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Brexit news: EU will NOT change Brexit position warns Ireland | Politics | News – UK
Leo Varadkar said he does not expect any change in the EU's position over the impending divorce after European leaders gather for an informal summit in Salzburg in Austria tomorrow.
The EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier will brief heads of government and Prime Minister Theresa May is likely to put forward her own views.
The informal nature of the event means there will be no draft text or formal conclusions.
The Taoiseach told Ireland's Dail parliament: "I do not anticipate there will be any change to the EU's position or any change to our negotiating guidelines."
European leaders have been urged by the UK to compromise on their Brexit stance on the eve of the major summit.
The Prime Minister will use Wednesday's gathering in Salzburg to make a direct pitch to fellow leaders to back her divisive Chequers proposals.
READ Coronavirus challenges: We're in the last chance saloon before lockdown | UK | News (Reports)
Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab said it was time for the "compromises" made by the UK to be "matched on the EU side".
In a sign that Brexit talks could go to the wire, the European Union is preparing for a final deal to be struck at an emergency summit in November, rather than the scheduled October meeting previously targeted by both sides in the negotiations.
Mr Varadkar added: "It is fair to say that some of the things I have been reading in the British papers, particularly the British-owned papers, are very far off the mark when it comes to the reality of what is going on at the minute with these negotiations."
He said the draft withdrawal agreement between the UK and EU in December provided for various protections sought by the Irish government including transitional arrangements and the movement of people between the UK and Ireland.
READ Harry and Meghan split: Duke's 'very woke journey' will 'avoid politics' unlike Meghan | Royal | News (Reports)
The Irish premier said the backstop on the Irish border represented an "insurance policy" which he never hoped to use.
Mr Varadkar was challenged by the leader of Ireland's Labour Party, Brendan Howlin, about the Common Travel Area, which guarantees free movement of Irish and UK citizens between the two jurisdictions and said the draft Brexit Withdrawal Agreement provided for what the Irish Government needed.
Mr Howlin said the backstop did not represent the entirety of Ireland's interests.
He claimed: "Brexit could disenfranchise hundreds of thousands of people living in the UK."
The political leader said the issue should be addressed as a matter of urgency and expressed fears Ireland could be "blind-sided" over Brexit.
READ Brexit LIVE: Tories feel BETRAYED - Priti Patel issues warning to May over her future | Politics | News - UK
The Taoiseach said he would not provide a running commentary on negotiations.
He also said Mr Barnier's suggestion that the Irish border issue be "de-dramatised" was about trying to move away from language like creating a border in the Irish Sea.
A frontier in the Irish Sea has been strongly opposed by unionists who want to avoid any barrier between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.
Mr Varadkar denied any "constitutional move" by the Irish Government to question Northern Ireland's status as a part of the UK during the Brexit negotiations.
He reiterated he was equally keen to prevent a hard border between Northern Ireland and Scotland as between Northern Ireland and the Republic.
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Public lands are Montana's latest wedge issue. What's behind the rhetoric, and how is it shaping the debate?
Posted by Alex Sakariassen | September 11, 2018
By Alex Sakariassen - September 6, 2018 - Originally published in the Missoula Independent
Last spring, a billboard appeared in the Bitterroot Valley. It featured six pissed-off-looking locals and a demand aimed at Ravalli County's five-member commission: "Respect public lands." The same photo and message were duplicated on yard signs distributed throughout the county by a group of citizens calling themselves Our Land, Our Legacy. Four months later, the commission asked Attorney General Tim Fox to investigate the campaign's funding sources.
This contention was the direct result of a bill introduced in Congress on Dec. 7, 2017, by Sen. Steve Daines. The Protect Public Use of Public Lands Act called for the release of nearly 500,000 acres of federally protected lands in Montana. Daines rationalized the release of these lands, comprising five of the seven Forest Service-managed Wilderness Study Areas (WSAs) in Montana, by claiming that 40 years of "D.C. paralysis" had frozen access for motorized and mechanized users including snowmobilers and mountain bikers.
"It's time," Daines said, "to keep public lands in public hands."
Ravalli County's support for the bill, which calls for the release of two WSAs adjacent to the Bitterroot, was immediate. In fact, a letter of support signed by four of the commissioners (and dated Sept. 15, 2017), accompanied Daines' rollout, triggering complaints that the commission had neglected to engage public input prior to drafting its position. Hence the billboards, the yard signs and, when the commission finally convened a public hearing on the issue in February, a turnout so large it prompted a last-minute venue change to the Ravalli County Fairgrounds.
Daines' proposal has underscored a continuing divide on public lands management in the West. Historically the line has been drawn between those who want greater resource extraction and development on public lands and those who want to preserve their wildness. The line has grown blurier with time, as large-scale wildfires have heightened calls for forest thinning and timber harvest, and booming interest in outdoor recreation — currently a $7-billion-a-year industry in Montana — has intensified.
The WSA issue, focused on lands set aside by Congress in 1977 for studies of their wilderness potential while still managed as de facto designated wilderness, has bled into the 2018 midterm election campaigns thanks to twin proposals by Rep. Greg Gianforte. In March, Gianforte introduced one bill mirroring Daines' and another seeking the release of 24 additional WSAs overseen by the Bureau of Land Management. Democrats and conservationists have routinely criticized Gianforte for pitching these blanket policies without first holding a single public debate back home. A survey of 500 registered Montana voters commissioned by the University of Montana in May found that 57 percent of poll respondents supported maintaining WSAs as-is (among respondents who identified as Republicans, support was 40 percent).
The prospect of widespread WSA releases in Montana is the latest issue driving the public lands debate in the state. Forest plan revisions, land transfer agendas, checkerboard ownership — all these and more have spurred numerous public rallies, campaign ads and advocacy messaging in recent years. In August, Trout Unlimited announced a national September-long celebration of public lands to educate people on key issues and urge them to contact their lawmakers and advocate protection of "our outdoor traditions." Even outdoor retailers are pushing back against controversial management decisions with bold language and multi-pronged campaigns. REI led a 2015 effort to lobby Congress and flex the muscle of the Outdoor Industry Association in the name of more robust funding for public lands. And last year, Patagonia famously accused President Trump of stealing public land by radically reducing two national monuments in Utah. Patagonia continues to maintain a website advocating the protection of public lands.
Recognizing growing sentiment on the issue, candidates and groups have used public lands as an avenue of attack, transforming a complex issue into an oversimplified partisan wedge. Montana's 2016 gubernatorial race was largely dominated by Gianforte's past dispute with the state over stream access through his Bozeman property, an albatross that followed the Republican into his 2017 congressional campaign and appeared to lose relevance only after Gianforte assaulted a reporter on Election Day eve.
As indicated in a recent survey by the Center for Western Priorities, public lands have become a primary motivator among Western state voters, Republicans and Democrats alike. Yet politicization has made the debate seem deceptively black-and-white. It's not. With the midterm election less than eight weeks away, it's a good time to clear the fog of public lands rhetoric.
Daines' phrase "keep public lands in public hands" landed with a smack of irony last year. Though he meant it to reflect lack of access to WSAs for certain user groups, the exact phrase had first been coined by staunch opponents of his WSA release bill in a much different fight three years earlier.
Lands transfer was one of the defining controversies of the 2015 Montana Legislature. Originating in Utah, the lands transfer movement leaned on the Enabling Acts that created each state to argue that federal lands in the West should be transferred to state ownership. In Montana, its champions were Sen. Jennifer Fielder, R-Thompson Falls, and Rep. Kerry White, R-Bozeman. The two requested a string of bills ahead of the session that would have set the stage for such a transfer, including an interim study of its feasibility. Six months earlier, in summer 2014, the Montana Republican Party had officially adopted lands transfer as a plank in the state party platform.
Though some in the Republican caucuses saw the proposal as ridiculous on its face, conservationists did not take the threat idly. In February, the Montana Wilderness Association (MWA), Backcountry Hunters and Anglers and several other groups hosted a rally in the Capitol rotunda in Helena. Hundreds showed up to oppose what they saw as an assault on federally managed lands in Montana. Gov. Steve Bullock delivered an impassioned speech. The rallying cry? "Keep public lands in public hands."
Fielder attempted to assuage fears that a transfer to state ownership would result in widespread sell-offs of public land to the private sector (and an open invitation to rampant resource development), introducing a bill to bar any such sales. But the public's hackles had been raised, and when a similar slate of bill draft requests cropped up in 2017, more than 1,000 people gathered in the capitol for a second opposition rally.
"Those rallies really helped demonstrate how passionately Montanans support public lands," says Kayje Booker, state policy director for MWA. "And I think it was a wake-up call to elected leaders of all kinds in Montana that that was an issue that was going to motivate people and that people cared deeply about, and that it wasn't a good idea for anybody to be pushing transfer and privatization."
In early 2016, Fielder was named CEO of the Utah-based American Lands Council — the primary driver of the lands transfer movement in the West — but the agenda took a backseat in 2017 to Montana's budget woes. As real as the threat had seemed just a few years before, public expressions of lands transfer sentiment in Montana have subsided. Sen. Jon Tester notes a shift in the rhetoric, with proponents of defederalizing public lands now focusing on more limited proposals: shared management or control of federal lands with state and local governments. The concept is often pitched as a way to cut through D.C. bureaucracy or ensure that local voices are heard. Tester sees it as a "backdoor attempt" by lands transfer proponents.
"Everybody agrees local government is the closest government to the people, and it's the best," Tester tells the Indy. "But the truth is, they don't have the money, so they'd have to sell it, and when they're sold, the fishing hole's gone, the hunting spot's gone, the good place to hike is gone."
Opposition to lands transfer galvanized the conservation movement and drew attention to the debate about public land management. But Booker says more is required of elected officials than simply supporting the continued public-ness of public lands. That's the "lowest bar" you could set for supporting public lands, she says, and blurs what it means to champion public lands.
"I think the WSA bill is helping sharpen that conversation to understand what we mean when we say someone supports public lands, and that is more than just saying that they want them to exist," Booker says.
Sometimes, when Brad Tschida ventures up Blue Mountain, hunting for deer or grouse, a motorcyclist will fly past him. Those moments aggravate him, and when he's able to stop them on the trail, he'll explain that motorized use in the area is not allowed. Sometimes, he says, they'll spin the bike around and take off, spitting up gravel in their wake. It's not that he's against motorcycles on public lands, just that he feels they should stick to areas designated for their use.
"I want them to be able to ride," Tschida says, "because if they don't, they'll continue to trespass or egress onto things they shouldn't be on."
Tschida is running for his third term as the Republican lawmaker in Missoula's House District 97. He counts Rep. Kerry White as a "good buddy" and says Republicans have been miscast as wanting to sell off public lands.
He is, though, a proponent of more state involvement in the management of federal lands. "I proposed that in my first term," Tschida says.
Specifically, Tschida says he supports state co-management of certain lands with federal agencies for a time, to determine whether adequate revenue can be generated from timber harvests, mineral exploration and other uses to allow the state to manage them long-term.
Though he's had one knee replacement and is scheduled for a second in November, Tschida still gets outdoors as far and as often as he can. But his mobility is limited, as is the mobility of many people seeking to enjoy Montana's public lands. He sees restrictions on motorized and mechanized use — not just in WSAs but in portions of national forests where the Forest Service has closed roads — as an obstacle for people who can't backpack long distances or don't have the knowledge and resources to go in on a horse.
"There are places I'd like to take my grandkids into that I can't, because they're not able to walk the distance that they would need to walk, and there's gates up that prevent us from getting as close [to backcountry areas] as we used to get," Tschida says. "It's unfortunate. We need to take a look at the fact that 22,000 miles of roads on federal lands — not wilderness areas, federal lands — have been closed off."
The argument that federal lands have been "closed off," or that the public has been "locked out," is key among WSA release proponents. The number Tschida cites — 22,000 miles of roads — was also referenced in a December 2017 letter to the Billings Gazette by Terry Anderson, a senior fellow and former president of the Property and Environment Research Center. The 38-year-old Bozeman-based center is dedicated to what it calls "free market environmentalism," and Anderson's letter advocated more local collaboration regarding trail access to Forest Service lands. Anderson is also on the board of the Montana Outdoors Coalition, which has promoted a report from a D.C.-based dark money group denouncing the Montana Wilderness Association and others as "Green Decoys," i.e., front groups for "radical" environmentalist agendas. That report triggered the Ravalli County Commission's August letter to Attorney General Fox seeking an investigation of several Montana-based conservation nonprofits.
The closure of Forest Service roads has become a rallying cry among people seeking greater public lands access for motorized users. Republican state lawmakers passed a joint resolution in 2015 to investigate the closure and retirement of federal forest roads, and in June, Gianforte cited the subsequent findings of the Legislature's Environmental Quality Council — that nearly 22,000 miles of federal forest roads have been closed since the 1990s — in chairing a meeting of the House Oversight and Government Reform subcommittee.
"The Forest Service is under pressure to close and decommission thousands of miles of forest service managed trails and roads," Gianforte told the subcommittee. "Burdensome regulations, inconsistent policies, lack of proper maintenance and the constant threat of litigation all contribute to these road closures."
Gianforte went on to characterize the closures as a hindrance not only to access for hunters, campers and hikers, but to efforts to combat catastrophic wildfires. Kerry White was among those Gianforte invited to testify.
Some conservationists don't buy the argument that efforts to reverse road closures are about restoring recreational access. In response to the June hearing, Keith Hammer, chair of the Kalispell-based nonprofit Swan View Coalition, told Montana Public Radio that Gianforte's real motive isn't expanding recreational access, but rather expanding access to logging trucks into "every corner" of national forests.
The phrase "locked up" has become widely used in the public lands debate, but its meaning varies depending on whom you're talking to. It served as the title of a 2017 report by the nonprofit Montana Wildlife Federation that, in contrast to Gianforte's usage, focused on illegal road closures by private entities and the resultant loss of access to nearly 2 million acres of state and federal land in Montana.
Based on her own recreational experience, Hannah Nikonow doesn't buy the "locked out" message as it's been presented by Gianforte and others. She's a Missoula-based board member of the nonprofit Backcountry Hunters and Anglers and regularly visits some of the WSAs that Daines and Gianforte want to release in the name of public access.
"They aren't just hard-to-get-to places of rock and ice," Nikonow says. "I went morel picking in the Sapphire WSA with a 2-year-old this year and we walked up into the WSA from a road. They're not locked-up places like some representatives have characterized them."
Three years ago, the Bitterroot National Forest closed more than 100 miles of trail to motorized and mountain bike use on the Blue Joint and Sapphire WSAs, on the southwest and northeast fringes of the Bitterroot Valley, respectively. The decision generated consternation among those users, ultimately leading to a legal challenge by cyclists this summer.
U.S. District Court Judge Dana Christensen in Missoula upheld the Bitterroot forest's travel plan decision in July with one caveat: that a public hearing on continued mountain bike access in the areas be held. Forest officials opted to open portions of the two areas to cycling during the hearing process, a move that prompted Christensen to issue a follow-up rule on Aug. 15 once again closing both WSAs to mechanized use.
That back-and-forth is an example of what Daines means when he talks about the public being "locked out" of the WSAs he would release. In the aftermath of Christensen's August decision, Daines says anyone would consider such a judicial ruling "extreme."
"What we need to do is we need to turn this back to the ongoing forest management planning process," he says, in defense of his WSA bill. "The public would be able to have a say in the process at that point. The irony is this bill would improve the public process."
Even as Christensen ruled this summer, volunteers with the Bitterroot Backcountry Cyclists were busy clearing trails in the Blue Joint.
The uncertainty of continued access in these two WSAs is consistent with what Ben Horan, of the nonprofit cycling group Mountain Bike Missoula, says is commonplace for backcountry cyclists. Despite rapid growth in the mountain biking community and breakthroughs in trail building, Horan believes Montana has been slow to embrace mountain biking and its advocates.
"Mountain bikers every year see closures to existing mountain bike access without new opportunities elsewhere," he says. "We see net loss to trail access every single year, and that's a problem."
Horan draws a sharp distinction, however, between the "locked out" message spread by some politicians and the restrictions he sees to public lands access. Illegal road and trail closures by private individuals and local governments, lack of respect by private landowners for public easements, checkerboarded land ownership — these, he says, have a tangible impact on Montanans' ability to recreate outdoors. The solution he advocates lies not in congressional hearings or blanket designations, but in collaborative, grassroots agreements among the people living, working and playing on the landscape.
By way of example, Horan points to Sen. Tester's Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act, a bill introduced last year that would designate new wilderness additions to the Bob Marshall Complex and guarantee backcountry access for snowmobilers in the Otatsy Lake area northwest of Lincoln. Tester's legislation was the result of roughly a decade of work by the Montana Wilderness Association, Pyramid Lumber, the off-highway vehicle group Blue Ribbon Coalition and a host of area businesses, ranchers and outfitters to reach a compromise on land use in the Blackfoot Valley. Horan and Mountain Bike Missoula spent years pushing for the inclusion of a special-use area for mountain bikers in Spread Creek, just upstream from the popular Monture Creek trailhead. That persistence paid off.
"We really want to have a seat at the table in these conversations," Horan says. "We feel pretty strongly that the BCSA provides a strong model for the best way forward in developing durable, lasting, effective land-use protections."
Horan adds that, in the face of climate change and policies that threaten to strip existing public lands protections, it's never been more important to protect large landscapes in Montana. That means maintaining healthy ecosystems, he says, and providing linkage corridors for wildlife. Yet the Spread Creek portion of Tester's bill has put local mountain bikers at loggerheads with conservationists who espouse the very same values. Wildlife advocates have criticized the BCSA for placing a mountain bike area within core grizzly bear habitat. Wilderness proponents agree, saying the bill places mechanized use too close to the Bob Marshall boundary.
Jake Kreilick serves as the restoration coordination for the Missoula-based forest advocacy nonprofit WildWest Institute. He's also a member of the Flathead-Lolo-Bitterroot Citizen Task Force, a coalition of conservationists that coalesced several years ago around upcoming forest plan revisions for Missoula's three nearby national forests. The group fought heavily against commercial logging in the main stem of the Rattlesnake National Recreation Area, and continues to defend roadless areas and core habitat for threatened species. Kreilick says the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act is an example of "cutting the baby in half and then cutting it again," and views the bill's provisions as an opening of key expanses of primitive wildland to accommodate new "social and recreational demands."
"People are afraid to ask for what the land really needs, and that's largely a political calculus," Kreilick says. "It's not a social calculus, it's not an economic calculus, it's certainly not a scientific calculus."
Tester's bill is indicative, Kreilick says, of how the pressures exerted on public lands have evolved. In the 1990s, he says, the debate was largely about logging and mineral extraction. But with more people moving to Montana — and, subsequently, more people playing outdoors — it's as though the timber wars have been replaced with the "recreation wars."
Though the push to accommodate more recreational users has led to some disagreement within the conservation world, Kreilick is optimistic that people introduced to the public lands debate via recreational interests will be receptive to his task force's science-centric mission. The real challenge, for the task force at least, is in spreading the word about that mission without straying too far into the latest political controversy.
"Our job is going to be to talk about it all, not just to talk about the WSAs," Kreilick says. "It's also going to be to really stay focused on protecting the best and that's going to mean continually hammering on the roadless areas, continually hammering on the important corridors."
A winning campaign issue. That's how the Center for Western Priorities characterized the political power of public lands this July. To back its assertion, the Colorado nonprofit released the results of a poll of Western-state voters revealing that 54 percent of Montanans will only vote for a candidate who shares their public lands values, and that 75 percent are motivated to vote when they feel those values are threatened.
The poll also supports Kreilick's belief that "in this climate of Trump," conservationists will find friendlier audiences, as well as Nikonow's insistence that an educated, informed electorate is key to ensuring strong protections for places treasured by hunters, anglers and scores of other public land users. It's imperative that the public looks past the rhetoric, Nikonow says, to carefully examine "what is being proposed and, with these attacks, what are they actually targeting, and not just voting with party lines."
As further evidence of the interest in public lands, on Aug. 15, about 60 people packed into a conference room in the University of Montana's University Center to talk about WSAs. The roundtable, hosted by Democratic U.S. House candidate Kathleen Williams, featured six panelists, including Horan and Kreilick. Williams stopped just short of sharing her take on the release bills pitched by Daines and her 2018 opponent, Gianforte, instead allowing conservationists, business representatives, off-highway-vehicle users and the audience to drive the debate.
Some felt the bills posed a significant threat to public lands in Montana. Others argued it was high time the government reached a definitive decision on WSAs that have hung in a wilderness limbo for more than four decades. Mike Jeffords, president of the Montana Trail Vehicle Riders Association, took issue with what he called "falsehoods" spread by critics of motorized public lands use, and claimed that increased motorized access could be an economic boon for the Bitterroot.
It was exactly the sort of conversation that the people interviewed for this piece — from Daines and Tschida, who maintain that resource extraction and primitive recreation can be accommodated equally, to Kreilick, who values science and natural processes above all — unanimously agreed they'd like to see: robust, multi-faceted and, for the most part, civil. And yet, across the state in Lewistown, Gianforte had convened a last-minute, invite-only discussion of his own that same morning, giving the Missoula conversation an unavoidably politicized feel.
This is the sad reality of the public lands debate in an election year. Just as Republicans have painted Tester and Williams as being in lock-step with a liberal agenda personified by U.S. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Democrats have attacked Gianforte and Tester-challenger Matt Rosendale as enemies of public lands. In June, the Montana Democratic Party released a video splicing together clips of Rosendale in 2014 advocating for the transfer of control and management of federal lands to the states. Rosendale, who currently serves as state auditor, responded that he's since grasped Montana's distaste for that agenda. The portion of his campaign website dedicated to the issue ends with this promise: "As your next U.S. Senator, our public lands will always stay in public hands."
That's become easy enough to say in Montana. But given the opportunity to foster more public access this February, Rosendale balked, voting as a member of the state Land Board to indefinitely delay action on a conservation easement in eastern Montana that would have opened 15,000 acres — including 5,000 acres of landlocked public land — to hunters and hikers. In June, Gov. Steve Bullock side-stepped Rosendale and the rest of the board and approved the easement anyway.
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This course presents a survey of the guiding principles of American Constitutional Law, with particular emphasis on landmark decisions of the United States Supreme Court interpreting the Bill of Rights. The class begins with the establishment of judicial review in 1803, but moves rapidly to the Court's twentieth century jurisprudence. A substantial area of focus is constitutional criminal procedure – the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Amendment decisions evaluating police conduct including methods of search and seizure and the interrogation of criminal suspects. Additional main topics include freedom of speech, religion, and the press according to the First Amendment, and Due Process of law and Equal Protection of the laws under the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments. The course uses the casebook method of teaching favored by most law school courses. Class participation is important.


When we want to study children's language, conversation analysis is a much used method. The advantage of involving children in a conversation is that their utterances remain quite natural and spontaneous as opposed to experiments in laboratorial environments. When the conversation is taped, a transcription is made and remains available for intensive and comparative research.
The transcripts of the taped conversations follow the standards of CHAT i.e. Codes for the Human Analysis of Transcripts and are gathered within CHILDES (CHIld Language Database Exchange System). We won't go very deep into the details of transcription but we will see what information we can extract from the code.
The linguistic levels mentioned above will be discussed in the light of various techniques in conversation analysis. The first step is to get acquainted with a tool that was especially developed for LiOn. The tool shows some close similarites with CLAN - Computerized Language ANalysis. This is an elaborate program with lots of functions and numerous possibilities to adjust parameters and options as to meet the user's wishes. This is very convenient for those who want to perform a deep analysis, but for a beginner it may be quite overwhelming. Therefore, the LiOn tool contains only the most important techniques for the analysis, which makes it easy to use. Moreover, the interface is easier to use in an intuitive way, avoiding to much abstract commands.
The exercises will guide the reader step by step through the different possibilities of the search tool. And eventually, a few basic topics from language acquisition are dealt with.If you have worked yourself through the exercises it may be interesting to take a peak at the CHILDES page. There you can find a.o. CLAN and other tools, transciption manuals and a collections of conversation files of several languages.


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With regard to depression, consult with your doctor about if taking medication is right for you. This is important because many times just therapy in itself is not enough to deal with depression. Medication can help to restore chemical imbalances that are causing depression and help you in ways that otherwise are not able to be fixed.
Just because your depression symptoms may be better, do not come off your medications until you consult with your doctor. Sometimes, people who stop taking their medication find that a few weeks later, their symptoms come back and sometimes even worsen. Tell your doctor you want to come off the medication and have her or him to tell you the best way to do so.
Make changes with your lifestyle. Make sure you get enough sleep, exercise enough and eat a healthy balanced diet. Simple changes like this can lift your spirits and get you out of depression. When you make better habits in your life, it can make you feel better in other ways.
Staying active is a great way to alleviate symptoms of depression. Exercise releases endorphins that provide a natural high and improve mood. Engaging regularly in a physical activity that you enjoy offers you a great way to stay active in your life and a fantastic way to help yourself feel better.
As you have read above, there are many ways to take the hurt out of depression and get yourself in a better place both mentally and physically. Attentive application of these suggestions will help you recover and at the very least will lessen the impact that depression has on you.


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Security Council to convene open debate on the Protection of Civilians
On 19 January 2016, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) will hold an open debate on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict (POC). The protection of civilians has been a thematic issue on the Security Council's agenda since 1999, with meetings of this body and reports of by the UN Secretary-General (UNSG) assessing country-specific issues and reflecting on core challenges facing civilian protection. Since the Council's first open-debate held in 2006, semi-annual open debates on the protection of civilians and the Security Council's response to armed conflict have become a regular follow-up to Council Resolutions adopted on POC, and have served as an forum for States to reaffirm their support for RtoP and reflect in part on crises and issues related to atrocities prevention.
The POC agenda is a framework for the UN's diplomatic, legal, humanitarian, and human rights actions directed at the protection of civilians during situations of armed conflict. POC has traditionally covered a variety of issues including improving humanitarian access, and strengthening compliance with and accountability for violations of international humanitarian and human rights law within situations of armed conflict. This framework's normative development and implementation are relevant for upholding RtoP as atrocities often occur during conflict and armed conflict can serve as an indicator for RtoP crimes and violations. Furthermore, the Security Council debates have served as a critical entry point for Council members to reaffirm their support for the Responsibility to Protect and bring attention to efforts necessary to protect populations from the commission of atrocity crimes. Most notably, UNSC Resolution 1674 of 28 April 2006, contains the first official Security Council reference to the Responsibility to Protect by reaffirming the provisions of RtoP as they were outlined in paragraphs 138 and 139 of the World Summit Outcome Document. That said, the two concepts are distinct, with the Responsibility to Protect narrowly focusing on genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and ethnic cleansing, regardless of whether or not such acts are committed during a situation of armed conflict. RtoP articulates the primary responsibility of states, as well as the role of the international community, to prevent and respond to the threat or commission of atrocities at all times.
As noted by Security Council Report, at the upcoming POC debate Council members are expected to focus on the June 2015 report of the Secretary-General as well as consider the recommendations of the High-Level Independent Panel on Peace Operations. Within his report on the protection of civilians the UNSG brings attention to alarming trends, including that the number of those in need of humanitarian assistance has tripled during the last ten years and that figures for displacement have reached a level not seen since the Second World War. As such, he stated that despite normative progress on the POC agenda, "the task of protecting civilians on the ground has been more pronounced in its failures than its successes." Numerous countries considered within the report and likely to be raised by Council Members at the debate are those in which countless civilians have found themselves under threat or victim of RtoP crimes and violations, and where concerted efforts are urgently needed by actors at all levels to prevent the continued commission of such atrocities. The ICRtoP encourages Member States to reaffirm their commitment to RtoP as relevant during the discussions, and welcomes further consideration of measures necessary to uphold RtoP through prioritizing the protection of populations from these most horrific crimes.
Follow the ICRtoP as we will be live tweeting the debate. Visit our Government Statementspage to read past Member State interventions delivered at POC debates, and revisit the site as the ICRtoP will collect and post relevant statements from the 19 January debate.
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Sudan/Darfur
Burma/Myanmar:
Peace talks have begun between the government and many of Myanmar's ethnic armed groups in Naypyitaw, the nation's capital. Representatives of the military, members of parliament, and members of guerrilla groups have convened for the next stage of the peace talks after the outgoing military government signed a 'nationwide ceasefire' agreement in October. At the time, only eight of fifteen groups invited to the previous talks signed the agreement. Since then fighting has erupted between the military and groups that did not sign the agreement as well as between the various groups themselves, further complicating the current negotiations.
Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD), the party which swept the election in November, called for participation by all ethnic armed groups in Myanmar. Some groups that did not sign the October ceasefire agreement were also invited, but only eight groups have agreed, with others refusing or being barred entrance by the military. Regardless, Suu Kyi has claimed that the peace process will be the new government's first priority with a mandate to secure peace from the voters of Myanmar.
Burundi:
The crisis in Burundi continues to escalate, with the majority of the nation's population becoming internally displaced and an additional 230,000 seeking refuge in neighboring countries. The alleged ethnic tone of much of the violence and rhetoric is sparking fears of the risk of widespread atrocities in a country with its own history of "ethnically-fuelled civil war". Although the Hutu controlled government denies attempting to exploit historical ethnic rifts, opposition figures have claimed that authorities are disproportionately targeting Tutsis. Thus far, on top of the many that have fled the country, at least 400 Burundians have been killed in the violence.
The U.S. Special Envoy for the Great Lakes of Africa is visiting Burundi with the goal of supporting regional organizations in the resolution of the crisis. Tanzania became the first member of the East African Community to openly support the deployment of African Union peacekeeping troops and urged Burundi's government to cooperate.
Unfortunately, amidst this escalating violence, a confidential UN memo to the Security Council was leaked warning that violence on a large scale would exceed the capability of the current peacekeeping forces sent to Burundi by the UN to protect civilians. This even includes "violence amounting to genocide".
Central African Republic:
No clear winner has emerged from the 30 candidates running in the first round of presidential elections in CAR and the two former prime ministers, Faustin-Archange Touadera and Anicet Georges Dologuele will head to a runoff election on 31 January. In the meantime, another former prime minister and presidential candidate who came in fourth in the first round of voting, Martin Ziguele, has called for a manual recount. He claims the National Authority for Elections (ANE) mishandled results, thus making it unable to verify that all the votes in each constituency were accounted for.
A delegation made up of government and civil society officials, religious leaders, academics, and media personnel from the country has embarked on a "benchmarking" visit to Rwanda with the goal of gaining insights into the latter's post-genocide recovery process.
Concerns over armed groups that still abound in the countryside have further complicated things. The Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), still active in CAR, killed one person and kidnapped dozens in two weekend raids in a diamond mining region.
Latest investigations into the subject have shown that at least four UN peacekeeping troops reportedlypaid $0.50-3.00 in exchange for sex with girls as young as 13. Although the UN has not officially released the nationalities of the troops accused, unofficial reports suggest that the perpetrators were from Burundi, France, Gabon, and Morocco. The Democratic Republic of Congo battalion in CAR is already set to be withdrawn from MINUSCA and will not be replaced.
Democratic Republic of the Congo:
A UN helicopter was attacked by rebels in North Kivu, resulting in no injuries. The Allied Defense Forces (ADF) rebel group, which is responsible for over 500 civilian deaths since October 2014, is suspected of perpetrating the attack.
According to a new UN report, 7.5 million people, or nine percent of the population are in need of humanitarian aid. The report, released from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) states that only 22 percent of the population has access to safe drinking water, while at least 5 million people do not have access to adequate food. These issues are could be further exacerbated as political tensions rise and if the security situation in the country deteriorates in the lead-up to the elections later this year.
Tensions have been rising in Kinshasa as many question the intentions of President Kabila's calls for political talks so near to the elections in November. He is constitutionally unable to run, but has thus far refused to guarantee that he will leave power when the time comes. With little public support for a constitutional change to allow his run for a third-term, some believe he will try to push back the election date to extend his power. With rallies already planned by opposition groups for next week, some fear that this could easily lead to violence if such political talks are refused.
Gaza/West Bank:
Three Palestinians, including one that allegedly attempted to stab an Israeli soldier, were shot and killed on 12 January in the West Bank.
On 13 January, the Israeli Air Force conducted a rare airstrike along its northern border with Gaza. According to Palestinian media, the strike killed one Palestinian man and wounded three others. The Israeli military claims the group it hit was composed of Palestinian militants who had been planning an attack on their forces in the area.
Airstrikes conducted by the US-led coalition have destroyed a cash storehouse and distribution center near Mosul where ISIL had kept millions of dollars. The coalition has recently targeted the group's oil production and distribution centers in an effort to reduce its daily oil revenue.
ISIL claimed responsibility for recent attacks against civilians, including the killing of nine people at a mall in the capital city and 20 people in bombings in a cafe in Muqdadiya. In response to the violence, Shia militiamen led reprisal attacks, targeting and killing Sunni Muslims.
Kenya:
This week the trial of William Ruto, the Deputy President of Kenya, and Joshua Arap Sang, a radio journalist, for charges of crimes against humanity resumed at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Libya:
Libyan guards were able to repel a maritime assault by ISIL fighters at the Zueitina oil terminal this week. ISIL has been attempting to seize export terminals in northern Libya, which resulted in the deaths of 56 people in suicide bombings last week.
In Benghazi, attacks on a power plant have left citizens there without electricity for over four hours a day. The Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General and the Humanitarian and Resident Coordinator of the UN in Libya expressed alarm at the attack, noting that the consequences for hospitals, community services, and households can be severe.
Mali:
The UN peacekeeping chief warned that the peace process in Mali is still very fragile and that the need to overcome political, humanitarian, and security issues in the country was dire. Mali's foreign minister, Abdoulaye Diop, released a statement on Monday calling for the UN peacekeepers to have a mandate to confront terrorist groups that are further threatening the peace process as Malian troops are unable to tackle the challenge posed by these groups. The UN Security Council has urged the signatory parties to fully implement the agreement and to take necessary measures to move forward with a joint security deployment in order to ensure the progress of the peace process.
The Nigerian military insisted again that its troops defeated Boko Haram, making the group unable to mount further offenses or claim new territory. Furthermore, President Buhari has promised to begin the return of upwards of 2.2 million people displaced by Boko Haram. Experts, however, claim that Boko Haram is not only not defeated, but is currently 'deadlier than ever'. In fact, an attack by Boko Haram in the northeast of the country killed seven people and burnt 10 houses this week.
OCHA has allocated a further $31 million to Nigeria for humanitarian aid which will be utilized for victims of Boko Haram. UN human rights experts are scheduled to visit Nigeria next week to assess rehabilitation and reintegration measures for women and children that were liberated from Boko Haram. They will present their finished to the UN Human Rights Council later this year.
South Sudan:
Ceasefire monitors have asked rival forces to allow food aid into conflict zones where restrictions on aid convoys have caused the situation to deteriorate to a point where thousands could be suffering from extreme hunger, malnourishment, and at risk of starvation. Although some aid has gotten through, witnesses describe the situation as dire and fighting continues. Furthermore, a new report released by UNICEF claims that over half of the population of children, the highest number of any country in the world, are no longer in school.
After months of waiting, South Sudanese parties are expected to announce the names of the transitional government ministers by 14 January. The transitional government of national unity is set to be sworn into office on 22 January.
Sudan/Darfur:
Six people have been killed and three more wounded in protests in Darfur after displaced residents demonstrated outside of the governor's office in El Geneina. According to the governor, the protesters had attacked his office and fired on security forces, which led to a response with force. These claims are still being investigated.
Meanwhile, the date for the referendum on whether Darfur will stay divided as five states or will reunite to form a somewhat autonomous region has been set. The referendum will take place over 11-13 April in Darfur.
Syria:
UN aid convoys were finally able to enter Madaya and other besieged towns on 11 January with food and medical supplies. Reports from UN officials detailed horrific scenes, and 400 people required immediate medical evacuation. The UN's Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria, Yacoub El Hillo, called for all of the warring factions to end blockades on all besieged towns. The Commission of Inquiry, which has long denounced the use of starvation as a weapon of war by all parties to the conflict, is working to gather information from residents of the besieged towns, and has developed a confidential list of suspected war criminals.
UN officials have asked global donors for the largest appeal ever for humanitarian aid, calling for donations amounting to $9 billion to deal with the humanitarian crises occurring in Syria and its neighboring countries. The US alone donated $1.6 billion in 2015 and $4.5 billion total in the past 4 years towards humanitarian aid in Syria.
The Russian military has been accused of bombing an American humanitarian field office in Syria on 9 January. This follows reports of Russian airstrikes hitting a school in rebel-held territory, with the attack leaving 12 children dead.
The UN Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, met with representatives of Russia, the United States and other major powers on 13 January and announced that peace talks planned for 25 January were still set. The issue of humanitarian access is a primary goal of the discussions. Syria's opposition coordinator, Riad Hijab, had previously said that the opposition would not negotiate with the government of President Assad in part due to the aforementioned Russian attacks on Syrian civilians. Mr. Hijab has also claimed that the US has softened its position on Syria and President Assad's future, and has backtracked in order to accommodate Russia. He added that the opposition would therefore be faced with a hard decision on whether they would even attend the talks.
On 12 January, a Syrian national acting on behalf of ISIL blew himself up in Istanbul, killing ten German nationals and wounding 15 other people. Amidst concerns over such terrorist threats, once accommodating nations such as Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan have begun to deny or restrict admittance of Syrian refugees, as well as forcibly repatriate those seeking refuge.
According to Human RIghts Watch reports, Houthi rebels holding the capital city of Sanaa have arbitrarily detained at least 35 people and disappeared at least 7 others. This is alleged to be based on their association to a Sunni political party opposing the Shia Houthis called Islah.
A Doctors Without Borders (MSF) hospital in northern Yemen was bombed, however MSF was unable to confirm where the projectile originated. UNICEF has released a statement declaring the civil war in Yemen as an increasing threat to almost 10 million children in the country. It states that more than 1 million have been displaced and 9.5 million do not have easy access to water, with at least 2 million unable to access educational facilities.
Peace talks that were set to begin on 14 January have been postponed by at least a week in light of comments from former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, in which he stated that he would not negotiate with President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi's government.
Meanwhile, the Saudi-led coalition has denied accusations made by human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch, that it has used cluster bombs in its attacks.
ICRtoP member, The Stanley Foundation, released a new policy analysis brief on RtoP. The document, entitled The First Response: Peaceful Means in the Third Pillar of the Responsibility to Protect, was authored by Alex Bellamy and explores the various tools available for implementing pillar three of RtoP.
The trial of José Efraín Ríos Montt, who ruled Guatemala from 1982-1983, has been newly postponed due to "procedural issues". Montt is facing charges of genocide and crimes against humanity for massacres committed during his tenure as leader.


Until then, Weyerhaeuser will handle siding defects through its regular warranty process.
In every critical performance category -- appearance, durability, strength, extreme temperature resistance, water management, cost of ownership and sustainability -- APEX siding and trim outperforms vinyl, wood, steel, aluminum and fiber cement.
Available in ten rich, bold, and long lasting colors, APEX siding and trim offers clean, crisp lines and tight seams that separate homes sided with APEX house siding from those sided with fiber cement and even real wood.
We've begun to install APEX siding and trim on a number of homes in the Anchorage area," said Dave Mason, owner of Mason's Siding & Supply.
APEX siding and trim offers the look of freshly painted wood or fiber cement -- without the headaches and hassles of maintaining fiber cement or wood," Gardner added.
Because APEX siding is made with Ultrex pultruded fiberglass, which is manufactured with naturally occurring sand, APEX siding and trim is the most environmentally friendly siding option available to homeowners today.
We believe APEX siding and trim is a game-changer, especially in North Dakota where extreme weather conditions can put home siding to the test," Anderson, with United Products Corporation, added.
However, improving our marketing communications requires a different expertise," said Don Katzenberger, president of S&K Roofing, Siding and Windows.
Architects, builders and contractors count on us as the leader to provide them with a variety of siding options," said Phyllis Vail, marketing manager for CertainTeed.
CertainTeed Corporation proudly introduces the TrueComfort(TM) Insulated Siding System to its already diverse line of siding products.
A California court today granted final approval of a settlement of a nationwide class-action lawsuit between Weyerhaeuser Company, the Washington State wood and paper giant, and homeowners who had Weyerhaeuser hardboard siding installed on their structures from Jan.


What Is Personal Injury Protection Insurance (PIP)?
Personal Injury coverage protects against medical expenses (costs associated with treating injuries to your person). In some states, you are legally required to carry this type of coverage on your auto policy. In other states, however, it is only an option. Beyond your medical costs, Personal Injury Protection coverage (or PIP for short) might also help pay for lost wages, childcare expenses, or funeral costs in the event of a serious accident.
How Does Personal Injury Protection Coverage Work?
One good thing about PIP coverage is that it pays out on relevant claims quickly and efficiently regardless of who is at fault. You won't have to wait for your insurance provider to decide culpability and/or have to take anyone to court to get the money you are owed – your claim will pay out regardless. Even if it turns out that the other driver is at fault, proving their culpability and collecting the funds from the other driver (and/or the other driver's insurance company) will be your provider's headache, not yours!
But the drawback is that PIP limits are usually very low (around $10,000 or less). And that might seem like a lot of money, but if you are involved in a serious accident, cannot work, and have young children to look after, your post-accident expenses can mount into the tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars before you know it.
While this is relatively standard in all policies, it is important to review your own policy carefully and be familiar with the details.
How much is it? Generally, the majority of your insurance premium comes from collision and comprehensive and other facets of insurance. PIP isn't the most expensive form of insurance, but it isn't exactly dirt cheap either.
It is a good rule of thumb to look at your medical insurance before determining how much PIP coverage you want to take on. For example, if you have a particularly high deductible or co-payment under your health insurance policy, then you might consider a higher personal injury protection limit.
Make sure to review what is covered on your policy. Policies vary from company to company, and coverage sometimes varies from state to state. Certain forms of alternative medicine might be considered acceptable in certain states, while they might not be covered by your PIP coverage in others.
Certain restrictions might require that you insure all of your cars under your policy. Instead of following you, the driver, the policy might revolve around which cars are listed on your plan. Also, keep in mind that bundling multiple vehicles onto the same policy can net you some discounts, but will increase your monthly premium with each vehicle added.
After reviewing all the facts, the only thing left to do is make a decision: which level of personal injury protection insurance is right for you?


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Q: JasperReports JavaBeans set Datasource, General Error I'm using the JasperReports NetBeans plugin.
I want to provide my data as a Collection of beans.
So I've done two things:
1) implemented a very simple factory class that returns the collection
public class MyFactory {
    public static Collection<Person> createBeanCollection() {
        ArrayList al = new ArrayList();
        for (int i=0; i<10; i++) {al.add(new Person());}
    return al;
    }

}

2) set up the JasperReports IDE (iReports under netbeans) to use it:
click on Report Datasources icon, the "Connection/Datasources dialog appears"
click on new, choose JavaBean set datasource: appears the dialog.
write any name in the name property, MyFactory as the Factory class, createBeanCollection as the static method.
But when you TRY the connection with the button, it gives:
"General problem:
MyFactory"
My next tests and clues are:
- write a class name that doesn't exist MyFactoryyyy ->ClassNotFound exception
so the class IS located
- write a static method name that doesn't exist createBeanCollectionnnnn ->General problem
so, since the error is the same, the problem MAY be locating the method.
Any idea?
ADDED
If I use, as class factory, the default Sample class provided with JasperReports, it seems to work (Connection succeded).
com.jaspersoft.ireport.examples.SampleJRDataSourceFactory
Now I'm searching the source code for this class.
ADDED
Once restarted the IDE the problem disappares. Probably a caching problem. I won't close this question, instead i'll try to reproduce the problem and document it.

A: Need to define null constructor:
public MyFactory () {};

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Shows combined federal and provincial (or territorial) income tax and rates (current to November 22, 2018).
The amounts assume that all income is interest, ordinary income (such as salary) and/or taxable capital gains, and only the basic personal tax credit is claimed. The amounts do not take into account: (i) the low-income tax reductions in British Columbia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario and Prince Edward Island or the Manitoba Family Tax Benefit (for low-income taxpayers); and (ii) for Nova Scotia, an enhanced basic personal tax credit, which can reduce income taxes by up to $264 when taxable income is under $75,000, starting 2018. The results will differ if the taxpayer is entitled to claim other non-refundable tax credits or if taxable income includes eligible or non-eligible dividends. Certain types of income and deductions may make alternative minimum tax (AMT) apply, in addition to income tax.
The marginal tax rates show the percentage of tax that would be paid on additional income.
The dividend rates apply to the actual amount of taxable dividends received from taxable Canadian corporations.
A negative dividend rate indicates a refund of tax paid on other income. The dividend rate will be higher if the taxpayer has no other income.
If the taxpayer has no other income, a positive eligible dividend rate will be higher in British Columbia (when taxable income ≤ $79,353), in Manitoba and Newfoundland and Labrador (when taxable income > $11,809 and ≤ $46,605), in Northwest Territories (when taxable income ≤ $84,420), in Ontario (when taxable income ≤ $75,653), in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Prince Edward Island, Quebec and Saskatchewan (when taxable income ≤ $46,605), and in Yukon (when taxable income ≤ $144,489).
If the taxpayer has no other income, a positive non-eligible dividend rate will be higher in Northwest Territories (when taxable income > $14,492 and ≤ $42,209).
For Quebec, the dividend rates shown apply to dividends received after March 27, 2018. For dividends received before March 28, 2018, these rates are lower by: (i) for eligible dividends, 0.055 percentage points; and (ii) for non-eligible dividends, 0.893 percentage points.
This personal tax calculator does not constitute legal, accounting or other professional advice. It is intended only as a general guide and is neither a definitive analysis of the law nor a substitute for professional advice. Readers should discuss with professional advisers how the information may apply to their specific situations. Unless prior written permission is granted by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an Ontario limited liability partnership, this tax calculator may be displayed or printed only if for personal non-commercial use and unchanged (with all copyright and other proprietary notices retained). Unauthorized reproduction is expressly prohibited.


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A New Breed Will Be Competing In The 2021 National Dog Show This Thanksgiving
Can you believe that it's already that special time of year? The time for food, family, and favorite dog breeds. Why, it's time for the 2021 National Dog Show, of course. We wait all year for these beautiful breeds to grace our television screens, but perhaps this year, there's more anticipation than there has been in the past.
Last year, the National Dog Show was held without spectators, vendors, or media due to pandemic restrictions. The competition was even reduced from the nearly 2,000 dogs who ordinarily compete to a mere 600. The stadium was empty, and it simply wasn't the same experience. But this year, the competition is back and better than ever.
There's even a new breed being considered for the high honor of "best in show" this year. Competing for the first time is the Biewer Terrier. Known for being super friendly, healthy, and absolutely adorable, the Biewer Terrier (pronounced like "beaver") will be competing in the toy group. These tiny pups are a direct descendant of the Yorkshire Terrier and will only weigh a mere four to eight pounds fully grown. The two tiny breeds look quite similar, but an easy way to tell the difference between a Yorkie and Biewer is to look at their tail. A Biewer Terrier will have a full tail that plumes over the back, while a Yorkie will not.
How Can I Watch The Dog Show?
If you live near or are willing to travel to the Philadelphia area, you can watch it live this year. As of writing this article, tickets are still available to watch the show in person at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center over the weekend of November 20th and 21st. Each day is a separate and distinct dog show with breed, group and best in show judging, but it's the show on the 20th that will air on national television. Proof of vaccination will be required, so children under the age of 12 will not be allowed to enter. If you've already purchased a ticket for the event but can no longer attend due to their vaccination policy, you can request a refund.
See also Scared Pittie Wouldn't Eat, Drink or Move Until THIS Happened... ??
But if you're planning to tune in from your living room, you can catch the two-hour broadcast during its traditional Thanksgiving time slot. The dog show will air at noon on November 25th in every time zone, right after the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. You can also anticipate hearing the cathartic voices of customary commentators Mary Carillo, David Frei, and John O'Hurley during the canine competition.
How Does A Dog Win?
Interestingly, the dogs don't technically compete against one another. At every point in the show, they compete against the written standards of their breed. First, they start in a group with all of the dogs of the same breed. Once they win against them, they move on to be evaluated within one of seven groups: Sporting, Hound, Working, Terrier, Toy, Non-Sporting, and Herding. Once they win against their group, they move on to compete for best in show. Last year, it was Claire, a three-year-old Scottish Deerhound who took the title.
Which breed are you hoping takes the title of "best in show" this year? Are you partial to Poodles? Rooting for the Rottweilers? Favoring the Fox Terrier? Tell us in the comments below. We are dying to know the details.
H / T: dailypaws.com
Featured Image: Facebook


Canada Has No Official National Flower. In a nation-wide poll that ended on Canada Day, 80% of almost 10,000 people picked bunchberry (Cornus Canadensis) as their choice for a national flower. The flower is known as Quatre-temps in French and kawiscowimin in Cree.
Bunchberry changes with the seasons, just like Canada does, says Hulbert, with white flowers in late spring, red berries in summer, and red leaf color in fall, which may explain why it has Canadensis — "of Canada" — in its botanical name.


The Orpheum has announced their lineup for the 2018 Summer Movie Series, which starts on July 3. These ten movies are cult classics – both old and new – and there will be fun activities, a photo booth, and props at each movie.
Tickets are $8 for grownups and $6 for kids 12 and under. The movies all start at 7 p.m. and doors open at 6 p.m.


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View source for Artoklasia
← Artoklasia
The '''artoklasia''' (Greek ἀρτοκλασία, meaning "breaking of bread"; also Лития,'litiya' in Church Slavonic) is a service held at the end of [[Vespers]], [[Matins]] (Orthros), or even at the end of the [[Divine Liturgy]]. Five round loaves of bread are offered by individual faithful as a sign of devotion for personal or family anniversaries, such as [[name day]]s and other occasions related to the lives of the Orthodox. The five loaves are reminiscent of the five loaves that [[Jesus Christ]] blessed in the desert and by which five thousand of His hearers were fed. {{Services}} Artoklasia also symbolises and brings into practice the Agape meals of the very early Christian communities. Then, after the faithful received the [[Eucharist|Body and Blood of Christ]], they would gather in a common meal. In this way they signified the brotherly association established between them by their common faith and by their receiving the same sacramental Lord. Also, the Agape meals served a charitable purpose by providing meals to the poorer from among them. The significance behind the Orthodox artoklasia includes also the fact that, among the Orthodox, bread continues to be highly valued not only as a basic food but also as the supreme symbol of the Body of Christ - for it is the bread which is changed by consecration in the [[Divine Liturgy|Liturgy]] into the Body of Christ. Christ has been repeatedly designated as the Bread of Life, and also as "the Bread which came from heaven." Bread also symbolizes the Church of Christ, which has spread all over as the wheat on the mountains and which was gathered by Christ into one body. Thus, bread has been given a mystical meaning according to which it constitutes the essence of the spiritual life of the Christian. The blessed bread of the Eastern Orthodox artoklasia has from ancient times been considered to effect personal sanctification and to help the individual against bodily infirmities and illness "if taken with faith." The Greek term "artoklasia" derives from the very words used by the [[Evangelist]]s in describing the Last Supper at which Christ "broke bread" and offered it to His disciples as His own Body. Also, "bread is broken" in the Eastern Orthodox artoklasia. Through this act, a very real unity is established between the Lord and His Church, much like when the resurrected Lord became apparent in the breaking of the bread in the [[Gospel of John|Gospel of John's]] "Road to Emmaus" narrative. After the Service, the bread is cut and distributed to the [[congregation]]. ==External links== [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01756b.htm The Catholic Encyclopedia's Artoklasia] [[Category:Liturgics]] [[ro:Litia]]
Template:Services (view source)
Return to Artoklasia.
Retrieved from "https://en.orthodoxwiki.org/Artoklasia"


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Replay: News 5 at 11
4-year-old Florence didn't like sharing her name with a bad hurricane, so she did something about it
Tricia Wisniewski

4-year-old Florence didn't like sharing her name with a bad hurricane. So she did something about it.

We all perk up and pay attention when we overhear our name in a conversation. Four-year-old Florence started hearing hers everywhere, including on the TV.
And they weren't using her nickname Flo, but her full name: Florence. That usually meant she was in trouble.
Her mom Tricia Wisniewski explained to Flo that everyone was talking about a hurricane named Florence, and showed her pictures of the storm -- flooded neighborhoods and people in shelters.
"I showed her one picture of a family staying in a high school hallway and told her this is all they have, here in the hallway with their baby," Wisniewski told CNN. "Flo said matter-of-factly that we should send them diapers or toys, like that was just common sense!"
Wisniewski's husband, Paul, made a donation sign, showing the hurricane's path but with Flo's face over the spiraling clouds. The two shared a name, but the smaller Florence wanted to help, not scare, people.
So, Flo went door-to-door with her wagon and sign, telling neighbors there would be a bucket on their front porch for donations. She also took a donation box to her school.
A fundraising campaign is born
"I thought that would be it. We would fill a few boxes and Florence would feel good about her name," Wisniewski said. "But a Facebook post got around and then the local news got involved, and now we are getting donations from around the country."
The family's two-car garage now brims with donations, with more arriving each day. Flo's parents were at a loss on how to get all of these goods from their Chicago home to the people who needed them.
They were new to running a charity drive and felt overwhelmed. But little Flo was unfazed.
"This little girl stirred up something in everybody. She just wants to help people and just thinks that it is normal. And it could be," Wisniewski told CNN.
Inspired by her daughter's enthusiasm, Wisniewski partnered with the nonprofit Mathew 25 Ministries in Ohio, which will add Flo's donations to a semi-truck delivering supplies to the Carolinas.
A teachable moment becomes a larger lesson
The donation drive overshadowed Florence's 5th birthday last Friday. She did receive some packing tape, which she immediately put to use.
"She's now in the midst of sorting everything. She is not just a pretty face of the campaign. She is an active member," Tricia said.
Her daughter is happy with the new "family project" and the gifts hurricane victims will soon be receiving. Her birthday can wait.
The proud mother had hoped Flo's campaign would be a teachable moment for her daughter about helping others. But as the donations poured in, that moment became a larger lesson, and a storm of goodwill in its own right.
"To see all of these people donating and supporting her and giving her high fives, it has taught me that there are plenty of good people out there."


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If you owed tax last year or received a large refund, you may want to think about adjusting your tax withholding. Owing tax at the end of the year could result in penalties being assessed. We can help you analyze your tax situation and make suggestions to avoid underpayment penalties and estimate the cash flow needed to avoid an unexpected tax bill.
Did you have health insurance coverage all year? The individual shared responsibility provision of the Affordable Care Act requires that you and each member of your family have qualifying health insurance, a health coverage exemption, or make a payment when you file. If you, your spouse, and dependents had health insurance coverage all year, you will indicate this by simply checking a box on your tax return.
Did you tie the knot or did you part ways? If you are a newlywed or recently divorced, make sure that the names on your tax returns match those registered with the Social Security Administration (SSA). A mismatch between a name on the tax return and a Social Security number (SSN) can cause delays, unexpectedly increase your tax bill, or reduce the size of your refund. Visit SSA online for information about making changes.
Looking for ways to avoid the last-minute rush for doing your taxes? It pays to plan ahead. Schedule an appointment with the experts at SFW Partners, and we will sit with you and sort through your tax documents to maximize our efficiency and minimize your headaches. Existing clients receive an income tax organizer to guide them through the document collection process. The IRS also offers 10 tips of sound advice.
Are you sweating the tax deadline? If you need last-minute help, schedule a face-to-face meeting or give us a call. Our experts are here and ready to assist you. If you need more time to finish your return, request a six-month extension, using Form 4868, Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return. And if you have trouble paying your tax bill, the IRS has several payment options available.
The deadline is here. Now what? If you can't meet the April 15 deadline to file your tax return, you can get an automatic 6-month extension from the IRS, giving you extra time to file your tax returns. However, even though you get a filing reprieve you don't get an extension on paying any tax due. Proper planning prior to the deadline can help minimize any interest and/or late payment penalties, which could arise on balances due after the April 15 deadline.
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Are you expecting a tax refund this year? If you file a complete and accurate paper tax return, your refund should be issued in about six to eight weeks from the date the IRS receives your return. If you file your return electronically, your refund should be issued in about half that time. Speed up the receipt of your refund even more by choosing direct deposit.
Do you have kids in college or have you gone back to school? The tax code provides a variety of tax incentives for people who are paying higher education costs or who are repaying student loans. You may be able to claim an American Opportunity Credit or Lifetime Learning Credit for the qualified tuition and related expenses of the students in your family who are enrolled in eligible educational institutions.
Are you buying a new car? If you want to get rid of your old car easily, help your favorite non-profit, and get a tax deduction, you might consider donating your old car to a charity. Learn about out the specific IRS rules for taking a tax deduction when donating cars to charities and find out if it's a good fit for you.
Have you given money or donated other items to charity? When preparing to file your federal tax return, don't forget your contributions to charitable organizations. Your donations can add up to a nice tax deduction, if you itemize on IRS Form 1040-A. Get additional tips about your donations from the IRS.
Did you buy a plug-in electric car? Internal Revenue Code Section 30-D provides a credit for Qualified Plug-in Electric Drive Motor Vehicles, including passenger vehicles and light trucks.
Are you one of the millions of Americans who miss out on critical tax relief each year by failing to claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), a federal tax credit for individuals who work but do not earn high incomes? If you qualify and claim the credit, you could pay less federal tax, pay no tax, or even get a tax refund. Our experts carefully prepare your tax return and will let you know if you qualify for this credit.
Did you sell your main home this year? If you did, you might be able to exclude up to $250,000 of gain ($500,000 for married taxpayers filing jointly) from your federal tax return. On the other hand, if you refinanced your home you may be eligible to deduct some of the costs associated with your loans.
Did you know that you may be able to deduct certain taxes on your federal income tax return? The IRS says you can, if you file Form 1040 and itemize deductions on Schedule A. Deductions decrease the amount of income subject to taxation.
Did you receive income from a foreign source last year? Are you a United States citizen or resident who worked abroad last year? With more and more U.S. citizens earning money from foreign sources, the IRS is reminding people that they have to report all such income on their tax return, unless it is exempt under federal law. U.S. citizens are taxed on their worldwide income. Check out 8 tax tips when reporting foreign income.
Do you work at a hair salon, barber shop, casino, golf course, hotel, restaurant, or drive a taxicab? The tip income you receive as an employee from those services is taxable income. Be sure to include it on your tax return. The IRS makes reporting easy with Form 4070, Employee's Report of Tips to Employers.
If you gave any one person gifts valued at more than $14,000, you have to report the total gift to the IRS. Consult with the experts at SFW Partners to find out if you will have to pay tax on your gift.
Don't procrastinate! Earlier is better when it comes to working on your taxes, and the IRS encourages everyone to get a head start on tax preparation. Not only do you avoid the last-minute rush, early filers also get a faster refund. Check out IRS tips for steps you can take now and how to get ready for taxes.
Have you tried everything to resolve a tax problem with the IRS but are still experiencing delays? Are you facing what you consider to be an economic burden or hardship due to IRS collection or other actions? If so, you can seek the assistance of the Taxpayer Advocate Service. Your Taxpayer Advocate is your voice at the IRS who ensures you are treated fairly and know and understand your rights. Visit today to find out how you can take advantage of this free service.
Hablas español? Do you need help from someone who speaks Spanish? If you need federal tax information, the IRS provides free Spanish language products and services. Visit IRS.gov and click on the language option to translate webpages into Spanish (or other languages). The IRS also provides refund information, tax publications, and toll-free telephone assistance in Spanish.


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Farmington Hills in Oakland County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Fractional District School
By Joel Seewald, June 29, 2019
1. Fractional District School Marker
Fractional District School. . This is the only existing one-room schoolhouse in the area used continuously for educational purposes. It was built on land donated for a public school and named after George German, one of an English group who settled here in 1835. It provided education for grades one through eight for many years. After all of the school districts in Farmington were consolidated in 1944, the building was used for kindergarten classes. This site, and the one-room schoolhouse, is now owned by the Hillel Day School. . This historical marker was erected by City of Farmington Hills; Farmington Hills Historical Commission. It is in Farmington Hills in Oakland County Michigan
This is the only existing one-room schoolhouse in the area used continuously for educational purposes. It was built on land donated for a public school and named after George German, one of an English group who settled here in 1835. It provided education for grades one through eight for many years. After all of the school districts in Farmington were consolidated in 1944, the building was used for kindergarten classes. This site, and the one-room schoolhouse, is now owned by the Hillel Day School.
Erected by City of Farmington Hills; Farmington Hills Historical Commission.
Location. 42° 31.404′ N, 83° 20.408′ W. Marker is in Farmington Hills, Michigan, in Oakland County. Marker is on Middelbelt Road 0.3 miles north of Northwestern Highway (State Highway 10), on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 32200 Middlebelt Road, Farmington MI 48334, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Ward Eagle Home (approx. 0.4 miles away); Glen Oaks (approx. 0.9 miles away); The Chene House
2. Fractional District School No. 1 Marker
Nearly identical plaque placed on the school building by the Farmington Hills Historical Commission in 1977.
(approx. 1.3 miles away); Edward Beals House (approx. 1.3 miles away); Franklin Community Church (approx. 1.7 miles away); Robert E. Cornillie's Vision (approx. 1.7 miles away); The Utley Cemetery (approx. 1.7 miles away); Kreger Farm Buildings (approx. 1.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Farmington Hills.
Categories. • Education •
3. Fractional District School and Markers
More. Search the internet for Fractional District School.
Credits. This page was last revised on July 4, 2019. This page originally submitted on July 4, 2019, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan. This page has been viewed 56 times since then and 4 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on July 4, 2019, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan.


Firefighters from across Canada as well as from New Zealand, Mexico and Australia will arrive in B.C. in the next week to aid the BC Wildfire Service's efforts in suppressing the 446 wildfires currently burning throughout the province.
The BC Wildfire Service today (Aug. 3) announced out-of-province firefighting personnel and aircraft are beginning to arrive, with more expected in the coming weeks.
The BC Wildfire Service announced yesterday (Aug. 2) that it would be requesting resources to help with the province's current wildfire situation.
Twenty firefighters from Alberta and 15 from the Northwest Territories arrived in B.C. on Thursday, Aug. 2, and 20 firefighters with 10 support staff are expected to arrive from Saskatchewan on Sunday Aug. 5.
Four Canadair CL-415 water-skimming aircraft from Quebec will be arriving in the coming days, joining more than 150 aircraft that are currently supporting ground crews.
From overseas, 65 personnel from New Zealand (a mix of firefighters and support staff) and 62 firefighters from Mexico will arrive in B.C. on Monday, Aug. 6.
And a group of 25 support staff from Australia are also expected to arrive next week.
These resources will join the more than 2,200 people currently engaged in the province's wildfire response, including BC Wildfire Service firefighters, government staff, forest industry personnel and contractors, says the news release.
The BC Wildfire Service says it has also made arrangements with more than 50 companies from all regions of the province to provide contract firefighters and specialized staff, such as tree fallers and heavy equipment operators. As of Aug. 2, the BC Wildfire Service had over 900 contract personnel working on wildfires throughout the province and over 130 pieces of contracted heavy equipment on the fireline.
During the 2017 B.C. wildfires, the province declared a state of emergency on July 7, the first in 14 years.
The state of emergency gave agencies such as Emergency Management BC, the Fire Commissioner, the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations and the RCMP authority under the Emergency Program Act to take every action necessary to fight these wildfires and protect residents and their communities.


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IZ*ONE finds floral inspiration in time for spring
Girl group IZ*ONE performs "Violeta" for the first time during the press showcase for their new EP "HEART*IZ" on Monday at the Blue Square iMarket Hall in central Seoul. [YONHAP]
The month of April brings blooming flowers to gardens and, apparently, the stage as well. When girl group IZ*ONE made their debut in October with their first EP "COLOR*IZ," its 12 members each flaunted a different color while they performed their first official song "La Vie en Rose."
Six months later, on Monday, the girls presented their second EP "HEART*IZ," an eight-track album which hit local music streaming services at 7 p.m.
The girl group is the third project band produced through cable channel Mnet's "Produce" series, this time going global with Japanese contestants from J-pop girl group AKB48.
If the previous track was meant to show how the 12 girls arrived as powerful rookies with the passion of a rose, the new lead track "Violeta" is all about sharing the energetic mood of the new season to listeners, telling everyone that their hearts are as warm and loving as anyone else's, much like a violet.
Taken from Oscar Wilde's tale "The Happy Prince," the song takes on a blue-and-violet mood from the color of the flower.
"We expressed our hopes to bloom through our passion with our debut album, and this time we want to spread that message to cheer everyone on," said member Yujin.
Wonyoung added, "It's a story of our hearts that we want to tell through love and passion."
It's been less than a year, but their debut was as grand as ever. Their debut track swept local music charts, while the first edition of their Japanese debut single "Suki to Iwasetai" sold over 220,000 copies when it was released in February.
As happy as they are for having debuted, they're mostly grateful for the fans who have supported them enough to make all of this happen.
"Since it's taken from the tale of 'The Happy Prince,' we turn into the little bird in the story to pay back all of the love that we received from our fans," said Chaewon.
The girls will spend two years together as IZ*ONE, during which the members hope that they will get to leave their marks in K-pop.
"We want to be a group that communicates well with the fans," said Sakura.
"We will also be holding our first solo concert in June, and I hope you look forward to it," announced Eunbi.
The EP was released at 7 p.m. during a special episode of "Heart To" on cable channel Mnet.
BY YOON SO-YEON [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]


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By Raymond J. de Souza February 7, 2020
At the Oscars on Sunday Martin Scorsese's The Irishman is nominated for best picture. It is not expected to win. And to tell the truth, the film would be better considered for a lifetime achievement award. It is the last ride for Scorsese, Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci, Harvey Keitel and the rest of that gang which started making Mafia films nearly fifty years ago.
It's an elegy, a true lament, not a eulogy, an act of praise. After the elegance and quasi-apologetic of The Godfather, the work of Francis Ford Coppola (1972), Scorsese gave us his own treatment in Goodfellas (1990); here the elegance was gone and the brutality of the life was exposed, but there was still the excitement, the glamour, the fast-paced high life.
De Niro and Pacino were in The Godfather saga, Joe Pesci in Goodfellas. Now The Irishman brings the old men together to look back over it all. The elegance is gone and the glamour. Scorsese et al., in their old age – not alive and kicking, but alive and flourishing with magnificent performances – are giving a final account of, as Moe Greene, put it memorably more than 40 years ago, "the life we have chosen."
Scorsese tells us what is coming from that long opening shot. In Goodfellas, the young on-the-make Ray Liotta weaves his way to the front table of the most glamourous club, dispensing fat tips to thin cocktail waitresses. In The Irishman the opening shot shuffles down the corridor of a nursing home, where a retired and decrepit Robert De Niro reflects upon his life as a Mafia hit man in Philadelphia, the assassin – he claims – of Jimmy Hoffa.
The film cannot be taken as reliable history; the book upon which it is based has been seriously challenged. So it is not a historical fact that the Mafia killed JFK, though Pesci's character puts it that way: "If they can whack a president, they can whack the president of a union."
Joe Pesci's character – the superior figure to De Niro's subordinate – is a delight, for Pesci finally steps out of the shadows of Pacino and De Niro, both excellent as always, even if Pacino plays Hoffa as Pacino plays all his characters, alternating between ruminative and manic.
The Irishman mainly tells us this: While the Mafia might be a law unto themselves, it is not exempt from the laws that govern all life. When Pacino and De Niro get into their pajamas to go to bed in their shared hotel room, they are just that – two men in their pajamas. Time and age take their toll; the old (dis)order which gave to their rise is now leaving them behind. One extended scene involves Pacino arguing at long length about proper dress for a business meeting and the importance of taking traffic into account in order to be on time. There is nothing Mafia-esque about any of it, just a curmudgeon railing against the kids these days.
From Sea to Sea: Party, Power, Patrimony
Bidding Brown A Welcome Goodbye
Great Wind And Loving Water
The Irishman is told as a long flashback, and it takes pains to demonstrate that decisions taken in the moment were proved disastrous by subsequent events. Many new characters in the story are introduced by captions indicating how they were eventually whacked. At the theatre where I saw it – better than on Netflix – the audience laughed at those captions. The fearsome bullies were exposed and subject to the one thing that bullies cannot abide – being laughed at. The film laughs at them too, making fun of their secret code language and the petty jealousies of mob life.
Critics of The Irishman have focused on its length, a mammoth three-and-a-half hours. But the length is an essential part of the medium that clarifies the message. It put me in mind of another, altogether different, film, Into the Great Silence, about cloistered monks. Initially the film is hard to watch, because there is so much silence, the monks recorded as they go about their various tasks in silence. Slowly, though, the viewer realizes that the film is not about the great silence as much as it is an experience of the great silence.
The Irishman needs to be as long as it is because it is not about how length of years diminishes all the passing goods that mob life grasps at, but it is an experience of that diminishment. The visible aging of the actors – made youthful by computer gimmickry in the earlier scenes – is one aspect of that experience. The young nurse attending to the elderly De Niro does not even know who Jimmy Hoffa is. The psalmist reminds us: The grass withers and fades, and its place remembers it not.
Ultimately The Irishman is not merely a long meditation on sic transit gloria Mafiosi. It is a meditation on what Mafia life looks like from the perspective of eternity. At the film's close, Robert De Niro's hit man is asked to tell the truth. "Who are you protecting? Everyone is dead."
What does Mafia life look life when everyone is dead? From eternity?
In prison, Pesci's character, now confined to a wheelchair is heading off to the chapel. He tells an incredulous De Niro, "You'll see."
He does. Like all good Mafia films, The Irishman notes the Catholic faith of its characters, observed formally and sacrilegiously, as in the famous baptism scene in The Godfather. So there must be moments in church, when De Niro's children are baptized and when, after the hit on Hoffa, all the characters are at a wedding. The sacraments are part of a mob life.
The final scenes of The Irishman are not about formal observance, the public face masking private corruption. De Niro is visited in his assisted living facility by a Catholic priest. The priest helps De Niro to remember a prayer that every Catholic should know, the Hail Mary. And he tells De Niro that he can be sorry for the things that he has done, even if does not feel sorry.
"It's a decision of the will," the priest tells him. The Irishman does not preach salvation by sentiment but by seeing clearly. The key thing, the priest tells De Niro, is to ask God to "help us see ourselves as you see us." That is both frightening and a consolation, for God sees the truth in mercy.
De Niro makes his confession and receives sacramental absolution. If the long saga of Mafia films is to be understood as a Catholic story – and how could they not be? – then there is only one way the entire half century could end. Not with still more blood. But with confession and forgiveness.
The Irishman is a great ensemble cast which covers decades of time. And the one character there, hidden only to be finally revealed, is Christ Himself, extending a very long movie – after decades of many movies – into eternity.
Father Raymond J. de Souza's continuing survey of religion, culture and public life.
Convivium's Father Raymond de Souza says Patrick Brown's departure as Ontario Conservative leader is cause for huzzahs from all who care about political integrity in our common life.
Convivium editor-in-chief Father Raymond J. de Souza reflects on the spiritual significance of water in light of the recent hurricanes that have been raging.


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County record office
Record office projects and events
We hold regular events and work with local groups throughout North Yorkshire to develop community heritage projects and learning activities.
Lunchtime lectures
Our lunchtime lecture talks begin at 12.30pm and last for around 45 minutes with time for questions afterwards. Admission is £2, which includes light refreshments. Advance booking is not necessary.
Friday 31 January 2020 Land of Iron: local history and the roasted iron ore which crossed the North York Moors by Geoff Taylor
Friday 28 February 2020 William Aislabie and the designed landscape of Kirby Fleetham Hall by Gail Falkingham
Friday 27 March 2020 To be confirmed
Friday 24 April 2020 Lime Industry of the Yorkshire Dales by Dr David Johnson
Heritage projects are a great way for communities to come together to learn about their past, to take part in fun and inspiring activities, to share their experience and knowledge and to develop new skills.
If you would like to discuss setting up a community heritage project then please contact us. We can offer digitisation and conservation services, meeting space, advice on sources of funding and more.
We publish occasional newsletters. You can download our spring 2017 newsletter here (pdf / 2 MB) and our autumn 2016 newsletter here (pdf / 2 MB).
Volunteer at the record office
Attics and Acres
'Attics and Acres' focuses on the archive of the Graham family of Norton Conyers and is funded by Heritage Lottery Fund, Friends of the National Libraries and Northallerton and District Local History Society. With the help of volunteers, our project archivist is working to make the archive accessible to all by developing an online catalogue and holding a series of talks, exhibitions and workshops. You can follow progress via the project blog here.
The Heritage Lottery Funded 'Home Comforts' researched the history of the 32 Voluntary Aid Detachment Hospitals set up across the North Riding during the First World War. Up to 1,500 beds for the care of wounded soldiers returning from the front were provided in buildings as diverse as town hall, stately homes and workhouses, with local women taking the lead in organising this provision. Project volunteers researched and wrote a 212 page, fully illustrated book telling the story of each of the hospitals and a programme of talks, exhibitions and activities reached over 4,000 people. The project was long-listed for the 2015 National Lottery Awards. You can read more about the project here at the Heritage Lottery Fund page.
Grounds for Appeal
In April 2016 the County Record Office was delighted to be awarded £8,500 from the Heritage Lottery Fund to make the North Riding Military Tribunal Papers 1916 –1918 widely available.
We hold nearly 6000 appeal papers of men who wished to defer their military service or who conscientiously objected to it. In 1921 the Board of Health issued instructions that all tribunal records be destroyed. There were two exceptions to this, Middlesex and Lothian and Peebles appeal records. These were retained as a benchmark for possible future use. By an oversight the North Riding Tribunal papers have survived.
You can read more at the following places:
The Grounds for Appeal project blog
Our historypin project board and our Flickr album
The Heritage Lottery Fund page
Trawling through Time
For nearly 100 years Cochrane's shipyard was a vital part of life in Selby. Opened by the then Beverley-based Andrew Cochrane, Cochrane and Sons became one of the most significant employers in the Selby region. In many cases, working at Cochrane shipyard was something that ran in the family, with generation after generation working at the yard. When the yard closed in 1993, not only did it result in the loss of hundreds of jobs, but it signalled the end of the shipbuilding tradition in Selby, a tradition which was first recorded in the 15th century.
The company archive represents one of the most important pieces of evidence for the history of Selby. The North Yorkshire County Record Office was awarded a grant of £48,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund to work on our project 'Trawling Through Time' which aimed to make this fascinating collection accessible to everyone.
You can view more images from the project on our Flickr album.