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Home2018August21
The Minister of Finance champions an economic strategy
August 21, 2018 August 21, 2018 Michael Reddell New Zealand economic performance, Productivity, Uncategorized
Longstanding readers will know that I was pretty critical of the previous government for the utter absence of any sign of a set of economic policies that might have begun to reverse the decades of relative economic decline. Worse, they and their acolytes too often seemed to make up stories about how well things were going when the data pretty clearly pointed in the opposite direction. I'm not sure I'd be quite as harsh as Kerry McDonald and Don Brash, who recently gave the Key-English government an overall score of 0/10, but I'd be close, especially around productivity (and also around housing).
What has become increasingly disconcerting is that the new government – now almost a third of the way through its term – also has no credible ideas about reversing the decline and little interest either. They seem increasingly reduced to making stuff up as well, and trotting out the same lines again and again without any sign of a really understanding the challenge, without any sign of a compelling analytical framework, and without any reason to think that the policies they talk of will make any material (helpful) difference.
I woke this morning to the news that the Minister of Finance had an op-ed in the Herald explaining how the government was going to restore our economic fortunes. With suitably low expectations, I tracked it down. Even with low expectations, I was struck by how weak it was, and left wondering why the Minister and his PR team thought the article was a good idea.
The Minister begins thus
The coalition Government is helping business modernise our economy to be fit for purpose for the 21st century.
Presumably he is aware that one sixth of the 21st century has already gone? And that his party was in government for half that time? But let that pass: as rhetoric it might be empty, but it is probably harmless.
This means being smarter in how we work, lifting the value of what we produce and export, supporting the environment, planning for future generations and giving everyone a fair shot at success. It means making sure that all hard-working Kiwis share in the rewards of economic growth.
All of which is hard to argue with, but isn't exactly a) specific, or (b) new. I keep a copy of National's 1975 election manifesto by my desk, and flicking through it – 43 years on now – I think I spotted all those points (actually, in light of Eugenie Sage's announcement on Sunday, I also found a pledge to "discourage all forms of environmental pollution and encourage the recycling of materials. We will place a levy on difficult-to-dispose-of products'). Labour's 1972 manifesto, or its 1984 one, or its 1999 one probably had them all too.
Most New Zealanders know we cannot go on relying on a volatile mix of population growth, an overheated housing market buoyed by speculation, and exporting raw commodities as our growth drivers.
Quite a bit of that was in the 1975 manifesto too. They are old lines, each trotted out by politicians of either main party for decades as the symptoms presented. Not always even very accurately – does anyone actually think an "overheated housing market buoyed by speculation" added to national prosperity? And not with much sense that the speaker had any sort of robust model of the New Zealand economy. Let alone serious policies in response: for example, if this paragraph is to be believed, the current government is apparently uneasy about rapid population growth, but continues to run the same immigration policy as both its predecessor governments for the last 20 years.
And despite all this, a few sentences later the Minister of Finance tries to assert that
the fundamentals fuelling the economy are strong
Quite which "fundamentals" he has in mind – presumably not those in the previous quote (above) – isn't clear. In fact, all he offers in support of his view is
Last week, the Reserve Bank said growth will still average 3 per cent over the next three years. And Mainfreight managing director Don Braid said recently: "I think the business environment is good right now."
A government agency whose forecasts seem to command increasing scepticism among other forecasters, and one prominent business person. Perhaps you are persuaded. I'm not.
But finally we get to some of the things the government is promising. First, what the Minister presents as a key component
Our plan to become more productive is built on getting our infrastructure sorted. This year, and for the next 10 years, we will invest more than $4 billion getting roads, rail and coastal shipping humming. We are sorting out Auckland's congestion to save the $1b loss in productivity it causes each year.
Haven't we heard these infrastructure stories ("we are taking steps to clear the backlog") for 15 years now? But even if they are doing everything well in this area, look at the number in the final sentence. $1 billion – assuming the estimate is robust – is a great deal of money to you and me individually, but this is an economy with an annual GDP of $280 billion. On the Minister's own numbers, fixing congestion would lift GDP by about 0.36 per cent. It would be very welcome, but it is tiny relative to the scale of the economic underperformance: with no productivity growth at all for the last three years, it might take 10 similar initiatives to just reverse the further slippage (relative to other countries) in the last few years. But this was the only hard number in the entire article.
So what else does the Minister have to offer in his economic strategy?
We are investing to improve the skills of our workforce so that workers can adapt to changing workplaces. New programmes like our Mana in Mahi/Strength in Work apprenticeship scheme will get young people off the dole and support employers with the costs of giving them an apprenticeship to help them grow their business.
As I've noted numerous times previously, on OECD data New Zealand workers are among the most highly-skilled in the OECD. And where the government is spending most heavily in the broad area of skills, it seems to be in providing fee-free tertiary education – a policy that will (a) mostly redistribute money to people (and their families) who would already undertake tertiary education, and (b) to the limited extent it encourages further participation, presumably do so mostly among those for whom tertiary education offers lower expected returns. It doesn't have the feel of a productivity-enhancing policy, and the government has not (that I've seen) offered any numbers to the contrary. As for getting "young people off the dole", it is (of course) a worthy objective but haven't we seen many such initiatives in the last 50 years?
Other policies supporting small and medium enterprises to manage costs include greater access to training programmes, e-invoicing and cutting compliance costs.
There may well be some useful stuff in that list. But surely every government in modern times has talked of cutting compliance costs? And, in practice, haven't most ended up increasing them overall? The previous government liked to boast of the 500 (?) items that comprised its Business Growth Agenda, but none of it (not even all of it) began to reverse decades of underperformance. It was symptom of the drive for action without analysis.
New Zealand was built on innovation. The best path for us to get richer as a country is to invest in new opportunities and find better ways of doing things. The coalition Government is supporting business to lift research and development investment, with $1b set aside in the Budget for R&D tax incentives.
Hard to disagree with the second sentence, but without some compelling analysis suggesting that the government and its advisers understand why firms haven't regarded it as worth their while to spend more heavily on R&D, it is difficult to be optimistic that more subsidies are the answer. As I noted in an earlier post on the government's proposals in this area
R&D tax credits aren't the only form of government spending to subsidise business R&D – in fact, the government's new scheme involves doing away with the current grants. And as it happens, OECD numbers suggests we already spend more (per cent of GDP) on such subsidies than Germany (DEU), and quite a lot more than Switzerland (CHE). [both of which have far far higher levels of actual business R&D]
All of which might suggest taking a few steps back and thinking harder about why firms themselves don't see it as worth undertaking very much R&D spending here. But given a choice between hard-headed sceptical analysis and being seen to "do something", all too often it is the latter that seems to win out.
But we are only stepping up to the big stuff
Our bold goal for New Zealand to have a net zero emissions economy by 2050 is essential as we face up to climate change. This goal creates economic opportunities. The business community is alongside us, with 60 of our biggest firms forming the Climate Leaders Coalition. The $100 million Green Investment Fund and the One Billion Trees initiative are key parts of this work.
Perhaps it is "essential". Perhaps it even creates "economic opportunities" – big changes in regulation and relative prices always do, for some people. But the government's own consultative document, and modelling commissioned for them from NZIER, suggests that once one looks at the entire economy, a serious net-zero emissions target by 2050 will result in losses of real GDP per capita of 10 to 22 per cent (relative to the baseline in which no such target is adopted by New Zealand). No democratic government is history has ever consulted on proposals that would lead to such a dramatic fall in expected future living standards and productivity. And, as a reminder, on the government's own numbers, the costs would fall wildly disproportionately on the poorest New Zealanders. And, yes, there probably will be a lot more trees planted – many of them probably on good, easy to access and harvest, land – but just last week the government had to announce large subsidies to get even that programme underway. Subsidies have never been the path to improved economywide economic prosperity. Of course, few suppose the government proposes adopting a net-zero target for economic purposes, but they should at least stop misrepresenting the analysis on the economic effects from their own consultants.
We are also committed to ensuring no one is left behind in our economy. That's why we have put in place the Families Package and lifted the minimum wage. It is why we have a $1b annual fund for regional infrastructure and economic development opportunities.
So the regions are so "stuffed" that only an annual subsidy scheme is going to help ensure they aren't "left behind"? That seems to be the implication of what the Minister of Finance is saying there. And perhaps the Minister skipped over the likely tension between the laudable desire (see above) to get young people off the dole, and the really substantial increase in the minimum wage his government is putting in place (at a time when there is little or no economywide productivity growth)?
There are challenges in the world that are outside of New Zealand's control. That is why we are running a surplus and being prudent with our debt levels. We are also diversifying our export markets to create new opportunities for our exporters.
There is no hint of what, specifically, the Minister has in mind with his final sentence. But there is a certain sameness to it, going back decades and decades (nice quotes – including about the potential role of forestry – in that 1975 manifesto I mentioned earlier). And, actually, taken over the decades there has been a huge amount of diversification of export markets – no single country takes more than a quarter of New Zealand firms' exports – but it hasn't enabled New Zealand to lift the foreign trade share of its GDP much. In fact, over the last 35 years that share has shrunk.
As Don Brash noted in his article the other day, the previous government had fine words too
Key spoke about the need to increase the export orientation of the economy, and set a target for exports of goods and services of 40 per cent of GDP, up from 30 per cent when he came to office. Today, exports are just 27 per cent of GDP
Just no policies to make a difference.
The Minister of Finance attempts to end his article on an upbeat note
We are committed to working with business, workers and communities to build a stronger, more productive economy that delivers the quality of life that all New Zealanders deserve.
A worthy objective indeed, but there is nothing in what he told his readers that is likely to address – and begin to reverse – the decades and decades of underperformance. If we take seriously the government's own numbers around the proposed emissions goal, the relative underperformance could be even worse under this government (were it to win nine years in office) than under its two predecessors.
I presume (hope) the Minister believes what he says, but until he starts to confront the implications of charts like this he is unlikely to make any progress (except perhaps by chance)
With a real exchange rate now averaging 25 per cent higher than in the previous 15 years, in a country where productivity has dropped further behind, it shouldn't be any surprise at all that foreign trade shares are falling, that the economy is increasingly skewed towards the non-tradables sector (where competition is often, and often of necessity) quite limited, or that firms don't see the likely payoff to investing heavily in R&D. These are classic symptoms of a severely unbalanced economy. Most often they arise from misguided government choices. In our case, the biggest single misguided choice is the grim determination – or perhaps enthusiastic dream – to keep on rapidly driving up our population in such an isolated location where the opportunities to take on the world from here seem few – and all the fewer with such a severely out-of-line real exchange rate.
Really successful economies – ones with materially stronger productivity growth than their peers – tend to have strong, and rising, real exchange rates. But that strength is a consequence of success, an outcome of success, a way of spreading the gains. Driving up the real exchange rate has never been a part of successful strategy to lift the relative productivity performance of the economy. The reformers here in the 1980s recognised the importance of a sustained lower real exchange rate as part of a successful economic transition. It is tragic that today's political and economic leaders seem to have almost completely lost sight of that.
We have – and will have – a 21st century economy. But the question is whether it will be a struggling upper middle economy, with hazy memories of glory days long gone, or one that once again matches many of the richer countries in the advanced world, something I'm pretty sure we could do, but for a small number of people. If the government really believes they have the answer for how they can do it with a population that they actively drive further up every year, they surely owe it to us to lay out their reasoning, their analysis, with much more specificity than the Minister of Finance has yet done. That might include explaining why their clever wheezes and proposed reforms will make the difference their predecessors also claim to have aspired to for decades now.
Then again, perhaps tangible achievement no longer matters. Under the government's wellbeing approach perhaps warm feelings will substitute for world-leading incomes?


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Ladders remain both ubiquitous and potentially lethal. Someone I know fell off one and broke both femurs.
Today's invention is a system designed to lessen the severity of such accidents.
It consists of a number of automotive-type airbags which are stored in pods attached to the base of a ladder. These would be wired to pressure sensors in the ladder rungs and feet, so that the position of a worker would be known to a processor in the pod control unit.
When a fall was in progress (as detected by a sudden asymmetry in rung and foot loadings), the airbags would be timed to fire so as to be fully inflated at the instant the victim made contact with them.


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What Is PH
Home » GSW // MYTHS ABOUT PASSIVE HOUSE
GSW // MYTHS ABOUT PASSIVE HOUSE
This blog will be slightly different from any that we've wrote in the past. There are multiple misconceptions that PassiveHouse builders and designers will hear almost everyday, and today we decided to discuss what these are:
1. A Passive House Heats Itself – MYTH
This is not factually correct, because nothing heats itself. A Passive House needs to get the heat from somewhere, but a Passive House building retains the heat .
2. You Can't Open the Windows in a Passive House – MYTH
This may be easy to buy into but in a Passive House there is nothing to stop you from opening the windows. It really depends on the time of the year and what you want as to whether you open the windows. In summer it is likely that the mechanical ventilation would not be running anyway, so natural ventilation would be important and that means opening the windows. In winter there's probably no need to open the windows because there's enough fresh air and it doesn't feel stale or stuffy. In a traditional buildings that's why people tend to open the windows in winter because its stuffy, which is essentially the CO2 levels getting a bit high, whereas in a Passive House there's constant ventilation in the background and there just would not be the need.
3. The Aesthetics of a Passive House are Not Good – MYTH
Many of the first buildings to meet the Passive House standard were located in Germany and Austria, and so had a continental aesthetic. As these buildings attracted a lot of publicity it is no great surprise that there is the perception that a Passive House will look a particular way. Also, many of the initial attempts at doing Passive House may have mimicked these buildings as designers were grappling with a new challenge.
4. A Passive House Must be Built with Sustainable Materials – MYTH
This one is interesting because he hears the other argument, that Passive House doesn't put enough emphasis on encouraging use of natural materials. At Architype they have always had an interest in using healthy materials that don't emit noxious fumes, so that there is no knock-on impact with occupants suffering from conditions such as asthma.
The choice of which materials to use in a Passive House will normally be determined by the designer or client's preference. When it comes to insulation there are also complexities in balancing how much carbon might be involved in the materials, for example using polystyrene, and how much carbon is being saved due to the energy saving attributed to a good insulating material.
5. Building a Passive House is Too Expensive – IT DEPENDS
There's quite a lot of published data which shows that Passive House buildings can cost more than non Passive House buildings. However, when designing a Passive House building it's a quality assurance standard, so what gets built has to match what gets designed and it has to meet the appropriate standard of workmanship on site with the finishes, etc. Thus, comparing that with a building that only reaches standard building regulations, there's very little quality assurance that a finished building matches what was designed at the outset. This means there is an issue of comparing like for like, because if that building was constructed exactly as it was designed it would probably cost slightly more than it did.
Another factor that increases cost is when existing plans are adapted to go down the Passive House route, which of course will add extra cost. The best way to approach Passive House is to have it as an objective from the very beginning. Take the budget and prioritise how the money will be spent. For example, in order to meet the standard there will need to be triple glazed windows, etc. This way, once the essentials have been priced up, there will be an amount of money with which to work. The building may need to take on a simple but elegant form but it will allow the overall budget to be balanced.
6. The Air is Too Dry in a Passive House – IT DEPENDS
This issue is more complex than it might seem on the surface. For an in-depth answer he suggests reading a paper on Passivhaus ventilation that Mark Siddall wrote for the AECB. However, most occupants are used to living in buildings that don't perform very well and perhaps have more moisture than would be ideal (which may lead to environments that encourage mould growth and in turn can cause occupant respiratory difficulties such as asthma). In buildings which are built right – high levels of insulation, airtight, well ventilated, etc. – the humidity will definitely be lower in certain circumstances than traditionally constructed buildings. That's not necessarily a bad thing because a drier building will tend to be a healthier building. If things are not balanced properly or something is not quite right, then it may feel slightly drier than is comfortable.
7. MVHR is Too Noisy – IT DEPENDS
Careful design and installation should mean that noise from MVHR is not an issue. In a Passive House building the MVHR should be in a separate area (like plant room or cupboard) but it can even be outside the building (providing good acoustic separation).
The Passive House standard also requires that background noise from MVHR should not be greater than the World Health Organization recommended noise levels for people to sleep comfortably. It's also worth noting that the fans are running at an incredibly low speed so there should be very little noise coming from them.
Where there might be the possibility of sound travelling through the ducts from one room to another, there needs to be acoustic attenuation built in, which will eliminate the problem.
8. MVHR Costs More to Run Than the Energy it Saves – MYTH
Clearly when you move from a house without MVHR to one that does have MVHR, there is a new cost to pay. However, as discussed earlier, it is often difficult to compare like for like between a.Passive House and a non Passive House.
But, so long as the airtightness of the building reaches a certain level (approximately 1.5 air changes per hour), it's been proven that the amount of energy saved and the cost of that energy saving is much greater than the cost of running the MVHR.
9. Mechanical Ventilation Has to be Running All the Time in a Passive House – MYTH
This one down by saying that at Architype they design their buildings to use natural ventilation in the summer and MVHR just for the winter months.
It should be easy to tell when to switch off the MVHR. When opening the window, if it feels dramatically colder outside than indoors then a lot of heat energy is being lost and there's also a cold draught coming in. This would be when you would want the MVHR to be on. Alternatively, when opening the window if the fresh air coming in feels comfortable and there's no cold draught, then probably you don't need to have the MVHR running.
10. Mechanical Ventilation is Too Complicated to Use – MYTH
This is a myth because the controls are simple to understand with a small amount of training. Most people can operate a boiler, switching off the heating for the summer, for example. Mechanical ventilation is no more taxing.
11. You Can't Have a Wood-burner in a Passive House – MYTH
This is more a case of there's no need to have a wood-burner in a Passive House. People often desire them for emotive reasons because it's nice to sit around a fire or to feel heat emanating from something.
Having a wood-burner in a Passive House is generally discouraged for a couple of reasons:
It would only be used for a very short time of the year
A lot of heat will be generated and that heat will be retained
12. Passive House Will Only Work on a Sunny Site – IT DEPENDS
Passive House does optimize the solar gain so as to make the most useful benefit of the heat from the sun. With a small building on a site that gets little sunlight it would be more of a challenge and would really have to be addressed on a specific case by case basis as to whether it was viable or not. As a building gets bigger the parameters change slightly. Architype's schools as an example. Having more people in a building means there's more heat energy being generated and so there's less of a need for using heat from the sun.
interview with Elrond Burrell
done by House Planning Help
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Contemplating suffering and crisis, along with the recent commemoration of 911 coupled with writing about my Lakota spiritual teacher have all lead me to consider catastrophic events in the lives of entire societal groups of people. I was born to an Armenian Father and Polish Mother; I've found psychological healing amongst the Ceremonies of North America's indigenous tribes; I grew up in West Bloomfield, Michigan, a town with a significant Jewish population. I also have some strange connection to the tuy?t v?i ng??, the wonderful people of Vietnam, a bond that's prompted me to visit their lovely country three times over the past five years. Trace back the histories of every one of those groups and you'll find your unfair share of hate, anti-semitism, discrimination, persecution, propaganda, genocide and violence.
This summer, after a few decades of exiting the 696 onto Orchard Lake Road on my way to my hometown, I finally hit my left blinker and turned into the Holocaust Memorial Center Zekelman Family Campus. The Center's tag line is Illuminating The Past Enlightening The Future. I'd passed the structure for years, its artful design reminiscent of the walls of a barbed concentration camp. As they say, timing in life is everything, or at least one thing. What I found was a well-told story of not only evil – although the theme of evil is undeniable – but also of courage, strength, and human righteousness. Among the Memorial's message of hope, I also discovered a second art exhibit that personally hit even closer to home.
Barsamian: 20 Years – Searching For The Answer is a collection of works by Armenian artist Robert Barsamian that focuses on a two decade long journey of seeking and finding a voice for the Armenian Genocide as well as similar horrific events in contemporary history. With paintings and sculptures titled Death March, Slave Girl, and Flight of the Innocent, the exhibit attempts to exorcise the evil of the past while enlarging a legacy of healing.
My Great Grandparents were killed in the Armenian Genocide of the early 20th century, orphaning my Armenian Grandmother and sending her to an institutional home in France. When I consider the hardships of my ancestors, I often wonder about the trickle down of those brutalities, as well as the challenge of turning around legacies lacking in compassion. Overcoming a victim mentality when you've been ill-treated can certainly feel like a tall order, but when you consider the alternative, overcoming is the only way Up and Out.
In the wake of memorializing 911, instead of fearing or resisting the evil that persists in today's world, let's instead give praise and power to the fountain footprints of the World Trade Center, along with other artistic expressions that uplift us, challenge us, comfort us and, ultimately, empower us to transform victimhood into victory.


A few weeks ago You Tube announced their commitment to education by moving a lot of their educational content to a separate domain, http://youtube.com/education. This allows schools and districts to, depending on their filtering, unblock the videos found there for use in the classroom. It's been open for a while now and reaction has been positive. New content gets added daily and the site continues to grow.
However, one of the complaints is the variety of the content found there. Much of it is for secondary and higher ed, leaving the elementary folks with out a solution.
I have known about WatchKnowLearn for a while now. While it looks like your typical video site, it isn't. It's a powerful tool for you to use in your classroom.
While all of those are great places to start, most folks are going to want to drill down to their subject area. There is a place to do that on the left.
You can see that in many of the content areas there are over 1000 videos and in the major core areas the numbers top 4000. And just look at the variety of content there! When you go into and area you get topics and sub topics and in some cases sub sub subtopics.
Sure, you can drill down. Sure you can search. But maybe you just want to search by the age of your students. You can do that too.
Take the slider from either side until you have the desired age range. Put in your topic and off you go. Wanna search more than just WatchKnowLearn? Use the drop down to search School Tube or Teacher Tube also.
All of the videos are reviewed by teachers and the folks at the site for their quality and applicability to the content area and age level. The comments are also a great place to learn how other educators are using the videos in the classroom.
So you ask yourself, what makes this site so special? Well, for one, it's just plain awesome. But, really it's where the content comes from. Most of it comes from You Tube and other video sites that many districts blanket block. WatchKnowLearn has software that allows for the streaming of the content from You Tube and the other sites without school filtering blocking it. Remember, the content here is reviewed before it ever appears on the site. So there isn't the junk that you would find on many sites nor do your see the junk that would normally accompany videos from You Tube found here. It is a definite win for those that want to have access to this type of content in their classroom.
Oh and it's founder? One of the Co-Founders of Wikipedia (Dr. Larry Sanger)so there is some major backing here so rest assured the site can only get better.
WatchKnowLearn is a wonderful addition to your arsenal of video sites. Or better yet it might just be a replacement for most of them. You can get lost in all the great content. So head over there and definitely check it out!


What can I do better than anyone else?
The pioneering mood has gone.
Continue readingWhat can I do better than anyone else?
Continue readingMore revenue in 2016? This is what retailers should do!
What should online retailers do to generate more revenue in 2016?
Due to digitalisation, retail has been undergoing a process of change for a number of years. It is crucial to business managers to identify promptly the most important trends in order to act successfully. In my view there are 3 trends emerging for 2016, which could help retailers to attract more visitors to their businesses and generate increased revenue.
Continue readingWhat should online retailers do to generate more revenue in 2016?
Today is Black Friday – the official launch of this year's Christmas business. Whether in the domain of search engine marketing, usability improvement or on-site merchandising; online retailers put a lot of optimisation effort to make their online shops fit for Christmas season.


Color(s): blue merle, black, red merle, or red, all with or without white markings and/or tan points Coat: The Australian Shepherd has a striking and varied coat. It is of moderate length, straight to wavy, and weather resistant. The coat comes in four accepted colors: black, blue merle, red, and red merle. A variety of white and tan markings may appear on the face, chest, front, and rear legs. Distinct feature: The Australian Shepherds most identifiable characteristic is the natural or docked bobtail. Their eyes are one of this breeds most commented on feature. Their eyes come in a variety of colors or color combinations and include blue, amber, hazel, and all shades of brown. The Aussie is a vigorous and athletic breed. Temperament: Australian Shepherds are intelligent, delightful, and loyal. They are highly energetic and thrive on being given something to do. The Aussie has a high degree of intensity and a "no-quit" attitude. Their herding instinct may be problematic or annoying to their family, as this breed will often attempt to perform this task on everyone or anything that moves. They are reserved and cautious with strangers until the Aussie decides about them. They are confident and protective. Human companionship is crucial to this breed. They get along well with active, considerate older children. The Aussie is not typically aggressive to other dogs. Activity: The Australian Shepherd requires an inordinate amount of exercise. A mere walk is not sufficient. They thrive on running, herding, playing, and all family activities. They are at their best when they are given a great deal of social interaction and a task to do. Australian Shepherds are not recommended for apartment dwelling.


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Der Verein von Altertumsfreunden im Rheinlande ist ein deutscher Geschichtsverein. Er wurde am 1. Oktober 1841 in Bonn gegründet, um mittelalterliche Kunst, provinzialrömische und urgeschichtliche Funde zu untersuchen. Seit 1842 gibt er die Bonner Jahrbücher heraus. Seit 1864 erwirbt er antike Objekte, die er dem Rheinischen Landesmuseum Bonn zur Verfügung stellt. Der Verein hat derzeit (Stichtag 31. Dezember 2013) 800 Mitglieder.

Vorsitzender des Vereins ist der Professor für Klassische Archäologie an der Rheinischen Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, Frank Rumscheid.

Veröffentlichungen
 Jahrbücher des Vereins von Alterthumsfreunden im Rheinlande. IX. Bonn 1846.Digitalisat
 Jahrbücher des Vereins von Alterthumsfreunden im Rheinlande. XIII. Bonn 1848. Internet Archive
 Jahrbücher des Vereins von Alterthumsfreunden im Rheinlande. XV. Bonn 1850. Internet Archive
 Jahrbücher des Vereins von Alterthumsfreunden im Rheinlande. XLI. Bonn 1866. Digitalisat
 Jahrbücher des Vereins von Alterthumsfreunden im Rheinlande. XLVII und XLVIII. Bonn 1869.Digitalisat

Literatur

 Gabriele John: Hundertfünfzig Jahre Verein von Altertumsfreunden im Rheinlande. Rheinland-Verlag, Köln 1991 (Kunst und Altertum am Rhein; 135, ISBN 3-7927-1187-7).

Weblinks
 Verein von Altertumsfreunden im Rheinlande

Rheinland
Verein (Bonn)
Geschichte (Rheinland)
Gegründet 1841

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Right Airlines and not just any Cheap Flight Tickets can make or break a holiday - The first thing we do before planning a holiday is to look up for the cost of flight tickets. We look for cheap flight tickets and the chances of planning a holiday at the destination increases if we get cheap flight tickets. But have you ever wondered how choosing the right airlines for your holiday can make or break a holiday? Yes, its true the right airlines can actually make or break your perfect holiday. Don't go for cheap flight tickets but choose the right airlines.
Imagine you flying to your dream destination. For months you have planned every small detail to perfection and budgeted your expenses. You have booked the cheap flight tickets without considering the right airlines to save on cost. You arrive at the airport and during check-in, you are asked to pay a heavy amount for a few extra grams/kilos of your luggage.
Wosh!!!your budget just went out of the window by choosing cheap flight tickets. It has happened to many of us. Not only this just at the beginning of your trip you go through unnecessary mental & financial pressure.
During my recent trip to Indonesia via Bangkok on Thai Airways, I realized how important it is to fly in the right airlines and not just go for cheap flight tickets. I have been to Thailand 5 times till now and all on different Airlines based on my budget, however during my recent trip on Thai Airways I felt extra special and it actually made my holiday experience much better. Yes the right airlines can make you feel special and not cheap flight tickets.
In this blog post, let us see what you need to check to book the right Airlines and simply not book any random airlines which provide cheap flight tickets. I will take the example of Thai Airways to show how the choice of the right Airlines can make a difference during travel.
Nowadays many no-frills airlines or budget airlines show you the price which is exclusive of the baggage allowance. Cheap flight tickets mostly don't give baggage allowance.Most of these cheap flight tickets airline will allow you to carry only a hand baggage up to 7 kgs. If you book the tickets in these airlines in a hurry then you will end up paying a huge amount at the Airport. Also while buying tickets you can buy check-in baggage allowance. If you add this cost then it almost comes to the cost of the full-service airline. Hence look at this to choose the right airlines.
Once it happened with me that I booked for 20 kgs allowance in a no-frills airline just by considering cheap flight tickets and while returning after shopping the weight increased beyond 20 kgs and I had to pay a huge sum at the airport.
However, during my recent trip on Thai Airways, I could shop my heart out without worrying about extra baggage because Thai Airlines gives 30 kgs of Baggage Allowance. Thats what i call the right airlines and not just any cheap flight tickets.
Cheap flight tickets will never give lounge access.
Waiting at the Airport and doing nothing is a tough thing if you have a layover at the Airport or you reach the airport before time. While booking the flight ticket check whether your airline offers lounge access or not and what is the cost of accessing the lounge. The right airlines will have a lounge access.A lounge tie-up is always a boon as you can catch up on news, rest or relaxation and take advantage of various services at the lounge before your departure.
Thai Airways has one of the best lounge access feature and if you are flying via Swarnabhumi Airport. Thai Airways has their lounges in 9 airports worldwide including Singapore and this always makes it special to fly Thai Airways.I can assure you that you will not get such frills on cheap flight tickets.
Imagine buy cheap flight tickets and travelling in an Airline which offers cramped up seats where it is difficult to even move properly in your seat. The entire journey will be an ordeal though you have saved money by booking cheap flight tickets.You will reach your dream destination with body ache. It's not a happy situation to be in. During one of my travel, I booked an airline which offers one of the cheap flight tickets to Bangkok and that journey was a nightmare to me.I was not able to sit properly and when I landed at the airport my entire body was aching. If this was the right airlines then it would not have happened.
However, this time while flying Thai Airways I had an amazing relaxing flight and I could sleep comfortably after 10 days of whirlwind travelling. Thai Airways offers one of the most comfortable seats which has 32-inch (81cm) pitch and 18-inch (46cm) width. Thai promises wider seats and more leg room and I feel like they deliver on this. The seats are plush and ergonomically made as well. If you suddenly find your gadget low on power there are in-seat power and USB outlets. The seats recline up to 160 degrees and it makes the entire seating during the journey very comfortable.Good seats are expected from the right airlines and cheap flight tickets will always compromise on seating.
The right airlines will always offer best in class inflight entertainment. InFlight entertainment can help in making the flight more comfortable. Sometimes we don't get enough time before we travel and thus loading our iPad or Laptops with the movies we wanted to see gets tough. During long flights, if your right airlines have an in-flight entertainment system you can always catch up on the latest movies or songs. If you get bored with movies and songs then there are games to play to which will keep you engaged for a long time. Cheap flight tickets will always come with no inflight entertainment.
During my 6 hours, flight to Indonesia on Thai Airways similar incident had happened with me where I forgot to carry my iPad. Thanks to Thai Airways, their in-flight entertainment system it rescued me during the 6 hours long flight to Indonesia. Thai Airways have a great collection of Movies and songs and especially I loved the new releases section which has up to date movies. Next time you are flying Thai Airways you can easily forget to load your favorite movies/songs and rather save the device memory for some beautiful photographs from your dream destination. Thai Airways has truly turned out to be the right airlines.
Cheap flight tickets might come with longlayovers. While booking a long haul flight, most of the flights don't connect directly to the destination rather, the flight has a layover. If you are booking an airline ticket check the layover time. You might end up losing a day at the Airport waiting for your next connecting flight. Don't worry if by chance you have booked a flight with long layover Shoestring Travel has airport hacks for a long layover at the Airport. Check this blog post for more.
Thai Airways has got the best connecting flights around 63 destinations and the flights are scheduled in such a way that there is the least layover at the Airport. When traveling to Indonesia this time I was worried that I might have a long layover as there were no direct flights. However, Thai Airways again turned to be the right airlines and came to my rescue.I had to wait just for 3 hours at Swarnabhumi Airport. If you are planning to fly in South East Asia region check Thai Airways and I am sure you will not be disappointed.
An airline makes it name through Customer service and the right airlines always have a great service experience. This is the first thing you notice about airlines and Customer Service experience creates a perception about the Airlines. There are airlines like Emirates, Thai Airways, Singapore Airlines, Turkish Airlines known for their great customer service and thats why they don't give cheap flight tickets.
The customer service experience can't be rated nor there is any quantitative parameter to know which airline is better. It all depends on personal experience. Hence I would not recommend any particular airlines rather use your personal experience or word of mouth to judge an airline.
As a travel blogger, I fly a lot and hence I look for the right airlines which have a good frequent flyer program. This helps me to gain flying miles which I can redeem for various services.
While booking for a flight check whether the airline has a frequent flyer program or not and whether it is easy to get enrolled or not. If your airline has a Frequent flyer program enroll yourself before the start of the journey. This way you will get the flying miles easily.
Thai Airways have an excellent frequent flyer program called Royal Orchid Plus. Most of the airlines allow you to claim flying miles after the journey. The benefit of a frequent flyer program is that you get differentiated service compared to other passengers and that makes a huge difference in the overall experience.
Cheap flight tickets will always compromise on cuisine.Many airlines reduce the cost of the tickets by not including food in the price of the tickets. The food to be bought on-board and needs to be paid separately. While booking your tickets check whether food and drinks will be served or not and whether you have to pay anything seperate for the food and drinks. It's not a great feeling to fly for hours without any food or drinks. Many airlines like Thai Airways provide the choicest of food and an excellent collection of drinks on board.
Hope you will find these tips handy while choosing the right airlines and save yourself from buying any cheap flight tickets.
Share your personal tips in the comment section below with Shoestring Travel. We would love to know your tips which you use to choose the right airlines while traveling.
I attended a FAM trip to Indonesia and flew by Thai Airways in Sep2018.
seɑ shell and gave iit to my 4 yeаr оld daughter andd said "You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear."
crab inside and it pinched hеr ear. Shе never wɑnts tօo g᧐ bacқ!
I had to tel someone!


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A Picturesque Cabin In The Woods Was Listed On Airbnb. The Catch? No COVID-Vaccinated Guests Allowed.
Airbnb told BuzzFeed News the listing for the cabin in Montana violated its COVID misinformation policies.
by David Mack
BuzzFeed News Reporter
by Tasneem Nashrulla
Thiago Prudencio/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
Nestled in the woods of western Montana sits a two-bedroom cabin that, according to its Airbnb listing, promises guests "a safe place to rest, relax, enjoy nature and the surrounding activities."
There is just one big catch: no vaccinated visitors allowed.
"WE ARE RESTRICTING THE CABIN TO NON-COVID VACCINATED GUESTS ONLY," the owner had written in the listing, which was shared on Twitter by journalist Charlie Warzel. "For the health and safety [of] not only other guests but also ourselves, all COVID vaccinated guests are asked to find another vacation rental that allows vaccinated guests."
Warzel, a former BuzzFeed News staffer who now has a Substack column, said he was sent the listing by a fellow Montana resident who wanted him to look into it. When he couldn't find other Airbnb listings with similar no-vaccine policies, he decided to tweet out the post, which was then shared hundreds of times.
Charlie Warzel @cwarzel
Was just sent an Airbnb listing for a cabin in western Montana that, uh, only allows NON-vaccinated visitors. The next few months will continue to be fun, I'm sure...
Twitter: @cwarzel
BuzzFeed News has seen a screenshot of the listing, but is not identifying the property or its location to protect the privacy of its owner.
The woman had written, falsely, in the Airbnb listing that it had been "scientifically proven" that people who have received vaccines that use mRNA technology, such as the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, shed proteins through their skin or breath, and pass these along to unvaccinated people.
The myth of "vaccine shedding" is just that: a myth. Scientists and officials have stressed that the COVID-19 vaccines are overwhelmingly safe and effective. More than 280 million doses have been administered so far in the US.
Still, intrigued by the listing, Warzel messaged the woman through Airbnb's platform to ask how she could verify if someone was unvaccinated.
In a response he also shared on Twitter, the woman said they were using an "honor system."
"If you say you haven't taken the shots we trust you and you're more than welcome here," she wrote.
UPDATE: I asked the host how one proves they've been vaccinated. Their response:
After Warzel's tweets went viral, he received one final response from the owner, telling him he was no longer welcome.
"The cabin is not and will not be available to you," the woman wrote. "And you know exactly why."
Update 2: I think they saw the tweets! (fwiw I did not request to rent it, only to message the host!)
Airbnb spokesperson Ben Breit told BuzzFeed News the listing for the cabin was suspended Sunday night "for promoting COVID misinformation in violation of our content policy."
That policy forbids Airbnb hosts from posting content that "encourages guests to ignore applicable health or travel advisories" or "includes any health information specific to COVID-19," among other things.
Warzel, who writes about technology and online culture, said he was surprised — and depressed — to learn that even Airbnb needs to have a policy regarding misinformation.
"It's sort of wild, I guess," he said in an interview. "It's odd that the vectors for misinformation continue to be more and more obscure.
"It's not just a 60-minute video that somebody produced, or a tweet that someone wrote, but you're browsing weekend getaways in western Montana and you come across this potentially dangerous misinformation about COVID.
"It's very dystopian."
Correction: Airbnb spokesperson Ben Breit's name was misstated in an earlier version of this post.
These Updating Charts And Maps Show The Coronavirus Pandemic's Impact Across The US And The World Peter Aldhous · July 9, 2020
The White House Is Partnering With Dating Apps To Get Horny People Vaccinated Clarissa-Jan Lim · May 21, 2021
Basically Everyone Is Mad At The CDC For Being So Confusing About Masks Dan Vergano · May 19, 2021
David Mack is a senior breaking news reporter for BuzzFeed News and is based in New York.
Contact David Mack at david.mack@buzzfeed.com.
Tasneem Nashrulla
Tasneem Nashrulla is a breaking news editor and reporter for BuzzFeed News and is based in New York.
Contact Tasneem Nashrulla at tasneem.nashrulla@buzzfeed.com.


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My Kantele is an EP / compilation album by Finnish metal band Amorphis, released in 1997. It is not to be confused with the song "My Kantele" from the album Elegy, which is not on this compilation, although the title is still used as it contains the acoustic version of "My Kantele" and four previously unreleased songs. The song "My Kantele" is a traditional Finnish song from the 1840 collection Kanteletar, sung by Loituma.

Track listing

Personnel

Amorphis
Pasi Koskinen – vocals
Esa Holopainen – lead guitar; electric sitar on track 1
Tomi Koivusaari – rhythm guitar
Olli-Pekka Laine – bass
Kim Rantala – keyboards; accordion on track 1
Pekka Kasari – drums

Additional personnel
Mamba – additional percussion on track 3
Pete "Pee Wee" Coleman – mixing
Dave Shirk – mastering
William J. Yurkiewicz Jr. – mastering
Adam Peterson – design
Kai "Hiili" Hiilesmaa – engineering
Dave Brock – songwriting on "Levitation"

References

Amorphis albums
1997 albums


SE867-AGPS is an assisted GPS module designed for the M2M market, offering extremely fast TTFF, low cost and short integration time.
-By helping obtain a faster "time to first fix" (TTFF). A-GPS acquires and stores information about the location of satellites via the cellular network so the information does not need to be downloaded via satellite.
-By helping position a mobile device when GPS signals are weak or not available. GPS satellite signals may be impeded by tall buildings, and do not penetrate building interiors well. A-GPS uses proximity to cellular towers to calculate position when GPS signals are not available.
The SE867-GPS includes an internal processor and an 8Mb flash memory with 44 channel operation and less than 35 sec time to first fix (TTFF) making the SE867-GPS module one of the leading receivers in the market place.
Designing in the SE867-GPS is very straight forward, a BGA device that has been designed so that the module can be easily placed even in a simple 2 layer PCB and the integration with our extensive range GPRS devices is very straight forward and simple.
Sequoia's technical team can help with all aspects of a design based on the SE867-GPS, reference schematics are available together with a development kit.


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« ICG Speaks Against the Rapture
Hindu Wants 2012 Dictator »
Orthodox Seeking Their Own Unity
Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople
After unsuccessfully trying since 1901, the Eastern Orthodox expect to hold two meetings this year:
Journey begins toward convening of grand pan-Orthodox synod
by NAT da Polis
The invitation letters have gone out for the two preparatory meetings that will be held in June and December. Ten topics of discussion. The ecumenical patriarchate has been trying to hold a synod of Orthodox Churches since 1901.
Istanbul (AsiaNews) – With the sending of letters of invitation to all the heads of the Orthodox Churches for the two preparatory meetings for the grand pan-Orthodox synod, scheduled for June and December of this year, Bartholomew has set in motion the decisions made at the recent pan-Orthodox meeting in October, held in Constantinople, and attended by deceased patriarch of Moscow Alexy as his last act in life.
Bartholomew has stepped up the pace for the convening of the grand synod, which has the objective of responding to all of the problems that have built up over the course of centuries, and continue to plague relations among the Orthodox Churches, with extensive repercussions for the dialogue between Orthodox and Catholics as well. The schism of 1054, with all of its grave consequences for the universal Church, also deprived the Orthodox Church of the necessary impetus and ability to be constantly present in the course of history.
After various mishaps, in 1961 a pan-Orthodox conference was convened in Rhodes, with significant pressure from patriarch Athenagoras, for the purpose of preparing an Orthodox synod. This conference was also followed by numerous obstacles, because as theologian Giorgos Tetsetis observes, the local Churches did not have a clear idea of what they wanted from the Synod.
Now, the letters sent for the two preparatory meetings to be held in June, in Cyprus, and in December, in a place to be determined, present the following topics: 1. The Orthodox diaspora, where the jurisdiction over the Orthodox flock beyond national borders will be defined. According to the canons now in effect, before the growth in the phenomenon of emigration the faithful outside of their home country belong to the ecumenical patriarchate. 2. The manner of recognizing the status of autocephalous Church. 3. The manner of recognizing the status of Church autonomy. 4. Dypticha, meaning the rules of mutual canonical recognition among the Orthodox Churches. 5. Establishing a common calendar for feasts. For example, some Churches celebrate the Nativity on December 25, others 10 days later. 6. Impediments and canonicity of the sacrament of matrimony. 7. The question of fasting in the contemporary world. 8. Relationships with the other Christian confessions. 9. The ecumenical movement. 10. The contribution of the Orthodox in affirming the Christian ideals of peace, fraternity, and freedom.
The first four questions were the cause of friction in 1993 and 1999 with the patriarch of Moscow, because of participation in the work of the autonomous Estonian Church, with Moscow does not recognize.
"It is time," says Fr. Tetsetis, a theologian for the ecumenical patriarchate, "that our Church finally realize that it is doing poorly as a whole. The Church needs an open and sincere dialogue. Because it is only then, with its rich tradition as a compass, that it will be able to emerge from its blind alley and together face its existential problems, which are becoming increasingly severe and complicated. It is only then that the importance of the Ecumenical Patriarch's initiative can be understood." According to the journalist Aris Viketos, the letter from Bartholomew is being well received in the Orthodox world. http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=14708&size
Internal unity and doctrinal consistency does make some sense. But the bigger goal of these meetings, in my opinion, is to prepare the Orthodox for ecumenical unity with the Church of Rome–something that the Patriarch of Moscow has wisely been resisting (New Russian Orthodox Patriarch).
However, unity with Rome has been a clear goal of Patriarch Bartholomew for some time (see Catholic/Orthodox: Ecumenicalism Required). Now if he can get general agreement from the Patriarchs of Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem (all of whom have various serious problems in their respective areas), he and the current Pope Benedict XVI may accomplish their objective. Or at minimum, set the stage for a unity that they should should reject (see Orthodox Must Reject Unity with the Roman Catholics).
The Bible warns against a coming ecumenical Babylonian religion that is likely to call itself "Catholic". Yet Roman domination of the Eastern Orthodox in an re-established Babylon has been the goal of certain Catholics for over 800 years. Around 1202 the Catholic Abbott Joachim prophesied:
A remarkable Pope will be seated on the pontifical throne, under special protection of the angels. Holy and full of gentleness, he shall undo all wrong, he shall recover the states of the Church, and reunite the exiled temporal powers. As the only Pastor, he shall reunite the Eastern to the Western Church…This holy Pope shall be both pastor and reformer. Through him the East and West shall be in ever lasting concord. The city of Babylon shall then be the head and guide of the world.
Rome, weakened in temporal power, shall forever preserve her spiritual dominion, and shall enjoy great peace…(Cited in Connor, Edward. Prophecy for Today. Imprimatur + A.J. Willinger, Bishop of Monterey-Fresno. Tan Books and Publishers, Rockford (IL), 1984, pp. 31-32).
Biblical prophecy states that there will be a major unifying religion that it calls "Babylon the Great" (Revelation 17:5)–but one that the Bible warns against (Revelation 18:4).
Sadly, the stage for "unity" to form this Babylon keeps getting prepared. The Patriarch of Constantinople seems determine to try to make it happen.
Some articles of possibly related interest may include:
Some Similarities and Differences Between the Orthodox Church and the Churches of God Both groups have some amazing similarities and some major differences. Do you know what they are?
Orthodox Must Reject Unity with the Roman Catholics The Bible warns the Orthodox against this unity as do some Catholic prophecies. The Orthodox need to heed these warnings now.
Which Is Faithful: The Roman Catholic Church or the Living Church of God? Do you know that both groups shared a lot of the earliest teachings? Do you know which church changed? Do you know which group is most faithful to the teachings of the apostolic church? Which group best represents true Christianity? This documented article answers those questions. Português: Qual é fiel: A igreja católica romana ou a igreja viva do deus? Tambien Español: Cuál es fiel: ¿La iglesia católica romana o La Iglesia del Dios Viviente? Auch: Deutsch: Welches zuverlässig ist: Die Römisch-katholische Kirche oder die lebende Kirche von Gott?
There are Many COGs: Why Support the Living Church of God? This is an article for those who wish to more easily sort out the different COGs. It really should be a MUST READ for current and former WCG members or any interested in supporting the faithful church. It also explains a lot of what the COGs are all about.
This entry was posted on Saturday, March 14th, 2009 at 6:25 am and is filed under Religious News.
Orthodox Patriarchs of Constantinople and Russia to Meet
Pope and Patriarch Meet: Unity at "Crucial Stage"
Eastern Orthodox Visiting Vatican
Patriarch Bartholomew and Archbishop Williams to Attend Vatican II Celebration
Ukrainian Orthodox Officially Ask to be Independent of Russia
More Efforts Towards Catholic-Orthodox Unity
Orthodox Committed to Ecumenism says Romanian Priest
Cardinal Kasper Sends Birthday Wish to Patriarch Bartholomew I
Russia's Patriarch Kirill in Israel
80% of Russians Baptized Orthodox


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Initial sign-up has been encouraging with over 1500 customers already registered. This is a strong start, and Raven has already met its initial short-term goal – to have 20% of rent payments (excluding direct debits) made through the portal. Ultimately, Raven Housing Trust envisages that the Portal could become the primary interface for customers, with over 50% of rent payments made online. In the future, the MyRaven portal may also be used to promote a number of 'home programmes' such as new kitchen or bathroom campaigns.
Raven Housing Trust chose the Aareon Portal as it could easily update its existing Aareon QL housing management system with all the customer information generated. In addition, the portal's dashboard-style layout was easy to use and tailor and there was excellent integration with other systems such as payment and appointment scheduling.
Commenting on the new Portal Joanne Silner, Customer Services Manager of Raven Housing, said: "The MyRaven customer portal has already proved extremely popular with residents. They have found that it is easy to use and navigate around. Largely, this is in part a tribute to Aareon's technology behind the portal. We are confident that as the range of services offered expands; MyRaven will become the main interface of choice for many of our residents – who quite simply appreciate its convenience. Indeed, we are already seeing success stories where some customers are more comfortable to pay online when it suits them, rather than make a number of phone calls during working hours. Beyond this, the Portal frees up a great deal of time for our Customer Services Advisors who are now able to provide an improved level of service for those customers who need it most.


Greg Hessel is a professional trainer, facilitator, coach and consultant who helps organizations grow, change, and manage conflict. He is a former adjunct faculty in Woodbury College's Masters in Mediation Program, a current adjunct faculty member at Marlboro College and is Principal of ReGeneration Resources. Greg helps organizations work in a more effective and harmonious manner by leading change, providing business process analysis, managing conflict, coaching and training leaders, facilitating meetings and strategic planning and improving communication in organizations throughout New England.
Greg is a graduate of Woodbury College's Conflict Management program and has a Masters in Science in Organizational Development from American University in Washington DC. He has almost 20 years of full-time experience helping organizations grow, change, and manage conflict.
Greg is a certified Gallup StrengthsFinder coach. He is also certified in the EQi 2.0, a well-known emotional intelligence inventory.
Greg combines his expertise in managing conflict with a systems view of organizations to provide high quality interventions at the individual, group and systems level of organizations. By assessing organizational dynamics through multiple lenses, Greg takes pride in customizing interventions and trainings so that each client's individualized needs are met. One of Greg's beliefs is that for change to take root in organizations, some aspects of organizational culture usually need to be addressed. Greg has consulted dozens of nonprofit, for profit and government organizations over the last few years. A listing of some of his clients and projects are available on this site.
Prior to starting to work for Cheshire Mediation in 1997, Greg spent time working in Bosnia, El Salvador and Nicaragua, and while in Nicaragua he was part of a team that successfully negotiated the release of a kidnapped member of the Italian clergy.


Memory Daze was ideal for our family's vacation for our two adult children to have their own room and space, a wonderful family room/kitchen/dining room where we cooked together and relaxed. The pool area has ample recliners and a little bistro area for snacking. We LOVED the outdoor hot showers, the quiet star filled nights and all the privacy of the property.
Beds were excellent and it just is great to have a washer /dryer in each unit after a salty day at the beach.
Just wanted to say how much we enjoyed our stay at your life! It is an absolute beautiful place and the view is awesome! Thank you for opening up your home for others to enjoy! This is our first visit to St John and we will definitely be back!
forever grateful of our time at Memory Daze.


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Water Mitigation
"Boddewyn Gaynor Architects (BGA) is a design firm par excellence!
During our recent Showroom project there were numerous design challenges that BGA solved to create an elegant Showroom. They incorporated a nuanced system of lighting, to present our decorative furnishings and antiques in the best light. For our longstanding clients, they maintained design continuity from our prior Showroom, via the reuse of many design elements, display cabinetry and interior finishes.
For more than a decade, we have engaged BGA for our Showroom design needs, and each time they have met the challenge. BGA is a design firm that consistently delivers compelling and creative solutions, while keeping the project goals and schedule in mind. We highly recommend BGA."
Samuel Morano
Metropolitan Fine Arts & Antiques
"In 2017, the principal ownership of SoHo's Prince Building at 568-578 Broadway, Aurora Capital Associates and Allied Partners Inc., began a multi-million dollar capital improvement program to reposition the office portion of the building.This was prompted by the expansion of the digital media holding company, Group Nine Media's occupancy to 100,000 square feet.
Up until that time, the office portion of 568 Broadway had been mostly multi-tenanted, subdivided floors with antiquated building systems; so bringing the Prince Building up to the standards of the area's corporate technology tenants was a daunting task for Building Management. The first step in the process, and the most important step as far as I am concerned, was engaging a top-notch Building Architect with deep experience not only in the 'nuts and bolts' of design and construction, but also with a demonstrated track record in navigating the Landmarks Preservation Commission's approval process.
Boddewyn Gaynor proved successful on both fronts, and became our Building Architect. Moreover, the principals of Boddewyn Gaynor, whom both have been operating in New York City since the late-1970s, were personally involved in my projects from Day 1, seeing them from start to finish along with their world-class project management staff.
While this city is known these days for the "starchitects," Boddewyn Gaynor remains reliable, value-driven, and easy to work with. Their value-engineering, craft, and simply caring attitude towards their clients, no matter how big or small, have ensured my personal success in repositioning the Prince Building. Work with Boddewyn Gaynor. They are a true one-stop shop that can do everything!"
Dylan Cecchini
Aurora Capital Associates
"We are thrilled with the new space that Boddewyn Gaynor Architects designed for us at One Grand Central Place. They showed exceptional sensitivity to our needs: from the first layout, it was clear they had listened carefully and anticipated what aspects of our work space needed to be preserved, and what could be improved. We are also delighted with the aesthetics of the design: the way light is brought into the space, the judicious use of glass to give a more open feel, and the flow of traffic along and through the office. In short, Boddewyn Gaynor has given us an inspiring place to do our work."
Adam Gamoran
William T. Grant Foundation
"We're all proud of what the team has achieved at 601 West 26th Street," says Marcelo Renzi, SVP Design and Construction at RXR Realty, owner of the 2,300,000-square-foot property. "It took us a long time to get here, but what a change it has made. I want to thank the BGA team for all their hard work and commitment. We could not have been successful without them."
Marcelo Renzi
SVP, Design and Construction
RXR Realty
"Boddewyn Gaynor Architects (BGA) stepped into the middle of an Apartment Building's Public Space Refurbishment Project and advanced a preliminary design concept into a successfully completed project. Despite challenging field conditions, BGA remained focused, asked the right questions to solve the problems and developed economically feasible solutions to maintain the design integrity of the original concept."
Matt Sledz, AIA, ALA
Manager, Construction
ARA, American Realty Advisors
"We have engaged Boddewyn Gaynor Architects for several projects since 2009, including office fit outs, teaching laboratory and classroom space, and lecture halls.
In each case, the firm has undertaken their work with the highest degree of professionalism, design sensitivity, and technical expertise and has been especially responsive to our requirements, including budget and schedule. We're pleased with their development of creative and relevant architectural solutions, coordination of all aspect of the project, their attention to detail, and consistent follow-through."
William H. Cunningham, AIA
Campus Architect, Weill Cornell Medical College
"Boddewyn Gaynor's team was deft in their approach and displayed an aptitude for detail that proved to be the difference in obtaining Landmarks approval to proceed on one of the largest window replacement projects in North America. Further evidence to their success can be attributed to team continuity."
Stephen Casella
Project Manager, RXR Construction & Development
"BGA brings a no-nonsense approach to designing and building a project. What sets BGA apart is their ability to create cutting-edge design in a budget-focused manner. They have a fundamental understanding of value and never lose sight of the client's bottom-line."
Josh Porter
Managing Director, MRH Real Estate
"The MTA Storm Mitigation project demanded outside-the-box thinking. Rarely had something like this been done before in Lower Manhattan. We were forced to be pioneers and Michael Ankuda of BGA had the vision to help us make it happen. Michael's flexibility and imagination made him a most valuable member of our team…I don't think we could have done it without him."
Ms. Yvonne Saavedra Limb
Director of Project Management–NYC MTA Account, Transwestern Commercial Services
"BGA treated our project as if it were the most important thing on their agenda. What's more, the support team that followed up was professional and highly competent.
What has impressed me most is their understanding of my business, from the moment they first sat down with us."
David Dukes
President, (IFC Solutions Inc., formerly International Foodcraft Corporation, Inc.)
"The New York City Bar has had an ongoing professional relationship with Alan Gaynor & Company, P.C., currently known as Boddewyn Gaynor Architects, D.P.C., for well over 15 years. During that time, they have performed to our highest expectations on projects that were both large and small in scale. Boddewyn Gaynor has an excellent ability to bring a project from conception of design, to a satisfying solution of our project expectations."
Robert Huber, CFM
Director of Building Operations, The Association of the Bar of the City of New York
"I have a 16 year relationship with this group and I'm not breaking up with them anytime soon. With each new project I am more and more amazed at the creativity and thought that goes into their work."
Jody Johnson
M. Booth & Associates
"We were lucky to work with BGA. They took the time to listen to us and to learn about our organization. No detail was too small, and no question went unanswered.
As a result, BGA created an innovative design that filled our office with sunlight and air, while keeping within our modest construction budget."
Bill Lienhard
Executive Director, Volunteers of Legal Service
"BGA is down-to-earth, with the special ability to shepherd complex projects successfully and seamlessly. We get what we want, the tenants get what they need, and everyone is happy."
Joanne A. Agoglia,
CBC Alliance
"Boddewyn Gaynor has unerringly understood our work needs, and has incorporated them into a design that beautifully retains and enhances our traditional style and atmosphere."
Andre Bernard
Vice-President, The John S. Guggenheim Memorial Foundation
"The BGA team worked with us on two complete office projects. One during the dot com boom, and one after we, and our industry had matured. In both cases, the design reflected a keen understanding of our company culture, the market in which we operated and our work style. The finished product was a synthesis of design and function and one in which we were comfortable from day one.
Invariably our prospective employees felt that space was cool, and our clients felt that we were savvy and substantive. In one word, perfect."
Shmuly (Sam) Goldman
Partner, IntraSphere Technologies
"A critical hallmark of the firm's process is the low-key and supportive manner in which that advice is provided. At the same time, we felt that they were clear on their strong commitment to their design ideas, all of which turned out to be correct for us."
John Daley
Vice President Administration + Finance, Henry Luce Foundation
"To sum it up, Boddewyn Gaynor Architects, D.P.C. is a team you can trust. They came in with a fantastic can-do attitude and tackled a tough situation with calm professionalism."
Elka Gruenberg
Linda's Online
"Good recommendations thru successful projects should always be the basis of utilizing the resources of those who compete for professional services and for that reason, and thru my most recent experience, I would recommend and place Boddewyn Gaynor Architects at the top of the list."
Niles Miller
Former RXR Senior Project Manager and DASNY PM Retiree
"I have known and used the services of Boddewyn Gaynor Architects, D.P.C., formerly Alan Gaynor & Company, for almost 40 years.
Briefly put: they are creative, competent and easy to work with. The construction drawings for the various projects were amazingly detailed and complete; almost -0- change orders during construction."
Burton R. Kassell
Pico Alexander
"Over the decades (1985–present) we have developed a trusted relationship with Boddewyn Gaynor and have come to regard the firm as a part of our team. Advantest is a Japanese-based technology company with a 60 year history and recognizable name and reputation in their home country. It was important for us to partner with an architectural firm that understood our aesthetic and our brand, and yet was able to make it relevant and compatible in a new country. Through thoughtful and inspired design, Boddewyn Gaynor interpreted our needs perfectly, elevating our image and receiving accolades from the Japanese executive management for its refinement."
Director, Corporate Communications, Advantest America, Inc.
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New York City School Construction Authority
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New York State Unified Certification Program
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Marc Livi Macat (en llatí Marcus Livius Macatus) va ser un militar romà del . Formava part de la gens Lívia, una gens d'origen plebeu però de les més importants de la noblesa romana.

El propretor Marc Valeri Leví el va nomenar comandant de la ciutat i la ciutadella de Tàrent l'any 214 aC que va defensar amb èxit dels atacs d'Anníbal durant aquell any. Però dos anys després, el 212 aC la ciutat va ser ocupada per sorpresa i Livi Macat va haver de refugiar-se a la ciutadella que va poder conservar, tot i els atacs els cartaginesos.

La situació es va anar fent desesperada amb el pas del temps, i el 210 aC Dècim Quinti va ser enviat amb una flota per portar provisions als assetjats, però aquesta flota va ser derrotada pels púnics davant de la ciutat. Aquest desastre el va compensar Livi, que va obtenir una victòria per terra i va conservar la ciutadella fins que l'any 209 aC Quint Fabi Màxim va reconquerir Tàrent, i va alliberar els assetjats.

El senat va discutir intensament l'any 208 aC si Livi Macat havia de ser castigat per perdre la ciutat o premiat per conservar la ciutadella durant cinc anys. Finalment es va aprovar una tercera via consistent en què si havia de ser castigat això ho havien de decidir els censors i no els senadors. Macat va tenir el suport del seu parent Marc Livi Salinator. El cònsol Quint Fabi Màxim, en relació a que havia conquerit Tàrent perquè Macat tenia la ciutadella, va dir: " Certe, nam nisi ille amisisset, ego nunquam recepissem" (Cert. Però si ell no l'hagués perdut, jo no l'hauria pogut recuperar mai).

Referències

Militars romans
Gens Lívia


Kirkland's design transforms a whimsical concept to an unforgettable experience for everyone who visits Children's Hospital Colorado.
Art engages its audience in a cognitive exploration, and lends itself to many interpretations. Larry Kirkland, nationally renowned artist, challenges patients, families and staff to look beyond the glass, and to reflect on the different colors and objects in his design at Children's Hospital Colorado.
Kirkland's glass art, located on the east wall of Boettcher Atrium, is a metaphor for the medical challenges that caregivers at Children's often face. Just as they must continuously research and diagnose disorders, and discover groundbreaking, new treatments, "I wanted the artwork to be something for people to continuously discover and explore as well," said Kirkland.
Having previously worked together on the design of The California Science Center, Design Architect Zimmer Gunsul Frasca (ZGF) asked Kirkland to design the glass panels.
The concept of Kirkland 's artwork was inspired by Children's patients, families, doctors, nurses, staff and volunteers. In addition to collaborating with the architects and hospital administrators, Kirkland spent three days facilitating focus group discussions among these priority audiences.
Kirkland and Carolyn Braaksma, designer of the terrazzo floor in Boettcher Atrium, collaborated to include some of the same images and basic shapes in their designs.
As a result, the art, designed on seven, large, 20 feet by 30 feet glass panels, features butterflies, sun and sunflowers, trout, the night sky, running horses, snowflakes and a composite of all six images.
Kirkland's hope is that everyone gets involved with the exploration of his art. "I want them to see something new each time," he said.


Whether you're moving across the country and looking for a night's worth of parking or searching for free parking overnight to save some extra money, free parking can be rare – especially for RV/Campervan owners. Although the U.S. has plenty of RV parks that have cheap fees, most charge at least $10 per night and may not have as many facilities as other luxury parks. And in a more urban location, it might be hard to find anywhere that has a spot large enough for an RV, bus, or extended van.
Good news! Walmart often offers campers and RVs a place to stay for the night. A lot of Walmart locations across the country allow RV parking overnight free of charge. It's a good way to shop for supplies, use the restroom, get some sleep and go on your way. However, not all Walmart locations are this generous. In some states, it could be illegal to park overnight in parking lots regardless of the fact that Walmart allows you to do so.
Which Walmarts allow overnight parking?
To search for Walmart locations near you, make use of the state-by-state directory of those locations that allow overnight parking or use an app like Walmart Overnight Parking Locator on iOS to make your search easy. You can also rule out locations where it is prohibited to park overnight through this No Park Walmarts locator. When you pull into the lot, you will most likely be greeted by other RVs, and should give you an idea of where in the lot to park (try to stay toward the edges). If you feel more comfortable, ask around to see the if there's a specific designated overflow parking for RVs as they might not be the same spaces allocated for normal vehicle parking due to size.
What makes camping out in Walmart different from normal RV parks is that although there is no extra cost, this is 'dry camping', a term often used to describe camping without a water supply, electricity or dumping stations. It's not going to be easy if you're staying longer than a day- there's not much to do besides shop or spend time inside your RV. Sometimes, however, you may meet people with the same situation and end up with one more friend to add to your circle. We spent a night in the Bakersfield Walmart, and ended up trading some camping stove fuel for some engine oil!
Despite having no extra parking fees, Walmart overnight parking is allowed under the assumption that you actually buy something. As a reliable location to camp out for RV owners, it's best to keep your parking spot clean and free of dirt to avoid Walmart changing this policy that allows nighttime parking. Placing your lawn chairs out in the open can be troublesome and would not be recommended, in order to maintain a good image of RV owners and motorists across the country. Although a convenient way to get some sleep without worries of getting a ticket or being towed, parking out for more than two days can cause unwanted attention and Walmart employees asking you to leave.
With the increasing number of Walmarts across the country, as long as you are respectful and do a quick bit of research before pulling in, you'll always have a reliable, safe place to spend the night in your van or RV!


Mercury is the smallest planet in the solar system, and it is only slightly larger than Earth's moon. The closest planet to the sun, Mercury takes just 88 Earth days to complete a single orbit.
Mercury is a small, rocky planet with no moons or rings. Due to its proximity to the sun, surface temperatures on Mercury can reach up to 840 degrees Fahrenheit. Mercury does not possess a true atmosphere, but it has an exosphere made up of atoms that have been blasted from the planet's surface by solar radiation. This exosphere is too thin to retain heat, so temperatures can fall to -275 Fahrenheit at night, resulting in the largest swing in surface temperature of any planet in the solar system.
Mercury possesses a metallic core and an active magnetic field, although this field is only 1 percent as strong as Earth's magnetic field. An asteroid roughly 60 miles wide struck the planet some 4 billion years ago creating the Caloris Basin, an impact crater larger than the state of Texas. In 2012 water ice was discovered by NASA's Messenger probe. This ice is located in Mercury's craters around its north pole, a region thought to be permanently protected from the heat of the sun.


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Crim. Law Journal Winter 2020, Vol. 20, Issue 1
American Slave Branding: Insidious Identification and Depraved Punishment
Post-conviction Relief For Foreign Nationals Convicted In California
Incarcerated Veterans In Need of Representation When Filing Petitions For Resentencing
New Criminal Laws In 2020
Domestic Violence Laws and the Ina: How Domestic Violence Perpetrators Attain Immigration Benefits
By Jeffrey A. Aaron*
When Penal Code section 1473.7 was first discussed in this Journal in the Fall of 2017, there were only two cases that had considered the statute.1 There are now, after the third anniversary of the statute being signed into law,2 significantly more. The legislature clearly perceived a need for additional relief, designing the statute to enable defendants, when not advised of the immigration consequences of the plea, and when "other and more traditional collateral relief measures are not available,"3 to withdraw their pleas. It seems that criminal defense and immigration lawyers are using this statute more often, and more successfully. Given the importance of the immigration issue nationwide, one should expect this to continue; indeed, following the amendment of the statute in 2018, the number of reported cases increased.4
1. Case Law Before the 2019 Amendments
People v. Perez (2018) 19 Cal.App.5th 818, dealt with timeliness and the defendant's burden of proof. The defendant pleaded guilty in 2005 and did not file his section 1473.7 motion to vacate his conviction until seven weeks after the effective date.5 The Court found this delay did not make the motion untimely, and that section 1473.7 applies retroactively to people who plead guilty before its effective date.6 The plea form indicated that defendant was advised of the immigration consequences, and the Court ultimately found he failed to carry his burden of proof because he did "not address this unambiguous record on appeal."7 He offered "no evidence to support his position."8 His declaration, eleven years after his conviction, simply recited that he did not "meaningfully understand the immigration consequences of his plea."9 Similarly, his claim that counsel was defective for not negotiating an "immigration safe disposition" failed because there was no evidence that the prosecution would have considered such a disposition, or that counsel did not try to negotiate the same.10


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Toronto Crime Stoppers world's third busiest tip line, solves 15,738 crimes since 1984 -
Toronto is the third busiest Crime Stoppers tip line in the world next to London, England, and South Africa, which stands third.
Almost 10,000 tips pour in a year, Crime Stoppers officials announced Tuesday at police headquarters during the launch of Crime Stoppers Month.
Det. Darlene Ross, co-ordinator of the Toronto Crime Stoppers, said it was through Crime Stoppers tips that charges were laid in the case last year of a girl who was shown on video being beaten by three other girls.
The girl, captured on video, was beaten and kicked on Yonge St. The video went viral and police soon made arrests and pressed charges.
"The phones rang off the hook," Ross said.
"Working with Crime Stoppers has renewed my faith in people," Ross told the Star later in an interview. "Half the people who call in don't even claim the money even though they are eligible for a reward. They contact us because they want to do the right thing."
The Toronto Crime Stoppers program is entering its 28th year, and last year, almost 10,000 tips poured in from the 1-800-222-TIPS line and their secure online form.
Tips are also received on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Chief Bill Blair says that the Toronto program has been responsible for solving 15,738 cases since its inception in 1984. Acting deputy chief Jeff McGuire told the crowd Tuesday that Crime Stoppers tips have led to 34,000 charges since its inception.
http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1113474--toronto-crime-stoppers-world-s-third-busiest-tip-line-solves-15-738-crimes-since-1984?bn=1
Hundreds Threaten Suicide At Microsoft Supplier Plant In China, would throw themselves from plant roof in demand for $ -
Some 300 Chinese Foxconn employees who manufacture X-box 360 machines said they would throw themselves from their Wuhan, China, plant if demands for lost wages were not met.
China Jasmine Revolution, an activist revolutionary organization with a name borrowed from the Tunisian revolt that set off the Middle East unrest, reported that employees made their demands for a wage increase for 100 employees on Jan. 2.
Management at Foxconn — the world's largest contract electronics manufacturer and a crucial link in the supply chains of Apple, Dell, Nintendo and Song — responded with an ultimatum. Employees could quit with one month's compensation awarded for each year with the plant or go back to working.
Many employees quit, but Foxconn allegedly dishonored the agreement and awarded former employees nothing.
Around 300 workers returned to the plant in an uproar, and staged their protest on the plant's roof on Jan. 3.
Wuhan's mayor intervened through hours of negotiations, walking them back from the roof's edge until 9 p.m. when workers agreed to return to work, according to China.com.
Calls to Foxconn were not immediately returned.
A Microsoft spokesperson wrote CBS Seattle a statement saying, "Microsoft takes working conditions in the factories that manufacture its products very seriously, and we are currently investigating this issue. We have a stringent Vendor Code of Conduct that spells out our expectations, and we monitor working conditions closely on an ongoing basis and address issues as they emerge. Microsoft is committed to the fair treatment and safety of workers employed by our vendors, and to ensuring conformance with Microsoft policy."
http://seattle.cbslocal.com/2012/01/10/hundreds-threaten-suicide-at-microsoft-supplier-plant-in-china/
Toronto Crime Stoppers world's third busiest tip l...
Hundreds Threaten Suicide At Microsoft Supplier Pl...