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VIETNAM CULTURE GUIDE
Embark on our cultural journeys and dive into indigenous Vietnamese culture
Culture, Customs, Etiquette
Folk Art & Crafts
Travel Handbook
Travel Considerations
Learning about Vietnam Culture through Its Major Holidays
Rong Community Halls – The Pride and Soul of the Central Highlanders
The Stilt House – An Important Part of Vietnamese Vernacular Architecture
Thang Long Imperial Citadel – The Witness to Hanoi's Eventful History
Evolution of Vietnamese Men's Clothing in the Past 100 Years
Evolution of Vietnamese Women's Clothing Through Thousands of Years
A Spiritual Journey Through 7 Impressive Royal Tombs in Hue, Vietnam
The Three Types of Legendary Footwear in Vietnam Modern History
A Spiritual Journey to Explore the Space of Gong Culture in the Central Highlands
Au Manoir de Khai – French Essence Inside an Ever Shut Saigon Villa
Thiết Lập Tailor – Saigon "Witch of the curve"
The Beauty of Blackened Teeth in Vietnamese Ancient History
Should You Cry or Laugh at a Vietnamese Funeral?
Living as a Khmer in Ok Om Bok Festival
How Vietnamese People Tie the Knot – A Walk through Vietnam Modern History
Uncovering the 12 Mysterious Vietnamese Zodiac Signs
An In-Depth Understanding of Vietnam Culture and History through the Image of Conical Hats
Dong Ho Painting – A Quintessential Part of Vietnamese Folk Culture
Oxen Racing Festival & Don-ta Ritual of the Khmer in Southern Vietnam
The Timeless Beauty of Ao dai – the Vietnamese Traditional Dress for Women
5 Places to Trace Back the Eventful History of Saigon
Satisfy Your Penchant for Culture with these 6 Vietnamese Ancient Villages
The Mid-Autumn Festival then and now in Vietnam modern history
Lullabies and Their Value in Vietnam Ancient History
A Precious Piece of Hanoi Vietnam History Embodied in Hang Trong Paintings
7 Etiquettes in Vietnamese Culture for Travelers to Keep in Mind
Feel Love in the Air with a Visit to Love Market in Sapa
The history of Hue Vietnam through its Magnificent Architectural Works
7 Fun Facts about Vietnamese Culture You May or May not Know
The traditions of the fishermen's biggest festival in South Vietnam culture
10 Most Peculiar Wedding Traditions in Vietnam Culture
The Three Most Extraordinary Traits in Vietnam History and Culture
Architecture, Local Guide
Hue City is one of the most ancient destinations in Vietnam. Contemplating these architectural works is the most exciting and rewarding way to discover the history of Hue Vietnam.
1. The Imperial City and Royal Tombs – A glorious time
When you want to discover the history of Hue Vietnam, the Imperial City and Royal Tombs cannot be ignored. They are the last places where architectural and cultural traits of the Nguyen Dynasties remain.
In 1802, the first emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty, Nguyen Phuc Anh (Emperor Gia Long), was enthroned. He chose Hue City as the seat of power. The construction of the Imperial City was planned in 2 years, starting from 1805. Because this was the beginning of a new dynasty, the Imperial City was designed with three rounds and equipped with fortresses, moats, and weapons.
Everything aimed at protecting the royal family and the citizens. Also, the architects at that time based on geomancy as well as the Yin-Yang and Five Element theories to build a rigid Imperial City. If you pay attention, you will see that all of the buildings and houses face towards the South. It was a good direction for kings to rule the world, which had been remarked in the Book of Changes.
Inside a tomb (Source: Google)
This style is applied to the structure of Royal Tombs as well. Unlike the Imperial City, the Royal Tombs do not solely show the exclusiveness of the architecture in Hue City, which is the harmony of human and nature. They also disclose the personalities and the notions about life and death of the emperors. Profound philosophies about existence and the way of the world are hidden in every pattern.
For example, the structure of most of the tombs is sophisticated, resembling a palace. It proves how much the emperors love art and decoration. On the other hand, it also demonstrates the common thoughts of kings, in which the mundane world is only temporary. Even if you can live for a hundred years, your life is only a dream.
As a result, death is not petrifying. In fact, it must come someday so that the impermanence can end and the eternity can start. That is why you can find theaters, art museums, gardens, and many other landscapes within the tombs. They are the emperors' deliberate preparation for death.
2. Garden houses – The typical style of Hue people
Garden houses revive the history of Hue Vietnam in the late 19th century. You may think that they are just a combination of scenery and architecture. Nevertheless, they have cultural and historical values which make them a crucial heritage of Hue City.
Lac Tinh Vien Garden House (Source: Google)
Those are displayed through impressive characteristics, particularly the variety of genres. It means that a garden house can be created based on certain forms, such as a park or a royal garden. Popular gardens houses in the center and around the suburbs of Hue City that used to belong to the nobility follow those styles.
Some common ones that you can visit are the Phu Tuy Ly, Lac Tinh Vien, and An Hien Garden House. Their architecture has a principal and accessory design. This can tell how elegant the Hue people have always been. They know which detail needs highlighting and how to build a perfect background for it.
In that way, the primary scenery, including the trees, the flowers, and the grass, and the accessory parts, such as the gates, the hallways, and the rockeries, are always in sync. The beauty of people and landscapes in Vietnam in general and Hue City, in particular, is the main inspiration for the architects to design the garden houses.
3. French architectural works – A modernized Hue in French domination
French domination is a phase in the history of Hue Vietnam. It lasted for about 80 years. Therefore, the French left a great number of architectural works in this city. The style of architecture in Hue at this time represents an urbanizing city but still keeping its exclusiveness and antiquity.
The French constructions are relatively diverse with different types, such as public buildings, villas, or offices. All of them were arranged professionally and in a rational manner. Public buildings that you can notice in Hue are usually hotels, stations, museums, and schools. The most prominent ones which you will want to pay a visit are Morin Hotel, Hue Station, Hue University, or Hue High-school for the Gifted.
A French work of art in Hue (Source: Google)
Most of them have new-classic or pre-colonial designs. Especially, Hue High-school for the Gifted is a perfect combination of Vietnamese and French architecture. Its 2-layered roofs are usually seen in pagodas and palaces in Hue City. Some typical details that you often see in French works are Doric poles, 2-layered windows, thick brick walls, and wide hallways.
Unlike the public buildings, the villas follow the French and Indochinese architectural design. Their most eminent feature is that they are two or three-storied. The first floor is paved by stone and the second floor is tiled, which follows the fundamental principles in interior design. Windows are dome-shaped and also 2-layered. The sill rails are a little steep, faciliating rapid drainage.
Khánh Huyền
History of HueHistory of VietnamImperial CityRoyal Tombs
Culture, Customs, and Etiquette (9)
Folk Art and Crafts (4)
Travel Handbook (11)
Local Guide (9)
Travel Considerations (2)


Animatrix Network: Celebrating Our 20th Anniversary!
This is indeed a time for celebration! The Animatrix Network has reached a tremendous milestone: 20 years and counting, marking it as one of the oldest anime clubs in the Midwest. We are one of the original pioneers of anime fandom in the Chicagoland area. We owe much of our roots to the legendary Chicago Megazone, and many of our Animatrix members have participated in the founding and organization of several anime conventions, including the very successful Anime Central, which is considered to be one of the largest conventions of its kind in the nation.
Together as a club, we have sailed through some rough and tumultuous seas, but have weathered the storms over these past two decades on a great adventure through anime fandom. And during all that time, we have unwaveringly met consistently each month to be with good friends and to watch great anime.
The memories we have collected together are priceless. Come join us on July 25, 2015, as we celebrate our 20th Anniversary at the Wood Dale Public Library (yes, the same place where it all began), from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. This will be a "potluck," so please bring a hot or cold dish to share. Please RSVP via email (anim8trix@sbcglobal.net) to let us know if you plan on attending. Parking is very limited, so please consider public transportation. Share your Animatrix stories with old and new friends this July 25, 2015!


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Note: The download hyperlink for: Proxy Searcher finds working proxy servers for you you can locate at the finish of post. It argues that as a result of improved emphasis on continuous deadlines, the 'news story' is diversified into a fluid, often updated/corrected solution difficult current notions of news as a set piece of function. Having spent a extended time investigating beginning up a mobile cycle mechanic company I have taken the hard choice not to pursue that particular career path. Google's news web page makes use of a personal computer algorithm to pick headlines from thousands of news sites — generating a international news- stand, of sorts.
The CFA essentially constitutes a public-private partnership among Vodafone Group, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and TechnoServe that will have farmers get farming tips via text message, notifications about upcoming coaching sessions and events, genuine-time info about alterations in market place rates and introduction of mobile cash transfer using M-Pesa service in place of cash from December 2014 onwards. These internet sites also allow users to sustain relationships with close friends with no expending a lot effort.
In this case, with A regular college, the only technology that need to be present should be school offered tech. With a diverse portfolio in mobile network operations, communications infrastructure services and digital services, the Group pieces with each other the very best in connectivity, technology and folks in its vision of Advancing Asia. No matter whether national networks will overtake modest local startups or regional app networks will mix news with a selection of other nearby details, the terrain right here remains in flux.
I realized I am living in a globe with a new language, which is accelerated and altering each day. There are few studies investigating users' attitudes towards multimedia news on the internet. We are familiar with technologies such as GSM, WCDMA, HSPA, mobile WiMAX, LTE and TD-LTE. With dozens and dozens of news channels penetrating in the industry, it is not everyone's cup of tea to get into readers' hands. There are wise flowerpots connected to mobile apps that let caretakers know when houseplants get thirsty.
The typically critical attitude of Twitter customers towards the political establishment mirrors the approach of news and political bloggers to political actors, nearly a decade earlier, but the growing adoption of Twitter as a communication tool by politicians, journalists, and daily customers alike tends to make a repetition of the polarisation skilled at that time appear unlikely. Ncell's Managing Director, Simon Perkins mentioned: Ncell is more than just a mobile network provider we are a accountable corporate citizen of Nepal, and committed to perform closely with the Nepal government in the country's ambition to obtain socio-economic prosperity.


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Two Debuts at a Diner That Specializes in Donizetti's Secret Sauce
It was hard to tell if David Lomelí was laughing or crying at the warm, extended ovation that followed his big aria on Tuesday evening at the New York City Opera, but he certainly deserved all the applause and bravos. As the lovesick small-town bumpkin Nemorino in Donizetti's classic, deliriously entertaining comedy "The Elixir of Love," this 29-year-old tenor sang with sincerity and style and acted with energy in his New York stage debut.
He doesn't always make the loudest noise, but his sound is sweet and penetrating, with plenty of squillo, that "ping" in a tenor's tone that makes his voice seem to pop out several sizes larger than it is. Alternately dancing and pining, drunk and mournful, Mr. Lomelí captured the opera's potent combination of hilarity and pathos. He was, in a word, delightful.
As Belcore, the arrogant army sergeant who competes with Nemorino for the love of the beautiful but standoffish Adina, the baritone José Adán Pérez also had an impressive New York debut, his voice smooth, clear and rich. His second-act duet with Mr. Lomelí — one of Donizetti's most irresistibly lyrical creations — was a highlight, a testament to City Opera's storied and continuing success introducing the city to young, promising singers.
The soprano Stefania Dovhan, so memorable as Donna Anna in the company's "Don Giovanni" last season, seemed less at ease with Adina's long bel-canto lines than she had been with Mozart's dramatic extremes. Though she looked perfect in a blond Marilyn Monroe wig and clearly understood the character's endearing mix of coyness and warmth, her voice wasn't always dependably steady. The baritone Marco Nisticò lacked larger-than-life power but was restrained and charming as Dulcamara, the quack doctor who sells the town on cheap wine dressed up as the eponymous love potion.
Jonathan Miller's 2006 production sets the opera in and around a roadside diner in the 1950s American Southwest; Adina, a local landowner in the original, is the proprietor. It's a shameless copy of Peter Sellars's landmark take on Mozart's "Così Fan Tutte," down to the cursive neon "Diner" sign, but unlike that "Così," this "Elixir" doesn't attempt any real rethinking of the opera.
The updating just provides an excuse for a cute revolving set (by Isabella Bywater), a vintage hot rod for Dulcamara and some Elvis-ish dance steps. It's not much of a concept. Executed by a cast as game and appealing as this one, though, the show was high-spirited and winning.
Unfortunately the conductor, Brad Cohen, drove those high spirits to the point of mania with a frantic performance that bullied the music, scattered ensembles and left the singers breathless. The orchestra sounded polished and crisp, despite being shoved to its limit. Mr. Cohen, making his City Opera debut, let up the relentless pace only rarely, for moments like Mr. Lomelí's golden-toned, sensitively sung "Una furtiva lagrima," the showstopping aria that earned him those cheers. It was then that you could finally relax and enjoy that sweetest of operagoing experiences: a terrific debut.
By Zachary Woolfe

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Timothy Shuttleworth breaks 1500m Freestyle British record
Timothy Shuttleworth broke the British record for gold in the Men's 1500m Freestyle on day three of the ASA Winter Meet.
The Loughborough swimmer shaved eight seconds from the previous record, which was set in 2004, lowering his own personal best time by 17 seconds. He made it to the wall in 14:24.00.
Shuttleworth commented: "I had the race plan to go into it. I kept my legs low in the first 100 and then just built into the race. I knew I was in good shape and I can here to get as close to it as I could, that was the game plan."
Daniel Jervis of Swansea took silver with 14:32.44 and Bath Uni swimmer Tom Derbyshire took bronze with 14:33.06, shaving 18 seconds from his personal best time.
Lauren Quigley wins 50m Backstroke gold on day three
Lauren Quigley took her first gold meet in the Women's 50m Backstroke.
The City of Liverpool swimmer, who competed for England at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, shaved just over 0.3 seconds from her personal best time. She touched in 26.67 to take victory.
Quigley said: "It feels very good to win gold. I set a PB this morning which was a nice surprise, and then to do another in the final. I'm really pleased with that."
Bath University's Jessica Fullalove broke 27 seconds for the first time to claim silver in 26.99 while bronze went to Ealing's Ekaterina Avramova in 27.21.
Jay Lelliott wins long-awaited gold in 200m fly
Bath University's Jay Lelliott finally claimed a long-awaited individual gold medal in the Men's 200m Butterfly final.
After silvers in the 100m Free, 400m Free and 200m Back on the opening two days, as well as 100m Back silver earlier in the finals session on day three, he powered home for 200m Fly gold in 1:54.92.
Fastest qualifier Matthew Domville of Warrington Warriors was second, touching in 1:55.86 for silver. City of Manchester's Thomas Paine claimed the bronze in 1:57.39.
Lelliott said: "It feels fantastic. To be able to back it up after the 100m back, I'm really happy. I've had a couple of near misses this week and it's been very frustrating.
"I was feeling really pumped for this race. I missed out by 0.03 in the backstroke to McNally, but this time I was up for it and I got the win."
Thomas completes golden hat-trick with 100m fly victory
Alys Thomas of City of Swansea Aquatics added the 100m Fly to her tally.
She already took the 50m and 200m Fly over the previous two days of competition. Thomas swam a new personal best time of 56.81.
Harriet West of Loughborough claimed silver in 57.75 and Marie Wattel, also of Loughborough added a third medal to her tally with bronze in 57.94.
Clifford-Stephenson sneaks 50m Breaststroke gold
There was almost nothing to separate the three medallists in the Men's 50m Breaststroke. Lewis Clifford-Stephenson, Lawrence Palmer and Charlie Attwood were just 0.03 seconds apart.
Clifford-Stephenson of Chelsea and Westminster ultimately took the gold in 27.02. Putteridge swimmer Palmer claimed silver in 27.03 while Bath Uni's Attwood won bronze in 27.05.
Loughborough take 4x100m Medley Relay gold
Loughborough Uni took their first Relay gold medal, swimming 3:56.73 in the Women's 4x100m Medley Relay.
Edinburgh Uni claimed second place in 3:58.40 and Stockport Metro followed up for third with a time of 4:00.37.
Click here to view full results from Sheffield.
Swimming News
ASA National Winter Meet 2016
First leaderboards for Swim England's virtual Level X Racing have been published
Athletes named in England Swimming Team ahead of 2022 Commonwealth Games
Adam Peaty encourages younger generation in BBC 'Lockdown Life' series
New 'exciting identity' for Performance Squad ahead of Birmingham 2022


Just read this 15 minutes ago. Glad to see Hector get some shine. We were friendly; I last saw him on the subway this past summer, where we played catch-up. He really was a ray of sunshine.
That's wonderful to hear. I hope he's happy.


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About KL
Innovate together.
Video-interview: Redefining a good life, from the crib to the grave
Care for the elderly, an experience from two diverging continents
Introducing: the KL Advisory Board
An active role for society in care innovation
How we work towards a government that is there for everyone
Nora van der Linden leaves Kennisland
What we've learned about power and anti-oppression
What we have learned in 2021
Meet the new director of Kennisland: Marieke van Doorninck
Kennisland joins forces with CAOP
The winners of the 2020 European Social Innovation Competition
Learning dialogue between the Netherlands and Turkey on elderly care
Society as a learning environment
Care innovation
Government in transition
Working towards a government that is there for everyone
KL in brief
Partners and clients
Tessa de Geus
Tessa de Geus Advisor social and urban innovation
Forget about impact: let's be honest about systems change
The social innovation++Social innovationHere I use the definition coined by the TRANSIT Programme: a process of introducing new social relations, involving the spread of new knowledge and new practices (in which 'new' is a matter of degree and perspective'). movement has been gaining traction around Europe for over a decade. But the obsession with mapping social impact distracts us from the discussion that we should be having: that social innovation does not evidently equate systems change. Social innovation movements need to urgently invest in a comprehensive understanding of systems if we want to forge social change.
During the social innovation conferences I have attended lately, the key discussion can be neatly summarised along the lines of 'How do we fund or scale up social innovation?', 'How do we collaborate across sectors to create an ecosystem of innovation?' and, inevitably, 'How do we measure social impact?'. I kept wondering by myself: before we talk about impact investment or logframes++Impact investment or logframesThe Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) defines impact investments as "Investments made into companies, organizations, and funds with the intention to generate social and environmental impact alongside a financial return."
A logframe (logical framework) is a method used to take what ultimate impact you want to achieve and work down to how your activities contribute to that.
, why don't we elaborately address the root causes of the social issue(s) we work on? The values, power relations, flows of information, institutions and political dilemmas we identify, and what vision we want to work towards. If we muzzle ourselves and refrain from answering these questions, social innovation attempts will forever remain in the margin, obscuring the excesses of dysfunctional systems.
Kick the system out of the room
If we want to improve our understanding of full-stack systems, we need to first invest in an understanding of what a system is comprised of. In the social innovation field, there is hardly a common understanding of the term system. In the Netherlands for instance, the difference between the system ("systeemwereld") and people's lived experiences of social issues ("leefwereld") is often conflated with describing discrepancies between bureaucracy, bureaucratic culture and the lived reality. Another interesting use of the word is in the phrase "getting the whole system in the room", which seems to refer to having representatives of all key stakeholder groups present during work sessions, aiming to generate perspectives on problems and solutions from across disciplines (or 'silos' as they are called in the bureaucratic lingo).
TIf we want to improve our understanding of full-stack systems, we need to first invest in an understanding of what a system is comprised of.he famous systems scholar Donella Meadows proposes a rigorous definition. She considers a system to be:++Donella MeadowsDonella Meadows was an American environmental scientist, who is best known as lead author of the The Limits to Growth. This quote comes from the book Thinking in Systems (2008).
"an interconnected set of elements that is coherently organized in a way that achieves something […] A system must consist of three kinds of things: elements, interconnections and a function or purpose".
Examples of systems are corporations, an economy, a city, or your body. This definition invites us to develop a sophisticated analysis of societal problems, in which a system is more than either bureaucracy or a boardroom filled with direct stakeholders. If anything, this understanding is not definitive, but an invitation to come to your own definition.
Systems as we encounter them in social innovation start with values and belief systems – so for instance, neoliberalism. We formalise these values in legislation, build institutions on them and agree on decision-making processes and instruments (such as accounting structures, taxes or police) to maintain them. Ultimately, compliance to the system is also an intrinsic element; should everyone choose to disobey a system, it disintegrates.
In order not to become overwhelmed by this definition, Odin Mühlenbein from Ashoka distinguishes two levels of systems in his article Systems Change Big or Small. He identifies "big visions", which can be broken down in smaller goals as "targeted systems" change. For instance, he refers to a targeted system in the garment industry, in which a network of fashion brands committed to using eco-friendly viscose, Canopy, matches viscose producers and technology providers for sustainable production.
Lose the logframe?
Today, many social programmes++Social programmesWith social programmes I'm referring to either citizen-based social programmes (examples Maak je Stad), government-based or corporate-based. can indeed be praised for providing great social services or products. They can be of vital importance for a healthy democracy, social cohesion, and can make a positive difference for individuals' lives. Not allNot all city makers are systems changers – and that's ok. social initiatives, or city makers++City makersBy city makers we understand citizens who take responsibility to address social and environmental issues in their city through a tangible initiative. This includes students, social entrepreneurs, artists, neighbourhood communities, etc., are systems changers – and that's ok. But in some cases, this truly makes for a missed opportunity: without a common understanding of systems failure, the hard work of individuals will not provide input for fundamental changes that are needed in a field. It's therefore crucial to know whether you are addressing a root cause or mere symptom with your intervention or idea, and how your initiative is embedded.
AMJS Session #2 - Partnerships
Participants of Amsterdammers, Make your City! during a session on partnerships.
Maker: Maak je Stad!
Many social innovation initiatives work with logical frameworks (logframes) to define and measure their social impact. This allows them to steer towards desired outcomes, be held accountable, and attract new funders by offering proof for their hypothesis. Indeed, to prevent unwanted outcomes, it's crucial to monitor the effects of social interventions++Effects of social interventionsSocial programmes can indeed also have negative consequence. For instance, it was found that a famous buddy programme started in the Great Depression, actually caused participants to do worse than their peers in the control group. Listen to the full story on the podcast "When Helping hurts" from Freakonomics. and test underlying assumptions when providing a service or product. Measuring impact can be important, but without an idea of targeted systems and big visions, such 'impact' remains powerless. Besides, the obsession to optimise social impact can lead to situations in which initiatives undermine their own value by monetising their supposed societal benefit and disconnect from the bigger picture.
An example: The latest impact assessment of the Dutch Thuisafgehaald++ThuisafgehaaldHere you can read the full impact report conducted by Thuisafgehaald and Avance. , a social enterprise that allows neighbours to cook for and share meals with each other, suggests that their service saves up to € 4446 euros per person a year for reasons like preventing loneliness and extending the time people can stay in their own apartment instead of moving to a care home. It's understandable that Thuisafgehaald uses these metrics to convince potential funders, and to assess whether their service satisfies their customers. However, apart from the metrics being somewhat questionable in this case, Thuisafgehaald's value is much better understood when they position themselves as part of a movement, redefining the foundations of what it means to deliver good care.Apart from the metrics being somewhat questionable in this case, Thuisafgehaald's value is much better understood when they position themselves as part of a movement, redefining the foundations of what it means to deliver good care. Consequently, it needs to be understood what the implications could be for care institutions or managing the social fabric in neighbourhood.
Seeing systems
For the Kennisland project Amsterdammers, Make your City++Amsterdammers, Make your CityAmsterdammers, Make your City! was designed and implemented by a consortium of the City of Amsterdam, Kennisland, Pakhuis de Zwijger, Waag, Amsterdam Economic Board, Amsterdam Smart City and AMS. , I made sure that the 36 city makers in our accelerator programme completed a logframe during the first session. Looking back, we should have instead invited these city makers to develop a "big vision" and consequent "targeted system" in which they act, including the values, institutions, and relations they eventually aim to change. Preferably, this happens together with other players like civil servants. To unlock the creativity of citizens, civil servants and entrepreneurs++Unlock creativityAn interesting example of that can be found in the approach by What Design Can Do. They provide briefing packages to break down complicated systems around issues such as climate change. to create sustainable change, we need to make rigorous analyses actionable and collaborative, instead of hailing one-off optimistic initiatives as the silver bullet.
City makers or social entrepreneurs do not need to obtain a PhD in systems change. Understandably, they are often focussed on delivering their service or product. But social enterprises and social labs alone are not going to change systems. There lies an opportunity for organisations like Kennisland to fuel this debate and collect research evidence to inform it. In fact, if civil society does not address this issue, we might cause harm by prompting unrealistic expectations for the effect of citizen-based initiatives and inclusive – for lack of a better word – 'bottom-up' processes.
We can use systems change literature to deepen this discussion about what could be the right 'leverage points'++Leverage pointsRead more about this concept described by Donella Meadows in the article "Leverage points: places to intervene in a system". to act on: "places within a cTo unlock the creativity of citizens, civil servants and entrepreneurs to create sustainable change, we need to make rigorous analyses actionable. omplex system where a small shift in one thing can produce big changes in everything". Donella Meadows identifies twelve of such leverage points, from tinkering with subsidies and taxes to changing mindsets of whole populations. This analysis provides us with rich input that should be used to develop tools for social innovation initiatives (or perhaps they already exist?++Tools for social initiativesIf you happen to know about any, do get in touch!). These frameworks can be used to build a common agenda around a social issue, and to build a 'collective impact coalitions'++Collective impact coalitionsRead more about collective impact coalitions as studied by John Kania & Mark Kramer in this article on the Stanford Social Innovation Review. . That's when the above mentioned 'innovation ecosystems' could truly become relevant and interesting and effective.
Importantly, all of the above has great implications for how funders work. Rather than holding one single initiative accountable for producing so and so impact, funders need to set up stable collaborations with governments, private sector companies, non-profits and philanthropists and social change leaders around specific issues. The new Rockefeller fund Co-impact is spearheading such new ways of collaborating across sectors to forge systems change. If we want to move the needle through social innovation, this lever needs to be addressed and funding strategies need to change across the sector.
Stepping up our systems game
What is considered in or out of system ultimately is an issue of power: systems analyses are not a neutral exercise. Conflicting views will inevitably arise. But we have the responsibility to continuously strive for an open discussion about it, rather than claiming to have a 'whole system in a room'. Again, civil society organisations have an important task to expose such power dynamics and demand for other views and evidence to be included. It also means that we have to come to terms with the fact that systems change does not happen overnight, but over lifetimes.
The social innovation movement is due to have its coming of age.The social innovation movement is due to have its coming of age. The implicit notions of the socially just, sustainable societies that we aim for need to be made explicit, sophisticated and political. To be truly accountable for the work that we do, we need to quit our obsession with impact evaluations and step up our systems game.
If you're keen to continue this conversation with me, do get in touch: tg@kl.nl
If you find this interesting, you may also like:
Products vs. moving targets
Care, Government in transition, Social innovation
A while ago Thijs participated in a workshop on social innovation organised by the Hightech-Forum, the German federal advisory board on technology policy matters. In this article he talks about how we should look much more at the value of the innovation process rather than the outcomes. Especially when we acknowledge that the kind of problems that we work on are moving targets rather than static, well-defined and easily solvable.
Bringing Bill Gates' mind to Berlin
Government in transition, Social innovation
Inspired by a documentary on Bill Gates, Thijs discusses the necessity of different and opposite perspectives in social innovation in a workshop hosted by the Hightech-Forum in Germany.
The year of systems change: 3 things we need to do before we start
Last summer Tessa's article on how our obsession with measuring social impact prevents us from tackling societal problems hit a nerve in the social innovation community. Following the responses to this piece, Tessa is convinced that systems thinking is the way forward for social innovation. However, to make this the year of systems change, Tessa calls for 3 important preconditions to bear in mind.
Deze tekst heeft een Creative Commons Naamsvermelding-licentie (CC BY) en is gekopieerd van de Kennisland-website. Ga voor de volledige versie met afbeeldingen, streamers en noten naar https://www.kl.nl/en/opinion/forget-about-impact-lets-be-honest-about-systems-change/
This text has a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) and has been copied from the Kennisland website. For a full version with images, streamers and notes go to https://www.kl.nl/en/opinion/forget-about-impact-lets-be-honest-about-systems-change/
Footer images:
Images for the Future / CC BY-SA
Illustration on the right side of the homepage: CODA Museum / CC BY
Kennisland is part of Stichting CAOP


One of my favorite parts of being a family photographer is getting to watch all those little babies grow up over the years. I've been a working photographer here in Grand Rapids Michigan for just over 6 years now which means I have several families that I have photographed again and again and witnessed new family members join and little ones get bigger! This is Harrison, Then, Later and Now, along with his two little brothers.
These sweet boys were photographed last month in their home. The photographs were created using Kodak Portra 400 and Tri-x400 films on a Contax 645 and Canon Eos-1v and were processed and scanned by my partner lab ProPhotoIrvine.


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ASG to name last undergraduate student to socially responsible investment committee
Daily file photo by Allie Goulding
Nehaarika Mulukutla speaks during ASG Senate last academic year. The Weinberg senior said ASG will appoint a student to the ACIR this week.
Jonah Dylan , Sports Editor
After an expedited recruitment campaign to replace Yusuf Kudaimi on the Advisory Committee on Investment Responsibility, Associated Student Government President Nehaarika Mulukutla said a replacement would be announced this week.
Kudaimi decided to take a leave of absence from Northwestern and will therefore no longer serve on the committee, Mulukutla said. After extending the application deadline to find more qualified applicants, ASG will choose between four, the Weinberg senior said.
"Not that many people know about the ACIR, which is why it's been difficult to find an undergraduate representative," said Maryam Salem, a Weinberg junior who sits on the committee. "If more people knew about it and what the purpose of it was, if it was better advertised, then more people would apply to the position."
Salem was appointed to the committee in the spring after it was approved by the Board of Trustees in November 2016. She will serve until next spring, as will the student appointed later this week, Mulukutla said.
Ten people comprise the committee, which includes both undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, staff and alumni. The ACIR will consider proposals and make recommendations to the Board of Trustees' investment committee. However, the ACIR has not received any student proposals and has not met yet with the Board's committee, Salem said.
Former ASG President Christina Cilento (SESP '17), who helped oversee the creation of the ACIR, said she hopes students will engage with the committee.
"On paper, it's set up to be a good advocacy mechanism, but in practice I'm worried about if it has enough traction, if students will be interested in being engaged in the process, if the divestment movements are active enough to contribute to it," she said.
Cilento said three divestment movements — Fossil Free NU, NU Divest and Unshackle NU — helped push for the ACIR.
Similar committees exist at many other colleges and universities, and the ACIR has been in contact with a group at Columbia University for guidance, Salem said.
ASG chief of staff Lars Benson said finding students who are still involved with the divestment movement has been difficult, as many of those who fought for the ACIR's creation have since graduated.
"It's really that age-old fight in student activism where you have to make sure that we're educating freshmen and younger students about why these issues matter and why we worked so hard to get this board in place," he said.
Mulukutla said while engagement with the ACIR has been an issue, students should pay attention to the committee because it could affect the way NU invests its endowment.
"It's hard to motivate people to care," she said. "A big part of it is because there is a lot of perception around student-admin distrust that leads students to feeling like, 'Even if I did contribute, what good would it do?'"
Twitter: @thejonahdylan
Advisory Committee on Investment Responsibility
Associated Student Government
Christina Cilento
Fossil Free NU
Lars Benson
Maryam Salem
Nehaarika Mulukutla
NU Divest
socially responsible investment committee
Unshackle NU
Women's Basketball: Northwestern earns first conference win against the Badgers in epic fashion on the road
Men's Basketball: 'It's a dog-eat-dog world" or in Northwestern's case, a guard-eat-guard world


text:
<?php

namespace Oro\Bundle\RedisConfigBundle\DependencyInjection\Compiler;

use Oro\Bundle\RedisConfigBundle\Factory\PredisParametersFactory;
use Symfony\Component\DependencyInjection\Compiler\CompilerPassInterface;
use Symfony\Component\DependencyInjection\ContainerBuilder;

/**
 * Changes the factory of redis connection parameters services to fix the bug with 0 database.
 *
 * @see \Oro\Bundle\RedisConfigBundle\Factory\PredisParametersFactory
 */
class ConnectionParametersFactoryPass implements CompilerPassInterface
{
    /**
     * {@inheritdoc}
     */
    public function process(ContainerBuilder $container)
    {
        foreach ($container->findTaggedServiceIds('snc_redis.connection_parameters') as $id => $attr) {
            $parameterDefinition = $container->getDefinition($id);
            $parameterDefinition->setFactory([PredisParametersFactory::class, 'create']);
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


You know her from the hit TV show, Fixer Upper, and her signature farmhouse decorating. But want to learn more about what makes Joanna Gaines tick?
Yes, even Joanna Gaines uses the occasional store-bought shortcut in her cooking. She says, "I like to have ingredients to make pancakes from scratch, but I always have a boxed version, too, for those days when there's just not enough time for anything else." She also always has store-bought refrigerated dough on hand because she uses it often.
Joanna's delicious recipes weren't born overnight. Sometimes it takes her years to find the right balance of ingredients, which is the case with her chocolate chip cookies. In an interview with USA Today, she said, "I spent many years trying to bake the perfect batch of chocolate chip cookies...but I always seemed to end up with batches that were flat and didn't have enough flavor. Then, one day, I tried using a little more brown sugar and a little less butter—which went against my typical philosophy that butter makes just about everything taste better, but the texture and flavor of that batch hit the jackpot."
Just like every other busy mom out there, Joanna Gaines knows the value of meal planning. "Planning ahead is key—frantic last-minute grocery store runs can throw off any evening. I think the biggest deal is not going to the grocery store right after I get off work," she told Real Simple, "That's just not as enjoyable. If I can pre-plan, if I have everything in the fridge by the time I get home, I actually really enjoy the process."
There's a lot to love in the Gaines family's historic farmhouse, but for Joanna, her favorite piece of furniture is the antique kitchen island. "I probably stalked that thing for two years," she says in HGTV Magazine. Purchased in an antique store, and painted white, the island is actually a cabinet that was originally in a church.
With six kids, family togetherness is important to Joanna. The Gaines family makes it a priority to keep technology distractions at bay. In a recent blog post she writes, "At our house, we keep phones away from the table at mealtimes so we can focus on each other and the conversation around the table."
Aside from cooking, gardening is the other activity that brings Joanna peace and relaxation. She writes on her blog, "My garden is truly the place where I find the most peace. There's just something about working the garden and getting my hands dirty that is so relaxing to me."
Although she loves cooking for her family now, getting there has taken time. "For me, preparing a meal for my loved ones is something therapeutic that I look forward to, but it hasn't always been like that," she wrote on her blog, "Learning to love cooking has been a journey for me, and at the end of the day, it's the end result—feeding my family food that they love—that makes it worth the work I put into it."
Cooking is more than just preparing a meal to Joanna. She uses home-cooked meals as a way to express her love to her children, especially when she's busy with work and can't be with them as much as she'd like. She wrote on her blog, "When Chip and I are traveling a lot, the first thing I want to do when I get home is cook. I want my kids to have the security that when momma's home, there will be a good meal."


Dendrow International are proud to present to the market this spacious split level flat situated in the heart of Ealing. The property benefits from a spacious lounge, separate kitchen, downstairs cloakroom, two bathrooms, three double bedrooms, private garden and off street parking.
Mattock Lane is in an ideal spot allowing easy access to local shops, restaurants, bars and transport links.


Here are the first Samsung NX20, NX210 and NX1000 pictures. More info coming soon.
This entry was posted in Samsung and tagged Samsung NX1000, Samsung NX20, Samsung NX210. Bookmark the permalink. Trackbacks are closed, but you can post a comment.


FXFair was founded in 2013 and is an ECN Forex online broker domiciled in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, West Indies.
FXFair offers three different types of trading accounts. Almost anyone can open the Standard Zero account as the minimum requirement is only $1.00. Leverage is available up to 1:1000 and all deposits receive a 100% Welcome Bonus and a 50% Loyalty Bonus.
The Real ECN account requires $1000 to start and $2500 is needed to open the Real ECN Pro. Both of them receive leverage up to 1:200 and there are no additional bonuses.
All three accounts have similar features. They trade on the MT4 platform, use USD and EUR and trades are executed at market. They all use floating spreads starting at 0.0 pips, offer 62 currency pairs, CFD's and metals and there is no minimum or maximum transaction size.
A demo account is available from all three accounts and an Islamic Swap Free account is also provided.
The SignalTrader is an automated trading revolution and stands for Real Money, Real Trades in Real Time. The accounts are managed by professional traders, who trade with real money. The Team of experts allows traders to copy the experts' trades as they place orders in their live trading accounts. Trading is done through the FXFair MetaTrader 4 (MT4) terminal and new positions can be opened manually.
In addition to these accounts, there are several PAMM/MAM –managed accounts that bring together investors and managers. PAMM/MAM allows investors to benefit from the experience of a successful trader while at the same time traders benefit from the customers acquired by FXFair on their behalf.
All kinds of trading strategies and techniques are available at FXFair. As an ECN/STP broker they never hold the opposite position of the trader and traders can place their SL as tight as they want with no limitations whatsoever.
Scalping and Hedging are also allowed.
An interesting feature at FXFair is their 'Trading Talent.' When the team at FXFair notices good traders they help promote their skills by allowing them to trade with a special portfolio.
There is no well-known regulation at FXFair but the separation of customer and corporate capital is a strict requirement by the FSA in St.Vincent so clients' money is kept safe by depositing them in a specially created bank account that cannot be used for any service within the FXFair organization.
Partnerships and white labels are offered to individuals as well as businesses. Partnering means referring clients to FXFair, and receiving a commission each time a referred client makes a trade. It's an ideal solution Networkers, IB partners, Website Owners, Bloggers or Forex Traders and the program is available to all registered clients.
Although a real-time chart of currency prices is available on the first page, there is no other educational or analytic content provided on the web.
I understand that there are always different bonuses and promotions being offered at FXFair that include trading contests, demo contests, rebates, refer-a-friend and others. At the time of this review, however, there were only two bonuses available.
The 100% deposit bonus credit is a limited time offer and is offered on the trader's first payment which must be made within 48 hours after registration. The bonus will be added to the trader's account as credit a within twenty-four (24) working hours after the deposit has been received and turns into cash after all conditions are met.
A minimum deposit of $100 is required in order to receive the bonus credit and the maximum deposit is $10,000 for the bonus credit. The client can transfer more than $10,000, but will not get more than a total $10,000 bonus credit.
The 50% Deposit Bonus credit is a Loyalty Bonus offered to all clients trading in a Standard Zero account for their second, third and all further deposits. The same conditions exist for this bonus as that of the Welcome Bonus including a minimum deposit of $100 and the maximum deposit of $10,000 for the bonus credit. The client can transfer more than $1,000, but will not get more than a total $5,000 bonus credit.
Accounts can be funded by credit cards, bank wires, Fasapay and other online payment programs.
Traders can speak to an FXFair representative via email, fax or chat. Telephones to their Cyprus office are answered by an English speaking representative only.
FXFair is still quite a young broker among the list of brokers offering currency trading and although the website has already been updated several times, it still needs some additional content before it can really compete with the big guys. Blatantly missing is any educational material such as lessons, tutorials, seminars or webinars. In addition, the site has no market updates or analysis.


Andrew Dessler, Daniel Cohan, Katharine Hayhoe, via The Conversation Sep. 2, 2017 Updated: Sep. 2, 2017 5:16 p.m.
Salt Grass Landing apartments after Hurricane Harvey on Saturday, Aug. 26, 2017, in Rockport, Texas.
The risks we face from disasters depend on three factors: hazard, exposure and vulnerability. In the case of Harvey, the hazard was the hurricane with its associated winds, storm surge and, most of all, rain. Houston is one of North America's biggest metro areas, making 6.6 million people exposed to this hazard.
Finally, there's our vulnerability to heavy rainfall events, in this case exacerbated by the city's rapid expansion that has paved over former grasslands, overloaded critical infrastructure, challenged urban planning and limited evacuation routes. These three factors explain the immense costs associated with tragedies like Hurricane Harvey.
People know the climate is changing, but they don't know how serious it is. Over 70 percent of Americans agree that the climate is changing, but less than half of us believe it will affect us personally.
Why? Perhaps because the image we associate most often with a changing climate is not the devastation left by a flood in our own state but rather a polar bear perched on a chunk of melting ice or an African farmer bearing silent witness to the impacts of a disaster that's taken place on the other side of the world.
Mailboxes are inundated by floodwaters from the Brazos River along Newlin Drive in Richmond on Friday, Sept. 1, 2017.
As tragedy unfolds, we must focus on the immediate response. But in the weeks and months that follow, we need to remember that, despite our air conditioners, our insurance and the politicized discourse that suggests that the science is somehow a matter of opinion rather than fact, we are incredibly vulnerable to natural disasters – disasters that are increasingly being amplified in a warming world.
What sensible, pragmatic, bipartisan steps can we take to increase our resilience to risks that a disaster like Hurricane Harvey represents? This question must be asked, because the current administration has proposed cutting the budget of the National Weather Service and other agencies that study and forecast weather and climate disasters and has rescinded regulations designed to address rising sea levels when constructing infrastructure.
First and foremost, we should reduce our exposure and build resilience to the hazards we already face today. We can't continue building in places that we know will flood. We need to build and modernize infrastructure to make our water management systems more resilient to both floods and droughts. We must continue to invest in the weather forecasting systems that provided advance warning and in the public services that build community resilience and provide disaster response.
Ultimately, though, even these practical steps may not be enough. In a changing climate, building capacity and resilience to cope with today's risks leave us unprepared for future extremes. That's why, in order to reduce the risk of disasters both here and abroad, we need to minimize the climate change that is turbocharging these events. And that means reducing our emissions of the heat-trapping greenhouse gases.
There will always be those who claim that the costs of moving to cleaner energy sources and reducing carbon emissions are too high. But the U.S. has improved air quality in ways in which the benefits greatly exceed the costs and replaced ozone-depleting chemicals, all while the economy has grown.
Today, wind and solar power prices are now competitive with fossil fuels across Texas. Across the country, these industries already employ far more people than coal mining. Electric cars may soon be as affordable as gasoline ones and be charged in ways that help balance the fluctuations in wind and solar power. Only someone profoundly pessimistic would bet against the ability of American ingenuity to repower our economy.
Jenna Fountain and her father, Kevin, float a bucket down Regency Drive to recover items from their flooded home in Port Arthur, Texas, Friday, Sept. 1, 2017.
Hurricane Harvey exemplifies the risks we all face – and a more dangerous future if we don't take actions now. More people and vulnerable infrastructure exposed to more frequent and intense hazards equals even greater risk for us in the future. The time to rethink the equation is now.
Andrew Dessler is Professor of Atmospheric Sciences at Texas A&M University, Daniel Cohan is Associate Professor of Environmental Engineering at Rice University and Katharine Hayhoe is Professor and Director, Climate Science Center at Texas Tech University. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
Bookmark Gray Matters. Here again it can lead the way.


text:
Q: JQuery SlideToggle and DIV below it this my website again http://www.noor-azmi.com/nt/
So when i click on the button "Click for Darwin gallery" the panel will slide down and overlap the content below.
How do i make it when i click the button , the white content area will go down to make space for the gallery panel ?
I would like the content below to automatically readjust when the gallery panel opens.
This is my Jquery code:
<script type="text/javascript">
    $(document).ready(function(){
        $(".fancybox").fancybox ();

        $("#darwin_button").click(function(){
          $("#darwin_panel.panels").slideToggle("slow");
        });

        $("#kakadu_button").click(function(){
          $("#kakadu_panel.panels").slideToggle("slow");
        });

        $("#alice_button").click(function(){
          $("#alice_panel.panels").slideToggle("slow");
        });
    });
</script>

A: You have height on very div this cause a issue but i can't explain it all so here is just fix.
.HomeBoxes {
    width: 300px;
    float: left;
    /* height: 400px; */
    margin-top: 10px;
    margin-left: 10px;
    background-repeat: no-repeat;
    padding-bottom: 20px;
}

and .Content class div :
#content {
    clear: both;
    width: 100%;
    background-color: #FFFFFF;
    /* height: 270px; */
    margin-right: auto;
    margin-left: auto;
    margin-top: 10px;
}

This will fix the issue, padding will add more spacing at bottom when you click on link. if you think padding is extra you can use jquery to expend padding while opening or closing.

A: It has to do with your boxes being floated elements which doesn't automatically create space for them in the surrounding container.
Change your height settings to min-height  here:
#boxesWrapper { min-height: 430px; }

.HomeBoxes { min-height: 400px; }

(instead of "height 430px" and "height 400px")
and add a clearing rule to the subsequent element:
#content { clear: both; }

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Geography Paper 02–MAY 30 2013
CARIBBEAN EXAMINATIONS COUNCIL
SECONDARY EDUCATION CERTIFICATE
Paper 02–General Proficiency
30 May 2013 (a.m.)
READ THE FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY
This paper consists of TEN questions in FOUR sections.
Section A consists of ONE compulsory question. EACH of Section B, C and D consists of THREE questions.
Candidates MUST answer FOUR questions: Question 1 from Section A and ONE question from EACH of Sections B, C and D.
Begin EACH answer on a new page.
Credit will be given for the use of relevant sketch maps and diagrams.
You may use a silent non-programmable calculator.
You may use geometrical instruments.
Write all of your responses in the answer booklet provided unless otherwise stated in the question. ALL inserts used MUST be fastened securely to your answer booklet and must have your registration number.
DO NOT TURN THIS PAGE UNTIL YOU ARE TOLD TO DO SO.
BECAUSE OF THE DIFFICULTY IN REPRESENTING MAPWORK ONLINE SECTION A WILL NOT BE REPRESENTED HERE.
Section B (Natural Systems)
Answer ONE question from this section.
2.(a) Draw ONE diagram to illustrate any FOUR of the following features:
Lava Plateau
(4 marks)
(b) (i) Name TWO types of plate boundaries.
(ii) Describe what happens at any ONE of the plate boundaries named in (b) (i). Use examples to illustrate your answer.
(c) Explain how EACH of the following is formed:
(i) Volcanoes
(ii) Fold Mountains
Total 24 marks
3. Study Figure 2 below and answer the questions that follow.
(a) (i) What cycle is illustrated in the diagram above?
(1 mark)
(ii) Name any THREE of the processes labelled A to F.
(b) Name and describe TWO types of drainage pattern.
(c) (i) Explain how ONE surface feature is formed in limestone areas of the Caribbean.
(ii) Explain how ONE underground feature is formed in limestone areas of the Caribbean.
4. Figure 3 is a climate graph which shows precipitation and temperature for a climatic region in the northern hemisphere. Study Figure 3 and answer the questions that follow.
(a) (i) State the month with the lowest temperature.
(ii) State the month with approximately 125 mm (5 inches) of rainfall.
(iii) What is the approximate range of average temperature for the year?
(iv) What is the relationship between rainfall and temperature?
(b) (i) Define EACH of the following terms:
a) Weather
b) Climate
(ii) Explain what happens when warm, moist air is forced to rise over a mountain.
(c) (i) Describe TWO characteristics of soil.
(ii) Explain how climate and vegetation influence the formation of soils in either equatorial or tropical continental areas.
SECTION C (Human Systems)
(a) (i) Draw a sketch map of a named Caribbean territory.
(ii) On the sketch map drawn in (a) (i), name and locate ONE area of sparse population distribution and ONE area with a dense population distribution.
a) Birth rate
b) Infant mortality rate
(ii) Outline TWO ways by which the population of a country increases.
(c) (i) Using examples from a named Caribbean country, explain how ONE of the following factors may influence population distribution:
(ii) Compare the population growth of ONE Caribbean country with that of ONE developed country, using the following headings:
Fertility rates
6. Figure 4 below shows pie charts of the percentage of the workforce employed in the various sectors in Barbados in 1946 and 2003. Study Figure 4 and answer the questions that follow.
(a) (i) Name the category of jobs that was NOT represented in 1946 but was included in 2003.
(ii) Which category increased by 11 per cent?
(iii) By how much did the percentage employed in agriculture decrease?
(iv) Which category has the SMALLEST percentage change?
(b) (i) What is meant by 'secondary economic activity'?
(ii) Give ONE example of a secondary economic activity.
(iii) State the MAIN feature of the following types of tourism and give an example of EACH.
a) Heritage tourism
b) Ecotourism
c) Sports tourism
(c) With reference to specific examples, explain THREE economic benefits of primary activities to the Caribbean.
7. Table 1 below shows the composition of the gross domestic product of a Caribbean country.
TABLE 1: GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT OF A CARIBBEAN COUNTRY
(a) Use the information in Table 1 to draw a pie chart.
(b) (i) State FOUR benefits of agriculture to the Caribbean economy.
(ii) Outline TWO problems faced by peasant (small) farmers in the Caribbean.
(c) (i) Using examples, give TWO reasons for the declining importance of agriculture to the economy and of a named Caribbean country.
(ii) Compare the characteristics of wheat farming in Canada with those of commercial arable farming in a named Caribbean country, using the following headings.
Farm size
SECTION D (Human-Environment Systems)
8. Table 2 lists some major disasters affecting a country. Study Table 2 and answer the questions that follow.
TABLE 2: MAJOR 20th CENTURY DISASTERS AFFECTING A TROPICAL ISLAND
(a) (i) Over the period, in which year did the MOST natural disasters occur?
(ii) Which disaster caused the MOST deaths over the period?
(iii) Which disaster caused the LEAST deaths over the period?
(iv) What was the TOTAL number of deaths caused by floods?
(b) What is a natural hazard?
(c) Describe THREE ways in which ONE of the following hazards affects life and property.
(d) (i) Explain THREE ways in which an individual should prepare for the effects of the hazard you described in (c) above.
(ii) Explain TWO measures used by a national disaster organisation in a named Caribbean country in response to hazards.
9. Table 3 below shows the change in average global temperature between 1880-2000. Study Table 3 and answer the questions that follow.
TABLE 3: ESTIMATED GLOBAL AVERAGE TEMPERATURE CHANGE, 1880-2000
(a) (i) What is the general trend in global average temperature?
(ii) Which period recorded NO change in average temperature?
(iii) Which period had the HIGHEST temperature change?
(iv) What was the temperature change between 1901-1920?
(b) (i) Define the term 'greenhouse effect'.
(ii) Identify TWO causes of deforestation.
(iii) State TWO causes of coral reef destruction.
(c) (i) Explain TWO ways in which the development of the tourism industry contributes to global warming.
(ii) Explain how the destruction of coral reefs in the Caribbean can adversely affect the tourism industry.
10. Table 4 below shows the employment structure in Singapore.
TABLE 4: SINGAPORE–EMPLOYMENT STRUCTURE BY SELECTED INDUSTRIES IN 2003 (in thousands)
Adapted: Ottley and Gentles, p. 199
(a) On the grid provided as an insert, draw a bar graph to illustrate the data shown in Table 4 above. Use a scale of 1 cm to represent 50,000 employees.
(b) Describe TWO types of pollution and, for EACH, describe a measure used to reduce the harmful effects.
(c) Explain THREE measures used to reduce the effects of deforestation in the Caribbean. Give ONE example of EACH measure.
END OF TEST
IF YOU FINISH BEFORE TIME IS CALLED, CHECK YOUR WORK ON THIS TEST
Tags:Geography Geography Past Paper
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English B Past Paper–May 14, 2014 →


"We prayed to Our Lady, that she bless us all: you, me, and the whole world. We need Our Lady, for her to protect us". Enclosed in these words, addressed to the faithful at the basilica, is the meaning of Pope Francis' visit to the Marian Shrine in Pompeii.
On Saturday morning, 21 March, before heading to Naples, the Pontiff wished to entrust his pastoral visit to the protection of the Virgin Mary. And in order to do this, he stopped at the Shrine founded by Bl. Bartolo Longo, which is visited by millions pilgrims every year.
It has become custom that every time the Pope goes on a visit he entrusts his journey to the protection of the mother of Jesus. He typically goes to the Basilica of St Mary Major in Rome, where he stops to pray in front of Salus popoli Romani. Today, however, one week after inviting the Church on an inner visit to encounter, understand and welcome the mercy of the Father, Francis went to the foot of Mary, the best guide of all.
His visit to Pompeii was more than a visit, it was pilgrimage. A brief pilgrimage without an official address, and greetings and protocol were reduced to a minimum. In a total of 50 minutes, the Pope had enough time and space for a prayer and a warm embrace from the 10,000 faithful who awaited him.


Owen Hill, Lizzie Nussbaum, Josh Wen and Kelsey Martin at the De Soto Invitational on March 13.
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), also known as the Cape Central High School Academic Competition Team, competed in a national qualifier tournament at Columbia, MO, sponsored by the Missouri National Academic Quiz Tournaments, LLC, on March 20. The CIA qualified for the NAQT High School National Championship Tournament to be held in May in Chicago. The Tigers won their first nine games of the tournament before sustaining a loss, and finished in a tie-breaker for second place.
Team captain Josh Wen led the Tigers and topped all individual scorers at the tournament, which featured teams from all over Missouri. It was the fifth time this season that Wen has emerged as a tournament's top medalist.
Other Tigers competing Saturday included second-leading scorer Prithvi Rudrappa, Kelsey Martin, Owen Hill, Adam Legrand and Tony Guidos. The CIA now looks ahead to the district tournament on April 17 at North County High School. Sectionals follow on April 22 and the state tournament takes place in Columbia on May 8.
The previous weekend, the CIA traveled to De Soto High School and finished in second place in a sixteen-team field. Owen Hill, Kelsey Martin, and Lizzie Nussbaum competed for the Tigers, and Josh Wen won top medalist with an average of more than twelve toss-ups per game.
Why doesn't Cape Central make a big deal out of this extraordinary academic accomplishment? In case you forgot, this is what school is about. Maybe if the school started promoting and acknowledging these academic successes,the entire student body's GPA might improve.
cmon sports11.....why would you promote such an event when youve got the football program hogging all the media with THEIR accomplishments!!!!?