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Tough measures to stop Ebola spread
By Rachael Gillett August 4, 2014 111
Health workers, wearing head-to-toe protective gear, prepare for work, outside an isolation unit in Foya District, Lofa County, Liberia in this July 2014 UNICEF handout photo (Reuters)
By Umaru Fofana and Clair MacDougall
HUNDREDS of troops deployed in Sierra Leone and Liberia on Monday under an emergency plan to fight the worst outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus, which has killed more than 826 people across West Africa.
Panic among local communities, which have attacked health workers and threatened to burn down isolation wards, prompted regional governments to impose tough measures last week, including the closure of schools and quarantine of the remote forest region hardest hit by the disease.
The hemorrhagic virus, which has no known cure, has infected more than 1,400 people in its first outbreak in West Africa, straining the capacity of under-funded health systems and aid groups to breaking point in one of the world's poorest regions.
Despite pleas for help from aid groups, the number of cases is also creeping steadily higher in Guinea, where the outbreak originated in February. And Nigeria's megacity of Lagos on Monday recorded its second case of Ebola in a doctor who treated US victim Patrick Sawyer.
Long convoys of military trucks ferried troops and medical workers on Monday to Sierra Leone's far east, where the density of cases is highest. Military spokesman Colonel Michael Samoura said the operation, code named Octopus, involved around 750 military personnel.
Troops will gather in the southeastern town of Bo before travelling to isolated communities to implement quarantines, he added. Healthcare workers will be allowed to come and go freely, and the communities will be kept supplied with food.
In neighbouring Liberia, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and ministers held a crisis meeting on Sunday on putting in place a series of anti-Ebola measures as police contained infected communities in the northern Lofa county.
Police were setting up checkpoints and roadblocks for key entrance and exit points to those infected communities and every resident would be stopped. Nobody would be allowed to exit quarantined communities. Troops were fanning out across Liberia to help to deal with the emergency.
"The situation will probably get worse before it gets better," Liberian Information Minister Lewis Browntold Reuters. "We are over-stretched. We need support; we need resources; we need workers."
The World Health Organisation plans to launch a $100 million response plan and is holding urgent talks with donors and agencies to increase resources to the region. WHO chief Margaret Chan warned regional leaders on Friday that Ebola was outpacing their efforts to contain it and warned of "catastrophic" consequences if the situation deteriorated.
Medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), which normally spearheads the fight against Ebola, has only a small team in Liberia and says it does not have the capacity to increase it.
Health workers say they are overwhelmed by the number of cases, a scenario exacerbated by the departure of some international staff following the infection of two US staff of the Samaritan's Purse charity in Liberia.
One of them, Kent Brantly, was improving on Sunday after being flown back to the United States for treatment. The second staff member, Nancy Writebol, was expected to arrive back in the United States by midday on Tuesday, according to Samaritan's Purse.
The normally bustling streets of Sierra Leone's capital Freetown were eerily quiet on Monday after President Ernest Bai Koromo called on residents to stay home and pray, a Reuters reporter said.
Ambulances and police vehicles lined the streets while radio stations played interviews with health ministry officials and a musical jingle informing the local population of symptoms.
Highly contagious, the deadliest strain of the Ebola virus can kill up to 90 percent of those infected, though in the current outbreak the rate is running around 55 percent. Symptoms initially include muscle pains and joint aches, though they worsen to vomiting, diarrhoea and internal and external bleeding in the final stages.
Officials seeking to bury Ebola victims faced protests at a burial site in a suburb of Monrovia this weekend and about 25 soldiers were called in to guard the site.
Director of Liberian National Police Chris Massaquoi said last week that troops would place forces in areas where crowds had previously stoned health workers. He added that all protests, demonstrations and marches had been forbidden.
EbolaLiberiaSierra LeoneShare0
EU's Juncker plays down outright Greece debt writeoff
Ukrainian troops cross into Russia to avoid fighting, talks underway
Rachael Gillett
Reuters News Service July 15, 2019 July 15, 2019
Nuclear deal parties not ready to launch dispute mechanism against Iran, more diplomacy preferred
Trial begins with high stakes for U.S.-Turkey ties

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Committee to review University Writing classes
By Elise Kigner and Niketa Kumar Jun 20, 2007 12:00 AM
The University Writing Program faculty responded last month to concerns about consistency among its introductory course curricula and subject matter by creating a committee to review each section's syllabus and assignments.
"The faculty serving on this committee will be able to mentor faculty from across the program to continue to develop even stronger and better syllabi and assignments," wrote Carol Hayes, director of First-Year Writing, in an e-mail to The Hatchet.
Hayes said development of the curriculum committee to examine UW-20 also comes in response to student writing assessments that showed many students who took the course still had poor writing skills. Overall the student writing assessed was weakest in terms of audience expectations, structure and tone, Hayes said.
In 2006, the University assessed the UW program in terms of grade inflation and student writing and found similar problems with the quality of student writing. Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Donald Lehman said the outcome of the 2006 report and the University's need to create a curriculum committee show that "we need to strengthen the UW course requirements."
Lehman said the University could accomplish this goal by returning to the original UW template that specifies aspects of the course such as the number of pages of writing a student must produce in the semester-long class.
Hayes said student evaluations of UW courses were most critical of a student's inability to place out of the course after taking an Advanced Placement English exam.
Students were also critical about the topics of UW classes, many of which students described as boring. Some topics students identified this way include "On the Lyric Essay," "Trash Talk: The Meaning of Garbage," "Homeless Chic? Poverty, Privilege, & Identity in Contemporary America," and "Mens Sana In Corpore Sano: The Role Of Athletics In College Life."
"We're very aware of this problem and the effect it's having on student morale regarding UW-20," Hayes said, adding that program faculty members are looking into ways to alter the course topics.
In previous years, students registered for UW-20 courses without realizing the section's topic, Hayes said. When students register for UW20 course sections this year, links to course descriptions will be easily accessible while registering.
"I loved (my UW-20 class), but that was due to the specific topic and the professor teaching it," sophomore Samuel Kaminsky said. "It was worth it in the sense that I loved the class but I learned no new skills, and kids who take AP or (who) are in honors should not have to take it."
Sophomore Daniel Borowski said he did not enjoy his UW course, but he saw value in it nonetheless.
"My UW course seemed a bit childish and elementary," Borkowski said. "That being said, I think it is a necessary evil. College writing is different than high school writing."


As parents it is our responsibility to ensure that our children have a deep enough root system to eventually touch those around them in a positive way, nourish themselves, and weather any storm. We do this by giving them stability and security. We teach them discipline and love. We teach them right from wrong by our words and most importantly our actions. We follow through with our words and the consequences we set which builds a foundation of trust in the parent, the child, and the world in general. By the time our children leave home they should feel the confidence to "take on the world." And when they don't, they should know where to turn for an extra shot of Miracle Grow.
As we work to build our children's root system we simultaneously give them wings to fly. By opening up opportunities for exploration and growth to them we give our children chances to "learn" to fly. Opportunities to resolve conflict, chances to give service, and establishing an understanding of earning what we receive are all wing builders. It is also important for us to help our children discover their strengths and weaknesses. We do this by helping them become involved in new activities and skill building opportunities.


The other day I heard a TED radio talk by K. Ferguson "Embrace the Remix". It was not the best entry in the series I've heard, but it was quite challenging and thought provoking, which is a plus in my book.
The talk opened with the statement "the last original thing was the Big Bang," and everything since then has been a remix. The talk's examples were wanting, to say the least, in my opinion.
It compared George Lucas' Star Wars to the works of Kurosawa (Seven Samurai, Yojimbo, and several others). I found that part of the argument weak (but not flawed) on several levels: 1) the influences he used as anecdotal proof were due to the art director and costume designer, not Lucas; 2) he totally ignored Joseph Campbells' work (more on that later), whereby the entire Star Wars story is a retelling of the millenia-old "orphan with a destiny comes of age" story arc.
Ferguson's other body of examples circled around Bob Dylan. His body of work was considered groundbreaking at the time, but an analysis of his music shows that he cribbed from folk music – e.g. deep dark Appalachia. Ferguson then proceeded to torpedo his own argument by fessing up that such behavior was the norm in those days – it was expected and encouraged that folk songs copy from each other.
Not only does he kick out one of the legs of his own argument, be he ignores the fact that sometime somewhere somewhen – SOMEBODY came up with the strictures of music not observable in nature (meter, harmony, the math behind the music).
I was struck by the coincidence on that very day I had read from Stephen King's "On Writing" that original ideas aren't original, they are the result of two existing ideas colliding in your head. The writer has to always be ready to capture it. Two points to Team Ferguson.
However, I noticed that the body of Ferguson's talk focused on the arts – movies, music, fashion, etc. Not once did he venture into the more scientific fields. I would love to hear how he explains away the earth-shaking advances in history made there. Take heliocentrism, general relativity or quantum mechanics – not only were they arguably original, they went against the grain of accepted thought. What did they crib from, pray tell?
The talk ended with me chortling to myself over Joseph Campbell, who said that there are no original stories – that all stories boil down to seven archetypes. Guess that means that Ferguson's hypothesis isn't all that original either.
Any commentary, controversy, chatter, contradiction, criticism?


ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Jalen Pickett scored 17 points with seven assists and Siena beat Niagara 66-57 on Thursday night.
Evan Fisher added 13 points, as did reserve Kadeem Smithen, who had two 3-pointers and 12 points in leading a 29-6 run after Niagara led 12-2.
Manny Camper, also off the bench, grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds with six points. Saints reserves outscored Niagara's 21-2.
Siena (7-11, 2-3 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference), leading 31-24 at halftime, pulled away in the second half with a 14-2 run, including seven points from Kevin Degnan to go up 55-35 with 6:45 remaining and the lead remained in double figures.
James Towns scored 21 points to lead Niagara (8-10, 1-4), which has lost five of its last six games. Marvin Prochet added 15 points and Dominic Robb 12.
Siena made 41 percent of its 3-point attempts (7 of 17), while Niagara was just 4 of 22 (18 percent).


A paramedic profession is a profession that involves the use of a lot of hats from the medical industry, despite the fact that the person is not generally a completely certified physician. A paramedic not just gives advanced life support, however they can preferably do moderate surgical treatments and various advanced health procedures when essential. A paramedic is responsible for utilizing the understanding and experience in administering medicine, coping with high stress problems along with providing quality medical care and interest.
It is essential to look at why you wish to become a paramedic as well. If you're considering this occupation, then you are most likely thinking about a job in service to others as mentioned. You have to have compassion for people, as you're going to experience all kinds of different circumstances where people require your assistance. You need excellent listening abilities, and you're going to need to be a strong person. You also require strong communication abilities, and as a paramedic, you need to be a fantastic problem solver.
You have to consider the job requirements of a paramedic too. For example, did you understand that you can become a paramedic without a degree? While you can, it can of course be handy if you go to college and take some of the classes that teach you the necessary skills. You're going to need to be accredited, and you absolutely have to be CPR accredited. No matter what, there is comprehensive training awaiting you if you're going to make becoming a paramedic your profession option.
A paramedic should stay calm and efficient during emergency situations and have the ability to think clearly and act rapidly in extreme scenarios that would make other individuals freeze.
The education to become a paramedic is extensive. These are the advanced level EMTs who are typically the lead members of rescue teams. Leadership skills and the capability to remain calm under pressure are required. A paramedic needs to show empathy for patients in addition to possess physical strength, coordination and stamina to move and treat patients rapidly.
EMT basic is mandatory for anybody who wants to become a paramedic. EMT basic can be finished in less than one year at technical institutions or neighborhood colleges. Once you are licensed as an EMT basic, you can continue to paramedic school.
EMT courses will consist of guideline in physiology, anatomy, and advanced medical abilities. After completing the course, you will have to finish internship for a particular number of hours doing operate in the emergency, ambulance or fire department.
From here, particular requirements from state to state have the tendency to differ greatly. For instance, in Texas, you might be asked to take the Texas Higher Education Evaluation evaluation or an approved option like COMPASS. In some states, you'll need to have an Associates Degree to become certified to work as a paramedic. So, be familiar with the specific requirements of your state and the school that you are thinking about to register.
There are many choices to select from when it pertains to paramedic training and accreditation. This course is provided by many state colleges, community colleges, and some medical facilities. You will need to complete between 750 and 1500 hours of classroom and field guideline before taking a certification exam.
You will need to graduate from a paramedic school where you will get scientific field experience and also take substantial coursework. After this, you will be needed to take the National Registry Exam and continuing education throughout your career.


Because it integrates the mind, body, and emotions, music can transform the lives of all children. Children with special needs, including those with autism spectrum disorders or physical, cognitive, or neurological impairments, are welcome in any of our classes. In addition, we offer Supportive Family classes whcih are designed especially for children with special needs. With our "accept and include" philosophy, understanding of developmentally appropriate practice and our respect for different learning styles, children with special needs often thrive in our music classes.
Your family is welcome to to visit a class anytime. Feel free to speak with your teacher or call the office to speak with our director, Judy, if you have questions or concerns. To sign up for your class visit, please go to our Demo Scheduler or contact us.


I was born and raised in the United States of America, to parents who were born and raised in the United States, who were both born to parents who were also born and raised in the United States.
That may not be particularly noteworthy to you, but it is a confounder to many people I have met in Qatar. Whether I'm introducing myself to taxi drivers, students at Qatar University (QU), or other expats, people respond variously with confused looks, shock or outright disbelief when I first tell them where I'm from.
This experience isn't new. When I was in India, Morocco, and Israel, people were routinely shocked to learn that I was born and raised in the U.S. and on one occasion challenged me to speak American English to support my claim.
During my gap year in Ecuador, news that I was from the United States was met with similar surprise. I lived in a small, rural town, and the first time I told members of the community that I was from the U.S., they responded with uproarious laughter. They were sure that I was kidding and was actually from the coastal part of Ecuador (where the majority of the country's Afro-Ecuadorians live). To be fair, they had reason to be surprised. As I mentioned, it was a small town, so to get a visitor from another country, let alone someone living there for nearly a year, was rare. Also, I was effectively fluent in Spanish by this point and had nearly eliminated my American accent.
But the context in Qatar is very different. I am not fluent in Arabic, Doha is a sizable city with a considerable population of Americans, and my physical features are noticeably different from those of the various African populations that live in Qatar.
And yet, the surprise persists. Whether I'm speaking to someone from Senegal or Bangladesh or even California, I've become accustomed to seeing a look of incredulity when I mention that I am from the United States.
I often respond to the surprise by asking where people think I'm from, and the most common response is Sudan. This response wouldn't be particularly surprising if it only came up when I introduced myself in Arabic. After all, Sudan is an Arabic-speaking country, and Qatar hosts a significant Sudanese population. Pair that with the facts that relatively few U.S. citizens in Qatar are black or can speak Arabic (let alone both), and the speculation that an Arabic-speaking black man is from Sudan is not unreasonable. But regardless of the language I'm speaking, Sudan is the leading guess. In fact, four Sudanese students at QU have independently (and repeatedly) told me that I look distinctly Sudanese. As far as I know, I don't have any Sudanese ancestry, but much of my heritage remains a mystery, so maybe they're onto something.
After Sudan, the next most common guesses of my country of origin are Kenya and Nigeria. Latin America even comes up every now and then. And even after I've assured people that I am a native U.S. citizen, I often get a follow-up question, "But what is your heritage?" When I respond, "I'm actually not sure, since my family has been in the U.S. for a long time," I only generate more surprise.
I'm not angry or frustrated about this common reaction to news of my nationality. Nor do I perceive it as racist or insensitive or believe that it stems from a considered belief that Americans can't be black. Rather, I've concluded that a black man is simply not representative of the America commonly envisioned by many people outside of the U.S. But I don't resent having to prove my U.S. origins. To the contrary, I find some satisfaction in changing perceptions of what it means to be an American from the United States of America.
When I decided to major in Middle East Studies, I had no idea what I was going to do with my degree after graduation. I knew that I loved the subject, but was clueless as to how I could turn that passion into a job of any kind. A few years and many classes later, I had developed a slightly clearer focus – I knew I wanted to live in the Middle East and work in politics in some way – but concrete career goals eluded me. Luckily, while finding ways to avoid studying for finals, I noticed an advertisement for the MENAR Fellowship program, which seemed to offer just what I was looking for.
My official title is Policy and Research Fellow at Qatar University's Social and Economic Survey Research Institute (SESRI). SESRI conducts surveys of Qatar's population on topics ranging from political concerns to charitable giving to attitudes towards gender equality. It then analyzes the survey data and distributes its analyses with the goal of informing governmental policy-making with quantitative data.
SESRI employees carry out the interviews by phone or in person and record survey responses in an electronic database. Once the survey has been carried out, SESRI analysts perform statistical analyses on the survey data to identify patters and draw conclusions. Finally, the analysts write reports and policy briefs on conclusions that may be of interest to policymakers in Qatar. In addition, since the majority of SESRI researchers are academics, they also use survey data to support articles in peer-reviewed journals.
My work focuses on data analysis and report/academic paper writing, with about 30% of my time dedicated to statistical analysis, 40% to researching for papers, and 30% to actual writing. Because I am free to choose the projects I work on, I can immerse myself in topics that most interest me.
For example, one of my first projects was to author a report on data collected for the political opinions and attitudes portion of SESRI's annual Omnibus survey. This survey gathered popular opinions on trust in the government, the importance of democracy, Qatar's rapid socioeconomic change, and many other topics. Working on this project allowed me to familiarize myself with Qatar's political landscape, which is one of my professional goals for my time here. I've also authored a policy brief on the public attitudes towards – and potential economic benefits of – water conservation efforts in Qatar. This project allowed me to develop expertise on water scarcity mitigation techniques, one of the most urgent needs for Qatar and other countries on the Arabian Peninsula, and indulge my longstanding interest in natural resource management.
Working for SESRI has also given me opportunities beyond the specific projects I've worked on. Through the Institute's onboarding program, I received training in STATA statistical software and, as a result, have greatly improved my quantitative analysis skills. Because SESRI is part of Qatar University, I have been able to audit classes in the University's Arabic language program as well as the Gulf Studies program (an international relations graduate program that focuses on the Gulf region). In addition, my position at SESRI has allowed me to attend many conferences, lectures, and panels where I've made great professional connections.
One reason I came to Qatar was to continue learning about an area of the world that I spent so much time studying in college. Working for SESRI has allowed me to do that to an extent I would have never expected. I look forward to what the next few months will bring.
Three weeks into my time in Qatar, I heard what has become my favorite description of the country.
Being a huge Star Wars fan, I instantly recalled the scene. But at that point, I didn't have enough time in-country to assess the accuracy of the comparison. Now, three months in, I know exactly what she meant. This obscure reference captures one of the most defining aspects of my experience in Qatar so far: the stunning diversity.
In the Star Wars universe, Mos Eisley is a major trading center and spaceport on the desert planet of Tatooine. Spaceships from across the galaxy stop at this commercial hub during their travels, making Mos Eisley home to a dizzying array of creatures. As the camera pans across the busy streets and marketplaces, viewers see creatures of every shape, size, and color. Some have spent their entire lives there, some visit regularly, and some are one-time visitors. The whole scene is a rich display of diversity.
Like the crowds in Mos Eisley, the communities I've encountered and become a part of in Qatar are highly diverse. I live and work at Qatar University (QU), so many of my friends are students with whom I live in the dorm and researchers with whom I work at the office. I also attend a church, and have made several friends in that community. Taken together, my friends and colleagues at QU and church represent 36 different countries, spanning every inhabited continent (though there is only one person from South America). The full list of countries can be found at the end of this post. What's more, their reasons for coming to Qatar are almost as diverse as the community itself. Some came for higher salaries, some out of a desire to travel, and some to escape a lack of opportunity in their home country.
Qatar's demographics are somewhat unique. Native Qataris comprise about 12% of the population, expatriates from India make up about 25%, and the remaining 63% is composed of expatriates from a highly fragmented mix of countries. So, I knew there would be many nationalities represented here. I also knew that Qatar University attracts students from a wide array of countries. But even with this background, I've been surprised by the diversity of Qatar's population.
While I was aware that colonization has many modern-day consequences, I still saw colonialism as a relic of the past. However, as I listened to my friends' conversation, I realized that my one-dimensional view contrasted sharply with their multifaceted perspectives on colonialism – born out of their personal experience – as a potent, active, and oftentimes tragic force in their lives. Their discussion was strikingly candid, even light-hearted, and reflected the ways in which colonialism continues to shape their experiences at home.
The impact of this diversity was on display again last week, when Robert Mugabe resigned as president of Zimbabwe. While people across the globe recognized the magnitude of the event, there was something special about seeing my friend from church, who is from Zimbabwe, react to the news as it first broke. We were gathered together for Tuesday evening bible study, and upon hearing the news she became overjoyed. Her face lit up as she excitedly called family and friends back home. Her joyfulness filled the entire room and reflected the significance of Mugabe's resignation in a unique and powerful way.
Importantly for the Star Wars fans among my family, friends, and anyone else reading this blog, there are also major differences between Qatar and Mos Eisley. For example, the former is welcoming and exceedingly safe, whereas the latter is famously dangerous and described as a "wretched hive of scum and villainy." That difference (and many others not germane to this post) aside, both destinations are home to an incredibly diverse array of people (and aliens), and that's enough for me to hold on to the belief that Qatar could be a real-world Mos Eisley.


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This mini forum is intended to provide a simple means of discussion about the Sony Hit-Bit 201 computer. If you want to share your own experience or memories, or add relevant information about this system: post a message! For other purposes like sales messages, hardware & software questions or information requests, please use our main forum.
I just bought one of these machines, and I am quite impressed. Makes me a true beleiver of the MSX standard!


For people who are suffering from drug or alcohol substance abuse, there are many medical care options. Continuous support groups, various treatment options, and residential and non-residential rehab are available for them.
Many people opt for inpatient or outpatient treatment as the beginning of their recovery process. A patient's individual requirements are taken into account and the medical care is tailor-made for them, since every person has a unique situation. Depending on how serious the addiction is and which substance is being abused, the medical personnel will draw up a suitable treatment plan.
Finding the right gathering gives a group of people that support and encourage each other to remain focused on moderation.
For individuals going through a treatment program, an addiction counsellor's role is to provide unbiased support.
Counsellors make an individualized arrangement for treatment and aftercare and direct one-on-one or group treatment sessions.
Most alcohol and drug treatment programs take after a comparative system, starting with a medical detoxification and proceeding into progressing treatments.
On the other hand, patients are allowed to continue with their work and studies with non-residential rehab programs.
There are many ongoing therapies available for recovering addicts to help them continue on the right path to rehabilitation.
An array of individual or group therapy sessions are the options for therapy and this is organized by addiction counsellors.
Both the physical withdrawal symptoms and overall health of the recovering drug user are treated when it comes to Holistic therapy.
Rock climbing, rope courses and wilderness therapy are a few examples of this sort of therapy.
This treatment intends to enhance self-regard, urge recuperating addicts to expel triggers from their life and give abilities to oversee stress.
There is need for a recovering user to be encouraged by people who really know what they are going through and they also need a person to whom they can be accountable to.
In view of the Alcoholics Anonymous model, 12-stage projects are the treatment standard in many recoveries.
The means support those in dependence recuperation to acknowledge their frailty over medications or liquor and reach a higher power as a controlling nearness to help with stability.
Majority of AA sessions are conducted every day or each week within a locality in a public building such as a community centre or church.
AA meetings can either be open or closed with the former allowing loved ones to attend and the latter being restricted to the recovering users only.
It offers a community of help for individuals recovering from other substances apart from alcohol.
NA members inspire one another to be devoted to abstemiousness and avoid going back to their past substance abuse habit.
It offers addicts who are in recovery effective strategies to manage addictive tendencies by looking at the underlying emotions and thoughts that are connected to drug abuse.
Seeing a friend or a family member struggling with drug or substance addiction is never easy. If the friends or family of an addict need help to organize an intervention, locate a suitable rehabilitation clinic or find a support group for themselves, there are places where they can get this kind of assistance.
An intervention is usually carried out to show the addict why they need to get treatment and to also help them to air out their feelings in a healthy manner.
The main goal of this group is to show these people that they are not alone in their attempt to help their loved one overcome addiction; also, at the group attendees learn effective techniques of treating alcohol addiction as a family disease.
There are numerous dependency clinics all over the U.K. that offer specialised recovery and attention for people who are struggling to cope.


Green is durable not disposable. I use only the finest quality materials available, starting with the wood and the finish, all the way down to the drawer slides, hinges, screws and glue. Good material combined with good craftsmanship is a simple recipe for quality. I build things to last.I think it's common when talking about building furniture with recycled or sustainable wood to instantly think of coconut palm or bamboo. That stuff is neat, but it all comes from China. Local urban timber means wood from Pinellas County.
I have ready access to local urban timber, river-recovered old growth timber, storm-felled, salvaged structural timbers. these woods are usually lighterknoht pine, cypress, live oak, cherry, and cedar. We also see rosewood and other rare varieties from these sources as well.
Industrial chemicals are bad for your health. Until recent years, the less toxic alternatives to traditional finishes and adhesives were also of significantly lesser quality and difficult to work with. Those days are gone. The market is still dominated by cheap Chinese imports loaded with formaldehyde and other dangerous VOC's. I use only U.S.A. manufactured, LEED certified panels for cabinetry, which are far superior quality, formaldehyde-free, and made using timber taken from managed forests. In addition, all our projects are finished with Greenguard certified waterbourne lacquer.
I always have some finished pieces of recyceld wood furniture ready to ship on etsy, check it out and place your order today.
My mission it to produce the exact opposite. Well designed products combine craftsmanship and quality material. I Build it to last, so you can enjoy it from the first day and every day for years to come.
Liberty Woodworking Inc. is a fully equipped custom wood shop. The labor force consists of me, Billy Dunn, and an occasional apprentice. This old world style of doing things presents many difficulties in these times of mass production, but the end result is a finished product handcrafted with care.
Challenging projects and attention to detail are my specialties. This is much more than a job to me, building has been a passion for me since I was 5. Beyond design and fabrication, everything I build is installed by me personally.
In these times of imports that are mass prodouced overseas and cutthroat competition, it is difficult if not impossible to find a good craftsman.


Sumo wrestler Takakeisho said Wednesday he sees himself in a new light as he began training ahead of next month's Spring Grand Sumo Tournament, where he aims to secure promotion to the sport's second-highest rank.
Takakeisho, who currently fights as a sekiwake, will be gunning for a promotion to ozeki at the March 10-24 meet in Osaka Prefecture. He missed his chance at January's New Year meet despite meeting some of the criteria typically needed to reach the rank.
"I used to waffle on the subject (of promotion) by saying 'I hope to go up the banzuke rankings' instead of using the word ozeki," said Takakeisho, who won his maiden championship in November.
The 22-year-old said he hopes to achieve the milestone at the Spring tournament at Edion Arena Osaka, where he has both good and bad memories. He earned promotion to sumo's second-tier juryo division following the 2016 meet, but a right-foot injury forced him to pull out of last year's competition.
"I have a lot of memories about Osaka. I want this meet to lead to something great," he said.
Takakeisho had gone into the 15-day January tournament at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan aiming to repeat his success at the November meet, where he won his first makuuchi division title with a 13-2 record.
Despite posting 33 combined wins from three tournaments — one standard for ozeki promotion — the Japan Sumo Association's judging panel decided not to grant Takakeisho a promotion after he ended the New Year meet in defeat.
The young sekiwake sustained a right-foot injury in the loss to ozeki Goeido, but started light training Wednesday at his Chiganoura stable in Tokyo. Takakeisho said he is not worried about his condition despite being uncertain of when he can resume wrestling.
"I'll be fine. I'll treat the injury while I train. All wrestlers are going through some kind of pain," he said.


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A priceless Bahrain pearl!
bahrain October 08, 2015
The passion with which Bahrain born and raised Akshatha Shetty speaks about empathy and love for complete strangers is something today's people, who focus more on their differences with other fellow beings rather than similarities, must learn from. The Indian School Bahrain alumni and her colleague Piyush Goswami, who shares her passion with the same ferocity, are the people to be honoured because what they have offered their country is priceless and irreplaceable – their very own career and life. They easily threw away what every young person in today's world struggles to attain through years of hardship – a promising career with a lucrative salary. They exchanged high paying jobs for a life among the downtrodden, to understand their suffering, and to highlight their stories to the world and bring home hope.
For the last two years, they have been traveling through rural India; dedicating their lives to a project they call Rest of my Family that highlights the country's most important social issues through Shetty's passion for writing and Goswami's interest in filmmaking and documentaries.
News of Bahrain caught up with Akshatha for a heart-to-heart.
1. Were you born in Bahrain?
Yes, I was born in Bahrain at the BDF Hospital on July 8, 1987.
2. Tell us about your parents.
We are (originally) from Manipal in Karnataka (south of India). Armed with nothing but hope in their hearts, my father and mother moved to Bahrain almost three decades ago. They come from very humble beginnings. It wasn't easy to move to an unknown country to secure a future for your family and children. We were a simple middle class family and yet that did not deter my father from helping anyone in need. From my earliest memories, he has always lent a helping hand to those who sought his assistance.
3. Siblings?
I have two siblings -- Ashvitha (26) and Ashwin (24). We all studied at ISB. They are now working in Bangalore. My sister works with Caterpillar and my brother with General Motors.
4. Where did you live in Bahrain? What was your childhood like?
We juggled between East and West Riffa. I would visit my cousins in Zallaq and I truly cherish my time with them. I was born and raised in Bahrain. So, there is definitely a sense of nostalgia associated with my memories from there. I have visited the country probably twice in the past ten years :)
However, my life in Bahrain was quite sheltered and safe and stepping outside your comfort zone and discovering your own individuality can be an absolutely humbling experience.
5. How do you remember your school life?
This is literally taking a trip down memory lane :) I really enjoyed my time with Mr Siva Rama Krishnan. He taught us Physics. He constantly reminded us that we were merely specks of stardust floating in the universe. He taught with a sense of wonder and reveled in philosophical discussions. Personally, I feel he was more of an artist than a teacher. The galaxy was his playground and the cosmos his companion.
Unfortunately, I have lost touch with most of my teachers but thanks to social media we are beginning to find each other. I passed out of school in 2004.
6. What was your ambition while at school?
I think I wanted to become an astronaut for as long as I can remember. I have always been fascinated with the universe and wondered what role human existence plays in it.
7. What did you do after finishing school?
I joined National Institute of Technology Karnataka in 2004. I graduated as an Electrical and Electronics Engineer in 2008.
8. What was your life in India like?
I fell in love with India the day I moved to the country. Of course, it is chaotic and inconsistent. However, there's a beauty in the chaos here. It can get absolutely cathartic but once you find your rhythm you will discover absolute freedom. And, I truly cherish that.
7. Where did you land your first job?
I worked with Infosys as a Systems Engineer in Bangalore for two years from 2008. I then worked as a sub-editor/reporter at The New Indian Express, Bangalore from 2010 to 2013.
8. How hard a choice was it to leave a promising career?
Having graduated from one of the best institutions in the country, I landed a job that earned me enough to live a comfortable life. However it wasn't really a hard choice to quit. I had absolute clarity on what I wanted to do with my life and I knew that it was the right thing to do.
9. What was your family's reaction when you broke the news to them?
Being honest with myself and everyone else has worked for me in my life. They are still coming to terms with my decision. They would be more than happy if I chased comfort rather than struggle. But I am certain that they will relent one day.
10. Tell us about Piyush Goswami.
We met in college. He graduated as a Mechanical Engineer and eventually decided to pursue documentary, photography and filmmaking. I think we complement each other with our skills. Our creative mediums of expression allow us to narrate a story that deserves to be told and follow it up with relevant support.
11. Give us a brief about your work.
As we started travelling and meeting different people and communities, and documenting their struggles, over time, we realised that documenting alone was not enough. It added no practical value to the lives of these people. To us, these people we were writing about were not merely names, faces or yet any other figure in any statistics. They were family.
Although the name and philosophy has been with us for over two years, Rest of My Family was officially launched last month. This project is an attempt to connect back, re-discover our relationship with and understand our responsibility towards the larger family that we are a part of -- the rest of our human family. As a part of the first leg of this campaign we will embark on a drive through different regions of India non-stop for an entire year. We are running a crowdfunding campaign to help us start and sustain the first leg of this project: http://igg.me/at/restofmyfamily/x/5395024
12. What is your typical day like?
The days vary based on our travels. While some days are spent on the road, others are with communities. With communities, the entire day usually goes in meeting people, bonding with them and understanding their situation. When we first visit these places, we are often considered as outsiders, the urban travellers who have come with their fancy gadgets. But gradually, over time, we become an integral part of their family. There's an element of uncertainty in our travels.
13. How difficult is it for a woman to work among the less fortunate?
Honestly, it isn't that difficult and it has nothing to do with gender. As long as you, as a human being, have the courage and conviction in your heart to pursue something you are truly passionate about with sincerity and honesty, then nothing can stop you.
Meanwhile 'Less fortunate' is a relative term. While we urban folks might be less fortunate with respect to happiness and purpose, the rural folks are less fortunate with respect to social and monetary requirements. We are all on the same boat struggling to survive and find purpose in our existence.
14. What do you do for funds?
Our only source of income is our documentary work. We also freelance with a few publications. We have come so far only through our dedication and sincerity, and support of the rest of our human family. And, we will let that decide our future.
We have just 3 days left for the crowdfunding campaign and have managed to raise $19818 so far.
You can follow our work here:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RestOfMyFamily
Twitter: @RestOfMyFamily
Instagram: restofmyfamily
Wordpress: restofmyfamily.wordpress.com
Indiegogo campaign: igg.me/at/restofmyfamily/x/5395024
Akshatha Shetty and Piyush Goswami
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IT IS SO UNFORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE CONVERTED THE WORLD'S FOOD BOWL INTO A BEGGING BOWL!
While the government would make us believe that all is well with the economy, and that the Indian economy is resilient enough to withstand the shocks of global recession, one visit to any vegetable market in Delhi or for that matter anywhere in the country actually gives a very different kind of a picture. Food prices, in the last one year or so, have skyrocketed to such an extent that many items have become beyond the reach of the common man. For the common man in India, the staple diet consists of things as basic as potato, pulses and rice. But given the way the prices have increased in the recent past, today they can no more be called the ingredients of the common man's diet. The price of pulses is almost touching Rs 100 per kg, while that of potato is hovering around Rs 40 per kg. Even a year back, pulses were available in the market for less than half the price and almost a fifth in the case of potatoes. So does it mean that all of a sudden the farmers of the country have decided to quote higher prices and pocket the abnormal surpluses?
Well, if that had been the case, then I would surely have been one of the happiest persons, as then for a change, the tables would have turned towards the farmers, whose increase in income and thus the purchasing power, would have definitely helped the Indian economy to grow manifold. It would have also ensured that the farmers are able to come out of the debt trap and become self sufficient. But unfortunately, that is not the case. While the common man is finding it difficult to make both ends meet and is probably even contemplating skipping one meal a day to make sure that the house budget doesn't go beyond control, the farming lot of the country continue to be equally distressed. A recent piece of news carried in The Times of India had stated that there is a 400% increase in the price of vegetables by the time it reaches the vegetable vendor from the dealer via the mandi. This is not just shocking but outrageous. The issue here is that if the farmers continue to get a pittance for all their effort, then would they ever be able to be financially viable and self sufficient? As such, there is not much organized debt available and farmers are always vulnerable to private money lenders, who charge the most obscene interest rates (the biggest reason for farmers suicides in India); and on top of it, there is no viable option for the farmers to market their produce.
There is no reason why the middlemen in Indian agriculture should get such high margins. More shocking is the fact that in the case of no other commodity, especially in the industrial sector, have the manufacturers been a deprived lot as is the case with the Indian farming community. The middlemen add no value whatsoever and yet corner heft y margins. Most of the elements involved in these activities have strong political lobbies because of which they are always able to prevent the entry of organized retailers in this business. We all know how e-choupal of ITC benefited the farming lot. Similarly, if organized wholesalers like Metro Cash & Carry or Reliance Field Fresh are allowed to enter into contracts with the farmers directly, then the farmers would surely get far higher prices than what they get right now. Also, along with all that, the central government should take necessary steps to amend the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) system. It is through this that state governments control agriculture in their respective states. And this is the system because of which farmers cannot sell their produce directly to the end user or the retailer. Reform in the APMC would go a long way in correcting the anomaly in the agricultural market. In an era where the price of everything is going down, there's no reason why the price of farm produce should increase – and given that, why the farming community should continue to be the deprived lot.
In fact, the villain of peace with respect to Indian agriculture is none else than the government itself. Asymmetries are being deliberately engineered in this sector simply because that's the only way political parties can go about extorting votes from farmers (as they form the majority of the voting population and their illiteracy being the biggest boon for politicians). The dynamics is pretty simple. First, you make the farming community perennially vulnerable by denying them organized debt while guaranteeing market distortions. At the peak of their vulnerability, to extort votes, you become a demi-god by waiving off loans to the tune of thousands of crores for the farmers. And why would you not! After all, waiving thousands of crores is a visible and populist act, and on top of it, it is the tax-payers' money. So why bother at all! As such, tax payers are just 2% of the entire population and most of them are so disgruntled that they don't even vote. So while this continues, the middle men make merry by cornering abnormal margins and money which in turn finds its way into election campaigns.
All in all, Indian agriculture is a classic case of sustained political abuse. Otherwise, it had the potential to not only feed the entire nation but the world at large. It is so unfortunate that we have converted the world's food bowl into a begging bowl.


BONN | GEORGETOWN (IDN) – Significant progress is under way in repairing degraded lands and managing droughts more effectively, according to reports released for review by an inter-governmental meeting in Georgetown, Guyana.
An assessment of land degradation in 127 countries revealed that close to 20 percent of healthy land was degraded between 2000 and 2015. Around the world, 169 countries are affected by land degradation, desertification or drought.


Your vehicle is a lot more than just an internal combustion engine and a few wheels. It's also an intricate marriage of various mechanical and electrical systems, all of which need to be functioning properly if you want your car to perform as an efficient conveyance. The presence of different electrical systems has significant ramifications when you're taking your car to a mechanic for service. You shouldn't just visit a shop where the professionals can give your car a tune-up and change your filters. You should also make sure that the professionals you've chosen to trust with your car can provide auto electrical repairs. Brisbane motorists deserve to have every aspect of their driving experience taken care of by pros.
Auto electrical work can apply to numerous different areas of your vehicle. It could be something as simple as fixing a broken or burnt-out tail light, or it might be as complex as repairing your alternator. You might even need help to adjust your ECM (Engine Control Module). It's critical that your mechanic can perform these services, or that they employ an auto electrician who can. Brisbane has plenty of shops and garages, but fewer who have qualified auto electrical professionals working for them.
When you find a Brisbane shop offering auto electrical repairs, be sure to vet them carefully. You'll want to place your vehicle in the care of professionals who use new and up-to-date equipment, but whose knowledge comes from years of experience. A Brisbane auto electrician who has worked on countless vehicles before yours will be able to carry out their duties swiftly and efficiently, which means that you won't have to wait as long before your vehicle comes back ready to drive.
Mansfield Motors is a well-established auto-repair company with a single location in Mount Gravatt, which has been assisting motorists throughout Brisbane for over 11 years. Our help has solved an extensive range of vehicle issues for a growing number of clients, including but not limited to auto electrical repairs. Whether you need your starter motor repaired or your fuel injector fixed, we'll be able to provide you with friendly and competent service you can trust to solve the issue. When you choose the professionals at our garage, you choose repair service that won't disappoint.
In addition to auto electricians, we also employ highly skilled professionals who can take on other repair duties. Come to Mansfield Motors whenever you need service for your vehicle, and let us show you an unprecedented level of workmanship. Contact us at any time during regular business hours to speak with a professional who can tell you more about our business, or set up an appointment for you to bring your vehicle in and have it inspected by a qualified authority. Our work makes it easier for you to sit behind the wheel with confidence.


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Conviction of Ghislaine Maxwell on Sex Trafficking Charges Spells Trouble for Prince Andrew
Ghislaine Maxwell, the onetime paramour and madame of pedophile Jeffery Epstein, has been convicted on five counts of sex trafficking, specifically minors. This spells trouble for Prince Andrew, who has been avoiding an investigation into allegations that he had sexual relations with a minor provided to him by Epstein.
The verdict came down on Wednesday, December 29, two years after Epstein committed suicide in prison, though under what some consider mysterious circumstances.
Maxwell and Epstein had become an inseparable duo over the years, but this relationship covered up a rather depraved bond.
A woman born into British high society, Maxwell was the daughter of Czech-born newspaper tycoon and former lawmaker Robert Maxwell, who ironically also died under mysterious circumstances.
Robert Maxwell has been called a "monstrous father" who treated most of his children badly, but somewhat doted on Ghislaine, his youngest. He died on his boat, under what the coroner determined was a heart attack and later drowning, but it was later discovered that he had "committed massive pension fraud against his employees."
After her father's death, Ghislaine moved to New York and began running in high society circles and eventually connected with Epstein. According to reports, the couple met in the 1990s and had a sexual relationship that morphed into a business partnership.
As a couple, they move through high society, including having friendships with former U.S. Presidents Bill Clinton and Donald Trump and other high-profile men, but their polished façade was hiding something dark.
Epstein and Maxwell were trafficking young women.
After the arrest and death of Jeffery Epstein, Maxwell faced her own charges of assisting her friend, lover and business partner in attracting young teenage girls to become sexual slaves for Epstein.
As several women in court testified, Maxwell also played an active role in getting young teens into Epstein's service and teaching them how to sexually pleasure their abuser and encouraging the young women to get their friends involved as well. Maxwell even participated in some of the abuse.
Now since she's been convicted, all attention will turn to the other high-profile man in Epstein's orbit, Prince Andrew.
The Duke of York, who is Her Majesty's favorite son, met the disgraced and now deceased Epstein in 1999 through Maxwell, though there is some debate over whether the men met earlier than that.
Court records have revealed that the two were quite close, with Epstein even spending time at Sandringham and Balmoral, two private royal residences owned by the Queen. The two also went on a holiday together to Thailand, which Epstein paid for, and where at one point the men were surrounded by topless young women.
But Prince Andrew's greatest sin in his relationship with Epstein is the possibility that one of the young women the businessman trafficked was given to the Duke of York for sex.
Virginia Roberts, who was famously pictured with Andrew and Maxwell, is suing the royal in New York over his alleged role in her abuse.
There have also been calls for Andrew to participate in an FBI investigation, which he has refused. All of this has allowed a dark cloud to hang over Andrew and his close relationship with Epstein and Maxwell.
The Duke of York tried to clear the air about the situation in a disastrous BBC interview, where the pompous and arrogant royal inexplicably shared that he didn't sweat to try and refute part of Virginia's testimony. Needless to say, he came across looking more guilty than he did than before the interview aired and has never returned to royal duties.
This heavy cloud of Prince Andrew, and also Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, continues to hang over the royal family into 2022. If Andrew is forced into testifying or loses the legal case, it raises serious questions about the roles of royals and how taxpayer and the Queen's money would be used in his defense.
For all involved, it would be best if the Duke of York acquiesced and settled the matter in some sort of quiet legal action. But likely, Andrew wants to try and clear his name and will do everything he can, and spend tons of his mother's money in the process, to do so.
December 30, 2021 December 30, 2021 BrittanyBritish monarchy, British Royal Family, British Royal Gossip, duke of York, duke of York court case, Future of the Monarchy, ghislaine maxwell, ghislaine maxwell convicted, Jeffery Epstein, Jeffery Epstein conviction, Prince Andrew, Prince Andrew court case, Prince Andrew her majestys favorite son, prince andrews bbc interview, Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth, royal arrogance, royal shame, Virginia Roberts
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"A man filled with the love of God, is not content with blessing his family alone, but ranges through the whole world, anxious to bless the whole human race" (Joseph Smith, History of the Church, 4:227).
Joseph Smith was a man who loved God and who was filled with the love of God. One of the fruits of the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ is that those who understand the doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often misnamed the "Mormon Church") will radiate the love of God for the people around them.
One of the basic principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ is service. When we are filled with charity, we want to bless others' lives. The most significant way we can bless others' lives is by bringing them to the knowledge of the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
When you have faith in the doctrine of Jesus Christ and are filled with the spirit of love, you will not care what critics say. Instead, you will have the desire to bless those around you by your example and faith.