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Wages are picking up – but the market still can't believe it
Around the world, things are looking up – employment is high and wages are rising. But investors remain fearful. John Stepek explains what's going on.
by: John Stepek
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...
Don't worry, I'll stop there.
Around the world things are looking up. Several developed economies (including the UK) are running at full employment, or as near as you can get.
Yet I think it's fair to say that everyone is grumpy. More than that, they're fearful. They're scared of missing out. But they're scared of getting sucker punched again.
And it's giving rise to some pretty odd things happening in markets.
Don't let your confirmation bias blind you this is a good report on jobs
Jobs data for the UK in the final quarter of 2018 came out yesterday. Given the constant litany of grim headlines, it was staggeringly good.
The employment rate is at 75.8%. That's the highest since comparable records began in 1971. The overall unemployment rate fell to 4%, the lowest since 1975. For women, it fell below 4% for the first time ever.
The percentage of "economically inactive" (those aged 16-64 who are not working nor seeking work) came in at 20.9%, another record low. The number of people on zero-hours contracts fell too.
Meanwhile, the most important measure from a "big picture" point of view wage inflation headed significantly higher. Weekly pay (both including and excluding bonuses) rose by 3.4% compared to the same time the year before.
This means that real wages wages after inflation are rising at their fastest rate in two years. They are also rising more rapidly than house prices.
Wage inflation matters, because if anything is likely to push both growth and wider inflation higher, it's people being paid more. And finally, it seems that the labour market is sufficiently tight that wages are indeed picking up.
Incidentally, if you're sitting there furiously looking for "ah, buts", I have some advice for you. Picking holes in these releases is commendable. It's good to be sceptical. And all of this data is historic; it says nothing about what will happen tomorrow.
But also remember that you have to deal with the world as it is. You may not like the Tories; you may not like Brexit. You may feel that this statistical release must surely be covering up some great yawning chasm in the social fabric.
But the data collection methods haven't changed much, and for now, the data points to an economy which has a high level of employment and rising wages. And importantly, Britain is not unique.
Who will win the tug of war in markets?
These are good numbers by anyone's definition. And they highlight an absolutely fascinating tug of war going on both here and in the wider world.
It's hard to describe global labour markets in most developed countries as anything other than "hot". Britain is not the only one, for all the cries of "despite Brexit!" or "we haven't left yet!"
Lift your eyes from our current parochial obsessions and you will find that not only the US but also Japan the land that pay rises forgot are seeing ever-tightening labour markets combined with slowly but steadily growing wages.
This really should be toxic for bond markets. Bonds are mostly fixed-income instruments (ie, they pay you a specific interest payment that does not rise or fall). As such, they hate inflation. If you know a bond is going to pay you £50 in a year's time, then you want prices to be lower, not higher. If prices are expected to go up, the value of that bond will fall.
But that's not happening right now. Instead, as Daniel Kruger pointed out in the Wall Street Journal a couple of days ago, bond yields have been sliding since October (which of course, is when stocks fell out of bed).
This has resulted in the proportion of bonds which offer negative yields (where bond owners are effectively paying the issuers mainly developed world governments for the privilege of lending to them) rising yet again.
The proportion of global debt offering negative yields (according to BoA Merrill Lynch) was virtually zero until 2014. It peaked at just under 30% in September 2016, around about the time we hit "peak deflation" fear. Since then, it has managed to dip below 19% in July 2017, and October 2018. But now it's back up above 22%.
As David Rosenberg of Gluskin Sheff pointed out on Twitter yesterday, it's no wonder that stockmarkets have been surging in the last month it's because low bond yields mean that "TINA" ("there is no alternative" if you want to make a "real" return) is back.
So what's going on? On the one hand, investors seem to have grown certain that we're facing a global downturn any minute now. So that might explain why bond yields are low. Employment is a lagging indicator, after all it doesn't peak until after the tough times are already clearly on the horizon.
On the other hand, the mass retreat of central banks could have something to do with it. If you think they're all going to start buying bonds again, then you want to get in ahead of them.
I suspect it's a mix of both. The financial system and the "real" economy have always been "reflexive" (moves in one affect the other). But the era of quantitative easing and the increasingly uncertain nature of money have exaggerated this reflexiveness.
It's a little bit Orwellian. Investors look at the sky and see sunshine, but bond yields tell them it's raining. They're no longer entirely sure what to believe.
The good news is that this isn't 1984. At some point, the evidence will swing hard one way or the other, and we won't be able to ignore it. I'm still betting we'll get inflation. You may disagree but that's why we make sure we have diversified portfolios, so even when one of us is wrong, neither of us ends up being ruined.
Stockmarkets
Visit/517688/the-british-equity-market-is-shrinking
The British equity market is shrinking
British startups are abandoning public stockmarkets and turning to deep-pocketed Silicon Valley venture capitalists for their investment needs.
Visit/516758/beyond-the-brexit-talk-the-british-economy-isnt-doing-too-badly
Beyond the Brexit talk, the British economy isn't doing too badly
The political Brexit pantomime aside, Britain is in pretty good shape. With near-record employment, strong wage growth and modest inflation, there is …
Visit/511212/reasons-for-investors-to-be-bearish-but-stick-with-the-stockmarket-bulls
There are lots of reasons to be bearish – but you should stick with the bulls
There are plenty of reasons to be gloomy about the stockmarkets. But the trend remains up, says Dominic Frisby. And you don't want to bet against the …
Visit/investments/stocks-and-shares/share-tips/600636/class-acts-going-cheap-buy-into-europes-best
Class acts going cheap: buy into Europe's best bargains
Value investing appears to be making a comeback, while shares on this side of the Atlantic are more appealing on metrics such as price/earnings ratios…
Visit/currencies/600665/currency-corner-new-zealand-dollar-kiwi-vs-us-dollar
Currency Corner: how is the New Zealand dollar doing against its US counterpart?
The New Zealand dollar has been doing well against the US dollar in recent months, but has started to wobble a little. Is it still a buy? Dominic Fris…
Visit/investments/stocks-and-shares/share-tips/600641/share-tips-of-the-week
Share tips of the week
MoneyWeek's comprehensive guide to the best of this week's share tips from the rest of the UK's financial pages.


Researchers and Staff at IREC extend knowledge and information through our Annual Field Day, various grower meetings, tours, and local school-sponsored events. Call us to schedule your meeting or tour at 530/667-5117.
The Annual Field Day is an opportunity to share with the community the wide range of research conducted at the Center. The highlight of the day is a guided tour of Center research projects accompanied by UCCE advisor and UC researcher presentations. Researchers, growers and industry personnel gather together to share information and experiences, and to build camaraderie.
Increasing crop yields and managing pests are crucial to the well-being and sustainability of California's economy and ecology. Area growers and industry personnel can learn about new management practices and integrated pest management on UCCE-led Field Tours. The Tulelake Onion Growers Field Tour focused on control of weeds, onion & seed corn maggot and thrips. Growers can use this new information to make informed decisions in their farming operations.
The joy and importance of growing food is imparted to children via the Children's Tours. Each summer, UCCE staff educate busloads of area children about the importance of agriculture in their daily lives. After walking and digging through potato and onion fields, the children receive planting seeds and mint cuttings, learning how to care for plants in their home gardens. School tours often end with a special treat of homemade mint-chip ice cream, made with mint oil distilled at the Center.


A simple workflow to manage model steps easily.
Doctrine utility classes used in nearly any project that interacts with Doctrine repositories.
Utility package for basic classes used in nearly every project.
A hodgepodge of php classes. For mad scientists only!
A series of money related utility classes wrapping integer math and money fractional allocation.


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Renfroe Family Tree, Renfroe Family History Records
Research Renfroe genealogy for free. We have billions of genealogy records going back hundreds of years. Browse by most common names or enter a name and search.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Fairbanks hit 90 degrees last week for the first time in four years. The heat was very localized to the Tanana and Yukon river valleys.
We asked Brian Brettschneider, with our Ask a Climatologist segment, which areas of Alaska usually see the hottest temperatures in the summer.
He says the warmest temperatures are almost always found in the Interior.
Brian: Somewhere from about Tanana and then eastward to the Canadian border around Eagle. Especially when you get into the Tanana and the Yukon river valleys, those are the places that over the last 100 or so years, they've observed the most days in the upper 80's, the 90's and even a 100 degree reading occurred at Fort Yukon in 1915.
Annie: And what makes that the warm spot?
Brian: Well, there are a lot of things that go into it. One is, at our high latitude, we get nearly continuous daylight in Interior Alaska. The sun sets for a few hours but it's basically at solar heating for nearly the entire day. Also, June is a very sunny month, so you don't have clouds that are blocking that sun's energy. Then you also have, in say the Tanana and the Yukon river valleys, those are relatively low elevation, so, as most people know, high elevation is cooler, there's less atmosphere above you.
They're also far from the coast. Here in Anchorage, along any part of the coastal areas of Alaska, when the sun is out and it starts to heat up the ground, hot air rises and air has to fill in for that air that's risen and that comes in from all directions. But when you're in close proximity to the water, the air that's filling in for the air that's risen, is relatively cooler. So a lot of things come together to make it warmer in the Interior.
Annie: What else do we know about that 100 degree record in Fort Yukon?
Brian: That happened in 1915. A number of places in the Interior were in the 90's and Fort Yukon topped out at 100 degrees. Looking at all the data around it, it may have been a little bit too warm, but it's plausible that it occurred. Interestingly, it's the only 100 degree reading ever in Alaska, it also ties Hawaii for their warmest temperature on record. So that's an interesting bit of trivia, that Alaska and Hawaii share a record for the hottest all time temperature. And it's also worth noting- the 100 degree reading in Hawaii- some people have looked into it, and it's probably a bad reading, it probably overstates what their hottest temperature is. Their hottest temperature is probably something in the upper 90's. So it's very possible it's gotten warmer in Alaska than it ever has in Hawaii.


Statisfy is a marketing technology platform that enables consumers and brands to easily ask and answer questions in a fun and engaging way. Statisfy entertains and delights users, allowing users to ask questions, get crowdsourced answers to their questions, share their opinions and compare results. Users can instantly create a question, share it with the Statisfy community and their existing social touchpoints and get aggregated results. Statisfy provides brands a mechanism from which they can gain authentic insights and market intelligence in an inviting cross-screen experience.
Rudina Seseri serves on the Board of Directors.


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British company brings ICT to rural school
Computer Aid International, in conjunction with UNESCO, has set up a £26,000 solar-powered computer laboratory at Madziwa Secondary School, located in an isolated area of Chipinge.
The solar-powered computer laboratory is an attempt to bridge the gap between rural dwellers and their urban counterparts.
The school has scored a first in the country by installing the solar powered laboratory.
In an interview last week, the computer teacher, Qelani Jiho, said the setting up of the solar- powered computer laboratory had helped attract more students.
"This is a great achievement as we have managed to teach students in rural schools to operate computers. We started as a small school with an enrolment of less than 150 students in computer studies. But this number has now doubled and we expect that the numbers will continue to increase," said Jiho.
"The great thing is that he computer lab can be used on a daily basis as it is a solar-powered system. There is no problem of power cuts because sunlight is always there," she said.
"Our staff members have undertaken computer lessons and everyone is now able to use computers. We are now able to print our own examination papers, something which we never dreamt of before. This is ideal for a rural school because our staff members and students are now part of the global technological society," added an elated Jiho.
The acting director of UNESCO's Associated Schools Project Network (ASPnet), which is running under the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, said there was need to install similar solar labs throughout the country.
"This is vital if marginalised communities are to embrace ICT," he said.
The UNESCO co-ordinator, Innocent Chademana, said the project had the potential to transform lives in rural areas and urged the government to embrace renewable sources of energy. "Government has donated computers to various schools around the country, but what boggles the mind is that these computers are lying idle because of lack of electricity," he said.
Chademana said computers were devices that needed a lot of power to operate and this was a big challenge for schools that have no access to power.
"We are urging the corporate world to come on board and fund the establishment of this solar-powered system that is cost effective," he said.
The school, which opened its doors in 2000 at the beginning of the fast-track land reform programme, was meant to cater for newly resettled farmers' children who were walking long distances of about 10km to attend school. The idea of setting up a solar-powered computer laboratory is to bridge the gap between rural dwellers and their urban counterparts.
When The Zimbabwean visited the school last week it was business as usual with computer studies students winding up their projects ahead of the November examinations.
Traditional foods on show at festival
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Europe Up Close
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Home » Western Europe » France » Le Métro de Paris, France
Le Métro de Paris, France
January 13, 2020 By Jen Westmoreland Bouchard This article may contain affiliate links. We may earn a small commission if you buy through our links.
When hearing the word "Paris," most people think of the Eiffel Tower, the Champs-Elysées, La Seine, fine dining…you get the drift. Not this traveler. The first thing that comes to mind for me is always le métro. Perhaps that is because riding on the métro was my first Parisian experience when I visited France at the tender age of 18
(when I took the RER- regional train- from Charles de Gaulle airport to the le métro, to my hotel). Or perhaps it is because I've witnessed some pretty amazing, authentic human interactions while I was on the métro. Maybe it's because I think of the métro as the circulatory system of Paris, keeping the city alive and people in motion. Whatever the reason, Paris= le métro for me.
Le métro (short for Le Métropolitain) is Paris' underground rapid transit system. The architecture of many of the stations and panneaux (signs) are influenced by the Art Nouveau aesthetic movement of the early 1900s . It has 16 lines, mostly underground, and a total length of 133 miles. There are a total 300 stations with 384 arrêts (stops).
The métro is very easy to use. The Lines are numbered 1 to 14, with two minor lines labeled 3bis and 7bis. These minor lines were originally part of the main lines 3 and 7 but became independent due to an increase in transportation needs. Each line is assigned a different color, and direction of travel is according to terminus station (end of the line).
The construction of this extensive network happened in three main stages. From the 1900s to the 1920s, the center of the "web" was constructed in Paris proper. Next, from the 1930s to the 1950s, the network was lengthened to include nearby banlieues (suburbs). Eventually, between 1961 to the 1988, the métro was extended to include most of the RER network. In 1998, the fully automatic line 14 was built, giving access to the northern part of the city. The métro connects to the RER regional train system, making for easy travel to sites near Paris and both airports.
Each métro stop in Paris has a theme; most are named after historical figures and events. If you pay attention to the plaques and displays at the entrance to most stations, you will receive quite the history lesson! You'll see several stations with double names, such as Reuilly – Diderot, Strasbourg — Saint-Denis, Marcadet – Poissonniers, Alma – Marceau and Faidherbe – Chaligny. This is because two or more stations on separate lines have been combined as correspondences (interchanges).
A range of ticket options are available for purchase at the service windows or ticket machines inside each station. Passengers can buy individual tickets for 1 euro and 50 cents or packets of 10 tickets (a carnet) for 11 euros and 10 cents. If you're in Paris for more than a few days, think about purchasing a Carte Orange (weekly or monthly passes)- you'll get more bang for your buck. Bring a small passport photo with you- it's required for this sort of pass.
Written by Jen Westmoreland Bouchard for EuropeUpClose.com
Berlin or Paris …Take Your Pick
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Paris's Green 17th Arrondissement
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Paris: Beyond the Tourist Haunts
Paris' Residential 15th Arrondissement
How to Travel by Train Through France
Filed Under: France, Paris, Top Cities, Western Europe
About Jen Westmoreland Bouchard
A curious traveler, insatiable foodie, literary junkie, and international film and art aficionado, Jen Westmoreland Bouchard has traveled throughout Europe and written about her adventures for over a decade. She is the owner of Lucidité Writing, Inc.
Vlad says
I love the Paris metro system…it gets you anywhere in the Ile de France area fast. The only issue is when the French decide to strike…which is pretty often. Then you're stuck.
If you visit Paris try riding on line 14 which is the completely automated line…no driver! Kind of freaky but it's pretty cool.
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A significant gear change has helped deliver an important stakes win for talented filly Kenedna in The Vanity at Flemington.
Premier Victorian trainer Darren Weir decided the time was right to put blinkers on Kenedna in Saturday's Group Three race for fillies and the gear did the trick with the three-year-old racing to a 1-1/4 lengths win.
At her previous start at Caulfield over 1400m on January 26, Kenedna appeared to be struggling coming to the home turn but picked up in the straight and charged to the line for third.
"She has been crying out for the blinkers but there's a time to put them on and we thought she was fit enough to be able to take a little bit more of a forward position and hopefully they did the trick," Weir said.
Weir said he liked to put blinkers on horses once they were rock-hard fit.
"Probably at around the 600 metre mark last start you wish you had them on then because she was dropping out of the race but then got going again late," Weir said.
"They often can run really well with them first time and I think there's a time to put them on.
Kenedna ($11) settled worse than midfield for Damian Lane and set out after the leaders in the home straight.
She sprinted up to leader Extra Olives ($4.80) inside the final 200m and went on to defeat her by 1-1/4 lengths.
VRC Oaks placegetter Harkow Gold ($4.20) was another three-quarters of a length third in an encouraging return.
Weir believes Kenedna will get over further and said the Group One Australasian Oaks over 2000m in Adelaide later this season could be a target.


Twice a year, the Department of Geography and Regional Science publishes the magazine GEOGRAZ in cooperation with Austrian Geographical Society which informs about current issues within geography education and research. The current issues can be downloaded free of charge. We are sorry, but GEOGRAZ is available only in German.
Mostly annually the Graz Studies of Geography and Regional Science are published offering numerous articles and reports on current research results of the the Department. The publications are mostly in German, but some of the issues, e.g. on high mountain remote sensing, are also in English. Orders can be placed online.


The elopement of Isabel and Martin in the majestic town hall of Cagliari has signed the starting point of our 2016 wedding season! This beautiful couple from South America lives in France but choose our island for its sunny weather all year around and Cagliari didn't disappoint the expectations by offering to Isabel and Martin…… Continue reading In Sardinia the 2016 wedding season has started!
Our new wedding season is started!
The summer is finally arrived in Sardinia as well and we have celebrated its arrival with a wonderful wedding on the beach of Costa Rey, in the southern Sardinia. Congratulations to Sandra and Anders!
First of all, Happy New Year! 2012 starts with the addition of this blog to our site, and we are so excited about it. We really hope this will be a way to connect with all those brides looking for a dream wedding in Sardinia and a space where you can get inspiration! We have…… Continue reading Welcome to our new blog!


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Good Reputation | Creative Appearance | Height Growth.
Your mind develops amazing ideas and your hands make wonderful things you deserve to see people your creations and get to know them more and become fully aware of what you do.
First browse the services provided by Pestle Studio below and know the services we provide and shape for you according to your type of business and needs whether you are an idea owner and want to implement small or large company.
Second contact us to be honored to serve you.
Good Reputation Creative Appearance and Height Growth.
Draw a positive image of your product or service in the mind of the consumer.
Grow brand awareness relationships and website traffic.
Customize your work needs as you want.
Animate Everything in your Mind.
Increase the ease of using your website and Mobile App.
Reduce the risk of your business and develop your expertise.
Make your ideas and designs a reality.


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Coveralls.wear!


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CHERRY joins IGEL Ready Program as a Technology Partner
CHERRY joins a growing number of forward-thinking businesses integrating and validating its products through the new IGEL Ready program.
Auerbach, 20.07.2020 – CHERRY, the Auerbach-based computer input device specialist and IGEL, provider of a next-generation edge operating system (OS) for cloud workspaces, announced that CHERRY has joined the new IGEL Ready program as a Technology Partner. IGEL Ready opens the central enterprise software for technology companies like CHERRY to integrate and validate their products. In this way, IGEL can support business growth and provide flexible access to enterprise applications for joint customers of CHERRY and IGEL.
"At CHERRY, we not only attach great importance to the fact that our products are innovative. Safety and ergonomics also play a central role for us. This is why we commit ourselves to many different certifications in the development and manufacture of our products to provide our customers with the highest security level possible," says Dieter Klein, VP Business Unit Security & e-Health at Cherry GmbH. "The number of our certifications now exceeds 30, making CHERRY one of the world's most certified manufacturers of computer input devices - on average, our products have about five to six certifications! That's why the technology partnership with IGEL was an important part of our strategy to ensure that our products are as secure and compatible as possible."
For CHERRY, joining the IGEL Ready program means that customers can now rely on being able to securely access CHERRY's security product solutions from any device equipped with IGEL Technology. For example, the SECURE BOARD 1.0 keyboard enables authentication using smart cards and contactless cards or tags fitted with an RF/NFC interface. In addition, PIN entry is protected by encrypted transmission. This effectively prevents insider attacks with hardware keyloggers and bad USB devices. Another product in CHERRY's security portfolio is the Fingerprint ID Mouse MC 4900, which offers fast and secure log-on and user authentication with the fingerprint.
"The future of enterprise computing is in the cloud. The IGEL Ready program makes it easy for any company to deploy its applications to virtual desktops and cloud workspaces, reaching a new and relevant market and enabling world-class customer service," said Jed Ayres, CEO, IGEL. "We're excited that CHERRY is joining our growing network of more than 90 IGEL Ready partners and being part of a new movement in the end-user computing industry."
More than ever, providing customers and their employees with reliable, frictionless access to tools, applications, and services is critical for business continuity and growth. The IGEL Ready program ensures that partner applications are validated and shared and that their customers have access to updated and secure software. This new ecosystem enables customers to consider compatible devices and partner applications across a range of categories in the customer-facing IGEL Ready Showcase.
To explore the supported CHERRY products SECURE BOARD 1.0 and Fingertip ID Mouse MC 4900, visit: https://www.igel.com/ready/showcase-partners/cherry-gmbh/.
To learn more about the IGEL Ready ecosystem of solutions, visit igel.com/ready.
About IGEL
IGEL provides the next-gen edge OS for cloud workspaces. The company's world-leading software products include IGEL OS™, IGEL UD Pocket™ (UDP), and IGEL Universal Management Suite™ (UMS). These solutions comprise a more secure, manageable, and cost-effective endpoint management and control platform across nearly any x86-64 device. Easily acquired via just two feature-rich software offerings, — Workspace Edition and Enterprise Management Pack — IGEL software presents outstanding value per investment. Additionally, IGEL's German engineered endpoint solutions deliver the industry's best hardware warranty (5 years), software maintenance (3 years after end of life), and management functionality. IGEL enables enterprises to save vast amounts of money by extending the useful life of their existing endpoint devices while precisely controlling all devices running IGEL OS from a single dashboard interface. IGEL has offices worldwide and is represented by partners in over 50 countries. For more information on IGEL, visit www.igel.com.
Cherry GmbH, headquartered in Auerbach / OPf., Germany, is a leading global manufacturer of computer input devices with a focus on office, gaming, industry, security, eHealth solutions, and switches for mechanical keyboards. Since its foundation in 1953, CHERRY has stood for German quality products that are designed in Germany and specially developed for the needs of its customers. CHERRY security products mean maximum security for computer input devices. The keyboards and card readers are available as hardware solutions for endpoint security, encrypted key transmission, biometric log-on, and strong authentication. In addition to the contact-based chip card readers, the keyboard with a contactless reader is prepared for future applications and guarantees future security.


Journey along the Mekong to connect with your spiritual side.
Meditate with a monk in a serene riverside temple.
Learn yoga moves to improve your body and mind.
Take a break from the usual tourist sights and immerse yourself in the art of yoga and meditation.
In the afternoon your guide will meet you at your hotel and take you by local tuk tuk to the pier. Board the boat and then sit back and relax for a cruise along the mighty Mekong River. Enjoy the scenes of riverside life and the distant misty mountains.
Further down the river the boat will cross to the opposite bank where the temple, Wat Had Siew, is located. After exploring the tranquil temple, you will be introduced to your monk teacher who will take you through the art of meditation. Your guide will be on hand to help with the translation.
After clearing your mind through meditation in the spiritual surrounds, travel by boat and your tuk tuk to the yoga school. After a warm welcome from the instructor, you will be taught some yoga positions that aim to improve both mind and body.
Fully rejuvenated physically and mentally, return to your hotel by vehicle.


Where can i find guidance on home office expenses ?
Thanks but i'm not an employer ?
I meant is there a certain amount of my broadband / heating / phone costs that i can claim as an expense for my rental business? I think i read somewhere that it is £10 a month, could you send a link with guidance please ?
If you run your rental business from home and you do this for 25 hours per month or more then there is a simplified rate of £10 per month you can claim.
If you are less than this you cannot use the simplified method and would need to work out the actual costs incurred over the period of working and the number of rooms in your home excluding bathrooms and hallways.


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Posted on 3rd July 2019
Operations cancelled due to lack of capacity
I have had sight of figures which show that operations had to be cancelled across NHS Highland because hospitals simply could not cope.
Data published by ISD Scotland shows that 45 operations were cancelled in May 2019 due to non-clinical reasons such as not having enough staff or unclean equipment.
Across Scotland, 500 planned operations were cancelled in May 2019 because hospitals could not cope.
Scottish Labour has pointed out that the figures show our NHS is simply not getting enough resources from the SNP government.
We have to remember that behind each of these figures is a patient waiting in pain for treatment that hospitals have not been able to give.
We have seen a staffing crisis develop in our health service, with huge unfilled gaps for consultants, nurses and midwives.
Patients across NHS Highland are being let down by the SNP government and are not getting the care they deserve.
It is time to use the powers of the Scottish Parliament to properly fund our NHS.
Posted on 20th June 2019 20th June 2019
HIV data incident NHS Highland
Scottish Labour's Shadow Health Minister, MSP David Stewart, asked Nicola Sturgeon about the incident where the email addresses of almost 40 people living with HIV were accidentally made public by NHS Highland.
Mr Stewart, who represents the Highlands and Islands, raised the issue at First Minister's Questions today.
He said: "The First Minister will be well aware of an alleged data breach by NHS Highland which exposed confidential names and email addresses of 37 people living with HIV.
"Whilst I welcome the apology by the board, does the First Minister share my view that confidentiality is a core principle of the NHS and the decision to disclose HIV status is a matter for individuals themselves and theirs alone."
Nicola Sturgeon agreed very strongly saying that the safety of patient data was of "the utmost importance".
She added that the breach was reported to Information Commissioner within 24 hours. NHS Highland had taken steps to apologise to patients, respond directly to any concerns and a formal internal review was being carried out. The First Minister admitted that "clearly there have been failings".
Afterwards Mr Stewart added that he had written to NHS Highland's Chief Executive, Iain Stewart, to ask that he be kept informed of the outcome of the internal review and the findings of the Information Commissioner.
"Keeping patients' data confidential is essential for everyone and I hope lessons can be learned as a result of this breach," said the MSP.
"HIV is a very sensitive subject for those with the virus and I am told this breach has caused some distress."
FMQ's – 16.05.19
Today at FMQ's, I highlighted the mental health care needs of those with diabetes during mental health awareness week.
You can see my question and the First Minister's response.
Waiting Times Debate – 15.05.19
Yesterday, I spoke in the Treatment Time Guarantee debate. It was an excellent debate on a vital issue.
You can see my speech below.
Posted on 14th May 2019 14th May 2019
Elgin doctors explain concerns over new GP Contract
MSPs need to get out and about to understand the problems of the health service and yesterday David Stewart was invited to Elgin Health Centre to talk about the effect of the new GP Contract on rural practices.
"Thanks to doctors Robert Lockhart and Charlie Hornsby for the briefing," said Mr Stewart.
"You may remember the practice was featured in the BBC2 series The Family Doctors. It's one of the busiest practices in Scotland.
"As a member of the Health and Sport Committee, I will be investigating Primary Care and the valid concerns of GPs throughout the remote and rural Highlands and Islands."
Highlands and Islands Labour MSP and Labour's Shadow Health Minister, David Stewart, says the Sturrock review shines a light on the possible causes of the pressures encountered by front line staff.
He highlights a section in the report on possible causes of bullying and harassment in the NHS and he accuses the Government of taking health service staff for granted for far too long.
Although Sturrock says there are multiple causes of the symptoms, detailed in the report, he touches on increased pressure to perform and meet targets.
Sturrock says: "…over the past ten years in times of austerity, with budget restrictions and reduced spending, financial constraints can often lead to people feeling overwhelmed at work with too much to do and not enough time or resource.
This is likely to cause stress and may lead to behaviour which is inappropriate. I have heard a number of examples of this, with senior and other employees at breaking point."
Mr Stewart said: "There is no doubt that austerity is harming our public services and Sturrock shines a light on what the result can be – staff being bullied and harassed due to financial constraints being placed on them.
"While nothing excuses bullying in the work place, this factor has to be seriously looked into. I think most people will see the results of pressure in their work place, but add to this growing staff shortages in the health service, and particularly in NHS Highland, and a picture is building of the possible effect on staff and managers' behaviours."
In Parliament yesterday Mr Stewart's Labour Highlands and Islands colleague, Rhoda Grant, raised concerns that problems within NHS Highland, and throughout the Scottish health service, were fed by staff shortages and cuts putting enormous pressure on staff.
She asked Health Secretary Jeane Freeman, how she was going to tackle this but Ms Freeman did not accept that a significant proportion of difficultly was around the financial resourcing of the boards.
Mrs Grant said today: "Our health service is in crisis and the SNP Government are in denial and have dragged their feet about tackling problems created by austerity. It's time they took their heads out of the sand."
Sturrock was told from one employee: "Austerity has been a major factor. The NHS was used to solutions made out of additional investment from Government. When this becomes no longer possible, the pressure within the entire NHS system increased."
One director told Sturrock: "As a senior leader I have felt bullied and harassed by the organisation, by the Scottish Government. What I do believe is that in the NHS now people are feeling so pressurised. It's a horrible environment. It's targets. It's finance. It's political. Populist policies don't have the resources to fill them. NHSH is just one health board of many that are suffering."
Mr Stewart added: "NHS staff are the bedrock of our health service, but they have been taken for granted by the Government for too long.
"To see real change in the working environments and culture across health and social care, health boards and the Scottish Government need to address the systemic issues that are causing health and care professionals to become disillusioned and burnt out."
Mr Stewart said he would be raising these issues as a member of the Health and Sport Committee and with Health Secretary, Jeane Freeman.
* After Ms Freeman's statement on the Sturrock review yesterday Mr Stewart told MSPs: "NHS Highland is my home board area. I have dealt with the board for over 20 years in two Parliaments, from the chief executive and boards members, to cleaners and patients. No amount of experience prepared me for the GMB organised event in the autumn of last year. Over 60 people attended who spoke with one voice on the toxic culture of bullying within the organisation. Can the Cab Sec outline what new system can be put in place for all those who lost jobs, who left jobs and who suffered mental health problems. We must never forget their experience.
Mr Stewart also asked Ms Freeman what assessment had been made of the effect bullying had had on the credibility of NHS Highland and its ability to recruit and retain staff
Posted on 3rd May 2019
MSP raises issue of opioid addiction at FMQs
Regional Labour MSP for the Highlands and Islands and Labour's Shadow Health Minister, David Stewart raised the issue of opioid addiction to the First Minister during FMQ's today (02/05/2019).
David Stewart asked the First Minister in Holyrood today, what assessment the Scottish Government has made regarding opioid addiction after The Chief Medical Officer for England, Professor Dame Dally Davies, spoke to The Sunday Times highlighting how serious the issue of painkiller addiction has become.
Opioids such as morphine, tramadol and fentanyl are super strong painkillers, which can be highly addictive and can have serious health consequences.
Speaking at FMQ's, David Stewart said: "Opioids contributed to 815 drug deaths in Scotland in 2017, does the First Minister share my serious concerns about addiction that is created by super-strength opioid painkillers, which have a dark side and can ruin lives every bit as much as illegal drugs can?"
The First Minister highlighted that Mr Stewart has raised these "legitimate" concerns in the past and that achieving a comprehensive picture of opioid use is a challenge due to the nature of illicit drug taking.
She added that the Chief Medical Officer for Scotland and a short-life working group of experts would examine the trends relating to long-term strong opioid prescription in Scotland.
Speaking after FMQ's Mr Stewart said: "Opioid addiction is becoming a growing concern, and it's imperative that the Scottish Government tackles it now before it gets any worst."
Mr Stewart continued: "I understand that the Scottish Government has to examine trends relating to long-term opioid use however, it's not dealing with the immediate issue and growing trend. Continued use of opoid over a long period can lead to addiction, which we all know can have life-altering consequences. I will continue to press for change so that this trend of opiate drug addiction can be stopped in its tracks."
Posted on 23rd April 2019
MSP contacts TSB chief executive after closure and reduced hours released
MSP David Stewart has called for the UK Government to take action to stem the flow of bank closures and the pattern of reduced banking hours following the announcement that the TSB is to close a Moray branch and cut hours at other branches across the Highlands.
Mr Stewart, who represents the Highlands and Islands, which includes Moray, has been told that TSB is to close its Keith branch because "it is no longer financially viable due to lower footfall".
The bank is also reducing the opening hours of eight branches in the region – Dunoon, Forres, Nairn, Wick, Tain, Thurso, Grantown-on-Spey and Dingwall. Customers will be receiving letters this week.
TSB says all eight have "reduced customer usage over time and low usage overall".
"This is another body blow for rural areas which have already suffered from other banks closing and reducing their hours," said Mr Stewart.
"I've written to TSB's Chief Executive, Debbie Crosbie, to ask if Keith can be saved and to try to get some reassures that the other eight branches will not see closure in the future.
"While I understand that banking patterns have changed, branches provide a much-needed service and not everyone can use internet banking, especially where internet coverage is patchy, and where customers are wary of on-line systems.
"Businesses and tourists also need a High Street presence. TSB has said in order that branches are viable in the longer-term it needs to see customers choosing to bank at them, highlighting a use-it or lose-it message, especially for the Highlands.
The UK Government has responsibility for banking and Mr Stewart believes more could be done to help maintain banks on our High Streets.
"The next Labour government will set up almost 300 publicly owned Post Banks in Scotland to ensure every community has face-to-face banking. By utilising the extensive network of Post Office branches, Labour's Post Bank would have by far the largest branch network of all UK banks," he said.
Mr Stewart added that a network of Post Bank branches would help stem the tide of post office closures, uniting important banking, business and community services under one roof and creating skilled jobs within one of the country's most trusted brands.
Research by Which? has revealed that Scotland has lost more than a third of its bank and building society branches in just eight years, with 610 branches closing down between 2010 and 2018, and more than 200 ATMs in the past year alone.
Job Vacancy: Office Manager
Rhoda Grant MSP and David Stewart MSP (Highlands & Islands) are looking for an enthusiastic and highly organised individual to join their team as an Office Manager based in Inverness.
This is a full-time position based in Inverness with some travel required.
Hours: 35 per week
Salary: £32,000 – £34,000
To read the job description and to apply please click here:
Posted on 22nd March 2019 22nd March 2019
To read my speech click here


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Home > Press Room > News Release
Sinochem Oil Co., Ltd. Achieved the First-ever Carbon Neutrality of Tanker Voyage in China
Source��Sinochem Energy Co., Ltd. Author��Sinochem Energy Co., Ltd. Date��2021-04-04
On April 2, 2021, in recognition of successful practices of oil tankers in the energy saving and low carbon fields, Sinochem Oil Co., Ltd. was awarded with Certificate of Carbon Neutrality, which was jointly issued by China Beijing Green Exchange and China Classification Society. This marked the first domestic tanker voyage which achieved carbon neutrality.
In witness of the first-ever Carbon Neutrality Verification Certificate and certificate issuance for "Island Splendor" Tanker Voyage, Mr. Zhong Ren, Vice President of Sinochem Holdings Corporation Ltd., Vice President of Sinochem Energy Co., Ltd. and President of Sinochem Oil Co., Ltd., Mr. Wu Ruchuan, Chairman of China Beijing Equity Exchange, Mr. Zhu Ge, Chairman of China Beijing Green Exchange, Mr. Li Honglin, Secretary of the Party Committee of China Classification Society Certification Company and other leaders gathered at China Beijing Green Exchange.
According to Mr. Zhong Ren, Sinochem Oil Co., Ltd. is expected to make bold innovations, take full advantage of trading and transaction characteristics of "state-operated oil trader", and blaze the path for carbon asset management, trading and green development. On the site of certificate issuance ceremony, Sinochem Oil Co., Ltd., China Beijing Green Exchange and China Classification Society not only jointly discussed about the approaches to achieving peak carbon dioxide emissions and carbon neutrality in shipping logistics industry under the new background of China's ecological civilization system building, but also exchanged incisive views upon the future innovative ways of collaboration.
It is reported that "Island Splendor" Tanker set sail on January 26, 2021, and completed the entire voyage on March 25, 2021. Through rigorous procedures, such as carbon footprint inspection, energy conservation, emission reduction, independent third-party carbon emission verification, purchase and write-off under China Certified Emission Reduction (CCER), Sinochem Oil Co., Ltd. deregistered the verified 8,583 tons of carbon dioxide, and achieved the first-ever carbon neutrality of tanker voyage in China. This demonstrated the solid determination of Sinochem Oil Co., Ltd. in stimulating the research and development of new technologies and green energy in the shipping and logistics industry.
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Naz Ali
Events and Leisure Management and Sports Management
Department of Tourism, Hospitality & Events Management , Centre for Innovation Management & Enterprise; Institute of Hospitality and Tourism
Naz is Senior Lecturer in Events and Leisure Management and Course Leader for MSc Sports Management.
PhD: Tourism Studies - University of Bedfordshire
MA Social Policy – Middlesex University
PgCHPE: Postgraduate Certificate in Higher and Professional Education – Staffordshire University
BA (Hons) Sociology – Middlesex University
Culture, Ethnicity, Race and Religion (in sport and tourism)
Mobilities (with a specific focus on diasporas and migration)
Qualitative and Interpretative Research
Social Inclusion / Exclusion
The Experience Economy (with a specific focus on event design)
Course Leadership
Course Academic Review, Approval and (Re)Validation – External and Internal
Doctoral Completions:
Second Supervisor: 3
Research Degrees / Higher Degree Examinerships
PhD External Examiner: 4
PhD Internal Examiner: 2
MPhil External Examiner: 1
MRes Internal Examiner: 1
Naz.Ali@uel.ac.uk 020 8223 2496 DL.3.33, Docklands
Naz is Senior Lecturer in Events and Leisure Management, Course Leader for MSc Sports Management and Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. She has over fifteen years' experience of working in higher education teaching and research in the areas of events, hospitality, sport and tourism studies. She has received recognition for her Careers-Led Teaching and Learning (University of East London, 2020) and Innovative Teaching (University of East London, 2019). Naz is part of several initiatives across the University of East London that aim to promote health gain, learning gain and career gain through sport and physical activity.
She has held positions at the University of Bedfordshire, Staffordshire University and University of West London teaching across a portfolio of courses in events, hospitality, sport and tourism management. Naz is a Sociologist, and a member of the British Sociological Association (BSA), with interests in culture, ethnicity, race, religion and diasporas in the realm of sociology of events, sport and tourism. Her other research interests focus on qualitative research philosophies, principles and practices. Naz has published in areas of identity, migration, and researcher reflexivity. Naz is REF Impact Case Study Co-ordinator and Business Research Impact Champion in the School of Business and Law.
External roles
MSc International Tourism Management; MSc International Events Management Liverpool John Moores University. 01 October 2015 - 30 September 2017
MA International Events Management; MA Events Marketing Management London Metropolitan University. 01 October 2011 - 30 November 2016
BA (Hons) Tourism Management; BA (Hons) International Tourism Management; BA (Hons) Management in Tourism. University of Central Lancashire. 01 October 2010 - 30 September 2015
Board Member - East London Global Sport Strategy (University of East London)
Board Member - Mental Wealth Project Board: Physical Intelligence Development strand (University of East London)
Naz's area of research expertise include:
Sociology of events, sport and tourism.
Mobilities - Diasporas and Migration
Identity and Belonging
Barriers to Participation in the Experience Economy (e.g. events, sport and tourism)
Sport and Event Tourism
Islamic Tourism
Interpretative Research Methodologies
Researcher Reflexivity, Voice and Positionality
Naz is interested in hearing from potential PhD candidates wanting to research in the above areas. I welcome those who may wish to collaborate and fund research in the above areas to get in touch.
Most recent research
Ali, N. and Schmitz, B. 2018. Bleisure Travel Report: Worker Productivity and Well-being. London City Airport.
Liminality and Event Design: Liminal Space Design for Sport Events.
Garlick, A. and Ali, N.. 2020. in: Lamond, I. R. and Moss, J. (ed.) Liminality and Critical Event Studies: Borders, Boundaries, and Contestation. Palgrave Macmillan. pp.59-78..
Deciphering 'Arab Hospitality': Identifying Key Characteristics and Concerns.
Stephenson, M. L. and Ali, N.. 2018. in: Timothy, Dallen J. (ed.) Routledge Handbook on Tourism in the Middle East and North Africa. Routledge. pp. 71-82.
Ali, N.. 2018. in: Agarwal, S., Busby, G. and Huang, R. (ed.) Special Interest Tourism: Concepts, Contexts and Cases. CABI. pp. 52-61.
(Im)Mobilities of Older Pakistani Female Migrants and Material Culture: a Multigenerational Perspective on Gift-Giving. Population, Space and Place. 23 (5), p. e2067.
Ali, N. and Suleman, R.. 2017.
Special Issue - Introduction - Diasporas and Identity: Tourism, Being, and Becoming.
Ali, N. and Ivanova, M.. 2016. Tourism Culture & Communication. 15 (3), pp. 169-171. .
Nostalgia at the Boundary: A Study at Lord's Cricket Ground
Cardwell, D. and Ali, N. 2014. Nostalgia at the Boundary: A Study at Lord's Cricket Ground. in: Baum, Tom and Butler, Richard (ed.) Tourism and Cricket: Travels to the Boundary Channel View Publications. pp. 52-72 .
Special Journal Issues
(2016) Diasporas and Identity - Tourism, Being and Becoming, Tourism Culture and Communication, 15 (3) (co-edited with Milka Ivanova).
(2009) Tourism and Worldmaking, Tourism Geographies, 11 (4) (co-edited with Irena Ateljevic and Keith Hollinshead).
Refereed and/or non-published conference contributions
Stephenson, M. L. and Ali, N. 2018. 'A Critical Appraisal of Transplant Tourism Industry in the Global South'. Paper presented to: Travel and Tourism Research Association 2018 Asia Pacific Annual Chapter Conference. School of Business and Management, RMIT University of Vietnam. 1-3 December 2018.
Ali, N. .2018. 'De-orientalist Representations of Muslim Sportswomen and Femininity in Sports Media: An Orientalist Challenge.' Paper presented to: New Research Agendas for the Study of Sports Media (Re)presentation(s) of Sportswomen and Femininity. Northumbria University: England, 12 October 2018. Schmitz, B and Ali, N. 2018.
'The Importance of 'Bleisure' Travel upon Worker Productivity and Well-being; UEL Research and Knowledge Exchange Conference; University of East London: Stratford; 29 June 2018.
Ali, N. 2015. 'Halal Tourism: Current Developments, Opportunities and Challenges of this Niche Market'; TMI Annual Convention; Grange City Hotel, London; November 23 - 24 (Invited Speaker).
Stephenson, M. L. and Ali, N. 2015. 'Contextualising Transplant Tourism and the Commodification of the Body' paper presented at the Third International Conference on Emerging Research Paradigms in Business and Social Sciences; Middlesex University Dubai; Park Hyatt Dubai, Dubai Creek, Dubai, UAE; 24 - 26 November 2015.
Stephenson, M. L. and Ali, N. 2015. Comprehending Transplant Tourism: Identifying the Concepts, Challenges and Complexities; STHM Research Series; University of the South Pacific, Fiji; Working Paper (1) 4: 1-19.
Further publications
UEL Research Repository
Journal Article Reviewer
Naz has reviewed papers for Annals of Tourism Research, Tourism and Cultural Change, Tourism Management, Mobilities, Tourism Planning and Development.
Undergraduate:
Postgraduate:
Mental Wealth: The Sport Business Professional
Sport Marketing and Sponsorship
Sport Event and Venue Management
Supervision of Professional Practice Internship / Work-based Development Placements
Supervision of Sport Management Consultancy Projects
PhD Supervision - Director of Studies, eSports, Social Inclusion and Well-being.


G'day! 4 hours ago I've asked Chat support to activate my new Optus card after applying to switch over my Virgin mobile number to Optus on a SIM only plan yesterday. The SIM is still not active after these last 4 hours. Should I ring Optus now or is this normal?
still not active. it's been jst under 12 hours since requested at 10AM today.
Me, too. This's really a patience test!
@dbodbo any luck since you last posted? We've got a Sales Support team available on 1300300562 (Monday - Friday 8am - 7pm) if you still need a hand with this. We may need to follow up something on our end.
Good to hear a SIM swap has sorted you out @Thanhduong!
Hi @Tris - no joy yet. I have contacted support again yesterday 10AM and they said they have now manually ported the number (it took 5-10mins to do it manually). They then advised me to wait another 24-48 hours. That means 10AM Thursday would be D-Day.
Hi all - this number was successfully ported yesterday. Hurrah! So it took basically 4 days to do and was more painful than i thought it should've gone but all's well in the end.
If you have any other questions for us, you're welcome to reach out to us here.


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On April 25, 2016 By Eric In Mixed Martial Arts Like
The Many Faces of Pound for Pound
"For the most part, all went according to plan at UFC 197 on Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Four out of five betting favorites on the main card won comfortably, and the only upset — Edson Barboza's win over Anthony Pettis — was the closest betting line of the night. At a closer look, how the favorites went about winning led to both pleasant and unpleasant surprises, namely how Yair Rodriguez and Demetrious Johnson won easier than expected while Robert Whittaker and Jon Jones took longer than anticipated. Overall, though, it was what we thought it would be.
As such, the post-fight atmosphere didn't offer much in the way of new information. Jones will go on to fight Daniel Cormier as was originally planned; Johnson is still untouchable at flyweight; and Barboza, Whittaker and Rodriguez are still at varying points on the continuum of prospects and potential title contenders.
The absence of buzz was probably due to a mixture of things: the ongoing tug-o-war between Conor McGregor and the Ultimate Fighting Championship, the lost luster of a Cormier-less headliner and the fact that the substitute main event was a dud of a fight. Whatever it was, the discussion after the fight centered on the mythical pound-for-pound rankings, specifically who deserved the number one spot between Jones and Johnson.
It goes without saying that pound-for-pound rankings are a little silly. To be fair, the entire light heavyweight belt situation is pretty silly right now, and that doesn't seem to stop people from taking it seriously. There's no need to be That Guy in the movie theater reminding everybody that what they're watching isn't real.."
Read more at Sherdog
UFC 197 Statistical Matchup Analysis
"The word 'underappreciated' comes to mind when discussing Demetrious Johnson.
Having already dispatched nearly every defensible contender, the man they call "Mighty Mouse" is knocking on the doors of MMA history. He was last seen in September, when he took a clear-cut unanimous decision over John Dodson. That was his seventh title defense, tying him with former featherweight champion Jose Aldo for the fourth-most title defenses in Ultimate Fighting Championship history. In each of those defenses, Dodson was the only one who managed to steal any rounds from him, making Johnson arguably the most dominant champion the UFC has ever seen. He fought twice in 2015; this is his first fight of 2016.
Standing across from him in the UFC 197 co-main event on Saturday will be the highly touted Henry Cejudo. The undefeated prospect and former Olympic gold medalist made his UFC debut in December 2014 and has only fought four times in the promotion. However, he has impressed in each bout, utilizing his athletic and technical gifts to take one-sided decisions every time out. He was last in the Octagon in November, when he beat Jussier da Silva in what was perplexingly judged a split decision. It was the third fight of the year for "The Messenger," who was dubbed a potential heir to Johnson's throne in his first UFC fight; this will be the first time he fights in 2016.
Here is what the Tale of the Tape tells us…"
Pedestals and PED's
"I'm past the point of being surprised by PED busts in MMA. At this point, it seems that most of the sport's heroes have at the very least dabbled with performance enhancers, and with the newly implemented random United States Anti-Doping Agency drug tests, I'd bet that only the staunchest clean-sport advocates have abstained; or to quote Nate Diaz: "They're all on steroids."
The problem is that random tests and stiffer penalties are not always effective deterrents. To those fighters who were on the fence about PEDs, perhaps they were dissuaded. However, the fighters who had built — or at least felt they had built — successful careers on a foundation of extralegal assistance, such impositions are only motivations to become smarter about cheating, including taking smarter legal precautions when necessary. If behavior management were as simple as "punish more and punish harder," school classrooms and city streets would be a whole lot different…"
On April 5, 2016 By Eric In Mixed Martial Arts Like
The Intrigue of Newness
"Who would have guessed that it would be an injured Daniel Cormier and not an incarcerated Jon Jones who would derail the highly anticipated rematch between current and former light heavyweight champions?
After it was announced that Cormier would be unable to make it to the April 23 showdown with his nemesis due to a leg injury, there was a brief period of uncertainty. After all, this is the same Jones that turned down a short-notice fight with Chael Sonnen at UFC 151 in 2012. Thankfully, Jones remained the card's anchor, but instead of a grudge match for the undisputed championship, he will now face a new opponent in Ovince St. Preux for an interim belt at UFC 197. It is hard to deny the intrigue that a second Jones-Cormier fight piqued, but if I'm being honest, I think I prefer the St. Preux fight. At least, I like what it represents: a change.
The genius of Jones is in his lethal adaptability. In both his pre-fight preparation and in the heat of a fight, Jones seems to have all the answers for whatever is thrown at him. Cormier on the other hand is an imposing force if he can assert his grappling-predicated pressure, but his one and only loss showed that he has few tools to pull off a win if he can't get his wrestling in gear. At 37 years old, it's not likely that Cormier has added any significant wrinkles to his game that would make a second go-around at Jones much different…"


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50K Lucky Charms – €50,000 Prize pool
Yggdrasil Lucky Charms Mission - €50K prize pool!
Take part in the Yggdrasil 50K Lucky Charms Mission from the 3rd - 9th August.
TRY & WIN A SHARE OF €50,000 LUCKY CHARMS
You can take part in the Yggdrasil 50K Lucky Charms promotion, by signing-up to any online casino running the promo – including our top-rated partner sites, below. To activate your entry, simply click the 'Join now' button on the pop-up screen that will appear at qualifying casinos. To take part, you just need to place a qualifying bet (no minimum stake) and complete the special challenges across four Yggdrasil slot games.
LUCKY CHARMS EXPLAINED: X3 TASKS ACROSS 4 TOP SLOTS
Lucky Charms 50K features four top Yggdrasil games; Lucky Neko Gigablox, Vault of Fortune, Vikings Go Berzerk and Multifly!
If you're feeling extra lucky – now's the time to check out the challenges in each slot game:
Slot game Mission Number of mission tasks needed
Lucky Neko Gigablox Block bigger than 2×2 on first reel in the base game x3
Multifly In the base game, reach 3rd dropdown x3
Vikings Go Berzerk Collect 3 chests in the base game x1
Vault of Fortune Land at least 1 wild in base game x3
HOW TO WIN LUCKY CHARMS 50K PRIZES
Once you're completed each task in Lucky Neko, Multifly, Vikings Go Berzerk, Vault of Fortune, to the number of times needed, you'll get a unique ID and score based on the volume of spins taken in total. Your score will then be added to the leaderboard (if high enough), which is refreshed every 60 seconds. You can reset your score after 25 spins via the Restart button inside each game (your best score will always be kept).
Quick start Lucky Charms check-list:
Visit a participating Yggdrasil online casino and log in or create your account
Clicking on the 'Join now' button the pop-up when you log-in
Play the Lucky Neko, Multifly, Vikings Go Berzerk, Vault of Fortune and complete each task
You must use real money bets but there is no minimum bet size
Gain a score during the 3 – 9 August 2020 promotional period 10:00am CEST 03.08.2020 and 23:59 CEST 09.08.2020)
Be a player aged 18+ from Gibraltar, Malta, or UK
When it comes to winning a prize from the Lucky Charms 50K promotion, you need to achieve a score that gets you into positions 1-510 on the leaderboard. The 50K prizes, range from €10,000 for the winner, all the way down to €25 if you finish in position 241-510.
€50 00 PRIZE POOL POSITION PRIZE
Prize 1 €10000
Prize 2 €7000
Prizes 4-5 €1000
Prizes 6-10 €500
Prizes 11-20 €200
Prizes 91-140 €75
Prizes 141-240 €50
If you tie with another player, the person completing the tasks earliest in the promotion, will gain the higher leaderboard position.
PLAY THE COOLEST NEW SLOTS IN LUCKY CHARM PROMO!
All the slot games in Lucky Charms promotion, require a bit of luck to complete the tasks with a good score. But Lucky Neko Gigablox and Vault of Fortune really resonate with the theme of the lucky number three – and they're also hot new games for summer 2020! Lucky Neko was released in June 2020 so this is your chance to sample a game that has up to 85 paylines with Free Spins, bets from €0.08 and a max win as big as €695,300 on the max bet. The coolest part of the game is the the Gigaboxes. which can expand to 6×6 and contain some awesome prizes, all triggered by rolling-in some lucky cool cat symbols!
Next-up, is Vault of Fortune, a game released in July 2020, complete with spins from 0.10 and a max win potential up to €1,100,000 for the rare super high roller. The game has only just hit the slot scene and tasks you with unlocking the Egyptian treasure vault, triggering up to 20 free spins and big multipliers when lucky.
There's no minimum bet size to take part in Lucky Charms – and bigger bets don't boost your chances! This makes the contest fun and great value entertainment, whatever your budget. However, you can still win regular slot payouts on all four games, which will be based on your selected coin/bet sizes.
€50,000 AUGUST LUCKY CHARMS SLOT PROMOTION
When Is The Yggdrasil Lucky Charms Promotion?
The Yggdrasil Lucky Charms promotion, runs from 3 - 9 August 2020 (10:00am CEST 03.08.2020 and 23:59 CEST 09.08.2020). Our secure casino links will let you instantly sign-up at slot sites offering this promotion
Who Can Take Part In Yggdrasil's Lucky Charms Slots Promotion?
The Yggdrasil Lucky Charms 50K slot promotion, is open to players 18+, from Gibraltar, Malta and UK. The Lucky Charms promotion is available at selected online casinos.
Do I Have To Play For Real Money in Lucky Charms Promo?
Yes. The Yggdrasil Lucky Charms slot promotion, is only activated when you click the 'Join Now' button on the casino's pop-up message, and then place a real money bet. There is no minimum bet size or spend needed to win a prize – only luck!
How Much Can I Win If I Play the Lucky Charms Promotion?
Yggdrasil's Lucky Charms slot promotion has a total prize pool of €50,000 and hundreds of prizes. You can win from €25 up to the single grand prize of €10,000. To win a prize, you must finish in position 1-510 when the promotion ends.
Are there any good tips for the Lucky Charms Promotion?
Yggdrasil's Lucky Charms slot promotion is fundamentally all about luck! However, you can select a bet size that gives you lots of spins – and even reset your session after 25 spins, to try and beat your score. You can also keep your eyes on the leaderboard throughout the promotion, to try and get into a winning position, and stay there!
HAVE A HOT AUGUST WITH YGGDRASIL 50K LUCKY CHARMS
Yggdrasil's Lucky Charms is the hottest slot promotion on the web for August 2020 – letting your play the coolest new games on the market, as you quest to try and win a share of the €50,000 prize pool. If lucky number three favours you, you might even walk-away with the €10,000 top prize. Bring your Lucky Charms and give it a spin – good luck!
LUCKY CHARMS campaign runs between 10:00am CEST 03.08.2020 and 23:59 CEST 09.08.2020.
LUCKY CHARMS is a global campaign and it is open to all customers who are aged 18 years or over and have registered an account with an operator offering the below specified participating games: Vikings Go Berzerk, Lucky Neko, Vault of Fortune, Multifly!.
There is no minimum bet required to participate in the LUCKY CHARMS campaign.
To participate in the LUCKY CHARMS campaign, players shall confirm that they wish to take part in the campaign by clicking "join now" in the pop-up window. Participating players will take part in the campaign by placing a qualifying bet in participating games during the campaign period. No additional payment is required to take part in the campaign.
For the mission to be completed all objectives have to be fulfilled accordingly:Vault of Fortune – Land at least 1 wild in base game 3 times,Lucky Neko – Have a block bigger than 2×2 on the first reel in the Base Game 3 timesVikings Go Berzerk – Collect 3 chests in base gameMultifly! – In the Base game, reach 3rd dropdown 3 times
All players who complete the mission for the first time will be provided with a unique player number.
Player's own unique number, position on the Leaderboard, and prize she/he is entitled to, will be displayed above the leaderboard in the game client to follow their position. Players who are not qualified to leaderboard will not have their position displayed.
There is no minimum bet required to participate in the campaign.
Prize pool for this campaign is set up in EUR and might be subject to currency conversion fluctuations.
The number of spins made to complete the mission determines the player's position on the leaderboard. The player who completes the mission in the least number of rounds will finish at position 1 and win the 1st prize.
If there are two or more players who complete the mission with the same number of rounds, the player completing it first will have higher position on the leaderboard.
Player's position is refreshed every 60 seconds.
Only bets made in play for real mode qualify for the campaign.
Players' position on the leaderboard can change throughout the mission.
Mission progress is automatically restarted when players can no longer improve the score. The best score will always be kept.
Mission progress can be restarted manually by the player after 25 spins. Restart button can be found in the game client.
Cash prizes from the leaderboard will be credited to the players' accounts after leaderboard is over. For operators who have automated payouts implemented, the cash prizes will be automatically credited to the players' accounts as withdrawable funds. To display the prize accordingly in their balance, players will need to reopen any Yggdrasil game once the leaderboard is over. For all other operators, prizes will need to be credited as cash (no wagering requirements) manually within 72 working hours.
All prizes in the network campaign will be deducted from the monthly invoice of the respective operator. Note that when cash prizes are automatically awarded to players, the relevant prize is added to the player's balance in the respective account currency. In the case of cash alternatives or other prizes to be awarded manually, they will be credited by Yggdrasil in accordance to the currency of the invoice (typically EUR), as per EUR values specified in the prize pool.
Yggdrasil reserves the right to void scores, or not pay out a prize, where all or part of the score results from any obvious error, mistake or technical fault (including incorrect game payouts) whether caused by a machine or human error in respect of any of the participating games. We further reserve the right to void scores, or not pay out a prize where, in our opinion, all or part of the score results from cheating or collusion with other players
HOT GAME!
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TRY YOUR LUCK IN YGGDRASIL'S 50K LUCKY CHARMS SLOT PROMO!
Escape reality with the 50K Lucky Charms promotion – 100's of prizes to be won!
2020 is turning-out to be a crazy year – but Yggdrasil's new 50K Lucky Charms promotion, could be just the ticket if your August getaway plans have been put on ice! This fun promotion runs from 3 – 9 August 2020 and is open to players aged 18+ from Gibraltar, Malta and UK. It only needs a small budget to enter – and is all about the mystery behind the number three, which is notoriously lucky for some! In the spirit of the promotion, it's no coincidence that the challenges in the slot games, all require you to achieve 3x something. There's €50,000 to be won across four hot-trending games; Is the Universe calling you with lucky number three? Pull out your Lucky Charms and read on to find out how to enter….


We've had far too many examples of the alternatives to contemplate over the course of European history. "An ever closer union" is a worthy aspiration, but it should not be focused on one Brussels-based government, obsessing about fiscal austerity, budget discipline and focusing its priorities on safeguarding its banks at the expense of the broader population. Ideally, a reformed European Union should find its fullest manifestations via cooperative, yet independent sovereign nation states, grounded in the historically generous social welfare states that characterized the continent in the aftermath of World War II. The urgency reflected in Mario Draghi's "whatever it takes" speech would have been more admirable if it had focusednot on saving the euro at all costs, but rather on establishing a full employment economy that benefits all European citizens, not just its financiers and oligarchs. There is no point in preserving a currency union if it comes at a cost of sabotaging economic growth and the broad welfare of the EU's citizens. Likewise the power of the nation state's fiscal policy should not be restricted, but freely deployed alongside of, or if necessary, substituting "the market," to ensure that equitable prosperity is achieved for the many, not the few.


This is part 3 of my 2 day marathon. Besides watching True Blood and Fringe (both full seasons multi disks), I have started sewing on one of the quilts that I cut out yesterday. This is half way done. Next is pressing then assembling blocks. 15 minute break and back to the sewing machine.


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snhu.edu | gem.snhu.edu
Letter from Leadership
Flexible Degree
New Partners
GEM Hub
GEM Cares
2020 Annual Impact Report Expanding our reach by collaborating with proven, on-the-ground partners to provide access to essential education. INTRODUCING OUR NEW PARTNERS FOR 2020
JESUIT REFUGEE SERVICE (JRS)
This year, GEM launched a new partnership with JRS in Nairobi, Kenya, to serve urban refugee and migrant youth alongside Kenyan communities. The first cohort of students started their degree in February 2020 and, with robust support from JRS, have done an amazing job navigating the challenges of starting their studies in the middle of a pandemic.
Meet GEM student Mary
Arriving in Nairobi in 2006 at a very young age, Mary and her family officially became refugees in Kenya when war broke out in their home country. Despite the challenges she faced growing up, she went on to become part of the education program with GEM and South New Hampshire University as a JRS beneficiary, and received her AA degree in July 2020. Watch her story in her own words.
The SNHU academic writing workshop
Access to education is not only about providing the necessary infrastructure and creating opportunities, it also means addressing the obstacles that stand in the way of students. For the majority of refugee students, English is not their first language. This poses a challenge and is often a barrier when pursuing higher education and employment opportunities.
To give refugee students the best possible chance of succeeding at their studies and building a better future for themselves and their families, GEM supports the development of key skills students require to excel at their studies, such as writing. In collaboration with JRS, we organized a workshop to specifically cover academic writing and help students develop their writing skills.
By the end of the session, as Kevine, a student in Nairobi said, "I've learnt many new ways to paraphrase, reference, and properly organize my work into a coherent document. I've also learnt that being concise, rather than using many words to explain a point, is the way to go."
Not only did this session help students to develop their writing skills, but it also gave them a huge boost in their confidence in tackling their projects and pursuing further opportunities.
FOR PALESTINE REFUGEES IN THE NEAR EAST (UNRWA)
UNITED NATIONS RELIEF AND WORKS AGENCY FOR PALESTINE REFUGEES IN THE NEAR EAST (UNRWA)
UNRWA is a UN agency that supports the relief and human development of Palestinian refugees. Established in 1949 to provide relief to all refugees resulting from the 1948 Palestine War and subsequent conflict, its mandate has broadened to include providing education, health care and social services to its target population.
Currently, UNRWA provides assistance and support for about 5.7 million Palestinian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
GEM launched a new partnership with UNRWA in Lebanon to serve Palestinian students in Nahr el-Bared refugee camp and Saida in the south of Lebanon. The first cohort of students started their degrees in September 2020, following a month of virtual orientation and preparation activities. Students at UNRWA have completed a two-year degree via UNRWA's Siblin Training Centre in Lebanon, meaning that students are starting at the half-way point in their bachelor's degrees.
A NEW APPROACH TO STUDENT ORIENTATION
The world as we know it is changing rapidly. Keeping up with these changes can be challenging, but it also provides numerous opportunities. By embracing these changes – such as a shift to online studying and collaboration – GEM and its students can support and accelerate the path to success, while also ensuring the health and safety of everyone involved.
With both the new partners and existing partners, GEM has continued to enroll new cohorts of students, with onboarding completed via our first fully remote orientations. These new virtual orientations leverage the power of virtual platforms to enable student engagement and interactions, such as Flipgrid.
Holding remote orientations allowed students from several sites to interact and collaborate with each other and co-lead orientation activities across countries. GEM continued to engage students remotely through synchronous and asynchronous learning, and found new ways to support them in addition to using its blended learning model.
Watch as three of GEM's new students, Malak, Darine and Samar introduce themselves to their cohorts during orientation.
Photos by Julia Cumes
Photos and Videos by Jon Mercer
GEM Report - 2020