text:
Empty nesters welcoming children back during pandemic could hurt their finances
Dhara Singh
May 29, 2020, 2:02 PM ·4 min read
Empty-nesters who have opened their homes to their adult children during the coronavirus pandemic risk stretching their budgets too thin and threatening their retirement, financial experts warn.
As college closures have impacted more than 14 million students with more than 1,100 campuses fully closed, many have moved to their parent's homes during the pandemic. Additionally, older, fully launched, adult children are also coming back to their childhood homes, according to anecdotal evidence, either to flee a hotbed of COVID-19 cases or because they lost income or a job.
Read more: Coronavirus: Should you move now that you can work from home?
But the new living arrangement may not always address the money strain that older parents may face, which could be detrimental to their financial security down the road.
"We have seen a huge uptick in traffic to our business since the beginning of March as people are struggling with finances," said Allie Fleder, COO of Simplywise, a retirement consulting firm. "A lot of users having adult children home means they're exceeding monthly expenses and tapping into their savings."
They also have looked to home equity and personal loans to compensate for those additional expenses, she said.
More than 70% of American parents reported putting their children's needs ahead of their own retirement savings goals, according to a 2018 study by Merrill Lynch, a financial firm, and Age Wave. (Source: Getty Creative)
'I've seen a parent feel obligated or guilty'
Parents trimmed their retirement goals to make sure their children remain financially sound, even before the coronavirus pandemic arrived. More than 70% of American parents reported putting their children's needs ahead of their own retirement savings goals, according to a 2018 study by Merrill Lynch, a financial firm, and Age Wave.
Read more: How to stay on track for early retirement despite the coronavirus pandemic
"There's been times when I've seen a parent feel obligated or guilty and they go ahead and pay their child's student loan payments or large credit bill," said Chris Fundora, financial advisor at Traphagen CPAs and Wealth Advisors. "Even when they provide the child with a no-interest $20,000 loan, those funds rarely get paid in back in full or at all."
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, nearly a fifth of Americans have reported cutting retirement contributions to help a family member, according to personal finance site Bankrate. But even agreeing to a loan, instead of an outright gift, doesn't stop parents from digging into their savings, Fundora said.
"A loan makes parents feel better and the child feels it's not a gift," Fundora said. "But then it does end up becoming a gift because it's awkward to pay back at a schedule."
'Drawing a written contract'
If you're an empty nester and your adult child has moved back, it's important to remain transparent about expenses, Fleder said. Create a financial contract that states boundaries between the parent and child.
"We've talked to users about drawing a written contract where the child helps to pay for meals and does chores," Fleder said. "We've also [recommended] an exit clause that states when they plan to leave."
Read more: How to ask your parents for a loan the right way
The adult child should put away portions of their unemployment check to help their parents with finances.
"If the child is not paying rent but collecting employment, there's an additional $600 now that could put the family in a better financial position," Fundora said, referring to the extra weekly unemployment bonus guaranteed by the CARES Act until the end of July.
Despite these arrangements, these temporary moves home may actually turn permanent anyway, during and after the pandemic, said Chris Briscoe, vice president at Girard, a wealth planning firm.
"I think the kids will stay longer at home because the parents will want them to," he said, "or they'll feel they're saving money."
Dhara is a reporter Yahoo Money and Cashay. Follow her on Twitter at @Dsinghx.
Millennials are most likely to raid their retirement accounts during the pandemic
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Expert: New retirees 'are going to have to adjust their expectations'
Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance and Yahoo Money
Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. has navigated a half-century in American politics by relentlessly positioning himself at the core of the Democratic Party. Wherever that power center shifted, there Biden has been, whether as the young senator who opposed court-order busing in school integration cases or the soon-to-be 46th president pitching an agenda on par with Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal and Lyndon B. Johnson's Great Society. The common thread through that evolution is Biden always pitching himself as an institutionalist -- a mainstream liberal but also a pragmatist who still insists that governing well depends on compromise and consensus.
Stepped-up security measures were intended to safeguard seats of government from the type of violence that occurred at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.


text:
Q: How to print logs in color using log4j2 highlight pattern? I am new for log4j2.I want to print logs in different colors for different levels.I am using eclipse ide for development java with log4j2 for application logging.
This is my log4j2.xml file
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Configuration>
  <Appenders>
   <Console name="STDOUT" target="SYSTEM_OUT">
     <PatternLayout pattern="%highlight{%d{HH:mm:ss.SSS} %-5level %logger{36}.%M() @%L - %msg%n}{FATAL=red, ERROR=red, WARN=yellow, INFO=black, DEBUG=green, TRACE=blue}"/>
   </Console>
  </Appenders>
   <loggers>
  <Logger name="org.apache.log4j.xml" level="all"/>
    <root level="all">
      <appender-ref ref="STDOUT"/>
    </root>
  </loggers>
</Configuration>

when i am execute the log4j2 example I am getting below result in eclipse console.
[32m15:56:30.536 DEBUG com.syn.test.Test.main() @15 - this is debug message
[m[32m15:56:30.539 DEBUG com.syn.test.Test.main() @19 - this is debug messge
[m

now my question is how to print logs in different colors for different levels in eclipse console.

A: The ANSI Console plugin from Eclipse market place does the job.
It works great and you can see the logs in colors both on Windows & Unix

A: The highlight and color syntax works on most Unix and Mac terminals but apparently not in the Windows DOS console (according to this).
Unfortunately, I very much doubt that the Eclipse console supports highlighting and colors with ANSI escape codes.
UPDATE:
Windows color support is possible with Jansi.

A: I had success in IntelliJ IDEA using jcabi-log.
Maven dependency:
<dependency>
  <groupId>com.jcabi</groupId>
  <artifactId>jcabi-log</artifactId>
  <version>LATEST</version>
</dependency>

Example PatternLayout:
<PatternLayout pattern="%d{HH:mm:ss.SSS} [%highlight{%level}{FATAL=bg_red, ERROR=red, WARN=yellow, INFO=green, DEBUG=blue}] [%t]: %logger{36}.%M@L%L - %msg%n" disableAnsi="false"/>

It's important to retain the disableAnsi="false" property to make the colors work.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
package com.hitzd.his.Beans;

import java.io.Serializable;

/**
 * 体征信息
 *
 * @author Administrator
 *
 */
public class TPatSigns implements Serializable
{
    private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;

    private String TWDate;
    private String TWValue;
    private String TWOK;
    private String XXDate;
    private String XXValue;
    private String CValue;
    private String XXOK;

    public String getCValue()
    {
		return CValue;
	}

	public void setCValue(String cValue)
	{
		CValue = cValue;
	}

	public String getTWDate()
    {
        return TWDate;
    }

    public void setTWDate(String tWDate)
    {
        TWDate = tWDate;
    }

    public String getTWValue()
    {
        return TWValue;
    }

    public void setTWValue(String tWValue)
    {
        TWValue = tWValue;
    }

    public String getTWOK()
    {
        return TWOK;
    }

    public void setTWOK(String tWOK)
    {
        TWOK = tWOK;
    }

    public String getXXDate()
    {
        return XXDate;
    }

    public void setXXDate(String xXDate)
    {
        XXDate = xXDate;
    }

    public String getXXValue()
    {
        return XXValue;
    }

    public void setXXValue(String xXValue)
    {
        XXValue = xXValue;
    }

    public String getXXOK()
    {
        return XXOK;
    }

    public void setXXOK(String xXOK)
    {
        XXOK = xXOK;
    }

    @Override
    public String toString()
    {
        return "TPatSigns [TWDate=" + TWDate + ", TWValue=" + TWValue
                + ", TWOK=" + TWOK + ", XXDate=" + XXDate + ", XXValue="
                + XXValue + ", CValue=" + CValue + ", XXOK=" + XXOK + "]";
    }

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Kathmandu valley offers the best and amazing experiences of day tour options for all levels of riders, a full days climbing and single track exploration in the National Park and everything in between with full adventure. This biking tour to Kathmandu valley which will take you to the heights of 2200m and will give you immense satisfaction with its unique culture and the importance it possess, it also showcases stunning panoramas of the Himalaya, explores jungles, National Parks and many kilometers of rambling single tracks through rice fields and local villages. If you love biking then explore the vivacity of Kathmandu valley with us.
This trail is perfect for beginners and within easy reach from Thamel. You only need half a day for this ride as it only takes about 3 to 4 hours to complete this trail and be back at your hotel.
One of the most challenging trails in Kathmandu, the route goes to Kakani (2,030 m), an excellent hill station on the valley rim, and then to Budhanilkantha, and comes back to your hotel in Kathmandu. You will need 5 to 6 hours for this route.
This technical ride, which takes about 5 to 6 hours, starts from Kathmandu, heads to Budhanilkantha and then to Kapan and returns back to your hotel in Kathmandu. The route goes through two Buddhist monasteries. If you are interested and have time, you can visit there and interact with nuns and monks.
Another biking route within easy reach from Thamel but harder than Mudhkhu-Tokha Trail. This moderate ride takes you on a 21-km serpentine road to the top of Nagarjun Hill (2,128 m) inside Shivapuri National Park. The top viewpoint offers some of the amazing views. It takes about 5 to 6 hours to complete.


text:
YouGov ... a step after it unfolds
Labels: Polls, YouGov
Today is a big day for Welsh politics, so I'm blogging at what, for me, is an unearthly hour.
Plaid's overall "if there were a General Election tomorrow" level is 15%. In 2005 it was 12.55% ... so that's a nice increase.
But in that, the North Wales figure is now 24%, and was 14.23%. That's a huge increase. That should mean Ynys Môn will come to us comfortably, and makes Aberconwy look likely too.
South Wales West is another huge increase. It is now 18%, and was 9.56%. This has always been such rock-solid Labour territory that the increase may not win us any seats. But our strongest constituency is Neath, which is an Assembly target. We might give Peter Hain a well-deserved scare, but taking it at Westminster is a big ask.
Very interesting Assembly figures. Labour remain exactly where they were. The huge fall for them is at Westminster, but it's not reflected in the Senedd.
Plaid are up a little. In 2007 it was 22.57% constituency, 21.02% regional. Now 24% constituency, and still 21% regional.
On the referendum, not what I expected at all. 42% Yes, 37% No ... a margin of only 5%.
On reflexion, the most interesting thing to come out of the poll is the difference between Westminster and Cardiff voting intentions. Labour are set to fall from 43% to 34% at Westminster, but stay the same in Cardiff Bay.
Obviously people believe that Labour are doing a bad job at Westminster, but sadly the only alternative—other than a hung Parliament—is the Tories. But things are different when it comes to governing Wales: that Labour/Plaid is the preferred option. Perhaps some of the difference is that most of us (52%) believe that our AMs are basically honest and haven't been deceitful over expenses and the like. Only 19% think that of our MPs. Therefore there isn't the same pressure to want to change things, including the government.
It's a bit galling that Labour should not have suffered more in Assembly intentions. The big differences between Labour's policies in Cardiff and London, like dismantling the internal market in the NHS, were driven more by Plaid than Labour ... but Labour AMs share the credit for it. Drat! But that's the nature of coalition government: we have to be nice to our partners for now, but we will return to normal hostilities in the months before the Assembly elections. That means opinions will change very rapidly from about the beginning of 2011 ... or more quickly if Labour don't back the referendum after the AWC reports next month.
On the subject of the referendum, I'm disappointed that the margin is only 5%. There seems to be a big increase in the numbers of don't knows compared with polls earlier this year. Yet on the other hand, 63% agree that we should have the same powers as the Scottish Parliament - yet we will still have considerably fewer powers even after the referendum. Odd.
But anyway, I believe that we must have the referendum on principle, and am not at all afraid of a tight fight. Even so, I don't believe the fight will be tight. Labour will realize that it's in their own interests to back a Yes vote, because the Tories in Westminster will do everything they can to prevent legislation being passed in Cardiff that they don't like. When they come round, most of their supporters will come round too. Labour are always going to be more comfortable fighting any campaign (referendum or election) on an "it's either us or the Tories" basis ... and if that's what resonates with their supporters, so be it.
Finally, still no sign of the full figures on the YouGov site. Two polls from yesterday have been published, so I'd expect this to be up by tomorrow at the latest. If anyone has another link, please post it.
I really think that Plaid should throw all it's resources at Neath for this GE. I certainly would be more than happy to put time in down there, and claiming Hain's scalp would be a huge coup for Plaid, and send out a powerful signal to Labour.
The SNP did it in Glasgow East, and Plaid activists actually travelled up to Scotland to help out! But at least in some areas down here I just don't get a sense that Plaid want to win, which is just downright crazy.
Let's get Hain OUT.
There seems to be some anomalies in these results two stand out for me:
South Wales Central has Conservative vote at 27% - Considering that in the Euros this area (Glamorgan Valleys plus Vale of Glam) averaged 15% this does not look right to me.
South Wales East has Plaid vote at only 5% - again in the Euros this area averaged 12% and this feels too low to me.
Any others????
Plaid needs to keep its eyes on its targets i.e. Ynys Mon, Ceredigion, Aberconwy and Llanelli. It was getting carried away thinking they could win everything that cost them Ceredigion in the first place. I know for a fact that in the last Westminster elections people from Ceredigion came to work in Clwyd South. The last thing we need is to just miss in Neath and Llanelli. Lets learn the lessons of the last Westminster elections and stick to the plan.
Well done, David Nutt
Nelson station shunted aside
Two Great Western Stories
YouGov ... full results
A one-sided Blue Print
Locked in ... to the wrong sort of prison
Accept it with good grace, Peter
Martin Sheen comes home to Wales
Clear and decisive
Uruguay 1, Wales 0
Play-based news reporting
LCO consensus ... with a sinister undercurrent
Scottish Referendum Developments
The Measure you give ...
... don't bother, they're here
Dwindling Appeal

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
@interface ViewController () <LVKeyboardDelegate>
@property (weak, nonatomic) IBOutlet UITextField *textField;

@property (nonatomic, strong) LVKeyboard *keyboard;

@end

@implementation ViewController

- (void)viewDidLoad {
    [super viewDidLoad];

    LVKeyboard *keyboard = [[LVKeyboard alloc] init];
    keyboard.delegate = self;
    self.keyboard = keyboard;
    self.textField.inputView = self.keyboard;

    [self.textField becomeFirstResponder];
}

- (void)keyboard:(LVKeyboard *)keyboard didClickDeleteButton:(UIButton *)deleteBtn string:(NSMutableString *)string {
    self.textField.text = string;
}

- (void)keyboard:(LVKeyboard *)keyboard didClickTextButton:(UIButton *)textBtn string:(NSMutableString *)string {
    self.textField.text = string;
}

- (void)touchesBegan:(NSSet *)touches withEvent:(UIEvent *)event {
    [self.textField resignFirstResponder];
}

@end


The key to getting highly ranked in search engines such as Google, MSN Bing, Yahoo and ASK is to have your website properly optimized for search engine rankings. Search Engine optimization, also known as "Organic SEO", or just plain SEO is the single most important marketing tool or strategy that you can utilize to drive traffic to your website. You can have the best built website on the internet, but if nobody knows about it and can't organically find it, it technically really doesn't exist. Search engines are the number one tool used by internet users and are therefore the key to you successfully generating website visits.
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text:
Bipartisanship Strong on Some Immigration Reform in the Halls of Congress
By Sadikshya Nepal
On July 22, the House passed the Averting Loss of Life and Injury by Expediting SIVs Act of 2021 (Allies Act) by an overwhelming majority of 407-16. The bill, which was introduced in the House by Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO), received an astounding consensus on both sides of the aisle to protect the lives of Afghans who aided and served alongside U.S. troops in Afghanistan. Even though immigration has been a bitterly partisan subject in Congress, the passage of this bill demonstrates that immigration reform on some key issues is still possible.
The Allies Act increases the ceiling of special immigrant visas made available to qualified Afghan nationals and eases some restrictions related to the program. The bill also makes an additional 8,000 visas available for principal applicants, not counting dependents, under the Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program. This is in addition to the 4,000 visas that were authorized under the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act of 2021.
Congress first passed the Afghan Allies Protection Act in 20091 as part of that year's omnibus funding measure; the bill was designed to provide 7,500 visas over five years. Congress subsequently passed several program extensions in 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2021, and since December 2014 the SIV program has allocated 26,500 visas for Afghan applicants, including for surviving spouses or children of an Afghan national who assisted the U.S. military.
Furthermore, on July 27, the Senate Committee on Appropriations included equivalent provisions to the Allies Act in the Senate's bipartisan emergency funding bill for Capitol Hill security. The package commits $1 billion for the SIV program, including providing the Department of Defense's Overseas, Humanitarian, Disaster, and Civic Aid program with $500 million in emergency transportation, housing, and other services for Afghan partners who are leaving the country. On July 29, the Senate unanimously passed the emergency spending package, 98-0. The House followed suit the same day, passing the bill with a vote of 416-11, and sending the bill to the president for signature. This willingness to come together and legislate on important immigration issues is a reminder that Congress still works when it wants to.
While major immigration reform has been unable to overcome this era's partisan stalemate, the passage of the Allies Act of 2021 is a timely reminder that bipartisan action is still possible. This is a victory for both parties, and functions as a reminder that Congress can deliver immigration reform when necessary and urgent.


The NEPC in collaboration with Femi bags and the Oyo State Government has successfully trained and graduated 25 more youths on the production of leather products. This is in continuation of Councils strategy to boost the non-oil exports sector.
The Council partnered with FemiHandBags to engage youths in an intensive two-week capacity workshop in the area of manufacturing handbags, corporate gifts, wallets and other leather items to enhance the development of the sector for export. The programme is designed to fill a gap, by training Nigerians to produce high quality bags that are of export standard.
This is the Fourth batch of trainees on leather production to be graduated under this partnership, bringing the number of trained youths to more than 100. The programme which was held in Ibadan also aims to create job opportunities for the unemployed, strengthening the sector for domestic production and eventually exports.
The trainees were excited at the opportunities the training provided them with and one of them Abibat ogunyemi, who was a dealer in bags said the training would enable her transition from being and importer of bags to an exporter of finished leather bags.


text:
Timpson review to demand excluded pupils count in schools' results
Freddie Whittaker
Thu 14th Feb 2019, 21.30
A landmark review of exclusions will demand the government revives plans to make schools retain responsibility for the results of pupils they exclude.
Leaked documents show that the Timpson review will call for a "significant shift" for schools, alternative provision settings and councils, demanding that ministers "remove the potential" for heads to game the system by "permanently excluding children at the most crucial time in their education".
Edward Timpson, a former children's minister who was commissioned to look into the practices around exclusions last year, was supposed to publish his report by the end of December. It was later widened to look at the illegal off-rolling of pupils.
This review has demonstrated that there is widespread interest about progressing this amongst those who work in education
However, the report remains in draft form, with ministers promising it will be published before Easter.
In extracts of the draft, seen by Schools Week, Timpson said the Department for Education should make heads "continue to be responsible for children who have been permanently excluded, including for commissioning high-quality and safe alternative provision where this is needed and remaining accountable for the educational outcomes of this".
In practice, that means the performance of excluded pupils will count towards the school's league table position.
The government must also address the "cliff edge" of the January census of year 11 pupils, which allows schools to "divest themselves of responsibility so long as children move on before this point".
Previous attempts to hold schools to account for excluded pupils were broadly welcomed by proponents of no-excuses behaviour policies and those who favoured a softer approach.
The policy was included in Nicky Morgan's 2015 Educational Excellence Everywhere white paper.
However, according to a former DfE official, there was "a lot of institutional opposition from multi-academy trusts" and the policy was shelved in 2016 by Justine Greening, Morgan's successor.
Michael Gove and Nicky Morgan both proposed a similar policy
It's not clear if Timpson has proposed details of how the policy would work, but Schools Week understands dis
cussions have focused on whether to tie pupils' Progress 8 scores to the excluding school.
But one sector official warns that headteachers will not want to be held accountable for excluded pupils without individual exclusions put into context.
The official, who did not want to be named, said the proposal could "play to the narrative" that the sector was full of "nasty heads who are dumping children out [of their schools].
"There may be some doing that, and we should be clear that it's immoral behaviour, but a lot of [the time] it isn't like that at all."
In the draft, Timpson said the proposal had been considered by successive governments. "This review has demonstrated that there is widespread interest about progressing this amongst those who work in education.
Cartoon by Stan Dupp
"It is also clear that, if this were simple, it would have been put in place already."
The report said the proposal would need "careful design to be successful and achieve its objective", but also warned that changing accountability measures alone "will not drive the change that is needed if we are to expect schools to do more before exclusion of this type.
"It is vital that raising our expectation is matched with the support from all levels that will allow them to fulfil this role well and with confidence.
"Although support for schools retaining accountability was common amongst mainstream and AP schools as well as local authorities and parents and carers, there was a clear sense that any change needed to come with the right support for schools to be effective in this role.
"As one headteacher put it: 'make schools accountable, but give us the tools to do the job properly'."
Angela Rayner
In his 2010 Importance of Teaching white paper, Michael Gove, the then education secretary, proposed that schools be "held accountable", with academic performance of excluded pupils counting towards the school's place in the league tables.
The idea surfaced again last summer when Angela Rayner, the shadow education secretary, announced plans to hold schools accountable for excluded and off-rolled pupils if Labour gained power.
This week Rayner urged the government to "stop dragging its feet".
"Time and time again it promised to implement this very policy, but it has repeatedly failed to do so," she said. "If its own report recommends it, then surely it must take action."
Tom Burkard
Neither Edward Timson or ministers have to contend with the day-to-day presence of violent children–that's for teachers and other pupils to worry about. Disruptive behaviour is now second only to workload in driving teachers out of the profession. This policy is nothing but cheap virtue-signalling, and it does nothing whatever to help the violent children that are its intended beneficiaries. You'd think the meanest intelligence would understand that extreme behaviour is proof that the child is in an environment that he (or she) hates, and it does them no favours to keep them there.
I agree with you regarding pupils where there is a valid reason for exclusion, but would suggest that Mr Timpson is more concerned with the 'offrolled' and pre-emptively excluded students who are not violent or aggressive but simply do not fit with a Head's desire for a successful school.
Putting this in proportion, OFSTED identified 800 odd secondary schools with suspiciously high levels of pupils leaving in Year 10/11 out of approximately 4000 schools. This means that 4 in 5 schools aren't doing this, so will surely welcome measures that stop it happening.
Christine Clarke
I work for a Behaviour Support Service and feel that although there may be a few Headteachers who seek to exclude pupils to improve their results, this is not generally the case. Schools and teachers in my experience work very hard to give pupils a positive experience of school but increasingly there are those pupils who are unable to cope with the school environment with all its pressures and expectations, eg. victims of domestic violence, Autistic pupils, socially deprived kids, kids with parents who have mental illness, etc. etc.
In my opinion we need to provide more alternatives to mainstream that can better meet their needs which are often very complex. This would help to avoid the dangerous situations that arise from distressed pupils 'acting out' in school when they are unable to cope.
Could we not alter the school environment so that there are fewer pressures and expectations?
We could bring back adult education so that the high-stakes culture could be replaced by 'yes, this is important, but you will always have the chance to do better when you mature.'
We could recognise that young people mature at different rates and that school should not just be about test scores and how good the OFSTED looks.
We could recognise that not all young people thrive in large, crowded schools and that a one size fits all approach to education doesn't fit anyone very well.
This strikes me as being better than abandoning the idea of inclusion and shipping autistic pupils off to other settings. I also think the majority of teachers would welcome it because, as you say, it is only a small minority who are discrediting their colleagues and disgracing their profession by off-rolling.
Sara Elghaly
I totally agree- being a teacher who was is a situation where everything had been done for half a year to cultivate a less pressured environment I was still verbally abused and intimated daily, but said child could not cope with the expectations within a formalised classroom environment and needed a setting more equipped for his individual needs .
The Herrington Q&A: 'Let's reframe how...


Interior design has come a long way from the days of simple tweaks and minor adjustments to homes. In fact, the best bathroom designers Southbank offers have their own design tricks, which have made bathroom design a favourite project for homeowners in the region to undertake. With the amount of design resources and options available, it's imperative to invest in designing a bathroom that captures the true essence of your home and vibe.
The most important aspect of today's real estate market that anyone should consider is the resell value of their home. Maintaining a home that remains competitive in the real estate market, will ensure that you are also creating a space that meets the needs of future buyers. Understand the space you have available to you and see how you can leverage it to its full potential. Work on the amount of storage space you're looking for and have a clear picture of what others might want out of the same room as well. Trends in bathroom design show that double bathroom sinks, walk-in showers, large bathtubs, vanity storage space are all popular requests. If you can stay ahead of trends, you can also increase your resell value.
Definitively, the two most important aspects of your bathroom space to consider prior to redecorating are its layout and potential for storage space. Layout is necessary as it provides your home with a considerable resell value. For example, your family might generally prefer bathing instead of showering which, in this case, might encourage you to invest in a comfortable bathtub. However, remember that an easily removable bathtub, or freestanding one, might be useful for those families who prefer showers or would like to use that particular space differently. Or, to cover all grounds, you can include shower and bathtub combos. In this case, consider the permanency of all redecorating projects, as this might affect how easily you can sell your home in the future.
Possibly one of the most obvious motives for redecorating a bathroom is to improve on storage space. In fact, storage accessories, vanities, bins and closets are becoming increasingly popular, helping provide homeowners with clean storage. It's necessary to consider how you can maximize your bathroom space as efficiently as possible, in order to reduce clutter and keep the room as organized as possible.
Ultimate Kitchens & Bathrooms is the best spot for specially designed and crafted kitchens. At Ultimate Kitchens & Bathrooms, you can also find the dedicated bathroom builders Southbank deserves, as they create beautiful bathrooms Southbank residents have been talking about for years. To book your free consultation or to ask the team a question about services and rates, call 03 9882 4103.


Launching and running a Maryland medical marijuana business, popularly known as a cannabusiness, is no easy feat. If you're considering taking advantage of the latest MD marijuana laws , you'll need to conduct an exhaustive review of the legislation, regulations, protocols, permits, and similar facets of the business. Or, you could work with a medical marijuana lawyer who can handle all of that for you and ensure that your business is in full compliance with all applicable regulations. Since you're planning to form a very specialized type of business, you need to work with a lawyer who has in-depth knowledge of the field.
It's highly advisable to consult a medical marijuana lawyer before you even fill out the paperwork to form your cannabusiness or apply for a permit. An attorney with specialized knowledge of the industry can help you understand the applicable marijuana laws in MD and any local regulations you need to be aware of. A skilled attorney can clearly explain the necessary protocols and help you get your cannabusiness off to the right start.
It is perhaps not surprising that the medical marijuana industry is governed by an extensive collection of regulations. A medical marijuana lawyer can help you take the necessary steps to protect your business by ensuring it is in full compliance with all applicable regulations.
If you've reviewed the application for a grower's license in Maryland, you already understand how difficult it can be to obtain the necessary permit for cultivation of medical marijuana. The extensive application requires in-depth information such as a security plan, an integrated plan for quality control, a business plan with an organizational chart, and evidence of legal control of your proposed location. And those are just a few examples of the requirements you must fulfill for a permit. By consulting with a medical marijuana lawyer about your proposed cannabusiness, you can receive expert advice on correctly filling out the application and successfully obtaining your cultivation permit.
Maryland cannabusiness was recently given a significant boost by new legislation. This past April, Maryland's governor signed a medical marijuana reform bill into law. The new MD marijuana law improves upon an older bill, which opponents claimed was essentially useless because it was so restrictive. The new law provides for the legalization of cannabis for usage by patients who have debilitating medical conditions.
As you'll learn by watching this video, the new law allows licensed physicians who are on staff at a hospital or hospice program to prescribe medical marijuana for patients who meet certain criteria. Not only will it give the state's cannabusiness a boost, but the law is also expected to help patients who are critically ill.
If you're wondering how to start a medical marijuana dispensary in Maryland, your first step is to ensure that your cannabusiness is in full compliance with the latest laws. As a medical marijuana lawyer serving Maryland can explain to you, cannabusinesses have been recently affected by two major marijuana bills. In April of 2014, Governor Martin O'Malley signed SB 364 and HB 881 into law, giving renewed hope to patient advocates for medical marijuana.
The first bill, SB 364, does not necessarily affect cannabusiness owners directly. However, it is a step toward improving the climate of acceptance toward medical marijuana. The law decriminalizes the possession of marijuana. A person who is found to possess less than 10 grams of marijuana will be charged with a civil offense and be ordered to pay a fine of up to $100 for a first offense. A second offense is punishable by a fine of up to $250 and any subsequent offenses are punishable by fines of up to $500. The new marijuana law also provides for a mandatory drug education program for third-time offenders and for offenders who are under the age of 21.
The second of the two marijuana laws, HB 881, does directly affect cannabusiness owners. The law enables patients with certain health conditions to obtain medical marijuana from licensed dispensaries . The patients will also need to obtain a prescription for the drug from a physician who has been licensed in Maryland. Approved physicians must be on staff in a hospice program or in a hospital. These stipulations are intended to prevent abuse of the system. Furthermore, patients must obtain an identification card in order to purchase marijuana from a medical marijuana dispensary. The law applies to patients who suffer from certain debilitating conditions, such as seizures, severe muscle spasms, severe pain, wasting syndrome, and nausea. This is certainly not the first medical marijuana law passed in Maryland. In 2003, a weak marijuana law was passed; however, under that law, even if a patient could prove that he or she qualified to receive the drug, he or she could be punished with fines and prosecution. HB 881 grants these patients protection from prosecution.


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<< Previous: Article XVI: General Provisions
Next: Journals of the Convention, 1875 >>
ARTICLE XVII.
Mode of Amending the Constitution of this State.
SECTION 1. The Legislature, at any biennial session, by a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected in each House, to be entered by yeas and nays on the journals, may propose amendments to the Constitution, to be voted upon by the qualified electors for members of the Legislature, which proposed amendments shall be duly published once a week for four weeks, commencing at least three months before an election, the time of which shall be specified by the Legislature, in one weekly newspaper of each county, in which such a newspaper may be published; and it shall be the duty of the several returning officers of said election, to open a poll for, and make returns to the secretary of state, of the number of legal votes cast at said election for and against said amendments; and if more than one be proposed, then the number of votes cast for and against each of them; and if it shall appear from said return, that a majority of the votes cast have been cast in favor of any amendment, the said amendment so receiving a majority of the votes cast, shall become a part of this Constitution, and proclamation shall be made by the governor thereof.
Done by the delegates of the people of Texas, in Convention assembled, in the city of Austin, on this, the twenty-fourth day of November, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
In testimony whereof we hereunto subscribe our names:
EDWARD B. PICKETT,
President of the Convention.
LEIGH CHALMERS,
Secretary of the Convention
NICHOLAS H. DARNELL, of Tarrant Co.
JOEL W. ROBINSON, of Fayette Co.
BENNETT BLAKE, of Nacogdoches Co.
BRUCKNER ABERNATHY, of Camp Co.
D. ABNER, of Harrison Co.
THOS. G. ALLISON, of Panola Co.
JULIUS E. ARNIM, of Lavaca Co.
W. P. BALLINGER, of Galveston Co.
JO. W. BARNETT, of Parker Co.
WM. BLASSINGAME, of Grayson Co.
E. W. BRADY, of Grimes Co.
JOHN HENRY BROWN, of Dallas Co.
H. C. BRUCE, of Johnson Co.
ED. BURLESON, of Hays Co.
EDWARD CHAMBERS, of Collin Co.
HENRY CLINE, of Harris Co.
WM. D. S. COOK, of Gonzales Co.
G. B. COOKE, of San Saba Co.
W. L. CRAWFORD, of Marion Co.
B. H. DAVIS, of Brazos Co.
BURRILL B. DAVIS, of Wharton Co.
WILLIAM W. DILLARD, of Bowie Co.
E. L. DOHONEY, of Lamar Co.
J. W. FERRIS, of Ellis Co.
JOSEPH P. DOUGLAS, of Cherokee Co.
J. R. FLEMING, of Comanche Co.
GEORGE FLOURNOY, of Galveston Co.
JOHN S. FORD, of Cameron Co.
JAMES C. GAITHER, of Falls Co.
JAMES L. GERMAN, of Fannin Co.
A. C. GRAVES, of Coryell Co.
JAS. E. HAYNES, of Caldwell Co.
JOHN R. HENRY, of Limestone Co.
JOHN L. HENRY, of Smith Co.
WM C. HOLMES, of Grayson Co.
ASA HOLT, of Van Zandt Co.
JOHN JOHNSON, of Collin Co.
J. F. JOHNSON, of Franklin Co.
C. B. KILGORE, of Gregg Co.
SAM'L B. KILLOUGH, of Robertson Co.
HENRY C. KING, of Kendall Co.
ROBT. LACY, of Leon Co.
THOS. J. LOCKETT, of Washington Co.
FRANK J. LYNCH, of DeWitt Co.
L. H. MCCABE, of Fort Bend Co.
GEORGE MCCORMICK, of Colorado Co.
S. A. MCKENNEY, of Denton Co.
ANDREW T. MCKINNEY, of Walker Co.
W. P. MCLEAN, of Titus Co.
MARION MARTIN, of Navarro Co.
B. D. MARTIN, of Hunt Co.
L. W. MOORE, of Fayette Co.
J. R. MORRIS, of Harris Co.
J. B. MURPHY, of Nueces Co.
LIPSCOMB NORVELL, of Jasper Co.
THOMAS L. NUGENT, of Erath Co.
D. A. NUNN, of Houston Co.
WM. NEAL RAMEY, of Shelby Co.
JOHN H. REAGAN, of Anderson Co.
ROB'T B. RENTFRO, of Montgomery Co.
E. STERLING C. ROBERTSON, of Bell Co.
W. REYNOLDS, of Waller Co.
L. S. ROSS, of McLennan Co.
WEBSTER FLANAGAN, of Rusk Co.
S. H. RUSSELL, of Harrison Co.
JONATHAN RUSSELL, of Wood Co.
RICHARD SANSOM, of Williamson Co.
PRESTON R. SCOTT, of Cass Co.
G. A. SESSIONS, of Freestone Co.
C. R. SMITH, of Milam Co.
ISRAEL SPIKES, of Kaufman Co.
WM. H. STEWART, of Galveston Co.
FLETCHER S. STOCKDALE, of Calhoun Co.
H. W. WADE, of Hunt Co.
W. T. G. WEAVER, of Cook Co.
C. S. WEST, of Travis Co.
W. W. WHITEHEAD, of Tyler Co.
JOHN W. WHITFIELD, of Lavaca Co.
W. B. WRIGHT, of Lamar Co.
CHAS. DEMORSE, of Red River Co.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
AUSTIN, TEXAS.
I, A. W. DEBERRY, Secretary of State for the State of Texas, do hereby certify that the above and foregoing pages contain, and are true and correct copies of all the articles of the proposed Constitution of the State of Texas, as enrolled and now on file in the Department of State.
[L.S.]
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto signed my name and affixed the Seal of the Department of State, at the city of Austin, this, the 26th day of November, A. D. 1875.
A. W. DEBERRY,
Secretary of State.
Article XVII, Section 1


Let the future lie in your hands figuratively and literally with this palmistry screenprint.
Let the future lie in your hands figuratively and literally with this palmistry screenprint. Signed and dated by the artist, this wall art piece details the meaning of the lines in our palms and the predictions they may hold. Whether you find palm reading fun or fundamental to your future, this mesmerizing design's astrological elements and cultural roots add a mystical presence to your decor. Made in Canada.


Curb weight: 4860 lbs. Gross vehicle weight: 6900 lbs.
Hello, I would like more information about the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, stock# 1GCRCREC8EZ274832.
Hello, I would like to see more pictures of the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, stock# 1GCRCREC8EZ274832.


California Style Beer Bottle : Texas Brewing Inc.
California Style Beer Bottles. These bottles work great for sour beers, high gravity beers or special beers for a special occasions. These bottles are capped with a 29mm crown cap, not the standard size domestic cap. These bottles can also be corked and caged.
This is a beautiful thick, elegant bottle. Heavy glass.


On October 29, 2017, American Indian Movement co-founding leader Dennis Banks went to the spirit world, as his family recounts, after heart bypass surgery.
My blog only occasionally posts about people who have died, lest this site become an obituary page. Dennis merits this posting, in which I also further discuss Jun Yasuda, a mutual close friend of Dennis and me.
Jun Yasuda is a key component of my discussion of Dennis Banks's relevance to me. January 1991 was a major defining moment in my life, when I met my friend and major spiritual teacher Jun Yasuda, praying for peace during Gulf War I across the White House, fasting for weeks on water.
My fateful 1991 meeting with her as she fasted across from the White House, for peace during Persian Gulf War I, was a critical turning point. It came near the time that Ram Dass came more fully to my attention, a few months before t'ai chi came more fully to my attention, a few years before I started getting more of a sense of the meaning of Tao, and just months before I left a corporate law firm job to become a public defender lawyer. Jun-san was the main catalyst for me to move in the direction of powerful, peaceful, and effective harmony.
Before meeting Jun-san, I was obsessed and angry over all the rampant human rights violations throughout human history. Jun-san — and, later, t'ai chi, the Dalai Lama and Gandhi — showed me not to be any more angry at injustice than I would get angry at a devastating hurricane, tornado, or earthquake.
Born in 1948 in Japan, Jun Yasuda — a Nipponzan Myohoji Nichiren Buddhist Nun since the 1970's — sought her path, as I was seeking my path when I met her, which resonated all the more with me in connecting with Jun-san.
As Mark Rondeau relates, Jun-san "describes herself in her youth as a city girl who used a motorbike and ran with wild kids, confused and angry at society. She went to college and held many jobs, including as a saleswoman and a teacher. That didn't make her happy so she didn't know what to do with her life. She married, but although she and her husband didn't fight and have since remained friends, she got divorced. Eventually she went to India." Read the rest here.
Jun-san came to the United States in 1978 to join the original Longest Walk, from Alcatraz to Washington, D.C., to promote Native American rights. One of the walk's leaders was Dennis Banks, also known as Nowa Cumig ("at the center of the universe"), whose biography Ojibwa Warrior (2004) is essential reading to understand the self-empowerment and plight of Native Americans right into the twenty-first century.
This video documents the original Longest Walk. At minute 3:30, Jun Yasuda beats the handheld drum, chanting the Odaimoku peace prayer/essence of the Lotus Sutra: Na Mu Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo (the acronym of which is on my license plates).
Around the time of the Longest Walk until his departure in 1983 as California governor, Jerry Brown refused to extradite Dennis (here in A Good Day to Die) to South Dakota, where he was wanted after being convicted in a rioting prosecution. With George Deukmejian as the next governor, Dennis departed to the Onandoga Nation in New York state, and turned himself in not long after that.
Jun-san joined Dennis to the Onandoga Nation, and frequently fasted and prayed for Dennis on the steps of the Albany statehouse. In 1983, during one of her fasts, an activist for Native Americans, Hank Hazelton, met Jun-san, and offered her a beautiful piece of land in nearby Grafton for her to build a peace pagoda. That peace pagoda became a completed reality several years later, and is among my favorite places on this earth.
"The Buddhist monks and nuns sitting still on the ground in front of us were chanting when the police rushed them and started cracking skulls with a terrible sound as if they were striking coconuts. The monks and nuns did not fight back. It was a terrible thing to witness. I saw elderly nuns with blood streaming down their faces… Sergeant Johnson suddenly grabbed his BAR and fired a round into the air. Then he hollered [in Japanese] 'Stop it! Stop it! Halt!'… Then all was quiet." Ojibwa Warrior.
Many people in life have had plenty of reason to be angry, but have found a more powerfully peaceful approach to their activism, including Ghandi, the Dalai Lama, and Dennis Banks (here addressing from violence to non-violence). I witnessed Dennis's powerful gentleness each of the four times that I was in his presence, personally speaking with him in 2006, 2008, and 2016. As a previously angry human rights activist and originally angry criminal defense lawyer (when I started in 1991), such people inspire me to remain on the powerfully peaceful path.
Much is left to be accomplished for the Native American cause. Dennis Banks was a major actor in that movement.
Dennis passed away around 10:10 p.m. Central Time, October 29, 2017. As recounted by his family on Facebook, his family sang him the American Indian Movement song as his final send off to the spirit world.
Deeply thanking and bowing to Dennis Banks, 1937-2017. Sending him and his family prayers.


Popdiva Lady Gaga publicly apologized for collaborating with R. Kelly on a song in 2013, describing as "horrible and irresponsible" the facts that the American singer is accused of, showing her support for the alleged victims.
Great 1990's R&B figure, author of the well-known "I think I can fly", R. Kelly has made headlines since last week, an overwhelming documentary was broadcast about him.
Other testimonies claim that Robert Sylvester Kelly, his real name, interacted with women he turned into sexual slaves, and today is completely isolated from his relatives.
Lady Gaga talked about the subject because in 2013 she registered a piece with R. Kelly whose content, and the title ("Do what you want with my body", do what you want with my body), is evocative in light of the charges directed to R&B singer.
"As a victim of sexual abuse, I made this play and this video in a dark moment of my life," Lady Gaga explained in a message sent Wednesday night on her Twitter account.
Seeing the title and content of the song, "It is clear to what extent my thoughts were disturbed," wrote Lady Gaga, who previously showed that she was raped at the age of 19 by a music producer who never gave her identity.


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Healthy, happy and still unbeaten, Nyquist heads to Kentucky
Associated PressApr 3, 2016, 8:41 PM EDT
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. (AP) The numbers say Nyquist will face a daunting challenge in the Kentucky Derby, and trainer Doug O'Neill is fully aware of that.
He's also embracing that challenge.
Of the 31 horses who have won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, only one – Street Sense, nine years ago – has won the Kentucky Derby. The other 30 champions either fell short or couldn't even navigate the prep-race calendar well enough to get to the Run for the Roses, sometimes doomed by injury and sometimes just unable to keep getting better.
"The pressure's off," O'Neill said. "Numbers say you're not going to do it. You're coming in under the radar on that stat."
That's the only metric by which Nyquist will be off the radar on May 7 at Churchill Downs. He's now 7-for-7 in his career, was much the best in Saturday's Grade 1 Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park, and has already turned a $400,000 investment by owner Paul Reddam into $3,322,600 in purse winnings and bonus money.
In other words, despite that 1-for-31 history of his Breeders' Cup-winning predecessors, meet the Kentucky Derby favorite.
"He keeps proving people wrong," jockey Mario Gutierrez said.
RELATED: How to watch the Kentucky Derby
He did on Saturday, anyway. The Florida Derby showdown of unbeatens – Mohaymen vs. Nyquist – didn't turn into much of a matchup. Mohaymen was the 4-5 favorite but never seemed to get rolling on a track that was slowed a bit by three quick showers over the course of the afternoon. Nyquist went right to the front, and when Mohaymen approached to challenge at the top of the stretch the eventual winner pulled away in a matter of just a few strides.
Game over, in a hurry.
"We feel like it was a perfect storm of unfortunate things that happened with the track, raining earlier and then later," Mohaymen trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said Sunday. "Basically it was very wet and we were very wide. We ran 54 feet further than the winner, but congratulations to Nyquist and their team. They had to run over the same racetrack under the same conditions and they did it better than us."
Mohaymen came out of the race fine, McLaughlin said, which means he gets another crack at Nyquist in the Kentucky Derby.
"People thought maybe it wasn't good to have a tough race right before the Derby," McLaughlin said of Mohaymen, who lost for the first time in six starts. "It's not going to be a tough race on him, so we'll throw it out and move on."
O'Neill, Gutierrez and Reddam were the connections behind I'll Have Another in 2012. They won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes that year, but never got a Triple Crown chance because I'll Have Another developed a tendon problem in the days leading up to the Belmont Stakes and was scratched a day before that race was run.
I'll Have Another had only two preps in 2012 before the Kentucky Derby, just like Nyquist this year.
"You want to make sure you have a real fresh horse when you start thinking and dreaming Derby," O'Neill said. "If you get lucky and win it, you've got a couple more races coming up quickly and you need to have a lot in the tank. That was the thought process."
"It's all right according to plan," O'Neill said.
Pegasus races planned for Gulfstream and Santa Anita in 2024
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – After seven Pegasus World Cup events, it's evidently time for change.
1/ST Racing, which has hosted the entirety of the Pegasus series to this point at Gulfstream Park, is planning for two Pegasus days in 2024 – one at Gulfstream and the other at Santa Anita. Details aren't finalized and it's unclear how it would fit in the racing calendar, but 1/ST is planning for both dirt and turf Pegasus races as part of the Santa Anita program.
Gulfstream played host to the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational on the dirt Saturday, along with the $1 million Pegasus Turf and the $500,000 Pegasus Filly and Mare Turf.
"I'd really love to see that we bring it to the West Coast," 1/ST President and CEO Belinda Stronach said. "That will probably happen in 2024. What we did this year for 2023 was said, `OK, we have a number of great race days, let's coordinate those better and call it the 1/ST Racing Tour and recognize great achievements within our own footprint."
Saturday marked the first stop on that new 1/ST Racing Tour. Along with some of the biggest race days at 1/ST tracks – like Florida Derby day at Gulfstream on April 1, Santa Anita Derby day on April 8 and the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico on May 20 – there are a pair of days where the tour will be running simultaneously.
This coming Saturday, Gulfstream will play host to the Holy Bull while Santa Anita has the Robert B. Lewis – both of them Kentucky Derby prep races.
And on March 4, Gulfstream has the Fountain of Youth, another major Derby prep, while San Anita has the Big Cap. Plans call for coordinated post times at those two tracks on those days to provide the best racing action every 20 minutes, as well as some unique betting options.
"We can never rest on our laurels," Stronach said. "We have to keep moving forward. We have a great team that's really committed."
The main Pegasus race is one of the biggest-paying races in North America. Art Collector claimed about $1.8 million from a $3 million purse with his win on Saturday. In 2022, only the $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic and $4 million Breeders' Cup Turf featured bigger prizes among U.S. races, and the $3 million Pegasus purse is equal to the one offered last year at the Kentucky Derby.
Regardless of what happens with the Santa Anita plan for future Pegasus events, Stronach insisted Gulfstream will continue having Pegasus days. There has even been talk about Gulfstream playing host to Breeders' Cup races again, something that hasn't happened since 1999.
"This is staying here in Miami," Stronach said. "Pegasus has a home here in Miami. We can't move Pegasus from Miami. We have great partners here and it's more than just a day now. We have deep roots here in Miami."
Flightline, Pletcher, Godolphin lead way at Eclipse Awards
Pat McDonogh/USA TODAY NETWORK
PALM BEACH, Fla. — Flightline ran away in all six of his races, and ran away with top honors at the Eclipse Awards on Thursday night.
And trainer Todd Pletcher, for the first time in nearly a decade, received the sport's top prize as well.
Flightline – the now-retired winner of last year's Breeders' Cup Classic to cap an unbeaten six-race career – won Horse of the Year as well as the Eclipse as top Older Dirt Male. It was no surprise that Flightline took home both awards, and he's now standing stud.
"We'll hope that his future is as bright as his past," co-owner Kosta Hronis said.
Godolphin was also a double winner, sweeping the Eclipses as top owner and top breeder for the second consecutive year. It was also the third consecutive top-owner Eclipse for Godolphin.
"This is truly a golden era for Godolphin racing," said Michael Banahan, the stable's director of bloodstock. "And these awards and accolades recognize how special it is."
It was Pletcher's eighth Eclipse, extending his record for the most by any trainer, and his first since 2014. It was one of the few close races in the voting; Pletcher got 108 first-place votes, while four-time Eclipse winner Chad Brown got 95 and finished second.
"This really is not an individual award. This is a team award," Pletcher said. "This is an award about the owners, and most importantly, the horses."
Irad Ortiz Jr. won the Eclipse as top jockey for the fourth time in the last five years; he tied Pat Day and Javier Castellano for third-most in history, behind only seven-time winner Jerry Bailey and five-time winner Laffit Pincay Jr.
Ortiz led all jockeys with more than $37 million in purses in 2022.
"Wow," Ortiz said. "It's been an amazing year for me."
Forte won the Eclipse as 2-year-old male, and will enter this year's Triple Crown season as one of the early favorites.
"We're all in this game for a horse like Forte," said Mike Repole, the horse's co-owner along with Florida Panthers owner Vincent Viola and Teresa Viola. "We're all in this game to one day maybe own a 2-year-old that has a chance. It's great to have the Kentucky Derby favorite. … Forte's an incredible horse."
Epicenter won the 3-year-old male Eclipse, after running second at both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, then winning the Jim Dandy and Travers at Saratoga over the summer.
Wonder Wheel was the winner as 2-year-old filly, while Nest won the Eclipse in the 3-year-old filly division. Malathaat was the Eclipse winner for older dirt female, Goodnight Olive for female sprinter and Regal Glory for female turf horse.
Elite Power was picked as the top male sprinter, Modern Games won the Eclipse for male turf horse, and Hewick was the Eclipse winner in the steeplechase division.
Jose Antonio Gomez won as top apprentice jockey.
The Eclipse Awards are voted on by members of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, the Daily Racing Form and National Turf Writers And Broadcasters.


Victam International BV will launch a new event and format in Cologne, Germany: FVG Select 2017. It will take place 13-14 June in Cologne, Germany.
Victam International is known for the organisation of FIAAP/VICTAM/GRAPAS (both in Europe and Asia). These shows will continue under the name FVG, the abbreviation of the 3 shows.
On top of that, Victam International will add a new event: FVG Select 2017. This is a completely new concept and different from the regular FVG exhibitions. The focus of FVG Select 2017 is networking. This will be facilitated through an extensive conference and business matchmaking program. As the name of the event implies, FVG Select, there will only be a limited number of booths available at the industry expo.
The matchmaking program focusses on the high quality meetings during FVG Select 2017. It will consist of a combination of an online tool, which allows exhibitors and visitors to plan their appointments very efficiently and a personal approach by our matchmaking consultants.
On 13 une, a networking reception for exhibitors, visitors and conference delegates will take place after the conference program closes. During this reception you can continue your conversations while enjoying drinks and food. A small admission fee will be charged to the industry delegates to visit the industry expo and a separate fee will be charged for the conferences.
The intent is to introduce many of the new elements of FVG Select within FVG Asia 2018 and FVG International 2019 as the main events will adopt the new branding as well. These two shows will not change from their initial concept; the large exhibition areas will remain.


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Tag: Masters Of The
Posted on 8th June 2012 19th July 2018
The Weekly Retro Movie Rundown 7!
There are four good reasons to stay in this weekend and watch movies with us. The first being the cruddy weather, the second that the Jubilee is finally over and everyone should be all Queen'd out, the third is if you're a football widow of the Euro 2012 action and the fourth being that there are some quite tasty films on! Below is a list of twelve flavoursome nostalgic treats to wrap your retro movie taste buds around. We hope you enjoy.
Have a happy retro weekend 🙂
SATURDAY 9th JUNE
Hocus Pocus (1993) More4 12:10pm-2:00pm (1 hour 50 minutes)
A teenager in Salem, Massachusetts, breaks into a spooky house on Halloween and accidentally resurrects three witches who have been dead for 300 years. The sorceresses are soon causing chaos while seeking a suitable sacrifice for a ritual to give them eternal youth. However, an old foe – a boy they turned into a cat – is on hand to help stop their mischief. Supernatural Disney comedy, with Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy and Omri Katz.
Short Circuit (1986) Syfy 4:10pm-6:10pm (2 hours)
A military robot is struck by lightning and develops a mind of its own. The machine embarks on a series of comic misadventures, but the company that made him want him back. He realises his only hope is to convince the scientist who invented him that he really is alive. Sci-fi comedy adventure, starring Steve Guttenberg, Ally Sheedy and Fisher Stevens.
Home Alone (1990) Film4 11:00am-1:00pm (2 hours)
A boy has to fend for himself when he is accidentally left behind after his family jets off to Paris for Christmas. The youngster initially enjoys his freedom, but is soon forced to resort to ingenious booby traps to defend the family home from two dim-witted burglars. Comedy, starring Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, John Heard, Catherine O'Hara and John Candy.
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992) Film4 1:00pm-3:20pm (2 hours 20 minutes)
Hapless youngster Kevin somehow manages to catch the wrong plane and finds himself heading for New York, while his family jets off to Florida. Having got his hands on his father's credit card, he is enjoying the good life staying in a luxury hotel – until he bumps into two familiar burglars with an axe to grind. Comedy sequel, starring Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, Brenda Fricker and Tim Curry.
Spider-Man (2002) Sky Movies Action & Adventure 10:00pm-12:05am (2 hours 5 minutes)
A clumsy teenager develops superhuman powers after a genetically engineered spider bites him. At first his fantastic skills delight him, but his elation is severely tempered by a family tragedy, prompting him to dedicate his talents to combating evil. However, he faces a baptism of fire in the form of crazed villain the Green Goblin. Comic-book superhero adventure, with Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, Willem Dafoe, James Franco and Rosemary Harris.
Days of Thunder (1990) Sky Movies Action & Adventure 12:05am-2:00am (1 hour 55 minutes)
An arrogant racing driver is determined to seize the reigning champion's crown, but a serious crash jeopardises his chances of ever racing again. Drama, starring Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Robert Duvall, Randy Quaid and John C Reilly
SUNDAY 10th JUNE
E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982) ITV2 6:45pm-9:00pm (2 hours 15 minutes)
A lonely boy befriends an alien who has been left stranded on Earth. The two develop a psychic connection as the boy helps the extraterrestrial to contact his own people and call for rescue. However, living on Earth starts to have a devastating effect on the visitor's health, while a government operative is determined to capture him for study. Steven Spielberg's sci-fi fantasy, starring Henry Thomas, Drew Barrymore, Dee Wallace-Stone and Peter Coyote.
Honey, I Blew Up the Kid (1992) E4 7:15pm-9:00pm (1 hour 45 minutes)
A scientist perfects a device for enlarging any object – but unfortunately, his two-year-old son is accidentally turned into a giant and goes on the rampage through the streets of Las Vegas. Disney comedy sequel, starring Rick Moranis, Marcia Strassman, Robert Oliveri and Lloyd Bridges.
Masters of the Universe (1987) Sky Movies Sci-fi & Horror 4:40pm-6:30pm (1 hour 50 minutes)
The heroic warrior He-Man sets out to bring an end to the evil Skeletor's reign of terror, but is transported to Earth by a cosmic key, with his arch enemy's henchman in hot pursuit. Fantasy adventure, starring Dolph Lundgren, Frank Langella, Meg Foster and Billy Barty.
Inspector Gadget (1999) Film4 3:15pm-4:50pm (1 hour 35 minutes)
A clumsy security guard is critically injured during a run-in with a thief, so his cybernetics-expert employer transforms him into the ultimate crime-fighting machine – a bionic officer with an array of gadgets and weaponry cunningly concealed inside his body. Disney comedy adventure based on the 1980s cartoon series, starring Matthew Broderick, Rupert Everett and Joely Fisher.
Hot Shots! Part Deux (1993) Film4 7:20pm-9:00pm (1 hour 40 minutes)
A misunderstood hero takes on a special mission to rescue a platoon of highly trained soldiers kidnapped by Middle Eastern terrorists. Spoof action movie sequel, starring Charlie Sheen, Valeria Golino and Rowan Atkinson. Martin Sheen makes a cameo appearance alongside his real-life son.
Scarface (1983) ITV4 11:00pm-2:20am (3 hours 20 minutes)
Small-time crook Tony Montana emigrates from Cuba to the US, determined to become rich and powerful. Admitted into the inner circle of a Miami drug lord, he ultimately takes over his boss's empire and even his wife. However, his paranoia and cocaine addiction begin to spiral out of control, while his enemies circle, waiting for the chance to bring him down. Gangster thriller remake, with Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer and Robert Loggia.
What a weekend full of treats we have in store! Definitely something to keep us occupied should this miserable weather continue!
Enjoy the movie marathon xoxo


The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) under the NITI Aayog shall be launching the Atal New India Challenge on April 26.
Under the Atal New India Challenge, which shall be run in collaboration with five ministries, AIM will invite prospective innovators/MSMEs/start-ups to design market-ready products, using cutting-edge technologies or prototypes across 17 identified focus areas such as Climate Smart Agriculture, Smart Mobility, Predictive Maintenance of Rolling Stock, Waste Management etc.
Applicants showing capability, intent and potential to productize technologies will be awarded grants up to Rs. 1 crore. This grant will be further supplemented by mentoring, handholding, incubating and other support as needed at various stages of commercialisation, while generating wider deployment for the product.


text:
Ben Thomson
A Guide to the Many Controversies Currently Engulfing Australian Breakfast TV
Both 'Today' and 'Sunrise' are on the verge of total collapse right now. What's going on?
by Katherine Gillespie
March 20, 2018, 3:45am
If you're under the age of 35, your interactions with Australian breakfast TV have likely been for the most part involuntary—at some point you've been sitting in a waiting room, or an airport departure lounge, with no phone battery left, forced to pass the time by reading a closed captioned infomercial about steam mops, or an in-depth journalistic feature about healthy school lunches, or cheerful early morning "banter" between two co-hosts who obviously harbour at least five years' worth of mostly-unspoken resentment towards each other, perhaps relating to an incident that took place at a Logies after party.
This past week, though, encounters with breakfast television have been completely unavoidable. You'll have had to form an opinion about one of the several on and off-screen controversies that have taken place; differentiate between the many, many perky blonde women who are under the employ of Sunrise and Today; gaze upon the overtly blokey visage of good-guy-feminist Karl Stefanovic, a man who once made headlines for protesting gender inequality by—let me just Google this to make sure I am right—ah yes, wearing the same suit for a few months, meanwhile receiving a salary hundreds of thousands dollars more than that of his female co-host.
It's confusing! All of these people look and speak exactly the same, are by definition extremely replaceable and interchangeable and bland-seeming and "approachable," and yet they earn millions for sitting on a couch each weekday for four hours and rhapsodising about whatever One Nation policy has been emailed directly to the producer that morning by Pauline Hanson herself. I simply cannot blame you for not understanding what is going on—and so below is a breakdown of both the shows that count, ratings-wise (sorry, ABC News Breakfast and Studio 10), their hosts, and their headline-grabbing gaffes.
Which channel? Seven
Who hosts? Samantha Armytage and David Koch
Things begin, as they somehow always do, with The Courier Mail. In early March, the newspaper published an article that included comments supposedly made by federal Assistant Minister for Children and Families David Gillespie encouraging white, rather than Indigenous, families to adopt "abused" Indigenous children. That same day, on a segment called "Hot Topics", Sunrise co-host Samantha Armytage was joined by two fellow white entertainment journalists—sports reporter Ben Davis and former TV Week editor Prue Macsween—to debate Gillespie's comments.
As you might expect when three people with no real knowledge of child protection or Indigenous issues are placed together for a brief hot button segment on live breakfast television, the conversation quickly devolved to the most base and factually inaccurate level. At one point, Macsween seemed to actively advocate for a reboot of the Stolen Generation:
"Just like the first Stolen Generation where a lot of children were taken because it was for their well-being, we need to do it again," she said, as Armytage completely failed to interject with relevant facts or figures pertaining to Australia's long and widely-condemned history of forcibly removing Indigenous children from their homes in order to assimilate them into white society.
The Stolen Generation Hot Topic segment prompted more than 100 people to protest during the live taping of Sunrise at the show's headquarters in Martin Place the next day. In the grand tradition of breakfast TV shows, Sunrise is filmed in front of a clear backdrop, through which viewers around the country can glimpse the sights and sounds of Sydney's commuters.
Often when celebrity guests appear on the show, their fans will congregate in view of the cameras, exposing handmade signs and the like. The protesters clearly intended to appear on the show in the same way, except that producers changed the backdrop to show the aforementioned everyday commuters instead.
Despite the fact it embodies every principle of fake news that events of 2017 and 2018 have thrown into sharp and terrifying focus, this one has not prompted much in the way of apology or explanation. As per a Channel 7 statement given to the ABC:
"We respect the right to protest as much as we respect the right of free speech. Some of the group were holding offensive signage and some began banging on the window and mouthing obscenities. To ensure regulatory compliance, and bearing in mind the potential for young children to be watching, the decision was made to utilise a generic backdrop."
This morning, by way of vague and belated apology, Sunrise aired a "special edition" of Hot Topics in which they consulted three Indigenous panellists who are experts on child protection. Some people questioned whether journalistic balance should only occur on "special" occasions, but who is to say? Certainly not I.
Some additional context points to a wider problem at Sunrise. Samantha Armytage, after all, already had a section on her Wikipedia page dedicated to racial controversy.
Back in 2015, she and co-host David Koch (think of him as a balder and more stately-looking Karl Stefanovic) were interviewing a pair of twins not unlike those currently gracing the cover of National Geographic—women who share the same parents but have different skin tones. Visually compelling but also, when you really think about it, not something that should necessarily make headlines or form the basis of a television segment. Which became overwhelming apparent when Armytage appeared to congratulate the lighter-skinned twin, Lucy, for taking after her white father instead of her half-Jamaican mother.
"Lucy got her dad's fair skin," Armytage told viewers. "Good on her!"
You could actually see Kochie processing the moment then choosing to avoid saying anything to rectify it in real time. Worth a watch.
In weeks following, Armytage apologised for causing offence and also explained how sad and upset the whole thing was making her, personally.
Channel 7 stood by the host in any event, giving the Sydney Morning Herald this extremely reasonable explanation for her comments:
"Regular members of the Sunrise audience or anyone who has seen the clip in full will know that Sam was taking a dig at herself… She frequently jokes about the fair skin that runs in her family and how difficult it can be to manage in extreme environments."
So that, I regret to inform you, is where Sunrise —a show watched by around 2.5 million people each week—is at. What's going on with its rival?
Which channel? Nine
Who hosts? Karl Stefanovic and Georgie Gardner
While Sunrise has embroiled itself in issues-based controversies of late, its rival Today—a less politically-inclined but similarly white person-centric show—has been experiencing more traditional breakfast television problems: its presenters clearly hate each other, and are getting less good at hiding it by the day.
A quick run-through of the power players, beginning with the Stefanovic brothers, Karl and Peter. Karl is the popular male co-host of Today, and with his controversially-departed former couchmate Lisa Wilkinson is credited with making the show the ratings success it is currently. Before Lisa and Karl got on board, Sunrise was by far Australia's favourite breakfast show. Nowadays, the playing field is much more even.
What to say about Karl? For years he got away with a squeaky clean dorky-Dad image—he even wrote a cookbook of barbecue recipes. One messy divorce and much-younger-new-girlfriend later, though, and we're firmly in midlife crisis territory. Karl currently hosts Today with Georgie Gardner, and is close with his brother Peter, who hosts the weekend version of the breakfast show. Peter is in turn married to Sylvia Jeffreys, a blonde woman not to be confused with Georgie Gardner, who reads the news headlines on weekday Today.
Why is any of this relevant? So well-known are Peter and Karl in the Sydney media scene that they're regularly papped together… and secretly monitored by their Uber drivers. Peter was in the company of one such Uber driver recently, while engaging in a confessional 45-minute chat with his brother on speakerphone for some reason during which both men reportedly complained about most of their Channel 9 colleagues, including but not limited to Georgie Gardner (who sits on the fence too much and doesn't have enough opinions), Richard Wilkins (who is too protective of his entertainment industry contacts), 60 Minutes (which is becoming irrelevant) and the entire Channel 9 board of management (who are out of touch).
The Uber driver in question has been shopping the story all around town, although Australia's strict privacy and defamation laws have made it difficult for them to profit from the illegally-recorded conversation. New Idea (which is owned by Channel Nine rival Seven West Media) managed to make it work, though, and the result has been both brothers issuing public apologies.
Needless to say, the atmosphere on the show is now incredibly and compellingly awkward. On Monday's show, Georgie Gardner called Karl "pathetic" when he expressed a fear of dachshunds. This morning, the Today producers attempted to resolve tensions by keeping everyone except Karl off the set and cutting to Gardner and Jeffreys from two different interstate locations devastated by bushfires over the weekend.
So now you're up to date on everything happening at Sunrise and Today! Some alternative but similarly mind-numbing breakfast entertainment options while you're mulling over which show to pick: chewing your toast at half-speed, forming an opinion on an issue you know nothing about, staring directly into the morning sun.
Further reading? Google "Mel and Kochie" or "Karl Stefanovic salary".
Follow Kat on Twitter
Tagged:CulturePoliticsEntertainmentTodaySunriseAustralia TodayBreakfast television


Today's topic is what are your strengths job interview question.
Even though we all have a diverse set of skills and experiences, there are ideas we can all benefit from. But before we go searching for the perfect thing to say, we need to first figure out how to think like a hiring manager.
If you were the hiring manager, sitting on the other side of the table, what would you want to get out of that question?
You'd ideally want to feel that this candidate has achieved this before, and that he can do it again for us.
With your answers, you need to convince the hiring manager that your strengths completely align with what is expected. For example, if you are interviewing for a management accounting role, then some of your strengths should be around IFRS, ratio analysis, acid test, etc… And, you need to give examples from your past while talking about your strengths. Example is a proof that you have done before and you can easily replicate it in future for that employer.
Step 1: Take a look at the job description first.
Always start with the job description and try to really understand what is required for this role. What kind of skills and experiences they require so you can use those to show your strengths. Once you understand it, then create that "persona" in your mind.
Who would be the ideal candidate for this role? It's important you kind of visualize this process. Once you know the perfect candidate by making an emphathy, you'll be able to create that "persona" from your previous experiences. The following steps will be quite easy.
Once you know what skills and experiences required, then look at your own CV and try to take out those elements that you can show as a strength to the hiring manager. This is really important. Your strengths should be matching with what they are looking for. Otherwise, there would be no reason for them to ask this question in the first place.
First, you need to take a good look at yourself, and understand where your strengths come from. No one is going to have all the same strengths, so this is something that you will have to decide on for yourself. However, these are simple questions you can ask yourself to get going down the right path.
What past job experience do I have?
Do I have any personal hobbies that align with this company or field?
Have I done a similar job to this before?
Have a worked in this industry before?
What sets me apart from the other candidates?
What special life experiences do I have that would showcase my skills for this job?
You need to ask yourself, what experiences and skills does this company value for the position I'm applying for. Try to check out what skills and strengths people who already hold that position possess. A good place to start for both of these are the company website, and LinkedIn. By doing some research ahead of time, you'll have a clearer idea of what attributes to highlight, and which ones you shouldn't mention at all.
Step 3: How about the unwritten requirements?
Do you remember that we have previously discussed the unwritten requirements in previous posts? They apply here as well. Speak with experts or make a proper internet research and come up with a few items that you think highly relevant to the job. Hiring managers are very busy individuals, they don't always have time to go through the job description development very seriously. So, they throw in a couple of bullet points and then they are done. But this doesn't mean there are no more requirements than what is written in that small piece of paper. So, do you research and come up with other requirements that are not written in the JD.
Now, you know what skills from your past apply to this role properly. The remaining task is the easy one. You need to put in a few hours of practice to perfect your speech. This is the easiest and fun bit. Just go to a mirror and start delivering your speech. My strengths are… Once you are confident of your delivery, then find a friend or family and pitch it to them. Make sure they take this as seriously as possible though. You want them to really be strict with you.
You're not a scarecrow, don't act like one!
The amount of times I've seen presenters stand in same exact stop, never lifting their feet, has to be too many to count. Do not let this be you! Although you probably won't have much room, this doesn't mean you should sit still. (If you're using the gold approach, then this tip will be that much easier to implement!
Make sure you're standing up straight with good posture.
If you remain seated, then make sure you are sitting up straight with good posture. Having good posture is a key element to any successful presentation. It shows strength, and attentiveness. It shows that you are interested in the job, and care about the position. If you are sitting down, it is a good idea to lean slightly forward as well. This will continue to highlight your interest in the job.
Verbalize and annunciate all your words.
Yes, that means trying to avoid stuttering and mumbling at all costs. This presentation is when you're delivering on your strengths, and by being clean and straightforward, you're sure to convey the right message. Make sure you avoid these in you presentation.
Try to have a single central or key idea.
This is a good tip for any presentation. Whether you're giving an oral presentation, or going with the tried and true gold method, you want to decide on the key or central idea you want to convey to your hiring manager. You should support this idea at least three times throughout your presentation. By doing this, you're leaving a clear and direct message to your hiring manager.
Try to include very light humor.
This is a tricky one, and something that should be done with care. Some very light humor in the beginning or opening of your presentation is encouraged, although you want to avoid relying on this too heavily. If in doubt, go more conservative. Remember, you're likely in a corporate setting.
Fillers can be pretty hard to phase out of your vocabulary. When you're presenting, you want to avoid them at all costs. Although they may seem unnoticeable, they can be painfully obvious to the audience. The best way to help reduce and eliminate them is with the next helpful tip.


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State of the Tropics Is life in the Tropics getting better? Oceans
Why do the tropics matter?
2014 State of the Tropics report
Digital Divide Summary
Interactive Summary
Economy and Employment
SOTT Alliance members
Is life in the Tropics getting better?
About SOTT
Air Land Water
Is life getting better?
Oceans comprise 76% of the tropics by area. Tropical oceans are generally shallower and warmer than in other regions and tend to be lower in nutrients hence support lower densities of marine organisms. They do, however, support the most biologically diverse marine ecosystems on the planet.
Oceans, and in particular coastal marine waters, are fundamental to the health and wellbeing of many communities in the tropics with a large proportion of the human population dependent on marine resources for sustenance and livelihoods. Valuable income is also generated from coral reef and beach associated tourism. Oceans also provide important global protective, regulatory and supporting ecosystem services with their role as a carbon sink, in climate regulation and in nutrient cycling.
Marine Catch
Fish are the primary source of animal protein for many coastal communities worldwide. Communities that rely on small-scale fisheries are largely located in the tropics and about half the wild marine fish catch is taken by these small-scale operations. Commercial operations are also increasingly influential in the tropics. Sustainable management of marine catch is essential to maintain the ecological integrity of oceans as well as providing a sustainable resource for coastal communities into the future.
Globally, wild marine catch quadrupled between the 1950s to when it peaked in the mid-1990s. Since then catches outside of the tropics have declined or stabilised despite increasing fishing effort. By comparison, exploitation of wild marine resources in the tropics has grown rapidly over the past 60 years. Although lower in overall fish biomass, the tropics' share of the overall global wild marine fish catch is increasing. Greater demand for seafood from a growing and increasingly affluent population, combined with better technology and greater fishing effort by international vessels in tropical waters, means pressures on marine fish stocks are likely to increase further.
Aquaculture is the cultivation of aquatic organisms such as fish, crustaceans, molluscs and aquatic plants under controlled conditions. Increased aquaculture production is associated with a transition to more sustainable fishing practices. Assuming continued population growth and constant per capita demand for seafood, responsible aquaculture represents the best hope of both meeting demand and halting the decline of wild stocks.
In 2010, the tropics produced 36% of reported global aquaculture production, up from 26% in 1950. The rapid growth in tropical aquaculture, particularly of monocultures, has had negative environmental effects, including impacts on water quality and the introduction of invasive species. However, significant improvements are being made in productivity and environmental practices, including placing a greater emphasis on diversifying types of fisheries used.
The vast majority of coral reef systems are located in the tropics. They are the most biologically diverse marine ecosystems and provide a range of goods and services to tropical nations. For many nations, coral reefs are important for fisheries, provide protection to coasts and are an important source of income through tourism.
Coral reefs in all tropical regions are suffering from increased local and global threats. Impacts on reefs increased markedly between 1998 and 2010 with about 80% of all tropical reefs now considered to be at medium or high risk of damage.
The main local threats to reefs include coastal development, overfishing, destructive fishing practices, pollution and sedimentation. Increased water temperatures and ocean acidification are the greatest global threats. Loss of coral reef systems is having wider ecosystem and human well-being ramifications because of declining fish populations and erosion of protective services offered to coastal communities.
Mangroves are important nurseries and habitats for marine life. They help filter pollutants from land-based run-off and help protect nearby coral reefs, seagrass beds and coastal infrastructure. The tropics host nearly 95% of the world's mangroves by area and 99% of all mangrove species.
Mangrove forests have decreased in area since 1980 in all tropical regions. The greatest threats to mangroves include illegal forestry, coastal development, impacts from aquaculture and pollution. Loss of mangroves increases the risk of adverse impacts of extreme weather events on coastal communities and contributes directly to losses of fisheries resources. Some tropical nations have recognised the value of mangrove ecosystems and are improving legislative protection as well as initiating reforestation efforts to improve coastal mangrove systems.


Hear success stories from companies and individuals that we have worked with to achieve their health, safety and environmental goals.
Ziad Francis About, HSE Manager, Amana Contracting and Steel Buildings, UAE.
"Our collaboration and affiliation with the British Safety Council has changed the course of our operations and helped us achieve our core values with absolute commitment and integrity."
Mr. Daere Akobo, Group Managing Director, Plant Engineering Limited, Nigeria.
"Membership of the British Safety Council allows GardaWorld to show our commitment and determination towards achieving HSE excellence to our clients and industry peers."
Karel Simpson, Senior Manager HSE, GardaWorld, UAE.
"In a very short span of time, we have realized that our affiliation with British Safety Council is proving very worthwhile. We found their e-learning courses very innovative, user friendly and interactive. We wish to continue our relationship for years to come."
Engr. Farhan E Qureshi (B.E Civil/PMP), Managing Director, Aramis Contracting LLC, UAE.
Paul Haxell, Group Health, Safety and Environment Director, Bovis Homes Ltd.
Seigha Adukeh, Deputy Managing Director, Megastar Technical and Construction Co. Ltd, Nigeria.
"We are proud the globally recognised British Safety Council has given UrbaCon Trading and Contracting (UCC) a platform to grow, develop and implement its safety policy. Membership has helped to enhance the level of safety practices, safeguarding precious lives."
Ahmad Aseer FIIRSM, RSP, LEED Green Associate, Senior HSE Manager and Management Representative, UrbaCon Trading and Contracting LLC (UCC), Qatar.
"I have used the module most days and have been impressed with the professionalism and thorough nature of the content. I was also very impressed by the level of service and advice I was given when I called the employment helpline."
"Education, training and implementation of safe practices have all led to increased safety awareness. The British Safety Council has helped the implementation of good protocol to reduce the chances of risks and accidents..."
"HHSL Safety Systems Limited has ensured that all their personnel are trained and competent to perform their roles as HSE Advisors to both the upstream and downstream companies in the Petrochemical sector..."
"Suggested ways to give something back to the environment so they have introduced and managed two biodiversity projects by creating wildlife areas. The aim was to provide a self-sustained..."
Appearing in our case studies is a great way to increase your business reputation, and show how membership with the British Safety Council has impacted your organisation.


Solidarity Park Community memorial – Relevant for today!
On 30th May 1937, the Ciudad de Barcelona, a ship bringing approximately 300 International brigadistas to the Spanish Civil War, was sunk by a fascist torpedo just off the coast of Malgrat de Mar, Catalonia.
At least 45 lives were lost that day but the true figure is likely to be much higher as the ship sailed in clandestine conditions. Many more of them would have died was it not for actions of the local people of Malgrat on the day, which came hurriedly to the rescue. In this the 80th anniversary please help us remember these heroes and continue the important historical research and build a memorial with community participation.
The brigadists stood for solidarity, liberty and freedom. They were fighting for an equal world for all. In this time when far right intolerance and repression is growing again it is more important than ever that we remember the International brigades for a new generation.
That is why this memorial project at every level promotes community involvement, Internationalism and Solidarity. This includes International workshops in the actual creation of the works but also a programme of historical study and art creation including design of aspects of the monument with secondary school students. To date 2 local schools in Catalonia are involved in partnership with schools in Germany, England and Australia.
The memorial art work is inspired by the numerous stories that the Brigadistas aboard the sinking ship sang the Internationale created by Artist Rob MacDonald who shares name with one of the deceased brigadistas aboard the ship.
Please help us raise the funds for phase 1 and 2 of the project. Phase 1 is the creation of 60 Brigadista figures these will be mounted on a large stone ship with many features situated in a park on the beach front. Phase 2 of the project is to facilitate the community participation including opening a special workshop for the project in the town of Malgrat. Phase 3 will be the wider installations of the project supported by the local council.
The project has begun but we need more support to make a donation and see basic details go to Campaign page.


Are you looking to develop your career in Montessori and Early Years education?
We are delighted to be holding an extra special open evening on Wednesday 11 April, 6.30pm – 8.00pm, for individuals looking to develop and further their Montessori and early years education. For the first time, we will be offering guests the chance to attend in person at our London College or online via webinar.
During the open evening, guests will hear more about our Diploma in Montessori Pedagogy, which can be started in April or September. There are still places left for the April start date so the open evening will be one of the final chances to find out more about the respected and trusted course.
Guests will hear from our Head of Academic Programmes, Penny Johns, about the Diploma and ways you can study it. We are proud to offer courses with different ways to studying designed to fit in around your work, life, how you like to learn and your current level of experience. Penny will also discuss our other courses including the Foundation Degree and Certificate of Higher Education – both which can be supported by student finance for eligible students.
There will also be an opportunity to find out more about our Integrating Montessori Practice (IMP) course for qualified early years practitioners wanting to add Montessori to their practice and the Introducing the Montessori Approach (IMA) course which offers an introduction to Montessori for those who are new to Montessori or a refresher for those wishing to reconnect with their initial training.
Both of these innovative courses have been developed in direct response to listening to the needs of Montessori employers. During the evening, there will also be an opportunity to explore the college's learning environment, meet the tutors and talk to current students. Our advisors will also be there to answer your questions about financing your studies, with information provided about student finance and our Birts Bursary.