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Monopolistic competition is an interesting market structure because it combines both features of monopoly and perfect competition. On the one hand, firms are price makers and can charge any price they want. On the other hand, it's easy for firms to enter the market as the barriers to entry are low. How to distinguish monopolistic competition from monopoly and perfect competition?
What is monopolistic competition?
Monopolistic competition is a type of market structure where many firms compete by selling slightly differentiated products. This market structure combines the features of both perfect competition and monopoly.
As in perfect competition, monopolistic competition has the following characteristics:
A large number of firms in the market.
Low or no barriers to entry and exit.
The availability of short-term abnormal profits.
However, it also resembles monopolies in many ways:
Downward sloping demand curve due to product differentiation.
The ability to control the prices (market power).
The demand doesn't equal marginal revenue.
Monopolistic competition diagram
Let's see how monopolistic competition works with some diagrams.
Short-run profit maximisation
In the short run, a firm in monopolistic competition can make abnormal profits. You can see short-run profit maximisation illustrated in Figure 1 below.
Figure 1. Short-run profit maximisation in monopolistic competition, StudySmarter Originals
Note that we draw the demand curve for individual firms, rather than the whole market as in perfect competition. This is because in monopolistic competition each firm produces a slightly differentiated product. This leads to different demands as opposed to perfect competition, where the demand is the same for all firms.
Due to product differentiation, firms are not price-takers. They can control the prices. The demand curve is not horizontal but sloping downward just like for the monopoly. The average revenue (AR) curve is also the demand (D) curve for a company's output as shown in Figure 1.
In the short run, companies in monopolistic competition will make abnormal profits when the average revenue (AR) exceeds the average total costs (ATC) as shown in the light green area in Figure 1. However, other firms will see that the existing firms are making profits and enter the market. This erodes the abnormal profits gradually until only the firms make normal profits in the long run.
Normal profits occur when the total costs equal a firm's total revenues.
A firm makes abnormal profits when the total revenues exceed the total costs.
Long-run profit maximisation
In the long run a firm in monopolistic competition can only make normal profits. You can see long-run profit maximisation in monopolistic competition illustrated in Figure 2 below.
Figure 2. Long-run profit maximisation in monopolistic competition, StudySmarter Originals
As more firms enter the market, each firm' revenue will reduce. This causes the average revenue curve (AR) to shift inward to the left as illustrated in Figure 2. The average total costs curve (ATC) will remain the same. As the AR curve becomes tangent to the ATC curve, the abnormal profits disappear. Thus, in the long run, firms in monopolistic competition can only make normal profits.
Characteristics of monopolistic competition
There are four key features of monopolistic competition:
A large number of firms.
Product differentiation.
Firms are price makers.
No barriers to entry.
Let's take a closer look at each of these features.
A large number of firms
There is a large number of firms in monopolistic competition. However, due to product differentiation, each firm maintains a limited amount of market power. This means that they can set their own prices and won't be affected much if other firms increase or lower their prices.
When shopping for snacks in the supermarket, you'll see many brands selling different types of crisps with various sizes, flavors, and price ranges.
Products in monopolistic competition are similar but not perfect substitutes for each other. They have different physical attributes such as taste, smell, and sizes, or intangible attributes such as brand reputation and eco-friendly image. This is known as product differentiation or unique selling points (USP).
Firms in monopolistic competition do not compete in terms of price. Instead, they take up non-price competition in various forms:
Marketing competition such as the use of exclusive outlets to distribute one's product.
The use of advertising, product differentiation, branding, packaging, fashion, style, and design.
Quality competition such as providing post-sales services for customers.
Product differentiation in monopolistic competition can also be classified into vertical differentiation and horizontal differentiation.
Vertical differentiation is the differentiation via quality and price. For example, a company can split the product portfolio among different target groups.
Horizontal differentiation is the differentiation via style, type, or location. For example, Coca-Cola can sell its beverage in glass bottles, cans, and plastic bottles. While the product type is different, the quality is the same.
Firms are price makers
The demand curve in monopolistic competition is downward sloping instead of being horizontal as in the perfect competition. This means firms retain some market power and control the prices to a certain extent. Due to product differentiation through marketing, packaging, branding, product features, or design, a firm can adjust the price in its favor without losing all the customers or affecting other firms.
No barriers to entry
In monopolistic competition, there are no barriers to entry. Thus, new firms can enter the market to take advantage of short-term abnormal profits. In the long run, with more firms, the abnormal profits will compete away until only normal profits are left.
Examples of monopolistic competition
There are many real-life examples of monopolistic competition:
While bakeries sell similar pastries and pies, they may differ in terms of price, quality, and nutritional value. Those that have a more unique offering or service may enjoy higher customer loyalty and profits than the competitors. There are low barriers to entry as anyone can open a new bakery with sufficient funding.
Restaurants are prevalent in every city. However, they vary in terms of price, quality, environment, and extra services. For example, some restaurants can charge premium prices as they have an award-winning chef and a fancy dining environment. Others are on a cheaper price end due to lower quality products. Thus, even if the restaurant dishes are made from similar ingredients, they are not perfect substitutes.
Every country has hundreds to thousands of hotels. They offer the same service: accommodation. However, they are not quite the same as different hotels are situated in different locations and offer different room layouts and services.
Inefficiencies of monopolistic competition
Monopolistic competition is both productively and allocatively inefficient in the long run compared to perfect competition. Let's explore why.
Figure 3. Excess capacity in monopolistic competition in the long run, StudySmarter Originals
As discussed before, in the long run, with more firms entering the market, the abnormal profits in monopolistic competition will be eroded until the firms only make normal profits. When this happens, the profit-maximising price equals the average total cost (P = ATC) as shown in Figure 3.
Without the economies of scale, firms have to produce a lower level of output at a higher cost. Note, in Figure 3, that the cost at Q1 is above the lowest point of the average total cost curve (point C in Figure 3 above). This means that the firms in monopolistic competition will suffer from productive inefficiency as their costs are not minimised. The level of productive inefficiency can be expressed as an 'excess capacity,' marked by the difference between Q2 (the maximum output) and Q1 (the output a firm can produce in the long run). The firm will also be allocatively inefficient as the price is greater than the marginal cost.
Productive efficiency occurs when a firm produces maximum output at the lowest possible cost.
Allocative efficiency occurs when a firm produces output where the price is equal to marginal cost.
The economic welfare effects of monopolistic competition are ambiguous. There are several inefficiencies in monopolistically competitive market structures. However, we could argue that product differentiation increases the number of product choices available to consumers, thereby improving economic welfare.
Monopolistic Competition - Key takeaways
Monopolistic competition is a large number of firms in the market selling slightly differentiated products.
Firms are price-makers and their demand curve is sloping downward instead of being horizontal as in perfect competition.
There are no barriers to entry so firms can enter at any time to take advantage of the abnormal profits.
In monopolistic competition, firms can earn abnormal profits in the short run as long as the average revenue curve is above the average total cost curve. When the average revenue curve becomes tangent to the average total cost curve, the abnormal profits disappear and the firms only make normal profits.
Firms in monopolistic competition suffer from productive and allocative inefficiency.
Frequently Asked Questions about Monopolistic Competition
Monopolistic competition is the market structure in which many firms compete to sell similar products but not perfect substitutes.
What are the characteristics of monopolistic competition?
Monopolistic competition consists of a large number of firms in the market selling similar products but not perfect substitutes. Companies are price makers but their market power is limited. Thus, the barrier to entry is low. Also, customers may have imperfect information about the products.
What are the four conditions to monopolistic competition?
The four conditions to monopolistic competition are a large number of firms, similar but not perfectly substitutable products, low barriers to entry, and less than perfect information.
Which industry would be considered to be monopolistically competitive?
Monopolistic competition is often present in industries that provide day-to-day products and services. Examples include restaurants, cafes, clothing stores, hotels, and pubs.
What is excess capacity in monopolistic competition?
Excess capacity in monopolistic competition is the difference between the optimal output and the actual output produced in the long run. Firms in monopolistic competition are less than willing to produce the optimal output in the long run when the long-term marginal costs (LMC) are higher than the long-term marginal revenues (LMR).
Final Monopolistic Competition Quiz
Monopolistic competition is the market structure in which many firms compete to sell slightly differentiated products.
The characteristics are:
Slightly differentiated products.
What does the demand curve for individual firms in monopolistic competition look like?
It is more elastic than the demand curve in monopoly, though not perfectly elastic as in perfect competition.
Are firms in monopolistic competition price-takers or price-makers?
Price makers, though they have limited market power.
How is the barrier to entry for a new firm in a monopolistic competition market?
Low or no barrier to entry. Firms can enter and exit the market any time.
How can firms in monopolistic competition differentiate their products?
Products in monopolistic competition can be differentiated with physical attributes such as taste, smell, and sizes, or intangible attributes such as brand reputation, and eco-friendly image.
When does profit optimization happen in monopolistic competition?
At output Q where MC = MR.
How can firms in monopolistic competition enjoy abnormal profit?
In the short-run, companies in a monopolistic market are able to earn abnormal profits at the output where marginal costs equal marginal revenues.
Do the abnormal profits in monopolistic competition last in the long run?
In the long, due to the increase in the number of firms, the price of the product will drop. Thus, the firms will only make normal profits.
What is monopolistic competition inefficiency?
In the long run, with the entry of new firms, the abnormal profit in monopolistic competition is eroded and the firms only make normal profits. Here, the profit-maximising price equals the average total cost (P = ATC). Without the economies of scale, monopolistic competition suffers from productive and allocative inefficiencies. This is because over time a firm in monopolistic competition has to produce an output (Q1) less than the output at which the average total cost is lowest (Q2).
What is non-price competition?
Competition in factors other than the price.
Firms in monopolistic competition do not compete (or only compete) in terms of price. Instead, they take up non-price competition in various forms, including:
Marketing competition such as the use of exclusive outlets to distribute one's product. The extensive use of advertising, product differentiation, branding, packaging, fashion, style, and design.
What is the difference between vertical and horizontal differentiation?
When do new firms enter a monopolistic market?
When they can make abnormal profits.
Why does the demand curve in monopolistic competition represent individual firms instead of the whole market as in perfect competition?
In monopolistic competition, each firm produces a slightly different product, which results in different customer demands. In the case of perfect competition, the demand is the same for all firms due to identical products. Thus, only one market demand curve is shown.
In which ways does monopolistic competition resemble perfect competition?
No barriers to entry and exit.
The availability of short-term abnormal profits which attract new firms to enter the market. Over time with more firms, the abnormal profits are eroded and firms only make normal profits.
The four key features of monopolistic competition are:
Firms in monopolistic market are ___________
price makers
There is a ___________ number of firms in monopolistic competition.
Products in monopolistic competition are ___________ for each other.
similar but not perfect substitutes
The two types of product differentiation are vertical differentiation and ___________
Horizontal differentiation
Productive efficiency occurs when a firm produces ___________ output at the ___________ possible cost.
maximum, lowest
Allocative efficiency occurs when a firm produces output where the price is ___________ marginal cost.
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Includes test leads, alligator clips, 100V-240V AC universal adaptor with 4 plugs, six AA batteries, and hard carrying case.
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Linear actuators can be found in many different appliances and machinery, but one of its most prevalent uses is in the application and creation of furniture. In furniture making, they help automate a number of processes and functions such as eliminating the monotony of everyday tasks, which in turn speeds up production as well as helping prevent workplace injuries in the factories that make furniture.
An actuators job is to create linear motion. That motion can be applied to any number of processes or functions, whether simple or complex. For example they can be used to shut switches off, turn controls on, raise or lower platforms and pull or push something along a conveyer belt. Tasks such as these are commonly found in furniture factories and the equipment that make said furniture.
Now what type of furniture will you find an actuator in? Mostly in things like desks, beds, laboratory stations, couches and draft tables, basically almost anything where adjustability is a key factor. Actuators make that adjustability possible. Here are some examples of how they would work.
Shared offices and work spaces may have actuators in their desks that give them the ability to raise or lower the height to meet the needs of many different users. Our FLT-03-2-2 table lift, which can hold up to 880lbs of weight, is perfect for situations like this.
Work environments like hospitals would use actuators in their beds to help adjust the height and angle to best suit a patients needs and comforts. Our PA-02, PA-14 or PA-15 units could work in these situations, depending on how much weight, speed and stroke length is needed.
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Provider of engineering and contracting services. The company offers bulk storage tank construction, welding, precision machining and industrial control systems supply and installation services to industrial markets including oil and gas, plastics and aerospace industries.
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SEPTA Honors Peer Advocates
The Herricks Public Schools' Special Education Parent Teachers Association (SEPTA) held its annual Peer Advocates Night on March 19. This event recognizes students from each of the district's school buildings who go above and beyond to make a difference for their peers, including those with special needs.
STEM Club Team Named International Finalist
Nine Herricks High School STEM Club teams participated in the Conrad International Spirit of Innovation Challenge and became semi-finalists, and one of the groups has reached the finals round. For this international competition, students work together in teams of 2-5 members to develop solutions to some of the world's most complex problems.
Herricks Musicians Perform at LISFA Festival
From March 2-4, the Long Island String Festival Association (LISFA) sponsored its annual Elementary Festival. After many hours of rehearsal with prominent conductors, Herricks students in grades 5-8 performed at Uniondale High School among Nassau County's finest string musicians.
Herricks HS Mock Trial Team Concludes Successful Season
Herricks High School's Mock Trial team completed their season on March 5 in a very close match against Sacred Heart Academy.
Herricks HS Senior Named Nassau County Art Award Winner
Herricks High School senior Jacqueline Lewittes has been selected as the winner of the 2018 Nassau County Art Supervisors Association Senior Art Scholarship Award. This distinction is presented annually to a deserving senior who has consistently demonstrated exemplary talent and passion in two-dimensional visual art forms.
Herricks Students Win Scholastic Writing Awards
Six Herricks High School students were recognized with Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. They collectively earned three Gold Key, a Silver Key and two Honorable Mention distinctions.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Isaac challenges WCMF cancellation
World Creole Music Festival is world brand- can you cancell a world brand?
Joseph Isaac, MP Roseau Central
Economist Joseph Isaac has expressed dismay at the cancellation of the World Creole Music Festival (WCMF), stating that doing so contradicts the nation's image of resilience.
Isaac told The Sun newspaper that Dominicans need to show the world they can they can still help themselves and, furthermore, they have the desire and the ability to express their talent and culture in a way that transcends the impact of the storm.
Isaac, the United Workers Party (UWP) Parliamentary Representative for the Roseau North Constituency and his party's shadow Minister of Tourism and Cultural Industries, contended that it is prudent and responsible to focus on developing the cultural industry at this time when tourism, hotels, restaurants, vendors and others in the service industry are most impacted.
Isaac noted that, in marketing terms, the WCMF is a 'world brand' event and calling off the show is tantamount to cancelling a world brand product such as Coca Cola, with all the attendant negative economic consequences.
Further, he is concerned that the WCMF brand was put in the misleading context of "man 'wining' on woman with a Kubuli beer in each hand…"
Recently, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit expressed his view that those assisting the island in its post Tropical Storm Erika recovery efforts may frown on feting in Dominica at this time.
"If we go ahead and host this Creole Festival and people who have taken their money that they do not have to help you in this very difficult time, what are they gonna say? That you [are] feting in Dominica while our people [are] catching hell and -- you know -- man 'wining' on woman with a Kubuli beer in each hand; and we have to build houses for you?" the Prime Minister said.
Isaac asked what would happen if there is another storm next year and the following year. "If you are faced with three consecutive storms, will you cancel again?" he asked.
The economist said that while he is sensitive to the losses incurred as a result of the storm, in his professional opinion, the best way to help the victims would have been to hold the WCMF and give the proceeds to the victims to get them back on track.
Further, the organizers could have renegotiated the contracts of the key performers-- many of whom who would already have been paid a deposit—with a view to getting concessions as the performers' contributions to the recovery of Dominica.
Commenting on Tourism Minister's Robert Tonge's assurance that the island is open for business, Isaac said cancelling the festival contradicts this statement.
"If you are saying we are back on track and open for business, why cancel the festival?" Isaac asked.
Tonge was quoted as saying that "Dominica is ready to accept business because as we know tourism is second to agriculture and we have to ensure that we bring in some form of revenue into the country."
Isaac maintained that the decision taken to cancel the WCMF was highly emotional and not objective. An objective decision would have clearly demonstrated the island's economic resilience, he said.
He underscored the point that going ahead with the WCMF despite the effects of the storm would have been the best way to show that the island is resilient and open for business.
Isaac also pointed out that, subsequently, LIME decided to cancel the annual Creole in the Park (CITP), which is normally held from Monday to Thursday of the week prior to the WCMF.
The economist asked: Why would LIME want to invest in the CITP when the Government was not prepared to go ahead with the WCMF?
Isaac also believes that key stakeholders were not properly consulted on the way forward in relation to the WCMF. He said some stakeholders have indicated that they were not actually consulted, but merely called in to ratify a readymade decision.
At a press conference prior to the announcement of the cancellation and before the stakeholders were called in for a meeting, the Prime Minister said discussions had already begun with the contracted performers in a bid to get them to return their deposits or to defer their performances to next year.
"In respect to the Creole Festival, the minister-- as is customary-- is engaging other stakeholders. But I believe and I daresay from where I see things, it is moving more towards a cancellation for 2015 and a final decision will be announced…" Skerrit said on the night prior to the stakeholder meeting.
Further, Isaac holds the view that the Prime Minister's public statement that he was in favour of cancelling the festival-- which he made before the stakeholder consultation-- was prejudicial and unfairly influenced the eventual decision.
Isaac pointed out that even if the WCMF is replaced with a three-night benefit concert featuring local artistes, this change will not prevent the 'two Kubuli scenario' the Prime Minister used to characterize the way patrons behave at the WCMF.
He hopes that the cancellation will not have any permanent impact on the WCMF brand.
While the long term impact remains to be seen, Isaac said the immediate economic impact on the island will be a significant loss of vital revenue to the nation from a drop in stay-over visitors and a reduction in visitors' spending.
He noted that the number of stay-over visitors is usually at its highest during the time of the WCMF, so the cancellation will translate into a downturn in economic activities in October-November, impacting heavily on tourism and VAT collection.
Isaac said he is aware that several leading OECS economists consider the cancellation a mistake.
He said it might not be too late to call off the decision.


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Regional Resource Centre for the Asia and the Pacific
Webinar on Nature-based Solutions for Climate Change Adaptation: From Concept to Implementation
09-Sep-2021- 09-Sep-2021
A webinar on "Nature-based Solutions for Climate Change Adaptation: from Concept to Implementation" was organised by RRC.AP to help identify opportunities for NbS in adaptation to climate change, particularly, having a common understanding and interpretation of NbS concepts and take advantage of existing traditional ecological knowledge in NbS application. It will provide experiences, and emerging priorities of key donors and implementing agencies in supporting nature-based solutions for adaptation and benefits of investing in nature-based solutions.
This 90-minute-long webinar gathered 175 environment enthusiasts of various affiliations (academia, civil societies, international organisations, local government, national government, and private sectors) from 25 countries around the world.
The webinar formally started with the welcome address from Dr. Naoya Tsukamoto, Director of RRCAP, and continued with the moderation from Mr Phurba Lhendup, Head of Climate Change Cluster, RRCAP. Mr Sanjaya Bhatia, Head of Office for Northeast Asia (ONEA) & Global Education and Training Institute (GETI), United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), as a keynote speaker stressed Nature-based Solutions (NbS) as one of the approaches for strengthening environmental resilience within the Sendai Framework and a need to build the capacity of stakeholders on NbS solutions.
For the webinar RRC.AP invited a panel from international organisations working on NbS to provide their insights, approaches, roadmaps, and tools. Ms Kathryn Bimbson, Programme Officer, Water and Wetlands, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Asia Regional Office, presented on IUCN Global Standard for Nature-based Solutions. She explained the standard developed to help design, verify, and scale up the nature-based solutions. Dr. Elizabeth Allison, Associate Professor at California Institute of Integral Studies, shared about Traditional Ecological Knowledge for Climate Adaptation. In her presentation, she gave her insights on traditional ecological knowledge from an academic point and explained that traditional ecological knowledge is cumulative, developed over time, and handed over across many generations. Presenting various examples, she stressed that the creativity and ingenuity of local indigenous people play a powerful role in climate change adaptation to build a more resilient environment and human beings. Ms Kathryn Michie, Senior Advisor, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Asia Pacific, shared the five principles that need to be considered while designing an effective NbS including examples from various parts of the world on the application of NbS. Lastly, Ms Emily Goodwin, Programme Officer, IUCN Washington DC, explained the Global Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) Fund, a fund that supports climate change projects around the world through NbS.
The video recording of the webinar can be accessed.
Created at 10/12/2021 10:15 PM by System Account
Last modified at 10/12/2021 10:16 PM by System Account


Only two weeks ago we were in a crowded van in Eleuthera, heading North to Harbour Island, when it was pointed out to us that Tyler is doing correspondence university and I was still on maternity leave with my business being watched (regardless of me being in Canada, or abroad). It was a fleeting comment that I wasn't sure Tyler even picked up on. We had a slow afternoon that day — we drank Goombay Punch and ate rice and peas on a covered deck overlooking the ocean, before making our way to the beach to play in the waves and take hundreds of pictures trying to capture the pink sand's colour.
That night, once we were back at the house, in the quiet of our room and with Baby asleep, I hesitated to bring up the comment that I was fantasizing about all afternoon. As soon as I started to skirt the topic, Tyler turned the computer to show that he was already on VRBO trying to find an affordable place we could rent, to see through the rest of my time off work. In a matter of days, flights were booked, hotels were chosen, and an apartment was rented.
As I write this, the night before our departure, our backpacks are filled and waiting at the door — this time with more diapers and rattles than date-clothes and shoes. We've been told that we could kiss our travel days goodbye once we had a baby, and while it will certainly be a different kind of trip than we would usually take, we look forward to seeing the world through a new set of eyes with Baby in tow. We'll write updates as we're able about our adventures over the coming weeks, and will share photos of Baby's first European vacation (a good third-month birthday gift, I'd say!).
P.S. The above photo was taken in Bulgaria last spring — what a view!


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Chinese government may be behind huge Wuhan leak, analyst says
News Chinese government may be behind huge Wuhan leak, analyst says
10:00pm, Dec 1, 2020 Updated: 12:45pm, Dec 2
Cait Kelly Reporter
The Chinese government may have been behind the leak that showed it botched its initial response to the COVID-19 outbreak and downplayed its numbers to the world, leading analysts have said.
It comes as China's state media appears to be ramping up a campaign to question the origins of the coronavirus before the World Health Organisation investigation arrives in the country.
A trove of 177 pages of internal documents leaked to CNN reveals health officials in Hubei province, where the virus first broke out, were hamstrung by underfunding that resulted in delayed testing and critical gaps in staffing.
The documents also reveal how authorities took an average of 23.2 days to diagnose cases in the first months of the outbreak and that initially there was chronic underreporting of case numbers.
On February 10, for instance, there were 5918 verified cases but the publicly reported number was just 2478.
Although damning, some think the leak could have come from the Chinese Communist Party.
"None of us really know, but a leak from China is unusual," said Allan Behm, head of the International and Security Affairs Program at The Australia Institute.
Beds are arranged in a hospital set up in an exhibition centre in Wuhan in February. Photo: AAP
"The Chinese government is very secretive. It's not the sort of government that wants to back down."
He said it may also have also come from a citizen such as the doctor who was detained for "spreading false rumours" after he warned colleagues about the emergence of COVID-19.
But the leak does benefit the Chinese government in one department – it enables it to save face when it hands over its data from the early days of the pandemic, Mr Behm said.
"It might be to their credit in that the data is out," he said.
"If you look at categories for diagnosis, their testing regime at the beginning was very slow – over three weeks to get a test result.
"Now that changed in the period of about six weeks. In other words, they set something of an international standard.
"So in a curious way, the document shows China as fumbling in a world of chaos at the start, but moving quickly to establish international benchmarks."
He said the biggest clue was that the Chinese Communist Party had not yet denounced the document.
"There have been no denials from the CCP," he said. "And they were forestalling critical response by not releasing data at the beginning."
The leak comes as China's state media has been pushing different theories about the origins of the virus before the international investigation starts in the country.
Wuhan became a ghost town during its harsh lockdown after the virus broke out.
The official Communist Party newspaper, People's Daily, said in a Facebook post last week that "all available evidence" suggested the virus "did not start in central China's Wuhan".
The country's leading scientists have been suggesting the virus was imported into China on frozen food packaging, a theory that puts them at odds with their international counterparts.
Wu Zunyou, a leading epidemiologist at China's Centre for Disease Control, told Beijing News last month it was likely the outbreak came from imported food.
"If we think back to the early outbreak in Wuhan at the start of the year, the patients from Huanan seafood market were concentrated in the frozen seafood section," he said.
"These clues all point to imported cold chain seafood being the outbreak's origin."
But the director of the health emergencies program at the WHO, Michael Ryan, said in November it would be "highly speculative" to suggest COVID-19 did not originate in the country.
"It is clear from a public health perspective that you start your investigations where the human cases first emerged," he told a press briefing in Geneva.
Expert on international relations and defence studies and ANU Professor John Blaxland said China had played its hand poorly on this in a manner that had hugely damaged its credibility.
Chinese state media has been pushing alternative theories. Photo: Getty
"No one seriously believes them any more," he said.
"They're just digging a deeper hole and it's damaging to China's place in the world."
Australia is still reeling from a storm of economic and trade threats sparked by Foreign Minister Marise Payne declaring in April the government would push for an independent international inquiry into the outbreak of COVID-19.
The declaration sparked heated debate over how to handle diplomatic relations with our biggest trading partner.
But Professor Blaxland said the response from the CCP to the virus outbreak and Australia's involvement, have all been about pride.
"The motivation is saving face, internally and externally," he said.
"First is the internal dynamic where President Xi Jinping is seeking to bolster his control over the CCP and then the external factor is seeking to elicit subservience from countries like Australia."
China has been attempting to rescue its international reputation since the pandemic broke out, and just last week gave assurances to the WHO that international experts would soon be able to travel to China to help investigate the animal origins of COVID-19.
WHO investigators visited Wuhan earlier this year but were unable to visit the food market linked to the outbreak.
Professor Blaxland said it's important the investigation takes place to stop it happening in the future.
"We need to know how it happened, not just for a historical interest, but we need to prevent it from recurring," Professor Blaxland said.
'A tragedy for the whole community': NT Police investigate fatal stabbing in Darwin street


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Looking for an electrician in South Wales? We are a family run business with over 10 years of experience in the electrical industry. We are based in Bridgend, South Wales covering the South Wales area. What sets us apart is the level of care and service we provide to each and everyone of our customers, commercial and domestic.
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Why does a volcano erupt? How many different kinds of volcanoes are there? Once believed to be the work of a fire god named Vulcan, volcanoes have long fascinated people. Looking at three different types of volcanoes—composite, cinder cone, and shield—uncover how and why these magnificent and deadly mountains change the earth for the better, and for the worse.


text:
Home / Africa / Top 10 Most Beautiful Places to Visit in Botswana
Top 10 Most Beautiful Places to Visit in Botswana
18 January, 2023 18 April, 2014 by Emma Clair Kelly
Although this landlocked African country is home to some uniquely beautiful landscapes (including brilliant red sand dunes and the world's largest salt pans) it's all about the wildlife.
Botswana is filled with sprawling open savannahs which teem with migrating mammals and their predators but it's a less-visited destination than some of its African rivals, offering a much more natural safari experience. From a lush river delta to a peaceful rhino sanctuary here are our collective choices for the best and most beautiful places to visit in Botswana…
1. Okavango Delta – a gorgeous beauty spot in Botwana
Arguably one of the most beautiful places to visit in Africa, the Okavango Delta is actually the world's largest inland delta. It's an oasis of islands, wildlife and lush green vegetation located in the middle of the dry unforgiving Kalahari Desert.
Make sure you go on a unique safari tour and spot wildlife from the safety of a traditional canoe (a mokoro) and then camp overnight. See Sanctuary Retreats for more details.
2. Kalahari Desert – a must-see attraction
Part of the huge sand basin that reaches from the Orange River up to Angola, this is where vast expanses of sand masses were created by the erosion of soft stone formations.
The terracotta dunes have been shaped by wind and have a surreal, other-worldly beauty. Also visit for the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, one of the world's largest game reserves. It's not as accessible as the other parks but its remote location ensures it's far less touristy.
3. Makgadikgadi Pans – a surreally beautiful salt pan
Another place with an unearthly beauty is the Makgadikgadi pans, the largest salt pans in the world. Located in the middle of the dry savanna of northeastern Botswana, it's the remains a huge lake that dried up thousands of years ago.
The salt-encrusted pans are flat and arid and come complete with a skyline which appears to go on forever. Camping safaris to spot the resident zebra, and wildebeest their predators are a good option for more adventurous travellers.
4. Nxai Pan National Park – a well known place to visit in Botswana
Nearby this national park consists of Nxai Pan, which is one of the Makgadikgadi Pan salt flats. Characterised by sand dunes, vast salt pans, the famous Baines baobab trees it's a beautiful place which of course offers excellent opportunities to see bird and wildlife.
Open all-year-round, it's located in northeastern Botswana so it's easy to combine a visit with the nearby Okavango Delta and the Chobe.
5. Linyanti Wildlife Reserve – occupies a total area of 275,000 acres
One of the most exclusive safari areas in Africa, this place caters to the well-heeled adventurous traveller. The peaceful private reserve covers some 308,000 acres and can be found in the North East of the country.
The area is fed by the Kwando River ensuring plenty of wildlife spotting opportunities – it's renowned for its many Lion prides and also being home to one of Botswana's largest Elephant populations.
6. Kgalagadi Transfrontier National Park – a large wildlife preserve and conservation area in southern Africa
This is a sprawling conversation area that covers over 3.6 million hectares and is known for its red sand dunes and dry riverbeds. It straddles the border between South Africa and Botswana and is an excellent place for wildlife watching.
Expect to see predators such as cheetahs, lions, leopards and hyenas, migratory herds of springbok and wildebeest and over 200 species of birds (including vultures and eagles).
7. Kubu Island – a dry granite rock island located in the Makgadikgadi Pan area of Botswana
Kubu Island is easily one of the most beautiful places to visit in Botswana and was once described by Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson as the most astonishing place he'd ever been!
It's actually a dry granite rock island engulfed by a white sea of salt in the Makgadikgadi Pan. The island is now protected as a national monument, with visit proceeds going towards helping the local community.
8. Moremi Wildlife Reserve – home to a striking number of wildlife species and birdlife
Arguably the most beautiful wildlife sanctuary in Africa, this game reserve lies in the heart of Botswana's Okavango Delta. Mopane tree canopies dominate the dry landscapes and the rest of the area is a combination of floodplain grasses, riverine woodland and permanent delta.
The reserve supports one of the greatest concentrations of wildlife in Africa and includes endangered wild dogs, herds of elephants and the 'Big Five.'
9. Chobe River – a stunning and life-giving river
This is an integral part of the Botswana safari experience (which can be combined easily with the Okavango Delta and Kalahari). The Chobe River runs along the northern border of Chobe National Park and a river safari – or cruise – is one of your best options to explore the area.
It's a place abundant with wildlife but try to visit during the dry season (April to October) when game concentrations are at their highest. Expect hippos, buffalo, cheetahs crocodiles, antelope species and huge herds of elephants.
10. Khama Rhino Sanctuary – a community-based wildlife project in Botswana
Established in 1992, this is a community-based wildlife project which was set up to help protect and restore the vanishing rhinoceros. The Khama Rhino Sanctuary is a peaceful spot where sustainable tourism is encouraged – there are even onsite chalet and camping facilities where you can stay overnight.
Covering around 8585 hectares, the haven provides protection for both black and white rhinos as well as over 30 other animal species and around 230 species of birds.
The most beautiful places to visit in Tanzania
25 thoughts on "Top 10 Most Beautiful Places to Visit in Botswana"
Oty Emmanuel
Oh, God. These places are breathtaking. I hope the security there is tight because I hope to visit there soon.
Travelwaka
Botswana looks beautiful and I cant wait to visit this amazing destination. I will definitely add this to my bucket list.
Emmah
22 June, 2017 at 10:24 am
My Motswana friend keeps insisting that i should visit Botswana. this post has just confirmed why i should.
Oh my god would love to take a trip to this wonderful looking place!
Bev Nevill
16 July, 2015 at 10:01 pm
Botswana is the most beautiful, unspoilt country. I lived there for over 6 years & loved it. One of our favourite places was Khutse in the Kalahari desert. It was only 4 hours from home but you were out in the middle of nowhere with nothing but the wild animals for company. Sadly now there is a big hotel there & everything has to be booked in advance. Luckily it's a huge country so there are still places where you can go to be at one with nature.
Ria MM
8 July, 2015 at 10:33 am
Please send recommendation (from experience) of places to can visit as a single 50+ woman.
sandile
Nice aw
modiegi
i come from botswana and our country is by far the best safari place in ghe world. you must surely visit but also try the following places:
tsodilo hills
tuli block
qcwihaba caves
15 October, 2016 at 11:28 pm
CAN YOU SUGGEST THE BEST SAFARI SPOTS
Visited chobe in 2013 and am going back again end of the year. The place is just magnificent


The BUCKSTRUCK Card Reader allows you to immediately check your Game and Trail Camera videos and images in the field on most all modern Android devices. Game and Trail Cameras should be checked quickly and before your hunt. This android card reader helps you do just that. Don't purchase expensive and bulky trail camera card viewers - this gets the job done more quickly and way less expensive.
• "File Manager (file transfer)" app works best to view photos. Connect Buckstruck->"USBDriveA" will pop-up on the app, trail files located in "DCIM" folder.
• The lightest hunting trail camera and card readers on the market. Add it quickly to your hunting gear accessories so you can view your images in the field. It's a great trail camera SD Card Reader for your favorite hunter!
• This little trail camera sd card reader slips in your pocket or hunting pack and weighs less than 1oz.
• Many uses! Use as a trail camera card reader, a real-time hunting card reader, or just a gift as a hunting accessory to your favorite hunter!
• Pass the time in your stand watching whats on your trail camera right from your phone.
COMPATIBLE WITH ANDROID most devices with a MicroUSB slot. See the compatability list in images. View Deer Turkey Moose and many other game animals. Compatible with SD / SDHC / MicroSD / USB cards.
VIEW EDIT DELETE COPY or SHARE any of your game camera pictures straight from the field with your hunting buddies with this Android card reader.
USE YOUR TRAIL CAMERA WITH YOUR PHONE use it to best of your ability and don't truck in unnecessary heavy equipment into the field. The BUCKSTRUCK Card Reader weighs less than 1oz !!!
FIELD TESTED ; MADE RUGGED by a company that is all hunters and always will be. This is the most lightweight camera reader on the market and a great add to your hunting gear and hunting accessories. Don't waste your money on bulky trail camera card viewers.


The Aspen Tufted Leather Chair and Ottoman Set by Klaussner at Lapeer Furniture & Mattress Center in the Flint, Michigan area. Product availability may vary. Contact us for the most current availability on this product.
Browse other items in the Aspen collection from Lapeer Furniture & Mattress Center in the Flint, Michigan area.


Hatraco offers an extended support service, answering any technical questions costumers may have. This can be done by contacting Hatraco by telephone or e-mail. Costumers will in some cases be advised to consider our training or on-site commissioning services.
Every purchased product, within their warranty period, can be send to Hatraco for inspection. If the claim is valid, Hatraco will take care of every aspect of the warranty claim and keep the customer informed of the progress.
Mechanical systems can be overhauled. This is possible for mechanical units like Altronic 2, Altronic 3 and Altronic 5. Overhaul is also possible for all TDI Air starters. Electrical units can be tested by Hatraco.
Hatraco invests in research and testing to achieve the best quality possible for their own products. Hatraco has developed a high voltage test stand for sparkplug cables. These sparkplug cables are exposed to high voltage to measure the resistance en isolation of the cables.
Upon request, Hatraco can provide commissioning for ignition or compressor related systems. This means, after installation is completed, Hatraco will program and fine tune the system to your specific needs.


Cody Johnson suffers from neuroblastoma, a form of cancer that affects the sympathetic nervous tissue and adrenal glands. Chemotherapy suppresses the immune system and makes him vulnerable to life-threatening infections. Renovations to the family's home included a new heating and cooling system, which was provided at no charge as part of ACCA's Heat the Country program.
"There are no words to describe the work that these people have come together to do. I really don't know what to say; it is incredible. The support that was given is beyond words, beyond expression."
Those were the words of Diane Johnson, mother of Cody Johnson, whose home in Manassas, Va., was outfitted with a new HVAC system by members of the Air Conditioning Contractors of America - National Capital Chapter (ACCA-NCC) during the association's Heat the Country program.
Cody, who is two years old, was recently diagnosed with Stage IV neuroblastoma, a form of cancer that affects the sympathetic nervous tissue and adrenal glands. Cody receives treatment at the Lombardi Cancer Center of Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C.
While he undergoes intensive chemotherapy, which suppresses the immune system and makes him vulnerable to life-threatening infections, his family is living in an apartment, awaiting their return to a "clean" home. The family home is being renovated to abate a serious mold problem in preparation for Cody's return home for a short break from his treatment.
As part of the Heat the Country program, the Johnsons received a new HVAC system, compliments of the ACCA-NCC. Technicians from Krafft Service and Northstar Heating & A/C installed a new Westinghouse air conditioning system with equipment donated by Allied Equipment and Supplies.
Crews also installed a UV air cleaner donated by Northeastern Supply. The Thomas Somerville Co. donated a new oil boiler. Tin Man Sheet Metal donated all of the necessary ductwork for the changeout. Foley Mechanical donated several hundred dollars worth of controls, too.
The original air conditioning system at the property was installed in the attic with no emergency drain pan. As a result of a water leak, a large portion of the ceiling in one of the children's bedrooms fell to the floor and caused substantial water damage.
"We constantly had a problem with mold in our home," Johnson said. "We were told by our doctors that chemotherapy patients were at risk and could not breathe moldy air. The whole house had to be torn apart."
Besides help from local trades people to remediate the mold, replace flooring, and paint, the Johnsons desperately needed help with replacing the HVAC equipment. Dan Clarke, ACCA-NCC president and Heat the Country chairman, helped the family overcome that hurdle.
"Dan came out to visit me at the house," Johnson said. "Soon after, I had to go to the hospital with Cody. My husband called me there and said not to bother coming home because there was no furnace. We didn't know they were putting in a new furnace."
Clarke said that each of the people working in the home was moved by the experience. "It was very emotional working in the Johnson home," he said. "All of the guys working in the home got very close to the situation. It made us all feel good by the end of the day. We never got to meet Cody while we were there because he was always in the hospital."
The Johnsons still face an increasing number of medical bills for Cody's treatment. They have refinanced their mortgage twice in recent years for other home improvements. "We're just not prepared for a problem of this magnitude," Johnson said.
Clarke issued a press release to state that a fund had been initiated to aid the family, and he appealed for more help.
"I hope that we don't stop here," he said. "We have started a collection to help the Johnson family (in addition to Cody there is his four-year-old-sister, Daniella, and six-year-old brother, Justin) for the holidays."
"As a parent of a two-year-old child, I can't imagine being in this position," he said. "I encourage all of you touched by this story to send a donation so that we can provide some joy to this family over what will be a very difficult holiday season."
Donations for the Johnson family may be sent to: Cody Johnson Assistance Fund, C/O Wachovia Bank, 7591 Somerset Crossing Drive, Gainesville, VA 20155.
For more information on the Heat the Country program, see the article "Contractors 'Heat The Country'" in this issue.
Do You Need A License To Be An Hvacr Contractor?


text:
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text:
/**
 * Created by delta on 4/24/2017.
 */

/**
 * Created by Savindi on 4/1/2017.
 */
import org.junit.Test;
import org.sdmlib.openbank.*;

import java.math.BigInteger;

import static org.junit.Assert.*;

public class FeeValueTest {
    private Bank b;
    private FeeValue f1, f2, f3, f4, f5, f6;

    //can't add too many feevalues (in the case of null feevalues
    @Test
    public void testSDMLibFeeValueCapacity() {
        b = new Bank();
        f1 = new FeeValue()
                .withBank(b);
        f2 = new FeeValue()
                .withBank(b);
        f3 = new FeeValue()
                .withBank(b);
        f4 = new FeeValue()
                .withBank(b);
        f5 = new FeeValue()
                .withBank(b);
        f6 = new FeeValue()
                .withBank(b);
        assertEquals(5, b.getFeeValue().size());
    }

    @Test
    public void testSDMLibFeeValueCapacity2() {
        f1 = new FeeValue();
        f2 = new FeeValue();
        f3 = new FeeValue();
        f4 = new FeeValue();
        f5 = new FeeValue();
        f6 = new FeeValue();
        Bank b = new Bank().withFeeValue(f1, f2, f3, f4, f5, f6);
        assertEquals(5, b.getFeeValue().size());
    }

    @Test
    public void testSDMLibFeeValueDuplicates() {
        b = new Bank();
        f1 = new FeeValue()
                .withTransType(TransactionTypeEnum.DEPOSIT)
                .withBank(b);
        f2 = new FeeValue()
                .withTransType(TransactionTypeEnum.WITHDRAW)
                .withBank(b);
        f3 = new FeeValue()
                .withTransType(TransactionTypeEnum.CLOSE)
                .withBank(b);
        f4 = new FeeValue()
                .withTransType(TransactionTypeEnum.TRANSFER)
                .withBank(b);
        f5 = new FeeValue()
                .withTransType(TransactionTypeEnum.WITHDRAW)
                .withBank(b);
        assertEquals(4, b.getFeeValue().size());
    }

    /**
     * NOTE: Although f5 is a duplicate, this the feeValue size should still be 5 because the transType is set post-creation
     *       Instead, the transType of f5 will be denied
     */
    @Test (expected = IllegalArgumentException.class)
    public void testSDMLibFeeValueDuplicates2() {
        b = new Bank();
        f1 = new FeeValue()
                .withBank(b)
                .withTransType(TransactionTypeEnum.DEPOSIT);
        f2 = new FeeValue()
                .withBank(b)
                .withTransType(TransactionTypeEnum.WITHDRAW);
        f3 = new FeeValue()
                .withBank(b)
                .withTransType(TransactionTypeEnum.CLOSE);
        f4 = new FeeValue()
                .withBank(b)
                .withTransType(TransactionTypeEnum.TRANSFER);
        f5 = new FeeValue()
                .withBank(b)
                .withTransType(TransactionTypeEnum.WITHDRAW);
    }

    @Test
    public void testSDMLibFeeValueDuplicates3() {
        f1 = new FeeValue().withTransType(TransactionTypeEnum.DEPOSIT);
        f2 = new FeeValue().withTransType(TransactionTypeEnum.WITHDRAW);
        f3 = new FeeValue().withTransType(TransactionTypeEnum.CLOSE);
        f4 = new FeeValue().withTransType(TransactionTypeEnum.TRANSFER);
        f5 = new FeeValue().withTransType(TransactionTypeEnum.WITHDRAW);
        Bank b = new Bank().withFeeValue(f1, f2, f3, f4, f5);
    }

    @Test (expected = IllegalArgumentException.class)
    public void testFeeValueTransTypeNull() {
        f1 = new FeeValue().withTransType(TransactionTypeEnum.DEPOSIT);
        f2 = new FeeValue();
        Bank b = new Bank().withFeeValue(f1, f2);
        f2.setTransType(null);
    }

    @Test (expected = IllegalArgumentException.class)
    public void testFeeValueSetTransTypeFEE(){
        b = new Bank();
        f1 = new FeeValue()
                .withBank(b)
                .withTransType(TransactionTypeEnum.FEE);
    }

    @Test (expected = IllegalArgumentException.class)
    public void testFeeValueSetTransTypeFEE2(){
        b = new Bank();
        f1 = new FeeValue()
                .withBank(b);
        f1.setTransType(TransactionTypeEnum.FEE);
    }

    @Test (expected = IllegalArgumentException.class)
    public void testFeeValueDuplicate() {
        f1 = new FeeValue().withTransType(TransactionTypeEnum.DEPOSIT);
        f2 = new FeeValue();
        Bank b = new Bank().withFeeValue(f1, f2);
        f2.setTransType(TransactionTypeEnum.DEPOSIT);
    }

    /**
     * NOTE: Values for BigInteger are offset by 9 decimal places for this test case. The real world values are commented
     * on the side.
     * 1) tests if the fees are accurately being calculated and integrated into the system.
     * 2) tests for successful linkage of transactions via Bank and their fee transactions
     */
    @Test
    public void testfeeValueExhaustive() {
        b = new Bank();
        f1 = new FeeValue()
                .withBank(b)
                .withTransType(TransactionTypeEnum.DEPOSIT)
                .withPercent(new BigInteger("0")); //0
        f2 = new FeeValue()
                .withBank(b)
                .withTransType(TransactionTypeEnum.WITHDRAW)
                .withPercent(new BigInteger("10000000")); //.01
        f3 = new FeeValue()
                .withBank(b)
                .withTransType(TransactionTypeEnum.TRANSFER)
                .withPercent(new BigInteger("50000000")); //.05
        User u1 = new User()
                .withName("tina")
                .withBank(b)
                .withLoggedIn(true);
        User u2 = new User()
                .withName("nick")
                .withBank(b)
                .withLoggedIn(true);
        User u3 = new User()
                .withName("ulno")
                .withEmployingBank(b)
                .withLoggedIn(true);
        Account a1 = new Account()
                .withOwner(u1)
                .withAccountnum(1)
                .withBalance(new BigInteger("1000000000000")) //1000
                .withBank(b);
        Account a2 = new Account()
                .withOwner(u2)
                .withAccountnum(2)
                .withBalance(new BigInteger("150000000000"))  //150
                .withBank(b);

        Account a3 = new Account()
                .withOwner(u3)
                .withAccountnum(3)
                .withBalance(new BigInteger("100000000000"))  //100
                .withEmployingBank(b);

        /* 1 */
        a1.withdraw(new BigInteger("500000000000"));           //500
        a2.deposit(new BigInteger("500000000000"));            //500
        assertEquals(new BigInteger("495000000000"), a1.getBalance());               //495
        assertEquals(new BigInteger("650000000000"), a2.getBalance());               //650
        assertEquals(new BigInteger("105000000000"), a3.getBalance());               //105

        a2.transferToAccount(new BigInteger("200000000000"), a1,"toaccount");   //200
        assertEquals(new BigInteger("695000000000"), a1.getBalance());               //695
        assertEquals(new BigInteger("440000000000"), a2.getBalance());               //440
        assertEquals(new BigInteger("115000000000"), a3.getBalance());               //115

        //Significantly changing percent for a test in terms of calculations
        f2.setPercent(new BigInteger("500000000"));             //.5
        a1.withdraw(new BigInteger("100000000000"));                                 //100
        assertEquals(new BigInteger("545000000000"), a1.getBalance());               //545
        assertEquals(new BigInteger("165000000000"), a3.getBalance());               //165

        /* 2 */
        assertEquals(TransactionTypeEnum.WITHDRAW, b.getTransaction().getTransType());
        assertEquals(new BigInteger("50000000000"), b.getTransaction().getFee().getAmount());
        assertEquals(TransactionTypeEnum.FEE, b.getTransaction().getFee().getTransType());

        assertEquals(TransactionTypeEnum.TRANSFER, b.getTransaction().getPrevious().getTransType());
        assertEquals(new BigInteger("10000000000"), b.getTransaction().getPrevious().getFee().getAmount());
        assertEquals(TransactionTypeEnum.FEE, b.getTransaction().getPrevious().getFee().getTransType());

        assertEquals(TransactionTypeEnum.DEPOSIT, b.getTransaction().getPrevious().getPrevious().getTransType());
        assertEquals(new BigInteger("0"), b.getTransaction().getPrevious().getPrevious().getFee().getAmount());
        assertEquals(TransactionTypeEnum.FEE, b.getTransaction().getPrevious().getPrevious().getFee().getTransType());

        assertEquals(TransactionTypeEnum.WITHDRAW, b.getTransaction().getPrevious().getPrevious().getPrevious().getTransType());
        assertEquals(new BigInteger("5000000000"), b.getTransaction().getPrevious().getPrevious().getPrevious().getFee().getAmount());
        assertEquals(TransactionTypeEnum.FEE, b.getTransaction().getPrevious().getPrevious().getPrevious().getFee().getTransType());
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


With more than 24 years of real estate experience in Park City and Deer Valley, Sean Railton knows the local market inside and out. From its distinctive neighborhoods and schools to current market conditions and zoning regulations, Sean's depth of knowledge allows him to serve as a trusted guide to a diverse set of buyers and sellers across Park City.
Sean has lived in Park Meadows for 23 years and is consistently among the top producers in the area. His thorough local knowledge, combined with 18 years of experience as a local real estate appraiser, makes him an invaluable resource to everyone from first-time homebuyers to seasoned investors and sellers seeking the very best price for their properties. Having owned the largest appraisal brokerage in town, Sean successfully signed on more than $10 billion worth of appraisals—no small feat. With the average cost of homes in the Park City area steadily increasing, he is knowledgeable about strategic development opportunities in up-and-coming neighborhoods, offering insider knowledge and local expertise that can come only from years of experience living and breathing the Park City lifestyle.
Born in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, Sean attended Northern Michigan University, where he competed in their Division One NCAA ski program and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Management. When he's not representing clients in real estate, he enjoys backcountry and resort skiing, golf, mountain biking, hiking and travel. Sean and his wife Alix are active in local arts groups and Temple Har Shalom.
Lives like it's new. Recently renovated Grassy Creek home has new stainless steel appliances, granite counter tops, large pantry, private back yard, wet bar on lower level, two fireplaces, and huge storage sheds.


text:
Generating a 6-Times Return on Investment for the Handmade Christmas Co in 3 Months
Handmade Christmas Co
September 2017 – December 2017
The Handmade Christmas Co is the UK's leading personalised Christmas products retailer, delivering smiles to tens of thousands of customers each year.
During the Christmas of 2017, we helped The Handmade Christmas Co reach record revenues, selling their personalised products to more customers than ever before.
With the backdrop of an ever-competitive marketplace, we helped the brand remain the leader in their sector, by marketing to both existing and new customers during a 3-month fully-integrated campaign.
The Challange
When approaching Patter, The Handmade Christmas Co had already enjoyed three consecutive successful seasons. With proven products and an existing base of customers, our challenges were to capitalise on the data already held by the brand and to find new customers who hadn't yet purchased.
An unoptimised website and a lack of an overall marketing strategy were the two biggest obstacles we faced when our work began with The Handmade Christmas Co. Whilst the foundations were there for the eventual record-breaking success, the brand needed the direction and expertise of Patter to capitalise on the opportunities that the 2017 season presented.
Shown Above: Mobile screens of the 2017 Handmade Christmas Co website. Visitors could discover, select, personalise and purchase products in just a few taps directly from their mobile phones.
A new website, hundreds of thousands of new website visitors and a deep focus on converting visitors into customers is how we helped The Handmade Christmas Co capitalise during the 2017 season.
The cornerstone of our work was a brand new website for The Handmade Christmas Co. The previous website was not optimised for conversion, meaning that many visitors who arrived on the site left without making a purchase. To counter this, we designed and developed a new e-commerce site from the ground up, with conversion-optimised design and copy at its core.
The new site was built on WooCommerce and WordPress and integrated with a third-party provider to allow for real-time personalised product previews.
Usability, accessibility and speed were our three guiding focal points for the new Handmade Christmas Co website, to make it as easy as possible for every visitor on every device to find, personalise and purchase the products of their choice.
In order to send customers to the new Handmade Christmas Co website, we focused on three areas of traffic generation; organic social media, Facebook and Instagram ads, and email marketing.
Through a series of product features, competitions and behind-the-scenes posts, we told the story of the Handmade Christmas Co and converted brand-familiar Facebook and Instagram fans into paying customers. A mix of editorial and call-to-action posts ensured that the brand's organic social media fans remained engaged throughout the entire season, avoiding audience fatigue.
Shown Above: Organic Facebook posts from the Christmas 2017 season, used to engage Handmade Christmas Co fans and build brand affinity. We late targeted those who engaged with these posts with purchase call to actions.
Making use of product- and category-specific Facebook Ads, new customers were introduced to the Handmade Christmas Co and directed through to the website to make a purchase. On the back of these cold ads, retargeting campaigns were deployed to increase the overall Return on Ad Spend.
Finally, periodic product feature and sales event email sequences were sent to The Handmade Christmas Co's mailing list to turn the brand's pre-existing data into revenue. With email campaigns which were personalised to each recipient based on how they interacted with the previous message, our use of email marketing generated a significant percentage of the season's revenues.
In the period between October and December 2017, we helped the Handmade Christmas Co generate multiple six-figures in online revenue, from tens of thousands of customers throughout the UK, Europe and beyond.
The culmination of this activity was a Black Friday sales event called 'Our Biggest Sale Ever'. During the week-long sale, six figures of revenue were generated through the website from over 6,000 customers, with a website conversion rate of nearly 10%.
The result of our work with the Handmade Christmas Co was an almost 600% return on investment and a record-setting year for customers, units sold, average spend per customer and revenue.
We continue to offer consultancy services to The Handmade Christmas Co as the brand remains as the undisputed leader in the personalised Christmas product space.


text:
Taryn Manning Biography, Life, Interesting Facts
Movie Actress, Singer, Songwriter, Television Actress
Falls Church, Virginia, United States of America
Chinese Zodiac :
Birth Element :
Childhood And Early Life
Actor Taryn Manning was born on the 6 November 1978 in Falls Church, Virginia in the United States to Sharon and Bill Manning. When she was an infant, her parents separated, and she was raised in Tucson, Arizona. When she as a preteen, the family relocated to California.
Taryn Manning was a pupil at Orange County School of the Arts in California.
Rise To Fame
Interested in acting from a young age, Taryn Manning's debut role was in the teen drama Crazy/Beautiful (2001) where she played Maddy. Her next role in Hustle & Flow (2005) brought her to prominence. Manning's portrayal of Nola, a prostitute, in Hustle & Flow, earned her a nomination for the Best Breakthrough Performance at the Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Awards.
Further film roles included Crossroads (2002), White Oleander (2002), Cold Mountain (2003), A Lot Like Love (2005) and Love Ranch. She appeared in the television series Sons of Anarchy (2008), Hawaii Five-0 (2010) and Orange Is The New Black (2013).
Apart from acting, Taryn Manning is a singer, songwriter and fashion designer. She owns a record company, Little Vanilla Records and also has a clothing line, Born Uniqorn.
Taryn Manning was nominated for the 2005 Washington D.C. Critics Association: Best Breakthrough Performance for her portrayal of Nora in Hustle & Flow. In 2009 she won the Film Fashion Visionary Award at the Bel Air Film Festival.
November 6 Horoscope
Donna D Errico
Carolyn Jones
More People From Virginia
Fielding Yost
Steven Chu
Dorothy Johnson Vaughan
Amanda Beard
More Scorpio People
William Cullen Bryant
Aneurin Bevan
More Chinese Horse People
Mallika Sarabhai
Doris Kearns Goodwin
Jake Warden


text:
"An Alarming Panorama": Violence and disinformation pervade 2021 election
The recent killing of opposition party members in the lead up to legislative and municipal elections in El Salvador on Sunday has drawn the attention of Members of Congress, who recently expressed concerns to the State Department about an electoral climate dominated by "political violence, intimidation, and corruption."
The February 28 elections are the first in which President Nayib Bukele's Nuevas Ideas (New Ideas) party will compete and have the potential to further embolden Bukele, who has thus far only been able to count on the support of a small right-wing party, GANA, in the legislature. A big win for his party in the legislative body would accord him greater influence over the next election of the Attorney General and Supreme Court magistrates, who have frequently challenged his attempts to run roughshod over the law - and whose rulings he has frequently defied.
In a February 24 letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, a group of fifteen Democratic lawmakers called for the State Department to issue "a broad denouncement and swift condemnation" of threats to El Salvador's democracy, which had seen slow but steady advancements in electoral transparency and accessibility since the 1992 Peace Accords that ended a twelve-year armed conflict; Bukele recently dismissed the historic accords as a "farce."
Recent events, including on January 31, when gunmen opened fire on a group of campaign volunteers from the leftist Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN), threaten to turn back the clock.
"The political dialogue has devolved into themes of intolerance, violence, bribery, and corruption," wrote the Members of Congress, noting that "vitriol" espoused by President Bukele and his supporters has "continued unabated" after the attack, for which three employees of the Bukele administration, including a member of the National Civilian Police, are being charged for the homicides.
In recent months, civil society organizations like Professionals for El Salvador (PROES) and others have warned of an "alarming panorama" in which "the rule of law is rapidly deteriorating because of Bukele's disregard for legal norms, the separation of powers, abuse of public funds, and clearly fraudulent actions," such as illegally withholding public campaign funds to opposition parties. PROES, an organization of economists and social scientists, has evaluated that the February 28 election will be El Salvador's "most unequal and oppressive of the 21st century."
Bukele's strategy for winning seats in the legislature has been to "play the victim to an alleged fraud being planned against them, disparage and issue death threats against magistrates of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal" in addition to multiple violations of campaign law.
In their letter to Blinken, U.S. lawmakers drew parallels between Bukele and Trump. "As our own nation tragically witnessed, the utilization of misinformation and violence to assert power and legitimacy poses significant danger to democracies," they wrote. "Misplaced disillusionment with traditional democratic norms, institutions, and processes – fueled by lies, propaganda, and conspiracy – is a troubling worldwide trend."
Julio Olivo, a magistrate for the independent electoral authority, the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) who reports that he is receiving death threats from a Nuevas Ideas activist, told Salvadoran press earlier this week that the Bukele administration had attempted in several ways to infiltrate and sabotage the information system that will be used to count Sunday's votes, including by intentionally running faulty simulations. According to Olivo, "Their idea was to penetrate [the system] through technicians, through contractors. When they didn't achieve it, they started to talk about fraud, to talk about system failures."
The February 24 letter to Secretary Blinken, signed by Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), James McGovern (D-MA), Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ), Jim Costa (D-CA), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Mark Pocan (D-WI), David Price (D-NC), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Salud Carbajal (D-CA), Henry "Hank" Johnson (D-GA), David Trone (D-MD), Jesús "Chuy" Garcia (D-IL), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Thomas Suozzi (D-NY), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), was the latest in a stream of critiques from Congress.
Chair of the Western Hemisphere subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs committee Albio Sires and Norma Torres, sent a letter to Bukele earlier this month condemning the violence that rocked the country on January 31, including an attack on a Doctors Without Borders staff in San Salvador. Sires and Torres called on Bukele "not to stoke divisions in the interest of political gain."
Congress also voted in December to restrict Foreign Military Financing to El Salvador for the first time since the end of the war in light of Bukele's authoritarian tendencies and the creeping return of the military into domestic political affairs, as exemplified by the Armed Forces occupying the Legislative Assembly on February 9, 2020 in an attempt to strongarm lawmakers into approving a security loan while Bukele called for a "popular insurrection" against them.
The only major international observer mission for this election is organized by the Organization of American States (OAS); the United Nations and the EU will not participate as they have in the past, though the EU is sending a small delegation. Salvadoran media has reported that the head of OAS mission María Eugenia Vidal was previously investigated in Argentina for falsifying campaign donations for the conservative political alliance Cambiemos.
The final vote count is expected to take many days, opening the door to Bukele to define a narrative and mobilize his base accordingly. A series of rulings by the conservative Supreme Court, which progressive grassroots movements in El Salvador understood as being designed to stymie the momentum of the FMLN following their presidential victories in 2009 and 2014, have twisted the legislative elections in particular into a system described as "convoluted" and "bizarre" and extended the timeframe for final results to be delivered by the TSE.
For further background, please read A Guide to El Salvador's 2021 Legislative, Municipal, and Central American Parliamentary Elections (here in English) // Para mayor información, favor de leer Un Guía a las Elecciones Legislativas, Municipales y al Parlamento Centroamericano en El Salvador 2021 (aquí en español)
For news and analysis from community media and grassroots social movements on election day and as votes are counted, follow CISPES on Facebook and Twitter.
Two members of opposition FMLN party murdered in El Salvador weeks before election amidst President Bukele's "hate campaign"
Big Election Wins for Bukele's 'Nuevas Ideas' Amidst Illegal Campaign Tactics
Congress to Biden Administration: Denounce Political Violence in El Salvador
Electoral supervisors expelled from certification process denounce interference by Bukele's party
Supreme Electoral Tribunal Vindicates FMLN in Battle with San Salvador Mayor over Campaign Signs
Election Bulletin #1: Legislative Elections in Limbo, While Elites Attack the Institution of Political Parties
Protester in San Salvador holds sign that reads "¡Fuera AFP!" ("Out with AFP!). AFP: Private Pension Funds Administration. Photo credit: CISPES
Social Movement Coalition Rejects Government's Pension Reform as 'Impractical, Insufficient, and Irresponsible'
'Jesuit Martyrs Would Again Today Raise Their Voices,' Says University Rector on 33rd Anniversary of UCA Massacre
Workers hold signs demanding job security, an end to public sector layoffs, and freedom of association.
On Day of the Salvadoran Unionist, Workers March, Denounce Bukele Administration Attacks on Labor


text:
Sekirei Sequel's 1st BD/DVD Includes Unaired Episode 0
posted on 2010-06-11 13:00 EDT by Egan Loo
Episode 1 to get advance TV showing in Tokyo this Sunday
The first Blu-ray Disc and DVD volumes for the Sekirei: Pure Engagement television anime sequel series will ship in Japan on August 25 with an unaired "0th episode." The second season based on Sakurako Gokurakuin 's Sekirei magical romantic comedy manga will officially premiere in Japan on July 4, although the first television episode, "Shizuka Naru Yochō," will get an advance broadcast in Tokyo this Sunday.
The first BD/DVD volumes will contain the unaired 0th episode, "Kanwanidai (Seki rei Shindan/Seki rei Yoka)," and the "Shizuka Naru Yochō" television episode. The limited edition of the first volumes will also bundle an original soundtrack CD with Hiroaki Sano 's music and a solo version of the "Hakuyoku no Seiyaku" theme song by the character Musubi.
A separate "Hakuyoku no Seiyaku" CD single will ship on July 21, and the limited first edition of that CD will bundle a DVD with a special trailer for the unaired 0th episode. The DVD will also include the opening and ending animation footage from the second season without the text credits on top.
Funimation announced last November that it licensed the first 12-episode Sekirei anime series for North America. The story begins when Minato Sahashi, a hapless man who has failed at getting into college or getting a love life, suddenly meets a beautiful girl named Musubi. Minato learns he can become an Ashikabi, a master of the 108 artificial, humanlike creatures in the Seki rei project. The 108 Sekirei fight each other to their dying breaths in competitions held by a mysterious corporation — and Musubi happens to be a Seki rei herself.
Source: Neowing (link 2)
Image © Sakurako Gokurakuin / Square Enix , Sekirei Project
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Nishrin Hussain is a counsel of Mayer Brown. Nishrin's experience spans capital markets and general corporate transactions, representing arrangers, trustees and issuers.
Prior to joining Mayer Brown, Nishrin has worked in the Hong Kong office of Sidley Austin and with General Electric (Healthcare) in Singapore.
Nishrin joined Mayer Brown in November 2010.
Represented Beijing Enterprises Holdings Limited and Mega Advance Investments Limited in connection with the issuance of US$600,000,000 5.00% Guaranteed Senior Notes due 2021 and US$400,000,000 6.375% Guaranteed Senior Notes due 2041 with BofA Merrill Lynch, HSBC, Morgan Stanley, Credit Suisse and UBS acting as joint lead managers and bookrunners.
Represented Development Bank of Mongolia LLC ("DBM") and the Ministry of Finance of the Government of Mongolia ("MoF") in connection with the establishment of DBM's US$600,000,000 Euro Medium Term Note Programme. The Programme was unconditionally and irrevocably guaranteed by the MoF on behalf of the Government of Mongolia.
Represented Development Bank of Mongolia LLC ("DBM") and the Ministry of Finance of the Government of Mongolia ("MoF") in connection with the drawdown of US$580,000,000 5.75% Guaranteed Notes due 2017.
Represented Trade and Development Bank of Mongolia LLC in connection with the update and upsize of TDB's existing US$300,000,000 Euro Medium Term Note Programme.
Represented Trade and Development Bank of Mongolia LLC in connection with the issuance of US$300,000,000 8.50% Senior Notes due 2015 with BofA Merrill Lynch and ING acting as joint bookrunners and joint lead managers.
Represented PT Indika Energy Tbk and Indo Energy Finance II B.V. in connection with the issuance of US$500,000,000 6.375% Senior Notes due 2023. The Notes were unconditionally and irrevocably guaranteed by PT Indika Energy Tbk and certain of its subsidiaries.
Represented Citicorp International Limited as trustee, agents and collateral agent on new issuances of debt securities, compliance matters and liability management exercises.
Represented The Bank of New York Mellon as trustee, agents and collateral agent on new issuances of debt securities, compliance matters and liability management exercises.


text:
Hirad Pirbodaghi Still In Detention After 25 Days
Asal Mohammadi, bail, Evin Prison, Hirad Pirbodaghi, imprisoned labor activists, solitary confinement, workers rights activist
After 25 days, workers' rights activist Hirad Pirbodaghi is still detained and awaiting legal proceedings in Ward 209 of Evin Prison in Tehran.
According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Pirbodaghi confirmed during a phone call with his family that interrogations have finished and he is waiting for bail to be assigned so that he may be released. The Evin Prison court has refused to set bail despite multiple requests from his family.
"In these increasingly cold days, he has been given just one set prison uniform which he has to wash and wear while it is still wet. Moreover, they don't allow him to purchase anything from the prison store", an informed source told HRANA.
On November 6, Pirbodaghi was arrested violently by security forces alongside Asal Mohammadi. Their houses were searched during the arrest. He was transferred to Ward 209 of Evin Prison, which is at the disposal of the Ministry of Intelligence.
Pirbodaghi was indicted on the charges of "assembly and collusion against national security" on November 7.
Mohammadi was released on bond from Evin Prison on November 22. The reason for his arrest is still unknown at the time of writing.
The day before their arrests, Pirbodaghi and Mohammadi, accompanied by seven other activists, had filed a complaint in a judicial office against the use of solitary confinement as a torture method. Mohammadi and Pirbodaghi have previously faced other arrests and convictions for their non-violent activism and worker's rights advocacy.
Posted in News, PrisonersTagged Asal Mohammadi, bail, Evin Prison, Hirad Pirbodaghi, imprisoned labor activists, solitary confinement, workers rights activist
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Jeff Figler is a professionally certified appraiser and a world class collector of sports memorabilia. He will discuss collecting from an enthusiast's viewpoint.
Please plan on attending this meeting on a very intriguing subject. Who knows what you might have lurking in your garage or attic! Bring a single treasurered item and Jeff will discuss and possibly appraise the item.