text:
St. Gudina Tumsa
by Samuel Yonas Deressa
Read the PDF
from LF Spring 2012
A Life in Outline
The son of Obbo Tumsa Silga, Gudina Tumsa was born in 1929[1] at Boji in Karkaro, in the present administrative region of Mirab Welega in Ethiopia. Although Christianity was introduced to the community three decades before Gudina Tumsa's birth, his nuclear as well as his extended family did not accept Christ as their personal savior until Gudina went to school in 1938. There he was converted to Christianity and started to preach the good news to his family as well as the surrounding community.[2]
Gudina's first reaction to the traditional religion—the tradition that his parents had observed for many years—was to cut down the ritual Hommi Tree, a tree considered sacred by his parents and others who worshiped it.[3] This action was widely criticized but Gudina faced his critics fearlessly.[4] When he had completed fourth grade, he was sent to Nejo to the Swedish Mission's school where pastors M. Lundgren and P. Stjärne were teaching. There he received an additional two years of elementary schooling through sixth grade.[5] Gudina then went to Nekemte in 1945,[6] where he completed eighth grade.
He could not, however, afford a high school education; his only option was to look for a job, and he started to work at Tafari Makonnen Hospital[7] as a gardener.[8] He was later employed by the same hospital as a translator for foreign personnel who could not communicate with the local people in their native language.[9] When the people of Nekemte recognized Gudina's spiritual and leadership ability, however, they proposed that he go to Nejo for theological education in order to serve the congregation as their pastor.
Gudina was twenty-six when he went to Nejo with his family. His training in the Bible School there took three years, from 1955 to 1958.[10] He was ordained along with six other students on April 20, 1958, in the Nekemte congregation. After that, he served God as a full-time pastor.[11] In 1966 Gudina also obtained a Bachelor of Divinity degree from Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, after three years of study.
In the thirteen years of his ministry that followed his return to Ethiopia, Gudina served as a parish pastor; synod organizer in Kambata, the southern part of Ethiopia; general secretary of the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (EECMY)[12]; and chair of the Council for Cooperation of Churches in Ethiopia. It was a turbulent period for the country. In 1974, Emperor Haile Selassie i was deposed and replaced by a Communist military junta known as the Derg and led by Mengistu Haile Mariam (b. 1937). Haile Selassie's death in 1975 is thought to have been ordered or carried out personally by Mengistu. The Derg, which ruled Ethiopia until 1987, imprisoned and executed thousands of Ethiopians without trial.
Gudina was one of the Derg's many victims. On July 28, 1979,[13] he was conducting a Bible study at the church in Urael, one of the EECMY congregations in Addis Ababa. After the church service, Gudina was kidnapped outside the church quarter together with his wife, Tsehay Tolessa, by unidentified plainclothes gunmen. Tsehay was freed immediately on the outer edge of the city but her husband's fate was not known for thirteen years.
Mengistu's regime came to an end in 1987. After a period of civil war, a new government was established by the forces of the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front in 1991. In the beginning of 1992, the mass media began to report the deaths of several religious leaders. Abuna Theophilos, the patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox church, and Shaika Taye Meshesha, the leader of the Ethiopian Muslims, were identified as having been murdered by the Derg in the late 1970s, in addition to Gudina Tumsa. At that time many people were looking for their lost friends or relatives who had been victims of the Mengistu government. The transitional government of Ethiopia publicly confirmed that Gudina had been brutally murdered by the Mengistu regime in 1979 and buried at a place called the Ras Kassa compound, or Kassa Gibi. The exact date of the execution is not known, only the year. Thirteen years after his abduction, Pastor Gudina Tumsa was officially declared dead on April 29, 1992, after his body had been exhumed from the place where he had been secretly buried in 1979.
Gudina and the EECMY
Øyvind Eide, a former missionary of the Norwegian Missionary Society and presently a retired professor in Stavanger, Norway, published a significant book about the violent persecution that ended Gudina's life, Revolution and Religion in Ethiopia: The Growth and Persecution of the Mekane Yesus Church, 1974–85. Eide dedicated the book to Gudina and the other Ethiopian martyrs: "In memory of Guddinaa Tumsaa [sic] and all those who suffered during the persecution."
Written sources from Gudina's own hands, however, are scarce. Many of his writings were casualties of war. Some of his books and personal papers were lost when the ship carrying them was sunk during an Israeli air attack on the harbor of Port Said in Egypt during the 1967 Six-Day War. In addition, all his sermons and other personal papers were lost, destroyed, or stolen after his murder when the EECMY office building was taken over by the Mengistu government in 1981.
Gudina's institutional leadership and theological thought began to emerge after 1959, when the EECMY was recognized as a legitimate church by the Ethiopian government.[14] After its recognition, the church played major roles in the sociopolitical and economic aspects of the Ethiopian community. The church's response to the famine in Ethiopia—which the North Ethiopia Synod presented to the General Assembly on April 23, 1973[15]—and to the famine that struck Kambata and Hadiya in 1974 made history, in the sense that the church took the initiative in working to meet the country's social and economic crisis.[16]
The EECMY also sent a letter to the government bodies in 1974 requesting "complete religious freedom" and equality among all religious groups in Ethiopia.[17] The letter appears to be a protest against the government's suppression of other religious groups by favoring the Ethiopian Orthodox church. At the same time, the resolution passed by the EECMY's executive committee on September 20, 1974, states that the position of the church should be based on biblical theology when it comes to concern for human equality, dignity, and standing for truth. The resolution reminds us that this church places a high value on theological reflection in regard to political and economic issues.[18] The fact that the church organized four seminars on Christianity and socialism, held in February, April, and November 1975, and October 1976 respectively[19] testifies to the same reality. These seminars were devoted to "the relationship between socialism and Christianity in areas such as social justice, equality, spirit and concern for the poor."[20]
Gudina the Theologian
Gudina was influenced by a series of American and German theologians, particularly Reinhold Niebuhr, Martin Luther King and the civil rights movement, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Gudina's theology was not a vision but a process of transformation, as with Bonhoeffer who called to repentance a church perverted by and compromised under the Nazi regime after 1933. Gudina's ministry in Ethiopia, however, led him to stress the "contrast between the traditional African idea of life and the Western one." Gudina called his theology "holistic" because he thought that the Western churches had lost the this-worldly dimension of human existence.
"In [Jesus'] ministry, we note that forgiveness of sins and healing of the body, feeding the hungry and spiritual nurture, opposing dehumanizing structures and identifying himself with the weak were never at any time divided or departmentalized. He saw [the human being] as a whole and was always ready to give help where the need was most obvious."[21]
At that time, Gudina consciously took up the theme of justice and demanded a change in the church's salary scale: low salaries were to be raised and higher ones reduced. "Sharing with our brothers and coworkers whatever is made available to our church in the interests of the Kingdom of our God and Savior" was Gudina's challenge to the institutional church.[22]
Gudina regarded the role of the church as a paradigm or model in advocating justice for the underprivileged. The church stands for the liberation of human beings from oppression, but with clear criteria: human rights, justice, the rule of law, and grassroots democratic participation. The church regards "its continuing task to be the full liberation of the whole [person]. It welcomes the opportunities which the new situation provides for building a more just society." It understands self-reliance and land reform as decisive because it has itself taken action about them.[23]
Gudina emphasized the church's role as paradigm and advocate: "We welcome the prospect of participation by the people at all levels of decision making, where the power of the people is channelled from bottom to top. We aspire for justice, respect for human rights and the rule of law. Ideologies cannot be considered as absolute. Complete allegiance is due to God and God alone."[24]
In another passage, Gudina refers to Dietrich Bonhoeffer's concept of "the church for others." Here Gudina says:
"Deriving from the poor, the Church rededicates itself to living for others, serving the whole human person, meeting his spiritual and physical needs. Through its health, educational, and other services, the EECMY has contributed meaningfully to the development of Ethiopia and has at the same time prepared people for change. It sees its continuing task to be the full liberation of the whole [person]."[25]
Gudina quoted ii Corinthians 5:15 to Christian Krause, at that time the contact person from the Lutheran churches and missions for the EECMY: Christ "died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised." Krause reported to Eide: "This had become the key sentence for him in prison." Gudina added: "Never ever will I escape."[26]
Gudina in fact referred to Bonhoeffer's book The Cost of Discipleship in citing ii Corinthians 5. He had just quoted that passage in his spiritual last will and testament, "The Role of a Christian in a Given Society," a few days before his abduction and assassination:
"As someone [Bonhoeffer] has said, when a person is called to follow Christ, that person is called to die. It means a redirection of the purpose of life—that is death to one's own wishes and personal desires and finding the greatest satisfaction in living for and serving the one who died for us and was raised from death (ii Corinthians 5:13–14)."
In the concluding paragraph of Gudina's last will, he states with crystal clarity that he was ready for the sake of the people to violate the laws of an Ethiopian government based on fundamental injustice.
"It has been stated that a Christian is a citizen of a given country and as such under the laws and policies of that country. Because he is under the laws of the country of which he is a citizen, it is his duty to pray for the peace of that country and cooperate with his fellow-citizens for its well-being. The only limitation to his cooperation or obedience to the laws of his country is if he is commanded to act contrary to the law of God (Acts 5:29)."[27]
The church must set an example for the rest of society in its own life.
"The EECMY has been practicing democracy since her establishment in her present form. Our congregations have been and are the source of authority. No one commands power at any level of this church unless he/she is elected. The democratic system being introduced into our country has been in practice in the EECMY for years. This must be appreciated and acted on."[28]
The church is the model for overcoming class struggles and enmity between different religious and ethnic groups: "Such dialogue, trust, and love must be extended to those outside our particular fellowship, to Christians of different confessions and to persons of other faiths and ideologies."[29]
Gudina the Martyr
Why was Gudina Tumsa murdered? He had been arrested twice before his murder, in 1978 and 1979. In the interrogations that followed his earlier arrests, Gudina was accused of participating in political resistance in the form of cooperation with the Oromo Liberation Front, a group formed in opposition to the Mengistu regime by members of the Oromo people, the largest ethnic group within Ethiopia.[30] Gudina denied the charge. He was also accused of creating a forum for political opposition by founding for the first time in Ethiopian history a Council for Cooperation of the Churches, to which even the Orthodox church belonged.[31]
Gudina had sympathized with the general aims of socialism since 1975, but he rejected it as an intellectual ideology. "Nationalism has its own place," he said, "but it can never replace the Gospel of Jesus Christ." At the EECMY's General Assembly at Nejo in April 1976, he expressed the incompatibility of Christian faith with Marxist atheism only three days after the National Democratic Revolutionary Program of Ethiopia (NRDPE) had been proclaimed as the new "social myth" based on scientific socialism and a proletarian vanguard leading the revolution—a clearly Marxist-Leninist agenda.[32]
For the world's Christian leaders at large, Gudina remains a martyr and teacher, "[l]ike the evangelist Stephen, [who] was faithful to his Lord and Saviour and dedicated to the extension of his kingdom, as to the well-being of his people. He passed from this life to eternal life much in the same manner as Stephen did."[33]
Samuel Yonas Deressa is Associate Professor of Theology and Global South at Concordia University in St. Paul, Minnesota, and co-editor with Sarah Hinlicky Wilson of The Life, Works, and Witness of Tsehay Tolessa and Gudina Tumsa, the Ethiopian Bonhoeffer (Fortress, 2017).
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1. Eide considers 1932 the year of Gudina's birth. See M. Øyvind Eide, Revolution and Religion in Ethiopia: The Growth and Persecution of the Mekane Yesus Church 1974–85, 2nd ed. (Athens: Ohio University Press, 2000), 59. Christian Krause used the same date in his presentation during the second missiological seminar held in 2003 at Mekanissa Gibii, the proceedings of which were published in 2009. I assume Gubina's birthdate to be 1929. See my article, "The Rev. Gudina Tumsa: His Early Life and Ministry," in The Life and Ministry of Gudina Tumsa, 2nd ed. (Addis Ababa: Gudina Tumsa Foundation, 2008), 4. Gudina himself gave his birth year as 1928 when he completed his registration form at Luther Theological Seminary in 1963 (GTF archive EI 01, vol. 1). Nevertheless, according to Gudina's family, 1929 is the most probable date.
2. Wajira Silga, November 31, 1995, interview with Habtamu Bula.
3. Ibid., 7.
4. Tsehai Tolesa, July 31, 2007, interview.
5. Ibid.
6. The date is calculated from the fact that Gudina was ten years old when he started school plus his six years of education (four years in Boji and two in Nejo) up to that point.
7. Tafari Makonnen is the birth name of Emperor Haile Selassie i (1892–1975).
8. Fekadu Kumera, A Historical Survey to 1980 (unpublished manuscript; Addis Ababa, 1988), 65.
9. Ibid.
10. Johnny Bakke, Christian Ministry: Patterns and Functions Within the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus, Studia Missionalia Upsaliensis 43 (Oslo: Solum, 1988), 152.
11. Fekadu Gurmessa, The Central Ethiopia Synod (unpublished, 2008), 66.
12. The EECMY was formed in 1959 as the result of a merger of Lutheran and other churches established by missionary work in Ethiopia. Mekane Yesus means "House of Jesus." The EECMY is a member of the Lutheran World Federation and currently claims almost eight million baptized members.
13. The Amnesty International report for April 1986 gives the date as July 23, 1979.
14. The Ethiopian Orthodox church, which had existed in Ethiopia for centuries and considered itself the indigenous form of Christianity in the country, had initially opposed recognition of the EECMY as a church, maintaining that it was only an "organization" that was led by Europeans. "Ethiopia" was the last part of the EECMY's original name; it was called the Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus in Ethiopia" (ECMY) until 1978. See Eide, 54, 87.
15. Unpublished church officers' minutes, 73–68, 73–86.
16. Eide, 65.
17. President's report on the executive committee meeting, June 7, 1974.
18. Executive Committee Minutes, September 21, 1974.
19. Eide, 116.
20. Ibid., 117.
21. Gudina Tumsa, "Serving the Whole Man," in Essential Writings of Gudina Tumsa (Addis Ababa: Gudina Tumsa Foundation, 2007), 122.
22. Motivation for Policy Decisions by the Executive Committee (unpublished document), 1975, Doc. 6a, §6, WaD, 79.
23. Gudina Tumsa, "Pastoral Letter, The Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus in the Ethiopian Revolution," in Essential Writings of Gudina Tumsa, 82.
24. Ibid., 83.
25. Ibid., 82.
26. Ibid.
27. Gudina Tumsa, "The Role of a Christian in a Given Society," in Essential Writings of Gudina Tumsa, 11ff.
28. Motivation for Policy Decisions, §8, WaD, 79. Italics in original.
29. Tumsa, "Pastoral Letter," 83.
30. The Oromo accounted for about 34% of the Ethiopian population as of 2012.
31. Eide, 260.
32. Ibid., 108, 126.
33. Excerpted from Emmanuel Abraham's speech on the day that the bones of Gudina Tumsa were recovered, June 29, 1992. Emmanuel Abraham (1913–2016) is a colleague of Tumsa who served Haile Selassie as a diplomat from 1943 to 1959 and as president of the EECMY from 1963 until 1985. Abraham also served on the executive committee of the LWF from 1957 to 1984 as the EECMY delegate.


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12Vdc powered 1 to 180 Second 'Disconnection' or 'Turn-Off' or 'Instant-On and Hold, Delayed-Off' timer module with a mains rated relay output.
Timer is activated via the Start Input (using for example a push button or relay contact closure). When activated, the relay turns on but the user-set delay countdown does NOT commence. This state is maintained while the trigger signal is present. Loss of trigger signal starts the delay countdown. Relay releases at end of delay period and timer returns it's to waiting state.
If a fresh Start input is received at any point during the delay countdown, the relay will remain held on for as long as the trigger input is present. On loss of the Start input, the delay period recommences for the full time period set at the end of which the relay turns off. The unit then returns to its original waiting state.
The delay period is adjustable from 1 to 180 seconds using the onboard potentiometers (header pins allow the use of user-supplied external potentiometers if required).
Applications: Allows a pump or fan to remain on for a while after a sensor detects a preset level, to prevent cycling.Features
|Supply Voltage
|12V dc
|Power Supply Options
|Power Supply Module: CFE103 or
UK Plug Power Supply: 660.446UK with connector 777.001UK
|Current Consumption
|~ 50mA
|1 x SPDT Relay
|Maximum Output
Load (Resistive)
|Up to 240Vac or 28Vdc @ 5 Amps max. (Relay Datasheet)
|Relay Connections
|NO, NC, C (Relay FAQ)
|Dimensions (WxDxH)
|~ 44 x 76 x 30 mm
|Product Format
|PRE-ASSEMBLED Electronic Module Product Format Info
High quality Erp Compliant energy efficient fixed 12V regulated 1000mA max...
Multipurpose black ABS plastic enclosure approx. 130 x 68 x 44mm that can be used to house a number of suitable size kits and modules...
Highly versatile uC based HIGH POWER Multi-Mode Timer featuring 7 different timing operations including 4 Instant On modes, 2 Delayed On modes and a toggling (cyclical) mode. Crystal controlled for accuracy. Opto-isolated Trigger input. 13 Amp mains rated relay...
Nominal 12Vdc, 130 mA stabilised power supply module complete with an onboard 230Vac mains transformer. The module provides a stabilised, adjustable (10-15V) output with short circuit protection, onboard fuse, LED 'On' indicator and screw terminal blocks ...
Adjustable 12Vdc ON-OFF cyclic timer modules with relay output allowing switching of any load up to 230Vac, 5A. Ideal for use in automation circuits, flashing or traffic lights, models, outdoor / indoor (hydroponics) crop growing, etc...
Precision non-retriggerable 12Vdc delay timer module with a mains rated relay output. The relay will stay on until the time period has elapsed. The time delay is fully adjustable from 0.1 - 10 seconds using two banks of on-board DIP switches...
12Vdc powered 1 to 180 Second re-triggerable delay timer module. 5 Amp mains rated SPDT relay output. Push button contact closure activation...
2-channel sequential delay timer relay module with independently settable delay periods from 1-180 seconds. Daisy chain multiple units...
12Vdc powered 1 - 180 Sec DOUBLE delay timer module. 5 Amp mains rated relay active for 2nd time period. Both delay periods independently adjustable...
12Vdc powered 1 to 180 Second DELAYED-ON timer module. Timing starts on power-up. 5 Amp mains rated relay activates when user-set delay period ends...

subset: commoncrawl


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Kestrel Tool Gift Certificate
Kestrel Tool Gift Certificate
Kestrel Gift Certificate
The best gift for friends and loved ones who love to carve! Or want to start!
These come with matching card and craft-paper envelope, making a beautiful gift. Order for a dollar amount, or pre-purchase specific merchandise and we can mail a gift certificate stating what you've ordered (you'll need to let us know when you place the order).
Your loved ones will have something special to unwrap… and either dollars to spend at our store, or tools to look forward to receiving (after the holidays if ordered past October 31)!
We can mail directly to you, or to the recipient. And we're glad to include a personalized message on the card upon request.
If you'd like a different amount than what you see listed here, drop us an email. We're happy to make one out in any amount you wish.


text:
Jets wide receiver Devin Smith hopes he can make an impact on the field in 2018 after suffering ACL injuries that caused him to miss the 2017 season and most of 2016.
"I'm hoping that the injury bug is gone," Smith said, according to NJ.com's Darryl Slater. "It has been frustrating. It's given me some time to reflect a little bit. It made me miss the game a lot more. It made me appreciate the game a lot more. I feel like mentally, I'm a lot stronger in that aspect, because of these setbacks."


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Recipe adapted from Potato-Leek Soup in The Enchanted Broccoli Forest
In 2006 I discovered Mollie Katzen's Potato-Leek Soup recipe and it's been in my TOP FIVE FAVORITE SOUP RECIPES ever since. (I don't really have such a list, but if I did this recipe would be on it!) It's perfection is in simple ingredients and easy preparation. The secret ingredient that packs lots of flavor is garden fresh herbs. I use whatever seasonal herbs I can gather from my garden at the time of cooking. I've used a combination of fresh chives, rosemary, thyme, oregano, marjoram, tarragon and parsley. Use whatever you have handy! :) Another reason that I love this soup is it is so CREAMY without any milk or cheese-it has no dairy at all and is totally VEGAN. Really, that was the only thing I tweaked about the original cookbook recipe, omitting the dairy. I never get tired of this soup. It's great during the winter and in the spring when leeks are harvested. Yummy....
In Health,
Miss Jolie Ann
Creamy Potato Leek Soup with Fresh Herbs
3 large organic yukon gold potatoes, washed and diced-keep skins on
2 large organic leeks, yields about 3 cups cleaned & sliced
1 stalk organic celery, chopped
1 large organic carrot, chopped
4 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil
3/4 tsp sea salt
2 cups vegetable stock or Imagine brand "no-chicken broth"
2 cups organic unsweetened plain soymilk
1 tbsp chopped fresh herbs (use your creativity with what you have fresh-chives, rosemary, thyme, marjoram, oregano, tarragon...)
Freshly ground black pepper
1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large soup pot. Add the potatoes, leeks, celery, carrot and salt. Cook the vegetables over medium heat, until they are coated in oil and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.
2. Add the stock or broth, bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until the potatoes are soft, about 20-30 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure the veggies are not sticking to the bottom of the pan.
3. When the potatoes are tender, remove the pan from the heat and let cool slightly. Add the soymilk. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until it is smooth and creamy. I leave some small chunks of veggies, especially little potato pieces with the skin still on. (*If you don't have an immersion blender, you could also blend the soup in small batches in a traditional blender, then return to the pan).
4. Add the fresh herbs and grind in some black pepper. Check flavor and add more salt if you so desire.
5. Heat the soup gently, covered until just hot. Do not let it boil again. Serve right away. Plus, it makes great leftovers and stores well in the refrigerator for 3-4 days...


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Empowering the reader to create their own life of exploration and play, the world of Jennifer Grantham captures the spirit of childhood. Through an illustrative writing style seasoned with a sense of vibrancy, her stories reflect the endless possibilities of life for those who choose to pursue it.
The Sleepy Bear Club
From a secret cabin deep within a wondrous forest comes a meeting of imaginative proportions. Here you will find stories of a dreamworld inspired by adventures of the day. You will run across the mountains, chase the rivers, and experience the joy of freedom as you drift into a playful slumber.
Get It On iBooks
For less things to tow and naps on the go, add The Sleepy Bear Club to all of your devices. Available on Mac, iPad & iPhone with a onetime purchase and lifetime updates.
Share The Love
Thank You for reading The Sleepy Bear Club. Please consider telling your friends and posting a short review on social media using the hashtag #TheSleepyBearClub. You may also submit a review for this website, where it will appear in my Blog and on the Buzz.
The End? Not Here!
I choose to finish each story with the phrase "I Love You!". That's my message. These are the words we fall asleep to. When said by our favorite people, "Love" delivers overwhelming peace and security.
The Project Is Life
As a project enthusiast in an art-meets-athletics-meets-academics kind of way, reading these books gave me the insight and path to the ultimate project blend -- me. With the privilege of reading these manuscripts and assisting in their publishing fruition, I have been able to practice the program and experience life on a new human scale.


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have you seen these on Animal Planet? This is the cutest show – and one of the funniest we've seen in a while. Last night we just happened upon it – we laughed so much it hurt! 🙂
It's loosely based on the Olympics. They put a bunch of puppies in a room, made up to look like a soccer field, or a boxing ring, or a swimming pool, and then just watch them! Such a simple concept. They have a camera mounted under the Water Bowl and you get to see the puppies from the underside of the bowl. I've included a link to the page and can't recommend it more highly.
I'm happy to know I'm not alone in my enjoyment of that program! 🙂 It was so simple, it was refreshing. so, I looked at the schedule and am SO disappointed to see they ran the programs once and that was it. Why is it they run other programs ad nausem and the really fun ones…once? Maybe they will have something similar again – that was so much fun.
Brenda and Mom2fur… my two puppy friends 🙂


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|Date added:
This update is issued on behalf of the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Viet Nam. It covers the period from 10 to 23 March 2016. The next update will be issued around early April 2016.
Since late 2014, a serious drought has been impacting the South Central Coast, Central Highlands and Southern regions of Viet Nam. Lower than average rainfall and very high temperatures throughout 2015 further exacerbated the situation. In the first half of 2015, nine provinces were seriously affected, namely: Quang Tri, Binh Dinh, Khanh Hoa, Ninh Thuan, Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Gia Lai, Nghe An, Kon Tum.
For the past three months, the ongoing drought, water shortage and salt intrusion have posed a significant risk to some 1.75 million people in the South-Central regions, Central Highlands and Mekong Delta regions of Viet Nam. A total of 39 out of the 63 provinces (62 per cent) of Viet Nam have been affected and 12 provinces have declared a State of Emergency (Binh Thuan, Ben Tre, Vinh Long, Soc Trang, Ca Mau, Tra Vinh, Tien Giang, Long An, Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Ninh Thuan, Kien Giang).
As of 17 March, the upstream water level of the Mekong River is reported very low. It is expected that the water flow in rivers in the Central Region will continue to decrease until the end of June.
The drought is attributed to saline (salt) intrusion in the Mekong Delta affecting aquifers (underground water sources) which usually supports the domestic water demand.
|Date added:
Typhoon Damrey made landfall on 4 November, causing flooding that affected 15 provinces in Central Viet Nam creating acute water,
sanitation, shelter, and food emergency needs. More than 4.33 million people were affected at the peak of the floods, with almost 400,000 people in need of immediate humanitarian assistance from national and international partners.
As a result of the typhoon, 107 people were killed. Serious infrastructure damage was reported in all 15 affected provinces; more than 305,000 houses were damaged, including 3,500 homes that were completely destroyed. Following the typhoon, 50,000 households are in urgent need of food assistance, and 100,000 households have lost their livelihoods. More than 125,000 hectares of rice and vegetables were destroyed and aquaculture in Viet Nam was severely affected, with 133,000 hectares of shrimp farms flooded and over 70,000 aquaculture cages swept away. The provinces affected by Typhoon Damrey have been affected by a series of storms since 2016, weakening household coping capacities as their productive assets have been lost. The Government of Viet Nam estimates the economic loss to be US$630.5 million.
At the end of November, the UN in Viet Nam estimated that approx. US$54 million humanitarian funding is required for water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), food security and livelihoods, and shelter activities. While relief operations have begun, additional financial support will be vital to address short, medium and long-term needs to help communities recover from the storm and floods, and strengthen the resilience of affected communities.
|Date added:
Situation overview
|Date added:
This update is issued on behalf of the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Viet Nam. It covers the period between 11-22 November 2017. Another update will be shared once new information becomes available.
Situation overview
|Date added:
Situation overview
Page 4 of 5
Michel Sidibé
Executive Director of UNAIDS
Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations
This World AIDS Day, we are highlighting the importance of the right to health and the challenges that people living with and affected by HIV face in fulfilling that right.
Community spaces design contest for an exciting hanoi
Ha Noi, October 17/10/2017 - Aiming at improving the living environment and bringing culture and art to the community towards a better urban future, United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) successfully developed the project "Promote participatory, community-based and youth-led approach in safe, greening public spaces in Hoan Kiem district toward a pro-poor, inclusive and sustainable urban development" (hereinafter called Public Spaces project) under the Block by Block program with Mojang, the makers of the videogame Minecraft.
Deadline for round 1: From 17/10/2017 to 04/11/2017 Extended to 9 November 2017
Harsh punishment for child offenders doesn't prevent further criminality
The age at which a child, can be held criminally liable is a controversial issue around the world. Within Viet Nam, this issue is currently being grappled with in the Penal Code amendments. Some argue that a "get tough on crime" approach is necessary to punish children to prevent further criminality.
However, international research shows that because of their developmental stages, labelling and treating children as criminals at an early age can have serious negative impacts on their development and successful rehabilitation.
New Year Greetings from the United Nations Resident Coordinator a.i. in Viet Nam
On the occasion of New Year 2017, on behalf of the United Nations family in Viet Nam I wish to reiterate our appreciation and express our warmest wishes to our partners and friends throughout the country. We wish our partners and their families in Viet Nam peace, prosperity, good health and happiness in the coming year.
As we enter the second year of the Sustainable Development Goals era, we look forward to continuing our close cooperation for the sake of Viet Nam's future development; one which is inclusive, equitable and sustainable, with no one left behind.
Youssouf Abdel-Jelil
United Nations Resident Coordinator a.i. in Viet Nam
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's message for World AIDS Day, observed on 1 December
Thirty-five years since the emergence of AIDS, the international community can look back with some pride. But we must also look ahead with resolve and commitment to reach our goal of ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030.
There has been real progress in tackling the disease. More people than ever are on treatment. Since 2010, the number of children infected through mother to child transmission has dropped by half. Fewer people die of AIDS related causes each year. And people living with HIV are living longer lives.
The number of people with access to life-saving medicines has doubled over the past five years, now topping 18 million. With the right investments, the world can get on the fast-track to achieve our target of 30 million people on treatment by 2030. Access to HIV medicines to prevent mother to child transmission is now available to more than 75 per cent of those in need.


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Free Photo Day
Your life is hectic but you also want to capture a "moment in time". I have taken the worry out of getting that "snapshot" of life in the now!
Join us for FREE photo day! You will be given one FREE photo as a gift from me and my Affinity group with NO obligation!
It is our way of giving back!
Watch this page for the next date!
*Sorry no pets on this event but there will be a special event just for our furry babies.


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My client is a leading civil engineering and construction company mainly operating within the water industry and directly employing over 900 people. They are a fast growing business with over 250 new people joining their team in 2015 and numbers for 2016 projected to increase further. They are a business who believes in investing in their employees with over £1m spent on training and development last year.
A significant and growing proportion of my clients work, particularly in the water sector, is delivered through Mott MacDonald Bentley (MMB) a fully-integrated design-and-construct venture. MMB was established in 1999 and since then the joint venture has gone from strength to strength, winning multiple client and industry awards for quality and innovation.
My clients are committed to creating a fun workplace, where people have a voice, are safe, reach their potential and prosper, and the rewards are shared.
Job Description
We are looking for a Pre-Construction Project manager to join our team in Peterborough. Covering an area stretching from Lincolnshire to Northampton, you will be required to manage a programme of works (of varying complexity and value) to ensure that all pre-construction deliverables are in place prior to handover to the site delivery team.
You will be working closely with the integrated design team to assist in the preparation of the pre-construction information pack, advising on buildability and assessing requirements with respect to temporary works, traffic management, lifting, etc. and also manage a team of Site Engineers and support staff to ensure the required outputs are achieved.
Other responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
*Co-ordinate site visits with the area client to agree and document the initial project scope. Once agreed, co-ordinate further site visits with tier 2 suppliers and land owners to finalise methodology, prices and access.
*Attend regular progress meetings with the area client, managing programme delivery expectations
*Manage the safe and co-ordinated delivery of all enabling works during the scheme scope and design phase e.g. topographical surveys, ground investigation, vegetation clearance, etc.
*Work with the commercial lead to develop and negotiate the target cost for each scheme under the programme. This will include the production of a programme for the construction works.
Candidate Specification *Have good temporary works awareness, be a qualified LOLER Appointed Person (although not essential) and have the ability to build up a construction price from first principles.
*Relevant qualifications
*Previous experience in a similar role


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Choir and Special Schedule
There is a lot of information on this schedule, please make sure that you ask questions if there is a confusion or that you communicate if there is a conflict of schedule. Thank you!
Easter Program Resources
If you have a question or will be out of town, please contact me A.S.A.P so that we can plan accordingly.
Copyright 2017, Cornerstone Baptist Church


text: Exercise to Improve Bone Mineral DensityStrength and Conditioning Journal: December 2013 - Volume 35 - Issue 6 - p 58 doi: 10.1519/SSC.0000000000000023 Erratum Free Article OutlineOutline Article MetricsMetrics REFERENCE In the article that appeared on pages 70-74 in the October, 2013 issue of Strength and Conditioning Journal, there was an error in the introduction on page 70. The data on the costs associated with osteoporosis was incorrectly transposed. The corrected sentence appears below. The costs associated with osteoporosis during 2005 were estimated to be 19 billion dollars in the United States, and the costs are expected to increase to 25.3 billion dollars by 2025 (26).Back to Top | Article Outline REFERENCE 1. Calatayud J, Borreani S, Moya D, Colado JC, Triplett NT. Exercise to Improve Bone Mineral Density. Strength Cond J 35: 70–74, 2013. doi: 10.1519/SSC.0b013e3182980d57. © 2013 by the National Strength & Conditioning Association


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A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, when I was at theological college, my final dissertation was on divine sovereignty and human responsibility. This came out of a questioning with what we mean when we say that 'God is sovereign', 'God is in control' or 'God reigns'. The question nagged then, and continues to nag, especially when it's the only thing that some of our worship songs seem to say.
Often in a pastoral situation, someone will tell of a multi-dimensional tragic experience, and yet conclude by saying, 'But God is in control', suggesting that this was God's intention, as if this is part of the blue-print of his plan. Mostly that isn't the appropriate time for a theological discussion, but inwardly I'm asking, 'what do you mean by that?'. I believe that God is sovereign, but that means that I still pray, 'your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.'
Continuing with the improvisation theme of the last blog, and picking up on Glen's helpful comment, I have played with understanding God's interaction with his world and with human beings as an improviser, 'the divine improviser'.
The string quartet playing one of the Bartok string quartets, is determined by the notes, and although there is some room for interpretation, Bartok was very exact about every detail. If one of the quartet plays any other note, it is wrong! There's no wiggle room here. To move from string quartet to piano, there are 89 keys on a piano, but no delete key. However, for the improvising jazz musician, within the givens of harmony, rhythm, and some continuity with what has preceded, there are no wrong notes. Every 'wrong' note can be turned into a passing note, and incorporated into the music that's emerging. This isn't to say that evil isn't evil after all, but is made good. Evil remains evil, but God is not deterred by it. 'In all things, God works for good …'
This is a variation on the weaver who doesn't unpick the mistake in the carpet, but subtly alters the design to accommodate the new situation. It's a risky and a vulnerable enterprise. But surely that's the nature of God's sovereignty as testified to in Scripture. And while there is plenty of risk in playing one of the late Beethoven piano sonatas, it is of a different kind to the person who is conceiving and performing the music at the same time.


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I'm not sure what package is responsible for the bootfloppies in /dists/testing/main/disks-i386/current/images-1.44 but I've just tried the rescue.bin and fails to boot in all modes except linux.bin ie. rescue fails! Otherthings like floppy0 fails too but I would think that rescue should actually work :) It said it could not find an image called rescue.. Serious bug against woody? - Adam
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(Yicai Global) Nov. 9 -- Twenty-two Chinese e-commerce and logistics companies, including Alibaba Group Holding and SF Holding, have joined hands to set up the Zhejiang E-Commerce Disciplinary Alliance Against Faith Breaking.
The group will establish a daily working mechanism and take action against firms that err under the guidance of the Zhejiang Provincial Administration for Market Regulation and other departments, Xinhua News Agency reported yesterday. NetEase Kaola, a leading cross-border e-commerce platform, and social shopping portal Yunji have also joined.
The alliance will work on a rotation basis, with members taking turns to serve as leader for six months. Alibaba was named the first to take the rotating chair.
According to the working mechanism, members will set the basic criteria for penalties against dishonesty based on the law; establish, record and update archives on the untrustworthy after identifying their dishonesty; and share their information online, Xinhua said.
Depending on the seriousness, the alliance will take appropriate disciplinary measures. It may restrict the culprits from creating new accounts and block or delete their existing ones. It may also restrict them from introducing goods and services and limit their participation in various marketing or promotional activities, the report said.
Furthermore, the alliance may deduct credit points, lower credit ratings, limit account rights, and expose offenders online. Errant firms would also be restricted from entering e-commerce platforms or the logistics sector while their online advertising would be curbed, the report added.
The alliance also unveiled the first list of untrustworthy e-commerce subjects, which includes Hangzhou Meiming Technology, Yiwu Qiusuo E-Commerce and 10 individuals.


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*VIDEO ALERT* Banana Bread & EDAW 2018
Hello everyone,
So my second Youtube video is officially uploaded! This video is all about my experience of EDAW 2018 and shows all the different things I did within the week to raise money, awareness and hopefully educate people a little more on eating disorders.
I think EDAW is a beautiful thing and it's such an important week of the year. I've suffered from anorexia for 6 years and although I may be physically weight restored, anorexia is a mental illness and I still have very bad days.
Eating disorders are a very illogical and powerful illness and we really all need to become a team and promote the importance of speaking out and stopping to suffer in silence.
I really hope you enjoy my second Youtube video, I certainly enjoyed the moments within it.


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Notre Dame dethrones number 1 and moves into the top spot. Buffalo's strong start also came to an end Saturday, with a devastating loss to Army. The top 10 or so is getting a bit more stable, but further down still a lot of movement and noise. Among the FBS teams that lost to FCS teams, Temple has fallen out of the top 25, but unfortunately East Carolina has clawed into the top 25 due to a win over ODU, who beat Virginia Tech, who just beat Duke.
Top 25 (Explanation; Full Ranking)
Notre Dame (+7)
Oklahoma (+3)
Stanford (-3)
Ohio State (+13)
Clemson (+15)
Georgia (nc)
Alabama (-4)
Kentucky (+6)
Washington (+6)
Auburn (+2)
San Diego State (-1)
Michigan (+19)
West Virginia (+22)
South Florida (+11)
Miami (+15)
NC State (+22)
Penn State (-1)
Syracuse (+7)
East Carolina (+35)
Indiana (+12)
North Texas (-4)
Missouri (+6)
Cincinnati (+11)
Michigan State (nc)


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Lowest Price Ever – $ 7.50 Plus get an additional 20 % off on August 3rd and 4th. Visit Dr Crystal Brown TpT Store.View More Print and Go Math Bundle for 5th and 6th Grades
Print and Go Math Bundle
Do you need help providing math practice specific to students' needs according to the Learning Continuum? This bundle provides students with a daily dose of…View More Print and Go Math Bundle
NWEA Fusion 2015 Conference – RIT 101
I had the pleasure of attending the Fusion 2015 Conference in Chicago, IL on July 7th – 9th. The conference increased my understanding of the…View More NWEA Fusion 2015 Conference – RIT 101
STEM Career Day
On June 15, 2015, Earle STEM Academy will host STEM Career Day. I selected three group leaders to design an investigation of a STEM career.…View More STEM Career Day
Perfect Attendance
My homeroom had perfect attendance for the week! Posted by Crystal from WordPress for AndroidView More Perfect Attendance
NWEA Resources
Although I provide quality instruction (tooting my own horn … lol), I like to provide my students with multiple resources to prepare them for the…View More NWEA Resources
Genius Hour
In October, I read an article Kids pursue passions during 'genius hour' at Centennial Arts Academy. I meant to blog about it, but never did.…View More Genius Hour
Retake Test Contract
I have a confession … my students haven't been performing well on tests. It's the beginning of the school year and the coursework will not…View More Retake Test Contract
Week in Review
I like for students to be able to see how everything we do within a week is connecting together. All too often, students assume they…View More Week in Review
Vocabulary Development
The Frayer Model has been used on cards for years by teachers to help develop students' vocabulary. I have found that students have a hard…View More Vocabulary Development


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A South Jersey gun club's billboard depicting a kneeling person aiming a rifle with the slogan "The only time we take a knee" has drawn criticism for mocking the ongoing national anthem protests involving NFL players.
A driver tweeted a picture of the South Jersey Shooting Club billboard Monday and a debate on social media ensued along with calls to have the advertisement removed.
"Tell them this billboard is racist," MoNeke Ragsdale said on Twitter. "Taking a knee is a protest to say NO to police brutality."
Ragsdale, a member of South Jersey Women for Progressive Change, urged people to call the club and demand the sign be removed.
Bar boycotts NFL in support of Veterans Day
"I think it mocks and disrespects people taking a knee to protest police brutality," said Meredith Meisenheimer, a SJWPC member. "The intent is to move the debate away from police brutality, particularly for people of color, and try to center the discussion around patriotism."
Meisenheimer said her group has more than 8,000 members on a private Facebook page and was formed "shortly after election 2016 by a small group of woman friends horrified by the election results to work to change politics for the better."
A request for comment Wednesday from South Jersey Shooting Club, the Winslow Township gun range advertised on the sign, was not returned. The billboard has been displayed along Route 73 in Voorhees and near routes 73 and 130 in Pennsauken.
Wesley Aducat, a man identified as the owner of the gun club, told Philly.com the billboard "has absolutely nothing to do with race. It's just support for our veterans."
Darnell Hardwick, president of the Camden County NAACP, isn't buying Aducat's claim. He said he's a veteran and the sign doesn't represent him.
"I served in the military and that's part of what we fought for, for people to have those freedoms," Hardwick said.
Meisenheimer and Hardwick said they both supported the gun club's First Amendment right to express their thoughts on the sign, but thought its members should also respect the right of the players to take a knee in protest.
Hardwick said President Donald Trump inflamed the issue after he goaded NFL owners in tweets to "stop disrespecting our Flag & Country, " and to demanded they "Get that son of a bitch off the field right now," if a player knelt.
"It wasn't a big problem until Trump became president," Hardwick said. "All this is doing is taking away an issue of social injustice and making it something it's not."
Bill Duhart may be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow him on Twitter @bduhart. Find NJ.com on Facebook.


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In Escherichia coli -- and likely other bacteria -- high-energy intermediates of central metabolism [e.g. acetyl phosphate (acP) and acetyl-coenzyme A (acCoA)] appear to control global gene expression -- at least in part - through a subset of signaling proteins called two-component signal transduction (2CST) response regulators (RRs). The high-energy status of acP and acCoA makes each an excellent donor: acP can donate its phosphoryl group, while acCoA can donate its acetyl group. Coupled with their central position in metabolism, these abilities make acP and acCoA ideally suited to indicate nutritional status and thereby impact a variety of cellular processes. This proposal will test key aspects of the following hypothesis. Cells exposed to excess carbon experience a central metabolic stress associated with their inability to recycle coenzymeA (CoA) rapidly enough. Because CoA is present in limiting amounts, the acCoA:CoA ratio becomes large. To recycle the metabolically essential CoA, some of the excess acetyl groups pass from CoA to inorganic phosphate. This process results in the synthesis of acP, which has been proposed to donate its phosphoryl group to a subset of 2CSTRRs. Alternatively or simultaneously, other acetyl groups can be donated directly to a second subset of RRs, thereby altering their function. This hypothesis is broadly based on the following observations: (i) cells manipulate the ratio of acCoA and acP during growth and in response to the quality and quantity of carbon source. (ii) cells respond globally to variations in the concentrations of both high-energy central metabolites;(iii) the response to acP depends on the action of at least one RR and likely more;(iv) two promoters, each dependent on a different RR, appear to respond to the status of the acCoA pool;and (v) acCoA has been shown to donate its acetyl group to 2 purified RRs. 2CST pathways regulate diverse processes associated with biofilm development and pathogenesis. Because humans do not express 2CST pathways, the abilities of acP and acCoA to modify RRs represent a prime target for anti-microbial strategies.
This proposal will test the hypothesis that acetyl coenzyme A and acetyl phosphate, high-energy intermediates of central metabolism, can modify - by acetylation or phosphorylation, respectively - and thereby alter the function of signaling proteins that contribute to biofilm development by and virulence of diverse pathogens. Because humans do not express these signaling proteins, called response regulators, these interactions represent a prime target for anti-microbial strategies.
|Christensen, David G; Meyer, Jesse G; Baumgartner, Jackson T et al. (2018) Identification of Novel Protein Lysine Acetyltransferases in Escherichia coli. MBio 9:
|Lima, Bruno P; Lennon, Christopher W; Ross, Wilma et al. (2016) In vitro evidence that RNA Polymerase acetylation and acetyl phosphate-dependent CpxR phosphorylation affect cpxP transcription regulation. FEMS Microbiol Lett 363:fnw011
|Wolfe, Alan J (2016) Bacterial protein acetylation: new discoveries unanswered questions. Curr Genet 62:335-41
|Schilling, Birgit; Christensen, David; Davis, Robert et al. (2015) Protein acetylation dynamics in response to carbon overflow in Escherichia coli. Mol Microbiol 98:847-63
|AbouElfetouh, Alaa; Kuhn, Misty L; Hu, Linda I et al. (2015) The E. coli sirtuin CobB shows no preference for enzymatic and nonenzymatic lysine acetylation substrate sites. Microbiologyopen 4:66-83
|Josenhans, Christine; Jung, Kirsten; Rao, Christopher V et al. (2014) A tale of two machines: a review of the BLAST meeting, Tucson, AZ, 20-24 January 2013. Mol Microbiol 91:6-25
|Kuhn, Misty L; Zemaitaitis, Bozena; Hu, Linda I et al. (2014) Structural, kinetic and proteomic characterization of acetyl phosphate-dependent bacterial protein acetylation. PLoS One 9:e94816
|Beckham, Katherine S H; Connolly, James P R; Ritchie, Jennifer M et al. (2014) The metabolic enzyme AdhE controls the virulence of Escherichia coli?O157:H7. Mol Microbiol 93:199-211
|Minato, Yusuke; Fassio, Sara R; Wolfe, Alan J et al. (2013) Central metabolism controls transcription of a virulence gene regulator in Vibrio cholerae. Microbiology 159:792-802
|Hu, Linda I; Chi, Bui Khanh; Kuhn, Misty L et al. (2013) Acetylation of the response regulator RcsB controls transcription from a small RNA promoter. J Bacteriol 195:4174-86
Showing the most recent 10 out of 28 publications


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June 18, 2009
Update, 5:44 p.m. EDT: The latest from Princess is that the fire has been extinguished, but passengers will remain at their muster stations until further notice. The ship is currently operating on emergency power and lighting. We'll keep you posted.
(3:23 p.m. EDT) -- A fire broke out in the engine room on Princess Cruises' Royal Princess at 8:10 p.m. local time on Thursday as the ship was departing from Port Said, Egypt. No injuries have been reported, but one passenger was taken to the ship's medical center after complaining of chest pain.
A statement from Princess says that passengers aboard were called to their muster stations, and fire teams were deployed. All 733 passengers and 393 crewmembers have been accounted for. Royal Princess is currently in the middle of a 12-night Holy Land sailing from Rome to Athens and is now anchored off the coast of Port Said.
Princess spokeswoman Karen Candy said there is no word yet on whether the incident will delay any of the ship's remaining calls in Ashdod (Jerusalem), Haifa, Kusadasi or Patmos Island. Royal Princess is due in Athens on the 25th.
Princess has established phone lines to field inquiries from family members of passengers and crew aboard the ship. For inquiries about passengers, dial (800) 693-7222. For inquiries about crewmembers, call (661) 753-2804.
We'll keep you posted as further information becomes available.
--by Ashley Kosciolek, Copy Editor


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by Jeremy Marks
Leaves and shovels
leave them where they fall.
Where we have dug a whole
peripatetic little feet
will fill it.
This pit won't swell, tumbling
the gardens, house and street
when it rains, as it settles.
The noise of children
is floating above
the careless bludgeon
of their parents
all of it resting on a handle
beneath the leaves
by a tree
tossed across a stump.
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Monday, 23 February 2009
So, how about Facebook?
I was contemplating it on my cycle home. Why not? It proves to be a huge, but unnecessary part of my life. So I think, for forty days, I shall fast from Facebook, and use the time I would spend on it, doing other, more worthy tasks. Like, I dunno... praying? Reading the Bible? Crazy things.
3 comments:
- Swandive said...
How about writing to people? I mean, tothe fill the time you might otherwise spend on Facebook. I don't mean this to be a completely absurd suggestion, but we rely on Facebook so heavily to keep in touch with our peers, how about taking the time to write a letter or a quick postcard to either those on Facebook who you've lost touch with, or those who you've lost touch with somewhat as they don't have Facebook.
Just an idea.
I'm rather intoxicated. I hope this makes sense :/
- 24 February 2009 at 02:22
- David said...
No, it's actually an amazing idea. I really like it. I think it shall be something to consider, definitely.
- 24 February 2009 at 10:02
Give up facebook for Lent? Might as well give up living. Life is about relationship; and to me that's what facebook is about. I'll be looking out for you...
- 2 March 2009 at 00:00
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text: Share: Comments Print July 28, 2009 at 2:58 PM Felix pitching after losses too many times Posted by Larry Stone Much has been made, and rightfully so, of Felix Hernandez's great success this season when he takes the mound after a Mariners' loss. That trend was interrupted in last night's 11-4 Mariners' loss, in which Hernandez gave up seven runs in 5 2/3 innings, but his glittering 9-2 record and 2.00 ERA in 12 previous starts after a defeat has been held up as evidence that he has become a true ace. I'd agree with that, but the hidden point is this: Hernandez is pitching after losses way too many times, which shows the problem the Mariners have had this year finding consistency with their No. 5 (or in some cases, No. 4) starter. Last night was Hernandez's 20th start. Throwing out his Opening Day appearance (when he obviously didn't pitch after a loss or win), that means that in 13 of his 19 relevant starts (68 percent), the Mariners have lost the game before. And since Hernandez is the No. 1 starter in the rotation, that means it's the No. 5 or No. 4 starter that's getting beat. In those 13 losses, Mariners starters allowed 59 earned runs in 66 innings for an 8.05 ERA. That includes four starts by Chris Jakubauskas, two by Jarrod Washburn (because of a scheduling fluke), three by Garrett Olson, and four by Jason Vargas. In the six games that were victories prior to a Hernandez start, the Mariners' starters had a respectable 3.86 ERA (13 earned runs in 30 1/3 innings pitched). Four of those games were pitched by Vargas, one by Jakubauskas and one by Ryan Rowland-Smith (before he went on the disabled list). It's great that Hernandez has assumed the role of losing-streak stopper. But it would be helpful if he didn't have to do it so often. Comments


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November 11th 2017 - The night will play host to demos featuring Carl's iconic dressage horses, featuring the ridden and in hand work; a dressage to music display and a tribute exhibition to his career entitled, "Carl: The Portrait"
We will also be celebrating his landmark birthday in style. The event will feature some very special guests and is set to be an unforgettable evening in the company one of the most famous names in Dressage today.
RESCHEDULED Friday 16th June - Evening. Join us for this masterclass with Olympic medalist, Spencer Wilton, at the stunning Unicorn Equestrian Trust in the beautiful Cotswolds. You will be able to watch him work with horses and riders at varying levels from Novice through to Advanced. Seating limited to keep this event intimate for all. Tickets will not be able to be purchased on the door. On arrival, general admission seating is first come, first served basis. As this is a small event, names will be checked off on the door instead of tickets being issued.
In December 2016, Piaffe Presents held a masterclass with the world renowned dressage rider, Carl Hester, to a sold out event at Leamside Equestrian
Carl Hester needs no introduction to anyone who follows and enjoys the sport of Dressage. He is the most iconic name in the sport today, synonymous with having one of the most successful training systems the world have ever known, and producing horses to the highest levels for the world to enjoy.
What he has achieved over his career as a rider, trainer and owner is nothing short of astonishing and many will rejoice in those memories for years to come. With an exciting string of horses up coming through the levels, the future continues to be exciting with all sights set on Tokyo 2020, so we look forward to following the journey and sharing with him all the special moments to come.
spencer wilton
In November 2016, Piaffe Presents held a masterclass with Spencer Wilton, Louise Bell and Alan Davies at Leamside Equestrian Centre in Durham to an enthusiastic crowd.
We were privileged to also have London 2012, Olympic gold Medalist stallion Uthopia join us for the day by permission of Mr Carl Hester whom we are very thankful to.
Spencer concluded the sessions by giving a demonstration aboard Supa Nova II, the second Olympic medal winning horse to join us for the day, by gracious permission of owner Jen Goodman who again, we are very grateful to and thrilled that she was able to join us the special day.


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Julia - Wakeland High School Senior
I'm so excited to share this shoot!! Julia's parent were my first anniversary celebration couple and at the end of the shoot we raced back to Frisco from downtown Dallas to meet up with Julia and her sister for a mini-family session. I was losing light that day, so I didn't get to have much time with Julia and her sister, but I knew that day I wanted to take Julia's senior photos, she's just so sweet and just gorgeous!! Luckily, they picked me to do her senior photos and I couldn't be happier.
Julia's family is originally from NY, so naturally she wanted to go to downtown Dallas. It's not NY, but it's what we have here in Dallas, and she wanted get some buildings in the background, but also wasn't opposed to having people walking about in the shots. I was so excited to hear this as the day we were down in Deep Ellum, a very trendy and hip part of Dallas, it was crowded and overflowing with folks for the Dallas Art's Festival. Julia was a trooper and we found some very cool spots. She was up for anything and we were hitting up all sorts of places! Then, it was off to Plano to get some nature shots in a lovely dress with the cutest hat from Nordstorm. I LOVED her wardrobe choices and the hat was just the icing on the cake.
Julia, thanks for picking me! I hope you love these photos just as much as I do!


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At our March Inspiration Night we were blessed to have a very special guest, my very sweet friend Lynsay Mahon. As you may know from my previous post, Lynsay and her daughter were here during Spring Break. The timing of Lynsay's visit was perfect because I had my monthly downline Inspiration Night scheduled during the time she was here. That meant that all my downline and stamping sisters could have an opportunity to be inspired and learn from the best.
Lynsay opened by sharing her Stampin' Up! story. It was fun to hear about the first workshop she hosted for her Mom. Lynsay did it as a favor to her Mom but really had no interest in stamping! After having the opportunity to see the products and spend time looking through the catalog, she decided to join! Her Mom was surprised and delighted to have her daughter as a new recruit.
Lynsay set goals early and created a plan to really work the business. With much hard work on her part she rose to be the number one demonstrator in Canada on more than one occasion. Lynsay has also earned many other top honors, awards and incentive trips throughout the 15 years she has been with Stampin' Up!
Lynsay is such an excellent speaker. We were all inspired by what she shared about the Stampin' Up! experience.
After she shared Lynsay began to lead us in a technique class that featured Brusho. Brusho is one of our newest products, it is watercolor crystals. Lynsay showed us how to use it in many different ways.
Here are the projects Lynsay shared with us.
When you use the Brusho Watercolor Crystals on your projects, it is fun to watch the color burst and come alive when you activate them with water,
Let me share with you a closer look at the Brusho techniques Lynsay taught us.
For card number one we took a Thank You stamp from the "Thankful Thoughts" stamp set and stamped it on a piece of Shimmery White Card Stock using a Black Archival stamp pad. We then took the Blue Brusho and sprinkled it around the stamped words. To make the Brush spread we spritzed water on top and then watched the magic happen. The colors spread in a random pattern. If you don't like the color, you can add more. If it didn't spread enough, just add more water.
If you don't like the pattern, you can even use an aqua painter to move the color around.
Each card will come out looking unique and different. Since Perfect White accents were the featured embellishment of the night we added a few on each project.
It's important to let the card stock dry before adhering it You can either let it dry naturally or use a heat tool to speed up the process. If the card stock curls because it was saturated with a lot of water then after it dries use Tear N Tape to the back to stick it down.
For the next project we stamped a heart from the "Sure Do Love You" stamp set. We then sprinkled a line of red Brusho crystals across the top of the Shimmery White Card Stock. We carefully placed a wet baby wipe over the crystals and then dragged the color across the card to create the look below.
Project number three was made with our Shimmery Embossing Paste. We took one of our decorative masks and laid it over the corner of the shimmery card stock. Then we took a pallet knife and spread a thin layer of embossing paste over the mask. We removed and cleaned the mask right away so that the quick drying paste would not be permanently stuck to the mask. Then we sprinkled some Brusho over the embossed area and sprayed it with water the same way we did on the first card.
I think it came out beautiful, don't you?
The final project was this cute lemonade holder.
For this project Lynsay showed how you can use brusho to create colorful sheets of paper by combining colors and spritzing them with water. You can also use an aqua painter to make a unique design with the crystals as you brush them around the card stock. After the paper dries you have uniquely colored card stock that you can use with your punches. I just love the little speckles that are on the leaves that give them character.
We used the Lemon Builder Punch to create this cute lemon that is the focal point of this fun project.
Everyone really seemed to enjoy creating Lynsay's fun projects.
Everyone was really appreciative that she would take time out of her vacation to bless us with her talents.
There was so much positive feedback this month I definitely want to find a way to have Lynsay come back and share with us again in the future.
As I drove Lynsay to the airport later that evening she told me how blessed I was to have such lovely ladies on my team. I am glad she witnessed first hand all of the aloha we share when we are together.
I am certainly blessed not only to have such a fabulous stampin' Ohana but also to have such a special Stampin' Sister as Lynsay.
Mahalo Lynsay for sharing your Inspiration, Creativity, and Love. We were all tremendously blessed to have you at our Inspiration Night!
Stamped and "Brusho-ed" Blessings,


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- Intuitive handling with modern work methods enthrall all users
- Proven methods and procedure ensure efficient work results
- Flexible and safe – we rely on your IT standards
- Your meeting software for all touchscreens
New Release G4
In the new version, the app convinces users and IT decision makers again by intuitive operation, flexibility and features for impressive presentations and creative work in a team.
- New styles for flexible design
- Cloud integration for flexible document management
- Auto Discovery feature for easy networking of multiple systems
- Integration of live sources via WLAN
- Extended support for video conferencing systems.
Variable Interface Design
All styles have one thing in common – everything gets going with the Start Meeting button!
Individual adjustments for layout, background, logo, icon style and icon colors can be set in the configuration menu. Three basic layouts are offered: Button-Style, Tile-Style and traditional Text-Style.
Intuitive User Interface, Smart Functions
An User Interface for Presentation, Collaboration and Management
Turn any interactive touch screen into an intuitive user experience. The app combines management and presentation functions for all media files and live sources within one interactive interface.Operating and creative functions as well as sophisticated usage concepts reduce technical obstacles, increase the efficiency of your meetings and minimize training efforts and costs for users and operators.
Variable Interface Design
Individual adjustments for layout, background, logo, icon style and icon colors can be set in theconfiguration menu. Three basic layouts are offered: Button-Style, Tile-Style and traditional Text-Style. All styles have one thing in common – everything gets going with the Start Meeting button.
Multi-Language User Interface
For the user interface, the app offers a choice between two languages. The languages are selected in the configuration menu. Users may add additional languages independently.
Intuitive User Guidance
The clearly arranged main menu provides access to all presentation and work functions at a single touch. The quick navigation bar creates a structured overview and access to the presentation history, open applications or favorites.
IT Process
Different IT processes require flexibility when it comes to accessing data – the app allows for network registration via Active Directory, use with standard users or defined work directories.
Media Files
The app provides access to all your media files from a single window – regardless of where they are stored.
Single/Multi-Window Display
Simultaneous presentation and editing of different media formats, variable window sizes, content zoom and full-screen display are no problem for the app.
Live Sources & Video Conferencing
Depending on the version, up to four live signals from connected laptops, tablets or video conferencing systems are available at all times.
BYOD-Mobile App / BYOD-Web-Service
The BYOD function enables collaborative work standards between the Collaboration App, smartphones / tablets with iOS, Android operating systems (BYOD Mobile App) or devices with browsers (BYOD Web-Service).
Any number of programs and applications can be integrated into the menu bar.
Annotation & Whiteboard
All media formats can be edited through annotation functions or the corresponding original program, such as PowerPoint. A simple whiteboard is the ideal work surface for creative ideas.
Share your meeting results easily with different directories by using drag & drop, with smartphones or send your files by e-mail.
Meeting Management
Defined process for Start and End meeting meeting end ensure safe operation and prevent data loss. Users can save the entire meeting progress any time and access it later again.
Simple Configuration
The options of the configuration menu include design adjustment, language selection, IT function settings and more.
Do you need support, but nobody is around right now? Use the Help button to access the help menu anytime.
Expand communication
Sharing ideas together, create something new or just not be interactive
The smartPerform Bring Your Own Device App (BYOD) for mobile devices and an integrated BYOD web service make it amazingly easy to work collaboratively between users and their various device platforms. The central element here is a smartPerform Pro application the smartPerform Collaboration App on a presentation computer with Microsoft Windows operating system as well as a WLAN or LAN network with sufficient network capacity.
On the way to the customer or in the home office?
As an add-on to the smartPerform BYOD mobile app, the integrated smartPerform web service allows participation in the meeting via any web browser over the Internet.
Simple and Professional – Teamwork in One Space and Beyond Spatial Limits
The foundation for efficient meetings.
A touch screen with Windows PC is the platform for your smartPerform Collaboration App as intuitive work environment for presentation, collaboration and management.
- One interface for design and functions
- Access to local media content and networks
- Integration of live sources (laptops, tablets, cameras, etc.) and video conferencing solutions
- Intuitive operating and creative functions
- Storage and distribution of your meeting outcome
Sharing ideas together, create something new or just not be interactive?
- Link with smartphones or tablets through the smartPerform BYOD Mobile App
- With a dial-in process for max. security
- Work on documents together
- Upload and download of notes, files and meeting outcomes
- Moderation function with cursor and remote control
- Rights management
On the way to the customer or in the home office?
As an add-on to the smartPerform BYOD mobile app, the integrated smartPerform web service allows participation in the meeting via any web browser over the Internet.
In the Spotlight of Your Meeting
Collaboration App
As its core, the app combines all media files, live sources and functions for presentation, meeting and collaboration within one intuitive user interface. Among the options in the configuration menu are design adjustments, language selections, IT function settings and more.
System Landscape
A touch screen with Windows PC is the platform for your smartPerform Collaboration App. Optional components of the app include loudspeakers, microphone or a camera for video conferencing. The individual components or complete project bundles for the Collaboration App are available from any authorized dealer.
Pro Upgrade
To meet individual requirements beyond the scope of the current app version, the Pro upgrade expands the functional scope of the Collaboration App immensely. Individualized designs or functions/processes for brainstorming, analysis, mind mapping, shop floor, linked screens, integration with media and facility control or back-end systems can be configured according to client specifications in the smartPerform Pro Designer Edition. We will gladly advise you!
BYOD Mobile App / BYOD-Web Service
As an add-on to the smartPerform BYOD-Mobile App, the integrated smartPerform Web-Service allows participation in the meeting via any web browser, depending on the license, and also over the Internet.
Brochure The Collaboration App
Information about the app, the minimum requirements and the recommended system specifications can be downloaded here: Brochure smartPerform Collaboration App.pdf
Datasheet BYOD Mobile App / BYOD Web-Service
Information about the app, the minimum requirements and the recommended system specifications can be downloaded here: Datasheet smartPerform BYOD Mobile App / BYOD Web-Service.pdf


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Energy & Sports Endurance
I worked with Deborah on a nutrition programme to support endurance running and to increase energy levels for a busy lifestyle. I really appreciated Deborah's research based approach and the fact that she introduced changes in a phased way, allowing me to easily form habits which have become second nature and sustainable.
Deborah tailored her advice to my circumstances, including the fact that I have a chronic illness, and spent time considering my particular needs and challenges in creating a tailored approach. I loved her practical methods; the changes I have made are completely manageable on a day to day basis.
The programme filled the brief of supporting my particular nutrition needs but did so much more. I am sleeping better, have more energy and have healthier hair and skin.
I have rediscovered a love for food and cooking. I have been liberated from restricting food or counting calories and am freely enjoying eating well. I have signed up to her monthly programme as I find her ongoing advice (based on her continuous research) to be very motivating.
I would not hesitate to recommend Deborah and I thank her for her help.
Susan D, London
Energy & Stress
I found Deborah's 30 Day Eat for Energy programme excellent at increasing my energy and improving stress management. Her tips and suggested supplements were great. I also came away with easy meal solutions and snack ideas which really helped with my brain power and overall energy during a demanding work period.
I changed the way I eat and what I eat and I could feel actual improvements in my overall wellbeing.
BS, London
Weight loss
My objective was to lose weight through a change in diet. Under Deborah's expertise I was able to not only reach my desired weight, but to maintain it. Her nutritional guidance was invaluable and from it I learnt how to develop a healthier lifestyle.
Gavin, Berkhamsted
Jet Lag
Deborah's Jet Lag protocol really delivered results and I found it a revelation in my commute between LA and London.
Neil R, London
Deborah's 30 Day Eat for Energy programme helped me improve my over all energy and sleep quality, whilst giving me lots of new quick and easy recipe ideas to improve my diet.
Marc D, London
Deborah is quite simply brilliant. Her work is meticulous, both in understanding exactly what is wrong, and in formulating a plan of action. She is also very practical, and I love the way she doesn't let you fall for fads, as she is someone who uses scientific studies and research as grounding for all she does. I always get results when I work with Deborah.
Ramita, London
Liver health
Poor liver function runs in my family and so, concerned about my own health, I connected with Deborah for advice to put me on the right track. Her recommendations were easy to live with and the goals she set me, realistic. I felt better for the diet change - more energy and zip. Friends and family say I look better too!
Hugh, Brighton
Digestive disorders
With continual stomach cramps over the course of a year and seeing specialists with no improvement, I decided to approach a nutritionist that had come highly recommend. With Deborah's guidance it became possible to pinpoint foods that I had become intolerant to and create a diet that nurtured and supported my body & lifestyle rather than hindered it. As a result I have more energy, my immunity has improved and I have a feeling of greater freedom around food.
Elly, Hertfordshire


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#neverliberal #nevermarxist
Go away troll, your arguments are those of a child unwilling to accept the fact that our Nation was built on the belief in God.
Where is the scientific evidence for a creator? And please qualify "endowed".
I never asked for proof that "our Nation was built on the belief in God":I ask for 1. scientific evidence that said creator exists (not that the founders believed in one) and 2. a qualification of precisely how you can be "endowed" with rights. Your argument from authority has nothing to do with the point. It also does nothing to repudiate the obvious observation that your rights are not absolute; you cannot libel, you cannot slander, if you break the law you can lose your liberty.
Like I give a damn what you want, this is not the Religion forum,
all our inalienable Rights are based on the belief they were granted by God.
Do you care to dispute that?
You brought up a creator.
That the founders were deists is a point you brought up that I neither contested or found relevant to my point. What's relevant is your claim that they are inalienable...And they are not inalienable. You can go to jail. In Jefferson's time they had executions. Jefferson himself supported the death penalty, he did not believe that rights were literally inalienable. It was more symbolic, and thus gun control does not violate any fundamental principle. Arguably banning all guns unconditionally would. That's not what the mainstream liberals are advocating.Yes. You cannot commit libel. Therefore your rights are not absolute.
Which explained our Rights DO NOT come from Govt!
You do not have the right of slander, so no, it has nothing to do with the First.
What? Just because the founders believed in a creator doesn't mean a creator existed.And even if you believe otherwise, for all intents and purposes we get rights from our legal system. Think about it; otherwise why are lawyers on both sides furiously debating issues to the Supreme Court, why are you trying to influence Congress's decisions, why are there NRA lobbyists in the government, do you see how you can claim that your rights are technically derived from a creator (which they are not btw), but the practical outcome is that for 99.9999% of human history such rights simply did not manifest.
Sure it does. Your freedom of speech ends where you cause objective harm to someone else. Even your protection from "involuntary labor" is technically superseded in times of war. So while it's unconstitutional to ban guns, how is it unconstitutional to enact gun control if you can establish empirically that such measures promote the general welfare?
Sure we do, but not the unalienable ones, those were set before Govt was established.
Learn your history son. Lying to hurt someone is not covered under free speech.Prove it is!
Tell that to slaves living in the Roman Empire; heck, tell that to slaves living in the United States. The foundation of our rights was a gradual, earthly progress happening at various rates in various societies. Once again, for all intents and purposes we find our rights in law.
Moving the goal post back a millennium I see?We're talking about the US, remember?
You have the Right of free speech, you do not have the Right to trample others Rights with falsities.Am I getting through that thick skull of yours yet?
That's not what an ad hominem is. "Ad hominem" refers to a logical fallacy, not "insults that hurt my feelings".
Wrong. Ad hominem in Latin means literally "to the man" or "toward the person." An ad hominem insult or attack is aimed at a person. It has nothing to do with any sort of argument, and merely describes a statement, usually an insult. The phrase never even approaches logical fallacies or any other problems you might have.
LOL, that's like claiming "thank you" is really an order with the object being the person you're talking to. The commonly used meaning of the latin phrase beyond its literal translation is an abbreviation of "argumentum ad hominem" (note the argumentum cut for brevity that lays waste to your interpretation).Of course, your definition is pointless anyway since "insults" (as though I really made any worse than yours) do not invalidate the logic of an argument. That would be a style over substance distortion.Now that we've gotten that out of the way, do you care to actually respond to my arguments instead of the civility in which I phrase them?
Unless and until you can manage some semblance of civility -- something that seems to have escaped you to date -- no, I don't. Arguing with a bundle of mindless razor blades doesn't appeal to me.
I would invite any civil/rational responses. Thank you.
I don't care to answer your inquiries by the numbers. Sorry if that perturbs you. (Oops! THAT was a lie!)
Your blather makes me tired.
QuoteThat's not what an ad hominem is. "Ad hominem" refers to a logical fallacy, not "insults that hurt my feelings".Wrong. Ad hominem in Latin means literally "to the man" or "toward the person." An ad hominem insult or attack is aimed at a person. It has nothing to do with any sort of argument, and merely describes a statement, usually an insult. The phrase never even approaches logical fallacies or any other problems you might have.
That's not what an ad hominem is. "Ad hominem" refers to a logical fallacy, not "insults that hurt my feelings".


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Health has never been a national priority and it is one reason why we have the highest number of women dying during childbirth and under-five mortality rates, former Union Health Secretary K. Sujatha Rao wrote in her recently-published book "Do We Care? Indias Health System".
Health has never been a national priority and it is one reason why we have the highest number of women dying during childbirth and under-five mortality rates, former Union Health Secretary K. Sujatha Rao wrote in her recently-published book "Do We Care? Indias Health System". Drawing on two decades of work in public health, Rao favours increasing the health budget, greater use of technology and providing leadership and good governance for better healthcare. In an email interview with IndiaSpend, Rao said that with the level of under-funding for health and crowding in of ambitious targets, India will not meet the National Health Policy 2017 targets. Excerpts:
Q: Public health spending is 1.16 per cent of GDP while the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends spending five per cent of GDP. National Health Policy 2017 talks about increasing the spending to 2.5 per cent by 2025 but we haven't met the 2010 target of two per cent of GDP. Why does India's public health funding remain low?
A: Public health spend is low for three reasons: First, lack of political will and the absence of political philosophy that places an individual's health, well-being and education as being central to the development process. Our mindset is still wired to fly-overs and fast trains. Second, the absence of accompanying reforms in the direction of decentralisation, flexibility and greater accountability to enable quicker absorption of funds and utilisation. Thirdly, on the macro-level, we are not collecting enough taxes and have competing demands and liabilities that have constricted space for increasing resources for health.
Also Read: Vaccine-chemotherapy combo offers hope for deadly brain cancer patients
Q: Most of the health targets mentioned in National Health Policy 2017 are the same as in 2002, which were supposed to be met in 2010. Most targets have been repackaged with new deadlines. What went wrong, and how do we ensure that we meet the 2017 targets?
A: We will not meet these targets either… not with the level of funding proposed and the crowding in of too many ambitious targets, indicating an absence of prioritisation. I see no shift in strategy that could accelerate the process for achieving the targets within the time-frame suggested. Our public health systems are too weak to fulfil the many demands being placed on it.
You May Also Want To Watch:
Q: How important is it to regulate the private consultation system that caters to 75 per cent of the country's health needs, as a 2016 Brookings India report showed?
A: Since the 1980s, with the gradual emergence of the economic crisis, India had no option but to allow the entry of the commercialised private sector. The structural adjustment following the IMF loan in 1993 accelerated the process due to severe budget cuts.
Health, unlike other sectors, is fraught with market failures such as the asymmetry of information. These characteristics put limitations on the ability of markets to arbitrate equitably necessitating state intervention. Regulations are critical to protect patient interests and ensure that patient vulnerability is not exploited by the provider… or, as we now see, by the hospital managements.
Q: Talking about the cut in health budgets in the 12th Plan (2015-17), you have said: "…reduced public spending on health and pushing of public-private partnership (PPP) is a dangerous cocktail". Yet, the National Health Policy 2017 talks about partnerships with the private sector to "address specific gaps in public services". Should India focus on strengthening the public sector than on PPPs?
A: PPPs work when the risk is shared. They fail when it is a one-sided game with all benefits taken by one partner and all risks borne by one. PPPs in the health sector seem to be more like the latter case.
Secondly, purchasing of health services is based on a contract that is a legal document. So, when you have restricted budgets and contractual obligations, spending priorities get dictated by the legal commitments and not what is in the immediate interest of the people.
Thirdly, the "gap" is more a huge hole. Private sector is the dominant provider. So, if there has to be a real PPP based on a level playing field, the public sector has to be strengthened.
Q: You have mentioned the lack of public discourse and involvement on health in demanding accountability from policy makers. What are the factors responsible for it, and how do we change it?
A: Lack of understanding or perhaps a belief that illness is our fault. Besides, in a very poor country still struggling for basics, health is not a priority — access to water, food and basic incomes to survive are.
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How to Write a Business Case
There are many things a Sales Professional can do to get sales over the line, and no one strategy or tactic will work every time, however one of the most powerful tools available is to learn how to write a Business Case. Nearly every Sales person rushes to give presentations or prepare a proposal or presentation, yes this works some of the time however if life was so simple every prospect would then place an order and they clearly don't.
Unfortunately many sales people are unsure how to write a Business Case for their products or services and therefore don't. Sales literature, sales presentations, sales proposals, sales quotations are actually one sided, subjective documents that the prospect may or may not believe. We have ourselves learned by our own mistakes the benefits of building a solid business case for sales opportunities, and share these with our clients.
A well constructed Business Case will support any previous sales conversation and in addition will provide the following:
- An opportunity to learn more about the prospects business and situation
- An opportunity to deepen your relationship with the prospect as you work together to write the business case
- A well constructed and objective reasoning for the prospect to take action
- An opportunity to position yourself as an expert by asking insightful questions as you work through the document
- An opportunity to talk with other influencers and decision makers in the prospects organisation
- An opportunity to answer questions from Decision Makers who are not available to speak with
- An opportunity to negate both the status quo and your competition
From experience the only people who know how to write a business case are Enterprise Sales people who are typically working on large accounts, but we can learn from them. There is no doubt that writing a Business Case is time consuming, and it may be overkill for some opportunities, however it's also a great way to qualify a prospect, as if they are prepared to invest their time helping you create the business case then you know for sure they are serious. If you would like to learn how to write a business case you can download by completing the box below.
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"To be Great, you've got to Dream Big. To Dream Big, you've got to make those sacrifices. Go Big or Go Home" - Gary Tan, Singapore National Swim Coach
Sacrifice is unpleasant and undesirable In our modern, self-indulgent culture. Many even go out of their way to avoid sacrifice or minimize it as much as possible.
Yet success in almost every aspect of our lives is dependent upon sacrifice – all the more so with world-class athletes.
In their world, it's only through sacrifice that significant accomplishments have been achieved—be it those recorded in the history books or the many that go unnoticed every day. It's the single most important ingredient found in the very best.
For swimmers, sacrifice is apparent in their daily regimen. They lie in bed recuperating when their friends enjoy a big night out. Before the sun rises, they are on the track or in the pool. When others have dinner, they are back in the pool.
Not convinced? Here's a peek into their schedule – 0500 to 0510 - Wash up 0530 to 0730 - Training 0800 to 1400 - School 1530 to 2030 - Training 2030 onwards - Dinner, school work, recovery
And it's rinse and repeat the next day. They sleep, train, travel and consume nourishment. Time isn't really a luxury, which is unfortunate because we all know we cant ever get time back. Each moment slips away without us noticing. Maybe that's why time is the biggest sacrifice – time with family, friends and even personal time are some things the best swimmers choose to forgo.
"There are sacrifices that you do have to make from time to time. For swimmers, we have to sacrifice a regular social life," says 2011 South East Asia Fastest Man, Russell Ong. "I think of the countless social events I have missed or nights out I have sidestepped, missing my good friend's wedding because of a competition. The list is endless. I do have one free day a week, where I can take my mind off swimming. It's difficult, but I'll rest once I've accomplished what I've set out to do."
Despite the nature of what they do, and how difficult it can be, there is always something driving them forward. "Though it's tough not being able to lead a completely normal life, I would not have preferred it any other way even if given the chance to," says Singapore Olympic Swimmer, Quah Ting Wen. "In my journey as an athlete, I've met people from all walks of life, friends who understand what I'm going through and are part of a similar journey. I feel the pride of being on the same team where I feel like I am really fighting for something bigger than myself."
You might think every top athlete is a little crazy, a little obsessive, maybe even a little selfish and certainly not quite the norm. But it's precisely these choices that set them apart. They are willing to give that extra bit – the heavier stack of weights, the earlier night in or the extra lap – that might inch them closer to the top. And if your dream is to reach the podium, you better be obsessive about your sport. There's no two ways about it.


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These Turkey BLT Wraps are like being a kid again. I can close my eyes and recall all of the afternoon snacks. Wait, is that too much? Listen, I love food, okay!?
Category: Appetizer and Snacks
5 Minute Jalapeño Ranch
My 5 Minute Jalapeño Ranch reminds me so much of a little Mexican restaurant we ate at a lot growing up. They had a special salad that came with half a quesadilla that was perfect for dinner and lunch the next day. While I hardly reach for traditional ranch dressing, I am a sucker for anything jalapeño.