The Ala Dağlar mountains cover about 1000 km2 in the central part of the Taurus Range. With many peaks above 3000m, they have become well-known for climbing and trekking. Formed from limestone, these mountains have the typical karst landscape of sheer rock walls and barren peaks that are deeply cut by valleys and canyons. They are clearly a must-visit place for the trekker in Turkey and, after a week walking the gentler paths of Cappadocia's valleys, we were ready to sample the challenges of the less-worn trails of the Taurus Mountains.
We had to be ready by 8am for our mini-bus transfer from Cavuşin to the Ala Dağlar for the first of our alpine treks in Turkey. Two hours later we arrived in the little village of Çukurbağ at the base of the snow-capped mountain range. Here we met our guide for the walk, 16 year-old Mehmet armed with a level of English that would enable us to converse and his Turkish-English phrase book. This was a bonus as we had been expecting a guide who spoke no English at all. The teacher instincts in the fair Nello rapidly emerged and before we had even had lunch in the village, cooked by Mehmet's mother, the first English lesson was underway. Hopefully in return, we might add a few words of Turkish to the dozen or so we struggled to retain over the past 5 weeks, but that would be the harder task.
Our plan was to trek for several days in these mountains, based at overnight camps, exploring different parts and eventually crossing the range to its eastern side. Looking up at the cloudy peaks, we were hoping for sun to soften or even melt the snow. Mehmet said that there had been heavy falls this season and there was a strong risk some of the proposed route might not be feasible. We would find out soon enough.
We finally set off from the village of Çukurbağ in the mid-afternoon for the short walk up to our first camp in the Emli Valley. Our guide's father, Ahmet, took us to the starting point on a dirt road south of the town and then took most of gear up to the campsite by 4WD (this seems to be a family business). Having arrived with clothes and gear for hot and cold weather, camping and swimming etc, we had a lot of baggage, so we were glad that it would travel between campsites by 4WD or mule, as this meant lighter backpacks and easier walking for us.
The track followed the edge of a dry plateau, covered with a variety of low herbs, above the Emli Valley. Ahead lay a narrow gap, our entrance to the Taurus Mountains, framed by the rugged peaks behind. Above were gathering some very dark clouds and, as we descended into the valley on a gravelly footpath, loud peals of thunder began to echo across it.
Just as we were entering the gap, it was time to stop and put on wet weather gear. Rain with a dash of light hail had started to fall. Fortunately, our campsite at Sarimemetler was literally just around the corner, in a beautiful grassy bowl framed by the 3200+m peaks of Cingillibeşik and Iki Bas, their summits hidden in the dark cloud.
Different areas of the campground, each with their dining and cooking tents permanently in place, were separated out by low stone walls and we headed quickly to our site. It was great to sit under the shelter of the dining tent, with hot coffee and a plateful of Turkish Delight, listening to the rain in this setting – the beauty of rugged mountains, seasoned with a touch of menace. We liked the Ala Dağlar already. That said, we were still keeping our fingers crossed for a fine day tomorrow.
After a night spent listening to the crickets chirping in the grassy meadow, we were woken by the chorus of birds singing in the new day – and what a day it was, barely a cloud in the sky. There is no rush to start in Turkey, so breakfast was at 8am, listening to the lazy drone of a bumble bee or oversized fly in the warm morning sunshine. Finally, we set off at 9.30am for a circuit that would take us up to the Alaca Plateau and back.
Mehmet led us out of the campsite and across the scrubby meadows. The climb started almost straight away, as we zigzagged up a footpath through scattered and stunted conifers. Soon we entered the narrow Büyük Mangirci Valley, guarded by the rocky peaks of Kaletepe to the north and Katir Kayar to the south, where a beautiful forest of cedar and fir was wedged between sheer rock walls on either side.
After climbing steadily to the incessant call of a cuckoo, the trees slowly petered out as we reached the head of the valley to cross it on a broad scree slope – ahead the climb up next to the reddish rock wall looked daunting. From the scree, two long zig-zags took us steeply up across a stony slope, where grasses and flowering herbs competed for the sparse ground in between the rocks.
As we ascended, the views opened up behind us over the upper parts of the valley we had just left and the massive form of Eğri Tepe behind it. The cool wind at our backs made the climbing easier and a final push directly up brought us out to the grassy saddle of the Alaca Plateau – 700m above our campsite and two hours later.
The plateau is a summer grazing area and, from the saddle, we descended a grassy slope to pass through a flock of fat-tailed sheep and head towards the shepherd's hut. Here we learnt rule no.1 in sheep country – never get between a Turkish sheep dog and his flock! The two dogs gave us a very vocal and teeth-bared greeting, but the shepherd emerged from his hut and calmed them down. After this they decided it was just best to sit and keep an eye on us to make sure we didn't go back anywhere near their charges. With a cold spring of water and some shady rocks, it was a good place for lunch. When we were finished eating, the shepherd brought out a teapot for a cuppa, Turkish style – very pleasant.
Go near my sheep and I'll tear your arms off!!
Lunch over, we headed off across the stark landscape of the plateau, backed by the barren rocky slopes of the mountains. Descending to cross the steep ravine of the upper Küçük Mangirci Valley, we climbed back up to the plateau with its spectacular wildflowers in varying shades of white, pink, blue and yellow, before starting our long and final descent – 700m down. Our knees cringed at the prospect and it was clear that Dr Voltaren would have some patients tonight. The path descended steeply to a point where we could see directly up the Emli Valley (our route tomorrow) and out across the countryside beyond the mountains.
From this point, the descent became even more steep, as we picked our way directly down a rock-jumbled corridor where we caught up with a group of North American / European / Australian trekkers. From here, it was across a boulder-strewn slope to reach the grassy meadows of the Oluk Sekisi Yayla – time to lie in the grass, compare notes on trekking in Turkey with the group, and simply contemplate the beauty of our surrounds. While stopped the fair Nello's mothering instincts got another workout - our young guide had outgrown his boots of the previous year and given himself a set of badly bruised toes - so it was out with our first aid kit for some podiatric TLC before setting off on the last leg. From our grassy vantage point we could see the cliff-line above our campsite way below.
Another steep descent, but this time on a winding footpath brought us back to the campsite, tired but full of great impressions of our first walk in the Taurus Mountains. It hadn't been a long trek, but, as in all mountains, height gained and lost is the measure of a walk.
We were back early enough to relax in the late afternoon sun, watching the brilliant blue butterflies flit about the spring and the cheeky ground-squirrels cavort on the grassy campsite ( memo to self; watch out for their burrows when heading to the toilet in the dark). After a hearty meal cooked up by Ahmet, he and Mehmet headed back down to the village for the night, leaving us alone to enjoy the solitude of this beautiful site. By walking in June, we were definitely ahead of the crowds - one big advantage of this was that we snaffled an extra foam mattress each, crawled into our tent and fell comfortably asleep to the sound of the crickets of the Ala Dağlar.
After another cool night in Emli Valley, we awoke to a cloudless blue sky. By the time the sun reached our tent at 7.30 am, it had already warmed up and, after packing up our gear, we were ready to set off. Today, we would leave Emli and walk over the range to Sokullupinar campsite on the western flank of the Ala Dağlar, while our gear was transported via the valley to be waiting for us when we got there.
Once ready, we set off with Mehmet up the gravel road that headed deeper into the Emli Valley. After rounding the first slight bend we were surrounded by the mountains. Thus commenced a rolling panorama of alpine scenery, the cypress and fir-clad valley sloping up on either side of the road, slowly changing into barren scree that butted up to the immense rock walls of the ranges that enclosed it.
On the road, we gained height while barely noticing it, but as the valley curved around, the road ended and we switched to a footpath that continued the upward trend though the conifers, lime-tipped with fresh new growth. Ahead lay the head of the valley backed by the magnificent Güzeller peaks.
We were trying to work out the route out of the valley, when we left the forest behind to enter an area of rocky scree. Here, Mehmet took a short cut across the scree to find a faint track heading back up the valley wall in the opposite direction – it was the start of a long and steady ascent , angling across the loose scree with its sparse covering of low grasses and herbs. As we climbed, the views opened up down Emli Valley, while further peaks beyond it began to show their tops.
Our aim was a gap in the rock walls that brought us up on to the grassy pastures of Eznevit Plateau. On the edge of the plateau, we stopped to take in the magnificent sweeping panorama of the peaks lining the far side of the Emli Valley, Güzeller, Istanbul Tepe and Kaldi – breathtaking!. We finally turned way to climb gently through the pastures, deviating slightly to go around the back of a flock of grazing sheep and avoid upsetting their guardian dogs. A bit more climbing and we reached the high point of our walk at 2500m, a good place for lunch beneath the colourful rock face of Karasay Mountain. From its base, the western flank of the Ala Dağlar swept down to the plain beyond in a barren expanse of gravelly orange-tan scree.
After lunch, we put on our fleeces - the wind that had been our friend on the ascent had become our enemy on this high exposed slope. With a cold wind in our face and the sun on our backs we headed northward to traverse this long section of scree, almost bare, with a scattering of low flowering herbs and grasses. To our right the mountains filed past, while to our left we could look way out over the plain and beyond to more distant snow-capped peaks.
Finally, we reached a dry ravine cutting into the broad mountain flank and descended quickly down it on a loose stony path. The path joined a gravel road and this brought us to the upper camp of Sokullupinar set beneath the masive rock pyramid of Demirkazik Peak. It was a somewhat more spartan place to spend the nights than Emli, but with friendly staff – a plate of biscuits, Turkish delight and a hot coffee were ready and waiting for our arrival.
The campsite itself was busy - Mehmet joined his father and other workmen, busy levelling out tent platforms and stitching together a cover for a new dining tent. In the corner, a large number of small tents were waiting to be erected. This scene was being repeated further down the valley at other campsites, so clearly a large influx of walkers and climbers was about to arrive. We were glad to be that bit ahead of the crowd.
However, we were not totally alone. That evening, we met a few more trekkers – Martin from Germany, who was mapping the routes of the Ala Dağlar for his Masters degree in cartography, and three Turkish trekkers who had just completed a 13 hour ascent and descent of 3723m Emler Peak. It was good to socialise a bit in the dining tent, high above the twinkling lights of the villages on the plains below, and learn more about these mountains and the climb up Emler - in two days we hoped to be doing it ourselves.
The procession of blue sky mornings continued, as we set out on our third walk in the mountains of the Ala Dağlar. Today would be a bit of a reversal of the normal pattern, with an initial descent followed by a climb – we were off to the Cimbar Canyon.
Leaving the camp, we followed the road quickly down to the other encampments of Sokullupinar, some 100m lower down in the Yalak Valley, before climbing back up on a road heading north across the western flank of the mountains. The silhouette of 3756m Demirkazik, backlit by the sun, set a mysterious mood to the morning.
After a short climb, we reached the green carpet of Arpalik Pastures, home to two summer sheep-grazing camps. The shepherds were sitting in one of the tents and invited us in for a cup of çay and chat (with Mehmet). The big spike-collared kangal dogs, following the lead of their masters, decided to tolerate our presence. It was a pleasant way to have a morning cuppa sitting in the green pastures beneath the impressive face of Demirkazik.
However, an even more impressive sight awaited us, for dropping off steeply from Arpalik Pasture lay the head of Cimbar Canyon. We headed down a loose stony track to reach it, a semi-circle of tall rock walls that narrowed into a slot only a few metres wide. It was our passage to the valley below – welcome to Cimbar Canyon.
The winding track dropped quickly with a lot of rock-scrambling to pass through the narrow entrance and reach a wider grassy bowl. The walls of the canyon were home to tiny swallows and the floor to even smaller rock wrens, while the sounds of choughs soaring across the canyon heights echoed from its walls. The track dropped even more steeply from this upper canyon into a rugged lower one, where once again the walls narrowed. This was mountain goat country, but if any there were watching us they were very discrete.
We picked our way slowly down until, rounding one curve in the rock walls, we could see the plains beyond. A little later, the canyon spilled out onto the plain, 750m below its starting point, to meet a sealed road which passed its mouth. We followed the road for a while before turning off just after a winter sports complex to head back up to Sokullupinar campsite on the gravel access road. We thought this might have been a boring section, but with the full length of the range on one side and the expansive views over the plain on the other it was far from that.
The only problem was that Mehmet was still having problems with his feet – he had outgrown his walking boots and this had caused toe problems the first day we walked. He then switched to sneakers, but their soft soles were no match for the sharp karst rocks of the canyon floor, so his soles were duly bruised. Soon after starting the climb, he phoned his father Ahmet, who was working up the campsite. Thus, with a couple of kilometres of the circuit to go, Ahmet was waiting to pick us up in his 4WD. I don't like not finishing walks, but what the heck – as we have learnt several time here in Turkey, you just go with the flow.
The canyon walk showed us another facet of the Ala Dağlar Mountains and the early return gave a bit more time to rest up – tomorrow would be the big day of our time here and we would need every bit of energy that we had in reserve. It was time to tuck in to the Turkish delight.
Our fifth day of trekking in the Ala Dağlar was the one that we had been building up to – the ascent of 3728m Mount Emler. Originally, the plan had been to climb the mountain and then go down onto the eastern side of the range and camp on the high, lake-dotted plateau of Yedigoller, some 700m below. However, because of the heavy late snows, which made it difficult for horses and mules, the campsite had not yet been set up and we were left with no alternative but to return to Sokullupinar campsite from where we would start. This made for a total climb and descent of 3200m – a pretty big effort for most people, let alone a pair of old farts like us.
It was a perfect day for such an effort, though, as the intensely blue cloudless sky that greeted us in the morning promised incredible views from the heights of Emler, should we get there. It was a strong incentive. We set off just after 7.30am and the morning shadows were still long across the western flank of the mountains, as we headed quickly southwards up the ravine above Sokullupinar.
The fair Nello was the first to see it – a sudden movement high above us, something disappearing behind a rise, then reappearing. The mountain goat bounded across the slope, stopping briefly to show us its backward-curving horns and then disappeared from view. It was a rare and exciting sight in the Turkish mountains and left us thinking that the omens for the day were good.
The Karakaya Ravine curved around to cut into the mountainside and we followed a rough rocky path up to its seemingly dead end. As we reached it, we could see that a narrow corridor opened up to the right and a loose scree track zig-zagged its way steeply upwards – it was the gateway to Emler Mountain.
We would need to get used to the sharp karst scree, as most of our climbing from now on would be on it, varying from loose and fine pebbly stuff to larger, razor-edged rocky stuff, none of which would do the soles of our boots much good. Once we reached the top of the rock corridor, passing our first snow drifts of the day, the climb continued up a long rocky scree slope, before an even steeper ascent of a loose pebbly scree slope where every step forward is dragged that little bit backwards as the loose pebbles give way and slide – frustrating and energy sapping!
Once we crested this slope, we found ourselves in a broad basin, locked in by immense grey and orange-tinted cliffs, as the path took us relentlessly upwards toward a snowy bowl beneath the dark pyramidal shape of Kizilkaya, at 3767m the highest peak in the Ala Dağlar. The only way to handle such an unyielding climb is to set goals - 350m in the first hour, 500m of climb done, 2 hours done, past the 3000m contour, 1000m of climb done etc etc. As the Turkish say, "yavas, yavas" slowly , slowly.
Reaching the head of this broad and barren scree basin, where only a few pink and yellow-flowering prostrate herbs added a splash of colour, we stopped at a large boulder that the locals call "Have a Rest Rock" – it seemed a very good idea, as ahead of us lay an even steeper section of very loose scree with the odd snowdrift to cross as well. It was a slow haul up, but as we got higher the cool wind started breaking through over the ridge above us – a welcome relief for our climb.
Reaching the crest at 3500m, we found ourselves above the pass leading to the Yedigoller Plateau and looking down onto the broad expanse of barren, dimpled terrain, dappled with snowdrifts, that is Yedigoller. To our left the scree field continued upwards, directing our attention to a longish ridge that formed the summit of Emler, now only a few hundred metres above us.
The ascent from here, though technically easy, became a hard slog up sliding scree and across soft wet snowdrifts. We passed several tiny snow-fed springs, where water trickled out of the scree slope, stopping at one of these to top up our water-bottles - a 1600m climb uses up a lot of fluids and water at this altitude is at a premium. As we climbed, the views below over Yedigoller broadened to reveal one by one its numerous lakes of varying size.
The wind was now quite cold and at 3700m, we declared a lunch break at a sheltered spot just below the summit ridge. From here the views were simply magnificent – looking way down on the ravines of the western flank of Ala Dağlar, across to the massive dome of Demirkazik and the distant cone of Erciyes volcano, out over the snow-dappled plateau of Yedigoller and distant snow-tipped massifs beyond, and across the pass to Kizilkaya, the highest peak of the Ala Dağlar – almost 360° of rugged alpine landscape.
Only the summit itself blocked the full circle, so with lunch over, we put on our beanies and fleeces to keep out the wind and climbed the final 40m to the summit, to take in all the views once again. Mehmet was so excited, he pulled out his mobile phone to call all his mates (mobile reception in Turkey is amazingly good).
Our time at the top over, it was time to head down again, all 1600m down. It was a much quicker journey – as scree and snowdrifts became our allies. We took the direct route down the deep scree slopes – descending them was like walking down a moving escalator with piles of loose stones rattling down at each step. A bit of boot-sliding down the steeper snowdrifts also sped up the descent. However, scree is hard on the feet, and by the time we finally made it back to camp 10 hours after setting out, we were footsore and weary and very, very happy. No pain could take away the elation of having climbed Emler and finished arguably the hardest day-walk we have undertaken.
The cook was waiting for us with Turkish Delight and hot çay, but where oh where was that cold glass of Efes to celebrate the day. It was a pity that we couldn't have pushed on to Yedigoller from Mt Emler - we had been overtaken on the way down by workers and pack mules who had spent the day up there setting up the campsite and by next week it would be operational. Such is life! We did however get a reward for our efforts. Ahmet invited us to go down to the village to stay in the family pension – a hot shower, dinner and bed in a house instead of a tent. We slept very well that night.
The western flank of the Ala Dağlar is cut by a number of deep ravines, such as the route up to Emler and the Cimbar Canyon. As we were stuck on this side due to the late snow in Yedigoller and could not do the planned walking there, Mehmet decided to guide us into another of these ravines near the campsite - one that led to a pair of high valleys known as Narpuz 1 and Narpuz 2. What made the walk interesting was that it was not one that many foreign trekkers get a chance to do.
We had a late start, after returning to the campsite from our night in the village. Yet again, the sky was cloud-free as we headed off, thinking that a light cool-down walk would be very nice. It seemed that way initially, as we climbed gently up a gravel road and over a humped spur to descend toward the small valley of Narpuz 1. On the way, Mehmet's English lessons continued, as the fair Nello reverted to teacher mode.
Once we reached the dry stream bed, we could look up into the head of the valley –the stony track seemed to stop at an immense rock wall. However, as for the Emler climb, when we reached the cliffs, a narrow gap emerged to the right and through it flowed a babbling stream that quickly disappeared underground in the rocky stream bed below.
We followed the clear rushing meltwaters up into this gorge, picking our way along the rockface or hopping from boulder to boulder in the stream as it tumbled down from higher up. Snowdrifts still hung about in the shady part of the stream bed. We skirted these, but eventually the channel was blocked by a 6m waterfall, forcing us to leave it and start heading up the rocky side-walls. This was mountain-goat country and we were obliged to use hands as well as feet to climb up the steep rock – my exposure meter entered the yellow zone on a couple of narrow ledges, but we eventually descended back to the stream bed higher up and pressed on.
Climbing up a loose scree slope, we reached the high valley of Narpuz 2, surrounded by grey orange-tinted rock walls on both sides - 3767m Demirkazik to the left and 3330m Bozkaya to the right. Our cool-down walk had turned into a 700m climb, so we stopped for lunch in the little bit of shade offered by a large boulder. The fair Nello decided this was a good place for a siesta, so Mehmet and I pushed on to a ridge a further 200m higher to get a grand overview of this arid high valley and the mountains that contained it.
Then it was time to descend – one more chance to boot-slide down a snowdrift, collect Sleeping Beauty at the lunch-spot boulder and head back down. While we were away, she had discovered the remains of a mountain goat (6-years old from the rings on its horns, according to Mehmet) that had clearly been torn apart and devoured by something quite large. The shepherds say that wolves still live in the mountains. On the descent we avoided the more aerial parts of the rock scramble that we had on the way up, by sticking closer to the stream. Once through the gap, it was a long trudge home in the hot afternoon sun.
The walk up a narrow stream bed and rock climb out of it added to the variety of landscapes that we had seen. While disappointed not to have walked to the eastern side of the mountains and visited the Kapuzbaşı Waterfalls, we had greatly enjoyed our time in the Ala Dağlar. Nonetheless, our feet were happy that it was our last walk – six days spent largely walking on scree of varying size and thickness had left them in need of a few days rest before heading on to the Kaçkar Mountains.
That evening we shared a last mountain dinner with Mehmet the guide, Mehmet the cook and one of the shepherds who had dropped in with his flock of sheep and goats. It was an interesting comparison of the old way of life (shepherding) with the new (adventure tourism) – for the moment they seem to coexist happily, but each year more and more walkers and climbers come to these mountains. Will the old way of life in the mountains survive?
The next morning we headed down to Çukurbağ for a quick shower and change of clothes at Ahmet's house. Then, after farewelling him and his family, we were off by bus to the big smoke of Kayseri for a couple of days to catch up on laundry, shopping for supplies and correspondence. It was a break our feet enjoyed (and needed) before our next lot of trekking in the Kaçkars.


text:
The Bipolar Spectrum
Diagnosis or Fad?
Joel Paris
Published May 24, 2017 by Routledge
Published March 1, 2012 by Routledge
Published April 23, 2012 by Routledge
The Bipolar Spectrum: Diagnosis or Fad?
In the 1970s, author Joel Paris was one of the first doctors in his hospital to prescribe lithium to a psychiatric patient. In the wake of the drug's success, both in that case and countless others, why this book? As Dr. Paris' historical examination of bipolar diagnosis and critique of the spectrum demonstrates, medicine has often been prone to fads that are assumed correct until proven wrong by science. This book opens discussion about the overdiagnosis of bipolar disorder and the negative impact of this development on clinical care. Dr. Paris explores why patients are being classified as bipolar on dubious grounds and are being prescribed drugs they do not need. He explains the differences between bipolar disorder and depression without mania, personality disorders characterized by unstable mood, and impulsive disorders. A separate chapter discusses the unique issues present in the field of child psychiatry. Fads remain popular as long as they answer elusive and complex questions. Unfortunately, the bipolar spectrum being used to explain a wide variety of psychopathological phenomena has caused classic bipolar disorder to become almost lost in the shuffle. Combining research findings and personal experiences, Dr. Paris documents the damage of overdiagnosis and explores alternative treatments patients could benefit from.
Part I: Concepts
History of the Bipolar Diagnosis: Reviews what we know about the neurobiology, epidemiology, outcome, and treatment response of bipolar disorders.
The Bipolar Spectrum: Presents a detailed critique of what the author calls "bipolar imperialism," or the theory that "soft bipolar" symptoms point to the presence of a pathological process lying behind other diagnoses in psychiatry.
Affective Instability: This chapter will show how affective instability differs from bipolarity, in relation to BPD.
Part II: Disorders
Bipolarity and Psychosis: Examines recent evidence that vulnerability to psychosis crosses over from bipolar disorder to schizophrenia, challenging the Kraepelinian dichotomy.
Bipolarity and Depression: Presents a detailed critique of the evidence suggesting that some patients with unipolar depression have some bipolar symptomatology.
Bipolarity and Personality Disorders: Examines the over diagnosis of bipolar disorder, especially the borderline type and makes the case that patients with BPD respond best to specific and structured psychotherapy—which will not be prescribed as long as they are seen as bipolar.
Bipolarity and Impulsive Disorders: Like the previous chapter, this one will examine the relation between bipolar disorder and various impulsive disorders, such as substance abuse and eating disorders.
Bipolarity and Behavioral Disorders of Childhood: This chapter will examine research on bipolar disorder in children. The author will use this research to make the case that children do not show the characteristic symptoms of the adult disorder, either in childhood or on long-term follow-up.
Part III: Implications
How Fads Develop: This chapter will look at diagnostic fads parallel to the bipolar fad and show why they eventually faded from view. The author will also make the case that only an evidence-based perspective can protect us from faddish diagnosis and treatment.
What Happens to Patients: This chapter will explore the consequences of over-diagnosis along with the side effects of medications and atypical neuroleptics. It will also include a statement on the focus on pharmacotherapy, as opposed to psychotherapy.
What Needs to Change: This chapter will summarize the main points of the book and present the message that psychiatry needs to be more humble about what it knows and does not know.
Joel Paris, MD, is Professor of Psychiatry at McGill University. He is also a Research Associate at the SMBD-Jewish General Hospital, and heads personality clinics at two hospitals. He is Editor-in-Chief of The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry.
"We are in the midst of a mania for Bipolar Disorders that rivals any of the stock market manias of recent years. … Joel Paris' Bipolar Spectrum is for anyone negotiating mental health care today but also should alert everyone else to a growing lunacy at the heart of modern healthcare." - David Healy, Professor of Psychiatry, Cardiff University, Wales, UK
"A must read for every psychiatrist who treats bipolar disorder and wants to better understand the risks of the bipolar spectrum concept. Dr. Paris identifies the conceptual and empirical limitations of the bipolar spectrum and the salesmen who have oversold the data." - Mark Zimmerman, MD, Director, Outpatient Psychiatry, Rhode Island Hospital and The Miriam Hospital; Associate Professor, Brown Medical School, USA
"…In this deceptively provocative book on the bipolar spectrum, distinguished clinical academic Joel Paris masterfully charts the current climate change of diagnostic creep and the consequential 'soft psychiatry,' dissecting determinants of psychiatric imperialism that risk blurring illness with normality." - Professor Gordon Parker, Executive Director, Black Dog Institute; Scentia Professor, School of Psychiatry, The University of New South Wales, Australia
Diagnostic Practice & Assessment
Mood Disorders in Adults - Depression, Mania, Bi-polar
Psychiatry & Clinical Psychology - Adult
Psychological Disorders - Adult

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
<?php

namespace AppBundle\Command;

use AppBundle\Entity\User;
use Doctrine\ORM\EntityManagerInterface;
use Doctrine\ORM\EntityRepository;
use Doctrine\ORM\Query\ResultSetMapping;
use Symfony\Bundle\FrameworkBundle\Command\ContainerAwareCommand;
use Symfony\Component\Console\Input\InputArgument;
use Symfony\Component\Console\Input\InputInterface;
use Symfony\Component\Console\Output\OutputInterface;

class DeadlockCommand extends ContainerAwareCommand
{
    /**
     * @var EntityManagerInterface
     */
    private $entityManager;

    /**
     * @var EntityRepository
     */
    private $userRepository;

    public function configure()
    {
        $this
            ->setName('deadlock')
            ->addArgument('process', InputArgument::REQUIRED, 'a|b')
        ;
    }

    protected function execute(InputInterface $input, OutputInterface $output)
    {
        $this->initializeDependencies();

        /** @var User $alice */
        $alice = $this->userRepository->findOneBy(['email' => 'alice@example.com']);
        /** @var User $bob */
        $bob = $this->userRepository->findOneBy(['email' => 'bob@example.com']);
        if ($alice === null || $bob === null) {
            throw new \Exception('Some of the users were not found');
        }

        $entityManager = $this->entityManager;

        if ($input->getArgument('process') === 'a') {
            $this->entityManager->transactional(
                function () use ($entityManager, $alice, $bob, $output) {
                    $this->lockUser($alice);
                    $output->writeln('Alice locked');
                    sleep(5);
                    $output->writeln('Trying to lock Bob');
                    $this->lockUser($bob);
                }
            );
        } else {
            $this->entityManager->transactional(
                function () use ($entityManager, $alice, $bob, $output) {
                    $this->lockUser($bob);
                    $output->writeln('Bob locked');
                    $output->writeln('Locking Alice');
                    $this->lockUser($alice);
                    $output->writeln('Alice locked');
                }
            );
        }
    }

    private function lockUser(User $user)
    {
        // todo change to doctrine statements
        $this->entityManager->createNativeQuery(
            '
                select * from user u
                where u.id=?
                for update
            ',
            new ResultSetMapping()
        )->setParameter(1, $user->getId())->getResult();
    }

    // Todo: inject to constructor
    private function initializeDependencies()
    {
        $container = $this->getContainer();
        $this->entityManager = $container->get('doctrine.orm.default_entity_manager');
        $this->userRepository = $this->entityManager->getRepository('AppBundle:User');
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The Awards are open to all North American glass container manufacturers and their customers.
The Entry can be only be submitted in one (1) category.
A summary outlining key entry guidelines, necessary submission information and judging criteria can be found here.


text:
2018 Fall Schedule
DRAGONS COMPLETE COLBY SWEEP, REMAIN IN 1ST IN WEST
Colby Community College
Hutchinson Community College
Colby Community College (30-18, 16-12) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 0
Hutchinson Community College (36-16, 20-8) 0 1 0 2 0 2 X 5 6 1
Colby Community College (30-17, 16-11) 0 0 0 0 4 2 0 0 0 6 12 3
Hutchinson Community College (35-16, 17-8) 0 0 0 0 3 3 0 0 1 7 8 0
2B: Cameron Tilly
2B: Zion Bowlin
3B: Zane Schmidt
2B: Enok Perez; Matt Coutney; Owen Harms
2B: Jeremiah Ceasar
3B: Logan Sartori
Jeremiah Ceasar scores the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning of a 7-6 victory in Game 1 on Saturday at Hobart-Detter Field. (Bre Rogers/Blue Dragon Sports Information)
Hutchinson CC Sports Information
The Hutchinson Community College baseball team completed an improbable four-game sweep of the Colby Trojans on Saturday and took charge of the Jayhawk West championship chase with one week to go in the regular season.
Hutchinson rallied from three runs down twice in Game 1 Saturday to force extra innings and won on a walk-off error in a 7-6 nine-inning come-from-behind victory. Mike Brown and Ryan Summers then combined on a six-hit shutout as the Blue Dragons downed Colby 5-0 in the series finale.
Winners of eight games in a row, the Blue Dragons improve to a season-high 20 games over .500 at 36-16. The Dragons maintain their two-game lead over Butler in the Jayhawk West with a 20-8 record. Colby falls four games off the pace and is tied with Cloud County at 30-18 overall, 16-12 in the West.
Hutchinson earned its first series sweep over Colby since 2008.
Entering the series, Hutchinson and Colby were tied for first place in the Jayhawk West.
Hutchinson and Cloud County will meet in the final four games of the regular season beginning Thursday at Hobart-Detter Field.
GAME 1 RECAP
Scoreless through five innings, Colby broke through in the top of the sixth. Matt Coutney's two-run single sparked a four-run, five-hit inning after the Trojans mustered just two hits in the first five innings off Hutch starter Dylan Nedved.
The Blue Dragons answered back, cutting the Colby lead to 4-3 after six innings. Logan Sartori and Nedved hit a two-run single to center. The Trojans rebuilt their three-run lead in the seventh with a Coutney RBI double and Cameron Tilley sacrifice fly for a 6-3 Colby lead.
With a runner and first and two out in the bottom of the seventh, Zane Schmidt singled in a run to cut the deficit to 6-4. A balk on Colby pitcher Ryan Olchoway allowed Logan Sartori to score to make it 6-5 and move pinch runner Jeremiah Ceasar to second. He advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on Nedved's infield single to third.
Summers pitched a scoreless eighth and ninth, aided by a 3-6-3 inning-ending double play in the ninth.
With one out in the bottom of the ninth, Ceasar laced a double to the right-field corner. After an intentional walk to Riley Metzger, the Blue Dragons won the game when Nedved hit a groundball to short that went under the glove of shortstop Owen Harms and Ceasar to score from second for Hutch's fifth walk-off win of the season.
Had the Blue Dragons not rallied, Hutch's conference lead would have dwindled to one game.
The Blue Dragons were out-hit 12-8.
Nedved went 2 for 5 and drove in three runs to lead the Blue Dragons.
Sartori went 2 for 5 with two runs and RBI and a triple. That triple was Sartori's ninth career triple, which tied him with Jordan Robison for second on the career triples list.
Schmidt also went 2 for 4 with an RBI.
Nedved didn't allow a hit until the fourth, but allowed 11 hits through 6 1-3 innings. He gave up six runs and struck out six with no walks. Summers (7-2) earned the win with a hit and walk allowed with three strikeouts over the final two innings.
Brown and the Blue Dragon defense frustrated Colby in the series finale.
Brown moved to 5-0 for the season and earned his 10th career victory with six shutout innings he scattered six hits and walked three with three strikeouts.
Brown made two key pitches in the game in the second and fifth innings. Colby loaded the bases with one out in each inning, but Brown got Lachlan Ross in the second and Tilly in the fifth to ground into identical inning-ending 5-3 double plays started by Nedved.
Summers pitched a perfect top of the ninth to complete Hutchinson's fourth shutout of the season.
Zion Bowlin drove in Hutch's first run in the second with an RBI single that scored Moritz, Bowlin doubled off the wall in left field in the bottom of the fourth to score Christopher Noble. He then scored on a Schmidt RBI single for a two-run fourth and a 3-0 lead.
The Dragons added two huge insurance runs with Schmidt's RBI triple scored Moritz and Sartori in the sixth for a 5-0 lead.
Schmidt went 3 for 4 in Game 2 with three runs scored. Bowlin was 2 for 3 with a double and two RBIs.
Hutch had just six hits in the second game.
May 18, Final
14 Cowley County Community College
1 vs Hutchinson Community College
4 Colby Community College
Video | Box Score | Live stats
8 Barton Community College
12 Cloud County Community College
Video | Box Score | Recap | Live stats
12 Colby Community College


text:
Budget Speech Mr Nandlall- 2012
Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs [Mr. Nandlall]: Thank you very much Mr. Speaker for you kind complements. I rise to make my humble contribution to the 2012 Budget debates. I begin as my predecessors have commenced their presentations, by expressing my warmest congratulations to the Minister of Finance, the Hon. Dr. Ashni Singh and his competent staff for what must have been a very massive undertaking. I wish also to take this opportunity to welcome to this Hon. House the several new Members and to congratulate them on their maiden performances.
I have sat here for several days now listening to the number of presentations made. I believe that the essence of, and this only of my humble view Sir, a budget presentation is lost when one listens to a debate which has transpired.
The 2012 Budget debate is simply a page taken from the developmental agenda of the People's Progressive Party/Civic Administration which commenced in 1993. 2012 marks its 19th year. It is in that context that the 2012 budget must be seen. I get the feeling that there is an expectation that this budget must contain a solution of every single economic, social, political and every other problem confronting the people of this country. No budget in the world can boast of that type of potential.
The 2012 budget is only one page, as I said, of a programme which we on this side of the House hope will transform the economic, social and physical landscape of this country and will result in transformational changes in the lives and livelihood of Guyanese people. That is all that we seek to do in our developmental plan. We have taken 19 years and have reached where we are. In my humble view, and I am confident that the people of this country agree with me, we have made monumental progress. To understand and to appreciate the progress which we have made it is necessary to go back and to examine what we inherited. I know that how that normally evokes great adverse reaction from the other side. Unless we examine where we started from 19 years ago we would not be able to appreciate where we are today.
I consulted three budget speeches of my Hon. Friend Mr. Carl Barrington Greenidge and I have them here. I consulted them to inform myself accurately of the state of the Guyana's economy.
Mr. Speaker: Incidentally Mr. Attorney General, I would need those records because there is an investigation coming as to National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL). I am glad that you have them.
Mr. Nandlall: I told the Hon. Member Mr. Greenidge that I cannot understand why he is experiencing difficulty in accessing these documents. I made a simple request to this Hon. House through the Clerk of the National Assembly and they were duly furnished. I do not understand why my friend is experiencing great difficulty.
Mr. Greenidge: I am sorry Mr. Nandlall but I really did not want to do this. The issue in relation to what Mr. Greenidge said was concerning the Hansards as distinct from the speeches.
Mr. Speaker: I see, thank you.
Mr. Nandlall: The Speaker apparently was labelling under the same misapprehension as I am. The Speaker also requested the record based upon Mr. Greenidge's public pronouncements. Anyway, I had no difficulty in accessing Mr. Greenidge's speech. What I found when I read it was that it was like a death announcement, one pronouncement after another, the death of economic growth, the death of so many industries and every single sector declined in performance. At the end of it, the economy was bankrupt. I do not think anybody will dispute that. Even the most average supporter of the People's National Congress (PNC) must accept these as economic reality. The economy was bankrupt when they left it. They left no foreign reserve. We had several banks of whopping devaluations, ten to one, thirty three to one, and then from thirty three to one to one hundred and one to one. What was the expanse of the devaluation?
There was constant decline of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). There was a debt that we could not have serviced. Mr. Greenidge was very frank in the way that he spoke about the economic disequilibrium – that is what he called it – serious balance of payment deficiencies that he had great difficulty in explaining. That was the state of the economy; the infrastructure was in complete tatters; that was the economy that we inherited. This is in the budget speeches; I have marked them off.
I will just quickly read one part, "The fiscal imbalance which has been of major concern on the preoccupation of the economic policy has now been narrowed...", and then they continue. I will not detain you on this matter, except to say... [Interruption] I have marked it off. I will not be learned. I will hand my learned friend the documents, 1991 budget, [Mrs. Backer: Read 1992.] 1992 budget, 1990 budget, I have gone through them. These documents pronounce the economic death of Guyana. The only thing that was on the rise was inflation and the underground economy; those were the only two things that were on the rise.
Nineteen years hence, what is the position now? There is strong macro-economic infrastructure, highest foreign reserves, interest rates reduced from 32.5% to 4.5%, economic growth that was in the negative for nearly eight years prior to 1992 is now consistently at an average of 4.4%. Last year it was 5.4% in an adverse global and regional economic environment. We have a strong balance of payment positions, and our economy is at its strongest and largest ever. Of course, I will not go much into the Government social programmes which have benefitted the people.
Mr. Irfaan Ali, the Hon. Minister is here. 100,000 families in this country have benefitted from our housing programme. 6,500 more will benefit this year. Where did this land come from? It was here all the time, but there was never a policy to develop it. We converted these lands from cow pastures, rice fields and cane fields. We had to build roads; we had to build the lands up. We had to dig drains, install water, install electricity and then we allocated the land. We then ensured that the people got their transport and titles. We then went to the commercial banks and negotiated low interest loan programmes. It is a complete housing package unparalleled in any part of the world. That is the legacy of this administration. Yet we hear from the other side that the people are not benefitting from the budget.
Who is going to benefit from the $6 billion that is going to be injected into Guyana Power and Light Incorporated (GPL)? If we are not to inject that money there will be increased electricity rates by 20%. Every single consumer of GPL, numbering about 160,000 or more, are going to benefit from that $6 billion injection, yet we are hearing about bail out.
Look at GuySuCo, we have put in $4 billion, but who are going to benefit? Yes, we are going to bail them, and we have to bail them again next year then we are going to bail them again next year. Do you know why? 20,000 people are directly employed by that industry. They each have a family of about four, so we are speaking of about 80,000 Guyanese. Another 20,000 depend upon that family indirectly for their livelihood. So that industry affects the lives and livelihood of 100,000 Guyanese. If it is in crisis then it is the duty and responsibility of this Government to bail it out. In America and Trinidad they do the same. In Trinidad they bailed out Clico and we are going to bail out sugar in Guyana.
We stood by the bauxite industry for 20 years while it made no profits. The Government stood by them and took money from Central Government and pumped it into Linden to keep that community alive. The Government has brought that industry to a state of profitability for the first time in 20 years; that is what we have done. When Mr. Greenidge said that Central Government's budget can no longer sustain the bauxite industry and therefore closure is eminent, when we took power in 1992, we continued to inject money into it and today it is a profitable industry. That is what we have done for the workers of this country and we will continue to do so.
Mr. Williams spoke about the public sector and about the public servants. I said in my presentation that it is necessary that we examine what we inherit before we can deal with the current position. I have here a book titled "The Constitution of Guyana". It is a transition issue written by Professor Rudy James. I do not know that Mr. Rudy James is any supporter of this Government. This is what he said of the Public Sector in analysing the PNC administration in the 1980s:
"The unhealthy state of the relationship of the bureaucracy and the public was a subject of review by an integrity commission headed by Luckhoo. It formed that there was a breakdown of standard of behaviour of public servants in dealing with the public. Public office holders accorded in the performance of their duty preferential treatment to members of their racial communities and their families. Corruption, graphs and favours in return for services became a commonplace. There were instances of sexual harassment of, and other sexual improprieties, towards members of the public who sought legitimate services. On the other hand, the public servants were a demoralised section of the Guyanese workforce. Much had contributed to their state of demoralisation. They silently looked on as their merit system gave way to a test of party loyalty as the surest way to advancement."
In 1987 Mr. Greenidge was a Minister;
"... Senior officers were made to attend PNC party congresses and show their commitment by participating in organised force labour and party sponsored marches. They were made to connive with party officials in the misuses of state properties to further the cause of the party and to preserve political power in the hands of the ruling cliché."
This is what we inherited, and this is what we had to clean.
Let me read of how they treated the public servants and how they got the judiciary to work with them.
"A show of independence by a public servant was invariably visited by harsh sanctions in the form of transfers to remote areas or summary dismissals. The Courts decline to decree restraint in these matters was quite evident as in the case of Hydar Ally where the Court of Appeal of this country held that you had no security of tenure in the public service and that you were hired at the President's pleasure, a royal prerogative",
That is the public service that we inherited.
"The public sector employees and in particular those in the parastatal organisations where the scapegoats of contradictions of a constitution which incorporated some goal of a liberal democracy, but permitted repression to ensure secrecy"
That is what happened in the public sector of this country.
"On the one hand the constitution guaranteed freedom to receive ideas and information without interference and to communicate them without interference; on the other hand these freedoms are negated by certain qualifications."
My good friend Mr. Greenidge passed a certain legislation called the Public Corporation Act, and this is what this legislation says:
"A Managing Director of a corporation solo or a member of cooperation aggregate or any officer or other employee of any corporation shall regard and deal with, as secret and confidential, all information, documents and matters which, or of the knowledge of which he may obtain as such Managing Director, member or officer or employee."
This is a public sector organisation and you are swearing people to secrecy. What we have done in acceding to one of your requests on the other side is that we have brought to this House a Freedom of Information Act. We have freed the entire system. Here you have an institutionalised system extracting secrecy.
Mr. Speaker: Is that not the case though with Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and a number of other sensitive...
Mr. Nandlall: No, this is the Public Corporations Act, Sir. This is dealing with public business, and yet public servants had to take an oath of secrecy, that they cannot disclose the affairs of the public, and my friends are asking what is wrong with that. The authoritarianism continues. We on the contrary have passed a Freedom of Information Act. We have ensured that the Auditor General brings his report to this National Assembly every single year. We have ensured that every organisation in this country that is run by public funds is audited and their reports are presented in this National Assembly at every single occasion. That is the difference in governance. [Mrs. Backer: What about NICIL's report?] The NICIL report has been made public at a function at the Pegasus Hotel. The NICIL report is not a secret report. There was a ceremony at the Pegasus Hotel where a document was presented by NICIL detailing every single transaction that it entered into in relation to properties. The prices were quoted and persons who bid for those properties, names were listed. It is not my problem if they do not read. That was the type of system that we inherited.
So when Dr. Rupert Roopnarine, the goodly Doctor, speaks about governance and constitution, he must understand the herculean task we had to undertake to reshape what we have now This is what Professor James said which is relevant the Hon. Member:
"The PNC's choice of socialism as the developmental strategy entailed an expanded public sector and though the emphasis on recruiting, promotion and advancement shifted to political loyalty, the level of representation of the communities in the state services improved only slightly. This was because the ruling party drew its support mainly from Afro-Guyanese. With the rise of the multiracial party, the Working People's Alliance (WPA), and the threat of this Party to erode the support of the ruling Party, the criteria of party loyalty became institutionalised in the state services. PNC party allegiance became one of criteria for recruitment, promotion, and dismissal to and from public offices. The Government adopted a policy of harassing and dismissing Afro-Guyanese public servants who supported or even sympathised with the WPA.
[Interruption]
Page 21, Dr. Roopnarine, [Mr. Williams: What is that about?] They took away his passport; ask him; he could not have travelled. They took away Eusi Kwayana's passport. That is the type of public service you left. When my friend speaks about the public service that is what they did with the rule of law, that is what they did with the Constitution of this country; destroyed the public servants; destroyed the public service; destroyed the constitutional mechanisms in place; completely destroyed them. That is why I commenced by saying that it is a nineteen-year journey on which we have embarked. It will take time to correct all the destructions which have taken place. We are working hard and will continue to do so.
Let me give them one more quote since they egg me on. This one is from 1982, from the Department of State. Often times Members love to quote from the United States (US) Department of State with has all types of reports. Well, this is what the US Department of State in 1982 said - My friend Mr. Carl Greenidge was the Minister of Finance:
"Guyana maintains the structure of a multi-party parliamentary republic within the Commonwealth, but the ruling People's National Congress and its Leader, President Forbes Burnham, have imposed a racially oriented minority government on the nation. The predominantly Afro-Guyanese party and President Burnham have consolidated power to a great extent through such non-democratic means as electoral fraud, harassment of opposition and interference with the judiciary."
That is the type of legal system and governmental structure that we inherited in this country. So you have to be patient with us as we chart…
Mr. Speaker: Hon. Member just give the reference.
Mr. Nandlall: I am quoting from the book "The Guyana Court of Appeal" written by Bertrand Ramcharan. [Cries of oh] When I quoted from Professor James we did not hear "Ohs". Members hear Bertrand Ramcharan and there are "Ohs". I do not know what it means. Mr. Ramcharan is supposed to be planting rice, he should not have been writing books. This gentleman was a Commissioner on the United Nations Human Rights Commission. He was elevated to be the Chairman. He wrote a book, "Guyana Court of Appeal".
Ours is a vision to create a legal system in this country that is free from the political manipulation which existed hitherto. It is one that ensures the constitutional rights of the citizens of this country shall prevail. It is one that the judiciary of this country must remain free from political contamination because there was a time when party paramountcy was the rule of the day, a national priority. Party paramountcy prevailed over every institution in this land including the judiciary so much so that the flag of the People's National Congress was flown, not in the compound but on top of the Court of Appeal building which, at that time, was the apex of the judicial structure of this country. That is the task that this administration has, to change that system, and to rid it of political manipulation. Imagine, today, if we are to fly a party flag close to any court in this country? That is the state of the judiciary which we have inherited. We have embarked on constitutional reform. Dr. Rupert Roopnarine and many Members on that side were part of the process. Some are here, while some are not here anymore. They were part of a national process which included all the political parties in this House, all the public sector organizations, the private sector organizations, the labour movement, and the religious movement.
We have reformed the Constitution to deepen our democratic process and to strengthen our commitment to the rule of law. Today, the Chief Justice and the Chancellor can only be appointed with the Leader of the Opposition. That never existed before. [Mrs. Backer: With the consent…] With the agreement of the Leader of the Opposition. Today, we have given security of tenure in the Constitution to many public officers who never enjoyed that type of protection before. Today, we have a judiciary which feels free to rule in accordance with the law, both for and against the Government. It reposes in Hon. Member Mrs. Backer the confidence and freedom to criticise a decision of the judiciary as a Member of the Opposition [Mrs. Backer: What is wrong with that?] Nothing is wrong with that. You could not do that in the 1980s that is what is wrong with that. [Mrs. Backer: I was not a lawyer] You do not have to be a lawyer to criticise a decision. [Mrs. Backer: I was not a member of any political party.] You do not have to be a Member. The point is that you are now a Member and you can feel free to do so. Mdm. Manickchand also can feel free to criticise a decision. That is the healthy atmosphere we have created; that is the type of judiciary we now have.
The legal sector is undergoing massive transformation. A lot of work has to be done; a lot has been done but a tremendous amount of work has to be done. My learned friend the Hon. Member Mr. Williams said that we need more judges. He said that the number is statutorily fixed at 15 but that is not so; it is fixed at 12. We intend to amend the High Court Act to increase the complement. We have done physical transformation of the infrastructural facilities and it still continues. There is a new court which will soon be opened at Leonora. The Georgetown Magistrate's Court is going through its final stages of refurbishment. The DPP office has moved out of its original residence and is now resident in Charlotte Street to accommodate massive infrastructure repairs and renovation.
There is also institutional strengthening. There has been tremendous boost to the library facilities at both the DPP's Office and the Attorney General's Office. There has been a tremendous boost to the facilities at the High Court Library, and the New Amsterdam Library. But lawyers who do not read have no need to go to the library, so they would not know. Should they go there they would see volumes and volumes of new books, but the books will remain new because these lawyers do not read. I am speaking about the law library. [Mrs. Backer: We do not have access to the Attorney General Chambers.] Yes, that is the library I am speaking about. Let me extend an invitation to my friend that if she needs to go the Attorney General's Library she will be welcome.
Sir, the justice improvement programme is coming to an end. I am to report to this Hon. Assembly that the long awaited Laws of Guyana, both online and hard copies, incorporating all the amendments and regulations passed by this Hon. House and under Ministerial Orders since 1977 to December 2010 will become available before the 1st June. There have been some problems with the contractor but we have sorted it out. The project is completed. It only has to go to the printer.
In terms of the Law Reports we have started the online version. All law reports of British Guyana dating back to 1932 will be accessible online to every member of the public… [Mr. Williams: When?] …in two weeks time. When I left the office yesterday the consultants were setting up the computer system to allow for that to happen. The project is completed. Every single reported case ever decided on in this country from 1932 will be accessed on line. That is an historic accomplishment.
Then there is the law report programme. Everyone knows how important a law reporting system is for a functioning democracy, for a functioning judiciary, and a judicial sector. This is a specimen copy of the Law Reports of Guyana (He raised a copy of a book.) This is from 1985 to 1986.
Mr. Speaker: The Ramson edition?
Mr. Nandlall: This has no edition, Sir. This is the Law Reports of Guyana which will be available. They are at the printer and within the next month or so up to 2010 will be made available to members of the public. [Mrs. Lawrence: Is there an open tender for that?] These are Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) projects which have provisions that mandate how the projects are going to be executed. The process is transparent because it is an IDB financed project.
The Deeds Registry reform continues. We have begun the digitisation process of the records from 2006 to 2011. This digital system has been in use and all the documents are now being stored digitally. However, we have to undertake the mammoth task of going back 100 years, perhaps, I do not know, into the archives to store all those records digitally. That is a monumental undertaking, but I am meeting with some consultants next week to begin that process. In terms of going forward, the mechanisms are in place and the project will continue.
The transport system is already computerised. Transports from the Deeds Registry are now generated by computer; business registrations are done that way; company registrations are done that way [Ms. Ally: Who is the Registrar?] I am glad you asked that question because Hon. Member Dr. Roopnarine in his presentation spoke about the non-appointment of the Registrar of Deeds. Dr. Roopnarine was part of the constitution reform process and ought to have remembered that the power to appoint the Registrar of Deeds was taken away from the public sector, from central government, and it now resides with the Judicial Service Commission, an organisation over which this Executive has no control. [Mr. Williams: What is the relevance of that?] The relevance of that is the Executive has no control over the appointment of the Registrar of Deeds. We must understand these things. We are here as responsible people… [Mr. Williams: Are you not the Attorney General?] I am educating you. Representations have been made to the Chairman of the Judicial Service Commission, and I have received the assurance which I wish to convey to this Hon. House, that a lawyer shall soon be appointed as the Registrar of Deeds. That is my report. [Mr. Williams: You said that five years now.] Tell that to the Judiciary.
The Deeds Registry reform includes the conversion of that institution from a public service institution to one of a semi-autonomous body; legislation has been passed to that effect and now has to be brought into force. A board has to be established. I am bringing the legislation back to the National Assembly for further amendments because I would like to see on the board more representatives because currently only the Guyana Bar Association is represented. I would like the commercial sector to have representation. I would like the Berbice Bar Association to have representation on that board. I would come back to this House with an amendment to rectify that legislation. When that legislation comes into force it is intended to bring greater autonomy to the Deeds Registry. It will also invest greater autonomy to the Sub-Registry in Berbice and Essequibo. Today there has to be a constant movement of senior staff between the Registries because the structure is so established that there is great centralised authority in a few officials. Those systems will be dismantled to ensure there is devolution of authority away from the centre. Officials from Georgetown will no longer have to run to New Amsterdam or cross the Essequibo River by boat to perform their functions. That is now in the pipeline and will be done.
Importantly also, for the first time in the history of Guyana, we will put the Official Gazette online so that Guyanese Members of Parliament, lawyers, Guyanese in the Diaspora and elsewhere, can go on the internet and read the official gazette online. Those are the achievements. We will continue to modernise the Deeds Registry. Under the competitive strategy the reminder of the justice improvement programme, we intend to separate the Commercial Registry from the Deeds Registry. When there was a merger of these two institutions the workload was far different from what it is now. With the expansion of commerce and economic activity, obviously resulting from prudent economic management at the government level, investments are coming more and more; people are making more money; more people are taking mortgages; more people are buying properties; the Ministry of Housing is increasing the disseminating of titles to land by the thousands. These activities have created an unprecedented impact on the work load of the Deeds Registry. So we have to constantly review the extant mechanisms to expand them with a view of making them viable and responsive to the needs and expanding needs to which they must answer. In this regard a Commercial Registry will be established and physically located outside of the Deeds Registry. We will migrate to that Registry the functions of the Registrar of Companies, the functions of the Registrar of Business and trade mark, debentures, mortgages etcetera. Those will be performed by an institution which will work in collaboration with the Deeds Registry but have its own functional autonomy and authority.
In terms of the Land Registry, as it may have been known, that organ was not within the supervisory control of the Ministry of Legal Affairs. Now we have changed that position and that organisation comes under the administration of the Ministry of Legal Affairs. The same type of improvements which I have outlined for the Deeds Registry will also take place in relation to the Land Registry. Consultation will have to be had with several stakeholders as we design the way forward, in terms of the reformation of the institution.
We have also a packed legislative agenda for 2012. We have new industries that are emerging. We have the oil and gas industry which is emerging. The legislative department of the Attorney General Chambers has already commenced negotiations and discussions with persons who have training in those complex areas. We are beginning the design of legislation to deal with these emerging sectors. We are also going to amend certain important legislation which will have tremendous impact on the lives of the ordinary people. For example, the Deeds Registry Act will be amended to elevate an agreement of sale for land to the status of an encumbrance which can now be registered against the transport. We have the unique system in Guyana where a large part of our land law is still governed by the Roman/ Dutch system. Under that system an agreement of sale, no matter how much money one pays, under that document it confers upon someone no interest in the land. What we have seen is the sad situation occurring, with unfortunate regularity, where devious owners of land are entering into several agreements of sale in relation to the same property with several members of the unsuspecting public and taking deposits from all of them, but passing transport only to one when there is no recourse to the one who has been defrauded. If the person selling has no property to levy upon and is taken to court someone gets and empty judgement. Now by imposing, registering that agreement of sale against the transport it becomes like a mortgage, and whoever purchases that property purchases that property subject to that agreement. This arrangement will bring tremendous improvement and relief to a very unfortunate situation which we have in Guyana.
We have on the agenda for this year the amendment of the Civil Law Act. We have passed a series of legislation attempting to equate the common-law wife with the legal wife. However, there remains one lacuna in all the amendments and legislations which we have passed. It has to do with the rules of intestacy. If, for example, an unmarried woman lives with an unmarried man for 50 years, if that man dies we have not reformed the law to put that woman on the same status she would have been had she been legally married to that man for one year. That situation is causing severe hardship amongst people of this country. The Ministry of Legal Affairs intents to bring an amendment to the National Assembly to rectify that deficiency.
We continue in our efforts to modernise the DPP's Office as well. We now have a wireless linkup between the Attorney General's Office and the DPP's Office which is intended to increase efficiency. I agree with my learned friend Mr. Williams that we have a human resource problem; indeed we have. This has to do with the inability to pay salaries, but the Government remains committed. As long as the resources are made available we will try to improve the salaries of not only workers in the legal sector but workers across the board. That has always been our commitment.
In terms of judges we are also going to bring to this National Assembly the Act which will allow us finally to appoint part-time judges. I have already had consultations with the chancellor and have received the green light that the judiciary is ready to move with that initiative.
What my friends on this side do not understand is, there are certain Constitutional constraints, which prevents the Executive from interacting with the Judiciary. The Judiciary is a Constitutionally independent organisation and the Executive cannot dictate the manner in which the Judiciary functions. That is why, while I hold parliamentary responsibility for that institution, there are also certain disabilities under which I function and I hope that that is understood. My friends are free to make representations to the judiciary, to also have their concerns addressed. I undertake to do so from this side, but the task of Nation building can never be that exclusively of the Government. I know that we have been shouldering most of the responsibility, but you must do your part. I welcome consultation with the Guyana Bar Association and the Berbice Bar Association, soliciting their views and help to come on board with the Ministry of Legal Affairs, for us to join hands to reform the system.
I had extended an invitation to all lawyers in this House, including the Hon. Member who continues to disturb me, but not from today. Not one single suggestion have I heard from her. Yet she attempts to disturb me as I attempt to update the nation on my plan and the Government's plan to reform the system. She has no interest in improving the system except to criticise and pull it down, an enemy to development.
I want to assure this House, in conclusion, that this Government remains committed to ensuring that the judiciary remains the institution it was intended to be. We have committed to the construction of a national democratic State and we intend to carry that agenda out. A State where the rule of law shall reign supreme, the judiciary shall remain independent, people of this country shall remain available and the system of justice shall remain accessible to them. That is why we will continue to pump money into programmes like Legal Aid, because we know that access to justice is important. So Sir, I take this opportunity to assure this National Assembly and this nation by extension that in the year 2012, the $212 billion committed by the Finance Minister will go towards improving the legal system of this country, so that they will get a superior and better quality of justice. Thank you very much. [Applause]


When I was a young lad frequenting Taco Bell more than my adult-self would like to admit, I always walked in thinking about tacos and left tasting like cinnamon and sugar. Taco Bell's warm cinna-sugar churro-y twists were an irresistible way to leave the restaurant, and even though they might not have been part of my initial order, 75% of the time I would grab an order of them to go – happily munching my way to the sidewalk. Two years ago when Cheetos announced their new Cinnamon Sugar Sweetos for Easter, I immediately drew a comparison to my TB trips and was not disappointed. The Sweetos have continued to make seasonal appearances for both Easter and Christmas over the last couple of years, and new for this year is a second flavor – Caramel. As someone who's diet has individual spots in the pyramid for both cinnamon AND caramel this is one of the most exciting releases of 2017 so far and I am ready – to – crunch.
The bag has a big sweet caramel aroma that hints at kettle corn and funnel cake with its combination of sweet, salty, and dangerous. The egg shape is just as I remember, with the extra squiggles in the middle providing more surface area than the Christmas time "O", and absorb more magical Cheeto dust. Going in for my first handful I'm surprised that they taste a lot less sweet than they smelled; they definitely have a caramel flavor but it leans more towards smooth and buttery than sweet and silky. As with the cinnamon flavor, there's no notable corn taste like you get with cheesy Cheetos, and the base itself is relatively neutral.
The texture is super light and airy with a pillowy crunch that begins to dissolve as quickly as I start chomping, and before I know it the 25 count serving size has evaporated inside of me. As with most bags of chips there are some pieces that are more heavily coated than others, and those darker ones are really tasty, but the less dressed ones are are a bit bland and flat. Fortunately, the Caramel Puff Sweetos are less greasy than the Cinnamon Sugar so the naked ones aren't gross, just boring.
These Sweetos are very true to the original version – light, crunchy, sweet, and for me, not at all weird – but they just aren't as awesome as the OG. The absence of cinnamon means less of a distinguished pop, and while this caramel iteration is still good, it doesn't have the same great balance that the cheetah-bunny delivered to us two years ago. However, that doesn't mean that these aren't addictive and nearly impossible to stop eating, it just means that my allegiance stands strong with the inner cinna-demons and these come in second to their deliciousness.


Mérida is one of Mexico's most beautiful and charming destinations. It is a city large enough to offer all the amenities of a large urban center but small enough to be friendly and welcoming to visitors. It is known for its excellent universities and hospitals, its proximity to beaches and impressive ruins, its extraordinary cuisine, and its splendid fusion of colonial Hispanic and Mayan cultures. The people of the Yucatán Peninsula pride themselves on maintaining a unique identity, distinct from any other in Mexico or Latin America. Mérida is widely acknowledged to be one of the safest cities in the country and is home not only to an LDS mission but to a beautiful LDS temple, conveniently located downtown. Join us for what promises to be an unforgettable study abroad experience.
Students will be housed in pairs with local host families who have been handpicked and carefully screened by BYU's partner university. Many former students report that their experience with their host family was the highlight of the study abroad program.
Includes LDS, full tuition (increased cost for graduate and non-LDS students), room and board, transportation on program excursions, laundry, some textbook expenses, and international health insurance coverage.
Not included: airfare, local transportation in Mérida, meals on excursions, some textbooks, or personal expenses.
Students may expect to spend approximately $150 on local transportation.
Four guided excursions to sites of interest in the area are included in the price. Any additional excursions will be paid for by the individual student.
All intermediate students must have completed SPAN 106 or have equivalent proficiency prior to the program.
All advanced students must have completed SPAN 206 or have equivalent proficiency prior to the program.
All students who are accepted into the program are required to participate in an international, cross-cultural preparation course (IAS 201R, 1 credit hour). This evening course will be held during the second block of winter semester 2019.
Gregory and Gloria Stallings from the Department of Spanish and Portuguese will be directing this study abroad program.
Students should plan to be in Mérida 26 Jun–14 Aug and refrain from scheduling late arrivals or early departures.


I work with local businesses as a virtual assistant (VA) with business systems, websites and social media.
As a VA I can be your right-hand women to assist you when needed, and help your business succeed. As a remote PA as I have sometimes been called, I can provide a wide range of business service remotely via Skype, email, and using internet based technology. Thus supporting and working with your business when you need it!
Marketing and social media - website construction and/or maintenance with system setup for Social Media.
Creating effective websites, with online advertising and social media communications.
Since 2011 Robyn has been offering my business experience and services with "Biz Savvy Solutions". Offering local business a "Virtual Assistant" for your online sales.
It has not been all about businesses - Biz Savvy Solutions also provides community service for North Canterbury Musicals.
Copyright 2018 Biz Savvy Solutions.


text:
Island Records launches new urban division
by Daniel Gumble
March 6th 2017	at 6:21AM
Music Week can exclusively reveal that Island Records has launched a new urban division, aimed at serving both UK and international urban artists.
Believed to be the first dedicated urban division at a UK major label, the department will be headed up by Alex Boateng, currently Island's A&R and marketing manager.
While Boateng will continue in his A&R role under head of A&R Louis Bloom, he will now be tasked with identifying urban artists and partnering with managers and businesses across the "urban scene and culture worldwide".
Artists that will fall under the Island urban division umbrella include Drake, Sean Paul, Dizzee Rascal, Donae'o, Solo 45, Bossman Birdie, Fekky, Seyi Shay and Angel.
Commenting on Boateng's appointment to head of the new division, Island president Darcus Beese told Music Week: "Alex is without doubt one of the most knowledgeable, connected and passionate people in urban music and indeed the industry full stop. He possesses what every top A&R needs - great ears, has an innate understanding of marketing and is also on top of all developments in the new ways in which we consume music.
"Perhaps one of his greatest strengths is the relationships he has built in other areas outside the record label, the testimonials bear witness to that. All's I know is that if Alex wasn't at Island I'd do everything to get him here. Island has always been seen as a powerhouse in urban music and with Alex now at the helm we intend to be the No.1 destination for artists and managers."
Boateng will also continue his A&R role under head of A&R Louis Bloom, who told Music Week: "I have really enjoyed working very closely with Alex since we signed JP Cooper together a couple of years ago. He has great instincts, impeccable taste and has a special affinity with artists. His connections in the urban world are second to none and I know he is going to be incredible in his new role."
You can read an exclusive interview with Boateng and Beese on the new division, plus the views of some top-level executives on the move, only in the new issue of Music Week, out today.
Labels,
Dizzee Rascal,
Drake,
Island Records,
A&R,
Darcus Beese,
sean paul,
alex boateng
Tom Gregory takes on Music Moves Europe chart with new hit
Prime time: How Amazon became a major player in UK music streaming
Five albums set to define 2020
The Roaring '20: The biggest albums of the year previewed


text:
SINE QUA NON: FIRENZE
There are only 9 absolute musts, but thousands of other reasons to Florence
ONE: The view from San Miniato al Monte
Let everybody else stop at Piazzale Michelangelo for the view over the city. While a very good spot for the pics, it is basically an over-crowded parking. Go uphill, Via delle Porte Sante, to San Miniato al Monte. This is the church with the most beautiful view in the world.
TWO: THE ROOFTOPS OF FLORENCE
Flirence has a magical skyline to dream on to. The miraculous dome of the Duomo, the unmistakable tower of the Signoria, the tiled rooftops, the marbled facades and the Rennaissance palazzi create an immersive feeling that becomes the city copyright. At your hotel, ask for a room at a superior floor or a penthouse. Have a late breakast on the terrace. Dine with a view.
THREE: SUNSET
Catch the colors of the Duomo at sunset. But be aware of the closing times to be sure you went up the campanile before that. I am a lazy person, but I find the Campanile di Giotto worth the effort (414 stairs). And that is an under statement. The view of the Bruneleschi's dome from the nearby tower of the campanile is a wonder of the world.
Ponte Vecchio is famous for the sunset show, street concerts inluded. A trully wonderful afternoon escape is Fiesole, the village overlooking Florence from a neighboring hilltop.
THREE Piazza della Signoria. Try it off-off season or at night or early morning, when it's not that crowded. Visit the Palazzo Vecchio, the most beautiful city hall in the world – and especially the Salone dei Cinquecento and the Medici's Hall of Maps. Spend some time in the Loggia dei Lanzi to admire the sculptures and maybe even catch a street concert in the evening.
FOUR Orsanmichele, the incredible not-so-much-church-looking church and museum. The unusual name of this unusual church comes from the Tuscan compression of "orto San Michele", the vegetable garden of the very old (about 750) San Michele monastery. The present building was originally built as a grain market in 1337, and it was converted into a church used as the chapel of Florence's powerful craft and trade guilds, while the floor was used for the guilds'offices.
FIVE The palazzi of the noble families. Palazzo Medici is the thing to see, together with the hidden Capella dei Magi. See also Palazzo Strozzi in the heart of the city, but do cross the river to Palazzo Pitti and the Boboli Gardens.
SIX The Uffizi Gallery and the secret Vasari Corridor. By prior reservation only, when visiting the Uffizi. You know about it from Dan Brown's Inferno.
SEVEN The Battistero and the divine Porta del Paradiso by Ghiberti
EIGHT Florence in style. This is not arrogance, it's art. Firenze is for palazzi, walking and shopping on Via Tornabuoni, Bargello exhibits, the Medici and the wonders of the Renaissance; just splurge. It's the place to live like an aristo.
NINE Florence at night
#sinequanon#theTuscandiarycity guidesItalyluxury travelToscanaTuscany
SINE QUA NON: ANDALUSIA
SINE QUA NON: VERONA
SINE QUA NON: TOSCANA


K-Sim Navigation and K-Sim DP, Kongsberg Maritime's latest generation ship-handling and Dynamic Positioning simulators have been chosen to further advance Tsakos Group's capabilities at its newly established training centre, the Maria Tsakos TCM Academy in Athens, Greece.
K-Sim Navigation is based on a new cutting-edge technology platform enabling more realistic training scenarios and enhanced user benefits for both instructors and students.
Tsakos' existing K-Sim Polaris DNV Class A ship handling simulator will be upgraded to K-Sim Navigation in order to meet the latest DNV GL and Nautical Institute compliance requirements. Launched in November 2014, the all-new K-Sim Navigation simulator platform meets the requirements of the most demanding navigation training for merchant, offshore and naval vessels.
The migration from the Polaris system to K-Sim Navigation is enabled via a Long Term System Support Program (LTSSP) established in 2013 as part of a KONGSBERG simulator delivery to Tsakos. The LTSSP facilitates early, easy access to the latest KONGSBERG simulation software and technology. Jointly with the Maria Tsakos TCM training academy team, Kongsberg Maritime will also develop a brand new DP vessel model for use on the new K-Sim DP and K-Sim Navigation simulators.
For Tsakos Group, one of the leading shipping companies in Greece, and its technical managers, Tsakos Columbia Shipmanagement (TCM) S.A., education and training of crew is of the highest priority. To ensure that all human resources on board and ashore continually advance their training and competencies, Tsakos Group and TCM established the Maria Tsakos TCM Academy in 2014. The Academy is a latest generation Maritime Training Centre for the training of the Group's seafarers and shore staff.
"When you are at sea, mistakes are not allowed. The protection of Human life and the environment are non-negotiable matters. The simulator offers you an unprecedented opportunity to operate and react in a virtual, yet fully realistic- environment where mistakes become lessons learnt. It's an exceptional educational experience not available on board. It also serves as the best proactive measure to initially educate and ultimately test and evaluate an officers' competence and readiness to undertake higher rank duties and responsibilities," says Cpt P. Drosos, Managing Director of TCM.
K-Sim Navigation is based on a new cutting-edge technology platform enabling more realistic training scenarios and enhanced user benefits for both instructors and students. It features an advanced physical engine and state-of-the-art hydrodynamic modelling, allowing vessels, objects and equipment to behave and interact as in real life. To enhance the realism further, a sophisticated new visual system has been developed for K-Sim Navigation, ensuring vessels and objects are portrayed realistically in all possible weather conditions.
"The Tsakos Group's association with Kongsberg Maritime goes back over many years and our officers are very familiar with their equipment and after sale service and assistance. Kongsberg Maritime supplies high quality equipment and provides excellent customer service both ashore and on board. In this respect our selection was the obvious choice," adds Cpt P. Drosos.


text:
Forge Ahead with Confidence and Fortitude to Jointly Create a Better Post-COVID World
South Sudan: activist…
South Sudan: activist raises red flag over constitution making process
Activist Lona Marekaje
By Ruot George
A civil society activist has called on the Transitional National Legislative Assembly to name the specialized committees before tabling the draft bill on constitutional making process.
Lona Marekaje, expressed concerns on the draft bill, which she said, forms the basis of the permanent constitution making process.
The bill was taken to parliament on Thursday Nov. 25 for deliberation.
"If they have formed a committee, the committees need to settle in their offices before you bring a bill to be discussed".
Lona says the bill should just be received in the office of the Rt. Hon. Speaker of the assembly for the specialized committee members to take their seats and study the constitutional making bill. She said the bill will be tabled on Monday 29th November.
"That would just be to receive the bill. Time should be given for these parliamentarians to study the bill, generate their thoughts about it for the public to interact with the parliament," she said.
Lona who is the head of the civil society group, South Sudanese Engagement Monitoring and Observatory Program – SSUDEMOP, added, "This bill as it stands rights now is insufficient. A lot needs to be done".
China and Africa in the New Era: A…
Juba's former mayor asks successor to start from…
Suspected Misseriya rustlers raid 1000 cattle from...


Four years ago, in 2008, Hawthorn won the AFL grand final. Canberra's loudest Hawks supporter, Andrew Barr, missed the game because of a family commitment. A couple of weeks later his party, with Green support, won the ACT election. It was a pretty good month for A. Barr.
Wind forward four years. Hawthorn is once again in a grand final, expected to win, and Barr is once again absent because of a family commitment. He's been quietly confident for a few weeks of history repeating. Except it hasn't. And in three weeks?
Meanwhile usually mild-mannered ACTEW boss Mark Sullivan had steam billowing out of his ears and nose today, over Liberal Party claims the new Cotter dam wall has a dangerous crack in it. He says the Lib's Vicki Dunne is engaging in political muckraking and trashing the reputation of a damn good dam.
But Dunne is quoting from official documents and quoting some reputable blokes. Poppycock, says Sullivan. He says he was the one who first mentioned cracks, and subsequent tests have shown they're superficial and there is no chance of Canberra being washed away.
Where there are nasty cracks, though, is in Labor's infrastructure record. The Gungahlin Drive extension, the new prison and the Cotter dam to name but three have run over time and over budget. And the Liberal Party would have cracks in it's own head if it didn't remind voters at every available opportunity.
There have been whispers around for some time about the dam's structure. Much of it is out of builder jealousy, but Sullivan himself has admitted there have been one or two problems. But claiming there's a bloomin big crack in our bloomin big and bloomin expensive dam is another matter altogether.
That's not to say if I see Mark Sullivan heading to the top of Mt Ainslie with a tent that I won't be getting my crack up there as well.


text:
Where Do the Brainy Italians Go?
IZA DP No. 3325: Where Do the Brainy Italians Go?
Amelie F. Constant, Elena D'Agosto
published in: F.E. Caroleo and F. Pastore (eds.), The Labour Market Impact of the EU Enlargement, Physica-Verlag Heidelberg, 2010
This paper studies the major determinants that affect the country choice of the talented Italian scientists and researchers who have at least a bachelor's from Italy and live abroad. There are three alternative country choices: the US/Canada, the UK, and other EU countries. On average, the brainy Italians exhibit a higher predicted probability to go to the US. Ceteris paribus, both push and pull factors are important. While having a Ph.D. from outside Italy predicts the UK choice, having extra working experience from outside Italy predicts migration to other EU countries. Those who stay abroad temporarily for two to four years are definitely more likely to go to the UK. Specialization in the fields of humanities, social sciences, and health are strong determinants of migration to the UK. For the move to the US, while the humanities area is a significant deterrent, health is a positive deciding factor. Lack of funds in Italy constitutes a significant push to the US.
push-pull factors
skilled migration


Na h Skwell was born and is growing-up at the tip of Brittany, in Finistère.
Deeply rooted in several years of standing-it up, this young brand found its true colours following hours spent practicing the different Stand-Up-Paddling disciplines, and even more hours of discussion in the shaping room.
Our team explored any design option, to try and offer to beginners and top riders alike: innovative and refined shapes, duly proved after hours on the water. Thinner, less voluminous and less cumbersome, those shapes are, nevertheless, more stable and offer beginners true « surfing » sensations from day one, without neglecting accessibility.
Competition-proved, the latest Nah-Skwell shapes have allowed brand-manager Bruno Andre to get in the top 3 of Wave-contests and win most long-distance races, in France.
Nah-Skwell shapes are approved for production after hours of free-session in France's most stunning waves or in the longest distance races!
Nah-Skwell shape and development is run by Pascal Gerber & Bruno André, both with 20+ years of experience in the industry. They have learned enough to concentrate on true innovations, those which open the door to new sensations and allow your board to please and surprise you ever more in each new session. We, at Tridenn, know that we can only have one goal: maximise your exhilaration!
Articles (RSS). 31 requêtes. 0,220 secondes.


Wilmington Police need your help searching for a missing woman who is seven months pregnant.
It's Earth Day and that means flowers, fun, and funds heading to the Brigade Boys & Girls Club in Wilmington.
North Carolina Ports has made history. It welcomed its largest capacity-wise ship ever to the Port of Wilmington.
A Brunswick County judge has ruled that the transfer of the Brunswick Regional Water and Sewer (H2GO) to the Town of Belville was "unlawful, void, and no effect."
Tides have uncovered a part of history in Surf City.
A pedestrian was hit by a car this morning on Highway 17 in Winnabow.
If you see smoke in the area, it could be from another controlled burn at Orton Plantation.
New Hanover County 4-H is hosting a 4-H Alumni & Friends "Meet & Greet" this month to bring alumni together from all over the state.
Police say Sgt. 1st Class Justin Goff of the United States Army died in a skydiving accident Sunday.


"Did you build this except for the cone? Pretty cool if so...does look a bit more grown up and less tintin like"
Anyone noticed Mathmos new spare bottles now have a small rim at the bottom for a better fit.
just wanted to let you know, that the XL und XXL Lunar bottles will be available soon.
I have to know which size/sizes and how many you want to order enough bottles.
Included is a heating coil and the top seal lid.


Residential, commercial, or manufacturing buildings require consistent power. Electrical generation might be halted due to an emergency or system issues. Generator services are necessary for being prepared during electricity failure. An Emergency Power Supply System or EPSS may be the lifeline of your company or residential facility. They can power critical equipment or safety items throughout a building until electricity restoration is possible.
Power generation services are governed by the National Fire Protection Association. The NFPA has set principles for installation, maintenance, and testing of backup generators. They also provide specific regulations for automatic transfer switches. Their standards classify generation systems, but do not enforce the recommended processes legally. Guidelines are used by officials, like inspectors, to enforce local governances. NFPA standards are also used as a guideline for generator servicing experts who install and maintain your building EPSS.
The NFPA 110 guidelines have outlined specific EPSS classes based upon the amount of time it takes to supply required energy before refueling is necessary. They may also be classified as a fractional rating based on operation time. For example, a generator might be referred to as a Class 12 system. This means it can operate for twelve hours before being refilled. Systems running for only a half an hour might be labeled as a Class 0.5. Fuel tank size and type contribute to the defined classifications.
EPSS types are determined by the timeframe involved with supplying supplementary electricity to the building. This type lets you know the expected delay before backup power is available. Type classification is measured in seconds, and may be defined either with a number or a letter. A Type 60 provides power in sixty seconds, whereas a Type M requires manual initiation.
NFPA 110 standards define two emergency electrical supply levels. A system critical to the well-being of individuals is referred to as a Level 1. These are installed in hospitals or other critical buildings to ensure care can still be provided. Level 2 classifications are essential to processes, but do not directly affect individual welfare. A Level 1 generator typically contains redundant parts to provide increased reliability and delivery. They require additional fuel to be stored on-site to make refilling possible under extreme circumstances.
This information can help you become more familiar with the currently installed EPSS. It is beneficial if you are in the process of purchasing a generator for your business. Understanding the classification of backup electrical systems will ensure you purchase a generator capable of meeting building power requirements.
Being familiar with the classification of your EPSS provides increased knowledge about required maintenance. Emergency power generation services can only provide dependable backup operations if they are cared for appropriately. Each of these systems has specific NFPA recommendations for testing and preservation. Prime Power technicians can assist in creating a servicing plan that meets the care recommendations for your EPSS. They use NFPA guidelines to install and care for your system. Call or visit our website today to learn more about the many services we can provide.