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Does your kitchen look like it belongs on "Three's Company"? Are your bathroom tiles falling off? With your children out of the home, could you potentially expand that room into a library? Whatever the case, many homeowners, are beginning to think about renovating their home. With housing prices continuing to soar, the occupants tend to believe that it is a wise investment to change the makeup of the home. I know we have been thinking about extended the entire ground floor out to extend every room and give us more space and potentially new rooms: play area, 2nd living room and office.
One of the biggest constraints to moving forward with a home renovation is the money factor. Since a great number of homeowners are house-rich but cash-poor, they tap into their home equity, dip into their savings account or charge it on the credit card. This is dangerous.
No one will argue the fact that home renovations are costly, i know that more than most as you might remember from past blog post in which i detailed all the work we had to undertake on my current home. However, it is up to you to find some savings, cut costs and prioritize the household renovations. It doesn't have to be exorbitant.
Here are four ways to save money on home renovations:
Plan Well in Advance
You made the biggest acquisition in your entire life a few years ago. Now you want to give that major purchase a bit of an overhaul. Who can blame you? That kitchen sink leaks, your carpets smell like mould and that basement is just sitting there empty without anything to do. The logical step to take is to renovate your home. Before you move ahead with this arduous and expensive endeavour, you must first plan well in advance. Otherwise, you will get into trouble.
With your significant other, walk around the home and determine what you want renovated, what your priorities are and how much money you have to work with. Once these essentials are complete, it is up to you find the right home renovation specialists for your home's needs.
Do the Demolishing Yourself
It is time to quote former United States President Ronald Reagan: "…tear down this wall." Whether you are expanding the master bedroom or you're gutting the bathroom, you and your spouse should perform one part of the renovation: demolition – this is the best part!
By demolishing a wall or a kitchen yourself, you can save some dough on your budget. The only thing you would be spending is the manpower involved, but it is well worth it in the end. Do the required research, locate the necessary tools and unleash all of your frustrations in life.
Take Advantage of Free Home Reno Consultations
For all of the planning, number-crunching and due diligence you conduct, you may never get it fully accurate. Therefore, you should take advantage of free home renovation consultations.
When you take on this consultation, you are provided with price-tags, difficulties, estimates, time projections and other elements important to your project. Even if you don't hire that particular home renovation contractor, you are still left with details, blue prints and maps. It's worth it.
Your Budget Will Always Creep Up
There is one thing you must know right from the beginning: your budget will always creep up. As you commence your home renovation with a well-crafted budget, unexpected expenses will always eat away at your forecasts. A common cause for this happening is you. Yes, you!
Since you're excited about giving your home a facelift, you will often head to the local department store and purchase some light fixtures, detailed hardwood flooring and even appliances without considering the budget you and your spouse established. Should you want to add something to your overall list, it is best to speak with your contractor and see if you can offset the expense with some savings, like downgrading windows or getting a cheaper bathroom sink.
A home renovation can be a stressful experience for anybody. For the next few weeks, your home will be a construction site, whether it's inside or outside. That said, after 23 years, it was about time you gave your home a much-needed remodeling. Not everyone can sit at the kitchen table, wondering if they're eating a meal at home or on the set of "Married with Children."


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Keyboardist wanted for new covers band!
I'm forming a Rock/Pop/Funk covers band with the aim of playing Weddings and Events - Playing all the hits to provide a great nights entertainment! (Michael Jackson, Elton John, Elvis, Bruno Mars, The Killers, Bon Jovi, Oasis etc).
I've been playing guitar and singing for 15 years (I'm 30 now), I've played lots of shows and written/produced my own material which has been on major radio and in major press.
If you're interested, send me a message with some info on your background in music and footage of you playing (if possible!). Ideally looking to rehearse in York, depending on where everyone else is based!
Look forward to hearing from you.

subset: commoncrawl


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Oireachtas 2016 annual accounts
These are the recently published annual accounts of the Oireachtas. For the record.
These are the recently published annual accounts of the Oireachtas. For the record.
Irish Water's 2015 annual report is out. There's lots of interesting bits in there. Irish Water's total liabilities grew from €890m in 2014 to €1.44bn in 2015. Irish Water borrowed lots: Net debt grew from €324m to €890m. Borrowings: The number of people paying bills in the 4th cycle cratered. Here's a graph: Here's the… Read More »
Given recent stories about Console, we publish below the annual accounts for Console for 2013 and the 2012 accounts (along side the re-submitted 2012 accounts) 2013: 2012 accounts (and re-submitted accounts):
In today's Sunday Business Post, Jack Horgan-Jones interviewed New York lawyer Lee C Buchheit. Buchheit is known as one of the world's experts on sovereign debt crises. As the article says, he's "the guy who governments fly in to tell their creditors they won't be getting their money back". In 2010 the Irish government secretly… Read More »
Here are the terms of reference and further details of the KPMG investigation into IBRC deals of greater than €10m. IBRC Siteserv investigation (PDF) IBRC Siteserv investigation (Text)
In light of comments made by ECB Governing Council member Patrick Honohan in the book on Brian Lenihan I recently resubmitted my request for access to the letter that had previously been refused to this blog by ECB President Mario Draghi. I see today RTE is reporting that MEP Sean Kelly has also been seeking… Read More »
The Department of Agriculture today published the Indecon report into the financial mess at Bord na gCon. Worth a look. BordnagConfinalreport7July2014 (PDF) BordnagConfinalreport7July2014 (Text)
As reported by Simon Carswell in this morning's Irish Times: Drumm (PDF) Drumm (Text)
Above is the house at the address (300 Ridgeview Drive, Palm Beach, Florida 33480) given by developer John Flynn as part of his case against the National Asset Management Agency (NAMA), in court documents filed on December 20. NamaWineLake and Paul Williams at the Indo have both mentioned the filing. The judge in the case… Read More »
This comes from an anonymous Twitter account – @QuinnAnglo – so all the usual provisos apply. The tweeter in question claims this document to be the Statement of Affairs of IBRC before the liquidation of the company in February 2013. It includes a list of creditors (though not depositors – as Noonan intervened on that… Read More »


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Clayton house to host third annual Gaslight Gala
Tickets to the gala are $50
The Clayton House will host its third annual Gaslight Gala fundraiser on Friday.
Guests will fill the Victorian Mansion with food, wine and great music.
This year, organizers have added a horse-drawn carriage to take visitors around the house for a romantic ride like the Clayton family used so long ago. The gazebo will feature cigar smoking.
The silent and live auctions will feature great packages to bid on. There is a NASCAR sprint cup package with the race of your choice, a six-day trip to Costa Rica and two tickets to next year's Country Music Awards.
Tours of William H. H. Clayton's home will also be offered during the gala.
For reservations, call 479-783-3000 or reserve online at http://www.claytonhouse.org
Tickets are $50. All the proceeds will go to help the Fort Smith Heritage Foundation preserve the house dating back to 1882.


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Welcome to the Technology Home PageWe have a lot of great things incorporating technology at Sycolin Creek! Our 21st century students have many opportunities to collaborate, communincate, and create utilizing technology.We are fortunate to have a cart of laptops available to each grade level as well as a computer lab. We also have 2 carts of iPads that can be checked out to use in the classroom, and many classrooms are also part of LCPS Loudoun Create's program and have dedicated iPads in their classrooms.
Last Modified on June 20, 2018


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Quite possibly the quickest and easiest way to understand Aarseth's ergodic literature genre is to quite simply look at the document itself. If you decided to do the readings this week, you went online, checked the syllabus, clicked the link, and were brought to a website: Sample Chapter from: Cybertext: Perspectives on Ergodic Literature. Given the nature of the medium, you then were given two choices: print out the reading as a hard copy on paper, or simply read it off the computer screen. A simple choice usually dictated by personal preference (or sometimes even the economy of time) has the ability to change this reading from ergodic to unergodic literature.
Ergodic literature, as defined, is when nontrivial effort is required to allow the reader to traverse the text. Basically, some sort of thinking, cognitive process, or act of agency is required to take reading further. I realized, once back at my apartment with my hard copy in hand, that I could only flip through the pages and read exactly what was printed in ink. All the underlined texts in the left margins (hyperlinks, means to gather more information –alter and/or expand my exploration of this reading) were completely inaccessible to me. I could only read through this unergodic text linearly. However, if I had chosen to read this assignment online, the very nature of hyperlinks and my ability to instantly click (or not click) them to explore and expand on Aarseth's points would create a cognitive work path (which Aarseth explains via the metaphor of a labyrinth of thought processes). The nature of the online medium and cybertext, makes this a piece of ergodic literature only if read online.
However, Aarseth is not quite satisfied with the explicit segregation between online texts from printed texts (exemplifying this unjust segregation by explaining printed texts and more primitive texts were canonized together in academia). To prove a larger point, the definition of cybertexts is critical. Cybertext is text in which the intricacies of the medium are an integral part in the literary exchange, or texts in which its mechanical arrangement impact its reading. Just because the word cybertext didn't exist hundreds of years ago, it does not mean that cybertexts, as a signifier -an entity, did not exist. This is Aarseth's primary argument: cybertexts, and ultimately ergodic literature have always existed since texts and cognitive processes have existed, so must be studied academically alongside texts of all different media (while still recognizing their differences).
Clearly through the example of this actual reading itself existing ergodically and unergodically, we see how cybertexts, through their very nature, fall into the genre of ergodic literature. To find ergodic literature existing prior to hyperlinks and cybertexts, Aarseth references an improvisational Ayn Rand play where audience interaction influences one of two endings, an ancient Chinese system of rearranging the same characters to come up with different answers to prophetic questions, etc. One example of print ergodic literature that came to mind was the off-set of the Goosebumps series popular in the 1990's called: Give Yourself Goosebumps. These books served as a literary game. When the reader reaches the end of the page he is given several plot options. Depending on the readers cognitive processes, a different choice in plot will be made, and the reader will be directed to a corresponding page (often dozens of pages ahead of the one he/she just finished reading). The books would feature several endings with multiple pathways to reach each ending. However, there is a twist. In all but one of the endings, the protagonist (and in this case, the reader, as the books were written in the second person) dies or is killed off. To "win" this literary game, the reader must make a correct choice sequence in plot decisions to reach the desired "happily-ever-after" ending. This textual game redefines the narrative in terms that are similar to primitive cybertexts used in computer games. With such obvious similarities in structure and ideology, Aarseth is correct to insist texts and narratives be explored in conjunction to online texts and narratives. Literary scholars and critics would obviously consider "Give Yourself Goosebumps" to be a text and a narrative, so naturally online text should be given the same weight and academic inquiry.
There is just one important difference between print ergodic literature and online ergodic literature: online ergodic literature has access to unprecedented resources through easily accessible databases. Literally infinite paths of exploration exist when looking at online ergodic literature as narratives. However, Aarseth likens this change in pathway to the post-modern re-defining of the metaphorical cognitive labyrinth. In online ergodic literature, the biviums of the labyrinth –pathways for expansion –are endless. When clicking on a hyperlink from this article, we are transported to more texts and information. While reading that, we may choose to click more links, open them up in new tabs to return to later, read them now, return to the initial text, or potentially even get lost in clicking through several links that catch our attention and prevent us from ever returning to and finishing the initial reading. These cognitive labyrinths of thought processes, or cybertextual narratives, become infinite, unique, and personal, tailoring our understanding and its parameters based on our personal choices. Through this textual and meta-textual analysis Aarseth is stimulating academia to alter the notions of texts and narratives to keep up with the times.


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Liverpool set to seal mega-money deal for Napoli's goal-scoring hero Gonzalo Higuain
Reds on verge of securing sensational deal Argentine striker as Jurgen Klopp closes in on top summer strike target
LIVERPOOL are close to signing Napoli star Gonzalo Higuain, according to reports.
The Argentine striker is believed to be a summer target for Jurgen Klopp after a terrific season in Serie A.
Higuain scored an incredible 36 goals in 35 league appearances and can now class himself as one of the deadliest hitmen in European football.
Klopp is keen to strengthen his attack with a world-class striker following a disappointing showing the likes of Christian Benteke and Daniel Sturridge.
The German tactician was forced to hand chances to Roberto Firmino and youngster Divock Origi in attack, and would love to bring Higuain to Anfield.
Liverpool will have to pay through the nose to get him, but BeIN Sports claims that a deal is almost at the finish line.
Now Read
Jurgen's Pep talkKlopp aiming to bring legendary Kop stopper Pepe Reina back to Anfield after superb Napoli stint
It comes on the back of reports claiming Liverpool are also set to sign Porto's Hector Herrera.
The Mexican midfielder would bring some power and speed to Klopp's midfield, and a move is close.
It would also spell the end of the pursuit of Sporting Lisbon's Joao Mario, with Manchester United keen to snap him up.


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Eating Humble Pie today will make it an acquired taste later
Humility is in short supply today, especially when it comes to social media-obsessed millennials. In a culture where narcissism is a form of business, humility becomes a rare commodity. Despite to the contrary, we seem to deny the inevitability of failure, big or small.
Therefore when it does come, failure without humility is often very bitter. More so when rage is the result. Why not prepare, brace for failure and accept it when it comes? Then rise up again, standing up straight and taking that defiant step forward. Onward, to real success.
So nibble on a slice of humble pie today. It may not taste great but so many things are in life. Things that if without, makes our lives a little less. That even the bitter has an edge of sweet. Ask all those coffee connoisseurs.


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Sign-Up & Become an RT Insider! You'll Receive☑Welcome: Mp3 Audio "How to Start Your Journey to Reconnect" ☑ Videos delivered to your inbox ☑Articles with valuable insights ☑Audio to listen on-the-go ☑ Special resources and offers
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Get to know Ryan and why his perspective and guidance is so effective. His real-life experience of rejecting his Dad for decades until they reconnected in his late 20's allows him to give parents insider information on what goes on inside the child's mind.
Why Clients Succeed
Ryan travels the world giving his clients a unique advantage - learning EXACTLY what to say and what to do to save the relationship…from the child's perspective. Because of his real-life, behind-the-scenes guidance, and proven results, Ryan has become a sought after expert across the globe. He is the secret weapon to helping parents get the children back.
Ryan Thomas is an expert at helping parents reconnect with their children in over 25 countries, working with celebrities, agents and managers, attorneys, high-profile clients and more. He uses his real-life experiences of reuniting with his Dad after decades of rejection, to show parents exactly what to say and do to get their child back. Ryan travels the world helping to create breakthroughs after high-conflict rejection, divorce, alienation, and estrangement.He is the author of Get Them Back and Sabotaged, creator of RyanThomasTV Network, producer of the film Rejected to Accepted, Founder of the Reconnect Formula Program, and founder of the Reconnect Center, the world-wide hub to save parent-child relationships. Ryan has over 11 years of experience in communication, conflict resolution, and crisis management. Throughout his career he and his work has been featured in US News & World Report, Entrepreneur Magazine, ABC, MSNBC, FOX & More. Ryan has worked with influential leaders and established brands including, First Lady Michelle Obama, The White House, Academy Award-winning actor Martin Sheen, Matthew Perry, Lockheed Martin, Best Buy Mobile, American Heart Association, and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.


text: The thing folks just don't understand about sacrifice… sometimes it's more of a trade. Twentysomething Caroline Ellis (Kate Hudson), a good-natured nurse living in New Orleans feels guilty about not being around for her father's death while she was on the road working for rock bands. She quits her job as a carer at a hospice to work at a plantation mansion in the Terrebonne Parish for Violet Devereaux (Gena Rowlands), an elderly woman whose husband, Ben (John Hurt), is in poor health following a stroke. When Caroline begins to explore the couple's rundown house where Violet bans mirrors, she discovers strange artifacts in a locked room at the back of the attic and learns the house has a mysterious past to do with servants from the 1920s, Papa Justify (Ronald McCall) and Mama Cecile (Jeryl Prescott) and the practice of hoodoo. She realises that Violet is keeping a sinister secret about the cause of Ben's illness and wants to get the old man out of there. When she appeals to their estate lawyer Luke Marshall (Peter Sarsgaard) for assistance she finds that he's not quite what he seems to be … It gets harder every time. They just don't believe like they used to. Gotta get 'em all riled up. An immensely appealing excursion into folk horror that is as much about the history of Louisiana and race relations as it is a genre exercise (though it's a fairly efficient suspense machine too). Beautifully staged and atmospherically sustained by that very stylish director Iain Softley, it's written by Ehren Kruger, who burst on the scene with the surprising Arlington Road, another look at Americana (of the homebred terror group variety) who has spent his time since this either a) making a shedload of money or b) squandering his immense talent (take your pick – perhaps both?) making the Transformers films. Hudson is very good opposite screen great Rowlands while Hurt spends his time silenced by the stroke, emoting with his eyes and making a failed suicide attempt off a roof. That's how badly he needs outta here. Gorgeous location shooting around New Orleans and Louisiana make this a feast for the eyes and the twist ending is very satisyfing, cher. I don't believe I don't believe I don't believe


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Busan Partnership for Effective Development Co-operation – The Good, the Bad and the New?
17/12/2011 at 3:45 pm 1 comment
Guest blog by Abdul Ilal
The Fourth High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness, recently held in Busan, intended to reach a set of principles, commitments and actions at global level, and establish the fundaments for a new global partnership, the Busan Partnership for Effective Development Co-operation. Following the various political declarations produced over the last decade (Monterrey, Rome, Paris and Accra), we are now confronted with a twelve page paper called the Busan Outcome Document (BOD). The BOD includes lots of vague terms that are peculiar to the development business such as "on a voluntary basis", "differential commitments", "new, inclusive global partnership" and "social entrepreneurship", some of which do not sit all that comfortably with our development and aid aspirations.
So what does Busan mean for Irish Aid and Irish Development NGOs? As the post-Busan dust begins to settle, it is now important to create some space for discussion and reflection on the key messages that came out of Busan and, most importantly, the possible implications this holds for the work of the Irish development sector.
Having taken a quick look at the BOD, I am delighted to discover some rather positive aspects, some of which, according to people who attended Busan, were introduced only after intensive advocacy and lobbying work carried out from CSO networks, from both, developing and developed countries:
- A broad alliance of actors joined together in demanding a shift of focus, from aid effectiveness to development effectiveness. This shift may seem small, but it holds the promise of introducing a holistic approach to sustainable and equitable development for the first time.
- New players on the development agenda, the emerging countries and the private sector, have been taken on board. The full diversity of forms and modalities of development cooperation (such as South-South co-operation, triangular co-operation, PPPs) have now been formally recognized.
- The concept of democratic ownership has been introduced, in stark contrast to the previous hijacking of the aid effectiveness agenda by central governments of partner and donor countries alike, reaffirming the vital role of parliaments, local governments and CSOs, as key players in development.
- BOD reaffirms the role of CSOs as independent actors (see also Istanbul Principles for CSO Development Effectiveness). This is welcomed, especially as we continue to observe a further shrinking of political and operational space for CSOs in many countries.
- Some existing positive elements have been retained or strengthened, e.g. the use of the country system has been set as default, untying aid has been reaffirmed, aid predictability commitments have been underlined, mutual accountability has been reinforced, and finally, there is a new deal for fragile states.
However, my happiness is limited. I feel, a truly new era of development effectiveness has not yet started. A number of critical aspects highlight that we are far from an actual paradigm shift, many challenges still remain.
- There appears to be a dangerously exaggerated focus on economic growth, and its role in the fight against poverty and inequality, and for the achievement of MDGs. In a zero-sum style, this seems to have been at the expense of important issues of human rights, democracy and governance. There is no explicit, strong commitment on a right-based approach to development.
- The Progress Report on Implementing the Paris Declaration states that "only one out of the 13 targets established for 2010 has been met". Shockingly, at Busan there was no deep level of discussion on this failure to fulfill commitments and targets agreed in Paris and Accra.
- Shifting geopolitical realities have been reflected in the document, as the role of the emerging economies such as BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) has been recognized. But the fact that these new actors have not clearly endorsed the previous fundamental principles, commitments and standards can undermine the very spirit of PD and AAA. The adherence of BRICS to the PD, AAA and BOD common principles is on a "voluntary basis".
- Aid assistance is still seen more as provision of resources, mainly financial resources coming from donors, rather than a platform for knowledge and experience exchange and innovation; furthermore, little attention is devoted to domestic resource mobilization.
- The participation of the private sector in the design and implementation of development policies is welcome, but capacity strengthening of partner governments is an essential first step. In countries where governance is weak, state capacity to define the appropriate framework for development and adequate accountability mechanisms, there is a real danger that the fruits of private sector engagement will not lead to human development, and will even cause harm.
- The urgent issue of shrinking CSO space in a rising number of countries was not explicitly addressed.
- A monitoring framework with specific targets, indicators and timeframe, is not yet developed and agreed and it is unlikely that issues such as human rights, democracy and good governance will be taken into account in a future framework for monitoring and oversight of the commitments from Busan.
The BOD will have implications for Irish Aid and NGOs. The ongoing review of the White Paper of the Irish Aid is a good opportunity for reflection on the formulation and redesign of policy orientations and strategies to address the challenges raised in Busan and to reassess the policy and strategy focus for Irish development cooperation.
What should be done?
- The rights-based approach to development needs to be efficiently and fully integrated into public policies and programmes. Thus, Irish Aid and Irish NGOs should continue to engage for the inclusion of human rights, democracy and good governance aspects into the global frameworks, following the United Nations Millennium Declaration.
- The indicators and targets of the PD and the MDGs do not focus on human rights, democracy and good governance, peace and security, although the United Nations Millennium Declaration states these as key objectives. Thus, it is unlikely that these dimensions of human development will be taken into account in the formulation of indicators and targets in the post-Busan process. Consequently, Irish Aid and Irish NGOs should start putting these issues on the table for future discussions.
- The broadening of the development agenda and taking new development actors on board is a good move. However, Irish Aid and Irish NGOs should select specific priority themes and issues (e.g. human rights, democracy and good governance, gender equality and women empowerment, civil society space, etc.) on the basis of where they want to see clear improvements. This will enhance targeted investment and appropriate resourcing. These should be placed on the post-Busan table of discussions, at different forums such the UN and EU.
- In the preparation and design of policies and programmes to support partner countries there is a need to conduct sound analysis of political economy; thus, Irish development actors, including NGOs and academic entities, should promote and invest more into this kind of focused analysis.
- The mixture of aid delivery methods (various actors at different levels and various instruments), pursued by Irish Aid is a good approach and it should be proactively communicated and advocated for within the wider international community.
- Irish Aid and Irish NGOs should assess the opportunities and challenges for increasing their work with parliaments, their forums and communities and local authorities in the South and North, with a focus upon reinforcing their capacities to ensure greater transparency, accountability and oversight, as well as their involvement in the formulation, implementation and evaluation of policies and programmes.
- The issue of shrinking space for CSOs in partner countries needs to be monitored in a systematic and consistent manner as a matter of urgency; as improvements in the CSO enabling environment, especially in Africa, look unlikely, it is crucial that Irish Aid and Irish NGOs boost their advocacy work around Civil Society space. For instance, there is a need to improve the space for non-service delivery orientated NGOs, e.g. designing proper strategies to improve advocacy and policy capacity of those NGOs mainly working on service delivery.
- Irish Aid and Irish NGOs should increase technical support to partners in the South in terms of their analytical capacities enabling them to actively participate in the post-Busan discussions.
- There is a need to assess the opportunities and challenges for establishing stronger alliance with the private sector, e.g. exploring areas and strategies for collaboration and synergies, and advocating for respect of internationally recognized rights and standards, for this, more investment into political economy analysis and economic advocacy will be needed.
- Increasingly, everyone speaks about the need to place more focus on results. I agree, but think there are still lots of issues around the very concept of results that need to be discussed. We should not dissipate our scarce resources "trying to measure what we can´t measure". Indeed, one does not need to understand the law of gravity to realize that it is raining. For instance, the development for results framework – nowadays a MUST – should be shaped taking into account the specific country context and the complexity of the thematic area where it is being applied, so that one can develop appropriate outcome and process focused M&E indicators that demonstrate positive changes in people´s life. This is of course assuming we want a results framework to be more than an administrative task.
- Organizational changes and additional staffing & training will be necessary in some Irish NGOs and their networks as well as their partner organizations in the South to address new strategic themes/issues, new working and learning platforms may need to be established (e.g. private sector development, business for development, transparency and accountability mechanisms for PPPs, innovative development finance, triangular cooperation, policy coherence for development).
- In times of global economic downturns and having in mind the tough financial situation Ireland faces at the moment, it is crucial to continue support for advocacy, public engagement and development education for Irish citizens. We have a major responsibility to show the transformative change we affect as the Irish development sector and how the aid and development effectiveness agendas play a key role within that.
Further reading:
* Dóchas resources on Development Effectiveness
* Interaction blog post about Busan
Entry filed under: Development Effectiveness. Tags: Aid, Busan, Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, Development Effectiveness, donors, global poverty, Ireland, Irish Aid, Irish NGOs, MDGs, Millennium Development Goals, NGOs, Overseas aid, policy coherence, Smart Aid.
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text: Synopsys, Inc. (Nasdaq: SNPS), a world leader in software and IP used in the design, verification and manufacture of electronic components and systems, today unveiled its Discovery™ Verification IP (VIP) family based on the new VIPER architecture. Written entirely in SystemVerilog with native support for the UVM, VMM and OVM methodologies, Discovery VIP provides inherent performance, ease-of-use and extensibility to speed and simplify verification of the most complex system-on-chip (SoC) designs. The Discovery VIP family includes Protocol Analyser, a unique protocol-aware debug environment. Discovery VIP supports all major simulators and offers up to four times (4X) higher performance than other commercial VIP, as well as configuration, coverage and test-development capabilities to improve IP and SoC designers' productivity. The next-generation VIPER architecture lays the foundation for future innovation in protocol-centric verification and SoC-level validation. "We have been users of Synopsys VIP for several years now and are very pleased with its quality, performance, features and capabilities," said Bruce Fishbein, vice president of IC engineering, Networking and Communications Division, at Cavium, Inc. "As our designs and our verification environments reach new levels of complexity, the vision and roadmap behind the Discovery VIP architecture will enable us to address the next wave of SoC verification challenges." As leading SoC designs incorporate more complex protocols, VIP has become a critical component of the verification environment, enabling engineers to reach their coverage goals within tight project schedules. VIP provides functional models of on- and off-chip protocols like ARM® AMBA®, PCI Express, USB, MIPI, HDMI and Ethernet. Verification engineers use these models to test all SoC interfaces before manufacturing, enabling them to verify whether an interface conforms to published standards. One hundred percent SystemVerilog with native UVM, VMM and OVM support Unlike other commercially available VIP, Discovery VIP is written entirely in SystemVerilog without any wrappers or methodology extensions around an original implementation in a different language. Discovery VIP is architected with native support for UVM (Universal Verification Methodology), VMM (Verification Methodology Manual) and OVM (Open Verification Methodology) without methodology-level interoperability wrappers or under-the-hood translations or remapping. Not only does this remove unnecessary performance overhead, but it also offers other uniquely inherent benefits. These benefits include portability across all major simulators and easy integration within SoC environments, as well as capabilities and features for VIP debug, coverage planning and management. "In response to the need for greater performance and power efficiency we are seeing broad and rapid industry adoption of AMBA 4 AXI4™ and ACE™ protocols to support coherent, heterogeneous, multi-processor SoCs," said William Orme, strategic marketing manager, processor division, ARM. "We support Synopsys' development of verification IP for AMBA4 AXI4 and ACE protocols and have provided reference models for compliance and interoperability testing. We look forward to continuing to work closely with Synopsys to address the needs of our mutual customers." Efficient, protocol-aware debug with protocol analyser With increasingly complex protocols, debug has become one of the most difficult and time-consuming aspects of functional verification. Synopsys' Protocol Analyser, available in the Discovery VIP family, provides protocol-centric debug and intelligent visibility. These capabilities enable engineers to quickly understand protocol activity, identify bottlenecks and debug unexpected behavior. VIPER architecture The Discovery VIP family is based on Synopsys' new VIPER architecture, which has been engineered from the ground up for enhanced VIP performance, configurability, portability, debug, coverage and compliance management, and extensibility. The bulk of VIPER's functionality and protocol correctness-checking comes from a layered protocol architecture implemented in SystemVerilog, using best practices for all methodologies, including UVM, VMM and OVM. All layers are visible, providing complete controllability of protocol verification. Verification engineers are able to work at the highest layer as required by their verification plans, yet are still able to inject errors at the lowest layer for self-checking requirements. The VIPER architecture offers the ability to track protocol-centric simulation information to provide protocol-level analysis views with timelines synchronised to RTL waveforms and other views. This architecture can be fully configured to specified protocol configurations and includes several capabilities such as pruning of non-applicable run-time configurations from pre-defined sequences. The VIPER architecture is also highly extensible, accommodating additional capabilities unique to the device-under-test (DUT) such as error injection modes, coverage sampling, and other capabilities. "Protocol verification has become a critical part of SoC verification, with major implications for cost and time to market," said Manoj Gandhi, senior vice president and general manager of the Synopsys Verification Group. "Synopsys identified the need for a next generation of verification IP to improve debug, performance and ease of SoC integration. The launch of our next-generation VIP architecture is critical for the industry to address growing SoC verification challenges." Availability Synopsys VIP is available for a broad portfolio of protocols including USB 3.0, ARM AMBA AXI3, AXI4, ACE, HDMI, MIPI (CSI-2, DSI, HSI, etc.), Ethernet 40G/100G, PCI Express, SATA, OCP, and many others. See the complete list at www.synopsys.com/VIP


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Travel Insurance Checklist – 7 Must-Haves on Your Plan
Travel Insurance Essentials
Unless you are made of money, it is definitely a smart idea to buy a travel insurance plan before you head off on your next adventure.
But it's not enough to simply buy a plan; you should look for one that covers important and potentially costly events that are not all that uncommon.
Things like falling ill, getting into an accident or losing your bags can happen to just about anyone. With a good travel insurance plan though, you'll have your shot at peace of mind as you satisfy your wanderlust.
Here is a list of covers that make a travel plan truly worthwhile:
1. Medical coverage
This is the number one expense that must be covered with your travel insurance plan, it's non-negotiable.
If you get sick or meet an accident while overseas, it might be quite expensive to seek medical care in private hospitals. Worse still, some may not even admit you without insurance.
And while you might have heard that certain countries provide free medical care for tourists, exceptions may apply. For instance, in Norway, urgent care is free or subsidised for tourists that are citizens of the EU and who carry specified health insurance cards.
You have the right to treatment though, but the costs are still yours to bear. Thus, it is better to have your own travel insurance plan to cover you, just in case.
2. Medical evacuation/Repatriation
A cover for medical treatments and hospitalisation alone is not enough, you should also check that your plan takes care of repatriation and medical evacuation costs. But why would you need this cover?
Well, if you fall sick and need to be evacuated to another location for emergency treatment, it is going to be very expensive. Thus, a medical evacuation cover is highly recommended, so you can get the urgent care you need without having to worry about the costs.
You'll also need an emergency medical repatriation cover on your plan to pay for costs to transport you back home to Malaysia to receive treatment if necessary.
With this benefit, you'll typically have your travel costs covered, in addition to having a medical attendant accompany you home.
3. Flight delays
Flight delays are no fun; they can make a mess of your plans, dampen your travel mood and even cost you money – like the non-refundable deposits you may have put down.
If your flight gets delayed and you have coverage for this incident, you can be compensated for waiting. You could also receive reimbursements for deposits lost due to the flight delay.
Some exclusion may apply though, such as, if the delay was your own fault (missed flight check-in), etc.
The specifics and level of coverage will differ with plans, so do read through yours beforehand.
| See also: Best Long Weekends in Malaysia in 2019 |
4. Missed connections
No, we're not talking about the infamous Craigslist page; we are talking about missing connecting flights due to delays on your incoming flight.
It is often very costly and definitely inconvenient to miss your connecting flight. Just think, when you miss your connecting flight, you may also lose your hotel reservations, car rental holds or other bookings.
Thus, having it covered on your travel insurance plan can help alleviate related costs.
Most missed connection cover amounts aren't very high though, with the average ranging from a few hundred up to RM2,000 or more, depending on the policy. Still, it can ease your financial costs at the very least.
Do also note that this cover does not apply to missed connections that are the result of your own fault. For instance, if you arrive late at the boarding gate, etc.
5. Trip cancellation
Imagine meticulously planning for your holiday, paying for advance bookings, flight tickets, and hotel, and incurring other costs, only to have to cancel due to an emergency. It's not a good feeling for sure, but thankfully, your travel insurance may be able to relieve some of these costs, if it is covered on your plan.
A trip cancellation cover typically reimburses your travel expenses like irrecoverable deposits only if the cancellation is absolutely necessary. Saying that you've changed your mind will not make for reasonable grounds to cancel your trip and claim reimbursements.
In fact, there are just a few reasons for cancellation claims that are generally accepted, such as:
- Serious illness, injury or death of an immediate family member (or yourself)
- Unforeseeable strikes, riots, or civil commotions at your destination
- Legal summons
- Serious damage (e.g. fire or flood) to your house in Malaysia.
Do check the terms and conditions of your travel insurance plan for other (or specific) cancelation claims reasons that are covered.
6. Trip interruptions
A trip interruption happens when you are suddenly forced to cancel the remainder of your trip due to emergencies, after you have embarked. And much like the travel cancellation cover, only certain reasons will be accepted for claims. However, there may be a few additional reasons covered.
For instance, the hijacking of the aircraft, the unexpected death, serious injury or illness of your travel companion (whether a family member or not); and natural disasters, among others.
Again, the specifics of your trip interruption coverage may vary slightly with policies, so do read up on the possible exclusions and permitted claims on your own plan.
7. Baggage delays and loss of personal effects
Having your bags delayed, lost or damaged can be massively inconvenient and costly, especially if something of value is misplaced or ruined.
This type of cover will reimburse or pay for replacements of your damaged personal items or lost baggage or compensate you for the delayed arrival of your check-in baggage.
For instance, AXA Smart Traveller Annual Platinum will pay "RM200 for every six (6) complete hours" that your baggage is delayed from the time you arrive at your destination.
Do note that some items might not be covered; for example, foodstuff, certain electronics (unless due to fire, etc.), and jewellery among others.
Also, this type of coverage doesn't usually apply to items where compensation or recovery is the responsibility of the hotel or carrier.
Find the perfect travel insurance plan that covers all these incidents as well as others that make sense for your travel needs. Time to start comparing!


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Dear Ursuline Parents/Guardians,
I just wanted to take this opportunity to introduce myself and let you know how excited I am to be the Athletic Director at Ursuline. Sports are an excellent way to grow emotionally as an individual. As a graduate of Ursuline, I know that athletics played a major role in helping prepare me for college and the adult world. Because of sports, the lessons of my coaches, and the games I played, I developed skills in time management, problem solving, delegation, motivation, and team building. I am excited to be a part of the rich tradition of athletics and look forward to supporting all of you and our community here at TUS.
We would like to stress the importance of having an annual/updated physical prior to engaging in any strenuous activity. An updated annual physical form must be on file for any level of participation. Updated physicals may be turned into the Athletic Trainer on the first day of tryouts.
All the athletics forms are now electronic and available on the Ursuline athletics webpage under "Student Athlete Handbook and Required Athletic Permission Forms". Our student athlete handbook is linked at the beginning of the form. Please read thoroughly through all the documents. Also please review our concussion management protocol that is listed on the webpage.
If any 7/8 graders intend to try out for a high school team, they must contact our Athletic Director, Kim Saxton, at email@example.com to schedule state mandated fitness testing. Please click HERE for the Athletic Placement Document with required signature forms. Form B must being filled out by the parent/guardian and Form C must be filled out and signed by an attending physician.
If you should have any questions or concerns about tryouts or the athletics schedule, please feel free to reach out to the athletics department via email at email@example.com or by telephone at 914-636-2521. You may also reach out to our Assistant Athletic Director/ Certified Athletic Trainer Amanda Bachmann for any questions concerning sports physicals or sports medicine procedures by email at firstname.lastname@example.com or by telephone at 914-500-6237. Thank you and Go Koalas!!
Kim Saxton
Athletic Director
The Ursuline School


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Mobile communications is more than just a way of communications — it is impacting and driving economies in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region.
According to GSMA's 'Mobile Economy: Asia Pacific 2013' report, the region is at the forefront of mobile innovation, with the number of unique mobile subscribers having outpaced the rest of the world over the last decade, reaching 1.5 billion at the end of 2012.
In 2017, it is expected that APAC will reach 1.9 billion unique mobile subscribers, accounting for almost half of the predicted global total of 3.9 billion.
Source: GSMA's Mobile Economy: Asia Pacific 2013' report
"Mobile is already having a profound impact across all APAC countries, with spectacular growth in service penetration, driven by investment in infrastructure and continued innovation in devices and services," said Anne Bouverot, Director General of GSMA. "We are now at the dawn of a far greater growth opportunity and we urge regional governments and regulators to support mobile operators in meeting that full potential. Making the right decisions around regulatory frameworks and spectrum availability will encourage the mobile industry to continue investing in expanding and upgrading services across the region."
The rapid penetration of mobile services and early roll-out of mobile broadband networks is driving profound economic change in APAC. As of the end of 2012, the mobile industry had invested US$80 billion in mobile infrastructure, generated US$1 trillion in GDP for APAC economies and contributed US$100 billion to public funding.
With access to vital spectrum resources and regulatory policy focused on driving further investment, for the period through 2020, the mobile industry could contribute an additional US$2.3 trillion to GDP and a further US$200 billion to public funding.
The mobile ecosystem in APAC is undergoing a rapid transformation with traditional telecoms providers expanding their business models and new players quickly emerging to compete for customers with innovative new services. The report highlights a number of key trends:
- Strong growth of data as voice traffic slows down across APAC, while data usage has grown at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of nearly 142 per cent from 2010 to 2012. 3G and 4G connections will grow 17 per cent every year over the next five years;
- Greater affordability of mobile services. The average monthly cost of mobile services across the region is falling by five per cent per year, decreasing from US $28.80 in 2005 to $19.70 in 2012;
- Entry of non-traditional players, including the emergence of entrepreneurial start-ups in areas such as mobile advertising and online video sites; and
- Increased socio-economic impact through collaborative platforms and mobile-enabled services such as payments, education and information services.
This transformation is creating countless business opportunities in both developed and developing economies and accelerating the availability of mobile-enabled services.
In developed economies, which already boast high subscriber penetration rates, there is a need for cohesive regulation to encourage the growth of connected services such as Smart Cities and mHealth. For developing countries, there is a continuing need for regulation that encourages long-term investment in network roll-out and upgrades to improve access to basic services.
GSMA is calling for changes that will further enable citizens throughout the region to reap the benefits of mobile. Consistent and fair long-term regulatory frameworks and taxation policies are needed to incentivise, not restrict, investment in mobile and spur regional economic growth and welfare improvement.
The timely availability of spectrum will also be critical in enabling the mobile industry to extend, upgrade and deliver new services. Regional governments should be led by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) standards on the bands and amounts of spectrum made available to mobile operators as they seek to upgrade networks to 3G or 4G services.
The drive towards band harmonisation, in line with the Asia Pacific Telecommunity (APT) band plan, is a critical part of this process, as up to 30 per cent of the benefits of the switch from analogue to digital TV broadcasts depend on harmonisation of the 700MHz band across the region.
Bouverot added: "Mobile is already a significant engine for growth and welfare improvement throughout the APAC region. Now there is a clear opportunity for mobile to further transform lives, create new businesses and drive additional economic growth. If regulators are focused on creating environments that encourage further investment, from both traditional and new mobile players, then this opportunity is well within the reach of all countries with the region, regardless of their level of economic development."
To access the report please visit: www.gsma.com/mobileeconomyasia


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Uber sparks anger from customers after increasing prices for journeys through snow storms with some charged up to FIVE TIMES the normal fare
Minicab-booking app Uber has faced criticism for increasing their prices as the 90mph Storm Emma and the 'Beast from the East' hit Britain with blizzards, ice and flooding leaving public transport across the country to be cancelled.
The firm has charged customers up to five time the normal fare for journeys as the Met office issues six different weather warnings covering almost the entire country today - two amber for 'be prepared' and four yellow for 'be aware'.
Angry Uber users took to social media to share their dismay with the app.
Richard Silcock, from Manchester, said his journey was 'an absolute joke' after being charged £13.20 for a three mile journey
He added it was 'ridiculous' to charge a 2.7 times surcharge for 'a bit of snow
Other frustrated users described the business as 'desperate' or 'pretty douchey'.
One passenger in Birmingham allegedly paid five times the usual fare.
The customer reportedly paid £31 for a three mile journey that usually costs £
Twitter users complained about being asked to pay more than usual with some saying it was 'desperate'
Another Uber user was charged £16 for a for a two mile journey that usually costs £5. She queried the price and was told 'We understand that you never had to pay this much before' but 'the rates are updated based on the demand and supply in real-time.
An Uber spokesperson said: 'The last few days have been incredibly challenging for transport services and anyone trying to get around. Bad weather has seen more people looking to book a car with Uber but fewer drivers on the road which caused prices to automatically increase.
'Our app uses dynamic pricing to encourage more drivers to pick up fares so that more cars are available. Users can always see a fare estimate before they book and can split the fare with others through the app. We'd encourage both riders and drivers to stay safe and follow the latest travel advice.
Uber trying to get away from the embarrassment of the surge by calling it "Dynamic" pricing, so back to the old 'it's easier to ask forgiveness than permission'.....
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How Can I Wear This Little Black Dress When I'm Too Fat?
I Need To Fit Into This Dress Tonight. Help!
Have you ever been in a situation where you absolutely must wear a little black dress that's a size too small and don't know how to fit nicely into it? That is without looking like a sack of potatoes bulging out of a gorgeous, body hugging, tight fitting, cute little number, right?
The answer to your dilemma is actually a lot simpler than you might imagine!
Smooth Down a Size with Shapewear
That's right, you can amazingly cinch down your body to fit comfortably inside that dress in an instant. And you can do that by wearing modern shapewear underwear beneath it and not only look amazing, but also feel great too!
If you found this website via this page, I'd certainly advise that you take a look around at some of the other articles in here that explain how shapewear works and take a look at some examples of Pelham & Strutt shapewear. Click either of those links to those particular pages or click the homepage and check out the list of article titles at the foot of the page.
If you haven't considered this solution or maybe you didn't even know it was available, you are in for a very pleasant surprise!
What Other Alternatives For Getting Slim Fast Are There?
Honestly? There are no easy alternatives to body contouring underwear for making yourself almost instantly slimmer. The simple fact is that you are the shape and size that you are and the only way to change it is to change yourself.
and size that you are.
The only way to change
is to change yourself."
To be honest, the most effective way of getting slim and looking great in slinky dresses and smaller size clothes in general is to eat a healthy, low calorie diet and combine that with some daily exercise or activity that gets your whole body working out. It's a long term solution and an on-going one that you need to work at every day.
But for most people, that seems like an impossible dream. Like how can someone who leads a busy life, balancing bringing up kids and looking after a family while coping with a stressful job manage to find time to cook healthy meals and work out every day?
How Can You Find Time to be Slim?
I will admit, I didn't find it easy to begin with either. But I figured out that a lot of the time I thought I didn't have turned out to be time I was wasting in one way or another. Like watching TV or reading magazines, for instance!
So instead of slumping down in front of the TV in the evenings, I decided to change my life. It took a major shift in my mentality to come to the conclusion that I didn't really "need" to watch every episode of this or that soap opera or latest must see drama series!
Think about it. How does watching a TV show enrich your life?
Unless it's educational, which let's face it 99% of television is NOT, then all it does is fill your head with junk. I'd rather fill my head with useful knowledge than junk!
Replacing the TV with Education
So I set out to learn how to cook great meals from healthy ingredients. Instead of watching TV, I spent that time doing a home study course on healthy cooking and food preparation. The great thing about that kind of course is you do the practical stuff while you learn.
And another amazing thing started happening. The more I learned, the more I wanted to learn! It was about then I started learning all about nutrition. That's how I eventually became a nutritionist!
I was making healthy meals every night and the transformation in my shape was little short of amazing! My daily calorie count dropped dramatically and so did my weight. I knew I had to capitalize on that spin-off bonus.
So I got hold of a Zumba dance workout DVD and some remote headphones and started getting up an hour early in the mornings to do a workout before showering and getting the family ready for school and me off to work! Yeah, I was actually using the TV in a positive way!
How Can I Do What You Do?
I get a lot of people come up to me and ask how they can do what I do. When I tell them, they usually nod and say they'll be sure to think about it but I know they won't do it.
Most people are stuck in their own little rut in their lives. And they don't know they all have the power to break out of it if they really want to. They are interested to know how to improve their lives, but they are afraid to leave their comfort zone to do it.
You have to be brave, take your life by the scruff of its neck and shake it for all you're worth! I mean you have to leave your comfort zone and be prepared to do whatever it takes to get what you want.
I won't pretend that it will be easy, because it won't. You will have days when you wonder if it is all even worth it. But it is worth it because you are worth it!
The Bitter Pill: Summing Up
The answer to your question (OK, the question that brought you to this page via its title), is to get into that dress right now, as long as you're not way too large is to wear suitable shapewear. It will give you the extra space you need to fit in there comfortably and look great.
But for the longer term, you need to work on yourself. It may seem like a bitter pill to swallow, but there really is no other way because no one else can do this for you. It has to be you.
Improve yourself from the inside out and you will improve everything about your life. That's just the way life is!


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Baden Aircraft Operations GmbH is an international luxury private jet service based at Baden-Baden, in the heart of the Black Forest, just across the Rhine River from Alsace and nearby Strasbourg.
Our highly-qualified team manages the operation and upkeep of private jets while offering worldwide private and commercial charter flights with our fleet of Citation X, Legacy 600 and Global XRS aircraft.
We are looking for one CAMO Specialist (w/m/d) with immediate effect.
Your tasks
You bring with you
We provide
An ambitious company at the inflection point of dynamic growth, a team-oriented family atmosphere featuring flat hierarchy with direct communication, a sympathetic motivated, multicultural team supportive of your success as a key member of the team, an interesting and versatile activity in a dynamic industry in which every day presents new challenges. We are an equal opportunity employer offering competitive salary & benefits and performance-based incentives in one of the best regions to live & work.
If this is the fascinating opportunity which you seek, we look forward to hearing from you. Please send us your application documents by e-mail to email@example.com stating the position, your availability and salary expectations.


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Need help? Check out Spotify Answers for solutions to a wide range of topics.
I have a playlist that has 1700song and i have premium but i can't use it offline because there isn't an option to transfer the data from external storage to sd card.
I tried to full my external storage and re-install spotify but it didn't work out somehow.
I wish spotify developers see this message make some new feature about it
Can you provide some further details? What device and what version of Android?
Also, you state "external" storage. External to what? (Are you refering to the memory in your device, or on an external drive?)
I have also read this article and followed its instructions:
It works for some time directly after configuration and an initial download ... but after some days days or until the app is updated the or until I add some songs - I DO NOT KNOW when it stopps working. Then my internal SD is refilled by Spotify song files ... Spotify still also uses space on my External SD.


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I need to buy Telindus 1030 router ... read more »
We are the sellers of #GGBS ( *GROUND GRANULATED BLAST FURNACE SLAG* )
Dear sir #GGBS ( *GROUND GRANULATED BLAST FURNACE SLAG* )
ready for delevery for students.
Minimum order quantity 50kg per bag
Pure JSW product
Those who are interested kindly call us for more info
My mobile number is 08897502748, 06281052131
Bluway Exports ... read more »
Buying selling lease and rent of plots lands apartments flats and commercial space ... read more »
Legrand products Available in under one roof ... read more »
We are providing website development service with mobile friendly and seo ... read more »
looking for instant varieties of Tea ... read more »
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26 March 2017
TSSA are to balloting members at Translink shortly over a pay dispute in their management, professional and technical (MPT) grades.
A letter will be sent to the company tomorrow (Monday 27th) March notifying them that we will begin balloting our members or industrial action next week.
The pay dispute relates to the 2016/17 pay award after MPT staff were offered less than other grades in Translink.
Said TSSA General Secretary, Manuel Cortes,
"After almost a year of waiting for the company to come to the table our members received an offer which was 1% lower than every other grade in Translink. This insulting, derisory and divisive offer has lost the company the respect of their management and engineering staff who feel that they have little option but to take industrial action as, despite our attempts to meet with senior HR officials in Translink, the company have failed to respond to our requests to reconvene pay talks.
"TSSA members in the MPT are responsible for the efficient operation, maintenance and safety of the bus and rail fleet and have worked diligently to keep the timetabled implementation of the new Belfast Rapid Transit system on track as well as provide support for major events such as the Balmoral Show. That Translink feel they can treat senior staff, who have shown such goodwill, with flagrant disregard is unacceptable and TSSA intends to hold them to account for it.
Should they wish to speak to me, in the meantime, they know where to find me."


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P7 have been working really hard this week to get prepared for Red Nose Day!
We thought of lots of super activities for the rest of the school to take part in to encourage donations.
We then organised a 'Fun Fitness' routine for all pupils and parents to join in with.
For our assembly, we researched the charity Comic Relief and found out about how they raise money and all the different people they help around the world.
Overall, the day was a great success. Thank you for all your donations. We will add up all the money on Monday and announce the total.
Well done P7, super hard work. 🙂


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Orb Weaver Spider
Eriophora transmarina
DistributionAustralia-wide, particularly common in bushland along the eastern coastal areas.
Venom toxicityThe bite of Orb-Weaving Spiders is of low risk (not toxic) to humans. They are a non-aggressive group of spiders. Seldom bite. Be careful not to walk into their webs at night - the fright of this spider crawling over one's face can be terrifying and may cause a heart attack, particularly to the susceptible over 40 year olds.
Spider identificationAn adult is about 20 mm to 30 mm in body length - has a bulbous abdomen - often colorful - dark to light brown pattern. The common Golden Orb-Weaver Spider has a purplish bulbous abdomen with fine hairs.
HabitatOften found in summer in garden areas around the home - they spin a large circular web of 2 metres or more, often between buildings and shrubs, to snare flying insects, such as, flies and mosquitoes.


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Welsh in a year - Significant investment by Welsh Government and a unique opportunity for teachers to develop their Welsh language skills
Welsh Government intends to provide an innovative opportunity for teachers to develop their Welsh language skills in September 2017.
Welsh Government intends to provide an innovative opportunity for teachers to develop their Welsh language skills in September 2017.
In order to raise literacy standards in schools and meet the challenge of reaching a million speakers by 2050, the Government will develop an innovative scheme that will provide an opportunity for teachers to take a one year course to learn Welsh in a year.
University of Wales Trinity Saint David is one of three centres which will be piloting this innovative one year course. The University already offers professional language training courses for teachers, teaching assistants and further education lecturers through the Welsh Language Sabbatical Scheme programme. These courses are available at Entry, Foundation and Advanced level and vary in length from 18 to 55 days at present. The pilot course however, will be taught over three terms during the year, and will allow English medium teachers in primary schools to be released from their teaching duties for a year in order to develop their Welsh language skills.
This is a very recent development with space for only 14 teachers on the course at Trinity Saint David. In cooperation with the Regional Education Consortium, ERW, the course was filled in less than two weeks, with teachers at English medium primary schools in Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, Swansea and Neath Port Talbot recruited for the pilot course.
Dr Lowri Lloyd, Director of the University's Welsh Language Services Centre, which run the Sabbatical Scheme at Trinity Saint David, said, "The University of Wales Trinity Saint David is delighted with the opportunity to collaborate with the Government with this exciting initiative. The innovative course provides an opportunity for teachers to learn Welsh within a context that totally suits their needs in their work on a daily basis. It will extend their language skills, with the aim of nurturing teachers who can confidently lead English medium schools to raise standards in Welsh as a second language."
Catrin Phillips, a Welsh Second Language Advisory Teacher with Pembrokeshire County Council, works closely with a number of English medium primary schools of the County, assisting them in teaching Welsh as a second language. Catrin said, "As a county, we have benefited greatly from the courses offered through the Sabbatical Scheme at Trinity Saint David. A large number of our practitioners in Pembrokeshire have attended the 11 week courses and they return to their schools with enthusiasm, as well as the confidence and skills to use the language in a wide range of contexts to raise standards. The one year course is an exciting development for our English-medium schools. Undoubtedly, the term courses have a positive impact on teaching and learning Welsh Second Language within our county and so it is certain that an intensive course like this is an invaluable opportunity to develop the Welsh language skills of teachers in preparation for the new curriculum."
The course is fully funded by the Welsh Government, and the aim of this pilot is to increase the number of teachers who are confident in their ability to teach Welsh effectively within the English medium sector.
Education Secretary, Kirsty Williams said in a statement to announce an investment by the Government to boost the teaching of Welsh:
"Developing a teaching workforce to teach Welsh and deliver education through the medium of Welsh is essential in creating more Welsh speakers and will be a priority over the next five years.
"This means planning to support the development of teachers and assistants and expanding the sabbatical scheme and other professional learning opportunities for the present workforce. Well crafted and delivered professional development is important because it delivers benefits to the individual, their profession and the public
"This investment aligns with our proposals for new teaching standards in Wales which will provide opportunities for teachers to develop their skills throughout their career to meet the needs of the education system."
During the year, teachers will create weekly video diaries, and the public can follow the teachers at University of Wales Trinity Saint David as they take on the challenge of learning Welsh in a year, through following the Cymraeg mewn Blwyddyn – Caerfyrddin, Facebook page.
Further Information
For more information please contact Arwel Lloyd, Principal PR and Communications Officer, on 01267 676663 / firstname.lastname@example.com


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Normally, I don't post about a tournament away from Westgate Lanes unless a local bowler either wins or does well (in a national tournament), but, this being the first tournament in one of the other Brockton Bowling Association centers in recent memory, I had to make an exception.
Randal Dunbar was the winner of the Bay State Open event yesterday at North Bowl Lanes in N. Attleboro, defeating Corey Hanson by a score of 268-187 (with handicap) in the title match. Kyle Egan and Stan Lewis, both representing Westgate Lanes, were semifinalists. The Bay State Open staff posted the video of the championship match, which is below:
Dunbar and Egan were competing as youth bowlers, so their winnings will be deposited into their SMART scholarship accounts.


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Register now for Heritage Tractor Drive
The Teeterville Pioneer Museum is hosting a Heritage Tractor Drive on August 24 and organizers are looking for tractor owners to register.
Drivers can join for a half-day drive through the back roads of Norfolk County.
The day will begin at 8 a.m. at the Teeterville museum for registration and morning refreshments before heading to Delhi for a tour of Quance Mill.
Drivers will return to the museum where visitors are invited to enjoy looking at the tractors.
All tractors from 1980 and older are welcome to join in the Heritage Tractor Drive.
Registration is $15, due by Aug. 17, and details can be found at teetervillemuseum.ca.


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Ladyboy Lin Smokes and Toys
Duration: 5min 58sec Views: 2 803 Submitted: 2 years ago
Description: Thai shemale Lin smokes a cigarette outdoor by the swimming pool and comes back inside after. Lin takes off her bikini, massages her big dick and squeezes huge boobs. She picks up the buttplug and starts stretching her ass hole for bareback anal fucking.
Sponsored by: Ladyboy Gold


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Drumkit Storage Cases
Stylish Storage for Music-Lovers and Musicians
Extra storage is never a bad thing, especially when that storage is as stylish and versatile as these awesome tin Drumkit Cases from SUCK UK. The set includes three stackable tins of different sizes. The largest tin has a diameter of 19.6cm and a height of 9.1cm. Because the tins vary in size, they're perfect for holding a variety of bits, bobs, and biscuits!
Needless to say, this set of three Drumkit Cases make a marvelous novelty gift for musicians and music-lovers. Take advantage of our premium gift-wrapping service during checkout to personalise this wonderful gift. The extra effort will make any gift recipient feel like an absolute rockstar!
Notify me when back in stock
Memorable Father's Day Presents for His First Father's Day!
When you are looking for first Father's Day presents, it is usually the best idea to look for something memorable. Of course, this does not necessarily have to be a decoration, because first Father's Day presents can be functional too. Still, if you need some inspiration, here are our top picks for most memorable first Father's Day presents.
What Is the First Memorable Father's Day Present for His First Father's Day?
Is your dad someone who likes to keep a hold of memories? Or is he someone in desperate need of additional storage space? Whichever it may be, we are sure the Drumkit Storage Cases from our first Father's Day presents collection is a great choice.
The Drumkit Storage Cases Set from our first Father's Day presents catalogue consists of three durable and stackable tins. The largest tin in this set has a diameter of 19.6 centimetres, while the smallest still provides a good 9.1 centimetres. In short, a great selection of storage cases in this Father's Day present ideas overview.
What Is the Second Memorable Father's Day Present for His First Father's Day?
A good gift basket can be quite memorable too, so such a choice should not be missing from our overview of Father's Day present ideas. One of our favourite Father's Day present ideas from this catalogue is the L'Occitane & Shiraz Retreat Hamper for Men.
The L'Occitane & Shiraz Retreat Hamper for Men from our range of Father's Day present ideas is the ultimate collection of shiraz wine, grooming products, and the plushest robe in the universe! So, if your dad is overdue for a pampering experience, he cannot be missing out on this unique gift basket from our Father's Day present ideas overview.
What Is the Third Memorable Father's Day Present for His First Father's Day?
There are other good Father's Day presents at Everything but Flowers that are extremely memorable, this includes our Maverick Barbecue Tool Set. The Maverick Barbecue Tool Set in this overview of good Father's Day presents is packed with quality barbecue tools, suitable for beginners as well as experienced barbecue lovers.
With the Maverick Barbecue Tool Set from our overview of good Father's Day presents, your dad will have the finest barbecue tools at his fingertips. The barbecue tool set from this overview of good Father's Day presents contains eighteen barbecue tools; this includes everything from a basting brush to a spatula and corn cob holders.
What Is the Fourth Memorable Father's Day Present for His First Father's Day?
Want to make sure he will never forget his first Father's Day? If so, you could consider a nice experience from our collection of good Father's Day presents.
One of the experiences you could consider is the Adelaide Hills & Hahndorf Gourmet Tour in South Australia. During this tour, your dad be taken along some of the finest gourmet stops in South Australia; this includes Haigh's Chocolate Factory, the Sidewood Cellar Door, and a whole bunch more.
Where Can I Find More Memorable Presents for His First Father's Day?
Everything but Flowers has a special section with only Father's Day presents, so customers can easily find a nice selection of Father's Day presents to get some inspiration from. Simply head over to the "occasions" tab and find the Father's Day section for some inspiration.
Do you have a question about one of the presents we mentioned today? Or could you use some assistance to find the perfect Father's Day present? No worries, because Everything but Flowers can assist you. Simply give us a call or send us an email for more information.


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The Eurovision Song Contest is hosted by Israel this year for the first time in two decades, and Finland will – as usual – be hoping to win the annual music competition (or at the very least get a lot of douze points from voters around Europe!)
Unfortunately there's been more misses than hits in recent years, as Finnish acts failed to qualify for the finals in 2015, 2016 and 2017. Last year in Lisbon Saara Aalto made it to the finals with her lively 'Monsters' performance, but ended up 25th out of 26 songs.
So can Darude do any better this year? He's teamed up with singer Sebastian Rejman on three tracks – the pair co-wrote two of them – and on Saturday night in Turku, televoters and special jury members will decide which one goes through to Eurovision in May.
The songs are 'Release Me', 'Superman' and 'Look Away'.
"This year's Eurovision desperately needs some fun, upbeat songs. Darude is delivering on that front" explains William Lee Adams, music critic, journalist, and founder of the wildly successful Eurovision fan website Wiwibloggs.
"I did have one big reservation initially. Darude's most popular song 'Sandstorm' doesn't feature any lyrics or even a vocalist. Thankfully he seems to have found his musical soulmate in Sebastian. His voice fits Darude's production nicely, and it makes the offering quite intoxicating and even a bit sexy" says Adams.
Counting on Darude's talent & fame
A male duo hasn't won Eurovision since Estonia's Tanel Padar and Dave Benton lifted the trophy back in 2001, and Finland will be looking to buck that trend in 2019.
Ville Virtanen – better known by his stage name Darude – started producing music while he was studying in Turku in the 1990s, and DJ-ing at parties. His big breakthrough came with 'Sandstorm' in 1999 and it was a huge global hit. His Eurovision singing partner Sebastian Rejman was the lead singer with bands The Giant Leap, and 4th Line Band.
Finland's Eurovision organisers will be banking in no small measure that voters remember Darude's biggest track, which has close to 120 million plays on Spotify.
"Everyone of a certain age knows 'Sandstorm', but not everyone knows the man behind the hit' says William Lee Adams, who has been a jury member at several Eurovision selection contests around Europe in recent years.
"There's something quite magical about Darude reasserting himself to the world all these years later. Bonus: I bet he's got plenty of surplus royalties to spend on staging!" he tells News Now Finland
Staging can make or break a performance
At the Eurovision Song Contest the way a song is staged, visually, can make or break a performance arguable as much as the quality of the singers and songs. Changes will almost certainly be made between Finland's domestic selection process Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu UMK this weekend, and what eventually gets performed in Tel Aviv in May.
Saara Aalto's production last year in Lisbon had everything and the kitchen sink thrown at it – from the singer spinning upside down on a wheel, to pyrotechnics, a trust fall from a high platform, and an energetic dance troupe wearing jackboots and bondage harnesses. It might all have been too much for the viewers, and sometimes a more minimal approach can be a winning formula.
"Too often the stage simply swallows the performer and the party becomes a bore fast. Loreen's [2012 winning song] 'Euphoria' overcame that by creating an intimate stage within the bigger stage. She brought the dance song but viewers didn't expect a fiesta because she created a tiny world of her own" explains Wiwibloggs' Adams.
Finland's Tel Aviv chances
Whichever Darude song goes through to the Eurovision final, there's always going to be tough competition.
Stand-out acts chosen so far come from Italian-Egyptian singer Mahmood, whose cool, brooding song 'Soldi' has already hit number one in the Italian charts; has more than 22 million Spotify streams; and almost 36 million views on YouTube.
France's Bilal Hassani sings in a mix of English and French on his track 'Roi', and plays with themes of gender identity in his performances. The track has been streamed more than 5 million times already on Spotify.
By comparison, the top-streamed Darude and Sebastian Rejman song for Eurovision has been streamed less than 250,000 times.
So what are the chances of success in Tel Aviv, given Finland's recent patchy history and strong entries from other countries?
"Finland competed in the most difficult semi final in Eurovision history last year and squeaked through" reminds William Lee Adams.
"This year Semi-Final 1 [where Finland will perform] is filled with countries that typically struggle to qualify. My gut tells me Darude will sail through. And your odds just got better – Ukraine is now out of the picture!"


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All +do in Zimbabwe
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For this week's Graphic Design contest, we want you to share the spotlight with your favorite work of art by inserting it into a shot of yourself.
This is a chance for you to reveal the artist behind your work. You can use the Editor to get creative as well. Take a shot of yourself striking a pose, then insert your framed art into place using the app's Add Photo feature. Edit the image so that you are holding your art in front of you, or lifting it over your head.
Whatever you do, stand proud with your work and create an image that makes a statement about who you are. Don't forget to enter by sharing it on PicsArt with the tag #GDmeandmyart.
How to Enter the Contest
Submit an entry by tagging it with #GDmeandmyart or by submitting it in the Contest section. Submit a maximum of two designs between Tuesday, February 24th and 11:59PM PST on Thursday, February 26th.
How to Vote
Voting starts on Friday, February 27th and closes at 11:59PM PST on Wednesday, March 4th. Vote in the Contest section by selecting your favorite entries. Under our new rules, all entries in the Contest section will be displayed in random order. No new entries are permitted once voting begins.
Contest Winners
The 10 designs with the most votes by the close of voting wins. Our jury will also select and feature one entry that did not make it to the top 10.


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text: Sharing My Spoils with this horny brunette babes Katy Rose and Hazel sharing a big dick and sucking it until it cums in this hardcore threesome Wow Girls video! This little blonde dancer was so sizzling hot that her guy almost passed out from desire as she did a little strip tease for him and then pranced around naked for him, wearing only her high black patent leather heels. Her guy found this so hot that he bent her gorgeous body over the couch, so her titties were hanging down and her ass was in the area. In then fucked her butthole hard, while she yelped with pleasure and then he pulled out to shoot his wad all over her sexy bare ass.


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Charlize Theron
Names: ; Sharliz Teron; CharlieModel, Actress , Age: 45 ( Zodiac Sign: Leo )
Birthday: August 7th (Thursday), 1975
Birth Place: Benoni, Gauteng, South Africa
Sex: Female, Height: 177cm
Official Site: http://www.charlizetheron.com/
Awards: Won 1 Oscar.
Biography: Charlize Theron was born in Benoni, a city in the greater Johannesburg-area, in South Africa, the only child of Gerda Theron (née Gerda Jacoba Aletta Maritz) and Charles Jacobus Theron. She was raised on a farm outside the city. Theron is of Afrikaner (Dutch, with some French Huguenot and German) descent, and Afrikaner military figure Danie Theron......


text: Many times it happens that you are doing things that improve your personal finances but on the other hand you are sabotaging yourself, doing others that eliminate the benefits of those that are good . In this way, you can end up in a worse financial situation. Imagine this situation George bought a house … "Why it is Important to Sort Your Goals by Priority"


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African Safari Barns
donald bale replied to donald bale's topic in History of the SafariThanks Harry there are a few changes since '75, the barn had slide doors instead of rollup doors. The separate paddocks for the elephants and rhinos were surrounded by the log fences like they were in the drive-thru section. I also noticed while you drive through the African plain section you can see the barns, in my days there the trees were so thick along that fence line you had to really look hard to see part of the rhino barn, you could only see the top half of the giraffe barn. So thank you again Harry for the pics I really enjoyed seeing the updated photos.
African Safari Barns
donald bale posted a topic in History of the SafariHarry are the any current photos of the elephant barn inside and out, i'm kind of curious as to what it looks like now compared to what it looked like in '75.
Misc Safari Mumblings
donald bale replied to 29yrswithaGApass's topic in History of the SafariOk jdc first of all the "winter housing" you are referring to is daily housing for the elephants and rhinos as well as their daily feeding of fruits, grains and vegetables. They have troughs along one side of their pens of which there are 4 sections, the rhinos have 4 sections of pens as well with each pen that has concrete troughs that hold their daily fruits, grains and vegetables as well as drinking water for them. Outside the bay doors is their own paddocks they use during the off season so the barn can be cleaned every day. I know this because I did exactly that every day for 2 years back in '74 through part of '76 as well as walking with the elephant during the open season, this was back before they were put inside of a fenced section within the elephant/rhino section. I'm pretty sure things still run the same to this day. As far as getting out of the rover in a lion or tiger section I doubt it would happen unless the animals are behind some kind of inclosure. Please do take the excursion if you get a chance i'm sure you will really enjoy it.
Harry keep on a rolling and have a happy birthday
Welcome Past & Present Safari Team Members!
donald bale replied to GAcoaster's topic in History of the SafariOK jdc12192 i'm wondering if you made it into the safari or not, it's been over a year now and have not heard?
Randy did you take over the lion section from Tommy Lear when he left the first time? Do you remember Winks and if so what was his real name? These are questions I got from an e-mail from Gary...
I think I remember you telling that story at Cassville Tavern but I might be mistaken, memory isn't what it once was......
Randy that was great, some days could really be a challenge couldn't they.
Randy just tell stories, Gary and I were only there 2 yrs. you were there about 9, we would love to hear about things after we left and I know Harry would love them too.
Randy welcome to this site. I'm glad to see another warden joining, we are a dying breed and need to let others know of our exploits there.
I remember Cassville Tavern well I loved their cheesesteak sandwiches. I also remember spending many nights there drinking with other wardens....... AHHHH GOOD TIMES
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Harry, I hope you have many many more to come.
Cedar Elephant
donald bale replied to 29yrswithaGApass's topic in GAH Spotlights - Safarias a former warden of the elephant/rhino section this made me sit up and take notice but I am a woodworker too so I really enjoyed seeing these pictures and really amazed at its size.
just you and me my friend, hopefully others will speak too, it would be great to hear from newer wardens too.
Safari Stampede
donald bale replied to 29yrswithaGApass's topic in History of the SafariOther than a few rhinos and and such getting too close to the section gates I remember one evening a rhino got out the swing gate between the elephant/rhino barn and the giraffe barn. There is a section of a wooded area stretching from the giraffe barn towards the African plains/elephant sections gate, it was like a long wedge of woods. Butch, Gary, me and a few others spent most of the night trying to corral the rhino by foot and with a tractor with head lights which Butch was driving. For hours we would herd him in the right direction just to have him charge back in the other direction, but finally we did get him turned back into his own pad at the rhino side of the barn.


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