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Tag: Montreal World Film Festival
FFM 2017: My prediction for best film – Y de Pronto el Amanecer
Chilean director Silvio Caiozzi, right, instructs child actors in his film Y de Pronto el Amanecer (And The the Dawn.) The film ran in competition at the 2017 Montreal World Film Festival / Festival des film du monde. The winner will be announced tonight, Monday, Sept. 4, 2017.
UPDATE: Y de Pronto el Amanecer did indeed win the Grand Prix of the Americas, for Best Film.
I predict that Y de Pronto el Amanecer (And Then the Dawn) will win the competition for best film at the 2017 Montreal World Film Festival / Festival des film du monde tonight.
I did not even see all the films in competition, but I really liked The Hidden Sword, from China; Upstream, from Taiwan, was very well done, and friends who saw it told me Anna Karenina: Vronsky's story was spectacular.
Given all that, it might be rash to predict a win for Y de Pronto el Amanecer, but the story, the acting and the scenery in this Chilean film from director Silvio Caiozzi were all so very impressive. The film is 195 minutes long, but I was never bored for even one second.
A few hours from now I'll either be saying "Ooops!" or "I told you so!"
The awards ceremony will be at 7 p.m., at the Imperial Cinema, 1430 Bleury St. When it is over, at approximately 7:30 (so I am told) there will be a free, closing film. The name of the closing film will only be announced at the ceremony.
These are the films in competition:
41ST MONTREAL WORLD FILM FESTIVAL
18 films in WORLD COMPETITION
A PROMINENT PATIENT / MASARYK by Julius Ševcík (Czech Republic / Slovakia)
100min; anglais s.t.f & s.t.a
AND SUDDENLY THE DAWN / Y DE PRONTO EL AMANECER by Silvio Caiozzi (Chile)
195min; espagnol s.t.f & s.t.a
ANNA KARENINA. VRONSKY'S STORY / ANNA KARENINA. ISTORIYA VRONSKOGO by Karen Shakhnazarov (Russia)
138min; russe s.t.f & s.t.a
APPENDIX by Hossein Namazi (Iran)
83min; farsi s.t.f & s.t.a
CARDINAL X by Angie Wang (USA)
98 min; anglais s.t.f
DEAR ETRANGER / OSANAGO WARERA NI UMARE by Yukiko Mishima (Japan)
127min; japonais s.t.f & s.t.a
ELVIS WALKS HOME by Fatmir Koçi (Albania / UK)
94min; anglais s.t.f
FALLING IN /OUT OF LOVE by Dominic Bachy (France)
95min; français s.t.a
FOOTPRINTS by Wong Wai (Hong Kong, China)
120min; mandarin s.t.f & s.t.a
FROZEN IGNAT / CINE A UCIS CRACIUNUL? by Dinu Tãnase (Romania)
81min; roumain s.t.f & s.t.a
PATH OF MARYAM by Atia Aldaraji (Iraq / Germany)
76min; arabe s.t.f & s.t.a
RECONCILIATION / ZGODA by Maciej Sobieszczanski (Poland)
87min; polonais s.t.f & s.t.a
SAYAKBAY – HOMER OF 20TH CENTURY by Ernest Abdyjaparov (Kyrgyzstan)
82min; kyrgyz s.t.f & s.t.a
THE BASICS OF KILLING / DRUŽINICA by Jan Cvitkovic (Slovenia / Serbia)
99min; slovène s.t.f & s.t.a
THE HIDDEN SWORD by Xu Haofeng (China)
137min; chinois s.t.f & s.t.a
UNAWARE CONTROL / HUA SE by Xiaoyan Xu (China)
94min; chinois s.t.f & s.t.a
UNSUNG HEROES / NOI ERAVAMO by Leonardo Tiberi (Italy)
90min; italien s.t.f & s.t.a
UPSTREAM by David Chuang (Taiwan)
80min; mandarin s.t.f & s.t.a
The Awards Ceremony for the Montreal World Film Festival / Festival des film du monde will be at 7 pm. Monday, Sept 4, 2017, at the Imperial Cinema, 1430 Bleury St. When the ceremony is over, around 7:30, there will be a free closing film.
Liz Ferguson	Films, Movies	Leave a comment September 4, 2017 September 5, 2017 2 Minutes
Festival des film du monde review: Naoto Hirtoriki (Alone in Fukushima)
Naoto Matsumura has a chat with one of the ostriches under his care in a scene from the Japanese documentary film Naoto Hirtoriki (Alone in Fukushima), which is being shown at the Festival des films du monde in Montreal. Naoto Matsumura looks after many of the animals that were abandoned after the 2011 meltdown of the nuclear power plant in Fukushima, Japan.
Naoto Hirtoriki (Alone in Fukushima) is a documentary portrait of Naoto Matsumura, a man who voluntarily looks after the (mostly) four-legged victims of the disaster at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant in March of 2011. These include dogs, cats, cows, and a pony. There are some wild boars prowling around, too, though they look like scroungers, not officially under his care. And then there are the two otherwordly ostriches, with their quizzical expression and powerful legs that can break ribs.
The nuclear plant went into meltdown after an earthquake and the resulting tsunami. Humans were quickly evacuated because the radiation leak made the area too dangerous for them to remain. Many people had no idea that they would be gone so long. They tied their dogs up and planned to come back for them within a day or so. But they were not allowed to come back, and shelters did not accept dogs and cats, in any case.
Some cattle were destroyed on orders of the government, others starved to death, but some were entrusted to Naoto Matsumura, and he continues to look after them to this day. In the beginning, he bought food for them with money from his small pension, now he also gets donations from supporters. He says he wishes the government would look after the animals, that would be the moral thing to do, and it would also increase knowledge about the effects of radiation. The animals are mammals, just like us, whatever happens to them might happen to humans, too.
On a technical level, Naoto Hirtoriki (Alone in Fukushima) is not perfect. Especially in the opening footage, some bright areas are bleached out, and throughout the film, the microphone picks up many distracting sounds – truck engines, and fierce winds among them. But heart is more important than technique – watch the film to see Naoto feeding and interacting with the animals and describing his feelings of obligation toward them. He tells us how the nuclear plant changed his town of Tomioka – at first it brought prosperity, and conspicuous consumption – a car for every family member! Then came the disaster. It could take 30 years to decontaminate the town; maybe it will never be safe again. He wonders if the decontamination work is really just for show.
Naoto Hirtoriki (Alone in Fukushima)
Director : Mayu Nakamura
Cinematographer : Mayu Nakamura
Editor : Mayu Nakamura
Music : Saho Terao
Film production and Sales : Prod.: Mayu Nakamura, Omphalos Pictures,Tokyo 180-0002 (Japon), tél.: +80 (80) 3408 85 30 missyn510@aol.com.
Saturday, Sept. 5, 2015 – 4 p.m. – Cinéma Quartier Latin 2, 350 Emery St., in Montreal. (Metro Berri-UQAM)
Liz Ferguson	Movies	Leave a comment September 4, 2015 September 5, 2015 2 Minutes
Wednesday night suggestion at Festival des films du monde: satirical superhero The Portuguese Falcon
David Chan Cordeiro, left, plays Partridge Kick, and Gonalo Waddington plays the Falcon in a satirical film from Portugal, Capit‹o Falc‹o (The Portuguese Falcon). The film is being shown at Montreal's Festival des films du monde.
UPDATE: I saw The Portuguese Falcon on Wednesday night, and I thought it was pretty funny! The audience seemed to enjoy it, too. I hope to write a proper review after, but just wanted to add this note, right now. On Thursday, Sept. 3, it will be shown at noon. If you work in the daytime, maybe your boss(es) would allow you to take a long lunch to watch it? It's a thought!
Capitão Falcão (The Portuguese Falcon in English) is a satire on superheroes. Instead of defending truth and justice and the American Way, as such characters usually do, the Falcon and his sidekick defend the fascist regime of dictator António de Oliveira Salazar from commies and feminists in the 1960s.
The film was directed by João Leitão, and written by him and Nuria Leon Bernardo. Gonçalo Waddington plays the Falcon and David Chan Cordeiro plays Partridge Kick, who is more or less Robin to his Batman.
Here's the synopsis from the web site of Festival des films du monde: "A parody of Portugal's first superhero: Captain Falcon. A fearless defender of the fascist regime of the 1960s, Falcon, along with his Asian sidekick, Partridge Kick, defends his nation against various threats: evildoers, thieves, and above all, the Red Peril: communists! But one day, Lisbon, the capital, starts experiencing mysterious attacks, and no one is sure who's behind it all. Will Captain Falcon save the country once again?"
I haven't seen The Portuguese Falcon yet, but it sounds like good cheesy, goofy fun, the kind of thing more likely to be seen at Montreal's Fantasia Film Festival. But we all like to laugh, don't we?
The Portuguese Falcon, in Portuguese with English subtitles, is 106 minutes long.
Wednesday Sept. 2, 2015 – 9:30 PM – CINÉMA QUARTIER LATIN 14
Thursday Sept. 3, 2015 – 12:00 PM – CINÉMA QUARTIER LATIN 14
Cinéma Quartier Latin: 350 Emery St., Montreal. (Metro Berri-UQAM)
Liz Ferguson	Movies	Leave a comment September 2, 2015 September 3, 2015 1 Minute
Festival des films du monde: It's Really Kind of You Review
This mysterious woman is one of the two main charcaters in the South Korean film It's Really Kind of You.
It's Really Kind of You is a Korean drama-thriller-mystery, which I saw at the Festival des films du monde / Montreal World Film Festival.
It's hard for me to review it because I didn't like it. On the other hand, I don't like to be negative, I do enjoy Korean films in general, and I'm well aware that different people have different tastes. So, here goes!
First of all, I was confused because the film did not begin as I expected it to; a murder described in the film's synopsis only took place once the film was well underway. Presumably, that was a flashback, though it COULD have been a dream, or a figment of one character's imagination.
The plot is ingenious, but most of the characters range from unpleasant to despicable.
In the opening moments, the main character (played by Ok Ja-yeon, I think) is hitchhiking, in the dark, beside a country road. When a driver does stop for him, he seems so creepy and his manner is so odd, it's hard to believe that anyone would want to give him a ride. He just stares for what seems like a very long time, then makes his request in a flat, robotic tone. He says that he was fishing and that he missed the last train; could the driver take him downtown? Well, I certainly wouldn't! The actor conveys creepiness extremely well, but the story would be more believable if he could pretend to be charming, or at the very least relatively normal, now and then.
Nonetheless, Creepy Hitchhiking Man gets a ride from a guy who turns out to be a dog-breeder. They chat awkwardly for a while, then they fight and there's an accident. A dishevelled woman who's wearing just a slip shows up; she has a bruised face and haunted eyes; she does not speak. She seems traumatized and more than a little strange herself. She might, or might not, be mentally handicapped.
This woman will later be involved in some graphic sex scenes that are disturbing, go on for a long time, often take place at inappropriate times in inappropriate places, and are definitely not "artistic" in any way.
It's difficult to say more without going into spoiler territory. The film could have ended much earlier than it did and still have been quite creepily effective. I'm sorry not to be more specific about the actors – the credits went by very quickly and I incorrectly assumed that I could find out later who played which role. The Montreal screening is a world premiere, so there isn't much info about the film out there.
When the film was over, an audience member asked me: "Did that make any sense to you?" I told him that it did (more or less) make sense to me, but I did not like it.
BTW: An Internet search tells me that hitchhiking is not too common in South Korea. This film won't do anything to make it more popular, that's for sure!
It's Really Kind of You, from South Korea, in Korean with English subtitles, 90 minutes
Director : So Jae-ick
Screenwriter : Pak Me-hyun
Cinematographer : Cho Choul-ho
Editor : Chol Hyun-sook
Cast : Ok Ja-yeon, Bae Tae-won, Choi Dae-hoon, Do Young-cha, Kim Young- hwan, Baeg Ae-gyeong, Kang In-chul
Music : Lee Jae-sin
Film production and Sales : Prod.: So Jae-ick, So-Film, #310-402, Shindo braenew 11, Yonghyun-dong, Uijeongby-si, Kyungki-do (Corée du Sud). tél.: +82 (10) 6221 07 53, jaeick10,hanmail.net.
It's Really Kind of You will be shown on Wednesday, Sept, 2, 2015, at 6:30, in Theatre 12 of the Cinéma Quartier Latin, 350 Emery St., in Montreal. (Metro Berri-UQAM)
Liz Ferguson	Movies	Leave a comment September 2, 2015 3 Minutes
Director Jean-Jacques Annaud will present his Chinese film Wolf Totem twice on Saturday, August 29
In the Chinese film Wolf Totem, Chen Zhen (played by William Feng Shaofeng) adopts a wolf pup, against the wishes of his Mongolian mentor.
Wolf Totem is a Chinese film with a Chinese cast, based on a Chinese book, shot by French director Jean-Jacques Annaud.
The 2004 novel Wolf Totem was an international best-seller. It was translated into more than 30 langauges, sold millions of copies, and won the Man Asia Literary Prize in 2007. It was based on the experiences of author Lu Jiamin (writing under the pen name of Jiang Rong) who lived among the semi-nomadic herders of Inner Mongolia for 11 years, beginning in the late 1960s. He was one of the millions of students who were sent to the countryside during the Cultural Revolution.
The landscapes in the Chinese film Wolf Totem are stunning.
The author's alter ego, Chen Zhen, learns a lot about the herders' traditional way of life, and the fear, respect and admiration they have for the wolves who share the grasslands with them. Some of the book's dialogue sounds more like one-sided lectures than true conversations; even so, it's a fascinating read. Politicians living far, far away make cringe-inducing decisions of the "this-will-not-end-well" kind – to set up large farms, to encourage the immigration of Han Chinese, and to slaughter all the wolves.
Chen Zhen (played by William Feng Shaofeng) develops a fascination with the wolves, and adopts a young pup, going against the wishes and advice of his Mongolian mentor, Bilig.
While an official announcement hasn't yet been made, several news articles say that Wolf Totem will be China's entry in the race for an Academy Award.
Wolf Totem has two Canadian connections. One is actor Shawn Dou, who plays Chen Zhen's friend and colleague Yang Ke. He moved from China to Vancouver with his parents when he was 10 years old, and returned to China in 2008 to study acting.
During the filming of Wolf Totem, a wolf named Cloudy became very fond of director Jean-Jacques Annaud.
Animal trainer Andrew Simpson was an integral part of the film. He was born in Scotland, but has run his business, Instinct Animals for Film, from a ranch north of Calgary, Alberta, since 1994. While he and his partner, Sally Jo Sousa, work with many kinds of animals, they specialize in wolves. But North American and Eurasian wolves are quite different, so they could not use the wolves they already had. They spent more than three years in China, training Mongolian wolves for their roles in the film. They got five-week-old wolf pups from a zoo and raised them in their Beijing apartment, giving them their constant attention. You can read more about that process, and see photos of Simpson cuddling the wolf puppies, in this 2012 article from The Telegraph, which calls Simpson a "wolf whisperer." A Calgary Herald article from last year indicates that after the film was completed, he brought 16 of the wolves to the Calgary ranch. In 2013 Simpson made Wolves Unleashed, a documentary about working with wolves; you can buy it from iTunes for $19.99
Director Jean-Jacques Annaud, left, and animal trainer Andrew Simpson with some of the trained wolves from the Chinese film Wolf Totem.
Wolf Totem, in Mandarin and Mongolian with English subtitles, will be shown as part of the Festival des films du monde / Montreal World Film Festival on:
Saturday Aug. 29, 2015 – 7 p.m. – CINÉMA IMPÉRIAL
Saturday Aug. 29, 2015 – 9:30 p.m. – CINÉMA IMPÉRIAL, 1430 Bleury St., Montreal, Quebec, H3A 2J1
Director : Jean-Jacques Annaud
Screenwriter : Alain Godard, Jean-Jacques Annaud, Lu Wei, John Collee. D'après le roman de/Based on the novel by: Jiang Rong
Cinematographer : Jean-Marie Dreujou
Editor : Reynald Bertrand
Cast : Feng Shaofeng, Shawn Dou, Ankhnyam Ragchaa, Yin Zhusheng, Basen Zhabu
Music : James Horner
Film production and Sales : Prod.: Max Wang, Xu Jianhai, China Film Co., Ltd. / Beijing Forbidden City Film Co., Ltd.
Festival des films du monde / Montreal World Film Festival continues until Sept. 7, 2015. Consult the festival's web site for more information.
Liz Ferguson	Movies	Leave a comment August 29, 2015 August 29, 2015 3 Minutes


Eve and I were getting ready for school in my bathroom this morning. She went to bed last night with her hair slightly damp, and it was crazy town this morning.
Not as crazy as her "starfish head" used to be, but still pretty bad.
Oh. Where did my baby go?
"Mom! Water is a miracle! Just a little bit and your hair is completely straight and smooth!"
"Plus, water is a miracle, because without it . . . we die."
"And, we need to stay hydrated. Water is a miracle!"
On so many levels, my darling. Why is your hair so messy today?
"Maybe because I woke up at 2:15."
Why would you wake up so early?
"Because today I get to sit at the teacher's desk, remember? Somebody else did it yesterday, but she promised me today that I could sit there and that nobody else could steal it from me."
Her teacher rewards her students with behavior points, and if they save up enough of them, they can buy time sitting at her desk for the day. It's going to be a great day for my girl!
And then she skipped off to get her lunch made.


Kosher Bacon? Pigs Must Be Flying!
It started with a mere apple in the Garden of Eden. A seemingly ordinary fruit, now overlooked and shriveling in many a countertop fruit bowl. But once made taboo it became the object of overwhelming desire. Ever so much greater is the lure of bacon.
The sumptuous and salty strip of smoky swine exudes a scent that makes even the most indifferent eaters prone to excessive salivation.
And these days the forbidden fruit of the animal kingdom is nearly impossible to ignore, especially since foodies and hipsters collectively decided to embrace the ultimate in un-kosher traif. Bacon is rearing its snout in all things savory, sweet and spirited, from cupcakes and cologne to bacon-infused vodka. L'chaim?
Fortunately, when it comes to bacon, the sty is no longer the limit. Put your hoofs up, my kosher, halal, veg and vegan friends. We can now have our bacon and eat it, too! Beef, duck, lamb, salmon, tempeh, tofu and turkey are all oinking for a spot among the growing lineup of porky proxies.
Soy-based bacons are the quickest to prepare. My friend Rachel stands by her maple tempeh bacon. But if we're going for culinary integrity, it's the furthest from the original. In pursuit of the best backup to boar, one must consider mouth-feel (crunchy when fried, but melts on your tongue) as well as flavor profile (salty, smoky goodness).
If you have a few days to spare and are willing to risk your security deposit on smoking at home, kosher bacon is a do-it-yourselfer's delight. Select your protein of choice, soak in a brine solution, smoke, cool and slice with a good carving knife on a bias.
Since I've never tasted the real thing, I knew I needed to turn to an expert for some superb recipes. Francesca, my bacon guru, grew up in a home where breakfast was not complete without a pork product and gave it all up when she got married. But don't think the girl doesn't miss her bacon.
Francesca invited me over recently for an all-out kosher bacon demonstration. I felt like she was on Iron Chef. I mean, the woman can cook!
For those of us who haven't pigged out in a while, a piping hot plate of bacon and eggs surely suffices. But if you want to ham it up, a few of Francesca's recipes will have your guests squealing with delight.
The first is a tip of the hat to our culinary ancestors. Did you know that much of Ashkenazi cooking is based on German and Eastern European cuisine, originally rife with pig and de-porked for Jewish tables?
With great kosher options, we can now bring back the bacon and indulge in a bacon-wrapped brisket, without giving Oma a loch in kop (Yiddish for hole in the head).
Enjoy more sinfully delicious dishes with recipes for an irresistible appetizer, spiced pecan stuffed figs wrapped in lamb bacon, and an unbelievably amazing dessert, chocolate pot de creme with chipotle and candied beef bacon.
With a fun recipe for every course of your next dinner party, wouldn't you say this forbidden fruit is finally ripe for the picking?
If you feel that bacon is one preservative-laden, mass-produced trend we were better off without, you'd be in good company with the folks at DC-based Kol Foods offering kosher, organic and environmentally-friendly beef and lamb bacon through their website. Both are 100% grass fed and nitrate free.


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EU extends Somali counter-piracy operation through 2016
The European Union's counter-piracy EU Naval Force Somalia – Operation Atalanta, has been extended by two more years as the threat of Somali piracy remains even as the number and boldness of incidents has decreased dramatically.
Operation Atalanta's main focus is the protection of World Food Programme vessels delivering humanitarian aid to Somalia, as well as the deterrence, repression and disruption of piracy off the Somali coast. In addition, Operation Atalanta contributes to the monitoring of fishing activities off the coast of Somalia. The extension will ensure the Operation continues until at least 12 December 2016.
EU NAVFOR says that despite the significant progress that has been achieved off the coast of Somalia since the operation was launched in 2008, it is widely recognized that the threat from piracy remains.
"The pirate business model is fractured but not broken," said EU NAVFOR in a statement. "The [European Council] has therefore added certain secondary tasks to the Operation's mandate. EU Naval Force will now contribute, within existing means and capabilities, more widely to the EU's comprehensive approach to Somalia, including in support of the EU Special Representative for the Horn of Africa. It will also be able to contribute to other relevant international community activities helping to address the root causes of piracy in Somalia.
"In this respect, the operation could, for example, provide logistical support, expertise or training at sea for other EU actors, in particular the EU mission on regional maritime capacity building (EUCAP NESTOR). In addition, Operation Atalanta can also support the EU Training Mission (EUTM) Somalia."
The common costs of EU Naval Force for the two years 2015 and 2016 are estimated at €14.7 million (US$18.2 million). The operation is currently commanded by Major General Martin Smith MBE of the UK Royal Marines. Together with 21 EU member states, two non-EU countries currently contribute to Operation Atalanta.
"EU Operation Atalanta has considerably helped in reducing piracy off the Somali coast. We must maintain the pressure on pirates to help ensuring security in the Horn of Africa. This is in our mutual interest", EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini said. "The EU Naval Force will now also contribute to addressing the root causes of piracy," she added.
According to EU NAVFOR data, there have only been 2 pirate attacks reported off the coast of Somalia in 2014 and 7 reported in 2013, which is down from a peak of 176 attacks in 2011.
EU extends anti-piracy operation in Somalia
EU Naval Force marks 9 years fighting pirates off Somalia
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CMA CGM third quarter profit and volumes rise
NPA to enhance port service delivery via rail transportation — Official

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Robertson County Funeral Home
Plant a Tree for Charles
Charles Stuard, Jr.
September 21, 1965 ~ December 24, 2020 (age 55)
Charles Stuard, Jr., age 55 of Adams, died Thursday, December 24, 2020 at his home. His remains are to be cremated and no services are planned at this time.
Charles was born September 21, 1965 in Louisville, KY. He was a truck driver before an accident that left him unable to work anymore. He was of the Baptist faith. He was preceded in death by his father, Charles Stuard, Sr.
He is survived by his mother, Geneva Stuard of Adams; sister, Elizabeth "Sissy" Stuard of Adams; and a niece, Cynthia Christmas of Adams.
Robertson County Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Charles Stuard, Jr., please visit our floral store.
You can still show your support by sending flowers directly to the family, or by planting a memorial tree in the memory of Charles Stuard, Jr.
© 2021 Robertson County Funeral Home. All Rights Reserved. Funeral Home website by CFS & TA | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy


It would not help move low-income people out of poverty and may actually increase poverty among many. It would increase the number of uninsured and add administrative complexity, which would increase costs for states and the federal government.
There are better and more effective ways to connect people who rely on Medicaid for health care to work opportunities.
See our related blog: Six Reasons Work Requirements Are a Bad Idea for Medicaid.
Which states are trying to impose a work requirement in Medicaid? View our interactive map.
Medicaid is the state and federally funded health insurance program for low-income people. It provides reliable health coverage to eligible individuals regardless of work status, allowing them to access the health care they need.1 For enrollees who lose a job, work seasonally and have periods of unemployment, or cannot find work, Medicaid coverage continues so they can still receive health care. For some people, Medicaid provides short-term health coverage after a job loss or during difficult financial times.
A work requirement is a bad idea.
Work requirements in Medicaid aren't necessary, could be counterproductive, and could add to program costs. There are better approaches to connecting Medicaid enrollees to work opportunities, approaches that don't cut people off health insurance.
It would not help move people out of poverty.
A study of the work requirement in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program found that work requirements had little or no effect in increasing work or cutting poverty.8 In fact, the vast majority of people subject to the work requirement remained poor and some became poorer.
It would increase the ranks of the uninsured and leave people less healthy and less able to work.
Proposals that would terminate Medicaid for those who do not meet a work requirement would increase the ranks of the uninsured; nearly all who would lose coverage would not have any other affordable health insurance options. Those losing coverage could experience declining health that could make it even harder for them to look for work or get and keep a job.
The uninsured are less likely than those with insurance to get preventive care or treatment for major health conditions and chronic diseases.9 People without insurance are more likely to delay care and experience declines in their overall health.10 Poor health can make it harder for people to work.
It could increase health care costs.
Increasing the ranks of the uninsured can also increase health care costs for states and health care providers.
However, they won't have insurance coverage to pay for that care. Because they are low-income, they may not be able to pay for all the care they receive. Unpaid costs will fall on local governments, states, or health care providers as uncompensated or charity care. Eventually, those costs will be passed on to other consumers, raising health care costs for everyone.
It would mean more administration and higher costs for states and the federal government.
A work requirement will add significant administrative complexity to Medicaid programs. At a minimum, a program would need to track enrollees' work status; process any exemptions for family caregivers, students, and others; track enrollees' time spent looking for work; enroll, disenroll, and re-enroll individuals at different stages in the process. All this adds administrative costs, whether this work is done directly by the state or through a Medicaid managed care plan or other state contractor.
Evidence from states' experience with TANF shows that monitoring work requirements is expensive and results in more resources and time being spent on tracking work hours than providing services.12 There's no reason to believe that the administrative burden would be any less for a work requirement in Medicaid. Those added costs would fall on states and the federal government, which jointly cover Medicaid administrative costs.
Medicaid coverage can help individuals and families move out of poverty.
Making sure low-income people have and can keep Medicaid coverage can be an important part of a strategy to help individuals and families stay healthy and move out of poverty.
Medicaid coverage can be a hand-up to financial stability.
Medicaid coverage helps families afford needed medical care and avoid medical debt. It is associated with improved financial health and security.
Individuals covered through Medicaid report less financial stress, less depression, and greater financial security than similarly situated individuals who are uninsured.13 Medicaid coverage is also associated with improved indicators of financial health among low-income populations.
Studies comparing low-income residents in Medicaid expansion and non-expansion states found that expanding Medicaid is associated with lower rates of borrowing; unpaid bills; credit card debt; debts sent to collections; and medical bankruptcy.14 Improved financial health and reduced personal debt gives people more opportunities to improve their economic circumstances and get ahead.
Medicaid coverage can help people stay healthy so they can work.
Medicaid coverage allows low-income people to access health care; that can improve their health and make them better able to work and hold a job.
By making it possible for low-income individuals to get the health care they need, insurance coverage through Medicaid can help people stay healthy or improve their health. That can make it easier for them to work.
Many long-term unemployed Americans face barriers to finding a job that a work requirement does not address, such as time out of the work force because of child care or other responsibilities, lack of skills, lack of connections to conduct a job search, or a criminal record.
1Medicaid is a health insurance program, not a cash benefit program. It does not pay enrollees. It pays health care providers who treat program enrollees. Federal law does not allow Medicaid eligibility to be dependent on work status or amount of time spent searching for work. See the Press Statement from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services related to approval of Indiana's Medicaid expansion on January 27, 2015 at https://www.cms.gov/Newsroom/MediaReleaseDatabase/Press-releases/2015-Press-releases-items/2015-01-27.html.
3Generally, proposals to add a work requirement to Medicaid target non-disabled adults under 65, particularly those who gain coverage through a state's Medicaid expansion. The estimate of the percent of that population that is working (57%) was developed by Families USA using American Community Survey data, looking at the Medicaid expansion eligible population across all states.
4Kaiser Family Foundation, Are Uninsured Adults Who Could Gain Medicaid Coverage Working? (Washington, DC: Kaiser Family Foundation, February 2015), available online at http://kff.org/medicaid/fact-sheet/are-uninsured-adults-who-could-gain-medicaid-coverage-working/. This data looks at the population that could gain coverage through the Medicaid expansion across states that had not expanded coverage as of publication date. These findings are consistent with Families USA's analysis of work status across all states (see prior endnote). We assume that trends among those not working will be consistent across expansion and non-expansion states.
6Families USA calculation based on data from the Kaiser Family Foundation report Are Uninsured Adults Who Could Gain Medicaid Coverage Working? (Ibid). Based on the data in the Kaiser Family Foundation report, an estimated 11 percent of all non-working potential Medicaid enrollees list the reason for not working as "unable to find a job" (8% of the total) or "other" (3% of the total). Many of those unable to find a job are likely actively looking for work. Work requirement proposals would apply to the portion of this 11 percent that is not actively looking for work.
7Hannah Katch, Medicaid Work Requirement Would Limit Health Care Access Without Significantly Boosting Employment (Washington, DC: The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, July 2016), available online at http://www.cbpp.org/research/health/medicaid-work-requirement-would-limit-health-care-access-without-significantly.
8LaDonna Pavetti, Work Requirements Don't Cut Poverty, Evidence Shows (Washington, DC: The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, June 2016), available online at http://www.cbpp.org/research/poverty-and-inequality/work-requirements-dont-cut-poverty-evidence-shows.
9Kaiser Family Foundation, Key Facts about the Uninsured Population (Washington, DC: Kaiser Family Foundation, September 2016), available online at http://kff.org/uninsured/fact-sheet/key-facts-about-the-uninsured-population/.
10Kaiser Family Foundation, Key Facts about the Uninsured Population (Washington, DC: Kaiser Family Foundation, September 2016), available online at http://kff.org/uninsured/fact-sheet/key-facts-about-the-uninsured-population/.
11Kaiser Family Foundation, Key Facts about the Uninsured Population (Washington, DC: Kaiser Family Foundation, September 2016), available online at http://kff.org/uninsured/fact-sheet/key-facts-about-the-uninsured-population/.
12Ladonna Pavetti and Liz Schott, Changes in TANF Work Requirements Could Make Them More Effective in Promoting Employment (Washington, DC: Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, February 2013), available online at http://www.cbpp.org/research/family-income-support/changes-in-tanf-work-requirements-could-make-them-more-effective-in.
13David Blumenthal, Petra W. Rasmussen, Sara R. Collins, and Michelle M. Doty, Does Medicaid Make a Difference? Findings from the Commonwealth Biennial Health Insurance Survey 2014 (Washington, DC: Commonwealth Fund, June 2015), available online at http://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2015/jun/does-medicaid-make-a-difference.
14Luojia Hu, Robert Kaestner, Bhashkar Mazumder, Sarah Miller and Ashley Wong, The Effect of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Medicaid Expansions on Financial Well-Being (Washington, DC: National Bureau of Economic Research, April 2016), available online at: http://nber.org/papers/w22170 http://nber.org/papers/w22170 ; and http://www.columbia.edu/~tg2370/gross_noto_bk.pdf ; and ,Larisa Antonisse, Rachel Garfield, Robin Rudowitz, and Samantha Artiga, The Effects of Medicaid Expansion on the ACA: Findings From a Literature Review (Washington, DC: Kaiser Family Foundation, June 2016), available online at http://kff.org/report-section/the-effects-of-medicaid-expansion-under-the-aca-findings-from-a-literature-review-issue-brief/.
15Benjamin Sommers, Robert J. Blendon, E. John Orav, and Arnold M. Epstein, Changes in Utilization and Health Among Low-Income Adults After Medicaid Expansion or Expanded Private Insurance (Washington, DC: JAMA Internal Medicine, August 2016), available online at http://static.politico.com/9b/ca/6d295d7d4975a810287854c70efc/jama-study-medicaid-expansion-two-years-in.pdf.
16LaDonna Pavetti, Work Requirements Don't Cut Poverty, Evidence Shows (Washington, DC: Center for Budget and Policy Priorities: June 2016), available online at http://www.cbpp.org/sites/default/files/atoms/files/6-6-16pov3.pdf.
17LaDonna Pavetti, Work Requirements Don't Cut Poverty, Evidence Shows (Washington, DC: Center for Budget and Policy Priorities: June 2016), available online at: http://www.cbpp.org/sites/default/files/atoms/files/6-6-16pov3.pdf.


Giant e-tailers like Amazon and Zappos have forever changed the retailing landscape. Consumers expect and demand maximum convenience, lower prices, a wide array of merchandise to choose from, and the ability to get products quickly. With the increasing pressure and fight for market share, more and more traditional retailers are implementing the 'omnichannel' model to provide customers the best of all worlds. As these retailers endeavor to seamlessly and efficiently meet the needs of customers at every stage and every touchpoint in the retail process, their supplier partners must support them in order to remain competitive.
A survey recently conducted by Retail Systems Research cites cost effective shipping and fulfillment as one of the top three operational challenges for large retailers. Many retailers are turning to drop ship—a process where vendors ship products directly to customers—to help solve this challenge and create efficiencies.
By demonstrating advanced drop ship capabilities, a supplier can become even more attractive to retailers, giving the company a competitive edge. Plus, drop ship can dramatically increase product distribution and even segue into a stronger presence in retailers' brick-and-mortar locations.
Although drop ship offers suppliers extraordinary opportunities for growth, this fulfillment method also entails its own unique challenges and compliance guidelines for suppliers. The good news is, with the right tools and partnerships, suppliers can overcome these challenges and realize the immense possibilities.
Custom branded packing slip – To create a seamless customer experience, most retailers require that their suppliers create a custom packing slip that includes the retailer's name, logo, address, website, and any additional required information.
Extremely efficient EDI – Drop ship providers must be able to process many documents quickly in order to save time and money. What used to be a shipment of many items to one destination has now become multiple shipments of one or two items. Batch processing of invoices, ASNs and other documents is crucial.
Integration tools – If possible, it's best to work with a platform that can integrate with FedEx and UPS, which saves time and resources while decreasing the margin of error.
Inventory management and visibility – Integrating warehouse and/or inventory management applications with EDI will further streamline processes and enable suppliers to keep up with the pace of drop ship.
Special drop ship pricing – EDI services must be priced to ensure the high volume, low quantity model remains profitable.
Exceptional customer support – To successfully handle high volume, suppliers need EDI customer service teams who provide education and support whenever needed, for as long as needed, until any problems are resolved.
For retail suppliers, drop ship is not just the wave of the future—it's happening now, and those who excel in direct-to-consumer compliance will come out on top of the game.


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Why does Steinbeck say the migrants are needed and they are hated?
How does Steinbeck feel about migrants?
What was John Steinbeck's view on migrant workers?
How does the author depict the new immigrants?
What raised Steinbeck's awareness of the plight of migrant workers?
What does a migrant worker do?
Was Steinbeck a migrant farmer?
Why did Steinbeck write migrant workers?
Why is Steinbeck important?
How does Steinbeck illustrate the American struggle?
Which of the following best describe a migrant worker?
What does Steinbeck believe is the effect of the new migrant workers on California?
Which statement best expresses the central idea of the text while Steinbeck?
Did migrant workers have any options for a better life?
Why did migrant workers go to California?
Where was Steinbeck born and why is this important?
By focusing on migrant workers, Steinbeck, through his books and articles, showed that people did whatever they had to do in order to survive. Without anything left, people had no reason to stay where they were.
Steinbeck's novelistic portrayal of the migrant workers is sympathetic. He shows how hard they work, and how little they earn as a result.
How does the author depict the new migrants? strong people who have suffered great losses. How are the new migrants separated from the lives they used to live? They are disconnected from the land and denied a voice in the community.
Steinbeck raised awareness through his classic tale of the Joad family by giving names and voices to the many faces of the Great Depression. … The poverty and hunger of men and their families forced many to work for pennies on an empty stomach just to survive.
IMPORTANT: How do I change the table name in Sequelize migration?
A migrant worker is a person who migrates within a home country or outside it to pursue work. Migrant workers usually do not have the intention to stay permanently in the country or region in which they work.
During the 1930s migrant workers poured into California in search of work. … Born in Salinas, California, on February 27, 1902, John Steinbeck was the son of a farmer and a schoolteacher. His mother, the schoolteacher, read to John extensively from literature from around the world.
Because Steinbeck was from that area of California (the Central Valley where this novella is set), he saw quite a few of these people and felt sympathy for their plight. He felt that they were people whose lives had been devastated by the economic system of that time. That is why he wrote about them.
John Steinbeck was a Nobel and Pulitzer Prize-winning American novelist and the author of Of Mice and Men, The Grapes of Wrath and East of Eden. … Steinbeck served as a war correspondent during World War II, and he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962.
John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men and The Grapes of Wrath represent the struggle of migrant workers and the unrealistic concept of the American dream. … Steinbeck illustrates this dream as impossible through the failure of George and Lennie's achievement of their dream.
Which of the following best defines the term migrant worker? … Migrant workers who fill employment needs in their host country often send remittances to their home countries.
IMPORTANT: What language do immigrants speak?
Steinbeck traces the degeneration of the migrants as their poverty and hunger increases. The longer they live as migrants, Steinbeck argues, the further they degenerate into miserable inhumanity caused by a complete loss of their dignity.
The statement that best expresses the central idea of the text is, 'Despite the hostility toward migrant workers and their difficult life experiences, their work is essential to the success of the nation's agriculture industry.
Did migrant workers have any options for a better life? -Yes, but no. They could have been something great if they chose to, but that would have taken a lot of effort. They also were not that educated, so there were not many other options for them.
Migration Out of the Plains during the Depression. During the Dust Bowl years, the weather destroyed nearly all the crops farmers tried to grow on the Great Plains. … Many once-proud farmers packed up their families and moved to California hoping to find work as day laborers on huge farms.
John Steinbeck, in full John Ernst Steinbeck, (born February 27, 1902, Salinas, California, U.S.—died December 20, 1968, New York, New York), American novelist, best known for The Grapes of Wrath (1939), which summed up the bitterness of the Great Depression decade and aroused widespread sympathy for the plight of …
IMPORTANT: Can I travel to US Virgin Islands while waiting for green card?


Casino has launched Deliveryextra.com.br, an online grocery service from its Extra hypermarkets.
The service is available at present in São Paulo and, by the end of the year, it will also be operational in Rio de Janeiro and other cities in the state of São Paulo. It is the first time a hypermarket business has set up an online grocery store in Brazil.
The service offers a range of 15,000 items, including dairy, frozen, pet and personal hygiene products. Extra has invested BRL15m (£4.6m) in the venture, which will be serviced by dedicated teams at the retailer's distribution centres in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.


The internet technology and search engine giant Google launched a new tool this week called Flu Trends that the company says accurately estimates the level of flu in each state of the USA in nearly real time by keeping track of certain Google search queries.
Flu Trends is free to all and can be viewed on the internet. Google said traditional flu tracking systems take between 1 and 2 weeks to collect and publish data whereas Google can count searches and release the results in near real time.
During the 2007-2008 flu season Google engineers shared their initial results with epidemiologists at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and together they established that the Google data strongly and consistently matched real CDC flu data for each of the nine surveillance regions of the United States. They also found it was possible to estimate and publish the results two weeks faster than the CDC reports.
The Google and CDC research that went into developing Flu Trends has been accepted in principle for publication in the journal Nature and in the meantime can be read about in early manuscript form via a PDF download that was made available on 11 November.
"Takes Google search terms of influenza-like illness and influenza and it emulates a signal that tells us how much influenza activity there was."
Google and the CDC hope Flu Trends will help serve as an early warning system for flu outbreaks. Flu affects tens of millions and kills hundreds of thousands of people worldwide every year and early detection helps save lives.
Every week, millions of people around the world look for health information online. In America alone, about 90 million people a year look for information on specific diseases on the internet. During the flu season there are more searches for information about flu, as there are more searches about sunburn in the summer and allergies in the allergy season.
When Google and the CDC compared their data, they found there was a close relationship between the number of people searching for flu-related information and the number of people that report having flu symptoms, for instance when they go to their doctor or are admitted into hospital.
Although not every person who looks for flu-related information actually become sick, it is possible to determine the kind of pattern that links the two on a state by state basis. For example, when Google compared search terms entered by users with data from the CDC surveillance system, they found that certain search terms were used more frequently during the height of the flu season than at other times. By counting how often they saw these queries, Google said they could estimate how much flu was circulating in each state of the US.
Finelli said that when they validated the Google model last year it tended to predict the CDC surveillance data.
"They were able to tell us on a day-to-day basis the relative direction of flu activity for a given area. They were about a week ahead of us," she said, according to the Reuters report.
The Google data could be used as an early warning signal for flu activity, said Finelli, giving the CDC time to alert hospitals, clinics and doctors so they can stock up on tests and drugs, not just for flu but co-infections which often sicken the patient more.
Two weeks early warning also gives people greater chance to get vaccinated in time before the outbreak intensifies in their area.
The CDC validated the Google model by aggregating historical logs of online searches entered between 2003 and 2008. Then they worked out the pattern of weekly counts for 50 million of the most common search terms entered by users in the US. They deliberately left out billions of other infrequently used queries.
Using the IP address of each query they knew roughly where that user was, to the nearest major US city, so they were able to produce estimates for each type of query for each week in each city and state. This was then compared to the CDC data for those regions and dates.
Google said no information about the identity of users is retained.
Flu Trends can be viewed free of charge at http://www.google.org/flutrends/.
"Detecting influenza epidemics using search engine query data.
Jeremy Ginsberg ,Matthew H. Mohebbi, Rajan S. Patel, Lynnette Brammer, Mark S. Smolinski and Larry Brilliant.
Pre-publication manuscript, made available 11 November 2008 in Draft form.
Click here for prepublication manuscript (PDF download).
Paddock, Catharine. "Google Tracks US Flu Trends." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 12 Nov. 2008. Web.


Microchips have helped reunite thousands of pets with their families. Most shelters scan "found" pets for microchips when they enter the facility. We offer the most widely used microchip products to increase the chances of a safe recovery.


The Webb telescope will have four "cameras" at its disposal to explore the universe. The Near-Infrared Camera, or NIRCam, will focus its attention on distant galaxies and help us learn more about planets around other stars. But NIRCam is unique. Its vision will also be used to help align the telescope, a critical step in making the observatory function properly. Join Behind the Webb host Mary Estacion as she visits the Lockheed Martin facility in Palo Alto, Calif., to find out more about the making of NIRCam.


In 1950 German 400 metre runner Walter Nehb published the textbook Athletics Textbook 400m Hurdles. He had already participated in the demonstration group of the German Sports University of Berlin (DHfL) at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics. In Los Angeles, he was eliminated in the heats of the 400 metres and came in fourth with the 4x400 metres relay. The same year he was third at the German Championships. Nehb participated in five international matches. He was trained at the DHfL in Berlin as a sports teacher. A bridge in Rastatt has been named for him.
Personal Best\: 400 – 49.0 (1931).


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Rising demand for care and the increasing costs of providing it is putting more pressure on families to look after loved ones, and taking its toll on their health and wellbeing, the LGA and Carers UK are warning.
This means they are at growing risk of needing care and support themselves, resulting in the loved ones they are caring for requiring more costly social care or being admitted to hospital, creating a surge in demand on the NHS.
Latest research shows that nearly three-quarters (72 per cent) of carers in England have suffered mental ill health, such as stress and depression, while 61 per cent have experienced physical ill health because of caring. But, despite the demands of their role, a fifth (20 per cent) of carers in England have not received a carer's assessment in the past year, which would help identify their own support needs. The LGA estimates it would cost £150 million to provide these assessments and is calling for the cost to be included in a long-term solution to paying for adult social care.
It is also calling for sufficient funding to ensure services, such as carers' breaks, are available to all carers who need them.
Cllr Ian Hudspeth, Chairman of the LGA's Community Wellbeing Board, said: "Unpaid carers are the backbone of the care system, many of whom are unable to take a break, putting their own health on the line.
"But this vital network of family carers is at an increasing risk of breaking down due to the nature of the job, rising costs and demands for care, and the crisis in adult social care funding.
Following the delay in the Government's Green Paper on Adult Social Care, the LGA has published its own green paper consultation to drive forward the public debate on what care and support is needed to improve people's lives and how these vital services are funded.
See futureofadultssocialcare.co.uk for more details
Categories news Tags social care
Youngsters 'at risk'
#OurDay is your day


Solution - can't shrink volume/partition on Windows 10.
This page explains why cannot shrink volume in Windows 10 Disk Management and the solution if Shrink Volume is disabled or Windows 10 can't shrink partition beyond the limit.
If you fresh installing Windows 10 to a new hard disk but forget to create partitions, you'll get single C: drive and the system reserved partition. As we know, it is not good to throw everything into C drive, so you'd better shrink C drive to create more partitions. Microsoft provides Shrink Volume in native Disk Management console, with which you can shrink a volume on the fly without reinstalling OS.
However, many people feedback that they cannot shrink disk partition with Shrink Volume function. The most possible reason is conflicting available free space.
When shrinking a partition with Shrink Volume, Disk Management will calculate the disk space to shrink and the default amount is maximum available space.
In this situation, shrink partition with less amount of space.
In my another Windows 10 laptop, there is 7.53GB free space in C: drive, but the available space to shrink is zero. Why?
As the tip explains, you cannot shrink a volume beyond the point where any unmovable files are located.
For example, C drive is made up of 4 blocks. If the unmovable files are located in block 3, you cannot shrink this partition to block 2 or 1, although there is free space there.
This is the reason why many people feedback that they can't shrink partition or can only shrink little space.
If you want to extend a partition in Windows 10 Disk Management by shrinking another one, it is impossible no matter you shrink D to expand C or shrink C to extend drive D.
Remember the rule: Extend Volume only works when there is adjacent Unallocated space on the right side of the drive that you want to expand.
After shrinking C drive, Unallocated space is on left side of D, so Extend Volume is disabled to drive D. After shrinking D, Unallocated space is the right side of D, so Extend Volume is disabled for C drive. If you want to do these operations, you need professional partition editor software.
Another common reason why cannot shrink partition in Windows 10 Disk Management is because of non-supported partition type. Actually, both Shrink and Extend Volume support NTFS partition only, so you can't shrink the partitions formatted as FAT32 or other types.
Shrink a drive and produce Unallocated space on either side.
Shrink a drive to minimum size, because it can move the "unmovable" files.
Extend partition with Unallocated space on either side.
Move Unallocated space to the other side.
Both FAT16/32 and NTFS partition can be shrank and extended.


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by Tracy Lambert
Summer Bulletin – Part 1: Marriage/Divorce/Finance
Lump sum ordered to ex-wife 19 years after divorce finalised
A financial settlement has been approved by the High Court in the much reported financial remedies dispute of Wyatt v Vince.
The background to the case is unusual in that the wife issued a claim for financial remedies against her former husband some 19 years after the divorce was finalised. Between decree absolute and the claim being brought the husband had become a very successful businessman owning a company with an estimated value of £57 million.
The husband attempted to strike out the wife's claim but failed initially, later succeeding in the Court of Appeal. Ultimately, the Supreme Court allowed the wife's appeal against the strike out and directed that her application proceed in the High Court.
In summary, the settlement that was entered into by agreement of the parties provided for:
A lump sum of £300,000 to the wife in full and final settlement of her claims;
That the wife should retain a payment on account of £200,000 from her husband towards the costs of her appeal in addition to the previous costs award of £125,000.
It is unusual for costs orders to be made in family cases however, this is likely attributable to the stark disparity in financial positions of the two parties.
It is important to note that claims can still be brought many years after a divorce has been finalised, if there was no clean break entered into at the time, but that the usual starting point of an equal division of assets is less likely to apply the further in the future any applications are made.
New pension tracing service
The DWP has launched a new website to help people locate lost pension savings which are currently estimated to be in the region of a total £400 million. The website address is www.gov.uk/find-pension-contact-details
Irish same-sex marriages
Statistics have been released showing that 412 same-sex marriages have taken place since the Marriage Equality Referendum between 22/5/15 and 17/5/16.
Top reasons for returning divorce petitions
Resolution has revealed the most common reasons for divorce petitions being returned by divorce centres. Among these reasons are:
The details of the marriage ceremony do not mirror the marriage certificate;
The section regarding jurisdiction has not been completed correctly;
The grounds referred to do not match the statement of case or, in some cases, two grounds have been selected;
No marriage certificate has been sent to the court or only a copy was sent.
The statistics do not reveal how many petitions were submitted by solicitors or individuals representing themselves.
Tracy Lambert
Partner based in Exeter's family team


Right Perspective: God corrected two misconceptions Elijah had about his situation. God asked Elijah, "What are you doing here?" How was it that one moment he had walked by faith, and the next moment he was walking by fear, doubt, and frustration? A couple of reasons could be given.
Remember your purpose: Elijah needed to be reminded of the greater purpose God had for him.


Currently, motorcyclists pay a RM1.10 toll on the Malaysian side of the Second Link and 40 Singapore cents at the Republic's Tuas checkpoint.PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO.
SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/Asia News Network): The Republic will match Malaysia's decision to abolish tolls on motorcyclists next year at the Tuas Second Link, the Ministry of Transport (MOT) said on Sunday (Nov 4).
An MOT spokesman told The Straits Times that the ministry has noted Malaysia's plans to remove motorcycle tolls at the Second Link from Jan 1.
"Should Malaysia reduce or remove the motorcycle toll charges at the Second Link, Singapore will match Malaysia's revised tolls rates," the spokesman said.
On Friday, Malaysia's new Pakatan Harapan government revealed in the federal Budget for 2019 that motorcyclists will get free passage across both Penang bridges and the Second Link to Singapore.
Malaysian newspaper The Star reported on Saturday that Johor hoped Singapore would reciprocate the move.
"We believe the Singapore government will follow suit, like when tolls at the Eastern Dispersal Link near the Johor Causeway were abolished," State International Trade, Investment and Utilities Committee chairman Jimmy Puah Wee Tse had said.
In its Sunday reply, MOT said that Singapore's long-standing policy is to match Malaysia's toll rates.


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Little House Tutoring
Where children learn to love to learn
Little House Tutoring is home to a dynamic team of highly-trained tutors and teachers. Little House Tutoring specializes in teaching skills in a step-by-step, systematic, sequential manner using the proven Orton Gillingham Method in conjunction with our own unique method, the Little House Multi-sensory Program.
Little House Tutoring offers a diverse range of programs and customized tutoring in all subjects for students of all ages, from pre-school through to grade 12. As one of Vancouver's leading education centres, Little House has helped hundreds of children reach their full potential.
Web Design, Photography, Graphic Design, Email Marketing
Working with Little House Tutoring has evolved into a relationship that can only be achieved after years of successful projects.
Throughout the years we've worked together on program brochures, posters, exterior signage, photography, email marketing and on two iterations of the website.
By working together on many projects, we have had the chance to experience how Little House's goals have evolved over time and to adapt our design solutions to their growing business.
It has been a pleasure to work together. You did an amazing job at making our vision come true. We hope that you will forever be a part of our team.
Breanne, Co-founder
Relationships Built
Businesses We've Worked With
Don't just take our word for it, hear it from our clients
"Since the launch of my new website and menus, the reaction has been simply astonishing. The Pixel Planet has created stunning and visually outstanding work."
"I cannot express how pleased we are with the level of professionalism and results of working together. Websites, business cards, brochures, vehicle graphics. A one stop solution indeed."
R&G Electronics
"It has been a pleasure to work together. You did an amazing job at making our vision come true. We hope that you will forever be a part of our team."
Let's Build Something Amazing
Do you have a big idea we can help with? Let's talk!


BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc. reported that sales for October 2008 increased by 11.6% to $738.8 million from $662.1 million in October 2007. On a comparable club basis, sales for October 2008 increased by 10.2%, including a contribution from sales of gasoline worth 3.6%.
Last year, comparable club sales for the month of October increased by 4.8%, including a contribution from gasoline sales of 1.7% and a negative impact from lack of pharmacy sales worth 0.4%. For the third quarter ended Nov. 1, 2008, total sales increased by 13.4% to $2.4 billion, and comparable club sales increased by 11.9%, including a contribution from sales of gasoline of 5.3%. For the third quarter ended Nov. 3, 2007, comparable club sales increased by 3.4%, including a negative impact from sales of gasoline of 0.2% and a negative impact from the absence of pharmacy sales worth 0.4%.
The company also announced today that as a result of unprecedented market conditions in the retail gasoline industry during the quarter, profits generated by BJ's gasoline stations greatly exceeded its expectations. Primarily as a result of higher than expected gasoline income, the company increased its earnings guidance for the third quarter of 2008 to a range of 45 to 49 cents per diluted share, from previous guidance of 36 to 40 cents per diluted share.
For the first nine months of fiscal 2008, total sales increased by 14.7% and comparable club sales increased by 12.3%, including a contribution from sales of gasoline of 5.8%. For the first nine months of fiscal 2007, comparable club sales increased by 3.1%, including a contribution from sales of gasoline of 0.7% and a negative impact from lack of pharmacy sales worth 0.4%.
By week, sales increases were roughly even throughout the month with slightly higher increases during the first half.
By major region, sales increases were highest in Upstate New York and lowest in New England.
Excluding sales of gasoline, traffic increased by approximately 6% versus last year and the average transaction amount increased by approximately 1%.
Sales of food increased by approximately 12%, driven by strong sales of perishables and grocery items. Sales of general merchandise decreased by approximately 2%, due primarily to lower sales of televisions, electronics and jewelry.
Departments with the strongest sales increases compared to last year included bakery, coffee, dairy, deli, frozen, health & beauty, meat, oils & shortenings, pet food, paper, pasta, prepared dinners, produce, snacks, soda and video games. Weaker departments versus last year included cigarettes, electronics, jewelry, pre-recorded video, televisions and water.
November 1, November 3, Net Comp.


Plated is an online personal nutrition and catering service. Users need to subscribe to the service. Once subscribed, a profile is created based on the user's preferences. Recipes and menus are then suggested. Based on approved menus, a box is delivered that contains the groceries needed to cook the recipes selected. Visitors can view the recipes and weekly meal plans for free. Nutritional facts are provided per dish, including the prep time and level of difficulty.


Served as long snapper for the Eagles from 2010-13. In addition to Long Snapper he also played Wide Receiver and Defensive Back. Grant recovered a fumble during the CIF-Southern Section playoffs as a junior.
Grant was a 4 year starter at Long Snapper for the Aggies from 2014-17. In 2016 he was on the Big Sky All-Academic team.


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Barrett Brown, American Journalist, Faces 8 1/2 Years in Prison, Says Unsealed Plea Agreement
Rashed Mian
Barrett Brown, the American journalist who has been jailed in Texas since September 2012, now faces a maximum prison sentence of 8 1/2 years after reaching a plea agreement last month with federal prosecutors in Dallas, according to newly unsealed court documents.
Brown's plea agreement, dated March 27, and several other court documents, were ordered unsealed on Wednesday by United States District Court Judge Sam Lindsay. The court also lifted a government-proposed gag order that had been in place since last September, preventing Brown and his attorneys from speaking to the media about the case.
Altogether, the now publicly available documents shed additional light on Brown's case and the alleged crimes he has admitted to.
Brown, a prolific journalist who focused his reporting on private government defense contractors who primarily work in the shadows, pleaded guilty to Internet threats (directed at an FBI agent), accessory after the fact in the unauthorized access to a protected computer, and interfering with the execution of a search warrant.
As part of the plea agreement, Brown also faces a potential fine up to $475,000, a term of supervised release no greater than three years, on top of any prison time he may serve, and restitution, if mandated by the court. His supporters have said that any prison sentence imposed by the court is expected to be far less than the possible maximum sentence.
Statutorily, Barrett Brown faces a maximum sentence of 102 months imprisonment (8.5 years) but will likely serve considerably less.
— Free Barrett Brown (@FreeBarrett_) April 23, 2014
Brown and his attorneys agreed to the plea deal three weeks after prosecutors dropped several counts against him, including the most controversial charge he was accused of: sharing a link of already publicly available information which prosecutors said contained hacked documents, along with 5,000-plus stolen credit card account numbers from Stratfor, a Texas-based global intelligence firm. Brown was never accused of the hack.
The dropped charges reduced his potential sentence from upwards of 100 years to about 65—which has now been reduced dramatically due to the plea deal.
The initial charges stemmed from the hack of Stratfor in December 2011, which resulted in a digital heist that netted about 860,000 records—including usernames, encrypted passwords, email addresses—belonging to the firm's clients, according to court documents.
The hacked emails revealed a close relationship with government agencies.
It was a link from the Stratfor hack that prosecutors originally said Brown shared (copied and pasted) from one Internet Relay Chat (IRC) to another he ran through his own website, Project PM.
Related – Barrett Brown: American Journalist, Whistleblower & Prisoner
According to a factual resume also unsealed on Wednesday, in December 2011, a "person known to Brown…knowingly and intentionally accessed the computer network of Strategic Forecasting (Stratfor) without authorization."
The documents also state Brown was aware that hackers defaced Stratfor's website; that files were deleted from the firm's server; and data was exfiltrated from its network. Brown also offered to communicate with Stratfor's CEO regarding any redactions, the documents state.
By pleading guilty to the count related to interfering with the executive of a search warrant, Brown, according to court documents, admitted that he and his mother allegedly concealed two laptops containing his journalistic work and related source material after FBI agents arrived at his mother's house on March 6, 2012 after raiding his unoccupied apartment. They also allegedly set up another laptop on a table to act as a decoy device, the documents state.
The government writes in its factual resume, which is initialed by Brown himself, that he and his mother "knew that it was unlawful to conceal the laptops. By concealing the laptops, Brown acted knowingly and willfully."
Prosecutors add: by hiding the laptops they "intended to impede, obstruct, and influence the FBI investigation and the executive of the second Search Warrant issued by a United States Magistrate Judge."
Additionally, Brown, who was outraged that the government seized his laptops without arresting him, admitted to threatening an FBI agent in part three of a series of now-infamous YouTube rants that have collectively been viewed by hundreds of thousands.
Brown called FBI Special Agent Robert Smith a "chicken shit little faggot cock sucker," and allegedly threatened to "look into his fucking kids."
In a previous interview, Brown's childhood friend Caleb Pritchard described Brown's outburst as a "slow burn" over several months.
"It finally got to the point where Barrett just snapped," Pritchard said, "but I think at first he was just trying to figure out what the fuck was going on."
Brown's case has caught the attention of several civil liberty groups who have criticized the government for prosecuting a journalist for sharing a link.
The nonprofit Reporters Without Borders, which annually publishes a report dubbed the "Press Freedom Index," earlier this year dropped the United States in its rankings for 2013, from 32 to 46, partly due to Brown's prosecution, and its so-called war on whistleblowers.
Barrett Brown Plea Agreement by rashedmian
Barett Brown Factual Resume
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Rashed Mian has been covering local news for the Long Island Press since 2011. He graduated from Hofstra University in 2010 where he studied print journalism. Rashed, the staff's multimedia reporter, covers daily news for the web, shoots/edits feature videos and writes about civil liberties. He loves Afghan food and sports. Rashed is also a caffeine freak. Email: rmian@longislandpress.com. Twitter: rashedmian
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Convoy brought blankets, mattresses and other emergency aid to 1,000 residents of Taizz, a city in southwest Yemen that has been largely isolated by heavy fighting.
GENEVA, Feb 16 (UNHCR) - The UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, has delivered blankets, mattresses, and other emergency relief aid to 1,000 families largely isolated by months of intense fighting in the embattled centre of Taizz city in southwest Yemen.
Some of the most intense fighting in the ongoing conflict in Yemen, now in its tenth month, has been centred in Taizz, where more than 200,000 residents are cut off from regular access to humanitarian aid.
UNHCR has been unable to access the city for more than five months. The February 14 delivery, which was supported by other local aid organizations, followed more than three weeks of negotiations between UNHCR and the warring parties, and allowed trucks with essential supplies to reach the Al Qahirah, Salh and Al Mudhaffar districts.
The assistance comes in the immediate wake of the recent delivery by other humanitarian actors of food aid and medical supplies into Taizz city. UNHCR Representative Johannes Van Der Klaauw, led the mission to oversee the distribution and witnessed the critical need for the supplies UNHCR is providing.
"He noted that this first distribution of domestic relief items should be a prelude for sustained access and delivery of various types of aid into the city and surrounding districts in the governorate," UNHCR spokesperson Andreas Needham told reporters at a news briefing in Geneva. "He also reiterated UNHCR's call for sustained and unhindered access to humanitarian responses.
Displacement figures continue to rise in Taizz governorate, which now hosts the highest number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the country. At approximately 400,000 this accounts for 16 per cent of the current total of 2.5 million IDPs.
Although this week is the first time that UNHCR aid has reached the locked-down enclave in the centre of Taizz city, UNHCR has been distributing emergency relief assistance to various districts in the governorate since June 2015, when UNHCR succeeded in distributing relief items to nearly 1,800 individuals in four districts of Taizz governorate -Maqbanah, Ash Shamayatayn, Dimnat Kadir and Ta'iziyah - through a national partner.
Several attempts to reach areas in Taizz city in September failed. Since December, UNHCR and its partner have distributed humanitarian aid to around 29,000 IDPs in five districts in Taizz governorate - Dimnat Khadir, Al Ma'afer, Al Mawasit, At Ta'iziyah, and Jabal Habashy.
As of February 15, UNHCR has reached some 346,500 IDPs and conflict-affected persons in 20 of the 21 governorates in Yemen with emergency relief assistance such as blankets, sleeping mats, plastic buckets, plastic sheeting, kitchen sets, tents, and emergency shelter kits, which comprise wooden poles and planks, plastic sheeting, and tools such as hammer, axe, rope and nails.
The humanitarian situation in Yemen remains critical, with an estimated 21.2 million people - equivalent to 82 per cent of the population - in need of some kind of humanitarian assistance, and the conflict continues to force families to flee their homes across 21 of the 22 Yemeni Governorates.
UNHCR's recently launched Yemen Situation Emergency Response for those displaced inside Yemen and those forced to flee to neighbouring countries is currently just 5 per cent funded at US$8.6M with a funding gap of US$163.6M for the required US$172.2M. UNHCR's response inside Yemen is 7 per cent funded.
The response in Djibouti is 1 per cent funded while no funding has been received for the responses in Ethiopia, Somalia and Sudan. The revised 2016 Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan will be launched by the Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen in Geneva later this week.