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Healthcare Industry News: continuous glucose monitor
Devices Diagnostics Oncology FDA
SpectRx, Inc. Holds Pre-PMA Meetings with FDA on Painless Cervical Cancer Test
New Test Could Potentially Eliminate More Than Half of Unnecessary Biopsies
NORCROSS, Ga.--(HSMN NewsFeed)--SpectRx, Inc. (OTCBB: SPRX ) announced it has held its preliminary premarket approval application (PMA) meetings with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The meetings were designed to ensure the data, data format and supporting documentation of a PMA application will meet standards and expectations of the agency and its advisory panel.
"The Pre-PMA meetings represent an important milestone for the company in the process of securing U.S. regulatory approval to market our non-invasive cervical cancer detection product," said Mark Faupel, Ph.D., SpectRx president and chief operating officer. "As we work toward completing subject enrollment in the pivotal trial, we expect to receive continuing guidance from the agency on a number of topics, including how test results should be presented to physicians, how to present clinical trial results for review, how to structure the application for premarket approval and plans for postmarket surveillance."
The test is undergoing the pivotal FDA clinical trial at five sites in the U.S. -- Emory University/Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, GA, the University of Texas at Dallas, University of Miami and St. Francis Hospital/University of Connecticut in Hartford.
The non-invasive cervical cancer detection test could reduce unnecessary cervical biopsies by 55% while accurately detecting disease, according to results of a study published in the January 2007 edition of the Journal of Lower Genital Tract Disease.
The test uses proprietary technology to identify cancers and precancers painlessly and non-invasively by analyzing light reflected from the cervix. The technology distinguishes between normal and diseased tissue by detecting biochemical and morphological changes at the cellular level. Unlike Pap or HPV tests, the non-invasive test does not require a tissue sample or laboratory analysis, and results are available immediately. To date, more than 2,000 women have been tested with prototypes of the non-invasive cervical cancer detection device. Research and commercialization of the device are being funded, in part, by grants from the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The non-invasive cervical cancer detection technology is being commercialized by SpectRx's subsidiary, Guided Therapeutics, Inc.
According to published reports, cervical cancer is the second most common cancer, after breast cancer, among women worldwide and the third most common overall. Globally, there are approximately 471,000 cases of cervical cancer diagnosed annually and approximately 233,000 deaths per year. Approximately 60 million Pap tests are performed annually in the United States.
About SpectRx
SpectRx, Inc. (OTCBB: SPRX ) is a medical technology company providing innovative detection, monitoring and treatment solutions for the diabetes and cancer detection healthcare markets. SpectRx markets the SimpleChoice® line of innovative diabetes management products, which include insulin pump disposable supplies. SpectRx also plans to develop a consumer device for continuous glucose monitoring. For more information, visit SpectRx's web sites at www.spectrx.com, www.mysimplechoice.com and www.guidedtherapeutics.com.
The SpectRx Non-invasive Cervical Cancer Detection Device is an investigational device and is limited by federal law to investigational use.
"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. A number of the matters and subject areas discussed in this news release that are not historical or current facts deal with potential future circumstances and developments. The discussion of such matters and subject areas is qualified by the inherent risks and uncertainties surrounding future expectations generally and also may materially differ from SpectRx's actual future experience involving any of or more of such matters and subject areas. Such risks and uncertainties include: the early stage of products in development, the uncertainty of market acceptance of products, the uncertainty of development or effectiveness of distribution channels, the intense competition in the medical device industry, the uncertainty of capital to develop products, the uncertainty of regulatory approval of products, dependence on licensed intellectual property, as well as those that are more fully described from time to time under the heading "Risk Factors" in SpectRx's reports filed with the SEC, including SpectRx's Annual Report on Form 10-KSB for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2005, as amended, and subsequent quarterly reports.
Source: SpectRx
Search: SpectRx
Search: cervical cancer detection


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The first weekend of NFL football is behind us, and we learned some things about the players and their fantasy value that is both good, and bad. As with everything in life, where there are winners, there also have to be losers. And, it is time to look at the stats and see who was a winner and who was a loser as I bring your fantasy into my reality.
Matt Ryan – QB, Falcons: The Falcons let Ryan do his thing with the offense and they were rewarded to the tune of 299 yards passing, 25 yards rushing and 4 TDs (3 passing, 1 rushing) on the day. Ryan was one of my "sleeper" QBs in the preseason, and he showed exactly why I would have put him in the top 5 for fantasy QBs.
Robert Griffin III – QB, Redskins: Yes, I said to bench Griffin and I was wrong. But, in my defense, 88 of his 320 passing yards came on one play to Pierre Garcon. Had that play not happened, he would have finished with 232 yards passing and a single TD. However, it did happen and Griffin finished as a top-tier play this week despite my misgivings. Could he be this year's Cam Newton?
Julio Jones – WR, Falcons: Julio Jones was another one of my "sleeper" picks that went into full beast mode on Sunday. Jones finished with 6 catches for 108 yards and 2 TDs, numbers good enough to put him in the top scoring spot in standard scoring leagues.
Andre Johnson – WR, Texans: Sorry Dolphins fans, but Johnson did put up huge fantasy numbers on Sunday as he finished the game with 8 catches for 119 yards and a score. While I don't think he can do this week in and week out, Johnson is a top 3-5 fantasy WR play most weeks because of this type of potential.
C.J. Spiller – RB, Bills: Some would say it was only a matter of time before Fred Jackson went down due to injury, so Spiller was always a must-own player. Others would say that it was time for the Bills to see what Spiller can do on the field. Either way, Spiller let his stats do the talking as he ran the ball 14 times for 169 yards and a TD. Those stats will make his owners go overboard with his future value, so keep in mind that Ryan Fitzpatrick is still his QB and WR Donald Nelson may have a torn ACL.
Stevan Ridley – RB, Patriots: While Welker and Brady both struggled, Ridley stepped his game up and made fantasy owners take notice. I had him as a sleeper pick all along, and his 125 yards rushing, 27 yards receiving and a TD allowed him to finish the week as a RB1 despite being started in roughly 30 percent of leagues.
Jimmy Graham – TE, Saints: Graham entered the season as a top pick at TE, and he showed exactly why as he hauled in 6 passes for 85 yards and a TD. The guy is a stud and will be a top 2-3 pick every single week this season.
New York Jets Defense: The Buffalo Bills offense is just or more to thank for this ranking as is the Jets defense. While the Jets did give up 28 points to the Bills offense, they also tallied 3 INTs, 1 fumble recovery, 1 defensive TD and 1 return TD for those in leagues that count them as defensive stats.
Eli Manning – QB, Giants: While he didn't have a statistically horrible game, Manning didn't wow fantasy owners with his 213 yards passing and one TD either. The Giants as a whole had a terrible game against the Cowboys, so I am not worried about his prospects going forward. Chalk this one up to opening game hurdles and keep him locked into the QB1 spot next week.
Josh Freeman – QB, Buccaneers: Freeman and the Bucs may have won against the Panthers on Sunday, but his 138 yards passing and one TD won't win him any fans in fantasy football. The good news is that there is a very good chance that this will be the worst game of the season for him, but the bad news is that his offensive scheme is going to keep his fantasy value extremely low, too. He is someone to avoid and this game is a good reason why.
Greg Jennings – WR, Packers: I don't think anybody expected Green Bay to lose at home, which makes Jennings's game sting a little more. He did manage to rack up 34 yards on 5 receptions, but he failed to score and that hurt his fantasy owners. He will be fine, but the 49ers sure took the wind out of the Packers sails in this one.
Wes Welker – WR, Patriots: Welker was the odd man out in the passing game on Sunday, and he managed to finish the game with just 3 catches for 14 yards. These numbers are just appalling, and there is little left to say about them. Shake it off and pray that this was a fluke.
Peyton Hillis – RB, Chiefs: People around the Chiefs really thought that Jamaal Charles and Hillis would split the workload fairly evenly this season, but that is not what happened on Sunday at all. Hillis managed just 16 yards on 7 carries and no scores. I would employ a wait-and-see mentality with Hillis this season.
Toby Gerhart – RB, Vikings: Nobody expected Adrian Peterson to carry the load for the Vikings this week, but that is exactly what happened as he rushed 17 times for 84 yards and 2 TDs. That left Gerhart with just 6 carries for 18 yards and no end zone visits. AP is back and Gerhart can be cut if there is a FA worth picking up.
Jason Witten – TE, Cowboys: While Witten did manage to play in the season opener, his owners may have wished he just sat it out and get a little healthier. He managed to finish with just 10 yards receiving on 2 receptions, barely enough stats to get him a blip on the fantasy radar.
San Francisco 49ers Defense: Just as I warned owners about, the Niners allowed 22 points while getting just 3 sacks and one INT in return. The team may have won, but the fantasy defense was among the lowest scoring this week.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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N.S. under-17 teams out of medal contention at basketball nationals
Bill Spurr · Multimedia Journalist | Posted: Aug. 7, 2019, 8:25 p.m. | Updated: Aug. 7, 2019, 10:08 p.m. | 3 Min Read
Nova Scotia's Jonah Crowther puts up a shot against Saskatchewan during a game at the Canadian under-17 boys' championship in Fredericton on Wednesday. (BASKETBALL NOVA SCOTIA)
Nova Scotia's under-17 girls' medal hopes hit a wall at the Canadian basketball championships in Victoria, B.C., on Wednesday.
An 81-64 loss to Saskatchewan sent Nova Scotia to the consolation round, where the highest possible finish now is seventh.
"Despite the score, our team performed the best we've seen yet this tournament," head coach Leah Martin said via Basketball Nova Scotia.
Nova Scotia fell behind 29-12 in the opening quarter and never recovered. Saskatchewan led 48-21 at the half.
Samantha Russell was the top scorer in the loss, hitting for 18 points and six rebounds, and Hannah Smith chipped in 14
Nova Scotia was scheduled to play in a late game on Wednesday against Manitoba.
The fortunes of the under-15 girls were much brighter. They pulled off a dramatic 68-66 win over Manitoba late on Tuesday to put them at 2-0.
They were set to play an evening game against British Columbia on Wednesday to determine what would come next.
"We were great defensively in the first half, making a talented Manitoba team work hard to score 19 first-half points," head coach Darrell McLellan said via BNS.
"Unfortunately we came out and didn't match Manitoba's energy and struggled to finish defensive possessions in the second half. However, thanks to some timely play off the bench from Chloe Hart and Abby Mercer, the athletes found a way to stay connected and make some timely shots, none bigger than (Lauren) Hainstock's three to tie the game, or (Jasenda) Horsman's game-winning free throws.
"I want to thank our U17 girls for their continued support. It's proof of the powerful relationships that are formed within the BNS family. Our U15 athletes will remember how special each of you made them feel long after the excitement of this game fades from memory."
At the boys' championships in Fredericton, the under-17's fought back from an early deficit but then wilted in the fourth quarter in an 85-71 loss to Saskatchewan.
Nova Scotia fell behind 22-7 in the opening quarter but battled back to take a one-point lead at the buzzer to end the third. Aggressive defence from Saskatchewan late in the game gave them a 24-9 edge in the final quarter and the victory. It was Nova Scotia's third straight loss of the tournament and puts them out of medal contention.
"Our slow start killed us tonight," head coach Mat MacDonald said via BNS. "It's hard to play games down 10 at the start and battle back continually. Hats off to out boys for fighting to the very end, and to Saskatchewan for the way they played. They were the better team tonight at the final buzzer.
"We need to regroup as a team and be ready for tomorrow to represent our province and come out strong."
Euan Brydie was the offensive leader in the defeat, scoring 14. Jonah Crowther had 12 and Ali Ragab grabbed 13 rebounds and blocked four shots.
Saskatchewan's top player was Joshua Soifer, who had 29 points and eight boards.
The under-15 boys wore down Manitoba in an 82-73 win to put them through to the semifinals.
After falling behind 20-11 in the first quarter, Nova Scotia tied it 40-40 by halftime and pulled away with a strong second half.
Key performers were: Kirk Kline (23 points, 12 rebounds), Braeden MacVicar (16 points, 10 rebounds), Jalen Janes (13 points), Ryan Malloy (10 points, 13 rebounds) and Kyle Munro (13 points).


Fast trains from Corby to Luton take around 45 minutes, covering a distance of approximately 72 kilometres. There are frequent services on the rail route between Corby and Luton.
1. Are there direct trains from Corby to Luton?
Direct trains from Corby to Luton have been found.
We usually find around 26 direct trains on the route from Corby to Luton every weekday.
2. How long is the train journey from Corby to Luton?
The Corby to Luton train travel time is normally about 45 minutes, whatever time you make the journey.
3. What are the Corby to Luton train times and schedule?
On weekdays the earliest direct train to Luton is usually scheduled to depart Corby around 06:35 and the last train is around 20:51. At weekends the first train of the day leaves Corby around 08:16, and the last at 20:43.
When to book Corby to Luton train tickets?
Trains in the UK usually open for booking around 3 months in advance. If booking is not yet open for your dates then you can set a booking alert to receive an email on the day that the cheapest tickets are released for your journey from Corby to Luton by train.
Which train companies operate between Corby and Luton?
East Midlands Trains is the train company that operates on the route from Corby to Luton.


The modern picture of System Analyst profession in Russia was formed in 80s. The appropriate educational programs and professional standards are primarily based on the concept of business process automation. That concept still works in some areas, but the whole software world is much wider now.
The attempts to use some practices based on the old concept are not efficient under the new conditions. As a result, analysts feel useless in new areas. On the other hand, the new areas ignore existing practices and methods that could be successfully applied anyway.
Some cases will be considered in the speech, together with analysis of their sources. Possible ways to overcome the probelms will be also suggested.
Горе от системного ума from Vlad Orlikov on Vimeo.


Is forecasting in international politics possible at all and, if so, what do we need it for?
Combining a comprehensive and ambitious forecasting method and an unsteady and multifaceted state alliance whose cooperation perspectives look a loose cannon – sounds like the perfect way to spend a weekend in political Berlin, doesn't it? One essential component needed to be added to the equation: fifteen young foreign policy, EU policy and Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) experts, graduate students and PhD candidates interested in putting their expertise to the proof and develop a sound forecast on a thrilling topic with a pinch of clairvoyant skills. Last but not least, the workshop participants had the opportunity to get to know or engage further with the vivid Polis180 community of policy enthusiasts. The innovative strategic forecasting workshop took place at the premises of our partners from the international alumni centre (iac).
The Forecasting Method: Over the course of two days the participants got to know the strategic forecasting method and experience it first-hand for a Visegrád Four (V4) forecast. Starting with the question whether forecasting in the murky waters of international politics is possible at all, organisers and participants discussed the scientific and political relevance of different future-oriented approaches. We fought our way through probability and uncertainty, biases and decision errors.
The approach, presented by the skilful moderators and unanimously chosen by the participants, was an adaptation of state-of-the-art National Intelligence Estimates (NIE) methodology, according to the U.S. national defence expert Richard Best "[t]he Intelligence Community Most Authoritative Product". The process is designed to avoid vague discussions and group thinking through analytical thinking methods and structured debate. We did our best to apply it rigorously and have in mind the lessons learnt through the constant improvement of the methodology, inter alia confront different assessments and describe them, use estimative language and levels of confidence, introduce and iterate procedures with insiders and outsiders.
The Case: Why did we choose the Visegrád Four? Policy-related considerations on Germany's bilateral relations with the CEE countries and/or the prospects for further EU integration and vital research interest be it with a political science, economics or sociology background went hand in hand.
Back in 1991, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia – united by common geographical, historical and cultural trajectories, on the one hand, and by their pursuit of (re)integration into the European home on the other – founded a loose and multifaceted Visegrád Group alliance. The Visegrád Four refers to the efforts of these countries to cooperate in a number of fields of common interest within their all-European integration. Initially, they helped each other to overcome their totalitarian pasts and introduce the cornerstones for functioning market economies. More recently, they embraced the digital revolution and Industry 4.0. In doing so, the Visegrád Group has been a success story. Yet, despite these prerequisites for further EU integration, the agenda of the Visegrád Four has changed, induced by a variety of factors on a national, European and global level, including the financial and economic crisis as well as recent migration of people searching refuge in Western Europe.
The varying degree of cooperation between the Visegrád Four in different policy areas is striking. While the economies are growing and prospering in the European Single Market, support for the EU agenda in other policy areas is fading. In June 2017, for instance, the EU launched an infringement procedure against the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland for their lack of commitment to refugee allocation quotas. Considerations about a possible common EU sanctions policy against Poland's judiciary reform eliminating checks and balances are on the top of the political agenda of the Union. The Central European states used to facilitate the Europeanization process while still considering their "national peculiarities". Where are the V4 countries heading to now? Should we anticipate more or less cooperation outside of the EU framework? By organizing a strategic forecasting workshop, Polis180 aims to explore the new horizons of region-centred cooperation in Central Europe and assess the V4 prospects of EU commitment.
As a next step, the participants had to develop an analytical measurable question against the backdrop of the method's requirements and their research focus regarding the future of the V4. After a multifaceted and quite heated discussion the die was cast, the majority chose to look further at the likeliness of a V4 country to lose its voting right due to triggering Article 7 (TEU) during the next five years. The forecasting enthusiasts identified key drivers impacting the answer to the analytical question as well as levels of probabilityand confidences connected to every single factor. Through zooming in and out omitted variables and biases took a more prominent place in the analysis than by other forecasting approaches presented in the beginning of the workshop.
The Feedback: Enabling a view into the forecasting black box, the organisers invited two distinguished experts on the V4 from the German and the European Council on Foreign Relations for a final reality check. While the ambitious method had been applauded, the foreign policy experts put an emphasis on the legal considerations which were lacking in the key drivers' sections as well as the importance of the national politics dimension and the diversity among the V4 – the difference between the Hungarian and Polish political agenda stood out. Following questions ranked high as take-aways for the CEE and forecasting enthusiasts: How likely is the lack of trust in the EU to have an impact on the role of policy-makers and policy-takers especially among the so called "new" member states? How likely is the application of EU instruments addressing non-compliance by member states ranging from naming and shaming and economic sanctions to stripping of voting rights?
At the end of the workshop we left with more questions in the room than we brought with us. But the workshop has equipped us with a new tool box to tackle them. Stay tuned for more forecasting exercises with Polis180!
Over the past years, Alexander Sacharow worked on different foreign policy forecasting approaches, in particular forecasting tournaments and strategic forecasting. Aside from forecasting, his focus is on Eastern Europe and economic policy.
He recently graduated in public policy as well as economics and philosophy and joined Polis180 in 2016.
Oleksandra Kryshtapovych managed international and interactive projects in private sector and at the university in Ukraine, Sweden and Germany.
With background in international relations and global governance, she researches civil society and state relations in hybrid regimes at the Free University of Berlin. She joined Polis180 in 2017.
Petya Hristova is active in Polis180 East-West Relations Programme. After obtaining her Master's in East European Studies focusing on the politics-economics nexus and the CEE's integration in the international financial markets, she is now working as a Project Manager at the Committee on Eastern European Economic Relations in Berlin.


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The Yugos, "Ingenue"
Michael Brummett
The Yugos are a 4-piece indie outfit hell-bent on getting people to dance. Equal parts Jordin Goff (drums, vocals), Christian Gough (vocals, guitar, bass), Jackson Deal (guitar, bass), and Jeremy Graham (guitar, bass), the group won the Cincinnati Entertainment Award for Best Indie Artist of 2015.
"Ingenue" is an oddly titled track, but the band has a few words on the matter:
"Christian [Gough] came up with the name of this song during a high school drama class, when he wrote it, making it the first song that was written on the album. An "ingenue" is an archetype character who is generally an innocent women. This song is about being in love. The world could end tomorrow — you might as well tell people how you feel about them while you still can."
"Ingenue" and The Yugos as a whole are dream pop, shoegaze, indie dance artists in the foremost meaning of the word. The lightheartedness (or not) of the subject of love is often treated with a gentleness and swift emotion, which is delicately worked around in "Ingenue".
Drowning out much of the vocals, but leaving enough to occupy your mind, The Yugos have a formula that is beautiful and mystifying. It is no wonder that the group has grabbed such high honors in the indie scene.
You can find The Yugos on both their Bandcamp and Soundcloud, as well as on Facebook.
Tags: Christian Gough, ingenue, Jackson Deal, Jeremy Graham, Jordin Goff, The Yugos
Garrett Pierce, "Distant Thought"
Necklace, "Bad Thing"


ChexSystems is a consumer-reporting agency that is governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) Submitted reports remain on file for five years.You might be in the unfortunate position of not being able to get a checking account because you are listed on ChexSystems. You're in luck; you can dispute the bad report and request ChexSystems to remove that negative information so you can obtain a bank account.
Request a report so you can dispute or add statements to a negative report on ChexSystems.
Removing yourself from ChexSystems is actually not terribly difficult. First go to www.chexhelp.com. Once there click on the link that says: "Order Consumer Report." Another option is to choose "Sample Consumer Report." This simply gives you an idea of what a report looks like.
Read through the terms and conditions on the next screen and click the "AGREE" button on the lower right hand side.
On the next screen verify that you have been denied a bank account in the last 60 days, click the radio button that says "Yes" and then Click "NEXT" on the lower right side of the page. Verify your age, that you are over 18, on the next page and continue.
After you have verified your age the next screen will have you fill out personal information and verify the security code at the bottom. Click on "submit" at the bottom. You will receive your report by U.S. Mail within five days.
Call 1-800-428-9623 to make a telephone request.
Once you receive your report from ChexSystems, you can add statements or dispute information on your report. If you do in fact owe money, you might be able to pay it to the ChexSystems Collection Agency.


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So it has been a long time that I haven't made a story. I guess I don't have the inspiration, just in few rare cases and this is one of them. This story is mostly about Flora and Helia. And since now I 広告 everyone of あなた who reads the story, it can have pretty bad grammar but since I 愛 to write I keep doing it. My last story wasn't pretty bad though, one of the parts is 上, ページのトップへ rated #3.
Resting over her ベッド she kept thinking about everything she has gone through with Helia. She realized they were meant to be with each other. The thought of breaking up with him was impossible, she knew he was perfect for her. Helia was the only one who could understand her perfectly, who couldn't be replaced for any other as faithful, loving and caring as he is. A little sigh of relief came out of her mouth while one of her best フレンズ entered the room and saw her. "What's up Flora?" A happy fairy of the dragon flame sat beside her. She putted her hand on her knee waiting for Flora to answer her question. Flora sat down and lightheartedly stared to the redheaded girl who was now wearing a confused expression. "I'm just very happy, that's all" the fairy of nature 発言しました with a sweet smile covering her face. Her friend switched her visage from confusion to happiness even though she did not know what was making Flora have that emotion. "What are あなた happy about?" Bloom asked out of curiosity. "Isn't it obvious Bloom, is Helia" she 発言しました with a loveable voice while glancing at a 写真 she had of Helia on her drawer. She took the photo, look at it and gave it a soft peck. "You sure are in love" Bloom giggled "I'm really happy for you, Flora. あなた and Helia have shown us Winx that 愛 is all that matters , no matter what happens. あなた are a strong couple and I believe in あなた two" the fairy from Domino smiled at her and thought of her words to Flora. She knew it was true, in fact, she wanted to have a relationship like them with Sly, free of problems. But she knew it was just perfect like it was with her loving boyfriend. As she said, 'love is all that matters'. Flora embraced her and thank her for her true words.
Bloom's phone was ringing. It was Sky. "Hi Sky" 発言しました in a charming tone. She payed attention to what he was saying until her "okay, we will be there" last sentence. "What happened?" Flora asked. "Red 噴水 is having this huge party tonight and we are all invited" the fairy 発言しました in a cheerful voice. "A PAAAARTYY??" A girl nonchalantly 迅速, スウィフト the door open asking out loud. It was none other than Stella; she was born for this, parties and mostly shopping. The two girls giggled as they watched the fairy of light trying to find the perfect outfit for the party and how much she wanted to impress her boyfriend, Brandon. "Did I heard someone say the word 'party'?" A dark skin girl danced her way in to the room. Musa and Tecna follow their way in too. "Yes, Sky 発言しました we should all go. Its going to be fun" Bloom convinced them with her words even when it wasn't necessary.
A big room full of lights who filled spaces of darkness, vibrated to the sound of the music. Lots of specialists and 妖精 were dancing to the rhythm of the tune. The Winx girls arrived and every eye focused on them. Everybody knew who they were and how they became heroines. The girls were already used to much attention so they did not mind and instead searched for the boys.
"Stop looking at my girlfriend" a male voice screamed from the crowd. It was Brandon. He pushed the crowd to finally meet her girlfriend. They left quickly to dance leaving the others behind. Riven went to Musa who seemed to enjoy the 音楽 and asked her to leave with him outside of the party. Tecna met Timmy who was really shy to dance in front of everyone. She grabbed him によって his arm and forcely took him to the center of the room. Just Aisha and Flora were left. "I really like this place, it has lots of energy" the fairy of waves contemplated satisfied. "Hey, Aisha!" Roy greeted her far away in the crowd. "What's he doing here?. I got to go somewhere else" the dark skin girl told Flora very mad and got ロスト in the crowd. "Hey Flora" Roy salute her. "Hi" 発言しました with a grin. "Where is Aisha?" His cheeks blushed red. "She left already to go dance" the fairy 発言しました embarrassed about what really happened, and softly touched the back of her head ashamed of lying to him. "Oh... I guess ill go find her" he 発言しました with dissapointment and left to seek her.
Flora began to questioned herself where was Helia. He knew she was coming. 'Maybe he's looking for me', she thought. The party grew もっと見る and more, and Flora grew impatient waiting for him on the same spot. 'I need to find him', she once again 発言しました to herself.
The fairy got into the crowd and looked for him everywhere. Nothing. Helia was not anywhere to be found. She finally gave up and announced to Tecna that she was leaving since it wouldn't be fun without Helia. Her friend didn't pay attention and continued with Timmy dancing awkwardly.
Outside of the party she went to the little garden Red 噴水 had. Flora tried to enjoy the moment but was sad to think that Helia wasn't there with her, and she did not knew where he was.
"Hey, is is really あなた Flora?" A voice from a specialist asked. She turned just to see a male stranger glancing amused at her. "Yes?...." she 発言しました slowly and carefully. "Why do あなた ask? Do I know you?" The fairy asked to the tall and light skin boy whose hair was black as the night and soft as the flower's petals. His big エメラルド eyes could charm any girl. "I, I know あなた are a member of the Winx. I really appreciate what あなた girls have done" his voice sounded so excited, but a silence occupied the air between them. "Oh, thanks I guess" It was obvious Flora didn't want to talk. She hated to behave like that but she was still sad. "Oh, I didn't tell あなた my name. I'm Leo" he raised his palm to greet her but she just turned her back. "I'm sorry Leo, I'm not in the mood right now" 発言しました very calmly. "May I ask why?" He could just not go away, he kept asking and making Flora もっと見る uncomfortable. " I can't find a person" she thought that maybe now he would leave but she was wrong. "Who are あなた looking for? Maybe I can help" Leo tried to look Flora's face and he saw a sudden change on her lips, from being down to up. "Helia" the fairy rapidly exclaimed."I know him, in fact I saw him at the party" he responded her not knowing if that was enough information. "Where?" she raised her voice cheerful waiting for a reply. "I saw him with this girl, I do not know her name but I know she's the princess of Linphea". Flora's mouth dropped open ".....krystal?"
Really crazy... And I think that's kinda cool!


Compared to a mildly carbohydrate-restricted American Diabetes Association diet, a very-low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet was more effective at controlling type 2 diabetes and prediabetes, according to University of California San Francisco researchers.
…according to a recent report in Nutrition, Metabolism & Cardiovascular Disease. LDL cholesterol is the type we think contributes to coronary artery disease and other forms of atherosclerosis.
Learn about glycemic index at NutritionData.
My Low-Carb Mediterranean and Ketogenic Mediterranean Diets are undoubtedly "low glycemic index." The Advanced Mediterranean Diet would also be significantly lower GI than the standard American diet.
I was interviewed a couple months ago by Amy Stockwell Mercer, author of Smart Woman's Guide to Diabetes. All I knew beforehand was that she was interested in my thoughts on the paleo diet as applied to diabetes. I think she had run across my PaleoDiabetic blog.
Non-paleo: highly processed, grains, refined sugars, industrial plant/seed oils, legumes, milk, cheese, yogurt.
The paleo diet is also called Old Stone Age, caveman, ancestral, hunter-gatherer, and Paleolithic diet.
In general, I favor a carbohydrate-restricted paleo diet for those with diabetes who have already decided to "go paleo." I'm not endorsing any paleo diet for anyone with diabetes at this point—I'm still doing my research. But if you're going to do it, I'd keep it lower-carb. E.g., under 100 g of digestible carb daily. It has a lot of potential.
Who knows about carb content of the standard "diabetic diet"? Contrary to poplular belief, there is no monolithic "diabetic diet." There is no ADA diet (American Diabetes Association). My impression, however, is that the ADA favors relatively high carbohydrate consumption, perhaps 45-60% of total calories. Switching to low-carb paleo could definitely cause hypoglycemia in those taking the aforementioned drugs.
A diabetic on a Bernstein-style diet or Ketogenic Mediterranean Diet (both very-low-carb) but switching to paleo or low-carb paleo (50-150 g?) would see elevated blood sugars. Perhaps dangerously high glucoses.


"A place is considered beautiful not only by its scenery but with the stories created in it"
Minalungao National Park is in Sitio Minalungao, Barangay Pias, Gen Tinio Nueva Ecija. It is located some 100 kilometers east of Manila. This park was established in 1976 by virtue of Republic Act 5100 to be a protected area covering 2,018 hectares centered at the scenic Peñaranda River. Minalungao National Park is bordered on both sides by 16-meter high limestone walls in the foothills of the Sierra Madre mountain range.
Do you see a Giant Man staring down at you?
Walk to the newly cemented path at the right side wall.
Our original plan was to visit Biak Na Bato National Park and camp in Mt. Manalmon in Sitio Madlum in Brgy. Sibul, San Miguel, Bulacan. These two are still closed as of February 2015.
So we opted to go to our next day stop, Minalungao National Park, and camp there.
BTW, we had our own car going there sponsored by our very congenial "konsehal" looking boss Raf. Thanks heaps!
6: 00AM – ETD of Five Star bus bound for Gapan (Bucana) from Cubao. Fare is 150Php. Most likely travel time is around 2 - 3 hours.
9:00AM – ETA in Bucana, Gapan, rent a tricycle going to Minalungao National Park for round trip for 500Php.Travel time is 1 hour and 15 minutes ( route is passing through the municipality of General Tinio popularly known as Papaya).
*You'll save time and money if you rent your trike here instead renting tricycle to General Tinio and another tricycle from General Tinio going to Minalungao National Park.
Pay 20 Php/person for the registration and 20 Php for the entrance of tricycle and / or car.
Hire a local guide. Give any amount of tip after the trail that relatively will help them.
Stay as long as you want but make sure to have a proper arrangement with the tricycle driver for they will wait for you. Offer lunch / food if you opt to stay longer.
Cottage is available for big groups who opt to stay whole day.
Floating cottage is also available, rate varies depends on the season ranging from 800php – 1500php which is good for 8 – 10 pax. This season they offer it to us for P800.
Looking for a place to camp near Peñaranda River, we talked with Mang Tasyo if we can spend the night there. We were told that you can only camp at specific areas so we waited for confirmation since General Tinio's very own Mayor is visiting the construction projects within the national park, they are all busy.
On our way to the Cross atop the limestone mountain of Minalungao, we had a personal encounter with Mayor Virgilio "Ginto" Bote Jr. We were honored that he welcomed us and shook hands with us.
My theory was, Boss Raf emits the "Konsehal" (politician) vibe, so the Mayor was very welcoming to us. naka- Long sleeves ba naman. kagalang galang!
On our way down the 1000 steps of the Holy Cross, we were greeted by a spectacular sunset!
Can you Mt. Arayat beyond the hues?
Using our charms (mostly boss Raf), we asked permissions for ourselves to Mayor Bote. kapalan ng mukha!
Light plays well in the picturesque Peñaranda river. For star gazers, camping in Minalungao will not disappoint you. The vast sky showcase glimmering stars with the Moon rising beyond the horizon.
Credits to Van Navarro for these epic shots!
Highlight of the night: STEEL WOOL!
Stars in the waters! Galing mo master Van!
Special mention to sir Danilo Paras for your stories and to our very own Jose (pronounced as hoo-ZAY) De Guzman. Thanks kiddo and keep studying!
Hi there Fashionizta22, sorry I don't have any contact there, but there are plenty of cottages and balsa. As for the rate for each balsa, During off-peak seasons, prices may start at 200 to 250 for a cottage unit. During peak seasons, usually summer and Holy Week, prices may rise to 500 per unit. A higher rate (800 on average) applies for floating cottage..
Thank you very much Kirk!
I've been a fan of your adventures!
Thanks for the tip! I will note that.


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06 Jan 2015 Horace Cooper on Hannity, Speaking on Scalise Non-Scandal
Posted at 17:10h in Articles, Blog, Project 21 by David Almasi
Horace Cooper, the co-chairman of the National Center's Project 21 black leadership network, said charges still being made against Representative Steve Scalise (R-LA) — despite that initial reports of him speaking to a white supremacist group a dozen years ago are now very much in dispute — are part of a double standard in which liberal politicos made a "non-event" into something they can "exploit." At the same time, they overlook problems in their own ranks that make the Scalise story minor even under its worst interpretation.
In a debate with liberal commentator Leslie Marshall on Sean Hannity's 1/5/15 radio show, Horace brought up how President Barack Obama never apologized for his association with Reverend Jeremiah Wright — a relationship Obama carried on for around 20 years despite Wright's radical racial views. He also brought up how Vice President Joe Biden was also given a pass for recently referring to Jews by the derogatory term "shylock."
But Horace raised the long and controversial career of the late senator Robert Byrd (D-WV) to really make his point about the Scalise double standard. He noted:
What I want to see is what is the record of Mr. Scalise.
Now, Bobby Byrd has the record and distinction of being the only United States senator who twice — when having the chance to vote for the first or the second black man on the Supreme Court — voted no both times. Now, progressives give him a pass all the way up until his death. His actions — filibustering the Civil Rights Act, filibustering the Voting Rights Act — all of these actions have been given a pass. And he got to become Senate Majority Leader with his record. Never repenting. Never having a day [when] he stood up and said, "it was wrong of me to do what I did." He went to his grave without having to make that repentance.
I wanna understand why it's OK for that standard to be held by the Democrats, and a minor event that was a non-issue that was only brought up just for the purpose of creating the very news story that it has is now, somehow, an important issue.


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-Posts / E! / E! Live From the Red Carpet
E! Live From the Red Carpet "Golden Globes 2023" E1 January 10 2023 on E!
Tonight (Tuesday January 10 2023), E! broadcasts an episode of the series E! Live From the Red Carpet!
1 Golden Globes 2023 Episode 1 Episode Summary
2 What Time is the "Golden Globes 2023" Episode On?
3 Is the "Golden Globes 2023" Episode New?
Golden Globes 2023 Episode 1 Episode Summary
The Golden Globe Awards are a front-row seat to the celebrities and fashion on the red carpet.
What Time is the "Golden Globes 2023" Episode On?
The Golden Globes 2023 episode of E! Live From the Red Carpet will be broadcast on January 10 2023 on E! at 6:00 PM at ET/PT.
Is the "Golden Globes 2023" Episode New?
The Golden Globes 2023 episode of E! Live From the Red Carpet is all new!
River Monsters S9 11/2/22 "Killers From the Abyss" on Animal Planet
by Aisha · Published November 2, 2022 · Last modified November 4, 2022
Secret Restoration "Bettin' on the 'Vette" S1E5 December 7 2022 on History
by Aisha · Published December 7, 2022 · Last modified December 1, 2022
The Toys That Built America "Cabbage Clash" S2 November 27 2022 on History
by Aisha · Published November 27, 2022 · Last modified November 21, 2022


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A female in a green shirt standing while traffic passes .
A woman is standing next to a road where the cars on the road are blurry .
A woman stands in front of a pizzeria while traffic buzzes by her .
A woman stands on an urban sidewalk holding a beige handbag .
traffic is zooming past the woman wearing a yellow jersey .
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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Top 10 Reasons An SWFL Small Business Might Fail
May 6, 2019 11:00:00 AM / by Larry Julius
Some of the bravest people in Southwest Florida are small business owners. These hearty entrepreneurs invest their passion, their hope, their time, and, of course, their money despite the odds.
According to the Small Business Administration (SBA), the good news is that 80% of small businesses make it through the first year. After that, though, only about half will make it to their fifth anniversary. Even fewer, 33% will keep their doors open for ten years.
CBInsights performed an analysis to determine the top ten reasons small business owners fail. I have included the entire list. But, of particular importance, is reason #8, "poor marketing". This subject will be discussed in more detail because this is where advertising on Fort Myers radio stations can help business owners not to fail.
Top 10 Causes Of Small Business Failures
No Market Need
Ran Out Of Cash
Not The Right Team
Got Out-Competed
User Un-Friendly
No Business Model
Poor Marketing
Ignore Customers
Mistiming
A Fort Myers small business could fail for just one of these reasons, or, more likely, for a combination of several.
How To Market Better
The SBA advises, "Advertising, if done correctly, can do wonders for your product sales, and you know what that means: more revenue and more success for your business."
There are many ways for Southwest Florida small business owners to advertise. Options include local newspapers, local magazines, local television, and online. But to achieve the "3-Rs" of advertising success, Reach, Recall, and Return, no other medium delivers results as effectively and efficiently as advertising on Fort Myers radio.
A study by Nielsen indicates that the number of people who are exposed to an advertising message (reach) is a primary contributor to sales conversion. In Southwest Florida, no other advertising medium has a greater reach than radio.
Last week, 807,219 adult consumers tuned to their favorite Fort Myers radio stations. This is significantly more than the 742,100 consumers reached by area TV stations, the 246,853 reached by local newspapers, or the 296,232 reached by audio streaming sites Pandora and Spotify.
Also, radio reaches everyone. Unlike other SWFL media, which tends to skew towards older audiences, Fort Myers radio stations reached consumers of all ages. This includes members of Generation X, Y, and Z; Millennials, and Boomers. Everybody.
To be effective, advertising must be remembered by the consumer when it comes time to choose which SWFL business owners to patronize.
Local Ad Recall, a research company that measures the effectiveness of advertising, found that brand recall was five times higher for companies that advertised on radio versus the companies that did not. Consequently, SWFL small business owners who advertise on radio have a much better chance of being recalled and, therefore, frequented by prospective customers than companies that do not advertise on radio.
Consumer insight company, Nielsen found similar results. Across several different business categories, on average, radio advertising improved recall by 82%. The businesses measured were a health and beauty company; an information technologies company; an auto aftermarket retailer; a motorcycle company; and a mobile app company.
Return-on-Investment (ROI) is a measurement of revenue growth that an SWFL business owner can expect for each $1 invested in advertising.
According to Advertising Age Magazine, when executed correctly, radio advertising can deliver a greater ROI for a local business than investing in TV, digital, or social media ads.
Over the past few years, Nielsen has conducted more than 20 studies to determine how much ROI a business owner could expect when advertising on radio. In every case, radio's ROI was, in the words of Advertising Age, "Eye-popping."
The most recent ROI study released by Nielsen is no exception. According to Westwood One, the company that commissioned this latest study, a radio campaign for a men's personal-care brand produced $11.96 in sales-lift for every $1.00 invested in radio advertising.
Overall, according to Nielsen, among all of the studies conducted, radio ads produce a very impressive 10x return-on-investment.
Radio Advertising Contributes To Small Business Success
Hundreds of SWFL small businesses have made it past their 10th anniversary with the help of advertising on Fort Myers radio stations.
Conditioned Air is a Naples-based heating, ventilation, and air conditioning company. Theo Etzel joined the company in 1995 as President and CEO. That was the same year the company began advertising on Fort Myers radio as part of an aggressive growth strategy.
"When my partners and I purchased the company 24 years ago, we had 25 employees and $2.5-million in annual sales," says Mr. Etzel. "Today we employ 375 people and generate north of $50-million a year in sales throughout Southwest Florida."
"To accelerate our growth at the beginning, we needed a strong platform to share the company's story," recalls Mr. Etzel. "So, we invested heavily in radio advertising." To this day, Fort Myers radio is still Conditioned Air's predominant form of advertising.
Conditioned Air advertises continuously and evenly throughout the year. "People assume we are a seasonal business because we primarily sell and service air conditioners," says Mr. Etzel. "But it is critical that our company is always at the top of the customer's mind. No one will wake up tomorrow thinking about their air conditioner unless it isn't working. That's when we need them to think of us, and that's why we are always advertising on Fort Myers radio."
Advertising On Fort Myers Radio Was A Big Part Of Our Growth
Until October 2007, there was no Chevy Dealer in Estero, Florida. That was the year Patrick Denson and Charles Winston built Estero Bay Chevrolet from scratch.
"During our first full year of sales," says Mr. Denson, "we sold 600 cars, 100 more than General Motors expected from us. This year, we are on track to sell 2000 cars. Advertising on Fort Myers radio has been part of our growth since the very beginning."
Mr. Denson became a big believer in radio during the 15 years he spent managing dealerships in Ft. Wayne, Phoenix, and Sarasota-Bradenton. "When I became an owner here in 2007, I had to make sure every dollar we spent counted, because, now, it was my money. Since we opened, advertising on Fort Myers radio has proven to deliver the value and return-on-investment we need to continue our year-over-year growth."
According to Mr. Denson, his dealership invests continually in Fort Myers radio. "Advertising on radio provides us with the biggest possible reach for a lot less money. We do some TV during our peak sales periods, but the expense doesn't make it viable for us to do consistently. And, since we've opened, we have never advertised in the newspaper."
Radio Built This Fort Myers Small Business
Advertising on Fort Myers radio built this business," says Dann Krinsky. He oversees the marketing efforts of Rock Solid Countertops & More, a Naples-based retailer of natural stone countertops.
"Fifteen years ago, when Hugo Vargas opened for business, the showroom was one-quarter the size it is now. There was half the number of employees. And there was no fabrication shop. It was a shoestring operation," explains Mr. Krinsky.
"Eleven years ago," he continues, "I convinced Mr. Vargas to advertise on the radio for the first time." Originally, Rock Solid committed to a weekend-only campaign on a Fort Myers rock-and-roll station for one month. "We saw results almost immediately and have been advertising on Southwest Florida radio every day ever since."
After a few months of advertising on a single radio station, Mr. Vargas noticed that a new auto dealer had moved into the area and seemed to be advertising on every local radio station multiple times each day. "He asked me," says Mr. Krinsky, "if we increased the number of Fort Myers radio stations Rock Solid was on and added more commercials, would we see greater results?"
"So," continues Mr. Krinsky, "we added a second radio station and we saw a huge increase in customers pretty quickly. We then added another, and another, and another. At one point, we were on running eight commercials per day on 16 different Fort Myers radio stations."
A Fort Myers Radio Station For Every Budget
Some budget-conscious small business owners may avoid advertising on Fort Myers radio because they perceive it might be too expensive.
The reality, though, is that each of the 28 Fort Myers radio stations is priced by the number of listeners it attracts. So, for a cash-strapped business owner, there are stations that can be purchased with budget constraints.
It is not necessary for a small business owner to purchase the top-rated radio station in SWFL to be successful.
Bob McCurdy, Senior Vice President of Beasley Media, writes in the article, 'The Paradox of Rank', "There's beauty and value in every radio station regardless of audience ratings/size. The average radio listener has no idea where or how their favorite station ranks, nor do they care."
"The only thing they know," continues Mr. McCurdy, "is that they like listening to that station and that's good enough for them. Listeners to all radio stations, regardless of audience size, respond to what they hear, so audience rank should be near the bottom of any list of reasons to purchase any station. Qualitative profile, demographic skew, audience consistency and efficiency should easily transcend rank."
The final word comes from Deloitte, the world's largest business consulting firm who recommends "Radio should be a big part of the mix for every business who buys advertising."
Topics: car dealership, retail, small business advertising, radio advertising, advertise in Naples, advertise in Fort Myers, advertise in SWFL, small business owner, fort myers radio stations
Written by Larry Julius
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January 27, 2011 - Discovery Air Technical Services (DATS), a Discovery Air company, announced it has received its Approved Maintenance Organization (AMO) Certificate from Transport Canada for the SAAB 340 aircraft.
DATS is also announced that it has signed maintenance agreements for multiple aircraft with Sky Bahamas, a Caribbean operator based in Nassau, The Bahamas, and Transwest Air, a Canadian operator based in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan.
"The DATS technicians are outstanding. Their knowledge, motivation, and problem solving skills have allowed us to maintain a challenging flight schedule. The experience was positive for Sky Bahamas and I would recommend Discovery Air Technical Services for your Saab 340 maintenance needs. Sky Bahamas plans to continue their use as the need arises."
With 48 various aircraft and helicopters, Transwest Air is Saskatchewan's largest and longest operating airline, providing scheduled passenger and freight service to Saskatoon, Prince Albert, La Ronge, Stony Rapids, Fond du Lac, Wollaston, Points North, and Fort McMurray, Alberta. Transwest Air also offers fixed wing and rotary wing charter services, and operates a float plane base in Lynn Lake, Manitoba.
"We are delighted that our Saab 340 heavy maintenance service has launched with two important customers like Sky Bahamas and Transwest Air,'' said Remy St-Martin, Vice President Commercial Services. "We're getting outstanding customer feedback regarding our employees' expertise and quality service orientation, and we are fully committed continuing to exceed our customers' expectations."
In addition to the Saab 340, Discovery Air Technical Services holds Transport Canada approvals for the DASH-8, ERJ 135/145 and Boeing 737 aircraft, and will soon add additional aircraft types. DATS' Quebec City maintenance facility provides a wide range of services including welding, avionics, engineering, machining, heat treatment, composite and sheet metal repairs.
Founded in 2004, Discovery Air Inc. is a specialty aviation services company operating across Canada and in select locations internationally. With over 140 aircraft, it is one of the largest air operators in Canada, employing 450 flight crew, maintainers and support staff to deliver a variety of air transport, maintenance and logistics solutions to a wide range of government, airline and business customers.
The Company's Government Services segment includes two subsidiaries: Top Aces Inc., which delivers airborne training and special mission services to the Canadian military, and Hicks & Lawrence, a supplier of airborne fire management services to the Ontario government and charter services to government agencies and corporate customers. The Company's Northern Services segment includes three subsidiaries: Great Slave Helicopters, the second-largest VFR helicopter operator in the country.
Air Tindi, a fixed-wing aircraft charter provider operating throughout Northern Canada; and Discovery Mining Services, which constructs and rents all-weather exploration camps and provides expediting and logistics support services. Discovery Air also provides a range of maintenance, repair and overhaul solutions to airline customers through Discovery Air Technical Services Inc., based in Quebec City.
The Saab 340 is a discontinued Swedish two-engine turboprop aircraft designed and initially produced by a partnership between Saab and Fairchild Aircraft in a 65,35 ratio. Under the initial plan Saab built the all aluminum fuselage and vertical stabilizer, and also performed final assembly in Linköping, Sweden, while Fairchild was responsible for the wings, empennage, and wing-mounted nacelles for the two turboprop engines. After Fairchild ceased this work, production of these parts was shifted to Sweden.
The aircraft first flew on 25 January, 1983, but due to declining sales, production of the Saab 340 ended in 1998. Originally designated as the SF340, the aircraft first flew on 25 January 1983. When Fairchild exited the aircraft manufacturing business in 1985 after about 40 units, Saab dropped the name Fairchild from the project and continued aircraft production under the designation Saab 340A and 159 A models were built.
An improved version, the second generation 340B, introduced more powerful engines and wider horizontal stabilizers in 1989 and the later 340Bs also had an active noise control system. Two hundred aircraft were built. The final third generation version, the 340B Plus, was delivered for service in 1994 and incorporated improvements that were being introduced at the same time in the Saab 2000.
One hundred aircraft were built adding up to a total of 300 B models. The production run of Saab 340s typically seated between 30 and 36 passengers, with 34 seats being the most common configuration. The last two 340s built were constructed as older configuration 36-seat aircraft for Japan Air Commuter.
As of June 2009, Saab Aircraft AB reports there were 413 Saab 340s in service with 61 operators in 30 countries having accumulated 13,499,000 flight hours on over 15 million flights. SAAB is considering extending the airframe lifespan, which initially was 60.000 hours and 90.000 cycles, up to 75,000 hours. The highest time aircraft in the fleet (-028) has reached 55,495 hours as of October 2010.


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Turkish political refugees flock to Germany,…
Turkish political refugees flock to Germany, seeking safety
Markus Schreiber, The Associated Press
Kurdish journalist Ismail Eskin poses for a photo during an interview with The Associated Press in Berlin on July 18, 2017. Eskin left Turkey just before he was sentenced to 3 1/2 years in prison on terrorism-related charges. Germany has become the top destination for political refugees from Turkey, many of them formerly part of Turkey's secular elite. Among the more than 3,000 asylum-seekers who arrived so far this year are diplomats, civil servants, military members, academics, artists, journalists and judges.
By Kirsten Grieshaber | The Associated Press
August 20, 2017 at 11:00 p.m.
BERLIN — The Turkish judge sits in a busy cafe in a big German city. Thirteen months ago, he was a respected public servant in his homeland. Now he is heartbroken and angry over the nightmarish turn of events that brought him here.
The day after a 2016 coup attempt shook Turkey, he was blacklisted along with thousands of other judges and prosecutors. The judge smiles, sadly, as he recounts hiding at a friend's home, hugging his crying son goodbye and paying smugglers to get him to safety.
"I'm very sad I had to leave my country," he said, asking for his name and location to be withheld out of fear that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government might track him down. "But at least I'm safe and out of Erdogan's reach. He cannot hurt me anymore."
Germany has become the top destination for political refugees from Turkey since the failed July 15, 2016 coup. Some 5,742 Turkish citizens applied for asylum here last year, more than three times as many as the year before, according to the Interior Ministry. Another 3,000 Turks have requested protection in Germany this year.
The figures include people fleeing a long-simmering conflict in the Kurdish region of southeastern Turkey, but the vast majority belong to a new class of political refugees: diplomats, civil servants, military members, academics, artists, journalists and anti-Erdogan activists accused of supporting the coup.
With many of them university-educated and part of the former elite, "their escape has already turned into a brain-drain for Turkey," said Caner Aver, a researcher at the Center for Turkish Studies and Integration Research in Essen.
Germany is a popular destination because it's already home to about 3.5 million people with Turkish roots and has been more welcoming of the new diaspora than other Western nations, Aver said.
"Some of the highly qualified people also try getting to the U.S. and Canada because most speak English, not German. But it's just much harder to get there," Aver said. "Britain has always been popular, but less so now because of Brexit."
Comparable figures for post-coup asylum requests from Turks were not available for other countries.
More than 50,000 people have been arrested in Turkey and 110,000 dismissed from their jobs for alleged links to political organizations the government has categorized as terror groups or to U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen. Ankara blames the Muslim cleric, a former Erdogan ally, for the coup attempt. Gulen denies the claim.
The true number of recent Turkish arrivals to Germany exceeds official asylum requests. Many fleeing academics, artists and journalists came on scholarships from German universities or political foundations. Some got in via relatives. Others entered with visas obtained before the failed coup.
The judge, a slim man in his 30s with glasses, arrived illegally by paying thousands of euros to cross from Turkey to Greece on a rubber dinghy and then continuing on to Germany.
Two other Turks in Germany — an artist who asked for anonymity, fearing repercussions for her family back home, and a journalist sentenced to prison in absentia — also spoke of ostracism and flight.
Ismail Eskin, the journalist, left Turkey just before he was sentenced to 3– years in prison on terrorism-related charges. The 29-year-old worked for the Ozgur Gundem newspaper and the Kurdish news agency Dicle Haber Ajansi until the government shut them down shortly after the failed coup.
Eskin tried to write for different online news sites but the Turkish government blocked them too. He reluctantly decided to leave when the situation became unbearably difficult for journalists — about 160 are now in jail.
"I kept changing places to avoid being arrested, and I hid that I was a journalist," Eskin said, chain-smoking at a Kurdish immigrants' center. He hasn't applied for asylum but is studying German — an acknowledgment he might be here to stay.
The judge said he "never supported any kind of coup" and had no connection to the Gulen movement but took hurriedly packed a few belongings and went to a friend's place after learning he was among more than 2,000 judges and prosecutors being investigated.
A few hours later, police searched his apartment and took his computer.
His wife and children had been out of town during the coup attempt. While he was in hiding, his wife was told she had 15 days to move out. Friends and relatives stopped talking to her. After several months, he chose to leave.
"Since there's no independent justice in Turkey anymore, I would have been exposed to injustice, maybe be tortured, if I had surrendered," he said.
He sold his car and paid 8,500 euros ($9,910) to a smuggler for a December boat trip to a Greek island. From there, he flew to Italy and on to Germany. He brought his wife, son and daughter to join him a few weeks later.
The number of Turkish citizens fleeing to Germany has complicated the already tense relations between Ankara and Berlin. Accusing Germany of harboring terrorists, Turkey has demanded the extradition of escaped Turkish military officers and diplomats.
At least 221 diplomats, 280 civil servants and their families have applied for asylum, Germany says. Along with refusing to comply with the extradition requests, Germany has lowered the bar for Turkish asylum-seekers — those given permission to remain increased from 8 percent of applicants last year to more than 23 percent in the first half of 2017.
Some Turkish emigres have started building new lives in exile.
The artist from Istanbul lost her university job in graphic design before the 2016 coup because she was one of more than 1,000 academics who triggered Erdogan's ire by signing a "declaration for peace" in Turkey.
She went to Berlin on a university scholarship in September, not long after the attempted coup. In February, she discovered she'd been named a terror group supporter and her Turkish passport was invalidated.
"Now I'm forced into exile, but that's better than to be inside the country," the woman in her early 30s said.
The artist said she's doing fine in Berlin. She enrolled at a university and has had her work exhibited at a small gallery. Yet with her family still in Turkey, some days the enormity of the change weighs on her.
"In the winter I was so homesick," she said. "I really felt like a foreigner, in my veins and in my bones."


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Glen Neath	Artistic Director, Darkfield
Glen has written novels, plays for radio, for the stage and non-theatre locations, performed by rehearsed and unrehearsed actors and by members of the public who are also the audience. Projects include Wedding, Free Show (bring money) and Die or Run with Hannah Ringham, Hide with Lizzie Clachan, Unpack with Neil Bennun and Hello for Dummies and Romcom with Ant Hampton. His radio plays for BBC Radio 4 include Listen Up, Six Impossible Things, Occupied, The Long Count and a two-part adaptation of The Arabian Nights. His debut novel, The Outgoing Man, launched Portobello Books in 2005 and was shortlisted for the Authors' Club Best First Novel Award.
Glen Neath and David Rosenberg have been collaborating since 2012. Previous shows Ring (2013) and Fiction (2015), both produced by Fuel, toured extensively and had several sell-out runs in London.
Andrew McGuinness - CEO, Layered Reality - Jeff Wayne's 'The War of the Worlds: The Immersive Experience'Merel van Helsdingen - Founder, NxT Museum (Amsterdam)David Rosenberg - Artistic Director, Darkfield; Co-Founder, ShuntGlen Neath - Artistic Director, DarkfieldPeter Tullin - Co Founder, REMIX SummitsSimon Cronshaw - Co-Founder, REMIX Summits
Immersive Storytelling and Lessons in Experience Design
reboot · 1:39:08 · More...


Professionals as well as researchers can benefit from this comprehensive introduction into the topic of setup planning, which reflects the latest state of research and gives hands-on examples. Starting with a brief but thorough introduction, this book explains the significance of setup planning in process planning and includes a reflection on its external constraints. Step-by-step the different phases of setup planning are outlined and traditional as well as modern approaches, such as fuzzy logic based setup planning, on the solution of setup planning problems are presented. Three detailed examples of applications provide a clear and accessible insight into the up-to-date techniques and various approaches in setup planning.


What comes to mind when you hear "holiday season?" Is it visions of sugar plums? (What ARE sugar plums?) Is it magic and wonder and hot chocolate with marshmallows, or is it angst and busyness and a feeling of drowning in pine needles and sticky tape?
What if we practiced letting go of all that this year?
I want us not just to ENDURE the holidays, but to ENJOY the holidays. I want us to anticipate our celebrations with hope, not with dread. I want us to be people who bring joy and peace wherever we go throughout the season.
I want to make room for the joy, and the truth, and the beauty to shine through. I want to make room for what really matters. I don't know about you, but over the holidays in particular, I have to be relentless about choosing less of what doesn't matter to make space for what does.
Read the whole story over at No Sidebar.
This year, let's practice making room for more of the good stuff.
P.S. – I'll be on Facebook live every Thursday in December with more thoughts on the practice of enjoying-not-enduring the holidays. You can check out the replay of the very first video below!
Want to hang out with me? "Like" my Facebook page here, then turn on Notifications so you don't miss the live videos.


Q: HOW DO I GET INTO HIP HOP?
A: Here are a few of the better lists I found. Have fun!
Besides the first one, there aren't a lot of modern albums on there. I'll look into finding a list of those or making one myself.
Yeah it's HipHop.fm so that's probably why you didn't get anything.
Well now the only logical solution is to have the two hip hop threads fight it out to provide the best content.
It could be pinned potentially.
I can rename mine then.
Wow, lots to check out. Thanks for putting that together Jake.
There is probably a Kendrick thread, but did anyone listen through the latest release?
Yeah that new Kendrick record is killer. 3, 5, 7, and 8 are some of this best songs imo.
Good to hear! I am excited to run through it this week.
Did anyone listen to the podcast with Needle Drop dork and Craig Jenkins?


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Asset Allocation: Seeking greater risk
March 2016 (Magazine)By Daniel Ben-Ami
Some Dutch pension funds are increasing their risk proile this year, according to Daniel Ben-Ami
• Some Dutch funds are increasing their risk profile in 2016.
• The regulatory framework has a strong influence over asset allocation, as does internal governance.
• The low-interest-rate environment is pushing pension funds to look for new sources of yield such as mortgages.
There were large differences in the performance of individual Dutch pension funds in 2015, depending on their asset allocation policy, according to Willis Towers Watson. The main drivers were positive returns on developed markets equities, real estate (both listed and non-listed) and private equity. Some alternative credit markets, such as asset backed securities and Dutch mortgages, also performed well.
However, the hedging of interest rate and foreign currency exposure was of limited benefit last year. Meanwhile, investments in emerging markets were hurt by depreciation of the local currencies.
Many funds increased their risk profile for 2016 in response to last year's relaxation in the requirement for pension funds to meet their solvency levels. They are increasing their weighting to return-seeking assets or lowering their interest rate hedge. In some cases both.
The implications of easy monetary environment are still haunting the industry. "Liabilities went through the roof and investments couldn't keep up with them," says Roland van den Brink, now an independent consultant at TrigNum and formerly chief investment officer at both MN Services and PME. "The system of buffers meant that most pension funds have a problem."
In international terms, the system is heavily weighted towards fixed income. The average allocation last year was 52% in bonds, 33% in equities and 15% in others according to Willis Towers Watson (see figure 1). This has changed little recently despite the dramatic consolidation of funds and turbulent market conditions faced by the pension sector.
Pension funds divide their portfolios into two: a matching portfolio designed to meet liabilities and a growth portfolio consigned to achieve capital growth. The arrangement can be informal but sometimes funds are officially split into two.
In any case, low interest rates pose the primary difficulty for the pensions industry. "It is the challenge," says Hein Stam, director of investment strategy at MN, the asset manager for the large metal schemes PME and PMT.
With bonds yields low – indeed many are currently negative in real terms – funds are looking elsewhere for income. This conundrum explains why pension funds are looking at alternative investments such as real estate and infrastructure. The hope is that they can tap into the illiquidity premia to boost income.
Some funds have taken the step of entering into the mortgage business as a way of tackling this dilemma. "Mortgages are now an integral part of what funds have in their matching portfolio," says MN's Stam. In addition to investing in mortgage funds some have set up vehicles known as 'regiepartijen' to offer mortgages directly to selected customers. These accounted for about 22% of mortgage origination in the second half of 2015, according to a survey by IG&H Consultants.
Given the Dutch pension funds' reputation for strictly monitoring costs, it is unsurprising that much of their equity exposure is achieved through passive funds. However, in recent years some of this money has shifted to alternative beta rather than market-weighted portfolios. "A lot of pension fund and fiduciary managers are either thinking about it, or using it," says Jan Bertus-Molenkamp, director of fiduciary management at Kempen Capital Management.
Approaches to beta investing vary. Some are positive in the sense of seeking to add value to their portfolios, while others seek to avoid factors they do not like.
Environmental, social and governance (ESG) concerns have also become prominent recently. Dutch pension funds' fiduciary responsibility extends not just to providing a decent return but to pursuing principles in line with their investors. "Very much driven by the public at large", says Monique Donders, the head of institutional client business for Benelux at BlackRock, one of the largest foreign asset managers in the Netherlands. She adds that it is also in line with the funds' own concerns: "It is their responsibility, deeply felt, that with the huge amount of money they are responsible for to make this world a better place."
Approaches to ESG differ. Many funds avoid investments that are deemed unethical such as nuclear power, controversial weapons and human rights violations. Others seek ways to create a positive long-term impact with their investments.
However, Dutch funds eschew diversified growth funds of the type that have recently gained so much popularity in the UK. There seems to be a presumption that this would add an unnecessary additional layer of costs. In addition, there is resistance to the perceived loss of control it would suggest.
"In the Netherlands, you could say that the risk-seeking part in the pension fund allocation is like a diversified growth fund itself," says Kempen's Molenkamp. "But, it is all customised."
So far this article has generalised about the situation of Dutch pension funds. But clearly there are differences between disparate funds.
One important cleavage is regarding fund size. For example, large funds are generally better able to invest in more specialist asset classes. Carl Kool, an investment strategist at BlackRock points out that illiquid assets entail an extra governance burden. As a result "they are easier for larger funds to do than smaller ones."
Another key distinction relates to the mean age of pension scheme members. The more mature a scheme the shorter the duration of its liabilities and the more risk averse its strategy.
Of course none of these trends are fixed. Changing market conditions could alter the environment, particularly rising interest rates, as could regulatory pressure. As things stand the latter looks more likely to have a short-term impact.
TrigNum's van den Brink, says that the key shift is the change to a system where pension funds are considered professional financial institutions. "The implications are that in many funds all steps of the investment process are defined in procedures," he says. "In practice, this implies that such funds have to follow dozens of procedures. That is an important shift as in the past decisions were taken on the basis of trust instead of mistrust."
He gives an example of an investment department that is considering whether emerging markets are attractive. It has to consult with both internal and external risk managers to see whether it can even start to analyse the implications of such a move. It can only proceed if approval is given.
"The way of working has thoroughly changed," he says. "This is having an impact on job satisfaction and thus investment behaviour."
It seems that the only certainty in relation to Dutch pensions is that tensions will be resolved under the 'polder model' of compromise between employers, unions and government. No one will get everything they want, but everyone should get something.
The changing face of Dutch pensions
Daniel Ben-Ami
The Netherlands has remained committed to defined benefit (DB) and some 95% of pensions assets were still in DB assets in 2015, according to Willis Towers Watson.
Perhaps, it would be more accurate to call them DB-like rather than DB. Jaap van Dam, the head of investment strategy at PGGM, points out that "promises to beneficiaries are not carved in stone." There have been cases where weak pension funds have had to cut benefits.
In any event, the Dutch central bank, De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB), requires funds to have a funding ratio (assets to liabilities over a 12-month average) of about 105%. In addition, funds must have sufficient buffers to deal with risks including those related to equities, interest rates, currency and credit. For most Dutch funds the required funding ratio is between 110% and 120%.
Under such circumstances, it is not surprising that the primary focus is meeting their liabilities. Carl Kool, an investment strategist at BlackRock, points out that the Dutch regulator has a strong influence on asset allocation policy. The financial assessment framework (financiel toetsingskader FTK), first implemented in 2007 but updated last year, helps account for the difficult time that pension funds have suffered since the financial crisis of 2008-09.
The value of equity buffers plummeted in the crisis, although they have generally recovered. More importantly, the period of low interest rates has meant that liabilities have soared.
Also in: Pensions In The Netherlands: Sailing into rough waters
General Pension Fund: The march of the insurers
Age-Related Premiums: Solidarity 2.0
Variable progress
The Future: Near the end
Interview: Corien Wortmann-Kool - ABP
Interview: Gerard Riemen - Dutch Pension Federation
A changing landscape