In an earlier article we considered changes to the brain in people with CRPS solely in the context of poor memory or 'brain fog'. In this regard, in addition to factors such as poor sleep and the side-effects of medication, there has long been speculation in the medical profession that memory loss for those suffering CRPS may also be the result of a malfunction in a part of the brain known as the Limbic System, which is involved in the control of our mood and instinct.
However, in recent years, more advanced medical imaging techniques have meant that, for the first time, there is actually now visual evidence that people with CRPS undergo significant changes in certain areas of the brain.
The studies undertaken involve complex neuroscience, much of which can be difficult to fathom. Before considering the results of these studies further, a brief glossary may be helpful. My apologies to anyone in the science community for the over-simplification, which is entirely for my benefit!
The brain essentially consists of grey matter and white matter, named for their respective shades (actually pinkish-grey and white). The shade comes down to the fat content and the presence of blood vessels.
Grey matter comprises neurons (commonly referred to as 'brain cells') and glial cells, which hold neurons in place, insulate them from one another, supply them with essential oxygen and nutrients and remove waste.
White matter comprises the nerve fibres which connect areas of grey matter and along which nerve signals pass. If an area of white matter is damaged, the brain may eventually be able to rewire itself; finding an alternative route to replace the lost connection(s).
Such rewiring is an example of brain plasticity. Brain plasticity (or neuroplasticity) is the brain's ability to change itself over time by modifying its connections. These changes do not just occur in order to repair damaged connections. They are essential to our development, allowing us to develop from a child to an adult, as well as helping us to adapt to new situations and environments.
But brain plasticity can also have a negative effect.
Research published recently in the Journal of Pain is just the latest to suggest that people with CRPS undergo significant brain plasticity resulting in marked structural and functional changes in certain areas of the brain.
The researchers found that people newly diagnosed with CRPS showed both reduced blood flow and a lower volume of grey matter in regions of the brain associated with both pain and movement. This indicated the occurrence of brain plasticity during the early stages of CRPS.
In patients with long term CRPS, whilst there did not appear to be a further reduction in the volume of grey matter, the study found that there was a clear negative relationship between average levels of pain and the volume of grey matter in regions of the brain associated with pain processing. In other words, the lower the volume of grey matter in those areas, the higher the average levels of pain reported.
However, the ability of the brain to change can provide hope in the form of targeted therapy. Perhaps the best example of this familiar to people with CRPS is Graded Motor Imagery (GMI).
The idea behind GMI is to train the brain to re-connect to the part of the body affected by pain. The accepted theory is that in a person with CRPS, their brain effectively disowns the part of the body affected, seeing it instead as a threat. Normally, when we injure ourselves the brain perceives this threat and, as a protection mechanism, produces pain as an alarm signal, which allows us to deal with and treat the injured area. However, in cases of CRPS, this alarm system is faulty.
GMI focuses on the areas of the brain responsible for sensation and movement. In each area there is a particular space for each part of the body. When somebody suffers pain for a long time the space associated with the painful part of the body can become 'fuzzy', creating confusion in the brain, which in turn continues to produce pain as a protection mechanism. In essence, this is the brain's way of attempting to identify the affected part of the body. GMI involves a series of steps aimed at helping the brain to re-identify the affected part and thereby reduce pain. The step in the GMI process that most people are familiar with is of course mirror therapy.
Whilst there has been considerable research on the efficacy of GMI as a treatment for CRPS, the results reported can at best be described as variable. Interestingly, however, in terms of a reduction in levels of pain, results for GMI have generally been more positive for people suffering CRPS than for people suffering other chronic pain conditions.


In addition to observation, health professionals sometimes simply verbally inquire as to whether a client is using illicit drugs. Although some clients will not answer honestly, many will, in part because they are concerned about their health and understand that disclosing such information in a primary care setting does not lead to legal jeopardy. Health professionals who are skilled in obtaining verbal disclosures from clients may find this approach particularly useful.


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Q: Pass name of button to click event I am generating a number of buttons with similar or identical content and was hoping to use the names they are given to differentiate them. As the program is creating the buttons dynamically I can't create a separate event for them all and instead need to be able to grab the name to be able to know which button triggered the event.
Is there a way to pass through the name of a button to the click event it initiates? the sender object seems to contain the content but not the name.
It is for a event like this:
    private void Button_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
    {
        //getname of button
        Canvas.Children.Remove(//name of button\\)
    }

A: Far as I know, WPF does not even assign anything to the Name property automatically - that's just for developers to assign so we can reference the control.
However, you should be able to just pass in the sender to the remove method since it accepts a UIElement argument which Button is derived from.
Canvas.Children.Remove((Button)sender);

A: I'm not familiar with WPF. If this answer appears to be a junk, I'll delete it.
In ASP.Net, we can cast to a button to get the sender's information. Something like this -
private void Button_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
    var button = sender as Button;
    button.Name
}

A: Perhaps getting at the control's name will work for you
private void button1_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
  Control control = (Control)sender;
  Canvas.Children.Remove(control.Name);
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


New York, NY — The Audio Engineering Society has opened online advance registration for its 143rd International AES Convention, taking place October 18 to 21, 2017, at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City. The largest professional audio education, networking and gear exhibition of the year, this fall's AES Convention will offer a comprehensive and expansive professional media and entertainment production program, three full days of pro audio gear exhibitions and presentations, and a world-class series of events and experiences to take attendees to the next level of audio prowess.
Not only does advance registration offer the lowest pricing available on technical program All Access badges, but, for the 30 days prior to June 17, Exhibits-Plus registration is complimentary – a $75 value. In addition, AES New York 2017 will be co-located with the NAB Show New York 2017. Registration, at any level, for AES New York 2017 will give attendees access to the NAB Show New York exhibition floor and the content in the NAB Show New York's Core Package (also a $75 value). In an increasingly multimedia-driven world, the 300+ exhibitors expected to showcase video production tools on the NAB Show New York exhibition floor will complement the 300+ professional audio exhibitors that are regulars on the AES New York exhibition floor, offering media professionals the potential for a broader experience.
The full four-day AES New York 2017 technical program lets attendees Listen, Learn and Connect via presentations covering the latest audio research and via workshops, tutorials, technical tours, and student and career development events spanning a diverse array of audio topics, all led by the world's leading audio experts. This year's AES New York convention will also feature an expanded program of special events and exhibition floor stage presentations – ranging from broadcast audio to recording, live sound, virtual reality and more – open to all attendees. Full program details are in development now. Visit www.aesshow.com to see what's in store and register today for the ultimate pro audio experience, AES New York 2017.


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If You Think Groot is Dead.... Spoiler Alert: Groot Has Apparently Been Killed on Many Occasions But Each Time There Have Been New Sprigs
Once again, Prof. Jon Taplin of USC has written about the "The Day The Music Died."
This time Prof. Taplin links to an Aug. 26th, 2014 post by Paul Resnikoff built around a (hyperbolic?) visual aid created by the "antipiracy" reactionaries at the RIAA, the recorded music industry trade group. Take a look at the frightening illustration below:
Looks bad...
But did the music really die?
And is Napster really to blame?
Or is something more complex happening?
Something that the RIAA illustration above fails to reveal?
I realize it won't be popular with the small group of people who once made millions from multi-platinum albums (or got to hang out with them like Prof. Taplin) but - unless you're still mad because you no longer get to fly to gigs on a jet with your band's logo on the side - or you enjoy wearing sackcloth and ashes - you might want to consider the stats just published (Sept. 23rd, 2014) by Frank Rose:
"Between 2007 and 2009, the number of million-selling hits grew 220 per cent; from 2009 to 2011, that number grew 125 per cent."
How can the RIAA illustration above and Frank Rose's stats both be true?
"[Y]ear after year, more and more songs became hits, even as the average size of those hits kept shrinking."
Yes, the biggest selling acts today are not selling anywhere near as many physical copies as some acts used to back in the 70s.
And simply relying on the long tail is not a viable business strategy.
But the music has not died exactly either.
Instead (as Frank Rose explains) "smaller hits tailored to the tastes of specific audiences" are still selling - even if in aggregate the revenue from physical copies is declining.
In short?
It isn't the same old music business, and if you're looking for (mobbed up?) promotion people pushing certain records into the stratosphere - today isn't your era.
But does a decline in artists able to afford their own jets really equal the end of music?
Posted by Randy Finch on Thursday, September 25, 2014

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


To paraphrase a wonderful New York Globe editorial from the very early years of the 20th century, "Yes, totteleh, there were trolley cars in Miami! And Coral Gables! And Miami Beach!" Indeed, for some 35 glorious years, streetcars or trolley cars, today returning to cities throughout America under the updated moniker "light rail vehicles" operated in, to and through the then three largest cities in Dade County.
Some years ago Ed Ridolph wrote a fine, soft cover book titled "Biscayne Bay Trolleys" in which he detailed the history of the three separate systems, complete with rosters and photographs and it is in no small part due to Ed's early research that we have learned so much about those operations, and, as it generally is, it is best to begin at the beginning, which is what, in this column, we shall do.
There is some debate as to whether the first trolleys to operate in Miami were the several of the electric variety owned by the Tatum Brothers (in later years they of, yes, you guessed it, Tatum Waterway Drive fame, that street beginning at 77th Street just before one would go over the bridge to Biscayne Beach and directly across from the west end of Biscayne Elementary School, at 800-77th Street) or those of the animal powered type which departed from the dock near either the Musa Isle or the Carhart Tower, both of those fine edifices early observation towers where one could look from today's either 12th Avenue or 17th Avenue adjacent to the Miami River toward an Everglades that still came east almost to today's Northwest Seventh Avenue and wound up at…you guessed it! The tower!
Tatum's trolleys only lasted for two years while the mule or horse powered cars, which ran from the Miami River landing to the tower, may have lasted into the early teens. In any case, the city, having been founded only nine years before the first electric trolleys ran was simply nowhere near capable of filling the seats of the incipient and long before its time mass transit system.
Sometime around 1913 the second effort to run streetcars on rails occurred in Miami when several enterprising entrepreneurs determined that they could operate a trolley line profitably provided that the power to operate the car was the all the rage and coming into vogue storage battery, a massive set of batteries located under the car that promised to allow the car to run silently and flawlessly all day and until the car ran back to the street car barn for its overnight battery re-charging. Problem was, it didn't work.
Finally, in 1919, the first electric trolley car, operating with a trolley pole connecting to an overhead wire, rolled silently down 12th Street, which, under the Chaille street renumbering plan of 1921, would create the quadrant system, turn 12th Street into Flagler Street, Avenue D into Miami Avenue and install a rational numbering system based on Southeast, Southwest, Northeast and Northwest street and avenue numbering. The trolley was an immediate hit and, at various times, the Miami street cars were run or the system was managed by the City of Miami itself, Florida Power and Light Company or The Miami Beach Railway Company, the successor company maintaining that name of the company's buses until the Dade County MTA buyout of the private transit systems in 1963 or '64.
At any rate, the Miami trolleys would eventually operate from a large trolley barn and yard at Southwest Second Street and Second Avenue and serve most downtown streets, Northeast Second Avenue to 36th Street, Flagler Street west to 22nd Avenue, the point at which the Coral Gables Rapid Transit Company's street cars would leave their own tracks and begin operating on the Miami company's trackage as they continued on to downtown Miami. Among other routes, the Seventh Avenue line, which ran past the then-new Seaboard depot at 2206 Northwest Seventh Avenue and all the way up to 35th Street was a very popular line, carrying large numbers of working people back and forth to and from their homes in that area of the city.
Next issue, the story continues with a look back at George Merrick's Coral Gables Rapid Transit Company, it's two separate lines into downtown Miami, and the short lived Sunset line, which, indeed "sunsetted" after on about two brief years of unsuccessful operation.


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Pittsburgh Penguins vs Toronto Maple Leafs prediction, 15 November 2022 - odds & betting tips on NHL
Pittsburgh Penguins vs Toronto Maple Leafs prediction and betting tips (November 15)
The Pittsburgh Penguins have won three of the last four H2H matches against the Maple Leafs. Will the guests be strong enough to stop the Penguins in this fixture?
Evgeni Malkin was the first star of the last H2H match against the Maple Leafs
The Pittsburgh Penguins vs Toronto Maple Leafs fixture in the 2022-23 NHL will take place on Tuesday, 15 October 2022, starting at 7:00 p.m. ET. The kickoff time is 11:00 p.m. by GMT this day. The venue is PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh.
The Pittsburgh Penguins are priced with the odds of 2.30 (+130 American; 13/10 Fractional) to win the next match in full-time, which equals an approximate probability of 43%. The Toronto Maple Leafs come with the odds of 2.70 (+170; 17/10) to take two points before the overtime. The chances of this outcome are approximately equal to 37%. The draw is priced with the odds of 4.60 (+360; 18/5), which equals an approximate probability of 20%.
The latest odds for Pittsburgh Penguins vs Toronto Maple Leafs (15 November 2022):
Over 6.5 goals — 2.00 (+100; 1/1)
Under 6.5 goals — 1.95 (-105; 19/20)
Asian handicap (-1.5) on Penguins — 3.00 (+200; 2/1)
Asian handicap (+1.5) on Maple Leafs — 1.45 (-182; 9/20)
The Pittsburgh Penguins lost a match against the Montreal Canadiens (4-5 OT).
In the first period, the Penguins were able to make only four shots on target and did not finish any of them successfully. The Montreal Canadiens made seven attempts to score. Josh Anderson bagged the first goal in the second minute.
The Canadiens dominated in the second period, but they did not convert any out of 19 attempts to score. The Pittsburgh Penguins made eight shots on target and scored two goals. Jeff Petry and Rickard Rakell bagged their goals in this period.
The Pittsburgh Penguins made 11 shots and won 14 out of 24 face-offs in the third period, whereas their rivals made 14 attempts to score. Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki and Sean Monahan bagged three goals for the Canadiens, whereas Evgeni Malkin and Brock McGinn scored their goals for the Penguins. In the second minute of the overtime, Mike Hoffman scored a winning goal.
A total of under 6.5 goals has played out in four of the last five matches with the Pittsburgh Penguins participating. The same total comes with the odds of 1.95 (-105; 19/20) in their next game.
The Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Vancouver Canucks (3-2) in the most recent fixture.
The Canucks bagged two goals in the first period, and did not let the Toronto Maple Leafs finish any of their 10 attempts to score successfully. Bo Horvat and J.T. Miller scored their goals in the fourth and 13th minutes, respectively.
In the second period, the Maple Leafs were stronger than their rivals. They made 16 shots on target, won 11 out of 17 face-offs and completed five interceptions. Auston Matthews, Pierre Engvall and Jordie Benn scored their goals.
In the last period, the Canucks made 10 attempts to score and had two power play opportunities, but the Maple Leafs did not let their rivals level the score.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have scored at least three goals in three of the last four matches. The same outcome is priced with the odds of 1.60 (-167; 3/5) this time.
Pittsburgh Penguins vs Toronto Maple Leafs H2H
The Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Toronto Maple Leafs (4-2) in their single H2H match in the 2022-23 season. Evgeni Malkin was the first star of the match with one goal and one assist.
Pittsburgh Penguins projected starting lineup:
Casey DeSmith
Brian Dumoulin
Drake Caggiula
Evgeni Malkin was the first star of the last H2H match against the Maple Leafs. Also, he is the best scorer for the Penguins with seven goals and nine assists.
Toronto Maple Leafs projected first lineup:
Ilya Samsonov
T. J. Brodie
Morgan Rielly
Mitch Marner
Auston Matthews
John Tavares
Mitch Marner is the sixth best assistant in the 2022-23 season. He has three goals and 15 assists.
In the last game against the Montreal Canadiens, the Penguins played much worse than their rivals in spite of the draw in the regular time. The Canadiens were able to beat their rivals by at least two goals, but they were not lucky to finish most of their dangerous moments successfully.
In the last H2H match, the Maple Leafs attacked much better than their rivals. Also, the Toronto Maple Leafs came back in the last game against the Canucks by scoring three goals in a row to win the match by one goal.
Mike Sullivan's boys started their season badly. They have lost eight of the last 10 matches, whereas the Maple Leafs have won four of the last six matches and lost one out of two fixtures in overtime. Of course, they lost the last H2H game against the Penguins, but I believe that they will beat them this time.
Betting prediction: Toronto Maple Leafs to win (including overtime)
Odds: 2.05 (+105 American; 21/20 Fractions)
Ice Hockey. NHL. Round 16
Pittsburgh Penguins — Toronto Maple Leafs
Nov 15 11:00 PM CAT
Toronto Maple Leafs to win (including overtime)
Edmonton Oilers vs Tampa Bay Lightning prediction and betting tips (January 19)
The Tampa Bay Lightning and the Edmonton Oilers have streaks of three and four victories, respectively. Which streak will be broken this time?
Calgary Flames vs Colorado Avalanche prediction and betting tips (January 18)
The Colorado Avalanche and the Calgary Flames have won three of the last four H2H matches each. How will be finished game between the fourth teams of their divisions?
MIDNIGHT CAT
Pittsburgh Penguins vs Anaheim Ducks prediction and betting tips (January 16)
The Pittsburgh Penguins have lost eight of the last ten matches, but have won four of the last five H2H matches against the Ducks. Will they beat the Anaheim Ducks in this game?


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Hu'umula Information Update for January 30th, 2021
A GoFundMe page has been set up for a 23-year-old Hawaii Island woman critically injured in a sledding (boogie board) incident on the summit of Maunakea Friday, January 29th, 2021.
File Photo: Snow-Capped Maunakea (PC: Benjamin Agdeppa)
Published by: HIRSC - Hawaii Island (Holualoa and Hilo) Team
A 23-year-old Hawaii Island woman critically injured in an apparent sledding accident has been medevac to Queen's Medical Center for further medical treatment, where at this time, she remains in the Intensive Care Unit in critical condition.
The 23-year-old woman was identified by family and friends, however, the HIRSC Team has elected not to name the woman in updates to give the family some privacy during this sudden and also tragic incident.
According to further details released by officials, the female was sledding (using a boogie board or bodyboard) on the snowy hill on the summit of Maunakea at an unknown rate of speed, when she lost control and crashed on the icy and rocky surface below the hill suffering multiple traumatic injuries and reported to have been unresponsive following the incident.
Immediately following the incident, numerous bystanders provided basic medical care until Maunakea Rangers later transported her down the summit to Hale Pohaku where they rendezvous with PTA Fire and HFD Medic. HFD Medic then transported the female to Hilo Medical Center in critical condition to awaiting trauma team.
Due to the extent of her injuries, she was stabilized and then transferred (medevac) to the Queen's Medical Center (Level I Trauma Center) on the Island of O'ahu later on Friday evening, where at this time, she still remains in critical condition and surrounded by family members. The injuries the 23-year-old suffered were considered to be extensive, suffering from numerous broken bones and also traumatic injury to the head.
The family of the 23-year-old Hawaii Island woman has set up a GoFundMe page to help with covering medical expenses.
Initial Update on January 29th, 2021:
The Hawaii Fire Department (HFD) along with U.S. Army Fire Department at Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA Fire), Hawaii Police Department (HPD), and Maunakea Rangers responded to a report of a medical emergency on the summit of Maunakea Friday evening (January 29th).
The initial call came in at 6:37 pm Friday evening and HFD Crews from the Haihai and Kaumana Fire Stations along with PTA Fire Company 50, HPD Officers from the South Hilo Patrol, and Maunakea Rangers responded to the scene located on the summit of Maunakea near the 7-mile marker on Maunakea Access Road.
Upon the arrival of emergency crews, reports came in from bystanders reporting a female (described to be her 20s) was sledding (using a boogie board) on the summit of Maunakea (below the observatories) and had lost control and crashed on the icy surface suffering serious injuries.
Immediately following the incident, bystanders provided basic medical care and Maunakea Rangers later arrived at the scene and assist with medical care, then transported the female patient to Hale Pohaku (Maunakea Visitor Information Center) to rendezvous with PTA Fire and HFD personnel. The female patient reported to have suffered traumatic injuries to the head as a result of the incident.
Once HFD and PTA Fire crews arrived at the scene, they immediately began providing advanced medical care to the female patient. HFD Medic then transported the female to the Hilo Medical Center in critical condition for further medical treatment.
Maunakea Rangers and HPD continue to investigate the incident.


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Q: awk printing random "e" that is not in string I am wanting to extract ip and port from a string.
Strings look like this.
destination x.x.x.x:yyyy
where x is ip and y is port
    commandout=()
    while IFS= read -r line # Read a line
    do
        commandout+=("$line") # Append line to the array
    done < <(tmsh list ltm virtual $vip | grep destination)
    for output in "$commandout";
    do
        if [[ $output == *"destination"* ]];then
            #split off ip and port
            ipport=$(echo $output | awk 'BEGIN{}{print $2}')
            echo $ipport | awk 'BEGIN{FS=":"}{print $1}'
            echo $ipport
        fi
    done
    declare -p commandout

for some reason, awk is printing a random "e" after the ip address.  But it only appears to do so after 2.
10.10.10.10
10.10.10.10:https
declare -a commandout='([0]="    destination 10.10.10.10:https")'
12.12.12.12e
12.12.12.12:https
declare -a commandout='([0]="    destination 12.12.12.12:https")'

UPDATE:
So I attempted another test.  I found strange behavior and I am unsure how to fix it.
I declare the vipip before and after it is set.
    declare -p vipip
    vipip=$(tmsh list ltm virtual $vip | grep destination | awk 'BEGIN{}{print $2}' | awk 'BEGIN{FS=":"}{print $1}')
    echo $vipip
    declare -p vipip
    echo "cyle loop"

results in the following.  Note that the 12.12.12.12 doesn't have an "e" on the end of it
./findvips-final.scr: line 240: declare: vipip: not found
10.10.10.10
declare -- vipip="10.10.10.10"
cyle loop
declare -- vipip="10.10.10.10"
12.12.12.12
declare -- vipip="12.12.12.12"
cyle loop

If I comment out the declare statements, I get an "e"
    #declare -p vipip
    vipip=$(tmsh list ltm virtual $vip | grep destination | awk 'BEGIN{}{print $2}' | awk 'BEGIN{FS=":"}{print $1}')
    echo $vipip
    #declare -p vipip
    echo "cyle loop"

results in
10.10.10.10
cyle loop
12.12.12.12e
cyle loop

I found the answer.  I have a progress meter above this and I was getting the e off of complete.
echo -ne "$((100*$z/$count))% Complete\r"

I wrapped $vipip in qoutes on the echo and it is working like I thought.  UGh wait a big waste of time.

A: You can straightaway set FS like below to extract Ip from your command, no need of loop, awk can search string also
your_command | awk -F'[ :]' '/destination/{gsub(/[^0-9.]/,"",$2); print $2}'

Explanation
-F'[ :]' - set field separator
'/destination/ - search for word destination in line/record/row
gsub(/[^0-9.]/,"",$2) - remove anything other than number and dot from second field ( so that random char like e, what you said above will be removed )
print $2 - print second field


To me, this look is the epitome of spring. It's light and airy and a favorite color combo. A few months back I went on a press appointment at Nieves Lavi and fell in love with a few pieces. This top being one of them. The print is inspired by designer Sharon Lavi's trip to Portugal, specifically the Portuguese tiles she spotted everywhere. Day tops that aren't t-shirts are hard to come by, in my opinion, and this is just that. I paired it with the high-waisted jeans I recently blogged about that look equally good with a cropped or not so cropped top. And of course a slingback kitten heel in nudes is essential to round out the look.


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LOCATION: Home » Knowledge Centre » No Statutory Right of Appeal for Extended Family Members
No Statutory Right of Appeal for Extended Family Members
The Upper Tribunal in Sala (EFMs: Right of Appeal) [2016] UKUT 411 (IAC) has ruled that there is no statutory right of appeal against a Home Office decision to deny an EEA Residence Card to the Extended Family Member (EFM) of an EEA national under regulation 17(4) of the Immigration (EEA) Regulations 2006.
Regulation 26(2A) played an important role in this case. It deals with an appeal by an individual who claims to be in a 'durable relationship' with an EEA national. Regulation 26 states, "a person may appeal under these Regulations against an EEA decision". An EEA decision is defined in Regulation 2(1)(b) as, "a decision under these Regulations … which concerns a person's … entitlement to be issued with or to have renewed, or not to have revoked, a residence permit or residence document."
According to the Upper Tribunal, there was no argument that the Secretary of State had made a decision under the EEA Regulations 2006 to refuse to issue the appellant with an EEA Residence Card. The key issue was whether the decision concerned the appellant's 'entitlement' to be issued with an EEA Residence Card. The Upper Tribunal held that since, as had been observed in previous cases, the Secretary of State was exercising a discretion when making a decision to issue a Residence Card to an EFM, it could not be established that an EFM was 'entitled' to receive a Residence Card. Accordingly, no right of appeal existed under the EEA Regulations 2006.
A right of appeal has long been assumed or accepted for EFMs. This case changes all that, at least for the time being. However, the decision also has its limits. Whilst an EFM applying for a Residence Card will have no right of appeal to the Tribunal in the event that their application is refused, they will still have a potential remedy in judicial review. And in this respect it is important to note that in Sala, the Secretary of State conceded that the purported exercise of discretion was unlawful. It was wrong to state that the appellant had not provided enough evidence to allow an exercise of discretion and then to exercise discretion against the appellant merely on the basis that the appellant had entered the UK illegally. This was not an adequate consideration of the appellant's claim to meet the requirement in regulation 17(5) that the Secretary of State must undertake an "extensive examination of the personal circumstances of the applicant".
The decision in Sala also does not affect EEA nationals and their family members in any way, as it is only applicable to EFMs, who fall under the category of "other family members" according to the Article 3 of Directive 2004/38.
Contact Our Immigration Barristers
If you are a family member or extended family member of an EEA national and need legal assistance for evaluating your options for getting a Residence Card, contact our immigration barristers in London on 0203 617 9173 or via our online enquiry form.


The CDRSEE is partnering with EUROCLIO (European Association of History Educators) for a three-year project on education reform in Southeast Europe, called ePACT. With this project, both organisations want to contribute to sustaining the democratisation process and enhancing conflict sensitivity in the Western Balkans, by intensifying democratic education in the formal schooling system.
Specifically, ePACT strives to achieve that education authorities and civil society jointly reform education and schools in the region to enhance critical-thinking and active citizenship. These two competencies we believe to be key drivers of all forms of development, but particularly of the development of a vibrant civil society that is ready to protect and defend democratic values, gender mainstreaming, environmental protection and a culture of non-violent conflict resolution.
Training and supporting teachers in becoming familiar with, and comfortable using, the new methodologies is of central importance. Teachers are the primary drivers of change in introducing and encouraging critical thinking in the classroom and it is vital that they are not only equipped with the skills to carry out these new methods, but are also confident and feel properly backed up in their efforts by school directors, ministries and the project team. It is therefore central to the project that effective training workshops take place that are not only informative, but also participant-centred and attuned to the needs, concerns and interests of the teachers.
Training workshops are designed to be adaptable, reactive to the differing needs of the participants and also models of the critical thinking and multi-perspective methodologies being taught.
Two training sessions took place in Montenegro in December 2016, two more were carried out in Kosovo in March 2017 and two took place in Serbia in April 2017. The Assistant Minister of Education opened the workshop in Belgrade and participants at all of the workshops stated their hope that more workshops in the series could be carried out. Following these successful events, the first workshop in Bosnia and Herzegovina took place in Mostar in May 2017, with the support of the Federal Ministry of Education and Science and with the presence of ministry officials as expert trainers.
In July 2017, a summer school as part of EuroClio's 'Connecting the Balkans' series, in cooperation with ePACT, was held in Albania. Entitled 'Going beyond pride and pain? History that connects the Balkans', the event brought together 80 history educators, NGO representatives and officials from Ministries of Education from the region, and celebrated the diversity of the region while sharing ideas on how to teach sensitive history.
Two 'Teaching for Learning' Seminars were organised in Albania in April 2018, and two more in Skopje in September 2018, whereas the last Seminar of the series was held in October 2018 in Republika Srpska all with large attendance and very positive feedback received by the participants.
A needs assessment survey was conducted throughout the Western Balkans among history educators, after an inclusive process of creating a questionnaire and then peer testing it at 6 training seminars. Once finalised, the questionnaire was publicised and more than 800 history educators from across the Western Balkans responded. The results have been analysed and published in a needs assessment report available in English here.
Utilising the CDRSEE's unique media project 'Vicinities' – a regional television talk show – a special episode dedicated to ePACT was filmed in September 2017. It will be broadcast to all of the countries of the Western Balkans during the Autumn/Winter of 2017.
ePACT runs from 01 November 2015 to 31 January 2019.
The project is implemented with the financial support of the Austrian Development Cooperation as part of the initiative "NETUCATE - Networked education creating a skills web for participation and sensitivity".


text:
North Side Kings ''allied forces'' | Thorp records
underground investigation
Paper # 5
WITH ONE INTENT ''Leaving it all behind'' | Rpp	records
WITH ONE INTENT
"Leaving it all behind" (mcd)
Label: Rpp records
WITH ONE INTENT formed in November of 1996. After only one month of rehearsals, the band went into the studio and recorded their first demo, entitled 'Mass. Hardcore'. This was quickly followed up with a new recording in the Summer of 1997, entitled 'Complete failure'. The 'Complete failure' demo earned the band the recognition they have come to enjoy to date. This demo showed the band as a force to be reckoned with on the hardcore scene and received praise from the US, Europe and Japan. The four songs on the demo showed a progression to a much heavier style. After the release of 'Complete failure', With One Intent began to play more shows in New England and the surrounding States including New York and Pennsylvania. In January of 1998, the band returned to the studio to record 'Leaving it all behind', their debut EP on RPP. This effort contains 6 new recordings and promises to catapult the band to the next level of notoriety in the hardcore community. The band is also featured on a split 7" on Back Ta Basics Records (run by Rick Ta Life) with Boston's REACH THE SKY and compilations on Last Word Records from Syracuse, NY with Faction Zero, Cipher, Neck and others and on Lost Disciple Record's upcoming Boston hardcore compilation.
1. Questions my hate
2. Justice for sale
3. Uncured undermined
4. Past mistakes
5. Complete failure
6. Becoming death
WITH ONE INTENT pictures:
» More photos of With One Intent
WITH ONE INTENT related flyers:


text:
HomeStatisticsTV StarsPaul Hollywood Height, Weight, Age, Body Statistics
Paul Hollywood Height, Weight, Age, Body Statistics
Paul Hollywood Quick Info
Height 5 ft 8 in
Date of Birth March 1, 1966
Paul Hollywood is an English celebrity chef and TV personality who has hosted and judged numerous baking and cooking based shows in the United Kingdom and the United States. He is best known for being one of the judges on the British TV show The Great British Bake Off. He has also served as the head baker for several hotels and resorts such as The Dorchester, Chester Grosvenor and Spa, and the Cliveden Hotel in Britain, Cyprus, and other international locations. Paul has authored several books based on the theme of baking including the 2005 best-seller 100 Great Breads which was named as the 'Top Bread and Pastry Book' of the year at The Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.
Paul John Hollywood
Cake Cake
Paul Hollywood in an Instagram selfie from September 2019 (Paul Hollywood / Instagram)
Wallasey, Wirral, Merseyside, England, United Kingdom
Kent, England, United Kingdom
Paul had attended The Mosslands School in his hometown of Wallasey. He then got enrolled at the Wallasey School of Art to study sculpture but left his studies midway to begin his career as a baker.
Celebrity Chef, TV Personality, Author
Paul Hollywood and celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, as seen in March 2017 (Paul Hollywood / Instagram)
Father – John F. Hollywood (Bakery Proprietor)
Mother – Gillian M. Harman
Siblings – Lee Hollywood (Brother) (Bakery Business Owner), Jane Hollywood (Sister), Jason Hollywood (Brother)
Others – Simon Moores (Ex-Brother-in-Law) (d. 2019), Norman Harman (Maternal Grandfather) (Military Soldier, World War II Veteran), Kenneth Mackenzie (Great Great Grandfather) (Policeman)
He is represented by Yellow Poppy Media, London, England, United Kingdom.
5 ft 8 in or 173 cm
Girlfriend / Spouse
Paul has dated –
Alexandra Hollywood (1998–2019) – Paul and Alexandra met in Cyprus for the first time where he was working as the head baker at a five-star hotel and she was working as a scuba diving instructor. The couple soon got married, in 1998, in Cyprus itself. They have a son together named Josh Hollywood (b. October 2001). The pair had separated temporarily in 2013 when Paul had admitted to an affair with Marcela Valladolid, his co-host on the reality series The American Baking Competition. Paul and Alexandra eventually called it quits in November 2017 and were officially divorced in July 2019.
Marcela Valladolid (2012-2013)
Summer Monteys-Fullam (2018-2019)
He is of British descent.
Paul Hollywood as seen in an Instagram Post in October 2019 (Paul Hollywood / Instagram)
Stocky frame
Affable smile
Sports a goatee
Short-cropped hair
Paul Hollywood as seen in an Instagram Post in April 2019 (Paul Hollywood / Instagram)
Paul Hollywood Facts
Paul's first work experience came as a teenager when he worked at his father's bakery in York which was the headquarters of the Bread Winner chain of bakeries.
In 2008, he innovated a sourdough recipe, using almonds and Roquefort cheese, which was considered as the most expensive bread in Britain at that time. Paul himself termed the bread as the 'Rolls-Royce of Loaves'.
Apart from his culinary mastery, he has also dabbled in motorsports. He qualified in 2nd place in the 2015 Britcar Trophy Championship's first round and finished 2nd in class in both races at the event.
In July 2017, he finished first in class at the Dunlop Endurance Race in an Aston Martin GT4 and stood 2nd in class in his maiden 24-hour race at the Circuit of the Americas in November 2017.
Featured Image by Paul Hollywood / Instagram
Ravi (Rapper) Height, Weight, Age, Body Statistics
Elena Davies Height, Weight, Age, Body Statistics
Samantha Cope Height, Weight, Age, Body Statistics
Henry Shipley Height, Weight, Age, Body Statistics
Vaishali Chaudhary Khutail Height, Weight, Age, Body Statistics
Amare Frost Height, Weight, Age, Body Statistics
Carter Kench Height, Weight, Age, Body Statistics


The importance of sustainability in land clearing is reflected in the product range of North American company Gyro-Trac. With a 21-year history of manufacturing mulching machines, its focus is now also on creating bio-energy balers for easy packaging, transportation and storage.
As the mulching machines clear unwanted trees, this green technology leaves soil structures intact, eliminates erosion and run-off pollution. The machines can mulch trees to the ground, leaving the roots of neighbouring trees undamaged.
Nord-Lock has provided high-quality wedge-locking washers to Gyro-Trac for around 15 years. The washers maintain the balance of their mulching machines, extending the life cycle and sharpness of the teeth in the process.
The washers also play an important role in Gyro-Trac's Bio-Baling System. The system involves compressing biomass in such a way that no compost is created and no burning is required. For Gyro-Trac's customers, the added costs of hauling and dumping are eliminated, while onsite storage of the one-tonne bales promotes sustainable land use.


text:
Feb. 1st, 2016 at 5:07 PM
Today is the start of February, during which Black History Month is celebrated. Not by everyone, as I am reminded from things I see at the perimeter of my Twitter or FB feed, though I am happy to say that nobody among my actual friends holds negative views of such an event. (Nor of March and Women's History Month, which gets less press.)
Many people in the kidlit business are aware of the We Need Diverse Books movement, which has touched on some of these things. If you've watched the news, you ought to be aware of the Black Lives Matter movement, which has done much to make people like myself (white and comfy in the burbs) aware of how very different life is for people of color in this country, particularly in urban areas. There was just a project started by Marley Dias, a bright young woman in my state of New Jersey, called #1000BlackGirlBooks. She was trying to find lots and lots of books with black female protagonists, and wasn't finding any at her school. (As sad as that is, and as amazing as it is that people came through with donations to make her dream a reality, I am startled and saddened to learn that purchasing one copy of every title people in the know could think of that met the criteria cost a mere $2500. That price bought ALL THE BLACK GIRL BOOKS. HOW ON EARTH IS THAT POSSIBLE?! YES, I'M YELLING ABOUT IT!)
I can recall being pleased that the school district where my kids went to school did much to include the history of minorities and women in their regular history classes, and proud of my older daughter for taking AP African American History, where she learned a lot more than just Civil Rights history, though that was largely the focus.
And this month, in the midst of a current political climate where bigotry is not only tolerated but celebrated in some circles, I am really thrilled to be reading the series in the Philadelphia Inquirer which was introduced yesterday by Sofiya Ballin in an article entitled Black history: Finding our deeper truths. Every day this month, the paper will include pieces featuring local African Americans talking about "What I Wish I Knew" about black history. Yesterday's introduction brought me to tears twice. First, with this part:
. . . And our genesis was always in bondage.
In high school, I saw the detrimental consequences of black students believing what their textbooks told them about themselves. That they, like the treatment of black history, were an elective.
And though my parents gave me an inkling and black history itself revealed it, what I didn't at first understand was that the knowledge I did have would be deemed a threat. I wasn't taught that I would be asked to hold the other half of the story between my teeth, so others could swaddle themselves in guiltless comfort and ignorance.
Because I'm pretty sure I've been the "beneficiary" of that comfort and ignorance for far too long. The second time I got misty-eyed was when reading this paragraph, which touches on one of the things that has always struck me as an inequity:
The Philadelphia author Lorene Cary said: "I was not taught how much energy and intelligence one expends throughout a blessedly long and fortunate lifetime to resist the lie of black inferiority. . . . I was not taught how men who had just fought for liberty could classify black people as less than human in the U.S. Constitution."
You can check this amazing series daily in the Philadelphia Inquirer, and online at philly.com/blackhistoryuntold.
Current Music:Rolling in the Deep by Adele (brainradio)


This is a tale about the crowns of trees, where I find solace in the heat of the summer, with the heels of my feet soaking in the soft moss, listening to the bird chatter up above. A tale about pressing my spine against the trunk of a tree and hearing the rustle of the leaves above. How to feel the tree, the life and the gentleness of it all. How to feel myself, next to such a pulsating life force that is working within nature.


"MOVA-Анлійська для українців" запрошує на роботу викладача ангійської мови.
Be passionate – love teaching and helping people.
Be a perfect motivator – have ideas on how constantly make people motivated.
To become a member of our friendly, skilled, dynamic and fast growing company.
To take on responsibilities in a motivated entrepreneurial environment.


Hi there! I'm linking up with the Five-Minute Friday community at: http://fiveminutefriday.com/2017/07/06/link-up-play/ It's lots of fun and helps us to work our writing muscles.
When I saw the writing prompt play, I thought it might be an easy topic for me, as we do a lot of playing especially in the summer. Many families might do picnics, camping, trips, and the like. My husband and I love to go on our boat. We slip our boat at a marina in our town, Holland, Michigan. We also spent a week at Grand Haven last week over the Fourth of July as we almost always do. We figured out that we have boated for approximately 30 out of our 33 years of marriage. We began after we were married about two years. We found the oldest, smallest boat we could possibly find, to accommodate our very small budget. It was a 15 foot, 1968 boat. We often say we "skied the wheels off that boat" as we skied and flew around in that little boat about every night in the summer for a few years, with my husband's siblings. Then we bought an 18 foot boat and had that for some years. We then had our first son. Somewhere in there we didn't have a boat for a couple summers. After that we played on a 21 foot boat when our two boys were very little. Every summer we began spending a week at Grand Haven on it. Then later we continued all the water sports with a 24 foot. What fun they had growing up with tubing and knee-boarding. About 7 years ago, we moved to a 31 foot and now we are empty-nesters. The boys call this an old man's boat. We don't care because my husband and I are really enjoying this time in our lives. Countless good times playing on boats with family and friends on Lake Michigan and Lake Macatawa.
This entry was posted in boating, bringing up men, Family, Five Minute Friday with Kate Motaung, Lake Michigan, Memories, seasons, summer and tagged boating, family, Five Minute Friday with Kate Motaung, Lake Michigan, marriage, memories, seasons, summer. Bookmark the permalink.


text:
Don't Breathe és una pel·lícula de terror i thriller estatunidenca de 2016 produïda i dirigida per Fede Álvarez, coproduïda per Sam Raimi i Robert Tapert, i coescrita per Álvarez i Rodo Sayagues. La pel·lícula està protagonitzada per Jane Levy, Dylan Minnette, Daniel Zovatto i Stephen Lang, i se centra en tres amics que queden atrapats a la casa d'un cec mentre hi entren. La pel·lícula va ser produïda per Ghost House Pictures i Good Universe i distribuïda per Sony Pictures Releasing. S'ha subtitulat al català.

En contrast amb el seu treball anterior a Evil Dead, el director Álvarez va decidir que el projecte tindria menys sang, una història original, més suspens i no dependria d'elements sobrenaturals, que sentia que estaven massa utilitzats. El projecte, titulat originalment en anglès com a A Man in the Dark, es va anunciar a principis de 2014. El rodatge principal va començar el 29 de juny de 2015 i es va acabar el juliol de 2015 a Detroit.

Don't Breathe es va estrenar a South by Southwest el 12 de març de 2016 i es va estrenar a les sales el 26 d'agost de 2016 de la mà de les distribuïdores Screen Gems i Stage 6 Films. La pel·lícula va recaptar més de 157 milions de dòlars i va rebre comentaris molt positius de la crítica, que van elogiar les actuacions, la direcció, el guió i l'atmosfera tensa. El 13 d'agost de 2021 es va estrenar una seqüela, amb Lang repetint el seu paper.

Referències

Enllaços externs

Pel·lícules sobre violació
Pel·lícules dels Estats Units del 2016
Pel·lícules en anglès
Pel·lícules del 2016 subtitulades al català
Thrillers dels Estats Units
Pel·lícules de terror dels Estats Units
Pel·lícules de ficció criminal

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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A quarter of German arms exports in 2022 went to Ukraine
In 2022, more than a quarter of all German arms exports went to Ukraine. This is written by the Ukrainian edition of "Strana", referring to German sources.
The German government decided to export weapons to Ukraine for a total amount of 3,5 billion euros. Now the Kyiv regime has already received military equipment and weapon by 2,24 billion euros, that is, most of the planned volume.
In the past 2021, Germany exported more weapons abroad - by 9,35 billion euros. In 2022, the German government planned to slightly reduce the volume of arms exports due to the lack of ammunition and weapons from the Bundeswehr itself, however, the start of a special military operation and pressure from the US and the EU forced Berlin to adjust its plans. Germany is now supplying large quantities of weapons and ammunition to Ukraine.
Germany's overall arms exports now remain very high compared to previous periods. When German Chancellor Angela Merkel was German Chancellor, Germany only reached $5 billion or more in arms exports in 16 years. Berlin supplies Ukraine with IRIS-T air defense systems, Mars multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS), Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft guns, Panzerhaubitze 6 self-propelled howitzers, armored vehicles, vehicles, ammunition and small arms, and so on.
At the same time, the German Ministry of Defense has repeatedly drawn attention to the limited number of many types of weapons and ammunition in the arsenals of the Bundeswehr. A situation may arise that there will be problems with the defense capability of Germany itself due to the supply of weapons to Ukraine.
Wikipedia / Spc. Nathanael Mercado.
Carlos Hall 27 December 2022 12: 36
Russia should start exporting, with Iran, it has already done, to all countries, enemies of the West, advanced weapons. Even nuclear weapons, bypassing the non-proliferation treaty, in retaliation for the weapons supplied to Ukraine. It's time for the lambs to leave the decision-making level. If the West is playing solid, you should double down. Advanced nuclear weapons should be delivered to North Korea, and then we'll see.
rocket757 27 December 2022 12: 37
. An interesting question ... can / will the Germans increase / increase the production of weapons right now, in the current economic situation ???
The high cost of various resources, which will be required and not a little, is a reality, and not fiction, not propaganda ...
YOUR 27 December 2022 12: 43
Quote: rocket757
An interesting question ... can / will the Germans increase / increase the production of weapons right now, in the current economic situation ???
Can. When Hitler came to power, despite the catastrophic lack of money, he began to build autobahns. People got jobs, the economy began to stabilize, then the military industry began to work. Germany is currently far from being in the same economic position. And what do they need to supply? Shells? Ammo? The easiest to manufacture. The most idiotic thing in this situation is that they will buy from us, albeit at high prices, oil, gas, metal and rivet ammunition that will be used against us.
The comparison is... debatable, but we'll see how things go.
The comparison may be controversial, but what is difficult in the production of ammunition. Never mind. And we will deliver the metal.
Invoce 27 December 2022 12: 38
If only Ukraine would pay for the supplied weapons! And so the expectation that according to the result of the "victory" all costs will be covered!
Haha 3 p. They don't catch up with what they flew into big money. No one will compensate
tihonmarine 27 December 2022 13: 05
Quote: Invoce
They don't catch up with what they flew into big money. No one will compensate
"The rich have their habits."
Uprun 27 December 2022 12: 41
The military-industrial complex plant doesn't care where its products go, the government placed an order, paid ...., then it's no longer interesting where it goes. But it's a shame for a simple burgher, for his money (taxes), the government does not sell weapons to the side, earning for the benefit of the burgher, but gives weapons to the outskirts for free ... It's a shame for a simple burgher to suffer democratically ......, but he suffers, so don't give a damn about him and his government, let him suffer.
berlaga2005 27 December 2022 12: 43
"Export is a concept in international trade, meaning the sale of goods or services to other countries. "
And where is the export? And at what price was it determined?
rotmistr60 27 December 2022 12: 56
armaments totaling 3,5 billion euros
When such individuals make decisions for the Germans, like Scholz in the FRG and Ursula in the EU, then the Germans will have a hard time in the end. But what they deserve. Even Ukrainian "refugees" in addition to everything will show themselves "in all their glory." The lower the defense capacity of the Bundeswehr, the calmer we are at this stage. And the production of weapons, unfortunately, will be increased according to their capabilities.
A situation may arise that there will be problems with the defense capability of Germany itself due to the supply of weapons to Ukraine.
Is it really that Poland decides to go to war with Germany, or Ukraine decides to covet access to the North Sea.
Mikhail Maslov 28 December 2022 20: 15
I don't see anything new here. The export of weapons is one of the main components of technologically developed countries. And deliveries to Ukraine also make it possible to test weapons and technologies in a real combat situation. Germany supplied air defense to Ukraine, but there is no report on destruction. where the Cheetahs hit and destroy our missiles. And these Cheetahs were destroyed 1 or 2. That's the price of all the Nord Streams.


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Everywhere you turn people are talking about "RSS" feeds and "Blogs". What if I could show you how to add an RSS feed to your site – with just a few lines of code and couple clicks of teh mouse? And what if this news feed constantly updated itself and was written just for your site? Interested?
Go to the site www.AnyRSS.org and follow the simple directions. The "AnyRSS" is a simple but very powerful tool allowing you to generate custom RSS news feeds for any Niche subject and posting them on your site. To use the tool enter one to three, of your selected keywords, in the search box and click on the button "Generate Feed Url".
Go to your site and decide on what page and where on that page you want the feed to be placed. If you are using just the link then write the "url" link information. Cut and paste, or upload, the link to your site. Remember with this option your visitors will have to "click" on the link to see the information and it will be in a new window AND they have left your site temporarily.
This feed is changed every 12 hours, sometimes more often. The great part is your visitors do not need any special "readers", etc. to read this information. And, like I said it, is extremely relevant, and free content, for your site. The best of BOTH worlds!
As a comunications and data consultant Mr. Domeck has helped many clients over the past 10 years build websites. Getting good Search Engine rankings has been his specialty. By testing, literally hundreds of methods, he has developed several methods that even newbies can use to get good rankings for their websites.


text:
Economic Growth and Trade
Strengthening Supply Chains
Expanding Market Access
How We Solve Them
Innovation and Acceleration
Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning
Development Finance Providers
Resonance is a mission-driven, results-oriented consulting firm. We are global problem solvers who use innovation, partnership, and market-led solutions to catalyze development impact and create private sector opportunity. Our clients include Fortune 500 companies, development agencies, foundations, and leading NGOs.
Inclusive Innovation Exchange
An interactive program to discuss topics at the intersection of innovation and impact in emerging markets.
Check out best practices and new ideas drawn from our experience solving global challenges and advancing market opportunity.
Our work includes market-led solutions to critical global development and corporate sustainability challenges.
Article - Partnership Development - Innovative Finance -Environment & Sustainability
How to Scale Global Conservation
By Seth Olson
Partnerships are key to driving large-scale investment in the world's natural capital
In 2014, Credit Suisse released a groundbreaking report that called attention to the 250-350 billion dollar funding gap in the conservation of natural resources. Several entrepreneurs, impact investors, and donor organizations reframed this gap as an opportunity. They began driving capital toward conservation and regenerative enterprises in their communities and across the globe.
Five years later, the growth of the conservation finance industry has led to better data analysis—and more sophisticated models. Organizations are realizing that they can amplify their impact by working together, rather than trying to take deals from start to finish on their own. Moving forward, it is partnerships that will accelerate the conservation finance industry's growth.
Beyond Blended Finance
Setting up a successful partnership isn't always straightforward, particularly when it must solve a complex challenge while also delivering a financial return to investors. For instance, high net worth individuals and family offices are well-positioned to contribute private capital to conservation finance investments in emerging and frontier markets. Yet they rarely invest in new geographies, sectors, or structures without the security of a blended finance mechanism—where public donors make the risk, return, and impact tradeoff acceptable through de-risking tools, such as guarantees and first loss capital. Meanwhile, many of the best global conservation opportunities have not yet gained the traction to attract public donors and financiers. There are not enough known, investable conservation projects and enterprises to attract the needed funding through current mechanisms alone, particularly in the less developed regions that contain some of our world's most precious natural capital.
There are not enough known, investable conservation projects and enterprises to attract the needed funding through current mechanisms alone, particularly in the less developed regions that contain some of our world's most precious natural capital.
To bring interested impact capital in from the sidelines, other types of connections are needed. Donor agencies and development finance institutions are increasingly thinking about ways to engage the private sector and cultivate enterprise-driven development. One major example is USAID, whose Development Innovation Ventures program helps promising teams scale impact-driven business models that can then attract follow-on funding. The organization has also instituted a broader agency-wide mandate to increase its private sector engagement.
Pre-Competitive Partnerships are Key
Some organizations are already developing coalitions and pre-competitive partnerships to help drive capital toward conservation. The Coalition for Private Investment in Conservation (CPIC) is a multi-sector initiative made up of a committed group of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), investors, academic institutions, and service providers. CPIC has created a set of replicable blueprints and an upcoming blended finance fund to help prepare and fund innovative conservation business models. And Circulate Capital has received over $100 million in commitments from PepsiCo, Danone, Unilever, and The Coca-Cola Company to invest in ocean plastics solutions in South and Southeast Asia.
Despite some of this progress with multi-nationals, they are often left out of the conversation. Large consumer brands and companies are a critical piece of the transformative progress, but misaligned incentives have traditionally kept their focus on short-term gains rather than proactive systems change.
For over a decade, Resonance has been bridging the gap between global development agendas and private sector interests. We know that multinational corporations are increasingly looking for ways to connect to each other on pre-competitive issues that will impact the sustainability and financial viability of their entire industries. This year, we're looking forward to helping corporations, donors, and investors align and scale positive impact on the natural world.
Article Partnership Development
Sustaining Shrimp Production in Andhra Pradesh
Article - July 6, 2020
How Governments and Companies Can Help Each Other Solve the Global Food Crisis
How to Avoid 5 Development Finance Pitfalls
Article - April 17, 2020
© 2021 Resonance Global


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Q: Protractor - How to get all cells from one column and sum them when the Grid has id="0-0" for rows-Columns I am validating a drill down process in the portal i am testing, for this my script is doing:
Read the value from the first row of a table and click at this value (there is a link for certain cells that perform the drill down to the detail page)
To click at this particular cell I am using it's ID:

31 Jul 2018
RandomText0
RandomText1
EmptyValue
Value I Click And Save it

So for this table I am clicking directly to the row 0 column 4 since my data and my filters will always bring only one row, but then, comes my problem....
When the drill down is performed I never know how many rows I will have since it depends of user operations.
I need to perform a validation to compare the sum of all the values from the table displayed after the drill down with the value captured from table "transHistTable" row 0 column 4
This is the values I get after performing the Drill Down:

Site
Date
Time
I
value 1
value 2
value 3
12

So what I would like to do is reading all the rows (could be 0,1,2,3,4,5...) saving the value that is stored in Column 7 then after this is done, perform a sum and then comparing with the value I have saved from the first table.
My code is this one:
            var rowstransHistDetail = element(by.id('transHistDetailTable')).all(by.tagName("tr"));

            rowstransHistDetail.count().then(function(rcount){
                //In case only 1 row is displayed
                if (rcount < 3)
                {
                    element(by.id('0-7')).getText().then(function(valueQty){
                        expect(valueQty).toEqual(600)
                    })
                }
                else
                {
                    var tempValue
                    for (i=0; i < rcount; i++)
                    {
                        element(by.id(i+'-7')).getText().then(function(valueQty){

                            tempValue = Number(tempValue) + Number(valueQty)
                        })
                    }

                    expect(tempValue).toEqual(600);
                }
            });

But when I execute this, gives me a undefined value
Any ideas how to solve this please?
Thank you!!!!

A: It seems that you are incrementing a value in a loop before execution.
See here: https://stackoverflow.com/a/6867907/6331748
Should bee i++ instead of ++i in a loop.
Drop me a line if I'm wrong.
===========================
Edited:
Here's some code from my side:
var expectedCells = element.all(by.css('#transHistDetailTable tr td:nth-of-type(5)'));
var currentSum = 0;
expectedCells.each((eachCell) => {
    eachCell.getText().then((cellText) => {
        currentSum += Number(cellText);
    });
}).then(() => {
    expect(currentSum).toEqual(600);
});

Sorry, but wasn't able to test it. I only want to share a main idea and elaborate it.
expectedCells are all id=n-4 cells. We go through all elements and get text from them, change to the number type and add to current value. Aftermath we do an assertion.
It also looks that if statement is not necessarily.
Let me know how it works.

A: Two options for your issue:
1) using element.all().reduce()
let total = element
    .all(by.css('#transHistDetailTable > tbody > tr > td:nth-child(8)'))
    .reduce(function(acc, item){
        return item.getText().then(function(txt) {
            return acc + txt.trim() * 1;
        });
    }, 0);

expect(total).toEqual(600);

2) using element.all().getText() and Array.reduce
let total = element
    .all(by.css('#transHistDetailTable > tbody > tr > td:nth-child(8)'))
    .getText(function(txts){ //txts is a string Array
        return txts.reduce(function(acc, cur){
            return acc + cur * 1;
        }, 0);
    });

expect(total).toEqual(600);


If you're going to take running seriously then you need to invest in a pair of proper shoes (and get them customised whilst you're at it).
The LunarGlide+4 is Nike's winter 2012 running shoe, offering lightweight support and a soft, springy ride. Taking elite innovations from track athletics, it's been designed to give maximum ventilation, have a glove-like fit, and prevent excessive rear-foot motion. Plus it's fully Nike+ enabled, so you can do things like check performance stats on your smartphone and share run times on Facebook.
But best of all you can get your kicks customised online at NikeiD, from changing the colour of the swoosh to personalizing the tongue iD lettering. And if you order now they'll arrive just in time for Christmas  a present to yourself, of course.


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Marc Volcere is a member of the National Assembly of Seychelles. He is a member of the Seychelles People's Progressive Front, and was first elected to the Assembly in 2007.

References
Member page on Assembly website

Year of birth missing (living people)
Living people
Members of the National Assembly (Seychelles)
People from Grand'Anse Praslin
United Seychelles Party politicians
Place of birth missing (living people)


Our children tend to spend a lot of time in the bedroom sleeping or playing, and this is usually alone without the supervision of an adult. With this in mind, it is little wonder that most parents are eager to ensure that their child's bedroom is not only a comfortable and secure place to be, but also a safe one that is as free from hazards as possible.
There are all sorts of things that could increase the risk of accidents and injuries in the home. In a child's bedroom, there can be clutter lying around on the floor, through to electrical items and wiring, ornaments or furniture that are made with glass, unsafe or unsteady furniture, as well as sharp edges and more. As a parent, it is important to check your child's room for potential hazards and then take relevant steps to increase safety levels and provide valuable protection for your child.
l Electrical sockets and radiators: Both electrical sockets and radiators can pose a serious danger to younger children. It is therefore important to make sure that you invest in items such as protective radiator covers from places such as GE Little Group to stop the child from getting burned. Also make sure you use socket covers to ensure they don't tamper with electric sockets.
l Furniture that is not sturdy: Unsteady furniture could collapse and end up causing your child a serious injury. For example, an old bed that is on its last legs could collapse whilst children are sleeping or jumping on it. So be sure visit a reputable bedroom furniture retailer such as Bedstar who have built a reputation for supplying a wide range of respected bed brands that will ensure that your children are safe and secure, no matter how unruly they get in the bedroom.
l Get rid of clutter: Of course, a child's room can get very messy, but if there is too much clutter and too many toys left lying around, the child is more likely to trip and sustain an injury. You therefore need to make sure you invest in suitable storage so that everything can be stashed away safely after use – and take some time to talk to your child about the importance of putting things away.
l Use window locks: If your children are tall enough to reach the windows then they are tall enough to fall out of them, You should always ensure you use child locks on windows so that they can be opened safely without the risk of your child falling out of them.
By acting upon these common safety hazards, you can make the bedroom a far safer place for your young child to sleep and play.
Have you heard of these motoring acronyms?
ABS – Anti-lock Braking System. If you need to slam on the brakes in a hurry, your ABS will kick in with a series of electronic sensors to prevent them from locking up, thereby stopping the car from skidding, or at least cutting the risk of it. Basically it releases and then reapplies the brakes in rapid succession, simultaneously reducing speed, thereby letting the driver steer and maintain control. Note that it is not a substitute for a sensible stopping distance!
PAS – Power Assisted Steering. Larger, heavier cars, the adoption of front wheel drive in many vehicles, and wider tyres all mean that it would be difficult to effectively steer many cars at low speeds without PAS. You can have a hydraulic or electric system depending on the type of car you drive, and if you've ever tried steering a car without PAS, you'll have noticed the difference immediately.
SRS – Supplementary Restraint System. This is your airbags. Using a series of sensors dotted around the car to determine likely impact should you have a crash, the airbags deploy as a further in-car safety measure, working alongside your seatbelt to cushion you from the blow. The algorithms used to deploy the airbags are increasingly complex, and may now take into account not just the speed you're going, but your weight, whether the seatbelt is being used, and where you're sitting in the car to judge when and at what speed to trigger the airbag.
EFI – Electronic Fuel Injection. This is now the primary means of getting the fuel into your car's engine, having replaced carburetors over the last few decades. The fuel is atomised and then injected through a tiny nozzle at high speeds – a more efficient and environmentally-friendly method than the previous suction technique, that will also save you money. Similarly, DDI, for Direct Diesel Injection.
LPG – Liquid Petroleum Gas. A mix of propane and butane that can be used in some vehicles as an alternative to petrol or diesel. While it is considered to be more eco-friendly, burning more cleanly and containing fewer particulates, it is generally thought that LPG-powered vehicles have a higher fuel consumption.
ECU – Electronic Control Unit. These are your car's brains. Think of your car as like an octopus. Its eight arms each have a mind of their own, able to coordinate and problem-solve, do their own thinking almost, without needing to consult the octopus' main brain. Modern cars have many ECUs, up to around 80 in some vehicles, each with their own function, such as controlling the powertrain or the suspension. They are all connected to the car's main computer(s), which collects and collates data from each ECU and passes information to the driver so decisions can be made.
ACC – Automatic Cruise Control. This one is very clever. When your car is in cruise control on the motorway, on-board sensors note the proximity of traffic from vehicles ahead of you and adjust throttle or brakes to keep you a safe distance away. Expect this to advance in the future to use satellites and radar, and even cooperation with a similar system in the car in front to prevent crashes.
Basically, if there are any acronyms listed for the car you want to buy that you don't understand, ask for them to be explained before making a purchase, as they may be important. Got all that? OK, TTFN.
Since becoming pregnant, we've had some brilliant opportunities arise, with lots of reviews and experiences coming our way, but the one I'm most excited about is becoming an official Mumbassador for BRITAX! When BRITAX got in contact as asked if we'd like to represent their brand in 2014, we jumped at the chance to work with such a well-known and well-respected company and were super impressed with the range of products that they offer.
There were 6 different colour options and we let Sausage choose, so she went for the 'Cool Berry' option above and Husband and I decided we liked the silver chassis option. We're also lucky enough to be being sent a second colour pack, and we've gone for 'Cactus Green', which is a nice, neutral option (you know, in case we ever have a little boy…) which I reckon will be ace at concealing all the inevitable muckiness that a toddler can do to a buggy!
The Affinity has so many little features that I love, such as the anti-theft coding system, which gives your pushchair a unique code that stops it from being sold illegally. Another thing I love is the fact that the seat unit can be parent facing our outward facing – Sausage's pushchair only had an outward facing mode and while I think it's good for kids to see the world whilst out and about, it'll be nice to have the choice. Once it arrives and we've had a chance to have a play, I'll be writing about it a lot more.
BRITAX also wanted to get Sausage in on the act, and will be sending her one of their Group 2-3 car seats. At the moment, she just uses a booster cushion in the car, which we thought was adequate for her age, but the folks at BRITAX explained that a proper car seat should give side impact protection and spinal support. Their range of seats is actually suitable for kids up to the age of 12 and I'm really looking forward to having that extra peace of mind when we're out in the car. Also, who doesn't love a ZEBRA print option?!
We're SO excited about working with BRITAX next year and cannot wait to start testing out all of our new goodies!
It's that time of year again. The bliss of the summer months have flown past in an unforgivable blur and here we are at the beginning of the new school term. Uniforms to buy, pencil cases to fill and of course the dreaded school run.
The rules and regulations of child transportation are somewhat more complex now than they were when we were children. It may be wise to check up on some of the current advice and guidelines in place ahead of the new school term.
Children are required by law to sit in a booster seat until they are over the age of 12 or 135 cm in height, whichever comes first. In addition, the driver is responsible for ensuring that the youngster is wearing a seatbelt until they reach the age of 14, as at that age they are considered liable for their own safety. The reason behind these rules are to protect a child from being injured in the event of an accident.
There are also some exemptions to these rules that are worth checking out to keep your child and any other children in your care safe.
It's easy to concentrate on the children rather than keeping your eyes on the road, particularly on familiar journeys. However, driving safely should take precedence over all other concerns. It might help if you give your child something to keep them occupied.
Your driveway is an area where you would be well advised to take extra special care when children are concerned. It's easy for a child to wander in front of, or behind a car particularly when you are reversing (you may not see them). Make sure all manoeuvres are at very slow speeds to give yourself time to react and where possible ask another adult to help you.
Keeping your keys with you at all times and locking your vehicle.
Where possible you should turn the wheels so that should the car start to move, it will be prevented by the curb.
Leave windows open on warm days so the children do not become too over heated.
Keeping all dangerous objects out of reach.
Cars are getting more and more complex and while there are a range of safety features available that can make cars more child friendly, there are some innovations that may be less beneficial. You would be well advised to think carefully when making your choice.
A car with a push button start, may not be a sensible choice. Particularly if the engine will begin while you and the keys are a short distance away. Alternatively, a vehicle that relies on you pressing the clutch to start the engine could be a better choice.
One of the best features available are electric car windows that have an automatic shut-off when they feel any pressure. This can go a tremendously long way toward protecting little fingers and even heads from getting trapped.
All you really need is the right information and with that, the rest becomes a matter of using your common sense. With the right foundations in place and awareness of the potential hazards, you should enjoy happy motoring with (hopefully) happy children.
When Did Your Parenting Instinct Kick In?
Don't mess with this Mummy!
Last night, Husband and I went out for dinner with some friends after going to see a house that a couple of them had bought, and over dinner a few of us started talking about this post. I wrote it on Friday before last and since them my blog has seen its busiest day ever and the most comments I've ever had on a post. There were opinions from all angles, all walks of life and certainly lots of debate over the issue.
What was interesting to me though, was the opinion of my real life friends. One of my best friends, Jamillah, commented on the post and quite frankly, what she wrote is deserving of a whole post of its own, to follow later.


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Tokyo, Two Weeks After the Earthquake
I arrive in Tokyo on a clear, crisp afternoon. As my train makes brisk progress from Narita Airport to the city centre, I stare out the window at the country fields giving way to suburbia and then a densely crammed cityscape. The city seems calm. Kids run freely through an asphalt schoolyard. Uniformed boys play softball in a neighbourhood field. Men stand next to the muddy banks of a river, hitting golf balls into the water.
I've come here to see how Japan's capital is bearing up under what has been described as the worst disaster to hit the country since World War II. Two weeks ago, on March 11th, an earthquake stirred up a tsunami that rushed towards the country's northeast coast. Thirty minutes later, 30-metre waves crushed towns as far as ten kilometres inland. Fishing boats were dropped on top of three-storey buildings. Thousands of people were swept out to sea amidst churning rubble. When the sun set three hours later, tens of thousands were dead and hundreds of thousands homeless.
As I write this, another disaster brews. Damaged by the earthquake and flooded by the tsunami, emergency generators at the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant failed, causing the cooling system to malfunction. Reactors overheated; a meltdown seemed imminent. Spooked, foreign bankers, English teachers, and even journalists have fled Tokyo en masse. Radioactivity has since been found in vegetables, milk and tap water. Shipping companies are avoiding the port after Fukushima was revealed to be spewing contamination into the sea.
Skyscrapers loom, and, with them, the unknown. Friends are surprised I'm even here. If international headlines are to be believed, the world's largest city, with 35 million people and an economy 40 percent larger than Canada's, is on the verge of becoming the next Chernobyl.
Tokyo is immense. Standing in one of its many shopping districts, you are engulfed by human rivers rushing between banks of exuberantly lit buildings. The city's edge is inconceivable. You can wander for hours, even days, through the crowded streets that meander and change direction in an undulating landscape of wood houses and concrete skyscrapers; all of it crisscrossed by a constellation of railways gliding towards infinite destinations.
Though the city was relatively unscathed by the earthquake—walking the streets, I don't see any damaged buildings—I am struck by the many small reminders that these are unusual times. Vulnerable times. On the Yamanote Line, the railway that circles central Tokyo like a necklace, video screens flash constant announcements of train lines suspended because of earthquake damage. Large swathes of the city are still suffering from rolling blackouts. Most surprising was how quiet it is. Gas shortages mean that traffic is light; on some streets, lone taxis cruised around looking for passengers. On hushed trains passengers bury their heads in flip phones. When I crack open a can of instant coffee, it cuts through the silence of the carriage. A few passengers look towards me, nonplussed.
Later, when unpacking my things in my Shinjuku hotel room, I feel the room sway, then abruptly stop: an aftershock. In the weeks after March 11th, Japan was hit by more than a thousand tremors. Several of them were major earthquakes in their own right, violently shaking skyscrapers and leaving hundreds injured. The aftershocks were so frequent that many Japanese had started feeling phantom quakes and suffering from sudden attacks of dizziness and anxiety, a condition diagnosed by doctors as "earthquake sickness." I'm lucky: what I experienced was hardly something to be worried about. But it's my first earthquake, and it leaves me light-headed as I ride the metro to the business district of Akasaka, where I met with Toshitsugu Maeda, a freelance journalist who is covering the disaster for Reuters.
Maeda looks tired. A few days before, he had ventured deep into the rubble of the earthquake zone, interviewing survivors and witnessing the totality of the destruction. He tells me he doesn't trust the way the Japanese media was reporting the nuclear crisis. "Nobody was saying what the worst case scenario might be," he said, so it came as a huge shock when the Tokyo government issued a warning about radiation in tap water.
"The government believes they can select which pieces of information to make public," says Maeda, "and it takes time for them to make those decisions, so the information is never released immediately. Even if you believe what the government is saying, that this level of radiation cannot affect your health right away, you still wonder what will happen in the future. On a psychological level that creates a lot of stress for us."
I keep hearing the same thing from Tokyoites: "We don't know what to believe," "We don't know who to trust." I wouldn't have been surprised to hear this in China, where an authoritarian government has left people with an inborn cynicism. But this is Japan, a stable, prosperous country known for its largely unquestioning acceptance of authority. The international media coverage of the disaster didn't help. Many Japanese noticed a striking discrepancy between domestic media and foreign outlets like CNN. Should they trust public broadcaster NHK's cool updates on attempts to fix the problems at the nuclear plant? Or CNN, with its round-the-clock meltdown watch and excitable anchors?
Some people are taking matters into their own hands. They scour news feeds to provide real-time updates on Twitter. They live-stream press conferences about the nuclear situation on Ustream. They exchange emails and kept each other informed of the latest developments.
None of this is enough to reassure Maeda. He tells me his wife, who is from Peru, is becoming anxious. She wants to leave. Tens of thousands have already left Tokyo to stay with relatives in Western Japan—which was unaffected by the disaster—or, if they can afford it, have gone overseas. And many of the Japanese who left are, like Maeda, married to a foreigner.
Resentment is emerging over the exodus. Fleeing foreigners are immediately, and derisively, labelled "flyjin," a coinage based on the Japanese word gaijin, which means "outsider." Beneath the criticism seemed to be a fear that the most successful and most upwardly mobile people were abandoning Japan at a time when it needed them most.
Maeda was torn. "Professionally it's easy. It's a disaster—you cover it," he said. "Personally, it's really tough. If I were single I would stay. My whole family is here. But I have a wife and daughter. Now, because of all this, we have to make decisions about the rest of our lives."
Tokyo has dealt with far worse, even in living memory. In 1923, 140,000 people were killed when the city was levelled by the Kanto Earthquake. In 1944, the city was flattened once again by Allied firebombing, which killed more than 100,000 people and left a million homeless. Ever since World War II was ended by nuclear bomb, the threat of annihilation has been seared into Tokyo's popular imagination. You can see it in the pop culture, from 1954's Godzilla to the 1980s manga series Akira, which imagined life in a city ravaged by nuclear catastrophe. Few cities have mulled their own demise as much as Tokyo.
The city sits near the junction of three tectonic plates, making it exceptionally vulnerable to a large earthquake. Everyone I encountered was shocked by the violence of the March 11th quake—and Tokyo was 400 kilometres from the epicentre. If the quake had occurred under the densely populated Kanto Plain, on which Tokyo sits, the damage would have been catastrophic. "Tokyo is woefully unprepared for the big one," declared an editorial in Asahi Shimbun, a major Japanese daily. Even if its buildings survive, the editorial noted, little thought has been paid to the aftermath. Just how do you feed a city of 35 million when roads are destroyed, fresh water is scarce and there's no electricity?
If that weren't bad enough, at the height of the nuclear crisis, a top government advisor warned Japan's economy needed to be urgently decentralized. "We have no idea when the big one's going to hit Tokyo," he told a reporter, "but when it does, it's going to annihilate the entire country because everything is here."
With these fears lurking at the back of their minds, people in Tokyo responded with an unprecedented outpouring of generosity. Other than a rush on bottled water, which led convenience stores to restrict purchases after they had restocked, there has been little evidence of the chaos that might have exploded in other cities. Supermarkets cut prices. Shoppers confronted by empty shelves exchanged tips on how to make do with less. When the government urged people to save electricity by turning off lights and unplugging appliances, people did so with such gusto that at least one predicted blackout was averted.
One morning, I pay a visit to Second Harvest, a food bank that has taken over the space underneath an elevated railway in the central neighbourhood of Akihabara, where twenty volunteers a day show up to sort cans of food and boxes of clothing. "People feel helpless and this is a way they can help," says Masahiro Otake, the food bank's manager.
After introducing me to some of the volunteers, Otake takes me to his desk and shows me photos he took while delivering supplies to a tsunami-struck area in Myagi Prefecture a week earlier. In one image, the wood frame of a house was wrapped around a concrete post office. Another shows a rubble-strewn field. "When I first stood there, it took a long time to understand," says Otake. "This was a town. There should be buildings and houses there. But there's nothing." He grew quiet. "It's just beyond belief."
Masahiro Otake
Promoting disaster relief
"I think everyone here is suffering from some degree of post-traumatic stress disorder," says Andrew Aitkin, an English teacher from Toronto who has lived in Tokyo for six years. Unlike many expatriates, Aitkin has opted to stay, but is constantly second-guessing his decision. "A cloud of stress hangs over everyone. Nobody knows whether there will be milk in the supermarkets, or vegetables, or even whether the power will be on when they get home."
Worse, he says, many of his Japanese friends refuse to allow themselves any release. "Normally we'd head down to the izakaya after work for some beers, but now everyone goes straight home. I'm worried about them. They're making themselves suffer."
Venting—via after-work drinks or video games—is how people here get by without going crazy. This is a society, after all, where people work so hard for so long, they sometimes die from stress, a condition known as karoshi.
In the past, that hard work was justified by growing prosperity. But for nearly two decades, Japan's economy has sputtered, sending living standards downwards. With the last certainties of Tokyo life now upended by the earthquake—and the social mobility workers once took for granted effectively stalled—nobody knows whether the economy will recover, whether the blackouts will continue or even whether, years into the future, radiation will have made local produce dangerous to eat. Psychologists are already warning of an increase in depression among those affected by the disaster.
"Everything's changed" says Aitkin, "It's like a different city now."
Tokyo is not a ghost town, as some newspapers proclaim, but it's not its usual self either. Cherry blossom season is nearly here, a time when people gather for alcohol-fuelled hanami parties in the parks. Walking home after lunch, a Japanese-speaking friend tells me about a large sign he saw in Inokashira Park urging the public to avoid celebrations in the name of "self-restraint."
Later, when I wander through Harajuku, I notice none of the outlandishly dressed cosplayers (performance artists who don video-game or sci-fi themed costumes) who normally gather there. As the sun disappears, so do shoppers, as department stores close early to save electricity. Late at night, there are no drunken salarymen stumbling home after work. Streetlights are dimmed, billboards switch off and the giant video screens that tower over the world's busiest pedestrian crossing, in Shibuya, go silent.
Shibuya is where I meet Shintaro Yoshimoto, a good-natured 27-year-old who lived for two and a half years in Vancouver, where he met his Korean wife, Su Youn. They now live in Yokohama, an hour by train from Tokyo. A couple of days earlier, Su Youn had left for Korea after her family worried about her safety. Yoshimoto wasn't able to take time off from work, so he stayed. But his thoughts keep turning to what he and his wife would do in the future.
"It's okay to worry about all of this for a month," he says as we sit outside a café on a street lined by pretty zelkova trees. "But a year? Ten years? I have a choice. I can go back to Canada or go to Korea. In the short term, there is nothing we can do, but in the long term, we will have kids and we will always worry about whether it is safe for them. We have a choice to live somewhere else. That's not true for everyone. There are people who have never lived outside of Tokyo. Everyone they know is here. This is their whole life."
It was Saturday, and with his wife in Korea, Shin didn't have any plans, so I invite him to a disaster benefit show I had been told about the day before. Thirty minutes later, we arrive in the quirky neighbourhood of Shimo-Kitazawa to find a few dozen people standing outside a café, shivering against a chilly breeze while drinking coffee and beer.
Inside the packed shop, the Japanese-Hawaiian singer Chiyo Tia is performing a series of acoustic songs. Finding a spot near the back, Shin and I watch her launch into a rousing cover of Bob Marley's "No Woman, No Cry."
In this bright future you can't forget your past
So dry your tears I say
She sings in a strong, earthy voice. Passersby on the street outside stop to watch the show and the crowd begins to clap to the beat.
My feet is my only carriage
So I've got to push on through
But while I'm gone
Everything's gonna be all right
Shin turns to me. "That's what we hope," he say, with a weak smile, and takes a sip of beer.
Another version of this story was published in the August 2011 edition of Reader's Digest Canada.
Postscript: Despite signs asking people to refrain from hanami, many Tokyoites took to the parks as normal. Some even staged a boisterous cherry blossom party in front of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government headquarters to protest those requests to stay home.
Many thanks go to Matt Alt, a translator and keen observer of Japanese media and culture, who took the time to meet with me and discuss the post-disaster situation. Thanks also to my forthright and savvy editor, Carmine Starnino.
This entry was written by Christopher DeWolf , posted on Thursday September 15 2011at 08:09 am , filed under Asia Pacific, Environment, Society and Culture and tagged Behaviour, Disaster, Exploring the City, Japan, Tokyo . Bookmark the permalink . Post a comment below or leave a trackback: Trackback URL.


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The irony in Outlander's fan-favorite character Murtagh Fitzgibbons' rebellion against the Redcoats
Murtagh, the blacksmith that Young Ian approached to fix a horse bit, seemed least interested and said he would do it only if he was paid a whopping amount of 21 shillings
By Regina Gurung
Published on : 11:36 PST, Apr 5, 2019
Tags :Outlander
Starz's hit drama 'Outlander,' adapted from Diana Gabaldon's book series of the same name has a life of its own now, especially after the character Murtagh Fitzgibbons played by (Duncan Lacroix) was seen alive, well and rebelling in season 4 of the time-traveling drama.
Now, fans fraught with 'Droughtlander,' are ruminating about Murtagh's ultimate fate after season 4's cliffhanger, and sadly, we cannot even turn to the books for answers. Season 4 ended with Murtagh's life in jeopardy along with Jamie Fraser's (Sam Heughan). Soon after Brianna Fraser and Roger MacKenzie reunited in River Run, a team of horses come with Redcoats, with a special message for Jamie Fraser from Governor William Tryon.
The governor has entrusted the Scottish Highlander to kill the "criminal" Murtagh Fitzgibbons for leading the rebellious group Regulators to fight against the Redcoats. The Regulators are an underground group of Scottish people who despise the British for what they consider unjust taxation. Murtagh happens to be the leader of the group and a wanted criminal.
Duncan Lacroix (Murtagh) - Outlander Episode 405 (Starz)
However, in the books, the Regulators are mentioned in passing and Murtagh, who is also Jamie's godfather, dies in 1745 at the Battle of Culloden between the Scots and the British. The character, resurrected in the series, gets a bigger storyline as he gets into an unexpected relationship with Aunt Jocasta.
The powerful Aunt Jocasta and a powerful godson may be able to protect Murtagh and the upcoming season may heavily focus on the conflict. However, ever since we re-met Murtagh in season 4, the fan-favorite character has a lurking hypocrisy.
Murtagh gave a stirring speech against the British when he took Jamie to see the underground revolutionary meeting, staunchly accusing the British of robbing them of their hard-earned income. However, hypocrisy was noted when Young Ian met Murtagh for the first time in Wilmington not knowing he is related to him.
Jamie asked Young Ian to get a horse bit fixed because they had to return to Fraser's Ridge the same evening after an unsuccessful run to find settlers in Fraser's Ridge. Murtagh, who was the blacksmith that Young Ian approached for the work, seemed least interested in fixing the horse bit and said he would do the deed only if he was paid a whopping amount of 21 shillings.
That was all the money Young Ian had and he did not want to disappoint his uncle, Jamie, so he paid the entire amount. When Young Ian told Jamie that all the shillings were gone to get the shoe fixed, enraged Jamie went to charge the blacksmith who had basically robbed the young boy. Ironic.
Aunt Jocasta and Murtagh Fitzgibbons (Starz)
As it turned out, it happened for the best since that is when the Frasers reunion took place. They flung open hugs and Murtagh eventually returned the shillings to Young Ian at the bar when they needed money for a beer refill.
However, because it was Murtagh Fitzgibbons, the fan-favorite character, we chose to overlook that he had basically committed the same foul deed he accuses the British of, "robbing" them by means of taxes, charging them much more than required.