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#coronavirus #COVID-19
(News Focus) S. Korea gears up for long virus battle as infection cases top 20,000
By Choi Soo-hyang
SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is bracing for a prolonged virus combat as the number of cases involving unknown transmission routes and critically ill patients increases, with the country's infection cases surpassing the grim 20,000 mark.
South Korea, once praised for its successful containment of COVID-19, reported 235 new cases Tuesday, raising the nation's total to 20,182.
The country's battle against the novel virus has had its ups and downs, with daily new virus cases peaking at 909 in late February. But it had managed to keep the number in double-digit figures until early August.
When South Korea faced its first wave of outbreaks tied to the minor religious sect Shincheonji in the southeastern city of Daegu in late February and early March, the authorities conducted quick and massive testing, bringing the situation under control.
The first major hurdle following the Shincheonji cluster infection came from Seoul's popular nightlife district of Itaewon.
After a 29-year-old man tested positive for COVID-19 following visits to clubs and bars in the neighborhood, hundreds of additional cases traced to Itaewon were reported.
A distribution center run by e-commerce giant Coupang Inc. also had emerged as a coronavirus hotbed after the first patient from the facility was identified in late May.
After the country loosened its quarantine scheme following monthslong social distancing and a slowdown in new cases, sporadic cluster outbreaks continued, but they did not push the situation out of control.
But the virus situation quickly worsened last month, with a series of cluster infections reported in the greater Seoul area, mostly tied to a conservative church in northern Seoul and an anti-government march in the capital on Liberation Day on Aug. 15.
Since Aug. 14, South Korea has been reporting daily new infections in the triple digits.
With more than 5,000, or over a quarter of the coronavirus cases reported in the past three weeks, health authorities are facing increasing difficulties in tracing and isolating potential patients.
Jeong Eun-kyeong, chief of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), said they have expected the combat against the virus to be a long one, but the number has increased at a pace faster than what they had thought.
"The burden on our work for contact tracing is increasing due to the recent surge in the number of patients," Jeong said during a regular press briefing Monday.
The proportion of untraceable cases has also spiked, further complicating authorities' efforts to contain the virus. Of the cases confirmed in the past two weeks, a record 24.3 percent had unclear transmission routes.
Unlike the previous cases, the recent outbreaks have a much higher rate of unknown transmission routes with a large number of elderly patients who are more vulnerable to the virus.
Experts warn further escalation of the situation could put the country's entire medical system in danger.
The number of critically ill virus patients soared to 104 on Tuesday, compared with nine on Aug. 18.
In its last-ditch curbs, South Korea began restricting operations of restaurants, bakeries and franchise coffee chains in the Seoul metropolitan area Sunday, with Level Two social distancing rules already in place.
Under the eight-day enhanced restrictions, restaurants and bakeries can operate until 9 p.m., and only takeaway and delivery will be permitted from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
For franchise coffee chains, only takeout or delivery will be permitted regardless of operating hours, as cluster infections traced to coffee shops have been reported.
"We strengthened the social distancing rules because there were limits in tracing all the infected patients and isolating those who had come into contact with them," Jeong said. "We are at a stage continuously contemplating how much sacrifice we should embrace to contain this virus."
The toughest virus curbs, if implemented, are feared to take heavy tolls on the economy as well as on the society.
Last month, the Bank of Korea forecast a 1.3 percent contraction for Asia's fourth-largest economy in 2020 amid the deepening virus fallout, sharper than its estimate in May of a 0.2 percent retreat.
The central bank said the economy is expected to contract 2.2 percent this year in the worst-case scenario, in which the flare-up in virus outbreaks continues into the winter.
South Korea lost about 277,000 jobs in July, marking a decline in the number of the employed for the fifth consecutive month, government data showed.
A record 7,507 schools had their doors closed nationwide as of Monday, after the government ordered schools in the greater Seoul area to switch to remote classes until Sept. 11.
All sports events are being held without spectators.
The total number of patients released from quarantine after making full recoveries stood at 15,198 on Tuesday, up 225 from the previous day. The death toll remained unchanged at 324. South Korea has conducted coronavirus tests on 1.96 million people.
Labor ministry proposes 16.3 pct rise in budget to bolster labor safety net amid pandemic
(3rd LD) Export slump extends to 6th month; chips cushion virus fallout
Public firms tipped to report 3 tln won in losses over coronavirus
Critically ill virus patients spiking; sickbed shortage feared
(LEAD) New virus cases under 300 for 3rd day, rising infections with unknown routes worrisome
Former USFK chief says N.K. hypersonic launches, if true, can be reason to be 'very concerned'
'Hangwa' season


If your question is not answered here, please feel free to give us call.
Q.What will I need and how much will it cost to bond someone out of jail?
A. In order to determine what you will need to post a bond, we must obtain some basic information on both the defendant and the person wishing to secure the bond. Please call our office and we can promptly obtain the info needed and provide you with the details of what is needed for your situation.
A. We accept cash, debit & all major credit cards. A small fee of 2 - 4% will apply for credit card payments & a $1.00 fee will apply for debit transactions.
Q. What does it mean to be a signer/guarantor?
A. If you act as the signer on a bond you could be held liable for the face amount of the bond plus any additional court costs or costs incurred in re-arresting the defendant if that defendant fails to appear to any court date. You will be required to sign a legal and binding contract stating that you are liable for these costs if the defendant fails to appear. You are liable until the case is complete, NOT JUST UNTIL THE FIRST COURT DATE.
Q. Can you recommend an attorney?
A. Unfortunately not, it is illegal for a bonding company to recommend an attorney.
Q. Can I take my name off someone's bond as a signer?
A. To go off of a bond is a legal process. Under very rare & complicated circumstances this may be possible, however, keep in mind that the purpose of having someone sign a contract is to legally bind them to an agreement. If a client is in violation of their bond conditions, we can submit an affidavit to the court asking to be released from the bond. IT IS AT THE SOLE DISCRETION OF THE JUDGE TO RELEASE US FROM THE BOND AND IF THE JUDGE DENIES OUR REQUEST, WE CANNOT RELEASE YOU FROM THE BOND. You are also not released until the defendant is arrested on the off bond warrant. If a dispute arises between you and the defendant or if you feel the defendant will not appear in court you should advise us as soon as possible so that we can evaluate all of our options.If the defendant would like to replace you with another qualified signer, we can easily remove you from the bond.
Q. Will I receive any money back when the case is complete?
A. The fee you pay is to have someone released from jail. No matter what the outcome of the case is, this fee is non- refundable.
Q. What do I need to do while on bond?
A. Please review the Conditions of Bond that were explained to you at the time of the bond.
A. It is illegal for a bonding company to recommend an attorney.
Q. When will I receive a court date?
A. This depends on the type of charge and the court in which your charge is out of. Individuals charged with class "C" misdemeanors & Hays County clients that posted class "A" or "B" misdemeanors will probably have received a court date at the time of the bond. Most other charges can take anywhere from one to six months to receive a court date. At the time of your bond, your agent will inform you of your court date, when to expect a court date or instruct you to contact a court. The courts, attorneys & bond companies try to keep defendants informed of any court appearances, however, it is imperative that you are diligent in communicating with all three entities to ensure that you are never uninformed of a court date!
Q. Will you really hire a bounty hunter if I miss court?
A. We will give you the opportunity to turn yourself in. If we feel like you are not cooperating, then we will hire an investigator to apprehend you.
Q. I have been placed on a pre- trial intervention, is my case complete?
A. No, you will still have to attend pre-trial intervention status court dates. If you are required to check in with us and you are placed on a pre-trial intervention program, you may start checking in once a month instead of weekly.
Q. When can I stop checking in?
A. If you were informed that you are required to check in, you must do so every week until you have completed all of your cases with us and provided us with proof that all cases are complete. DO NOT STOP CHECKING IN JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE GONE TO YOUR FIRST COURT DATE! A case is complete when you have been sentenced to a fine, probation, jail, deferred adjudication or if the case has been declined or dismissed and you have provided us with documentation of the judgment or disposition.
Q. What will happen if I stop checking in?
A. If you fail to check in or violate any other bond condition, the bonding company will request that a judge issue a warrant for your arrest.
Q. I missed a check in, what do I do?
A. In most cases, this will not cause a problem. Just call and check in as soon as possible.
Q. I have retained an attorney, do you need that info?
A. Yes, please provide the name, address & phone number of your attorney.
Q. My attorney told me I could stop checking in, can I?
A. Your attorney should not advise you on the policies of the bonding company. Under no circumstances should you stop checking in unless you have provided us with proof that your cases are complete.
Q. I need to reset a court date, who do I call?
A. Your attorney if you have one, or the court. If the court is not willing to reset your date, you must appear. If you miss a court date, a warrant will be issued for your arrest, and your signer will be held financially liable for your bond, plus court costs.
Q. Can I leave the state/country temporarily?
A. In most cases, this will not pose a problem. You will need to call and inform us of the dates, location and contact info.
A. The fee you paid was to secure your release from jail and is non- refundable no matter what the outcome of the case is.


Dermal fillers are natural or synthetic substances that are injected in the deep layer of skin (dermis) in order to fill in wrinkles, crevasses, or scars. To learn more, please contact the office of Dr. Younai and schedule a consultation today!
3 What Do Dermal Fillers Treat?
When we pursue ways to combat the natural aging process and restore a younger, more attractive appearance, it's only practical that we focus on altering our faces. Facial cosmetic surgeries are a huge part of any plastic surgery clinic, with numerous options available for adjusting the eyes, lips, cheeks, brow, neck, and any other region that a person feels needs improvement. However, some people don't enjoy the thought of undergoing any extensive surgery to improve their facial features, especially since cosmetic surgeries can entail long periods of discomfort and recovery before the benefits can be fully enjoyed.
When it comes to the growing popularity of dermal fillers, though, patients can experience excellent results while not having to subject themselves to invasive surgical methods. Dermal fillers are injectable implants, wrinkle fillers, or other soft tissue fillers that go in and under the skin in order to restore a face's more youthful state. As we age, we lose underlying tissue in our face and skin elasticity while gaining wrinkles and lines. Dermal fillers contribute to facial rejuvenation by reversing these effects.
Dermal fillers provide a wide array of benefits for those seeking to improve their facial features, without requiring surgical intervention. It is important to recognize what dermal fillers are capable of, and what they aren't.
Restored Volume — Dermal fillers bring back appropriate size and contour to cheeks, lips, and other facial regions that have been reduced by tissue lost in the aging process.
Reduced Lines and Wrinkles — Facial creases and wrinkles will be less visible after dermal fillers are applied, giving the face a more youthful look.
Enhanced Lips — Lips can appear plumper and fuller with dermal fillers, with less wrinkling or surrounding lines.
Scar Reduction — Any scarring on the face will be less visible, especially if recessed, as it is more aligned with the surrounding skin. Any contour deformities can also be evened out with dermal fillers.
Softened Complexion — A harsh, angular face can be balanced via dermal fillers, with sunken skin also being restored to soften one's overall visage, providing a more rested appearance.
Immediate Results — Dermal fillers provide immediately visible results while eschewing much of the discomfort and recovery time other surgical methods require.
Nasolabial Folds: Deep lines running from the corners of the nose to the corners of the mouth.
Dermal fillers can also be used to increase the volume of the lips or fill in the hollows around the eyes. There are a number of substances that can be used as dermal fillers. The look and longevity of your treatment will depend on what substance you use.
There is a large and growing selection of different dermal filler injections on the cosmetic market today. Dr. Younai only ever offers the safest ones (all being FDA-approved), and never suggests options that provide anything less than the best results for his patients. The following are the main dermal fillers the clinic provides, each having a different baseline effect, result longevity, and cost. Should you seek another version, bring it up with Dr. Younai during your consultation.
Some dermal fillers, such as collagen, are immediately recognizable to most people. However, there are a wide variety of options available for people interested in reducing the appearance of wrinkles, lines, and scars through the use of dermal fillers.
Collagen is the most abundant protein in the nature. Our skin, bone, teeth, hair, muscle, and blood vessels are made out of collagen. Therefore, collagen is a very safe choice for soft tissue or skin augmentation. Zyderm and Zyplast are made of bovine collagen, which is derived from cow skin. Both are injected with a smallneedle, and are packaged with Lidocaine, which anesthetises the area treated. Zyderm is used most successfully to treat shallow, distensible scars. Zyplast has more collagen, and is used for filling larger defects. It is also used for lip augmentation. Both require allergy tests before their use. The results of Collagen last 3-4 months and collagen injection needs to be repeated for maintenance.
CosmoDerm and Cosmoplast are made of human collagen and produced with dermal fibroblasts harvested from bioengineered human skin cells. Neither requires a skin test prior to their use. Cosmoderm is best suited for superficial wrinkles and acne scars. Cosmoplast is more effective for the treatment of deeper wrinkles, scars and for enhancing the vermillion border of the lips.
Hyaluronic Acid Dermal Fillers are a generation of dermal fillers that last twice as long as collagen (approximately 8 months). Hyaluronic acid is a natural component of the human skin that forms the skeletal framework of a healthy and youthful skin. Aging, sun damage, and smoking diminish the amount and quality of the Hyaluronic acid skin framework, thus contributing to the formation of wrinkles and loss of skin elasticity. There are a variety of Hyaluronic acid-based dermal fillers available including Restylane, Juvederm, and Captique.
Restylane, used in more than three million treatments worldwide, is approved in the United States for the correction of very deep wrinkles, such as Nasolabial Folds, Crows Feet, Frown lines, and acne scars. Restylane is also being used for lip augmentation as well as the filling of the hollow around the eyes.
Juvederm which is another form of Hyaluronic acid corrects conditions including fine lines and Crows Feet, Forehead and Cheek Wrinkles, and fill lips, sculpture cheeks and fill deep Nasolabial Folds.
Radiesse is a long lasting filler composed of smooth calcium hydroxylapatite particles similar to the compounds found in bones and teeth, and suspended in a gel. Once injected, Radiesse stimulates buildup of new collagen, and the results are estimated to last about two years. Radiesse is injected in small amounts deep under the skin to fill creases, lines and wrinkles, to soften Nasolabial folds and facial lines, add fullness to the skin and fill in scars.
ArteFill® (Artecoll®) is the first so-called "permanent dermal filler" currently being considered for use by the FDA. ArteFill is made of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) microspheres (miniature beads) that are suspended in bovine collagen. When an ArteFill injection is given, the solution not only acts as a dermal filler, but its micro-spheres also stimulate the body to produce its own collagen. As the injected collagen slowly degrades naturally, the newly produced collagen replaces it. This gives ArteFill® long-lasting, almost permanent results. The greatest difference between ArteFill® (Artecoll®) and other dermal fillers is the durability of results. Studies have shown that patients who received an ArteFill® (Artecoll®) injection showed an improvement in the nasolabial folds five years after treatment. There has not been extensive clinical experience with this product in the United States yet.
Fat injection was one of the earliest techniques used for augmenting skin and soft tissue. Fat is harvested from another area of the body, cleaned, filtered, and then injected in very small amounts in the dermis or subcutaneous tissue. Although some of this fat reabsorbs with time, most of it does remain. The survivability of the injected fat graft depends on the location, amount, and technique of injection.
In general fat injection is used to augment the soft tissues in all areas of the body, including under the eyes, lips, cheeks, scars, as well as to fill in dents or depressions in other areas of the body.
When you choose Dr. Younai as your physician for a dermal filler procedure, he will have you schedule a consultation session to make sure you are as confident and comfortable as possible. He will review your health history, including any previous surgeries (cosmetic or otherwise), and then perform a rundown of your current physical status and lifestyle. He will inspect and measure your facial features while determining your goals and desired results concerning the dermal fillers, in order to help you establish realistic expectations.
The whole procedure will be reviewed, and Dr. Younai will thoroughly answer any questions and calm any concerns you may have.
He will also give an overview of the many different types of dermal fillers available and recommend which ones may be the best options for you. If, for some reason, you do not appear to be a good candidate for dermal fillers, Dr. Younai will provide many alternatives to help you restore the youthful visage you've been dreaming of.
Fortunately, dermal fillers don't require as much preparation as many other cosmetic procedures do. Being so minimally invasive, it is a quick method for facial reconfiguration that also provides faster recovery. However, there are still precautions all patients should take to ensure no undesirable complications occur.
For instance, during your consultation, Dr. Younai will see if you have any particular past injuries or surgeries or current lifestyle issues that might interfere with the procedure or results. Any smoking and drinking alcohol should stop fully at least two weeks before any dermal fillers are applied. They should not be resumed for at least two weeks after, either. Before all cosmetic procedures, you should abstain from blood thinners, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or various herbal remedies and vitamins that can cause excessive bleeding.
Specific preparation may be required for different types of dermal fillers, which will be discussed during your initial appointments.
Dermal fillers are administered via injection into the deep skin tissue. After consulting with Dr. Younai at his Los Angeles office, you can target the specific areas you would like to improve. This process will be repeated until the doctor has acheived the desired results.
Oftentimes, dermal fillers don't even need any downtime from patients during recovery. A return to daily activities and routines can be had almost immediately—though Dr. Younai will recommend avoiding strenuous activity for a while. If any bruising or swelling occurs, it should be mild, and follow-up appointments will help ensure no complications have arisen from the procedure.
The minimal invasiveness of the procedure is one of the reasons it is so popular, as people don't have to make significant alterations to their work schedule or lifestyle while still enjoying the aesthetic improvements.
Because of the variety of dermal fillers available, the results will be as diverse as the treatments. Be sure to use your consultation appointment to clarify what to expect from each dermal filler option, and choose the one you (and Dr. Younai) feels is most appropriate. Treatment results can last anywhere from just a few months to up to several years. There may be some side effects from dermal fillers. Normal ones include bruising, redness, swelling, tenderness, itching, and rashes. If these continue for any extended period or worsen, be sure to contact the our office to schedule a checkup.


Try your luck on this 'The New Paper-New Balance' contest.
Winners can get the chance to meet the renowned Ultraman Anton Krupicka and win some stuffs from New Balance.
All the best and let's pray hard as well.


The National Lottery is calling on all Lottery projects in the arts sector to enter The National Lottery Awards.
Supported by GMTV and Loose Woman presenter, Andrea McLean, the Awards are the annual search to find the UK's favourite Lottery-funded projects and celebrate the people behind them.
This year, winning projects will receive a £2,000 prize to spend on their project, and have their achievements highlighted on a special BBC 1 programme later in the year.
The Awards have seven categories – each one reflecting an area of Lottery funding. Judges will be looking for the best project in the following areas: Sport; Heritage; Arts; Environment; Voluntary/Charity; Health and Education. Since The National Lottery began in 1994, Lottery players have raised £20 billion for Good Causes and over 280,000 grants have been given out.
Any Lottery-funded project – large or small – can enter or be nominated. Entries can be made either online at http://www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk or by calling 0845 130 4133. Deadline for nominations is 5pm on 20 March 2008.
Shortlisted projects will compete to go through to the finals, with the overall winners being announced on a BBC 1 primetime TV show later this year.


A little while ago now, the lovely Emma wrote about her 2014 'best bits' and encouraged others, myself included, to do the same. When I started thinking about what my highlights of the past year had been, I quickly realised that my ill health and the moments of heartbreak associated with it were by far outshone by the countless magical memories I had made.
I decided to jot them down and surprised myself with how many I came up with. My magic moments ranged from getting out of bed on certain days to meeting our friends' beautiful baby and watching one of my best friends get married.
Rather than list everything in this post, I thought I would pick just one thing that I was especially grateful for throughout 2014 and attempt to do it the justice it deserves. The thing I've chosen is my friendship with Sophia.
I met Sophia about six years ago when we both started our training to become Speech and Language Therapists. Throughout our time at University we were not particularly close but it was always lovely to have a chat with her when out and about or in and around lectures. It was only when we both fell ill that we began speaking more.
Sophia's support over the last year has been incredible and meant so much to me. At every setback she's been there with words of encouragement and reassurance and with every achievement she's felt like my own personal cheerleader. Being able to talk openly and honestly about the day-to-day realities of being full time poorly with someone who completely understands has been invaluable.
One of the things that inspires me most about Sophia is the way in which she has turned her incredibly challenging circumstances into an opportunity. Since falling ill, Sophia has been exploring the use of food as medicine and written a blog about her experiences. Almost every day she posts a beautiful photo of her latest culinary creation to her Instagram and is constantly adding new recipes to her ever growing repertoire. Seeing her using creativity to bring positivity to her days frequently brightens mine and reminds me that so much is possible despite the limitations chronic illness brings.
I hope with every bit of me that this year brings better health for Sophia and that I am able to be even half the friend to her that she has been to me.
Friendship is really a good relationship among people. I always like these types of blogs that promote friendship as well as writing work on https://analyzedu.com/writing-services-reviews/essaytigers-com-review.html. I am going to discuss this topic with all of my students and people who are reading this blog.
That's right while unlawful migration is absolutely an issue, I can comprehend why it happens to such an extent. In the event that I needed to live with deduction consistently will be my last on the grounds that my nation is controlled by medication stick cartels that will break down me and my entire family in corrosive on the off chance that we even take a gander at them the incorrect way and the administration can't make a move http://www.aoneassignment.com/company-for-custom-essay-writing, I would attempt to leave as well even wrongfully. Or then again continually being compromised to be shelled each day over religious perspectives.


The Danish government has stated it wants to be part of the UN-led initiative to remove chemical weapons from Libya.
Within a couple of weeks, the government expects to propose a plan for Danish participation in an international maritime operation that aims to remove the chemical weapons from the north African nation.
On July 22, the UN Security Council passed a resolution that confirms the removal of the remains of the Libyan chemical weapons cache and urges the international community to support such an action.
At that time the foreign minister, Kristian Jensen, conveyed his pleasure regarding the UN decision, particularly due to the instability that the nation has endured in recent years and with terror organisation Islamic State lurking in the region.
"Removing the chemicals will contribute to stability in Libya and ensure they don't fall into the wrong hands," said Jensen.


A child who cuts, and a mothers plea.
It's hard balancing life as a single mother, a student, and a freelancer, but it becomes harder when life hits you times three. While dealing with my own personal health issues, I also have a daughter who self harms. She is 12, to me still a baby, yet she is in a pain that I cannot take away from her. A pain that I cannot heal. A pain that even she doesn't quite understand.
I walk on eggshells. I try to be firm and still the parent I have always been to her, but the truth is I am worried. What if something I say triggers her to want to take a blade and cut her arms. I don't want to coddle her, because I know the world doesn't care as much as I do, but I also want to wrap her up in a blanket of comfort and hold her to my chest as if she was an infant. I want to protect her from the world, from herself and from eyes of those who do not understand.
And all the while, I don't understand.
I understand depression, anxiety, and even times not wanting to live, but cutting to release frustration I don't get. If only she can see the girl I see. Talented, beautiful, smart, funny and a joy to be around. Instead, all she sees are the words that jealous classmates and mean bullies put in her head. She believes that she is not worth wonderful things, or love, when she is the embodiment of love.
Everything I do is for her and her sisters, but I feel as if maybe I am not doing enough. When I'm next to her, talking to her, she's happy. There are nights she asks me to come to sleep with her. Where all I do is sit in her bed, writing or reading and watching her be at peace. Then the nights when I can't because my illness has me immobilized, she cuts.
At times I fear it's making it worse. School and social activities only bring stress and mumbled words when she returns. She's so soft-spoken, I fear she's getting run over, she's so forgiving even when those have bullied her, she is the girl I wish I was at her age. But she doesn't see it.
How can I help her? How can I as her mother make her feel that she is safe with her self? Staying up and watching her is not always an option. So I'm patient, I'm strong for her, and I am still her mother. I want her to enter the world strong and able to handle whatever comes her way.


This paper presents main directions of research on a rough set approach to incomplete data. First, three different types of lower and upper approximations, based on the characteristic relation, are defined. Then an idea of the probabilistic approximation, an extension of lower and upper approximations, is presented. Local probabilistic approximations are also discussed. Finally, some special topics such as consistency of incomplete data and a problem of increasing data set incompleteness to improve rule set quality, in terms of an error rate, are discussed.


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Welfare 'reform': New Zealand's model for attacking the poor
Sue Bradford
I was dismayed to discover that Australia's Minister for Social Services is turning to New Zealand for inspiration in his latest approach to welfare.
On September 20 Christian Porter announced the 'Australian Priority Investment Approach'. This draws on work New Zealand's right-wing National government has done since 2011 on using actuarial estimates of fiscal liability to underpin an extensive program of punitive and pauperising reforms.
Australian media has lauded New Zealand's minister for social welfare Paula Bennett, who has used her credentials as a sole parent to drive through the beneficiary-bashing changes. This brought back memories of an earlier generation of ex-ministers, such as Roger Douglas (Labour) and Ruth Richardson (National), who travelled the world evangelising NZ's neoliberal revolution of the 1980s and '90s.
How unfortunate for Australia that we seem to be providing the same service again.
In 2012, Paula Bennett estimated that the cost of the beneficiary population at that time was $78 billion. This was based on techniques more commonly used in the insurance industry to calculate liability for each existing claimant over their lifetime.
Unsurprisingly, she found that young people would cost the most, given their life expectations are the longest.
Porter has taken the same approach, targeting his reforms in the first instance at young parents, young carers and students.
The NZ government has introduced a range of reforms since 2012, with the overarching goal of getting at least 100,000 working-age beneficiaries out of the system within ten years. Some of the changes include:
Introducing compulsory income management for young people on benefits, stripping them of autonomy and respect at a highly vulnerable time in their lives — inspired by Australia's income management experience;
Subjecting any woman on a benefit who has another child to work testing from the time her baby turns one;
Further sanctions including drug testing some jobseekers and drastic cuts to sole parent benefits if work tests are not met;
Encouraging women beneficiaries and their daughters of reproductive age to undergo long-lasting contraception;
Replacing unemployment, sickness and sole parent benefits with one Jobseeker Support category, subject to a wide range of compulsory work tests and sanctions; and
Introducing a Work Ability assessment, making many people who were formerly on a protected Invalids Benefit subject to worktesting — based on British sickness and disability reforms.
I am part of a group that carries out advocacy with and for unemployed people and beneficiaries, while fighting politically on an anti-capitalist program for decent work, a totally reformed welfare system, for recognition of the worth of unpaid work in home and community, and — eventually — for a progressive form of Universal Basic Income.
We see at first hand the impact of National's reforms, all aimed at getting people out of the welfare system, no matter the human cost. These consequences include:
Many people simply fail to register with Work and Income because of the hurdles placed in their way. Young people are particularly likely not to register, relying instead on family, friends, petty crime or scraps of work for survival;
People who are sick, injured or living with disability, including those with long-term mental health issues, suffer hugely when forced to go through work testing and adverse medical assessments; and
Many plunge into debt because of the combined effect of low benefit levels, sanctions and the impact of going in and out of the welfare system through being forced into precarious work.
Probably the worst effect is psychological. Our current welfare system depends on a culture of intimidation, punishment and the use of bureaucratic delay to do everything possible to keep people off benefits.
The human, economic, health and justice costs of an "investment approach" designed to save money are high and rising. There is no way a group like ours can hope to calculate the true fiscal impact which itself will extend generations into the future, but researchers are already starting to do work examining its flaws and inadequacies.
Sorry Australia — but be assured, our group stands in solidarity with all of you who are doing your utmost to expose and oppose the latest onslaught from your government, and all that came before.
[Sue Bradford is a former Green MP who currently co-chairs anti-capitalist jobs and welfare group Auckland Action Against Poverty and coordinates the development of New Zealand's first radical left think tank Economic and Social Research Aotearoa. Contact: sue@esra.nz]
Like the article? Subscribe to Green Left now! You can also like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
Green Left Weekly provides an important source of news and analysis, often straight from those who are at the forefront of grassroots activism, which makes this newspaper a unique resource.
As a historian of transnational activist movements, I also find that Green Left's archive richly documents, and continues to remind us of, the decades of campaigns for social change in Australia and elsewhere.
Dr Vannessa Hearman
Historian, and lecturer in Indonesian Studies at Charles Darwin University

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Comcast now offers the Xfinity Double Play and the Xfinity Triple Play so Dumont locals can bundle two or three of our great services like Xfinity TV, Internet, and Voice.
Dumont, CO neighborhoods now get the best in digital cable TV, high speed Internet, mobile phone, home security, and home phone service from Xfinity! Dumont, are you ready to bundle and save?
Bundle Digital Cable TV, Internet, Voice, Mobile and Home Security service with Xfinity. Dumont, CO deals are available from Comcast!


Articles about Drones, ordered by date.
Self-driving tractors and the internet of cows – welcome to the world of precision agriculture. Jim Thomas lays out the vision driving corporate giants into a merger frenzy.


Tom Holland made an instagram post about how there would be no new Marvel information this week ... while holding up an iPad that had the logo for his next solo movie, Spider-Man: Far From Home.
Some really offensive tweets surfaced.
Than again I've never cared much for the character.
They certainly have the de-aging effect down. Wonder how much it costs?
My grandkids are drooling over the new DISNEY Marvel Comic cruises.
As I'm sure many of you already know, Stan Lee passed away on Monday. 😥 He was 95. I haven't been into comics in almost 20 years, but the characters he helped create and the worlds he helped build have been w/ me in some shape or form for almost my entire life. Comics, Saturday morning cartoons, games, books, a fully interconnected movie universe spanning over a decade ... I'll be 40 next year, yet these characters and stories are still finding new mediums and new ways to entertain me. It's crazy how much of an impact someone can have on your life (and now my kids' lives) despite starting out as young writer using a pseudonym because he was too embarrassed to be associated w/ comics.
Stanley Lieber will definitely be missed.
Avengers 4 finally gets a title and a teaser trailer.
Looks good, but I'm slightly surprised they would show this trailer prior to Avengers coming out. I mean, we all KNOW the guys aren't really dead, but I'd still like to believe they are until I see how they're not. This trailer jumped the shark.
Gun Dip, Fonzie jumped the shark.
Only issue I had was how come Fury didn't trigger Peter's spidey sense.
Apparently, this has been quite a struggle between Marvel Studios and Sony. Marvel wanted to hold off for exactly this reason. From the sound of it, Marvel had to shuffle films around because Sony insisted that this movie come out in 2019. As for the trailer, it sounds like Sony has been pushing to put this out as soon as possible where as Marvel has been trying to get them to wait and not spoil anything from Avengers: Endgame.
Not sure why Sony has been so desperate to put out a trailer for something that isn't out until July. It also feels odd that they'd drop it NOW, when the Super Bowl is only 2 weeks away.
This seems to be the sentiment of most people, including myself. Without getting into Brie Larson and her ridiculous politics, she has done herself no favors. It got so bad going into this week that Rotten Tomatoes literally changed how they score movies leading up to their release. They used to have a "Fan Anticipation" meter where you could vote and show how many people "couldn't wait" to see said movie. Captain Marvel's meter got so low (sub-30%) that it was removed entirely. Now that it is showing user reviews, the film is sitting at 38% vs. the critics 79%, but even the critic scores are a bit misleading. They're ranked as Fresh (positive) or Rotten (negative) but even some of the positive reviews are pretty questionable.
B- A middling, good-enough episode ... The dynamic between Larson and Jackson is lively. His review ends with, "Can't we come up with something more exciting and fully formed?"
Its adherence to the tried-and-true conventions of a Phase One Marvel origin story, 10 years into an increasingly complex cinematic universe, might leave you neither overjoyed nor underwhelmed, but satisfied and wondering what's for dinner. - Her first paragraph is literally a laundry list of things she thought was wrong w/ the film.
3/5 - With each phase of Marvel movies growing in scope and complexity, it's unfathomable that Captain Marvel is a step backwards for the MCU.
These are supposed to be "positive." lol Even worse, the user review score was actually LOWER earlier today, but R.T. removed about 50,000 user reviews.
Kind of sad. I've seen every MCU film since the 1st Iron Man, even films that I wasn't really sold on like Black Panther or Ant-Man. This is likely the 1st MCU film that I won't be seeing in theaters.
It's getting a little ridiculous the lengths movie studios will go to in order to push some narrative or lay blame.


Learn about the Civil Service process, eligibility requirements, requirements for appointment, the entry level physical abilities test and learn about the upcoming written Police Exam. Meet our police officers and learn more about why they are so passionate about being members of the Worcester Police Department.
View the attached flyer below for complete details.


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Dry Conditions Lead to Government Aid in the West and South
This is the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.
Last week, Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns announced help for American farmers hurt by lack of rain. Mister Johanns said the total amount of aid is about seven hundred eighty million dollars. The aid will include loans, indirect payments and other assistance for farmers in the central western and southern United States.
Important farming areas have experienced dry weather for several months. The drought has hurt both crop producers and those raising cattle, or ranchers. The weather has harmed some areas, but left others with enough rain for near record crops. The Northeast, for example, had heavy rainfall during the same period.
The U.S. Drought Monitor studies drought conditions across the country. The service operates as part of the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska.
The Monitor recently reported that exceptional drought conditions exist in Oklahoma, South Dakota and Texas. It also said that parts of Alabama, Arizona, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska and Wyoming have an extremely severe drought.
Secretary Johanns spoke with reporters during a visit last Thursday to South Dakota. He said sixty-four percent of beef cows in America are in drought areas. The dry conditions have left little or no grass in many areas where cattle are raised. Ranchers who feed their cattle grass for part of the year have had to buy food or sell some or all of their animals.
The Department of Agriculture will provide fifty million dollars in aid for ranchers. That money will go to affected states in the form of awards, or grants. It will then be given to ranchers. The grants do not have to be repaid.
The drought has also affected cotton, sorghum and peanut growers. Farmers in dry states have been offered payments totaling seven hundred million dollars. This aid is part of the Direct and Counter-cyclical Payment Program. It pays farmers an amount based on a set price for their crop and the number of hectares they have. The Program is designed to lift farm income when prices drop. This year, Secretary Johanns has moved up payments so that farmers can receive them now instead of later in the year.
Yet the Middle West -- an area known as the Corn Belt -- has received enough rain. Farmers there are expecting excellent harvests of soybeans and corn. And that's the VOA Special English Agriculture Report, written by Mario Ritter. I'm Shep O'Neal.


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Lil' Kim to release 'The Queen Bee' memoir
"I'm excited to finally get to tell my story after all this time," Kim told PEOPLE.
By Sweenie Saint-Vil
After a nearly 30-year career in the music industry, Lil' Kim is about ready to share her life story with the world. According to PEOPLE, the Brooklyn emcee is gearing up for the release of her forthcoming memoir, The Queen Bee.
Kim, born Kimberly Denise Jones, started her career as a teenager, rapping alongside The Notorious B.I.G. and other members of the group Junior M.A.F.I.A. After success with the late rapper and his group, she branched off to start her solo career and has since cemented her name as one of rap's iconic women emcees, blessing fans with raunchy lyrics, fashionable looks and a few albums along the way.
Her career, however, has not gone without its obstacles. The emcee suffered the loss of Biggie, experienced a stint in prison for lying about her friends' involvement in a shooting and more, all of which she will discuss in her memoir.
"Lil' Kim not only blazed trails for women in Hip-Hop, but also inspired the careers of those who followed," read a statement from the publisher. "However, life at the top hasn't been easy, either. Lil' Kim also talks about the hidden moments of her reign: her complicated high-profile relationships, the misogynistic industry she fought to change through sex positivity, the challenging double standards of self-image and beauty in the spotlight, and the momentous act of loyalty that ultimately landed her in prison."
"A true page-turner from start to finish," the statement continued. "The Queen Bee will reportedly be "as every bit as fierce, empowering, and badass as the woman at the heart of this story — and firmly cements her legacy as a true feminist icon."
Kim's forthcoming book — which is co-written by Kathy Iandoli — is the first time she will tell her own story after Naturi Naughton's portrayal of her in the 2009 film, Notorious, which she believes didn't do her justice. She also hopes to have her story told in a biopic so that fans can get the opportunity to know "the real Kim." If that plan comes to fruition, Teyana Taylor or an aspiring actress from Brooklyn are in the running to play her in a show.
The Queen Bee will be published by Hachette Books and is slated to be released on Nov. 2.
"I'm excited to finally get to tell my story after all this time," Lil' Kim told PEOPLE in a recent interview. "Many people have thought they knew the story of Lil' Kim, but they have no idea."
Trina reveals she's down to battle Lil Kim in a Verzuz
Lil' Kim reveals the only artist she'd want portraying her in a biopic


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Chess Direct Ltd. | Chess Books | Chess Books by Category | Chess Openings Books | Chess Opening Books ECO Code D00-99 | Queen's Gambit Declined | Chigorin Defence
Chigorin Defence
Ref: k9228
Product type: Printed book
Valerie Bronznik
View sample pages (pdf)
The Chigorin Defence (1.d4,d5; 2.c4,Nc6;) has gained respectability thanks to the efforts of modern Grandmasters such as Morozevich, Miladinovic and others. It is a sharp, aggressive system, suited to counter-attacking players not afraid to take a few risks with Black.
The original, German edition of this book, published in 2001, won wide acclaim and Ukranian I.M. Valerie Bronznik has updated his work for this new, English, edition. In sixteen chapters and with the aid of 115 annotated games he analyses all possible continuations, explaining the strategic ideas as well as offering his opinions on Black's options.
The author is a respected theoretician and author of the best-selling Colle-Koltanowski System.
"The contents are first-class and the author has put a tremendous amount of work into the book. Material is drawn from nearly all possible sources and the author has added an abundance of original analysis, improvements, and suggestions of his own." (Carsten Hansen)
"It will not only become the Chigorin Defence bible for many years to come, but it establishes the Chigorin as a sound defense deserving respect." (John Watson)
Published 2005, hardback, 335 pages.
Wishlist info
Understanding the QGA
Rossolimo and Friends
Berlin Defence
Tactical Chigorin (PC-DVD)
Chigorin Defence: Move By Move


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Yamaha Returns As The Sponsor Of The 2016 Hot Products Mark Hahn 300
Home/National News/Yamaha Returns As The Sponsor Of The 2016 Hot Products Mark Hahn 300
IJSBA has received the following news from the organizers of the 2016 Hot Products Mark Hahn 300:
Yamaha Renews Sponsorship of World's
Longest-Running PWC Endurance Race
Hot Products Mark Hahn Memorial Havasu 300 Returns for 12 th Year
FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif, KENNESAW GA – Yamaha Watercraft is renewing its sponsorship of the Hot Products Mark Hahn Memorial Havasu 300 Endurance Race, the longest-running PWC endurance race in the world.
Now in its 12 th year in Lake Havasu City, Ariz., the internationally-attended 300-mile race is considered one of the sport's premier events and a favorite for Yamaha high-performance watercraft owners.
"The Hahn 300 is a top-tier PWC event in the U.S. that not only attracts the top professional racers in the sport, but it's also open to novice riders looking for an exciting venue to test their skills," said Andrew Cullen, digital marketing and communications manager for Yamaha's WaterCraft Group. "The event aligns itself perfectly with Yamaha's high-performance WaveRunners and the durability and reliability that the Yamaha brand is revered for."
Slated for Feb. 27, 2016, and held annually at the Crazy Horse Campgrounds, the Mark Hahn Memorial Havasu 300 was created in memory of endurance racer Mark Hahn, who was instrumental in promoting endurance PWC racing across the country before his untimely death in 2004.
The "team" format allows two riders for runabout, or sit-down, teams and up to three riders for a stand-up watercraft. Solo riders are also welcome to "Ironman" the race on either style of watercraft, which is the ultimate test of endurance and stamina.
Entry forms, race information, updates and results will be posted on the Mark Hahn web site: http://www.pwcfun.com/markhahn300.asp www.pwcoffshore.com
Contact: Mike Follmer, 714-241-9600, mfollmer@aol.com
By Scott Frazier|2015-11-09T17:54:58-07:00November 9th, 2015|National News|Comments Off on Yamaha Returns As The Sponsor Of The 2016 Hot Products Mark Hahn 300


As another concert season wraps up in classical music, WQXR presents a lively, thoughtful and humorous look back at the year's highs and lows.
In this 2014-15 round-up, our panelists will cover a range of topics, including the financial and labor challenges that roiled the Metropolitan Opera and elsewhere; get predictions on conductor searches at major orchestras; consider political activism among artists; and debate how social media has made musicians more unfiltered – yielding both risks and rewards.
Plus: breakout performances, viral moments and why everyone is so obsessed with etiquette in the concert hall.
Guests include Justin Davidson, the Pulitzer Prize-winning classical music and architecture critic of New York magazine; Lara St. John, the concert violinist and label owner; Ben Finane, editor in chief of Listen magazine; and Vivien Schweitzer, a freelance journalist and music critic for the New York Times. WQXR General Manager Graham Parker hosts.
Share your thoughts using #WQXRUnfiltered.


With the 25th anniversary of the violent suppression of student protests on June 4, 1989 coming upon us next week, we spoke to Louisa Lim, a journalist for NPR who has written a book about the events of 1989 and their consequences. The People's Republic of Amnesia: Tiananmen Revisited comes out on June 4, the day of the anniversary. Lim answered our questions about her book and the anniversary by email.
Your book is coming out on the 25th anniversary of Tiananmen. When did you decide to write a book on this subject and when did you begin your research?
I began writing my book at the beginning of last year, but I had been thinking about it for a much longer time. It struck me that, although there had been a flood of Tiananmen books in the immediate aftermath, almost nothing had been written in recent years about its legacy from inside China. At first I was reluctant to broach such a radioactive topic, but one question kept gnawing at me: if I don't write this book, who will? Eventually I decided that it was a book that needed to be written.
The last chapter of your book concerns Chengdu, where a bloody riot and subsequent crackdown occurred in the days after June 4. You write that this was a story that was not only forgotten but was never properly told at all. Could a similar story be told of other cities that saw unrest as well?
Yes, there are definitely other untold stories, given that huge protests happened in dozens of cities around China. Apart from Chengdu, the best-known scenes of violence were in Xi'an and Changsha, where mass demonstrations were suppressed on April 22nd. In Xi'an, 40,000 people had gathered in the New City Square to mark the funeral of former party leader Hu Yaobang. When their attempts to present a petition were rebuffed, jostling between police and citizens disintegrated into scuffles and rock-throwing, after which riot police and military police moved in with batons and clubs. Local television aired footage showing police kicking and beating bloodied students inside the government compound. The government claimed that nobody had died, but students said that around a dozen people were killed. Also on April 22nd, a protest in Changsha was violently suppressed. Reports at the time said a student protest had been 'infiltrated' by groups of unemployed youth who looted around 40 shops. An academic who had been there, Andrea Worden, wrote, "One popular activity among the 'youths' that night had been to commandeer trucks and drive at top speeds up and down May First road singing, 'The East is Red.'" One person died and many were injured. If official figures can be taken as a guide, neither of these incidents were as bloody as the suppression in Chengdu. It's likely there was unrest elsewhere which was never reported, but I chose to focus on Chengdu because the violence there had been so very brutal, as well as being relatively well-documented due to the presence of a US consulate.
This leads me to a question on terminology. Is "Tiananmen" the best word to use to represent these events? As you point out, other cities saw similar protests and crackdowns. What is your preferred term?
That's actually a question that I continue to struggle with. In many ways, the shorthand of Tiananmen is misleading, since – as you point out – it fails to take into account the nationwide nature of the protests, and when it comes to the actual deaths, most were not in the square itself but on the approach roads. I tried using "June 4th", but that proved unsatisfactory since there were deaths both before and after that date. It also lacks the instant recognition value outside China as "Tiananmen".
As a side note, I was surprised to find that my own book was classified in the Library of Congress cataloguing system under "Tiananmen Square Incident, 1989", which is the bland nomenclature favoured by the Chinese government itself. To me, calling the murderous suppression of protests an "incident" is not just an act of omission. It's an act of mendacity.
Amnesia as a medical phenomenon often occurs after a traumatic event. How much of the amnesia about June 4th do you think is a coping mechanism and how much is it a result of effective propaganda?
Forgetting was perhaps an easier option to deal with the heartbreak that came from having hopes raised so high, then so thoroughly, violently trampled. Some people made a cold-blooded calculation, and decided that the cost of remembering was simply too high. One of the co-founders of the Tiananmen Mothers, Zhang Xianling, described the immediate post-Tiananmen era as a period of 'White Terror', but even she was horrified to discover that some parents would rather disown their own dead offspring than admit they had been killed that night, due to the stigma of being associated with the 'counter-revolutionary riots'.
It's important to remember that effective propaganda is also being bolstered by the use of punitive measures, which serve as a clear warning to anyone who might try to publicly remember June 4th. This year, the repression is being stepped up, and even private acts of remembrance inside people's homes are being punished, as seen by the detention of five activists, lawyers and dissidents who attended a "June 4th commemoration seminar" in Beijing. The soldier-turned-artist Chen Guang, who staged a work of performance art for a handful of friends, is also in detention. So far, a total of eleven people have already been detained in the pre-anniversary roundup, which really underlines how fearful the state is of those who challenge its historical narrative.
I was fascinated by the tensions between the Tiananmen Mothers and Liu Xiaobo. Other leaders of the movement have been criticized too and accused of being self-aggrandizing. Do you think that the type of personality it takes to be a dissident and a leader of a protest movement attracts people who are uncompromising and therefore perhaps difficult to get along with?
Follow Louisa Lim on Twitter at @LimLouisa. The People's Republic of Amnesia: Tiananmen Revisited is available for pre-order now in hardback and ebook.


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Clock Tour Length: 8+/- hours
Calendar Tour Schedule + Start Times: Wednesdays & Saturdays – 9:00 a.m.
Location Tour Pickup Location: Your local Orange County hotel or custom location
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Food Food/Drink: Lunch stop, complimentary water & snacks
Info Included: Pickup in Orange County, full day of touring/history/stories of local San Diego scenic sites and historic locations, lunch stop, complimentary water & snacks during transportation, drop off back in Orange County
Info Not Included: Lunch meal cost not included in price of the tour
Checkmark Age Requirements: Children must be accompanied by an adult
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See and explore the best of San Diego!
Come join us for a fun-filled adventure of touring "America's Finest City" – San Diego! From the white sand beaches of La Jolla to the oldest Spanish settlement of Old Town, the vibrancy of The Gaslamp Quarter, Seaport Village, Downtown San Diego, Little Italy, and Coronado Island, San Diego has it all and we want to show you the best of it on our sightseeing tour of San Diego! Whether on vacation with your family or in town for the day on business, you will be sure to fall in love with this city on the sea. From our Best Coast Tours family to yours, come cruise with the Best!
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Chevron down Old Town
Old Town is the oldest settled area in San Diego and is the site of the first European settlement in present-day California. It contains Old Town San Diego State Historic Park and Presidio Park, both of which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Chevron down Embarcadero
The Embarcadero is a busy cruise-ship hub, known for seafood and souvenir shops at Seaport Village. The Headquarters, an old police command post, is now home to chic eateries and boutiques. Nearby, flight simulators, restored planes and life-at-sea exhibits are the draws at the USS Midway Museum, a former naval aircraft carrier. Waterfront Park and the 2 Embarcadero Marina parks have grassy lawns and ocean views.
Chevron down Gaslamp Quarter
The Gaslamp Quarter is a lively downtown neighborhood, known for its nightlife. Clubs, dive bars and cocktail lounges draw a young crowd, while the Spreckels and Balboa theaters have diverse programs of music, comedy and drama. There's a mix of chain and independent restaurants in the area, with many global options. Horton Plaza Park has grassy lawns, ice cream and coffee vendors, and an interactive fountain.
Chevron down Coronado Island
Coronado is a California resort city on a peninsula in San Diego Bay. It's known for the grand Victorian Hotel del Coronado, which opened in 1888. Across from the hotel, the wide, flat Coronado Beach draws surfers and sunbathers. Its western stretch includes the leash-free Coronado Dog Beach. The Coronado Ferry Landing has shops, restaurants and a small beach. Nearby, Centennial Park offers San Diego skyline views.
Chevron down Balboa Park
Balboa Park is a 1,200-acre urban cultural park in San Diego, California, United States. In addition to open space areas, natural vegetation zones, green belts, gardens, and walking paths, it contains museums, several theaters, and the world-famous San Diego Zoo.
Chevron down Little Italy
Little Italy is a chic, pedestrian-friendly neighborhood, packed with trendy cocktail bars, brewpubs and restaurants with bustling patios. Upscale clothing boutiques, indie music venues and quaint piazzas dot the area, while the weekly Little Italy Mercato Farmers' Market draws crowds to its mix of produce, gourmet food and craft stalls. The green lawns of Waterfront Park have fountains, and offer views of the bay.
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Un « fonds conseillé par les donateurs », désigné aussi sous l'appellation de « fonds orienté par les donateurs » (« donor-advised fund » pour les anglophones, parfois abrégé en « DAF ») constitue l'une des formes de « fonds spéciaux » légalement autorisés aux États-Unis. Il s'agit d'un fonds financier ayant comme particularité que les dons qui y sont versés doivent être utilisés d'une manière conforme à la volonté du donateur, souvent sous forme de sponsoring où le nom du fond apparait, mais non celui du donateur. La  contribution est irrévocable et donne droit à une déduction fiscale maximale et immédiate, le donateur choisit le nom du compte, ses conseillers et son éventuel successeurs ou bénéficiaires de bienfaisance. L'argent ou les actions (le don de titres cotés en bourse est l'une des façons les plus courantes d'alimenter ce type de fonds, sans impôts sur la plus-value) placé dans le compte peut être investi ou croître (sans impôts) et à tout moment tant que le compte n'est pas vide, le donateur peut recommander un don massif ou des dons multiples ou échelonnés à partir de son compte à des organismes de bienfaisance admissibles. Ce type de fonds n'est généralement autorisé à recevoir que de l'argent liquide, des chèques ou des versements bancaires, mais  non des œuvres d'art, des propriétés ou des parts de sociétés (comme pourraient en recevoir une fondation). Le gestionnaire du fond doit être une « organisation charitable » déclarée et spécialement créée pour recevoir et gérer des dons de bienfaisance.  Le gestionnaire gère les fonds versés au nom des entités (organisations, familles ou individus) qui les ont versés, tout en respectant leur anonymat. Il peut se faire aider par des conseillers en philanthropie.

Cette sorte de fonds est souvent alimenté par des personnes très riches (certains auteurs parlent de « philanthropie des élites »).

Il est reproché à ces fonds une certaine opacité et de pouvoir être facilement détourné d'un usage philanthropique. Certains de ces fonds ne reçoivent d'argent que de quelques donneurs ou d'un cercle de donneurs dont les critères d'affectation du fond et leurs motivations réelles pourraient être éloignés des objectifs philanthropiques annoncés : la chercheuse Ilana F. Silber note ainsi que les motivations et les choix d'utilisation de leurs dons par certains riches donateurs semblent plus animés par la  contre un gouvernement qui les gêne ou qui prélèvent des impôts qu'ils jugent trop importants sur leur fortune ou pour leurs entreprises que par un intérêt réellement philanthropique. D'autres évoquent la colère de riches industriels contre des études scientifiques ou une politique qui pourrait nuire à leurs intérêts financier, plutôt que par une motivation réellement éthique et altruiste ; ainsi, pour l'Australien Iain Hay, quelques exemples marquants questionnent la générosité à l'âge d'or de la philanthropie.

Histoire
Ces fonds spéciaux ont été créés dans une période de crise (au début des années 1930) aux États-Unis, afin de favoriser les dons aux œuvres de charité et de bienfaisance.

Le New York Community Trust est le premier fonds de ce genre (conseillé par les donateurs) créé, en 1931.

Le second n'a été créé que 4 ans plus tard, en 1935 mais ce secteur est en plein développement depuis notamment que de grands sponsors commerciaux, des établissements d'enseignement et des organismes de bienfaisance indépendants ont développé cette « offre de service ».

Parmi les fonds de bienfaisance, les fonds orientés par les donateurs sont ceux qui ont enregistré la plus forte croissance aux États-Unis, avec plus de 175.000 donateurs et un total de plus de 37 milliards de dollars d'actifs (trouver élément de comparaison)  ; le NPT représente 3 % du total des dons philanthropiques faits aux États-Unis selon le NPT .

Statut juridique
Les donor-advised funds sont aux États-Unis classés parmi les Community foundations ou CFs (des sortes de fondations communautaires considérées comme des instruments de la société civile visant à mettre en commun des dons pour un investissement coordonné, initialement dédiés à l'amélioration sociale dans un lieu ou une communauté donnée).

Il en existerait environ 1700 dans le monde, dont près de la moitié (plus de 700) basés aux États-Unis où ils ont un statut favorable spécial dans le système fiscal et juridique (les donateurs qui versent de l'argent ou des actions à ce type de fonds y bénéficient des déductions fiscales les plus hautes possibles aux États-Unis pour un don).

Gestion
La plupart des fonds conseillés par des donateurs facturent au donateur des frais administratifs (1 % par an par exemple), des frais de gestion  courante et des suppléments pour certains dons (par exemple destinés à des organismes étrangers de bienfaisance).

Le gestionnaire de fonds peut entre-temps faire fructifier cet argent (par exemple le National Philanthropic Trust proposait début 2016 à ses donateurs d'investir leur argent non encore versé à un organisme dit philanthropique dans les fonds suivants : Mainstay ICAP Select Equity ; Prudential Jennison 20/20 Focus  ; Wells Fargo Premier Large Cap Fund ; JP Morgan Mid Cap Value ; ING Mid Cap Opportunities ; ING Small Cap Opportunities ; Fidelity Advisors Small Cap Value ; International Equity ; Federated International Small-Mid Company ; Emerging Markets Fund ; Virtus Emerging Markets ; Fidelity Advisors Emerging Markets ; Western Asset Core Fund ;  Loomis Sayles Core Plus Bond Fund  ; Calvert Ultra-Short Bond Fund ; UBS Select Prime Institutional ; Select Treasury Institutional. Les plus-values éventuellement obtenues serviront à augmenter les dons à l'utilisateur final.

Contrôle

Procédure de versement
Aux États-Unis, pour contribuer  à ce type de fond, la personne ou l'organisation donatrice doit ouvrir un compte à la caisse américaine des dépôts et liquidités, de titres ou auprès d'autres instruments financiers.
Le donateur perd définitivement la propriété de tout ce qu'il a versé dans le fonds, mais conserve un contrôle important de la façon dont l'argent que contient leur compte est investi, de même que sur la façon dont il distribue de l'argent à des organisations caritatives.

Les « donateurs » n'ont pas à créer de fondation privée ; ils bénéficient d'un anonymat bien plus important que s'ils avaient donné directement de l'argent à une fondation de bienfaisance.

Le National Philanthropic Trust américain compare ce type de fonds à une sorte de compte courant de bienfaisance : le donateur contribue au fonds aussi fréquemment qu'il le souhaite mais en recommandant de subventionner tel ou tel type d'organisme de bienfaisance quand le donateur le souhaite et à un rythme et à des hauteurs financières qu'il choisit.

Avantages/inconvénients par rapport à une fondation privée

Avantages
Un fonds orienté par le donateur fournit à ce dernier un moyen souple et efficace de transmettre de l'argent à des œuvres caritatives de son choix, avec une grande commodité administrative (il n'a pas à administrer cet argent ni à s'occuper de formulaires ou papiers administratifs), et des économies de coûts de fonctionnement (2,5 % à 4 % des actifs d'une fondation sont chaque année consommés pour le fonctionnement d'une fondation), et des avantages fiscaux.

Parce que ces fonds sont gérés et abrités par des organismes de charité publique déclarés comme tels auprès de l'État, les donateurs américains reçoivent la déduction fiscale la plus élevée possible au moment de leur don, tout en évitant les taxes d'accise et d'autres restrictions imposées aux fondations privées. En outre, les bailleurs de fonds s'évitent les coûts de mise en place et l'administration d'une fondation privée, y compris en termes de dotation en personnel et de frais juridiques. Dans les fondations, le donneur se voit attribuer un certain statut « consultatif », mais en tant que tel, l'administrateur du fonds n'est pas légalement lié au donateur qui peut au mieux émettre des recommandations, la fondation  octroie des subventions à d'autres organismes publics de bienfaisance.

Il est administrativement compliqué de donner un petit nombre d'actions ou un peu d'argent à, par exemple, 20 organisations caritatives. Il est plus facile de donner un grand nombre d'actions ou une grosse somme d'argent à un « fonds conseillé par les donateurs » tout en faisant 20 recommandations de subventions distinctes au gestionnaire du fonds.

Certains fonds conseillés par des donateurs sont orientés vers des organismes de bienfaisance étrangers. Or, dans de nombreux pays, les dons faits aux organismes de bienfaisance étrangers par des personnes ne sont généralement pas déductibles d'impôt.

Chaque donateur peut avant sa mort « créer un héritage dons de charité en nommant un ou plusieurs successeurs ou bénéficiaires de bienfaisance pour gérer son compte ou ses comptes et recommander des subventions après la mort de ce donateur » .

Inconvénients
Un fonds conseillé par les donateurs est plus limité qu'une fondation privée, laquelle peut, elle, accepter des dons d'actifs non-liquides ou inhabituels (parts de propriété d'une entreprise privée, œuvres d'art, actifs immobiliers, partenariats ou parts de société en commandite…). En outre, les fondateurs ou le conseil d'une fondation privée ont un contrôle complet sur l'endroit où sera affecté les dons, dans les larges limites de ce qui est juridiquement autorisé, alors que dans un fonds conseillé par les donateurs, un donateur ne peut normalement pas aller jusqu'à choisir où l'argent devrait aller ; il n'est théoriquement autorisé qu'à « conseiller » et bien que cela soit a priori rare, une organisation de parrainage pourrait peut-être ne pas tenir compte de l'intention du donateur.
Enfin, la plupart des fonds conseillés par des donateurs ne peuvent donner de l'argent qu'à des organisations de type IRS certifiées 501 (c) (3) ou à leurs équivalents étrangers. Ce qui exclut, par exemple, la plupart des types de dons à des particuliers, ainsi que  les bourses d'études-deux choses qu'une fondation privée peut faire plus facilement.
Les fonds conseillés par des donateurs ont en outre souvent une durée de vie limitée alors qu'une fondation peut persister pendant des générations et même théoriquement à perpétuité. Certains organismes de parrainage imposent une fin ("coucher de soleil") aux  fonds conseillés par des donateurs après quoi ils sont versés dans le pot commun donné aux œuvres de charité.
Le donateur doit faire un apport minimum pour ouvrir son compte  (ex  au minimum dans le cas du National Philanthropic Trust début 2016)

Détournement d'usage
Ces fonds privés et anonymes sont selon The Independent (2013)  de plus en plus détournés pour financer la diffusion d'idées et de messages idéologiques et politiques et notamment « climatosceptiques », visant à discréditer les scientifiques qui travaillent sur l'évaluation et la prospective climatique, dont – paradoxalement - en les accusant de manque de transparence. A titre d'exemple, de 2002 à 2010, le Donors Trust a ainsi accordé 13,5 millions de dollars à l'Institut Heartland connu pour ses positions et actions en faveur du climatoscepticisme.

Régulations et évolutions récentes du cadre réglementaire
L'actuel Droit fiscal américain permet au donateur de « titres à valeur accrue » (appreciated securities) ou d'autres actifs d'obtenir une déduction d'impôt indexée sur la valeur marchande du don tout en évitant les taxes sur la plus-value (capital).
Ce double avantage fiscal peut rendre un don de « biens à valeur accrue » à un organisme de bienfaisance financièrement plus attractif que la vente d'actifs et qu'un don en espèces. Outre d'avantages fiscaux, le donateur s'évite les tracas de transfert d'actifs non monétaires à plusieurs organisations. Cette combinaison de « confort » et d'avantage fiscal explique le relatif succès de ces dons.

Jurisprudence : En 1985, devant la Cour « United States tax court », la Fondation nationale (NFI pour « National Foundation » Inc.  renommée "WaterStone") a défendu son standard de gestion pour ce type de  fonds (conseillés par des donateurs) contre l'IRS (Internal Revenue Service) dans  l'affaire National Foundation, Inc. v. United States. La fondation NFI avait un total contrôle et la propriété intégrale de ce qu'on appellera plus tard des fonds conseillés par le donateur, et elle peut exercer son pouvoir discrétionnaire en matière d'autorisation de distributions « caritative » de ces fonds. La cour a néanmoins conclu que la NFI pouvait faire l'objet d'exemption fiscale et être classée comme 501(c)(3) organisation à but non lucratif en tant que gestionnaire de fonds conseillés par les donateurs.

Les donateurs (bailleurs de fonds) conservent le privilège de pouvoir être consultés et émettre des recommandations, mais la NFI n'a pas obligation d'utiliser les fonds sur la base de ces recommandations, en particulier si le destinataire ne respecte  pas tout ou partie des cinq « normes » d'un organisme de bienfaisance, identifiés par le tribunal :
compatibilité avec la notion de bienfaisance telle que précisées à l'article 501 (c) (3) ;
disposer d'un budget raisonnable ;
être financé de manière adéquate (légale) ;
être doté d'un personnel compétent et bien formé ;
qu'il puisse y avoir un suivi et une supervision efficace par la NFI.

Cette jurisprudence a ouvert la porte à de nombreux autres fournisseurs de services qui se sont lancés dans la collecte et gestion de fonds conseillés par les donateurs.

Le 17 août 2006, le président George W. Bush, a promulgué une nouvelle loi : la Pension Protection Act of 2006 (H.R. 4) qui inclut quelques modifications au cadre réglementaire des fonds conseillés par les donateurs, en s'alignant sur les « standards » de la NFI.

Les modifications concernant les fonds des donateurs avisés comprennent :
 une définition juridique de ce qu'est un fond orienté par le donateur ;
  une liste des paiements interdits aux bailleurs de fonds et aux conseillers des fonds orienté par le donateur ;
 de nouvelles règles concernant les activités vers lesquelles les dons peuvent être orientés (pour ce type de fonds) ;
 les documents requis pour toute contribution à un fonds orienté par le donateur.

Notes et références

Voir aussi

Articles connexes

 Philanthropie
 Charité
 Fondation (institution)
 économie sociale
 Coopération décentralisée
 Fiscalité, défiscalisation
 Aide humanitaire
 Scolarisation, alphabétisation

Liens externes
 Exponent Philanthropy, Donor Advised Funds (2014)
 National Philanthropic Trust, Donor Advised Fund (Rapport)
 Elfreena Foord, Philanthropy 101: Donor-Advised Funds
 Analysis of S. 2020 The Tax Relief Act of 2005
  Pension Protection Act of 2006 (H.R. 4)
 Stock Donator Stock Donations
 Choosing the Right Charitable Vehicle: A Comparison of Private Foundations, Supporting Organizations, and Donor Advised Funds

Bibliographie
 Crimm, N. J. (2008). Muslim-Americans' Charitable Giving Dilemma: What About a Centralized Terror-Free Donor Advised Fund?. In Roger Williams Law Review (symposium issue) (Vol. 13, ) (résumé).
 Luck, J. I., & Feurt, S. L. (2002, September). A flexible and growing service to donors : Donor-advised funds in community foundations. In Indiana Grantmakers Alliance Fall Conference, 24th October, Indianapolis IN.
 Ostrander, S. A. (2007). The growth of donor control: Revisiting the social relations of philanthropy. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 36(2), 356-372 (résumé).
 Silk, R. D., & Lintott, J. W. (2011)  Donor‐Advised Funds. Managing Foundations and Charitable Trusts: Essential Knowledge, Tools, and Techniques for Donors and Advisors, 195-200
 Silber, Ilana F (2012) The angry gift: A neglected facet of philanthropy Current Sociology May 1 - 60: 320-337 (résumé)

Fonds de placement
Société d'investissement
Gestion d'actifs
Finance de marché
Philanthropie

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


"Don't be afraid of the dark. Be afraid of what's in the dark."
Somewhere between the darkness and the light stalks the gnomish shadowslayer. Combining the prowess of the gnomish arbalestier with the illusion of the gnomish trickster, shadowslayers are a living nightmare to the enemies of gnomish kind.
Gnomish shadowslayers are highly trained combatants. At first level, shadowslayers hit an unarmored foe (AC 0) with an attack throw of 10+. Like fighters, they advance in attack throws and saving throws by two points every three levels of experience. Gnomish shadowslayers gain an accuracy bonus of +1 to all attack throws with missile weapons. In addition, shadowslayers increase their base damage roll from successful missile and melee attacks by +1 at 1st level and by an additional +1 at 3rd, 6th and 9th level.
Shadowslayers may only wear chain mail or lighter armor. Due to their short height, gnomish shadowslayers cannot use human-sized two-handed weapons, such as two-handed swords or pole arms, or longbows. They are trained to fight wielding a weapon and shield, wielding a weapon two-handed and wielding a weapon in each hand. The shadowslayer can wield a broad selection of weapons, including dagger, short sword, spear, sword, war hammer and any missile weapon.
Gnomish shadowslayers may backstab as a thief. Note that the shadowslayer must be in leather armor or lighter, and be free of a shield to do so. When eligible to backstab his opponent, the gnomish shadowslayer may do so by sniping using ranged weapons at up to short range.
Once per hour, gnomish shadowslayers can cast chameleon, faerie fire, silent step and ventriloquism. Each of these spells takes one round to cast, and otherwise functions like a normal spell cast by a mage of his class level. As they advance, gnomish shadowslayers progress into very limited casting of arcane spells. Starting at 3rd level, they will learn and cast spells as mages of one-third their level, using the same spell list and the same rules for learning and casting spells. Unlike (human) mages, gnomish shadowslayers can also cast spells while wearing armor.
Gnomish shadowslayers may use any magic item usable by fighters.
Like all gnomes, shadowslayers have a nose for potions. They may make a proficiency throw of 11+ to determine the magical properties of a potion or oil on taste. Starting at 5th level, gnomish shadowslayers may brew potions as if mages of their class level. The gnomish tendency to underground life has granted them extended infravision to 90'. Gnomes speak the tongues of Dwarves, Elves, Goblins and Kobolds. In addition, gnomish shadowslayers can speak with animals (as the spell) at will. A lifetime spent in the company of illusionists leaves gnomish shadowslayers resistant to illusions made by others. They receive a +4 bonus on saving throws to disbelieve magical illusions.
A gnomish shadowslayer who achieves enough fame and fortune from his adventures may build a gnomish vault when he reaches 9th level. Gnomes usually live in clans, so gnomes of the character's clan will be the first to live under his roof, but gnomes from other clans will also come and live nearby to be ruled by the character. A total of 3d6x10 1st level NPCs of the same race will move in to help maintain and defend the vault at no cost to the character. A gnomish shadowslayer is expected to employ only soldiers of gnomish descent, but may hire members of other races for other tasks.


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Sydney Blu on Life Aboard the Groove Cruise: "My Friends Filled My Bed With Potato Chips Once"
Elvis Anderson
Elvis Anderson | January 21, 2016 | 10:27am
Cruises can be boring. Not long ago, bingo, trivia games, and cooking demonstrations were actually listed as "fun activities" by some ships. But these days, there's a new kind of cruise in town: the music cruise.
"My friends filled my bed with potato chips once. Who does that?"
Take, for example, Jason Beukema's Groove Cruise, essentially a floating rave.
The 11th-annual Groove Cruise, departing from PortMiami January 22, will have more than 50 DJs from every style of dance music. The Norwegian Pearl sets sail for an all-inclusive private beach party in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. Bingo Players, Dada Life, Dash Berlin, Markus Schulz, DaRude, Sander van Doorn, Roger Sanchez, Chus & Ceballos, and Chocolate Puma are on the schedule once the ship reaches dry land. Another 40 DJs will help push sound from the bow to the stern along the way.
EDM's Head-in-the-Sand Approach to Drugs Needs to End
The 2016 Groove Cruise Offered Endless Beats and Lost Teeth
Groove Cruise: A Floating Rave That Makes the World a Better Place
New Times spoke with a few Groove Cruise alumni who will be returning this year.
Sydney Blu will play her tenth Groove Cruise and will also lead a yoga class onboard. She's the Groove Cruise marathon-set record-holder too, once playing for 17 hours in the ship's penthouse.
"On the ship, it's like one big family," she says. "It's kinda like a dorm room. My friends filled my bed with potato chips once. Who does that?"
The Russian-born Boris will make his "eighth or ninth" appearance. At this point, details have grown foggy. "I'm scheduled to play one set this year, but you never know what afterparty or room I might end up at." An impromptu set, he says, is never out of the question.
"I am closing out the party we're doing, so I plan on playing until we physically have to stop or someone cuts my power," he says. "What can you really do in a two-hour set? These EDM guys play the same records as the guy before them for an hour. That's a rip-off to the fans — not much fun, in my opinion. But, hey, that's their thing."
Valid point, Boris.
"I love the atmosphere," he adds. "There's so much energy and so many people ready to let loose and have a great time. The boat is nonstop action, and I definitely recommend it to anyone looking to get away, enjoy a great cruise, and party nonstop."
Groove Cruise legend Sander Van Doorn, the man behind "This," "Riff," "Gold Skies," and "Guitar Track," will be one of the most versatile artists on the cruise. He says there won't be a lot of planning for his set. "For me, it always depends on where I'm playing. I never prepare in advance." The man from Eindhoven, Netherlands, will be joined by fellow Dutchman Jeffrey Sutorius, the frontman for Dash Berlin. He'll play the Theater Stage this Friday. Van Doorn will play Monday, the cruise's final evening.
There's no shortage of EDM cruises. Mad Decent Boat Party and Holy Ship! both sailed recently, but the Groove Cruise endures despite the rising competition, and cruisers are already packing the obligatory captain hats, floaties, and unicorn masks. Google searches for "how to sneak alcohol on a cruise ship" are surely exploding.
The Groove Cruise with Sydney Blu, Boris, Sander Van Doorn, and others. Friday, January 22, through Tuesday, January 26, departing from PortMiami, 1435 N. Cruise Blvd., Miami. Tickets cost $1,199 to $1,819 plus fees via thegroovecruise.com.
Elvis Anderson has been a devout Kraftwerk fan since the fifth grade. His favorite dance-floor move is the somersault. He serves on the board of the Woody Foundation, a Miami-based not-for-profit organization that improves the lives of those living with paralysis.
Facebook: Elvis Anderson
Twitter: @elvisandersonnn
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Tag: Peak District
Monk's Dale circular walk from Tideswell
by The Bogtrotter on Oct.05, 2014, under Britain, British Walks, Walks
A 6.5 mile walk through one of the less visited dales in the heart of the White Peak.
Monk's Dale
Starting from Tideswell, take the footpath between houses on Sherwood Road that climbs up into rolling filed full of sheep and dry stone walls. The path crosses several fields until you reach a track marked for the Limestone Way. Turn right and follow the track for 400 yards until you reach the road.
Turn left and follow the road steeply downhill until you reach the valley bottom. You are now at the top of Monk's Dale. Take the footpath on the left that follows the valley floor, and head towards the woods.
Trees in Monk's Dale
The woods of Monk's Dale are a mystical place, completely covered with verdant green mosses and lichens. The damp micro-climate almost makes you feel like you are in a rainforest. It's other-worldly atmosphere is enhanced by the lack of other walkers, as most seem to head to more famous dales nearby. The path is fairly tough going and progress is slow, with lots of slippery stones and rocks making it ankle-sapping.
After a mile or so you emerge from the woods into a classic U-shaped White Peak dale, with steep sides and the fast moving stream at it's base. The path now becomes much easier, but the valley is equally picturesque. Continue along the path until you cross the stream on a narrow footbridge, then it climbs up the other side for you to leave Monk's Dale. You appear almost on top of the church. Descend the narrow steps to reach the road, then turn right and follow the road under the impressive Miller's Dale viaduct.
When you reach the road junction signed for Wormhill turn right and climb up the steps to reach the old Miller's Dale railway station. This huge old station is now a car park and visitor centre, and if you are lucky the Ice Cream van will also be there.
Follow the old railway line Eastbound for around a mile until you see a signed footpath crossing it. Turn left and descend the muddy steps to a footbridge across the river. Follow the quiet backroad East, past the Ravenstor Youth Hostel, until you reach a small car park. Turn left here and take the footpath up Tideswell Dale. The path gradually ascends through a park with some curious wood sculptures and then through a field until you get to the outskirts of Tideswell. Here you join the main road to come back into Tideswell, where you can try out one of several tea shops and visit the "Cathedral of the Peaks".
Leave a Comment :Britain, Derbyshire, Peak District, walk more...
Castleton circular walk over Mam Tor
by The Bogtrotter on Sep.27, 2014, under British Walks, Walks
Probably one of the most iconic walks in England, this seven and a half mile circular walk provides excellent views across the White and Dark Peak divide.
Cave Dale with Peveril Castle
Starting from Castleton itself, go past the church and take the narrow path into Cave Dale. This spectacular deep dale (which is also the start of the Limestone Way) climbs sharply up, the path a rugged mix of stone and mud. The steep sides of the dale give it an overbearing atmosphere, which is enhanced by the sight of Peveril Castle sitting at the top of the cliffs to the right. After nearly a mile the path flattens out and you enter a more typical White Peak scene of sheep in fields surrounded by continuous stone walls.
Having passed over a stone stile, follow the tarmac track past a farmhouse as you head directly towards the imposing figure of Mam Tor. You cross a couple of roads before starting your ascent of the steep pathway to the top of the "Mother hill". The stone steps lead through the old Iron Age ditches all the way up to the Trig point that marks the summit.
View along the Ridge
From here you follow the ridge, the stone paving that lines the route a necessary reinforcement of one of the most walked paths in the country. The path traverses Hollins Cross and Back Tor until eventually reaching the conical top of Lose Hill. At the summit the path turns 90 degrees to the right and starts to descend back towards Castleton.
Drop down the slope towards Losehill Farm, using styles to cross a couple of stone walls. After the farm the path follows a metalled track to Spring House Farm. From here take the track that contours along the valley side to Losehill Hall. Don't follow the track when it turns left but continue straight ahead along a soggy footpath. This emerges into another track that reaches a outdoor pursuits centre before curving left and returning to Castleton along Hollowford Road.
This is a perfect Peak District day walk, suitable for almost any season or weather. Having done this route in thick fog, snow showers and glorious sunshine, I can honestly say that I enjoyed it every time.


London-born Derek Hammond-Stroud, the opera- and Lieder-singer has died at the age of 86. He studied with Elena Gerhardt and Gerhard Hüsch and performed recitals with such pianists as Gerald Moore and Geoffrey Parsons. Hammond-Stroud, born on 10 January 1926 and who died on 14 May 2012, was noted for singing Wagner, particularly Alberich in Der Ring des Nibelungen and Beckmesser in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. Derek Hammond-Stroud performed internationally and for ten years was principal baritone with English National Opera.