text:
Property Rates Bill:hearings
PROPERTY RATES BILL: PUBLIC HEARINGS
Chairperson: Mr Y I Carrim (ANC)
South African Council of Churches Submission
Independent Schools association of South Africa Submission
South African National Parks Submission
Western Cape Nature Conservative Board Submission
Botanical Society Submission
Organisation Development Africa (ODA) on the Property Rates Bill
Coalition of Traditional Leaders of South Africa Submission
Financial and Fiscal Commission Submission
COSATU Submission
Wendy Machanik Properties Submission
Banking Council Submission
Local Government Property Rates Bill (B19 of 2003)
Catholic Institute of Education Submission
SALGA Submission on the Property Rates Bill
The general sentiment expressed was that the principles of the Bill were welcomed, although varying degrees of concern were expressed over aspects of the Bill.
In the afternoon, the committee heard submissions from the South Africa Council of Churches, Independent Schools Association of South Africa, South African National Parks, Western Cape Nature Conservative Board and Botanical Society of South Africa. It was a common cause among the presenters that the proposed Bill would have severe impact on the property owned by organisations performing public benefit activities. They argued that it was in the national interest to exempt such organisations from property rates taxes, as there was a symbiotic relationship between those organisations and local governments.
Report on Property Rates Bill Workshop by Organisation Development Africa (ODA)
Mr Nico McLachlan of the ODA presented a report on the major issues emerging from the Property Rates Bill Workshop. His report was divided into:
- an overview of participant contributions;
- an overview of key issues;
- questions and issues to be considered in preparation for public hearings.
Under issues emanating from the workshop, Mr Boshoff mentioned the following:
1. Conceptual Issues:
- what does Local Government property rates pay for?
- the difference between valuation and rating
- how will vertical and horizontal redistribution of land be effected?
- the issues of what to value and what to rate, i.e. land or land and improvements
2. Issues of Policy and Principle
- diversity of the tax base (in the various provinces)
- extension of the tax base and possible exclusions to the tax base
- differing views on public infrastructure
- differentiation and phasing in of rates
3. Implementation Issues
- Capacity of local government politicians to take informed rating policy decisions
- Capacity of local authorities to build and maintain property and valuation data bases
- Capacity to manage appeals processes
4. Technical Issues
- the synchronisation of legislative processes and time tables
- the management of the interface between this bill and the Communal Property Rights Bill
- improvement of drafting, definitions, descriptions, ambiguity of interpretation, eg. 'market value', 'owner',
'permission to occupy', 'new ratable property'.
Mr McLachlan suggested that the criteria to be used in forming a standard policy framework for the country, were legal acceptability, transparency, technical proficiency, and fairness.
Challenges would include developing property record information to facilitate the collection of taxes in rural areas, where there are no legal or administrative structures. In the case of tribal lands and communal properties, there is the challenge of how to establish ownership of the land. Also it would be hard to determine market value of properties in places like these, where there is no market. It would be additionally challenging to make payment of property taxes acceptable to people who previously had not paid at all.
Referring to the "there is no market" comment by Mr McLachlan, Mr A. Lyle (ANC) stated that it was wrong to say that land has no market value.
Mr McLachlan stated that the findings on market value by the Bell and Bowman Lincoln Institute of Land Policy (February 2002) was in regard to the market value of communal lands, and not that of rural lands.
The Chairperson, however, stated that there was no such thing as land that could not be valued.
Mr P. Smith (IFP) felt it would be useful to know how the rates issue is treated elsewhere in the world especially in those countries analogous to South Africa.
Mr A. Prinsloo (Dept of Land Affairs) said that rural areas are situated far from the cities. If they were to pay municipal property rates, what would they be paying for? According to him, they were not receiving any services.
Mr R Bosomworth (Rates Action Group Chairperson) asked if there had ever been a property tax reform process where one looked at the credibility of the process. What was the process that happened prior to the Bell and Bowman study?
Ms J. Manche (DG) said that the Dept had spent five years on research, looking at international practice, and speaking to people throughout the country. They had also had the benefit of the insight of the Katz Commission Report on land tax.
South African Local Government Association (SALGA) Submission
Mr P. Skosana presented SALGA's submission to the Committee, in which various amendments to the definitions and interpretations were proposed.
The Chairperson commented that although the specific suggested amendments were helpful, it would have been more helpful if SALGA had supplied reasons for these proposed amendments, as well.
Financial and Fiscal Commission (FFC) Submission
Mr B. Khumalo (Manager: Fiscal Policy Analysis) presented FFC's submission, which he stated, was guided by the Commission's mandate.
Although the Commission was basically in agreement with the Bill, it warned of the negative implications for those people who had previously not paid municipal property rates, such as rural dwellers. It also cautioned that the actual collecting of taxes would prove problematic.
The Commission welcomed the principle of annual rates increases [as stated in Part 3(17), as it gives the Minister power to control macro-economic objectives]. However, it recommended that for clarity's sake, the clause should refer to rate bands within which increases could occur, rather than "limits", which could imply either floors (lower limits) or caps (upper limits).
Inkosi M. Mzimela, Chairperson of the National House of Traditional Leaders, spoke on behalf of the coalition of traditional leaders of South Africa, in which he urged the Portfolio Committee to invite the Coalition to all future events which related to them.
He stated that the Coalition was in principle opposed to the levy of rates on traditional communities. Traditional communities should not be levied in order to bolster the dwindling finances of the municipalities. Land in traditional communities are communally owned, and they belong to family units, not to individuals. There are no title deeds. The Coalition was opposed to the provision of title deeds, which would open people up to the rent system, through which they would be disadvantaged in land ownership. He felt there was a real danger that the 13% of land owned, would be taken away from traditional communities. He proposed the amendment of Chapter 12 of the Constitution. He made a further proposal that the Bill, in its present form, with regard to traditional land, be drastically amended, to concur with previous legislation.
Mr Goosen (ANC) mentioned that in its submission SALGA had not substantiated its appeal to change Section 49 of the Bill.
Mr B. Solo (ANC) asked if SALGA was opposed to an oversight role at municipality level.
Mr B. Nobunga (ANC) mentioned SALGA's welcoming of the exemption of property valued at under R15 000, but wanted to know in which ways the poor should be assisted.
Ms C. Lobe (ANC) asked if people in rural areas were paying rates. With regard to SALGA's observation on Section 30(3), she stated that this provision derived from the Constitution. She needed to receive clarity on the nature of the problem perceived by SALGA, adding that the specific issue went around municipal valuers. Lastly, she asked why SALGA was lobbying for ward committees.
Responding for SALGA, Ms S. Makotoko answered only some of the questions due to time constraints:
- there was already an obligation on the MECs to monitor the municipalities. The provision therefore seemed unnecessary.
- Ward committees should be promoted in order to allow local committees to be part of the discussions.
- The reason for suggesting an amendment to Section 49, was simply to make it clearer.
Mr Roger Godsmark (Forestry SA) informed the Committee that certain rural municipalities have already introduced property rates. He wanted to know what would happen to those properties which had recently entered into the tax band.
The Chairperson asked if it was legally sound at this point in time, to compel rural property owners to pay property rates.
Mr Dube (DPLG) replied that if the land was classified as a property, then it could certainly be levied. In response to Mr Godsmark, he said that his question would require further discussion.
Mr Mulder (FF) asked, from a FFC perspective, if the market value would be less than exemptions. He also wanted to know to what extent that constituted a problem. He mentioned the possible negative effects of exemptions and reductions.
Ms R. Southgate commented that revenue would have an impact on equitable share.
Mr Goosen asked, with regard to property ratings on farmlands, if the responsibility for paying such rates should be handed over to farmers, or to farm dwellers.
The FFC response was that it had not been the intention of the submission to address the R15 000 exemption issue. A problem would arise when, beyond R15 000, the potential base in a particular area for property rates is calculated. The FFC was basically focusing on a market value approach to property rates. On the negative attitudes with regard to exemptions and reductions, the Constitution acted as a guideline as to what the tax system should be like. Uniform principles must be applied both nationally and provincially. According to procedure, the provinces propose a taxation system to Government which then makes a uniform decision. The same procedure should be followed for deciding on rebates.
Ms G. Borman (DP) asked whether the owner or user of rural properties should be taxed. She stated that even should the owner be taxed, that cost would somehow filter down to the user through user charges.
Mr Kam Chetty (Boland District Municipal Manager) said that a key principle in public finance is not to penalise jurisdictions for circumstances beyond their control. The capacity which municipalities have to implement levy rates should first be examined.
He stated that the critical issue was how to structure an equitable tax formula. This formula should also be structured as simply as possible.
Ms Lobe referred to the statement by the FFC of the municipality asking the MEC to grant specific concessions and exemptions.
Mr Chetty responded that this was a complex issue. The negative impact of granting concessions and exemptions might be managed through encouraging a certain degree of competition amongst municipalities.
Mr Lyle asked Mr Mzimela to clarify his statement that the repercussions of imposing municipal rates in rural areas would be "too ghastly to contemplate".
Mr Ngubeni asked if all rural areas fall under municipalities.
Ms Sandra Botha asked for clarity on Mr Mzimela's statement that 87% of land was owned by foreigners.
Mr Mzimela responded to the last question, saying that rural people did not know who was in control of land, adding that the system provided access to anybody to buy land. Asking people with no money to pay levies, would eventually cause them to lose their properties. Additionally, it is not easy to govern people who are unhappy. He noted that the national and provincial houses of traditional leaders are also statutory bodies. He felt that municipal structures should be the primary structures in urban area. The municipal and traditional structures have concurrent roles. The Constitution does not make it clear as to whether traditional structures have supportive or leading roles.
Due to time constraints, the Chairperson asked members to direct further questions to the Coalition in writing.
The Chairperson explained that according to his understanding, the Bill did not prescribe that people in rural areas must pay rates. That would be left up to the municipalities to decide. However, the Coalition has lots of lobbying power at municipality level, to the extent that levies could be successfully opposed within such municipalities. He said it could be a long time before levies were actually imposed there. He pointed out that it was hardly possible that people in rural areas would own properties valued at over R15 000, making them exempt from paying levies, in any event. He gave his assurance that the Committee would examine the Bill in a manner that was traditional leader-sensitive.
Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) Submission
Mr S. Kgara presented COSATU's submission, stating that the Union supported the Bill in principle, notwithstanding some concerns.
They were concerned that the establishment of the Spatial Rating Districts would entrench the disparities between high and low income areas. The submission called for exemption from property ratings for public benefit organisations, which the Bill terms as "welfare and charitable organisations".
It was submitted that the provisions of the Bill were mere "guidelines", and that the Bill failed to adequately serve as a means to redressing the inequalities of the past. Unless some restrictive measures were introduced, there would be very little the Bill could do in correcting present inequities.
Ms Wendy Machanik, Managing Director, stated that her company was in wholehearted support of the aims of the Bill, with some concerns.
She pointed out that although estate agents would support market value as a benchmark, valuation methodology was important, adding that there was a limited number of qualified valuers within the Council.
She identified the problem of arrear rates as placing huge burdens on municipalities. She suggested the mass outsourcing to a computer-aided property valuation system. This would circumvent the problem of the Bill not outlining valuation methods.
Ms Machanik felt that schools and institutions or properties used for religious purposes should also form part of the rates base, requiring a special rating method on a national basis. She suggested huge rebates for schools, so that those schools in poorer areas are not over-burdened.
She felt that the decision to give the Minister unlimited powers to increase property rates should be curtailed by setting caps to no greater than the CPI, subject to a maximum increase, or to the same level of the inflation rate.
She noted that the City of Cape Town had experienced problems in its valuation process, as home-owners were reluctant to allow them onto their property, and into their homes, because of security fears. She suggested that in future, property owners should be notified in advance of inspection, and that they be supplied with the details of the official who would be making the inspection.
Ms Machanik suggested that objections to valuation results be made to an independent body, instead of to the same person who performed the valuation, after which a final appeal could b made to the Appeals Board, as outlined in the Bill.
Mr N. Lala-Mohan (General Manager) presented the Banking Council's submission to the Committee, in which they made comments on various aspects of the Bill. Additionally, they proposed a few amendments, including the deletion of Section 118(3) in its entirety. They were particularly concerned with the definitions of the terms, "property" and "owner", which might prejudice banks holding mortgage bonds by compelling them, as the mortgage holder, to be liable to pay rates.
Mr Smith (IFP), referring on the COSATU submission, said that where additional levies (Special Rating Districts) must be paid, it should only happen where people could afford these higher levies. Those were specifically people who wanted to maintain elite residential distinctions because of the value of their properties. He stated that the Bill makes some provision for the collection of rates. With regard to Section 15(3) of the Bill, he added that it was important to view the Bill in context. COSATU was opposed to any form of rent-fencing to cross-subsidise municipalities. However, he suggested, special ratings in districts could act as a precursor to rent-fencing.
Mr Ngubeni drew attention to Ms Machanik's statement that people living on agricultural land do not benefit from municipalities. He wanted to know if she was suggesting that those people did not make use of libraries, roads, and so forth. He stated that although the services which they received might be limited, they did, however, enjoy certain benefits.
He could not understand why she held that schools and users of religious programme property should be taxed.
He claimed she was being inconsistent in saying that the benchmark on evaluation should be on market evaluation, while later saying that market value should not apply.
Mr Smith alluded to Ms Machanik's approval for market value. However, she also said that when property values rise, there should not be a rise in tariffs. What would happen, he asked, when property values change, considering the generally fluctuating nature of the market?
The Chairperson referred to Ms Machanik's strong reservations expressed regarding the Bill's provisions for additional rates to be levied, asking if those reservations were realistic. How far did those reservations actually reflect the real situation?
Ms Machanik replied to the Chairperson that her comments reflected sentiments by a vast majority of people, and were not merely subjective. She added that in Gauteng, people were suspicious, believing that this was an additional ploy by the Municipality to engender more funding by saying that they needed to finance all the services that were expected of them.
Ms Makotoko responded that rates and taxes are definitely a serious problem in Gauteng, where the arrear rates are very high. She added that the problem is exacerbated because municipalities often do not pick up arrears for the first six months, after which the banks are prevailed upon to absorb the loss / "take the knock".
The SACC endorsed the principles underlying the Property Rates Bill. However, it raised concern about the potential impact of the legislation on public benefit organisations, in general, and religious institutions, in particular. Firstly, the exclusion threshold for residential property (set as "at least the first R15 000 of the value of all residential property) is too low and the exclusion threshold should not be lower than the amount of the standard of the housing subsidy.
They also asserted that the wording of some of the clauses of the proposed Bill were outdated and had to be brought into in line with other tax legislation, in particular the Income Tax Act which makes provisions for relief from taxation for "public benefit organisations" rather than for "welfare and charitable organisations". Furthermore they called for the precise definition of the term "welfare and charitable organisations" within the context of the Act. A case could be made for special treatment for property normally used as places of public worship as they are sources of spiritual guidance and development for communities.
On behalf of private and public schools, ISASA also supported the broad principles underpinning the Bill as it provided a framework for the flow of fiscal revenue for the municipalities. However, it raised concerned about the potential impact of the Bill on education institutions more particularly schools. They argued that it was in the national interest to exempt all schools from property rate taxes because schools were central to government's national economic policy and there has always been a symbiotic relationship between schools and local government, as most of the property that belong to schools was used for the benefit of the community. Hence ISASA made the following recommendations:
-That there was a need for a clear definition of a public benefit organisation as well as the need for the provision of a year's grace period as part of the transitional arrangements, to enable previously exempt owners (e.g. schools and religious organisations) to apply for reductions or exemptions. They also pointed out that the Bill had to provide for an appropriate practice, methods and standards for valuing educational property.
Ms Baker endorsed the submission made by the South African Council of Churches. Some specific concerns which affected Catholic schools were raised. It was of the view that levying rates on their schools would place an unsustainable burden on the schools. Schools that were registered in terms of relevant education legislation ought to be regarded as performing public benefit activities and should be exempted from tax. Therefore, CIE was in support of ISASA's contention that the list in Clause 8 be expanded to include "properties used solely or principally for public benefit activities, as defined by S30 of the Income Tax Act.
Mr Carrim (ANC) asked the Department why public benefit organisations were not exempted under the proposed Bill.
Ms Manche (DPLG) replied that some of the definition terms seemed to be misconstrued by the presenters. She pointed out a distinction had to be made between the following terms:
- "Exclusion" meant that a property was immune from property rates
- "Exemption" was when a municipality for its own policy decision took a decision not to assess or rate a certain category of property.
- "Reduction/ Rebates" was when a municipality took a decision that a certain class of property would be assessed but would offer some form of discount or value that property at a lesser value.
- "Grants in aid" for this category of property, the municipalities themselves would fund the running of that category of property.
She argued that the reason why public benefit organisations were not exempted was mainly because the previous exemptions or rebates created some distortions in the market and by that created an artificial market. Hence a policy decision had been taken by the department to remove all the exemptions. Exemptions and rebates would be left to the discretion of local government spheres in consultation with the community. However that decision by the department, did not preclude the municipalities from providing support particularly to those organisations that were in need of support.
Mr Carrim (Chairperson) conceded that there seemed to be a lack of trust between the municipalities and the SACC and growing perception of lack of capacity on the part of the municipality to monitor the implementation of the policy framework consistently. He asked the department and SALGA to respond to those concerns.
SALGA's response was that the real challenge was the extent to which these social partners utilise the existing legislation to form partnerships and reduce the growing tensions. It was also upon the municipalities to develop policies that were suitable and policies that were mutually beneficial to both the municipalities and public benefit organisations like the SACC.
Mr Solo (ANC) was concerned that most of the public benefit organisation owned huge stocks of land and in some cases did not use the land in a developmental sense. Hence the important question was whether the land owned by the public benefit organisations was used for the benefit of the community.
Mr Nobunga (ANC) proposed that there was a need for clarity of what ought to be in the "benefit of the community" as well as the phrase "property used for religious purpose"
Ms Ntombela (ANC) asked whether it was conscionable to apply a blanket approach in the exemption of property used for religious purpose.
Mr Tilton (SACC) correcting what appeared to be a misconception said that there was not a lack of trust between the municipalities and religious institutions. However SACC recognised the pressure on local government to impose rates on certain organisations. Hence there was a need for the establishment of a consistent national policy that would set the framework for the imposition of property rates. He added that the exemption on property belonging to the religious institutions had to be restricted specifically to that category of property where there were houses of worship. In ensuring that exemptions where not granted to the wrong persons, Mr Tilton submitted that the Act should be brought in line with existing legislation like the Income Tax Act which exempts organisation which were not profit generating and were paying little remuneration to their employees.
Mr Carrim (ANC) commended the SACC for its detailed and researched submission but added that it was important to note that there were some religious organisation who were extremely rich. Hence there was a need for the committee to apply its mind on what was happening in other countries and assess whether blanket amnesty for religious institutions was necessary.
Mr Smith (IFP) directing his question to the Catholic Institute of Education asked why it was necessary to exempt public schools because the National government was paying the property rates for such schools for the benefit of municipalities.
Mr Nobunga (ANC) proposed that while the interested organisations were making submissions to be exempted, it was also important to come up with proposals and suggestions as to an alternative source of revenue for the municipalities to deliver on service delivery.
Mr Bennett (ISSA) said that it was in the interest of the national economic policy to exempt all schools from property rates because there were mutuality of benefits between the community and the schools.
SANPArks submitted that given South Africa's developmental priorities, it was impossible to mobilise sufficient funds for the land acquisition programme necessary to achieve South Africa and SANParks' conservation targets through land purchase. Currently SANParks was devising various incentive programme to persuade private owners to allow the incorporation of their land into national parks through contract and chief among those programmes, was exempting the private owners who contracted with the SANParks from rates and taxes. Hence the Bill in its current form was attempting to unilaterally amend the terms of such contracts and that might lead to some serious legal consequences. It was SANParks submission therefore, that it would be proper to disallow the imposition of rates on all land within national and provincial protected areas or all land within national and provincial protected areas excluding those parts of such areas used for commercial or business purposes.
The Western Cape Conservative Board argued that a large part of land, which was inadequately conserved, was still in private ownership. Hence the most cost-effective means of conserving important biodiversity sites was by encouraging appropriate land use and management on such private holdings. The Bill in its current form did not adequately encourage and support sustainable land use practices or provincial and national land management objectives. Hence they proposed that there was a need for municipal guidelines which encourage local economic development in collaboration with the finance ministry including guidelines for split or differential rates for Public Private Partnerships which support the local economy and biodiversity.
Botanical Society of South Africa submission
They argued that the imposition of rates would alter land use decisions that could threaten the persistence of nationally important biodiversity as now land owners would be compelled to put pristine land into production to cover rates liabilities. Hence they proposed an amendment to take into account the effect of rates on encouraging conservation of natural resources and sustainable land use as well as taking into account the effect of rates on promoting the conservation of Threatened Ecosystem as listed in the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Bill of 2003. Hence they supported the contention that rates should not be used to penalise landowners committing land for public benefit in protected areas.
Mr Ngubeni (ANC) pointed out that the private persons who were granting land to SANParks on contract were accumulating lots of profits and hence it would be unfair to exempt them from paying property rates. He pointed out that the intention of the Bill was not to impose tax on SANPark but to the business activities within SANPark.
Mr Smith (IFP) needed some clarity with regards to the individuals who were contracting with SANPark.
Mr Magome (SANPark) was of the view that the arguments posited above were flawed because none of the benefits accruing out the land were going to the concession partners. Most of the concession partners were abandoning their rights for the benefit of the State and the only benefit the SANParks could provide in return was to exempt them from property rates.
Mr Ngubeni (ANC) still maintained that the private landowners would be getting much from SANPark if they were to be exempted from property rates. Hence there was a need for more information on the agreements entered into by SANParks with the private landowners before considering exempting them from property rates.
Mr Carrim (Chair) conceded that, when the interested organisations were making submissions, they had to try to balance the interest of the municipalities to deliver with their interests because if the Bill was to exclude or exempt a myriad of organisations, the municipalities would struggle to get enough revenue to deliver on the needs of the community.
Mr Daitx (Western Cape Parks Board) proposed that the best solution would be for the conservation parks to work in partnership with municipalities in uplifting the communities adjacent to the parks.
Ms Manche (DPLG) pointed out that the initial intention was not to exempt conservation parks, however it was realised that there were some parts of the state conservation parks which were used for commercial purposes for example Table Mountain. Hence, it was impossible to exempt such areas. However, some of the clauses were too broad more particularly with regards to national and provincial protected areas.
[The PMG monitor left the meeting at 5pm - the rest of the meeting was not minuted. No further submissions were heard but a general discussion ensued.]


All, This is the first time I am taking my family to Europe and plan to visit in May 2013. The dates are decided primarily based on school holidays and my job schedule.
I want to plan the month long vacation by myself instead of going through a tour operator and naturally all sorts of questions are cropping up. I will create separate threads for each one and link back to this one for completeness.
I will be travelling with my wife (both of us in our late 30's), my daughter of 9 yrs and my mother of 60+ yrs. What would be your opinion in travelling? Should we take trains, or buses, car or my personal fave a RV?
The budget is not much of a constraint but between spending 500Euros and saving 1 hr and spending 200Euros we would pick the 200Euros definitely! A 100Euros here and there would be okay.
Would love your responses and apologies if I haven't put all the background!
I think we could do with understanding the schedule a bit better as say Italy is a big place, where do you want to go (city)?
You don't need a car in Paris or London and either take the train of fly in between (which also avoids having a right hand side drive car in a left hand side country).
If you literally mean "a day or two in each city", why would you need a car? In most cases, it'll just be an expensive liability: stuck all day, running up parking charges while you're sightseeing and doubtless attracting fines if you go through a "no traffic" sign.
Few visitors can cope with driving in London, Paris or Rome: no-one can drive in Venice (or, legally, in central Florence for most people). But trains generally go only to where people live.
You should assume you're gong to be using trains and/or planes a lot, and that any car you hire needs to be returned in the country you hired it in. Then plan where you really want to go to, using cars to fill gaps in.
Please do not start separate threads for each thought/question you have. That is very confusing to the responders who may see only 1 or 2 of the threads and not be able to understand your itinerary. It will also give you fractured advice. People will start asking all sort of questions you've already explained on another thread and you'll have to repeat information.
Since you're going to cities I would take trains between locations. You will be at a handicap with a car in cities and you will not be able to get an RV through the streets. In some places you'll only have a day or two. Why spend your precious time trying to navigate an unfamiliar city and looking for parking.
Look at how far you need to drive. London to Rome. Unless everyone is fond of looking at highways and spending lots of time in a car I would not do this. With a tight schedule you won't have time to drive on secondary roads. On a train you can buy some lunch/snack foods in the station and have a relaxed time. You can even indulge in wine/beer any time since you won't be driving!
An RV trip can be great if not going to mainly large cities - great for driving thru the countryside - there are so so many campsites everywhere - actually even in large cities like London and Paris and Rome - places where I have camped many times - London and Paris are yes right in the city.
Leave the RV in the campsite and take public transport around the big cities and then drive to another base perhaps stopping in a smaller town en route to diversify your experience.
Kids you daughter's age will love camps as my son did when he was that age - camps are full of families and kids playing and playgrounds, swimming pools, etc.
Will the 60+ year old love the camp grounds?
You want to drive an RV and you have children! Leave nothing but footprints and take nothing but photos.
Why wouldn't a 60 year old love camp grounds - they are full of 60plussers in campers!
Do you need to rent the RV? If so you would need to make a round trip to get it back to the rental station. Since most of your time will be in continental Europe you would be better off hiring the RV there rather than in the UK. Fuel is expensive in Europe and needs to be budgetted for, as do campsites - which are not that cheap! Every city has a campsite close by, and you can use public transport to get to the centre.
If you only want to visit cities then train or cheap airlines is the way to go. You need to look at a map and work out roughly where you want to go and a logical order in which to do them. Then look online to see how long it takes to fly, or go by train, between your chosen places. Work out whether you can do all the places you want to given the travelling time. If you find you will only have one night in a place you need to rethink your plans and cut places out to give you more time to enjoy fewer places.
I was thinking of getting an RV and take the train in and around Switzerland for the experience. I was reading that the RV rental prices were lowest in Germany so was planning to start my journey from Frankfurt / Berlin / Munich.
I am sure we will not be able to hit all those points but were added based off everyone's suggestions on their Places to Visit.
exactly what hetismij says - you obviously have never been in European campgrounds that are full of seniors as well as young families.
That's a fact and I don't plan on ever camping again.
I posed the question because Pal only reference the child loving the camp ground. I thought you had purposefully not included the senior in your statement.
If you're thinking about an RV you would likely find this site interesting - start at the beginning.
and yes RV travel is very very popular in Europe, where in many countries they are called "camping cars" so if googling try that term for lists of dealers. Italians especially invade France in summer in their camping cars. The nice thing about European camps - folks from all over Europe - I spent years camping in Europe and lovely every campground I stayed in - most have good communal facilities like showers, restrooms to supplement that in the RV, laundries, food stores and most important to me cafes and restaurants and bars where you can easily socialize with Europeans - camps are the place to go if you do not want to meet other Americans!
I understand - but I think the needs of kids are primo in planning trips and they often get left out of the interest mix and are made to traipse thru one boring museums and one boring church after another - with my young son when I camped with him we did that during the day with the carrot that yes there will be a swimming pool at the end of the day to splash around in and other games and play equipment for kids - something not found in many hotels.
And adrienne makes a cogent point - some folks - well many Americans at least that I know will simply HATE campgrounds - be it in Yosemite or in the heart of London or Paris. That I can appreciate but being old, like me, is not a drawback given that the RV has reasonably comfy beds, etc.
alok - I just looked at your google map and you have mostly cities (or congested towns) on your list. Cities don't mix with campgrounds and RVs. There are lots of very nice and interesting places in Europe that are not cities. Perhaps a new itinerary would be the thing.
As an example, I recently took a driving trip through the southern Czech Republic and loved it. Beautiful scenery, lovely towns, lots of history and helpful people. Perhaps something like this rather than Prague. You'll get the flavor of the country plus your camping experience.
Appreciate the insight on the RV and campgrounds.
Adrienne - I unfortunately may not be able to change the cities. Given our budget we may not be coming for another trip for another 10-15+ years and hence want to visit these ones now.
To get around the problem of major cities and traffic I was hence thinking of camping outside them and taking a public transport into city. Alternatively, we could rent a RV only in Italy for a week or so and then travel to Germany and Switzerland by train before moving to Paris and London.
One option I have is to fly into London, move to Paris and then do Switzerland, Germany and Italy; flying out of Rome else do the other way round with flying into Frankfurt taking train trips to Cologne, Amsterdam from there and coming back to Switzerland. From Geneva or so, move into Italy and take a RV to Florence, Rome, Naples and fly to Paris and then to London. Thoughts?
And if you are just doing cities, what is the point of staying miles outside in a campsite? Many campsites don't have good public transport connection and you will spend a lot of time going back and forth and will probably spend more than if you choose a B&B or hostel to stay in.
Are there hostels for families? I always assumed they would be for the backpackers and 20's crowd.
Many campgrounds in Italy have bungalows you can rent. There are three outside of Florence on public transport.
Last thing I would want to do in Italy where many streets are too narrow for compact cars.
I think once you look at the expense of renting the camper, gas, tolls, parking, campground fees and public transport to and from campgrounds to sightsee, it's not all that economical.
No, hostels are for everyone. How big is your family? You may find it works better to move less often and rent an apartment.


text:
Home News Donbass disappointed in Zelensky
Donbass disappointed in Zelensky
Denis Posilipo: Ilya Pitalev / RIA Novosti
Ukraine's new President Vladimir Zelensky repeats the rhetoric of his predecessor, Petro Poroshenko. This was stated by the head of the breakaway Donetsk national Republic (DND) Denis Putilin, reports "Donetsk news Agency".
"His rejection of direct dialogue with the republics of Donbass is a vivid evidence of the short-sighted policy of the new authorities of Ukraine, — the head of the Republic. — We are very disappointed."
While Putilin expressed hope that the new President of Ukraine is aware that change is necessary to change the approach to solving the problem.
The self-proclaimed head of the Luhansk national Republic (LNR) Leonid beekeeper on its official website said that Zelensky has used the theme of peace solely as the slogan of his campaign was not going to follow it. As Pushilin, he is confident that the policy of the new Ukrainian leader will not differ from the policy of Poroshenko.
"I hope that once he realizes that in his hands was a unique opportunity to change everything, and he will regret that nothing has changed," — says beekeeper.
18 Jun Zelensky is on an official visit in Berlin. At the meeting with President of the Bundestag Wolfgang Schaeuble, he said that exchange of prisoners could be evidence of the peaceful intentions of both parties to the conflict in the Donbass.
On 17 June, during his official visit to Paris Zelensky corrected the President of France Emmanuel Makron, when he mentioned the willingness of the President of Ukraine to talk with the residents of Donbass. Zelensky said that Kiev does not intend to engage in dialogue with the "separatists" and is going to resolve the situation in the South-East of the country only in the Minsk format.
Previous articleIn the Russian city landed the plane NATO
Next articleThe ancient people in Australia turned out to be technologically advanced
The man was charging the phone in bed and died
Photo: Globallookpress.comIn the Thai province of Chonburi 21-year-old man was charging the phone, lying in bed, and died in his sleep from the shock....
Russian Gypsies gathered to re
Russian villagers complained of a mysterious creature
Irina Shayk was spotted with a new man

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


You are here: Home › Articles › Makara Sankranti Seva opportunity!
M akara Sankranti Seva opportunity!
Today is the auspicious day of giving Charity- Makara Sankranti , when the sun enters Makara ( scorpio), is a special muhurta especially glorified for offering charity( annadana) by Vishnu Smrti. Hence, this day is known as Punya Kala- that yields unlimited spiritual credits.Contribute generously to feed Vaishnavas for Gaura Purnima festival. Whatever seva one offers to Sri Mayapur dhama is 1000 times more spiritual benefit than performed elsewhere- Navadvipa Dhama Mahatmya!
DO NOT MISS THIS GOLDEN MUHURTA! DONATE GENEROUSLY! GET THE BLESSINGS OF MOTHER GANGA, VAISHNAVAS AND THE HOLY DHAMA!


text:
Q: Python command only work in direct messages? So I want to be able to have my command only work in direct messages, can anyone help?
@client.event
async def on_message(message):
    if message.author == client.user:
        return

    if message.content.startswith('bb!help'):
        await message.channel.send('Huge long commands list')

A: Use isinstance().
isinstance checks whether if an object has the specified type. For example, isinstance(3, int) checks if 3 is an integer (which it is and therefore returns True). In your case you could check if the message.channel is a DMChannel. The correct code would be:
@client.event
async def on_message(message):
    if message.author == client.user:
        return

    if message.content.startswith('bb!help') and isinstance(message.channel, discord.DMChannel):
        await message.channel.send('Huge long commands list')

A: If you're using commands.Bot
@client.command()
@commands.dm_only()
async def command(ctx):
   ...

If you're using on_message
@client.event
async def on_message(message):
    if isinstance(message.channel, discord.DMChannel):
        # The message is sent in the dm's of the bot

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


One of the biggest concerns for employers going into 2019 is ensuring compliance through valid I-9 documentation. Form I-9 proves your employees are legally allowed to work for your company. Since 2018, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has increased their total audits of companies' I-9 compliance by over 60%. In this post, we focus on why I-9 forms are important, who needs them, and what potential penalties exist for those who don't properly fill out the documentation.
As the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services details, "Form I-9 is used for verifying the identity and employment authorization of individuals hired for employment in the United States." This process is significant for both the employee and the employer, since both must take an active role in proving an employee's capability of working in the United States.
Who needs to complete an I-9?
Legally, everyone you hire in your company needs to complete and submit I-9 documentation. More importantly, your I-9 forms need to be completed correctly. It's your responsibility as the employer to make sure your employee information is reported appropriately and precisely.
What happens when employers violate federal I-9 standards?
Penalties for I-9 violations vary by offense. For knowingly hiring and continuing to employ an individual who violates I-9 standards, your company could be fined $375-$16,000 per violation. For clerical mistakes, like forgetting to submit I-9 documentation or including technical errors, fines can range from $100-$1,100. These conditions necessitate the presence of a trained professional to help your company avoids costly fines. An experienced HR rep can step in and make sure your company remains compliant. Further, HR can perform internal audits to help you prepare for a potential ICE investigation, which are becoming increasingly more common.
We want to focus on your company's I-9 compliance while you concentrate on moving your business forward. Let us know where you are in the I-9 documentation process, and we'll get started.
Compliance can't wait. Get in touch today.


text:
Search Results for query 'brad pitt' >
Refugees× >
Arts and entertainment× >
AP TELEVISION×
Angelina Jolie (2)
Daniel Pearl (1)
Anand Sharma (1)
Political refugees (4)
Humanitarian crises (1)
AP TELEVISION (2)
72b786b5c8fd125e6457aaa734cb42ff
Bosnia Jolie
Bosnian refugees get housing donation after Jolie's visit
AP TELEVISION
Angelina Jolie , Brad Pitt
SHOTLIST:
1. Wide of refugee centre
2. Tilt down from damaged ceiling to toilet
3. Lena Babic enters room where sister Mara Babic is sitting on sofa
4. Close up of photo showing sisters with actress Angelina Jolie
5. Mid of sisters holding photo of themselves with Jolie
6. Close up of Mara Babic
7. SOUNDBITE (Serbian) Lena Babic, refugee:
"I hope she (Jolie) comes back to visit us again when we get the flat. She told me, through a translator: 'Lena, you will not stay here, I'm sure you will get something of your own.' This came about after she saw the conditions we are living in."
8. Various of Borka Mandzo walking to sink, washing up
9. SOUNDBITE (Serbian) Borka Mandzo, refugee:
"I would kiss her feet, truly. I hope we are going to settle down finally."
10. Various of man feeding rabbits outside refugee centre
11. SOUNDBITE (Serbian) Persa Radovic, refugee:
"When I saw the news on TV, I was crying like a little baby. Nothing has ever made me so happy like that."
12. Various of contract for building of new homes for the refugees
13. Wide of site where homes will be built
14. SOUNDBITE (Serbian) Goran Markovic, refugee:
"I will tattoo her name here (showing the shoulder), but I will have to write only Angie, not Angelina."
15. Close up of photograph of Jolie with Babic sisters ++repeated shot++
A US government donation will provide housing for the last 15 people living in a Bosnian refugee camp that movie stars Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt drew attention to by visiting.
The mayor of the eastern Bosnian town of Rogatica, said on Monday the nearly 500,000 US dollar donation will be used for the construction of an apartment building for the refugees who could move in by September.
The mayor said he had lobbied for donations for the refugees for years but the Jolie and Pitt visit to the camp in April was the turning point leading to last week's US donation agreement.
Jolie, a UNHCR (Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees/ UN Refugee Agency) Goodwill Ambassador, has visited some of the projects of the agency, which helps the 117,000 refugees who were left homeless by fighting that ended in Bosnia 15 years ago.
"I will tattoo her name here," said camp resident Goran Markovic, 47, pointing to one of his arms.
Jolie's name is not mentioned in the contract for the new apartment building in Rogatica, 30 miles (50 kilometres) northeast of Sarajevo, but the town's officials and refugees are convinced her visit made the difference.
Two refugees - sisters Lena Babic, 78, and Mara Babic, 72 - fondly remember entertaining Jolie and Pitt on Easter Sunday when they visited them in their small room in the former school that serves as the refugee camp in Rogatica.
But both women only found out later that they were famous actors.
Their neighbour, 68-year-old Borka Mandzo, said she feels indebted to Jolie, and refugee Persa Radovic, 72, said she cried when she heard about the US donation for a new apartment building.
Political refugees , Celebrity causes , Charity fundraising , Residential construction , Municipal governments , Siblings , Humanitarian crises , General news , Political refugees , Human welfare , Social issues , Social affairs , Celebrity , Entertainment , Arts and entertainment , Philanthropy , Construction and engineering , Industrial products and services , Industries , Business , Local governments , Government and politics , Relationships , Lifestyle
Opština Rogatica , Bosnia and Herzegovina
f4303c0aa07dd7aad35fc756c568ef6f
India Jolie
Actress and UNHCR ambassador Angelina Jolie comments on refugees
Angelina Jolie , Anand Sharma , Daniel Pearl , Brad Pitt , Jennifer Aniston
SHOTLIST
1. Tracking shot of Hollywood star and UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) Ambassador Angelina Jolie being greeted by the Indian minister of state for External Affairs Anand Sharma, walking together and shaking hands
2. Mid of Jolie, tilt down to handshake
3. Jolie and Sharma walking into room for meeting
4. Cameras lined up outside meeting room
5. Jolie and Sharma walking to podium
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Angelina Jolie, Hollywood actor and Goodwill Ambassador of UNHCR:
"We spoke about refugees of course and yesterday I had the privilege of meeting with Afghan refugees and also refugees from Burma. I have also since I have been here, spent many time with the Indian people and we spoke about the concerns for disabled people, children orphans. The wonderful thing that I have learned since I have been in India is - there are many many needs for your own people and yet you have all been so gracious and been so open to so many many refugees over the years - I think probably the largest influx of refugees that may be anybody has ever handled over the years and another important thing is always encouraging people from different parts of the world and different religions and cultures to maintain who they are and their own language ...and that is - it shouldn't be rare but it is really rare - and India should be commended for that and all that it has done."
7. Cutaway photographers
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Anand Sharma, Indian Minister of State for External Affairs:
"We had detailed discussions over issues pertaining to refugees, their plight, the conflict in different regions of the world and also the plight of women and children in the refugee camps and how we can together help them."
9. SOUNDBITE: (English) Angelina Jolie, Hollywood actor and Goodwill Ambassador of UNHCR:
" We have agreed to work together to continue to help refugees and also the Indian people - so it's an honour for me to have had this meeting today."
10. Jolie and Sharma walking away
Taking a break from shooting a movie in India, Hollywood actor Angelina Jolie met with India's junior minister of External Affairs Anand Sharma in New Delhi on Sunday.
This was Jolie's first official engagement in the country where she has been shooting for a movie about the life of slain journalist Daniel Pearl .
Accompanied by UN officials, Jolie who is also a goodwill ambassador for the UNHCR - the United Nations' refugee agency - lauded India's efforts to help refugees from across the world.
With her 5-year-old son Maddox in tow, she toured an Afghan Sikh refugee camp in New Delhi on Saturday, listening to children play religious music and chatting with students, a UNHCR statement said.
Some 9,500 Afghan Sikh refugees are in India. They fled Afghanistan after the Taliban seized power in 1996 and targeted non-Muslims.
She also visited refugees from Myanmar (Burma).
Myanmar-India relations turned cold after the Myanmar military violently suppressed pro-democracy demonstrations in 1988, but relations have warmed in the past few years.
"The wonderful thing that I have learned since I have been in India is there are many, many needs for your own people and yet you have all been so gracious and been so open to so many refugees over the years," Jolie said in her first interaction with reporters since she arrived in India last month.
Jolie is scheduled to return to the western Indian city of Pune to resume shooting this week for the film, "A Mighty Heart," in which she plays Mariane Pearl, with Dan Futterman portrays Daniel Pearl.
A bungalow and adjoining cottages replicate the area where Pearl and his wife stayed in Karachi before his abduction.
The Wall Street Journal reporter was abducted and murdered in Pakistan in 2002 while researching a story on Islamic militancy.
Pune is about 160 kilometers (100 miles) south of Mumbai, India's financial and entertainment hub.
The movie is based on an adaptation of Mariane Pearl's book, "A Mighty Heart: The Brave Life and Death of My Husband Danny Pearl," and is co-produced by Plan B, a production company founded by Brad Pitt and his ex-wife, actress Jennifer Aniston.
Political refugees , Celebrity relationships , Celebrity causes , Newspapers , International relations , General news , Political refugees , Human welfare , Social issues , Social affairs , Celebrity , Entertainment , Arts and entertainment , News media , Media , Government and politics
India government, United Nations
New Delhi , NCT , India


Two hundred fifty coats collected for this years Coats For Warmth Campaign.
This is the 25th year and 10,382 coats have been collected in total.
The coats go to Nu-Tone Cleaners and then are taken to Laura Miller George Help to be distributed.
Show Me Credit Union and KXEO Radio sponsored the event.


Our products including (1) ratchet buckles- extra long & middle wide ratchets, light duty ratchets. (2) cam buckles. (3) wire hooks- forged hook, forged hooks, double & single J hooks, S & claw hooks, close rave hooks, elded D rings, O rings, delta ring & locking snaps. (4) metal hooks- narrow flat hooks, twist & flat snap hook. (5) forged products- snap hooks, double security hooks, eye grab hooks, clevis grap & tow hooks. (6) forged belt rings, D ring, flat delta ring & connecting links, bent D rings, connecting links. (7) related products- end fitting, anchor points, nippers. (8) car repair tools, cargo control products, tie down hardware, coil spring & valve spring compressors, puller sets, puller & bear separators, ball joint removers, cast iron products, die casting, metal casting, engine tools, steering wheel puller sets, front wheel drive axel nut socket sets, pitman arm pullers, carabiners.
Nal Hon Industrial Co., Ltd. was founded on 1981 started with the production of cargo control hardware and related forged products. For more than 20 years growth and development, we are now one of professional manufacturers of cargo control hardware, auto repair tools, forged products, snap hooks and some OEM Items. For years, we do insist to produce the products with strict quality control and do our best to satisfy the demands of our customers. All of our products are made in Taiwan. And we purchase the steels directly from Taiwan China Steel to ensure the standard of raw materials. Most of our products are heat treated for the stability and equipped with the modern testing machines to finally safeguard the quality. If you are looking for quality products with competitive price, we will be your best choice. We are capable of developing new designs and welcome OEM products. Please contact with us now for your inquiry and more information.
Manufacturers B2B Directory - Zhupiter - manufacturers.zhupiter.com -- Nal Hon Industrial Co., Ltd.


What is better: SuperMemo or MegaMemory?
What is better: SuperMemo or SuperLearning?
What is better: SuperMemo or Tony Buzan's mind-maps?
What is better: SuperMemo or NLP?
(1) I want to spend my money on the MegaMemory program delivered on cassette tapes. How would you convince me, that I should rather spend money on buying SuperMemo (2) Is SuperMemo the same as SuperLearning developed by Dr Georgi Lozanov from Bulgaria? (3) Which techniques produce a greater increase in the speed of learning: SuperMemo or the mind maps proposed by Tony Buzan?
What do you think of NLP?
I found a website that has reviewed many applications similar to SuperMemo and issued a list of the best ones: www.quingle.com/softarea/flash-wi.htm. SuperMemo is placed second along with other programs. Actually, reading the reviews you can see that it somehow rises a bit above the other runners-up. Anyway, the software which is placed first is one called VTrain. According to the criteria of the reviews, the reason why VTrain outsmarts SuperMemo is that you can't group items by difficulty or priority with SuperMemo, while you can do that with VTrain (using some Leitner Study File system). Do you regard as accurate information the fact that using VTrain you can group items by priority or difficulty while with SuperMemo you can't do that, or you can do that in a less fine way? If so, do you think you will add this Leitner thing to improve your software?
SuperMemo is very strong at prioritizing. Moreover, we are certain that its repetition spacing algorithm is superior as compared with other applications. Moreover, we believe that no better repetition spacing theory currently exists. The Leitner system is a rudimentary spacing algorithm that preceded SuperMemo. It is not targeted at any particular level of knowledge retention, and as such cannot be a viable substitute for SuperMemo. Nevertheless, do not take our word as final. You could best write to user forums. You will probably find users of SuperMemo who tried VTrain. Many of these will agree with the verdict favoring VTrain. SuperMemo loses ground for its being overly complex and poorly optimized to satisfy a novice user. Many people give up SuperMemo early for the mere dislike of its "repelling" interface.
See also: http://www.antimoon.com rich in discussions about the best software for learning vocabulary, incl. VTrain (note that Antimoon promotes SuperMemo).
Can I use SuperMemo to memorize mind maps?
Yes. You can build mind maps directly in SuperMemo; however, it is easier to import them from specialized mind map software (e.g. MindMan). You can include MindMap objects with the OLE component or you can simply import them as graphics (as BMP or GIF files).
Is SuperMemo based on the memory research by Tony Buzan?
I would like to know how to memorise mind maps?
I am trying to use SuperMemo 15 to learn mind maps created using Mind Manager. I have imported the mind maps as BMP files to the image registry but haven't been able to append them as answers to questions. How do I do this?
Copy the BMP file to the clipboard, and paste it into SuperMemo with ''Ctrl+V''.
Check Answer on the component menu to make sure that the image is not visible at question time.
NB: If you already have images in the registry, you can use Link Registry Member on the image component menu.
Isn't memorizing mind maps in opposition to the minimum information principle?
No. Minimum information principle should not be interpreted as minimum information on the screen, or minimum number of bytes to represent the item. It should be interpreted in terms of information that has to be stored in your memory. If you produce and item that links the image of a horse and a cow, the association is very simple. No mater how intricate the pictures of the horse and the cow are. The essence of mind maps is that they are easy to remember, i.e. if well-designed, they comply excellently with the minimum information principle.
Once a user memorizes 20x20 Multiplication Table, will he or she be able to count properly without a calculator or pencil and paper?
Yes. It is hardly possible to memorize 20x20 multiplication table without doing some simple calculations in memory. Cramming the results is neither recommended nor is it easy. The calculations made at recall stage actually enhance one's ability to run computations in memory, and decrease the need for a calculator!
I read about a special kind of flashcard training called SAFMEDS. Do you recommend it?
Yes. SAFMEDS can shortly be characterized as the art of cloze deletion formulation combined with precision teaching. What you learn from SAFMEDS will directly translate onto a subset of skills employed in incremental reading. Note, however, that SuperMemo does not employ nor universally recommend fluency drills typical of precision teaching.
The art of SAFMEDS emphasizes the core principles of efficient learning (and SuperMemo): active recall and minimum information. It also formulates the rules of cloze deletion formulation (here: SAFMEDS card construction criteria): uniform blanks, blanks at the end of the sentence, minimum wording, multiple cards for multiple keywords, etc.
Do you recommend the Silva method?
I bought a product called Mega Memory. How does it compare to your system?
What do you think of Axon Idea Professor? Would you recommend it?
Do you recommend books by Tony Buzan?
Last weekend I started to read and exercise Kevin Trudeau's book Mega Memory. What is your opinion about this?
MegaMemory is a good system to exercise your mnemonic skills. It is simple, strongly motivational and shall be useful for most students who want to strengthen their ability to master hard-to-memorize material.
The course, however, carries a couple of popular memory myths. Needlessly Kevin Trudeau begins his program with the claim that memories do not get erased as a result of forgetting and are simply becoming inaccessible. This is not true. The example used in the program refers to our bicycle riding skills. It is noted that people retain biking skills for years without repetition. However, biking falls into the domain of procedural learning (including touch typing, playing instruments, sports, etc.) as opposed to declarative learning (e.g. math, vocabulary, learning faces, etc.). Every minute of biking is equivalent to multiple repetitions in declarative learning and retention and forgetting are governed by slightly different principles. Information theory can be used to quickly prove that the brain is not capable of retaining all information in stores in long-term storage. Hence the need for forgetting.
What is your opinion about Suggestive-Accelerative Learning and Teaching (SALT)?


Abdominal Inflammation: What Causes it and How Do You Treat It?
Many people want to show off a flat stomach. Having abdominal inflammation isn't just aesthetically unpleasing. It could also be a sign that something is going wrong in your body. More likely than not, your health has taken a downward turn, which is what causes your abdomen to swell.
Abdominal inflammation can start out as just an annoying condition. But if it goes on, it can lead to more serious issues, like irritable bowel syndrome. That's just one of the things could be causing your swollen belly, the list is long. This is why experts say it's vital for you to know how to spot symptoms and figure out what's wrong.
Below, we're going to talk about a few of the most common causes of abdominal inflammation. We'll also tell you how to treat it, and how to prevent more major health risks.
Constipation is one of the main things that causes a swollen belly. A low fiber, low liquid diet combined with a lack of physical exercise almost always leads to this block in your intestines. You can avoid it by eating more fruits, vegetables, legumes, and seeds. You should also drink a lot of liquid, and do some sort of cardiovascular activity for at least 30 minutes a day.
There are all kinds out food allergies out there. Some of them can cause this swelling in your abdomen. Lactose, for example, is one of the most common causes of swelling, because it causes the body to accumulate gas. That's why, if you're allergic to these foods, you should substitute them for low-fat or non-lactose yogurts, cheeses, and milk.
Some bad habits, like chewing your food quickly can also cause abdominal inflammation. This is because your body could experience indigestion if you consume too much air while eating too quickly. That's why we recommend that you eat slowly, which will allow you to enjoy your meal and satiate your hunger more effectively. This way, you'll end up eating less.
There's another potential cause of stomach swelling, often confused for another condition: pregnancy. If this sounds like it might be your case, or if you're not sure, we recommend you take a pregnancy test. If it's positive, you need to start doing normal pregnancy care to prevent any future problems with gestation or with the baby.
Fluid retention is also a big cause of inflammation in the abdomen. If this if your situation, see a doctor–it could be serious.
Processed foods are another major cause of abdominal inflammation. Many gastroenterologists confirm that some people have excess air in the stomach which is caused by eating too many artificially sweetened foods. These types of foods are generally high in sodium and low in fiber, two substances that will quickly inflame your abdomen. That's why experts recommend that you try to buy foods that are either low in sodium or sodium-free.
Yet another common cause of abdominal inflammation are diseases. This includes things like: cardiovascular disease and tumors, cirrhosis, appendicitis, gastric ulcers, diverticulitis, pancreatitis, premenstrual syndrome, and more.
Keep in mind that if you have one or more of these conditions, you need to pay particular attention to your health and see your doctor. You'll definitely need a checkup to rule other things out and get into healthier habits with your diet, exercise, and relaxation routines.
Lastly, you need to remember that abdominal inflammation is generally caused by poor diet or lifestyle habits. We recommend you eat foods rich in fiber; your stomach will thank you. Fruits and vegetables will also help your digestion, which will translate into a flatter stomach.


text:
Caster is a versatile powerful tool for creating bots under different platforms. Similar to many other systems using middleware that you could see in the Koa, Express and etc.

## Middleware
Coming Soon

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Autostrada A861 (niem. Bundesautobahn 861 (BAB 861) także Autobahn 861 (A861)) – autostrada w Niemczech przebiegająca z północy na południe, łącząca niemiecką autostradę A98 ze szwajcarską A3 koło Rheinfelden na południu Badenii-Wirtembergii.

Dojazd do węzła Rheinfelden-West w Szwajcarii jest możliwy bez winiety. Szwajcarski odcinek drogi nie posiada oznaczenia A861, funkcjonuje jako Łącznik autostradowy N3-A98 (niem. Autobahnzubringer N3-A98).

Zobacz też
 lista autostrad w Niemczech
 lista dróg krajowych w Niemczech

Przypisy

861

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Tracey graduated from Murdoch University in 2000 and since then has worked in a variety of different jobs. For her first two years of general practice she worked in a wheatbelt mixed practice and then went back to Murdoch University where she completed two years further training in anaesthesia and critical Care. Tracey completed her Membership qualifications in Veterinary Anaesthesia & Emergency Medicine in 2006.
Having previously worked in the wheatbelt and loved the sort of varied caseload it has to offer Tracey always wanted to return to the area and so, in 2008, opened Heartlands Veterinary Hospital in York. Her aim was to open a hospital which provided an excellent standard of care for animals in the country. Since 2008 the practice has steadily grown and is now way bigger than she ever envisaged!
Tracey has a menagerie at home made up of cats, dogs, horses and the odd stray animal that needs looking after! In her spare time she loves spending time with the critters, riding her horse "Socks", cooking, photography and just generally relaxing!


text:
janchris7
@janchris7
janchris7 Unfollow Follow
Latest posts made by janchris7
RE: Opera for Android 41 released in beta channel!
I wasn't able to use Opera on my Moto G3 for about six months until recently when the big update was released. Now, incredibly, the same problem - see below - has resurfaced. Nothing seems to help. Will the new update be able to solve the issue permanently?
"A few days ago Opera was updated on my Moto G3 phone to the 37.0.2192.105088 version. Since then I have been unable to run the application. It says, in Danish, "Applikationen Opera er desværre stoppet", which in English means "Unfortunately, the Opera application has stopped". There seems to be no solution: A restart/reboot certainly doesn't help.
The thing that really worries me, is that all my Saved Pages are apparently gone because under "Settings" the data only consists of the app itself. That is a mystery to me because I had saved hundreds of pages, which are part of a project I'm working on and therefore of great importance to me. Could it be that the "frozen" Opera app is concealing the actual content? Could the Saved Pages reappear if I installed an earlier version of Opera? Is there another solution and does anyone else have this problem? I've had it several times on an older Moto G1 phone too and now it's apparently resurfaced.
By the way, I find it incredible that there's no way you can backup your Saved Pages in Opera."
Unable to run Opera after update - Saved Pages apparently gone
A few days ago Opera was updated on my Moto G3 phone to the 37.0.2192.105088 version. Since then I have been unable to run the application. It says, in Danish, "Applikationen Opera er desværre stoppet", which in English means "Unfortunately, the Opera application has stopped". There seems to be no solution: A restart/reboot certainly doesn't help.
By the way, I find it incredible that there's no way you can backup your Saved Pages in Opera.


To support the drive towards gender balance in the industry, Middle East Consultant and meconstructionnews.com are highlighting female construction professionals in a series of profiles. By telling their stories and sharing their experiences and knowledge on our print and digital platforms, we hope to inspire more women to join this vibrant industry.
A little over two years ago, in April 2016, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched Dubai's 3D Printing Strategy, an initiative that aims to use technology to "serve humanity and promote the status of the UAE and Dubai as a leading hub of 3D printing technology, by the year 2030".
The strategy aims to adopt an emerging technology that will help cut costs across many sectors and industries. As a result, local economies and labour markets are expected to undergo a comprehensive restructure and redefinition, with productivity increasing and efficiency improving as new ideas and methodologies are embraced.
One of the main sectors expected to feel the impact of this strategy is construction, as by 2025, as per Dubai Municipality regulations, every new building in Dubai will be 25% 3D printed. This movement will begin in 2019, starting at 2% with a gradual increase to the 25% goal. As a by-product, the 3D Printing Strategy will reduce labour by 70%, cost by 90% and time by 80% across different sectors, the Dubai Future Foundation predicts.
These statistics are what Lynelle Cameron, vice president, Sustainability at Autodesk and CEO of the Autodesk Foundation, believes will drive the adoption of the technology in the regional construction industry. In fact, given the economic conditions and the overriding desire to cut costs, she believes more and more construction related firms will turn to technology to improve efficiency, productivity, sustainability and performance.
"I think the AEC industry has traditionally been slow to adapt to new technology, and construction certainly. However, I feel that we're at a pivotal moment in time where we're going to see this technology adopted, because it enables construction [to be] faster and better, and with less impact," she tells Big Project ME at Autodesk University Middle East.
"The economics are going to play out – that we need the best technology on construction sites to make these decisions. I'm optimistic that the adoption speed is going to accelerate in the construction market.
"What our customers care about is cost and time, and so when a tool enables you to make better, greener decisions – and save money and time – then you don't need to sell the idea. Better design is sustainable design, everybody is trying to reduce energy, and everybody is aware that materials equals cost savings. So really thinking about it in terms of economics, it's going to drive speed and change in the industry," Cameron asserts.
With regard to the 3D Printing Strategy, she points out that having a stretched target, as set out by the Dubai government, will drive the behavioural change that will push the industry forwards, regardless of whether the target timeline is hit.
"I'll give you a good example," she says. "Architecture 2030 is a voluntary initiative that companies around the world have signed up for, it aims to make 100% of their portfolio net-zero energy by 2030. I don't know if we're going to get there by 2030, but many of our customers around the world are shifting and making their portfolio net-zero, and that's the kind of trend that I think we need – one which is going to drive the market.
To that end, she stresses that developing an entrepreneur ecosystem in the regional construction industry is going to be crucial, as it is this segment of the market that will push boundaries and innovate with technology.
As vice president of Sustainability at Autodesk, Cameron's main role is focused on understanding the trends around sustainability, ranging from net-zero energy buildings through to circular construction and zero waste, and all the way through to the development of smart cities. As a passionate advocate of marrying technology with the desire to be more sustainable, she insists that technologies like 3D printing will help reduce waste and improve cost savings for companies, no matter their size.
"I have heard a statistic that states that 30% of every project results in construction waste. That's a really significant number. I think that one of the trends we're going to see shift that is 3D printing. The more that we can 3D print our structures and buildings, the less waste that we'll have," she says, pointing out that Autodesk is currently in the R&D phase with a robot being taught to 3D print in stainless steel.
Also tying into the idea of greater efficiency and performance is automation, which Cameron believes is one of the most exciting things happening in the industry at the moment. She asserts that the automation technology available today will truly augment the human ability to design and make the future.
"This is the perfect marriage of sustainability and technology. We couldn't actually design this complexity in the past, as humans. We needed help, and automation can help us there.
With the regional construction industry relying heavily on manual labour, Cameron adds that automation will actually help solve a number of challenges that the industry faces, while also being more efficient and environmentally friendly.
Finally, Cameron turns to the concept of smart cities and underlines just how important it is to use technology and data when it comes to urban planning and city management, with population figures continuing to rise.
"When you look into the future, there'll be ten billion people in the world by the year 2050. That's 30% more than there are today. 75% of those people will live in or near a city, which will either be crumbing, or won't have the infrastructure to support them. In fact, many of them will be in cities that haven't even been built yet.
"In fact, one in four people on the planet in 2050 will be living in Africa. We know that there's an opportunity to design many new cities. What that means is that we'll need to build 5,000 buildings today, and every day, into the future, just to keep up. It's a huge opportunity to rethink how we're designing buildings and cities to house this many people in the future.
"I'm optimistic about this region, and certainly being here in Dubai, the magnitude of design and construction, the vision and the mindset, if we apply that to really designing sustainable and smart cities, then we have the technology to make that possible," she asserts, adding that the data generated and the technology used can be combined to minimise and find better sources of energy and material, making it more affordable and liveable for billions of people around the globe.
"I think that the power of automation and design technology is not only changing how people work, but fundamentally, it's also changing what we can design and make. That's the difference. With technology today, we can now design and make an entirely different future, a future that we all want to live in. A future for billions of people, not just for one billion people. And that's what's most exciting about the work that our customers are doing, in partnership with Autodesk and using our technology," she concludes.


We service all Colorado and have on staff friendly trained professionals that can help you solve any shipping needs you have. PozoBoxes is dedicated to providing you the customer with quality boxes, moving boxes, and moving supplies.
TSI has been providing freight shipping services for over 15 years and is a UPS Approved Supplier. We ship to and from anywhere in the United States. Moving Boxes Overnight is the company that is situated in the United States of America. The company provides delivering of boxes overnight to your door.
XpressBoxes Moving Supplies - moving boxes, mattress bags, and other packing materials for all of your moving supply needs.


text:
Home Filmstars Female Kayla Ewell Height, Weight, Age, Body Statistics
Kayla Ewell Height, Weight, Age, Body Statistics
Kayla Ewell Quick Info
Spouse Tanner Novlan
Kayla Ewell is an American actress who came to prominence with her appearance as Caitlin Ramirez on the hit show The Bold and the Beautiful (2004-2005), Maureen Sampson in Freaks and Geeks (2000), and as Vicki Donovan on The Vampire Diaries (2009-2017). She has also amassed a huge fan base with more than 1 million followers on Instagram, more than 300k followers on Twitter, and more than 50k followers on Facebook.
Kayla Noelle Ewell
Kayla Ewell as seen in a picture taken in August 2019 (Kayla Ewell / Instagram)
Long Beach, Los Angeles, California, United States
Kayla attended classes for the performing arts at Westminster's Orange County Song & Dance Company.
Father – Darrell R. Ewell
Mother – Susan M. Ewell
Siblings – Jenica Ewell (Older Sister), Chasen Ewell (Younger Brother), and 1 more brother.
Others – Robert Hunter Middough (Maternal Grandfather), Fern Marie Kelly (Maternal Grandmother), Lorne Dunkin Middough (Maternal Great Grandfather) and Alice May Hunter (Maternal Great Grandmother), John Louis Kelly (Maternal Great Grandmother), Marguerite Fern Murphy (Maternal Great Grandfather)
Kayla is represented by Innovative Artists and Brad Warshaw.
Kayla has dated –
Kellan Lutz (2006-2008)
Tanner Novlan (2010-Present) – They have a daughter named, Poppy Marie Novlan (b. July 16, 2019). Tanner and Kayla tied the knot with one another on September 12, 2015.
Zach Roerig (2010) – Rumor
Kayla Ewell as seen in a selfie taken with her husband Tanner Novlan in Los Angeles, California in October 2019 (Kayla Ewell / Instagram)
Kayla has English, Irish, and northern Irish ancestry.
Wide smile
Almond-shaped eyes
Plush lips
Kayla has appeared in commercials for various brands such as –
Coca-Cola (2002)
Clean and Clear (2008)
Priceline.com (2015)
Tide (2018)
Kayla Ewell showing her baby bump in a selfie taken at West Hollywood, California in May 2019 (Kayla Ewell / Instagram)
Kayla Ewell Favorite Things
Way To Keep In Touch With Her Fans – Facebook
Source – Facebook
Kayla Ewell as seen in a picture taken in October 2018 (Kayla Ewell / Instagram)
Kayla Ewell Facts
She was brought up in Seal Beach, Orange County, California.
Ewell has discovered during a dance class of her's at the Orange County Song & Dance Company in 1999 by a talent agent.
She was in grade 4 when she was chosen to tour with the national Broadway company of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat". She was a part of their children's choir.
Ewell was signed to her high school surfing team.
Her career-high came to her when she was cast as Caitlin Ramirez on the long-running soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful. She appeared in more than 135 episodes from 2004 to 2005.
As of 2005, Kayla enjoyed painting as well as doing rock climbing and rappelling whenever she got the chance.
Dancing and whitewater rafting are amongst the many things that she lists as her hobbies.
After she was assigned the role of Vicki Donovan on CW's The Vampire Diaries in 2009 she played the main character until the 7th episode of the show. However, she returned as a guest star for various other episodes.
Besides her regular television appearances, Kayla has also starred in a number of films including Fired Up (2009), Material Girls (2006), and her debut film Just My Luck (2006).
She and actress Nina Dobrev shared an apartment with one another in Atlanta in the past.
In 2018, she and fellow castmate from The Vampire Diaries Candice King started hosting the podcast Directionally Challenged.
Featured Image By Kayla Ewell / Instagram
Dion Cubbins
Barack Obama Fitness Routine and Diet Plan


The municipality is known for its nature, landscape and recreation potential. Almost half of the area of the municipality is covered by the attractive, diverse woodland of the Landscape Park 'Lasy nad Górną Liswartą' (Upper Liswarta Woodlands), numerous fish farming ponds provide opportunities for recreation and rest and are an extra attraction for those who fish. The woodlands are not only attractive for the mushroom and berry pickers, but also for those hunting for the game species that live in the forest.
The natural reserve of 100-years-old rhododendron in the middle of the forest attracts the nature lovers, and the viewing tower makes admiring the foliage easier. White-tailed eagles nest nearby. The tourist trail Boronów – Lubliniec – Kochanowice – Ciasna passes through Lubockie – Ostrów and the cycling routes currently under development (of which the 17N that connects Gliwice and Kluczbork is the most interesting) pass through Kochanowice area. The trail 'To the Birch' ('Na Brzozę') was created in co-operation with the Silesian Landscape Park Management Board.
Pawełki, near Kochcice, is a typical holiday village. The village is separated from it [nie jest jasne co jest od czego oddzielone] by a stretch of a mushroom-rich forest.
Numerous local lakes and ponds include: Kochcicki, Ludwika (by the Kochcice road), Wyrwidąb, Marian, Nowy and Wanda (between the tracks to Zborowskie and Bogdala), Walek (near the Lubockie road). The development plan assigns a lot of the area for holiday accommodation and facilities, particularly in Pawełki, Ostrów and Lubockie.