text:
From the Romans to Calatrava,
Valencia blossoms in the sun
Oranges ripening under blue skies in Valencia (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2020)
Some weeks before the outbreak of Covid-19 or the Corona Virus pandemic, before Italy and Spain went into 'lockdown' and virtual isolation, I spent a few carefree days in Valencia, on the east coast of Spain.
I was conscious that week that back in Ireland there was snow, ice and freezing temperatures. But in Valencia, the oranges were ripening on the trees, the skies were blue, and the temperatures were in the high teens.
Valencia is Spain's third city, but for tourists and travellers it is almost as if Valencia lives in the shadows of Barcelona. Both Valencia and Barcelona are Catalan-speaking cities, and Valencian is the Catalan dialect spoken throughout the ethnically Catalan Valencia region, just south of Catalonia.
The similarities with Barcelona, which I visited four years ago, are striking. Both Mediterranean ports have large harbours full of cruise ships, pretty beachfront promenades, atmospheric Gothic cores, picturesque central markets, and attractive, futuristic architecture.
Barcelona has long had the tourism edge over other cities with Gaudí's distinctive architecture, cheap flights and a better soccer team. But lately Valencia has come into its own as a destination for things not seen farther north, and as a less suffocating, more tranquil alternative.
The port city of Valencia is on Spain's south-east Orange Blossom Coast, where the Turia River meets the Mediterranean Sea. There are several beaches as well as Albufera park, a wetlands reserve with a lake and walking trails.
A fountain in the area where Valencia was founded as a Roman colony in 138 BCE (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2020)
Roman and 'Modernista' architecture
Valencia was founded as a Roman colony in 138 BCE. Its historic centre is one of the largest in Spain, covering about 169 hectares. The city has a relatively dry subtropical Mediterranean climate with very mild winters and long warm to hot summers. In recent years, more people are discovering this friendly haven and the sites that make Valencia special and one of Spain's most popular tourist destinations.
The heart of Valencia is its Barrio Carmen, a labyrinth of mediaeval lanes full of dusty Art Nouveau pharmacies, crumbling castle walls, Gothic archways, airy plazas full of café tables, and bubbling fountains.
The architectural sites in the heart of the city include the cathedral, which is the centrepiece of the old town and which claims the original Holy Grail among its treasures; La Lonja, the 15th century Gothic silk and commodities' exchange; the Mercado Central or central market; and the 100-year-old Estación del Norde, the city's beautiful Modernista train station.
Valencia Cathedral was first built in the 13th century but stands on the site of a Roman temple, a Visigoth cathedral and a mosque (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2020)
One of the first places I visited in the city was Valencia Cathedral, which is almost 800 years old. It is said to have been consecrated in 1238 by Archbishop Pere d'Albalat of Tarragona after the Reconquista or Christian conquest of Valencia, and was dedicated to Saint Mary on the orders of James I the Conqueror.
However, this was a site of religious worship from many centuries earlier. At first, a Roman temple stood here, later the Visigoths built a cathedral here, and this was converted into a mosque by the Moors.
The colourful apse in Valencia Cathedral (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2020)
There is evidence that some decades after the Christian conquest of Valencia, the mosque-cathedral remained standing, even with Quranic inscriptions on the walls, until 1262. Hypothetically, the mosque corresponded to the current transepts of the cathedral, the 'Apostles' Gate' would be the entrance to the mosque, and the Almoina ('alms') gate the mihrab.
Most of Valencia Cathedral was built between the 13th century and the 15th century. Pope Alexander VI was born Rodrigo de Borja near Valencia and he was still a cardinal when he petitioned the Pope to make the Bishop of Valencia an archbishop. Pope Innocent VIII granted the request in 1492, shortly before Rodrigo de Borja became Pope. The cathedral was burned during the Spanish Civil War and many of its decorative features were lost.
The shrine of the Holy Grail in the chapter house of Valencia Cathedral (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2020)
Holy grail or pious tale?
The cathedral's greatest treasure is a chalice said to be the true Holy Grail. This chalice with Arabic inscriptions was given to the cathedral by king Alfonso V of Aragon in 1436. This chalice is held in the Chapel of the Holy Grail, where it continues to attract pilgrims.
It is most likely that it was produced in a Palestinian or Egyptian workshop between the 4th century BC and the 1st century AD. However, an inventory said to date from AD 262, says the cha
lice was used by early Popes in Rome and that during one state-sponsored Roman persecution of Christians, the church divided its treasury to hide it with its members, and the chalice was given to the deacon Saint Lawrence.
A later inventory, dated 1134, describes the chalice as the one in which 'Christ Our Lord consecrated his blood.'
The chalice has been used during visits to Valencia by both Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI.
The façade of the Church of the two Saint Johns with 'the blind eye of Saint John' where the rose window was never opened (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2020)
In the heart of Valencia, Santos Juanes is a Roman Catholic church in the Mercat neighbourhood. The church is also known as the Church of the two Saint Johns, or Saint John of the Market, because it is beside the Central Market and faces the Llotja de la Seda or Silk Exchange.
The two Saint Johns named in the dedication are Saint John the Baptist and Saint John the Evangelist.
A church was first built here on the site of a former mosque in 1240, two years after the conquest of Valencia by King James and his Christian armies. This follows a pattern found throughout the city, and the church is one of the so-called 'foundational parishes' in Valencia.
The Church of San Nicolás de Bari and San Pedro Mártir has been called the 'Sistine Chapel' of Valencia (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2020)
The 'Sistine Chapel' of Valencia
But the 'Baroque Jewel' of Valencia must be the Church of San Nicolás de Bari and San Pedro Mártir, which has been called the 'Sistine Chapel' of Valencia. Pope Callixtus III (1455-1458), also known as Alfonso de Borja, was the Rector of the Church of San Nicolás from 1418 and Bishop of Valencia from 1429 before becoming Pope in 1455.
The interior of the Church of San Nicolás de Bari was completed between 1690 and 1693 (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2020)
The church is tucked away quietly in the streets of the old town, and is almost hidden from view in a laneway off Calle Caballeros, adding to the surprise awaiting visitors. Inside, it is one of the finest examples of a Gothic church with baroque decorations. Frescoes and plasterwork cover the entire interior, from small pilasters in chapels, to the walls, apse and vaulted ceiling, creating a visual and colour spectacle.
The frescoes were designed by Antonio Palomino in 1694 and completed ten years later by his pupil Dionis Vidal in 1704.
The dome in the Valencia's Central Market, the Mercado Central (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2020)
Markets and railway stations
The Central Market or Mercado Central is an imposing modernist building built in 1928 on the site of one of Spain's oldest food markets. It may be the most beautiful covered food market I have ever visited. The vast Modernista structure of iron and glass is brilliantly ornamented with luminous ceramic tiles.
Vividly coloured glass windows and cupolas house hundreds of vendors and stalls selling over extraordinary fruits, vegetables, spices, nuts, candy, bread, wine and cheeses, making the market a riot of colour, sounds and smells.
The courtyard in La Lonja, the former Silk Exchange (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2020)
Beside the Mercado Central, La Lonja or the Silk Exchange is an imposing late Gothic Monument to the mercantile power of Valencia. This splendid building is a Unesco World Heritage site and is one of Spain's finest examples of a civil Gothic building.
La Lonja was built as the city's silk and commodities exchange and was designed by the architect Pere Compte. It was built in the late 15th century, when Valencia was booming.
The main entrance was the Puerta de las Pecados or the 'door of sin,' is decorated with tendrils and figures on both sides. The name was a warning merchants about the dangers of sharp business practices.
The Estació del Nord or North Station, designed by Demetrio Ribes Marco (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2020)
The Estació del Nord or North Station is the main railway station in Valencia. The entrance is on Calle de Xàtiva in the city centre next to the city's bullring, just a 200-metre walk from the city hall.
The station was designed by the Valencian architect Demetrio Ribes Marco, and was built in 1906-1917. It is one of the main works of Valencian Art Nouveau and walking into the entrance hall is like stepping back in time. This is a grandiose, Modernista-style building and it is a visual feast of colours, with ceramic mosaics and vegetable, flower, orange tree and orange blossom motifs decorating every square metre.
The Plaza de Toros, built in 1850-1859. was modelled on the Colosseum in Rome (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2020)
The Plaza de Toros, beside the Estación del Norte, is Valencia's bullring, built in 1850-1859. It was designed in the neoclassical style by the Valencian architect Sebastián Monleón Estellés, who was inspired by the Colosseum in Rome and the Arena of Nîmes in France.
I have been a pacifist and a vegetarian all my adult life, so I have no fondness for or interest in bullrings. Indeed, the only bullrings I have enjoyed visiting are small squares in Wexford and Drogheda. But the Plaza de Toros in Valencia is an eye-catching building, formed by a 48-sided polygon, with 384 external arches, and a capacity for around 10,500 people.
The City of Arts and Sciences, designed by Santiago Calatrava and Félix Candela, is one of the '12 Treasures of Spain' (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2020)
Calatrava's extravaganza
The Alameda is a green riverbed that that snakes through the ancient city but has been drained and is full of lawns and gardens.
At the height of a property boom in the early 2000s, Valencia decided it wanted to raise its profile through the kind of hyper-ambitious, grandiose architectural project that would attract a new kind of tourism.
One of the results is the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias, the City of Arts and Sciences, designed by the Valencian-born architect, Santiago Calatrava, and Felix Candela. They have produced a cultural complex of glittering glass structures that soars above the waterfront, and it covers 350,000 square metres on the former riverbed of the River Turia.
This is one of the best-known works by Calatrava. Although it has not been without its controversies, it has become the most important modern tourist destination in Valencia and is one of the '12 Treasures of Spain,' alongside the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba, Seville Cathedral, the Alhambra in Granada, the Cathedral of Santiago Compostela and Gaudí's Sagrada Familia in Barcelona.
The landscaped walk at the top of L'Umbracle in the City of Arts and Sciences (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2020)
Close by is Calatrava's opera house, which has attracted Plácido Domingo, world-famous conductors, and a dance series with features from flamenco to zarzuela.
The whole complex was originally budgeted at €300 million, but it has cost nearly three times the initial expected cost, and many people in Valencia complain about both the costs and the many design flaws that have involved continuous, major repairs.
Despite the critics, this is a fascinating and captivating work of art, architecture and engineering. It is not one building, but a collection of buildings and facilities.
Yet, one of the real architectural pleasures of Valencia is the collection of narrow, cobbled streets and small squares, lined with small shops, cafés, restaurants and colourful buildings. It is truly worth taking time to sit down and simply watch life passing by.
Dame Kathleen Lonsdale (1903-1971), the Irish-born scientist, celebrated in an exhibition in Valencia (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2020)
This three-page feature was first published in May 2020 in the 'Church Review,' the Dublin and Glendalough diocesan magazine
A colourful square … and time over coffee to sit and watch life passing by (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2020)
Labels: archaeology, Architecture, Cathedrals, Church History, Church Review, Local History, Spain 2020, Theology and Culture, Travel, Valencia
From the Romans to Calatrava, Valencia blossoms in...
Sunday intercessions on Easter IV, 3 May 2020
'I came that they may have life, and have it abund...
Praying in Easter with USPG: 22, Sunday 3 May 2020


A groundbreaking exploration of how we can use the principles of quantum physics to catalyze personal growth.
How would you like to experience your life? It's an intriguing question, and yet we've been conditioned to believe our life visions and goals are often unattainable—until now. With The Possibility Principle, psychotherapist Mel Schwartz offers a revolutionary approach to living the life we choose.
This is an excellent introduction to the basic principles of quantum physics and there role in transforming individual lives. The book clearly brings out the psychological limitations of the mechanistic world view and the potential for personal happiness and development inherent in a universe scientifically proven to be an interconnected,interdependent,universal wholeness.


text:
Q: Disable cancel subscription for a specific product in WooCommerce I'm working on Woocommerce Subscriptions. This code disables the cancel subscription button on the user account:
<?php
/**
 * Plugin Name: Remove Subscription Action Buttons from My Account
 * Plugin URI: https://gist.github.com/thenbrent/8851287/
 * Description: Remove any given button from the My Subscriptions table on the My Account page. By default, only the "Change Payment Method" button is removed, but you can uncomment additional actions to remove those buttons also.
 * Author: Brent Shepherd
 * Author URI:
 * Version: 2.0
 */

/**
 * Remove the "Change Payment Method" button from the My Subscriptions table.
 *
 * This isn't actually necessary because @see eg_subscription_payment_method_cannot_be_changed()
 * will prevent the button being displayed, however, it is included here as an example of how to
 * remove just the button but allow the change payment method process.
 */
function eg_remove_my_subscriptions_button( $actions, $subscription ) {

    foreach ( $actions as $action_key => $action ) {
        switch ( $action_key ) {
            case 'change_payment_method':   // Hide "Change Payment Method" button?
//          case 'change_address':      // Hide "Change Address" button?
//          case 'switch':          // Hide "Switch Subscription" button?
//          case 'resubscribe':     // Hide "Resubscribe" button from an expired or cancelled subscription?
//          case 'pay':         // Hide "Pay" button on subscriptions that are "on-hold" as they require payment?
//          case 'reactivate':      // Hide "Reactive" button on subscriptions that are "on-hold"?
//          case 'cancel':          // Hide "Cancel" button on subscriptions that are "active" or "on-hold"?
                unset( $actions[ $action_key ] );
                break;
            default:
                error_log( '-- $action = ' . print_r( $action, true ) );
                break;
        }
    }

    return $actions;
}
add_filter( 'wcs_view_subscription_actions', 'eg_remove_my_subscriptions_button', 100, 2 );

Original source: https://gist.github.com/thenbrent/8851287
But I'd like to make an exception to this: the cancel button must appear for a specific product (the 1 month subscription product)
How can I achieve that?

A: right after your function declaration:
function eg_remove_my_subscriptions_button( $actions, $subscription ) {
// etc.

add this:
function eg_remove_my_subscriptions_button( $actions, $subscription ) {
   $is_my_product = false;
   if ( sizeof( $subscription_items = $subscription->get_items() ) > 0 ) {
     foreach ( $subscription_items as $item_id => $item ) {
         $product = $item->get_product();
         if ( $product->get_id() == 123456 ) {
            $is_my_product = true;
            break;
         }
     }
   }
   if ( $is_my_product ) return $actions;

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
ZRP diamond mining company actually owned by Chihuri, Parliament told
10th April 2018 Top Story
SHOCK revelations have emerged regarding the ownership and operations of a company operating at the controversial Marange diamond fields which was supposedly part-owned by the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP).
Legislators on the parliamentary portfolio committee on mines and energy heard Monday that the ZRP had no records backing its supposed part-ownership of Gye Nyame diamond mining company.
The company was granted mining concessions in the Marange area in 2011 before it was later placed under provisional liquidation and then under judicial management.
It was supposedly a joint venture between the state-owned Zimbabwe Mining Development Company (ZMDC), a firm called Bill Minerals, and the ZRP Trust.
However, senior police officers told legislators that only Chihuri knew what was going on at the company with no revenue ever accruing to the police force.
Directives regarding the operation of the company were also given "verbally by Chihuri" who effectively became the "sole owner" of the firm.
Retired police commissioner Oliver Chibage, who worked as Chihuri's personal assistant, told MPs that he was not even aware that the company existed until he got a call from a shareholder complaining about harassment by some police officers.
Led by independent legislator Temba Mliswa, the parliamentary committee is hearing oral evidence on the Marange operations following claims by former president Robert Mugabe that the country was swindled of about $15 billion in diamond revenues.
Appearing before the committee, acting commissioner general Innocent Matibili said despite reports about ZRP Trust diamond mining company, nobody in the force, apart from Chihuri, knew about its operations, management and board members.
"Nobody in the police force knew about its paper work, operations and staff compliments expect Chihuri," said Matibili.
"He (Chihuri) literally handpicked his own men and women to run the operations of the diamond company.
"And even the revenue generated by the company never reached police coffers."
Former senior police officers who were also verbally appointed to the company board by Chihuri also gave evidence before the committee.
These included retired commissioner Mekia Tanyanyiwa, retired commissioner Grace Ndebele and retired commissioner Chivhayo.
All three said, despite being appointed to the Gye Nyame board, they did not know anything about how the company operated.
Company secretary Kenneth Mawodzwa, also handpicked by Chihuri from the police legal department, said he tried but failed to organise the operations of the company.
"Mr chairman there was a plethora of problems, things were not straight, no environmental assessment certificate, the company had no bank account," Mawodzwa explained.
"All statutory requirements were not in place, I made recommendations to try and put a structure in place, to no avail, the company did not have even a bank account."
He added, "But what I can tell you for sure is there were some diamonds that had been mined before, how they were sold, I don't know but Chihuri knows."
Chihuri was expected to appear before the committee Monday but failed to turn. It was the second time he has snubbed the hearings.
The former police boss whereabouts remain unclear.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
package com.johnson.CommonWechatFrontAPi.mappers;

import com.johnson.CommonWechatFrontAPi.model.compontent.ThemeColor;
import com.johnson.CommonWechatFrontAPi.model.user.UserData;
import org.apache.ibatis.annotations.Param;

import java.util.List;

/**
 * Created by johnson on 8/15/2017.
 */
public interface ThemeMapper {

    List<ThemeColor> list() throws Exception;

    void insert(ThemeColor theme) throws Exception;

    void update(ThemeColor theme) throws Exception;

    void resetAllUndefault() throws Exception;

    void delete(@Param("id") int id) throws Exception;

    ThemeColor findUserTheme(@Param("uuid") String uuid) throws Exception;

    ThemeColor findDefaultTheme() throws Exception;

    void insertUserData(UserData userData) throws Exception;

    void deleteUserData(@Param("uuid") String uuid) throws Exception;
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


This is the second in a three-part series on the recent oil-related developments in Canada – and what they mean for New England. You can read the first blog, introducing the problem with Nova Scotia's new exploration leases and the threats they pose to endangered whales here. The final blog will cover the approval of major increases in oil tanker traffic through the Bay of Fundy and along the coast of the Atlantic.
Oil exploration. Pipelines. Tar sands. Oil tankers. Spills. These should be words of our past, not our future.
Yet at a time when climate change is one of the most – if not the most – pressing issue facing modern society, some recent developments involving these terms have me scratching my head. First, our Canadian neighbors just approved new oil exploration leases to the south of Nova Scotia that come disturbingly close to Georges Bank and the Gulf of Maine, areas known to be sensitive to environmental shocks.
And now, TransCanada's Energy East pipeline proposal, submitted last week, would more than double the number of oil tankers carrying tar sands oil – from 115 to more than 280 each year – through the Bay of Fundy and down New England's coast.
Double the tankers means double the risk for a catastrophic accident or oil spill. Just one major spill could devastate our most precious underwater wild places, while destroying the livelihoods of fishermen and coastal communities that depend on a healthy ocean to survive.
Climate change compels us to move away from fossil fuels, yet oil companies press on searching every nook and cranny of the planet to find it, not minding the disturbances and threats they're posing to vulnerable ecosystems, endangered species, and local economies.
This isn't the first time oil or gas exploration has threatened the Gulf of Maine. Since the 1970s, energy companies have clamored for approval to drill for oil and gas deposits along the Atlantic coastline, including the U.S.-controlled portion of Georges Bank and along the coast of Canada.
In 1978, Conservation Law Foundation partnered with fishermen and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to block oil exploration on Georges Bank – winning the first successful injunction against offshore drilling in the United States. CLF argued that oil leasing was inconsistent with the then two-year-old federal fisheries law (now called the Magnuson-Stevens Act) because the risks were potentially catastrophic to the marine wildlife the region's fishermen depend on to make a living.
Ultimately, in the early 1980s, an exploratory dig was approved but turned up no oil in Georges Bank. Led by New England's Congressional delegation, CLF persuaded Congress to pass a funding moratorium on all future Georges Bank drilling. Canadian fishermen and activists soon followed suit, citing the U.S.'s example to fight off similar drilling efforts on their side of Georges Bank. A Canadian drilling moratorium on Georges Bank was established in 1988, and now extends to 2022.
In 2008, the U.S. moratorium was lifted and exploration off our shores is now only blocked by soft, interim no-drill agreements. Meanwhile, with our northern neighbor more aggressively pursuing offshore oil and gas, Canadian leases in the North Atlantic Ocean have been steadily marching south, getting closer and closer to Georges Bank and the Gulf of Maine.
To make matters worse, Canada has permitted the oil companies drilling nearby – such as the one at Shelburne Basin, just 75 miles east of Georges Bank – to forego keeping emergency equipment close at hand. This allows them almost two weeks to cap an oil well blowout should an accident occur, effectively sanctioning the catastrophic damage a blowout would cause. In comparison, in U.S. waters surrounding Alaska, oil companies have a maximum of 24 hours to put emergency caps on drilling blow-outs.
The risk to New England from the explorations in Shelburne Basin and other areas east of Georges Bank? Toxins could get caught up in the pronounced southwest-flowing Maine Coastal Current that's instrumental in lobster larvae distribution throughout coastal Maine – dealing a potentially devastating blow to Maine's most important fishery.
And the dispersants used in the cleanup of a spill can be even more harmful to sea life than the oil itself. Toxic pollutants from the Canadian sites east of Georges Bank could easily get picked up by the upwelling currents that account for the legendary productivity of the Georges Bank system – transforming those upwelling currents from being life-giving to life-taking.
The increased risks in the U.S. from Canadian exploratory drilling may seem remote but they are, nonetheless, real and potentially catastrophic. Industry claims of safety are belied by real, recent disasters like the massive Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
These encroaching Canadian leases also create a troubling precedent. Once oil or gas drilling begins in this area of the North Atlantic – even if it is technically across the border – the arguments to maintain "no-drill" agreements in the U.S. are weakened. And although there is little industry interest in Georges Bank for oil, the industrial appetite for developing natural gas wells so close to the U.S. northeast is likely growing – and who knows what that future might hold.
The threat from offshore oil development isn't just to marine wildlife, but also to our New England way of life: fishing, surfing, whale watching, beach combing (and the millions of tourist dollars that go along with them) – so much of our economy depends on a healthy ocean, clean beaches, and abundant marine wildlife.
From start to finish – preliminary seismic testing, drilling, oil spills, chemicals used in cleanup, and transport – the marine oil and gas exploration and drilling process is risky, harmful, and unnecessary. Further environmental review will be required in Canada before production drilling could start. The U.S. State Department needs to protest any further activities as forcefully as possible.
New England is already at risk from climate change, above and below the water. Sea level rise threatens coastal communities. Rapidly warming waters cause species to move away in search of colder temperatures, potentially eliminating fisheries that have sustained regional economies for generations. Increasing ocean acidity jeopardizes the two most significant fisheries in New England: lobsters and sea scallops.
The last thing we need are more man-made threats to our ocean and all that it represents for us as New Englanders.


By far the easiest way to send day-to-day mail and small packages either locally in Japan or internationally, Japan Post has numerous branches in every town and city in the country. Combined with the largest banking system in Japan, it is a practical and cheap solution to most common logistical demands.
There are also local Takkyubin companies that specialize in express domestic same day/next day speedy deliveries and pickups, as well as luggage transportation to and from airports. Very popular among businesses and companies, they are fast and reliable in making sure to get your papers, goods, items and even large cargo across.
To have a motor car or vehicle transported in Japan, there are a handful of logistics companies that businesses use to get the job done; provided that there are no problems in the working condition of the unit.
Deliveries for Non-working, damaged/accident Cars, Motor Vehicles, Machinery, etc.
To have an non-movable accident or damaged vehicle, construction machinery, even select marine equipment (small boats, jetskis, etc.), there are specialized logistics companies that provide this type of logistics. Services will have to be arranged and booked in advance.
SERVICES: Logistics for non-movable cars and vehicles, machinery, marine equipment, etc.
There are numerous logistics firms and companies, big and small, that help facilitate residential transfers across Japan. Simply arrange a date for pickup and delivery, and wait for the movers to come by your place and pick your stuff up; then go to the destination address and wait for the items to be delivered.
Japan Partner is proud to be the logistical solution to what you require. Should you feel the need to have a consultation regarding your logistical problems, domestic or international, please feel free to get in touch with us via email at info@japan-partner.com or call us at (+81)567-94-0015.


text:
Samsung's bonkers G9 curved gaming monitor is a 49-inch, 240Hz QLED display
By Michael Andronico 2020-01-03T18:53:31Z
A massive ultrawide display from the future
(Image credit: Samsung)
Just ahead of CES 2020, Samsung has taken the wraps off of what could be the hottest gaming monitor of the year. The new Odyssey G9 curved gaming monitor sports a massive 49-inch ultrawide QLED screen and a blistering 240Hz refresh rate, and looks like it came from the future.
With a slick white design accented by a blue ring on the rear, the G9 looks like it belongs in the video game Portal as much as it does in your gaming nook. This mammoth of a display sports a 49-inch, 32:9 aspect ratio QLED screen in rich dual quad HD resolution (5120 x 1440), as well as a curve of 1000R.
Samsung is also promising a 240HZ refresh rate and 1ms response time, which means you should expect crisp framerates and minimal input lag when playing competitive games. The G9 supports both Nvidia G-Sync and AMD Radeon FreeSync 2, so you shouldn't have to worry about screen tearing regardless of which brand of GPU you use.
If you need something a little more modest, Samsung is also launching a new Odyssey G7 gaming monitor in both 32-inch and 27-inch variations. These curved displays have standard 16:9 QLED screens at 2560 x 1440 with the same 240Hz refresh rates and 1ms response times as their bigger brother.
With its striking look and stacked feature set, the Samsung G9 could end up being one of the best gaming monitors out there. We look forward to putting it through its paces when it launches later this year.
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West Toledo YMCA – Players Needed – Pickleball is Thriving in Northwest Ohio!
For those of you who are members at the YMCA, Rich Gill has sent me a message asking if there are at least two or more players that would like to join them for the Tuesday/Thursday session from 9-Noon. You can also play in this session if you are not a member, however you will need to purchase an Associate Membership at the YMCA which is $90 this year.
If you are interested, they have a week to round-up a few more players in order to keep the session going.
Please contact the West YMCA to sign up for the session.


Can you remember the last time you had your home's furnace and air conditioner serviced? If not, you probably aren't alone, but you may be unknowingly shortening the lifespan of your HVAC system and increasing the possibility of unexpected failure down the road.
Even the highest-quality furnaces and AC units aren't immune from problems when they aren't serviced at regular intervals. Like vehicles, computers, and other complex machinery, a little bit of routine maintenance now goes a long way towards preventing problems later on.
Not all HVAC service is created equal, however. Here at Carefree Heating and Cooling, LLC of Mason, we have a long history of experience inspecting, maintaining, and replacing units of all sizes and shapes in a large variety of situations. Paired with our excellent training and customer support, our technicians have all the tools they need to spot issues before they turn into big problems. An investment in your home's HVAC system is an investment in the livability of your home, so be sure you're working with the right team when you need to perform routine maintenance.
Of course, years of forgotten maintenance and service (or perhaps just a small amount of bad luck) might mean you find yourself in a situation where you need emergency service. Though that's obviously not a great situation to be in, our team of experts is here to help quickly find and fix the problem. Whether you find yourself with a malfunctioning furnace in the dead of winter or an air conditioner on the verge of breakdown in the heat of summer, don't be afraid to reach out to us at ! We'll collect some basic information and quickly dispatch someone to help fix your problem.
Of course, even the best furnaces and air conditioners will need to be replaced eventually. (Some will last longer than others.) When that happens, there's no one better to call than Carefree Heating and Cooling, LLC. There's a reason so many people in Mason use us! Our tremendous warranties back up our diverse catalog of ENERGY STAR certified products designed to meet all needs. Just let us know what you're looking for and we'll help get you pointed in the right direction.
From routine maintenance to emergency service to full unit replacement, we have all the tools and experience needed to solve your problems in a friendly, helpful manner. Have questions? Give us a ring at and a member of our team will help you. We hope you'll use Carefree Heating and Cooling, LLC of [[name] for all your HVAC-related needs!


The Force Awakens Kylo Ren Costume « Adafruit Industries – Makers, hackers, artists, designers and engineers!
Star Wars: The Force Awakens has inspired cosplayers since the release of the first teaser. I have a feeling Reys and Kylo Rens will be out in force at conventions this year. Redditor Alhon finished his Kylo Ren costume just in time for the premiere of the movie on December 18 and recently took the ensemble out in a blizzard in Minnesota for a photo shoot. Happily, the costume is plenty warm enough for that weather with an undercoat, an overcoat, and liner — that may not be such a selling point for convention season.
I manually folded my fabric pleat by pleat, glued it down (Yes, I should have sewn it, but I had screwed up in how I was supposed to sew things, so a test run I did was… not good), and then cut and sewed it like the rest of my fabric.
It's a rough linen for the sleeves, for the undercoat which you can't really see in these photos that go from a mandarin collar down to below my knees… and yes, that's all pleated all the way down), and for an extra skirt liner that goes into the overcoat. The overrobe, hood and shawl is a cotton basket weave. Sleeves are lined with Cotton and the belt is vinyl and craft foam, with the buckle made out of craft foam covered in worbla with the usual sanding, priming, and painting on it.


Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum will offer free admission to veterans during Veterans Day Weekend, November 10th and 11th, thanks to donations from the SunTrust Foundation and Navy Federal Credit Union.
The museum is an official Regional Site for the observance of Veterans Day on Sunday, November 11th. Below is a list of events held at Patriots Point over the next several days.
A bell aboard the USS Yorktown will ring 21 times as a solemn reminder of the sacrifice and service of veterans of the Great War. The 21 tolls of the bell symbolize the nation's highest honor, based on the 21-gun salute. The event will mark the exact moment the armistice agreement that ended the war was signed 100 years ago. Following the tolling of a bell, Patriots Point volunteers will lay a wreath in memory of those who died in the war.
The performance is included in the price of admission.


List of terms utilized in the NNOMY website and their definitions.
The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) is a multiple choice test, administered by the United States Military Entrance Processing Command, used to determine qualification for enlistment in the United States Armed Forces. It is often offered to American high school students when they are in the 10th, 11th and 12th grade, though anyone eligible for enlistment may take it.
The Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is a congressionally chartered, federally supported non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force (USAF). CAP is a volunteer organization. It performs three congressionally assigned key missions: emergency services, which includes search and rescue (by air and ground) and disaster relief operations; aerospace education for youth and the general public; and cadet programs for teenage youth. In addition, CAP has recently been tasked with homeland security and courier service missions. Membership in the organization consists of cadets ranging from 12 to just under 21 years of age, and senior members 18 years of age and up.
The right to refuse to perform military service on the basis that...the obligation to use lethal force may seriously conflict with the freedom of conscience and the right to manifest one's religion or belief. A growing number of States have in their laws exempted from compulsory military service citizens who genuinely hold religious or other beliefs that forbid the performance of military service and replaced it with alternative national service.
Counter-recruitment is an attempt to prevent military recruiters from enlisting civilians into the military. There are several methods commonly utilized in a counter-recruitment campaign, ranging from the political speech to direct action. Such a campaign can also target entities connected to the military, such as intelligence agencies, or private corporations, especially those with defense contracts.
The Delayed Entry Program (DEP), also called the Delayed Enlistment Program (or called the Future Soldiers Program in the Army), is a program whereby individuals going into active duty in the United States Armed Forces enlist first in the DEP before they ship out to Basic Training, or "boot camp." While those who join the DEP have signed an enlistment agreement to report on a certain date for training, they are not yet members of the United States Armed Forces until they enlist in the regular component of their selected branches on their ship dates.
A US law passed in December 2015 that governs the United States K–12 public education policy. The law replaced its predecessor, the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), and modified but did not eliminate provisions relating to the periodic standardized tests given to students. Like the No Child Left Behind Act, ESSA is a reauthorization of the 1965 Elementary and Secondary Education Act, which established the federal government's expanded role in public education.
A program run by the United States Department of Defense to maintain sufficient levels of voluntary service in the United States Armed Forces. This objective is facilitated by the collection of information about U.S. persons of enlistment age, surveys, and other market research in a central database made available to military recruiters.
Developing self-reliance and responsiveness to all authority.
Improving the ability to communicate well both orally and in writing.
Developing an appreciation of the importance of physical fitness.
Increasing a respect for the role of the U.S. Armed Forces in support of national objectives.
Developing a knowledge of team building skills and basic military skills.
Taking 3–4 years of the course grants cadets the ability to rank higher if they pursue a military career.
the belief or the desire of a government or a people that a state should maintain a strong military capability to use it aggressively to expend or promote national interests.
1, 2 Mission: Readiness - "Main Page"
3 Mission: Readiness - "Our Impact"
The stated mission of the program is "to intervene in and reclaim the lives of at-risk youth to produce program graduates with the values, skills, education and self-discipline necessary to succeed as adults." The program accepts 16- to 18-year-old male and female high school dropouts who are drug-free and not in trouble with the law. The program lasts for 17½ months. The first 5½ months are part of the quasi-military Residential Phase. The last 12 months are part of the Post-Residential Phase. Most participants will earn their GED or a high school diploma by the end of their Residential Phase.
An U.S. Act of Congress that reauthorized the Elementary and Secondary Education Act; it included Title I provisions applying to disadvantaged students. It supported standards-based education reform based on the premise that setting high standards and establishing measurable goals could improve individual outcomes in education. The Act required states to develop assessments in basic skills. To receive federal school funding, states had to give these assessments to all students at select grade levels. The act did not assert a national achievement standard – each state developed its own standards. NCLB expanded the federal role in public education through further emphasis on annual testing, annual academic progress, report cards, and teacher qualifications, as well as significant changes in funding.
The Federal public law 107-110, section 9528 of the ESEA, " No Child Left Behind Act" requires the school district to notify families of their right to Opt Out from the release student names, addresses, and phone numbers to military recruiters. Families have the right to request that the district not release their child's information to military recruiters.
Also known as Law Enforcement Exploring, it is a career-oriented program that gives young adults the opportunity to explore a career in law enforcement by working with local law enforcement agencies. Founded on July 12, 1963, it is one of the Exploring programs from Learning for Life, a non-Scouting subsidiary of the Boy Scouts of America. The program is generally available to qualified young adults who graduated 8th grade and are ages 14 through 21.
The belief that the enlisted ranks of the military were made up of young people with limited economic opportunities.
And refusal to accurately document recruits' medical or legal situations.
A group of college-based officer training programs for training commissioned officers of the United States Armed Forces. ROTC officers serve in all branches of the U.S. armed forces. ROTC students attend college like other students, but also receive basic military training and officer training for their chosen branch of service through the ROTC unit at or nearby the college. The students participate in regular drills during the school year, and extended training activities during the summer.
A nonresidential program for students (grades K-12, though the main focus is grades 4-8) that provides them with real-world applications of math and science through experiential learning, simulations, and experiments in aviation and space-related fields. The STARBASE acronym originally stood for "Science and Technology Academies Reinforcing Basic Aviation and Space Exploration". At this time, STARBASE is simply the title of the program, not an acronym.
Activism directed at educating prospective applicants of what it means to join the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marines. Recruiters often gloss over the dangers of enlisting (at a California High School, a survey directed at students found that "over 86% of respondents said military service was never portrayed to them as dangerous"1), and military service is often likened to a regular job, ignoring that "'...a career in military is a really different choice. You can't give 30 days' notice; you can get thrown in jail if you don't show up to work. You lose a lot of your civil rights,' and you could be asked to kill."2 The goal of Truth in Recruitment is not to demonize the military but to inform prospective recruits of the other options at their disposal.
A youth program in the United States and Japan open to all youth between the ages of 8 to 18 or completion of high school (whichever is later, not to exceed 20 years of age).
Can receive a higher initial pay grade upon enlistment in any Military Branch.
Young Marines learn survival techniques, physical training, hiking, swimming, rock climbing, rappelling, scuba diving, etc. depending upon the geographic location of the unit, and undergo leadership training... All Young Marines learn military drill based on the U.S. Marine Corps and practice those skills in community parades; some units may have their own drill team.
Through articles, images, survey data and interviews, Sowing Seeds: The Militarisation of Youth and How to Counter It documents the seeds of war that are planted in the minds of young people in many different countries. However, it also explores the seeds of resistance to this militarisation that are being sown resiliently and creatively by numerous people. We hope the book will help to disseminate these latter seeds. It is not just a book for peace and antimilitarist activists: it is a book for parents and grandparents, teachers, youth workers, and young people themselves.


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'Do or die' for Eastern OVC tournament
Jason Howell
Blake Nash, Staff Reporter
For the Eastern volleyball team, the time has come to punch its ticket to the NCAA tournament. However, a large obstacle, that is the Ohio Valley Conference tournament, lies in front of that once in a lifetime opportunity.
The Panthers will be a part of the opening match, when they take on the No. 3 seed Eastern Kentucky at 10 a.m. Thursday at Racer Arena in Murray, Ky. The No. 6 seed Panthers defeated the Colonels in three sets in their only matchup this year. Eastern coach Kate Price said she is hoping for a repeat performance, especially on defense.
"In practice we've been working on defending against an outside and middle attack in similar terms of what they do," Price said. "They have two really important kids to them and we have to work to slow them down, and make sure the offense is on our side."
Price was referring to attackers Alexis Plagens and Rachel Vick, who finished the regular season with 452 kills and 264 digs, and 353 kills and 93 digs, respectively. Vick also has 91 total blocks this year.
Plagens ranks in the top-10 in the OVC in kills, and has some familiar company on that list, in Eastern outside hitters Chelsea Lee and Abby Saalfrank. Saalfrank, who has 384 kills and lead the team with 437.5 points, said that even though the Panthers have never played a match this early time wise this year, they feel they can handle the early start to move on to Friday's semifinal match.
"It is hard to play a 10 a.m. match, when we're used to practicing in the afternoon and playing in the evening," Saalfrank said. "Even some Saturday matches we play at 2 p.m. are rough. I don't think it's anything we can't handle. We'll be fine and show up ready to go."
It will also be a memorable experience for team co-captain and defensive specialist, Kelsey Brooke, who will play in her final conference tournament this weekend.
"I think we have a really great chance of winning the whole thing," Brooke said. "We have the skills and it's just a matter of making sure we can all connect on the floor, and play how we know we should play."
Having been a part of the program for the last five years, the red-shirt senior Brooke is not intimidated by the early start time.
"I don't really think it is a mental or physical challenge," she said. "We have a morning practice on Thursday mornings, so we're used to waking up and getting going early."
This is the third straight year the Panthers have advanced to the conference tournament, but they have dropped their last three opening-round matches. Price hopes to change all that by using a clean slate to win this tournament.
"It's important they come out and know what's riding on it, but at the same time, that they enjoy the OVC's and know they did a lot of work to get there," Price said. "Now, everyone's slate is clean and now you have to win. Do or die."
A win on Thursday would propel the Panthers to a semifinal matchup with either No. 2 seed Belmont or No. 7 seed Austin Peay, which will play right after Eastern.
Blake Nash can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected]
FEATURE PHOTO: Late-night watercolor
FEATURE PHOTO: Splendid strings
FEATURE PHOTO: Spin those flags
FEATURE PHOTO: Playing pickleball with a pal
FEATURE PHOTO: Summer science
FEATURE PHOTO: Closing time
PHOTO GALLERY: Fireworks fun
PHOTO GALLERY: The 2019 Red, White and Blue Days
PHOTO GALLERY: Having a bubble blowing blast
FEATURE PHOTO: Conducting the Community Band


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Home Music Bands The Prefects release first full length vinyl collection – news
The Prefects release first full length vinyl collection – news
Nathan Whittle
After more than 40 years since the release of their Peel Sessions, original Birmingham punk outfit The Prefects are to have their first full-length vinyl collection released on Call Of The Void.
Entitled Going Through The Motions, after their 1980 Rough Trade single, the album pulls together the single alongside all other studio recordings and some of their live performces that were previously self-released for their 1991 reunion concert. For the first time, this collection will be available on vinyl and will be released on the 29th of November.
As punk broke and many of the prime aggitators of the scene were snapped up by major labels, The Prefects continued to rally against the system, never bothering to look for labels and never bowing to the faux-rebellion of the scene. They were true to themselves through and through. Despite tours with The Clash, The Damned, The Fall, The Buzzcocks The Slits and others, singer Robert Lloyd soon realised that he was drawn more to the experimentalism of Beefheart that the riot of The Ramones, and this is something that comes through in spades on this new collection. There are songs that show how they forged sounds that would later splinter into hardcore (Escort Girls) and the post-punk of Joy Division (The Bristol Road Leads To Dachau).
The record will also contain a true piece of punk history. During the White Riot tour, members of Subway Sect, The Slits and The Prefects joined in on a live encore loosely based on Velvet Underground's Sister Ray. Incredibly difficult to listen to, the song was bootlegged widely before eventually appearing on The Slits' 1980 album of early demos in a 5'20" version called "No More Rock And Roll For You". Twenty years later, Vic Godard of Subway Sect edited a minute from the recording and released it on his Twenty Odd Years compilation. Two decades later, The Prefects have edited more than a minute from it and retitled it White Riot Tour. In another twenty years, it is hoped that the prolonged rite of ritual shortening of this song will leave no trace of it at all.
'Going Through The Motions' will be available on vinyl and CD via new label Call Of The Void on 29th November 2019.
1. Going Through The Motions
2. Escort Girls
3. Bristol Road Leads to Dachau
4. Faults
5. 625 Lines (live at the Electric Circus)
6. Barbarella's
7. Things In General
8. Agony Column
9. Total Luck
10. She Cracked (live at the Electric Circus)
11. White Riot Tour (live)
All words by Nathan Whittle. Find his Louder Than War archive here.
The Prefects
Previous articleCardiff Sŵn Festival 2019: Day Three (Sunday) – live review
Next articlePunishment Of Luxury: Puppet Life – The Complete Recordings – album review
Nathan has been writing for Louder Than War since 2012. Before that, he wrote for manchestermusic.co.uk. Now living in Spain, he also writes for the Spanish magazine Ruta 66.


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text:
Building Your Best Health & Health Care
Is Health Care Broken?
Partners, Friends
Dedicated to Your Best Health & Health Care
Veritas Health Care: Who are we, where did we come from and where are we going?
Founded in February 2013, Veritas Health Care (VHC), our global, non-profit organization, was born of the need to Build Better Health and Health Care. Our Founding Directors recognized that the "Business of Medicine" fails to meet the needs of many patients in many ways and for many reasons. Much of this has been discussed in our conversations and writing over the years and the founding of Veritas Health Care, a Non-Profit, is our first step toward Building Better Health Care. VHC now has approximately 100 Working Group Members, continues to build a community of people who "care about health and healthcare". We expect to open membership, expand "The Care First Project" and to begin delivery of proven health and health care products and services in early 2020. In other words, VHC continues to step toward Building Better Health and Health Care through Patient-Physician Cooperation and Patient-Physician Cooperatives. Goals for this year include expanding working group membership, opening up for general membership, facilitating Patient-Physician Cooperation and Cooperative development in Maine, New York and in the North East U.S. We expect to open our first Virtual Health Station in early 2020. We have not restricted our activities to Maine, NY, the US or any particular location. We will help wherever we can. We are global.
At VHC We Know That
Patients, Physicians, and other Providers must work together to provide the best care.
Each able-bodied adult is responsible for his or her care.
Able-bodied adults are responsible for the care of those in their charge.
Each able-bodied adult can learn to Take the Best Care™© of himself/herself and others.
Our Fundamental Rules and Operating Principles benefit Patients, Physicians, and other Providers.
And We Will
"First do no harm."
"Do Good."
Abide by the principles inherent and implied by the Hippocratic Oath.
Build a community of people who care about health care.
Build Better Health and Health Care Through Patient-Physician Cooperation and Cooperatives.
Join Veritas Health Care if you are ready to help:
Goals & Objectives*
TRANSFORM AND PROMOTE the delivery of health care services based on
shared decision-making
shared responsibility for care
shared responsibility for outcome among and between patients, physicians, and other medical professionals
INNOVATE Transform and promote efficient development, implementation and use of
electronic and
other technological innovations and
other innovative products,
innovative services and
innovative techniques to
determine, promote and provide
appropriate and
preventive care, acute, subacute and chronic patient care, and to
reduce the cost of care,
improve access to care and
improve outcome in health care
EDUCATE health care providers and the public about the value of shared decision-making and responsibility for
health care delivery,
provision of health care and
good outcomes in health care.
For more information or to join Veritas Health Care Click here.
About the Veritas Health Care Shield
Central to Veritas Health Care's shield is the Caduceus, which symbolizes the fact that optimal health can be achieved. This ancient image, which is more than 4,000 years old, has been used by physicians and other healers for centuries. Historically, the original image is composed of two serpents intertwined around a staff and surmounted by two wings or a winged helmet. Veritas Health Care modifies the wand and uses three "skeleton" keys in place of the single wand to represent knowledge, understanding, and action. The keys have heart-shaped interlocking bows, which represent the relationship between Love and Healing and the fact that healing is a labor of Love. Veritas means the Truth and Veritas Health Care seeks to enable, facilitate and provide optimal health and healthcare. We recognize the value of the Hippocratic Oath and use it as our guide in fostering beneficial Patient-Physician-Provider relationships for individuals, families, and communities.
The Veritas Health Care Logo
Our "Neologo" is used as a simple liason to the next generation. However, the wisdom of the past will not be forgotten in building for the future generations of Patients and Physicians. The keywords, Veritas Health Care and color choices, link our Shield to our Logo.
Recommended Reading*
VHC Projects Current Projects Include
StepWisely®™© Quality and Performance Improvement Tools & Tools to Promote and Generate Best Practices (B2 = B Squared = Best Care™©)
Building Milestones Into Your Anesthesiology Training Program
Complete Forms For VHC Application For Tax-Exempt Status
Anesthesiology Critical Care Development, Perioperative Medicine and QIPI in an academic anesthesiology department.
All VHC Working Group MEMBERS are INVITED to help us Explore the Viability of PPCs in Maine, New York, the east coast and elsewhere
VHC Working Group Members are invited to use The Stress Management Workbook and to call-text-email "use" MFM for Health Development and Healthcare guidance.
Application for Tax-Exempt Status. Volunteers are welcome.
Building a program to train Community Health Workers and Health Care Scribes.
Health care consulting
VHC Working Group Members are all invited to build mutual support
Building an Interactive Application Form and Questionnaire. Help is welcome.
Team building and Veritas Health Care; constructing the VHC Multidisciplinary Consulting Group.
Care First project.
Building leadership teams.
SuperCooperator physician group.
SuperCooperator Group.
VHC Current Directors
Charles Fox, MD, New Orleans, Louisiana
Theresa Hobbs, Syracuse, New York
Frances Ilozue, MD, Buffalo, New York
Anthony R. Mascia, MD, New York & Florida
Michael F. Mascia, MD, MPH, Sweden, Maine / NY & FL
David Mascia, New York
Don McCormick, Houston, Texas
Angela Miller, MBA, SSBB, C-TAGME, Sunbury, Pennsylvania
Melville Wyche, III MD, New Orleans, Louisiana
Broken Health Care: What's Wrong?
Care First Project: Rules of Engagement
Care Simply Survey
Cost Chart Health Care 2013
Goals & Objectives* (see below)
HEALTHiCONS™ Survey
Help Build a Cooperative
Help Build the Community
Patient-Physician Cooperatives
Physician Partners
Reliable Physician Partners
Resources Tools & Guidelines
Testing the Value of healthicons
mfmascia@veritashc.org
© 2018 Veritas Health Care


NEW HAVEN, Ind. - New Haven will rely on a talented group of younger players as it embarks on the 2018-19 season. Head coach Bruce Stephens says 2 guys have regular varsity experience. But for he and the Bulldogs, expectations don't change to be in the upper-half of the NE8 yet again.


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Walter Horace Bruford, FBA (14 July 1894 – 28 June 1988) was a British scholar of German literature.

Walter Horace Bruford was born in Manchester in 1894. He was educated at Manchester Grammar School and then at St. John's College, Cambridge and the University of Zurich. During World War I he served with the Royal Navy cryptographic intelligence division in Room 40 at the Admiralty. After the war he conducted research in Zurich, became a Lecturer in German at Aberdeen University in 1920, and then a Reader at Aberdeen in 1923. Bruford was then appointed Professor of German at the University of Edinburgh in 1929. He was seconded to the Foreign Office during World War II, 1939–1943, to work at Bletchley Park. From 1951 he was Schröder Professor of German at the University of Cambridge until 1961.

His elder daughter was the British potter Joan Brown, and his son was the folklorist Dr Alan Bruford.

He lived at Abbey St. Bathans, Duns, Berwickshire. Professor Walter Horace Bruford died in 1988.

Works

Germany in the eighteenth century: the social background of the literary revival (1935)
Chekhov and His Russia, a Sociological Study (1947)
Theatre, drama, and audience in Goethe's Germany (1950)
Literary Interpretation in Germany (1952)
Anton Chekhov (1957)
Fürstin Gallitzin und Goethe. Das Selbstvervollkommnungsideal und seine Grenzen (1957)
Culture and society in classical Weimar, 1775-1806 (1962)
First Steps In German Fifty Years Ago (1965)
The German Tradition of Self-cultivation: Bildung from Humboldt to Thomas Mann (1975)
Some German Memories 1911-1961 (1979)

References

German studies. Presented to Walter Horace Bruford on his retirement by his pupils, colleagues, and friends (1962)
Memoirs of Room 40 (naval code-breaking unit) by Walter Horace Bruford

1894 births
1988 deaths
Alumni of St John's College, Cambridge
Academics of the University of Edinburgh
Linguists from the United Kingdom
Fellows of the British Academy
People educated at Manchester Grammar School
University of Zurich alumni
Royal Navy personnel of World War I
Academics of the University of Aberdeen
Bletchley Park people
Academics of the University of Cambridge
20th-century linguists

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


A collection of short stories and descriptive writing, inspired mainly by the natural world, but also by everyday life. Some observational, some more poignant, all describe familiar places and scenarios. Perfect for reading on the train, or for busy people who want to just dip in and read a chapter every now and then.
An eclectic mixture of creations – prose, poetry and a couple of different formats of flash fiction.
If you've enjoyed my other creative ramblings, you'll probably like this one.
*All links on this page are affiliate links, meaning I receive a small payment for anything you purchase via Amazon during that browsing session. If you would prefer not to use these links, please visit Amazon and search for the relevant title.


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'Hospitals with no medicines, graduates with no jobs, children with no hope'
Nick Squires witnesses unheard-of poverty and long-gone diseases return to Greece, the birthplace of the European ideal
By Nick Squires, Perama
8:26PM GMT 25 Jan 2015
On a dusty street corner in a grimy port on the outskirts of Athens, a public health crisis that has no precedent in Europe is unfolding.
After five years of unrelenting austerity, doctors working in a charity-run clinic are witnessing daily what they never thought they would see in their entire careers - children and adults suffering from malnutrition.
In Perama, one of the poorest parts of Athens, unemployment has reached 60 per cent and many families do not have enough money to put food on the table.
The town once prospered on the back of building and repairing ships but it has been hammered first by a drastic contraction of the sector and then by the unremitting tax rises, pension cuts and other austerity measures introduced by the government at the behest of its international creditors.
The health clinic was originally set up to provide free health care and medicines to the growing number of poor, but now it hands out emergency boxes of food as well.
Greek election: Syriza agrees coalition with Right-wing party - live updates
'Hospitals with no medicines, children with no hope'
The flat from where Greece's Che Guevara is planning Europe's downfall
Greek election: Crisis looms after five years of austerity
Middle-aged men and women carrying plastic bags full of milk, beans, pasta and oil emerge from the clinic, which is run by Medecins du Monde (Doctors of the World), a French charity which normally provides disaster relief in Africa and Asia.
"Five years ago, before the crisis began, I would never have thought this would happen to Greece," said Dr George Tomaras, 38, a paediatrician who works at the clinic, one of seven run in Greece by the French organisation.
"But I think it's only the beginning. I don't see any change coming, just more people losing their jobs every day."
As nearly 10 million Greeks voted on Sunday in a general election, it was austerity, and the devastating effects it has had on the country, that underpinned every aspect of the political debate.
Retired pharmacist Maria Dimostheniadou working as a volunteer at the Doctors of the World clinic in Perama (Athena)
Syriza, the radical left-wing party that won by far the most votes, has threatened to cast off the hated austerity policies imposed by the EU and the International Monetary Fund and to refuse to pay some of the 240 billion euro in loans that the international community provided in an emergency bail-out.
Its leader, Alexis Tsipras, has pledged to go on a huge spending spree, throwing off the shackles of fiscal discipline to raise the minimum wage from 580 euros a month to 751 euros, boost pensions and spend 12 billion euros in order to create 300,000 jobs.
Syriza insists that the austerity policies of the last five years, which were designed to shake up the Greek economy and create growth, have only brought misery, including 25 per cent unemployment and a contraction in economic output on a par with the darkest years of the Great Depression in the United States in the 1930s.
It is young children who are hit hardest by the acute poverty that has torn apart the fabric of social and economic life in Athens.
"I saw a 15 month-old baby girl recently who had lost 1.5 kg. Her mother said she was only feeding her milk - she couldn't afford anything else," said Dr Tomaras, who has seen his own monthly salary cut from 1,300 euros to 1,000 euros.
The Doctors of the World clinic in central Athens (Athena)
"I believe these are the most important elections of the last two decades. People are very anxious, very scared. They don't know how to vote. They don't see solutions from any of the parties."
The strain of poverty has resulted in a sharp increase in the divorce rate, depression is on the rise and children are being treated for physical and emotional abuse.
The effects of those policies are all too evident in Athens - streets are lined with shops and businesses that are boarded up or have empty windows, their bare interiors occupied now only by bits of shelving and broken chairs.
In the poorer parts of the city, people rifle through rubbish bins looking for scraps of food - a shocking sight in modern Europe.
The health crisis in Greece is not just limited to malnutrition. In another alarming phenomenon, thousands of children are no longer being vaccinated against deadly diseases because their parents no longer have health insurance and cannot afford to pay for the jabs.
That has created a ticking time-bomb in which a whole generation of Greek children will be vulnerable to illnesses such as polio, measles, tuberculosis, meningitis and hepatitis.
4-year-old Mona is examined by a volunteer doctor in the Doctors of the World clinic (Athena)
"The health system in Greece does not exist anymore. There are hospitals with no medicines or surgical instruments and clinics with no doctors," said Liana Maili, the director of the clinic. "A third of the Greek population have no health insurance so they can't afford medicines or examinations.
"Thousands of children are not being vaccinated. Before the crisis there were centres all over Greece giving vaccines for free. But they have all closed. We are starting to see polio and measles come back."
Many ordinary Greeks say the country is being strangled by its mountain of debt and that it simply cannot repay it.
"Unemployment among young people is now 50 per cent and we no longer feel we have a future," said Yiannis Pistiolis, 27, as he attended a Syriza rally in Athens prior to the election.
He has a psychology degree but the only work he has been able to find is in a food factory making taramasalata and tsatsiki.
"The economy is being strangled," he said, waving a Syriza flag. "We know that Europe doesn't want Syriza to be elected because of its threats to cancel the debt. But I think the Greek people will stand behind the party.."
Additional reporting by Menelaos Tzafalias
Nick Squires »
In Greece
Migrants cross Macedonia border
Macedonia closes border to migrants
Refugees on the move
Welcome to Europe
Refugees rescued
Migrants risk Aegean crossing
Migrants arrive in Kos


1. Why are safety measures essential in using roads?
a. With increasing population and the use of automobiles, the volume of traffic in towns and cities in the country has been rapidly increasing.
b. The growing traffic can be managed better only when the road users understand and follow the prescribed rules.
c. Traffic management largely depends on traffic education.
d. All road users shall follow the traffic rules, regulations and general discipline in the interest of his/her own safety.
f. A well disciplined road use is the only way to avoid fatal accidents.
g. Well planned safety measures such as road dividers and their well regulated use by all road users are therefore very essential.
2. Mention safety measures for riding bicycles.
Ans. A Cyclist should observe the following rules and regulations.
1. Do not drive your bicycle recklessly and you may lose control. Maintain controllable speed.
2. You should not ride on the wrong side of the road or cross the road abruptly. Do not ride or wheel your bicycle on the foot path.
3. Do not stop suddenly, without signaling. Better move towards the left margin while slowing down but signal your intention to the traffic behind.
4. Make sure that other people on the road can see you, especially in the dark night. You should have light in the front and a red reflector in the back.
5. Road junctions are dangerous, more so in our towns with narrow alleys and blind turns.
6. Any sort of hurry on your part either at the junction or turnings or in a closely moving stream of traffic just to save a few seconds of time, is dangerous and an accident is inevitable.
7. Pedestrians has the right of way. Slow down at the Zebra crossing. Better stop if you see people crossing the road.
8. Never try to overtake a vehicle in the process of taking a turn. Never ride by the side of a fast moving vehicle.
9. If you have to overtake do it only from the right but only if the driver in the front has permitted or signaled you to overtake.
10. Never try to compete with or over take power driven vehicles. It is dangerous. Allow other fast moving vehicles to overtake you. Never hold to another vehicles.
11. Be careful of other vehicles on the road, such as rickshaws, auto-rickshaws, cars, trucks, buses, etc. So keep a safe distance from them.
12. Do not enter the street where you see 'No Entry' sign.
violation is against law and dangerous to your life.
14. Ensure that your cycle brakes and are always in good condition.
8. What are the precautions necessary for observance by those that ride motor-cycles and scooters?
1. A two-wheeled vehicle is prone to lose its balance if sudden brakes are applied at fast speed. Apply brake only when upright and in sufficient time. While applying brakes on turning you must prefer the low gear.
2. Exercise restraint. Hold back where necessary. Keep distance from the vehicle ahead.
3. Ride with deliberation, if necessary. Overtake as early as possible but after proper signalling and after assuring yourself that there is no vehicle approaching from the opposite direction.
4. Speed intelligently and ride fast only in the right places.
5. Use the right gear according to the speed at the proper time and in the particular situation.
6. Use the horn thoughtfully, give proper signal and use your lights. Give good and clear signals so that other road users feel at ease. Never take a turn before signaling and taking a look behind or observing in the rear view mirror.
7. Pillion riders should not distract the driver by idle talk or cause imbalance to the vehicle.
8. Be courteous to other road users and acknowledge other courtesies extended by them.
9. Helmet is a must for all motor cyclists and scooterists.
10. Never take a close slanting turn on the bends and turnings. You may slip or lose balance.
11. You should be extremely careful on wet and slippery roads.
1. Traffic management largely depends on Traffic education.
2. Well planned safety measures help us to avoid Fatal Accident.
3. Do not enter the street where you see "No entry" sign.
4. The riders of power driven vehicles have to possess license and helmet.
6. Slowdown your vehicle at the Zebra crossing.
7. Without driving license the riders off motor vehicles and liable for prosecution and punishment.
8. Proper observance of traffic rules protects your lives as well as others.


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Rose Yaworski
Did you know Canterbury once had a hotel on Packer Road in the 20's? Rose Yaworski remembers Packer Hotel just down the street from the Packer Mill. As a child she used to play on the massive porch which encircled the entire building.
Both of Rose's parents (John and Magalene Hatt) came from Poland and landed on Ellis Island. They met in New York City, married, and John eventually got a job at Tillinghast coal and lumber where he made the deliveries with a horse and wagon. In 1915 Rosie Hatt was born in the red house by the old recycling center road on Packer Road. As she grew older everyone just called her Rose.
Also in this same area, you can see the schoolhouse she attended as a child. When Rose attended there were only two windows in the front, but after a few years they added more for better light. At one time there were 35 students because Plainfield sent some children there also. Ruth Davis was her schoolteacher and she loved the arts and organized several plays that were held in the large meeting room at the Packer Hotel. Rose loved to act, be involved in plays, pageants and she loved to memorize. When she became older, she also sang in the Calvary Chapel choir for thirty years.
Packer also had a train depot where Rose would pay a dime to ride to Plainfield to take piano lessons from Mrs. Lyons. However, learning the piano wasn't for her. She would much rather play outdoors. The school had a baseball field where the kids in the neighborhood would play ball and horseshoes. Rose even had a job as a child. She would carry the mail to her neighbors for 5 cents a week.
The hotel was supported by people who would visit the Packer Mill. The mill made cotton for several years and then switched to making dyes before it was abandoned.
Her husband, Jim Yaworski, came to visit the area and met Rose and her family when she was a young girl. Jim asked her to begin writing to him, their romance began and they married at a very young age. Six years later Jim, Jr. was born and six years later Dennis was born. She now has nine grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren.
Jim finally bought a truck and started making deliveries such as grain and fine sand to many chicken farmers who used it as bedding and his trucking business was born. Rose did the books for the business for many years. The first truck that Jim owned (1936 Ford dump truck) is on display at the Yaworski Truck Museum.
Rose loves gardening and has always had a garden. She sold pansies, gladiola and asters to Mckenna, Johnson, Lewis and Holdridge greenhouses. She also had large strawberry beds and sold strawberries. She had a free delivery service: her husband would make the deliveries for her.
When asked to name one of the biggest changes in Canterbury, she said having a paved road. Rose remembers that Packer Road would turn into a slippery impassable mud road every time it rained. All the neighbors on Packer Road were very grateful when the road was finally paved.
Rose still loves the outdoors. The day I visited her she had just mowed the lawn and weeded her garden and tomorrow she will do the trimming. Even after all these years she would much rather be outdoors.


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← Chatswood, NSW: Welcome to the (urban) Jungle
The Last Hair Bender →
Posted on November 13, 2020 by topherdman
Someone told me that this is the most boring US election ever. We know who'll win, they reasoned. If Hillary couldn't beat Trump, then how can Joe? For the current President, losing was never an option. He repeatedly claimed that he did not know how he could handle defeat, especially to someone as lowly as Joe Biden. Anyhow, the same brain told me that Trump has never known losing. Throughout his sheltered life, failure was never an option. He was brought up on a silver spoon and acted like an insufferable brat all his life. He was the proverbial Tracy Flick, a fictional character from the movie Election which a young Reese Witherspoon portrayed. His win-at-all-cost mentality was very reminiscent of Flick. That Tracy was only a challenger (and not in power) was the main difference. Another contrast was that the fictitious know-it-all was conned while there was probably no cheating involved in this election. By the way, the title of this week's post was culled from a documentary on the legend of two-sport All-Star Bo Jackson.
Democrats win
On Saturday evening (US time), news broke that Biden had won the 2020 Presidential election. The latter had even given a victory speech, together with his vice-president (VP), Kamala Harris. The latter becomes the first person of colour and the first woman to be VP. The streets of America were divided. Some rejoiced in the Democrat win, while others renounced the election result, saying that it was rigged. This is real vindication for Biden, marking his third attempt at the US Presidency. His first bid was in 1988, then in 2016. He served as VP under President Barrack Obama from 2008-2016. He also lost his first wife and his son to a car accident. He then lost his other son – to cancer. Thus, he is no stranger to failure.
Comedy King
For those pondering Trump's reaction, he went on live TV following polling day. Sensing potential catastrophe, he went on record at the White House. He prematurely claimed victory and maintained that the votes were tainted. He argued, without evidence, of mass electoral fraud. He proclaimed that his team would wreck heaven and earth to prove this cheating. He and his team have maintained this stance for all of this past week. Trump spent the next couple of days far from modernity, playing golf in Virginia. Yet despite the distance, he could not avoid the backlash from protesters as he was driven around. Trump's behaviour during his term has inspired countless parodies. Saying that he's the most lampooned American President ever is not a stretch. After Biden's moment, there was still 74 sleeps before inauguration day. The world is wondering what could happen in those days.
Alec Baldwin parodying Trump
For all purposes, Trump has well worn out his welcome. He had four years of borrowed time. Most Yankees worth their salt would know that Hilary probably won the prior edition. In four years, he has spent his time undoing the progress of his predecessor, Obama. He has run the White House like a reality show, replete with firings and unnecessary drama. He has manned the ship with a fury, removing those who dare challenge him. Meanwhile, he expects the rest to quietly bow to him. This is true not only among his people, but also with other world leaders. Throughout his tenure, Trump has been a lightning rod for controversy. His comments over the late Senator John McCain swayed Arizona voters against him. Who could forget the Trump blimp which flew over London? Donald personifies someone who cares little about others' feelings.
The showdown was closer than predicted, with polling numbers at a record high. This election was decided among the so-called battleground states. Regardless, Biden was ahead after the first day of ballots. To win the White House, both combatants needed to amass 270 electorates. It seemed like Trump was stuck at 213. Four days later, he garnered just 214 electorates. Meanwhile, Biden was slowly pulling away. It got to the point where he needed merely Pennsylvania (with 20 seats) to reach the magic number. When that finally occurred, Trump's re-election hopes were foiled. Even before the decision, Trump launched recount requests across the nation. While a couple were successful, others were rebuffed. A few were still pending.
Many commentators have argued that Trump won't go out quietly. Some have gone so far as purporting that Donald wouldn't surrender the White House and would have to be forcibly evicted. Apparently, Trump doesn't listen to anyone and hates almost all media outlets. He even unleashes his attack dog, the fiery personal lawyer who launches his missiles. While he retains his cronies and sycophants, he has lost the confidence of more than half of the Americans who voted. He continues to shine in the eyes of hardliners, as seen in the anger and bitterness among his rank and file. Like their skipper, these followers will fight to the end. Anyhow, the minorities will never embrace Trump as a result of his tough policies. This plebiscite reveals that America has had enough. The record voter turnout is a testament of a country willing for change.
After four years in the Oval Office, Trump becomes the first one-term American President in almost thirty years. He remains a polarising figure: some gush about his aura while many despise him. He fancies himself a bridge of peace, striking deals between countries in the Middle East. At the same time, he also advanced Jerusalem as the Israeli capital, angering the Palestinians. During his time in office, there were only a couple of state visits. In this regard, he could not stop criticising the Obama administration but there is no doubt that the latter had more allies. One could avow that Trump was making the wrong friends. He sought out Kim Jong-Un, making headlines around the world. However, his inner control freak ignited a trade war with China and tensions between the two superpowers have never been higher.
He has made sweeping changes to America's foreign policy that has seen them retrogress instead of moving forward. The gap in the States' social strata has become even more pronounced. People are losing their business, their livelihoods, their necessities. Due to the coronavirus, the country is in a bad recession. The road back to black seems like an improbability that will not happen in the next Presidential term. Black lives are more precarious than ever, a big talking point that Trump has avoided. When issues are of little benefit to him, Trump has consistently shown his apathy. Thus, the spate of injustice endures.
Trump clearly underestimated his opponent. At various times, he ridiculed Biden for being 'too old' and for his stuttering. He called him 'Sleepy Joe.' He seemed blind to his own gross negligence, his appalling treatment of the American public. He ignores the fact that 240,000 of his constituents have fallen asleep as a result of him mishandling the coronavirus response. While he is busy Tweeting and planning his next assault on democracy, various insiders have reportedly asked him to concede and hand over the reins. Donald acted as if this election was his to lose. Trump has lambasted the media for declaring the Biden win. The outgoing leader believes that the news media has cooked up this victory and insisting that we should not trust them. The media in turn has responded, reminding Trump that there is no evidence of vote tampering whatsoever. Trump's refusal to accept defeat has been labelled a sad day in American history.
'Pass the flame'
When Trump finally leaves the White House, what happens then? His debt is a staggering USD 300 million. While he claims that he will re-contest the 2024 election, that will be a long shot. The Republican party will not pin their hopes on someone who already lost them the last plebiscite. By then, he would be 78 years old, the same age as Biden. Furthermore, some women have accused him of making unwanted advances towards them. The worst-case scenario is he ends up like disgraced Hollywood producer, Harvey Weinstein. That's not even mentioning all the other perks. The Secret Service, Air Force One, limousines, chauffeurs, a full ministerial cabinet, and the whole of the armed forces were at his command. Presidents are the biggest stewards of America. Now it's time to turn over the page and pass the torch.
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden (R) interjects as President Barack Obama delivers remarks at a reception for the 25th anniversary of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics at the White House in Washington, October 15, 2015. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY – RTS4NUZ
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Misr International University has invited Professor Shaun Shafer from Metropolitan State University of Denver to conduct workshops and guest lectures at MIU from April 1 to 16.
Professor Shafer will teach two specialized 12-hour workshops on "Sports Events Marketing" for the first time at MIU. The workshops are offered to Mass Communication and Business students. During his visit, Professor Shafer will also be guest lecturing in various Mass Communication classes.
Professor Shafer is the Faculty Associate to the Dean of the College of Professional Studies at the Metropolitan State University of Denver, as well as Program Coordinator and an Associate Professor of Journalism.
The upcoming visit will be Professor Shafer's second visit to MIU. He was previously invited in 2012 to guest lecture in Mass Communication Journalism classes.


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Oliver Wyman: Men dominate ExCos of financial services
08 December 2014 Consultancy.uk
Despite substantial diversity efforts in the financial services industry, the top of the sector remains a male dominated world, reveals a research by Oliver Wyman. In 2013, only 4% of CEOs and 13% of ExCo members were female, while as many as 35% of all ExCos were exclusively staffed by male members. In the case women do have an ExCo position, the typically head support and compliance departments, such as HR or Marketing, roles that do not necessarily lead to a CEO role.
Management consulting firm Oliver Wyman recently released an inaugural report on women in the Financial Services industry. For the report, the firm analysed the gender mix of senior staff at over 150 financial services firms internationally (including investment banks, retail banks, insurance companies and money managers), interviewed over 60 senior women (and some men) and surveyed over 1,000 current and potential financial services employees from five countries.
The key conclusion: although the financial services industry has made an overall modest improvement when it comes to gender balance, female representation at CEO level and in Executive Committee (ExCo) remains low; only 4% of CEOs and 13% of ExCo members were women at the world's leading financial institutions in 2013. Of the ExCos surveyed, 35% is still entirely male, a number that did come down from almost half (49%) in 2009. A mere 11% of the ExCos has a women representation of 30% or more.
The news is not all gloomy though - on a positive note Oliver Wyman concludes that female representation on boards has increased by two thirds over the last 10 years as 20% of board members are now women, and almost a quarter (23%) of the boards has 30% or more of its members from the female gender.
Country differences
In addition to comparing the representation of females on boards, the consultancy also looked at performance across countries. Interestingly, despite growing attention for diversity and gender equality, the percentage of female ExCo members has decreased in several countries in the past five years. Nordic countries, such as Norway, Sweden, and Finland, Canada and the UK can be labelled role models as the percentage of women in ExCos in these countries has increased in the past 10 years, although large differences in percentages between the countries, such as Norway and the UK, can be seen. Singapore is placed on the other side of the spectrum, as its percentage of women in ExCo roles has decreased structurally in the same period.
The women that did succeed in obtaining an ExCo role at financial institutions, most likely landed the support and compliance functions, such as Head of HR, where as much as 59% are women, Head of Marketing (43%), Head of Audit (36%), or Head of Legal (33%). The number of women leading profit generating lines of business is still very low, with only 11% of Head or CEO of a Business Unit (BU) being female, as well as the number of female CROs (4%), CFOs (8%), and COOs (11%), roles that generally provide a career path to becoming CEO.
More focus on top-level diversity needed
Going forward, the consultants conclude that much needs to be done as "the lack of diversity – both gender and otherwise – in the industry is bad for business." Michelle Daisley, Partner at Oliver Wyman explains: "Diversity improves decision-making, performance, sustainability, service and profits in the long-run. Firms with less diverse management teams are less able to see issues from many angles. This is especially important for a sector that has recently suffered scandals attributed to unchallenged leadership and 'groupthink'. The pace of change is too slow."
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Planned Giving Officer
With world attention on both the environment and the economy, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) is where policymakers and business leaders turn for win-win solutions. By focusing on strong science, uncommon partnerships and market-based approaches, we tackle urgent threats with practical solutions. We are one of the world's largest environmental organizations, with more than two million members and a staff of approximately 700 scientists, economists, policy experts, and other professionals around the world. We operate in 22 geographies with unique projects running across four programs. You will be part of a vibrant workplace that welcomes diverse perspectives, talents and contributions, where innovation and results are a way of life.
EDF envisions a world in which people from all backgrounds and experiences feel connected to the environmental challenges we face and are engaged in creating durable, equitable solutions. We seek talented candidates who share the Core Values that allow us to experiment courageously in our work while staying true to who we've been as an organization for 50 years. Are you a results oriented individual who is passionate about creating environmental solutions that make a lasting difference in the world? Do you respect diverse perspectives, talents and contributions? Do you value innovation and enjoy designing and using a wide range of problem-solving tools? Do you embrace environmental goals with a sense of optimism while taking into account real-world dynamics? If you have integrity and a strong desire to uphold a commitment to science, rigorous analysis, intellectual honesty and ethical action, then EDF is the place for you.
Overall Function
Cultivates, solicits, and stewards a portfolio of current and prospective legacy donors in California. Close bequests, charitable gift annuities, other planned gifts and outright gifts through personalized correspondence, telephone calls and face to face visits. Participate in marketing legacy gifts to donors and prospects. The Planned Giving Officer will be an experienced development professional with the skills and drive to implement all aspects of a comprehensive Planned Giving program. This position reports to the Director of Planned Giving and will be based in San Francisco.
Manage a portfolio of donors in all phases of development including cultivation, solicitation and stewardship. Secure, plan, and engage in face to face visits.
Develop and maintain positive relationships with EDF donors at all giving levels.
Create compelling, well written request letters, donor proposals, and other correspondence.
Develop and maintain strong collaborative working relationships within the Development department and with all levels of EDF staff.
Level of Independence and Decision-making:
Independently respond to donor inquiries with appropriate information on bequests, life income gifts and other gift planning vehicles and produce associated contracts. Considerable judgment and initiative are often exercised in dealing with donors and interpreting policy and procedures.
Analysis and problem-solving:
Develop and implement creative and effective solicitation, cultivation and stewardship strategies. Able to utilize software and systems to track key metrics, prioritize activities and analyze portfolio status.
Key contributor of Planned Giving team and responsible for achieving assigned financial, cultivation and stewardship goals. Assist in developing and executing national multi-channel marketing programs including print and online newsletter articles, advertisements, solicitations, presentations and brochures.
Bachelor's degree and a minimum of 5 years work experience in Planned Giving or similar experience working directly with clients in financial services or estate planning.
Experience working in a non-profit institution of comparable complexity and scale is preferred.
Demonstrated knowledge of planned giving vehicles and basic estate and financial planning, including the tax implications of charitable giving. Ability to apply this knowledge to address individual donor needs and goals. Keep abreast of changes and emerging issues in Planned Giving.
Exceptional planning, organization, time management, analytical, and multi-tasking skills.
Excellent writing, communication, and presentation skills.
Capacity to work easily and effectively with a wide range of people; adept at building relationships.
Comfortable working in a fast-paced, flexible, collegial, goal-oriented and entrepreneurial environment.
The highest level of personal and professional integrity and quality standards.
Proficient in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Planned Giving Manager and donor tracking software (preferably Sales Force).
Commitment to the mission of Environmental Defense Fund.
Ability to travel as needed.
Environmental Defense Fund is an equal opportunity employer where an applicant's qualifications are considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other basis prohibited by law.
Regular Full Time