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The storyteller made herself comfortable under the balsam tree, her soft black wings wrapped around her like a cloak. She smiled at the kits that played at her feet. "In those distant days,
in those far-off nights,
the sons of Sea began it…"
Imdugud tacked across the wind with a tilt of his wings, the rich red of the sunset fading behind him. Ahead the sea-cliffs rose, the battering waves throwing spray high enough to wet his furred belly.
The fish in his net wriggled, and he clenched his paws tighter.
"Not far now!" his sister called over her shoulder. Her own load of fish was heavy, and she sank slowly toward the ocean.
Imdugud flicked his whiskers in amusement. "Lazy—" he began.
No warning. A vast shape surged up out of the waves, the red light gleaming on its algae-clad scales, and snatched Imdugud's sister from the sky, net and all.
It was hours later when Imdugud Stormbird returned through the mists to the Double Mountain. Wings rimed with salt, he dropped blindly onto the entrance ledge, then crawled into the cave like an unfledged kitten. "Help," he rasped, his voice broken from keening.
Soon all the children of storm sat in council.
"You went too far out onto the deeps! You must have angered the sea-monsters!" old Shimlil hissed to Imdugud, her wings raised aggressively.
"The spray of the waves on the reefs was wet on my fur," Imdugud protested, lashing his tail.
"We should send a messenger to the sons of men," another insisted. "Ally with them against the children of the Deeps!"
"Pfft! Men are wingless fools—let them build their towers and leave us in peace!"
"But we do not have peace!"
"Enough of your squawking and squabbling." Father Anzu spread the feathers of his mane, then paced slowly forward to rest his forehead against Imdugud's. "We need no help but the Windmaker's. I will speak to Rahbu, the eldest of the sea-children. If he will pay the blood-price, well. If not," he bared his fangs, "we will avenge my daughter by force."
The wings of the stormbirds beat like thunder as the clan rose from the Double Mountain. Straight through the cloaking Mirage they flew, passing in an instant between Mountain and Sea. Gulls scattered from their rocky nests as the winged ones settled on the cliff tops.
Imdugud settled beside his brothers, his claws gouging deep scars into the wet stone. Their fur would not lie flat, nor their tails stop lashing; the sky rang with the music of their growling.
Father Anzu perched on the highest rock, white wings stretched menacingly. "Rahbu Thrice-Armored!" He roared like the lion he resembled, and the wind rose, lashing the waves to a frenzy. "Come up and answer for my daughter's death!"
Imdugud's mane whipped about his face. He glared at the roiling sea. "There!" he hissed.
A dark shape rose ponderously out of the Double Deeps. Rahbu, oldest of sea-monsters, surfaced with a belch and a ten-thousand-toothed grin. "Anzu Sky-knower! What nonsense is this?" His voice creaked like the felling of the Tree of Death.
"My daughter went out to fill her net with fish, and she did not return."
"Children will go their own way." Rahbu blinked his orange eyes malevolently.
"One of yours ate her! Snatched her from the sky!" Imdugud shrieked. "I saw it!" He lunged off the cliff, only to be knocked off-course by his father's pounce.
The old stormbird cuffed his ear. "To your place." He settled back on his rock and smoothed his feathers. "Rahbu, deliver up the murderer for justice."
"War between us, until the debt of blood is paid." Anzu blinked golden eyes, and lightning stabbed the sea.
The sea-monster chuckled. "Then call on your god, Fate-thief. For there shall be war!"
Howling, Imdugud and his brothers launched themselves downward. But Rahbu coughed oil onto the water and ducked below, leaving the sea on fire behind him.
Anzu gathered his singed sons. "We cannot search the Deeps for them, so we must bring them to us. A single captive is all we need."
"We cannot bring up my sister's murderer," Imdugud snarled bitterly. Who knew how many monsters swam in the Deeps? To catch the right one would be a miracle.
"Perhaps not—but Rahbu is their king. If he will not give up the murderer for justice, he must pay the price himself. Hear me! This is what we will do."
As the sun dropped, the clan scattered to the four winds—some to catch tender lake fish, some to seek bronze in the cities of the Fallen.
It was evening, it was morning—and the clans returned. The stormbirds were clever and filled with rage. It did not take them long to set their father's trap. Now Imdugud flattened himself against a sea-slick rock and watched a net of fish swirl in the ocean. Though he and his brothers were hidden in the rocks of the beach, they were careful to keep their paws out of the water. A single feather dipped, and the sea-monsters would taste it.
Water rippled—a young sea-monster nosed up to the net. Then he swallowed it in a single gulp. The stormbirds let out a collective hiss. Imdugud peered into the mist, one foot resting lightly on a great bronze chain.
The monster twitched, then began to thrash. Along with the fish he had swallowed the hook!
"Rise and pull!" Imdugud ordered, grabbing his chain and beginning to backwing as hard as he could. Two of his brothers seized the same chain as Imdugud lifted it out of the water; all around them, dozens more rose into the sky, clutching chains of their own.
The sea-creature twisted and bucked, but cubit by cubit the sky-clan dragged him forward, until he was beached on the rocks. "Hold him there," Anzu roared from atop the cliff. "Remember your places!" Two-thirds of the stormbirds secured their chains and rose unencumbered into the sky while the rest held the captured monster in place.
Rahbu's response came quickly. The Eldest surfaced well out to sea, his bulk not suited to shallower waters. "What madness is on you, sky-knower?" he bellowed, eyes glittering fiercely. "Release my kin!"
"Blood for blood! Give me my daughter's murderer, and this one shall go free!"
Imdugud rose high into the sky. Even great Rahbu dwindled to the size of a tadpole, but Imdugud could still see the gleam of his wicked eyes. His father believed that Rahbu could yet be made to give up the killer, but Imdugud did not believe it.
"Worthless thief! Give me what is mine." Rahbu choked burning liquid onto the water, then surged forward, oil coating his scales and giving him a fiery aura. His wake formed waves that grew as they raced toward the shore. Rahbu would not need to beach himself to kill the chain-holding stormbirds; his fire and waves could do that.
Imdugud folded his wings and dove. The sky itself tried to hold him back, but he narrowed his eyes and continued to drop. The monster grew larger.
Imdugud stretched out his claws.
It was a raking strike made at blinding speed, even as Imdugud threw out his wings and sheared away. One leg broke with a crack, and he wobbled and nearly fell into the sea. Behind him, Rahbu roared. Then Father Anzu was there, catching him, carrying him toward the rocky beach.
Imdugud looked over his shoulder to see the monster, one eye extinguished, lunging after them—but his brothers attacked in a mob, long spears in their claws. Anzu blinked, and lightning stung the creature's massive tail.
With a scream of frustration, the Eldest began to swim for deeper water.
As one-eyed Rahbu sank beneath the water, he cursed the children of the storm:
"By Grandmother Sea I declare it!
One day the ocean will cover all the land—
and then you will have no place to rest your feet!"
Father Anzu was not afraid, but answered and said, "The Windmaker writes all fates! One day there will be no more sea—and then where will you hide?"
But young warrior Imdugud did not think of the future—he roared triumph, even as he wept tears as bitter as the sea.
The story-teller flicked her tail and purred. "And that's the end of the story."
"Did Great Rahbu die?" asked the nearest kit, leaning eagerly against her cloak of wings. His eyes were large and greener than a hurricane sky.
"I did not say so," said the story-teller.
"Then we're still at war with the litans?" Another kit shuddered. "I'm never going to fly over the sea ever!"
"One day I'll have wings like Father Anzu's, and I will make the monsters so scared they will never come out of the Deeps again!" glared the green-eyed kit, stretching out his small wings.
"The Windmaker will write your fate, Ningzidarum," the story-teller said repressively. "To bring down Rahbu would be a deed for a great hero. Now come—it's time to go home."
They set off toward the Double Mountain like a flock of strange birds. Behind them, the clouds darkened. A storm was coming.


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Thursday, October 20, 2011
Miniature Teapots
Just for a change I have sent in a design to the latest Spoonflower competition. It was to make a hanging ornament out of one of their swatches (8 inches by 8 inches). I had a few ideas but decided on Miniature Teapots. I designed 7 of them to fit on a fat quarter of fabric, see 3 of them above. The rest you can see here. Hope you like them! (In a rush no time to write more)
Pubblicato da Dawn Clarkson a 7:16 PM
Etichette: Spoonflower
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subset: commoncrawl


text: TOURING CRUISER. THE PURE THRILL OF THE HORIZON CHASE. For the rider who lives for nothing more than to see the odometer spin like a top, there could be no better machine than the Victory Touring Cruiser. Everything about this ride speaks to setting out, destination unknown, and just going until you can't go anymore. So every Victory Touring Cruiser motorcycle starts with the same thing, the spirit of the drifter. It gets built into every one of these machines. For proof, see the jewel in the center, the Freedom 92/5 engine. We made it strong, to eat big miles. It's equipped with counterbalancers and EFI, so everything is smooth. The rest of the bike follows suit. You get a rubber-mounted, vibration-isolating handlebar to keep arms happy. The front and rear suspensions were recalibrated last year to provide even more comfort. There are cushioned floorboards, freeway bars, highway lights and a windshield to keep gusts off your chest. You'll find lockable, hard saddlebags that are a cinch to open. And standard passenger floorboards. Prices listed are MSRP for stock solid black model. Alternate paint options or additional options may increase price. (CA model: additional cost)


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The MCA BlogConnecting with others one story at a time
Combination Immunotherapy: Finding the Right Sequence and Timing
The sequence and timing of many events in life are critical, including cancer treatments. Many cancers, including mesothelioma, are often treated with a multimodal approach. This can consist of two different treatments, like chemotherapy and surgery, or the same type of therapy with different drugs, like the standard chemotherapy combination for mesothelioma of pemetrexed and platinol.
For these standard treatments, researchers and doctors are already aware of the best sequence and timing for patients to receive these therapies. But when researching new drugs or new combinations of therapies, it's important to step back and consider the biology of how these treatments will work together. Understanding how the drugs' effects will differ when given before or after another, as well as how much time apart they are administered, can have a vast difference on the treatment's efficacy and the patient's survival.
A recent study tested the efficacy of two types of immunotherapy on a mice model, with differing sequence and timing between treatment application. Their results showed great disparities, and highlight the importance of finding the right order and spacing between treatments.
A Look at the Study
In the study, investigators wanted to show the need for controlled clinical trials around immunotherapy combinations to make better progress in finding effective treatments for patients with all kinds of cancer. Researchers examined two types of immunotherapy specifically in their study using mice: a PD-1 inhibitor and an OX40 agonist.
PD-1 inhibitors have also been used in mesothelioma treatment, like the drug Keytruda®. PD-1 itself is a checkpoint protein on T cells, a type of immune cell that attacks cancerous cells. PD-1 acts as an off switch, prohibiting the T cell from attacking normal cells by binding to their corresponding PD-L1 proteins. Many cancer cells present high quantities of PD-L1, thus tricking the T cell into not attacking them. Checkpoint inhibitors block these signals so the cancerous cells can be properly identified and attacked.
OX40 agonists have the opposite effect. This newer type of immunotherapy works by enhancing the T cell's ability to attack. The agonists bind to OX40, one of the co-stimulatory tumor necrosis factor superfamily receptors (TNFRs) that's present on activated T cells. In essence, these receptors can have a big effect on tumor regression. OX40 agonists work by potentially ramping up this T cell activity and hopefully having an even stronger effect on fighting the cancer cells.
Researchers have found certain kinds of cancer don't really respond to immunotherapy. The researchers wanted to find if those who don't see results from PD-1 alone could see positive change with the introduction of another immunotherapy, like the OX40 agonist. They tested these therapies alone and together in different orders and timing of administration to get a sense of the tumor response in every scenario.
As solo treatments, the researchers found the PD-1 inhibitor had no impact on slowing tumor growth in these untreated mice, while the OX40 agonist slowed growth and improved overall survival. They next tested the two treatments together, applying the PD-1 inhibitor first. They were surprised to find the combination had less of an effect than the OX40 alone, diminished the length of survival, and led to bad side effects.
After such unexpected results, the researchers decided to change the sequence of treatment, theorizing that the OX40 agonist could boost the initial antitumor effect of the T cells and then extend the effect with the checkpoint inhibitor. Applying the agonist first and waiting 2 days for the PD-1 treatment, researchers found delayed tumor growth and the best survival outcomes.
In general, they concluded that the sequence and timing of cancer drugs like this can have a profound influence on their impact together, and should be considered throughout the clinical trial process and on a case-by-case basis. By better understanding an individual's unique biomarkers in their tumors, doctors will be able to determine which immunotherapies will have the best antitumor response for that individual case.
Immunotherapy Combinations for Mesothelioma
In the majority of clinical trials so far, immunotherapy has been used in mesothelioma treatment as an individual treatment or in combination with another therapy, like following chemotherapy or a more novel approach before surgery. More recently, a few recruiting clinical trials are testing the combination of a few immunotherapy drugs in the treatment of malignant mesothelioma.
One of these studies will test the application of cancer vaccine CRS-207 with pembrolizumab (Keytruda) for patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma that have seen disease progression after receiving other therapies like chemotherapy. The study will be testing different applications of the immunotherapy drugs for up to 24 months, as long as they can identify sufficient clinical benefit, and safety for the patients.
The study will begin with a cycle of pembrolizumab administered on day 1, and CRS-207 applied the following day. If the treatment is well tolerated, researchers will then try administering the therapies on the same day for the next cycle. Over time, this will switch to one cycle of pembrolizumab every three weeks and one treatment of CRS-207 every six weeks to monitor their overall impact together in tumor growth and survival with various timing.
Several other studies are also emerging looking at the effects of two immunotherapy drugs used in combination. With several of these drugs showing promise in mesothelioma patients already, hopefully this research will lead to the development of more effective treatments.
More Research in Immunotherapy
Overall, these studies show the continued importance in studying and developing these immunotherapy drugs for all kinds of cancer. Understanding how the drugs work individually and together can have a big impact on their effectiveness and patient survival.
Fortunately, this research will soon be getting even more attention through the Cancer Moonshot Initiative. Earlier this month, the National Institutes of Health announced a collaboration with 11 pharmaceutical companies in the so-called Partnership for Accelerating Cancer Therapies (PACT). The collaboration brings a budget of $215 million dedicated to the study and advancement of immunotherapy specifically. The PACT's main focus is around why immunotherapy hasn't worked for everyone and how they can overcome that.
The PACT plans on first prioritizing the study of biomarkers across many clinical trials to understand how and why cancers respond to immunotherapy positively or negatively. They expect this data sharing will allow researchers to more easily decide what drugs to use in combination for certain types of cancer.
Hopefully with the efforts of this partnership along with the clinical trials already in motion, more patients will see the benefits of immunotherapy and we can continue to take steps toward a future without cancer.


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We are your team. We are here to support and assist you and your Corps as your communities journey through smooth and muddy roads.
Major Valerie Carr
Divisional Secretary for Program
Irene Lucas
Divisional Statistician
Charlene Lopez
Strategic Mission Integration Administrator (SMIA)
Rob Moushey
Divisional Music Director
Have any questions? Comments? Suggestions? Write to us! We'd love to hear from you.


text:
My sister is getting married in July and not hiring a professional photographer, the closet person to a professional there will be a very keen amateur who takes wildlife and landscape photos, me! Now I have a problem, I don't like meeting new people, feel claustrophobic in crowds of people and at a wedding there will be a lots of people there. So how can I take photo's that they will be proud of having? Do I just take candid shots? Do I make the most of where someone else has asked them to stand and pose, even if I know that moving them slightly will make a better shot and not just for me? Do I act like I don't care and say screw the other people that's the shot I want I'm going to get it? You can read books, magazines or look online and there are thousands of wedding photography tips but not 1 for those people who don't like being in crowds of new people.
Thanks for any help (apologies if posted in the wrong place)


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Automodular news
Hello there guest! Want to join in on the conversation? Login or register for a forums account by visiting this link.
By dquinton
Posted: Wednesday May 15 11:42:13AM 2013
I bought some personally and in the QIS Trading Summary this morning at $1.35. I don't have the numbers in front of me but I estimated cash at $1.37 per share, working capital at $1.75 per share, and plant and equipment at about $8 million. In addition, you have a dividend next week of $0.06 per share and another year and a half of earnings which should be another $25 million in earnings. Not sure what company plans are for the future or the cash but definitely some value there despite the poor news.
By Josh_Kier
Posted: Wednesday May 15 11:16:35AM 2013
May 14, 2013 17:01 ET
Automodular Corporation: Ford Contract Update
AJAX, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - May 14, 2013) - Automodular Corporation (TSX:AM) ("Automodular" or the "Company") reports that it has been advised by Ford Motor Company ("Ford") that Ford intends to insource the sub-assembly and sequencing services currently performed by Automodular for its new program scheduled to commence in the second half of 2014. Automodular's existing contract with Ford expires June 30, 2014; however Ford has expressed a desire to have the Company continue to provide services until the fourth quarter of 2014. At that time, Automodular expects to close its two remaining operating facilities located in Oakville, Ontario.
The financial impact of the closure is estimated to be an after tax loss of approximately $6 million with the majority of those costs expected to be recorded in 2013. The Company expects some variation in the total costs as a result of the extended length of time between this announcement and the expected facility closures. Automodular will re-examine its cost estimates on a quarterly basis and will revise those estimates as circumstances change or additional information becomes available.
Automodular continues to be focused on its diversification efforts. The Company is starting to see some additional traction in its business development efforts in the wind energy space and is working with external consultants to identify and assess opportunities to leverage its operational skills and financial resources. Should Automodular be unsuccessful in these efforts, the Company will not have active operations following the closure of its Oakville facilities.
Automodular Corporation is a supplier of sub-assembly, sequencing and transportation services to the automotive industry. The Company has two operating facilities and employs approximately 525 people.
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Specific forward-looking statements in the document include those relating to Ford's request that Automodular continues to provide services to Ford until the fourth quarter of 2014, Automodular's expected closure of its facilities, and the financial impact of the closure estimate of $6 million after-tax with the majority of the costs expected to be recorded in 2013. Among the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements include changes in operating plans made by our customer and fluctuations in the estimated exit costs resulting from several factors including changes in staffing and efforts by Automodular to mitigate its financial exposure. Additional factors include market and general economic conditions and the risk factors detailed from time to time in the Company's periodic reports filed with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities and on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Readers are cautioned not to rely on forward-looking statements. Except as required under continuous disclosure obligations, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Automodular does not provide financial outlooks.


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PDF (Acrobat) Document File
Be sure that you have an application to open this file type before downloading and/or purchasing.
Support beginning literacy skills with this fun apple literacy center. This center includes 20 puzzles, and an optional student accountability worksheet. Students will match each beginning sound with an object that starts with that sound. Then they will record the beginning sounds on their recording sheet.
VIDEO PREVIEW: To preview all of the pages, hover over the video with your cursor, click on the diagonal arrows under the video for "full-screen" mode and then click play.
TEACHER-FRlENDLY FEATURES
This resource has been teacher-tested and approved, downloads in a secure PDF file, has an easy prep format, includes blackline versions, works great for small groups, can be used as during mini-lessons, at learning centers or as an individual activity for those who need extra practice.
STUDENT-FRlENDLY FEATURES
This resource has also been kid-tested and approved, uses kid-friendly fonts and graphics, includes an interactive component and has large pieces for small hands.
20 puzzles
Optional student accountability worksheet
Color and blackline versions
Spanish version only
For more info check the comments and ratings below. Happy teaching! - Nicole and Eliceo


text: June 2, 2017 by Terry Today I was sipping my morning coffee and watching the news when I spotted my first televised commercial for the integrated health benefit offered by holistic dentistry (we call this Biological Dentistry in Swiss Biological Medicine circles). This dental center is Clear Choice Dentistry located in Bellevue WA. The story is about a man who says his cardiologist will stop more therapies unless he resolves the contributing factors in his dental condition. The man gets his focal infections resolved and we see a happy ending. Let's hope information about the broad health impact of dental/ jaw toxicity is a new trend. Click the ad I saw: https://vimeo.com/219873454 Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window)Like this:Like Loading... Related


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We're in Bukhara, a faded (now-restored) outpost of the once-vast Persian civilization, and site of one of the last independent Turkic emirates in Central Asia. This is where we stop, take a good look facing west, and turn around.
And to be honest, we're a little happy to be headed back to the Far East, back towards China. We've just found that it's not always that interesting to travel in places where we don't speak the local language. Sure, we can see the sights (which in this case is a lot of astounding architecture), get our picture taken, and have some fun ordering blindly off menus. But not being able to talk to anyone outside the service industry means all we really get to do is lay our eyes on those famous sights (yup, looks like the pictures online–better take our own, though) and maybe eat a few new weird things. Sure, there can be some valuable experiences in all that, perhaps some new insights gained along the way. There surely were some for us. But overall, not being able to talk to people in their own language means being mostly shut out–and thus unable to really visit the place we're visiting. Truth be told, we miss all the repetitive conversations, nonesensical questions, and high-volumed back-and-forths that we get to have in China.
So is there anything to learn from this experience? I think so. The most obvious point is the benefit of learning–really learning–a foreign language. As the cliche goes, doing so unlocks new worlds. But the less obvious point, and perhaps the one worth emphasizing, is that you can likely gain a lot more insight travelling closer to home, where you can really see what's going on, than you can from a fancy trip round the world.
So back toward China, our home for now, we go. On a positive note, we were fortunate to find some great local guides along the way on this section of our trip, so not all was a linguistic blur. And the beautiful remains of Persian, Timurid, and Bukhara Khanate architecture sure are a sight for our temple-ed out eyes. And you know, for two weeks, it was a little nice to be out of the craziness that is China.
But until I learn some darn Russian, or Turkish, or Farsi, that's back where we'll be headed.


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Valuing Water Beyond the Money
JOHANNESBURG, May 29 (IPS) - Amid the worst drought in a century, South Africans are kick-starting a global consultative process to agree on the values of water in a bid to ensure more equitable use of the finite resource.
On May 30, ministers, officials, civil society, business and local regional organisations will gather outside Johannesburg, South Africa, as part of a high-level consultation on water called the "Valuing Water Initiative".
The High Level Panel on Water - first convened by the World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim and then UN secretary general Ban Ki Moon - consists of 11 sitting Heads of State and Government and one Special Adviser, to provide the leadership required to "champion a comprehensive, inclusive and collaborative way of developing and managing water resources, and improving water and sanitation related services".
The HLPW's core focus is to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all, Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6, as well as to contribute to the achievement of the other SDGs that rely on the development and management of water resources.
The members of the panel are Heads of State from Australia, Bangladesh, Hungary, Jordan, Mauritius (co-chair), Mexico (co-chair), Netherlands, Peru, Senegal, South Africa, and Tajikistan.
The South African consultation takes place on May 30, followed by consultations in Mexico, Senegal, Tajikistan and Bangladesh ahead of a global presentation at the Stockholm World Water Week in August 2017.
Global Water Partnership's (GWP) executive secretary Rudolph Cleveringa explained that, as the first in a series of consultations, the South Africa meeting was expected to "set the tone and pace".
"South Africa is extremely committed to the water agenda. South Africa went from an Apartheid policy-driven water policy to a human rights approach. We are very keen to see the country lead not only from a South Africa view but also from a southern Africa perspective," said Cleveringa.
When she presented her budget speech to South Africa's Parliament on May 26, Water and Sanitation Minister Nomvula Mokonyane - acknowledging her participation on the HLPW - said "water knows no boundaries and water can be a social, security and economic catalyst, both nationally and internationally"
Announcing that South Africa, in partnership with GWP and working together with the African Ministers Council on Water (AMCOW), was hosting the regional consultations, Mokonyane said the initiative would "support countries to enhance job creation through investments in water infrastructure and industrialisation".
On the table will be the draft principles that note "making all the values of water explicit gives recognition and a voice to dimensions that are easily overlooked. This is more than a cost-benefit analysis and is necessary to make collective decisions and trade-offs. It is important to lead towards sustainable solutions that overcome inequalities and strengthen institutions and infrastructure."
The meeting takes place as the Western Cape province of South Africa has been declared a disaster area as a result of the drought which has seen dam levels drop to crisis levels. The City recently said its feeder dam levels were at 20.7 percent, with only 10.7 percent left for consumption.
According to the minister, it is the "worst drought in the last 100 years and the severest for the Western Cape in the last 104 years.
"This drought has not only affected South Africa, but also the rest of the world because of global warming, climate change," she said, adding that it would take at least two to three years for the Western Cape to recover.
Cape Town Mayor Patricia de Lille said the city would increase emergency water schemes in the coming months with programmes such as drilling boreholes and exploring desalinisation.
In a recent speech, De Lille emphasised the need for public-private partnerships.
"We need to be innovative and diversify our financing mechanisms and these efforts will require partnership with the private sector," De Lille was quoted as saying.
The city council has introduced Level 4 restrictions - one level below emergency level.
Western Cape-based Surplus People Project CEO Herschelle Milford, whose organisation works to support agrarian transformation, said that the city had blamed migration as a reason for the water crisis in Cape Town.
"However, the biggest consumers of water is industry, then agriculture and then households," she noted. This called for dialogue on how water could be shared equitably among all its users, noted Milford.
"The water crisis is a discussion point in the context of large-scale commercial farmers using irrigation with limited recourse amongst land and agrarian activists," said Milford.
Water was much more than simply about access: "The distribution of water has always been a point of advocacy in relation to the land transformation debate. no land reform without water reform."
Cleveringa said the discussions were being generated from very high international dialogues to discussions at the local level. To this end, the draft principles offer a range of perspectives on how water can be valued.
Not only will the South African dialogue include a host of ministers but regional input will be provided by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Executive Secretary Dr Stergomena Lawrence Tax, as well as various organisations such as Dr Oyun Sanjaasuren, Chair of the Global Water Partnership; and Dr Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank.
SADC head of water Phera Ramoeli said water valuation was a critical component of water resources management as it allowed "policy and planning across all the developmental spectrum".
"The SADC region has 15 Shared Watercourses which accounts for over 70 percent of all the available renewable water resources in the region. If they are properly managed and adequately funded they will ensure the continued availability of these resources for the current and future generations for the various needs and uses that water is put to," he said, noting that water was present in a large number of value chains including agro-processing, mineral processing, pharmaceuticals, energy production, even health.
"Valuing water is important as it will ensure that water resources management, development, conservation and monitoring receives an appropriate share of the national budget," he added.
The water principles being discussed also emphasise the collaborative process to build water champions and ownership at all levels that allows users to meet all 17 of the Sustainable Development Goals.
"We are moving away from valuing water in its fiscal interpretation only. We're not just looking at it in terms of how much does water cost but going beyond this utilitarian approach. The Bellagio principles demonstrate that there is more than just a utilitarian approach to water and we hope that these consultations will draw out those discussions," said Cleveringa.
"The value of water is basically about making choices," he said, adding that this called for "not just a cross-sectoral approach but also all of society input into valuing water".
It is in this discussion that the high level panels aim to provide leadership to champion a "comprehensive, inclusive, and collaborative way of developing and managing water resources, and improving water and sanitation related services".
The dialogues need to generate an open debate on the values of water as well as get regional input to the Bellagio principles.
Over half of the consultations are happening in non-OECD settings that are being led by the global South.
"This sets the right tone for buy-in at multiple levels," said Cleveringa.
© Inter Press Service (2017) — All Rights ReservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service
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Valuing Water Beyond the Money, Inter Press Service, Monday, May 29, 2017 (posted by Global Issues)

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Valuing Water Beyond the Money, Inter Press Service, Monday, May 29, 2017 (posted by Global Issues)


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Ala told an Anadolu Agency reporter that the operation in Sur, the historic quarter of Diyarbakir, came to an end Wednesday afternoon.
Ala stated that the operations were successful and added, "As part of the operation, 243 ditches were filled and roadblocks were lifted and 354 bombs were defused."
He said that many long-barreled weapons, heavy weapons, rocket launchers and ammo, and handmade explosives and grenades were also seized.
The operation saw the district sealed off since early December as security forces fought PKK terrorists and removed ditches and barricades and defused boobytrap bombs.
Police and troops are still searching the area.
According to a statement released by the Turkish General Staff at the weekend, 264 terrorists were killed and 345 explosive devices defused in Sur since the operation began.
Sur was one of a series of towns and neighborhoods targeted in counter-terrorism operations to root out the terror group PKK, which renewed its armed campaign against Turkey in July.
Since then, 290 members of the security forces have been martyred while 1,250 terrorists have been killed in the Sirnak, Diyarbakir, Mardin, and Mus provinces.
Anadolu Agency


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Tuesday, 05 April 2011 04:03 PM
NEW YORK5 - There are 62 ways to balance New York City's budget, from restoring the Staten Island ferry fare to taxing single use plastic bags and raising civil marriage fees, according to a new report by a fiscal watchdog.
Many of the fiscal options analyzed Tuesday by the Independent Budget Office's annual report would not be popular, including bringing back a commuter tax.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who shut a $4.58 billion deficit in the new $65 billion budget that starts July 1, has repeatedly spurned raising taxes, including extending an expiring personal income tax surcharge on the wealthy.
Thanks to the recession, deficit-closing and budget-balancing measures have landed on the front pages given concerns the usually stable $2.9 trillion municipal bond market might suffer a slight rise in a historically low default rate.
The new report found that taxing carried interest, the profits hedge funds glean from managing assets, would produce $200 million. Subjecting insurers' business income to the general corporation tax would raise $300 million.
Green initiatives, like taxing single use plastic bags would produce $94 million, while building a waste-to-energy plant could save $29 million. Restoring the fare for taking the Staten Island ferry would raise $4.8 million. Bringing back the commuter tax that the state axed in the late 1990s would bring in $735 million.
The Independent Budget Office, modeled after the Congressional Budget Office, assessed the fiscal impact of the possible fees and summarized their pros and cons. It did not advocate whether they should be implemented.
Some states, including Illinois, California and Connecticut are weighing tax increases, while others, including New York and New Jersey, have rejected that strategy.
(Reporting by Joan Gralla; Editing by Andrew Hay)
© 2019 Thomson/Reuters. All rights reserved.
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The second annual Costa Mesa mayor's dinner will take place May 8 at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts.
The event, dubbed "Celebrating the Art of Leadership," will be held in the center's Samueli Theatre beginning at 5:30 p.m.
This year's honorees are Costa Mesa's first female mayor, Norma Hertzog, and the co-founders of South Coast Repertory, David Emmes and Martin Benson.
The founders of South Coast Collection, Scott Burnham and Bryon Ward, are slated to receive the Art of Leadership Award.
Hertzog was first elected to the City Council in 1974. In 1986, she left office after three terms to run her preschool.


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"The kitchen is the heart of a home."
That phrase could not have been truer with my family. Unlike many of my friends growing up, dinner was at the same time every night and the entire family sat down together. No TV, no newspapers or magazines; just my mom, dad, and two older brothers. Some of my fondest memories growing up are around the dining room table. Dinner time was a way to connect and talk about our day, a way to share the important and exciting (and even the mundane) things that happened to us. We would often talk and laugh long after everyone was finished eating. In fact, the majority of our memories that start with "remember that time when…" often occurred in the heart of the home.
When I met the man who is now my husband and father to my child, I knew after our first date that he and I were perfect for each other. Our first date was not to dinner and a movie. Nor was it a romantic walk in the park. We spent the entire date…at a grocery store. Walking up and down the isles of the new Central Market, oohing and ahhing over exotic foods from other countries, taking in the splendor of the largest bulk section we had ever seen, we bonded over large commonality of our upbringing and greatest joys – food.
Still today, every family get together is spent in the kitchen grazing, laughing and talking for hours at a time. We often plan the menu for family gatherings weeks in advance, pouring through cook books and sifting through recipes clipped from newspapers and magazines like Pavlovian dogs. This may sound odd to some, but for our family, food is far beyond nourishment for the body; it is nourishment for the soul. It's a large part of who I am, and it didn't happen by accident.
My mother has always loved food; both eating and preparing it. As a young girl, I would sit on the counter while she busily chopped, whisked and sautéed, explaining her every move as if she was training her own little sous chef. Just like her, I was always interested in food. In fact, my first phrase was "mmm, that's good" and my first cook book was a Valentine's Day gift from my mother when I was only eight years old. I spent much of my childhood in the kitchen, playing underfoot. My mom even had a designated cabinet free from child locks where she kept kid-friendly kitchen utensils, plastic bowls and containers and a small box of toys for us explore while she prepared a meal. To her, it was a common sense way to safely watch and entertain us while she whipped together the family meal. Little did she know, it was one of the greatest learning experiences she provided.
While the most obvious lesson I learned was how to actually cook, I did not realize until adulthood that the hours spend in the kitchen shaped my core values. Growing up, I assumed all families sat down as a family every night to eat and spent quality time together. For my generation, this was not the case. The 1970s and 1980s is marked by more mothers joining the work force, computers and cable – the ME generation. Many families were too busy to sit down together at meal time; many just didn't care to try. Fortunately, that trend has been steadily reversing. In a 2009 study done by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, 59 percent of teens report having dinner with their families five nights a week, up from 47 percent in 1998[i]. This is encouraging research, as the benefits of a "family meal" (i.e. better grades, decreased chances of obesity and substance abuse, less stress, etc.) have been touted for years.
When my daughter was born my husband and I made a pact that we would all sit down and eat dinner together every night it was possible. This started before she was eating real food, and is now the highlight of my day. Every night while I am cooking she is playing at my feet, taking toys from her own designated kitchen cabinet. Just like my family when I was growing up, we spend the majority of our time in the kitchen. It's more than a place to eat – it is truly the heart of our home, the place that brings everyone together. It's the reason I have created this site. To share not only my love of food, but how it – that essential part of everyone's lives – is the tie that binds us all. My hope is to take this philosophy on life, and use it to spread the family centered values I was raised on to my children and her generation. My daughter, just like me and my mother, will be RAISED IN THE KITHCEN.


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February 14, 2019
Come and see St. John Vianney Seminary at University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota February 14-16, 2019!
This is a weekend for men age 17-24.
Experience the real world of seminary: attend Mass, prayer, spiritual conferences with priests, hear testimonies from seminarians, take a tour of the campus along with many other activities.
To register for this weekend or learn more about other upcoming seminary visits, please email Father Ross Parker or call 515-237-5050.


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How to Obtain an Absentee Ballot in West Stockbridge
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If you will be unable to be present during regular voting hours, you may obtain an absentee ballot by visiting the Town Clerk during regular office hours. You may also come by the Town Offices during regular hours and pick up an application for an absentee ballot. The applications are available just outside the Town Clerk's window and you may deposit the completed application in the Town Clerk's Drop Box which is also located just outside the Town Clerk's window.
If you need further information, you may contact the Town Clerk during her regular office hours or leave a phone message on the Town Clerk's answering machine and you will be contacted as soon as possible.
The West Stockbridge Town Hall and Offices are located at
21 State Line Road
West Stockbridge, MA 01266
Further information about absentee ballots can also seen by clicking on the link below which will connect you to a webpage provided by the Secretary of Massachusetts.
Town of West Stockbridge
21 State Line Road, West Stockbridge, MA 01266
Virtual Towns & Schools Website


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Having a name as CHLORODIFLUOROMETHANE compound which is a compound from
the class of HCFCs. Freon gas is colorless, usually used as a
propellant and a refrigerant. Freon R22 is being phased out i..
1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane (also known as norflurane (INN), R-134a, Freon
134a, Forane 134a, Genetron 134a, Florasol 134a, Suva 134a, or
HFC-134a) is a haloalkane refrigerant with thermodynamic pro..
Chlorodifluoromethane or difluoromonochloromethane is a
hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC). This colorless gas is better known as
HCFC-22, or R-22. It is commonly used as a propellant and refrigerant...
R-407c is a mixture of hydrofluorocarbons used as a
refrigerant. It is a zeotropic blend of difluoromethane (R-32),
pentafluoroethane (R-125), and 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (R-134a)...
R-410A, sold under the trademarked names Suva 410A, Forane 410A, Puron,
EcoFluor R410, Genetron R410A, and AZ-20, is a zeotropic, but
near-azeotropic mixture of difluoromethane (CH2F2, called R-32..
Freon™ 507 is an HFC replacement option for R-22 and R-502 in commercial
refrigeration systems. It provides very similar performance to R-502
over the entire operating range...
R-32 is a next generation refrigerant that efficiently carries heat and has lower environmental impact.
Refrigerant is a medium for conveying heat.
Although there are various types o..


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Amy Writing Awards 1st Place Winner
Chicken Soup for the Soul Contributor
Featured on CBN's 700 Club &
Joyce Meyer's Enjoying Everyday Life Show
Christina Ryan Claypool
New Creations
P.O. Box 711
Tipp City , OH 45371-0711
Christina interviewing Christian comedienne Chonda Pierce, a lady who can make anybody laugh.
Christina Ryan Claypool is a seasoned author and speaker with a miraculous story to tell. She has been featured on Joyce Meyer Ministries' Enjoying Everyday Life TV program and CBN's 700 Club.
She is also a two-time Chicken Soup for the Soul contributor, and was thrilled that her story, "Mom's Dream House," is part of the Chicken Soup for the Soul: Best Mom Ever 2017 book.
She is also a past $10,000 Amy Writing Awards winner, and 2014 Ohio Associated Press Media Editor Awards recipient, but her life was not always so blessed.
As a teenager, she supernaturally survived a near fatal suicide attempt, but was then confined to a state mental institution with little hope for the future. After years of continued hospitalization and several more serious suicide attempts, Christina was finally released from psychiatric care. She hid her past, masking the torment with tranquilizers and alcohol.
In 1986, after obtaining a college degree and success in the corporate world, Christina was again hospitalized for depression, but on that psychiatric ward she became a Jesus follower, and her life changed dramatically.
Today, Christina speaks and writes about the pathway of healing for those who struggle with the effects of sexual, verbal and physical abuse; aging, addiction, and mental illness, among many other topics.
Her book, Seeds of Hope for Survivors subtitled For everyone who has ever been brokenhearted, addicted, or a victim, has been endorsed by Ginger Stache. With almost two decades of experience in media, including years as a Christian television producer and reporter, Christina has interviewed many Christian celebrities. Personally, she has had the opportunity to host and produce local TV specials for WTLW TV 44. For over a decade, Christina has also written the Inspire column for Our Generation's Magazine, and is also a freelance newspaper columnist.
Her first novel, Secrets of the Pastor's Wife, is an entertaining and suspenseful read designed specifically to promote emotional and spiritual healing and is scheduled to be released in Fall 2018.
She earned a B.A. in Business Administration at Bluffton University, Bluffton, Ohio, In 2005, she completed a graduate degree in the Master of Ministry program at Mt. Vernon Nazarene University, where she has served as a past adjunct instructor in the MVNU Communications Department. www.MVNU.edu.
Her 2016 project titled "52 churches in 52 weeks," chronicled her journey of visiting a different church each week for a year, and is available in booklet form.
She has spoken at churches, prisons, women's meetings, and in a Haitian revival. She has also hosted TV broadcasts, and emceed at fairs and banquets, but her favorite things are drinking coffee, eating chocolate, and hanging out with her precious family.
The Family
While her professional life was successful, Christina's personal life consisted solely of being a single parent to her only child, Zach, who is now an adult. But God was not finished blessing her. Christina spent over a dozen years as a single mom, then she met Larry James Claypool in October of 2000. Larry, who was 47 at the time, had prayed for a wife for decades, and had never married, trusting God to bring the right woman into his life. The couple recently celebrated their 16th anniversay. Larry is employed as an Ohio Public Schools Superintendent. As for Zach, he is a grown man who would make any Mama proud!
Wedding Day June 2002, and on our 13th anniversary in 2015
With son Zach
Copyright by Christina Ryan Claypool, www.christinaryanclaypool.com 2009.
All rights reserved. Web Hosting by Yahoo!
Christina Ryan Claypool
New Creations
P.O. Box 711
Tipp City , OH 45371-0711


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This past weekend Tiffany and I held space for 13 Sister Success Mastermind women. They came from Hawaii, Canada, New York, New Jersey, and North Carolina.
These women made a conscious decision to carve out time away from their work and their family to join us on a 4-day retreat.
Our sisters intuitively knew that coming together in sisterhood, on retreat, is what creates magic and allows massive healing and transformation to occur.
This week I share with you two conversations Tiffany and I had around our love for sisterhood and our devotion to healing. We invite you to consider these two important concepts being honored on retreat.
Soul Conversation with Sora + Tiffany: Love of Sisterhood
Soul Conversation with Sora + Tiffany: Love of Healing
We have one last video we would love to share next week about socially conscious entrepreneurship. Look forward to us sharing our thoughts then!
Join the Sacred Circle Path Facebook Community and share your thoughts about travel, sisterhood, and healing.


text: If the rather boring pic above is not a fake, then we might have our first bit of confirmed hardware tech in the Samsung Galaxy S5. The EXIF data for the above leaked pic seems to suggest it came from Samsung's next flagship device. The EXIF data also reveals that the camera will likely be a 21MP beast. This is obviously even more powerful than the rumored 16MP. The model number for this device is the Samsung SM-G900V, which previous intel suggests is the Verizon version of the SGS5. Here's a quote with some of the details, What do you guys think? Most savvy camera users know that improved Mega Pixels don't necessarily make a camera superior, but this would be a huge upgrade from the current tech if the rest of the components and software are built to match. Of course, the EXIF data could be fake, so for now it makes for interesting speculation... Source: UnWiredView


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Social Media Metrics That Actually Matter
Let's start off with a little startup heart-to-heart: building a business is hard work. It often involves long hours, thankless grunt work, and very little in the way of an immediate payoff. Moving the needle on the 'big things' -- customer acquisition, user retention, lead generation, etc. -- can take time, leaving you to go for long stretches without the satisfaction of immediate validation that comes from seeing your numbers move 'up and to the right.'
For that reason, I'm not terribly surprised to see startups falling into the trap of using vanity metrics to measure their marketing -- but I am disappointed.
Looking at these sneaky metrics (ex: follower count) can really make an entrepreneur feel good -- "progress at last!" they think, as they eagerly plug these shiny new numbers into their latest investor report. The problem is that they're not actually a real indicator of progress or success. They merely give the illusion of success.
In this article, we're going to help you cut through the BS and come out on the other side, equipped to measure and track the social media metrics that matter with precision and put a game plan in place to leverage the power of social to achieve tangible business goals.
Bonus! Download our exclusive list of 10 free tools to track the social media metrics that matter here.
The Ugly Side of Social Media Metrics
A few years ago, TechCrunch ran a piece titled Don't Be Fooled by Vanity Metrics, which had one of the best and the simplest definitions that I've seen of what a 'vanity metric' is: "[metrics that] are easily manipulated, and do not necessarily correlate to the numbers that matter: active users, engagement, the cost of getting new customers, and ultimately revenues and profits." These include:
- Number of followers
- Number of 'likes' and 'retweets'
- Page views
- Comments and shares
A perfect example is the great Instagram shakedown of 2014, when spam accounts were removed from the platform, causing a near-universal drop in followers. Sure, a higher follower count might look great on paper, but if your goal is to promote sales of your product through the platform, and most of your followers aren't real people with real money to spend, those inflated numbers don't do anything for you.
Like I said, I understand the desire to lean on them when measuring the results of your social media marketing -- it can feel great. (And, it's easy.) But remember that what feels good isn't always what's best for you, and sometimes what feels good can actually hurt you. These inferior metrics are particularly insidious, because they take your focus away from the real task at hand. Unfortunately, I believe that many startups get distracted by these 'shiny objects' precisely because they don't know quite what the task at hand -- the 'why' and the goals behind their social media efforts -- is.
When you're not clear on where you're going, it's awfully easy to get wildly lost.
Start (Over) With Why
If you have been relying on vanity metrics -- in whole or in part -- to measure the effectiveness of your social media presence, and have come to this article in search of a few new tactics that you can tack on to your existing measurement systems in the hope of making them more effective, I've got some bad news for you: it's not going to work.
Why? Because you will be building on a shaky foundation, one that will not be able to support you as you grow. No matter how many tools, tips, or meaningful social media metrics that we share with you in this article, if you're just tacking them on to an outdated strategy that emphasizes quick wins over real ROI, you're not going to get very far.
Useful measurement starts with having the right mindset -- and that might require you to start (over) with why.
Social media is not an end, but a means. Vanity metrics is the ultimate case of losing the forest for the trees: focusing so closely on the success of the tactic that you forget that you're working towards a bigger goal. In order to avoid this trap, it is essential that any new campaign or strategy be grounded in a specific business objective. That objective -- or 'why' -- becomes your accountability framework, forcing you to measure success against something clear and tangible.
At Onboardly, we've found that startups who come to us looking to grow their social presence have one or more of the following objectives in mind:
1. Awareness
2. Customer Acquisition
3. Relationship Building
Within these broad objectives, they often have smaller goals like establishing thought leadership, building relationships with influencers, or collecting customer feedback for development purposes. When you are identifying these goals and putting measurement systems in place to monitor your progress, it's important to remember where social media falls in your broader sales funnel, and set realistic goals based on that. To illustrate, let's use an example of a B2B business selling bookkeeping software with a sales funnel looks like this:
Tweet link to product webinar --> Sign up for webinar --> Take webinar --> Follow up with sales link --> Purchase
Social media falls pretty high in that sales funnel, so making the goal of your social efforts to increase sales by X% is a recipe for failure. Instead, a more reasonable goal would be to increase webinar signups by X%.
Even the most abstract objectives -- like 'build relationships' -- can be broken down into progressively smaller goals, each with its own 'conversion' point. That is where the meaningful metrics can be derived from.
From Goals to Measurable Metrics
"Okay," you're probably thinking at this point, "I can set goals, but with tools that can measure almost any data point I want, how do I pick the right ones for me?"
Enter a 2011 blog post written by Digital Marketing expert, Avinash Kaushik. In this article, Kaushik proposed a universal set of metrics that can be used across social platforms that would allow brands and businesses to better track and measure their engagement on social media. Although it's 'old' by internet standards, it is still being used today by respectable companies like Buffer and Moz. While you may need to go deeper and add additional metrics to your measurement system as you develop your social presence, Kaushik's system is a great jumping-off point to get you used to meaningful numbers.
Here is a breakdown of the four "engagement metrics" that Kaushik suggests monitoring and how they relate to the three most common social media goals for startups (awareness, customer acquisition, relationship building).
1. Conversation Rate
Although this might be a simple metric to track (Conversation Rate = # of Audience Comments (or Replies) Per Post), it is tremendously useful for measuring your progress towards the abstract objective of "building relationships."
I would encourage you to go a step further than Kaushik's metric and monitor your Conversation Rate separately for two different groups: your general community, and your influencers. This will likely require some manual measurement -- starting with an influencer list -- but it will be worth it when you can quantify your progress towards building relationships with influencers.
Your Conversation Rate is also indirectly tied to your customer acquisition goals, as social platforms are an important tool for nurturing your leads, answering questions about your product, or providing the kind of support that leads to user retention.
2. Amplification Rate
Much like Conversation Rate, Amplification Rate is a great metric for measuring something intangible like brand awareness. Simply put, it is the number of times a piece of content is shared (retweets on Twitter, shares on Facebook, reposts on Instagram, reblogs on Tumblr, etc.). As Kaushik explains, this is valuable information:
"As you post and tweet and you rock and you roll, measure what pieces of content (type) cause amplification (allow your social contributions to spread to your 2nd, or even 3rd, level network). Understand times and geo locations and topics and things. Then do more of the type that increase amplification."
Amplification Rate is also good for monitoring the ROI of your relationship-building work with those influencers. Remember: an influencer is only an influencer for you when they share something of yours to a group over which they have influence.
3. Applause Rate
This is pretty much what it sounds like: the number of 'endorsements' that your post receives ('likes' on Facebook and Instagram, 'favs' on Twitter, '+1s' on Google + etc.)
And now we need to acknowledge the elephant that just entered the room: you are probably thinking "hey, isn't this a vanity metric?" The answer to that question depends on what you do with your Applause Rate. If you give it an occasional quick glance and use it as an ego boost, it's definitely a pointless metric. But if you use it as a research tool to gather insight on what your community likes and doesn't like, it becomes more valuable.
I will acknowledge that the Applause Rate was probably a truer indication of community sentiment when Kaushik first published his theory -- when organic reach for Facebook posts hadn't yet been decimated and there were less people on Twitter, but it can still be a helpful gauge.
4. Economic Value
Hold on to your hats, because this is the most complicated of the four, but also the most exciting. This is where the objective of customer acquisition comes into play. Or, as Jay Baer says, the metric that measures the conversion from eyeballs to action.
Essentially, Economic Value is the sum total of the value of conversions that come from your social efforts. Kaushik breaks them down into two types of conversions: macro (sales, essentially) and micro (lead generation -- signups, downloads, etc.). For best results, create Google Analytics goals for each of your macro and micro conversion points. You'll be able to measure your performance by referral source and more.
When considering Economic Value, I'll remind you again to keep in mind where social media falls in your funnel. More often than not, social media lives near the top of the funnel, so setting goals that have specific dollar amounts attached to them doesn't make much sense.
Where does social fall in your funnel?
You know the saying "what gets measured, gets managed"? That's only true if you have a plan in place for managing what is getting measured. Metrics are not just a tool for observing what is, but for exploring what could be, with a few changes.
When setting up a goal-oriented measurement framework for your social media marketing, it is imperative that you put a plan in place for not only pulling and reporting numbers, but also for making decisions based on what you find. Decisions to tweak a landing page, to focus on image posts, to post only in the mornings, to alter your influencer strategy, and so on. Do yourself the favor early on of putting a formal feedback loop in place that includes scheduled periodic check-ins where you look over your numbers and decide as a team if anything needs to change, and what that change should be.
Once you have that in place, the next step is to create a plan for how you will nurture the leads that come in from social channels at the top of your funnel. For example, if you tweet a link encouraging people to sign up for your weekly newsletter, do you have a welcome email in place set up to greet them and encourage them to check out more of your content?
Playing the Social Media Long Game
It really all comes down to one question: are you on social for the quick win, or are you on social for the long-term growth opportunities?
Since social media sits so high in most sales funnels, the key is to promote repeat engagement with your community. This consistent contact is what will build the trust in your brand, the awareness of your offerings, and the sense of connection that is necessary to inspire your followers to convert and become customers. For this reason, it is important to base all your short term goals on a long-term vision and commit to actively honing your social media efforts over an extended period of time.
One of the best examples of a goal that needs a long-game strategy is influencer engagement. Influencers -- individuals or organizations with a large following who see them as a reliable source of information -- are an integral part of any social media strategy, because they are the gateways to new networks that can exponentially increase your reach...if you can get them to amplify your content. This absolutely will not happen overnight, at least not in any consistent ways.
The reason influencers are so trusted and respected is that they have carefully curated the information that they share with their followers, ensuring that each message is relevant and useful to them. For an influencer to be willing to share your content, they need to be comfortable with you, believe in the value that you provide, and they need to feel certain that you will be able to deliver on your offerings. In order to establish that trust, you need to be regularly in their field of view, which can be done by:
- sharing their content,
- mentioning them in blog posts (and the tweets promoting them),
- engaging them in conversation,
- and taking part in their Twitter chats.
The key is to break down the long-term vision (ex: having a strong relationship with five key influencers who are happy to do you a favor and share a link when you ask by the end of the year) into short-term goals that will help you stay on track towards that larger objective (ex: have the influencers follow you, have each influencer retweet one post of yours per month).
Influencer marketing is a great way to develop your long-term vision/short-term goals mentality, which can then be applied to the rest of your social media efforts.
Bonus! Download our exclusive list of 10 free tools to track the social media metrics that matter here.
Don't Be Scared, Social Media Metrics Are Your Friend
I'm sure that many of the folks out there who clicked on this article found their way here because they aren't quite sure where to start when it comes to metrics and reporting for social media. They might be marketers who feel more confident crafting messages than pulling analytics reports, or entrepreneurs who don't yet have the money to hire a social media person and are trying to teach themselves a new skill as they go. I'm willing to bet that lots of them have not yet put any real measurement systems in place because they feel confused and overwhelmed in a sea of data.
If that sounds like you, I hope you have now realized that metrics aren't just a meaningless array of numbers that only data specialists can make sense of. At the end of the day, each one is simply a human interaction, quantified. And I truly believe that it is those who see metrics through that lens -- as human interactions, not as numbers to be played with -- that will have lasting success with social media.
Ready to take the Official Onboardly No-More-Vanity-Metrics Pledge of 2015? Tweet the message below to let your community know that you are taking a stand against meaningless metrics!
[Photo credit: Scott Akerman]


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Home > Year 3&Year 4 Teacher Primary Harrow North West London Jan 2019
**Year 3/4 Primary Teacher-Key Stage 2 Teacher – Harrow- North West London- January 2019
**Are you a recent NQT or an experienced Teacher, teaching in KS2 either during your placement or you most recent role?
**Are you looking for a full time, long term position for this September 2018?
* Job Title:- Year 4 Teacher/Primary/Key Stage 2 * January 2019 * Immediate Start * Long Term/ Full time/ Permanent * Ofsted 'Good' with Outstanding elements * NQTs' are welcome * Location:- Wandsworth * MPS/UPS inner London
An exciting opportunity at a Primary School based in Harrow has just arisen, to begin next academic year. This is a high-achieving yet warm and welcoming Primary school. This school are searching for a Key Stage 2 teacher to teach in either Year3 or Year 4, dependent on the suitability of the candidate. There are ample opportunities at this school for TLR and further responsibilities.
This opportunity is suitable for Newly Qualified Teachers (NQT's) and those with more experience (QTS). Ideally, the Key Stage 2 teacher will be familiar with and have previously taught the UK curriculum.
This Primary school have been commended by OFSTED for their established senior leadership team and excellent behaviour within the school. This school is an all inclusive, diverse mainstream primary school that are supportive and attentive with new staff members joining their team. This support will be demonstrated through when teachers are planning for lessons, as power points will be shared between KS2 teachers in order to combine ideas and reduce work-load.
The successful candidate will be responsible and represent the Year 3/ 4 class; this particular class consists of pupils who are calm, settled and strong keen to have an enthusiastic nurturing teacher. The Head Teacher allows all teachers to have creative freedom with their lessons. The Key Stage 2 teacher appointed will be expected to offer engaging and forward-thinking lessons with the help of their teaching assistant in class.
The successful candidate will be carefully selected and should hold specialist subject interests, intellect and ambition to develop as a teacher as well as helping their pupils. The Primary school in Harrow promises to offer exceptional professional development opportunities, providing access to a wide variety of training courses to ensure a continuing advancement in teacher's career. The Key Stage 2 teacher will become a part of a warm, welcoming environment, with an enthusiastic, motivated and knowledgeable team.
If you are interested in applying for this position, please submit your CV, OR, alternatively please email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Interviews will start immediately.
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AMF Xtreme Bowling From Superscape And Vir2L Available Today To Verizon Wireless V CAST Customers
SAN CLEMENTE, CA, ROCKVILLE, MD and BEDMINSTER, NJ — Superscape Group plc (LSE: SPS), the world's leading 3D mobile games publisher, Vir2L Studios, a ZeniMax Media company, and Verizon Wireless, the nation's leading wireless provider, today announced the availability of AMF Xtreme® Bowling on Verizon Wireless' new V CAST wireless broadband multimedia service. V CAST from Verizon Wireless is the first true 3G wireless broadband consumer multimedia service in the country, allowing customers to view crystal clear graphics for 3D games and short content because it runs on Verizon Wireless' Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO) network the only widely available wide-area wireless broadband network in the United States. The V CAST coverage area, which mirrors Verizon Wireless' EV-DO network, is available in more than 30 major metropolitan markets and covers more than 75 million people.
AMF Xtreme Bowling allows players to choose from the classic wood lanes to the neon-flashing Xtreme lanes that are representative of the AMF Bowling emporiums located all over the world. Gamers have the ability to bowl against friends or AI (artificial intelligence) players. AMF Xtreme Bowling combines a classic favorite with some of the most advanced mobile gaming graphics available today, delivering an exciting and engaging gaming experience to V CAST customers.
"We're very excited that AMF Xtreme Bowling will be available to Verizon Wireless V CAST customers," said Kevin Roberts, chief executive officer of Superscape Group plc. "We are confident that Verizon Wireless V CAST customers will enjoy the challenging and addictive gameplay of this bowling title. As the demand for 3D games rapidly grows, we are delighted that Superscape is positioned at the forefront of this market."
"This game is a great way for AMF to extend the reach of our brand both inside and outside the bowling industry," said Ron Wood, general manager of AMF Consumer Products.
"AMF Xtreme Bowling is an exciting addition to our 3D game lineup and the console quality of the game from Superscape and Vir2L, combined with the power of the 3G network V CAST runs on, means that we are able to deliver a truly unique and innovative mobile experience," said John Stratton, vice president and chief marketing officer for Verizon Wireless.
For $15.00 monthly access added to their Verizon Wireless calling plan, customers get the V CAST VPak that includes unlimited access to a wide array of more than 300 daily updated video clips from leading content providers. Unlimited basic video clips are included, but application download fees apply for 3D games, premium video clips and all other Get It Now® applications. There are no airtime charges to download or stream and watch video clips and other V CAST content. Verizon Wireless V CAST customers also receive monthly access and unlimited browsing on Verizon Wireless' Mobile Web 2.0 SM news and information service. In addition, customers can choose from premium video clip content, available at additional cost that includes music videos and more.
For a limited time, customers who sign up for V CAST will receive two months of service free. V CAST's array of hot new multimedia programming is located in the Get It Now virtual store customers can access video from favorite news, sports and entertainment providers in the getVIDEO shopping aisle and check out new cutting-edge 3D games in the getGAMES aisle. V CAST also gives customers unlimited airtime to browse and view applications in the other familiar Get It Now shopping aisles such as getTONES and getGOING.
AMF Xtreme Bowling is available in the getGAMES shopping aisle of the Get It Now virtual store for $2.49 monthly access or $8.99 for unlimited use purchase. V CAST customers can find AMF Xtreme Bowling on three new 3G EV-DO phones available today the LG VX8000 from LG Mobile Phones is the featured phone and is available to Verizon Wireless customers for $199.99 after $70 rebate with a two-year customer agreement. V CAST customers can also find AMF Xtreme Bowling on the Samsung a890, which is $249.99 after a $70 rebate with a two-year customer agreement, and the CDM8940 from UTStarcom Personal Communications (formerly Audiovox Communications Corp.) for $229.99 after a $70 rebate with a two-year customer agreement.
For more information about Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.
(EDITORS: High-resolution images of AMF Xtreme Bowling on V CAST are available online. Log on to www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia to preview and request images.)
About Verizon WirelessVerizon Wireless owns and operates the nation's most reliable wireless network, serving 43.8 million voice and data customers. Headquartered in Bedminster, NJ, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). Find more information on the Web at www.verizonwireless.com. To receive broadcast-quality video footage of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.
About AMF Bowling WorldwideAMF Bowling Worldwide, Inc is the largest owner and operator of bowling centres in the world, with about 385 US bowling centres and over 100 international bowling centres. AMF also manufactures and sells bowling equipment and consumer bowling products.
About Vir2L StudiosVir2L Studios LLC (www.Vir2L.com) is an award winning developer of interactive content for the Internet, broadband, wireless devices and mass-market connected devises. Winner of two Clio Awards and the Gold Cannes Cyber Lion, Vir2L Studios is the wireless games provider for Bethesda Softworks LLC, a leading PC and console game publisher and developer. Vir2L Studios and Bethesda Softworks are wholly owned subsidiaries of ZeniMax Media Inc. Among Vir2L's more popular wireless franchises are The Elder Scrolls Travels® series, IHRA Drag Racing, and Ducati® Extreme motorcycle racing.
About SuperscapeSuperscape is the world's leading 3D mobile games publisher. The company was the first in the world to develop and launch international standard (JSR 184) compliant solutions for the delivery of innovative games on mass-market handsets. Superscape's 2D and 3D games are available from the majority of global network operators. The company's technology has been adopted by Siemens, Samsung and Motorola and Superscape's portfolio of games is based on many well-known brands including those from 20th Century Fox, Universal, Sony and Activision.
Superscape is quoted on the London Stock Exchange and has corporate offices in Hook, Hampshire (UK), San Clemente, California (USA) and Moscow. www.superscape.com
AMF Xtreme® Bowling © 2005 Vir2L Studios LLC, a ZeniMax Media company. Vir2L and ZeniMax are registered trademarks of ZeniMax Media Inc. Distributed under license from AMF® Bowling Worldwide, Inc. AMF® and AMF Xtreme® logos, marks and designs are the registered trademarks or trademarks of AMF® Bowling Worldwide, Inc. Copyright 2005 Superscape Group plc. Superscape, Swerve and the Swerve logo are registered trademarks of Superscape Group plc. All Rights Reserved.####


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Aussies have dedicated their afternoon cuppa and biscuit to slain bride-to-be Stephanie Scott on what would have been her 28th birthday.
After school cleaner Vincent Stanford was on Thursday sentenced to life in prison for her rape and murder, Ms Scott's mother, Merrilyn, urged people to celebrate her life.
"We will be having a cup of tea and a Mint Slice biscuit at three (on Friday). Please join us," she said.
Ms Scott's sister, Kim, on Friday posted a photo of a cup of tea - the slain woman's favourite beverage - and a packet of Mint Slice biscuits alongside photos of the family and a note saying ""Have a cuppa for our Stephanie ... Forever 26".
The town of Leeton jumped to the call, with supermarkets telling AAP many locals had rushed to buy the sweet treats and some of the town's cafes had dedicated afternoon tea to Ms Scott.
Twitter and Instagram users did the same in posts tagged #cuppaforsteph and #StephanieScott.
Her friends and family exclaimed "yes" in the Griffith courthouse when Supreme Court Justice Robert Allan Hulme sentenced Stanford to die in prison this week.
"I am satisfied that this is a case of murder that clearly falls within the worst category," he said.
Mrs Scott, who wore a yellow brooch - her daughter's favourite colour - appealed to media to let their family mourn in private.
"We need to be kind to ourselves and let the music and fun back in," she said.
"We need to be able to fade from public view, to mourn our beautiful girl and work our way through our grief."


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The Town of Colchester has bonded to build a new police station, but the question of whether it will be built on school property has been the subject of some debate.
The original multimillion-dollar, three-phase facilities upgrades initiative in the Town of Colchester was to upgrade the town garage, build a new town office building, and upgrade the existing administration building for use as a police station. However, intentions shifted toward building a new police station after it was determined that properly renovating the former administration building for use as a police station would be more costly than designing and building a brand-new facility.
During discussions concerning where to construct the proposed police station, the four-acre parcel sandwiched between Laker Lane and Blakely Road was suggested as an option. Other Town of Colchester facilities are currently maintained on school property, including Colchester Rescue, Colchester Technical Rescue, and half of the town garage. The suggestion was that, if the Town of Colchester leased the land for the new police station from the school district, the school could then use the former police station for its new administrative offices.
Such a move would pave the way for future cost-saving measures by combining such services as Human Resources, payroll, maintenance, and the like for the Town of Colchester and the Colchester School District. Additionally, vacating the school district's current administrative office building on Laker Lane would allow the students enrolled in Colchester Alternative Program (CAP) to move into that space. This relocation would allow the CAP students to be on campus and allow them access to the district's voice and data network. It would also allow them to transition from their current tight quarters into a larger, more efficient working space. Furthermore, the move would release the district from its current rental and utilities cost obligations—estimated at approximately $30,000–35,000 annually—in order to maintain CAP in its current location on Blakely Road.
The school district would also benefit from increased security as the result of the police presence on campus.
There are some differences of opinion regarding the feasibility of such an arrangement. Concerns for rare and protected plants on the proposed building site have been raised, as has the issue of the fair market value of the old administration building offsetting the cost of leasing the land—although this concern was not voiced for the other Town facilities on school property. There are also concerns that this arrangement would exacerbate the already difficult traffic situation at the intersection of Blakely Road and Laker Lane at certain times of the day—although the option of building a second exit onto Blakely Road from the property has been proposed to mitigate that issue. Additionally, per statute, the Town may not enter into a long-term lease (defined as more than three years) without obtaining permission from the voters.
On November 3, 2009, voters approved Article 812-788 at a special meeting to "use the funds already approved by the voters previously to be reallocated to finance a police station on Laker Lane in the Town of Colchester."
Meanwhile, although Severance Corners has been suggested as alternative location for the proposed police station, it, too, comes with its own set of challenges, particularly from a funding perspective.
The discussion remains ongoing.
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I don't even mind if I had a violent stomach bug this morning, because oh my god, Level3. Now I'm excited. Well... I've been excited since the announcement of the album, but now have more information about said album to fuel my excitement! I mean, I don't even know where to start with all this news. Not only did we get to see the promotional image for Level3, we got the album covers, the tracklist, the DVD tracklist, and a full rip of 1mm, the leading track off the album. If I hadn't had the energy of a snail with the flu today, I'd probably be running around my room doing some spazztic equivalent of a happy dance. It's been nearly two years since JPN was released, and I think I'm more excited about Level3 than I was JPN. For starters, just look at the visual concept for Level 3. I really like the patterns on the outfits the girls are wearing for the promo. It fits with their image nicely, being very geometric and all. Someone pointed out that Perfume has this pattern with their album outfits of switching from black to white, which I didn't notice until now.
Like Complete Best had white, Game had black, ⊿ had white, and JPN had black. So now I guess we're back to white! I have to say, of the two album covers for Level3, I think my favorite is Regular. I like the paneling used for it because it gives off a very futuristic vibe. That and the white outfits fit nicely with the light color scheme. Annnd part of the appeal I see in the Regular is the fact that for the first time in year's, Kashiyuka's full-on forehead has graced us with its presence! I kid, I kid, but I'm serious, it's so refreshing to see Kashiyuka push her bangs back. I don't even know how she constantly keeps them trimmed from falling over her eyes... The Limited Edition looks decent too but I think it's one of those covers that looks better in physical form than digital. The Limited also has a slipcase that's either clear, yellow, or pink. Huh. Reminds me of the Limited cover for JPN that also had a slipcase. Of course, the covers and outfits being released only brush the tip of my ecstatic ecstasy regarding Level3. Not only were the covers revealed for Level3, but so was the tracklist:
1. Enter the Sphere
2. Spring of Life (Album-mix)
3. Magic of Love (Album-mix)
4. Clockwork
5. 1mm
6. Mirai no Museum
7. Party Maker
8. Furikaeru to Iru Yo
9. Point
10. Daijobanai
11. Handy Man
12. Sleeping Beauty
13. Spending all my time (Album-mix)
14. Dream Land
DVD Tracklist:
1. 1mm -video clip-
2. "Zutto Suki Dattan Jakee~Sasurai no Menkata Perfume FES!!" Memorial ♡
3. "Perfume no Tadatada Radio ga Suki dakara Radio!"
I love the tracklist. I just had to put that out there before I start commenting on it. First great thing about the tracklist for Level3 is the number. We get fourteen songs! Fourteen! And what adds to that great tidbit is that of those fourteen tracks, seven of those tracks are new! So we get half old songs and half new songs, which I think is a perfect balance. I stated before in my album review of JPN (from many moons ago) that one of my main gripes with it was the lack of new tracks. Thankfully with Level3, I don't see this problem, which is wonderful! And you know what adds to that wonderfulness? The old tracks that did get included. I was really hoping that Spending all my time was getting an mix for the album after I heard the remix the girls used for their Cannes performance in France. And what do you know? It is getting an album mix! Personally, I'm hoping it's along the lines of the Cannes mix, because I really liked what that did with the song. It give Spending all my time, a song I detested when I first heard it, some life, along with a chance for me to finally get into this song.
Among the other album mixes, both Spring of Life and Magic of Love are getting album mixes, back-to-back too! It makes me wonder if what they'll do is have one mix transition into the other, like Laser Beam's mix smoothly transitioning into Glitter's on the JPN album. I know there was a mix of Magic of Love used for Perfume's Ultra Korea performance so I'm wondering if it's going to be similar to the mix on the album? I guess I'll have to wait and see, but I look forward to hearing it! I'm a tad weary towards Spring of Life for getting an album mix because I enjoy the original, and I'm a little nervous about how the mix is going to turn out. Still, Nakata's one of those producers who seems to handle song mixing very skillfully, so hopefully I'm just worrying over nothing! Oh yeah, and Mirai no Museum's somewhere in this album, but I won't touch on that song too much. I mean, it kind of had to be included on the album, so I don't see much point in
Something else I'm jumping up and down for regarding Level3's tracklist are the B-sides included on the album. Point, Daijobanai, and Handy Man to be exact. I absolutely adored two of three of those B-sides when they were released, and I'm extremely happy that they're getting included on the album! The biggest surprise for me was Point making it to Level3. I'd pretty much excepted that Point was going to get the boot when it came to the album tracklist since Hurly Burly was so popular and widely performed and Point was... not. In fact, I don't even think the girls have performed it live, that's how unused it is! But when Spending all my time came out, Point was my favorite song off the single, and my favorite song from last year. To see it being included on the album fills me with so much joy! And then Handy Man made it to the album as well! I wasn't sure if that song was going to be included either so this is yet another pleasant surprise I woke up to this morning!
Then there's Daijobanai. I have to say, I'm not exactly thrilled that Daijobanai is on the album, but I'm not that upset either. But if I'd had to pick between Hurly Burly and Daijobanai for Level3, I'd probably go with the former. On the subject of Hurly Burly, I wonder why that one didn't make it to the album. Is it because its sound just didn't match up with the rest of the album? Until Level3 is released, I can't really speculate as to why Hurly Burly wasn't included; I'd pretty much considered it a shoe-in for Level3 even before talks of the album itself were generating. Still, maybe the sounds of Point, Handy Man, and Daijobanai just fit better for Level3 for Hurly Burly. The other B-side that didn't make the cut was Communication but honestly... is anyone even sad about that? I know like one person who might be upset by the news, but I honestly am not upset at all that Communication wasn't included in Level3. Not that it's a terrible song by any means, but it can get irritatingly cute at times.
The only new tracks that we've heard of so far are Party Maker and 1mm. The former was aired in a CM for Chocola BB, and that was only a 15-second snippet. From the snippet, it sounded like a very upbeat, party-type song though. I can't really say much about Party Maker until I hear the full song, which probably won't happen until the release of Level3. As for 1mm, today on Perfume Locks! we found out that it was going to be the leading track for Level3. You know, kind of how I Still Love U was the leading track for ⊿ and Secret Secret was the leading track for Game? 1mm is also going to get a music video which will be included on the Limited Edition DVD of Level3. As you may have been suspecting already, I will be reviewing the PV for 1mm separately from Level3. And it's going to be awesome. But that's not the only juicy little tidbit regarding 1mm. On Perfume Locks! today, the entire song was aired. A full radio rip. And let me tell you, it was awesome. Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating, but at the moment, I'm really digging 1mm.
I'll elaborate my thoughts on 1mm when I actually review the song properly in a PV/album review but for the moment, it's gotten me excited for how the rest of Level3 will sound! And I think that's what a leading track should do. So good job, 1mm! The other five new songs on Level3 I know nothing about beyond the titles. And I try not to judge a song by its title because usually my assumptions are fantastically off. Still, they're interesting titles. Enter the Sphere sounds like it's going to be similar to The Opening from JPN and Take-off from ⊿. Sleeping Beauty and Dream Land sound like they're going to be very... dreamlike. Kind of like Point, actually! As for Clockwork, I really hope it doesn't sound like Toki no Hari or anything on the cuter side of Perfume's discography. Their cuter songs tend to wear on me pretty fast. As for Furikaeru to Iru Yo, I have no idea what to expect for that track... but I think that's part of the fun of waiting for a new album!
All in all, I'm really excited. I'm not sure what I'm more excited about; the fact that Level3 is coming out in a little over or a month or the fact that I get to review Level3 in a little over a month. The last (and only) Perfume album I've gotten to review is JPN, and that was my first album review back when I was just starting out as an idol blogger. Like I didn't even have the Apple Rating System back then. Now I feel like I've grown so much more as a writer, and for that reason, I've really wanted to properly review a Perfume album. With Level 3 coming out, I'm finally getting the chance! So yes, that's my top priority post for October. Who knows? If the album leaks in September, I might even review it then! For now though, I'll just have to wait patiently like all the other Perfume fans for Level3. I'm really hoping that this album is a step-up from JPN. So far, I'm liking what I see; now I need to cross my fingers and hope that the end results are just as promising! A storm is coming to the Wonderland, guys. A glorious, Perfume storm. So batten down the hatches, because I'm fairly certain I'm going to go progressively crazier up until Level3's release...


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Kuwait is found at the northwest end of the Persian Gulf. It shares borders with Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Kuwait's location is the basis of its economy, which relies totally on oil and foreign labour.
Population: 2.8 million
Ethnic Groups: Kuwaiti (31.3%), other Arab (27.9%), Asian (37.8%), African (1.9%), Other (1.1%)
Languages: Arabic (Official), English widely spoken
Religions: Muslim (Official) (76.7%), Christian (17.3%), Other and Unspecified (5.9%)
Capital: Kuwait City
CIA: The World Factbook - Last Updated July 12, 2017
Kuwaiti Population:
In Canada: 2,235
In the GTA: 375
In Toronto: 155
Kuwait became independent in 1961. Its economy was able to recover from the Iraqi invasion and the Gulf War due to oil, which today accounts for 95% of Kuwait's export revenues. Sunni Islam is the state religion, but Kuwait is also home to Shia Muslims, Christians, Hindus, and people of other religions. Religious tolerance is relatively high (due to the fact that most of the workforce is made up of foreigners) but it is illegal to try to convert Muslims to a different religion. Kuwait is an Islamic state, so it is unsurprising that its religious holidays are Muslim ones. The Muslim New Year, the birthday of the prophet Muhammad, Eid al-Fitr, and Eid al-Adha are all official religious holidays. Most businesses are closed on Friday, which is the Islamic day of rest.


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Last year many of my Facebook friends participated in a sort-of-meme where during the entire month of November they posted about things for which they are thankful. Obviously this is connected to the celebration of Thanksgiving, but it's a really nice gesture and helps remind us to spend a moment each day in gratitude for the good things in our lives.
Gratitude has become a big theme in recent years, from Oprah Winfrey and her gratitude journal from a few years back to popular blogger Karen Walrond and her Chookooloonks Path Finder self-discovery course, which encouraged participants to write down one thing -- anything -- good that happened to them throughout their days (I participated in this course a few weeks ago and it was awesome). Just today I read a quote (can't remember from where or by whom) that said the key to true joy in our lives is to find at least one thing every day for which we can be grateful.
So with so many folks talking about gratitude and thankfulness, and given that my life right now is as crazy and as difficult as it has ever been, I thought this would be a good way to bring a little more calmness, centeredness, into my life. And incidentally, November is also National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo for short), a time when bloggers try to post something at least once a day for the entire month.
November is National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo for short), where bloggers try to post at least once daily for 30 day. Sooo ... you can see where I'm going with this. I haven't been writing here much (due to aforementioned life craziness), so this might be a good way to get back into that habit, too.
I can't promise that I'll write every day (I mean, I'm already starting a day late), but I'm going to try. And I'd love it if you'd share some of the things that make you feel grateful, too. We'll just be one big happy grateful family up in here.