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Wisdom from The Lord of the Rings
A weekly blog exploring the wisdom of The Lord of the Rings
The King and The Healing of Faramir
April 3, 2017 / stephencwinter	/ 9 Comments
It is not so much the wound that Faramir received in battle that brings him close to death. Aragorn reaches the heart of the matter when he says to Imrahil, "Weariness, grief for his father's mood, a wound, and over all the Black Breath". All these things have finally overcome the valiant Faramir. All his life he has resisted the creeping shadow both in the rise of Mordor beyond the borders of Gondor and within the hearts of his own people and now, at last, his hope is gone.
It is not by Athelas alone that Aragorn heals Faramir. Tolkien does not enter into any explanation of the process but simply describes what Aragorn does.
"Now Aragorn knelt beside Faramir, and held a hand upon his brow. And those who watched him felt that some great struggle was going on. For Aragorn's face grew grey with weariness; and ever and anon he called the name of Faramir, but each time more faintly to their hearing, as if Aragorn himself was removed from them, and walked in some dark vale, calling for one who is lost."
What Tolkien describes here is some form of the coinherence about which the Inklings used to speak and an idea which was introduced to them by Charles Williams. Williams believed that Christians could voluntarily bear the suffering or burden of another and so aid their healing. Aragorn's apparent journey away from himself and his profound weariness as he makes this journey seems to suggest that this is what is happening. For those who would like to explore this idea further I would warmly recommend the work of Sørina Higgins on Charles Williams which you can explore by going to https://theoddestinkling.wordpress.com and clicking on coinherence in the tags on the right hand side of the page.
It may be that Aragorn is able to call Faramir back from his journey towards death by this means but the healing is made complete when Bergil arrives with athelas. Aragorn crushes two leaves and casts them into a bowl of water and life is restored to both the healer and the one who is near to death.
"The fragrance that came to each was like a memory of dewy mornings of unshadowed sun in some land of which the fair world in Spring is itself but a fleeting memory."
As you read the account of the healings in this beautiful chapter you will note that the fragrance of athelas is somehow different for each person that is healed. It is a beautiful expression of the unique relationship between the one who is hurt, the means of their healing and the healer. Surely in Faramir's case we catch a glimpse, just for a moment, of his deepest yearning. When Faramir explained to Frodo the meaning of the ceremony that he and his men observed before eating in Henneth Anûn he spoke of his longing for the restoring of Gondor and also for something deeper even than that longing. He spoke of "that which is beyond Elvenhome and will ever be". https://stephencwinter.com/2015/09/08/faramir-remembers-that-which-is-beyond-elvenhome-and-will-ever-be/
Faramir has long pondered that which Númenor and even Valinor can only point to. He is one who cannot stay at the surface of things and so passes through his experience as son of the Steward of Gondor through the history of his people and unto their origins in Númenor. And on arriving there and pondering both its glory and its fall under the shadow he goes deeper yet until he comes to Valinor which is forever closed to them. He will know that it is at the surface of Valinor the deathless land that the corrupted kings of Númenor stayed and so desired to possess it and the gift of immortality and so he passes deeper yet to what lies beyond Elvenhome. This is what he and all in the Houses of Healing glimpse just for a moment. It is a glimpse into the most secret place within his soul, into his most true self, even into the deepest reality of all and so he is called back from the shadows into light and life and into service of the king for whose return he has long waited.
"Come Athelas! Come Athelas! Life to the Dying in the King's Hand Lying!"
March 27, 2017 / stephencwinter	/ 6 Comments
As Aragorn crushes two leaves of athelas in his hands after breathing upon them "straightway a living freshness filled the room, as if the air itself awoke and tingled, sparkling with joy". And so begins Aragorn's healing journey from Faramir to Éowyn and then to Merry.
I said last week that I have been looking forward to writing about this chapter in The Lord of the Rings for some time now and so I don't intend to rush through it. I also intend at some point to include a guest blog from a young writer whose work has impressed me so do look out for that. But this week I want to begin with something a little more personal, a memory that was jogged as I read the chapter again last week. And it was the description of the fragrance of athelas that I refer to here.
Readers will remember that when Frodo was wounded in the attack of the Nazgûl upon the camp beneath Weathertop Aragorn had Sam look for kingsfoil and they will remember how its fragrance lifted their hearts and its virtue stayed the evil influence of the poison in Frodo's wound long enough for them to reach Rivendell. Now as Aragorn is revealed as king the fragrance is immeasurably greater and so too is the healing virtue. It "came to each like a memory of dewy mornings of unshadowed sun in some land of which the fair world in Spring is itself but a fleeting memory." And what follows for each is a fragrance that speaks of the particular way in which each is healed, made whole.
What this recalled for me was a dream that I had about fifteen years ago. In my dream I find myself in a hotel bedroom with a woman lying beside me and water pouring through a crack in the ceiling over my head. I climb out of bed telling the woman (who I never identify) that I will go and get the problem sorted out and find myself immediately in a field with a fence to my right and a long queue of people in front of me. I ask someone what the queue is about and they tell me that the Pope is in a shed in the field just up ahead and that they are waiting to see him. I decide to wait too and soon find myself in the darkened shed. The Pope is John Paul II and he is in the last stage of his life, a frail old man. Behind him a priest with shadowed face waits in attendance. No one speaks. I simply know that I must kneel before the Pope and wait for his blessing. He lays his hands upon my head and as he does so the room is filled with the most wonderful fragrance. I stand up knowing that everything is alright and that I do not need to return to the hotel room.
Of course it is my memory of the fragrance in the dream that was recalled when I read this chapter once again and it is the fragrance in relation to the revelation of Aragorn as king that I want to briefly ponder here as I think about my dream. In his book on male initiation, Adam's Return, Richard Rohr thinks about the power of the king archetype that is so rarely revealed in most men except in its dark form in the bully or in the weak form endlessly complaining that no one is paying sufficient attention to him. Rohr describes the true king as "the master of all power, so much so that he can risk looking powerless… The kingly part of a man connects heaven and earth, spiritual and material, divine and human, inner and outer. When you meet a man who seems a bit larger than life, you know he has some king energy. He is a healer of souls."
The king that I met within myself in my dream was old, not fearing to risk looking powerless. The power came in the blessing which is the true revelation of the king energy just as it is in Aragorn. My disordered state was healed in turning to the king energy within me. I can say quite candidly that it is still being healed to this very day but I am learning in my contemplative practice where to turn and I think there is hope for me yet.
The Hands of the King are The Hands of a Healer. Aragorn in The Houses of Healing.
I have been looking forward to this part of The Lord of the Rings for some time now. Regular readers of this blog will know that I have been carefully reading Tolkien's wonderful story and that each week I write a reflection or meditation inspired by what I have just been reading. And so in recent weeks I have been reading Tolkien's account of The Battle of the Pelennor Fields and the Death of Théoden and the Fall of the Witch King of Angmar at the hands of Éowyn of Rohan and Meriadoc Brandybuck of The Shire.
And now I want to turn to the beautiful account of the coming of the King to The Houses of Healing and in the weeks to come we will walk with him to the beds of Faramir, Éowyn and Merry and feel for ourselves the power of the king and perhaps, from afar, catch the fragrance of athelas.
And just in case regular readers may have noticed that I have not made any reference to the timely arrival of Aragorn upon the battlefield that is because I want to reflect on that event through the telling of the story by Legolas and Gimli.
The battle that has been fought has been unlike any other in that a power is at work in the wounded that is named "the Black Shadow, for it came from the Nazgûl". Tolkien tells us that "those who were stricken with it fell slowly into an ever deeper dream, and then passed to silence and a deadly cold, and so died". Viktor Frankl describes something remarkably similar in his account of working as an inmate physician in the Nazi concentration camps with nothing more available to him than a few bottles of aspirin. He noted that if someone lost hope and a sense of meaning then they would almost certainly soon die. But if they were able to hold onto hope and meaning then there was a good chance that they might survive the many epidemics that swept through the camps even though they were half starved.
It is the coming of the king that brings hope and meaning to the stricken. In their seminal work, King, Warrior, Magician, Lover Robert Moore and Douglas Gillette describe the energy of the King Archetype as being one that brings order and a sense that everything is in its right place without anything needing to be forced and as one that brings blessing and fruitfulness. It is not just Aragorn who brings this archetype to bear. We saw the impact that Théoden's arising from his chair to lead his people once again had upon them. It was literally transformative. This transformation shows why Saruman and his agent, Wormtongue, put so much effort into unmanning the king. And now in the account of the events in the Houses of Healing Tolkien makes it clear that Gandalf is unable to heal those who have fallen under the Black Shadow. It is not that Aragorn has a magic that Gandalf does not have but that he can connect to the King Archetype in a way that Gandalf cannot. Aragorn is the king.
In English history the belief that the king or the queen was a healer persisted right into the 18th century and a liturgy for the royal touch was included in the Book of Common Prayer that was possessed by most literate people of the time. It was only with the growing influence of the Enlightenment that the monarch came just to make a gift of money instead of also laying hands upon the sick. The Queen still makes the gift in a service on Maundy Thursday each year. Shakespeare wonderfully describes the older practice in lines from Macbeth,
"Strangely visited people, all swol'n and ulcerous, pitiful to the eye, the mere despair of surgery, he cures, hanging a golden stamp about their necks, put on with holy prayers."
It is this ancient belief that Tolkien draws upon here in the stories of Aragorn's healings, and ancient belief that I would argue was seen at work in Viktor Frankl's experience in the Nazi concentration camps. Frankl showed implicitly in a way that Moore and Gillette do explicitly that access to the King Archetype is available to all of us and will order, heal and bless.
Eowyn: She is now Healed
July 27, 2016 July 27, 2016 / stephencwinter	/ Leave a comment
Dear friends and readers, I promised when I put out my request for a Guestblog on Eowyn of Rohan that I would begin to publish them during the week beginning July 25th and here is the first one. It has been written by Jennifer Leonard who writes as Lover of Lembas. Her work can be found at loveroflembas.blogspot.com
If you have not yet submitted a piece there is still space for a couple more. Please include a link to your blog or website so that I can publicise it.
Eowyn was raised in a culture that was totally war-obsessed. The most glorified and praised members of her society were the warriors and soldiers. Eowyn resented herself because she could not participate in the war-culture as a woman and it drove her half-mad. Instead of seeing her person and her womanhood as a beautiful thing which lends itself to creating life, she saw it as "hutch to trammel some wild thing in".
It was not until Eowyn met Faramir in the Houses of Healing (appropriate since it was there she was healed not only in body but in mind) that she learned there is more than war, more than glorified killing, and more to honor than before she knew. Faramir put war into its true context for Eowyn—not something to be praised in and of itself. Warriors and soldiers should be honored in the measure that they defend their people with their sacrifice. But killing should never be seen as a wholly good thing and no one should aspire to be a warrior for the sake of war. Faramir sums this up by saying: "War must be, while we defend our lives against a destroyer who would devour all; but I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend."
After her encounter with Faramir, Eowyn realizes that the killing and death of war is not the end, but is sometimes a necessary means in order to preserve life. Ultimately, Eowyn has been focused on death and war, but she has missed the bigger picture; namely that life is more important than death, even death in honor.
Then Eowyn says: "I want to be a healer, and love all things that grow and are not barren." This is the mark that she has accepted life rather than death. In realizing this, Eowyn also learns to appreciate her status as a woman. She no longer regards her body as a cage or a hindrance, but understands that it is ordered to create life and to sustain it; she understands that those goals are noble in and of themselves, and that nurturing life is an invaluable and honorable ability.
In summary, throughout Eowyn's conversion and in her meeting with Faramir, Eowyn trades her idealism of death and her culture of war for an acceptance of herself and a love of life. The maiden who once sought death now looks forward to nurturing life. As Faramir says, "Here is the Lady Éowyn of Rohan, and now she is healed."
To Have Found Such Friendship Turns Evil to Great Good
October 6, 2015 October 6, 2015 / stephencwinter	/ 5 Comments
It is with the greatest reluctance that I must leave Faramir today. Frodo and Sam only had the briefest of stays with him and for much of that time were uncertain about the true nature of the man they had just met. Over this summer I have had the pleasure of returning once again to their encounter and to spend some months both enjoying it and reflecting upon it.
Faramir now bids farewell to his guests, allowing the Ring to depart with them, not clinging to the last opportunity to achieve certain victory for Gondor, choosing rather to risk defeat, enslavement and darkness than a victory that would in reality be an even greater darkness than the triumph of Sauron. In this refusal to cling Faramir chooses to empty himself and as they part so Frodo speaks:
"Most gracious host… it was said to me by Elrond Halfelven that I should find friendship upon the way, secret and unlooked for. Certainly I looked for no such friendship as you have shown. To have found it turns evil to great good."
Surely as Frodo speaks he is thinking of the evil of Boromir's attempt to seize the Ring and to do what Faramir refused to do. At this moment of the story Frodo knows nothing of Boromir's final triumph over the power of evil at work in his soul and can see only the uncontrolled lust disfiguring that once fair face. The memory of that face has stayed with him from that moment until now and it has darkened Frodo's heart. Not only has he not looked for such friendship as Faramir has shown him but he has feared untruth, hidden intent and betrayal. Such fear has a way of gaining a creeping hold even upon the most noble of hearts and so in Frodo's thanks he speak of the evil that such a creeping hold will bring about. It is his own heart that has been set free from that evil by Faramir's friendship.
And what of the future? Neither Frodo nor Faramir can look ahead to see what the future might bring. Faramir has already said that he cannot speak to Frodo with "soft words".
"I do not hope to see you again on any other day under this Sun."
Neither Frodo nor Faramir expects to escape the evil of the final triumph of the Dark Lord any more any more than Saruman expects it and so becomes an ally of Sauron hoping either to share in his triumph or to gain the Ring for himself or to even to make one when his Ring lore is complete. Faramir and Frodo have no more expectation of victory than Saruman does and yet they refuse to follow his way, the way of despair.
Surely this is the insight that Dante had when he spoke of the words written over the gateway into Hell, "Abandon all hope all you that enter here!" at the beginning of his Divine Comedy? There is a profound difference between the loss of hope for one's own personal survival and even the triumph of one's cause and the loss of hope that leads to either a passive or active embracing of evil. The latter is surely the despair of Hell, the despair of Sauron or of Saruman. The former believes that in the rejection of despair even the greatest of evil will be turned to good in a manner that as yet is entirely unforeseen. In the friendship that Faramir offers to Frodo and that Frodo at last is able to receive they both say their "Yes" to this belief.
To have found such friendship must turn even the greatest evil to great good.
Whose Side is Treebeard on?
December 11, 2013 December 12, 2013 / stephencwinter	/ 3 Comments
Whose side is Treebeard on in the War of the Ring? That is another way of asking the question, whose side is nature on? Treebeard himself is undecided. "I am not altogether on anyone's side because nobody is altogether on my side, if you understand me: nobody cares for the woods as I care for them, not even Elves nowadays."
Treebeard is on the side of the forests of the earth and since time immemorial he has been their shepherd. And what he has witnessed over the years has been the long slow defeat of the forest. Even the hobbits have not been on the side of the forest. You may remember how Merry told his companions of the battle between his people, the Brandybucks, and the Old Forest early in their journey; of how fires had been lit by the Brandybucks to drive the forest back and a great hedge planted to withstand any further attempts at encroachment. You may remember too, how the Old Forest tried to trap the hobbits as they attempted to journey through it by forcing them down to the Withywindle and the clutches of Old Man Willow. The Forest had a long and bitter memory of Merry's people and only the arrival of Tom Bombadil saved him and his friends from disaster and a speedy conclusion to the great Quest of the Ring. The Old Forest was not on their side.
And there is a sense in which even Treebeard's world is divided against itself because the Ents, the shepherds of the wild forest, have long been separated from the Entwives, the tenders of the cultivated gardens of the world. In this world the untamed wilderness is the masculine principle, the animus, while the cultivated world is the feminine principle, the anima and as Treebeard says to Merry and Pippin, the Entwives "would like your country."
Tolkien never answers the question of whether the wilderness and the garden, the masculine and the feminine, can ever live in peace together although he does seem to say that the final healing of the world will only come when they are finally reconciled. But one thing is sure and that is "there are some things, of course, whose side" Treebeard is "altogether not on… these Orcs and their masters." For Saruman the wizard has betrayed the trust bestowed upon him by the Valar, the angelic lords of the earth, the task he was given to aid the free peoples of Middle Earth in their resistance to Sauron and that he has long been plotting "to become a Power". Treebeard declares that Saruman has "a mind of metal and wheels; and he does not care for growing things, except as far as they serve him for the moment."
And in saying this Treebeard challenges us to declare whose side we are on in the War of the Ring, whether we, like Saruman, use growing things for our own purposes, plotting to become little powers. Whether we, like Saruman, have given way to despair, believing in the inevitable victory of the dark lords of our own times, seeking only to find some accommodation with them, some way of surviving in a world that they rule. If we do then we will find that all who become, or seek to become, dark lords will have little regard for our loyalty seeking only their own ends and we will find something else too. Nature will be against us and will have its revenge upon the dark lords and all who for their own ends choose to be their allies. In our own time we are already rousing the anger of nature and would do well to find a way to make peace before it is too late.
On Learning How to Receive Good Gifts
December 4, 2013 December 5, 2013 / stephencwinter	/ 4 Comments
With long but steady strides Treebeard takes Merry and Pippin on a long journey across the Fangorn Forest but at its ending they are in a safe place for the first time since leaving Lothlorien. They are in Wellinghall at the foot of the Misty Mountains, one of Treebeard's dwelling places in the forest. "I like it," he says. "We will stay here tonight."
Treebeard gives Merry and Pippin a drink very like the water of the Entwash that they had drunk earlier that day near the borders of the forest after escaping the orcs and Tolkien tells us that the water had "some scent or savour in it which they could not describe: it was faint, but it reminded them of the smell of a distant wood borne from afar by a cool breeze at night." Tolkien seems to have had a particular love for this kind of description. He hints at what it is that his characters remember. They are "reminded" of the smell and the wood is "distant" and its savour "borne from afar". Later in his description of Aragorn's use of athelas to heal those who have been wounded in the Houses of Healing after the Battle of The Pelennor Fields he uses it in a particularly poignant manner. Instead of a simple and straightforward description of the properties of the herb or of the drink he evokes the memory of a sensation, a memory that lies hidden at the edge of consciousness. In the case of Aragorn's use of athelas this is especially striking. When he uses it to bathe Frodo's wound after the attack at Weathertop we are simply told that "the fragrance of the steam was refreshing, and those that were unhurt felt their minds calmed and cleared." In the Houses of Healing Tolkien again hints at memories that are evoked by the effect of the steam. It is as if the memory, mingled with the working upon the senses of the aroma of the herb crushed in warm water and the hands of the true king, achieves the healing of body and soul and spirit together.
Here it is not so much healing that is achieved. That came about if you remember when the hobbits drank of the streams of the Entwash earlier that day. Here Merry and Pippin find refreshment and nourishment but what refreshment; what nourishment! Later their friends will observe that they have grown in stature and other hobbits will find them almost intimidating.
What a journey they have been upon since their capture by the orcs and Pippin's unhappy description of himself as "a nuisance: a passenger, a piece of luggage". They have been through a kind of initiation together and now they are warriors and ready for battle. There is nothing that they have done which has brought about this transformation except their refusal to give up and their total loyalty to their friends and to the quest even though all seems hopeless. Later this will be described as a "gentle loyalty" thus distinguishing it from the fierce loyalty of battle hardened members of the Fellowship like Gimli or Legolas, but it is loyalty nonetheless. In Tolkien's Christian understanding of such things no gift can be described as a payment to honour a contractual obligation. The hobbits did not encounter Treebeard or drink "of the draughts of Fangorn" as their due wage for loyalty. But without that loyalty no gift could have been received. The same is true for us. It is by means of our commitment to the good that we, like Merry and Pippin, will be capable of receiving gifts that will transform us.
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A violet/pink shade that is gorgeous through and through. Take yourself to Paradise with this fun and flirty gem of a color. As part of the Satin Shadow line you'll love just how bold and beautiful these shadows wear for you.


In July 2018 the Medical Radiation Technologists Board (the Board) published a consultation document seeking feedback on the proposed fee for a registration examination.
The Board extends its thanks and appreciation to the individuals and groups who provided feedback to the consultation.
The below outcomes document summarises the key themes of the consultation feedback and the Board's response.


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Student Fellow Reporting
Difficult Sunset Years for Filipino Migrants
April 18, 2016 | Gulf News
Ana P. Santos
In 2002, Maribeth Manguerra left for Lebanon to work as a domestic worker. "It will only be for a few years—just until we can save up some money," she told her children. Image by Geric Cruz.
Maribeth Manguerra has been working abroad as a domestic helper for more than a decade. She says she needed to leave to put her kids through school. Image by Geric Cruz.
In his high school yearbook, Doy Sierra stated as his ambition: "To go abroad".
Looking over his résumé, it would look as if Sierra has had a glittering career over the last three decades working in different parts of the world; first in the Middle East, then Japan and now, France.
Wherever a new job opened up and wherever there was money to be made, that's where he would be. In the 1980s it was Saudi Arabia and Kuwait where Sierra trailed after other Filipino men of his generation. They set up camp in the oil rigs and construction sites in the Gulf, infusing the sweat equity and physical collateral demanded by the construction boom. In the 1990s it was the fish ponds of Japan that called Sierra to work as an undocumented migrant.
Now, sitting in the living room of the sparse studio he shares with his wife and two young daughters, the 60-year-old Sierra is thinking about his twilight years. He and his wife both started their life in France as housekeepers-babysitters, but as he got older, there was less and less work for him.
Once his girls have finished school, he will return to the Philippines. "It's too cold here in France. I don't want to grow old here. I am a Filipino and the Philippines will always be home."
Sierra is one of the hundreds of thousands of Filipinos who saw labor migration as a temporary measure to an economic need such as saving up for a home or putting children through school. But working menial jobs—sometimes as undocumented migrants—has left them with little opportunity for advancement in the workplace and economic wiggle room to save up for their eventual return home.
The latest Country Migration Report estimates that since the 1970s when the state launched its migrant laborer employment program, between 3.5 million and 4.5 million Filipino labor migrants have permanently returned to the Philippines.
Ageing overseas Filipino workers (OFW) such as Sierra are retiring into the poverty that they tried so hard to escape.
Leading labor exporter
The Philippines is a leading labor exporter with more than 10 million Filipino workers scattered around the world. Since the start of the country's labor migration policy, the Middle East remains the main destination for labor migrants. The Commission on Overseas Filipinos estimates that almost 25 per cent of the 10 million Filipinos working overseas are based in the Middle East.
The government has earned praise for its labour migration policies that cover regulation and assistance at every touch point, from recruitment to departure to employment in the host country. But the government's weakest link in the labour migration chain is the reintegration of OFWs who can no longer work.
In countries where permanent residency or citizenship is not an option, the Filipinos will eventually have to come home. Many find that they have little to come home to and end up leaving again.
In 2002, Maribeth Manguerra left for Lebanon to work as a domestic worker after she lost her job at a local garments factory. "It will only be for a few years—just until we can save up some money," she told her children.
Now, more than a decade later, Manguerra is still working abroad as a domestic helper, this time in Saudi Arabia. In 2014, when she came home for her biannual vacation, her children and her husband asked her not to leave. The eldest of her four children was already working and another one was about to graduate. They would provide the economic pillars needed for the two youngest children to finish school.
Manguerra gave in to their pleas and told her employer that she would not be renewing her contract. She stayed—but only for a few months.
"There were no jobs [available] for me. I could not find work where I could make the same amount of money. I had no choice. I had to leave again," said Manguerra.
Mismatch of jobs
Government organisations such as the Overseas Workers Welfare Association (OWWA) and the National Centre for Reintegration of OFWs (NCRO) are tasked with ensuring that returning OFWs can settle back into the Philippine way of life.
"It is likely that they will prefer to start their own business," said Rosalinda Baldoz, secretary of the Department of Labour and Employment. "We have packaged our assistance through handholding activities such as [livelihood] grants that serve as starter kits."
Returning workers can obtain a loan of up to $6,300 (Dh23,140) plus various training programmes to start a new business as part of the OFW Reintegration Programme.
Labour groups have criticised these programmes as loan and business start-up programmes that are a mismatch to the specific needs of returnees.
Some do not have the drive or energy to start a new business and others are simply too old to be employed.
"Some have been away for so long, but have not had an opportunity to upgrade their skill set. When they move back here, they cannot make the same amount working as a domestic helper as they did when they were abroad," said Roel Martin, NCRO chief of the labor and employment department.
Martin says that the problem is also data—or lack of it. With the premise that returning guest workers are moving back into familiar territory, returnees are not offered the same handholding as those leaving.
Data that drill down into the details such as the age of returning migrants are almost non-existent. Migrants are tracked on a per contract or deployment basis. There is currently no database system that would track their employment history as they move—as Sierra did—from country to country.
"The lack of data makes it difficult to plan programmes that would actually match their needs," said Martin.
He cites another factor in the migrant mix: a low level of financial literacy prevents the migrants from saving up while they are still earning good money. Other factors such as continuously helping out extended members of the family cripple attempts at building a financial nest egg that they can fall back on.
Then there are factors beyond their control. The International Labour Organization (ILO) cites migrant workers and their families as "constantly exposed to various risks that require huge levels of spending, such as illnesses, accidents, natural and man-made disasters".
Studies show that an estimated 60 per cent of OFW families remain poor despite many years of working abroad.
Seafarers saving up
The Philippines is the largest supplier of the world's seafarers. Nearly 700,000 Filipinos comprise the seafaring workforce and about a third work on foreign vessels.
In his many years at sea, Jess Morales saw that few Filipino seafarers would advance up the nautical ranks. But even if they did rise to captain and make "as much as $5,000 a month", it did not matter much — both would often retire into the same pay grade.
"There is always this one-day millionaire mentality. We live for the moment. We have to be practical. There will come a time when we cannot set sail anymore," he said. "A seafarer is only as good as his last deployment."
Technically, there is no age limit set in the shipping industry, but in reality, "ship owners will want younger crew members".
Morales set up the Integrated Seafarers of the Philippines (ISP), an NGO and cooperative that is working on both ends of the remittance lifeline, teaching financial literacy to both the giver and the receiver. "We call the wives in for our financial management sessions. She is the one in charge of the purse strings."
Maybe if programs such as this had been in place during the periods in time Sierra tried to resettle in the Philippines, he would not have had to leave every time he couldn't make ends meet. Maybe he would have learnt how to save more.
Now, after 33 years of working, he is dreading retirement. "I have not saved anything. The only thing I have accumulated are years [added] to my age."
Psychological Effects on Migrant Workers
Families of Domestic Workers from the Philippines
Weighing the Pros and Cons of Working Abroad
This Story is a part of:
Who Takes Care of Nanny's Children?
Ana P. Santos is an independent journalist based in Manila, Philippines. Her work focuses mainly on HIV/AIDS and reproductive health rights, gender issues, and the inequalities that result from...
View this story on Gulf News
Story funded by the Pulitzer Center – donate now to support more stories like this!
Labor, Migrants, Displaced People and Refugees
Article, Photo
Ana P. Santos Talks about Filipino Overseas Workers on 'World Have Your Say'
Philippines: Migrant Mothers Bridge Distance with Virtual Parenting
Philippines: Everyone's Children But Her Own
Migration and Refugees

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
ZBC CEO "rules with an iron fist" as employees reject new job … – Technology Zimbabwe
Techzim
Zimbabwe and regional technology news and updates
There was drama at the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) as CEO Adelaide Chikunguru was said to have stormed out of a meeting with employees according to a report by New Zimbabwe. The issue stems from the introduction of the Paterson Job Evaluating System which essentially places job decision-making into six groups or bands which are policy-making, programming, interpretive, routine, automatic and defined.
"It was a spectacle. She was fuming like someone possessed and throwing all the tantrums. She shouted: 'people are disrespecting me here, tell me who is the boss of this place, yourselves or me'. She then walked out immediately after that and the meeting was aborted,"
The system is used to rank jobs by grade and be the root of a fair and impartial salary structure. It's implemented by sorting jobs into the aforementioned six groups that are then further stratified according to factors like stress factors, individual tolerance, length of job and number of job responsibilities that correspond to organisational levels to eventually give an organisation pay/salary scales.
According to the Sunday Mail over 54% of Zimbabwean organisations use the Paterson Job Evaluation System but ZBC employees were not having it and voiced their concerns.
"To tell the truth, people are tired of the situation at the company. She rules with an iron fist.
"This new grading system was imposed on workers without any consultation. She wanted to meet the employees but did not send the agenda. Even the entire executive is rebuked and silenced in meetings. She dictates what she wants."
I guess it's fair to say the mild furore surrounding the digital television roll-out is over as these reports demonstrate there is some work to do at the ZBC and for its CEO. However, the exact grievances the ZBC employees had to the model are still unclear, in any event here are the advantages and disadvantages of the Paterson method according to The Business Times
Advantages of using the Paterson system
• It is a simple system that is easy to understand and implement.
• it is cost-effective and internationally recognized
Disadvantages of using the Paterson
• Only one factor is used to evaluate all jobs.
• There is a lack of uniformity of procedures for interpreting and applying sub-grades.
• Problems are experienced in grading complex management hierarchies.
It will be interesting to see how this story unfolds as more information comes to light…
Aka, don't mess with the status quo! I don't if Adelaide is doing a good job, but I think the only way we'll see any real improvement is to have a full on purge of those incapable of adapting and rebuild from the ground up. It's ruthless, but nothing else has worked all these decades later. Of course, no such thing will happen. Status quo is a powerful addiction for those working under it and a powerful tool for those presiding over it.
Aldelaide is not the shareholder of ZBC. Its govt represented by a board. She is only a CEO appointed by the board. Important matters partaining to employee grading etc should not be personalised especially at ZBC.
This is where a lot of our politicians have been groomed if you check. A disproportinate number of MPs are former employees there. There is also the need to balance govt, party and factional interests in terms of who in the stuctures is in charge of the narrative.
Peterson grading structure may be inappropriate. See the decision matrix may actually involve those not employed there.
Adelaide & Respina Zinyanduko of NRZ same WhatsApp group
Less than 1yr old in Institutions you start implementing foolish changes disregarding the thoughts of those already in the system.
Oh My Govt it will not work rather you'll face kuramba nevanhu. You lose the vote of employees automatically lose those of their families.
3000 nrz employees + their 5000 family members its a huge 💥 boom
If it's not broken, don't fix it. That's why ZBC and NRZ are the most successful parastatals in Zimbabwe. 😁
Except where otherwise noted, content on and from this site is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.


text:
Trends: The New Mac OS
By Philip Michaels
Macworld	 Aug 31, 2000 5:00 pm PDT
You've been hearing about it for years now. Apple's next-generation operating system, OS X, is going to change the way you use your Macintosh forever. At last, the Mac will have a fully modern operating system. Preemptive multitasking! Protected memory! Powerful graphics! And a whole new set of souped-up applications designed specifically to take advantage of OS X's improved speed and stability.
"Great," you say, "but I've heard all this before. Just tell me when the OS will be ready."
"Soon," Apple says.
"How soon?" you say.
"Very soon," Apple says.
It's easy to become jaded by the hype, but don't be too skeptical. OS X is just around the corner, and it will radically affect your Mac experience. But things don't always go according to plan. Delays crop up. And when it comes to developing something as labor-intensive as an entirely new operating system, one delay can have a domino effect.
Want to understand the tortuous process of producing an entirely new OS? Think of your favorite childhood board game. Do something good, and you get to jump ahead several spaces toward the finish line. Make a mistake, and you slide back to square one. The road to OS X will work much the same way.
With that in mind, we proudly present the game Carbonland. Feel free to play it with family and friends as you while away the next few months, waiting for Mac OS X to make its early 2001 shipping date.
Carbonland was developed by Associate Editors PHILIP MICHAELS and MATHEW HONAN, and Editor in Chief ANDREW GORE.
More Info: http://www.macworld.com/2000/09/features/osx
Get the most up-to-date information on OS X's progress, and share your opinion of it in the Macworld.com forums.


ST. JAMES -- Little did St. James coach Rick Gaille know that Donaldsonville coach Gary Adkins would turn out to be a prophet.
With reclassification back in January, St. James and Donaldsonville ended up in different districts, after years of being district rivals.
Gaille, wanting to keep the rivalry alive, tried to secure a regular season game between the two teams. But Adkins balked at the idea telling Gaille that there was a chance the two teams could meet in Class 2A playoffs.
Well, Adkins prophecy came true as Donaldsonville travels to St. James in a 2A quarterfinals match up. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. at Wildcats Stadium.
"Coach Adkins must have known something, because we had numerous conversations about scheduling during the regular season," Gaille said. "But, he felt there was a chance we would meet in the playoffs. So, he didn�t want to schedule us in the regular season. But darn if he wasn�t right. It is great to have a playoff game with a rival and it is a game the communities can get into."
The Wildcats (10-2 overall) advanced to quarterfinals after a 30-0 road win over Homer.
St. James limited Homer to 163 total yards, while its offense gained 295.
Adkins said that the Wildcats Wing-T offense gets all the attention, but it is St. James� defense that catches his eye.
"Their defense is dominant and every time we�ve played them, I am impressed with the way they run to the football," Adkins said. "Our biggest challenge is to move the ball and move the chains against their defense."
Donaldsonville (11-1) moved the ball in last week�s 58-28 win over Oakdale. The Tigers racked up 405 yards, as Terrance Jackson finished with 102 yards rushing and three touchdowns.
Last season, St. James defeated Donaldsonville 34-6 when both teams were in District 10-2A. But Gaille said the Tigers, now a member of 7-2A, are much improved from last season.
"You could see the improvement coming on every since coach Adkins been there. This is not an overnight sensation, its been coming and it is not surprising to us that they are this good," Gaille said. "Many of their seniors started as sophomores and have played a lot. We are not surprised that they are a very worthy opponent in the quarterfinals."
Gaille said the Tigers run an option attack on offense, so being discipline on defense is a must.
"We have to be in the right place at the right time and react to their keys and finish plays off," Gaille said. "If you are not in the right place, they are very capable of making big plays.
Adkins is familiar with defending the Wildcats wing-T and he said that his defense has to worry about more than one running back in the St. James offense.
"We don�t worry about stopping one player. We are more concerned with stopping the wing-T," Adkins said. "We just have to go there and block and tackle and if we do that we will have a chance to win."
Gaille said that even though his team has easily beaten the Tigers over years, in no way are the Wildcats going to overlook Donaldsonville.
"With them being right next to us, and a rival, I don�t think that will be a problem. We just play each week as it comes and we will not take them lightly," Gaille said. "We are glad to be home and glad to play a good opponent."


Services :: Brown Security Solutions - Customer Service the way it use to be!
Thanks to our highly trained and industry leading technicians, we have the ability to provide on-time comprehensive services across all bank security products – regardless of the manufacturer.
The backbone of our customer service program is our Customer Portal, an online proprietary tool that gives your team, as well as ours, the ability to access real-time service call information, 24/7. This allows us to communicate, track, manage, and report all branch service activity – any time, any place. As a result, you can improve both security and productivity at your bank, whether you have one branch or 100.
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Release and Implement Government wide Reporting Requirements for Foreign Aid. These requirements will direct all Federal agencies that administer foreign assistance to provide timely and detailed information on budgets, disbursements, and project implementation. Agencies will be responsible for providing a set of common data fields that are internationally comparable. The information collected through the above initiative will be released in an open format and made available on a central portal – the Foreign Assistance Dashboard (ForeignAssistance.gov) – that will be updated quarterly.


If you find yourself in Manchester and fancy indulging your taste buds with unique ingredients, then look no further than The Botanist. Centrally located on Deansgate, this stylish restaurant and bar offers an impressive selection of food and drinks that spark the imagination.
As the name suggests, The Botanist prides itself on entertaining your palate with plant-based ingredients. The classy venue has a mix of customers from couples enjoying a romantic night out, to groups of friends catching up over a cocktail. A selection of eating areas, a high-end bar and an orangery provide plenty of options to choose from whether you're popping in for a drink or staying for a meal.
In addition to top-notch drinks and meal options, The Botanist also offers an interesting selection of nibbles to enjoy with a post-work tipple including, Cumberland and Pork Chipolatas and sharing boards that include tasty dishes such as Lamb Meatballs and Smoky Beans Hot Pots.
The extensive food menu features mouth-watering barbecue favourites such as Flattened Rump, 10oz sirloins and a variety of different chargrilled burgers, plus hanging kebabs and rotisserie chicken. The Home Comfort range offers Flat Iron Steak Sandwiches and Malaysian Curry, or for something even more comforting, why not goes for one of their scrumptious short-crust pastry pies including Butternut Squash, Goats Cheese and Mushroom or Steak and Ale – the perfect option when winter nights draw closer.
For those seeking a healthier option, The Botanist's salad selection is very colourful and includes Prosciutto, Watermelon and Feta, Tenderstem Broccoli, Beetroot and Avocado, as well as the popular Caesar or Crispy Salt and Pepper Beef.
I began my lunch at The Botanist with one of their nibbles, Salt and Pepper Onion Petals (£3.95), which were dusted in a mix of ginger and Chinese five spices and served with soured cream. Thankfully, they were nice and crunchy and not overly oily.
For my main I enjoyed a dish from The Botanist's Home Comforts range – the Prawn and Chicken Gumbo with Bacon, Rice and Peas served with coriander seasoned rice (£12.50), which was amazing. The chilli provided just the right amount of heat and the generous portion of prawns and chicken were moist and cooked to perfection.
To finish, I tried the Baked Camembert with Smoky Bacon and Crispy Onion Crust (£6.95). The apple slices provided a nice sweet contrast to the cheese and the bacon topping added a lovely crunch.
The Botanist has a wide range of eccentric cocktails. To kick things off, I started with their signature cocktail of Ketel One vodka, rum and elderflower liqueur. Its fresh ingredients and jasmine syrup offered a simple and balanced flavour profile, making it very drinkable!
Next up, I tried the Pear and Kiwi Cup from their Pots and Planters range, which was presented in a teapot with tendrils of fog! The dainty cocktail featured kiwi, lime and apple juice shaken with Licor 43, pear cognac, green apple liqueur and a splash of green tea and served with dry ice. Science it seems is not confined to a laboratory. It was well balanced, if slightly on the sweeter side for my personal taste, but they certainly achieved their desired outcome - to reconstruct botany through cocktails. Bravo!
The resident head bartender, a very knowledgeable and personal chap by the name of Pete, saved the best till last. Every month the team are challenged to create a cocktail that resonates with a specific charity. During my visit, the host charity was Barnados, so in keeping with its green branding and echoing the current ecological trends in cocktail design, The Believer was born. The cocktail features a pipette of chlorophyll (the stuff that makes plants green) and it also has great detoxification properties. Thankfully, unlike many healthy ingredients such as wheatgrass, it doesn't really taste of anything horrible.
We love The Botanist's maverick attitude and how they encourage guests to try new things. Every mouthful and sip had wow factor in abundance.
Be it a dry ice or chlorophyll cocktail, or one of their wintery-inspired main courses and puddings, it's hard to compete with their elaborate food and drink offerings. Hats off… we applaud you!
*During my visit I was hosted by The Botanist. All views and opinions are my own. Prices and menu options correct at time of review.


text:
#include "object.h"
#include "agent.h"
#include "pmt.pb.h"
#include "../util/util-nidaqmx.h"

namespace fetch {
    bool operator==(const cfg::device::NIDAQPMT& a,const cfg::device::NIDAQPMT& b);
    bool operator==(const cfg::device::SimulatedPMT& a,const cfg::device::SimulatedPMT& b);
    bool operator==(const cfg::device::PMT& a,const cfg::device::PMT& b);
    bool operator!=(const cfg::device::NIDAQPMT& a,const cfg::device::NIDAQPMT& b);
    bool operator!=(const cfg::device::SimulatedPMT& a,const cfg::device::SimulatedPMT& b);
    bool operator!=(const cfg::device::PMT& a,const cfg::device::PMT& b);
    namespace device {

    class IPMT {
    public:
        virtual void reset()=0;
    };

    template<class T>
    class PMTBase:public IPMT, public IConfigurableDevice<T> {
    public:
        PMTBase(Agent *agent)                               : IConfigurableDevice<T>(agent) {}
        PMTBase(Agent *agent, typename PMTBase::Config *cfg): IConfigurableDevice<T>(agent,cfg) {}
    };

    /* DAQmx Communication to PMT */

    class NIDAQPMT:public PMTBase<cfg::device::NIDAQPMT> {
        TaskHandle htask_;
    public:
        NIDAQPMT(Agent* agent);
        NIDAQPMT(Agent* agent, Config* cfg);
        virtual ~NIDAQPMT();

        virtual unsigned int on_attach();
        virtual unsigned int on_detach();

        virtual void _set_config(Config IN *cfg);

        virtual void reset();
    };

    /* SIMULATED */

    class SimulatedPMT:public PMTBase<cfg::device::SimulatedPMT> {
    public:
        SimulatedPMT(Agent *agent):PMTBase<cfg::device::SimulatedPMT>(agent) {}
        SimulatedPMT(Agent *agent, Config *cfg):PMTBase<cfg::device::SimulatedPMT>(agent,cfg) {}

        virtual unsigned int on_attach() {return 0;}
        virtual unsigned int on_detach() {return 0;}

        virtual void reset() {return;}
    };

    /* POLYMORPHIC */

    class PMT:public PMTBase<cfg::device::PMT>
    {
      NIDAQPMT     *_nidaq;
      SimulatedPMT *_simulated;
      IDevice      *_idevice;
      IPMT         *_ipmt;
    public:
      PMT(Agent *agent);
      PMT(Agent *agent, Config *cfg);
      ~PMT();

      virtual unsigned int on_attach();
      virtual unsigned int on_detach();

      void setKind(Config::PMTType kind);
      void _set_config( Config IN *cfg );
      void _set_config( const Config &cfg );

      virtual void reset();
    };

    } // device
} // fetch

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Q: Can't grant myself permissions to use the rm command I have a user account on my machine:
$ (whoami)
foo_user

I've updated by /etc/sudoers file to grant myself permissions to use the rm command:
User_Alias      OPERATORS = foo_user
Cmnd_Alias      RM = /bin/rm
OPERATORS       ALL = RM
OPERATORS       ]ALL = (ALL) ALL

However, when I try to run rm on a directory, I get a permissions denied error:
rm: /root-directory: Permission denied

What am I doing wrong?

A: What you seem to be doing is to allow a bunch of operators to use certain commands... Therefore do a visudo and add:
 Cmnd_Alias      CMD_OPERATOR=/bin/rm *

then add the group operator and allow that group to execute whatever is in the CMD_OPERATOR
 %operator       ALL=CMD_OPERATOR

Quit visudo, saving your changes and finally add foo_user to the group operator:
 usermod --append --groups operator foo_user

If you want to:

*

*add more users to the operators group just:
 usermod --append --groups operator bar_user

*Add any other commands to the operator group in the future, visudo again and separate them by a , as per below:
 Cmnd_Alias      CMD_OPERATOR=/bin/rm /media/*, /bin/umount /media/*

In the above example operators are allowed to remove anything from the /media/ mount and unmount it as well but they'll not be able to do silly stuff like rm --recursive --force /etc or umount /home

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Shoeless Joe Gloves, Shoeless Jane 34 Inch Fast Pitch Softball Catcher's Mitt's distinctive look and feel will make you the envy of catcher's around the league. Designed to allow the catcher to catch fastballs all game long without hurting their hand or wearing down the glove quickly. The Fast Pitch Cather's Mitt has a deeper pocket and thinner side walls to accommodate for the bigger ball. Catcher mitts are also measured around the circumference of the glove to display the catching area of the glove.
Who didn't dream of being a catcher when they were a kid? The special equipment and getting to be apart of almost every play is very alluring. not to mention the special catcher's mitt.


Are you the proud owner of a beautiful house in a suburban setting? Have you recently purchased a cozy three bedroom home down by the foothills?
So what was it that brought you here? Creaky hinges? Rusted door panels? Broken springs? Alternatively, you just didn't like it, did you?
From our prime location to down south (or north) we have been voted the best in our services in a four thousand kilometer radius! Now that is saying something, isn't it? Apart from our massively bloated ego that most famous companies have, we also deliver. We have the best prices combined with on time services. Aiming to maintain a 100% work ethic, we also include a price match guarantee. We do not discriminate in location or customer, for at the end of the day a garage door is still a garage door to us. If our services seem too steep for you, we also provide monthly installations and coupons for first-time customers as well! That makes it easier for our clients to have access to reliable services and amazing doors!
Call another company offering the same services, go on now. We can match it. Not only that, but we will also give you something better in return for your choice of company. You see, to us garage doors are an important part of a functional home. Inside a garage is where you store most of your tools and leftover furniture, and along with that you also park your vehicles. It would be a shame to expose anything that you hope to keep safe to the elements. We only wish that most of us treat our garages as an intricate part of their house's design rather than letting it be a standalone storage space.
24 Hour Garage Door Repair Service just a call away!
We still haven't mentioned the best part though. We also work on a 24/7 basis. So it does not matter if its past midnight and you cannot access the door, for we will respond to your call and rush over to provide our help. A garage door is much like a car in its most primitive machinery. It can get off axis rotation and become misaligned. It may also be damaged from the sides from an accidental bump while parking your car. In some rare cases, it may even start moving the wrong way and give you the impression that it has possessed, and the only solution is to find an exorcist.
Honestly, though, it is a machine and machines require high-quality maintenance. The technicians working here at Garage Door Services (Insert Location) can troubleshoot the issues of any garage door in a few minutes. They can tell you why it will not open or why it makes those awful creaking sounds with just a few moments alone (or together, they are not picky) with your garage door. It takes us one visit to solve the issues of a garage door, and two if yours is in horrible shape and needs replacement.
We have technicians that have trained in the art of healing broken doors and creating new ones. Give them a chance, and they are sure to bless away all your door issues. It is important for you to know that here at Garage Door Repair Services (Insert Location) we offer the best that money can buy. All in all, there is nothing we cannot handle when it comes to garage doors. If you have a problem, then call us! We will respond, deliver, and get that door functioning in no time at all.
Maintenance is key to a healthier lifestyle of a machine operated home. Differing climatic conditions and excessive usage are all factors that lead to breaking down of the machinery at home. As garage doors remain in frequent use, these factors lead to wear and tear and then ultimately, the sad demise of a once beautiful door. Sometimes we call the wrong repairmen, and they end up using parts that may not be suitable for the make of your door, which leads to further worsening of the issue.
Some other problems with the doors are cable tear and spring breaks. Usage or wrong installation of parts hastens these two to an inevitable end. The people working in our company have trained themselves never to overlook even the minutest issues, for they can lead to a scenario where you are trapped in a dark garage with no hope of getting out because the door is quite heavy.
We offer a variety of services, from spring repair to panel replacement. Faulty springs can drop the door as they are the primary reason why the door holds while you peruse the garage. Cables that help to pull the door back may snap at any time if the tearing is bigger than expected which can cause the garage door to swing like a pendulum and wreak havoc inside the garage. We offer sensor repairs, for they are easily damaged as well due to seepage, cracks, or a damaged battery. Having a dead battery means that the transmitter will refuse to switch open the door which in turn inhibits the opening partially or entirely. A broken garage door is quite a dangerous situation to deal with and needs immediate attention for it may trap or hurt homeowners without a second thought.
Well, whatever your reason may be for visiting our fabulous website, we open our doors to you! Here at Garage Door Repair Services, we offer a broad range of services. From renewing your existing garage door to completely replacing it, we aim to make your life easier and frankly speaking, to provide better and more aesthetically pleasing garage doors.
Still unsure of your decision to call us? Well, everybody likes something which is free, so call us now for a free check-up of your garage door. You see when a garage door malfunctions it is quite a dangerous situation. It is of the utmost importance to get it looked at or fixed immediately. So pick up the phone and get the Garage Door Doctor to come over for a free check-up.


text:
(© amenic181 - stock.adobe.com)
How to make cats hunt less: Play with them more often, give them meatier food
by Study Finds
EXETER, England — Cat owners who find that their pet frequently brings a bounty of freshly-caught rodents to the house may need to give some more attention to their beloved feline. That's because cats hunt less if their owners play with them every day and feed them meaty foods, according to one study.
Researchers at the University of Exeter say that cats that played with their owners for just five or 10 minutes each day brought home 25 percent less prey. Even more effective, their research shows, is introducing a premium commercial food with meat proteins. This reduces the number of prey animals brought home by more than a third (36 percent).
Give cats a meatier diet, and they'll hunt less
Lisa George, one of the British participants, was astonished to see the changes in her 3-year-old tabby cat, Minnie, who took part in the trial.
"Minnie loves to hunt. More often than not, she will bring her prey home and let it go in the house. We've had birds in the bedroom, rats in the waste-paper bin which took us three days to catch, rabbits in the utility room," George says in a statement. "On changing Minnie's food, previously supermarket-own brand, to another one (with more meat) I found she hardly hunted at all. This continued the whole time she was on this food. I can honestly say I couldn't believe the difference as regards her hunting behavior."
Researchers say it is not clear what elements of the meaty food brings about the reduction in hunting.
"Some cat foods contain protein from plant sources such as soy, and it is possible that despite forming a 'complete diet' these foods leave some cats deficient in one or more micronutrients, prompting them to hunt," says Martina Cecchetti, a PhD student who conducted the experiments. "However meat production raises clear climate and environmental issues, so one of our next steps is to find out whether specific micronutrients could be added to cat foods to reduce hunting. We also plan to investigate whether different kinds of play have different effects, and whether combining strategies can reduce hunting even further."
A problem for cat owners near and far
Hunting by cats is a conservation and welfare concern, but methods to reduce this are controversial and often rely on restricting cat behavior in ways many owners find unacceptable.
"Previous research in this area has focused on inhibiting cats' ability to hunt, either by keeping them indoors or fitting them with collars, devices and deterrents," says study co-author Robbie McDonald, a professor at the University of Exeter, in a media release. "While keeping cats indoors is the only sure-fire way to prevent hunting, some owners are worried about the welfare implications of restricting their cat's outdoor access."
The study was based on a three-month trial of 355 cats in 219 households in southwest England. Researchers had owners simulate hunting by moving feather toys on a string so cats could stalk, chase and pounce. Owners also gave cats a toy mouse to play with after each "hunt" mimicking a real kill.
The authors also examined the effect of existing devices used to limit hunting by cats. Colorful "Birdsbesafe" collar covers reduced numbers of birds captured and brought home by 42 percent, but had no effect on hunting of prey. Cat bells also had no discernible overall effect, although the researchers say the impact on individual cats varied widely, suggesting some learn to hunt successfully despite wearing a bell.
"This latest study we have funded is excellent news for birds," says George Bradley, from SongBird Survival, which sponsored the study. "The data show that cat owners like me can make a few small and easy steps to really improve the health and happiness of our pets as well as make a really big difference for all our wildlife, especially our beloved songbirds. Making these easy-to-implement changes will be a win-win for birds, cats and cat owners."
Dr Adam Grogan, Head of Wildlife at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) in England, also welcomes the study results. "The RSPCA cares for both cats and wild animals and we want to provide advice to cat owners that will benefit both cat and wild animal welfare," he says. "This project provides us with alternatives for cat owners that are simple and effective and so easy to adopt."
SWNS writer Laura Sharman contributed to this report.
View StudyFinds's article archive
Survey: Pet Owners Happier, Wealthier, More Fit Than Non-OwnersAugust 9, 2018
Is your pet an extension of yourself? Most pet owners think they share the same personality as their animalsFebruary 11, 2021
'Substantial proportion' of cats, dogs at risk of catching COVID from ownersSeptember 21, 2020
Fur-ever love: 3 in 5 people consider their pet a 'soulmate'October 9, 2021
Cats Can Contract COVID-19 From Humans, Transmit Virus To Other CatsMay 14, 2020
Ruff life: 2 in 5 say owning a pet is more expensive than having children!November 9, 2021
Sweet-tooth nation: Average person overindulges on junk food 3 nights a week2 mins ago


Haldi or turmeric is an important trade goods of Indian preparation. The spice conjointly holds a special place in Indian weddings. this is often celebrated during a ritual referred to as the Haldi or Pithi Ceremony. It takes place in each the bride's and therefore the groom's homes a number of days before the particular wedding.
Item Reviewed: why turmeric applied to bride and bride groom before marriage 9 out of 10 based on 10 ratings. 9 user reviews.


Middlemore, as the Auckland Golf Club is better known, was originally founded in 1885. The club moved twice before settling on the present location in the suburbs of Manukau City, one of the four cities that make up the conurbation of Auckland. The new course, originally a nine-hole layout, opened for play in 1910 and it was designed by club professional Fred G. Hood and within two years it was extended to eighteen holes.
The new course at Middlemore was soon to see some real action and the first of numerous New Zealand Opens was held here in 1914. Charles Redhead completely revised the course in the mid 1920s, directing operations from a tent pitched beside the 3rd green. Further course modifications were undertaken by Peter Thomson and Michael Wolveridge in the 1970s and 1980s respectively.
The course is laid out on gently undulating ground and, although the soil is predominantly clay, the course remains dry and playable thanks to extensive drainage improvements over the years. The golf at Auckland is truly excellent, it's an interesting parkland layout with stands of pine trees separating some fairways.
Measuring close to 7,000 yards from the tips, Auckland is a tough test but when the course is set up in its competition livery it's a daunting challenge. The last New Zealand Open to be held at Auckland Golf Club was in January 2003 and fittingly New Zealand's Mahal Pearce won the tournament for his first professional title.
A spectacular new clubhouse has replaced the homely wooden building, which stood for so many years, and the members now enjoy world-class facilities. Talking of members, you'll need to befriend one to get a game here. Auckland is one of New Zealand's most private golf clubs.
In 2011, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of New Zealand, granted Auckland Golf Club "Royal" status, but six years later things changed considerably.
In 2017, the Royal Auckland Golf Club merged with Grange Golf Club to create a new club called Royal Auckland and Grange Golf Club. An estuary separated both courses and there was no physical link between the two layouts, so two bridges and a new clubhouse, sited on the estuary, will be built to join the properties. Land on both sides of the original 18-hole courses was sold to finance a new 27-hole layout and the associated infrastructure. Chris Cochran from Nicklaus Design is responsible for the course layout.
Disappointing dated course which only seems to be here by virtue of its "Royal" status. Extremely well presented all the same and with the recent takeover of the Grange real estate and a Jack Nicklaus redesign into a 27 hole course we can expect great things. But for now its place in the top 50 needs review.
An average (and perhaps outdated) layout immaculately presented. The club obviously realised this and through amalgamation with the adjacent Grange Golf Club are about to embark on an ambitious 27 hole redevelopment designed by Nicklaus Golf.


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ACTIVITY: Select an Activity... Backpacking Beach Activities Boating Camping Camping-Privately Owned Cross-country Skiing Dining Educational Activities Fishing Group Sites Hiking & Walking Horseback Riding Hunting Identification Interpretive Sites Lodging Mountain Biking Museums & Visitor Centers Off-Highway Vehicles Other Paddling Sports Picnicking Recreation Areas Road Biking Scenic Driving Sledding & Snowplay Snowmobiling Swimming & Waterplay Viewing Scenery Viewing Wildlife Water Skiing
Ohio > Ohio State Parks, Forests and Nature Preserves > Lake Alma State Park
Lake Alma State Park
Activities within Lake Alma State Park:
Camping Cross-country Skiing Group Sites Hiking & Walking
All Lake Alma State Park Outdoor Recreation Activities
Lake Alma State Park Customized Topo Maps and Aerial Photos
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Copyright: - Ohio Department of Natural Resources
Description - Lake Alma lies nestled in the heart of the unglaciated hill country of Ohio. These hills are part of the Appalachian Highlands. Most of the rock layers are acidic sandstones, shales and coals with an occasional limestone member. Lake Alma contains a fine example of a second growth forest mainly of a mixed oak composition.
Built in 1903 by the late C.K. Davis, a wealthy coal operator, Lake Alma was originally constructed as an amusement park. The park then boasted a large dance pavilion, outdoor theater, a merry-go-round and several other rides. This attraction prospered only until 1910 and was later purchased by the city of Wellston for a municipal water supply. The city leases the area to the ODNR Division of Parks and Recreation for operation as a state park.
Attractions - Lake Alma State Park consists of 290 acres of land, 60 acres of water, and a mere half a mile of creek. Non-powered watercraft and boats with electric motors only are permitted on Lake Alma. A boat launch ramp is located at the northeast edge of the lake. Bass, bluegill, crappie and channel catfish provide good catches in the lake. A valid Ohio fishing license is required. Two public beaches are located on the north side of the lake. Change booths, latrines and parking are provided.
Campers will find a 60-site area suitable for tents or trailers. All sites are wooded and have electricity. Pet camping is available on designated sites. Facilities include pit latrines, tables, fire rings, dump station and drinking water.
Approximately four miles of trail traverse hilltops and valleys offering hikers a scenic view of the park. A 1-mile paved walkway / bicycle path begins at the park entrance and ends at the park exit.
Scenic picnic areas with non-reservable shelters, tables and grills are located throughout the park.
Recreation - Outdoor recreation at Lake Alma consists of camping, limited boating, swimming, fishing, limited biking, picnicking, hiking, sledding, ice fishing, ice skating, and cross-country skiing.
Climate - This state has four distinct seasons and a brilliant fall foliage display in it southern woods during mid October. Winter lasts from December through February with average temperatures near 25 degrees F. Low temperatures dip to single digits, but do not often drop below zero. Northern regions of the state receive average snowfall amounts of 55 inches, while the central and southern regions of the state receive lesser amounts with averages near 30 inches. This difference is caused by lake-affect moisture patterns.
Spring temperatures begin to warm the landscapes of Ohio by mid March and are in full swing by April. Temperatures range from 40 through 70 degrees F through the spring months. This season often brings the most rainfall, before the drying heat of summer. Summer can be extremely hot and humid in the interior of Ohio. Temperatures reach above 90 degrees F frequently through July and August. Cooler fall temperatures don't reach the region until mid to late September. This is a pleasant time to visit as the air is crisp with low humidity levels. Ohio's annual precipitation usually reaches slightly above 50 inches.
Location - Located just north of Wellston, Lake Alma State Park may be accessed off State Route 349.
Lake Alma State Park, Route 1, Box 422 , Wellston, OH, 45692, Phone: 740-384-4474
Ohio Lakes and Reservoirs - Ohio has more than 2,500 lakes and 44,000 miles of rivers and streams. Lake Erie, the southernmost Great Lake, is a major recreation attraction.
Ohio State Parks and Forests - Great outdoor adventure begins in Ohio at one of the 20 state forests or one of the 73 award-winning state park sites.
Southeast Ohio - Ohio's rugged beauty awaits in Southeast Travel Region where miles of tree-lined trails traverse the landscape once inhabited by Native Americans.
Lake Alma State Park - Official agency website.
Ohio State Parks - Official Agency Website


Find local bargains in and near Port-Appin (Strathclyde).
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The Country Inn & Suites, Tinley Park welcomes you with an array of services and amenities that includes an indoor pool, a hot tub, free high-speed Internet access, and complimentary cookies and coffee available 24 hours a day. If you forgot to pack some essentials for your trip, our Did You Forget? Program supplies you with the missing items free of charge.
Another convenient service that won't cost you a penny is our free, hot breakfast. You can make your own Belgian waffles or select from favorites like fresh fruit, bagels, bacon and scrambled eggs. While the Country Inn & Suites handles breakfast, Tinley Park offers outstanding lunch and dinner options at nearby restaurants, such as Mr. Benny's Steak & Lobster House, Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery, and Barraco's Ristorante.


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Share this Story: Group apologizes for auctioning a night in Mandela's cell
Group apologizes for auctioning a night in Mandela's cell
Cara Anna
FILE - In this March 27, 1998 file photo, Nelson Mandela and former US president Bill Clinton look outside from Mandela's Robben Island prison cell, in Cape Town, South Africa. On Friday, July 6, 2018, a South Africa organization, the CEO SleepOut, that was auctioning off a night in Mandela's cell, apologized and removed the event from its website after the auction raised an outcry among some in the country. Photo by Scott Applewhite /AP
JOHANNESBURG — The offer caused an outcry: The highest bidder in a South African charity event would get a "once-in-a-lifetime" chance to spend the night in Nelson Mandela's prison cell, where the anti-apartheid leader spent 18 years.
"So brazenly in bad taste, there are no words," local photographer Victor Dlamini said on Twitter, while other South Africans cringed at the idea of corporate leaders competing to sleep where the Nobel Peace Prize winner once struggled to remain "undiminished."
Group apologizes for auctioning a night in Mandela's cell Back to video
Offering "sincere apologies," The CEO SleepOut trustees said they hadn't meant to cause offence and the event was removed this week from the website. The bidding had begun at $250,000; one of the last bids listed was from a likely tongue-in-cheek "Robert Mugabe." Proceeds from the group's events, which often involve sleeping outdoors for a night, go to benefit the homeless.
The CEO SleepOut website, however, says the prison event on Robben Island has been postponed, not cancelled.
A Robben Island Museum spokeswoman this week told local media there had been no agreement to use the cell, which in the years since Mandela's release from prison and his election in 1994 as South Africa's first black president has become a place of pilgrimage.
Former U.S. presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton are among those who have come to view the small, bleak concrete cell and remember the decades-long fight against the harsh system of white minority rule known as apartheid. Mandela died in 2013.
Obama, who said he was "deeply humbled" by the experience, returns to South Africa this month for one of his most high-profile speeches since he left office. He will deliver the Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture for an expected audience of thousands in Johannesburg on July 17.
The speech is part of events marking 100 years since Mandela's birth, and Mandela's foundation says Obama's remarks will focus "on creating conditions for bridging divides, working across ideological lines, and resisting oppression and inequality."
Follow Africa news at https://twitter.com/AP–Africa


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Caleb Flaxey
Born: August 30, 1983
Birthplace: Scarborough, Ontario
Home Province: Ontario
Hometown: Caledon, Ontario
Caleb Flaxey was the fifth on the team skipped by Brad Jacobs that at Sochi 2014 won Canada's third straight Olympic gold medal in men's curling. Flaxey did not see any game action, but did get to stand atop the podium. The team posted a 7-2 round robin record in Sochi, before defeating China 10-6 in the semifinal and Great Britain 9-3 in the final.
Flaxey had been the lead on the Northern Ontario team that included brothers E.J. and Ryan Harnden that competed at the 2008 Brier. He also played lead at the 2010 Brier after Jacobs had taken over the skipping duties.
Despite their national and international success, Team Jacobs was not directly qualified to the Roar of the Rings Canadian Curling Trials. They had to go through the Road to the Roar pre-trials bonspiel, from which they were the very last qualifiers for the trials. The team went on to post a perfect 7-0 record in round robin play at the Roar of the Rings, giving them a bye to the final where they beat Team John Morris 7-4.
2014 Sochi Curling Men Gold


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COOL CITIES - Russisch-orthodoxe kirche der heiligen elisabeth
© Raphael Guillou
RUSSISCH-ORTHODOXE KIRCHE DER HEILIGEN ELISABETH
HOME Wiesbaden Cool Spots, Highlights Russisch-Orthodoxe Kirche der Heiligen Elisabeth
Surrounded by greenery, this impressive piece of architecture is a landmark of the Neroberg. The five golden towers with their onion-shaped domes are adorned with orthodox crosses. The basilica was constructed from 1849–1855 by Duke Adolf von Nassau in commemoration of his late consort, a Russian princess, who died giving birth to their first child. Her sarcophagus was carved in her memory, leaving a lasting impression on visitors. The church has a west and south entrance. The latter was once only meant for the Duke, but was closed permanently in 1917 after the fall of the Tsar Nicholas II. Visitors today can enter via the west entrance.
Christian-Spielmann-Weg 1
www.roc-wiesbaden.de
Bus 1 Nerotal
KLEMM
NEROBERG MIT NEROBERGBAHN
WARMER DAMM
LAMBERTUS KURHAUS WIESBADEN
MANOAMANO


While he never managed to win an English league title medal with Liverpool, Gerrard will forever be associated with the Champions League final in 2005 when Liverpool fought back from 3-0 down at halftime to win on penalties in Istanbul.
Former Liverpool and England captain Steven Gerrard announced his retirement on Thursday a week after confirming he would not be returning to play for MLS side LA Galaxy.
Gerrard spent virtually his entire career at Liverpool having made his debut as a substitute against Blackburn Rovers in 1998. He is third on the club's all-time appearances list with 710, behind only Jamie Carragher and Ian Callaghan.
He scored 120 goals in 504 Premier League games.
One of the most highly-regarded midfield players in world football at his peak, he was capped 114 times for England, 40 as captain, and played in six major tournaments.
Gerrard left Liverpool in 2015 and spent 18 months with Galaxy, scoring five goals in 34 appearances.
Gerrard scored Liverpool's first goal and drove the team on to arguably one of the greatest nights in the club's history.
Liverpool had looked on course for a first title in 24 years in 2014 after an 11-match winning streak but Gerrard's costly stumble at home to Chelsea in April gifted Demba Ba a goal that put the visitors on the way to a 2-0 victory.
The club's title charge fell apart thereafter and Manchester City snatched it.
"There's not a day that goes by that I don't think about what if that didn't happen," Gerrard once said.
As well as the Champions League, Gerrard won two FA Cups with Liverpool, three League Cups and the UEFA Cup.
Individually he was named in third place in FIFA's World Player of the Year in 2005 and PFA Player of the Year in 2006.
"I feel lucky to have experienced so many wonderful highlights and I'm proud to have played over 700 games for Liverpool, many as captain, and helping to bring major honours back to the club, none more so than the famous night in Istanbul," Gerrard said in his lengthy statement.
He has been linked with a return to Anfield in a coaching capacity.


Gov. Andrew Cuomo is in New York City with no public schedule. Members of his cabinet continue to spread the gospel of the 2013-14 budget.
At noon, ESDC Regional President Sam Hoyt will be at the CUTCO Theatre, 260 North Union St., Olean.
251 Glen St., Glens Falls.
State Operations Director Howard Glaser discusses Hurricane Sandy recovery efforts to open a "Rebuilding NY Conference" organized Crain's New York Business; 8:30 a.m., at the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel, 811 Seventh Ave., Manhattan.
At 10:45 a.m., SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher discusses power of SUNY as a driver of regional growth and employment, Bulmer Telecommunications Center, Hudson Valley Community College, 80 Vandenburgh Ave., Troy.
At 11 a.m., Environmental and public interest groups call for environmental initiatives to fight for climate change, Third Floor LCA offices, state Capitol, Albany.
Also at noon, Bronx businessman and the former president of Radio Cantico Nuevo Inc., the Rev. Erick Salgado, kicks off his mayoral campaign. He'll be introduced by Sen. Ruben Diaz; steps, City Hall, Manhattan.
And also at noon, the Capital District Area Labor Federation will support the National Federation of Federal Employees "in fighting back against the impacts facing the Capital District's working families as a result of the senseless sequester cuts." Watervliet Arsenal, South Gate on Broadway.
State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli will be on Staten Island today.
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., he holds an event with BP James Molinaro where residents can investigate whether they are owed unclaimed funds; Borough Hall, 10 Richmond Terrace.
At 2 p.m., DiNapoli presents an oversized check representing unclaimed funds to Staten Island Zoo officials during an event with the zoo's mascot, Staten Island Chuck; main entrance, 614 Broadway, Staten Island.
US AG Eric H. Holder Jr. presents a keynote speech during the 15th annual "Keepers of the Dream Awards" dinner at the National Action Network conference, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., also at the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel.
The confidential informant in the NYC mayoral ballot bribe case is reportedly Monsey resident Moses Stern, who is accused of having orchestrated a $100 million dollar fraudulent real estate deal. More here and here.
The scandal has revived questions about NYC Council Speaker and Democratic mayoral frontrunner Chris Quinn's oversight over the controversial earmark program. More here.
Smith blew through more than $2 million in campaign cash over five years — bunking at ritzy hotels, dining at four-star restaurants and even traveling to China, campaign- finance records show.
Smith is likely going to lose staffers in Albany as a result of IDC leader Jeff Klein's decision to strip him of his chairmanships and other perks.
More than 200 state Thruway workers lost their jobs yesterday after agency and union officials were unable to agree on money-saving concessions.
Cuomo touted the 2013-14 budget in Central New York, saying the region will see an overall funding boost of $150 million.
In a TU OpEd, former Gov. David Paterson lauds the new budget, says Cuomo is making government work better than it has in "decades," and slams his former Senate Democrat colleagues for failing to muster the votes to mass marijuana reform.
NYC GOP mayoral candidate Joe Lhota won't participate in debates with the Democratic candidates until after the September primary, assuming he wins.
More than 400 workers are expected to engage in today's one-day strike at 60 to 70 McDonald's, Domino's, Taco Bell and other fast-food restaurants.
Clues to look for to determine whether Hillary 2016 is indeed a reality.
For the second time in a case stemming from Occupy Wall Street demonstrations, NYC lawyers are not stepping forward to defend a police commander accused of mistreating protesters.
Skaneateles Mayor Martin Hubbard plans to extend his voluntary pay cut another four years, saving the village $38,000.
An industry-created voluntary system to recycle toxic mercury from old thermostats is allowing too many to get into the trash and pollute the environment, according to a coalition of environmental groups.
The New York City Department of Education's most prominent parent activist found herself in an uncomfortable position Wednesday – defending her surprising decision to send her children to private school.
The Milwaukee Archdiocese will release of thousands of pages of papers detailing information about priests' sexual abuse, including depositions by church leaders like New York's Timothy Cardinal Dolan.
Three western New York newspapers – the Niagara Gazette, Lockport Union-Sun & Journal and Tonawanda News – will stop publishing Tuesday editions the week of May 5.
Print article This entry was posted by Liz Benjamin on April 4, 2013 at 6:55 am, and is filed under Uncategorized. Follow any responses to this post through RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
Day 3 of STUPIDSMITHGATE & guess what another member of the Legislature is being indicted as I type this.
Federal corruption charges are being filed against another state lawmaker.
An indictment will be unsealed today against Bronx State Assemblyman Eric Stevenson and four other defendants.
The U.S. Attorney's office says Stevenson took bribes in exchange for proposing and enacting legislation to benefit businesses run by co-defendants.
Two of the co-defendants are also accused of bribing another Assemblyman, who was cooperating with the government in its investigation.
This comes just days after state senator Malcolm Smith, City Councilman Dan Halloran and others were charged with trying to rig the mayor's race.
NY1 will have more information as it becomes available.
It seems that Senate GOP leader Dean Skelos and IDC Leader Jeff Klein have some explaining to do.
These two were fully aware of the corruption rumors involving Malcolm Smith; rumors that had the FBI investigating Smith for several years.
In spite of this knowledge, Skelos and Klein made a bargain with "the devil"…bringing Smith into the IDC, and making him chair of same.
Smith was not needed to keep Skelos' coalition alive.
As Willie Sutton reputedly replied as to why he robbed banks by saying "because that's where the money is", Smith joined the IDC because that is where the money, the pay-offs, could be gotten.
In the article below one of the persons interviewed, as is the case when anyone is asking for a better wage, the complaint is that the wage being paid is not enough to support a family.
While I empathize with the plight of anyone struggling to provide for their family, wages are supposed to be based on the value of the work and unfortunately it seems that even work that requires a college degree, and is presumably worth more because of the investment in education, is not going to pay much.
Fast food is supposed to be a pathway toward plausibly marketable skills, not a lifetime career (unless a person goes into it with the goal of becoming a franchisee or manage multiple stores or some such thing).
It used to be that you went to college or learned a trade and that was how one became upwardly mobile. It appears that those days are few and fleeting. In the current economic climate it seems that the best one can hope for is to become qualified for a position that is in demand. That might only secure regular employment, not a wage on which to raise a family.
There are hordes of graduates, both from colleges, graduates schools and even technical schools who cannot find any work let alone work that pays well. Even in medical industry, clinical staff will be in demand but insurance companies and CMS (Medicare/Medicaid) have a very strong influence on much an institution can charge for its services which in turn affects the number of open positions and their wages.
The links to articles I tried to post are incomplete for some reason. Google "Stella D'Oro" and click on the NY Daily News article.
NYC's public finance law provides $6 for each of first $175 contributed by small donors.
Some are now suggesting that Malcolm Smith's apparent Don Quixote quest for the NYC GOP candidacy was to collect mucho public finance dollars.
He could then possibly disburse these monies to other Senators, including those in the IDC.
The IDC's Klein should tell us this can't be true; it was not some grand secret scheme to help Senators get funding.
Mr.Klein, tell us why we shouldn't believe this?
Liz had a good interview with Andrea Stewart-Cousins last night.
I would have liked to have heard Andrea renounce Malcolm Smith's behavior; and more forcefully asked him to resign from the Senate.


The National Association of Timber Industry «Russian Forest» was founded in 2013. The emergence of the «Russian Forest» was the result of the merging of logging, processing, logistics and distribution companies of the Russian forest industry. Concern for the environment has become a unifying idea for each individual company, and a fundamental understanding of the realities of the industry has become an indispensable attribute. All this made it possible to form the position of the professional community, find a connection between forest industry and the legislative system of the Russian Federation and begin productive work at a fundamentally new level.
Currently, together with the State Duma Committee on Natural Resources, Ownership and Land Tenure and the Federal Forestry Agency, the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, the association is taking measures aimed at improving the legislation of the Russian Federation. Participation in parliamentary hearings, meetings of working groups and sessions provides an opportunity to form a unified position of the professional community and defend the interests of forest industry. With the assistance of the «Russian Forest» Association, this year the National Forest Forum will be held in five federal districts, uniting representatives of all parties interested in the effective use of Russia's wealth — the forest. The very presence of the association within the industry makes it possible to make relations between the state and forest industry more structured, which has a positive effect on the business component of the industry. On the other hand, it gives the opportunity to better control the work and optimize every single process within the industry.


Current licensee at The Prestoungrange Gothenburg, Sean Wood, is hanging up his hat to make way for his protege, Michelle Wilson, to take over the helm! Michelle started working at The Gothenburg a couple of years ago and very quickly rose through the ranks to become the General Manager, under Sean's leadership.
Sean Wood said: "Michelle became very evidently a huge asset to the business soon after she started. She clearly has the drive, ambition and passion to make the best out of anything she puts her hands to. The businesses entertainment programme has grown significantly since Michelle took it on and we have become a true destination for those seeking out weekend entertainment".
Sean will be moving on to spend more time on other ventures, whilst Michelle will take on the lease and roll out a plan of improvements and initiatives to take the establishment to the next level.
"I've done what I can here and it's now time to pass the baton on to somebody else to take things forward and seek out new ways of enhancing what is on offer at The Goth and I couldn't think of anybody better than Michelle to do just that. It seems such a natural transition. I have found it an absolute pleasure to serve the community during my tenure, having presided over 7 weddings, numerous family occasions and events, and have a huge gratitude of praise for Michelle having stood by my side throughout this time. I wish her all the best for the future." added Sean.
The Gothenburg has changed publicans a few times over the 110 years it has been in existence, the most significant of which was when Dr Gordon Prestoungrange's Family's Trust purchased and refurbished the building in 2004; they have retained ownership ever since.
An attempt to encourage a community buy out two years ago didn't come to fruition, at which point Sean Wood took on the lease of the establishment having been the resident brewer for a year. Michelle will take over from November 2018 and is really looking forward to the challenge.
Michelle said: "This is an excellent opportunity that I'll grab hold of with both hands. I love this place and everything about it. Our customers are an absolute pleasure to deal with and no two days are the same. There is definitely something special about The Gothenburg and I have some incredible memories since I've been here and am looking forward to creating many more.
left/ right Calum Wilson, partner, and Michelle Wilson with smiling customers!
Dr. Gordon Prestoungrange said: "We look forward to The Gothenburg continuing to offer the community a place where they can spend time with friends and family under Michelle's leadership. Michelle has impressed us with her enthusiasm and energy. She has clearly made a significant contribution during her time as the General Manager and before and comes highly recommended not only by Sean, but by countless members of the community who have taken the time to show their support for her.
N.B. Importantly, plans are already in hand to resume regular active brewing in the Fowler's microbrewery facility at The Gothenburg. Watch this space! Watch for Fowler's Wee Heavie ….


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