even have an option of no monthly payments for a year.


text: May 3 - 5, 2000 Throughout Wednesday, May 3, 2000 the Moon will conjoin all of the visible planets in Taurus. Then, on the night of May 3rd in the US (9:11 PDT), or early on the morning of May 4 in Europe (4:11 GMT), the New Moon conjoins the Sun at the center of the cluster. The New Moon is the primary alignment representing the conjunction of masculine and feminine energies. This is the key flashpoint of the alignment, and we suggest a meditation or celebration from 1/2 hour before to one half hour after New Moon (8:41-9:41 pm PDT). At this point Mars moves into Gemini. On the morning of May 5 (8:08 GMT) the closest astronomical cluster forms when the Moon conjoins Mars in Gemini. From that point on the Moon quickly departs from the stellium, while the rest of the multiple conjunction remains almost as tight or tighter throughout the month of May. On May 17, Venus conjoins Jupiter, and on May 28, Jupiter conjoins Saturn. |

subset: commoncrawl


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New website
The world's leading qualifications and professional body for dispute avoidance and dispute management.
CIArb is passionate about promoting a harmonious society and helping people and organisations avoid, manage and resolve conflict through our global network of over 17,000 members.
Over the next few months, you'll see some exciting changes in how Ciarb looks. We have updated our brand to better reflect the organisation.
Protecting members and the public interestAs Ciarb's governance reform progresses, we meet the incoming and outgoing Chairs of the Professional Conduct Committee and share details of revisions to the Disciplinary Rules.
Gilda Turitz FCIArb on why experience is critical to building a reputationWe speak to Gilda Turitz FCIArb about the alternative dispute resolution (ADR) sector in the USA, establishing her own practice, and working as both an arbitrator and mediator.
PACCAR: Key issues for third party litigation funding agreements in England and WalesThe UK Supreme Court judgment in PACCAR raises important questions for third party litigation funding agreements. We explore the key issues, impact and consequences.
CIArb's DAS provides quick, confidential and cost effective methods of dispute resolution and dispute avoidance for civil and commercial cases.
Find out more


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A 25-year-old man from Tottenham has been re-bailed on suspicion of murder following the death of Mark Pilgrim on the M4 motorway in October.
The man, who was arrested on Wednesday, October 29, was re-bailed by Thames Valley Police on Tuesday.
Mr Pilgrim, 48, from Tilehurst, died from multiple injuries having been ejected from a moving vehicle and later run over on Friday, October 24, last year.
The father-of-two was a drum 'n' bass DJ and a former Meadway School pupil.
The 25-year-old Tottenham man has been re-bailed until Friday, February 27.


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US publisher Eureka Productions has just published its latest title, Graphic Classics: Oscar Wilde, featuring work by British comics creator Nick Miller, whose credits include football comic Rammie (see news story) and downthetubes very own Really Heavy Greatcoat. This Oscar… Read More ›
Month: January 2009
Expecting Great Things from John Stokes
(with thanks to Jon Haward): Classical Comics, the British publisher adapting classic works of fiction into comics for both schools and general readers, has just published some pages form its latest project, Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, on its web… Read More ›
Monkeying about with Young Gods!
Ground-breaking British indie publisher Orang Utan Comics Studio have released the first part of their Young Gods Online Graphic Novel onto an unsuspecting world this week, aiming to bring the title to comics fans in new — and free —… Read More ›
Brautigan Comic part of new Torpedo Quarterly
2009 marks the 25th anniversary of the death of American writer Richard Brautigan, whose best known works include his 1967 novel, Trout Fishing in America, his collection of poetry, The Pill Versus the Springhill Mine Disaster (1968), and his collection… Read More ›
Time for a Little Music…
Ace comics artist and painter Chris Reynolds, creator of Mauretania Comics, kindly sent me a copy of trombonist and composer/arranger Mike Hext's Mr OK, a new album for which Chris has provided the cover. Mike came to prominence after winning… Read More ›
A Cartoon History of Here
Venues across northern Britain will play host to new performances of The Cartoon History of Here over the next few months, an event described as "a live-action cartoon" created by Yorkshire poet, broadcaster and comedian, Ian McMillan and several times… Read More ›
Dangerous Ink interviews John M. Burns
(with thanks to Jay Eales): Cosmic Publishing, who also publish Comics International, have just released the first issue of the revamped, alternative arts magazine Dangerous Ink, which includes an interview with 2000AD and one time Modesty Blaise artist John M…. Read More ›
Tube Surfing: 30 January 2009
• British independent publisher FutureQuake Press have just released the latest issues of their brilliant anthology titles, FutureQuake and MangaQuake. FutureQuake #12 offers its usual mix of science fiction comics tales and boasts a cover by Eagle award-winning artist Declan… Read More ›
Could New UK Laws Threaten Comic Collectors?
(with thanks to Leah Moore and John Reppion who mentioned The Bookseller article on this matter their blog). New laws designed to tackle extreme and child pornography could make owning mainstream comics like Batman or Judge Dredd illegal, campaigners claim…. Read More ›
Tube Surfing: 29 January 2009
• Dave Taylor has just posted this stunning teaser for a new Judge Dredd story, a four parter written by Ian Edginton. Look out for more soon on his blog. Dave's one of several comics artists involved in the fab… Read More ›


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- • Cornea is the first coat of the eye which is transparent circular structure in front of the eye.
- • Functionally it acts as a lens responsible for focusing rays inside the eye. It is an important optical structure through which rays of light enter the eye. Any damage or injury to this delicate structure can lead to permanent loss of corneal transparency or causes clouding and opacification.
- • Loss of corneal transparency prevents the entry of light rays into the eye and reduces the vision. In cases of severe damage, this can cause total loss of vision making the person visually handicapped.
- • There are many conditions like malnutrition, Vitamin A deficiency, infection, certain corneal diseases such as 'keratoconus' and 'corneal degeneration', which can cause corneal blindness.
Common Corneal problems includes:
1) Pterygium,
2) Keratoconus,
3) Corneal dystrophies,
4) Corneal edema.
5) Corneal tears,
6) Corneal ulcers, infective keraitis, contact lens related keratitis, allergic keratoconjunctivitis
1) Pterygium
Pterygium is a veil like lesion that usually occurs in exposed part of white of the eye. This grows slowly over the cornea (the central black portion) and can obstruct vision or deteriorate vision by inducing cylindrical power in the eye.
Signs / Symptoms:
- Burning
- Gritty feeling
- Itching
- Sensation of a foreign body in the eye
- Blurred vision
- Prolonged exposure to ultraviolet light
- Dry eye
- Irritants such as dust and wind
Pterygium is not only cosmetically disfiguring but can affect the vision as well. In view of this it is advisable to surgically excise it at the earliest. Surgical excision of pterygium is a simple day care procedure with no adverse effects.
Latest surgical method involves removing the pterygium and placing a healthy tissue/graft on bare area which prevents recurrence with the help of surgical glue or stiches. It is cosmetically very rewarding. Surgery for pterygium is minimally invasive, sutureless and is very safe.
Pterygium does not respond to medical treatment and surgical excision is the treatment of choice.
2) Keratoconus
It is a progressive disease of the outer transparent layer of the eye (cornea) affecting young adults. It is characterized by progressive thinning of the normally round cornea causing it to bulge forward forming a conical shape. This irregularity in the cornea results in the formation of a distorted image of objects on the retina & gives rise to blurred vision.
Symptoms & signs
- Blur vision even with glasses.
- Frequent change in glasses prescription with fluctuation in the vision.
- Glare & sensitivity to light especially during night.
Keratoconus can be diagnosed at an early stage with detailed eye examination which includes retinoscopy, Slit lamp examination & tests like corneal topography to check the shape & curvature of cornea & Pachymetry to determine the thickness of the cornea.
Corneal topography
Exact causes of Keratoconus is not known but it may have some genetic predisposition. It may transmit from parent to children & affect more than one family member. It is also associated with excessive rubbing as it is more common in allergic conjunctivitis patients who have itching & tend to rub their eyes more frequently.
Other risk factors are overexposure to ultra violet rays, chronic eye irritation & improperly fitting contact lenses.
1) Glasses/ Contact lens In early stages, when the cornea is still regular, corrective prescription glasses or soft contact lenses can help the patient. As keratoconus advances, the corneal surface becomes increasingly irregular & these options do not help adequately. In intermediate & advanced stage, various other treatment options & different types of contact lenses are available. Rigid Gas permeable contact lenses provides a smooth refractive surface replacing the irregular cone like surface of the cornea, thus enabling the patient to see clearly. Apart from RGP there are other lenses especially for keratoconus patients like Piggy bag lenses, Scleral lens, Minisclerals, Hybrid lenses for restoring the vision.
2) Surgical C3R (CORNEAL COLLAGEN CROSSLINKING) with riboflavin is the latest addition to treatment options for early progressive keratoconus. This is minimally invasive day care procedure that stabilizes the keratoconus and prevents further deterioration of vision. With newer corneal topography equipments it is easy to pick up early keratoconus and C3R in such cases further progression of keratoconus and thus reduces visual morbidity. C3R is a safe procedure for early progressive keratoconus.
C3R Procedure
3) Keratoplasty – This involves corneal transplantation either full thickness cornea (PK- Penetrating Keratoplasty) or only the anterior layers of the cornea (DALK- Deep Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty)
In penetrating keratoplasty the entire recipient cornea is replaced with full thickness donor cornea. This type of penetrating surgery is usually indicated for full thickness corneal opacity, failed grafts and macular corneal dystrophy.
DALK (Deep anterior lamellar Keratoplasty)
This is one of the recent modifications of keratoplasty where full thickness transplantation is not done. This type of transplantation involves replacing only the superior diseased layers of cornea with healthy donor tissue .This procedure has faster recovery period and minimal risk of rejection. Also visual outcome is better. This surgery is indicated in cases with advanced Keratoconus, superficial scar.
- If there is a genetic predisposition or a family history then all family members should be screened timely.
- Regular eye checkup starting at an early age is a must.
- Close watch on glasses power fluctuation can help detect keratoconus at an early stage.
- Avoid excessive eye rubbing and treat eye allergies early.
Keratoconus if diagnosed at an early stage can help us preserve vision and improve the quality of life.
3) Corneal dystrophies
Corneal dystrophies are a group of rare, genetic diseases that affect the cornea. There are more than 20 types of dystrophies. All cause a buildup of foreign material in one or more layers of the cornea. Over time vision may become cloudy or blurry. Corneal dystrophies get worse slowly. It often takes years, even decades, before one may notice problems. Some people with corneal dystrophies have no symptoms.
Corneal dystrophies are grouped by which layers of the cornea they affect. There are three major categories.
- 1. Anterior or Superficial Corneal Dystrophies affecting the anterior part of the cornea.
- 2. Stromal Corneal Dystrophies affecting the stroma, or center layer of your cornea.
- 3. Posterior Corneal Dystrophies affecting the inner part of the cornea.
Signs/ Symptoms
- • Watery eyes
- • Blur vision
- • Dry eyes
- • Glare
- • Sensitivity to light
- • Pain in the eye
- • The feel of something in your eye
- • Corneal erosion
Treatment depends on the symptoms and type of dystrophy. If there are no symptoms, just regular checkups to keep track of the disease. As the symptoms get worse, other treatment options include medications. If vision is bad enough corneal transplant may be needed. There are 4 types of corneal transplant
- 1) Penetrating keratoplasty
DSEK (Descemets stripping endothelial keratoplasty)
DSEK is the most recent addition to the armamentarium to treat endothelial disease of cornea. This modification in keratoplasty replaces the diseased descemets and endothelium with healthy donor endothelium, descemets' membrane and posterior stroma and requires no sutures. As this procedure is sutureless it has several advantages like faster recovery, better visual outcome and less risk of suture infection.
4) Corneal Edema
- • Cause
- • Symptoms
- • Treatment
- • Recovery
Corneal edema is swelling of the cornea — the clear, dome-shaped outer surface of the eye that helps you see clearly. It's caused by fluid buildup in the cornea. When untreated, corneal edema can lead to cloudy vision.
The cornea is made up of layers of tissue that help focus light on the back of the eye to produce clear images. Along the inner surface of the cornea is a layer of cells called the endothelium. Its job is to pump out any fluid that collects inside the eye.
When endothelial cells are damaged, fluid can build up and cause the cornea to swell, clouding vision. Endothelial cells can never regenerate. Once they're damaged, they're gone for good.
Diseases that damage endothelial cells and can cause corneal edema include:
- Fuchs' endothelial dystrophy (or Fuchs' dystrophy) is an inherited disease that gradually destroys endothelial cells.
- Endotheliitis is an immune response that leads to inflammation of the endothelium. It's caused by the herpes virus.
- Glaucoma is a disease in which pressure builds up inside the eye. The pressure can build to the point where it damages the optic nerve and, in some cases, lead to corneal edema. This is uncommon, however.
- Posterior polymorphous corneal dystrophy is a rare, inherited condition of the cornea.
- Chandler's syndrome is a rare disorder in which cells of the epithelium multiply too quickly.
Cataract surgery can also damage endothelial cells. Usually the damage isn't extensive enough to cause problems, but sometimes it can cause corneal edema.
Corneal edema that occurs after cataract surgery is called pseudophakic corneal edema or pseudophakic bullous keratopathy.
As the cornea swells and fluid builds up, vision gets blur or cloudy. One may notice that the sight is especially hazy when waking up in the morning, but it gets better throughout the day.
Other symptoms of corneal edema include:
- haloes around lights
- eye pain
- the feeling that a foreign object is in your eye
If corneal edema is mild, no treatment is needed. To temporarily relieve the swelling in the eye, topical medications may be given.
If the swelling gets severe enough to damage the vision, one may need to have a surgery to replace either the whole cornea or just the endothelial layer with healthy corneal tissue from a donor. Procedures used to treat corneal edema include:
Descemet's Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMEK)
Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) is the most recent solution to treat the decreased vision due to corneal oedema seen in Fuchs dystrophy, bullous keratopathy, and other causes of poor corneal endothelial function. There are three generations in the evolution of corneal transplantation and DMEK is the third and latest. In DMEK the diseased innermost layer of the cornea is removed surgically and the corresponding thin layer from a healthy donor cornea is put in its place. The thin delicate transplant is secured with only an air bubble. DMEK provides quick improvement in vision with reduced risk of rejection making it keratoplasty of choice in patients with corneal oedema.
Benefits of DMEK
- • 2.8 mm or smaller corneal incision
- • No increase in corneal thickness
- • Quick visual recovery so patients can resume daily activities early
- • Better visual outcomes compared to other keratoplasty methods
- • Reduced risk of vision threatening graft rejection episodes
Healing time and recovery
Recovery time depends on the severity of your corneal edema, and how it's treated. Mild corneal edema might not cause any symptoms or require treatment. If surgery is done to replace the entire cornea, it could take weeks or longer to get the vision back fully.
5) Corneal tear
The cornea is the clear front window of the eye. A corneal laceration or tear is a cut on the cornea. It is usually caused by something sharp flying into the eye. It can also be caused by something striking the eye with significant force, like a metallic hand tool. A corneal laceration is deeper than a corneal abrasion, cutting partially or fully through the cornea. If the corneal laceration is deep enough it can cause a full thickness laceration. This is when the laceration cuts completely through the cornea and causes a ruptured globe, a tear into the eyeball itself. A corneal laceration is a very serious injury and requires immediate medical attention to avoid severe vision loss.
If your eye has been injured, you should do the following:
- gently place a shield over the eye to protect it. Wear this to protect your eye until you get medical help.
- do not rinse with water
- do not remove the object stuck in eye
- do not rub or apply pressure to eye
- after you have finished protecting the eye, see a physician immediately
- If timely treatment is taken for a corneal abarasions, laceration or full thickness corneal tear then chances of loss of vision becomes lesser and chances of visual recovery are better.
6) Corneal Ulcer/ Keratitis.
A corneal ulcer is an open sore that forms on the cornea. It's usually caused by an infection. Even small injuries to the eye or erosion caused by wearing contact lenses too long can lead to infections.
The main cause of corneal ulcers is infection.
1) Acanthamoeba keratitis
This infection most often occurs in contact lens wearers. It is an amoebic infection and, though rare, can lead to blindness.
2) Herpes simplex keratitis
Herpes simplex keratitis is a viral infection that causes repeated flare-ups of lesions or sores in the eye. A number of things can trigger flare-ups, including stress, prolonged exposure to sunlight, or anything that weakens the immune system.
3) Fungal keratitis
This fungal infection develops after an injury to the cornea involving a plant or plant material. Fungal keratitis can also develop in people with weakened immune systems.
4) Other causes
- • dry eye
- • eye injury
- • inflammatory disorders
- • wearing unsterilized contact lenses
- • vitamin A deficiency
People who wear expired soft contact lenses or wear disposable contact lenses for an extended period (including overnight) are at an increased risk for developing corneal ulcers.
One may notice signs of an infection before being aware of the corneal ulcer. Symptoms of an infection include:
- • itchy eye
- • watery eye
- • pus-like discharge from the eye
- • burning or stinging sensation in the eye
- • red or pink eye
- • sensitivity to light
Symptoms and signs of the corneal ulcer itself include:
- • eye inflammation
- • sore eye
- • excessive tearing
- • blurred vision
- • white spot on your cornea
- • swollen eyelids
- • pus or eye discharge
- • sensitivity to light
- • feeling like something is in your eye (foreign body sensation)
All symptoms of corneal ulcers are severe and should be treated immediately to prevent blindness. A corneal ulcer itself looks like a gray or white area or spot on the usually transparent cornea. Some corneal ulcers are too small to see without magnification, but you'll feel the symptoms.
Once the eye doctor discovers the cause of the corneal ulcer, they can prescribe an antibacterial, antifungal, or antiviral eye medication to treat the underlying problem. In severe cases, the corneal ulcer may warrant a corneal transplant. A corneal transplant involves the surgical removal of the corneal tissue and its replacement with donor tissue.
The best way to prevent corneal ulcers is to seek treatment as soon as you develop any symptom of an eye infection or as soon as your eye is injured.
Other helpful preventive measures include:
- avoiding sleeping while wearing your contact lenses
- cleaning and sterilizing your contacts before and after wearing them
- rinsing your eyes to remove any foreign objects
- washing your hands before touching your eyes
Some people may also develop a severe loss of vision along with visual obstruction due to scarring over the cornea. Corneal ulcers can also cause permanent scarring on the eye. In rare cases, the entire eye may suffer damage. Although corneal ulcers are treatable, and most people recover quite well after treatment, a reduction in eyesight may occur.
Why choose us?
At AGRAWAL EYE HOSPITAL we have an expert team of talented and skilled doctors who have an access to the latest diagnostic and surgical modalities. These doctors have been trained from the top notch institutes of India namely LVPEI and Narayana Nethralaya give deliver the best for you. Please feel free to contact us for any further querries or doubts. We are always glad to help you.


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The guts and soul of Indian Springs are our two swimming pools. Swimming pools have lengthy held a fascination for Hockney. An account permits entry to pool creation, nightly standings emails, trash-speak and lots of different features of Officepools. It's possible you'll apply this profit even when the SKU is … Read the rest
Month: February 2022
Backyard Design — The Land Gardeners
Create a useful, simple to keep up, environmentally pleasant, price efficient and aesthetically pleasing outside space on your dwelling yard or garden. Her mother's spirited obsession with flowers—lilacs, black-eyed susans, peonies, dutch iris, yarrow, summer time phlox, and many different passalongs"—encouraged Carolyn's keen appreciation for plants. In my Northeast area, … Read the rest
Garden Decoration
A Garden ornament is an item used for garden , panorama , and park enhancement and decoration. Bird baths and fowl feeders are common backyard ornaments, bringing magnificence and practicality by encouraging wildlife and presenting a peaceable and pure environment. Don't fret, she says: It is next to unimaginable to … Read the rest
Floor Jacks
All rights reserved. So in case you've acquired canines, cats or boisterous children, then tiles are the ideal possibility in your floors. Materials commonly known as flooring embody wood flooring , laminated wooden, ceramic tile , stone , terrazzo , and numerous seamless chemical floor coatings. Carpet cleaners use water … Read the rest
These Are The Most Searched DIY Tasks – But How Confident Are Brits In Their Ability To 'Do It Themselves'
One in ten of us admit to just hiring a professional to tackle even basic home repairs according to a new survey – but around 67% of Brits say they would try and give it a go first.
The survey comes from online retailer Chums, who polled 1000 UK residents … Read the rest


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Rubber is one of the major commercial, plantation crops in India. Kadamba has been involving itself for promoting rubber cultivation in Uttara Kannada districts as one of the cash crop in our region.
The seminar has been conducted by Kadamba Foundation, with the association of Indian Rubber Board, Kottayam.
Now, hundreds of farmers have started cultivating rubber in Uttara Kannada district. The rubber board also has taken initiatives for promoting rubber in this region.
Now rubber has become one of the considerable plantation crop in this region. Our progressive farmers have taken interest in the same.
Kadamba Foundation was coordinating in between farmers and rubber board since 2011.


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Acros 100: Requiem for $8
May 14, 2019You know how when you find $8 worth of change buried in your sofa cushions and it totally makes your day? Yeah, I don't. That's never happened to me. The most money I've ever pulled out of my sofa cushions is 37 cents.
But a few weeks ago I experienced the film photographer's equivalent of this phenomenon.
As so many others did, I lamented Fujifilm's decision to kill off Acros 100. As so many others did, I went out and bought a small pile of the film shortly after its impending death was announced.
Over the course of a few months I worked my way through the 35mm and 120 rolls, being extra vigilant with each shot I took — I mean, this was sort of a last hurrah with Acros 100. In fact, I took my final shot in Brooklyn at the end of October of 2018.
Of course, Acros 100 was still available at that time but there was no way I was going to pay $25 for a single roll from some scoundrel on eBay. B&H and Adorama were out of stock and wouldn't be getting any more, so my time with Acros was effectively over.
Or was it…?
A few weeks ago, while fishing around in a big bag of film I pulled out A ROLL OF ACROS 100.
Wait, what??
How did…where did…?
That 35mm roll of Acros was my $8 in the sofa cushions and I shot it with joy.
And it really was my last roll. I checked.
Thanks for stopping by and spending a minute.
Follow more of my adventures in film photography on my Instagram.


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Royal Life Saving WA is among three community organisations to be awarded contracts by the State Government's Department of Health, to continue programs over the next five years aimed at reducing avoidable injuries in the community.
The McGowan Government has committed $24 million towards initiatives targeting the incidence of falls, drownings and childhood injury across Western Australia, with Royal Life Saving WA receiving funding for its water safety program which aims to reduce the number of drownings in our state.
The other organisations receiving funding include Kidsafe WA for its child safety program and Injury Matters for its programs to reduce fall related injuries among older Western Australians and general programming to reduce injuries across the wider community.
Health Minister Roger Cook says the funding is extremely important. "Many injuries are preventable, yet they remain a major public health issue and a significant cause of mortality, morbidity and cost to the health system and the WA community. The McGowan Government is committed to the ongoing support of initiatives and NGOs who help reduce preventable health problems for Western Australians and relieve the pressure on our public health system."
In the 2017-18 financial year there were 26 drowning deaths, 112 hospital admissions and 95 emergency department presentations related to drowning in Western Australia. Royal Life Saving WA Senior Manager Health promotion and Research Lauren Nimmo says the funding from the State Government is vital as the organisation works to reduce these statistics.
"Our work in the community focuses on a number of target groups. We work with parents and carers who have children under five years of age to increase their knowledge and skills regarding toddler drowning prevention including key messages of supervision, restricting access to water, water familiarisation and CPR. Our work with young adults aged 15-24 years aims to increase their awareness about the risks associated with consuming alcohol and other drugs in and around water. For adults over 45 years we are working to increase their lifesaving and swimming skills, and their knowledge of drowning risk factors for their age group including the influence of medications and medical conditions."
Royal Life Saving WA looks forward to continuing to work in partnership with the Department of Health to raise awareness, and reduce the burden of drowning related injury on the WA community and health system.


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Mandatory health insurance for the Northern Emirates is expected to be rolled out in the first quarter of 2023.
Industry executives say that they're receiving not just inquiries from the companies but some of the firms have already started to insure their employees.
"As of now, mandatory health insurance is expected to be rolled out by end of Q1 2023. We have been getting inquiries and in fact have insured a lot of groups from the Northern Emirates," said Hitesh Motwani, chief marketing officer, InsuranceMarket.ae.
Currently, health insurance is mandatory in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
In Abu Dhabi, employers and sponsors are responsible for providing health insurance coverage for their employees and their families. In Dubai, employers are required to provide health insurance coverage for their employees. Sponsors are required to get insurance coverage for their resident dependents.
Echoing comments of his industry peer, Toshita Chauhan, business unit head for health and motor insurance at Policybazaar UAE, confirmed that they're also getting queries from the Northern Emirates and inquiries should start increasing as soon as the implementation date is announced by the authorities concerned.
Chauhan added that there is no firm date yet announced but health insurance could soon become a reality in the Northern Emirates in the first quarter of 2023. "The competent authorities are working towards building a comprehensive plan to make it a reality in the first quarter," he added.
Chauhan said health insurance plans are expected to start from Dh650 and will go up to Dh3,000 per member depending on the coverage level chosen.
Hitesh Motwani added that the range of insurance premiums is quite wide and depends on the type of coverage.
"As of now, the Northern Emirates plans don't have a minimum level of cover like the Dubai or Abu Dhabi plans which allow insurers to price very aggressively. The premium for Northern Emirates policies starts at Dh400-plus VAT and can go even lower if the groups are bigger in sizes," Motwani said, adding that as compared to the basic coverage plan of Dh650 for Dubai, Northern Emirates policies generally start at Dh400 for the basic coverage.
He suggested that if regulators set a requirement of a minimum level of cover, this may impact the premiums too.


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Sometimes it's better to be lucky than skilled. Back in February 2009, I was a middle-school writing teacher with a budding interest in stocks. I made my first real investment that month -- the greatest time in modern history to buy stocks.
That said, my journey as a beginning investor was far from perfect. I made plenty of mistakes -- which you'll read about below.
March 2020 is the closest thing we've come to the market upheaval of the Great Recession of 2008-09. If I could travel 11 years back in time, I'd tell myself these five things.
1. Find your "date" and post it
You must understand why you're investing. For most, the reason is simple: "To save for retirement." As market volatility continues, it's paramount to remember that.
Whatever your reason is, figure out the date -- your "date" -- when you think you'll need to withdraw this money. Write it down and be specific (even though such specificity is silly, it focuses the mind). Then, post the date wherever you are when you check the stock market.
I've chosen my 65th birthday. Here's what my wall looks like right now:
Market volatility will make you nervous. If that causes you to think about selling your stocks, look at this date.
2. You won't get rich quick
Next, accept that you won't get rich quick. Right now, there may seem to be a ton of "deals" available, stocks that have fallen 50% or more from their highs.
Here's the thing: there's absolutely no rule that says those stocks can't continue going down -- eventually losing 100% of their value today. The very fact that some stocks have lost so much is a signal from the market that danger lurks.
Investing in March of 2020 is not about getting rich quick. It is about responsibly using money that you know you won't need for at least three years to plant the seeds of long-term wealth creation.
Just as redwood doesn't sprout overnight, you shouldn't expect your portfolio to do anything miraculous in the days, weeks, or months ahead -- and that's ok.
3. You won't time the bottom
No one wants to buy into a falling market. You want to get your timing just right and maximize your returns. Here's the thing: You'll never do that. And even if you do, you won't know it was "the real bottom" until weeks and months later.
Case in point: On Nov. 20, 2008, just after the election of Barack Obama, it looked like the market had finally bottomed. Over the next seven weeks, the market climbed 24% -- producing remarkable short-term gains.
Then, reality slapped anyone who thought they'd correctly called the bottom right across the face. Here's what the next seven weeks looked like.
The cruel twist: Back on March 9, 2009, I actually did buy shares of Alphabet for just $150 apiece. I promptly sold them at $200 because I hadn't followed my first bit of advice: I was focused on the short-term, not the long-term.
4. The real leverage: Find your "enough"
Here's the crazy thing: The real financial leverage you have over your life doesn't come from investing. It all comes down to personal finance.
I'm not saying investing doesn't help -- it clearly does. But unless you get your own finances in order, you shouldn't be investing a dime anyway. If you want a check-list of "DOs," it would include:
- Building up an emergency fund to last six months without any income.
- Paying for all reasonable insurance (life, health, auto, home, disability, renters').
- Paying off high-interest debt.
But if you want to take a more philosophical approach, you can delve deeper. Find your level of "Enough" -- the amount of physical comforts you absolutely need to feel contentment on the inside. My guess: It will be lower than you think.
5. Become antifragile
Once you find that level, refuse to raise it unless absolutely necessary. Why? Because it will make you "antifragile." If you're unfamiliar, this is a word coined by former trader, risk specialist, and best-selling author Nassim Nicholas Taleb. Something is "antifragile" if, when placed under non-fatal stress, it not only doesn't crumble, but grows stronger.
Being antifragile is counter-intuitive. It calls on you to:
- Give up efficiency for redundancy: If you're efficient with your money -- putting every last cent in the stock market and keeping none in emergency savings -- you'll have far fewer options and less flexibility when times like these come again, and they will come again.
- Focus on eliminating downside instead of maximizing upside: Let's go back to insurance. Paying for disability or long-term care insurance can be expensive. And it's painful -- you could be using that money on so many other opportunities. But it limits your downside. That's what one football player discovered after getting injured. Learn from his lesson.
- Don't rely on your job, get a side hustle: Finally, if you're employed in a standard 9-to-5, remember that your job isn't as secure as it might seem. You have a single employer. If that employer fails or changes its evaluation of you, you'll suffer immediate consequences. The self-employed, who have tens if not hundreds of individual "employers," have far more flexibility.
But here's a secret toward making this all easier: Curiosity and gratitude are by far the most powerful antifragile tools you have at your disposal. They both contribute more to your well-being over time -- regardless of circumstances. Practice them daily, and much of the above will take care of itself.
Hopefully, when the next crisis arrives, you'll know you've taken the steps now to prepare.


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Review: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #47
[Editor's note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writer: Ryan Parrott
Artist: Daniel Di Nicuolo
Colorists: Walter Baiamonte & Katia Ranalli
Letterer: Ed Dukeshire
Reviewed by: Sean Blumenshine
NECESSARY EVIL CONTINUES! After a shocking betrayal, the Omega Rangers are forced to return to earth—and to reveal their identities to the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. But can either team of Power Rangers survive the truth?
Jamal Campbell's cover is cool. It immediately sells the tone and hints at story elements. The fact that everything is sideways conveys that things aren't going well. It isn't subtle but it works. The colors are more somber; it's an effective image.
I like the interior art a lot. It's very stylized and looks good. The characters are very expressive in a way that is similar to anime. It's certainly over the top but it fits the material and conveys the emotion of the story.
It's exciting to see the Omega Rangers back on Earth. We never got to see Trini and Zack return to the show which is the fun of the comic. They're telling stories that weren't possible with deeper characterization. I loved that Trini and Aisha got an entire scene of dialogue between themselves. Zack and Trini teaming up with Rocky, Adam and Aisha is a great idea. I can't wait to see where that goes.
Additionally, I like the conflict between the Rangers. On the show, if the Rangers ever fought, it was due to mind control or something petty that could be resolved in a single episode. Here, the Omega Rangers messed up. They did a bad thing and have to face the consequences. And I like that the remaining original members of the team have different reactions. Kimberly, understandably, is furious. Trini was her best friend. She's spent a lot of this story feeling abandoned and alone. This adds insult to injury for her. Billy seems more sad. The idea that his friends would lie to him breaks his heart. Tommy is harder to read. He is certainly upset; the art conveys that well. But he's keeping it in for the for the most part.
The team immediately splitting up again frustrates me. Granted, it is a different mix of characters. But it was exciting to see everyone back only for Zack and Trini to instantly leave again. They'll undoubtedly come back together again but it felt a little abrupt to me.
This is a great issue. It exemplifies everything that is great about the Power Rangers comics. It has the fun spirit and energy of the original show but adds deeper characterization and conflict. This is a group of distinct personalities dealing with a very personal problem. It looks great and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #47 is a blast to read.


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Worked on farm with his parents on Bajor but normally spent his time at a nearby Federation shuttle repair facility. He is a contridiction, being Bajoran but his faith his almost non-existent... something his parents blamed on his exposure to Starfleet and their 'godless' values. Over the years, he has reassested his faith. Still Atypical, allowing anyone to call him by his first name or last, depending on what they want to do.
Pre-Starfleet History
Spent his life on Bajor, devoted to family and friends. Remae spent his time on Bajora at Valour Provience, during this time at his parent's farm, he spent more time at the local Starfleet Installation for the provience. Hanging around watching the Federation in action, Remae steeled himself to one day join Starfleet.
Starfleet History
USS Spectre, Ensign to Captain - Counselling Duties During this period, Remae started his career onboard the USS Spectre, as Counsellor. His counselling sessions have always went well and he believed in the choices that he has made in counselling others. Moving up to COUNS/2O andthen First Officer, Remae was given command of the USS Spectre when the former Captain, was involved in an incident in which a Romulan Warbird was stolen. The USS Spectre was Remae's ship for a short while, and in a mission to Cardassia, she was nearly destroyed, was separated in half and the saucer was towed back to Starbase 968. The details are still locked by Starfleet Intelligence; Remae was never told of Starfleet's official response to the loss of the USS Spectre. Unofficially, Admiral Kriller has told Ktell that the Spectre will be rebuild and launched, but Starfleet are concerned about the near destruction of her. Remae was in command of the Prometheus class USS Athene, and in her maiden voyage, he is on a mission into the Gamma Quadrant. His rapid rise to Captain has not gone to his head and he listens to others before choosing his path. After a brief spell on the USS Nimitz, he was placed around the fleet while waiting for the trial for the loss of the original Spectre. He was then assigned to Utopia Planitia under the command of the USS Firebrande but the ship and the command was wasn't a real command but he tolerated it while he waited for his time to come again. Thanks for a strange set of events, and a duplicate Spectre from another timeline, he was assigned to her once more, a ship he knows inside and out. Since then, more events have caused the Spectre to be pushed out of her own timeline and into another, one that the Dominion War he remembers so well, never happened. The Spectre was assigned to the 52nd Fleet and is currently engaged in a mission to restored the Federation to the state it was before this Civil War started.
Medical History
Over the years, recent encounters with the Orbs of the Prophets have become normal. On these rare occassions, the Orbs have lodged themselves inside Remae's chest and connected him directly to the Prophets.
Listening and helping others with problems. Patience and the ability to assess someones personality within minutes of a conversation. People skills.
Swimming and running.
General Notes
He grew up with his parents' knowledge of the Cardassian occupation and spent time during the recent Dominion invasion helping family and friends through their traumatic experiences. His three visits from Q have usually been more trouble than they are worth. But his visits and visitations from The Prophets have shaken his beliefs of having no faith to reassessing those values.
Admiral Bell threw her arms around the Ensign, "You don't have to be scared anymore, you don't have to be guilty anymore, you are not responsible for what that madman did to you.", she said to her quietly and for a moment longer, releasing her from the embrace. "It's going to take time, its going to be a toll... I will be right here, and I am not going anywhere."


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We found a self-compassion poetry resource! From the site:
Poets express truths in a way that gets right to the heart of the matter. Here is a collection of poems (and poetic passages) that you may find supportive in practicing self-compassion. They are listed in alphabetical order, by title.
Today, make yourself a favourite drink. Find a quiet spot and explore some lovely nourishing poetry.
Tweet your response to @livedtime and be sure to include the hashtag #tds1069


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384th BG Patch
Photo courtesy of Richard Giancarlo, 2015.
- Created on
- Monday 30 March 2015
- Posted on
- Monday 30 March 2015
- Dimensions
- 480*640
- File
- Filesize
- Albums
- Visits
- 3595
Welcome to the 384th Bombardment Group (Heavy) Photo Gallery. This gallery makes available the photographic and documentary portion of the 384th BG record. All content on this gallery is visible to all visitors. Those wishing to enter a comment or contribute images will need to register and log in (links at left of Home page). Please register for an account when you need access beyond viewing gallery content. For additional information about the 384th BG, visit the 384th Bomb Group website⇗.
Guidance on contributing images can be obtained by downloading this PDF document: Upload Instructions⇓
384th BG Patch
Photo courtesy of Richard Giancarlo, 2015.


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RMS: How to use Grant Agreement functionality
This is a guide for Research Office Signatories on how to use the Grant Agreement functionality within the Australian Research Council's Research Management System (RMS).
Grant Agreements and Grant Offers will be provided to Research Offices through RMS. The Grant Agreement and Grant Offers will then be accepted through RMS by a user with the role type, Research Office Signatory. The Grant Agreement and Grant Offers will then be accepted by an Australian Research Council (ARC) Delegate and the associated projects will be created for payment of funding.
Use your email address and password to login to RMS. If you don't have a user account, contact members of your university's research office.
RMS is compatible with the latest versions of Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge. The Australian Research Council (ARC) cannot guarantee compatibility with other browsers or older versions of Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge.
Grant Agreement means the agreement entered into by the ARC and an Administering Organisation when an Application from that organisation is approved for funding. Accepting the Grant Agreement in RMS accepts the terms and conditions set out within the Agreement, it does not accept the Grant Offers made against it.
Grant Offer means the offer of funding made against an individual project. Grant Offers are accepted on a project level and cannot be accepted until the overarching Grant Agreement has been accepted by a Research Office Signatory.
PART 1—Research Office (RO) Signatory
Grant Agreements and Grant Offers can be viewed by any user within your organisation with RO Staff access. However, to accept the Grant Agreement and Grant Offers, a user from your organisation, who has the authority to enter into an agreement with the ARC, must be given RO Signatory access. Only a user with RO Signatory access can accept the Grant Agreement and Grant Offers within RMS.
PART 2—Instructions
2.1—Accessing the Grant Agreement
- Login to RMS
- Enter your email address and your password. Click on the login button.
- Click on Grant Offers under the Announcement Management section of the RMS Action Centre.
Figure 1 – Grant Offers link under Announcement Management
- Select the scheme round from the drop down list for which you wish to view the Grant Agreement.
- The Grant Agreement for that scheme round will appear. Click on Download Agreement to download a Microsoft Word version of the Grant Agreement.
Figure 2 – Grant Offers screen for a scheme round
2.2—Accepting the Grant Agreement and Grant Offers
- Once you have read the Grant Agreement and agree to the conditions set out within it, accept the Grant Agreement by clicking on the Accept button.
Figure 3 – Grant Agreement acceptance button
- Upon clicking this button, the following message will appear:
Figure 4 – Grant Agreement Acceptance Message
- Click OK to Accept the Grant Agreement.
- Once the Grant Agreement has been accepted, a list of projects will appear with the Grant Offer state at Pending appearing under Grant Offers.
Figure 5 – Grant Offers List
- If you wish to view additional information on a given project, click on the Details button to open the Project Details screen for that project.
- To accept the Grant offer for all projects, click on Mark all as Accepted button.
- To accept the Grant offer for a single project, select the Accept check box.
- To decline the Grant offer for a single project, select the Decline check box. When declining a project, you will be required to enter a reason for declining.
NOTE: Grant Offers should only be declined if the project is not going to be accepted by any organisation. Projects that will immediately be transferred to another organisation should be accepted prior to submitting a Variation to the Grant Agreement through the ARC's Post Award team.
- Once all the check boxes have been selected, click on the Submit Selected button.
- The Grant Agreement and Grant Offers will subsequently be accepted by the ARC and the ARC's Post Award team will arrange payments.


text: You've probably therefore guessed that this year's Pantone Color of the Year is a shade of blue—and, if so, you're right. For 2020, Pantone has chosen Classic Blue (19-4052) for these reasons: "Instilling calm, confidence, and connection, this enduring blue hue highlights our desire for a dependable and stable foundation on which to build as we cross the threshold into a new era." You can find information about this year's color, and those from past years, at Pantone's British website—and here's more about the color blue from a Pantone press release: "Imbued with a deep resonance . . . a boundless blue evocative of the vast and infinite evening sky, PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue encourages us to look beyond the obvious to expand our thinking; challenging us to think more deeply, increase our perspective and open the flow of communication. Imprinted in our psyches as a restful color, PANTONE 19-4052, Classic Blue brings a sense of peace and tranquility to the human spirit, offering refuge. Aiding concentration and bringing laser-like clarity, PANTONE 19-4052, Classic Blue re-centers our thoughts. A reflective blue tone, Classic Blue fosters resilience." Cindy Disbrow, the director of product management and production at The Chef's Garden, watches each year to see what color Pantone will select, and she's happy they've chosen blue. She says, "Blue, for me, symbolizes peaceful seas, skies, and times. In times of stress, we search for this, even in our old pairs of favorite jeans." Cindy predicts this color will "permeate our world, become fashionable. We will see it this year in homes, clothes, even sneakers." And, of course, in our choices of flowers. Blue edible flowers. As luck would have it, The Chef's Garden grows a bountiful amount of blue edible flowers—and you can find inspirational ideas about how to use them in dishes and menus in our deliciously deep dive into edible flowers. In this post, Chef Jamie Simpson from the Culinary Vegetable Institute shares the benefits of using these flowers to add layers of flavor, texture, and aroma to dishes, as well as providing eye-catching visual appeal. We invite you to read the entire post; here's just one snippet. Besides the qualities inherent in the edible flowers themselves, when they're used in dishes and menus, this usage is typically perceived as going above and beyond to create a special experience for the diner . . . these extra touches can make a big difference in pleasing diners and guests and gaining their loyalty and positive reviews and recommendations. And, here's another deep dive we've created into the miracles of edible flowers—and insights from the Culinary Vegetable Institute about how edible flowers are being considered a "big wedding reception trend for 2020," having them frozen in ice cubes or infused in water to sprinkle on desserts or tossed in salads. Before we talk more about edible blue flowers, here's more about the blue food trend, overall. 2020 Blue Food Trend The demand for blue is definitely here, including in food and beverage applications. FoodIngredientsFirst.com, for example, shares how food and beverage companies are "increasingly looking for lively colors that occur naturally and can support clean label status . . . But health-conscious consumers want to go even further in their quest for transparency and must be provided with fully clean formulations, as minimally processed as possible." In other words, taking a food stuff and adding blue food coloring just isn't going to do it. The demand for blue foods really translates into a demand for foods that are naturally blue. The New York Times, meanwhile, recently published an article on this trend, noting how blue food even "plays an outsize role" in a Broadway musical, "The Lightning Thief." Pinterest is providing plenty of inspirational blue food ideas, as well, with Good Housekeeping noting how the color blue is expected to be "one of the top trends in sweet treats this year." Now, here's more about beautifully blue and deliciously edible flowers. Blue Edible Flowers First, here is our comprehensive edible flower list. Not all of them are blue, so we'll tease several of them out to make them easier to find. Blue Bachelor Buttons Blue bachelor button flowers—also known as cornflowers—add very mild cucumber/raw green bean flavor to dishes. Vibrantly gorgeous blue petals also add unexpected pops of rich and vivid color to your plates. (These edible flowers aren't sharp when diners bite into them, but the non-crunchy blossoms sure look pointy!) Blue Borage Blue borage flowers are star-shaped, vibrant blooms that add beauty to the plate, along with a mild cucumber flavor that some describe as a sweet honey taste. It's also mildly salty. The texture of these gorgeous edible flowers is delicate with very small hairs. The entire flower is deliciously edible. Blue Raspberry Violas Blue raspberry violas blossom in rich shades of purple, adding touches of flavorful beauty to sweet and savory dishes alike, from the salad course to dessert and more. These edible violas float, making them ideal for unique cocktails and mocktails, as well as anywhere else edible flowers provide crowning touches. Blueberry Cheesecake Violas Blueberry cheesecake viola blooms offer up stunning final touches for dishes and drinks. Violas blossom in gorgeous shades of purple that, as you move towards the center, turn white; at the very heart of this edible flower, the hue is beautifully golden. These violas intensify flavors, adding crunch and aroma. Blueberry Cream Violas Blueberry cream viola blooms are delicate beauties, cream blossoms brightened up by intense purple and gold centers that add flavor. These edible flowers offer a crowning touch to salads, desserts and other culinary masterpieces, and remember—violas float beautifully, making them ideal for creative cocktails and mocktails. Blueberry Lemon Sorbet Violas The blueberry lemon sorbet viola offers dramatically beautiful contrasts in hue, a combination of intense purple and stunning yellow with purple lines; the center is golden. This eye-catching edible flower is ideal when you want to focus a diner's attention. Blueberry Swirl Violas Blueberry swirl violas provide a stunning contrast in colors, from rich purple to bright white, adding flavorful beauty to your dishes and drinks. You may notice that some of our edible flowers have hues that hug the line between blue and purple. Interestingly enough, more than one of the articles we've read about the blue food trend note that it is also encompassing foods (including edible flowers!) that are more like indigo in hue. So, what does that mean? Well, as a culinary trendsetter yourself, you already know this, but we'll say it, anyhow. These sorts of food trends should be used, in our opinion, as sources of inspiration—not as hard and fast rules that box you in. Here's an example of how Jamie does exactly that. "You can create a drink with violas, for example," he says, "and an acidic ice. This cocktail can start out as blue or dark purple and, as the ice melts, the violas get muddled and the drink turns pink." We'd love to hear about how you take a trend, play around with it, and create something new and extraordinary! Blue Edible Flower Desserts Because it's being predicted that blue foods will particularly find their way into sweet treats, we thought we'd share another suggestion of Jamie's. You can create candied violas, choosing any of the ones listed above, using egg whites and superfine sugar. Or, you can make deliciously sweetened granita, adding blue edible flowers for pops of unexpected color. How about one more idea from Jamie? "Because time is often of the essence in restaurant kitchens," he says, "you can dehydrate edible flowers to create a flower flour dry mix where you simply add egg and oil—and then bake desserts containing deliciously edible confetti." One More Blue Food We have a real passion for our edible flowers, including our blue beauties. We also have another delicious and nutritious blue food that deserves a mention: blue potatoes! The oval-shaped all blue potato offers up a creamy flavor, spiced like black pepper and tomato skin. Amethyst hues range from lighter to darker shades from the outside in, from light to medium and then dark rich purple tones. These uniquely delicious and nutritious farm-fresh potatoes turn blue when boiled. Contact The Chef's Garden We're always on the lookout for new and unique crops to grow—and we often choose them specifically because chefs would like to use them in culinary dishes and creative menus. It's just part of our ongoing chef and farm relationship. Might we say that the [blue] sky is the limit when it comes to serving our chefs? (If that's too corny, please ignore that!) Here's something else to consider. The blue foods mentioned in this post are really just a snapshot in time. We're deep into the research and development stages of numerous new crops, some of them close to being released to our chefs. If you're already a customer, we invite you to contact your product specialist to talk about how we can help you with your creative dishes and menus. If you'd like to become a customer, you can contact us here.


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Join the NCB Freelance Marketplace
1. Who We Are
NCB Financial Group Limited ("NCB") was incorporated in April 2016 to be licensed under the Banking Services Act as the financial holding company for National Commercial Bank Jamaica Limited ("NCBJ"). NCB is the largest and most profitable financial services group in Jamaica with roots dating back to 1837. Through the bank and its wealth management, life and general insurance, and offshore banking subsidiaries, NCB provides a wide array of financial products and services to meet the needs of individual and business clients. The NCB Group includes NCBJ, NCB Capital Markets Limited and its subsidiaries in Barbados and Cayman, NCB Insurance Company Limited, NCB (Cayman) Limited, Clarien Group Limited and its subsidiaries in Bermuda, Guardian Holdings Limited and its subsidiaries as well as NCB Global Finance Limited in Trinidad and Tobago.
2. Why Become a Freelancer
At NCB we are constantly looking at ways to transform the way we work and are strong proponents of autonomy, talent development, and equal opportunities for all, from anywhere in the world.
3. How It Works
Find suitable projects
NCB posts a project and freelancers will bid on this project. Then, NCB will choose the most suitable freelancer to work on the project by accepting a bid.
Enter workspace
After a bid acceptance, both NCB & freelancer will be connected for further discussion regarding the project.
NCB will review this project when the freelancer finishes. If the NCB is satisfied with this project, we will click the Finish button and write a review for the freelancer. If not, a dispute will be raised for resolution.


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Tracks 1 to 9 were recorded live at Aston Villa Leisure Centre, Birmingham (5 October 1994). Tracks 10-11 were recorded live at the Glastonbury Festival (26 June 1994). Tracks 12-13 are from Pulp's 1994 Black Session (France Inter, 15 March 1994). Track 14 is from the 1995 Black Session (France Inter, 30 October 1995).
This is actually a bootleg of a bootleg, because the first nine tracks are lifted from the Fiction Romance bootleg CD, which is in turn a slightly edited recording of a BBC radio broadcast from Aston Villa Leisure Centre, Birmingham in October 1994.
The audio on this version, however, is not identical to Fiction Romance, because for some reason it has been slowed down. It is quite noticeable and rather strange sounding especially after listening to the normal version. The Fiction Romance tracks (1 to 9) are approximately four and a quarter minutes longer on here. It is unclear whether this was accidental or a crude attempt to make it sound like a different recording.
Amusing sleeve note: "Performed By The Pulp!".


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Awards open to global nominations drew hundreds of entries from over 60 countries
Booking.com recognises trailblazing women in tech with Playmaker Awards 2019
Booking.com has announced the recipients of the 2019 Technology Playmaker Awards.
Now in its second year, the awards recognise women across the global technology scene who Booking.com said are "trailblazing new paths, creating innovative products and experiences, positively impacting communities and inspiring future generations."
This year, the awards were open to global nominations, building on an European focus last year, and drew hundreds of entries from over 60 countries.
At a gala ceremony held in London on March 13, nine prizes were awarded, including seven individual category awards, one employer award and the overall 2019 Technology Playmaker of the Year award.
The awards ceremony and gala dinner included speeches from Eileen Burbidge, partner at venture capitalist firm Passion Capital, and Hadeel Ayoub, chief executive officer (CEO) of BrightSign. Hadeel was recognised as the inaugural 2018 Technology Playmaker of the Year.
The seven individual categories recognised the tech contributions of women in areas ranging from positive business impact, innovative use of digital tools and emerging technologies, community impact and sustainable practices, rising tech talent and an organization that is demonstrating a commitment to achieving gender diversity in IT and technology.
The judging panel was chaired by Gillian Tans and included leaders from global tech companies, academia and start-ups including Skyscanner, WeTransfer, Amazon Web Services, Spelman College, Delft University of Technology, NeuralBay, Wormhole and All Turtles, as well as representatives from the European Parliament and the Financial Times.
Each category winner received a €5,000 prize, and the Technology Playmaker of the Year, who was selected from among the individual winners, received an additional €10,000.
The Technology Playmaker of the Year award is given to the individual category winner who judges felt has made the most impactful contribution to innovation in technology and driven social change at a global level.
This year's recipient of the award was Linda Liukas, Finland-based founder of Rails Girls, a global movement that is teaching young women to program in over 300 cities worldwide. Linda is also the author and illustrator of Hello Ruby, a children's picture book series translated into 25 languages about the world of computer science.
The 2019 Booking.com Technology Playmaker Award winners are:
• Community Impact – Martha Omoekpen Alade (Nigeria), founder of Women in Technology in Nigeria, an NGO using technology to drive socio-economic empowerment in Nigeria in order to help 20,000 women and girls out of poverty by 2022
• Role Model – Linda Liukas (Finland), founder of Rails Girls
• Business Leader – Beena Ammanath (US), global vice president of artificial intelligence (AI), data and innovation at HPE and founder and CEO of Humans for AI, a non-profit focused on increasing diversity in tech through the use of AI
• Young Technologist – Betelhem Dessie (Ethiopia), founder and CEO of Anyone Can Code in collaboration with iCog Labs, empowering children and young adults to innovate via coding, AI and robotics with the aim to solve society's problems through technology
• Tech Innovator – Sophie Hombert (France), founder of Aglaé, the first luminescent plant company of its kind, developing a biodegradable nutritive serum that gives plants a luminescent effect
• Digital Leader – Jill Zeret Jiménez Rodríguez (Mexico), founder of Zytreon Tecnología Infinita, a technology firm that launched a detection system to locate survivors following an earthquake
• Employer Award – 1 Million Women to Tech (US), a global online technology education program dedicated to reaching one million women with free coding education by January 2020.
Gillian Tans, chief executive at Booking.com, said: "We received an exceptionally high caliber of nominations from every corner of the world, and it is my pleasure to congratulate all of our inspiring finalists and winners. Their stories highlight the breadth and scale of achievements that women at all stages of their tech careers are making every day.
"We recognise the need to shine a light on role models in the tech industry and set out to create a forum that brings together leading female technologists from different backgrounds to exchange ideas and perspectives and build connections with the aim to inspire future generations and achieve equal gender representation for women in tech."
Linda Liukas, winner of the 2019 Booking.com Technology Playmaker of the Year award, added: "I'm completely blown away to receive both the Role Model and overall Technology Playmaker of the Year 2019 Award. Initiatives like this help women feel seen and more widely recognised in general, as well as help to forge important and lasting relationships among like-minded, brilliant, world-changing women who work in the tech industry.
"Technology for me is about self-expression, creativity and joy. Women have so much to offer to the tech world and often make the mistake of trying to fit in too much. The moment I decided to step into my own possibility and curiosity, I started to build a career that looks like me."


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Kenneth John Chapman
10th January 1937 - 7th August 2020
In Loving Memory of
Kenneth John Chapman
Loving husband of Cleotilde
Devoted father and father-in-law to Cherlene and Robert
Dearly love Papa to his granchildren, James and Sophia.
Much loved eldest brother to his 7 siblings
"The sun comes up an' the sun goes down
The hands on the clock keep goin' around
I just get up and it's time to lay down."
Please observe all COVID directives throughout the proceedings.
Funeral Details
St Anthonys Catholic Church
20 Strathford Street,
Tahmoor 2573
Date: 13th August 2020
Time: 10:30am
Burial Details
Thirlmere Cemetery
Station Street,
Date: 13th August 2020
Time: 11:30am


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Former editor-in-chief advocates for diversity
Relente will move to Tacoma this summer for internship with Tacoma News Tribune; first recipient of the Evergreen Fund of Christine and Glen Dorsey
April 28, 2021
Editor's Note: The reporter, Jayce Carral, worked with Angelica Relente for several semesters at The Daily Evergreen.
Angelica Relente remembers walking into a conference in Seattle, Washington, along with 10 other brown students from Waipahu High School in Hawaii. The people and booths all blur together, but she remembers knowing, in that moment, she was meant to be a journalist, even if she did not know why at the time.
Relente's epiphany was further cemented by her high school journalism teacher Daryn Kakazu, who was a father figure to Relente. She said she believed him when he told her he saw a bright future in her.
Hawaii is a melting hot pot of diverse cultures, so diversity is not something Relente said she had to think about. But that changed when she entered Washington State University as a multimedia journalism major; Relente said she was caught off guard by the lack of diversity.
"Maybe this is what journalism is, right?" she said. "Just a bunch of white people talking — writing."
Relente said she noticed things that made her feel like journalism was not created for people like her. Her newsroom, teachers and major were predominately white — and so was WSU. But Relente had made journalism her life, and she was determined to make it more inclusive for people like her.
"She's going to transform things," said Lisa Waananen Jones, Relente's teacher and assistant professor for the WSU Edward R. Murrow College of Communication. "She's going to improve news coverage in whatever community she is in."
Relente was born in the Philippines. She would spend her days playing badminton, flying a kite made of string and a plastic bag, and going to a private Catholic school that she hated.
She learned how to stand up for herself at an early age. She was bullied by a boy with a bowl cut on her bus when she was in elementary school. One day, Relente said she could not stand it anymore, and with all the mighty gusto she could muster, she whacked him in the face with her pink Hello Kitty lunchbox.
When Relente was 8 years old, her mom told her they were moving to Hawaii. Before leaving the Philippines, Relente and her family went backpacking across the country to say goodbye to distant relatives she had never known. On the plane to Hawaii, Relente said she was terrified, gripping her mom tightly for the beginning of the flight.
She said assimilating to American culture was fairly easy for her because she was so young. She distinctly remembers having Cocoa Puffs for the first time and promptly finishing the entire bag. She also remembers being placed in English language learners classes while entering elementary school in Hawaii.
Ten years and one language later, Relente was a freshman about to be interviewed for a position at The Daily Evergreen.
Dressed in black slacks, a blazer and a white long sleeve that she spent hours agonizing over, Relente walked into the newsroom located in the basement of Murrow Hall and was intimidated.
"All I saw were white people," she said.
Relente's nerves lessened slightly when the news editor walked in wearing a Star Wars t-shirt and a scarf. Relente said she kept rubbing her hands together but she slowly stopped during the interview as her nerves lessened, taking her blazer off because of the heat and complimenting the editor's shirt.
Relente was hired as a news reporter and her first stories were difficult. Editing stories with her editor took a while, and she said she had no idea what she was doing with some stories, like when she covered an on-deadline event about taxes.
"If something is hard, I don't see why you should give up," she said. "It's not an option for me, I'm not going to let this little thing stop me … I wasn't expecting it to be all rainbows and sunshine."
In her sophomore year, Relente said she was scrolling on Twitter at 1 a.m. when she saw a video depicting members of a WSU fraternity appropriating Pacific Islander culture. In the video, Phi Gamma Delta fraternity members were chanting while dressed in grass skirts. The video quickly spread and Relente jumped on the story, attending a town hall hosted by The Office of Multicultural Student Services. She interviewed various students and student groups who condemned the fraternity's action in the video.
It was the longest piece she had written at the time and it was due that same day. Relente said it was a lot of work condensed into a small time frame, but it was infinitely rewarding when someone told her they were happy she was the one to cover the story because she understood the weight of cultural appropriation.
In the same year, Relente met Daisy Zavala, a Chicana journalist who would unabashedly share her passion for diverse communities.
"She was one of the few reasons why I even made myself go to the newsroom," Zavala said. "She would just joke all the time, take Snapchat videos of me — shoot me with the Nerf gun in the video."
Zavala, a 22-year-old senior multimedia journalism and political science double major, actively challenges journalists' belief in objectivity. Objectivity is a common excuse used to gatekeep journalists of color from the industry, she said, by keeping journalists of color away from covering stories about communities of color or by sequestering them to only covering those stories.
Speaking with Zavala led to Relente rethinking how she once viewed journalism. Relente said she realized there was a diversity problem within the industry.
Relente and Zavala began to speak to Waananen Jones who pointed them toward organizations for journalists of color.
The news industry has a diversity problem, Waananen Jones said. The problem is exacerbated by the lack of pay that makes it difficult for journalists to make a living, which pushes out journalists, often journalists of color and journalists with diverse backgrounds, who do not have other means of financial support.
Relente joined the Asian American Journalists Association where she was able to find a community of journalists just like her. This proved to her her identity matters in a newsroom, she said.
"If you have a newsroom full of just white people … the potluck won't be as tasty," Relente said while laughing.
Journalists of color offer different perspectives and experiences, Relente said. Newsrooms should be more proactive with hiring journalists from diverse backgrounds, she said.
Relente became news editor for The Daily Evergreen during the spring semester of her sophomore year. While in the position, Relente — once referred to as "Relentless" in a misspelling that ended up in one of the Evergreen's print editions — said she made it a point to assign stories covering multicultural events, students and groups.
Relente continued to cover difficult stories, including pieces about misconduct by a former local radio host and within the WSU Department of Psychology.
Waananen Jones said Relente has a talent for investigative reporting because she wants to understand things thoroughly. There have been times where Waananen Jones will wake up to see a text message from Relente getting excited about something she found in public records.
Diversity and inclusion remained as Relente's priorities when she became editor-in-chief in fall 2020.
Before Relente began her term, Zavala, who would be serving as her managing editor, took Relente home with her to Wenatchee, Washington for a Mexican fiesta. Zavala said two worlds merged together when she encouraged Relente to try Mexican street corn. She later coaxed Relente onto the dance floor when Mexican bands started playing music.
Together, Relente and Zavala made it their mission to keep, recruit and hire reporters and editors of different backgrounds, highlighting their identities in a series called "Culture Brew," which ran weekly in the Evergreen's Mint section, which covers stories about art and culture.
Because of Relente's work and dedication to the Evergreen, she became the first recipient of the Evergreen Fund of Christine and Glen Dorsey. The fund was created by Jake and Katie Dorsey, and it was named after Jake Dorsey's paternal grandparents; his grandfather was a WSU alum.
Jake and Katie Dorsey both graduated from WSU in 2005 and worked for the Evergreen while they were students.
"For me, the Evergreen is the chance to make the mistakes that will teach you the lessons you need to learn," Jake Dorsey said.
Jake Dorsey said he did not pick Relente as the recipient was selected by staff members involved with the Evergreen and WSU Financial Services, but he was thrilled to learn she won it. He has kept up with some of Relente's work, but he was ultimately impressed by one particular decision Relente made while serving as editor-in-chief.
After the COVID-19 pandemic began, funding for the Evergreen decreased significantly. Relente cut the paper's print production from five days a week to once a week. The decision not only helped the newsroom follow COVID-19 safety regulations, but it ensured student wages would not be impacted.
"That is a courageous decision that I would not have wished on anyone," Jake Dorsey said. "And she clearly did it with aplomb and with an eye toward her fellow journalists, wanting to make sure that they stay funded first and foremost."
Relente received $480 from the scholarship for the 2020-21 academic year.
Relente, now 22 years old, is a legislative intern for the Columbia Basin Herald. She writes about five articles a week about state legislative proceedings. After graduating in May, Relente will be moving to Tacoma for a summer internship with The Tacoma News Tribune.
The Tacoma internship is competitive. Only two people were chosen from over 200 applicants, Relente wrote in a message.
Zavala said she has no doubt Relente will be an amazing journalist and her journalism skills will only grow as she enters the professional field.
Waananen Jones said she wants to eventually see Relente in charge of her own newsroom.
"If we could have 1,000 or even 100 Angelicas and let them be in charge of news, our news would be so much better," Waananen Jones said.


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Basin Street
Written by Michael Hulett, G. William Oakley, and Turk Murphy
Directed by G. William Oakley
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Incandescent Tones
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Last Dance Man
Written by Alan Foster Friedman
Directed by John Pynchon Holmes
Oh! Oh! Obesity
Written by Gerald W. Deas MD
Directed by Bette Howard
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Shades of Brown
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The Hooch
Written by Charles Michael Moore
Directed by Chuck Smith
Trial of Adam Clayton Powell, Jr.
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Mayhem at RFK! The USA-Honduras game that lives in infamy
When the U.S. men's national team hosts Honduras in Friday night's CONCACAF Hexagonal match in San Jose, California, the crowd at Avaya Stadium is expected to be a partisan one in favor of the hosts, anchored by the loud and proud American Outlaws and other US supporters sections.
+READ: Final round of World Cup Qualifying continues Friday for USA, CONCACAF
Such home-field advantage might seem like an obvious facet of a crucial game with major World Cup qualifying implications. But it's no fait accompli. The United States' enormous diversity and large populations of soccer-loving expatriates from around the world have over the years occasionally left the USMNT feeling less like the home team and more like neutrals, or even visitors on their own soil.
Another Hexagonal clash with Honduras nearly 16 years ago might just be Exhibit A for the potential pitfalls. It surely ranks among the strangest USMNT games of this century, a watershed moment that paved the way for the gameday experience that younger generations have come to accept as the modern norm.
In 2001, soccer-specific venues were still a newfangled idea in North American soccer. The first of the modern MLS genre, Columbus Crew (now MAPFRE) Stadium, had only been in existence for a few years, and hosted its first US-Mexico qualifier, "La Guerra Fria," that February.
The next, the complex today known as StubHub Center, would not debut until 2003. With a well-kept grass pitch and large numbers of local soccer fans, RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. was a reliably hospitable locale for the USMNT and was chosen to host a September Hex matchup with Honduras.
US Soccer worked to limit ticket sales in RFK's lower bowl to U.S. fans, reportedly denying the applications of those who revealed a Honduran rooting interest – even the nation's ambassador to the U.S. at the time, Hugo Noe Pino.
"Our objective is trying to win this game," said Kevin Payne, president and general manager of D.C. United, whose club assisted the federation with ticket sales. "We don't go anywhere to the depths that other countries go in creating a hostile environment."
Problem was, Catrachos supporters found myriad ways to sidestep those efforts, disguising their allegiances or asking friends with non-Hispanic-sounding names to buy tickets on their behalf. And even if the lower bowl had been kept entirely pro-Yank, that left half or more of the hulking venue – which held over 56,000 spectators at the time – to Honduran-Americans, who number in the hundreds of thousands across the D.C. area and the wider Mid-Atlantic region.
Passionate Honduras fans would fill most of the stadium's sweeping upper decks. And with their team having already suffered two home losses in Hex play, they had no trouble summoning the urgency required to challenge the USMNT's 16-year, 19-game unbeaten streak in home qualifiers.
"I remember the atmosphere well," retired USMNT great and Philadelphia Union sporting director Earnie Stewart told USSoccer.com this week. "Most of our home qualifying games that cycle had been very pro-U.S., but as we walked out on the field we thought were playing away."
The U.S. had masses of red-clad Yanks supporters cheering them on in the lower bowl, but still felt like guests in their own capital city, two miles from the seat of Congress.
"Only in America, I guess," peeved head coach Bruce Arena said postgame. "We're fighting for a home-field advantage."
Meanwhile, off the field a small group of U.S. fans had been plotting their own version of the famous gamesmanship their team had long faced on trips to Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Honduras and other CONCACAF rivals. Dubbing their efforts "Project Mayhem" in a winking tribute to "Fight Club," they'd begun coordinated harassment of visiting teams at their hotels the previous year, and did their best to unleash the same annoyances on the Hondurans, from prank calls to various noisemakers outside their rooms during the wee hours of the night.
"We do things covertly to mess with the incoming teams," Project Mayhem participant Chris Hummer – yes, that Chris Hummer, SoccerWire.com's founder and general manager of the Washington Spirit – told The Washington Post at the time.
They also provided hard-core support for the USMNT on gameday, banging drums and bellowing songs and chants in hopes of showing that the United States could hold its own in terms of passionate soccer culture.
"I used to come here and people would just walk around and then just watch the game," U.S. fan Michael A. Patzi told the Post at RFK. "For years, I wished this would happen. It's really an evolution. This is a turning point."
To make the situation even more surreal, USA vs. Honduras was played at 10 am local time on a Saturday morning, because the opening weekend of college football had gobbled up all the prime afternoon and evening television slots. That didn't faze the 54,282 who flocked to RFK, though, with many arriving well before the parking lots opened at 6 am in order to secure good tailgating spots.
So what was the old concrete hulk like at gametime? The lede in the Associated Press' recap of the match put it bluntly:
"RFK Stadium looked like it had been taken over by a Central American country."
Stewart scored the opener in fine style. But he saw his penalty kick – earned by a teenage Landon Donovan, making his very first of many World Cup qualifying appearances – saved by Honduras goalkeeper Noel Valladares just before halftime, leaving the match tied at 1-1 thanks to Milton Nunez's equalizer.
Carlos Pavon earned the visitors a lead with a PK conversion in the 53rd minute, then Nunez struck again to carve out an advantage that stood up even after Stewart found the net in the late going.
Fans on both sides went haywire in the feverish atmosphere, throwing streamers, flares and even a bottle or two onto the pitch, leaving U.S. Soccer officials clutching their pearls – not only at the behavior in the stands, but at their first home loss in qualifying since 1985.
"Besides the way we blew a lead, I think we played in such a bad environment for a home game that it hurt us," Arena would later say. "We actually had a good start in that game, with the early goal by Earnie Stewart. Unfortunately, Stewart missed the penalty just before halftime and took away some momentum. In the second half, all credit to Honduras. They simply outplayed us, and their fans gave them a lot of confidence."
As Soccer Times columnist Robert Wagman exclaimed in his postgame column, "Now things get interesting!"
A 2-0 loss in Costa Rica four days later deepened the gloom and ran the USMNT's losing skid to three straight, dating back to their narrow 1-0 loss to Mexico at Estadio Azteca in midsummer. But Arena's first Hex experience had begun brightly, with the USMNT starting 4-0-1, so the Yanks didn't have to do too much to steer themselves back on course.
A nervy home win over Jamaica and a scoreless draw at Trinidad & Tobago on the final matchday saw them hold off Honduras for the region's third and final qualification slot, and they went on to enjoy the best World Cup campaign in modern U.S. history at Korea/Japan 2002.
But the lessons of that wild morning at RFK would linger for U.S. Soccer's leadership for years, and in many ways still inform the decisions made about key matches to this day.
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Call For Aid As Somalia Faces Severe Drought
70 Percent Fall In Forecasted Rainfall Adds To Existing Woes
22 Apr 2021 by The Water Diplomat
The Somali NGO Consortium (SNC) has issued an urgent call for aid as the country faces the risk of severe drought, with rainfall over the next three months forecast to be 70 Percent lower than normal in some areas.
"The time to prepare is now," said says Halimo Elmi Weheliye, Acting Director of the Somali NGO Consortium, continuing: "We know this from past drought responses and we are calling on all actors to be ready for an urgent scale up of humanitarian response to prevent unnecessary harm."
Somalis are already struggling with crop failure due to a "disastrous" rainy season in October-December last year, further aggravated by a locust infestation and the continuing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"The worsening of the current drought conditions risks aggravating the situation for millions of Somalis trying to recover from the compounded effects [of] flooding, COVID-19, conflict, and locust invasions, all happening in 2020," explained Weheliye.
Quoting information from the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS), the SNC anticipates one in five Somalis (2.7 million people) will need humanitarian assistance without a scale up of emergency response. This represents a 69 percent increase from 1.6 million at the same date last year. The threat is particularly severe in the northern and central regions of this highly rain-dependent country.
More than 83,000 people have been displaced by water shortages since November 2020, and the SNC is warning that further displacement is likely as well as an increase in water-borne diseases.
"Worsening water shortages and pasture coupled with widespread COVID-19 crises and total collapse of Somali shilling due to inflation has led to severe humanitarian situation here in Puntland, causing livestock to die and pushing communities into suffering and malnutrition. If the rains don't come, I don't know how people and livestock will survive," says Mohamoud Farah, Water and Sanitation Officer of aid and development NGO KAALO.
The SNC is calling on donors to provide additional funds and on humanitarian actors to "reprogram their current emergency responses to the worsening drought situation".
According to UNICEF, more than 50 Percent of people in Somalia do not have access to safe water, while over 30 percent walk more than 15 minutes to reach their main source of drinking water.
Photo credit: Giles Clarke/Getty Images
Related Topics
17 Mar 2021 MOGADISHU, Somalia
Increasingly erratic and prolonged adverse weather patterns have contributed to Somalia's humanitarian crisis,exacerbated by conflict, disease and poor social protection.


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While most buildings in Australia are already equipped with an air conditioning system, this is not always the case. If you've just purchased an older property with a view to renovation, then you may have come across one of those structures that is not already conditioned. What do you need to think about before you actually buy a new system, and what information do you need to gather first?
Did you know that the Australian Bureau of Statistics classifies no fewer than eight different climate zones around the country? This may help you to determine what type of air conditioning system you can get, as manufacturers do tailor their solutions according to this zone analysis. Remember, one part of the country may have particularly warm and humid summers while another area well inland may need to deal with hot and dry alternatives. This may help you choose between getting a ducted, refrigerated air conditioning system or choosing an evaporative technology machine instead.
You may wonder what an evaporative cooler is, and in general, these machines work best in drier climates. They're cheaper to establish and run than refrigerated units and are typically mounted on the roof of the property. These swamp coolers must have a constant flow of air, and you will need to keep windows and doors open if you are going to get the best evaporative effect.
On the other hand, refrigerated systems typically sit outside the home at ground level and rely on a sealed environment instead. In this case, the doors and windows will have to be firmly closed at all times so that the system can cool the air trapped inside before venting the unwanted heat to the outside.
Installation Solutions
Some people choose to install a ducted system to take full advantage of refrigerated air conditioning. You may be able to set up different zones within the home so that some rooms are more conditioned than others or to allow the system to be activated at different times of the day.
It may also be a good idea for you to install an extra humidifier. This can help if you suffer from certain breathing conditions or do not like particularly dry air.
Getting Support
Finally, check with your residential air conditioning company to see what they recommend. When you talk with these professionals, you're bound to find a solution that will make life more bearable in your renovated home.
Share7 June 2019
Howdy! I'm Hank and I am writing this blog so I can give you the lowdown on the cheapest and most effective ways you can heat or cool your home. I'm not a trained HVAC contractor but my brother is. Last year, I called up my brother and asked him to drive over and install a new HVAC system in my property. The old system wasn't cooling or warming my house and it was making a strange noise. During the installation, my brother gave me lots of great advice and explained exactly what he was doing at each step. I hope you find this information useful.


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The legend and impact of the late, great Kobe Bryant was felt far beyond the basketball world and into all other sports and walks of life in general. When it comes to those inspired by Bryant, Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts undoubtedly counts himself among them.
One of the best players in baseball, and a big part of the Dodgers' 2020 World Series championship, Betts was able to build a bit of relationship with Bryant before his passing as both were Body Armor athletes. And Kobe was on the mind of Betts during his interaction with a fan this past weekend in Cincinnati.
During the Dodgers' 8-5 win over the Reds, Betts would gift a fan with an autographed baseball bat for tossing back a home run ball. Afterward, Betts explained how the advice of Bryant inspired his actions.
"Those type of interactions are kind of everlasting. I think one of the last times I talked to Kobe, he just reminded me that by the time the game is over, somebody knows who you are and somebody recognizes you," Betts said. "Obviously that's through our play, but it's another way for somebody to impact someone's life. I wasn't really doing it for cameras. I was just doing it because he easily threw the ball back and didn't even ask for anything."
For those who weren't watching the game, Reds rookie TJ Friedl hit a home run that was not only the first long ball of his career but his first hit in the Major Leagues period. So Betts asked the fan who caught the ball to toss it back so that Friedl could have it to commemorate this milestone moment in his career.
Cameras later caught Betts gifting the fan with an autographed bat, and he noted that while he was going to simply toss the fan another ball, he felt the bat would be 'something he remembers a little bit more.'
That might not mean much to some people, but as Kobe told Betts, it's a memory that can will last forever for that fan. Everyone isn't going to be a Dodgers fan, but Mookie Betts likely gained himself a few new fans with that classy gesture.
Betts has long been inspired by Bryant
This is just the latest instance in which Betts was inspired and helped by the words of Bryant. Betts has previously shared the advice that Kobe gave him to help him through a rough patch in his career and it is something the Dodgers superstar has never forgotten.
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