Just is a specialist annuity provider, perfectly placed to help retirement funds meet the March 2019 deadline of implementing a default annuity strategy. We rethink retirement, offering a wide and innovative range of retirement income options that give a guaranteed income for life, providing retirees with financial certainty and protection from outliving their assets.
Just is part of Just Group plc, a UK-listed company with a strong international scale credit rating of A. Just Group is a similar size to the top five listed SA life insurers and has a proven track record of enhancing retirement income for over 500 000 customers worldwide.
Just Group entered South Africa in 2014 in partnership with a highly experienced local management team known for their groundbreaking achievements. This local experience combined with global research has placed Just at the forefront of innovative retirement income solutions in South Africa. The team designed and launched the world's first guaranteed income product that uniquely offers optional underwriting and that links annual increases to the performance of specialist asset managers.
The optional underwriting is based on the client's health and lifestyle factors and provides higher income to those who are of poorer health or financial means. After underwriting, 40% of our clients receive up to 30% higher income.
We offer the Just Lifetime Income (JuLI), a guaranteed annuity which is designed for anyone at retirement, or anyone up to age 85 if they are currently in a living annuity, who needs a guaranteed level of income to pay recurring monthly expenses such as rent, groceries, water and electricity, health care, transport and insurance.
From JuLI the investor receives a lifetime income that will never reduce, regardless of how long they live or what happens to investment markets. The lifetime income is increased each year at a rate that targets inflation. The increase is linked to the returns of leading South African asset managers and is smoothed to even out market fluctuations.
In a revolutionary move, we created a solution in which retirees can benefit from both living and guaranteed annuities. We believe that it is no longer a choice of either/or. Our solution presents an innovative way in which to combine the best features of both retirement options to help investors cover their basic living expenses while still having flexibility with their discretionary income.
We look forward to helping investors secure the retirement income they deserve.


A sourcebook of documentation on women artists at the forefront of work at the intersection of art and technology.
...A rich source of information about the women and works that have made media arts history—or should.
Although women have been at the forefront of art and technology creation, no source has adequately documented their core contributions to the field. Women, Art, and Technology, which originated in a Leonardo journal project of the same name, is a compendium of the work of women artists who have played a central role in the development of new media practice.The book includes overviews of the history and foundations of the field by, among others, artists Sheila Pinkel and Kathy Brew; classic papers by women working in art and technology; papers written expressly for this book by women whose work is currently shaping and reshaping the field; and a series of critical essays that look to the future.
Judy Malloy, an electronic literature pioneer and early social media poet and arts writer, is the editor of Women, Art, and Technology (MIT Press).
...an overlooked chapter about the role of women in the rapidly developing field of new media.
...fascinating...multifaceted observations about the symbiotic relationship of media such as modern dance, sound, video, and computer programming.
This is a large and ambitious collection.
This is a phenomenally important volume.


A PET scan can compare a normal brain (left) with one affected by Alzheimer's disease (right). An increase in blue and green colors shows decreased brain metabolic activity due to Alzheimer's disease.
A positron emission tomography (PET) scan is an imaging test that helps reveal how your tissues and organs are functioning. A PET scan uses a radioactive drug (tracer) to show this activity. This scan can sometimes detect disease before it shows up on other imaging tests.
The tracer may be injected, swallowed or inhaled, depending on which organ or tissue is being studied. The tracer collects in areas of your body that have higher levels of chemical activity, which often correspond to areas of disease. On a PET scan, these areas show up as bright spots.
A PET scan is useful in revealing or evaluating several conditions, including many cancers, heart disease and brain disorders. Often, PET images are combined with CT or MRI scans to create special views.
This PET image shows an area of reduced blood flow from one of the arteries that feeds the heart. This information may help doctors decide whether to suggest bypass surgery or angioplasty to restore that blood flow.
A PET scan is an effective way to examine the chemical activity in parts of your body. It may help identify a variety of conditions, including many cancers, heart disease and brain disorders. The pictures from a PET scan provide information different from that uncovered by other types of scans, such as computerized tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A PET scan or a combined CT-PET scan enables your doctor to better diagnose illness and assess your condition.
PET scans can reveal areas of decreased blood flow in the heart. This information can help you and your doctor decide, for example, whether you might benefit from a procedure to open clogged heart arteries (angioplasty) or coronary artery bypass surgery.
PET scans can be used to evaluate certain brain disorders, such as tumors, Alzheimer's disease and seizures.
Talk with your doctor about the benefits and risks of a PET scan.
Your doctor will give you detailed instructions on how to prepare for your scan. A general rule is to avoid strenuous exercise for a couple of days before the study and to stop eating a few hours before the scan.
The PET scanner is a large machine that looks a little like a giant doughnut standing upright, similar to a computerized tomography (CT) machine. In some medical institutions, a combined CT-PET scanner is used.
Then you will be given a radioactive drug (tracer). You may receive the drug by injection or be asked to inhale or swallow it, depending on the type of tracer being used. If the drug is injected, you may briefly feel a cold sensation moving up your arm. You'll need to wait 30 to 60 minutes for the tracer to be absorbed by your body.
When you are ready, you'll lie on a narrow, padded table that slides into the scanner. During the scan you'll need to lie very still so that the images aren't blurred. It takes about 30 minutes to complete the test. The machine makes buzzing and clicking sounds.
The test is painless. If you're afraid of enclosed spaces, you may feel some anxiety while in the scanner. Be sure to tell the nurse or technologist about any anxiety causing you discomfort. He or she may give you a drug to help you relax.
In some cases you may have a CT and PET scan in the same machine during the same appointment. The CT scan will be done first and take about 10 minutes.
After the test you can carry on with your day as usual, unless your doctor tells you otherwise. You'll need to drink plenty of fluids to help flush the tracer from your body.
Combining a PET scan with an MRI or CT scan can help make the images easier to interpret. At left is a CT scan, while the center image is from a PET scanner. The image on the right is a combined CT-PET scan. The bright spot in the chest, seen best on the PET and CT-PET scans is lung cancer.
Pictures from a PET scan display bright spots where the radioactive tracer collected. These spots reveal higher levels of chemical activity and details about how your tissues and organs are functioning. A doctor specially trained to interpret scan images (radiologist) will report the findings to your doctor.
The radiologist may also compare your PET images with images from other tests you've undergone recently, such as computerized tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Or the pictures may be combined to provide more detail about your condition.
Javery O, et al. FDG PET or PET/CT in patients with pancreatic cancer: When does it add to diagnostic CT or MRI? Clinical Imaging 37;2013:295.
Murphy JG, et al., eds. Positron emission tomography. In: Mayo Clinic Cardiology: Concise Textbook. 4th ed. New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press; 2013.
Ziessman HA, et al. Nuclear Medicine: The Requisites. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2014.
Positron emission tomography — Computed tomography (PET/CT). Radiological Society of North America. http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=PET. Accessed Feb. 8, 2017.
About nuclear medicine and molecular imaging. Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging. http://www.snmmi.org/AboutSNMMI/Content.aspx?ItemNumber=6433&navItemNumber=756. Accessed Feb. 8, 2017.
About PET scans. American College of Radiology Imaging Network. http://www.acrin.org/patients/aboutimagingexamsandagents/aboutpetscans.aspx. Accessed Feb. 8, 2017.
Longo DL, et al., eds. Neuroimaging in neurologic disorders. In: Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 19th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Education; 2015. http://accessmedicine.com. Accessed Feb. 10, 2017.
FDA approves production of imaging agent that helps detect prostate cancer. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm319201.htm. Accessed Feb. 2, 2017.
Sobol I, et al. Contemporary mapping of post-prostatectomy prostate cancer relapse with C-choline positron emission tomography and multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging. Journal of Urology. 2017;197:129.
Riggin EA. Decision Support System. Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Feb. 14, 2017.


You possess a potential power that is superior to any difficulty that life may ever present. This immense inner capability enables anyone who will claim it to instantly rise above his or her challenge. It makes no difference what form the challenge may assume or how huge it looms. This latent power of yours can render it harmless and ultimately make it disappear.
This friendly force that can turn your life into a series of victories is the power to question defeat.
First we must realize that our stressful, pain-filled experiences are not caused by people or events, but by our reactions to them. And yet, if we will honestly examine the way we presently question our defeats, here's what we see: we are still desperately seeking answers that serve only to correct the surface or exterior conditions. We are still blaming circumstances for crushing us.
By their very nature our old questions tend to make and then keep us victims. They imply that someone or something outside of ourselves is punishing us.
This is why we must learn to turn our questions into tools for developing self-wholeness instead of letting them lead us off in the wrong direction.
These new questions are the power that defeats defeat. They alone insure total victory. Each time you ask the right question about an inner ache, you receive the new and right result of being released from the dark deceptions of the false self that wants you to fight with life.
Here are ten new questions that lead to self-wholeness. Use them to see the difference between how you used to think and how you will question defeat from now on.


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The unlikely star of SXSW: Grumpy Cat
Updated: 12:26 PM PDT Mar 11, 2013
Meet Grumpy Cat. The cat with a sourpuss face is less than a year old, sleeps all day and looks like she just swallowed a hairball. Grumpy Cat first gained fame when its owner posted some photos of her on Reddit, the social-news site last fall.This week, the cat has been holding court as the most popular star at the South by Southwest Interactive festival in Austin, Texas as people stood in line for hours to get their picture taken with her.PHOTOS: Share your pet photos on ulocalThe 11-month-old mixed breed cat whose real name is Tardar Sauce, has ignored them all. Mostly she sleeps in a cat bed while fans pass by to pose next to her. Instead of smiling, many of them make pouty faces of their own.Through it all, Grumpy Cat has remained unimpressed."People keep asking if we sedate her," said one of her handlers, Bryan Bundesen, on Sunday. (The answer is no.) "It's been crazy. Yesterday, they were lined up for almost three blocks."This is the first official public appearance for Grumpy Cat, who lives with her owner, Tabatha Bundesen, in Morristown, Arizona. The cat first gained fame in September when Bryan, Tabatha's brother, posted some photos of her on Reddit, the social-news site."It was an accident," said Bryan Bundesen of the viral stardom that followed. "We thought it would get some laughs, with the Internet liking cats. And it just kept going."Grumpy Cat now has a website that Bryan Bundesen said attracts 1.5 million unique visitors a month, plus a popular Facebook page, YouTube channel and Twitter account. Bryan manages her social media pages from his home in Ohio with occasional help from Tabatha, who sends him fresh Grumpy Cat photos every week or so."I don't mind it," Tabatha said of her pet's celebrity. "I'm thrilled to see that my cat brings joy to people."The Bundesens declined to say exactly how much money they've earned off Grumpy Cat, although Bryan said it's in the mid-five figures.They're also sensitive to charges that they're exploiting their pet. At SXSW, they have made her available to the public only for several hours each day, and Tabatha sits close by to make sure no fans get too cozy.But that hasn't stemmed people's enthusiasm for the small cat with the cranky face. Oscar-winning filmmaker Danny Boyle ("Slumdog Millionaire") was doing an interview a few feet away Saturday, but people crowded past him for a glimpse of the cat.Fans have come bearing cattnip toys and other gifts. One woman said she came all the way from Australia to see Grumpy Cat.Mashable, a CNN.com content partner, invited the Bundesens and Grumpy Cat to Austin as part of their SXSW party space, which celebrates Internet memes. The result supports the notion that Internet fame is becoming as potent a force as other types of celebrity."There's this great universal quality that Grumpy Cat captures," explained Mason Peatross, who waited in line more than 90 minutes for his 30 seconds with the snoozing kitty. "Everybody's got that grumpy moment where they just hate things. The cat just makes me laugh every time."
AUSTIN, Texas —
Meet Grumpy Cat. The cat with a sourpuss face is less than a year old, sleeps all day and looks like she just swallowed a hairball.
Grumpy Cat first gained fame when its owner posted some photos of her on Reddit, the social-news site last fall.
This week, the cat has been holding court as the most popular star at the South by Southwest Interactive festival in Austin, Texas as people stood in line for hours to get their picture taken with her.
PHOTOS: Share your pet photos on ulocal
The 11-month-old mixed breed cat whose real name is Tardar Sauce, has ignored them all. Mostly she sleeps in a cat bed while fans pass by to pose next to her. Instead of smiling, many of them make pouty faces of their own.
Through it all, Grumpy Cat has remained unimpressed.
"People keep asking if we sedate her," said one of her handlers, Bryan Bundesen, on Sunday. (The answer is no.) "It's been crazy. Yesterday, they were lined up for almost three blocks."
This is the first official public appearance for Grumpy Cat, who lives with her owner, Tabatha Bundesen, in Morristown, Arizona. The cat first gained fame in September when Bryan, Tabatha's brother, posted some photos of her on Reddit, the social-news site.
"It was an accident," said Bryan Bundesen of the viral stardom that followed. "We thought it would get some laughs, with the Internet liking cats. And it just kept going."
Grumpy Cat now has a website that Bryan Bundesen said attracts 1.5 million unique visitors a month, plus a popular Facebook page, YouTube channel and Twitter account. Bryan manages her social media pages from his home in Ohio with occasional help from Tabatha, who sends him fresh Grumpy Cat photos every week or so.
"I don't mind it," Tabatha said of her pet's celebrity. "I'm thrilled to see that my cat brings joy to people."
The Bundesens declined to say exactly how much money they've earned off Grumpy Cat, although Bryan said it's in the mid-five figures.
They're also sensitive to charges that they're exploiting their pet. At SXSW, they have made her available to the public only for several hours each day, and Tabatha sits close by to make sure no fans get too cozy.
But that hasn't stemmed people's enthusiasm for the small cat with the cranky face. Oscar-winning filmmaker Danny Boyle ("Slumdog Millionaire") was doing an interview a few feet away Saturday, but people crowded past him for a glimpse of the cat.
Fans have come bearing cattnip toys and other gifts. One woman said she came all the way from Australia to see Grumpy Cat.
Mashable, a CNN.com content partner, invited the Bundesens and Grumpy Cat to Austin as part of their SXSW party space, which celebrates Internet memes. The result supports the notion that Internet fame is becoming as potent a force as other types of celebrity.
"There's this great universal quality that Grumpy Cat captures," explained Mason Peatross, who waited in line more than 90 minutes for his 30 seconds with the snoozing kitty. "Everybody's got that grumpy moment where they just hate things. The cat just makes me laugh every time."

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Just listed in Montgomery for $365,000! This property DID NOT FLOOD! This massive 4 bedroom, 3.5 bathroom home in gated community has everything your family could want or need on more than 1.5 acres! A large secluded lot in a golf-course community, spacious rooms with vaulted ceilings, an open floor plan, and a beautiful wooded backyard with a pool. Yard with electric fending for pet safety. This home even comes equipped with a huge upstairs game room. Sellers are very motivated and have priced below market! They say send an offer! Call for TODAY private viewing!
I'd like to know more about 9031 GRAND LAKE ESTATES DRIVE.


This application is used for all areas of the music department: band, choir, music major, music industry, etc.
If you are interested in one of the many scholarships offered by the Hinds Development Foundation, please click on the link above and follow the instructions.
Students interested in living on campus must complete and return this housing application. Rooms fill up quickly so please return your application promptly (Before April 1st is best if you want to secure a room).


The film "D-Day: Normandy 1944" guides students in a step-by-step journey through the Battle of Normandy, the largest military operation ever undertaken, highlighting who was involved, where, what happened, why, and how. Various educational materials have been designed to serve as a resource for educators and to enhance students' experience of "D-Day: Normandy 1944" by proposing activities that can be done before going to the theater and after they have seen the film. The Educators' Resource Guide provides a brief overview of what led to the Battle of Normandy – code-named Operation Overlord – and D-Day outlining the conflicting parties, the Allies' lengthy preparation and logistics, their ingenious deception plan, intelligence work and sabotage actions, the necessary conditions for the landing on D-Day and the role of women during WWII. It also highlights some of the technological progress that WWII drove in the areas of computer sciences, rocket science and aircraft technology.


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The Cutter (Alternativtitel: The Cutter – Diamanten des Todes) ist ein US-amerikanischer Actionfilm aus dem Jahr 2005. Regie führte William Tannen, das Drehbuch schrieb Bruce Haskett.

Handlung

Der in New York City lebende Diamantenschleifer Isaak Teller gehörte in Vergangenheit zu den Häftlingen des KZ Auschwitz. Er wird von Dirk, dem Mitarbeiter eines ehemaligen SS-Soldaten, entführt, um Änderungen an Juwelen vorzunehmen, die bei einer ägyptischen Mumie gefunden wurden. Seine Nichte Elizabeth und der Privatermittler John Shepherd kämpfen, um Isaak zu befreien. Am Ende kommt es zum Nahkampf zwischen Shepherd und Dirk.

Kritiken

David Nusair schrieb auf Reel Film Reviews, die Handlung sei überladen und beinhalte einige "absurde Details". Der Schnitt und die Kameraarbeit seien "desaströs".

Das Lexikon des internationalen Films schrieb, der "für einen in die Jahre gekommenen Helden" "behäbig inszenierte Actionfilm" entwickle "kaum Potenzial".

Hintergründe
Die Vorbereitung des Filmprojekts nahm zehn Jahre in Anspruch. Es waren drei Filmstudios beteiligt; nach früheren Planungen sollte der Film in New York City, Los Angeles oder Prag gedreht werden. Er wurde schließlich in Spokane gedreht. Die Dreharbeiten fanden zwischen Oktober und Dezember 2004 statt und die Filmfirma Nu Image übernahm die Produktion. Seine Produktionskosten betrugen schätzungsweise 10 Millionen US-Dollar. Der Film wurde in den meisten Ländern – darunter in den USA und in Deutschland – direkt auf DVD veröffentlicht.

Weblinks

Einzelnachweise

Filmtitel 2005
US-amerikanischer Film
Actionfilm
Thriller

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Former Governor Jim Edgar part of panel discussion on "The Two States of Illinois"
WHAT: Former Illinois Governor Jim Edgar will join a panel of distinguished guests to discuss how the economic, social & political differences between Chicago and the rest of the state present challenges for the governance of Illinois.
WHEN: Thursday, June 6, 2013 at 7 p.m.
DETAILS: This panel discussion will explore how the perceived division between Chicago and the rest of Illinois is affecting state leadership and decision making, public perceptions of governmental effectiveness, and political and social operations.
Edgar will be joined by Chicago Sun-Times columnist and Capitol Fax newsletter publisher Rich Miller, UIS Political Science Professor Christopher Mooney, and Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning Executive Director Randy Blankenhorn.
Edgar, a distinguished fellow with the University of Illinois Institute for Government and Public Affairs (IGPA), was the 38th governor of Illinois. As governor, he made fiscal discipline and children the cornerstones of his two terms. First elected in 1990, Governor Edgar won re-election in 1994 by the largest margin ever for a governor. Four years later Governor Edgar left office with the highest approval rating in state history.
"The Two States of Illinois" presentation is sponsored by the University of Illinois Springfield Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speakers Series and the Central Illinois Chapter of the American Society of Public Administration (ASPA).
The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Kimberly Craig at 217/206-6245 or kcrai01s@uis.edu.
Labels: College of Public Affairs and Administration, Faculty, public, Public Policy
Girl Tech teaches middle schoolers about technology!
Former Governor Jim Edgar part of panel discussion...


text:
Blog Blogroll Chris Waddle: "I expect Tottenham to soon be making £80m signings' – Report
Chris Waddle: "I expect Tottenham to soon be making £80m signings' – Report
Sean Vranch 30 January, 2019 Blogroll, Columns, English Premier League, Tottenham, Transfer News & Rumours
Former Tottenham star Chris Waddle has claimed the north London club will have plenty of money to spend in the future.
According to a report in The Daily Express, Waddle, who made 137-appearances for Spurs, made the claim whilst talking to sportingbet. He said:
"I think Daniel Levy will give Pochettino the spending power of Man City and Liverpool once they move in to the new stadium".
It's a bold statement from the former England man, but with the finances the new stadium would bring, it's hard to argue with his prediction.
Tottenham look as if they're going to go through the entire season without spending a penny. Frustrated fans have at times become disillusioned by Daniel Levy's failure to loosen the purse-strings.
Waddle continued by recognising the frustration felt. He said:
"Tottenham fans are used to seeing their side finish in the top 4 and will now be wanting to win silverware".
However, you can't fault Mauricio Pochettino for his efforts. The Argentine has worked wonders to keep Spurs competing for silverware. Unfortunately for the Tottenham faithful, that hard work is yet to become fruitful on the trophy front.
Waddle predicts it won't be long until Spurs are making mega money signings like their rivals.
"I expect Tottenham to soon be making £80m signings that can push them to the next level".
That time will come when they complete the stadium move. Levy will have no reason to keep things so tight financially, believes the 58-year-old.
"Once Tottenham move in to the new stadium and start signing top players, they won't have any excuses not to and I think they will".
Spurs have numerous issues as far as the stadium move is concerned. If Waddle is correct, exciting times lie ahead for Tottenham.
Report: Aston Villa interested in Britt Assombalonga
Ian Wright says he has been vindicated after Tottenham fans earlier accused him of being biased


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Q: Laptop hard drive replacement: losing Windows recovery? I might soon have to change my hard drive for a new one
as it is starting to show signs of ceasing to work properly.
I am running Windows 7 and have a recovery partition on the
current hard drive from which I can restore the entire system
in case something goes bad. If I replace my hard drive, I will
lose this partition. SO, is there

*

*A way to download and reinstall such partition from the
manufacturer's site (in my case sony).

*A way to back it up and restore it to the new hard drive,
perhaps using some other operating system (this has the
disadvantage that since my hard drive is beginning to
malfunction, some bytes may be copied incorrectly,
causing the whole system image to be useless).
Or, do I need to purchase a separate copy of windows and
reinstall it on my new hard drive (in which case I would
also lose all the sony vaio customizations which came
with my laptop)?
Thanks.

A: If your current drive is still functioning, the best thing for you to do would be to buy a replacement hard drive with equal or greater capacity and use some disk cloing software to copy the failing hard drive to the new one. This way, you will not have to reinstall windows, and you can keep your recovery partition.

*

*Part Image (Free/Open-Source)

*Clonezilla (Free/Open-Source)

*Acronis True Image

*Acronis True Image WD Edition (Free)

*Norton Ghost

*Other
Another option if something goes wrong is if you can get a retail installation disk of the same version of Windows that your computer came with. Then you can install Windows and use the product activation key from the sticker on your computer. Note that you may have to end up calling the 1-800 activation number to get it to successfully activate. I have done this several times with success. I believe it works on any version of Windows 7 except for the Starter Edition, though I have only tried it with Windows 7 Home Premium. As for how to get a retail disk, perhaps you could borrow one from a friend, or maybe you have a friend with an MSDN subscription who could download it from MSDN, or not that I can really encourage this, but you can always get a non-hacked retail install CD from BitTorrent.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
What we are doing about it
To achieve our objectives, R4RM has taken the following actions:
On 29 September 2009 R4RM notified the Licensing Division of the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) of BRL's Stage 1 operation and Stage 2 Proposal.
DEC subsequently referred the Stage 2 proposal and future mining stages to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) for assessment.
On 25 November 2009 the Shire rejected BRL's Stage 2 application.
On 29 December 2009 BRL announced its revised "Stage 2 2010 Activity" proposal to mine Lot M2110 under the Mining Act.
R4RM is consulting with all relevant Government departments to ensure that the level of environmental assessment is a Public Environmental Review in respect of BRL's Stage 2 and all subsequent Stages in Chittering Shire, and that the proper planning principles are respected to take into account impacts on social and residential amenity.
R4RM is also lobbying for the protection of the Darling Scarp from strip-mining and for all bauxite resources to be reviewed on a regional basis so that the cumulative impacts of BRL's operations on the environment, existing business and residents are assessed and understood.
As a result of R4RM's successful lobbying efforts, BRL's activities in the area are now under scrutiny by relevant Government departments.
R4RM is also committed to proactively;
Provide regular communication opportunities for our supporters
Undertake regular meetings with Government and other relevant stakeholders
Monitor BRL's activities and ensure it is held accountable for its environmental performance
Find out what you can do to get involved in R4RM.
Join our Facebook group to communicate with other R4RM Members.


text:
Friday, 12 Nov, 2010
economy-and-finance / events / g20
G20 ends: Cameron victorious?
By Peter Wozniak
World leaders in Seoul have issued a statement saying they will avoid much-feared currency wars amidst troubled negotiations, echoing David Cameron's warning to the summit.
But as the summit ends today, leaders have failed to entirely extinguish concern that the US and China will engage in "competitive devaluation" of currencies in order to boost their own exports.
Mr Cameron said earlier: "We are going to fight trade barriers, we are going to fight beggar-my-neighbour policies, we are going to fight [against] currency wars, we are going to fight competitive devaluations."
The final statement from the G20 echoed this sentiment by promising "indicative guidelines" to be used to monitor trade imbalances and potential competition in currencies.
Countries pledged to keep exchange rates driven by the market rather than what Mr Cameron called "beggar-my-neighbour" policies aimed at created artificial advantage.
However, in a sign of the Sino-American tension which has marred the meeting in South Korea, US President Obama said: "Emerging economies need to allow for currencies that are market-driven. This is something that I raised with President Hu of China and we will closely watch the appreciation of China's currency."
The negotiations became bogged down between the US on one hand and major exporters – particularly China and Germany.
The final communiqué fell well short of the American proposal to impose a four per cent limit on trade deficits surpluses, specifically aimed at curbing Berlin and Beijing's economic models.
The talks were also overshadowed by the American decision to introduce a new round of quantitative easing, which opponents argue is a deliberate ploy to boost Washington's own export market.
The prime minister said yesterday he "vigorously opposed" any move towards protectionism, but admitted this G20 was unlikely to repeat the "heroic" unity of purpose shown in 2008 at the height of the financial crisis.
Alan Johnson, the shadow chancellor, painted a pessimistic picture of progress at the summit.
He said: "Two years ago the world's leaders showed that they could act together in the face of an economic crisis. Those risks remain, but this week's G20 summit has made painfully clear that the momentum behind necessary cooperation has badly stalled.
"At stake is the recovery of the world economy, and jobs back here in the UK. Leaders have failed in their core task – to show that the political will is there to make a difference."
As the recovery begins to take shape, experts including the governor of the Bank of England and the head of the World Bank have warned countries retreating to protectionism to improve their own growth rates.
As world leaders return to their home countries, analysts have concluded the summit did little to allay these fears.
Comment: Islamic finance is powering Britain's economy
Anti-Putin protest outside Downing Street over Section 28 gay law
Ian Tomlinson: The cover-up was worse than the crime
UK bank a "rogue institution" says US
Police officer found not guilty in Ian Tomlinson trial
Cameron and Kirchner's 'corridor clash' over Falklands
Cameron fears eurozone stagnation despite Greek election result
Markit: Take figures with pinch of salt


Dr.Malpani's Blog: Irregular cycles and infertility - is it PCOD or poor ovarian reserve ?
Irregular cycles and infertility - is it PCOD or poor ovarian reserve ?
Many infertile women have irregular cycles and they know that the reason for their infertility is related to their irregular cycles. However, many are quite confused as to the relationship. Some naively believe that if the cycles are regularised, their fertility will also automatically improve ! This is why they waste months taking birth control pills, without trying to address the underlying problem !
Today, we know that the commonest cause for irregular cycle is PCOD - polycystic ovarian disease. Unfortunately, many gynecologists blindly diagnose every patients with irregular cycles as having PCOD , without bothering to rule out other possibilities !
Let's look at some basics.
Women who ovulate regularly get regular periods. The reason a woman's periods are irregular is because she does not ovulate. This is called anovulation. While it is true that the commonest cause of anovulation is PCOD, it's equally true that this is not the only cause. A good doctor will do a careful workup to evaluate ovarian reserve, in order to determine what the reason for the anovulation is.
Thus, in some women the reason for the anovulation is poor ovarian reserve - a condition called the oopause. However, if this is mis-diagnosed as PCOD, precious time is wasted and the patient never gets a chance to get the right treatment !
If you have irregular cycles, please insist that your doctor do the following simple medical tests.
1. Blood tests for the following reproductive hormones - FSH ( follicle-stimulating hormone),LH ( luteinising hormone),PRL ( prolactin) , AMH ( anti-Mullerian hormone) and TSH ( thyroid stimulating hormone) on Day 3 of your cycle, ( to check the quality of your eggs).
2. A vaginal ultrasound scan on Day 3, which should check for the following.
Patients with PCOD typically have a high LH:FSH ratio; a high AMH level; large ovaries; and increased ovarian stroma with many small antral follicles.
Patients with poor ovarian reserve, on the other hand, have a high FSH:LH ratio; low AMH levels; small ovaries and a reduced antral follicle count.
If you are not sure how to interpret your reports, please send me your medical details by filling in the free second opinion form , and I'll be happy to help !


The chiefs of the Seven, Nine and Ten Networks today pressed their case to scrap the quotas for children's and pre-school programming and to raise the TV producer offset to 40 per cent.
All three urged parliament to pass the government's media reforms and they vowed to plough the savings from the abolition of annual licence fees into local content.
However Nine Entertainment CEO Hugh Marks indicated that some of that money would be invested in distribution platforms to make Nine's content more widely available.
Ten's CEO Paul Anderson called for the removal of Screen Australia's 65-episode cap on funding dramas and changing the definition of "first release" in the Content Standard to enable networks to collaborate with pay TV channels.
Marks advocated a wholesale review of the public broadcasters, questioning whether both need their current number of channels to fulfil their charters.
He complained SBS has driven up the costs of international content by outbidding the commercial networks for shows such as The Handmaid's Tale, which Nine wanted to buy.
Similarly, Seven West Media CEO Tim Worner said Seven is regularly outbid by SBS for US and UK dramas, which his colleague Therese Hegarty suggested are outside SBS's charter.
The execs appeared separately before the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Communications and the Arts in Sydney, which is conducting an inquiry into factors contributing to the growth and sustainability of Australia's film and television industry.
Worner argued the children's quotas are outdated and unduly restrictive, observing "it is not sustainable or defensible to spend millions of dollars on children's programming" which often is watched by 6,000 kids or fewer.
Anderson pointed out kids are watching the ABC's dedicated children's channels and iview, pay TV kids channels, Netflix Kids and YouTube, with the result that Ten's shows are usually watched by around 2,000 5-12-year-olds.
"These programs are also almost impossible to monetise due to the low audiences and the extremely restrictive advertising restrictions around them," he said, adding that he rejects suggestions that children aren't watching Ten's C and P shows because the content is not high quality or they are not properly marketed and scheduled.
Worner called for simplifying the process of approving visas for foreign actors and technicians (which entails consultation with the MEAA), claiming it is time consuming and expensive. He insisted this reform would not lead to a large increase of foreign personnel coming to Australia.
Ten's chief content officer Beverley McGarvey told the inquiry Ten decided to proceed with series six and seven of Offspring although the Endemol Shine Australia production no longer qualified for Screen Australia funding.
The broadcaster was willing to take a "massive hit" financially on the show because it is important to Ten's brand, she said. Anderson revealed the drama's budget went up from around $650,000 an hour to just under $1 million and the company loses money on all its Australian dramas.
All three networks called for the removal of the outdated two-out-of-three and 75 per cent reach rules. "By severely restricting local media companies from acquiring much needed scale and capital, these rules are actively threatening diversity," Anderson said.
Marks revealed that Nine spends $600 million annually on local content, divided roughly equally between news and current affairs; sports; and programming including dramas, reality shows and documentaries.
Marks was asked his view on proposals by Screen Producers Australia and others to apply local content regulations to Netflix, Stan (a joint venture between Nine and Fairfax Media) and other streaming services.


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Olive tree silvarable-pastoral system, near Viterbo, Italy
Photo by P. Paris (CNR IBAF)
Goats and Fraxinus, Portugal
Photo by Joana Amaral Paulo
Darliner Farm
Alley cropping system of Poplar in Forst, Germany
Photo by D. Freese
Mature grazed woodland at Clapham Park
Bedfordshire, UK
Red Tractor Farm
Alley cropping, Seabuckthorn & Buffaloberry, canola and alfalfa
Collection of reindeer
Photo by Daana Fjällberg of the Njaarke Sami village
Invisible fencing in wood pasture - A comparison of costs
Why invisible fencing?
Invisible fencing is an innovation that allows the control of cattle movement without needing physical barriers. In open areas, cattle can be fitted with a Geographical Positioning System (GPS) which will signal when a cow approaches a boundary.
Under trees in a wood pasture, due to the intermittent GPS signal, an alternative method is to bury an electric cable in the soil surface that emits a shortwave radio signal which is sensed by a transponder on a cattle collar. The transponder emits a noise as a cow approaches the boundary and, if she does not turn back, it provides an electric pulse similar to an electric fence. At Epping Forest, each collar also includes a GPS sensor which helps to locate the cattle.
Zsörk Vinehill in Hungary
How diversity survives in the Hungarian agrarian landscape......and why it is so difficult to deal with
Transitioning to a viable world? Yes, we can, say the world's agroforesters!
Beluga whales, kombucha, astonishing farming diversity and brilliant scientific insights? Yes, it must be the World Congress on Agroforestry!
The first post-pandemic Congress of our community took place from 17th to 20th of July in the wonderful city of Québec, the only place in North America that reminds me of Europe. As you can expect, it was a scene of much rejoicing as old colleagues embraced for the first time in years and freshly minted PhDs, eyes ablaze at the diversity of the science, hungrily went from poster to poster. The celebrations were only slightly marred by the profound incompetence of the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which failed to deliver visas to almost 200 colleagues from around the tropical and subtropical world. I am not sure why some particularly obtuse bureaucrats felt that, for example, the regional director of a major research organisation may abscond on her visa for the dubious pleasures of cleaning toilets in Canada, but it is what it is.
As we all know, 2022 is the year of the three COPS: for desertification (UNCCD, Abidjan), biodiversity (UNCBD, Montréal) and climate (UNFCCC, Sharm-El-Sheikh). This made the Agroforestry Congress both more important and more interesting: a lot of the science that I could witness directly addressed the difficult question of how to combine an increasingly brittle and destructive food system with the imperious necessity of restoring our lands and soils, dealing with global heating and protecting our biodiversity. Accordingly, some of the most fascinating plenary talks came from seasoned researchers who have spent their careers understanding the interplay of myriad factors on the complex systems humanity so easily impacts. The discussion of humanity's war against trees sketched out by Rodolphe de Koninck, a Professor emeritus at the Université de Montréal, in his plenary speech was as fascinating as Fergus Sinclair's reminder of the myriad ways in which both physical, social, economic and even aesthetic factors come into play in a proper understanding of agroecology, while Tony Simons reminded us that while we all blithely talk about agroforestry, we have so many widely different definitions of what it might be that the concept itself risks being devoid of any solid meaning - a conclusion that reminded your correspondent of Justice Potter Stewart's famous ruling that "I know it when I see it" (look it up).
The conference was all about "transitioning to a viable world" - which, considering the alarming and widely shared underlying assumption that we are now on a hiding to hell, did not seem to generate undue depression amongst the participants. Logically enough, a lot of the side sessions had titles like "transitioning to healthy soils", "transitioning to biodiversity", or "transitioning to a viable climate". What these special sessions confirmed is the vigourous health of the agroforestry research community: a remarkably large number of insightful talks and presentations rekindled your correspondent's hope that we can, indeed, transition to a viable world. All we have to do is make it happen.
The Congress also saw the General Assembly of the International Union of Agroforestry, which renewed its board (yes, the rumours are true: I'm its new President), and decided that the next world Congress, in 2025, would be held in Kigali, Rwanda. Patrick Karera, the Permanent Secretary of Rwanda's Ministry of the Environment, promised visa-free travel or visas on arrival for almost any passport on earth, eliciting a standing ovation from the audience.
The field trips allowed us to discover how lush the québécois landscape can be in summer, and how innovative farmers are harnessing it to make a good living without damaging their soil in the very short growing season Québec's harsh climate imposes. With the organisers kindly offering the opportunity of rounding things off with a whale watching boat cruise, there is only one criticism that I would make: the Congress should've been longer.
Patrick Worms


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Keeping the American Federal State Active: The Imperative of 'Race-Sensitive' Policy
by Desmond King | July 2014
In her passionate dissent in Schuette v. Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action (2014), Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor defended the need for a continuing American federal State role in affirmative action. Justice Sotomayor argued for the continuing need for 'race sensitive' measures, specifically in university admissions, but in principle in other spheres of society too. They are appropriate because of America's history of denying equal political rights to African Americans and other racial minorities, because of the endurance of deep material racial inequalities and, Justice Sotomayor added, because race matters so much in daily experiences – "race matters to a young man's view of society when he spends his teenage years watching others tense up as he passes, no matter the neighborhood where he grew up."
"Race sensitive" measures – often described as 'race conscious' or 'race targeted' policies – are widely unpopular with most white voters but receive support from at least 60-70 per cent of African American and Latino voters. Rogers Smith and I argue that two racial policy alliances dominate approaches to addressing enduring material racial inequalities – advocates of so-called 'color-blind' policies and their adversaries who advance 'race conscious' measures. These two positions overlap with modern America's historically exceptional partisan polarization - Republicans aligning with color-blind arguments and Democrats with race conscious positions. This alignment between preferences for policies dealing with racial inequality and partisan polarization is unusual historically (since both parties had pro- and anti-civil rights reformers from the 1880s until the 1980s) and makes the challenge of devising public policy intensely difficult. The majority of justices on the Supreme Court – Republican appointees – have made clear their hostility to affirmative action policies, leaving the minority of justices – Democrat president nominees – constantly embattled when defending measures or policies designed to promote racial equality. Thus where Sotomayor reinforces the urgency of 'race sensitive' policies in the federal government's initiatives to try to get on top of enduring material racial inequality, the Court's Chief Justice John Roberts reiterates in the same judgment the color-blind stance he first articulated in Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1 (2007): 'the way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race." The color-blind and race conscious policy alliances are engaged – to the minimal extent there is engagement – in a dialogue of the deaf.
In this setting, Sheryll Cashin's provocative book, Place Not Race, makes a valuable and welcome contribution to the debate on what affirmative action policies should look like in the current political era. Cashin advances a richly defined basis for modern affirmative action policies linking her proposal – that the criteria for such measures as university admission schemes should be based on residential area – to the sources of enduring racial inequality increasingly recognized by social scientists, in this case the bundle of restrictive traits labelled as 'neighborhood effects' by such scholars as Patrick Sharkey and Robert Sampson, and featured in the work of scholars of entrenched residential segregation, like Camille Charles, and its class consequences, like Mary Pattillo. Cashin gives the Texas Ten Percent admissions scheme as an example. She argues for a scheme which will focus on low-opportunity neighborhoods (defined as more than 20 per cent living there in poverty), independent of a household's race. Such a scheme might win Court endorsement since the color-blind majority can interpret it as a class rather than race based stance.
But such color-blind schemes for affirmative action are in danger of offering too limited an approach to material racial inequality for several reasons. First, they neglect the searing entrenched character of racial segregation in residential and educational patterns in the US. Nothing short of a national program combining targeted community development high-investment measures combined with a national program of coercive affirmative action quotas will begin to reduce this embedded infrastructure of inequality. The significant desegregation of schools since the late 1960s and decline in hyper-segregated residential patterns can't mask the persistence of segregation: for example, those school districts released from court ordered integration mandates since the 1990s have demonstrated a remarkable tendency to re-segregate without provoking any objection from the Supreme Court majority in its consideration of related cases. While the statistics on housing desegregation point to a desegregation trend, we still have a long way to go. Ironically the University of Texas Ten Percent scheme could only exist because residential and education segregation is so deep.
Second, as Justice Sotomayor's dissent implies racial discrimination and prejudice – though greatly reduced – remain salient in modern America. This can be measured for instance in the revealed preferences of Americans by race or ethnicity about what sort of neighborhoods they wish to live in. Almost all respondents express a preference for living in integrated neighborhoods but few – especially households with children – actually do so, as Northwestern University sociologist Lincoln Quillian shows in his research. It can also be measured in the role of implicit racial bias and patterns of racially disparate impact, measurement of which are limited by judicial rulings, but which are nonetheless observable in health statistics, labor market participation and unemployment levels, and in criminal justice outcomes. Brown University political scientist Michael Tesler has also shown in recent papers how much attitudes about race continue to influence electoral choices, particularly to such issues as President Obama's health care reform.
Sheryll Cashin's book is a timely intervention into a critical public policy challenge – how to devise policies that effectively address enduring material racial inequalities. Her proposal is an imaginative attempt to find a political space between the partisan and policy divisions represented in color-blind and race conscious frameworks, and this sort of pragmatic engagement is to be welcomed. The issue it leaves us to consider however is how to deal with the structural and political forces producing the conditions of segregation which make such middle way schemes necessary in the first place. Cashin is quite right to formulate a policy proposal requiring intervention by the American federal State (working in liaison with universities) but this intervention will have to be much more far-reaching and race sensitive materially to advance racial inequality.
Desmond King is the Andrew W. Mellon Professor of American Government at the University of Oxford. His books include Making Americans: Immigration, Race and the Origins of the Diverse Democracy (2002), Separate and Unequal : African Americans and the US Federal Government (2007), and (with Rogers M. Smith) Still a House Divided: Race and Politics in Obama's America (2011).
More in Discussion 5: Place-Based Affirmative Action
Place Not Race: Reforming Affirmative Action to Redress Neighborhood Inequality
by Sheryll Cashin
Reforming Affirmative Action at Universities Misses Deeper Problem
by George Galster
Race and Place
by Gerald Torres
by Desmond King


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Donegal GAA Worldwide
Donegal GAA Team
The GAA plays a pivotal role in bringing people together not only in Ireland but worldwide. Many people from Doengal watched Donegal win the All Ireland Final from all parts of the world with pride in September 2012. While there are hundreds of GAA clubs abroad there are five clubs that have adopted the name Donegal or have used the old Irish form Tír Chonaill.
And of course there is the County team that led us to All Ireland victory in 2012.
http://www.donegalgaa.ie/
Donegal Philadelphia
https://twitter.com/StPatsDonegal
Tír Conaill Harps, Glasgow
http://www.tirconaill.org/
Donegal Boston
https://twitter.com/DonegalBoston
Tir Chonaill Gaels, London
http://www.tirchonaillgaels.com/
Donegal Philly GAA
Donegal Philadelphia Gaelic Football Club celebrated its twenty five year Anniversary in 2013. On May 4th, 2013, the Donegal club celebrated their twenty five year anniversary as a Gaelic Football club in the Philadelphia area. The 2013 Annual Award dinner dance not only honored the current team... Read more.
The Donegal County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association / Cumann Lúthchleas Gael Coiste Dhún na nGall (GAA) is one of the GAA's 32 county boards in Ireland. It is responsible for Gaelic games in County Donegal. The county board is also responsible for the Donegal inter-county teams. The... Read more.
A Message From The Chief Executive
As Chief Executive I am glad to welcome you to the Donegal Diaspora website. This website is a means of our reaching out to and connecting with our broad Donegal Diaspora in all parts of the world. The Donegal Diaspora Project has been established to reach out to this broad community for mutual... Read more.
Donegal Prospectus, a positive boost for the future.
The new Donegal Prospectus has been described as having an important role in presenting this county as an excellent place to do business for companies thinking of locating in Ireland.
The glossy 48-page publication is to be used to attract foreign investment and showcase the county to... Read more.
Tir Conaill Harps, Glasgow
Tir Conaill Harps has been serving the people of Glasgow for over 20 years. They are a community based Gaelic Athletic Club which provide opportunities for everyone in a safe, fun and an affordable environment for all ages. The club was founded in 1994 after a breakaway from another club. ... Read more.


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Although I've intended this blog post to be about free things to do in London with kids, we found that any one of these activities were equally enjoyable as adults. It's just that our kids particularly liked these excursions. All of which come free of charge, although in some cases we did have to organise things a little in advance.
"Oh what a tangled web we weave. When first we practice to deceive.
You are a liar, Sir! You know who you are and I'm calling you out on it. I hope your ears are reddened by being caught out in such a pathetic attempt at misdirection. I didn't buy it at the time and I'm not buying it now.
Over the last few years, Aldi Ireland have established themselves as a regular attendee at Taste of Dublin, which they cleverly use to showcase their range of Irish ingredients. Two years ago I dined on a steak feast inside a wooden hut, while last year's meal was enjoyed in a space decorated by Peter Kelly, better known as Weddings by Franc.
If you're heading from the south to the west or north-west, to the Burren, to Galway, Mayo (Knock for instance), Sligo, or Connemara, or indeed coming in the other direction, then Gort is a good place to stop and refuel and nearby Coole Park a lovely place to stretch those legs.


text:
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Every day the amount of land decreases, and the price increases significantly.
Assets: a grain warehouse, an elevator (7000 tons), 63 units of machinery: harrows, seeders, cultivators, tractors, plows, sprayers etc.
The farm is very successful and is in high demand by other investors. The negotiations concerning purchase are already underway.
After harvest the 2nd LLC will be proposed.
The land bank can be increased to 2 000 extra hectares. Potentially an additional land plot will be available.
In Ukraine the state pays "the Green Tariff" till 2031 at a cost 0,16 Euro cents per 1 KWh.
The agreement and technical specifications from regional energetic provider for 20 megawatt to switch in. Such proposal is unique (full readiness) and is unlikely to be available for a long time. Please, provide information to your Client ASAP.
Purpose – agricultural land (with a possibility to change to land of energetic).
The potential capacity of electricity generation is about 10 megawatts. All procedures of the the land purpose change, as well as obtaining the technical specifications and documents for launching the system will take approx. 1 year.
Real estate in Ukraine is developing rapidly and has one of the biggest ROI.
Optimization of raw material costs and qualified employees payroll.
$8 mln. or investment $20 mln.


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Roland Wolf (né à Bonn en 1965, mort le ) est un musicien allemand.

Roland Wolf a fait partie d'un groupe  local appelé Facon Facon de 1983 à 1985, avant de déménager à Berlin. Là, il rencontre d'autres musiciens, joue au sein du groupe Einstürzende Neubauten, soit en remplacement du bassiste Mark Chung, soit aux claviers. Reconnu pour sa fonction de pianiste au sein du groupe Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds de 1986 à 1989, depuis la sortie de l'album Tender Prey à la sortie The Good Son en 1990. Il est décédé dans un accident de voiture.

Discographie Solo
1993 Conway Savage (mini-album)
1998 Soon Will Be Tomorrow (avec Suzie Higgie)
2000 Nothing Broken
2004 Wrong Man's Hands
2005 Rare Songs & Performances 1989-2004
2007 Quickie For Ducky (avec Amanda Fox & Robert Tickner)

Notes et références

Bassiste allemand
Pianiste allemand
Naissance en 1965
Naissance à Bonn
Membre de Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Membre d'Einstürzende Neubauten
Décès en mars 1995
Musicien mort dans un accident de la route
Pianiste de rock
Bassiste de rock


Each day, we are bombarded with darkness in the news. Story after story of atrocities are being revealed and exposed to us by the minute. We are allowing ourselves to be guided into a sort of numbness and helplessness by the stories that are purposely chosen to be released to us through the media.
We are not being told the whole story.
Yes, this world is filled with darkness. And in my opinion, it is a good thing that we are becoming more aware of the sin and evil that always existed in the shadows. Now, we don't have to look too far to discover evil…it is right in front of our faces twenty-four hours a day.
However, grace, kindness and mercy also flows around us each day. We only need to search for goodness and ask that our eyes be opened so that we may see it.
A few months ago, I started a job at an Assisted Living Retirement Community. The facility where I work is beautiful and offers much in the way of life enrichment. I have fallen in love with the residents, and also with the beautiful staff that cares for them, and shows love in so many ways.
Wonderful exchanges between friends, where one is hard of hearing. Watching as the one friend patiently repeats, slowly and loudly, until the friend can understand. This happens over and over throughout the day, and I have never seen impatience or mean-spiritedness in the interactions.
One resident in particular, is a blessing to all by her calmness of spirit, and her willingness to help. Not only does she greet and speak with each person she encounters, she has also been extremely patient and helpful with me, while I was training for my position.
Residents that are filled with pain or with bent bodies, refusing to give up. They face each day as it comes and push forward one step at a time. They refuse to give up.
Family members that visit their loved ones almost every day. The daily struggle of their own lives, plus the concern and emotion they feel regarding their family members that are living at the Assisted Living Community, are very evident. They are feeling many different emotions as life pulls them in different directions. However, they are there to share love and comfort…they are there to share themselves. It is a beautiful thing to witness.
Many family members live too far to visit a lot. On Mother's Day, I watched love and pride radiate on the face of one mother when she first saw her family walk in the door. Then my heart was pierced, along with hers, as I saw her goodbye embrace with her son, that she doesn't see regularly… Love is such a beautiful, powerful force, that is so hard to even comprehend. A mother's bond with her child is unexplainable.
When someone is having an "off" day, I watch as community members try to guide their friends to socialize and participate in events. I do not see judgement in play. What I see is an inner knowing and understanding of the difficulties that others may be experiencing, and their concern for that person.
A hand on a shoulder, a hug, a warm smile, an invitation, a conversation, validation, acceptance, service, love…these wonderful expressions of love are all around us each day. You may not have the opportunity to see the same love moments that I do, but I can guarantee that they are happening no matter where you are.
Look for those moments. For when you find them, you will find Jesus.
Categories: Christianity | Tags: Assisted Living, jesus, love, Retirement Community, service, validation | Permalink.


The Hip-Hop community has influenced dance culture consistently for over 30 years and some of the best moves have been gleaned from the Eighties and are still celebrated in competition today. If you see a dance battle, nine times out of ten, break dancing will be a part of the show.
France puts on an annual dance battle called Chelles Battle Pro. The competition took place Saturday and the baby with the most swag and skill of the B-Boy crew The Soul Mavericks, was the electrifying 6-year-old dance phenom, Terra.
She broke it down with every difficult move from the hesistant crawl, to headstands with hops, and endless spins holding her leg, all with bold bravado that should've sent her opponent running off the stage with his tail between his legs. According to Digital Journal, she joined the all male dance crew last year along with her 8-year-old sister Eddie. Check her out for yourself. You won't believe her explosive character and moves. You will be shocked that she didn't win the competition.


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Hero in our Midst – William Callahan – Valley Patriot of the Month
By: Tom Duggan -January, 2006
NORTH ANDOVER – Lawrence native Bill Callahan served his country in two wars, World War II and the Korean War. After completing his military service, he has also spent decades volunteering in the community and working to help others.
When Bill Callahan graduated from Lawrence High School in 1945, the 17-year-old knew that he needed to learn a trade to get a job.
America was in the heat of World War II and, coming from a military family (his dad was a Navy man), Bill decided to enlist in the Navy and learn electronics. His father even took him to the recruiter to sign him up.
Bill quite vividly remembers his first day of boot camp. He went by train from Boston to a Navy facility at Sampson, New York."It was April 12, 1945, the day President Roosevelt died," Callahan recalled.
"We threw together our uniforms and stood in the rain in commemoration of Roosevelt's dying day," Callahan added.
While at boot camp, Callahan says he always had trouble learning how to march. "I have short legs and could never keep in step," he recalls. Every time the drill instructor caught him out-of-step, he had to "watch a 'foolish' clothesline" from midnight to 4 a.m. the following night. This, unfortunately, happened more often than Callahan would have liked.
Boot camp lasted 10 weeks and Bill was then assigned to a small aircraft carrier, the USS Puget Sound. The ship carried 800 men and 30 planes. The Puget Sound was stationed in the South Pacific during the war.
Bill Callahan enlisted as a seaman, which involved scraping paint, followed by painting, and a few days later scraping off the paint again. He also swabbed the deck. Later, he was fortunate enough to become the chaplain's yeoman aboard ship.
"We had one priest and he was the chaplain for all of the services. I was the one assigned to assist him," says Callahan.
Bill served in World War II until the war ended. After returning to the states, he says he wanted to learn more about electronics and decided to sign up for a U.S. Naval Reserve program.
Bill remembers that there was a reserve center near the Lawrence Veterans Memorial Stadium. Bill signed on and eventually achieved a rating for electronic technician third class.
When the Korean War broke out, Bill learned that the United States Navy needed electronic technicians, and again Bill answered the call to serve and went off to war.
This time, Bill Callahan was assigned to the USS Block Island II, an escort carrier stationed off the coast of Korea providing the technical assistance that the Navy needed. While in Philadelphia waiting for the refurbishing of the Block Island II for the war, Bill and his wife had their only daughter, Betty. "It was hard, of course, having the baby at home for two years while I was at sea," he said. Bill says that the Navy was very good to him and his family, providing diapers and other items for Betty while he was at sea.
Bill Callahan's daughter Betty now works at the North Andover Senior Center where he is able to see her several times a week.
Bill says that one of his most memorable moments was outside the U.S. Navy Hospital where Betty was born. "They were filming the movie 'The Greatest Show on Earth' and I got to meet the great Jimmy Stewart."
While at sea, Bill's shipmates had a contest to select the "Most Typical American Girl." The winner was a young lady from Pennsylvania. When the Block Island II arrived in San Diego after the war, they paid for her transportation and flight to San Diego. Unfortunately, when she came off the plane, all of the men were disappointed because she was pregnant. However, there was a big USO event at the time featuring the Andrew Sisters and Bill was called on stage to sing with them.
Bill served two years in the Korean War until it ended.
For his service in both wars, Bill Callahan received the World War II Victory Medal and the Pacific Theater Medal, and the Korean Medal for the Korean War.
After completing his service, Bill worked for 22 years at Honeywell in the Woodmill Building in Lawrence. Bill lived in Lawrence until five year ago, when he moved to North Andover.
After serving his country in two wars, Bill Callahan's interest in public service continued. Bill was instrumental in helping the Bread & Roses festival establish itself in Lawrence and he has always been eager to volunteer in the community.
Bill is currently a member of the American Legion Post 219, is an active volunteer with the North Andover Senior Center and helps out at the Sutton Hill Nursing Home, working with veterans and running the men's club.
He still volunteers at Bread & Roses. He also sings in a group called Vocal Airs, in North Andover.
A while back he was fortunate enough to represent the United States with the Garrett players in Finland.
The Valley Patriot would like to thank Bill Callahan for his military service to our country and all of his many years of public service to the community. We are proud to honor Bill Callahan as our Patriot of the Month..
If you would like to nominate a veteran to be honored as a Valley Patriot of the month please call us at (978) 557-5413 or email us at ValleyPatriot@aol.com
Tom Duggan is president and publisher of The Valley Patriot Newspaper in North Andover, Massachusetts. He is an author, host of the Paying Attention TV/Radio Program, lectures on media bias and police issues, is a former Lawrence School Committeeman, former political director for Mass. Citizens Alliance, and a 1990 Police Survivor. You can email your comments to valleypatriot@aol.com.


MD 940 · Owings Mills Blvd.
0.48 mi.; from Dolfield Rd. east to MD 140.
Marked east-west at east entrance on MD 140.
Connects MD 140 and I-795 to the Owings Mills Town Center. Second highest signed number in Maryland, although only on guide signs on MD 140.
MD 940D: Smoot La. 0.02 mi.; from Church Rd. south to road end. Runs alongside the west side of I-795 near Franklin Blvd.
MD 940S: (no name) 0.37 mi.; from MD 30 west to road end. Just north of end of I-795 on MD 30.
MD 940 marker on northbound 140, Owings Mills.
MD 942 · Bridge St.
MD 942 is more important than the number implies. It's the bridge over the Potomac River in Cumberland, becoming WV 28 across the line. In the 1953 and earlier maps, this route was designated MD 764.
2 pieces, very far apart.
Unmarked, associated with MD 143 & 243.
MD 943: Warren Rd. (BA) 0.59 mi.; from I-83 exit 18 ramps east to Beaver Dam Rd. New ramps constructed in 1994. Number 943 chosen as original Warren Rd. to east of MD 45 was once MD 143.
MD 943: Old MD 243 (SM) 0.19 mi.; between MD 243 and MD 5. Just as the Baltimore Co. 943 is associated with 143, this one is associated with 243.
7 pieces along MD 235 between MD 4 and MD 245.
One section marked east-west, associated with MD 235.
MD 944: Mervell Dean Rd. 2.26 mi.; from MD 235 south to end of state maintenance. Parallels MD 235 on eastern side. Probably part of the old 235.
MD 944A: St. John's Rd. 0.18 mi.; SHA maintained section straddles MD 235 on both sides.
MD 944B: Sandy Bottom Rd. 0.02 mi.; from MD 235 west to end of state maintenance.
MD 944C: Clark's Landing Rd. 0.04 mi.; between MD 235 and MD 944. Connects 944 with 235 near the main 944's south end.
MD 944D: Airport View Rd. 0.06 mi.; Straddles MD 235 both sides.
MD 944E: Miles Village Rd. 0.02 mi.; from MD 235 west to end of state maintenance.
MD 944F: Airport Dr. 0.02 mi.; from MD 235 west to end of state maintenance.
0.10 mi.; near MD 235-245 junction.
Unmarked, associated with MD 235.
Parallels MD 235, dead end at both ends, served by spurs to 235 in between.
MD 946 · Finzel Rd.
0.61 mi.; from US 40 Alt. north to MD 546.
Status: Marked north-south, associated with MD 546.
A connector to the east of the current Alt 40-546 intersection.
Unmarked, associated with former US 48, now I-68.
Along I-68, MD 948 comprises several sections in Allegany Co. east of Cumberland, and in central Garrett Co.
MD 948B: Old Frostburg Rd. (GA) 0.24 mi.; across I-68 west of MD 546.
MD 948C: (no name) (AL) 0.39 mi.; from MD 144 north to road end.
MD 948H: Diesel School Rd. (GA) 0.62 mi.; from US 219 east to road end, just south of Alt US 40.
MD 948K: (no name) (GA) 0.40 mi.; from Pigs Ear Rd. west to road end. Parallels north side of I-68 3 miles west of US 219.
MD 948L: (no name) (GA) 0.00 mi.; from Pigs Ear Rd. west to road end. Parallels I-68 to the south.
MD 948M: W. Wilson Rd. (AL) 0.44 mi.; from MD 144 west to end of state maintenance.
MD 948P: North Park Rd. (GA) 1.15 mi.; from MD 495 east to road end.
MD 948Y: High Germany Rd. (AL) 0.37 mi.; from US 40 Scenic north to Washington County line.
MD 948AD: Pleasant Valley Rd. (AL) 0.20 mi.; from MD 144 north to end of state maintenance. Exit 50 on I-68.
MD 948AE: Rocky Gap Rd. (AL) 0.18 mi.; from MD 144 north to end of state maintenance. Bridge over I-68 and approach.
MD 948AF: Jeffries Rd. (AL) 0.29 mi.; straddles bridge over I-68.
MD 948AL: M.V. Smith Rd. (AL) 0.49 mi.; Yet another I-68 overpass.
MD 948AM: Flintstone Rd. (AL) 0.61 mi.; Exit 56 off I-68.
MD 948AO: Black Valley Rd. (AL) 0.31 mi.; from MD 144 north to MD 948AM. In the same area of I-68 Exit 56.
MD 949 · W. Braddock Rd.
0.56 mi.; from MD 658 north to road end.
Unmarked, associated with MD 49.
Part of the old MD 49, cut apart by I-68.
MD 949A: (no name) 0.12 mi.; from MD 53 east to road end.
Unmarked, number comes from US 50.
Sections of MD 950 consist of approaches to bridges over US 50.
MD 950: Garden City Dr. 0.22 mi.; northwest of New Carrollton Metro Station.
MD 950A: Whitfield Chapel Rd. 0.28 mi.; straddles US 50.
MD 950C: Lottsford Vista Rd. 0.42 mi.; straddles US 50.
MD 950D: Church Rd. 0.34 mi.; straddles US 50.
MD 951 · Vine St.
Unmarked, associated with MD 53.
MD 952 is the designation of the approaches to I-68 Exit 45 just east of Cumberland.
MD 952: Hillcrest Dr. 0.31 mi.; from I-68 exit 45 NW ramps, across I-68, then northeast to road end.
MD 952A: (no name) 0.37 mi.; southwest from MD 952 along I-68 south side.
MD 953 · Glenn Dale Rd.
3.53 mi.; from MD 193 north to dead end at North Lansdale St/Amtrak rail line.
Prior to elimination of a railroad grade crossing in Glenn Dale, this route was marked MD 199.
...Md-953 is much newer than the 1950s. When I bought a house in Glenn Dale, the last two grade crossings between DC and New York were in Glenn Dale---Hillmeade Rd and Glenn Dale Rd, which was Md-193. Only when the road was re-routed as Glenn Dale Boulevard and connected to Enterprise Rd, did the Md-953 come about. And Enterprise became 193 as well.
MD 953A: Glenn Dale Rd. 0.15 mi.; from Duvall St. north across MD 564 to road end.
3 sections; near north approach of US 50 Choptank River Bridge.
MD 954A: Marina Dr 0.19 mi.; from US 50 looping west then south to road end at marina entrance.
MD 954B: Ferry Point Rd 0.05 mi.; west off Marina Dr to end of state maintenance.
MD 954C: (no name) 0.02 mi.; cul-de-sac near marina entrance.
0.53 mi.; from US 220 east to WV line.
MD 956 is currently the highest signed route number in Maryland. It is small link from US 220 to a matching WV 956. More photos can be found on this 956 page on the West Virginia highway ends site.
MD 957 · was Old Waterloo Rd.
No longer assigned (decommissioned 199x).
From 1985 Champion wall map. MD 957 is the old MD 175.
MD 958 · Crestmount Rd.
0.21 mi.; from US 1 north to road end.
MD 958: Elibank Rd. east off Montgomery Rd. (old MD 103) parallel to north side of I-95.
MD 958: Mission Rd. part of road parallel to south side of I-95.


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Martin's View
This is a blog about recreational hobbies that I am interested in (music, TV, movies, books). I also talk about what's on my mind or things that happen in life around me. Please feel free to post comments; I want this to be an interactive dialogue. If you like what you read, please share it with your friends. Thanks.
Van Halen - Diver Down
Today (April 14th) marks the 30th anniversary of the release of Van Halen's fifth studio album from 1982.
Diver Down sold over four million copies in the US and spent sixty five weeks total on the US Billboard Hot 200 album charts. It reached the number 3 spot on that chart; it also went to number 5 in Canada, number 19 in Norway, number 28 in Sweden and number 36 in the UK. Many of the tracks also charted on the US Mainstream Rock singles charts.
The cover of the album is the image of the flag used in most US jurisdictions that indicates a diver is currently active in the area, advising nearby boats to stay clear.
Side one opens with "Where Have All the Good Times Gone". This was the second Kinks song that Van Halen covered on one of their albums; the first was on their self-titled debut (click here for that review). Eddie Van Halen and Michael Anthony, on electric guitar and bass respectively, give the 1965 song a whole new facelift. The song proved popular on the US Mainstream rock charts, climbing as high as number 17.
Alex Van Halen delivers one of his rapid-fire rhythms for "Hang 'em High", challenging his brother to keep up. Eddie is more than up to the task, as always. The guys really jam on this song about the adventures of a hell-bent biker.
"Cathedral" is the first of three instrumentals on the album. Eddie makes his guitar sound just like a church organ.
"Secrets" has a more laid back groove to it, and the lyrics tell of a mysterious yet enticing woman. This kind of song is perfect for David Lee Roth's whisky-soaked crooning. The song rose to number 22 on the US Mainstream Rock charts.
"Intruder" is a little over a minute-and-a-half instrumental that is driven by Anthony on bass. It is the perfect lead-in to the next track.
"(Oh) Pretty Woman" is a cover of the 1964 song by Roy Orbison. The guys really rip into this one, giving it a hard-rocking edge. The track was the first single from the album, going to number 12 on the US Billboard Top 40 (their highest ranking single there to date), number 1 on the Mainstream Rock charts for two weeks, and number 5 in Canada.
Side two starts off with "Dancing in the Street", a song that was first recorded by Martha and Vandellas in 1964. Eddie put a lot of work into the synthesizer arrangements on the track to put a new spin on this Motown classic. I really like that opening sequence; it clearly gives it an 80's sound that mixes hard rock and new-wave. The backing vocal harmonies though tie in that classic sound though, bringing it all full circle. As the second single, it barely broke the US Billboard Top 40 (it stalled at number 38), yet it went to number 15 in Canada and number 3 on the US Mainstream Rock charts.
"Little Guitars" comes in two parts - a forty-two second intro followed by the song itself. The opening has a flamenco guitar sound to it, once again showing Eddie's versatility. The song then shifts into a rocking rhythm. Dave fittingly sings about a senorita with whom he is in love. I like the "catch as catch, catch as catch can" of the chorus. Another US Mainstream Rock charter, this one went to number 33.
"Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now)" was written in 1924 by Milton Ager. The lyrics tell of a rough character known for fighting and causing who, once he gets married, settles down and becomes a perfectly domesticated male. Jan Van Halen, Eddie and Alex's father, sits in on the clarinet for this track and gives it that extra cool jazz element. It is the last thing you would expect on a rock album but, for me, it works. I like surprises like that.
"The Full Bug" opens with a bit of a ZZ Top vibe with Roth on the acoustic guitar and harmonica. It then opens into a down and dirty little ditty.
"Happy Trails" was written by Dale Evans for the radio show she and husband Roy Rogers had in the 1940's and 1950's. Van Halen often ended their live shows with this a Capella cover. Dave really hams it up on this one as he was known to do. You can tell they were having fun with it.
Critically, Diver Down did not go over too well. Many felt that the covers watered things down and left little real meat that the earlier records of Van Halen had. Given that the band knocked out the recording of the album in twelve days, you can tell they were just trying to throw something together after coming off a big tour to keep their music out in front of the fans.
For me, I always enjoy a good cover song. So, Diver Down works in that respect. I consider it a light appetizer before the big meal that would come with their sixth album 1984 (click here for my review of that album).
Posted by Martin Maenza at 4:30 AM
Labels: 80's, Alex Van Halen, David Lee Roth, Diver Down, Eddie Van Halen, Michael Anthony, music, Van Halen
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Archives of Previous Blog Posts
Cheap Trick - One on One
TV: Once Upon A Time (ep. 20)
Steely Dan - Aja
Marshall Crenshaw - Marshall Crenshaw
Sheena Easton - Sheena Easton
Paul McCartney - Tug of War
TV: Survivor - One World (ep. 11)
Erasure - Wonderland
Karla DeVito - Is This a Cool World or What?
Roy Orbison - Mystery Girl
The Main Event (soundtrack)
Men At Work - Business As Usual (30th anniversary)
Paul Davis - Cool Night
Luther Vandross - Never Too Much
Laurie Anderson - Big Science
Rest In Peace, Dick Clark
A Flock of Seagulls - A Flock of Seagulls (30th an...
Michael Sembello - Bossa Nova Hotel
DVD review: Get A Real Job, Numbnuts
Gerry Rafferty - City to City
Dolly Parton - Heartbreak Express
Happy Birthday, Jimmy Destri
TV: Survivor - One World (ep. 9)
The Partridge Family - Up To Date
Katrina and the Waves - Walking on Sunshine
Stray Cats - Stray Cats
Book Review: Catching Fire
Elton John - Jump Up!
Toto - Toto IV
Hall & Oates - Bigger Than Both of Us
The Monroes - The Monroes
The Motels - All Four One
Split Enz - Time and Tide
Toni Basil - Word of Mouth (30th anniversary)
Melissa Manchester - Hey Ricky
Aldo Nova - Aldo Nova
March 2012 Survey Results
Ray Parker Jr. - The Other Woman
Other Links of Interest
Martin Maenza's portal page
Revenge of the 80's Radio
Herc's Hideaway
1985: A Vinyl Odyssey
The CD Project
1976-1985: My Favorite Decade
Music Love Affair
80's Music and More
Pop Eighties - 80s Blog
Rosie's View
Michael O'Chronicles
Ron Edwards
Ten Drafts Deep


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Articles tagged with: mac floppy emu
News Roundup: November 2 - December 27
mossy_11 on Monday, 30 December 2013. Posted in News
After years of development, OpenEmu, the frontend to rule them all, is finally out in an official capacity. Combining Apple-like skeuomorphic design and polish with iTunes-style ROM organisation, support for a plethora of gamepads, and a plugin system that integrates individual emulator engines as "cores", OpenEmu mostly (it has its flaws, I'd argue) lives up to expectations as the emulator for the rest of us. The official release (available here) comes in two flavours: a 1.0 build with around a dozen 8-bit and 16-bit consoles supported, and an experimental build that adds a bunch more systems and cores (including PSP, Saturn, and N64) that aren't quite stable enough for the prime time. Congrats to Mucx and company on the overwhelmingly positive reception it's had so far.
Nintendo 64 emulator Sixtyforce has been updated to version 0.9.8. This release brings Retina support, PAL video timing, a new full screen mode, loads of bug fixes, and "several" major optimisations. Download it from the official Sixtyforce website, and remember to register to encourage Gerrit to take more time out of his acting career to work on it.
After yet another lengthy delay, Sega Saturn emulator Yabause is back with a big release obscured by an incremental version number. Yabause 0.9.13 adds support for mdf/mds dumps, CD+G, and the Saturn mouse and 3D control pad. It also improves the user interface and emulation, gets Netlink up and running, adds SH2 debugging features, and fixes CD audio emulation. The devs are actively recruiting translators and technical writers to help out, too. Learn about all this, and more, at the Yabause website.
Continue reading for Mac floppy emulator hardware and more updates, including new PPSSPP, Sweet16, Mednafen, Mini vMac, and more.


Congratulations to Jay Minkarah, President and CEO of DevelopSpringfield and Armando Feliciano, Chairman of the Springfield Redevelopment Authority and member of DevelopSpringfield's Board of Directors. The two were presented with Gateway Cities Innovation Awards on November 12.
Jay and Armando are pictured here with Melinda Phelps, Partner, Bulkley, Richardson & Gelinas. Attorney Phelps is Vice Chair of the Board of DevelopSpringfield and a Fellow with MassINC Gateway Cities Innovation Institute; she presented the awards to the pair.
They were honored for their collective work, and as representatives of the Springfield community, for the collaborative work around the Rebuild Springfield Plan.
Click here for a link to a video that includes their remarks.
DevelopSpringfield will be participating in Valley Gives Day this year. A community wide e-philanthropy event to raise funds on-line for charitable organizations throughout the Pioneer Valley.
Please mark your calendars for 12/12/13 (Thursday, December 12) as a reminder to plan to visit the Valley Gives website to make your contribution. Gifts made ONLY on this special day will help to leverage additional bonus gifts to participating charitable organizations like ours! So, please plan ahead by marking your calendar and stay tuned for additional updates from us on the simple process for making your gift.
We will be promoting the opportunity to contribute to support the work of DevelopSpringfield on this day especially as we join together with the communities of western Massachusetts for this extraordinary charity fundraising event.
As a social media event, all of the participating organizations will be spreading the word through e-newsletters, facebook and Twitter.
Please "Like" us on facebook and "Follow" us on Twitter and also share our posts and tweets with your own network. The success of this event will rely on expanding our reach, and inspiring you and others to help support the revitalization of Springfield by making a gift to DevelopSpringfield.
Conceptual rendering of Central St.
Central Street is one of the most heavily impacted areas from the tornado of June 2011. The street includes a concentration of vacant, city-owned and tornado damaged lots. A priority of the Rebuild Springfield Plan in this area is to work to transform the neighborhood with new infill housing. Through a financing program provided by the City, developers are now in the process of building seven new single-family homes. Viva Development LLC is currently constructing four new homes on former city-owned vacant lots. North End Housing Initiative Inc., purchased three city-owned lots (formerly the Spruce Manor Nursing Home) and will build three single family homes. City Councilor Melvin Edwards, the Maple High Six Corners Neighborhood Council and Gerry McCafferty, the City's Housing Director, have taken a lead role in implementing these critical rebuild initiatives.
An enormous amount of work has been done by Mayor Domenic Sarno and the City's Development team together with countless individuals, businesses, and non-profit organizations to advance the rebuilding and revitalization of Springfield since the June 2011 tornado. We are pleased to be a part of the ongoing process and to highlight some of the extraordinary work being done.
The Rebuild Springfield planning process provided a framework for community engagement and collaboration with recommendations for advancing common goals and priorities for revitalization in Springfield.
The City is also planning for $13 million in federally-funded projects from the disaster relief block grant funds to support repaving on Central Street, construction of 15 additional single family homes, improvements to Nathan Bill Park and purchasing the Mt. Carmel School for use as the South End Middle School.
Through the efforts of the Mayor and the City's Chief Development Officer Kevin Kennedy, Columbia Gas of Massachusetts/NiSource has provided a $200,000 grant to DevelopSpringfield to support a comprehensive redevelopment plan for the area impacted by the November 2012 Gas Explosion together with neighboring commercial and residential blocks.
DevelopSpringfield is working with the planning and architectural firm Utile, Inc. together with a steering committee comprised of City Officials, the Springfield Redevelopment Authority, the BID, neighborhood representatives and other stakeholders to address land use issues, infrastructure and redevelopment alternatives that address the Worthington Street area's challenges while leveraging key assets such as the Union Station improvements now underway.
Click here for a link to the enlarged planning area map.
This fall has been exciting for DevelopSpringfield as we are now working on some exterior improvements to two historic properties acquired earlier in the year. Be sure to visit our website for details on the Ansel Phelps House at 83 Maple Street featured in our last e-newsletter.
The Gunn Block at 473-477 State Street is currently undergoing phase one stabilization work focused on removal of dilapidated porches on the rear of the property as well as structural repairs to the front of the building. Significant structural repairs on the interior will also be required to ensure stable and appropriate placement of load bearing walls.
Be sure to drive by these properties to watch the progress!
We recently launched our Partnership Investment Program providing an opportunity for businesses, nonprofits and individuals to invest in the work of DevelopSpringfield and engage with us to further our mission.
We invite you to invest in the work of DevelopSpringfield by joining our new annual Partnership Investment Program. By joining us as a Partner, you will help to provide a foundation of financial support to strengthen our work while having the opportunity to participate in strategic planning and advisory groups that help shape our direction and focus in areas such as real estate strategy; urban development and design; and the creative economy.
Plus, you can double your investment with a match! Our board members have pledged to match new Partner contributions (up to a total of $15,000) in this first year of the Partnership Investment Program. The DevelopSpringfield Board of Directors' Matching Challenge Fund will provide a 1:1 match, doubling your contribution in this first year to ensure a successful launch of the program.
Click here for more details! You can make a real difference today in doubling your gift as just $9,750 remains in the matching challenge fund. Leverage your support even further by making your contribution through the Valley Gives Initiative on 12/12/13--not only will you double your gift through our Board of Directors' Matching Challenge; you will also improve our chances of winning bonus prizes throughout the day!