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Archive:Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan
Key changes since 1 July 2010
A significant milestone for the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan was reached on 1 July 2010 (6 July 2010 for Belarus) as the Customs Code of the Customs Union went into effect and established a unified customs territory. The Customs Code generally provides for:
- Common customs procedures
- Common rules for goods declaration
- Common rules for customs duty determination and collection
- Common rules for customs clearing and customs control
However, the envisioned lifting of customs controls on internal borders and harmonized rules for regulating trade have not yet come to fruition. Rather, for now, the effective date of the Customs Code perhaps more accurately symbolizes the start of a transition period, during which traders must deal with temporary exceptions to unified customs territory, lack of clarification on the application of the new customs laws and confusion as harmonized technical regulations may take years to roll out. Companies doing business in and with the Customs Union should prepare for a bumpy ride.
Temporary exceptions from the unified customs territory
The Customs Union Commission has established certain temporary exceptions to the free movement of goods between member states. For trade between Belarus and Kazakhstan, customs controls temporarily remain for:
- Goods of which one of the member states applies anti-dumping, compensatory and special (i.e., preferential) duty rates
- Vehicles imported into a member state when acquired by individuals of another member state for personal use (at present time, this exception is supposed to remain until 1 January 2013)
- Goods subject to export duties in one of the member states, which are exported from this member-state to another member-state in respect of which such export duties are applicable
The exception procedure implies that the goods mentioned above are subject to customs clearance (e.g. customs declaration should be submitted) on transportation from one member-state to another. With respect to Kazakhstan, in addition to the above, the exceptions procedure also applies to goods for which customs duties are established in Kazakhstan at rates lower than the unified customs rates of the Customs Union. This exception applies to a large number of items (409 in total) and is supposed to be applicable until 1 January 2015.
Status as «goods of the Customs Union»
Only goods that qualify as «goods of the Customs Union» can freely move within the unified customs territory. Pursuant to Article 4 of the Customs Code, goods acquire such status in the following instances:
- The goods have been fully produced in the territory of the Customs Union.
- The goods have been released for domestic consumption with the payment of customs duties at the Unified Customs Rates of the Customs Union.
- The goods have been produced in the territory of the Customs Union from goods fully produced or released for domestic consumption.
Consequently, the principle for determining the status of the goods for customs purposes prevails in trade relations between member states of the Customs Union. Previously, under the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) free trade agreement, preferential trade was based on the country of origin of the goods, and this was how trade was conducted among Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. Now, it is important that the customs authorities establish the status as «goods of the Customs Union». Goods of the Customs Union may move freely within the unified customs territory, whereas restrictions are imposed on other goods.
Goods that do not hold status as «goods of the Customs Union»
Goods which do not meet the criteria for goods of the Customs Union, or for which no documents were presented to show that they originate from a member state or that they were released for domestic consumption in the territory of the Customs Union, are to undergo customs clearance procedures with the (additional) payment of customs duties and the submission of the relevant documents. Despite the unified customs territory, customs clearance is still undertaken only by the customs authorities of the member-state where the importer resides. This rule is to be applicable during transitional period the time limits of which have not been established yet.
VAT collection
The procedure for collecting VAT remains almost unchanged. For trade between member states, VAT will be refunded to the seller of goods in one country (exporter), while the purchaser in the other country (importer) will pay VAT to the tax authorities of its country. VAT rates have not changed, remaining at 18% in Russia, 20% in Belarus and 12% in Kazakhstan. It is unlikely that these rates will be unified in the foreseeable future.


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- North Beach
- Dairy Beach
- Country Club Beach
- Battery Beach
Welcome to the official blog of TravelComments.com - travelling Southern Africa!
20 April 2018
Durban: Four beaches partially closed for sand pumping!
The eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, the metropolitan municipality that includes the city of Durban and surrounding towns, just announced that portions of:
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subset: commoncrawl


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Japan Blocks. A set of 12 Redwork designs for 6"x6" 150mmx150mm and 8"x8" 200mmx200mm hoops. This is an excellent value combo set taken from the Japan Blocks sets. These are manually digitied by Elke in six sewing formats. pes, jef, vp3, vip, xxx, dst. Elke has minimised jump stitches to make for easy sewouts. Artwork by www.clipartopolis.com. Digitised machine embroidery designs All rights reserved, Copyright © 2011 www.gumnutembroideries.com
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Dan's young (25-ish) office mate had a road trip planned for this weekend with 9 friends. Destination: Poland. Dan has lamented, over the past few days, that this sounds like exactly the kind of thing just-out-of-college-youth should be spent on (and I agree — I think back to the many nights we spent eating pizza in front of the tv, times when we were actually BORED and think of what a waste it was). His coworker has suggested, recently, that maybe Dan could come along next time. Dan has said it would be up to me. Then, yesterday, at the last minute, it turned out that someone was sick and Dan's friend suggested (jokingly) that Dan call me to ask if he could come along, but that he imagined there would be lots of yelling if he did. Dan replied that no, in fact, I'd help him back his bags . . . just for a much longer trip.
Har, har. I get the joke: "My wife isn't the yelling and screaming type, but she wouldn't permit that. She'd kick me out just for asking."
But, hang on a second. Over the past 14 years, I've put up with, facilitated and indulged WAY more than an impromptu, last minute, weekend trip to Poland.
I do get the joke. But it isn't accurate. It's putting me down, even though I wasn't there, even though there's no apparent harm done. I am so much more than that. I am so much kinder than that. I am so much more loving than that.
So, why not give me that credit?
Why couldn't it go like this, instead: friend jokes that Dan call and ask if he can go. Dan says, "Actually, if I really wanted to go, I think Emily would help me make that happen." "Really? Let's do it!" "No, I'd really rather spend the weekend with my wife and kids."
(Pause for that to sink in.)
Dan doesn't say that — not because he doesn't believe it, but because he wants to be funny — he doesn't want to look like the guy who can't take a joke.
But, why not have integrity and be honorable to the woman that I am, the wife that I am, the reality of the marriage that we have? That would hit this young guy like a ton of bricks — open his mind to the idea that it's possible, reasonable even, to have a marriage that is more than expected. More than formulaic and superficial and trite.
These little jokes, these little things that we say, plant seeds in our minds. They become part of how we see each other, even if unfounded. If we could have integrity, always, with the things that we say and the way that we act, it would be self-perpetuating. It could become normal. We could honor, respect and love each other, in these small acts, and reflect the love, honor and respect we try to carry with us through the years. We could see these jokes for what they are: a reflection of a false and sad state that is not reality for us.
I'm not mad at Dan for this — I made exactly this point to him last night when he told me the story, and he got it. (It took a while to get past the, "You don't understand, it was a JOKE", reaction, but we got there.) I'm just saying: let us be kind and respectful of each other. The words we choose feed the way we think and inform our thoughts and actions. We do ourselves harm and disservice by choosing, instead, to get the joke.


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Daily Christmas steals and deals
With Thanksgiving (and the black friday deals) behind us and Christmas only 3 weeks away, gamers on the look out for more sales/deals should keep an eye out for the Appvent Calendar and EA's '25 Games Til X'MAS events. Blacksmith Games, the dev team behind the upcoming Plushed, are responsible for the Appvent Calendar, where an iDevice game will be free for 24hrs worldwide up until Dec 22nd. Today's freebie is Hexage's puzzler, Totemo. If you enjoy surprises (and free games), be sure to bookmark their calendar page.
Meanwhile, EA have also launched a daily event that will see an App Store game of theirs go on sale (up to 80% off) everyday until Dec 22nd. Today, both Auditorium and Surviving High School can be had for $0.99. To find out the latest deals of the day, you can follow EA on Twitter and/or Facebook for their X'MAS annoucements.
Hopefully, other publishers will also jump on the wagon and give us all something more to cheer about (daily) before the Christmas rush.


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R. Todd Creer
702-259-8640 (Toll Free)
Todd Creer joined Kamer Zucker Abbott in August 2006 and became a partner in November 2014. He represents employers in all facets of labor and employment law and has taken a lead role in guiding clients through revisions of employment policies, responding to multi-employee discrimination charges, and training employees and managers on avoiding harassment and discrimination in the workplace. Todd has litigation experience before Nevada's state and federal courts, including successfully defending a Nevada employer in a complex multi-employee action filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Additionally, he has garnered experience in labor negotiations and arbitrations and before the Nevada Equal Rights Commission, the National Labor Relations Board, the Nevada Division of Industrial Relations Appeals Division, and the Nevada Labor Commissioner.
Todd has been recognized as a Rising Star in the 2010-2014 editions of the Mountain States Super Lawyer Magazine. He is the co-author of The Ever-Evolving Claim of Sexual Harassment, Communique (March 2007).
In law school, Todd served as a Managing Editor for Cornell's Legal Information Institute (LII) and as an Honors Fellow for the Lawyering Program. He was also an active member of the J. Reuben Clark Law Society. During his law school summers, Todd clerked for the United States Attorney, Civil Division in San Diego, California and the Legal Aid Society of Hawaii in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Prior to going to law school, Todd was an active participant on Weber State University's mock trial team, achieving both individual and team distinctions in regional and national competitions. He graduated as the University's Social Sciences Outstanding Graduate and was awarded the Political Science Highest Scholastic Achievement.
Todd is fluent in Tagolog. He loves to travel, spend time with his family, and enjoy the warm weather of Las Vegas.
Areas of Practice
- Employment Law – Employer
- Labor Law
Bar Admissions
- Nevada, 2006
- U.S. District Court District of Nevada, 2006
- U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit, 2013
- Cornell Law School, Ithaca, New York
- J.D. cum laude - 2006
- Honors: Honors Fellow for the Lawyering Program
- Law Journal: Cornell's Legal Information Institute (LII), Managing Editor, 2005 - 2006
- Weber State University, Ogden, Utah
- B.A. summa cum laude - 2003
- Major: Political Science
Published Works
- The Ever-Evolving Claim of Sexual Harassment, Communique, March, 2007
- Court Revives Third-Party Harassment Claim, Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Online Legal Issues, May 30, 2014
Honors and Awards
- Best Lawyers®, Litigation - Employment
- Best Lawyers®, Employment Law - Management, 2016 - 2019
- Rising Star, Mountain States Super Lawyer Magazine, 2010 - 2019
- Tagalog


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Yi Wang is a PhD Candidate majoring in Chinese Linguistics and minoring in Second Language Acquisition and Teaching and Anthropology & Linguistics at the University of Arizona. Her major research interest focuses on the linkage of the macro ideological constructs with the micro-culture of language interaction in study abroad context. She is also interested in the process of additional language acquisition of multilingual individuals. Yi's research interests reflect her own experience as language educator and program director, whose students are mostly multilingual and transnational individuals. Her current research projects intersect with fields of study abroad, multilingualism, language ideology, sociolinguistics, and linguistic anthropology. She has publications and conference presentations in major avenues in the field of applied linguistics.
Wang, Yi
Graduate Associate


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I really cannot believe I am about to say this, but the truth must come out. This is like the time when I said that I didn't like Sarah Jessica Parker's yellow Valentino dress at her movie premiere. This is something I do not do very often, but I cannot just ignore it.
The Chanel couture show. What happened? Where is the Karl Lagerfeld, I know and love? The man who gave us:
Mr. Lagerfeld has a habit of making me yearn and lust for his dresses, occasionally dreaming about them and their absolute stunning beauty. But this couture collection did not. I was completely and totally underwhelmed, upset even, at the lack of creativity and wonder. The pieces were pretty and obviously well made, but I do not want to think, "Oh, well isn't that a nice jacket," when seeing a show, I want to think, "What can I do to get my hands on it? Who do I need to distract to sneak backstage and rip it off the model?" And I did not feel this way about any of the pieces. And this is Chanel! One of the single greatest fashion houses in the world. There were a few that I liked and I have posted them below.
I understand that they are great pieces, that the clothing is wearable and cautious of the uncertain times that we live in. But I want to be transported from my quiet little sea side town, I want to forget about money, jobs, people, and the world frankly when I see a couture show.
I would really like to hear others opinions about the show, maybe I am way off base, but I have a feeling that I am not alone in this thinking. (Also, remember that Lagerfeld often does a lot of looks in his collections, I have picked the absolute best, there are over 30 looks not present here.)
There are about 4 things (out of 64 looks) that I loved. What happened Karl?


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As the oldest independent film festival in Washington DC, the DC Independent Film Festival (DCIFF) has a storied history of presenting extraordinary films. We have showcased cutting edge features, animation, experimental, shorts and documentaries on every subject from every country with every budget and subject imaginable.
By exhibiting world premiere screenings, hosting timely seminars and workshops, and sponsoring discussions with the United States Congress, DCIFF gives independent filmmakers opportunities for their voices to be heard in a way that no other festival can provide. The festival includes a dedicated POLIDOCS section for controversial films that should be screened in the Nation's Capital and a high school film competition. We encourage local filmmakers to apply as well as those on the cutting edge of ideas, technology and imagination worldwide.
DCIFF is proud to be a volunteer-run festival with an over twenty year track record. DCIFF is not a curated festival. With the exception of retrospectives and honorees, all films screened are chosen through the submissions process.
Our annual awards are:
Best of Fest
Best Feature ($1,000 Award sponsored by Stonepark Productions0
Best International Film
Best Documentary
Best Documentary Short
Best Short
Best Wed Series (episode)
Best Animation
Best of Metro DC
Best Woman Director ($1,000 Award Sponsored by MediaFusion)
Best High School Student - 3 Awards (a separate competition within the festival)
Special Alumni Career Award
If sponsors donate products or cash for awards, we pass these on to our winners. Otherwise we give winners our unique festival award plaques. The high school competition has cash prize awards.
Submissions open from August 19 – December 19, 2019
We welcome submissions in the following categories:
◾ Narrative features
◾ Short films including wed series pilot/episode
◾ Documentaries (feature and short)
◾ Animation + Experimental (up to 2 hours)
◾ High School Student Film Showcase and Competition (films up to 30 mins.) – Free Submission to Regular Deadline on November 28, 2019.
◾ Student Films (Please Note: Student films under 20 mins. are only free up until September 27, 2019 early submission deadline with a valid student I.D., but there is a fee for submissions from September 28-December 20, 2018. We are strict on these deadlines.)
We are open to films of any genre except adult films (though' R-rated" is fine) and in any language (with subtitles). We do not have a section dedicated to family films, but love films that appeal to the child in us all. We always have a horror film section, in honor of a genre that has been an important launching point for independent filmmakers. We have an excellent animation section and encourage animators working across all styles to submit their work. DCIFF 2020 also welcomes open source films, art films and interactive films and the wide spectrum of documentary formats and issues including advocacy films.
Stipulations: We put a great deal of effort, time and attention into promoting the films selected for screening and competition and in this way, have aided many a filmmaker on the road to success, awards, distribution and networking, but we can only do so if the following rules are followed:
Metro DC Film Premieres required (we do accept films that have had private screenings in DC), East Coast and US Premieres preferred; all films completed within one year of the date of submission to DCIFF; if your film is still in process we will accept submission but DCIFF will remove a film from final selection if it is not completed by the end of December 2018; while we have screened films that are available in their entirety for public viewing online, this is not our preference and we check every film we select accordingly. Our reasonable submission fees are entirely used to cover the cost of filmmaker support: press, screenings, seminars and outreach. DCIFF is a volunteer-run festival with an eighteen year track record.
Students - You must be a current student to qualify for submission in a Student category (include your current student id or a letter from a school advisor with your submission).
High School Students - For age 18 & under only! We will accept your film as a high school entry if you are a current high school student or graduated high school in the summer of 2019. Include your current high school ID or a letter from a school advisor with your submission.
DCIFF Alumni - To qualify for submission in an alumni category, we must have screened one of your films in a previous DCIFF. Please include with your submission the title of the film screened and the year we showed it.
Films in Distribution: If you are a distributor or your film is ruled by a distribution contract, please make sure that you can screen this without a screening fee. DCIFF does not pay screening fees but we do everything we can to bring filmmakers and talent to attend the festival.
By submitting your film to DCIFF you are agreeing to the following conditions:
- I am authorized to submit this film to the Washington, DC Independent Film Festival for consideration and have read, understood and agreed to all entry requirements.
- I authorize DCIFF to post up to 3 minutes of all entries submitted on related websites, as well as post stills, for promotional purposes only.
- I understand that no film accepted for screening in competition at DCIFF may be withdrawn without the express written permission of DCIFF. In the event that a screening print is not delivered or in the case of technical issues, DCIFF reserves the right to screen publicly the DVD submission file unless other arrangements have been made with you, the filmmaker.
- I release DCIFF from all responsibility for any and all film loss or damage. I understand that my submission review copies will not be returned.
- I promise to contact DCIFF immediately regarding any changes to the information above, including Premiere status of my film or exhibition format. Failure to provide complete and updated information or failure to submit an exhibition copy of my film by the above-stated deadlines may cause the elimination of my film from competition.
- All rights and permissions are in place for my submission (it is the sole responsibility of the applicant to obtain any and all necessary rights and permissions).
- By submitting my film for consideration, I grant permission to DCIFF to use any portion of my film and related materials for promotion in all media, including DCIFF catalogues, flyers, posters and the DCIFF website.
- I am DULY authorized to submit this film to the Washington, DC Independent Film Festival and its competition ("DCIFF") and I have read, understood and agreed to all entry requirements.
- All submitted films are in competition.
- All of the above information and statements are accurate.


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Olivia Birkelund is an actress who appeared in the first episode of Aliens in the Family as Michelle Bellamy, wife of Mortimer P. Bellamy.
Birkelund is best recognized for her work in soap operas, starting with a stint on One Life to Live (as Sondra Hall) in 1991 and followed by Arlene Chandler on All My Children, debuting in 1995 and appearing intermittently as late as 2002. She guest starred on Star Trek Voyager (as an ensign in a two parter), various Law & Order shows, Soul Man, Third Watch, The Good Wife, Unforgettable, and Black Box.
In film, Birkelund had supporting roles in Far From Heaven (with Julianne Moore) and The Bone Collector (with Denzel Washington).


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There's a little university town in Oregon called Corvallis. It's a small town big on environmental sustainability. Green everything. Bikes everywhere. A ban on plastic bags, even. Sometimes people laugh at the city's progressive eccentricities; they roll their eyes and say "Oh, that's so Corvallis."
While some of their policies are a bit, erm, overbearing, you've gotta respect the commitment of the people of Corvallis to sustainability. They aren't just hopping on some green bandwagon; they're genuine in their efforts, and they practice what they preach.
When it comes to evangelicalism, I sure hope we AREN'T practicing what some pastors are preaching about our responsibilities toward the Earth.
You've probably heard by now about Mark Driscoll's latest controversy. At a conference he said, "I know who made the environment and he's coming back and going to burn it all up. So yes, I drive an SUV." Conference-goers quoted him on Twitter; scandal ensued.
Some people were really disturbed by this comment. I read it and thought, "Meh." Been there, heard that. Years ago, I heard a pastor say that from the pulpit; and I've heard many laymen echo the sentiment, if not the wording.
It might be meant as slight hyperbole, sort of a joke? But if pastors think that's funny, they need to take an improv class or watch some stand-up. I for one rarely laugh at destruction and judgment.
Since it fails as a joke, we have to assume most people say this because they believe it. They believe sustainability is an unnecessary hobby or, worse, a liberal hoax. Caring for nature is just a hippie pastime! It's just those Democrats, environmentalists, and probably communists trying to force us all into mandatory shifts at the community garden!
Well, sure, green initiatives have been politicized. Environmentalism has its radicals. But living responsibly, caring for the Earth, appreciating nature – what's so dangerous or extreme about that?
I just can't condone this attitude. There are too many issues with this "God's burning up the planet, let's help him!" ideology:
– It's inconsistent. The people who perpetuate this burning world ideology wouldn't apply the same logic to anything else. If some guy was like, "I'll die eventually anyway, might as well smoke six packs a day now" or some 15-year-old girl was like, "Cancer shmancer, I'm gonna tan four hours every day," concerned Christians everywhere would clutch their pearls and wail about the body being a temple. They'd point out the dangerous consequences of smoking or tanning and encourage preventative health measures instead: a Nicotine patch, sunscreen, regular exercise, lots of leafy green vegetables. They wouldn't spout that future hypothetical death means we should engage in destructive behavior willy-nilly.
– It's dishonest. It's making a political statement disguised as theology. Can pastors and public figures have off-topic opinions and share them publicly? Sure. But let's be clear that you're talking politics, not faith – using your voice, not God's.
– It's a little Gnostic. Gnosticism values the metaphysical above the material; it shuns the physical in favor of the spiritual. It says Earth doesn't matter, because, like, HEAVEN, guys! It says we are far too busy praying and philosophizing to care about pollution, endangered species, or that cats are taking over the world.
– It's irresponsible (and kinda unbiblical). You have to follow a specific, Left Behind-inspired interpretation of the end times, one without much emphasis on renewal or even recreation, to buy into Driscoll's attitude. Lots of destroying fire, not much refining fire. Oddly, the Christians who follow this sort of eschatology tend to also believe in the Genesis dominion mandate, sometimes called the stewardship mandate. It's fun to think of this mandate as a Ron Swanson-like endorsement of sport hunting, the industrial revolution, and meatlovers pizza; but inherent in the theology is responsibility. Humans are supposed to protect, develop, and use the planet – but not to abuse or misuse it. If you "know who made the environment," wouldn't you want to honor the Creator and care for his masterpiece?
Even in that old garden, Adam was supposed to tend to the trees and animals. I don't think he and Eve were like, "Eh, we're eventually gonna sin and throw humanity into a death spiral which will probably lead to some sort of fire and brimstone ages and ages from now, so let's just let Eden get overgrown and icky."
– It's lazy. This macho, devil-may-care attitude excuses Christians from having to think about the environmental (and therefore human, since we live in the environment) impact of the products we're using or industries we're supporting. It assumes the second coming, or God's wrath, or the millennial kingdom, in whatever eschatological order you believe it all will occur, is coming very soon. It frees us from the future consequences of our present actions, saying: sure there are mounds of plastic in the ocean that will last hundreds of years, but the rapture will totes happen before that, so let's use ALL the plastic!
I am not an environmental radical. I'm not saying SUVs should be outlawed or that you should never use plastic or eat steak. I'm not saying you should sacrifice your kids' music lessons or college fund so you can afford all eco-friendly brands or install solar panels. I don't think God has said any of that either.
But there is a balance to existing responsibly. There is a call to protect and create, not abuse and destroy. Evaluating how and why we consume resources seems right in line with wise, conscientious living.
Sustainability? That's so Christian.


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Includes museums, historic sites, and visitor tours, as well as activities, festivals and events.
Many services are changing rapidly in response to COVID-19. For the most up-to-date information we have, please check the 211 Alberta - Resources for COVID-19 in Alberta list, as the website search tool may not accurately reflect services at this time. You can also reach out to 211 by phone, text or chat: dial 2-1-1, text INFO to 211 or visit www.ab.211.ca and click "live chat."


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New Deputy Pensions Ombudsman appointed
New Deputy Pensions Ombudsman Karen Johnston has been appointed and will take up her post from July 1st, 2015 for a 3 year term. Pensions Minister Steve Webb said: "Karen
Pensions Regulator Corporate Plan
The Pensions Regulator published its latest corporate plan, setting out how it intends to continue to improve standards in workplace pension schemes and enable good outcomes for retirement savers. Go
Savers no longer on hold says NAPF as HMT announces Pension Wise telephone number
The NAPF has commented on HM Treasury's (HMT) announcement of the telephone number for the Government's Pension Wise guidance service. Graham Vidler, Director of External Affairs, NAPF, said: "Pension Wise, perhaps
NAPF's top tips for savers using the new pension freedoms
Only one in three of the people who will be eligible to use the pension freedoms in the next five years currently feel very confident about making their own financial
Smart Pension to solve auto enrolment headache for small firms
An entrepreneurial new auto enrolment firm claims it has solved the pension sign-up headache for thousands of Britain's small businesses as the deadline for enrolment looms for companies with fewer than
PensionsEurope deeply concerned with pensions developments for Bulgarian pensions
PensionsEurope deeply concerned with developments in Bulgaria for Bulgarian pensions. There are worrying developments for supplementary pensions taking place in Bulgaria. In order to improve public finances, the Bulgarian Government
Jeremy Leach CEO of Managing Partners Limited comments on budget 2015 pension reforms
Jeremy Leach, Chief Executive Officer of Managing Partners Limited, which manages a number of funds that invest in insurance linked securities, has responded to the government's decision to allow pensioners
Will Fraser-Allen, Deputy Managing Partner at Albion Ventures in the 2015 budget
Commenting on the rule changes to VCTs, EIS and SEIS in the March 2015 Budget, Will Fraser-Allen, Deputy Managing Partner at Albion Ventures said: "These amendments make sense in the
NAPF welcomes code of good practice for combating pension scams
The NAPF has welcomed the publication of Combating Pension Scams: A Code of Good Practice. Graham Vidler, Director of External Affairs, NAPF said "The NAPF is pleased to be part of
NAPF comments on 2015 budget
The National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF) has commented on the changes to pensions announced in the 2015 Budget. Commenting on the Chancellor's announcement to cut the Lifetime Allowance (LTA)


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What would have happened if Harry hadn't made the train that morning? It was a sliding doors moment and who knows!?…. But, he made it and within seconds, it was the start of I Bike Cambridge Weekend for Team Cyclodelic! We were off on the train from London Liverpool Street to Cambridge and almost a full team; hair stylists, make-up artists, sound engineer and assistants.
The rest of the team, stylist, photographer and of course the director Amy Fleuriot were already there unpacking the tarps, mannequins, goody bags, bunting and bags of gorgeous clothes from the various Esthetica and cyclewear designers. It really was a case of sisters doing it for themselves (don't even ask about Amy, Andrea, Sophie's trip up there in the white hire van!) as we got ready for the much anticipated fashion show.
Saturday was exciting and a really big learning curve for all as we battled on in 39 degree heat. By Sunday the temperature had cooled down and we managed to iron out the creases to get the shows running like clock work.
With the stage set, music queued, pedal powered bicycles fully charged, goody bags at every seat and our 15 gorgeous models out of hair, make up and into wardrobe we were ready for a final countdown call on mic. We then successfully rolled out 4 shows throughout the day, all on time.
Starting many months back with Amy working on bike design workshops with three local colleges, today we would showcase all the hard work that had been done. Despite the obstacles over the two days it was such a success!


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After a delightful yet simple banana pancake on my first breakfast in Vanuatu, I was craving another serving on the second morning.
"Sorry, Madam, we have run out of bananas," said the waitress, apologetically, "The entire island has run out, you won't find them at the markets anywhere in the island".
Typhoon Pam had a devastating impact on the local crops in Vanuatu practically eliminating the bananas, a main staple in most Pacific islands. Until the next crop would be ready for harvest, ni-Vanuatu would have to live of anything but bananas.
A trip down to the colorful, buzzy and organized local market revealed just that: no bananas in sight. Instead, I unexpectedly saw Chinese pok choi spinach, a vegetable I do not recall having seen three years ago when I first visited the country, in abundance. Coconuts, another scarcity but one which faired better after the storm, thanks to its thick husks, was less pervasive than before. I could see only very few types of produce on offer at every stall. As opposed to the grapefruit, paw paw, strawberries and abundance of other fruits I saw pomelos and root vegetables.
Vanuatu's main island of Efate, where the international airport is, offers a multitude of restaurant alternatives. From high-end Japanese Tapanyaki to romantic evenings by the beach, curry places, seafood dive bars, sailor restaurants, yatchies bars, Chinese restaurants, fried-chicken outlets, French bakeries, you name it. There is also a relatively large array of fine-dining options charging international prices.
If you would pick a guide book from a few years ago you would most likely see the same recommendations as today. The most popular options have not changed in years. For the longest-standing and most historically important restaurant look no further than L'Houstalet, a restaurant that was an institution even before the Constitution was signed, in 1979, in the restaurants dining room.
This French-Melanesian restaurant run by Clement Martinez has been open for over four decades and it was the place where Vanuatu's Constitution was signed in the 70s.
Arriving from France in 1969 Clement opened L'Houstalet to offer a series of french favorites with a Pacific twist. The restaurant is famous for wild pigeon, coconut crab and flying fox, which is served stuffed with its own guts. There are also French favorites like snails on garlic sauce and flambe prawns, which he flambes table-side. The restaurant also makes pizza to take away.
As I wait for my dining companion to arrive I see a stream of customers coming to retrieve their orders. A strange opportunity to have capitalized on in a country where food delivery is inexistent.
This was my second time at the restaurant and, on both occasions, I had to order the traditional onion soup, filled with sweet and soft onion and melted cheese, and the flying fox. Well, I had to get my dining companions to order the flying fox, I just could not stomach it.
So what does a Flying Fox look and taste like?
Flying foxes are glorified versions of a fruit bat. In the close proximity of a photograph they look pretty cute. In the wild, they are rather smelly. Clement cleans the animals and re-stuffs them with their own guts in the hopes that their fruit-based diet gives the meat a sweet fruity taste, much like stuffing the turkey with cranberry. The dish is cooked in a thick red wine sauce and served with white rice.
The smell and taste is gamey, a mix between a pigeon, a hare and a duck. I could not swallow the meat, it was way too meaty and pungent for me. Perhaps it was because I knew what I was eating and how it had been cooked that I just could not enjoy it.
L'Houstalet is a laid-back place mixing a sense of countryside France, stucco walls and dark wood beams, with a dash of tropical paradise. There are cats roaming around, brushing themselves against the client's legs and a thriving plant-based garden that surrounds the tables. Smoking is still allowed in one part of the dining room.
Clement, sporting a white ponytail and a red flowery shirt, takes the orders, his heavy French accent not one bit eroded after forty years in the South Pacific. He laughs when we inquire about the fun story at the back of the menu which tells of a time when a journalist asked about the flying fox's stuffing. He must have laughed at this joke a million times as the menu has never changed in the forty years. He remains polite, quiet and without saying a word, almost like a father telling the children off, and shows he is there to get the orders and efficiently pass them on to the kitchen. The staff is on it, they are organized and fast, this is the best service we got in Efate.


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By Dr David Laing Dawson
We are Borgs, if you will pardon the Sci Fi reference.
At our best we carry in our heads a sense of the thoughts and feelings and wellness of others as well as our own. I am not talking about empathy here but rather that a piece of our consciousness is devoted to the existence of others; that an awareness of others, even when they are not present, is an important part of consciousness.
This ability allows us to experience empathy but it is wider than that. When conscious, at our best, we are aware of not just what we see and hear and of ourselves, but of the people in our lives and our connections to them. And that circle of people can include a few family members or stretch to the refugees of South Sudan.
At our best.
In a psychotic illness that awareness can become strangely distorted, with one or many of these relationships over interpreted, imbued with magical power or ominous threat. This is easy to observe, from a stated conclusion that the people on television talk to me or the police are watching me and putting drugs in my orange juice.
What is not so easy to observe is the effect of clinical depression. But depression, the illness depression, diminishes and eventually eliminates that social form of consciousness; the awareness of others, our connections to them, the presence they maintain in our minds, is lost in depression. Consciousness, in depression, is reduced to simply the self, and the self in depression is a malfunctioning body of limited worth and a sense of dread. Others are gone from our shrinking cloud of consciousness.
Anthony Bourdain killed himself in a hotel room in Paris and I watched CNN last night. He left grieving friends, colleagues, fans, and an eleven year-old daughter. Oddly, with what I have written above, Anthony made a career out of connecting with, engaging with others and sharing their lives and cuisines.
Apart from remembering, paying tribute to Anthony Bourdain last night, much of the focus was on suicide. The number of a suicide hot line was displayed throughout. But we have had these help lines available for 30 years and, as CNN reported, the suicide rate continues to climb. And as I recounted in a previous blog, the numbers of people brought to emergency rooms for assessment of "suicide ideation" has been growing by 14 percent year after year. Yet actual numbers of completed suicides persist and grow.
The focus on suicide itself is wrong. This focus, this de-stigmatization and "talk about it" approach obviously has not helped and may even be a contributing factor.
Suicide is the product of despair, dread, pain, anxiety coupled with the cognitive impairment of depression I have described above. It is this cognitive impairment that allows the severely depressed person to not realize the damage his death by suicide will do to his daughter or son, sister, brother.
We are often bewildered by seemingly successful people with loving partners and family who kill themselves. But depression, the illness depression, renders success hollow, and gradually eliminates loved ones from consciousness. In depression one's sphere of consciousness has deflated to the agony of self. And at that point we seldom call a hot line or seek out help.
For prevention of suicide we need to focus on depression. The recognition of depression and the cognitive deficit that develops with depression, and the treatment of depression.


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How to Kardashian-ify your kitchen on a budget
Deck out your kitchen without a Kardashian-sized wallet.
Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed's editors. Purchases you make through our links may earn us a commission.
Say what you will about the Kardashian-Jenners, but the family knows how to decorate a kitchen. From chic black-and-white tablescapes to artful stacks of cookies in glass displays, it seems that every piece of a Kardashian kitchen is deliberately chosen with an eye to streamlined beauty.
Though, of course, most of us don't have a Kardashian-sized budget, it's still possible to decorate like the famous family. The key is to keep an eye out for crisp, clean, minimalist pieces, and remember that the decor is largely monochromatic with just a few focal points and pops of color from produce and flowers. Here's exactly what to buy to decorate like a Kardashian.
Patterned enamel teapot
It's unsurprising that this checkered teapot is matriarch Kris Jenner's favorite—its kitschy yet classic pattern is a hallmark of Kardashian decor. The black-and-white kettle has also been spied on Kourtney's stovetop.
But at $147, it's not exactly attainable for the mere mortal shopper, and the purchase is especially hard to qualify if you're only an occasional tea drinker like me. Luckily, this stainless steel dupe by Supreme Housewares is available for way less than half the price and still packs all the fun, artsy punch of the more expensive version.
Glass cookie jar
Anyone who's even tangentially kept up with the Kardashians knows of the meticulous magic that is Khloe's cookie jar. The youngest of the Kardashian gals has proven that even plebeian Oreos, when stacked with OCD perfection, can look glam.
Khloe recommends this exact one-gallon Heritage Hill jar to achieve the look at a surprisingly affordable cost. You can also watch Khloe's stacking tutorial to learn how she turns cookie Jenga into a thing of art.
I challenge you to find a single Kardashian-Jenner kitchen that doesn't feature at least one lush vase of fresh-cut flowers. That's right: You can't. Whether housing peonies or a bouquet of roses (both Kardashian-Jenner favorites), this white ceramic vase hits all the bases to fit seamlessly into a Kardashian kitchen: It's tall, slim, and has a fun yet classic pattern.
It's also well-loved on Amazon. One reviewer says, "I loved it so much, I ordered a second one the moment I got it out of the box!" Bonus: At 12 inches tall, it's also the perfect height to hold a hoard of classic, long-stemmed white roses a la KimYe.
Long-stemmed wine glasses
Can you imagine a Kardashian sipping from any vessel that isn't exceedingly elegant? I can't. That's why beautiful, classic wine glasses are a must. These Olivia Pope-esque glasses have a classic, spindly stem and a gracefully round goblet. A set of four clocks in under $40, so that you can sip wine like a Kardashian at no real sacrifice to your wallet.
Of course, no Kardashian-inspired room could be complete without a little (or a lot of) glitz. This round, crystal chandelier is only 16 inches wide but with chrome finishes and some eight pounds of sparkly bling, has great impact.
Hang it in a focal point in the room—think over an island or coffee station—to draw attention and add glamour. The best part? At only $130, it adds sophistication without breaking the bank.


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he Round House by Louise Erdrich, a Minnesota author sounded interesting but tragic; published in 2012 by Harper Collins, 321 pages. It relates the tale of brutality and hardship, beginning innocently in 1988 as a boy and his father wait for mom/wife to return home in North Dakota on an Indian reservation. The brutal attack of a Native woman weaves the tale. This prolific MN author is a member of the Turtle Mountain band of Chippewa and has written many books, articles and poetry.
I was disappointed in this book and regretted that I had purchased a hard copy although it was not available in paperback. I will be donating it to our local Library where it will either make the shelves or be passed along for the book sale. Perhaps it is the brutality and rawness that bothered me as much as some overly descriptive narrative. The characters are very well developed and do seem all lifelike although complicated depicting difficult lives where the Ojibwe Indians and white men live together very tentatively.
It begins, "Small trees had attacked my parents' house at the foundation. They were just seedlings with one or two rigid healthy leaves. Nevertheless the stalky shoots had managed to squeeze through knife cracks in the decorative brown shingles covering the cement blocks." The writing ranges from good to adequate as the tale is told through Joe, the 13 year old son of Geraldine and Bazil Couts; Geraldine is brutally attacked and Joe tries to heal his mother but the entire family is consumed by the act. Bazil is a tribal judge, respected but cannot attain justice for his wife. The complications of government bureaucracy and the intersection of Native rites, police investigations and conflicts between civil and Native governance all build on the tragedy and complicate any resolution.
Sometimes I felt there was too much detail information about the antics of Joe and his friends such as on pages 67-68 when the boys are at the Round House searching for evidence; it read almost as thought the author tried to compensate for being female by overdoing the descriptions of the boys in their nakedness to create an over done authentic emphasis. Another example of the overly detailed style was on pages 106-108 when the boys are confronting and stalking the local priest, Father Travis.
There is interesting information about the difficulties of tribal life, the assimilation that all but eliminates Native culture and the hard times on the reservation.
Pg. 193 sums up the transformation in Geraldine post attack as felt by her son. "Her voice was neutral, formal neither caustic nor falsely enthusiastic. I'd thought she was the same mother only with a hollow face,......I had believed that my real mother would emerge at some point. I would get my before mom back. But now it entered my head that this might not happen. .....Some warm part of her was gone and might not return. This new formidable woman would take getting to know and I was 13. I didn't have the time.".
I give it a 3 stars out of 5 and read it in a week in January but am just now posting my review.
Welcome to my book blog created 2012 of books I read and review. I exhausted space on my other blog, Pat's Posts. Better to separate my readings from my writings. Eventually I will display my entire library here. I am in the process of moving some reviews from the other blog here as well. The design of this blog has been a work in progress, slowly, bear with me...
If you got here because I commented and you were directed to this blog, it is because Blogger will not show both blogs. So you can get to my Pat's Posts, by clicking this link..my miscellany, the first blog while this is just about books.
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
The Round House by Louise Erdrich
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I'm currently in the middle of exam preparations right now and I am practicing extremely strong self-control right now to do long-winded deep though posts… which I'm very prone to.
My cousins are currently downstairs banging the keys in a very unmelodic tune right now, it's setting a very good revision study atmosphere… hence why I am here. I'll make it as short as possible though, I haven't been the most productive I'm suppose to be, so yea.. it's going to be short.
This song. Discovered it during procrastination this week. I really need to have some new breathe of tunes in my Gospel playlist, so I went to Billboard.com, the most uncommon place to go because I know everyone goes to like Spotify I still do.
As I play this song, all I can picture in my head as I listen to it is a dance. Yes, a dance. It's a kind of a strong, passionate, contemporary kind of dance. It involves some ropes and strings, the dancer will eventually break free. It is powerful. I don't know who the dancer will be. But I can imagine, it's so strong I feel like executing it myself but I don't know if my knees can take the jumps and leaps. I really wish I can. But one thing for certain, I want to get this dance done. I don't know who will be getting it done, me or someone else, I'll make it happen.
Future Posts
I've went through some tough bits the last couple of weeks. It was pretty hard for my family. I've given some thought about it, I don't believe my family and I are the only ones suffering this. It's require a full-blown post which I'll do after my exams.. I can't wait. This issue that I've been going through has definitely sparked a certain discontentment within myself and a passion to do something about it. I really do wanna do something about it but I don't know how or what yet,
Hint: It's to do with ADHD. Yes, the condition… ADHD.
This has nothing to do with a full blown post. It's Sunday tomorrow and my exams are on Tuesday. I have heaps more of catch up to do for exams and I've been given an off-duty day from Sunday School tomorrow, it's the perfect day to skip church for some productive revision. As I said, my cousin's are over at my house right now. We had dinner together just now for some catch up at Pancake Parlour and I was bringing up about skipping church to study as I was out for the night.
"You can't skip church! Prayer is so important, especially at this current period. You have no idea how much it will help. Don't underestimate the importance and power of prayer and church at this moment of time. Go to church Juanlin."
This advice was given by my Muslim aunt and uncle. It hit me hard in the heart, this wasn't the first time I was given advice to go to church by a non-Christian. As much as I have been one of the most religious ones among some of my friends, many of them atheists and agnostic and half my family are non-christians, I've been getting encouragement from people who are the least familiar with my faith than I am and yet I get the most heart-hitting advices from them.
I believe God often tries to communicate with us through the weirdest and unlikeliness of people, this includes non-believers. If we are strong in the word and faith, we can hear Him anywhere.
"Don't ever forget to seek advice from the Big Boss up there" – my Muslim uncle
I couldn't agree more.
God is good and I am going to church tomorrow.


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We started Sunday by going to Cayman Islands Baptist Church, where Pastor Randy von Kanel, the pastor of the church and at the same time President of the Cayman Islands YMCA, was leading the service and giving a very ecumenically open sermon about Holy Communion. Several of the board members of the YMCA were present at the service. The church was almost full, more than 400 people.
Pastor Randy speaking to us in a very beautiful, newly built church building.
After church we are invited to the Lighthouse at Breakers Grand Cayman for brunch and meeting with more board members.
To my left side is board member Will, President of the Cayman Chamber of Commerce and at his side his wife. Further up the table Romulo, Antonio from LACA, Mrs and Pastor Randy von Kanel, Greg Smith, the CEO of the YMCA and Ramona from Transylvania in Romania. She has been 7 years on the island and working as Event Manager at Ritz Hotel. She helped us with so many practical details and made our stay so comfortable and interesting (and cheap!) Thank you!
It is Sunday, so after Board Meeting and brunch, we visit the Turtle farm and the turtle above is 75 years old! The younger ones we were allowed to pick up from water, and below you see Antonio proudly getting to know one of them better!
Romulo also enjoyed these animals, and it seemed that the enthusiasm was mutual. From the turtle farm we were taken to the pool with dolphins and we were invited to jump into the water and play with the dolphins for an hour. A magnificent experience, I have never experienced such closeness with these strong and intelligent and very friendly creatures, they seemed to enjoy the fellowship with us and their coach was assisting us all the time. Photos were not possible, since we were all in the water, but we could of course buy a set of photos professionally made portraying all of us in energetic collaboration with the beautiful dolphins. These photos are either on paper or on a disc, and since my thin Mac Book Air has no disc player, these revelations have to wait till a later time when I am back in Geneva again. But we enjoyed it so much.
The sunny, warm Sunday is slowly floating into an afternoon of tropical, warm light and some good photo opportunities are displayed in front of us at the seaside, two local boys in eager activity as fishermen. It is a dream like atmosphere, and life is enjoyed in or very close to the Caribbean Sea, or preferably in the shadow somewhere.
We are mentally entering into a farewell mode, and it is with gratitude and joy that we take in the last hours of a beautiful Sunday in Paradise,
Fishing has results and the catch of the day is slowly brought from the sea and put in the basket of the proud boy from Grand Cayman. I hope that he will enjoy the family feeling of the local YMCA in the near future. I said that this is a Sunday in paradise. Talking with the local leaders they smile and nod their heads. It is a good place to call home, but paradise? There are other sides to this society, as it is everywhere, and the presence of the YMCA is needed and it is welcome. Challenges are lining up and it is exciting to listen to the plans and the dreams of the board members and staff of the Cayman YMCA.
The ocean is almost flat and calm, just a tiny little breeze to comfort warm visitors to this little island in the sun.
Exotic birds are walking everywhere, and we have already got to know Sting Rays, turtles and dolphins and enjoyed their company.
We talk with Greg about all the potential of the YMCA here, riding horses on the beaches, kiting on the sea, cricket and base ball are among the popular activities for young people.
Carl above here is a local hero, an excellent athlete on olympic level, and working for the YMCA since October last year. He is showing us around the after school centres, which are places of high interest for the YMCA, and of course there is
ice hockey going on on the tropical island, but since the high temperature is a real challenge, we are talking about ice hockey on roller skates!
The sun is coming closer to the horizon and the light is changing into pastel colors of tropical spring.
Ships are departing for unknown destinations, maybe she is heading for the Panama Canal?
Strangers in the night, exchanging glances, strangers in the night…..
Sunday evening, hamburgers at the seaside, a cold glass of orange juice, Romulo and Greg with the sunset behind them. We know that on our way to the airport tomorrow we will first be on Daybreak TV at 06.45 and then visit the Premier of the island, but still this feels like a good moment to summarize our experiences and express our feelings and gratitude.
Sunset is coloring the sky in beautiful colors and shades of grey/blue/yellow as we are summing up our visit to Cayman Islands. Greg is giving us a beautiful and warm farewell speech, and we respond in the same way. Friendship is growing, shared visions both for the island as well as for the Caribbean region, for Latin America, for the global YMCA. Shared faith, we are all grateful for the blessings we have experienced together and we share a deep Christian faith, a conviction that we are all serving the Kingdom of God in our small ways, and this Kingdom is being extended through the smiles and laughter of kids and teens and young adults on Cayman Islands and throughout the world. We feel a good warmth inside, and it is more than the tropical, Caribbean sun that is warming us.
We promise that we will all help one another, that we will stay in touch and we know that we will meet again around the next corner. YMCA is growing, and it is always growing locally. Now YMCA is growing on Cayman Islands, and we can only wish our friends sailing wind and lots of courage and inspiration.


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With his head concealed by a motorcycle helmet hooked to a telephone receiver and his gut squeezed into a low-cut, blue spandex jumpsuit, Log looks more like Evel Knievel in a Dadaist porn flick than a one-man band belting out the Delta Blues. His feet and fingers, however, paint a very different picture. Log's bottom half pounds out the rhythm on a bass drum, high-hat and jerry-rigged snare. All the while, his upper extremities shred the fret board with some of the fastest slide guitar blues this side of the Mississippi River, his frenzied licks flirting with both bluegrass and speed metal — often simultaneously. Add some drum machine-driven disco and a few Latin rhythms and you've got yourself one hell of a party.
Read the full preview at The Japan Times Online.


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Origination – Conference highlights 2018
Quick links
Digital Acquisition
GM for Digital Acquisition, Raymond Yap and his team demonstrated a series of exciting new digital tools…
Digital Banking
GM for Digital Banking, Dom Monty and his team explained strong step forward in Bank-in-Control…
Following the recent launch, Head of Sandstone Cloud Services, Chaitanya Pinnamaneni presented…
CTO Andrew Duckworth, showcased DiVA – Document intelligence Verification Assistant…
LendFast UI re-design
We are currently on the journey of redesigning the LendFast user interface, which began with a 3 month project to better understand our user pain points and needs. We bought to the table our knowledge of the lending landscape but started the design from a completely blank slate.
We started with 3 weeks of sessions involving 5 clients and 20 individual users with varying roles and experience levels. The next 9 weeks were a series of wireframing and user testing the prototype in quick iterations to improve the design in an agile approach. In total we ran 42 individual testing sessions, which included a colour blind user for accessibility purposes. The design went through 7 major iterations before arriving at the final outcomes which have been ratified with our clients.
Development is underway and we hope to be able to showcase the new LendFast UI soon.
Quick Assess module
LendFast Quick Assess module is a quick and easy to use dynamic capture tool for brokers and lenders that allows fully flexible data entry to provide real-time serviceability and collateral calculation results. It helps ensure that your first loan interview experience with the customer goes smoothly, helping to identify whether the customer can afford the loan before they start a lengthy full application process.
Quick Assess is designed for the ''assisted'' loan channel, where a qualified broker or bank lender can discuss options with the customer, and handle those scenarios that are not so straight-forward.
Features include:
- Flexible data capture that allows data to be entered in any order
- Smart-linking function that auto-creates related data items – e.g. purchase purpose will create linked security and rental income items (when applicable)
- Scratchpad gives the lenders a way to enter notes and keep them in the system, whilst not losing focus on the data entry form
- Scenario comparison tool provides for what-if analysis to adjust inputs to meet serviceability targets
- Existing customer integration to lender host systems of record to auto-populate existing liabilities/security details.
- Integration with LMI providers and living expense/serviceability calculators – as per full LendFast, Apply and LARA – consistent serviceability results
- All data captured is already in LendFast – it's the same system, so no re-keying, and no data loss.
Quick Assess uses the latest responsive UI technology and can be accessed via desktop or tablet device, and every Quick Assess session can be seamlessly used to create a full application in LendFast. It's that easy.
Express your interest for next year's conference
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Sandstone builds better banking experiences for its customers by creating smart connections.


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Always Learning
We believe that learning is a life long process, and there is always more to be had.
From time to time we come across scholarly articles on various topics relating to learning disabilities and related conditions and post them for your information: These articles are being offered only for further clarity on topics and challenges surrounding LDs and are not meant to be diagnostic or an endorsement of any kind.
- Best Practices
- Research_EconomicCosts LD
- Mild Intellectual Disability
- Diagnositicans Understanding Manuscript
If you have read other articles that you found helpful and would like us to post them on our website, please send a copy to firstname.lastname@example.com and our committee will review it for appropriateness.
Links for Statistics on Learning Disabilities :
– http://www.ldao.ca/introduction-to-ldsadhd/ldsadhs-in-depth/articles/about-lds/learning-disabilities-statistics/
– http://www.ldac-acta.ca/learn-more/ld-basics/prevalence-of-lds
More information and resources on our website can be found at:
What is a Learning Disability (LD)?
Transitioning to Post-Secondary


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CHI St. Luke's Health - Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center is located in Houston, TX, just five minutes South of downtown in the heart of Texas Medical Center. It is easily accessible by car and public transportation. If you are traveling to CHI St. Luke's Health - Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center from outside the United States, please visit our International Services page or call 832-355-3350 for assistance.
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I have just been updating my calendar for March and as ever my schedule is bonkers. March begins in Warrington in the first 15 days I'll go to Glasgow, Plymouth and Slough. I'm also heading back to Paderborn for what maybe the last time.
I have been visiting Bishops Park School in Paderborn, Germany for the past three years to work with the children of service families. It has always been a real highlight and privilege to spend time with the military community and I have always been made to feel very welcome by the staff and children.
In a lot of ways it's just another day at the office but it's the little differences that make my time in Germany special. For instance, the school day starts and ends earlier than a British school day so having reached my hotel bed at midnight I am in front of the children at what feels like 7.30am! Then there's the fact that you are quite clearly working in a German building in a German town but as soon as you walk through the door you know you are in a British school whose population reflect the many nationalities who serve in our armed forces. For the children it's there normal but when you think that whilst I prance about in the school hall the parents of the children I'm entertaining may be in some far flung dangerous corner of the world in the name of our national safety I find it very humbling.
The school has been really supportive and I have been able to do some crazy and ambitious stuff with the children. Some of the sessions were from my regular repertoire (eg The Hundred Mile an Hour Dog and The Mad Hatter's Tea Party!) but we've also done other stuff including a huge narrative poetry workshop and tiny sessions for children with additional needs and through the staff I've been introduced to some really high tech ideas. A lot of what I do is about access and exposure to high quality performance and storytelling. It always pleasing to be able to share a story or run a project with a small school but to work with a group of children so far from home who might not otherwise have such an experience is wonderful and I feel that I am a better storyteller and person for having had the opportunity.
The MoD previously announced that Germany is to close in 2019 and that service families were to return home or be redeployed around the world. I recently read that Paderborn may remain open until 2023 but I don't know if I'll be a part of the school's future plans. Would I like to carry on going back? Of course but then, you know, there are schools in other parts of the world too… how does The Enormous Crocodile in The Falkland Islands, Shakespeare in Cyprus or Greek Mythology in Brunei sound to you, because to me it sounds amazing!!
I work in schools, museums and libraries in England, Scotland and Wales and have led storytelling sessions at the Guernsey Literary Festival and Sharjah Children's Reading Festival. If you looking to book a storyteller for an overseas school or festival or for work with international students in here the UK, contact me.


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Tips On How To Write A Research Paper In The MLA Format
One of the most critical requirements for writing a successful paper is to know the right formatting style. At one point in your college life, you may be required to write a paper using the MLA format. This can be a daunting task if you don't have an idea about what is required. Here is a highlight of some basic tips on how to write a research paper in the MLA format.
Document setting
The first tip on how to write a paper in the MLA format is to understand the general document setting. The paper should have 1 inch margins, and the fonts should be double spaced, while the font size should be 12-point too.
Page numbers should begin on and with the first page, and you should type your name next to the page number so that it will appear on every page on the top right corner.
You should also type you name, the name of your instructor, the subject and date of submission on the flush left side of the first page.
Additionally, all titles should be centred and written in 12-point, Times New Roman font, and the title should never be bolded, italicized or underlined.
In-text Citations
One of the most important tips on how to write a research paper in the MLA format is concerned with citing the sources used. As a general rule, all citations should include the surname of the author and the page number.
Do not separate the author's name and the page number with a comma. Periods and commas should go outside of inline quotes.
You are also required to use footnotes to explain a point that doesn't quite fit in with the rest of the paragraph.
The footnotes should also be inserted directly after the clause or phrase to which it refers. You should remember that footnotes are also supposed to be double spaced and in size 12 Times New Roman fonts. In case you delete some words from the original quote, you should insert an ellipsis, three periods with a space between as well as after each period. All titles of published works such as journals, books and films should be italicized and not underlined.
Works Cited List
Another useful tip on how to write a research paper in the MLA format is concerned with the works cited page or list. All entries in the works cited list should be sorted alphabetically. You should use a hanging indent paragraph format and double-spaced line height. The works cited page should begin on a new page and the title "works cited" should be centred without any underlining, bolding or italicizing.


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Samsung changed its naming scheme last year, as it is now based in a letter that indicates some features of the handsets and it is followed by a number that indicates the size of the screen and the power of its internals. This happened with the introduction of two devices called Galaxy A3 and Galaxy A5. Also, these phones were interesting as they were the first ones from the company to be built with a metallic unibody, which would distinguish this series. Another highlight for these phones was the integration of a 5-megapixel front facing camera for those who enjoy taking selfies. Now, some information found on the Indian import and export database Zauba suggest that the successors for both phones could be launched in a near future.
Sometimes companies send prototypes of their new phones to other countries for testing purposes, and Zauba has been a reliable source in the past. The Galaxy A3 and Galaxy A5 are associated with the model numbers SM-A300 and SM-A500 respectively and some phones with model numbers SM-A310F and SM-A510F were spotted on the database. The letter F in both models usually indicates regional variants or some other hardware differences, but the overall design of the phones remains intact. The listing doesn't provide much more information besides the model numbers and the screen sizes for both devices.
The SM-A310F integrates a screen that measures 4.75 inches, which seems logical for a successor of a phone like the Galaxy A3 with a screen that measures 4.5 inches. The same goes for the SM-A510F, as the listing mentions that its screen size is 5.2 inches and the original Galaxy A5 features a screen diagonal of 5 inches. The data and the fact that the aforementioned phones were announced a year ago makes the arrival of their successors around these dates quite likely. It was previously reported that Samsung was working on successors for the Galaxy A series, but following Samsung's tradition, there should be a couple of leaked images and information before the phones become official. While Samsung opted for a construction based on a metallic frame and glass for their flagship devices this year, it would be nice if mid-range devices with updated internals could get a premium construction once again.


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This is a gorgeous little gift, but it went out of stock once already this evening so if you want one you'd better be quick!
TK Maxx have a selection of Women's Gifts at massive reductions, and one of them is this Christmas Baubles Nail Polish Trinkets Set. The RRP is £30, TK Maxx had it on sale for £16.99, and now it has been brought right down to just £5!
The ladies at PlayPennies who know about these things seem very happy that the nail polish is Ciate, and were not happy when it went out of stock. Even I know that these would look cute hanging on a tree, or make a great Secret Santa gift, even though I haven't done my nails since...actually I really don't know when. Anyway they look lovely and sparkly and come boxed up ready to give as a pressie or stocking filler, and if the girls here like them that's good enough for me.
There are a few other goodies on the £5 Gift offer* too including Leather Gloves, Beauty Gifts and Accessories, all at big reductions, though they are selling really fast.
TK Maxx are trialling a Free Click and Collect at selected stores, mainly in the Midlands, otherwise delivery charges are from £3.99.


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Yosemite National Park is the the home to Sierra Nevada Mountain range, the tallest in Northern America (excluding the massive peaks of Alaska).
June 6th, Friday, San Jose- Woke up early the next day and drove to Yosemite. Lush green mountains on either sides made me forget that I was feeling like throwing up due to the extremely winding roads. Pretty decent scenery- I thought. But not as great as the Grand Canyon. This place had better live up to the high standard I had set last year. I had a feeling it wouldn't. Then all of a sudden, Merced river with its gushing water came into view surrounded by huge granite walls. Spectacular waterfalls surprised me around every corner bringing a whole new spasm of delight. I was sold to Yosemite at this point.
We checked into our wooden cabins at Curry village for the night. We would get ready and hike the next morning. The initial trail we were supposed to take (and did three months of research on) was flooded waist deep with ice-cold water from the lake. It was early spring and the icecaps were melting. Change of plans. We had no other plan, so we just took whatever itinerary the ranger gave us. A trek up to Glacier Point along a trail called the Four mile trail (obviously 4 miles) and up to "Little Yosemite Valley" along the Panorama Trail (8 miles) From Little Yosemite Valley, we could get down back to the valley via the John Muir Trail (4 miles) or the Mist Trail (3miles). If we had time, we could climb the Half Dome ( a spectacular granite dome which dominates the landscape of Yosemite)
This place is home to a large population of Black Bears. They would sprinkle out like pepper if you turned Yosemite upside-down. The bears just like to mind their own business and don't like to interact with humans.. so we were told. Also we were told that the bears of Yosemite had developed a better scheme than hunting in the wild, they just take food from humans. So some bears will go to any measures to get the food. That's not too good for the bear as the bear can die/become really sick eating the stuff we humans eat. The bears needed to be protected. Oh sure! The logic is that we were entering the bear's home and we were to play by their rules. So we were instructed to store food away in bear canisters (black cylindrical containers with lids which can be opened with a coin). If a bear was to visit us, we were to stand ground and not run away. A bear can outrun a human any day. We were to make a lot of noise and shoo it away. Gulp! This whole thing didn't sound all that fun now.
Food should be locked away at all times, even toiletries and trash (everything that had a smell). Bears can break open cars which have left-over food. Anyway, we had bought bear spray (which was to be aimed at the bear's eyes incase it tried to charge on us). It was basically made of pepper and something very spicy which would blind the bear for a bit while we could make our escape. I didn't trust this mechanism one bit. It seemed to me that the bear-spray would serve more as a condiment for our intestines.
After renting four bear canisters (bulky, heavy stuff) from the wilderness office, we headed back to our cabin to do some last minute packing and store food in these canisters. Took us a while to rearrange and repack. Now our food supply had to be sorted and only the most essential things needed to be taken, as there was limited space now for food. The oatmeal raisin cookie box had to go.. so did 50 other food items we realized we could live without. Still all the food didn't fit into our canisters. We removed yet another 20 items like toilet paper, extra fuel can, extra pair of clothes. Finally we were all set to leave the next morning with our backpacks as heavy as ever.
June 7th, Saturday, Curry Village- Checking the car for food items and storing the excess elsewhere, we set on the four-mile hike, which just went up and up. All along there was this great view of Yosemite waterfalls (4th largest in the world) and the granite cliffs around it. Though it was awesome, it was just one single view for 4 miles of ascent for 4000 ft! We were thrilled at first, then slowly with our backpacks weighing us down, we were trying hard to keep our spirits high. Treacherous was the word. We got bored of the Yosemite falls which we saw even when we were at the foothill. Our feet started aching and mosquitoes had us for breakfast and lunch. Even my photo taking was minimal owing to ONE SINGLE VIEW for 4 hours!
Yosemite Falls
Huffing and puffing with 40 pounds or so in our backs, we finally reached the top. Our triumph was short lived. Glacier Point was filled with tourists eating ice-cream, buying souvenirs, auntie and uncles clicking pictures. Did we climb all the way just to be in civilization again!!! We could have just driven here in the luxury of our cars and started hiking from here! Cursing the sadistic ranger who sent us through this path and now realizing why we didn't see many backpackers on the way, we just crashed on the ground and collected ourselves. No wonder we didn't meet any other backpackers!
After the initial feeling of stupidity abated, we looked around. There was a 180-degree breathtaking view of the valley. The Half-Dome jutted out right in the middle in full glory. We could see the Nevada and Vernal falls, many unknown peaks acted like a backdrop to this scene. We were happy we couldn't see the Yosemite falls anymore. That was on the other side of the mountain.
I desperately wanted to climb the Half-Dome this time. Seeing the dome in front of your eyes can do wonders. But we couldn't get reservations for the trail, so we abandoned the plans. Now with this present trail, there was a chance we could accomplish this feat if everyone was in perfect physical condition. It was tough but it could be done. Ady was in pain from a joint ache, he was in no position to walk another 8 miles to reach the campsite. Even the idea of climbing any dome was repulsive to him.
Landscape dominated by Half- Dome
After a lunch of bread and cheese, we headed towards little Yosemite Valley campsite. A wonderful refreshing hike down towards Illouette falls (2 miles) had us rejuvenated. We decided to camp right next to the lovely falls halting our progress. It was like paradise. There was not a soul around and the only sound we could hear was the crashing waters of the fall. A deer walked by and posed for our pictures. We dipped our aching feet in the chilly water and sat on the rocks just imbibing the sheer beauty of it all.
Only Pi wouldn't relax however much we told him to. He was all concerned about the bears. He assumed the position of a watchdog and kept vigil till we cooked, ate and stored away the remaining food in bear canisters 100 ft away from our tents. Also water bottles were kept away from the tent and clothes in which we cooked. We were very cautious. Not one bear came by and some started doubting if there were any bears at all.
June 8th, Sunday, Illouette Falls- I woke up after a good 9 hours sleep at day break around 5.30 am. Smelling the pine needles filling the crisp fair, I had a sudden compelling feeling. Took a shovel and some water to do the needy. Digging a hole was easy, but aiming right into it was the hard part. Comon! Everything can't be pretty and glorious all the time. After cleaning and washing up near the river, I stretched and did some yoga atop a flat rock on the river. Never done yoga before. I just felt it was THE thing to do in a place like this. Feeling fresh, all my aches were gone…I was ready to start hiking.
The rest of the group woke up in some time and we had breakfast and packed to resume our journey. Since our water supply got over, we had to filter more water from the river to fill our water bottles. Back country water had to be filtered or treated. Otherwise there was a big chance that all of us would be using the shovel more than we bargained for.
We had a 6-mile trek to our campgrounds where we would spend the next night. As we started hiking out, talking loudly, I stopped mid-sentence mortified in my tracks. Just 10 feet away from me was this huge golden brown bear. Some people may argue it was a teenage bear, but I still believe it was an obese adult. It was 2 times my size! All that the ranger said seemed irrelevant, my first reaction was to retreat. I don't think anyone should count on me in future.
I started stepping back, Pi came forward and looked at the bear eye to eye and made some hand gestures. He was following instructions from the book, which is very difficult at times like this. The bear ignored all of us and started moving away. Now that the danger seemed to have subsided, I ran to get the bear spray from Vicky's bag (an emergency equipment was kept sealed inside the bag!!!) Now to find the freakin scissors which was somewhere in someone's bag. After some frantic searching and tense moments, I cut the seal in a hurry and took position much to Vicky's regret (and to everyone's amusement). He was hoping to return the spray to the store in case we didn't use it. Well, too late now!
Now the bear was really far and I felt safe to pull my camera out for a picture. If you see the photo, you'll know what kind of a mental state I was in. In retrospect, we found the bear very cute and huggable. I guess our day was made. Ady's leg got better, so did his spirits.
We walked on for another 6 miles amongst thick pine trees and heart-stopping views. The smell of juniper and mariposa trees tingled our nostrils. The pine cones scattered on the trails were of all sizes. Small streams and fallen trees were laden through out our trek. I wanted to stay here forever.
Merced river
We reached Nevada Falls, a roaring high intensity fall which thunders down into another fall called the Vernal Falls. There were cliffs overlooking the falls. Gingerly I walked to the ledge and looked few miles straight down. It was amazing. The falls made a rainbow on its way down. One false step in the algae here and there's not a way anyone would survive.
After another mile, we found the campsite. Somewhere along the way here, I twisted my right leg. I was now walking with immense pain each time I lifted my leg. We found a decent spot to pitch our tents and store our food. It was still 2 pm. Had Bisibelabath (readymade) for lunch. Everyone was excited about the prospect of climbing Half-Dome. Though I was in pain and knew that I could not make a 8 mile ascent and decent, I still agreed to go. For two reasons, I hoped that my pain would subside and if I didn't agree, the rest of the group wouldn't have budged. At 3 pm we started hiking, this time without any backpack. We were going make it back to the campsite before dark.
Though it was better without the backpack, I still wasn't moving very quickly with my injured leg. I told the others to move ahead and poor Pi was stuck with me. We were lagging behind quite a bit when Pi made the call and insisted we retreat. I was really not willing to give up at any point, I kept pushing forward bit by bit. Our water supply was dwindling too. He was right. I guess there was no point killing myself. We couldn't have made it before dark. So half way to the top, we started heading back to our tents. There is always another time like some people might say.
Half-Dome's reflection on Merced river
I was very disillusioned and could have cried at that point. I didn't realize that I could get upset over such a trivial thing. I think it was more about the fact that the others in my group did it and I couldn't. That they would come back and gloat about it and hurt me more. Pi should have been the one more upset, as he was capable of completing the hike himself. But he wasn't the least bit bothered. I admire that and I am thankful that he brought me back. I had a chance to recuperate and the next day's hike proved to be easy for me.
Once in our camp, a ranger warned us that there was some serious bear activity last night. One honey colored bear was pretty aggressive and if she came back today, they might have to kill her. So sad! The other bear was a mother bear teaching her cub how to steal food from humans. These three bears were of a concern to the local rangers and they told us to be careful.
Without the other 4 around, we were slightly shaken. Playing cards will have to wait for another day. Pi went overboard in trying to protect our food! He even collected weapons like pine cones, twigs and our walking sticks just in case. Keeping the bear spray handy we were ready to face the bears. We would have put Goldilocks to shame.
The others made it to the top and got back after dark with flashlights. They did a very risky thing but we were glad they got back safe. They had to climb using steel cables and some places the its was at least 50 degrees steep. They could have become a live conductor as there was thunder and lightening. I heard about their feat of climbing the Half-Dome amidst awe and regret. After dinner and a raccoon sighting (which was mistaken for the bear cub), we went to a half-sleep fully aware of every sound.
June 9th, Monday, Little Yosemite Valley- We leisurely prepared for our decent to the valley floor where our cars were parked.
Note-To understand this complex para below, you might need a paper and pen and draw the map.:)
We started taking the John Muir Trail down. It was a nice decent and then we came to a diversion. John Muir Trail - 3.6 miles. Mist Trail- 2.9 miles. Greed overcame us. The pleasure of reaching faster was more than the pleasure of staying in the wilderness longer. We took the Mist Trail. We soon realized why it was shorter. Simply because it was steeper. Was I glad or what that I wasn't coming up this path. After going some 0.5 miles, we met a couple who were coming up the Mist Trail and told us that it gets very steep and wet and that with our backpacks, it would be really difficult to go down…esp down. We were confused. We regretted our decision to take the Mist Trail. Krishnan suggested we go up and resume our journey via the John Muir Trail itself. We agreed upon on thing, going up this 0.5 miles was close to impossible. So we continued down willing to take the risk.
Soon we reached another major falls in Yosemite, the Vernal Falls. It was as fiery as the other falls we had seen. We started going down the steps, which were flanked right by the falls. As we walked down, we were sprayed by tons of water from the Vernal falls making us completely wet from hair follicle to toe nail. We seemed to enjoy this hike the most. Since it was our last day, we didn't care if everything got wet. The stairs were not all the slippery. We made it to the bottom and since the sun was out, being wet helped in keeping us cool for the remainder 1 dry/hot mile. We were completely dry by the time we reached the car.
Vernal Falls
The most awe-inspiring scene we saw in Yosemite was that of the climbers. Using just ropes and pegs, these adventurous people were risking their lives to get their biggest rush. My hair stood at the ends by just looking at them through binoculars, sleeping in their bivy sacks suspended by ropes at about 2000 ft from the ground.
El Capitan. Playground for rock climbers.
It saddened us to a great degree that another exploit came to an end. It was worth every mosquito bite!


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Twentieth Century
by Ken Ludwig
WHEN: Fridays, Jan. 26 and Feb. 2, at 8 p.m.; Saturdays, Jan. 27, and Feb. 3, at 8 p.m.; and Sundays, Jan. 28 and Feb. 4, at 2 p.m. A reception with the cast and crew follows the opening night performance on Jan. 26.
WHERE: Kelsey Theatre is located on the college's West Windsor Campus, 1200 Old Trenton Road
TICKETS: $18 for adults, $16 for seniors, and $14 for students and children. Tickets may be purchased online at www.kelseytheatre.net or by calling the Kelsey Box Office at 609-570-3333. Kelsey Theatre is wheelchair accessible, with free parking next to the theater. For a complete listing of adult and children's events, visit the Kelsey website or call the box office for a brochure. (Above, from left, Dan River, Jeffrey Millstein, Charles Acosta, Erin Leder, Jack Bathke, Kate Blazo, Jake Zillioux, Barry Leonard, Joyce Porter, Tom Chiola, and Stan Karuzis. Photo by Ruth Markoe)
The year is 1932 and Oscar Jaffe, an egocentric and eccentric Broadway producer, is in desperate need of a hit. Traveling with his entourage aboard the Twentieth Century Limited, he plots to entice his former lover and protégé, Lily Garland, a now famous Hollywood actress, to star in his next play. Jaffe has less than 24 hours to persuade Lily to return to Broadway, with failure meaning game over for Jaffe. The twisting, turning story plays out at breakneck speed as oddball characters get entangled in his scheme and add to the chaos. (Above, From left, desperate Broadway producer Oscar Jaffe (Tom Chiola), Hollywood star Lily Garland (Erin Leder), and Lilly's agent and current paramour George Smith (Charles Acosta).
The original Twentieth Century, by Ben Hecht and Charles McArthur, was made into a blockbuster Hollywood film in 1934 starring John Barrymore and Carol Lombard. It has had several stage revivals, including a 1978 musical called "On The Twentieth Century." This latest adaptation by Ken Ludwig (of Lend me a Tenor and Moon over Buffalo fame) ran on Broadway in 2004 starring Alec Baldwin and Anne Heche.
The cast features Tom Chiola of Trenton as Oscar Jaffe; Erin Leder of Bordentown as Lily Garland; Joyce Porter of Piscataway as Ida Webb; Barry Leonard of Monroe as Owen O'Malley; Stan Karuzis of Lawrenceville as the Conductor; Dan River of Philadelphia, Pa., as the Porter; Jack Bathke of Robbinsville as Dr. Lockwood; Kate Blazo of North Brunswick as Anita; Jake Zillioux of North Brunswick as Mr. Clark; Jeffrey Milstein of East Windsor as Max Jacobs; and Charles Acosta of Langhorne, Pa., as George Smith.
The production team includes Director Ruth Markoe, Stage Manager Melissa Rittmann, Costumer Ruth Rittmann, Lighting Designer M. Kitty Getlik, Sound Designer Eric Collins, Set Designer John Russell and Set Decorator Amy Bessellieu.


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By Kalkidan Gugsa
OROMIA and SOMALI, February 2017 – Poor menstrual hygiene management (MHM) negatively impacts the education, health and empowerment of girls and women, as well as the environment. The impacts are compounded during emergencies, such as the protracted drought crises across Ethiopia. What fuels these negative effects of managing menstruation are cultural taboos and other societal barriers.
Girls across Ethiopia face social, cultural and economic barriers related to menstruation which not only prevents their right to dignity, but often prevents their right to education due to inadequate menstrual hygiene education, insufficient WASH facilities and poor access to sanitary materials.
With support from the Netherlands Government, UNICEF Ethiopia, in partnership with regional health and education bureaus (RHB, REB), is implementing an MHM programme to break the silence and bring change in beliefs and attitudes towards menstruation. The programme aims to support girls and women across the country to overcome the barriers that prohibit them from managing menstruation with dignity.
Why MHM?
Menstrual hygiene management is a complex and sensitive issue that requires a contextualized, multi-sectoral approach to adequately support girls and women across Ethiopia. A package of services that leads to improved MHM includes private, minimum-standard toilets, handwashing stations and adequate waste disposal in addition to allowing the safe space for discussion to increase awareness amongst men, boys and girls utilizing social and behavioural change communication (SBCC) methods. In addition, improvements in the supply chain for sanitary pad production complements the community- and school-based efforts in MHM.
In collaboration with UNICEF, the Ethiopia Ministry of Health developed a national MHM guide based on the package of services, which is designed to address the topic across the contexts of schools, communities and workplaces as well as in emergencies.
By working with both the RHB and the REB, and supporting the development of a sanitary supply chain, improved MHM facilities and services will keep girls in school where they can reach their full potential.
On 15 February 2017, UNICEF kicked off the community- and school-focused MHM training of trainers (ToT) workshops for a total of 120 staff of the RHB and the REB in Oromia and Somali regions. These were the first of such trainings made possible by support from the Netherlands Government.
The TOT workshop established coordination between the education and health sectors and equipped focal persons with global, national and regional menstruation facts. It also introduced participants to the MHM package of services: SBCC activities concerning menstruation, establishing safe spaces to enable girls to receive peer support, counselling and emergency kits as well as improved WASH facilities and sanitary pad production.
Throughout the training, participants highlighted the lack of discussion on this important topic, with one male participant explaining, "In our societies, the lack of information about menstrual hygiene creates a culture of taboos and misinformation about menstruation and therefore potential health problems. Now we know what to do from this training and how to react."
The regional and woreda (district) focal persons who participated in the ToT, in turn will cascade the training to health extension workers (HEWs), school management committees and school club coordinators (teachers). The trained HEWs and teachers will then facilitate activities for the Health Development Army and the WASH, gender and girls' club members in their respective areas.
The sanitary supply chain
The sanitary pad supply chain component of the programme establishes women's groups to produce reusable sanitary pads and provides support to local manufacturers through partnerships to improve the production, packaging, distribution and use of sanitary pad products in target regions. On the manufacturing end, partner companies will engage in backward integration of the production of raw materials such as absorbents and liners. On the sales end, pharmaceutical and family planning outlets, such as pharmacies, drug stores and clinics, will be utilized at local and regional levels to bring the improved products to communities.
Additional MHM training and launch workshops are planned to kick off in March and April 2017 in Gambella, SNNP and Afar regions. Together with Government partners, UNICEF will support the positive change in the dynamics of MHM in Ethiopia and contribute to better futures of girls across the country.


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Utilities Kingston expects unplanned power outage to be resolved by noon - Utilities Kingston expects unplanned power outage to be resolved by noon
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null Utilities Kingston expects unplanned power outage to be resolved by noon
January 11, 2018 -
Utilities Kingston estimates it will restore power to all of the north central area of Kingston by noon today, but some areas may see power sooner. Crews are routing power from other areas as the utility company works to resolve the unplanned power outage. Crews have conducted a visual inspection of the substation where the outage originated and are working to find the exact cause.
The outage began at 4:10 a.m., impacting approximately 5,000 customers in the area of Division Street, Concession Street, Montreal Street and John Counter Boulevard, although that area has been reduced as crews reroute power from other sources.
Visit the Utilities Kingston website for an up-to-date outage map, as well as public power outage precautions. Residents should remember to turn off all appliances that will turn back on automatically when power is restored.
Media contact: For more information contact 613-546-4291, ext. 2300.
About Utilities Kingston: Utilities Kingston operates multiple utilities through a single service structure, allowing it to deliver cost savings and customer service excellence. The company is unique in Ontario, combining water, wastewater, gas and electrical services, and broadband fibre optics in one company. Trusted by customers to deliver reliable utilities for more than 150 years, employees are proud to provide personal, responsive services.
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