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The 3 Most Organized Zodiac Signs, According To An Astrologer
Their pantry and closets are probably pristine.
by Kristine Fellizar
travelism/E+/Getty Images
Being organized is a skill that can take you far in life. When your desk is neat and everything is where it should be, you're less likely to lose all your notes before a big presentation. You're also less likely to forget a big meeting or a deadline if your calendar is up to date. Plus, you'll never have to worry about where your lucky dress is on date night because your closet isn't a chaotic mess. But of course, being organized is easier said than done and if you're someone who just can't stay organized no matter what you do, you may have your zodiac sign to thank for that. According to Stephanie Gailing, astrologer and author of The Complete Guide to Living by the Moon, there are three zodiac signs who are the most organized of them all.
When you're looking to see who the most organized zodiac signs are, you have to take the individual personality of each sign into consideration. "There are many reasons that we may strive for organization," Gailing tells Bustle. "Certain signs have innate gifts and personal needs that may motivate them to be more organized."
While some signs thrive in chaos, some zodiac signs need to be organized in order to feel like all is right in the world. According to Gailing, these are the three most organized signs in the zodiac.
Virgo (Aug. 23 - Sept. 22)
Out of all the signs in the zodiac, Virgo could probably be considered the most organized sign of them all. According to Gailing, Virgo "deifies" details. "This sign doesn't like when things are out of order, and they actually enjoy the process of putting things in their place," she says. "They find it inspiring to classify—whether files, the spices in their pantry, books by subject, size, or color, or the like — and create methods." While not all Virgos may be super particular about organization and don't mind a little bit of a mess, many of them will be able to notice and be affected by disorganization.
Libra (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22)
When it comes to Libra, balance and harmony are essential for them to function. After all, there's a reason they're represented by the scales. According to Gailing, they try to have everything feel like it has order. "Libra also often have a seemingly innate knack to know when something is out of alignment and re-arrangement is called for, so that a sense of peace can be re-established," she says. Libra is also a very social sign and they hate disappointing people, so they also make it a point to keep their social calendar organized so they're able to show up whenever they say they will. That's one thing that sets them apart from the rest when it comes to staying organized.
Capricorn (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19)
Capricorn tends to be very organized because they're very practical. There's just no room for "no-nonsense" in their life. "For example, they may not necessarily hold on to something for sentimental value unless it offers practicality and enhances productivity," Gailing says. "Speaking of the latter, since being productive and achieving are of key importance to them, they may find themselves 'allergic' to anything that gets in the way of this [productivity] — including clutter and disarray." In short, Capricorn is the type to have a clean desk or home because they aren't afraid to get rid of anything they don't need.
Stephanie Gailing, astrologer and author of The Complete Guide to Living by the Moon
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Don't let the name deter you, Midway Grocery & Deli is more than just a place to complete your weekly grocery run. Over the years, this quaint little store has transitioned into a favorite place among locals to get their soup and sandwich fix. Head into the market's restaurant and grab a bag that allows you to check off what kinds of bread, meat, cheese, vegetables and sauce you want on your sandwich. Pair that with their soup of the day or Bill's famous chili, which is available daily, and you've got a winning combination.
Try the Arnie, a grilled sandwich topped with salami, pepperoni and ham, or the ranchero, a grilled sandwich with turkey and a spicy ranch sauce. They also offer a variety of salads and sides if you're in the mood for something lighter. You can also head to Midway early and grab one of their breakfast sandwiches made with fresh-baked croissants and your choice of bacon or sausage. For your sweet tooth, grab a muffin, cinnamon roll or cookie for the perfect end to your meal.


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Why You Should Care Where Your Eggs Come From
by Sentient Media
White Veganism Doesn't Serve Me Either: A White Vegan's Perspective
Battery cages are widely used for egg production in countries like the U.S., but there's a good reason that you may not have heard of them before. These cages cause so many welfare problems for hens that farming companies go to great lengths to hide them away from the public. As more people find out about the realities of battery cages, however, demand for cage-free eggs is steadily growing.
Read on to find out what battery cages are, and why they're not good for chickens or the environment.
What Is a Battery Cage?
A battery cage is used in egg production facilities known as concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), and more commonly as factory farms. Layer hens—meaning chickens who lay eggs—are kept in these cages for the whole duration of their lives, where they lay roughly an egg per day until they are sent to the slaughterhouse.
Battery cages are primarily designed to achieve high density, by being stacked on top of one another. A single egg-producing factory farm may confine thousands of hens at a time in these stacked cages.
Why Do People Put Chickens in Cages?
Battery cages are used in intensive agricultural operations that prioritize productivity and profits, which are achieved by expending the fewest resources per unit of production. In egg production, as with factory farming scenarios involving other species, space is at a premium — so providing birds with as little of it as possible saves companies money. Tightly confining chickens also enables greater control over their bodies, and more control means that less time is required from farmworkers.
The chickens themselves bear the physical and psychological toll of these cost-saving measures, as will be explored further below.
How Big Is a Battery Cage?
Although battery cages come in different sizes, generally they are about the size and shape of a desk drawer, about 67 square inches. Each bird is given so little living space that they cannot stretch their necks upwards or fully open their wings, let alone run, jump, or do anything else a hen might do in more natural settings.
How Many Chickens Are Kept In Battery Cages?
In the U.S., the majority of layer hens are kept in battery cages. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, in the year 2020 close to 74 percent of the national layer hen flock still languish in cages, amounting to around 243 million hens. Fortunately, the share of the cage-free flock continues to increase, albeit slowly.
Cage-Free vs. Battery-Cage Eggs
Cage-free eggs come from hens that are not confined in any type of battery cage. While cage-free environments can look different depending on the farming setup, generally hens will be provided with some space in which to move around and scratch in the litter. Sometimes dust-bathing and perching areas are also provided. While an improvement over battery cages, there remain many welfare concerns associated with cage-free CAFOs, including high stocking densities, air pollution, and the fact that hens are not provided with outdoor space.
Why Are Battery Cages Bad?
Battery cages give rise to many serious welfare concerns that can cause a host of physical and emotional problems in hens.
Damage to Chickens' Minds
Chickens are intelligent, curious, and gentle creatures by nature who are used to perching in trees at night to evade predators and wandering over great distances in order to forage for food and explore their territory. Confining any species within what is essentially a small box for the duration of their lives would slowly drive them mad, and this is the case for chickens too.
Light Manipulation
The interiors of battery-cage barns are dismal for many reasons, including the lighting. These barns do not have any windows, so hens never even get to gaze out at the world they are denied access to. Instead, the barns are lit with dim, artificial lighting to manipulate the hens' natural laying cycle, which is ordinarily determined by the seasons.
Many chickens lay eggs during springtime when there are more hours of light each day as summer approaches. The evolutionary reason for this is to allow chicks to hatch in the spring, and benefit from the warm months of summer when food is plentiful. Conversely, as daylight hours grow shorter, fewer eggs are produced, since raising chicks in cold weather is more perilous.
By keeping the light constant, typically for 18 hours out of every day, farms can trick the birds' bodies into a sort of perpetual spring. But the resulting changeless, cave-like conditions are extremely unnatural for chickens.
Chickens normally lead complex social lives, and this is where the term "pecking order" originated. But in the severely restricted conditions of battery cages, the social order entirely breaks down. Hens cannot avoid one another, and dominance hierarchies cannot be safely established or maintained, leading to aggression that hens cannot escape. Beak trimming, described below, is the inadequate response from the egg industry—an attempt to cure the symptom rather than the underlying causes of aggression in chickens.
Damage to Chickens' Bodies
On CAFOs, factors including high stocking densities, unsanitary conditions, demanding production schedules, and the selective breeding that results in hens producing far more eggs than they would do naturally, all culminate in serious damage being done to chickens' bodies. The following are some of the more debilitating and painful conditions and mutilations that chickens must routinely endure.
Beak Trimming
Beak trimming, also called de-beaking, refers to the removal of portions of a chicken's beak. Often done within the first few hours of a chick's life, and without any anesthesia, de-beaking is thought to be painful for chicks and can potentially result in chronic pain. This operation is performed to prevent birds from pecking at or eating one another's bodies—behaviors that are unnatural and directly related to factory farm conditions.
People are told that exercise is critical in maintaining bone health in people, but this wisdom also applies to other animals. Osteoporosis, a condition that can lead to brittle, easily broken bones, is rampant among battery cage hens who are prevented from doing virtually any exercise at all.
The wire cages in which battery hens live cause a host of painful and sometimes fatal foot problems. Hyperkeratosis, where the skin thickens on the feet of hens, is a common problem with battery cage hens that can lead to painful inflammation and lesions.
Overgrown claws are another foot problem. In the wild, hens constantly scratch in the ground and walk on a variety of surfaces that naturally file down their nails. In battery cages there are no such abrasive materials, allowing nails to become overgrown. Curling nails can then catch around the wire floor of the cage, causing tears in the flesh and sometimes trapping the birds entirely, preventing them from accessing food and water and ultimately leading to their death.
Cage Layer Fatigue
Cage layer fatigue is a condition found almost exclusively in battery-caged hens. Thanks to the selective breeding that forces hens to churn out excessively high numbers of eggs, the amount of calcium that goes into making eggshells leeches the mineral from the bones of the hen, weakening the entire skeletal system. In some cases, this disease reaches a point where hens become paralyzed and die of thirst or starvation.
Forced Molting
Molting is part of a naturally occurring cycle in chickens' lives. As the winter season approaches, birds begin to produce fewer eggs, eat less food, and lose feathers that are then soon replaced. Forced molting is a different story. As the birds' egg production begins to decline, they are starved of food and water for some time, sometimes days. They lose a drastic amount of body weight and many feathers. Many birds also die in the process. When they are fed again, the birds' bodies return to producing eggs at the maximum rate for a short period—and after this, they are sent to the slaughterhouse.
Damage to the Environment
As with any CAFO, animal waste becomes a huge and dangerous problem. Chicken feces contain many toxic compounds that can contaminate the air and water of the area surrounding these farms. Other impacts of the egg industry, including chicken feed production on deforested land, the use of cleaning products, and transportation also contribute to environmental problems, including climate change.
How Long Do Battery Hens Live?
In backyard flocks, which are far less stressful than any industrial farm, chickens can easily live a decade or more. On factory farms, layer hens live for about two years before they are considered "spent."
Which Countries Have Banned Battery Cages?
More and more people around the world are coming to understand the significant harm caused by battery cages, resulting in countries taking steps to ban or phase out this farming method. The European Union banned cages in 2012, although enriched cages—cages with very minor improvements—are still used. Other countries that have passed laws regarding battery cages include Bhutan and New Zealand.
Are Battery Cages Legal in the U.S.?
Currently, there is no federal legislation in the United States that makes battery cages illegal. The good news is that many states have taken it upon themselves to enact laws of their own. California, Michigan, Ohio, and Colorado are among the states that are either phasing out battery cages or that have already banned them outright.
Other Examples of Caged Animals
The animal agriculture industry in countries like the U.S. is dominated by factory farming, meaning that many other species face similarly harsh living conditions.
Gestation crates are a particularly extreme example, where female pigs are confined to cages that are not much bigger than their own bodies for the duration of their months-long pregnancies. Gestation crates prevent pigs from even turning around, resulting in boredom, depression, and chronic stress.
Tethered cows are a feature of some dairy operations. Cows are tied to stalls via ropes or chains and remain standing or lying down in the same place for much of their lives. This is a far cry from the lives cows were meant to live, out on pastures where they roam nomadically.
Battery cages give rise to so many welfare problems that there is really no excuse for companies to continue using these devices, nor for food companies to source eggs from factory farms that use cages. As a consumer, the best way you can signal your displeasure about battery cages is to carefully check egg carton labels and ensure that you're purchasing eggs that are at least cage-free.
There is also a multitude of plant-based proteins you can use to swap out eggs from your diet entirely.
Ultimately, battery cages should be on their way out—and the sooner, the better.
How Egg Production Became a $200-Billion Industry
Chickens Are Smart (and Yes, They Can Suffer)
Chicken Farms Are Making it Harder to Breathe on Maryland's Eastern Shore
Sentient Media
Sentient Media editorial team.
Sentient Media April 13, 2021
What's the Best Way to Measure Methane From Cattle Burps?
4 Principles of the Microsanctuary Movement
12 Solutions to Climate Change
Explainer: What Is Animal Testing? How Many Animals Die Each Year?
A Guide to Vegan Nutrition: How to Get the Nutrients You Need to Stay Healthy

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


All-New Kangoo ZE has now arrived at Charles Hurst Renault!
Our 100% electric vans, New Kangoo Van Z.E. 33 and New Kangoo Maxi Van Z.E. 33 offer the same generous load capacity and options as the equivalent diesel but with ultra-low running costs and all the benefits of owning a Renault electric vehicle.
The New Kangoo Van Z.E. 33 is simply a pleasure to drive with quiet yet instant pulling power. The benefits don't end there thanks to easy to charge solutions such as the wall-box† (for recharging from home) or charging stations at work or local public areas.
The Kangoo engine benefits from the best in modern technology. It consists of the ENERGY dCi 75 hp, ENERGY dCi 90 hp and ENERGY dCi 110 hp engines, With Stop & Start technology and the new regenerative braking system (Energy Smart Management), Kangoo achieves fuel economy of up to 65.7mpg* helping you to minimise fuel costs .
The variable geometry turbocharger allows for flexible driving and instant pick-up, even under load, all the while giving more power at high speeds. Derived from Formula 1, the regenerative braking system helps charge the battery when decelerating, recovering energy that would otherwise be lost. Furthermore, the Eco mode button optimises throttle response for maximum fuel economy with MPG improved by up to 10%.
The Kangoo range is now Euro 6 compliant in line with the regulatory requirement for LCV Euro 6 compliance on 1 September 2016. The Euro 6 engine standard reduces NOx (Nitrous Oxides) emissions by half compared to Euro 5. Renault is proud that we have been able to reduce these emissions in our Kangoo Vans with the application of a NOx trap located in the exhaust system, meaning you still receive the maximum efficiency from all our engines.
Our 100% electric vans, New Kangoo Van Z.E. 33 and New Kangoo Maxi Van Z.E. 33 offer the same generous load capacity and options as the equivalent diesel but with ultra-low running costs and all the benefits of owning a Renault electric vehicle. The New Kangoo Van Z.E. 33 is simply a pleasure to drive with quiet yet instant pulling power. The benefits don't end there thanks to easy to charge solutions such as the wall-box* (for recharging from home) or charging stations at work or local public areas.
Now that the New Kangoo Z.E. 33 is available with the brand new Z.E. 33 Battery giving a revolutionary NEDC* range of 170 miles on one charge, range anxiety is a thing of the past. With real life estimates of 124 miles in summer and 75 miles in winter** the New Kangoo Z.E. 33 is able to get you wherever you need to go with less need to recharge on the way, saving you time and money.


Posted March 9, 2016 , by Victoria Dietz, Consultant. Topic: Major Gifts Programs.
Posted February 9, 2011 , by Wendy McGrady. Topic: Major Gifts Programs.
Posted January 20, 2011 , by Keith Curtis. Topic: Major Gifts Programs.


I can say that now real estate has become one of the popular investment sectors. This is because of the many benefits that it is associated with. By the end of this article, you will be in a position to discover more reasons why most of the investors nowadays like real estate.
Apart from that, it has the low maintenance cost. This is because it will be the duty of the tenants to cater for the significant maintenance costs indirectly. You will be in a position to recover your maintenance money by increasing the amount of money that the tenants pay monthly. You can only cater for some minor maintenance which does not affect the tenants directly.
Apart from that, most of the people invest in real estate since they can get bank loans easily. One thing with most of the people who invest in real estate is that the banks easily approve their loan since they are sure of getting their money back. One thing with banks is that they will request the title of your home which they will return to you only after you have completed your repayment and if not they will use it to sell your property so that they can recover their money.
Steady monthly income is also one of the benefits of real estate investment. Once your property is done with, and you have set the rates, you will be sure of earning a certain amount of money monthly. With this, you will be in a better position to recover the money that you used initially in building the park within a short period. You can as well increase the monthly charges anytime you feel like without after making some minor changes. Unlike in stock market which often faces a challenge with the increase in market prices which makes them unsure of monthly charges.


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Science & Crime
The field of forensic science has been the focus of countless television series and films over the past few decades and there is almost certainly a public fascination with murder and solving it. But this is nothing new and has been the case certainly since Victorian times. In this lecture, we will review the history of forensic science, from the publication of The Washing Away of Wrongs in 1235 during Song Dynasty China to Edmond Locard's 20th century 'exchange principle' - "every contact leaves a trace" - via Sherlock Holmes and Jack The Ripper. Forensic science is a multi-faceted subject with many sub-disciplines, from forensic odontology to nuclear forensics, and we will explore areas such as DNA fingerprinting and PCR analysis, forensic neuropathology, forensic neurology and forensic psychiatry. The lecture is suitable for anyone with an interest in crime and the application of science establish sequences of events and guilt. Please be aware that there will be references to violent assault and murder.
Back to Evening Lectures >


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Архиепархия Уанкайо  () — архиепархия Римско-Католической церкви с центром в городе Уанкайо, Перу. В митрополию Уанкайо входят епархии Тармы, Уануко. Кафедральным собором архиепархии Уанкайо является церковь Пресвятой Троицы в городе Уанкайо.

История

18 декабря 1944 года Римский папа Пий XII издал буллу «Supremum Apostolatus Munus», которой учредил епархию Уанкайо, выделив её из епархии Уануко. В этот же день епархия Уанкайо вступила в митрополию Лимы.

15 мая 1958 года епархия Уанкайо передала часть своей территории новой епархии Тармы.

30 июня 1966 года Римский папа Иоанн XXIII издал буллу «Quam sit Christifidelibus», которой возвёл епархию Уанкайо в ранг архиепархии.

Ординарии архиепархии

 епископ Leonardo José Rodriguez Ballón (6.07.1945 — 13.06.1946) — назначен архиепископом Арекипы;
 епископ Daniel Figueroa Villón (22.09.1946 — 17.12.1956) — назначен епископом Чиклайо;
 архиепископ Mariano Jacinto Valdivia y Ortiz (17.12.1956 — 10.02.1971);
 архиепископ Eduardo Picher Peña (31.05.1971 — 14.06.1984);
 архиепископ Emilio Vallebuona Merea (30.08.1985 — 28.11.1991);
 архиепископ José Paulino Ríos Reynoso (2.12.1995 — 29.11.2003) — назначен архиепископом Арекипы;
 кардинал Педро Рикардо Баррето Химено (17.07.2004 — по настоящее время).

Источник

 Annuario Pontificio, Ватикан, 2007

Ссылки

 Официальный сайт
 Информация

Католические епархии Перу

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Well presented bungalow with south west facing garden, new interior including kitchen, flooring and decoration throughout.
Semi detached family house with annexe, south facing rear gardens, garage and parking.
Detached house set in attractive gardens with views, the property has three bedrooms (one en suite), reception room opening to conservatory.
A detached three bedroom house with large kitchen, opening to south west facing rear garden.
A semi detached house with south facing rear garden, convenient for birdwell primary school.
A mid terraced family house close to birdwell school in the village of long ashton.
A victorian terraced property with south west facing rear garden.
South facing end of terrace house with views, convenient for village amenities.
A spacious apartment in former coach house, the property has been recently renovated, with new kitchen and bathroom.


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Owl symbolism, owl meaning, owl totem, owl dream, and messages. Owl Dream Interpretation. When this bird visits you in your dream state, it may be telling you to you need to let go of the past or specific negative behaviors.. If this bird of prey hoots in your dream, it is a message of disappointments and death. In other words, your unconscious mind may be trying to get your attention to your thoughts or actions in your waking life.
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IngramSpark Staff
Hi there! It's your friendly IngramSpark staff here, happily sharing a wealth of publishing knowledge with people from all walks of the self-publishing biz.
We're on Instagram @IngramSparkBooks!
Did you know we're on Instagram?! IngramSpark has joined the Instagram #writingcommunity, and we couldn't be more excited! With millions of writing-related hashtags, Instagram is the perfect place to connect with other self-published authors. Following along with each other on the self-publishing journey is not only inspiring, but can also help you learn new ways to market your book, reach more readers, or even improve your writing skills!
Top 10 Self-Publishing Blogs from the IngramSpark Blog
Just like that, we're almost halfway through 2019! As we look back on the year, we want to take a moment and celebrate some of the best and brightest ideas on the blog. The verdict is in—here are your top ten most viewed self-publishing blogs from IngramSpark in 2019!
6 Different Ways to Earn Author Income
Writing and publishing a book is a huge undertaking, and it's important for authors to understand how to make money while doing it! Some may think it's as simple as publishing a book, then sitting back and waiting for it to sell—but that's only scratching the surface. It takes hard work and a little creativity to make a living as an author, but there's more than one way to do it. In this post, we talk about six different ways to earn author income.
BookCon 2019: Special Offers for Indie Authors!
We have some special opportunities to help you get the most out of BookCon 2019! How does your own personal publishing consultation sound? What about reading from your work on stage?! Learn more about the opportunities to grow your author business at BookCon 2019!
Haiku Contest Winner: Celebrating National Poetry Month
In celebration of National Poetry Month in April and National Haiku Poetry Day on April 17, we ran a contest asking you for your best haiku—and the response was overwhelming. We laughed, we cried, and we counted lots of syllables. Join us in celebrating these authentic, talented poets who entered the contest, and learn more about how to self-publish poetry with IngramSpark today!
Indie Book Promotion: Short-Term vs Long-Term Book Marketing
When you're self-publishing a book, you have ultimate control over your publishing decisions. You have control over the editorial, creative, and marketing process; you also have control over your book promotion schedule. So, when do you start promoting your book? How can you start planning now for a successful book launch? We have answers to these questions and more in today's post.
Updating Pricing, Returns, and Discounts Weekly in IngramSpark
Historically, you've been able to update pricing, returns, and discount information within your IngramSpark account and those changes have been made effective on a monthly basis. As of March 26, 2019, these price changes are now effective weekly. Learn more about how to update pricing in IngramSpark—and a few things to think about before you do.
Book Distribution with IngramSpark
One of the major benefits of using IngramSpark to self-publish a book is the distribution that's made available to indie authors. When you self-publish with IngramSpark, you have access to one of the publishing industry's largest global print and ebook distribution networks which makes opportunities to sell your books that much greater.
Go Publish Yourself Season 3: That's a Wrap!
This week marks a wrap on Season 3 of our self-publishing podcast, Go Publish Yourself! Since launching in January 2018, we've made it our mission to bring you the best of the best in publishing industry tips, trends, and breaking news. We've been blown away by the support from the self-publishing community with over 100,000 listens in more than 70 countries. Today, we're highlighting some of our favorites from Season 3—listen, learn, and Go Publish Yourself today!
How to Print a Book with IngramSpark
In the age of digital media, everybody and their brother has the capability of reading books online and on digital devices. But what if you want your books to exist in the flesh (or, in the print)? If you're one of the many authors who dreams of holding their book with their own two hands, we've got the information you need to succeed. You can create and print a book, then make it available through online retailers such as Amazon, Kobo, B&N, and Apple, as well as local brick-and-mortar bookstores and libraries, by following these general guidelines:
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What can a bookkeeper do? What can a BAS Agent do?
Completing forms for the client such as Workcover, Payroll Tax etc you should always check that you can legally fill in the form. What can a bookkeeper do? What can a BAS Agent do? What are they not allowed to do? Who says?
It does seem that the definitions and the parameters of "Bookkeeper" & Accountant" differ from region to region and country to country. In an Australian context, unfortunately the terms "Accountant" and "Bookkeeper" are not protected in any sense. If you want to be an "Accountant" just hang up a sign and call yourself one. Same with "Bookkeeper". The protected terms that we have are "BAS Agent" & "Tax Agent". We do have to be registered (with specified qualifications and experience) to be a "Tax Agent" or a "BAS Agent".
A BAS Agent can design the compliance system for a client around GST, the other indirect taxes on the BAS and payroll matters. A BAS Agent can be engaged to review the reports of a business and provide certainty to that business about the obligations, entitlements of that business. Both a Bookkeeper and a BAS Agent can "process" transactions according to the "compliance system" that applies to the business. A "Compliance system" can set up a series of precedents or guidelines for how to process or "code" transactions that come into a business. We do not believe you need to be a BAS Agent to apply a system. We do believe you need to be a BAS Agent to design, advise and review that system.
Not everyone needs to be a BAS Agent, but in Australia's current environment, most bookkeepers are and should be.
What can't a Bookkeeper nor a BAS Agent nor an Accountant do?


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Top Marks
2016-17 National Champions
17 Top-Three National Finishes
30 Individual National Champions
14 Relay National Champions
108 Individual All-Americans
26 Postgraduate Scholars
200 Free Relay Title Highlights Day Two for Emory Men's Swimming & Diving
The Emory University Men's Swimming and Diving team added another event national championship to its ledger as well as a national runner-up performance on Thursday as the 2019 National Championships continued in Greensboro, NC.
The 200 Freestyle Relay team of junior Sage Ono, senior Zachary Chen, freshman Colin LaFave and senior Trey Kolleck captured the team's second event national championship at 2019 national meet, turning in a winning time of 1:19.99. The title is Emory's fourth consecutive in the event.
In the 1-meter dive, freshman Lucas Bumgarner was terrific in his NCAA debut, recording a national runner-up finish with a finals score of 515.75. The second place effort is the highest finish for an Emory men's diver in either event since Chris Radpour won both the 1-meter and 3-meter championships in 1990.
Freshman Zach Lorson earned a bronze finish in the 400 IM with a finals mark of 3:51.40 as did the 400 Medley Relay team of Ono, Kolleck and freshman Jason Hamilton and Hwa Min Sim. Kolleck did his best to run down WashU and Denison during the freestyle anchor leg (43.00 split) but ran out of real estate as Emory took third with a time of 3:14.79.
Sim, Hamilton and sophomore Kellen Stillman collected their first career individual All-America awards on the night with Sim recording a sixth place showing in the 100 Fly (48.25), Hamilton tying for sixth in the 400 IM (3:53.07) and Stillman finishing seventh in the 200 Free at 1:39.09.
The Eagles secured three All-America Honorable Mention swims on Thursday with senior Thomas Gordon following up his 500 Free title with a ninth place effort in the 200 Free (1:38.88), freshman Will O'Daffer placing 15th in the 400 IM (3:57.93) and senior Matt Rogers rounded out the field in the 200 Free with a time of 1:40.04.
Through two days of competition, Emory is in third place with 259.5 and trails Denison (305.5) and Kenyon (272) heading into Friday. Day three's schedule of events features the 200 Fly, 100 Back, 100 Breast and the 800 Free Relay. Preliminaries start at 10:00 AM EST with finals to follow at 6:00 PM EST.


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Lake City police respond to gunfire incidents
The Lake City Police Department (LCPD) is investigating two separate shooting incidents that occurred in the city on Tuesday.
According to a department press release, officers responded to a 12:45 p.m. call at a SW Grandview Street residence where the victim heard a loud bang on the outside of the home. They discovered a broken window that was struck by a projectile, which police believe was from a BB gun. Officers could not locate the projectile and no other damage occurred to the residence.
At 7:23 p.m., officers responded to a NW Long Street residence to a report of gunfire. Witnesses said they observed four black males walking on NW Wright Lane and one of the males opened fire on a blue passenger car traveling north on NW Alama Avenue.
The LCPD release said witnesses heard three to four gunshots and watched the four males run west on NW Wright Lane. Officers canvassed the neighborhood and discovered one residence with a bullet hole and found the bullet inside the house behind a dresser. A second bullet struck a water pump at another home that damaged the pipes. Two spent shell casings were collected as evidence.
If anyone has any information on either of these incidents, they are asked to contact the LCPD at (386) 752-4343 and speak with an investigator.
The incidents come amid an increase in shootings in Lake City in recent months. The Lake City Council has approved the installation of cameras in troubled areas, and last month local and federal authorities teamed up to make seven arrests in connection with recent shootings.


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My Deserted Island Albums
By thatlittlelola	in Music	on September 13, 2020 September 27, 2020
Hey guys! I kinda wanted to do something different. Of course, with digital media, we're able to carry around multiple albums digitally. But we always had the age-old question of 'What albums would you take on a deserted island?'. Obviously, assuming we had an old-fashioned Walkman and physical CDs, here are my five picks!
I can only really pick five because I'm so picky when it comes to albums, and I have to like every song from the album for it to qualify. So it was a stretch to think of five at least! But I decided that Divide by Ed Sheeran and The Black Parade by My Chemical Romance were honourable mentions. (EDIT: I forgot Final Straw by Snow Patrol, which is just a beautiful album).
Billy Talent – Afraid of Heights
I reckon that any Billy Talent album would be justified on this list, but this one is the pinnacle for me. Billy Talent is my favourite band of all time, and with this album, I can interchange what mood I feel like at the drop of a hat. One day I might be in the mood for the song of the same title, or I could go with Leave Them All Behind. Anything goes, here, really.
Muse – Origin of Symmetry
Muse have always had amazing music videos, but that's not the reason for this entry. All of the songs to me spark something in me that make me go 'YES!', and have done since my teen years. New Born is a fantastic opener, and Micro Cuts and their version of Feeling Good are just bangers. I can't let this section end without mentioning Bliss though. Just… *chef's kiss*.
Taylor Swift – folklore
The most recent entry on this list, there isn't a song on here that I dislike. I love the lower-tempo and more chill side of Taylor Swift's music career, and this was a delightful surprise on my first listen. cardigan has to be one of my favourite songs already, and seven and exile (the latter featuring the amazing Bon Iver) are just a couple of tracks that are highlights for me. This album is inspiring aspects of my short story WIP as well, with its storytelling style and topics and themes.
Sonata Arctica – Stones Grow Her Name
I have a lot of nostalgia from this album, and I still really enjoy it to this day. It always takes me back to the summer of 2012, shortly before my relationship started. Songs such as Somewhere Close to You and Cinderblox remain just a couple of my favourites from the band's very extensive catalogue. It's a bit different from their previous works, but this is an album that I thoroughly loved from start to finish, and it does remind me of Connor a lot, which provides a lot of comfort in that regard.
Green Day – Nimrod
Nimrod has been my favourite Green Day album since I first listened to it in my early teen years. Green Day, as a whole, cemented that era when I first started really liking anything heavier than Busted. Songs such as Hitchin' A Ride and Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) got me wanting the album (after listening to International Superhits), and after that, King For A Day and Prosthetic Head sealed the deal for me.
Tags: Albums, Billy Talent, Desert Island Music, Green Day, List, Music, Sonata Arctica, Taylor Swift
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2 comments on "My Deserted Island Albums"
Oh man. You've just reminded me that I haven't listened to Black Holes and Revelations in a long time.
Ooh neither have I, honestly. I really should sometime.


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'It is understood': How oblique sourcing is hurting Australian media
John McDuling
Deputy Business Editor
February 11, 2019 — 12.00am
"What is this?" the Slack message, equal parts terse and dumbfounded read. This was a few years back, when I was working for a publication in the US. I'd filed a story I was quite pleased with, involving some as yet unreported but incremental developments in New York media.
Into the story copy I'd inserted a piece of journalese that is commonplace in Australia, but evidently, rarely used in the US. "It is understood... [something, something]" I had written. And my editor at the time had pulled me up on it. "You can't write that," she sent me in a subsequent Slack message. "It makes no sense to me, or to a reader".
The media still has work to do in restoring trust Credit:Dominic Lorrimer
Since then I've flinched whenever I've seen "it is understood", or "[insert outlet] understands" in a story, which it turns out, is often. The phrase and its variants like "it is believed" or "has learned" have become a proxy for "a source has told me something, but doesn't want to be named. It's as good as confirmed. So trust us."
These phrases are used all the time by the press in this country (and in the UK), by reporters far better and more accomplished than me. The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age use them - including, no doubt, pieces I've been involved in. They are used in run-of-the-mill stories, where it is fairly obvious where the information is coming from, and in more sensitive and serious pieces of work.
And the question is: Why?
Recently, BuzzFeed in the UK called out the public broadcaster in that country for using the phrase "the BBC understands", typically when re-reporting a story already published elsewhere. (After the BuzzFeed story, the BBC abandoned usage of the phrase. It's either true, or it isn't).
The ABC in Australia has also been known to "understand" things hours, days and weeks after they've been reported by other outlets.
Yet the usage of "understood/understands" in stories is not just about bragging rights over who got the scoop. More troublingly, it's also a disservice to readers. Why do you "understand" or "believe" this information being reported? On the basis of what?
"Confidential sourcing is a privilege of journalism that cannot be abused without seriously damaging public trust and undermining the profession's raison d'etre," says Julie Posetti, a senior researcher with Oxford University's Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism.
"The problem with routinely reporting information gleaned as "understood" or "learned", rather than explaining how it was sourced (if not to whom it was sourced), is that it lacks transparency."
Now, I'm not for a second suggesting anonymous sources shouldn't be used in reporting. Or that journalists, who go to great lengths to protect their sources, should stop doing that.
Just that some insight into where information is coming from, and the potential motivation behind it, is far a better approach to vague, meaningless journo-speak.
"Source protection is fundamentally important to the practice of investigative reporting but routine vagueness about sources isn't helpful," says Posetti.
Last month, the annual survey by PR firm Edelman found that trust in the media in Australia remains lower than trust in government, business and non-government organisations.
Just 40 per cent of the Australians surveyed by the firm said they trusted the press. That is up 9 percentage points from last year, but still pretty dire in the scheme of things. In this light, standards around issues like sourcing should surely be higher.
For what it's worth, the corresponding figure for the US (whose head of state is currently engaged in a full blown war on the press) stands at 48 per cent.
The New York Times, which is booming in the era of Trump, has run into trouble with anonymous sourcing a few times in its history (its diastrous coverage of the Iraq War in the early 2000s springs to mind). The paper tightened up its policy on the practice a few years ago.
"If concealment proves necessary, writers should tell readers as much as possible - without violating the promise of confidentiality - to help them assess the source's credibility," an excerpt from its current guidelines reads. "In particular, how does the source know the information? And does he or she have a stake in the issue?"
Over at the NYT, the simple, "sources said" won't cut it either. "Blind attribution - sources said, for example - is more a tease than a signpost. Trail markers should be as detailed as possible."
It leads to the kind of detailed descriptions of anonymous sources you rarely see in Australian news.
Now, adopting this kind of approach would make it much harder for certain genres of Australian journalism to flourish (for example, reporting on leadership turmoil in Canberra, where politicians have arbitraged off-the-record privileges to destabilise their rivals).
But - as I understand it - it would also go some way towards boosting trust in the press. Which, in uncertain times like these, is crucial.
John McDuling is Deputy Business Editor, and writes on media and technology for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.


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Early Signs Of Sarah Palin's Radical Agenda?
Stature Drop
In Perfect Alignment
On Tuesday, when the insurance giant American International Group appeared headed toward bankruptcy, Mr. Bush flew to Texas to inspect hurricane damage. As he flew over the devastation in his helicopter, Marine One, a press helicopter following him adjusted its flight path allowing photographers on board to capture the image of Mr. Bush's chopper in perfect alignment with the wreckage below.
On the ground in the Gulf Coast island of Galveston, Tex., Mr. Bush met behind closed doors with state and local leaders and emerged surrounded by a crowd of them, holding the hand of Galveston's mayor, Lyda Ann Thomas, as he walked past television cameras that his aides kept a safe distance away.
"Mr. President!" a reporter shouted. "What are you going to do about A.I.G.?"
Mr. Bush looked straight at the cameras and kept walking as he shouted back. "We're here talking about the people of Galveston, Texas," he said. "They've got a great mayor, and they're working hard."
— from: "Bush Emerges After Days of Financial Crisis" (NYT)
I would contend that this image — carefully crafted for the news media to demonstrate how Bush cares about the hurricane devastation in Galveston — is actually further indicative (just like he was during Katrina) of how out-of-touch Bush really is.
Ever since the Katrina debacle, Bush and the concrete thinkers at the White House have been absolutely scrupulous in rushing to the scene of every tornado, hurricane, flood, bridge collapse, etc. Curiously though, this bending over backward to get the dramatic compassion photo occurred concurrently with another crisis in which Bush otherwise, and more true to form, again essentially failed to show up. With the White House on PR auto-response mode after physical disasters, the execution of this compassion picture occurred over Galveston in the midst of a multi-day stretch in which Bush was essentially AWOL as a Katrina-like storm engulfed Wall Street.
…And then, if there is any truth to the rumors that the Government has imposed a no-fly zone over Galveston Island to prevent pictures of bodies from circulating once again, it would only make this presidential photo-op that much more ironic.
Image from NYT September 16, 2008 slide show: A Slow Recovery
(image: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters. September 16, 2008. Galveston. caption: President Bush surveyed the devastation caused by Hurricane Ike during a helicopter fly-over of Texas on Tuesday. Federal officials estimated that more than 2 million people were still without power, and that thousands of homes had been flattened and at least 40 bodies had been recovered.
Tags: Galveston no fly zone, George Bush AIG, George Bush Galveston, George Bush Galveston no fly zone, George Bush Wall Street crisis
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What is Slavery short?
What is ancient Egypt famous for?
What are the 3 periods of ancient Egypt?
What country is slavery legal?
Why Does slavery still exist?
When did slavery exist in Canada?
When did Texas end slavery?
Slavery, condition in which one human being was owned by another. A slave was considered by law as property, or chattel, and was deprived of most of the rights ordinarily held by free persons.
Egypt thrived for thousands of years (from c. 8000 BCE to c. 30 BCE) as an independent nation whose culture was famous for great cultural advances in every area of human knowledge, from the arts to science to technology and religion.
Much of the history of Egypt is divided into three "kingdom" periods—Old, Middle, and New—with shorter intermediate periods separating the kingdoms. The term "intermediate" here refers to the fact that during these times Egypt was not a unified political power, and thus was in between powerful kingdoms.
In 1981, Mauritania became the last country in the world to abolish slavery, when a presidential decree abolished the practice. However, no criminal laws were passed to enforce the ban. In 2007, "under international pressure", the government passed a law allowing slaveholders to be prosecuted.
Modern slavery takes many forms. The most common are: Human trafficking. The use of violence, threats or coercion to transport, recruit or harbour people in order to exploit them for purposes such as forced prostitution, labour, criminality, marriage or organ removal.
The historian Marcel Trudel catalogued the existence of about 4,200 slaves in Canada between 1671 and 1834, the year slavery was abolished in the British Empire. About two-thirds of these were Native and one-third were Blacks. The use of slaves varied a great deal throughout the course of this period.
Decem
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What sport has the most injuries 2020?
Is COVID-19 contagious during the incubation period?
Has Alex Drummond set a wedding date?
What are the dates for Mercury retrograde in 2019?
What was the weather like on September 19th 2019?
Are Gemini rising attractive?
Does Illinois recognize Juneteenth?
Do bones break during childbirth?
How hot is Las Vegas in June?
Is there a new federal holiday?
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Thomas J. Stanley, the author of a blockbuster book series on the habits of millionaires was killed in a car crash Saturday afternoon near his home in Marietta, according to his family and Cobb County police. FAMILY PHOTO
Photo: Family photo
'Millionaire Next Door' author dies in crash
Ariel Hart, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The author of a blockbuster book series on the habits of millionaires was killed in a car crash Saturday afternoon near his home in Marietta, according to his family and Cobb County police.
Thomas J. Stanley, who was 71, used research to smash the stereotype that being wealthy meant looking wealthy. On the contrary, his works said: Self-made millionaires — the real deal, not the wannabes — are much more likely to be frugal and spurn spending for show.
As for the people showing off the bling? "It's the neurotic middle-class," he said in a 1991 interview with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Or the millionaires' children.
Stanley was a marketing professor at Georgia State University, a public speaker and consultant on selling to the rich. Before his 1996 breakout hit "The Millionaire Next Door," his theories were gaining publicity, and he and his wife, Janet, figured the book, his fourth, would do well. "We had no idea," she said.
The book got him on Oprah. It and a sequel "The Millionaire Mind" spent a collective 170-plus weeks on The New York Times' best-seller list.
They did buy a bigger house. But they stayed in the same neighborhood and didn't change the fundamentals of their lifestyle, said Janet Stanley. "The reason we only [moved] a mile away was to keep the friends we made," she said.
Thomas Stanley was born in 1944 in the Bronx, where his father drove a subway car and his mother was a homemaker and secretary. He went to college in Connecticut, and did graduate work at the University of Tennessee, where he met Janet. He got his doctorate at the University of Georgia, and eventually moved to the Atlanta area to teach at Georgia State University, and remained here.
"He liked the fact that it was a big city for the South," Janet Stanley said. "He liked the people. He liked the terrain, being near the mountains, being near the ocean, the Chattahoochee."
He also loved cars. As a young man, he worked summers at a Chevrolet dealership while in school. In 2012, he bought his own Corvette. He was driving it Saturday afternoon when he slowed down on Paper Mill Road prior to turning left toward Atlanta Country Club Drive. According to Cobb police, an Acura MDX traveling behind him cut around him to the left, into the opposing traffic lane. As Stanley turned left, police said, the Acura, driven by Jeffrey Fettig of Marietta, slammed into Stanley's left side. Charges will likely be filed, police said. Attempts to reach Fettig on Sunday were unsuccessful.
Of all his successes, Janet Stanley said, the one that brought her husband the most pride was probably his children and grandchildren.
Their son, Brad, works in insurance. Their daughter, Sarah Fallaw, is an industrial psychologist, and recently left her job to work with her father on a new survey for an updated Millionaire book. It has been many years, after all, and a new Gilded Age is taking hold, with a whole new generation of attitudes toward wealth.
Fallaw said she would continue the work. "We certainly will," she said. "The survey is being packaged up and sent out."
Service arrangements will be made at Sandy Springs Chapel on Mount Vernon Highway.
RELATED: Read the AJC obituary guestbook for Thomas J. Stanley
AJC reporter Mike Morris contributed to this story.


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One of the statutory objects of the Central Bank of Kenya under the Central Bank Act (Cap 491) is the promotion of financial stability through maintenance of a well-functioning banking system.
Bank Supervision Overview
One of the Central Bank of Kenya's mandates is to foster the liquidity, solvency and proper functioning of a market-based financial system. This is achieved through the following:
• Developing appropriate laws, regulations and guidelines that govern the players in the banking sector.
• Continuous review of the banking sector laws, regulations and guidelines to ensure that they remain relevant to the operating environment. These include the Banking Act (Cap 488), Microfinance Act (2006), Central Bank of Kenya Act (Cap 491) and Prudential Guidelines and Regulations issued thereunder.
• Licensing banks, non-bank financial institutions, mortgage finance companies, credit reference bureaus, foreign exchange bureaus, money remittance providers and microfinance banks.
• Inspection of commercial banks, microfinance banks, non-bank financial institutions, mortgage finance companies, building societies, credit reference bureaus, foreign exchange bureaus, money remittance providers and representative offices of foreign banks to ensure that they comply with all the relevant laws, regulations and guidelines and protect the interests of depositors and other users of the banking sector.
• Analysis of financial reports and other returns from banking sector players to ensure compliance with the relevant laws, regulations and guidelines.
• Contributing towards initiatives that promote financial inclusion.
Commercial Banks and Mortgage Finance Companies
Commercial banks and mortgage finance institutions are licensed and regulated in accordance with the provisions of the Banking Act and the Regulations and Prudential Guidelines issued thereunder. As key players in the banking sector, commercial banks and mortgage finance companies are subject to regulatory requirements governing their prudential position and market conduct in order to safeguard the overall soundness and stability of the financial system.
As at the end of June 2016, out of the 43 institutions, 39 commercial banks and the sole mortgage finance institution are privately owned while the Kenya Government holds controlling stakes in the remaining 3 commercial banks. Twenty-four of the 39 privately owned banks and the one mortgage finance institution are locally owned (i.e. their controlling shareholders are domiciled in Kenya), while 15 are foreign owned. The ownership structure of licensed commercial banks and mortgage finance institutions is as depicted in the chart below.
1 – With more than 50% shareholding by Government and State Corporation.
2 – As at the end of June 2016, of the 24 locally controlled institutions, 3 were not in operation – one was under statutory management and two were in receivership.
See our directory of licensed commercial banks and mortgage finance companies Here.
See the KBA commercial banks branch listings HERE
Other institutions regulated and supervised by the Central Bank of Kenya include:
Microfinance Banks
Microfinance banks are classified into two categories: community-based microfinance banks and nationwide microfinance banks. These institutions have proved instrumental in expanding financial inclusion or access to financial services, throughout Kenya.
Microfinance Institutions
The Microfinance Act 2006 and the Microfinance (Deposit Taking Institutions) Regulations 2008 set out the legal, regulatory and supervisory framework for the microfinance industry in Kenya. The Microfinance Act 2006 became operational with effect from May 2, 2008.
The principal object of the Microfinance Act 2006 is to regulate the establishment, business and operations of deposit taking microfinance institutions in Kenya through licensing and supervision. The Act enables microfinance banks (MFBs) licensed by the Central Bank of Kenya to mobilise deposits from the general public, thus promoting savings, competition, efficiency and financial access.
As financial intermediaries, MFBs play a complimentary role to commercial banks, as opposed to being competitors, by offering a vital service channel to the significant proportion of the population in Kenya that lacks access to commercial banks. The microfinance industry therefore plays a pivotal role in deepening financial markets and enhancing access to financial services by a significant proportion of the population.
See our directory of licensed microfinance banks HERE.
Forex Bureaus and Money Remittance Providers
Forex bureaus and money remittance providers play a pivotal role in ensuring fair foreign exchange rates, as more competition in the market reduces the spread of exchange rates. Forex bureaus deal purely with spot exchange of foreign currencies, while money remittance providers also enable customers to transfer money within or outside the country.
Forex Bureaus
Forex Bureaus in Kenya were established and first licensed in January 1995 to foster competition in the foreign exchange market and to narrow the exchange rate spread in the market.
As authorised dealers, forex bureaus conduct business and are regulated under the provisions of the sections 33A to 33(O) of the Central Bank of Kenya Act (Cap 491) and Forex Bureau Guidelines issued thereunder.
See our directory of licensed forex bureaus Here and our directory of money remittance providers HERE.
Credit Reference Bureaus
A Credit Reference Bureau (CRB) is an entity licensed to collect and collate credit information on individuals and businesses from different sources and provide that information upon request mainly by credit providers in the form of a credit report.
Section 31(4) of the Banking Act, mandates the Central Bank to licence and supervise credit reference bureaus (CRB). The Credit Reference Bureau Regulations, 2013, govern the licensing, operation and supervision of CRBs by the Central Bank of Kenya.
The Kenyan banking sector was, particularly in the 1980s and 1990s, saddled with significant non-performing loans (NPLs), which led to the collapse of some financial institutions. One of the major contributors to this state of affairs were "serial defaulters," who thrived in the "information asymmetry" environment that prevailed due to lack of a credit information sharing mechanism amongst financial institutions.
The development of a sustainable information sharing mechanism is recognised as a key component in improving the efficiency of financial intermediation. Towards this objective, banking sector stakeholders came together in 2008 and developed the Banking (Credit Reference Bureau) Regulations 2008, which governed the sharing of credit information on borrowers between providers of credit. Regulations initially provided for the sharing of only negative information. However, in 2013 revised CRB Regulations were issued that provided for the sharing of full file information (i.e. both positive and negative).
Benefits to the customer
• A credit report makes it easier for good customers to distinguish themselves from persistent defaulters, thereby attracting favourable loan terms.
• Financial institutions have online access to credit reports generated by the CRBs, resulting in reduced paperwork for the customer and faster processing of loans.
• By making credit histories more portable, customers are able to easily switch between financial institutions and thereby take advantage of competition to secure better credit terms.
Benefits to Credit Providers/Lenders
• CIS strengthens the credit risk management processes for financial institutions.
• It facilitates faster and more efficient reviews of customers' credit or loan applications.
Benefits to the economy
• CIS creates an opportunity for a wider cross section of the population to access credit, particularly those with no access to tangible collateral.
• It is expected to reduce lending transaction costs while widely availing credit through reduced cost of credit and enhanced competition.
Key Highlights of the Credit Reference Bureau Regulations 2013
• A customer shall be entitled to a free copy of his credit report from a Bureau at least once per year.
• The consent of a customer is required for the submission or sharing of credit information, and such consent may be obtained by the customer signing any document giving express consent or authorisation for the sharing of credit information.
• A financial institution licensed under the Banking Act or Microfinance Act is required to submit both positive and negative credit information to CRBs on a monthly basis.
• A Bureau may, with the approval of the Central Bank, collect, receive, collate, compile and disseminate information relating to a customer of an institution that is obtained from a third party.
• Financial institutions have a duty to provide accurate credit information to CRBs.
• A customer has a right to dispute information contained in a credit report.
See our directory of licensed credit reference bureaus HERE.
Third-Party Credit Information Providers
The Credit Information Sharing mechanism is regulated in accordance with the Credit Reference Bureau Regulations (2020). The Regulations allow Credit Reference Bureaus (CRBs) to source for credit information from third parties in order to enhance their databases, to provide a complete and comprehensive credit history of the borrower. Through this arrangement, CRBs have been able to broaden their databases with data from third-party Credit Information providers (CIPs) after conducting due diligence on the sources and obtaining approval of CBK. Third-party CIPs are providers of credit information other than commercial banks, microfinance banks and deposit-taking savings and credit co-operative societies which are mandatory subscribers. The Regulations require that customers are protected and a mechanism for handling customer complaints be in place to ensure that customers' complaints / disputes are handled expeditiously.
As at June 30, 2022, CBK had granted approval to CRBs to partner with the Third-Party Credit Information Providers listed in this Directory.
Representative Offices of Foreign Banks
Representative Offices in Kenya are established by foreign banks who wish to have a presence in the country without having to launch fully fledged banking operations. They are authorized and overseen by the Central Bank under the Banking Act and only permitted to undertake research, marketing and liaison roles on behalf of their parent and affiliated institutions. They are therefore not allowed to conduct banking business.
See our directory of foreign bank representative offices HERE.
Digital Credit Providers
The Central Bank of Kenya (Amendment) Act, 2021, which became effective on December 23, 2021, empowered CBK to license, regulate and supervise digital credit providers (DCPs) to ensure a fair and non-discriminatory marketplace for access to credit. Subsequently, the CBK Digital Credit Providers Regulations, 2022, were issued and operationalized on March 18, 2022.
See our directory of licensed digital credit providers HERE
Non Bank Financial Institutions
Non Bank Financial Institutions (NBFI) are licensed under the Banking Act and are obligated to comply with all requirements applying to banks subject to any stipulated conditions. Currently, there are no NBFIs licensed in Kenya.
Building Societies are licensed under the Building Societies Act by the Registrar of Building Societies. In their day to day operations, however, they are overseen by the Central Bank. Currently there are no licensed Building Societies in Kenya.
Risk Based Supervisory Framework
Risk Based Supervision (RBS) is a supervisory approach adopted by the CBK in supervision of licensed financial institutions in Kenya. Under this approach, the CBK assesses the risk profile of each institution and ascertains the effectiveness of the systems and procedures to identify, measure, monitor and control risks. A supervisory plan, detailing the supervisory resources needed for each institution (staff and time), is formulated having regard to the institution's risk profile and risk management systems.
RBS Framework
The CBK Risk Based Supervisory (RBS) framework is designed to allow CBK conduct high-quality supervision as the financial sector develops and as risk profiles of institutions change in reaction to competitive forces. The enhanced supervisory regime seeks to promote competition, safety and soundness of the financial sector. This approach benefits institutions as regulatory efforts are more focused on high-risk areas and provides for more efficient supervision. Risk based supervision is an approach that places strong emphasis on understanding and assessing the adequacy of each institution's risk management systems which are expected to identify, measure, monitor and control risk in an appropriate and timely manner.
The framework enables CBK to be more proactive and better positioned to pre-empt any serious threat to the stability of the financial system from current or emerging risks. The assessment of the effectiveness of risk management has become even more important as new technologies, product innovation, regional expansion, the size and speed of financial transactions have changed the nature of the banking sector. The principal benefits of the risk based supervisory approach are:
• Better evaluation of risks through separate assessment of inherent risks and risk management processes.
• Greater emphasis on early identification of emerging risks and system-wide issues.
• Cost effective use of resources through a sharper focus on risk.
• Reporting of risk focused assessments to institutions.
The Central Bank of Kenya's RBS methodology is dynamic and will continue to be enhanced in line with international best practice and developments in the local, regional and international arena.


The Upper Valdarno offers a large number of museums of all kinds, from sacred art museums to the most historic ones such as the Rural Civilization Museum or the palaeontological museum. Today we want to show you a list of 5 museums you really have to visit in order to experience the history of the upper Valdarno.
Certainly the most famous of all Valdarno's museums, the paleontological museum of Montevarchi offers to visitors a representation of life in the Valdarno millions of years ago. More than 1,600 objects found in the valley were used for the reconstruction of flora and fauna that existed before, after and during glaciations and reconstruction of human displacements in the valley.
A visit to the paleontological museum of Montevarchi is also interesting for the little ones with a dedicated room entirely to them.
Always from the historical point of view we find the brand new Museum of the New Florentine Lands , in San Giovanni.
The museum traces and explains the emergence of the new towns in Europe from the 11th to the 14th century, in particular the birth of the three (Terre Nuove) new lands in the Valdarno: San Giovanni, Castelfranco and Terranuova, created by the city of Florence in the first decade of the 1300.
Moving to modern times, we find the Rural Civilization Museum , a real treasure of artifacts, instruments and historical objects of rural life. Inside the museum there are many rooms of the typical farmhouse and also rooms used for the most important jobs of the period: the blacksmith's room, the cellar, the mill, etc.
A visit to the Museum is highly recommended, even for the little ones who will learn how their grandparents lived not many years ago.
Noteworthy is the museum of the mine located in the uninhabited village of Castelnuovo dei Sabbioni. The museum retraces the mining past of the Cavriglia area with it's opencast excavations that have radically altered the territory.
A multimedia tour guides young and adult visitors to discover the world of the mine with the presence of testimonies as well as various objects and tools.
In Valdarno there are numerous museums of sacred art, but one of the most important is certainly the one located behind the Pieve di Cascia in Reggello, where one of the most important works of Masaccio is preserved: the Triptych of San Giovenale. In addition to the triptych, there are numerous objects related to sacred art found and collected by the nearby churches, appropriately exposed and described.


This very rainy Saturday afternoon I was in my shop and saw this small Louisiana Sinker Cypress board leaning against my table saw…just eyeing me over.
A clock, I wanna be a clock.!
Well, I have several 6" clock inserts on the shelf and a bunch of AA batteries.
Nice wanna be! LOL! Where do you get your clock works?
Looks nice. Something different for your shows.
These have been sitting on the shelf for several years. I hated to see them just going to waste. The wood part onlt tool less than an hour to complete.
This is going to a crafts gallery this afternoon. No shows until the end of march.
Tom…These have been sitting on the shelf for several years. I hated to see them just going to waste. The wood part took less than an hour to complete.
This clock is a fine accent and makes a nice statement.
It's a wonderful clock. How did you get those rustic edges in the shap they are?
Did you make a lot of sawdust on this project?


Learn & practice the basic concepts of counselling psychology with guidance from The Hyderabad Academy of Psychology.
Candidate profile - Create a one page profile of the person in consideration.
Problem analysis - Documentation of the problem being faced by the person, through examples of behaviours & emotions exhibited by them in the recent past.
Counselling methods - A research report on counselling methods on the problem mentioned in step 2, with examples of how you have implemented them in the process with the concerned person.
Solutions prescribed - A 1 page document explaining the solutions suggested to the concerned person, explaining reason and relevance.
1. The basic process involved in counselling.
2. Understanding a person's actions & analysing his/her behaviour.
3. Opportunities in Psychology & pathway to a career in the same.
The practice of Counselling Psychology encompasses a broad range of culturally-sensitive practices that help people improve their well-being, alleviate distress and maladjustment, resolve crises, and increase their ability to function better in their lives. With its attention to both to normal developmental issues and problems associated with physical, emotional, and mental disorders, the specialisation holds a unique perspective in the broader practice-based areas of psychology.
Currently, psychology isn't a very popular career choice in India, resulting in the lack of a large number of Psychologists in the country. This challenge has been created as an initial overview of the general practice of a counselling psychologist.
Suggest solutions to them on the basis of your analysis & research.
Get to know that person better.


An award of $40 million in damages to the parents of a child who was burned to death in a rear-end accident in a 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee was affirmed by a Georgia appellate court, which also upheld the trial court's findings that Chrysler had acted with reckless and wanton disregard for human life. Evidence showed that the company knew in 1998 of the safety benefits of placing the gas tank between the front and rear axles and of the risks of placing it in the rear, and had used mid-axle placement in other vehicles, and that the fuel tank would not have ruptured in this accident had it been located there (Chrysler Group, LLC v. Walden , November 15, 2016, McFadden, C.).
The child's parents brought suit against Chrysler Group, LLC, alleging that the company had acted with reckless and wanton disregard in the design or sale of the Jeep and breached a duty to warn of its hazards. A jury found for the parents and awarded them $120 million for wrongful death and $30 million for pain and suffering, and determined that Chrysler was 99 percent at fault [see Products Liability Law Daily's April 8, 2015 analysis]. The trial court denied Chrysler's motion for a new trial, conditioned on the parents' accepting a remittur of the awards to $30 million for wrongful death and $10 million for pain and suffering [see Products Liability Law Daily's July 29, 2015 analysis]. They agreed, and Chrysler appealed.
Reckless or wanton disregard. The appellate court found no error in the trial court's findings that Chrysler had acted with reckless or wanton disregard for human life in the design or sale of the Jeep. Although Chrysler argued that the design of its fuel tank fully complied with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, compliance is a factor for the jury to consider but does not make the company immune from liability. Similarly, the fact that there were 27 million vehicles on the road with rear-mounted fuel tanks indicated compliance with industry standards but did not prevent them from being held liable. Chrysler asserted that prior to the manufacture of the Grand Cherokee at issue, it had knowledge of only one rear-end accident involving a Jeep vehicle with a rear-mounted fuel tank from which fuel escaped. However, a Chrysler employee who managed the Grand Cherokee crash test program testified that in 1998, Chrysler knew that the gas tank in the 1999 Grand Cherokee was vulnerable and would be crushed in a rear impact. Other evidence showed that Chrysler knew of the benefits of placing the gas tank between the front and rear axles ("midship") and had done so in other vehicles, and that if the gas tank in the present vehicle had been located there, it would not have ruptured in this accident. From this evidence, a jury could conclude that Chrysler should have realized that there was a strong probability that harm would result.
Duty to warn. The appellate court agreed with the trial court's refusal to give a directed verdict to Chrysler on the parents' failure to warn claims because Chrysler had provided no warning of the dangers presented by a rear-mounted gas tank. Chrysler asserted that the parents did not establish proximate cause because they did not introduce evidence that they would have read a warning if one had been provided, or that the vehicle owner (the child's grandfather) would have communicated such a warning to them. However, whether the parents had established proximate cause in the absence of any warning was a question for the jury to decide.
Evidence of similar incidents. Evidence of 17 other rear-end accidents involving Jeep vehicles with the gas tank behind the rear axle in which fuel escaped from the gas tank was properly admitted by the trial court because these incidents shared a common design, common defect, and common causation with this accident. Even though 13 of the 17 accidents involved Jeep models with different fuel system and structural designs from the 1999 Grand Cherokee, each of those 13 involved a Jeep SUV with the gas tank in a similar location, NHTSA investigated all of these models in a single defect investigation involving the placement of the fuel tanks, and Chrysler's chief executive stated that tank-related fires in one model would prompt Chrysler to investigate the others. The parents' expert testified that this accident and the others all involved a rear impact that resulted in gas leakage, which showed common causation.
The court noted that references to the 1970s-era Ford Pinto were general references and not evidence of specific, discrete accidents, and found that the trial court had not admitted other-incident evidence involving the Pinto.
Chrysler's statistical experts. The appellate court upheld the exclusion of the testimony and statistical analyses of two experts for Chrysler to show the overall safety of the design of the vehicle compared to the overall safety of alternative designs. This evidence was excluded not only for lack of substantial similarity, but also for lack of relevance because it involved the overall safety of vehicles whereas the parents had challenged only the safety of the design of the fuel system in rear impacts. Furthermore, the probative value of their evidence was found by the trial court to be outweighed by prejudice and confusion from their testimony, and neither expert satisfied Georgia requirements for the admission of expert testimony. Chrysler did not challenge any of these other bases for exclusion.
NHTSA recall request letter and meeting. It was not erroneous for the trial court to have admitted evidence of NHTSA's Office of Defect Investigation's (ODI) recall request letter finding evidence of a defect, or evidence of a 2013 meeting involving Chrysler's chief executive, the head of NHTSA, and U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. Chrysler argued that the letter was inadmissible hearsay, but it was offered in part to cast doubt on the credibility of a subsequent ODI document closing the NHTSA investigation, which Chrysler had sought to offer, by showing that the meeting led ODI to change its opinion regarding the defect. Furthermore, the letter was not untrustworthy pursuant to FRE Rule 803 because ODI had conducted a years-long investigation and had received substantial data from Chrysler, from the fatality analysis reporting system (FARS), and from NHTSA complaint databases, and at least some of the findings were not labeled as tentative.
Damages. The jury's damages awards were not shown to have been the result of an improper motive and did not "shock the moral sense." The parents provided evidence that showed that the child was alive and conscious and may have lived up to a minute with the flames in contact with his body, and that there is no more painful way to die. While Chrysler argued that the trial court should have remitted the damages to be more in line with prior awards in Georgia, no two cases are precisely alike, and Chrysler did not meet its "heavy" burden of showing the trial court manifestly abused its discretion in its remittur.
The case is No. A16A1285.
Attorneys: Terry Otho Brantley (Swift, Currie, McGhee & Hiers, LLP) for Chrysler Group, LLC. Karsten Bicknese (Seacrest, Karesh, Tate & Bicknese, LLP) for James Bryan Walden.


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Home » USGBC Announces 65 Building Participants for LEED™ for Existing Buildings Pilot
USGBC Announces 65 Building Participants for LEED™ for Existing Buildings Pilot
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) recently announced that 65 buildings representing 51 companies and organizations have been selected for participation in the LEED for EB (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Existing Buildings) pilot program. These buildings comprise more than 17 million sq ft of floor space. Additionally, the companies and organizations participating in the LEED EB Pilot own or lease more than 400 million sq ft of buildings. This level of participation has made this the largest pilot of a LEED product due to market demand in USGBC history.
LEED, established by the USGBC, the building industry's leading authority on sustainable design and construction, was officially launched in the Spring of 2000 with the introduction of its first building rating standard, LEED 2.0 for New Construction and Major Renovations (LEED NB). LEED EB was developed to recognize and certify environmental performance in the more than 4.6 million buildings already standing.
During the past two years, the USGBC developed a draft version of LEED EB by taking LEED NB and turning its focus on building upgrades and building operations. It has also gone through the recruitment process for the pilot program, having sent out more than 2,000 invitations for participation to USGBC members, various government agencies, and other interested parties. LEED EB is for the initial and ongoing certification of the sustainability of existing buildings. Building owners that would like their building project to be considered for participation in the LEED EB pilot program may go to www.usgbc.org for more information.
"The response we received from the marketplace is very exciting," states Michael Arny, chairman of the LEED EB Committee and president of the Leonardo Academy, an environmental and energy issues not-for-profit organization. "It shows that building owners and managers want to use LEED EB to benchmark the continuous operation of their buildings in an environmentally sustainable way as much as architects and construction teams want to build green using LEED NB. Green is proving to be financially beneficial and LEED EB is designed to gather data demonstrating the financial benefits of green building operation.
"The 51 participants in the pilot," Arny added, "understand that it is not just the 17 million sq ft of space involved in the pilot program that will benefit from their efforts, but the more than 400 million sq ft of space that these organizations cumulatively own or lease that will be influenced by LEED EB."
The 65 buildings participating in the pilot program offer a good sampling of the general building industry, with commercial buildings representing nearly one-third of the entire program. Additionally, the pilot includes schools, government buildings, university facilities, and a hospital. Projects underway in 23 different states representing all corners of the country in addition to one in Ontario, Canada, and two buildings in Washington. These buildings and the collected data from their improvement projects and programs will help the USGBC fill unforeseen gaps and make any necessary adjustments to the requirements and strategies in the LEED EB rating system. After LEED EB is updated based on what is learned in the pilot, it will be presented to the USGBC membership for approval in an official balloting process in early 2003.
"The objective of pilot testing LEED For Existing Buildings," notes Steven Winter, chairman of the USGBC's board of directors and president of Steven Winter Associates, Inc., "is to make certain that this rating system is practical and workable for application in real buildings. It will be an important tool for market transformation to green operating practices in existing buildings and it will also enhance the USGBC's definition of what a green building is."
After gaining approval by the USGBC membership, LEED for Existing Buildings will provide guidelines as well as recognition for the ongoing greening building operations. This will give all building owners, facility operators, engineers, and contractors involved in maintenance, upgrades and operational improvements the opportunity to participate in LEED.
Leed (TM) For Existing Buildings Launches Pilot
USGBC Announces Top 10 States for LEED Green Building in 2018
USGBC announces top 10 countries, regions for LEED green building
California Adopts NFPA 5000™, Building Construction and Safety Code™, and NFPA 1, Uniform Fire Code™
Advanced Building Technologies for Sustainability
Low Energy Cooling for Sustainable Buildings
Siemens Building Technologies Div.
Watts Water Technologies


Lambing and lamb marking are finished for another year. Although my legs are still feeling slightly weary with the work it is great to watch the lambs growing and thriving.
There is a hill at the back of our house which is a popular spot for bunches of twin lambs to gather and have great ceilidhs. This is one sight that I don't think I will ever tire of watching and as a shepherd one of the most rewarding.
The season keeps marching on, whether you're ready or not, and this week we made a start at our dry clipping, with the tups, eilled ewes and ewe hoggs all losing their fleeces and being moved away to their summer grazings.
My Facebook and Twitter accounts have been slightly neglected over the lambing. Although I continued to post lots of pictures I found it difficult to answer all of the queries. Farming friends stepped into the breach and replied to many of the questions, which had a very wide and varied theme, especially from the foreign-based followers.
One article which recently took my attention when it came up on my Facebook news feed was the "Are Ewe Ok?" campaign launched by the Scottish Association of Young Farmers. What a great way of promoting mental health amongst the next generation of farmers and young people involved with land based industries.
Reading through the article, they are determined to break down the negative associations which surround mental illness. By the use of social media they are empowering their members to feel confident enough to talk openly about issues affecting them or their friends.
The general public's image of a farmer is somebody who must be happy because they are doing a job that they love. They don't see the loneliness faced by some in our industry, the anxiety about finances and the mountains of legislation and associated paperwork. The love that many farmers have for their work is often a doubled edged sword. When things go wrong some of us see it as a personal reflection of our own failures and weakness.
Farming has a high suicide rate. Our dad took his own life when I was twenty. It was a devastating and extremely difficult period. I can remember thinking for a long time afterwards that his actions would define who I was. The shame that was associated with his death would be something I carried with me for some time, but I was wrong and as my sister once said to me: "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger".
A farming friend, who lost a family member in tragic circumstances, summed up the resilience needed when you are faced with tragedy. She said: "you have to stay strong for everyone else that is left behind".
Both my sister and my friend were right in their sentiments. But credit to the Scottish Young Farmers Association for giving their members the tools for starting a very difficult but important conversation with someone who maybe be suffering in silence. That simply question of 'Are Ewe Alright?", may well be all that is needed to make a difference.


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A Showcase of scholarship, research, and creativity at the university of southern mississippi
Home > Faculty Publications > 20316
Scalable Methods For Directional Assembly of Fillers In Polymer Composites: Creating Pathways For Improving Material Properties
Anthony Griffin, University of Southern Mississippi
Yuanhao Guo, University of Akron
Zhendong Hu, Qingdao University of Science & Technology
Jianming Zhang, Qingdao University of Science & Technology
Yuwei Chen, Qingdao University of Science & TechnologyFollow
Zhe Qiang, University of Southern MississippiFollow
Polymer Science and Engineering
Polymer composites are ubiquitous and indispensable in numerous applications. Coupling the inclusion of reinforcing agents with methods developed to control filler distribution and orientation allow for significant enhancement in mechanical, thermal, electrical, and barrier/transport-related properties of composites. For practical implementation, ideal approaches to fabricating polymer composites with directionally assembled fillers must consider manufacturing compatibility, scale-up ease, and aligning efficiency. In this article, we will review a cost-effective and industrially relevant toolbox for preferential filler alignment in polymer composites. Three main strategies for aligning fillers within polymer composites will be discussed. Specifically, solution casting and compression molding can introduce compression force to assemble fillers along the in-plane direction of composite films, shear force can be developed during fiber spinning, film blowing, and uniaxial/biaxial stretching processes to align fillers along the shear direction, and external fields (both electric and magnetic fields) can direct assembly of fillers, typically along the out-of-plane direction. For each section, we not only highlight the mechanisms of these methods but also demonstrate the critical structure–property relationships through model examples. Finally, a perspective on future opportunities and challenges of anisotropic and performance-enhanced polymer composite preparation strategies is provided, with a particular focus on additive manufacturing.
Polymer Composites
Griffin, A., Guo, Y., Hu, Z., Zhang, J., Chen, Y., Qiang, Z. (2022). Scalable Methods For Directional Assembly of Fillers In Polymer Composites: Creating Pathways For Improving Material Properties. Polymer Composites, 43(9), 5747-5766.
Available at: https://aquila.usm.edu/fac_pubs/20316


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China's Win-Win Regional Strategy
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By:Srdja Trifkovic | April 01, 2016
Faced with a fresh barrage of threatening rhetoric by North Korea, its fourth nuclear test (January 6), and its subsequent successful launch of a ballistic missile capable of reaching the mainland United States, on March 31 President Barack Obama advocated closer security ties among America's chief allies in the Far East. More significantly, he also urged increased cooperation with China to discourage Pyongyang.
As world leaders gathered for the fourth Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, Obama first met with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Park Geun-hye. He then had a meeting with China's President Xi Jinping at which both leaders urged North Korea (DPRK) to give up its nuclear arsenal. Xi also agreed to fully implement the latest economic sanctions against the regime of Kim Jong-un which were imposed by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on March 2. The wording of that resolution was stronger than initially expected, primarily due to China's displeasure at Pyongyang's tendency to take Beijing's support for granted even when its actions run contrary to China's strategic interests.
China's longstanding priorities of "no war, no instability and no nukes" on the Korean Peninsula—in that order of priority—have produced ambiguous policies over the past decade. Two influential power centers in Beijing, the People's Liberation Army General Staff Department and the International Department of_the_Communist_Party, continue to regard North Korea as an important geopolitical buffer between China and South Korea. They see the stability of the DPRK regime as more important than its compliance with non-proliferation strictures. Following North Korea's second nuclear test (June 2009) China initially supported a sharply worded UN Security Council resolution, but in October of that year reversed its approach and effectively became North Korea's protector and enabler, with former prime minister Wen Jiabao saying it was necessary to "put all our efforts without fail to boost peace and stability in Northeast Asia."
The pendulum swung back again after Kim Jong-un succeeded his father Kim Jong-il (December 2011) and defiantly conducted DPRK's third nuclear test in February 2013, only weeks after Xi Jinping became China's "Paramount Leader." Xi responded by supporting a tough UNSC resolution and for the first time implementing actual sanctions. Six months later, at the bilateral summit in California, he told Obama that they were "the same in their positions and objectives." Nevertheless, to this day the Chinese leadership has continued to stress the need for peace and stability before denuclearization. At the same time, as CFR's Korea expect Scott A. Snyder has noted, Kim Jong-un has thus far had good reason to take Beijing's economic support for granted:
He knows that China's main objectives are to prevent instability and war on the peninsula, so he may judge that China may be willing to acquiesce to a nuclear North Korea to avoid the greater dangers of potential military conflict. Likewise, Kim can capitalize on Chinese geostrategic fears: For Beijing, the only thing worse than a defiant North Korean buffer is a shared border with a unified peninsula under Seoul's control, tied to the alliance with Washington.
There is in my opinion a neglected facet of China's Korean strategy which may explain Beijing's current policy and help us predict its future course. Ten months ago I wrote here that the South China Sea was fast becoming one of the key geopolitical battlegrounds of our time, because China's multibillion-dollar island-building campaign has suddenly altered the strategic equation in the region.
Since then China has conducted a rapid program of militarization of three of those new islands, building deepwater port facilities and long airstrips, bringing fighter jets, and installing powerful radar systems, anti-ship and surface-to-air missile batteries. This has "strengthened China's disputed claim to the entirety of the South China Sea, home to some of the world's busiest shipping lanes." The buildup has "challenged the military status quo in the Western Pacific since the end of World War II, bringing China closer to its goal of establishing a security buffer extending far from its coast—a dream of Chinese strategists since the Korean War."
In view of this audacious geopolitical challenge, Obama's call for increased cooperation with China to discourage Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions must be music to Xi Jinping's ears. It stands to reason that Beijing will agree to cooperate in chastising Kim Jong-un—for as long as this does not threaten the DPRK regime's internal stability—in return for America's tacit acceptance of China's strategic fait accompli in the South China Sea.
It is an even bet that U.S. policymakers will consider this as an unpleasant but necessary bargain. Japan and South Korea are primarily interested in containing the threat from North Korea, and their clout in Washington is far greater than that of the Philippines, Vietnam, and other claimants to the "Asian Mediterranean." On the grand Asian chessboard, Kim's recklessness in one area has helped strengthen China's position in another.
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