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New Zealand's North Island
I had about three weeks left to explore the north of New Zealand. My way led from New Zealand's capital Wellington into the active volcanic center around Mt Ruapehu and Mt Tongariro, on to the geysers of Rotorua, along the subtropical beaches of the Coromandel Peninsula and the Northland and finally into Auckland, Polynesia's largest city. |
Arriving on the North Island Wellington showed why it is called the windy city. Must be a good spot for windsurfing over here. Unfortunately, I did not have time for that as I had to move on north. So I went for a bit of sightseeing in New Zealands capital the next day and visted the national museum Te Papa. The next morning, however, it was time to get back to nature again and so I took the train to Mt. Ruapehu and Tongariro NP. |
Tongariro Crossing
Leaving Wellington at sunrise, I arrived on the central volcanic high plateau in the early afternoon. Coming from the south it was quite clear and I had some nice views of Mount Ruapehu (on the picture), an active volcano which is the highest elevation of NZs North Island. Originally I wanted to cycle for 60 km up to Turangi but strong winds and rain approaching from the north west raised doubts in me whether I could make it there before darkness and so I decided to stay in a backpackers in the tiny settlement of National Park village. The next morning a small shuttle bus took me and some others to the start of the Tongariro Crossing, which is considered to be the best one day walk in New Zealand. |
Unfortunately, the weather forecast did not look very promising with low clouds and even lower temperatures. But we decided to go on the track anyway and started the 17 km route with about 20 others that wanted to take this challenge in spite of the weather. In the first minutes on the track, small clusters of independent hikers were formed, mainly depending on the walking speed of the individuals. So I went alongside another German and two Frenchmen and climbed the first ridge from about 900 metres above sea level to the South Crater at 1600 metres. Our hopes for getting above cloud base and having these magnificent views for which the track is also famous for, however, have not been fulfilled. Instead we climbed deeper and deeper into the clouds and it just became wetter and, of course, colder, the higher we got. But it was a very special experience in this rough and mysterious landscape. | |
Originally we wanted to take a side track and climb to the summit of Mount Ngauruhoe. But bad sight and temperatures close to freezing level forced us to stay on the track. We made our way through the South Crater and the Red Crater towards the ridge of the Central Crater at about 1900 metres. In the meantime, the winds had increased to storm level and it became a challenge, much tougher than all of us had expected. On our way down the northern slopes we walked alongside the Emerald Lakes and were able to experience the activity taking place beneath the ground. The strong smell of sulphur was everywhere and it became hard to tell which clouds originated from the sky and which ones from the volcano. | |
Following the track we came to a corner with a sign showing: Hot springs - Do not enter this area. Without this sign, we would never have entered that area since it did not look very promising. But as we were all very keen to get to a hot spring, we had no choice but to leave the track. In the rough terrain we did not really know what to follow and so we orientated on the smell of sulphur and the sound of water in search of that spring. It became quite steep and rocky as you can see on one the pictures but we finally found some water running over rocks that was not boiling hot but it had a comfortable temperature of 30 to 40 degrees. But what was even more impressive were the bright white, green and red colours which the minerals in the water created on the rocks. | |
Afterwards, we were happy to discover the track below us on the
slopes of the mountain and when we made our way there it became a more
gentle walk into denser vegetation. Eventually, below 1000 metres we
descended through native rain forest and alongside nice waterfalls to
the end of the track. Over there our shuttle bus brought my bike and I
decided to take it on another bus which was collecting tourists going to
Taupo as I was not able to cycle another 50 km after that exhausting
Skydiving on Lake Taupo As the end of my time in NZ came closer I could not afford to take a day of rest and so the next morning I went skydiving at sunrise before heading the 90 km from Taupo to Rotorua. It was a beautiful morning with just a few clouds and I was quite confident that I really wanted to go skydiving. But as I entered the plane and it started to rise in the air, my nervousity rised as well. |
When we reached 12,000 ft and the first pair jumped out of the plane I really thought I was absolutely mad to do that stuff. Within seconds it was our turn and I was sitting on my knees in front of that open door staring towards the ground 4000 metres below me. A slight push by the guide behind me, who was connected to me and even more importantly carried the parachute, and we dropped out the plane and rolled over once. Suddenly, my mood changed from scared to death to indescribably excited and I felt how we were falling down towards the earth at 220 km/h. You can control the way you go by lifting your arm and easily turning into that direction. So 50 km across Lake Taupo I could even see the volcanoes of Tongariro and Ngauruhoe, which I had not been able to one day ago when I crossed them on the track. After somewhere between 30 seconds and a minute I started to become nervous again since the ground came quite close. But then my guide opened the parachute and allowed me to steer it a bit before scaring me again by doing some stuff that you should never ever do with a paragliding canopy. Landing on the ground quite softly I was that flashed that I was only able to lie down and laugh for a while... Whenever anyone of you has got the chance to go skydiving, DO IT! No matter how expensive it is, its worth it! It kept me so happy and stoked all day long on the not very exciting route on the highway to Rotorua. | |
Waitomo Caves
The next day, I went on a day-trip to the Waitomo Caves. This extensive system of caves is famous for its glow-worms and, as it is located in NZ, for the sports activities taking place in the caves. So I was equipped with a very thick wetsuit, other funny layers of clothes and a helmet with a lamp, as you can see on the picture. Afterwards everyone was given a big black truck tube which had to serve as our raft in the tiny cave. We entered the cave through a small hole between the rocks and had to climb upwards for a bit. Then we had to jump from a few waterfalls until we started to float on an underground river through the caves. Switching of the lights on our helmets we could see the thousands of tiny glow-worms hanging from the ceiling like stars on the nightly sky. After about one hour we were floating into the daylight again and made our way back to the visitor centre where we were rewarded with a revitalising hot shower. |
I arrived in Rotorua in the evening and still had enough energy to go out with some guys of my hostel. So, we went to a pub with live music and I had the best night going out since I had left Queenstown about a month ago. The next morning I was a bit hung over but still able to experience what Rotorua is famous for: Any kind of thermal activity from hot mud pools sounding like spinach... |
...over rocks covered by a layer of sulfur that emit gases,
reminding you of rotten eggs...
...to geysers that suddenly throw huge amounts of hot water into the air. Altogether really bizarre landscapes, which you can see on the pictures, are formed, creating a deep impression of natures forces. | |
Coromandel Peninsula
In the afternoon I left towards the Pacific coast again and went to the Coromandel Peninsula. My first stop was at a place called Hot Water Beach where thermal activity is taking place under the sand. And if you dig a deep hole during low tide you can have your very own hot pool on the beach. Arriving in Hahei I was very happy to stay in my tent again after a couple of days in hostels. |
This tiny former fishing village on the Coromandel close to the famous Cathedral Cove rock formations is among the places with the highest property prices throughout NZ. If you have got a look on the photos you can possibly guess why. | |
The next morning I went on a sea-kayak tour through the marine
We surrounded some islands and surfed waves with our big kayaks before we were landing on a beach close to Cathedral Cove (next picture). |
I spent the rest of the day relaxing on the beach and cycling along this magnificent coastline for a bit. Here was the place were both Europeans in the late 18th century and Polynesians a few centuries earlier, started to settle the islands of New Zealand or Aotearoa, the land of the long white cloud, as the Maoris call it. | |
The following day I crossed the peninsula and discovered some of
the last Kauri forests in New Zealand.
These massive, slow-growing trees once covered large areas of the North Island before mainly European settlers cut them down for timber and in order to create space for their sheep. From the west coast of Coromandel Peninsula I was already able to watch up to Auckland, 60 km away across the sea. I talked to fisherman in the harbour and asked in the local pubs as well but there was no way to get there on the water. So I had to cycle about 200 km on the land route to make it to NZs largest city. Fortunately, on the campsite where I had to stop on the way, they had discovered a hot spring and so I was able to take a relaxing bath in water of about 40 degrees next to my tent after a long day on my bike. What a splurge... |
Arriving in Auckland I had 4 days left before my flight departed to Melbourne and so I left to the far north the following morning. My first stop was at Pahia in the Bay of Islands. Here me and a guy from the UK borrowed canoes from our hostel and paddled through the waves of the bay. However, these dodgy little canoes were not as stable as they should be for going on the sea. It almost cost the life of my camera when a wave caught me and sent me over the rocks. Fortunately, I could stay on top and get away from the rocks to the beach. When pulling my canoe on shore, I realised that it had put on weight since we left from Pahia The reason for that was a hole in the back which slowly filled it with water After emptying the canoe on the beach I tried to make the way back a bit quicker as I did not want to end up as a submarine |
My last days before heading back towards Auckland I spent in Ahipara on the Ninety Mile Beach. There I found time to relax and reflect upon these exciting two months in one of the most beautiful countries of the world. But, of course, I could not miss out on surfing the waves which have become famous by the movie The Endless Summer in the 1960s. It was the perfect end for my longest period of travelling so far. It has not always been easy, I had tough moments on my bike and elsewhere and moments where I have been tired of travelling. But every night I had the feeling that it was worth all the effort of the day. And now, in the end, I will keep an experience in my mind that will make me happy, whenever I think about it. | |
The final day in Auckland
The last day I did some city sightseeing in Auckland. So I started with the Skytower, the tallest building in the southern hemisphere. |
Up there I ws rewarded with some magnificient views over Aucklands
center and the more than 30 volcanoes the city is situated upon.
Finally, I was heading to the airport where it ended the way it has begun in Christchurch about two months ago: |
With a night on the airport. As you can see on the final picture, it was again a random mix of cultures in our provisory dorm with backpackers from Australia, Canada, Brazil and Germany. | |
Click here to go back to the South Island |


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In the Soviet Union and still in parts of Russia today, there exists something called "closed cities," which is a city where access to the public is closed except for the residents, who are often employed there or related to those who are employed there. Many times these have to do with military projects or in industrial operations considered to be sensitive to national interests. Sometimes these included major cities, such as Perm or Nizhniy Novgorod. While many have since been "opened," some still remain closed, such as Ozyorsk, a city near the Russo-Kazakh border where a major nuclear facility operates and in 1957 had a nuclear disaster worse than that of Chernobyl, called the Kyshtym Disaster. Likewise, the US has also had closed cities, the most famous one of which was Oak Ridge, Tennessee, as it was closed during the Second World War because it was where the Manhattan Project for building the Nuclear Bomb took place.
China is aspiring to become a world power, and while there is much that can be discussed in this, a rumor has emerged citing confirmation of a Chinese closed city that is owned by nothing less than Jack Ma, a member of the Chinese Communist Party, in which it is said that he is testing the development of advanced AI in what seems to be a Chinese attempt to re-create the US Silicon Valley that they have named "Cloud Town":
In the outskirts of Hangzhou, eastern China, in Alibaba's Cloud Town, a Silicon Valley-style working and leisure hub, cutting-edge research in artificial intelligence (AI) and smart city developments at one of China's largest tech companies are showcased. It is a half-empty dystopia of almost comic proportions where the future of automation and infrastructure in southern China is played out. While Alibaba exhibitions and conferences occur sporadically, the full scope of what goes on there remains hidden.
Having long claimed to be apolitical, Jack Ma, the billionaire co-founder and executive chairman of the tech giant Alibaba, was recently revealed to be a member of the ruling Communist party of China (CCP). It's another in a long list of links between corporate and state apparatus that stretch far beyond the borders of China. Nevertheless, a glimpse into the projects the company is working on in Cloud Town, considered in light of these revelations, should set the alarm bells ringing with fear of a dystopian future of state and corporate control.
Technologies in development at Cloud Town range from AI pedestrian crossing lights that use facial recognition to identify the age of a road-crosser and give them a longer green light if they are old/slow enough, to AI drone cars that can respond to passengers needs.
The greatest feature of the car, explained the proud representative, is that its media panel, linked to the user's smartphone, reads patterns of movement, food choices and potentially even photos and comments, and then crosses this with millions of data sets to make predictions about what the user might like to eat and how they might like to travel there or have the food travel to them. In short, the new citizen outsources part of their decision-making processes, and maybe even part of their desire, to Alibaba. Our very impulses are mapped and planned in advance. The triangulation between data, predictive technology and desire could be the single most important relationship taking us into the dystopian smart city future.
It's not so far from the technology of Google Now that has made headlines since plans for its implementation in 2012. Here a previously neglected aspect becomes visible: Alibaba could use its complex algorithms to privilege food outlets that use Alipay rather than those that use WeChat pay or have no e-payment system, for example. Likewise, if Google answers your questions before you've asked them, it also moves you down paths you might never have otherwise taken. It's the early implementation phase of a predictive tech revolution in which desire is not only predicted but incrementally edited to suit particular agendas – in this case corporate ones.
But the possibility made crystal clear by the revelation that Ma is now (and perhaps has been for some time) a formal member of the CCP is that this process of editing a population's movements and desires might not only be in the interests of corporate parties but of the closely associated state.
Alibaba's rival Tencent is another major tech company with close connections to the Beijing government. Its heat map feature tells users where crowds of people are forming – taken to its extreme, such a tool could be used by authorities to prevent street protests. What Alibaba seem focused on, however, is developing subtler ways to organise the movements and even desires of citizens in the future city. Will that too be in the service of the corporate state?
The danger here is that the focus in the west will be on what this shows about China's extreme dystopian tendencies, which we posit in opposition to our own apparently democratic landscape. The tendency is to report on China's hi-tech authoritarian future as if it is not our own. In fact though, what seems oddest about this revelation is how it chimes with patterns we've seen, at least in the US. As Srećko Horvat has pointed out, it is significant that former Google CEO Eric Schmidt was appointed head of a Pentagon committee designed to integrate Silicon Valley into the intelligence services.
Ultimately, this is less about communism than it is about a new brand of corporate tech-driven capitalism. Without more visibility and awareness of what's being built, we cannot see how these technologies are re-organising their citizens. (source, source)
This report also suggests a connection to testing out the Chinese Social Credit System, which the government says they want to have running by 2020, which judges a person based on his decisions and, if he makes enough "poor" decisions, can result in his death or being restricted from buying or selling.
The more one look to the future, the more it appears to be one not of promise and innovation, but the vision of Aldous Huxley in Brave New World.

subset: commoncrawl


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Neuroendocrine carcinoma of the cervix presenting as intractable hyponatremic seizures due to paraneoplastic SIADH—a rare case report and brief review of the literature
Santhosh Kuriakose, N Umadevi, Sheela Mathew, NK Supriya, KP Aravindan, DS Smitha and G Amritha Malini
Government Medical College, Medical College P.O., Kozhikode, Kerala 673001, India
Correspondence to: Santhosh Kuriakose. Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Herein is presented an interesting case of small-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the cervix which initially manifests as seizures due to hyponatremia caused by paraneoplastic syndrome of inappropriate anti diuretic hormone (SIADH). Awareness of a paraneoplastic syndrome at presentation can lead to early diagnosis and early initiation of treatment. The management is also unique in that it combines treating the paraneoplastic aspects as well as targeting the tumour itself. Multimodality treatment gives the best outcome in this aggressive tumour.
Keywords: neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC), paraneoplastic syndromes, SIADH
Copyright: © the authors; licensee ecancermedicalscience. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Endocrine paraneoplastic syndromes associated with gynaecological malignancies are rare. Small-cell carcinoma of the cervix is known to be a rare and aggressive tumour. We present an interesting case of a neuroendocrine carcinoma of the cervix that manifests as seizures associated with hyponatremia. It was found to be a neurologic manifestation of paraneoplastic syndrome of inappropriate anti diuretic hormone (SIADH). Paraneoplastic syndrome in the form of SIADH manifested even before a cancer diagnosis could be made. Awareness of the atypical presentation of this aggressive neoplasm can lead to an early diagnosis and treatment. Combining multiple treatment modalities like radical surgery and concurrent chemoradiation gives reasonable outcomes in these aggressive tumours.
Case presentation
A 50-year-old multiparous postmenopausal lady was admitted with complaints of vomiting and adult-onset seizure associated with altered sensorium. There had been another episode of seizure one month prior. Clinically, she had Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 2. A neurological examination was normal except for drowsiness. She was evaluated by a physician. Clinically, there was no evidence of any systemic disease. She was euvolemic with normal hydration and normal urinary output. Liver and renal parameters were within normal limits. Evaluation revealed hyponatremia (serum Na 116 mEq/L). A computed tomography (CT) scan of the brain and chest x-rays were normal. A basic metabolic panel revealed sodium 116 mmol/L, chloride 89 mmol/L, potassium 3.6 mmol/L, magnesium 2.3 mmol/L, calcium 8.1 mg/dL, phosphorus 3.8 mg/dL, blood sugar 118 mg/dL, and plasma osmolality (POsm) 242 mOsm/kg. Urine sodium, osmolality, and specific gravity were found to be raised, the values being 70 mmol/L, 360 mOsm/kg, and >1.050, respectively. In view of the hyponatremia associated with neurological features, plasma hypo-osmolality, increased urinary sodium, and hyperosmolar urine, SIADH was diagnosed.
SIADH is always a diagnosis of exclusion. Other causes of hyponatremia (adrenal and thyroid insufficiency, physiological sources of vasopressin stimulation such as CNS lesions, pulmonary disease) were ruled out. An MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan revealed an empty sella syndrome. Serum cortisol level was 26.54 μg/dL (normal 5–25 μg/dl). ACTH (adrenocorticotrophic hormone) stimulation test done revealed serum cortisol level >63.44 μg/dL, and pituitary insufficiency was ruled out. Thyroid function tests were found to be within normal limits [T3–94 ng/dL (84–201 ng/dL), T4–7.5 (5.5–11.7 μg/dL), TSH–1.99 mIU/L (0.5–5.5 mIU/L]. In view of the normal pituitary, adrenal, and thyroid functions, the empty sella was taken as an incidental finding on MRI scan.
Meanwhile, she gave a history of postmenopausal spotting per vaginam and hence was evaluated by a gynecologist. Abdominal examination revealed a well-defined cystic rounded mass of 15 x 8 cm, palpable in the hypogastrium. On pelvic examination there was a 3 x 3 cm hard exophytic growth arising from the anterior lip of the cervix. A vaginal nodule 0.5 x 0.5 cm noncontiguous with the cervical tumour was found near the posterior fornix. The uterus was normal size, and a right adnexal cystic mass of 15 x 8 cm was also identified. Bilateral parametrium were free. A biopsy of the cervix revealed a small-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the cervix (Figure 1a & 1b) which explained the hyponatremia and neurological findings as of the paraneoplastic manifestation due to ectopic hormonal production by the tumour.
Figure 1. Photomicrograph showing small-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of cervix. (1a) H& E 10X and (1b) H&E 40X.
Figure 2. Immuno histochemistry of small-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma cervix showing positivity for (2a) chromogranin and (2b) synaptophysin.
Figure 3. MRI pelvis showing well-defined iso-hyperintense lesion in the cervix (2.8 x 2.4 cm) and a large simple right ovarian cyst hypointense on T1Wand hyperintense on T2W.
Figure 4. Type III radical hysterectomy and BSO showing right ovarian simple cyst (15 x 8cm); cervical tumour 3.5 x 3.5 cm, mainly involving the endocervix; and posterior vaginal flap tumour nodule.
Immunohistochemistry confirmed the diagnosis by staining positive for synaptophysin and chromogranin markers of neuroendocrine tumours (Figure 2a and 2b).
Tumour markers CA 125 and CEA (carcinoembryonic antigen) were found to be within normal limits. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the abdomen and pelvis revealed a well-defined iso-hyperintense lesion, 2.8 x 2.4 cm in the cervix, and a large well-defined cystic lesion 12 x 9.5 cm in size hypointense on T1W (T1 weighted image) and hyperintense on T2W (T2 weighted image) extending from the right lower abdomen into the pelvis posterolateral to the uterus, with no solid components/septations (Figure 3).
An ultrasound with a Doppler of the abdomen was suggestive of a benign ovarian cyst. A bone scan was found to be normal. A diagnosis of small-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma cervix FIGO (International federation of obstetrics and gynaecology) stage IB1 associated with SIADH was made. The ovarian cyst was provisionally taken to be a benign cyst. The patient was treated with a type III radical hysterectomy and BSO (bilateral salphingoopherectomy) with pelvic lymphadenectomy. Intraoperatively, there was a right ovarian simple cyst 15 x 8 cm. The cervix revealed an exophytic growth 3.5 x 3.5 cm, mainly involving the endocervix. The posterior vaginal wall revealed a nodule of 0.5 x 0.5 cm. Also, a left parametrial nodule of 0.5 x 0.5 cm was identified which was removed in the specimen (Figure 4).
Histopathology revealed small-cell neuroendocrine carinoma-extending to more than one-half of fibromuscular cervix. Tumour emboli were seen in the left parametrium and vaginal flap. All margins were free of tumour. The right ovarian tumour was a benign serous cystadenoma. All lymph nodes (21 in number) were found to be uninvolved. Hyponatremia was spontaneously corrected in the postoperative period (serum sodium 136 mmol/L). Sequential chemotherapy and radiotherapy were given as adjuvant treatment. The sequence of treatment was three cycles of chemotherapy consisting of cisplatin and etoposide, followed by radiotherapy, which was then followed by three more cycles of the same chemotherapy. The chemotherapy schedule consisted of each cycle of etoposide 100 mg/m2 for three days and cisplatin 75 mg/m2 in divided doses with hydration, given three weeks apart. A radiotherapy regimen followed for carcinoma of the cervix was given.
Although the patient remained disease-free locoregionally, it recurred a year later as secondaries in the liver and brain. The patient succumbed to the disease one month later.
Discussion and review of the literature
Tumour secretion of antidiuretic hormone (ADH), also known as arginine vasopressin (AVP), and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), results in SIADH, which is characterised by euvolemic hyponatremia and affects 1% to 2% of all cancer patients. ADH causes excessive water resorption in the collecting ducts. This increased intravascular volume leads to increased renal perfusion along with a substantial decrease in proximal tubular absorption of sodium. ANP binds to a specific set of receptors, resulting in increased renal sodium excretion [1]. These patients do not become hypervolemic because of the natriuretic mechanisms that are activated. This restores euvolemia, but worsens serum sodium levels. Together, these mechanisms cause euvolemia and dilutional hyponatremia. Small-cell carcinoma of the cervix, otherwise called neuroendocrine small-cell carcinoma, accounts for up to 2% of cervical carcinomas [1–4]. They carry a worse prognosis compared to poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix [5, 6]. With the prevalent use of immunohistochemistry in pathology, more of these cases are being diagnosed accurately [7, 8]. The median age of diagnosis is in 55 years (range: 21–87 years). The usual presenting symptom is vaginal bleeding, and a clinically detectable cervical mass is present in most cases. Rarely, abnormal PAP smears have led to the diagnosis [9]. Clinical presentation with features of hyponatremia secondary to ectopic hormone production is extremely rare. Being an adenocarcinoma, its location is more likely to be in the endocervical canal and hence will require endocervical curetting in-addition to biopsing the cervix for obtaining an adequate specimen for pathology. Pathologic features of aggressive tumours have high mitotic rate, extensive necrosis, frequent lymphvascular space invasion (LVSI). They are frequently seen in strong association with HPV (human papilloma virus) 18, as has been noted [10–11]. Immunohistochemical analysis reveal the presence of neuroendocrine hormones and polypeptide hormones within the cells, and this can differentiate from other morphologically similar entities like basaloid squamous cell carcinoma, embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma, lymphoma, and undifferentiated carcinoma arising from the lower uterine segment. In addition, one must differentiate small-cell neuroendocrine carcinomas from poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) with neuroendocrine features. Even though NECs (neuroendocrine carcinomas) of the cervix are staged as any other cervical cancer [12], they do not follow the locoregional pattern of spread of cervical cancer. Even in Stage IB1 tumours, there is 40% pelvic lymph node involvement and 60% LVSI, and this correlates with its aggressiveness and poor prognosis [4, 13, 14]. The final histopathology in this case also revealed poor prognostic features, such as the tumour extending to more than one-half of the cervical stroma and tumour emboli in the left parametria and vaginal flap. A metastatic workup including CT or PET/CT is highly recommended [15, 16]. The mean time for recurrence was 19.9 months. Our patient had the recurrence one year later in the liver and brain. The bones, supraclavicular lymph nodes, and lungs are the most common sites of metastasis.
Although this case is most interesting from a clinical point of view, it is even more significant because it calls attention to the potential endocrine activity of such small-cell carcinomas of the cervix. Because of the lack of clinical endocrine syndromes in most patients with small-cell carcinoma of the cervix, many have suggested that the hormonal polypeptides in these tumours are secreted in an inactive form or in an insufficient amounts to produce clinically detectable syndromes or may be are rapidly inactivated in the circulation [17, 18]. Hyponatremia in cancer patients occurs due to salt depletion and SIADH due to ectopic hormone production (AVP and ANP). It is defined as a serum sodium lower than 130 mEq/L, and has a reported incidence of 3.7%. Mild hyponatremia causes nonspecific symptoms, but rapid onset with value below 115mg/dL results in serious neurological deficits (psychotic behavior, abnormal reflexes, papilledema, focal neurologic signs, seizures, coma, and respiratory arrest) [19, 20]. Drugs reported to cause SIADH include cyclophosphamide, vinca alkaloids, as well as carboplatin, and cisplatin.
The optimal therapy for paraneoplastic SIADH is treating the underlying tumour, which if successful, can normalise the sodium level in a matter of weeks [20]. In our case, the spontaneous correction of serum sodium from the preoperative 116 mmol/L to the postoperative value of 136 mmol/l profoundly speaks of the endocrine activity of the tumour that had resulted in hyponatremia and the neurological manifestations.
Neuroendocrine carcinoma with SIADH is a unique entity and makes this case unique. The treatment is mainly based on the stage of the disease. In early stage (FIGO Stage IA, IB1, and IIA), surgery is the mainstay of management and is shown to have improved outcomes [21–30] compared to radiotherapy. Furthermore, the excision of the hormone-producing tumour will result in the correction of electrolyte abnormalities. The case presented proves this point well. As multimodality treatment is known to improve a patient's outcome, we decided to give radiotherapy with concurrent chemotherapy as adjuvant treatment. We gave due consideration for the poor prognostic factors, namely, cervical stromal invasion of more than 50% and tumour emboli in the parametria and vagina. A combination chemotherapy using cisplatin and etoposide is the most effective and commonly used treatment modality in NEC [31–33]. Adjuvant radiation following surgery in early stage disease is not supported by retrospective data [23, 35], but many studies show improved outcomes with multi-modality regimen in early stage of the disease [36, 26].
Chemoradiation with etoposide/cisplatin (EP) has been used in the treatment of stage IA–IVB disease [36]. The exacerbation of SIADH with the use of cisplatin does not seem to be addressed in any of these studies as the clinically evident SIADH is, in fact, sparsely reported. It may be noted that fluid restriction, which is suggested in the treatment of SIADH, cannot be carried out in view of the renal toxicity of the agent. Hence it may be prudent to give sequential treatment with radiation followed by chemotherapy as it may result in shrinkage of the tumour thereby achieving control over SIADH before initiating chemotherapy.
Early recurrence in the liver and brain is evidence of the aggressive nature of the tumour. Distant sites of recurrence are more common (28%) than local failure (13%) [36]. Our patient was locoregionally-free of disease at the time when she developed distant metastasis. Compared to limited-stage small-cell lung cancer, small-cell cervical cancers seems to have a better five-year survival rate, 20% versus 36% [25, 33]. Clinical stage was the only independent predictor for disease-free survival, 80% at three years for stage I/II, and 38% for stage III/IV [36].
For advanced stage disease, the treatment is largely palliative. Vincristine/doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide and topotecan are considered as alternate or second-line therapies extrapolating from small-cell lung cancer [37, 38].
The management algorithm proposed by Chan [21] and its modification [39] may be helpful in treating NEC of the cervix. The gist of the treatment is that in tumour less than 4 cm radical hysterectomy with lymphadenectomy followed by etoposide/platinum chemotherapy, and tumours larger than 4 cm with disease confined to pelvis, neoadjuvant chemotherapy with cisplatin and etoposide followed by locoregional treatment (radical surgery/ radiotherapy) may give the best results.
We described a rare case of small-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of cervix that initially manifested as a neurological disorder due to paraneoplastic SIADH. This case explains the methodological evaluation of euvolemic hyponatremia and its neurological manifestations, the judicious use of investigations, and its interpretation, the relevance of biopsy and immunohistochemistry, and use of multimodality management in the treatment of this complex disorder in the light of evidence found in the available literature. It is important to recognise such a paraneoplastic presentation at an early stage, so that treatment can be initiated sufficiently early, as treatment during the later stages is known to be invariably ineffective.
1. Albores-Saavedra J et al (1997) Terminology of endocrine tumors of the uterine cervix: results of a workshop sponsored by the College of American Pathologists and the National Cancer Institute Arch Pathol Lab Med 121(1) 34–9 PMID: 9111090
2. Scully RE, Aguirre P and DeLellis RA (1984) Argyrophilia, serotonin, and peptide hormones in the female genital tract and its tumors. Int J Gynecol Pathol 3(1) 51–70 DOI: 10.1097/00004347-198403010-00005 PMID: 6145674
3. Miller B et al (1991) Small cell carcinoma of the cervix: a clinical and flow-cytometric study Gynecol Oncol 42(1) 27–33 DOI: 10.1016/0090-8258(91)90225-T PMID: 1655594
4. Van Nagell Jr JR et al (1977) Small cell cancer of the uterine cervix Cancer 40(5) 2243–9 PMID: 922663
5. Walker AN, Mills SE and Taylor PT (1988) Cervical neuroendocrine carcinoma: a clinical and light microscopic study of 14 cases Int J Gynecol Pathol 7(1) 64–74 DOI: 10.1097/00004347-198803000-00007 PMID: 2832338
6. Gersell DJ et al (1988) Small-cell undifferentiated carcinoma of the cervix. A clinicopathologic, ultrastructural, and immunocytochemical study of 15 cases Am J Surg Pathol 12(9) 684–98 DOI: 10.1097/00000478-198809000-00005 PMID: 2458049
7. Yao JC et al (2008) One hundred years after "carcinoid": epidemiology of and prognostic factors for neuroendocrine tumors in 35,825 cases in the United States J Clin Oncol 26(18) 3063–72 DOI: 10.1200/JCO.2007.15.4377 PMID: 18565894
8. McCusker ME et al (2003) Endocrine tumors of the uterine cervix: incidence, demographics, and survival with comparison to squamous cell carcinoma Gynecol Oncol 88(3) 333–9 DOI: 10.1016/S0090-8258(02)00150-6 PMID: 12648583
9. Chan JK et al (2003) Prognostic factors in neuroendocrine small cell cervical carcinoma: a multivariate analysis Cancer 97(3) 568–74 DOI: 10.1002/cncr.11086 PMID: 12548598
10. Ambros RA et al (1991) Evaluation of histologic, morphometric, and immunohistochemical criteria in the differential diagnosis of small cellcarcinomas of the cervix with particular reference to human papillomavirus types 16 and 18 Mod Pathol 4(5) 586–93 PMID: 1722042
11. Stoler MH et al (1991) Small-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the cervix. A human papillomavirus type 18-associated cancer. Am J Surg Pathol 15(1) 28–32 DOI: 10.1097/00000478-199101000-00003 PMID: 1845923
12. Pecorelli S, Zigliani L and Odicino F(2009) Revised FIGO staging for carcinoma of the cervix Int J Gynaecol Obstet 105(2) 107–8 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijgo.2009.02.009 PMID: 19342051
13. Wentz WB and Reagan JW (1959) Survival in cervical cancer with respect to cell type Cancer 12(2) 384–8 PMID: 13638958
14. van Nagell Jr JR et al (1988) Small cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix Cancer 62(8) 1586–93 PMID: 3167773
15. Baum RP, Swietaszczyk C and Prasad V (2010) FDG-PET/CT in lung cancer: an update Front Radiat Ther Oncol 42 15–45 DOI: 10.1159/000262458
16. Lee YJ et al (2009) High tumor metabolic activity as measured by fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography is associated with poor prognosis in limited and extensive stage small-cell lung cancer Clin Cancer Res 15(7) 2426–32 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-08-2258 PMID: 19318478
17. Albores-Saaverdra J et al (1976) Carcinoid of the uterine cervix: Additional observations on a new tumor entity Cancer 38(6) 2328–2342
18. Silva EG, Kott MM and Ordonez NG (1984) Endocrine carcinoma intermediate cell type of the uterine cervix Cancer 54(8) 1705–1713 PMID: 6383596
19. Ellison DH and Berl T (2007) The syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis N Engl J Med 356(20) 2064–2072 DOI: 10.1056/NEJMcp066837 PMID: 17507705
20. Raftopoulos H (2007) Diagnosis and management of hyponatremia in cancer patients Support Care Cancer ; 15(12)1341–1347 DOI: 10.1007/s00520-007-0309-9 PMID: 17701059
21. Chan JK et al (2003) Prognostic factors in neuroendocrine small cell cervical carcinoma: a multivariate analysis Cancer 97(3) 568–74 DOI: 10.1002/cncr.11086 PMID: 12548598
22. Boruta II DM et al (2001) Multimodality therapy in early-stage neuroendocrine carcinoma of the uterine cervix Gynecol Oncol 81(1) 82–7 DOI: 10.1006/gyno.2000.6118
23. Sheets EE et al (1988) Surgically treated, earlystage neuroendocrine small-cell cervical carcinoma Obstet Gynecol 71(1) 10–4 PMID: 2827080
24. Viswanathan AN et al (2004) Small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the cervix: outcome and patterns of recurrence Gynecol Oncol 93(1) 27–33 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2003.12.027 PMID: 15047210
25. Sevin BU et al HA (1996) Efficacy of radical hysterectomy as treatment for patients with small cell carcinoma of the cervix Cancer 77(8) 1489–93 PMID: 8608533
26. Zivanovic O et al (2009) Small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the cervix: analysis of outcome, recurrence pattern and the impact of platinum-based combination chemotherapy Gynecol Oncol 112(3)590–3 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2008.11.010
27. Trinh XB et al (2004) Treatment policy of neuroendocrine small cell cancer of the cervix Eur J Gynaecol Oncol 25(1) 40–4 PMID: 15053060
28. Lee JM et al (2008) Prognostic factors in FIGOstage IB–IIA small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the uterine cervix treated surgically: results of a multi-center retrospective Korean study Ann Oncol 19(2) 321–6 DOI: 10.1093/annonc/mdm465
29. Brock MV et al (2005) Surgical resection of limited disease small cell lung cancer in the new era of platinum chemotherapy: its time has come J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 129(1) 64–72 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtcvs.2004.08.022 PMID: 15632826
30. Bischof M et al (2007) Surgery and chemotherapy for small cell lung cancer in stages I–II with or without radiotherapy Strahlenther Onkol 183(12) 679–84 DOI: 10.1007/s00066-007-1740-z PMID: 18040612
31. McCusker ME et al (2003) Endocrine tumors of the uterine cervix: incidence, demographics, and survival with comparison to squamous cell carcinoma Gynecol Oncol 88(3) 333–9 DOI: 10.1016/S0090-8258(02)00150-6 PMID: 12648583
32. Embry JR et al (2011) Large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the cervix: prognostic factors and survival advantage with platinum chemotherapy Gynecol Oncol 120(3) 444–8 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2010.11.007
33. Dowell JE Small cell lung cancer: are we making progress?(2010) Am J Med Sci 339(1) 68–76 DOI: 10.1097/MAJ.0b013e3181bccef5
34. Spinazze S and Schrijvers D (2006) Metabolic emergencies Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 58(1) 79–89 DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2005.04.004
35. Chang TC et al (1998) Prognostic factors in surgically treated small cell cervical carcinoma followed by adjuvant chemotherapy Cancer 83(4) 712–8 PMID: 9708935
36. Hoskins PJ, et al (2003) Small-cell carcinoma of the cervix: fourteen years of experience at a single institution using a combined-modality regimen of involved-field irradiation and platinum-based combination chemotherapy J Clin Oncol 21(18) 3495–501 DOI: 10.1200/JCO.2003.01.501 PMID: 12972526
37. Shepherd FA et al (1987) Cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and vincristine in etoposide- and cisplatin-resistant small cell lung cancer Cancer Treat Rep 71(10) 941–4 PMID: 2820571
38. O'Brien ME, et al (2006) Phase III trial comparing supportive care alone with supportive care with oral topotecan in patients with relapsed small-cell lung cancer J Clin Oncol 24(34) 5441–7 DOI: 10.1200/JCO.2006.06.5821
39. Gardner GJ, Reidy-Lagunes D and Gehrig PA (2011) Neuroendocrine tumors of the gynecologic tract: A Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO) clinical document Gynecol Oncol 122(1) 190–8 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2011.04.011 PMID: 21621706


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In this video, we'll be walking you through all there is to know about SVG fonts in Illustrator and Photoshop. We'll be using two products from the Design Cuts marketplace – Opulent + SVG Font and The Game – SVG Color Font.
SVG fonts are a new version of an Open Type format and contain things that fonts have never been able to contain, like transparency and colour information. They work fantastically for fonts that resemble brush strokes and contain semi-transparent areas.
Though they behave like regular fonts, SVGs won't react to our usual font tools. For this reason, we'll show you how to play around with transparency masks (to recolour your text), hue saturation adjustment layers, and colour/gradient overlays. We'll also guide you to the glyphs panel where you'll be able to access all the font's stylistic alternates. If you're ready to test out your SVG fonts, let's get started!
Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more great design tutorials and creative content.


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Guests spend weeks and months dreaming about their Walt Disney World vacations, so it makes sense that want to make the most out of each moment and fully enjoy their vacation. While every minute in Walt Disney World is sure to be enjoyable, there are some tips and tricks for making sure that each moment is as magical as possible and any problems are avoided. These tips are as simple as planning, being knowledgeable, and fully enjoying each moment in order to make the absolute most out of a Walt Disney World vacation. Guests who follow these tips are sure to love the magic from the very first glimpse of Cinderella Castle to the final attraction and head home already dreaming of their next vacation. Here are ten tips for getting the most out of Walt Disney World on any vacation!
10. Book FastPasses
One of the easiest ways to save time and see more on a Disney vacation is by utilizing the FastPass system. All guests who visit the Disney Parks are entitled to use the system and each FastPass acts as a reservation which gives guests a specific time to report to an attraction or experience to enjoy it with little to no wait time. Guests who stay on property at a Disney Resort are allowed to book their FastPasses sixty days in advance and guests who stay off property can book thirty days in advance, and all guests are entitled to three FastPasses per day. FastPasses are a great way to enjoy very popular attractions while avoiding lengthy wait times. Some of the best options to book FastPasses for are the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Peter Pan's Flight, Soarin' Around the World, Frozen Ever After, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Toy Story Mania, Expedition Everest, and Dinosaur.
9. Book Advanced Dining Reservations
In addition to FastPasses, guests should also plan ahead and book Advanced Dining Reservations (ADRs). Advanced Dining Reservations can be made up to one hundred and eighty days in advance and are completely necessary for popular restaurants which tend to book quickly. By having Advanced Dining Reservations, guests ensure that they can enjoy the meals they would like and not end up turned away from a fully booked restaurant. Some of the best options to book Advanced Dining Reservations for are 'Ohana, Le Cellier Steakhouse, and California Grill.
8. Stay On Property
A great way to make any Walt Disney World vacation more magical is by staying on property at a Disney Resort. With over twenty options to choose from, Disney Resorts are broken down into three categories with Deluxe being the most expensive, Value having the best rates, and Moderate falling somewhere in the middle. Guests are sure to find the perfect Disney Resort for them and then enjoy complimentary perks like Disney service, amazing pools and dining options, unique shopping locations, Disney transportation, early FastPass selections, and Extra Magic Hours.
7. Use Extra Magic Hours
Guests who stay at a Disney Resort simply must take advantage of Extra Magic Hours. These special times in the park are only available to Disney Resort guests and typically involve one park opening an hour early each morning and another remaining open up to three hours later each evening. Since only Disney Resort guests can enter the parks at these times, there are fewer crowds, lower wait times, and more opportunities to enjoy popular attractions and experiences.
6. Use Disney Transportation
Disney Resort guests also have access to complimentary Disney transportation which makes staying on property a total breeze. Depending on the Disney Resort, guests can simply board a bus, monorail, ferry, or boat to be whisked away to the four theme parks, Disney Springs, and Disney water parks. Since Disney transportation is constantly running throughout each day, guests are sure to find getting around property easy and never find themselves waiting very long for a ride.
For a no obligation, FREE Quote with new bookings contact our sponsor Magical Vacation Planner by calling: 1(407)442-0289
Or for a free no obligation quote with new bookings you can fill out the form by Clicking HERE!
5. Be Familiar with the Parks
A great way to make the most of each moment in Walt Disney World is by being familiar with the four theme parks. Guests who are familiar with the layout, attractions, and experiences in each park will save time by knowing where things are located and not having to constantly stop to consult a map or ask for directions. In addition, guests who are familiar with attractions and experiences will be sure to know which are the right ones for them to enjoy and avoid any options that may be too thrilling or intense.
4. Take Breaks
With so many amazing things to experience in Walt Disney World, it can be easy to get caught up in the rush of trying to see and do everything throughout a single vacation. Simply put, this is just not possible. Guests can easily exhaust themselves trying to see it all, and a great way to avoid burning out is by taking a break each day. Guests should be sure to take some time each morning, afternoon, or night to either relax by the pool, enjoy a nap in the room, or sit down and enjoy a meal in the air conditioning to cool off, rest up, and be ready to tackle the rest of the day in the parks.
3. Line Up Early
Some of the most amazing experiences at Walt Disney World come in the form of parades, fireworks, or nighttime shows. These experiences are extremely popular with guests who all want the best views possible. Since the parades and nighttime experiences tend to be so crowded, guests are smart to line up at least an hour early to secure a great viewing spot. Some of the experiences to line up early for include the Festival of Fantasy Parade, Wishes Nighttime Spectacular, Illuminations: Reflections of Earth, and Fantasmic!
2. Meet the Characters
An amazing way to make the most of a Disney vacation is by taking the time to meet some of the popular Disney characters! Throughout the four theme parks and Disney Resorts are plenty of opportunities to meet characters including Mickey, Minnie, the Disney Princesses, Winnie the Pooh and friends, and many more! Whether guests want to visit specific meet and greet locations or opt to enjoy character meals where the characters take the time to visit each dining table, there are plenty of opportunities to make some great memories meeting beloved characters.
1. Don't Skip the Classics
Some guests might spend their Disney vacations focused on only experiencing the popular and thrilling attractions, but by doing so they miss out on other experiences which are just as amazing. Underrated attractions and experiences in Walt Disney World tend to be overlooked, but each help to contribute to an amazing vacation. Some attractions to not miss include Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress, the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover, Living with the Land, Muppet Vision 3D, and It's Tough To Be A Bug.


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Housing affordability remains a big issue for many Mason students. For upperclassmen, on-campus housing is far from guaranteed, and off-campus housing presents its own set of difficulties. With a growing population and one of the highest median incomes in the country, housing in Fairfax County can be expensive for college students.
The average monthly rent for an apartment in Fairfax County is $1,930, making it hard for many low-income students to live in the area. As NOVA continues to grow and attract investment from companies like Amazon, this problem won't go away on its own.
To solve this problem, Delegate Ibraheem Samirah (D-86) has introduced two bills: H.B. 151, which allows for accessory dwelling units (ADUs) to be built in areas zoned for single-family units, and H.B. 152, which allows for duplexes and townhouses to be built in areas zoned for single-family units.
This means places where before only generic suburban houses could be built now can have duplexes. This solution allows the supply of housing to better rise to meet the demand for it. Current zoning laws effectively reduce the supply of housing since they limit what type of housing can be built at a given location. Getting rid of these regulations would allow developers to better react to the growing population in NOVA. As the supply of housing increases, the price will fall.
On the surface, you might think these bills should be a bipartisan slam dunk. It takes housing affordability, an issue many Democrats run on, and solves it with deregulation, a solution favored by Republicans. Instead, it has invoked the ire of the NIMBY crowd (Not in My Backyard), current homeowners who oppose new construction. Many current homeowners oppose the proposed changes because they believe they will turn once quiet suburban neighborhoods into bustling urban centers.
This opens up a conversation about the "American Dream" in general. Traditionally, the epitome of success is owning a home with a white picket fence in a peaceful neighborhood.
With the rising cost of living in suburban areas, many younger Americans feel this ideal is unattainable for them. The suburban lifestyle is also becoming less appealing, with young people preferring to live in more upbeat urban environments. What you think about these bills is as much about culture as it is about economics.
As of writing this, both H.B. 151 and H.B. 152 remain in committee. Whether they make it out to a floor vote is up in the air. Democrats were able to gain a majority in both houses of the state legislature in part due to their ability to woo moderate suburban voters.
Keeping their support while pleasing their younger base will prove to be a difficult balancing act. For many students at Mason, housing is an important issue, and removing restrictive zoning laws is a good step to solving that problem.


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Given the crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Father Federico Lombardi, S.J., begins a new series of articles to look beyond, to the future that awaits us.
In this first part of the series, the Jesuit priest reminds us that Jesus wasn't a virtual manifestation of God, but His incarnation, precisely so that we could find Him. And He said to us that He is present and that He awaits us in the next world.
Here is the unabridged article published by Vatican News.
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I was reading these days the affirmation of a Russian thinker: "The simple relationship between people is the most important thing of the world!" It reminded me of a lovely song full of joy launched a few decades ago by a nice movement of young people that promoted friendship and fraternity among peoples. "Long live the people!" Some certainly remember it. It talked about many persons we meet every morning on the way to work. It said among other things: "If more people looked at people with favor, we would have fewer difficult people and more people of heart . . . ," and it inspired many wise and positive sentiments. I thought of it many times in the last years, walking on the street, meeting with many preoccupied people as though closed in on themselves, and many others with cables that came out of their ears, who were totally concentrated on their mobile phone's screen or talked to the air in a loud voice who knows with whom, without consideration for the people that were on the bus a few centimeters from them. It seemed to me that the enjoyment of looking at others with benevolence and care was becoming rarer and the ever more penetrating intrusion of the new forms of communication in daily life made them almost strange to us.
After several weeks shut-in at home, I feel a great desire to meet again with different faces on the street. I hope that, sooner or later, in due time, this might happen also without masks and without plexiglass dividers, and I hope to be able to exchange a kind word with them, or even a sincere smile. Over the last months, many of us have experienced with positive surprise the possibilities offered by digital communication, and we hope to be able to take advantage of them also in the future; however, with the extension of isolation, we have realized that they aren't sufficient.
How will we meet again the day after tomorrow on the street or in the subway? Will we be able to repopulate the common areas of our cities with serenity? Will we be conditioned by fear and suspicion, or with the help of the expected learning of scientists and rulers will we be able to balance right prudence with the desire to rediscover and weave again that quality of daily life that — as we said at the beginning – "is the most important thing of the world," the very fabric of the human world? Will we realize (more or less than before) that we are a human family on the way in the common home that our unique planet Earth is?
Now that the pandemic made us experience a problematic aspect of globalization that we must all take into account in the future, will we be able to rediscover the impetus of fraternity among peoples beyond and above borders, the benevolent and curious welcome of diversity, the hope of living together in a world of peace?
How will we live our bodies and how will we see the bodies of others — as a possible way of contagion, of risk of which one must be on guard or the expression of the soul of a sister or a bother? Because at the bottom, every human body is this: the concrete manifestation of a unique, worthy, precious soul, creature of God, image of God . . . How wonderful is the sound of his voice, the rhythm of his steps, especially the smile of dear ones! . . . But, moreover, should this not be true for all the people we meet? Then, will recuperating the freedom from the coronavirus will help us to free ourselves of the other viruses of the body and the soul, which hinder us from seeing and finding the treasure that is in the other's soul, or will we have become even more individualists?
Digital technology can mediate and accompany our relationship usefully, but the mutual physical presence of persons, of their bodies as transparency of their souls, their proximity, and encounter continue being the original point of departure and reference of our experience and of our journey. Jesus wasn't a virtual manifestation of God, but His incarnation, precisely so that we could find Him — and who isn't poor in some way, whether he knows it or not? — and that we be able and must be able to see His face in the face of the other.
With what eyes, with what heart, with what smile will we walk again on the streets and come across many persons on the way that, although apparently unknown, at the end of these months we have missed and that, like us, have felt the desire to meet us again in the daily paths of life of our common world?


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Snailly snail is a completely unusual present which will certainly enthral your little darling. Snailly is a sweet little snail measuring 20 cm and has a beige/brown snail house made of cuddly soft plush. An original and very cute cuddly toy to stimulate your child's creativity and fantasy. He's a dear little creature for having a wonderful cuddle with. A cute plush pet of a different kind.
He is stuffed with synthetic filling material. He has safety eyes and is machine washable at 30° C.
He is with CE mark and stainless steel "Button in Ear"


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Online shopping is gradually creeping into India. As of now, a large number of people wish TO buy everything from groceries to clothes online. Not so long ago, the Indian spectators was wary of shopping online owing to potential thefts etc.
However, that has now transformed. Only last year during Diwali, online gateways made more profit compared to trade stores. Thus, India has come a long way from being a country of wary online shoppers to a country of lots of happy online shoppers.
There are a large number of online shopping gateways out there, mentioned below:-
This one has to originate first hands down. The entire country is totally dependent on Flipkart for nearly all their shopping needs. Flipkart sells all from gift vouchers to electronics to home appliances. In fact, figures claim that there are more items on flipkart than in a mall. Hence, Indians are heavily dependent on flipkart for all their shopping needs. After buyout of letsbuy.com now flipkart is main player of e-commerce of India. Offers and discounts along with free home delivery for the acquisition of goods above a certain amount is another plus point of Flipkart. Another thing about Flipkart is that it never dissatisfies you.
2. Amazon.in
A large number of people from India bless by the services of amazon. Amazon and flipkart are always at conflict with each other and are always at close heels. Amazon has an similarly large number of products as flipkart. In fact, Amazon seemingly sells more than flipkart. Since amazon is an American company, it absences the desi taste that would be favored by an Indian. It would be sensible to indianise its Indian domain. It would then be an prompt hit amongst the masses.
3. Snapdeal.com
Snapdeal is a totally Indian website and is often preferred by the crowds for its cheap rates. It sells products at actually low prices and hence, is a favorite of the masses. It is a decent idea to buy from Snapdeal if you are looking for unconditionally cheap prices. However, there have been times when consumers have protested of the products of Snapdeal and hence, some of them stay away from Snapdeal. SnapDeal deals everything from local daily deals on restaurants, spas, and travel to online products deals. They offer you best price with free shipping.
4. Jabong.com
Jabong is yet again an American brand but seems to be doing very well in India. It has a large number of clothes and fittings for sale and is a complete paradise for those who love shopping for clothes. It has all kinds of goods from western wear to desi kurtis and it would be fun to sit home and shop for clothes on jabong. Jabong is disproportionately preferred by women shoppers. The main magnetism is that shipping of products comes for free unlike certain other e commerce websites. Fastrack has Jabong as one of their authorized partners. Jabong is certainly a favorite place for people who love new fashion trends.
5. Myntra.com
A similarly large number of women favour myntra over jabong. Myntra also has a large number of fittings and clothes on its online portal. It has a large number of categories as well and one can buy from a group of their choices. From western to cultural to traditional, all kinds of clothes are sold on myntra. Casual wear, ethnic wear, party wear, formal wear, sportswear and other apparels for men, women and kids are obtainable for various prices and fashions in Myntra.com. There are various general brands too for you to choose from.
6. Koovs.com
This is a website destined for Creative and Classy Products women. It is also a blessing for the woman who is full all the time. All of the Clothing wear items are available over here and one can buy according to their desires. From Modern to Trendy items, all are available over here. Thus, Koovs.com is truly one of the leading Clothing sites in India.
7. LimeRoad.com
We have online stores that cater to our luxury ethnic needs, but not so much for western clothing and other accessories. Thus, this site also has a similarly large number of shoppers who are loyalists. Though, Limeroad can be trusted and trendy things to buy. You'd rather buy from one of the websites where they give express distributions. The company has its headquarters in india. The website has received the 'Best shop site".
8. Ajio.com
Ajio is a place where you frequently find things that are not found anywhere else. The oddest of things, the Highest of range and the rarest of styles and many other such items are easily found on Ajio.com. Another reason Ajio started off on pretty high notes is because of its Indie fashion offerings, and the guys out there are real masters of the game. Ajio has a fashion lab dedicated to research and development that is continually exploring designs with different fabrics, styles, and requirements
9. Shopclues.com
Shopclues is famous for their deeply discounted best shopping deals. Shopclues is one of the best online stores that deal a wide variety of cameras, Computer accessories, Mobile, Gift, Jewellery, Cosmetics, toys, clothes, books and bag.
10. ClubFactory.com
Club factory India's largest store for All kinds of items selling 70000+ items from 400+ top International and Indian products. Club Factory sells almost all the baby care products such as diapers, toys, clothes, strollers, footwear's and lots more. YOu can also find a desire product there.
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Vibrant Holiday Safaris is an authentic registered safari company based in Uganda with a license to operate safaris in Uganda, Kenya, and Rwanda focusing on providing tailor-made beautiful and magnificent holiday African Safaris. We make this possible because of our expertise, robust knowledge, and skills we have about the East African tourism industry by providing different safari packages tailored according to our clients' travel needs, budget, and time such as primate safaris especially (Mountain gorillas and chimpanzee trekking safaris), wildlife sighting safaris such as (the big five encounter), beach holiday tours, cultural tours, bird watching safaris, city tours, research tours, adventurous safaris such as (whitewater rafting, zip-lining, Bungee jumping and Quad biking), mountaineering trekking (Rwenzori mountains, Mount Elgon and Mount Sabinyo) and religious tours.
About Vibrant Holiday Safaris
A work of art is above all an adventure of mind!
In addition to African wildlife safaris, we provide other services such as hotel bookings, airport transfers, consultancy services, car hire services, and conferences. It does not matter whether it's your first time to travel to Africa on vacations, we are proud to arrange for you a personalized travel package, keep you safe and feel Uganda as your second home. Vibrant holiday safaris provide service to Groups, Individuals travelers, Families, Couples, Research travelers, Volunteers, honeymooners, and those Visiting Friends and Relatives. Vibrant Holiday Safaris specialize in giving accurate travel information about Uganda, Rwanda, and Kenya, create for fordable holiday packages, and making the booking process so easy and fast to enable our clients to make their travel decisions and realize their travel dreams come true with an unforgettable travel experience
Why choose Vibrant holiday safaris?
What makes the difference when you travel Our Way
We are a local company based in Uganda with a team comprised of members from all our countries of operations. This gives us the advantage of providing first-hand travel information about our area of operations and bringing together different travel destinations to create interesting holiday packages that meet our client's travel needs, budget, and time.
We at vibrant Holiday Safaris, we ensure that you explore nature safaris and exceptional African wildlife expeditions responsibly, we are dedicated to following the environmental sustainability principles by ensuring that the environment is protected as well as supporting the community around protected areas to respect and preserve their cultures.
We ensure that all our clients are safe by giving travel advisory information regarding the health, safety, and security of the destination they are intending to travel to before the safari commences.
Tourism cannot happen without the natural environment and we are strongly against the activities of tourism destroying tourism, therefore we argue our esteemed customers to respect nature whenever you are doing something.
We make sure that we select accommodating facilities in form of lodges that are environmentally friendly and respects nature and are in conformity with the country's environmental policy and guidelines.
All our safari drivers are always trained in health and safety measures. During wildlife sighting drives (Game drives) our safari guides ensure that you are accompanied by an armed UWA ranger guide who can rescue in case of an emergency.
We ensure that our clients feel the values of their funds by providing exactly what is expected and agreed services.
All our safari vehicles are well maintained, equipped with safety gear such as first aid kit in case of an emergency, and you are entitled to first aid treatment by qualified medical personnel.
Uganda can be visited throughout the year since all the protected areas and other tourist attractions remain open all year round. Tourists can therefore visit Uganda all time. Besides, some…
At Vibrant Holiday safaris, we are committed to providing our clients with the best safari package to explore all the wildlife safari destinations in Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic…
Responsible tourism travel policy
Vibrant Holiday safaris call for the promotion of sustainable tourism to ensure that the impacts from tourism on the environment are minimized. This is done by training our staff to advocate for environmental tourism awareness to both our clients and local communities and share the benefits from tourism by giving out 5% of our annual income back to communities around the protected areas inform of health and education. This helps to achieve a mutual relationship between local communities, tourists, and the environment.
We book you to Eco lodges that are factually made of locally harvested shrubs and trees that blend well with nature and gives a true feel of African culture. Mostly the private lodges adjacent to wildlife parks are owned by local employees. So your travel with us makes a positive impact on the local people's economy by providing them with cash benefits as well as stimulating employment opportunities
Locally produced food by the local communities are available and prepared in these lodges. You can as well order for fresh foods direct from the local community and this makes it possible for the community as well to make sure that they protect what exactly brought you clients close to them.
As part of conservation efforts, the charges for gorilla trekking permits in Uganda, Rwanda, and DR Congo are reverted to protecting the fragile environment that harbors these endangered species in their unspoiled homes. This principle spreads to other activities where communities surrounding the game parks get a portion of park entrance collection fees.
Review us on safariBooking


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Black Friday 2015 has finally arrived. What can shoppers expect from the unofficial kickoff to the holiday shopping season, and which deals are actually worth buying? We examined this year's trends to help you get the most bang for your Black Friday buck.
What's new this year?
Analysts expect shoppers to spend more than previously, thanks in part to lower unemployment levels and gas prices. According to aNerdWallet study, three out of four American adults plan to brave the crowds, either in-person or online. And Americans plan to spend about 20 percent more on holiday gifts compared with last year ($529 in 2015 vs. $440 in 2014).
We can expect an online shopping surge, too.The National Retail Federation says consumers except to do 46 percent of their browsing and buying online this holiday season. It predicts online sales will jump 6 percent to 8percent. Some retailers, such as Best Buy and Sam's Club, are offering exclusive online-only Black Friday deals for virtual shoppers.
RELATED: Why do we do it? The psychology behind Black Friday madness
Mobile is also making bigger waves. Some retailers are posting exclusive deals on their mobile apps. Amazon, for example, will feature more than 150 Lightning Deals on everything from electronics to kitchen gadgets exclusively on its mobile shopping app.
What to buy?
Some of the best Black Friday deals this year are on home appliances, Apple products, TVs and clothing.
Home appliances
- Dyson: 25 percent off all vacuums on the brand's website.
- Wal-Mart: Some small appliances (blenders, slow cookers, etc.) for $9.72 each.
- Best Buy and Lowe's: Up to 40 percent off select major appliances.
Apple products
- MacBooks and iMacs: Save $150 at Best Buy on select models.
- Apple Watch: Get a free $100 Target gift card with purchase of any Apple Watch.
- iPhone 6s: Wal-mart is offering customers a $100 bill credit and $100 gift card with purchase of an iPhone 6S or iPhone 6S Plus under an AT&T or Verizon contract.
- Save $800 on a Samsung 65-inch Curved Smart 4K Ultra HD TV at Best Buy (sale price $1,499.99; regularly $2,299.99).
- Get more than 50 percent off a 55-inch Westinghouse LED TV from Target, (sale price $249.99; regularly $599.99).
- Ann Taylor: 50 percent off everything.
- Old Navy: 50 percent off everything.
- J.C. Penney: $9.99 sweaters for women (up to 50 percent off).
Farnoosh Torabi is a financial editor with Nerdwallet.com.


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What are Structured Derivatives
Complex payouts linked to Equities and Fx
Structured Derivatives (like Accumulators and Decumulators) are very popular with investors and are offered by almost all Private Banks. These are most often in Note format, they are increasingly also executed in OTC format.
A typical transaction has a payoff linked to a particular stock or Fx pair A typical transaction would be like
- 1 year maturity, with daily observations which are settled once a month. The trade knocks out in case Netflix (NFLX_US) ever trades above 650
- For every day NFLX_US (current price 541.15) closed below 595.00, the investor buys 20 shares at a price of 500 (i.e. significantly better than current market price).
- For every day Netflix price closes below 500, the investor buys 40 shares (i.e. double the downside)
For each transaction, the Investor gets a termsheet from the bank (sample on the execution of every trade. A sample termsheet can be downloaded from here
Updated over 2 years ago


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The cargo handling activities of the Karachi Port has gained a fast paced momentum which resulted in breaking all previously set records of cargo handling. The financial year 2014-15 has remained phenomenal for KPT as Karachi Port registered a record handling of 43.42 million tons cargo and 1.72 million Container TEUs (twenty equivalent units) during this financial year. Last financial year the handling of cargo remained at 41.35 million tons and that of containers remained at 1.59 million Container TEUs, hence shows a hefty gain of 8.4% over the year. The ship movement has also gained momentum as more ships have called at Karachi Port. During the ending financial year 2014-15, the ship movement and handling remained at 1,732 ships, whereas last year, it remained at 1,674 ships, hence an increase of 3.46% over last year.
The breakup shows that the port handled 29.67 million tons of total dry cargo imports and exports and 13.75 million tons of liquid bulk cargo imports and exports during the ending financial year 2014-15, whereas last year, these remained at 28.24 million tons and 13.11 million tons respectively. Similarly, the breakup of ship movement and handling shows that the port handled 790 container ships, 193 bulk cargo ships, 255 general cargo ships and 494 oil tankers this year. In year 2013-14, these remained at 817 container ships, 172 bulk cargo ships, 229 general cargo ships and 456 oil tankers respectively. As bigger sized container ships called at Karachi Port during the ending financial year 214-15, due to the dredging activities of the port which resulted in increasing the draft at the two private terminals KICT and PICT to 13 meters, hence the handling of more containers is promising as fewer and larger size ships have carried more containers.
The Karachi Port has always preferred to facilitate the port users and the trade community through best business policies/practices. The Chairman KPT Vice Admiral (R) Shafqat Jawed HI (M) has laid emphasis on facilitating the port users through adoption of friendly business policies in line with the policies/direction of present government. This has paved way for sea borne trade increase through Karachi Port. A new leaf has turned in the history of Karachi Port which has over the years remained in the maze of gross achievements. Stage is well set for the port cash on global throughput increase as the port is right on the verge of starting port operations from its new deep water container port by the year 2016. Cognizant of its importance the port is now more focussed in its approach and on right track under the vibrant leadership of Senator Kamran Michael, Minister for Ports and Shipping, as the port foresees a sparkling future ahead.


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Buy Grape Backwoods
Buy Grape Backwoods has the untamed natural beauty of Backwoods cigars. Likewise made in the Dominican Republic or roll by a Cowboy in the wild west. Backwoods wraps were introduced nationally in 1981 and are the natural brand of wrapped cigars and cigarillos.
Moreover, with his unique structure and look, wild and mild as it was called, with a frayed end, tapered body, and unfinished head had great appeal to backwoods blunt smokers.Buy Grape Backwoods
Backwoods For Sale | Why are Grape Backwoods Rare
Are Grape Backwoods Blunt getting discontinued?
The United States has stopped production of the Wild Rum Backwoods cigars, but they do sell the limited-edition flavor Honey Bourbon. The simple fruit-based flavors were being rejected on the grounds that they would attract children.
So, Backwoods promised not to release flavors that attract kids in the U.S. This is how flavors like Honey Bourbon, Russian Cream, and Chocolate Stout came to fruition. With these alcohol-themed flavors, the company could argue they were clearly for adults and not anyone younger than 21.
How Much Is A Pack of Grape Backwoods | Grape Backwoods Wholesale
Firstly the rare, unique product that only certain cigar shops have access to. First off, the FDA does not play games when it comes to anything tobacco-related. Whether it's the type of flavor, the name, the verbiage, or anything on the packaging — cigar flavors are very tightly regulated.
If you opt for a box, you're getting 24 cigars per box. The flavors that Backwoods offers in boxes, though, narrows to about half of that list above. Good cigars start at around $14–15 each.
Grape Backwoods Cigars For Sale
Here at Rso & CBD Vape Shop we offer the Cheap Backwoods Cigars . Our delivery services work in collaboration with our client's delivery time. We are Fast, Secure, Discreet, and Efficient which our clients satisfaction is our priority.


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Paul Chambers just shared this GORGEOUS low-poly animated world. Check it out!
I wanted to share with the Blender community my recently completed low-poly animation. It started as an exercise to better understand the rigging and animation tools in Blender. It was also a fun opportunity to go back to the Blender Internal Renderer after most of my recent projects using Cycles or other similar global illumination driven renderers.
As the project progressed I also saw an opportunity to move from a pure low-poly look into something more akin to papercraft or origami.
During the course of the project I read through some great books that helped immensely and would wholeheartedly recommend to all Blender users:
- Illuminated Pixels by Virginia Wissler
- Digital Lighting & Rendering by Jeremy Birn
- The Animators Survival Kit by Richard Williams
- Disney's The Illusion of Life by Ollie Johnston and Frank Thomas
You can view the video below, and I have other images and Sketchfab models from the project here.


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Tech Plays Crucial Role for Joinery Installations' Daily Operations
by Team Tradify, January 31, 2024
Not many people know at the age of four what they're going to do when they're older. David Woods is an exception. Since a young age, he was set on becoming a builder.
At 17, Dave started his carpentry apprenticeship with a company that did hotel, pub and restaurant fit-outs. When Dave stepped out on his own, it wasn't long before he started doing more and more kitchen fit-outs himself.
Ready to grow your trade business? Try Tradify free for 14 days!
Today, Joinery Installations (JISL) is well-known for its quality and service – something Dave attributes to the work ethic his grandfather instilled in him as a young boy. JISL works with manufacturers to install all things joinery, from kitchens and wardrobes to commercial fit-outs.
He has nine installers on his roster, and everyone works remotely. His team is spread out across the lower North Island of New Zealand and Dave knew things would get messy if he didn't find a way to track his staff – and his jobs.
"There's a point where capturing vital information was critical because if we lost it, then we were losing money."
1. Excel spreadsheet hard to maintain
When Dave first started JISL, he was your typical pen-and-paper toting tradie. "Crikey, I'm 55 years old now, so I was very old-school," he laughs.
While his systems have improved significantly since then, his biggest challenge has always been keeping track of jobs and staff hours. Dave would use an Excel spreadsheet to record all manner of bits and bobs, and at the end of the week, he'd send the file to his boys to add in their timesheets.
Problem was, it was always missing something. And with everyone on the road, it wasn't easy for his team to access job info.
"I would often have to ring them and ask questions about what they did on each job," Dave explains
2. Tradify brings the JISL team together
Dave began working with a business mentor who helped him find ways to operate his business more efficiently. That's when he came across Tradify.
"We trialled Tradify – and it's been hugely successful for us."
With timesheet and scheduling functionality, the app has solved many of his admin woes. But he says the biggest drawcard was being able to bring his team under one roof.
"If you were to say to me, 'I'm going to take Tradify off you tomorrow', I'd be in a bit of a panic-spin. I rely on it now."
3. Scheduling a tight ship – with accurate timesheets
Previously, Dave would spend far too much time making sure all the little variations or extras on a job didn't fall through the cracks. It's the small things – an hour of labour here, an extra piece of hardware there – that would add up and eat into his profits.
As soon as a quote has been accepted in Tradify, it immediately gets loaded as a job. Dave's admin team can then add any site plans or notes, and the job gets scheduled.
This means there's never downtime for the installers while they wait for their next job. Plus, it reduces any extra trips back to the job site.
The app has also made tracking timesheets less manual and therefore, more accurate. Staff can add their hours to each job before they leave the worksite, which saves Dave lots of time.
"At one point, I went from five to fifteen staff, so instead of making five phone calls, I was making triple that. Tradify has been a real timesaver."
4. Easy quoting and insightful back-costings
These days, Dave's main admin job is taking care of the quotes – and even that he finds a breeze. All he has to do is grab an existing quote template from Tradify and make minor changes or additions before it gets sent off to the customer.
But what Dave finds even more valuable is the ability to do back-costings. He says it's made a big difference in the way he prices jobs, therefore improving his profit margins – especially for jobs that can run for months.
"We can go back, and we know some of our work is quoted as we go so the structure of each job is quite different. So that's been a big one for us."
5. All on the same page with cloud-based app
While the JISL team might not be physically under one roof, Tradify provides a virtual umbrella they can all use.
With smartphones, Dave and his team can bring up any job wherever they are. They can add job notes and before-and-after photos which Dave uses to send progress reports to their clients.
"That's certainly had a huge impact on the way that we're perceived by our clients."
Overall, Dave feels his back office is neater and tidier, which means his team can work more efficiently. He can also recall a job at the drop of a hat – something he couldn't easily do before.
"If I need to, I can pull up a job that we did a year ago. I could tell you who was working on it because I've got all the photos and information in Tradify."
6. Dave says Tradify made a big, positive change to his business
- Mobile job management: crew can add notes and photos on the job site.
- Scheduling and timesheets: no labour time missing, reduced downtime between jobs.
- Streamlined job tracking: helps business grow.
- Job info stored digitally: easily accessible when required.
- Back-costing: helps Dave improve the way he prices jobs.
Visit the JISL website or catch up with their latest updates on Facebook.
Interested in giving Tradify a go?
Start a 14-day Free Trial (no credit card required), or jump on one of our weekly live demos to see Tradify in action.


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Keystone Distribution has opted for PakSense labels designed to track the temperature of food during distribution rather than the temperature of the trailer.
The label is a small digital indicator, pre-programmed to record food temperatures within a set range, and can be customised for either chilled or frozen products.
An LED inside the label flashes green or amber to show if the product is within the acceptable temperature range or if it has drifted outside it since leaving the distribution centre.
Keystone has invested £10,000 in the technology. Quality director Janet Faichen said: "The aim is to improve the way Keystone monitors product temperatures between loading and restaurant delivery. Analysing the data means that we can have complete confidence in the decisions we make in respect of both food quality and safety.
"The PakSense labels not only give us complete management control because we can make sure that they are put in with the product as part of the picking process in the warehouse, but also they are the most economically viable option.
"The labels are like a 'belt and braces' combination that helps keep our supply chain integrity in place. They help us guarantee that the right temperatures are being maintained throughout the delivery process."


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How many men does it take to open a beer?
None. It should be opened by the time she brings it to the couch.
How many men does it take to change a light bulb?
None. Let her cook in the dark.
I haven't spoken to my wife for 18 months- I don't like to interrupt her.
If your wife and a lawyer were drowning and you had to choose, would you go to lunch or to a movie?
Most accidents happen at home.
And the men have to eat them!
How do you blind a woman?
Put a windshield in front of her face.
How many men does it take to mop a floor?
None. It's a woman's job.
A man is incomplete until he is married. After that, he is finished.
Why can't Helen Keller drive?
She's a woman!
Why did the woman cross the road?
Who cares! What was she doing out of the kitchen???
How do you fix a woman's watch?
You don't...there's a clock on the oven!


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Mr. Chen Xiao, Executive Director of the Board of Hybrid Kinetic Group presents at "2017 Ningbo-Hong Kong Economic Cooperation Forum" hosted in Hong Kong and signs investment agreement
September 27, 2017 Hybrid Kinetic Group, Ningbo Fenghua Government and Beijing WKW Automotive Parts Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred as "Jingwei Shares") signed an agreement, building a clean energy production base with an annual capacity of 300,000 cars, whose total amount of planned investment would reach RMB 17,000,000,000.
According to the agreement, Shanghai Xingkong Investment Management Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred as "Shanghai Xingkong"), a wholly funded subsidiary of Hybird Kinetic Group Limited (Hong Kong) will establish a specified industrial fund and set up a master company with Jingwei Shares, namely, Ningbo HK-Jingwei Shares Co., Ltd., which will set up a project company with Ningbo Fenghua Government, where HK-Jingwei owns 80% of its shares and Ningbo Fenghua Government owns 20%.
HK Clean Energy Automotive Project chooses Fenghua, Ningbo as its location, whose planned area would reach 1,200,000 square meters, where a vehicle production base with an annual capacity of 300,000 cars will be built along with its mating power battery sites and range extender sites. The total investment would reach RMB 17 billion. What's more, Ningbo Fenghua Government will provide an incentive fund worthy of RMB 3.4 billion for the construction of the project, 3 billion of which will be provided when the construction begins and the remaining of which will be provided after successful production.
The signing of agreements signals the official start of HK clean energy automotive project. HK Group will utilize the favoring geographical location and the supportive policy of Fenghua, Ningbo to build its clean energy automotive production base. Meanwhile, the project will also benefit Fenghua in terms of local economic development, industrial upgrade and creating jobs. HK Group plans to build the clean energy passenger vehicle production base as well as its core power battery and range extender production base in three years.
Fenghua, Ningbo has its unique advantage in location and complete mating industrial system. Local government will give full support and varieties of favoring policies for the project. HK Group will utilize its edge in core technology, provide excellent advanced technology and products, and contribute to the realizing Ningbo to be "a city of clean energy vehicle".
Welcome to join our WeChat public number: Hybrid Kinetic Group WeChat:HKGroup1188


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For many, winning a campervan would be a ticket to enjoy a dream holiday but for one midwife, it is the perfect vehicle to help her make a difference.
When Ona Macleod looks out the window of her Murwillumbah home and sees the brand new campervan parked out front she has to remind herself that it really belongs to her.
Once this sinks in, she then resists the urge to get lost in her daydreams about all the places she is now able to see.
And all the people she is going to help.
Winning a $110,000 campervan for many would be a ticket to enjoy a dream holiday but for Macleod, a practicing midwife, it is the perfect vehicle to help her make a critical difference in rural communities that don't have access to regular maternity care.
"Australia is experiencing a crisis in the midwifery profession with shortages all over the country but regional areas are feeling the impact more than anyone," said Macleod, who won the campervan in the Winnebago competition on Better Homes and Gardens.
"Winning this has now given me the ability to take my expertise to the bush, which is fantastic as that is where people need it the most.
"Doing this was the first thing that popped into my head when they told me I had won."
Sixty-year-old Macleod has been practicing midwifery for over 20 years and is no stranger to the difficulties that pregnant women in the country experience when they have a lack of access to professional care.
"When women experience complications during their pregnancy in an isolated area, the closest hospital can be many hours away," said Macleod. "If there are no qualified midwives available then it makes the process much more difficult for expectant mothers.
"Although I can't be everywhere at once, the ability for me to go where I am needed without the complications of finding accommodation every time is going to be great."
As tempting as it was to pack up straight away and hit the road with her husband, she decided it was best to first have a plan. The first step in that plan was making the decision to leave the trip until next year. And she can't wait.
While based in Murwillumbah for work, during her time away from the hospital she goes back to her home and husband in Tully. While there was no structural damage, Cyclone Yasi left their home in a mess.
"I think we both deserve this trip."
Do you have an idea for a story?Email [email protected]


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On behalf of the Government of the United States and the American people, I send warm greetings as you celebrate the 213th anniversary of your declaration of independence.
The United States proudly stands with Ecuador, a democratic leader in our hemisphere. Our bilateral relationship grew over the past year as we worked closely to strengthen regional security and promote inclusive economic development. During my October 2021 visit to Quito, I witnessed firsthand the ingenuity of Ecuadorian entrepreneurs and the commitment of the Ecuadorian people to defend human rights and fight corruption.
I commend Ecuador's leadership and hospitality as host to hundreds of thousands of migrants and refugees seeking a safe and better life. The United States also applauds Ecuador's significant contribution to tackling climate change. President Lasso's historic announcement this past year to vastly expand the marine reserve around the Galapagos Islands protects vital fisheries and this important world heritage site for generations to come.
The strong ties and shared values between our people provide the foundation to continue to grow our relationship in the years to come.
I extend my best wishes to the Ecuadorian people on this important day.


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The guy who loves you, can't tell you the reason why he love you. he only knew that, in his eyes, you are the only one.
The guy who loves you, actually always make you mad, but he do never know what stupid thing did he done, as everything he done, is for your own good.
The guy who loves you, seldom praise you, but in his heart, you are the best, only he know it.
The guy who loves you, will scold or complaint if you didn't reply his message but others, because he cares.
The guy who loves you , Only drop his tears in front of you, when you try to wipe his tears, you are touching his heart , the heart which beat for you.
The guy who loves you, will remember every word u said , even its accidentally. and he will use the word always at the nick of time.
The guy who loves you, will not give any promise that easily, because they don't want to break the promise, they want you to believe him and they want to give you the happiest and safest life ever after.
The guy who loves you, always tell you not to think too much, because they already plan it for you, he want to give u the best life in the future, he want to give you a surprise, believe him that he can do it.
The guy who loves you, maybe can't remember special occasion like some kind of anniversary, but he do know that, every second he live, he's loving you, no matter what day is today.
The guy who loves you, won't said " i love you" that easily, because everything he done for you is showing that he love you already, but only he will tell the word at the special situation, because he dun wan u to misunderstand, he want u to know that he loves you.
The guy who really loves you, will feel that, sometimes, something have to tell for only once, because he thought that u might already understand him, if talk so much, he will feel that there's nothing you will cherish.
The guy who loves you, will go to airport to fetch you, he won't carry a bunch a rose and call you darling like what you expect. But he will carry your luggage and ask you " why are you becoming that thin within two days?" with his sincere heart.
The boy who loves you, will listen quietly to you, when you are mad, and when you finished, he will said, you still got class tomorrow, sleep earlier .with smile.
The boy who loves you, don't know that whether he should call you when you are angry, but he will sent a message to you after few hours, if you ask him why he call that late, he will said, when you are angry, my explanation are all rubbish. But when you calm down, my explanation will only really works.
The boy who loves you, always call you little girl, but every time he want to make a big decision, he will first want to hear your advice.
The guy who loves you, don't like little toy like teddy bear, but he will always put the bear you gave him at his bed.
The guy who loves you, while quarrelling, he will apologize uncontrollably, although you are the one who's wrong, and later, he will sent a message to you with " baby, actually you know its your fault, you know it your self ".
The guy who loves you, while really misses you, he will want to buy a bunch of rose and wait you stupidly under your apartment. But he never knows, what he bought is daisy, but doesn't matter, because in his heart, that's roses.
The guy who loves you, seldom said sweet words, but you know, his kisses already transfer his all passion to you.
The guy who loves you, if he can't always see you, he will try to make himself busy, for not to have any time to remember you, because he knew, if he did, he will keep on missing you until he could do nothing.
GALs in crush, love, do you think the guy who's beside you really do loves you? If yes, wish you have the happiest day ever after.