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GEOPOLITICSALERT
Caucusus
Israeli Entity
Erdogan's Win and New Powers Means Turkish Economy is His Burden
By: Jim Carey
Ankara (GPA) – President Recep Erdogan has won an election highly focused on the Turkish economy, but can he keep it afloat?
One of the main issues of the recent snap election in Turkey was the economy. Previously, the Turkish economy was the second fastest-growing economy worldwide but there are signs of a slow-down coming and with recent drops in the value of the Turkish lira, Erdogan, now an executive President has a new level of responsibility.
In the first two quarters of this year leading up to the snap election in Turkey, the Turkish economy has started to show signs that its recent years of record growth may be coming to an end. The largest of these red flags seen before the election was the rapid devaluation of the lira and double-digit inflation.
Related: Turkey Election: Erdogan Remains President, AKP/MHP Hold Parliament
While the currency did recently see a spike after a massive bond sell-off (combined to a lesser extent with Erdogan's win) and the economy has outperformed the lowered projections thus far it is still impossible to doubt that a major reason Erdogan, his Justice and Development (AK) Party, and their allies in the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), called the snap election out of fear of where the economy may be headed. With the original general election set for next year, there can be no doubt that Erdogan wanted to secure his new executive powers (granted by the 2017 referendum but just enacted this term) before the political landscape became more hostile.
Erdogan clearly understood the way the economy factored into the election this time making several public statements on policies he would enact after the election, such as lowering interest rates – a task typically reserved for the nation's central bank like in the US – to right the Turkish economic ship. Whether he will actually have the ability to do these types of grand maneuvers still remains to be seen but these may turn out to be counterproductive as many western economists claim Turkey actually needs to be considering a period of austerity at the moment. Erdogan's plans to remedy the economy are also making investors nervous as they see these plans to change things like interests rates as curtailing the independence of the Turkish central bank.
Erdogan has now also placed the Turkish economy in opposition to some of its traditional allies such as the US as tensions have crumbled to a point where the US may consider keeping Turkey from taking their new F-35 fighter jets home. While nobody can be certain the best thing for Turkey will be austerity, when the western powers are angry at your country while simultaneously telling you to tighten your belt, you may be setting yourself up for low-intensity economic warfare.
This has already been seen to some extent with recent threats by the US to sanction Turkey for their plans to purchase the Russian S-400 anti-air missile system. If Ankara does go through with this purchase they will find themselves in violation of the most recent Russian sanctions passed by Congress punishing entities that work with Russian defense firms.
Related: Turkey S-400 Delivery Moved up Despite Possible US Sanctions
The US likely won't be happy about having to decide whether they will sanction Turkey but this does seem like a decision they will have to make soon. Yet if Washington does follow through with punishing Ankara for buying the S-400s, Turkey should be wary because this could signal a willingness by the US to go further in punishing Turkey. There have already been warnings the purchase of the S-400 could tank the F-35 collaboration that Turkey is a member of so this should be taken as a sign that some sectors of the US are ready to move against Erdogan.
Turkey has also been swept up in US President Donald Trump's trade war and has seen tariffs slapped on billions of dollars worth of Turkish exports to the US. Turkey obviously isn't alone in this scenario, and much like the EU has begun the process of enacting retaliatory tariffs, but their position of isolation from the west as a whole could leave them more vulnerable than countries like Germany or France.
The Turkish economy and the imperial President
As for Erdogan himself, some of the factors dragging down the economy could be changed by him any time he chooses. Primary among these is the current state of emergency that was enacted after a failed coup in July of 2016.
Over these past two years, the state of emergency combined with Erdogan's seemingly-erratic behavior has played a role in scaring off those with capital looking to make long-term investments in Turkey. Erdogan pledged during the election to end the state of emergency but he still maintains some many of the emergency powers under the new constitution that make investors nervous.
Turkey election means changes to the Presidency
Related: Turkey Election: Erdogan Pledges to Lift State of Emergency After Presumed Victory
How Erdogan chooses to exercise these powers in the future will determine much of the foreign investment coming into the Turkish economy, which it depends on to a large extent. However, a majority of investment in Turkey still comes from the west so Erdogan will also have to balance his economic priorities with his confrontations with the west. Whichever way things go from here, the expanded powers Erdogan craved so badly are now his and that means so is much more of the responsibility for the Turkish economy. An imperial Presidency brings imperial responsibility.
Turkish Lira Hits Record Low, Days After Erdogan's New…
Why Recep Erdogan Sometimes Says Cool Things
Turkish Snap Elections Set for June as Erdogan Looks to Secure Power
The AKP's Recent Election Loss May End Up Tearing the Party Apart
Turkish Lira Loses Almost all Gains After Interest Rate Hike
Erdogan Says 'US Shot Turkey in the Foot'
Moving East? Turkey Received $1 Billion from Currency Swap with China
Turkish Election: AKP Opponent Muharrem Ince Holds Rally for…
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In this commentary for Investing.com, GFG Capital Co-Founder Eduardo Gruener discusses conscious investing and all the potential these investments have to accomplish.
Investors are oftentimes in the position that many defenders are in when it comes to playing this game with Mr. Market. Keeping your head on a swivel is close to the only thing you can do as an investor.
The conventional wisdom seems to have found firm footing in the camp of beating the market is not worth the time or effort. We'll take the other side of that argument.
Understanding normalcy in terms of volatility and cycles is key to staying the course and not overreacting to changes in the environment. But be advised, winter is here.
Citywire recently sat down with GFG Capital Co-Founder and Managing Partner Mauricio Gruener to discuss how the firm has been handling this year's volatile U.S. market and how they are preparing for the possibility of the bull market ending.
U.S. News & World Report recently spoke with GFG Capital Co-Founder Mauricio Gruener to find out how these rising interest rates could affect the housing market.
Eduardo Gruener in ValueWalk: Why Is This Recent Market Volatility Different?
GFG Capital Co-Founder Eduardo Gruener recently provided insights into the current market volatility in an article published in ValueWalk.
Separation of party and portfolio has long been our mantra. With the midterm elections upon us, we'd like to take a second to remind investors of this once again.
The year has proven to be an exceptionally interesting time to be alive in the global capital markets that, up until the start of October, saw very strong, above-average paced U.S. equity market returns.
The first 273 days of the year are in the books and assuming your focus is on the United States equity market, it's been quite an impressive year.
In 1995, the parents of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos may have made the most successful venture investment of all time.
Dry powder. Liquidity. Scratch. Paper. It seems that investors and those responsible for the building and management of portfolios have no shortage of nicknames for their cash position.
Coming off one of the greatest statistical anomaly calendar years for U.S. equities in 2017, the first three months of 2018 followed suit with its own unique environment for multi-asset investors.
"Know what you own and why you own it." Peter Lynch earned his way into the Mt. Rushmore conversation of investors.
You've done all of the hard(er) work. The entire process of seeking out investment advice, learning what it takes to reach your goals, building the relationship with your advisor.
GFG Co-Founder Eduardo Gruener explains in the Miami Herald why your home carries a closer resemblance to a liability than it does an asset.
Eduardo and Mauricio Gruener, co-founders of GFG Capital, will be featured speakers at the Private Wealth Management Summit in Palm Beach, Florida in early June.
GFG Co-Founder Mauricio Gruener was featured in Campden FB, discussing the four steps to planning for family governance without borders.
Yield curves, flattening, inverted, recessions, 2-10 spread, risk premia: these all might sound like answers to a Family Feud category if Steve Harvey said to name something that is confusing investors today.
"If I gave you $X, what would you buy today?" This question was posed to us this week during a client conference call. A fairly straight forward question, but one that doesn't exactly have a straight forward answer.
It wasn't even two months ago that the market was throwing a complete temper tantrum and volatility burst through the wall like the Kool Aid Man.
After the first three months of trading in 2018, investors have been swiftly and not so politely reminded of one of the fundamental characteristics of markets.
The moves in the market last week carry much more weight in our eyes than what happened in February. February's market behavior was not the result of a single culprit, but instead a natural market breather attributable to a basket of reasons.
Trust issues. The pitfall to any relationship. Your relationship with your advisor is no different. You've entered a relationship with someone, or a team of individuals, who are qualified to help you reach your financial goals.
Risk within the discussion of investing tends to mean different things to different people. Most commonly, risk is perceived as volatility in price swings.
Extremely low (non-existent in some cases) yielding opportunities have forced investors to ignore the $400T gorilla in the room to a certain extent, while they've sought out alternative opportunities in the equity market.
In an economy a long time ago, in a country not far, far away at all... A period of economic depression.
There's a paradigm shift unfolding right in front of our eyes. The most encouraging part? This evolution of public demand for accountability is being driven by some of the smallest, and youngest, voices we have.
"Just buy the ETF and you'll be fine." This, or some derivative of it, has probably been said to each and every one of us in our investing experiences.
Half of the world's population is female. While that might seem like it's pretty logical, the fact that women only account for half of the humans, doesn't mean they carry half of the influence.
Day to day, we encounter limitations (actual and psychological) placed on everything around us by some measurement of time. Practical or not, these limitations of time and age trickle down to the deep crevasses of our mind, subconsciously dictating our perception of reality.
Return on investment. What is it? Well, it's pretty simple really; you put capital in and you get something in return. But what if it didn't have to stop there?
There's one topic that chronically makes its way into investors' inboxes with attention-grabbing subject lines that often leads them to looking to be proactive (which we applaud in practice), and that's volatility.
Recent comments from U.S. leaders have thrusted the dollar back into the spotlight, so here is some food for thought on what you've been hearing about the greenback.
What is it? What does it mean to me? Why does it matter? How much can I take on? How much should I take on?
Past performance is not indicative of future returns. You've read it on just about every piece of commentary or marketing material pertaining to an investment proposal.
In light of the moves across markets over the last few sessions it is important to take a moment to address some of the causes of these gyrations and how we should be digesting them.
The internet's exponential expansion couldn't have been anticipated. What has been treated similarly to the autobahn to this point is now in jeopardy of having new lanes carved out, tolls enacted and speed traps set in place.
If you didn't heed the warnings coming into 2017 to knock down the borders of your portfolio, then you might have left some performance on the table. The good news is, the themes we're about to dive into point to some of these trends continuing, so it may not be too late.
Disruption. It's what moves us forward as a society. Often times led by technology, disruption is what helps us evolve as individuals as well as investors.
Last Friday while the majority of us called it quits for the week, it seems like the U.S. Government decided to put in overtime.
Eduardo Gruener, founder of GFG Capital, was featured in an article published in CityWire magazine discussing the impact of technology in the wealth industry.
This word has six letters and it starts with a 'b.' Can you guess it? Bubble.
Stocks and bonds moved largely in unison during the third quarter of the year as global equity and bond markets managed positive periods across the board.
In our commentary looking ahead to the third quarter, we discuss our views on asset classes, market drivers that will affect the global financial markets in the coming third quarter.
In this piece, we will cover many of the themes that are driving investments within Mexico today, ranging from macro trends, equities, fixed income and currency.


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Domestic Violence Injunction Violations
St. Petersburg Lawyers Defending Parties in Criminal Proceedings
If you are accused of domestic violence in St. Petersburg, you face not only the possibility of criminal penalties, but also the likelihood that the victim will ask for a domestic violence injunction. A domestic violence injunction is a court order that prohibits or limits contact between family or household members when one has committed violence against another. The court puts the order in place, but unlike a no contact order in connection with criminal charges, the victim petitions separately for it. A knowledgeable St. Petersburg domestic violence attorney can help you navigate the legal issues associated with this kind of injunction.
In Florida, domestic violence includes a range of crimes committed where the victim and perpetrator have a family or household relationship. You can be charged with domestic violence where you have the requisite family or household relationship with the victim and you committed stalking, aggravated stalking, assault, aggravated assault, sexual battery, sexual assault, battery, aggravated battery, kidnapping, false imprisonment, or other crimes that cause death or physical injury against the victim.
Under Florida Statutes section 741.30, somebody who is a victim of domestic violence or reasonably believes he or she is at imminent risk of becoming a domestic violence victim has standing to file a sworn petition, asking the court for a domestic violence injunction. Family or household members can also swear and file this type of petition. If the court grants the petition or puts in place a temporary injunction before a hearing is held, you can be subject to the domestic violence injunction sought by the purported victim.
It's important to realize that an injunction is a court order. If you violate a domestic violence injunction, you can be charged with a first degree misdemeanor. That means you could face a maximum of a year in jail, 12 months of probation and a $1000 fine. Under certain circumstances, a violation constitutes aggravated stalking, which is a felony. To obtain a conviction, a prosecuting attorney needs to show beyond a reasonable doubt: (1) you repeatedly, maliciously, or willfully, (2) cyberstalked, harassed, and repeatedly followed someone else, (3) while an injunction was entered for the victim's protection against domestic violence (or certain other forms of violence), and (4) you knew the injunction was entered against you. Most often, aggravated stalking charges are brought when there are multiple injunction violations that have been calculated to threaten or harass.
Terms and Length of an Injunction
The language of the injunction will dictate its terms and how long it will be in place. You should be aware that a circuit court judge can order an injunction to stay in full force and effect permanently. In other words, it could last indefinitely unless the court orders it dissolved or modified. Neither you nor the victim can change the rules put in place by the injunction without first getting the court to modify the injunction terms.
Types of Violations of Domestic Violence Injunctions
There are different kinds of domestic violence injunction violations. You might be charged for a violation involving your refusal to vacate a home shared with the victim, going within 500 feet of the victim or their home or job, intentionally threatening to perpetrate violence against the victim, or committing another act of domestic violence against the person who is protected. You could also be charged for calling the victim or contacting the victim on social media. You could be charged for intentionally going within 100 feet of the victim's car whether or not he or she is in it. You could also be charged for defacing the victim's car or other personal property.
Consult an Experienced Domestic Violence Attorney in St. Petersburg
Domestic violence is a serious offense. A conviction for domestic violence can change your life in many ways. Additionally, if you are subject to a domestic violence injunction, your activities will be significantly constrained. An experienced lawyer can help if you're charged with a domestic violence injunction violation in St. Petersburg. The skillful founder of Hanlon Law, Will Hanlon, is committed to providing strategic defenses to those accused of criminal offenses. Please contact Hanlon Law at 727.897.5413 or via our online form.
Call Today 727.897.5413 24 Hour Hotline 813.334.3910
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As a practicing attorney, I was shocked to hear that a family member of mine was alleged to have committed a sex crime. Knowing full well the consequences this type of allegation can have on anyone and their future, I immediately reached out to William Hanlon for help. I had every confidence that Mr. Hanlon had the knowledge, expertise, and experience to handle this problem. Approximately 4 weeks from an initial conference with Mr. Hanlon, we received a call with the news that a letter of release was being issued and the case was being dropped. Now my family member can finally exhale, take a deep breath, and go on with his life. Thank you, William! Jerry
Was on the ball. Remembered names, events, places, situations. Never need to re explain the situation. Keeps in touch through out the entire experience and keeps you feeling safe, comforted and protected. Fights hard. Worth every single penny. Would never settle for anything less than Will. Carrie
I was facing a charge that if convicted would carry two years in prison minimally. Not only was he empathetic and listening to what I had to say but he arranged with the prosecutor for my charges not to be filed under terms of a pre trial investigation. Would highly recommend. Alec
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Mr. Hanlon did what no other lawyer could do. Not only did he turn my criminal history into a thing of the past so I could move on, he was a loyal associate. No matter how bad the situation is, he has miraculously cleared me on every charge since he became my lawyer 5 years ago. I have the best lawyer that the legal system has to offer. I have had other really good lawyers try to get my business, but I know that no one can do a better job than William Hanlon. Jesse
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Keyring for a guaranteed summer feeling, all year round. Going out with a flamingo and coming home with a flamingo, it always feels tropical!


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influential games
All the cool kids are doing a list of ten influential games. Let's try this instead: I'll talk about each of the games that influenced me. I dunno if we'll get to ten. I may or may not do them all in one post. Let's find out.
Well, since this was the first role-playing game I played it would be pretty hard to say it wasn't influential. But it was first only by accident — a game that happened to be around because someone got it for a gift and it had a compelling cover. So, influential because it was first. Influential because it hinted at other possibilities. But that's about it — it only influences current design insofar as it influenced my influences. The whole model of roll to hit, roll for damage, the centricity of combat, the level and class architecture, and the presence of an advancement mechanism as a motivator are all things I've left behind. Even quasi-medieval fantasy is a lot more in my past than my present. It likely influences in ways I don't recognize, but at the top level, the cognizant level, the level of my brain where I serialize ideas in language, it has no impact except sometimes as a list of things to avoid. It was first and that's it.
Let's look:
Lists of monsters. Nope.
Lists of equipment. Nope.
Experience points? Nope.
Character classes? Levels? Maybe…nope.
Spell lists! Nope.
Alignment? Surely alignment! Nope.
Rolling for initiative at least?! Nope.
Stats and modifiers? Nuh uh.
Random encounters? Nope.
Races? Hmm, sort of. Sometimes. But warily.
The game is mostly a list of things I would gradually shed.
Now this game was influential. I'm very glad I discovered it so early because it immediately called into question all the things D&D was trying to entrench. No advancement (I know there are sort of advancement rules but seriously, not in the same ballpark at all). No magic. I was never a reader of fantasy anyway — I was a Clarke and Asimov nerd as a kid. We played OLD PEOPLE — sometimes as ancient as 40! Doddering! I found that weirdly exciting. I was going to play an adult and so presumably doing adult things.
That's a big deal as an influence: doing grown up things in a world that feels real. Sometimes mundane things. Paying the bills. But adult. That's a major sea change from D&D.
Replacing classes with life paths was also a big deal: it taught me early that not only were there a lot of ways to make a character but I only knew two and they were totally different! This implied that there were even more and even more divergent possibilities.
It also had complex construction rules for spacecraft and that suggested all kinds of things you could construct using this basic model: here's some space, fill it with doo-dads that have different cost metrics (mass, credits, program space) and calculate stats from this list. Mind blown!
And then of course the rich random setting generation was obviously influential — we'd use it in our first game, Diaspora, and most afterwards.
It was still strangely combat centric and that combat was still roll-to-hit-then-roll-for-damage so I wasn't yet exposed to alternatives there, but the rest of the game was so very different that it seemed like everything was questionable.
Traveller was revelatory.
There were lots of games played after Traveller but precious few I would consider influential. And then…
Yeah I don't think there was anything really influential between Traveller in, what, 1979 or so and then this. Lots of games, but nothing I'd point to and say that shaped my tastes today and certainly not my design ideas.
But at some point in the late 80s I stopped playing role-playing games altogether and that lasted at least ten years. And then 3e came along.
When I saw it, it was the perfect time. I had some friends who were likely players. I was feeling a wave of nostalgia. I had a big table.
I prepped and ran long campaigns with new friends and old friends. I connected with my would-be co-authors. We had great times.
But as with D&D Basic, I don't think it had an influence other than reinforcing the seminal: this was role-playing and I wanted to keep playing. And now maybe start writing. So an influence because it influenced me to get back into this stupid hobby.
The place where I bought my D&D stuff had some indie titles and one that I saw early on was this Burning Wheel thing. It hybridized fantasy with life path character generation. It had some compelling technology for rewarding certain kinds of behaviour. And it installed the idea that the traditional GM might be something you want some mechanical defense against — the idea that the role could be abused and that rules could help.
Sure, dice pools, and so on, yeah those were novel to me but not influential.
The influential thing here was first that this was put together by someone that wanted to, on personal budget. Printed in relatively small numbers. This represented something I could do. It wasn't something that came from the glossy world of Publishing. It came from the world of gamers.
So the critical influence of Burning Wheel was the invitation to start designing my own games. The idea that my creativity might productively extend beyond just playing the game. And it made me think about the social roles of the people playing and about games as influencers of behaviour. Games as mind control, if you will.
Okay more next time. That's good for today.
next influences…
Posted on 28th Nov 2018 30th Nov 2018 by bradjmurray in design, nostalgia	1
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ISSA president invited on to EMAC
Saeed Al Malik, President of the International Shipsuppliers & Services Association (ISSA), has been invited to join the Board of Trustees of the Emirates Maritime Arbitration Centre, EMAC.
It follows the issuing of a decree by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai.
The Decree stipulates Majid Obaid bin Bashir Al Muhairi as the Chairman of the Board and Richard Briggs as the Vice Chairman. Members of the Board also include Dr. Mohammed Saeed AI-Kindi, Saadi Abdul Rahim Al Rais, Ahmed Essa Al Falahi, Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Mohammed Yusuf Al Muallem, Saeed Abdul Kareem Al Malik, Abdulkareem Mubarak Al Masabi, Abdulaziz Abdulrahman Sabri, Jitendra Misra, Esam Abdullateef Balla and Rania Tadros.
EMAC was set up by the Dubai Government to provide the finest maritime arbitration services. Its role includes the supervision of the processes of mediation and arbitration in accordance with the regulations instated. EMAC offers a hybrid-form, ad hoc arbitration with a light-touch case management and regulations that allow for emergency arbitration and fast-tracking. The centre enjoys financial and administrative independence, in order to provide its services with full transparency and impartiality.
Mr Al Malik's appointment to the board is seen as underlining the importance of his role in the Dubai maritime sector. It is also seen as a feather in the cap for ISSA which has members in Dubai and the Emirates and has held its annual Convention in the region many times before.
He said: "I am delighted to have been asked to sit on the EMAC Board of Trustees. The work of the centre is important to Dubai and the wider region and I look forward to contributing to its growth and importance over the coming months."


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Inquiry Trip Details
Boudhanath Stuppa
Just as Pashupatinath Temple draws thousands of Hindu pilgrims, Boudhanath has been the ultimate pilgrimage and prayer site for Buddhists ( of course Hindus also revere this site ). Located only 11 km from central Kathmandu, the stupa dates back to the 14th Century and is supposed to have taken seven years to complete. It is the largest single chorten ( stupa ) in the world and the largest spherical stupa in Nepal. Apart from the soil, bricks and stone used for the construction of this massive dome-like structure with the gilded spire on the top, many kilograms of gold were used for its decoration. Known as 'Khasti' in Nepali and 'Jyarung' in Tibetan, it has been incorporated in the World Heritage Site by UNESCO since 1979. The remains of Kassapa Buddha are said to be entombed in the stupa.
Tibetans have been doing trade for centuries with Nepal and Boudha has always been a place of rest and prayer for Tibetans once they entered Kathmandu via the trade route from Sankhu. In addition, there was a substantial influx of Tibetan refugees in the 1950's when they fled persecution in Tibet and since then have chosen to settle in Boudha. As a consequence there are fifty or so odd Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in the surrounding area – with more being established.
Despite urbanization and the mushrooming of businesses and tourist interests, Boudha still retains that spiritual and mystical aspect of the days gone by; saffron clad monks, sweet burning incense, butter oil lamps, Buddhist devotees who turn the prayers wheels as part of their karma and curio and traditional handicraft shops that line the fringes of the stupa is a test of your senses which gives you an insight into the bygone days.
Boudha has over the years become a thriving tourist hub with all its selection of cafes and restaurants and numerous lodges and hotels.
Unfortunately, the catastrophic earthquake of April 25 2015 did some damage to the golden spire and the stupa has been restoration since November 2015 and is nearing completion.
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The Dodge Intrepid has a direct ignition system that requires three ignition coils. This part converts the battery's energy to a higher voltage required to fire the spark plugs in the vehicle's engine. A defective ignition coil will cause your engine to stop working, misfire, or even fail to start. Fortunately, replacing the Dodge's ignition coil is fairly straightforward. All you need are a few hand tools and a few minutes and your engine will be running smoothly again.
Check if the ignition coil is indeed defective. Check the vehicle's ignition coil for any carbon tracking. Check the insulator boot of the spark plugs as well. If you find any tracking, you will need to replace the coil. If you have a spark tester on hand, you can also do this test. Take out the ignition coil and remove the car's upper intake. Attach the spark tester onto the ignition coil then put back the intake. Crank your car's engine and watch the spark tester. You should see a blue spark jumping the gap in your tester. If there are no sparks, you will need to install a brand new ignition coil.
Prepare the supplies and tools that you will need to replace the ignition coil. This project will require a set of screwdrivers, a torque wrench, a clean cloth, a roll of masking tape, and the new ignition coil. Because production of the Intrepid has been discontinued, you may have some problems finding a replacement for this component. Go online and search for stores that still carry replacement parts for this Dodge model. When you search for the parts online, make sure that you inquire for an ignition coil and a coil pack. Some stores consider these car parts to be identical, while others differentiate between the two.
Ready the Dodge Intrepid for the replacement of its ignition coil. Shut off the car's engine and wait until it has completely cooled down before popping its hood. To avoid any injury caused by electrocution, disengage the negative cable from its battery. To avoid accidental connection, wrap the end of the batter cable with the clean cloth. Don't forget to engage the car's emergency brake to keep it from rolling away as you work under the hood. Find the car's coil pack. It is attached to its cylinder head. Using some masking tape, mark the ignition coil wires before unplugging them from the coil pack. Unfasten the electrical connectors of the wiring harness from the pack.
Take out the defective ignition coil. To be able to slide out the coil pack, unscrew the mounting screws using an appropriate screwdriver. Gently pull out the ignition coil pack from under the bracket used for mounting. Isolate the defective ignition coil that you want to replace. Loosen any fasteners keeping it in its place.
Position the replacement coil back into the Dodge Intrepid's coil pack. Make sure that you put in the new coil exactly the same way that the old one is installed. Refasten all the screws that you removed in the previous steps. Tighten the screws used for mounting the pack. Use a torque of about nine foot pound using your torque wrench. Once all the parts have been put pack properly, remove the tapes that you used for labeling.
You are now finished replacing your car's ignition coil, so begin reattaching the battery cables that you disconnected. Restart the engine. The replacement ignition coil should transmit sufficient power to the car to start it up with no trouble. Take the Dodge Intrepid for a test drive to ensure that the ignition coil has been correctly installed.


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Grab Your Tickets Today
2019 Masterclass Speakers
Say hello to our first masterclass speakers.
Alexandra Willis
Alexandra Willis, Head of Communications, Content and Digital, The Championships, Wimbledon
Alexandra has achieved industry-wide recognition in her use of technology to transform the perceptions of a traditional brand in her role at Wimbledon, building an award-winning digital and communications strategy that is at the heart of the long-term future of the brand. Through the combination of a content-first, platform second approach, a data-led audience strategy, and placing value on consistent innovation as well as continuous evolution, Alexandra has led Wimbledon to become one of the most well-respected digital brands in sport.
She was named one of the BIMA 100 2018, Drum Digerati 2018 & 2017, Sports Technology Young Exec of the Year 2017, and Leaders Under 40 and Sport Industry NextGen Classes of 2016.
She has an MA in History from Oxford University and an Executive MBA from Harvard Business School.
Phil Stuart
Phil Stuart, Founder & Creative Director, PRELOADED
Phil is founder and Creative Director of BAFTA-winning game studio PRELOADED. Since 2000 he has worked with game-based technologies to create playful, purposeful experiences for adults, young people and kids.
Over the past 18 months he has focussed on bringing purpose to immersive platforms; working with WITHIN on their voice-based AR story platform, exploring accessibility in AR with BBC R&D and partnering with VIVE Arts and Google VR on landmark factual experiences. Currently he is working with Magic Leap on a new MR educational experience.
Outside of PRELOADED he sits on BAFTA's Games committee and BIMA's Immersive Council. In 2019 he also gave his first TEDx talk: 'Games with Purpose - a manifesto for the role of games beyond entertainment'.
Sol Rogers
Sol Rogers, CEO & Founder, Rewind
Sol Rogers is the CEO and founder of REWIND. The company uses new technologies to deliver immersive (VR/AR/MR) solutions for the world's largest companies, agencies, and brands.
Sol is also the Chairman of the BAFTA Immersive Entertainment Advisory Group and the Chairman of Immerse UK, the first nation-wide network for immersive companies. Sol's leadership of REWIND and his respected position within the industry sees him regularly speaking at international events, quoted in the media, and appearing on TV.
Prior to founding REWIND, Sol was a senior university lecturer for 15 years in digital animation, VFX and emerging technology. Teaching over 1,300 students, writing four degrees, two masters and supervising PHDs during his tenure.


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Michele Bachmann's comments on 9/11 and the Muslim Brotherhood
By Julie Kliegman on Wednesday, September 11th, 2013 at 2:21 p.m.
Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., spoke about the Muslim Brotherhood in a press conference Saturday.
U.S. Representative Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., travelled to Egypt last week as part of an eight-member House delegation. She held a televised press conference with Reps. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, and Steve King, R-Iowa, where she spoke of the recent coup in Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood and the 9/11 attacks in the United States.
"We've seen the threat that the Muslim Brotherhood has posed around the world," she said Saturday. "We stand against this great evil. We are not for them. We remember who caused 9/11 in America. We remember who it was that killed 3,000 brave Americans. We have not forgotten. We know that you have dealt with that enemy as well."
Was Bachmann blaming the Muslim Brotherhood for the 9/11 attacks? Or, was she making a more general statement that both Egypt and the United States should fight extremists?
Dan Kotman, Bachmann's press secretary, told PolitiFact in an email that her comments were not meant to imply that the Muslim Brotherhood caused 9/11. Her main point was that the United States and Egypt need to maintain their resolve against terrorism in general, Kotman said.
Bachmann's comments struck us as open to interpretation, so we won't rate them on our Truth-O-Meter. Nevertheless, we thought it was worth taking a closer look at the Brotherhood, al-Qaida and misconceptions about the attacks.
Who is the Muslim Brotherhood?
The Brotherhood is an Islamic political and social movement founded in Egypt in 1928. Today, they have millions of members throughout the Middle East.
In Egypt and other countries, the Brotherhood has frequently been oppressed. After Hosni Mubarak was ousted from the Egyptian presidency in 2011, the group was legalized. Then Mohamed Morsi, the Brotherhood's candidate for president, won election in 2012, but was overthrown in a military coup and arrested in 2013.
In recent memory the Brotherhood has not supported violence as a means of changing political processes in Egypt, wrote Dave Siegel, Duke University political science professor, in an email.
The Brotherhood has been a part of violent resistance before, Siegel wrote. And members unhappy with the movement's political turn have contributed to al-Qaida's material and spiritual growth.
Whether or not the Brotherhood can ever get another leader elected to office, they're not going away, said Tony Gaskew, a criminal justice professor at the University of Pittsburgh who studied the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt on a Fulbright-Hays fellowship. It would weaken Egypt and the region to drive them out with force, he added.
"They support the tenets of democracy within the political process, which really separates them from a lot of social movements in the Middle East," he said.
Al-Qaida and Sept. 11
Former President George W. Bush named al-Qaida as the group responsible for 9/11 in a public address just days after the attack.
"Al-Qaida is to terror what the mafia is to crime," Bush said.
While the Muslim Brotherhood focuses on politics within countries like Egypt, al-Qaida seeks to liberate the Middle East from imperialist rule, which they think was implemented to keep the Muslim world divided and weak, said James Gelvin, a Middle Eastern history professor at UCLA.
In 2002, Bush formed the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States to provide a complete account of the attacks and recommendations for the future. They published their report in 2004.
The commission frequently referred to al-Qaida in explaining its makeup and recommending future action. By contrast, there are only five references to the Muslim Brotherhood in the 585-page document.
One mention is to explain that Osama Bin Laden relied on the writings of Sayyid Qutb, a Brotherhood member. The report also described Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the principal 9/11 architect, as having once been a member of the Brotherhood.
The fact that a 9/11 terrorist had a tie to the Muslim Brotherhood isn't surprising to Gaskew.
"It is impossible to be socially active in the Middle East and not have come into contact with the tenants of the Muslim Brotherhood," he said. "They are extremely active in creating and sustaining social services, educational services, employment programs and health care programs."
Many people leave the Muslim Brotherhood due to the social movement's opposition to violence, Gaskew said. They have repeatedly denounced violence, Gaskew said.
The Muslim Brotherhood and al-Qaida aren't on good terms with each other, Siegel said.
"(The Muslim Brotherhood's) methods -- focused more on the political process than pure violence -- have actually been explicitly criticized by Bin Laden, who accused it of betraying the cause," Siegel wrote in an email. "It is certainly not responsible for 9/11."
Researchers: Julie Kliegman
Names in this article: Michele Bachmann
BBC News, "Text: Bush Address to Congress," Sept. 21, 2001
Brookings Institution, "Don't Fear Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood," Jan. 28, 2011
Email interview with Dan Kotman, Michele Bachmann's press secretary, Sept. 10, 2013
Email interview with Dave Siegel, Duke University political science professor, Sept. 10, 2013
National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, "The 9/11 Commission Report," July 22, 2004
New York Times, "Visiting Republicans Laud Egypt's Force," Sept. 8, 2013
Phone interview with James Gelvin, UCLA Middle Eastern history professor, Sept. 9, 2013
Phone interview with Tony Gaskew, University of Pittsburgh criminal justice professor, Sept. 10, 2013
PolitiFact, "Glenn Beck On Al-Qaida Links to Muslim Brotherhood," Feb. 4, 2011
The Week, "WATCH: Michele Bachmann Flubs Almost Everything About Egypt," Sept. 9, 2013


That first visit to register at the baby superstore can be overwhelming. With all those aisles full of strollers, blankets, toys, bathtubs, clothing, bibs, highchairs etc. etc. (etc.!), that dazed and confused feeling is perfectly understandable. Not to worry: We've whittled down the possibilities into a list of the most important baby basics. Remember, you can always add or delete items later, so don't feel pressured to build the perfect baby registry all at once.
Nursing Bras: Any nursing mom will tell you that your pre-pregnancy bra just can't cut it for nursing. Youi'll need a bra that provides easy access for feeding and lots of support. But just because you're nursing doesn't mean you need to wear a plain and stodgy-looking bra.
One to try: Bravado nursing bras come in leopard prints and lace as well as basic cotton. The cups unclip to allow easy access for feeding but also provide excellent support to ease the strain on your breasts and back.


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MIKA GOROSPE
NEW MILLENIAL SINGING SWEETHEART
Mika Antonio Gorospe was born on December 19, 2001 in California, USA. She is the eldest of two children of Marlon and Gayle Gorospe and big sister to Logan. Mika started singing publicly at the early age of 8 where she began taking vocal lessons at PnC Music Co. At ten years old, she was already auditioning for various singing contest and performing through out the Bay Area's community events. This is when she was discovered by Joy Guzman (in the present co-manager w/ GMA Artist Center), who owns Wynnstar Talent Agency in California, USA and that's when she found her passion for music.
The most highlight and unforgettable moment of Mika's career is when she performed the US National Anthem for 2 consecutive years in Golden State Warriors Game (Dec. 2017 & Oct. 2018) which is surely thankful for the opportunity and so proud of it!
In early 2018, Mika joined one of the prestigious contest in GMA7 where she became TOP 11 finalist at THE CLASH" Season 1. At the conclusion of the show, Mika was one of the fortunate contest that was offered of an exclusive five year artist contract of GMA Artist Center.
Recently, last Feb 2020, Mika is now part of GMA Music Family. She inked a distribution contract for her 1st single w/ GMA Music entitled "Mahal, Paalam Na" composed by a Califonia based Diane de Mesa and released on Feb. 15, 2020!
Aside from her strong, natural, superb voice, Mika is also an ambassadress of Live2GiveU Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization from California in which its core objective is to provide free medical/dental/vision programs to the less fortunate families, especially children in the Philippines.
Mika is a dreamer and loves to be good role model for the youth! She wants to inspire new upcoming young performers like her to keep reaching their dreams. Mika's advice always are to keep practicing, pray and be patience and one day you're dreams will come true....
AMBASSADRESS OF
© 2017 Wynn Star Productions


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LutonChildren's Services Procedures Manual
LSCB Procedures
This quick guide explains how the manual works.
About this Manual
Amendments and the Next Planned Update
Glossary and National Contacts
Printing and Retaining Copies
Browser Recommendations
Mobile/Tablet Compatibility
1. About this Manual
This is the operational edition of Luton's Children's Social Care Procedures manual and replaces the former web enabled version. This manual contains the policies, procedures and guidance for Luton Children's Social Care. All previous policies, procedures and guidance should be discarded.
In an attempt to keep procedures succinct, procedures and more detailed guidance are separated - with links provided as appropriate:
Procedures summarise how Managers and Staff must act in given circumstances;
Guidance provides direction or advice to a decision or course of action;
Protocols are agreements between two or more departments or agencies.
A web-based version of the Luton Safeguarding Children Board has been incorporated into this manual. This can be accessed by clicking on LSCB Procedures button at the top of the screen.
A web-based version of Working Together to Safeguard Children has also been added as an Appendix to the manual.
For further details, please contact Glen Denham (Glen.Denham@luton.gov.uk).
2. Amendments and the Next Planned Update
This manual will be updated on a regular basis and a summary of the changes can be accessed via the 'Amendments' button on the Home page. The next planned manual update will take place in June 2020.
If you would like to suggest a change to the procedures manual discuss your suggestion with your line manager in the first instance.
Click here to view details of updates made to this manual.
3. Local Resources
This manual contains a local resource section which can be accessed via the button bar on the left of your screen. This library is populated and maintained locally. If there is a resource that you think should be added talk in the first instance to your manager.
4. Glossary and National Contacts
The manual is accessed by readers who may find terms that they are not familiar with. Therefore, a glossary of definitions is available under the resource tab.
There is also a National Contacts resource populated with details of key national agencies and organisations likely to be relevant to procedures user.
5. Regulatory Compliance
Every effort has been taken to ensure regulatory compliance. If you discover any errors or omissions, please alert your manager.
6. Register for Updates
We recommend that you register with us to automatically receive notification when this manual is updated, and to receive a monthly newsletter containing articles which may be of interest. Click on the 'Register for Updates' button on the home screen, to complete and send your details to us.
We will manage your data respectfully and in accordance with your preferences and we will never share your data with other organisations for marketing or other purposes.
The content of this website can be accessed, printed and downloaded in an unaltered form, on a temporary basis, for personal study or reference purposes. Content printed or downloaded may not be sold, licensed, transferred, copied or reproduced in whole or in part in any manner or in or on any media to any person without the prior written consent of tri.x and Luton Borough Council.
8. Accessibility
This website aims to achieve Double-A conformance to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines in accordance with government guidelines. In order to change font size or manual colour use the highlighted 'Accessibility' button at the top right hand corner of any page.
9. Printing and Retaining Copies
The manual is intended to be viewed on line to ensure only the most up-to-date version of procedures are being used. It will be updated regularly so, in the unlikely event there is a requirement for hard copies they should be destroyed after 72 hours.
10. Browser Recommendations
It is recommended that this manual is viewed with the latest browsers, with Java Script and cookies enabled for maximum compatibility and functionality.
Recommended browsers are:
Internet Explorer 11 (Windows 7, 8 and 8.1);
Microsoft Edge (Windows 10);
Google Chrome;
Mozilla Firefox;
Apple Safari.
11. Mobile/Tablet Compatibility
This manual has been tested on a variety of mobile devices to ensure that it displays correctly. However, if you find that you still cannot use the site select the 'mobile' option at the bottom of the screen. If you are using an older mobile device it is possible that the manual will not display correctly.
If you would like the text to be larger, resize the text under the accessibility options, alternatively if you would also like the buttons and the rest of the layout to be enlarged you can use the zoom function within your browser.
The majority of devices have the functionality to allow a shortcut to be downloaded to the homescreen by loading the site using the 'url' and using the upload function and tapping 'Add to Home Screen'. The functionality may vary between devices, please refer to the manufacturer's instructions.