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Hope 100: The Dutch city with a circular vision
In an abandoned Centre Parcs in Rotterdam, entrepreneurs are making innovative products out of rubbish, as the city strives to become a circular economy by 2050. #51 in the Hope 100
Gavin Haines January 27, 2020
Economics Environment World
This piece is part of our Hope 100 series, telling the stories of the people and organisations creating hope for 2020 and beyond
"I spend a lot of time throwing sewage waste into a shredder. It's not quite what I expected when I graduated."
Jelle Scharff is not your average entrepreneur. The young Dutchman is in the business of used sanitary products, which he fishes out of the sewers and turns into a growing medium for green roofs.
It's a dirty job – the noxious smell means he has to wear a gas mask – but fortunately Scharff has his business partner, Bas van der Leeden, to help him.
The pair founded their curious startup, Blue Roof, to do something about the thousands of tonnes of used sanitary products that are filtered out of the city's sewers annually and incinerated – a process that releases CO2 and contributes to the climate crisis.
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Gas masks donned, Scharff and Leeden go to a local sewage works to collect toilet trash (think wet wipes, tampons and the like), a foetid mess that is then rinsed, shredded, compressed and dried into strips of substrate. The growing medium has a sour, unpleasant odour, which, according to Scharff, "means there's life in there, which is good for the plants."
Green roofs are subsidised in Rotterdam and Blue Roof has 15 clients on its waiting list, according to Scharff. The company hopes to install its first large-scale roof in 2020. Blue Roof is among dozens of startups based at the abandoned Tropicana leisure centre, which was originally owned by Centre Parcs.
The city has set itself the ambitious target of eliminating waste by 2050 to become a world-leading circular economy (Amsterdam has similar goals). It has certainly risen to tough challenges before, having rebuilt itself almost entirely after the Nazi blitz of 1940.
"If you want to get something done, you go to Rotterdam," says Scharff, who moved here from Utrecht. Overlooking the choppy waters of the Maas, the derelict Tropicana building was used by ravers and squatters for a while, giving it a reputation for iniquity.
In 2015, however, the facility was bought at a public auction and transformed into an incubator for startups that have waste in their crosshairs.
If you want to get something done, you go to Rotterdam
Now renamed BlueCity, the centre is perhaps more popular than before, welcoming a steady stream of tourists, business people and government representatives who want to see what's going on. Beneath the glass-domed roof, innovative new businesses are doing what seem like impossible things with waste. One, Fruit Leather, has worked out how to turn rotten mangoes into an alternative to animal hide.
Another, RotterZwam, grows mushrooms out of used coffee grounds; a waste stream that its sister company, Coffee Based, turns into biodegradable cups. There is even an on-site brewery, Vet & Lazy, which donates its waste to Kusala Gifts, which makes soap out of it. BlueCity is also headquarters to Superuse Studios, an architectural firm specialising in circular building. The organisation was responsible for sourcing reclaimed building materials and incorporating them into the design of BlueCity, which features an events space as well as workshops and offices.
"When we get an assignment, we see what materials are available from nearby waste sites, factories or whatever," explains Karola van Rooyen, Superuse's head of materials. "Reclaimed materials are often cheaper – and, in the end, I think you get a better quality of building."
Fruit Leather turns mangoes into a vegan-friendly textile for clothing
The construction industry is the world's largest consumer of natural resources and accounts for an estimated 40 per cent of global carbon emissions. Cleaning up the sector will be crucial for the city – and the rest of the world – to reduce emissions and achieve circularity. The sweetener is that doing so could create thousands of new jobs; one reason why Rotterdam, a proud, working-class city, is striving for circularity. A recent report by consultancy company Metabolic claimed that reusing just half of the city's waste could generate up to 7,000 repair and recycling jobs.
BlueCity is one of two circular incubators in Rotterdam; the other, Plant One, is focused on developing sustainable alternatives to chemicals and fossil fuels, which helped Rotterdam become Europe's largest port and one of its biggest emitters – two facts that will make achieving circularity particularly challenging. Startups in both hubs have access to state subsidies. The local municipality has earmarked €11m (£9.3m) for circular initiatives like BlueCity between 2018 and 2022. That is on top of a €5.8m (£4.9) energy transition fund to help accelerate the development of alternative fuels.
"Our subsidy has finished now, but it's important we stand on our own two feet," says a sanguine Koen Meerkerk, co-founder of Fruit Leather. He admits that getting multinational companies on board will be vital to scaling up circular businesses, and claims big fashion and footwear brands have shown interest in mango leather, though he won't name drop.
Only limited progress is possible without investing in circular design and sectoral transformation
The municipality is also trying to accelerate Rotterdam's zero-waste businesses, by factoring circularity into its tendering and procurement process. Whether it's maintaining parks or laying pavements, companies must show circular ambitions. A similar approach has been adopted by other Dutch cities.
"If you want to win a contract you need to think of a circular way of doing things," says Joost van Maaren, the City of Rotterdam's circular economy manager.
To help firms that aren't thinking circular, the City of Rotterdam employs a BlueCity-based consultancy company, Circo, to steer them towards a more sustainable future.
All undoubtedly positive, but you don't have to spend long in Rotterdam to realise the scale of the challenge ahead. According to Metabolic's report, just 22 per cent of the city's waste is currently recycled.
"Only limited progress is possible without investing in circular design and sectoral transformation," the report concludes, adding that governments must incentivise people to buy circular products. Van Maaren agrees: "We need smart regulations to help us become circular more quickly. You can't do it on your own."
But that won't stop Rotterdam from trying. "That's what this city is about," he adds. "Being bold and trying things out."
Images: Blue City
Hope 100: The people and organisations creating hope for the future
Hope 100: Making life easier for those worst off Six initiatives helping those worst off in society, from thermal shelters for homeless people to an organisation offering free sanitary prod... Society
Hope 100: Two magazines shaking up media for women and girls These two independent publications are adding different voices and diverse perspectives to the media landscape Culture Lifestyle
Hope 100: Two women bringing positive change with words Two writers creating hope through their work, from fighting for gender equality to boosting mental wellbeing in young people Culture
Hope 100
Hope 100 Environment


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Starting a new job is often a stressful experience for the best of us; but spare a thought for Vittoria Stori (Giovanna Ralli from the awful Cold Eyes of Fear), the heroine of this ultra-stylish giallo/police thriller, who's first few days as a new Assistant D.A. involve an investigation into the apparent suicide of a naked teenage girl, the uncovering of a sleazy vice-ring of underage schoolgirls, and which looks very much like ending with an appointment in an underground car park with a leather clad motorcyclist wielding a meat cleaver!
A naked fifteen year old school girl is found hanging from a beam in a grotty rented room. Inspector Valentini (Mario Adorf) believes it to be suicide, but when the newly appointed female D.A. Vittoria, studies some film footage of a recent street riot, she recognises the girl as the girlfriend of one of the rioters the police have had under surveillance. It soon becomes apparent, after a bit of investigation, that the girl, Sylvia (Sherry Buchanan) was murdered. A whole bunch of suspicious characters may or may not have something to do with it, including a peeping tom, a housekeeper, and a private detective hired by the girl's parents to keep tabs on her rather precocious sex life. A hardnosed police inspector, Silvestri (Claudio Cassinelli), is assigned to the case and, naturally, bodies begin mounting up as a vicious killer sets out to kill anyone who looks like getting too near to uncovering the truth.
This was director Massimo Dallamano's follow-up to his now acclaimed giallo, 'What Have You Done To Solange?' (1971). That film was a classy piece of unashamed giallo sleaze that, thanks to its unusually strong characterisation, rose far above the pack of similar Italian thrillers which appeared off of the back of the huge success of Argento's 'The Bird With The Crystal Plumage' (1969). WHTDTYD takes the same potent cocktail of underage sex, secret societies and murderous maniacs, and adds a more conventional ''action'' element to the proceedings. In that respect we get the aforementioned motorcycle killer, who as well as being a dab hand with a meat cleaver, also gets to show off his 'Evil Kinevil' skills in a high speed chase through the streets of Rome.
Although it has its faults, I found this film equally as appealing as its predecessor; it sacrifices a lot of the classy atmospherics and the patiently developed story line of Solange for straightforward thrills and spills, and the resolution of the mystery seems rushed and incomplete; but it does contain some fantastic set-pieces — including the previously mentioned hunt through the underground car park — and a fair bit of delightful sleaze and gore! This being an Italian thriller, the delicate subject matter of young girls being abused by an organised vice ring is treated with absolutely no subtlety whatsoever — and this leads to some amusingly brutal dialogue (''This 'thing' that scares you so much is gonna give you a lot of pleasure — now spread your legs!''). Along the way we're treated to the sight of pieces of a chopped up body arranged on a mortuary slab, someone getting whacked in the back of the head with a meat cleaver, and someone reaching for a light switch in a darkened room getting their hand hacked of! The music score from Stelvio Cipriani is great, and keeps things rolling along nicely during the car and bike chases, as well as the tense stalking scenes. The only thing that stops the film getting five skulls is the rather weak ending. We find out too quickly who the motorcycle killer is — it's just a matter of the police finding him; but we never learn why he is so keen to do all of the dirty work to protect the vice ring. Also the leader of the vice ring commits suicide before he can be brought to justice and the rest of them, we are told, are too powerful to be arrested. This feels rather feeble — it means we have loads of loose ends left over, and after struggling to follow the convoluted plot I did feel that the writers owed it to the viewer to make more of an effort to make all the pieces fit together more satisfactorily. Other than that, I was thoroughly entertained, and I think any gialli fan will be too.
Shameless are to be commended for rescuing this wonderful film from its previous shoddy DVD release: Salvation's non-anamorphic treatment was marred by faded colours and a very dark, murky print; as well as a noisy soundtrack full of pops and crackling. Shameless make the film feel like a whole new experience! A sharp, colourful print brings the movie to life all over again, and is well worth picking up even if you've already picked up the Salvation disc. Believe me, you haven't really seen the film until you've watched this vibrant re-mastered version!
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AstraZeneca buying drug developer in £30bn deal
The Cambridge-based pharmaceutical giant is currently developing a coronavirus vaccine with the University of Oxford.
AstraZeneca said it is acquiring Boston-based drug developer Alexion Pharmaceuticals (Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP)
By Associated Press Reporter
Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca is to buy US drug developer Alexion in a deal worth almost £30 billion.
Cambridge-based AstraZeneca, which is developing a Covid-19 vaccine, said on Saturday it is using a combination of cash and shares for the acquisition of Boston-based Alexion Pharmaceuticals.
The boards of both companies have unanimously approved the transaction, but it still needs regulatory and shareholder approval.
AstraZeneca is currently developing a coronavirus vaccine with Oxford University (John Cairns/University of Oxford/PA)
The deal is expected to close in the third quarter of 2021.
AstraZeneca chief executive Pascal Soriot said: "This acquisition allows us to enhance our presence in immunology."
The company and Oxford University have jointly developed a coronavirus vaccine that British and Canadian regulators are assessing.


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Epic Games is an American video game and software development company which is based in Cary, North Carolina. The company was founded in 1991 by Tim Sweeney as Potomac Computer Systems. Following his first commercial video game release, ZZT (1991), on 1992 the company became Epic MegaGames Inc and hire Mark Rein, who is now the company's vice president to date. In 1999 company moved their headquarters to Cary, the studio's name was simplified to Epic Games. Epic Games owns video game developers Psyonix and Chair Entertainment, as well as cloud-based software developer Cloudgine.
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Assets declaration: Nigerians bombard Conduct Bureau for Obasanjo, Jonathan, IBB, govs' forms
• VCs, rectors, provosts, registrars, others now to declare assets
in Featured, News Update
Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Northern Operation
Despite leaving the stage, there is high demand by Nigerians for asset declaration forms of former Presidents and Heads of State, serving and ex-governors from the Code of Conduct Bureau.
Those mostly affected are ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, former President Goodluck Jonathan, ex-President Ibrahim Babangida, and ex-Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar.
The battle to have a peep at the assets of President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is also ongoing in court.
The bureau, however, said the National Assembly has not put guidelines in place on how Nigerians can have access to the asset forms of the ex-leaders.
Read Also: CCB won't publish Buhari's, Osinbajo's assets
It said it can only release asset forms to statutory public bodies or departments like security agencies, investigating agencies (like ICPC and EFCC) and the court.
Also, vice chancellors of universities, rectors of polytechnics, provosts of colleges of education and public officers from Assistant Director and above are now expected to declare their assets.
The Chairman of CCB, Prof. Muhammed Isah, made the disclosures in an exclusive interview with our correspondent.
Isah said: "We have high demand for the asset declaration forms of all the former Presidents and Heads of State and governors. We cannot release the asset forms of these past public officers because the guidelines for releasing such have not been put in place by the National Assembly.
"We even have a case in court on this demand which we are trying to defend. It is not about protecting these past leaders, but it is about the law and compliance with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution.
"We do release asset forms to public institutions like EFCC, ICPC, the court and security agencies. For instance, a High Court in Kaduna State recently asked for the Asset Declaration Form of Governor Nasir el-Rufai and we submitted it
Asked why more Nigerians are interested in the asset forms of past leaders, Isah simply added: "I don't know their intention for it."
He said the bureau was working on the amendment of the CCB Act to enable Nigerians to have access to asset forms.
"We are working on amending the Act of the CCB. Until the Act is amended as part of the next Constitution amendment, we cannot do anything now. If the amendment is done, there is possibility of getting the guidelines to have access to asset forms of public officers."


When you're looking for a stunning planter that's long and narrow, set your eyes on the Tolga Rectangular Planter. Although it's built to fit into narrow spaces, its substantial height of two feet ensures that it will never be considered a shrinking wallflower.
With our selection of rich, vibrant colors, the Tolga Planter is sure to stand out in your interior and exterior spaces. Hues range from the tropical-inspired Gloss Saffron, Gloss Tangerine and Satin Green to the sophisticated Matte Black, Metallic Bronze and Satin Beige.
Made of premium fiberglass, the Tolga Planter is made to withstand the weather in your zone without cracking, fading or chipping. Although it's ideal for outdoor use, the planter also is stylish enough for interior spaces. Choose this planter in two sizes — 36" x 16" x 24" and 48" x 16" x 24" — for a variety of design options for your decks, patios, and lounging spaces.


A majority of Dartmouth's undergraduates participate in one or more off-campus programs before graduating. Our success in international education is rooted in a long tradition of faculty-led programs that fully immerse undergraduates in exciting new environments while integrating these experiences with their lives back on campus. By studying alongside Dartmouth faculty, taking courses with host-country academics at partner institutions, and sharing life with local residents a local family, our students gain an in-depth understanding and appreciation of their host country. Excursions to sites of artistic, historic and natural beauty provide them with further insights into the life and culture of the region.
Learn more about the Guarini Institute.


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pr@cloudberrylab.com
CloudBerry Lab Announces Enhanced Support for QNAP and Synology Cloud Backup
Leading NAS Agents Now Available Through CloudBerry Managed Backup Service for (MSP) Partners, Presenting Strong Revenue Opportunity
Aliso Viejo, CA – March 9, 2016 – CloudBerry Lab™, a leader in cloud-based backup and file management services to small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs), has announced expanded capabilities as part of their QNAP and Synology support. Customers using CloudBerry Backup for QNAP or CloudBerry Backup for Synology will now have access to a broader range of cloud storage options (including Amazon S3, Google Cloud Storage, Oracle Cloud, Microsoft Azure and OpenStack Swift) as well as benefit from faster data transfer. CloudBerry Lab has also announced that their MSP partners will now have the opportunity to sell CloudBerry Backup for QNAP and CloudBerry Backup for Synology.
Network-Attached Storage, or NAS, refers to a storage device connected to a network that allows storage and retrieval of data from a centralized location for authorized network users and heterogeneous clients. NAS devices are a good option for small businesses because they are simple to operate and offer lower costs compared to other storage options. NAS can also be used for backup, but increasingly NAS users are looking to cloud backup options in order to realize the growing benefits of this type of solution, including scalability, reliability and off-site data protection.
CloudBerry Backup enables SMBs to backup critical files and folders to the cloud storage vendor of their choice. Previously, CloudBerry supported QNAP and Synology backup to Amazon S3. Now, the list has grown to include many more cloud storage providers. Users can schedule incremental backups from their QNAP and Synology devices directly to their provider of choice.
"In addition to the new QNAP and Synology support capabilities, we are excited about the resale opportunities for our MSP partners," says says Alexey Serkov, CTO at CloudBerry Lab, CloudBerry. "Combining the speed and convenience of NAS with the power of cloud backup is a high-value proposition that will help our partners drive revenues."
CloudBerry Lab is offering a free license of CloudBerry Backup for QNAP and CloudBerry Backup for Synology as well, through April.
About CloudBerry Lab:
Established in 2008 by a group of experienced IT professionals, CloudBerry Lab™ provides cloud-based backup and file management services to small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs). CloudBerry's offerings include powerful, easy-to-use backup management capabilities and military-grade encryption using customer-controlled keys. Customers can choose to store their backup data with more than 20 online storage providers, including Amazon S3, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, HP Cloud, Rackspace, Softlayer and others. CloudBerry also partners with thousands of VARs and MSPs to provide them with turnkey, white-label data protection services. An Amazon Web Services Advanced Technology Partner since 2012, CloudBerry Lab has also achieved Storage Competency Partner status in the AWS Partner Network. For more information please visit www.cloudberrylab.com. Follow us on Twitter at @cloudberrylab.


Barry + Jenni's Breakdown Of The Chicago IECSC!
We love Chicago! So we were thrilled to be able to spend in the Windy City, especially when we got to stay at the W! Hello – thank you so much to the IECSC for the great conference rates! What a gorgeous hotel!
The trip is special because we were able to eat at our favorite Italian restaurant, Volare! But we also love – PIZZA, and got to enjoy the famous Chicago Deep Dish Style….
International Esthetics, Cosmetics and Spa Conference happening….
Honestly, who doesn't love to a good Red Carpet moment?
It was so exciting to talk with IECSC exhibitors to see what they're showcasing. We also loved talking to attendees of the show. We were able to chat with first timers to the IECSC and to repeat attendees.
There is one HUGE difference between a Hollywood #RedCarpetMoment and #iecscLIVE #RedCarpetMoment!
Look for an upcoming story….
We love Instagram, so it was a natural fit for us to teach a class for the IECSC on how to use Instagram in your business. We had a blast working with a room full of dynamic spa pro's who woke up early to attend classes before the trade show exhibit hall even opened!


$150 million facility in Mesa –Mesa Arts Center relies on Audience Magnets particularly to troubleshoot those hard to sell shows that need extra marketing and PR assistance. We come through time and time again by providing community partnerships, grass roots promotion, publicity and promotional efforts that ensure maximum ticket sales, often turning those challenging engagements into sold-out triumphs. Throughout the years, MAC has also looked to Audience Magnets to fill in vacant staff positions including Marketing Director and PR Manager until suitable permanent candidates could be hired.


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In the 1950s Louis Armstrong was called an "Uncle Tom" by young bebop musicians. Sports champions, especially those who publicly express conservative political views, run the risk of being labeled "Uncle Toms. He was vilified in the black community when he announced that he was a "Rockefeller Republican. His participation was seen as supporting apartheid. Muhammad Ali routinely berated his black opponents as "Uncle Roche it solutions. No decent person can look up to a champion whose roche it solutions is "hate whites.
Roche it solutions image of a Black Muslim as the world heavyweight champion disgraces the sport and the nation. Cassius Clay must be beaten and the Black Muslims' scourge removed from boxing.
During the fight -- a one-sided bout -- Ali roche it solutions with Patterson. Ali threw both punches and the slur, "white nigger. At the pre-fight press conferences Terrell repeatedly called Ali by his given name: Cassius Clay.
Ali promised to beat Terrell until he addressed him properly. He also used the slur against Joe Louis roche it solutions of Louis' passive political stances. In recent years the "Uncle Tom" slur has been directed against Christopher Darden, the black member of the prosecution's team in the O. Cornell West, the author of Race Matters (1993) and a lifelong civil rights activist, was called an "Uncle Tom" by the African United Front (1993) because of his "support" of Jews. The "Uncle Tom" slur has even been appropriated by other ethnic groups to exert in-group pressures on their members.
DuBois, arguably the greatest, most sustained civil rights voice of the 20th Century, was called an "Uncle Tom" -- by Marcus Garvey, roche it solutions added that DuBois was "purely and simply a white man's nigger" (Williams, 1997). David Pilgrim, Professor of Sociology Ferris State University Dec. The romantic pairing of a black man with a white woman was still controversial in the 1960s.
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African United Front (1993). United States: Stephen Alexander Productions. United States: Act III Communications. Xodus musings: Reflections on womanist tar baby theology. Theology Today, 50(1), 38-44. Toms, coons, mulattoes, mammies, and bucks: An interpretive history of Blacks in American films (New 3rd ed. New York, NY: Continuum. United States: Fox Film Corporation. United States: Paramount Pictures.
The fight of the century. United States: Monogram Pictures. United States: Columbia Pictures Corporation. United States: Universal Pictures. United States: Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. United States: Pathe Freres. United States: David W. United States: Curtleigh Productions. United States: Republic Pictures. Cruel Ali with all the effect wiki. United States: Rainbow Productions.
United States: Kalem Company. United States: Edison Manufacturing Company. United States: World Film. United States: Selznick International Pictures. Classic trademarks put best faces forward. Marketing News, 26, roche it solutions. New York, NY: Anchor Books. United States: Warner Bros. United States: The Zanuck Company.
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Rho Kappa Zeta concludes Zeta week
Deion A. Sainvil | Staff Writer
Not much was going on during the rather calm and warm Saturday afternoon. The squirrels rummaged through the trash cans and groups of friends walked around campus in hopes of finding opportunities for some no-money-fun. Passersby's on the east side of campus heard today's hip hop hits faintly in the distance and ventured over to the source of the sound. As they got closer, they approach the Salley courts and to the sight of a diverse crowd playing games of basketball and enjoying each other's company.
Last Saturday, in conclusion to their Zeta Week, the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. Rho Kappa Chapter hosted "Championship Ringz," their first annual Charity Basketball Tournament.
"As part of Stork's Nest, one of Zeta Phi Beta's national initiatives, we are raising money for March of Dimes to assist expecting mothers with prenatal care," said Joyce Philippe, senior student and social events coordinator. "Students from all over campus came together to compete in the tournament which also promotes healthy lifestyle through physical activity."
Zeta Phi Beta has had one of their busiest years. Last winter, they hosted their second annual Mr. Rho Kappa Pageant. For four months, six contestants rehearsed tirelessly to showcase their talents with hopes of winning a scholarship and the title of Mr. Rho Kappa.
"It was a great experience. I got participated through a few friend referrals, I wasn't sure what I was getting myself into, but it turned out to be one of my highlights of the year," said Brandon Spencer, freshman and runner up in the pageant and participant in the basketball tournament. "As Mr. Divine, I'm obliged to help out the sorority. I was happy to join [the basketball tournament] it was a great event with a lot of great players and hopefully the winners are happy knowing that they are giving back to the community."
Zeta Week was an exciting week jam packed with a variety of events. Monday was For Colored Girls, a seminar which discussed issues pertaining to black women. Topics ranged from how black women are perceived in the media to what it means to be a part of Greek life in the black community. On Tuesday the sorority engaged in community service projects at the Boys and Girls Club. On Wednesday they gave out "Sweet Treatz" blue and white colored baked goods and rock candies in the Union. Thursday's event was "Bondage and Pearlz," an interactive sex seminar about sexual education and safe bondage practices. And lastly, Friday was "Steel and Stilettos" a workout session that promoted health and positive self-image amongst women.
As the semester winds down, Zeta Phi Beta will continue to uphold their foundation as "A community conscious, action-oriented organization" as they look to continue working in community service. To stay up to date on their upcoming events, follow their Twitter and Instagram @rhokappazetas.


Is Gluten Bad For You? - Here Is Your Answer.
Gluten can be bad for you—but only if you have celiac disease, gluten intolerance, or a wheat allergy. Otherwise, it is a good source of nutrients and will benefit those who do not have these issues.
Thinking about going gluten free? It's a popular choice these days and with many grocery stores and restaurants catering to the growing number of people choosing this lifestyle, it's an easier one to make. But do you really need to go gluten free?
Gluten is a protein found in barley, rye, and wheat, and can also be found lurking in countless processed foods. For those with gluten intolerance, eating these foods can cause a few problems. Consuming it can spark nausea, diarrhea, and in the case of wheat allergies, even anaphylaxis. Individuals with the latter issue need to carry an EpiPen (epinephrine injector) to prevent suffocation.
If you are experiencing any of the symptoms of gluten intolerance, have your doctor or gastroenterologist check it out. But since there is nothing inherently bad about it, there is no need to jump on the gluten-free bandwagon if you are not. Gluten flour is actually high in protein, iron, and low in fat, and the foods made with it provide your body with much-needed carbohydrates, fiber and B vitamins. Many people mistakenly think that gluten is in all grains and therefore cut out that food group entirely. In doing so, they are missing out on the vital nutrients their bodies need, and may end up feeling worse than they believed they did before.
The verdict? Gluten is bad for you if your body truly can't tolerate it, but good for you if you are allergy free!


Wartick, S. and Mahon, J. 1994. Toward a Substantive Definition of the Corporate Issue Construct: A Review and Synthesis of the Literature. Business & Society, Vol. 33, (3), pp.293-311.
In his ground-breaking work on corporate responsiveness, Ackerman (1973) used the idea of expectational gaps …. From this discussion of three themes in the existing attempts at defining the corporate issue construct, it is clear that efforts from the business strategy literature, the public policy literature, and the business and society literature are quite different and that each has its strengths and weaknesses. However, drawing from the strengths of each, it is possible to integrate the approaches by suggesting that a corporate issue may be defined initially as (a) a controversial inconsistency (b) between stakeholder perceptions of what is and what ought to be corporate performance (c) that creates some significant perceived present or future impact on the organization.
The evolving literature on issue life cycles (Bartha, 1983; Bigelow et al., 1993, Mahon, 1989; Starling, 1980) suggests that there is a close relationship between gaps and issues but that the two are not synonymous. Any version of the issue life cycle posits that, with time, issues move through states related to public attention or stakeholder interests. How quickly an issue moves through its life cycle depends on public support, knowledge and logic, communications patterns and access, anticipated results, targets, triggering events, and leadership (Eyestone, 1978). In all stages of the life cycle, an expectational gap must be present for an issue to exist. The gap may not be widely acknowledged during the early stages of an issue, by [sic] it is present nonetheless. The gap may be the subject of reinterpretation and redefinition in the developing stages of the life cycle, but it is always there in some form. After resolution, the gap (and issue) may disappear, but the threat of the resolution being inadequate leading to new gaps, is always present. Thus the issue life cycle supports the idea that if an issue exists, then an underlying expectational gap also exists.
Adding these three additional points results in the corporate issue construct being defined as (a) a controversial inconsistency based on one or more expectational gaps (b) involving management perceptions of changing legitimacy and other stakeholder perceptions of changing cost/benefit positions (c) that occur within or between views of what is and/or what ought to be corporate performance or stakeholder perceptions of corporate performance and (d) imply an actual or anticipated resolution that creates significant, identifiable present or future impact on the organisation. This reformulated definition clarifies the process of development of corporate issues as well as their origins and characteristics. It differentiates corporate issues from nonissues and from social change in general.


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Confucious Institute celebrates Spring Festival |25 January 2023
The Confucius Institute celebrated the Chinese Spring Festival (New Year) at the Chinese Cultural Centre in Victoria last Friday.
Celebrated on January 22, this year is the beginning of the year of the Rabbit and ending the year of the Tiger.
To celebrate the Spring Festival, the new building is decorated with all elements of spring festival and the guests including principal secretaries Merna Eulentin and John Lesperance from the Ministry of Education and the chargé d'affaires of the Chinese embassy, Mu Janfeng, representatives from the UniSey, Seychelles Tourism Academy and of the Chinese embassy in Seychelles participated in the event.
The programme was full of activities such as dance, drama, singing and games.
Wang Dongxia, director of Confucius Institute, shared that during the event, the Confucious Institute also delivered certificates to students who completed different levels of studies in Chinese language.
"It was a time to experience the good wishes for next year and also to learn about Chinese culture. We wish all Seychellois a happy New Year of the Rabbit," shared Mrs Wang.
What does Year of the Rabbit symbolise?
Each year in the Lunar calendar is represented by one of the 12 zodiac animals, and this year will be the year of the rabbit symbolizing longevity, peace, and prosperity. More than two billion people are expected to travel for this year's celebration, which is still a fraction of pre-pandemic levels.
Years of the Rabbit include 2023, 2011, 1999, 1987, 1975, 1963, 1951, 1939, 1927...
2023 is a year of the Water Rabbit, starting from January 22, 2023 (Chinese New Year), and ending on February 9, 2024 (Chinese New Year's Eve). The sign of Rabbit is a symbol of longevity, peace, and prosperity in Chinese culture. 2023 is predicted to be a year of hope.
The luckiest Chinese zodiac signs in 2023 are Oxes, Tigers, and Snakes. Then, with not quite so much luck, come Dogs, Horses, Goats, and Pigs. Rabbits' and Rats' fortunes will be influenced by 'opposition to Tai Sui'. Roosters and Monkeys will have to work especially hard to make headway.
People born in a year of the Rabbit are called "Rabbits" and are believed to be vigilant, witty, quick-minded, and ingenious.
The accompanying photos show some highlights of the Confucius Institute's participation.
Photos: contributed


Neil Gaiman's seminal comic book series Sandman changed the face of mature rated comic books forever, and made readers expect more from their illustrated storylines.
A Sandman adaptation may not have made it to the big screen, but these beautiful concept art sketches by Jill Thompson live on.
"Concept Art For A Sandman Movie That Will Never Be"


text:
Q: How to read from Process inputStream not immediately available In Java reading from inputStream of Process works has expected if data is immediately available.
But when process will not produce data immediately, it seems to be impossible to retrieve data?!
Unit test :
@Test
public void testForkingProcess() throws Exception {
            String [] cmds = new String[]{"echo this is a test", "sleep 2 ; echo this is a test"};
    for(String cmd: cmds) {
        Process p = Runtime.getRuntime().exec(cmd);
        byte[] buf = new byte[100];
        int len = 0;
        long t0 = System.currentTimeMillis();
        while(len < 15 && (System.currentTimeMillis() - t0) < 5000) {
            int newLen = p.getInputStream().read(buf, len, buf.length - len);
            if(newLen != -1) {
                len += newLen;
            }
        }
        long t1 = System.currentTimeMillis();
        System.out.println("elapse time : " + (t1 - t0) +" ms");
        System.out.println("read len : " + len);
        p.destroy();
    }
}

Console output :
    elapse time : 1 ms
    read len : 15
    elapse time : 5000 ms
    read len : 0

Is someone has a clue about this behavior and how to process the stream to retrieve data.
An other simple example :
@Test
public void testMoreSimpleForkingProcess() throws Exception {
    String [] cmds = new String[]{"echo this is a test", "sleep 2 ; echo this is a test"};
    for(String cmd: cmds) {
        Process p = Runtime.getRuntime().exec(cmd);
        byte[] buf = new byte[100];
        int len = 0;
        int newLen = 0;
        while(newLen >= 0) {
            newLen = p.getInputStream().read(buf, len, buf.length - len);
            if(newLen != -1) {
                len += newLen;
            }
        }
        p.getInputStream().close();
        System.out.println("read len : " + len);
        p.destroy();
    }

}

Console Output :
    read len : 15
    read len : 0

A:
How to read from Process inputStream not immediately available?

Block. You don't need the timing stuff. You don't know how fast the process is going to produce output. Just block in read, and repeat until end of stream.
You also need to consume the error stream, and you also need to close the process's input stream. You're also sleeping while end of stream has already been received. Pointless.

A: Ok in fact issue is in cmd pass to exec Java not process command like shell.
need to used ProcessBuilder and bash -i -c

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


We watch it on the tele on a Thursday night, the Europa League. Train and play like your favourite stars who qualify with their team based on their national league standings using this Molten UEFA Europa League 18/19 3400 Training Football in a White and Orange colourway.
This ball is available in a size 4 or 5.


text:
Xiaoduchuan (kinesiska: 小渡船, 小渡船街道) är en häradshuvudort i Kina. Den ligger i provinsen Hubei, i den centrala delen av landet, omkring 460 kilometer väster om provinshuvudstaden Wuhan. Antalet invånare är . Befolkningen består av  kvinnor och  män. Barn under 15 år utgör  %, vuxna 15-64 år  %, och äldre över 65 år  %.

Runt Xiaoduchuan är det ganska tätbefolkat, med  invånare per kvadratkilometer. Närmaste större samhälle är Wuyangba,  km sydost om Xiaoduchuan. I omgivningarna runt Xiaoduchuan växer huvudsakligen savannskog.

Genomsnittlig årsnederbörd är  millimeter. Den regnigaste månaden är september, med i genomsnitt  mm nederbörd, och den torraste är december, med  mm nederbörd.

Källor

Orter i Hubei

WP:Projekt Kina

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Home › News › Trade shows
Premium Group launches Frankfurt Fashion Week
In a surprise announcement on Monday, Germany's Premium Group and Messe Frankfurt revealed plans to launch a new fashion week in Frankfurt in 2021.
The companies, both organisers of major trade shows, said Frankfurt Fashion Week will be "the new home of a forward-looking fashion and lifestyle community".
Making its debut in summer 2021, the event will see trade shows, conferences, runway shows and events take place throughout the city.
The initiative is backed by the City of Frankfurt am Main and the German state of Hesse with the aim of giving Frankfurt, one of Europe's leading finance hubs, a fashion edge.
"Organising a Fashion Week in Frankfurt presents a unique economic opportunity for the City of Frankfurt am Main. We are expecting positive knock-on effects with the generation of more than €200 million per year for our hometown and the region," said Peter Feldmann, the Senior Mayor of the City of Frankfurt am Main, at a press conference.
A core component of Frankfurt Fashion Week will be its fashion fairs. Premium Group is relocating its entire portfolio of events including the Premium exhibition, Seek trade fair, Neonyt platform for sustainable fashion, and the FashionSustain and FashionTech conferences.
"Frankfurt Fashion Week is purposely aimed at a forward-looking, digital-savvy fashion and lifestyle community. B2B, B2C, B2P, P2P – all avenues are open. A synthesis of fashion, lifestyle, digital innovations and sustainability is always guaranteed to result in something new and unexpected. And that is exactly our aim," said Anita Tillmann, Managing Partner of the Premium Group.
Organisers acknowledged that choosing Frankfurt was a rather surprising move, announcing the launch with an "Unveiling the Unexpected" slogan.
"Frankfurt is a fresh, new location for this. We're looking forward to it," Anita Tillmann continued.
The launch of Frankfurt Fashion Week comes as Berlin Fashion Week continues its evolution to meet new needs and challenges. The event, sponsored by Mercedes-Benz, relaunched with a revamped format and new venue earlier this year after a period of struggles for direction.
Premium's departure will be a significant blow to Berlin's fashion credentials, as Premium and Neonyt are among the city's leading trade fairs.


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Ensuring your photographs positively portray all the areas of your business.
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But in general anything that asks you to pay any money, or suggests that money will be paid to you via odd routes (and then claimed back), should be avoided.
Remember, if something sounds too good to be true, it almost certainly will be.
"Why our customers choose us..."


Make sure the new system truly duplicates the functionality of the old system that you're leaving behind.
Find out in advance who owns all the systems in your "package" and who maintains them. It might NOT be your primary vendor.
Make sure the systems are CURRENTLY integrated vs. inter-dependant.
Spend more due diligence time on the specific details of what the new system actually will deliver.
The main issue oftentimes is not the core but the ancillary parts.
Keep copies of every vendor presentation you receive; accept nothing in a verbal form.
My only addition to the outstanding list is: ensure you have an experienced negotiator for contract negotiations; legal counsel typically does not have the requisite expertise to identify the hidden pitfalls.
Thanks, Don, for your insights!
Also, Liat and I are currently in Bangkok, concluding our Food Pilgrimage around-the-world trip. We reported daily in our blog, blog.anatbird.com, and uploaded pictures to both the website and the blog as well. Arik's bar mitzvah was also awesome. He did a great job, we were right among the excavations of the second temple 2000 years ago and by the recently uncovered part of the Western Wall, and he made me very proud. Again pictures are posted.
The financial services industry has been struggling with the concept of measurement for decades. Until recently, cost and profitability were elusive ideas, only to be vaguely estimated. Today, most profitability systems on the market prove ineffective, as their mathematically accurate formulae "discriminate" for high-balance products and against low balance ones, such that an average balance retail free checking account is worth much less than a high-yield, low margin MMA account. The information then becomes dangerous, as it could lead to poor decisions.
With the new recognition of the critical importance of accurate information to manage the business, financial institutions are approaching the subject with renewed vigor. "That which is expected must be inspected", some say, and I, for one, support that idea. The question is, what should be measured? If we measure too much (as many banks do), we end up measuring nothing, since the data becomes overwhelming, and one report indistinguishable from another. How do we determine which key measurements to focus on, and how to develop a comfort level with their accuracy?
Industry Week magazine regularly conducts studies on the activity of measurement. As we know, service industries lag behind manufacturing, so it is interesting to see where manufacturing is going in advancing measurement.
As I read the list, I was struck by how similar this list is to the issues facing banks' long-term success, and how universally applicable executive-level information requirements are.
HOW DO YOU MEASURE PERFORMANCE AREAS CRUCIAL TO LONG-TERM SUCCESS?
Interestingly, customer satisfaction ranked as the single most important piece of information for senior-level corporate management. Unfortunately, they did not have a high confidence level in the quality of information pertaining to this area. Predictably, financial performance was both of crucial importance and represented highly reliable information. Banks experience similar gaps as their manufacturing brethren.
Two other areas, employee performance and innovation, ranked very low in management confidence in the quality of data, although both were recognized by at least 50% of the respondents to be quite important.
The Industry Week study indicated that, while executives need a broad array of information across several performance areas, the one area they rely the most on is the financial data where the information is reliable and easily accessible. In other areas, some of which are of pivotal importance, particularly customer satisfaction and employee performance, executives feel their organizations were unsuccessful in generating reliable information, and therefore did not include that information heavily in their decision making.
The underlying assumption - measurement equals better performance - also needs to be questioned. Industry Week identified those organizations that were "measurement-managed" (as defined by agreement among senior management on measurable data and criteria for determining strategic success, and where management updated and reviewed at least twice a year performance in three or more of the six primary information areas described earlier) and compared them to others that did not place much reliance on measurement.
It is particularly striking that 97% of the measurement-based companies experienced successful cultural or operational changes, as compared to 55% of non-measurement based organizations. This figure is particularly impressive and critically relevant to the banking industry where, if nothing else, there is clear consensus that change is happening and ever-present, accelerating in pace, and therefore its management is a critical survival factor the future.
Only 7% of measurement-managed companies (as compared with 63% of the others) reported lack of agreement among top management on the business strategy of the company. They then translated the vision, or strategy, into measurable objectives. If high specificity helps surface and resolve hidden disagreement, it often gets buried when the strategy remains abstract.
Many senior managers in the banking business feel they clearly communicate their strategy, but while the vision is crystal clear in their minds, it does not cascade throughout the company. A prerequisite to good communication is a clear message. If the strategy itself is unclear, insisting on measures for strategic goals can force clarity. Without such clarity, employees are left uncertain about how they can contribute and which direction is forward. Linking employee performance to corporate goals through scorecards is one mechanism by which an effective information measurement-managed company can mobilize its workforce to achieve success.
Measurement also provides a common language for communication. People talk about how they get measured. A common language requires openness, however, and indeed in measurement-managed companies, 71% of the managers reported that information within their organizations was shared openly and candidly, compared with only 30% in the non-measurement based companies.
Measurement-managed companies further support this concept by linking multiple measures of performance into compensation (47% vs. 9%). Motivating employees and telling them you put your money where your mouth is clinches the deal.
Every company has a culture, a set of common values and attitudes that characterize it. Successful companies which are measurement-based emphasize values such as teamwork, self-monitoring performance against agreed-upon standards, or willingness to take risks to accomplish objectives much more than other companies. Have you achieved such alignment?
It's tough to run a business without clearly defined objectives, and in an industry in such a state of flux as ours, where measurement itself is questionable, it is often tough to develop objectives with sufficient precision to be measurable. Many companies do not invest the time needed to define with precision the areas of performance that go beyond the purely financial and operational measures. If you struggle with the question of how to quantify soft areas, ask yourself what is the desired result and how can it be measured. If you take the approach that everyone in the bank has a customer, then customer satisfaction can be measured on the customer's terms. Other areas such as employee performance and other stakeholders' satisfaction can also be quantified.
Many companies place unwarranted trust in informal information channels and anecdotal data as mechanisms for measuring performance. While these are valuable, they are, by definition, imprecise, do not provide an early warning system, and are unreliable.
Most banks already have some type of measurement system in place. Inertia and resistance to chance prevent many from scuttling what they have and going for a new program. Few companies have been courageous enough to say, we are going to try something new because we believe it is right and we will measure it accordingly. Most others want to see their current measures work and therefore are closed to the need to obtain and integrate new yardsticks into day-to-day management.
Measurement can be debilitating if overdone. Too many measures trivialize the effort. In building scorecards, many end up with 20+ measures (even if they are under 4 or 5 categories). People cannot focus their attention in a meaningful way on more than a dozen measures; a handful is "capacity" for most of us. As a result of management's reluctance to truly prioritize, employees end up prioritizing in their own minds, creating a smaller sub-group of the measures on which they concentrate. We might as well weed those up-front and apply the appropriate weight to each of a handful of measures that will signal how critical they are to overall corporate performance and individual success.
Past mechanisms and approximations do not optimize an organization. While an effective measurement approach is not going to make the world stand still, or reduce the need for strategic clarity, it should help your bank anticipate change and provide a set of coordinates to monitor progress and manage through troubled waters so you can chart your own course and achieve your clearly set objectives.


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At the same time, yields of cucumber, tomato, gerbera and rose have risen many-folded (Tahvonen 2004).
New trends in the use of peat.
Today peat is also used to produce textiles for clothing and footwear and the therapeutic use of peat and peat extracts has developed into an art (Korhonen 1996, Pirtola 1996). Peatlands also offer habitats for a diverse and specialised flora and fauna (Aapala et al. 1996) which means that more of them should be officially preserved. Especially spruce mires are underestimated in conservation areas. Also, 90% of mire conservation areas are situated in northern Finland (Aapala et al. 1996).
Peatland tourism is a growing new way of utilizing peatlands. There was even an EU Life-project working on this during 2002-2005 in Finland (Wiiskanta & Lipponen 2005). They proposed a lot of new activities besides old ones. For example, excursions based on mire myths, aesthetics of peatlands, bird watching trips etc. All these utilize pristine mires which urge their protection but also careful planning not to destroy or disturb the characteristics that the tourists have come to see. Until now we have several sport happenings in Finnish peatlands : swamp soccer, swamp volleyball, swamp hockey, swamp hiking.
Besides peatland berries (Salo 1996) there are also other commercially interesting plants on mires. For example, Drosera rotundifolia has growing markets in central Europe in medical industry. Each year two tons of fresh Drosera plants have been exported from Ostrobothnia region. There are also cultivation trials of Drosera conducted by the Agricultural Research Centre in Finland. The yield has been noted to be 50 times higher than on natural mires and the chemical contents of cultivated plants to be similar with the natural ones (Galambosi et al. 2000). Besides Drosera, also Myrica gale would have huge markets in central Europe.
Peatlands used for forestry.
The earliest peatland drainage operations in Finland took place during the famine years (1866-1868). Then the target was to provide work for the unemployed and to occupy new arable land. More systematic drainage aimed at increasing the growth of tree stands on peat soils or wet mineral soils started in state- and industry-owned land in1908. The private sector started forest drainage activity in 1928 when the first Forest Improvement Law was introduced. Forest improvement legislation directing government subsidies and low-interest loans to private forest owners has had a decisive impact on the level and scope of forest drainage in Finland (Pivnen & Paavilainen 1996).
Forest drainage activity developed into a nation-wide campaign to increase forest growth in the 1970s. The area annually drained increased steadily up to 1969, when 295 000 ha was drained. The total forest drainage area according to the forestry statistics is about 6,0 million ha. The real area of drained peatlands is, however, smaller because forestry statistics include old drainage areas, which have had complementary ditching and thus have been counted twice. On the other hand, the area of forest drainage in national inventories is too small as some of the peatlands originally drained for forestry have been cleared for agriculture or peat harvesting and some of the drained sites with a shallow peat layer have been later classified as drained mineral soil (Pivnen & Paavilainen 1996). According to the latest inventory (Hkk et al.
2002) the area drained for forestry in Finland is approximately 5.7 million ha of which 4.6 million ha are drained mires and 1.1 million ha are drained mineral soils which probably have been originally thin-peated.
Drainage and fertilization of mires and peatlands have considerably increased the total volume and annual increment of peatland forests. According to the National Forest Inventories (NFI) the total volume and increment of peatland forests have developed since the beginning of 1960s as follows:
Standing volume Total annual increment mill. m3 mill. mNFI 3 (1951-53) 91 9.NFI 7 (1977-84) 291 14.NFI 8 (1986-94) 365 17.The increase would be even higher if the effect of ditching on tree growth before NFI3 (1951-53) is considered, as well as, the growth increase on those originally shallow-peated sites which have later been classified as mineral soils. It can therefore be estimated that the increase in the annual increment caused by forest amelioration on peatlands in the middle of 2000s exceeded 10 million m3. It should, however, be noticed that the increase in total stand volume and annual increment is not dependent only on the ameliorative effect of drainage and fertilization but also on the small amounts of cuttings (Pivnen & Paavilainen 1996).
The problem in practical peatland forestry has been that the cuttings realized are far away from the plans and calculations made by forest authorities and researchers. In NFI 8 it was estimated that there would be need for cuttings on 2.35 million ha during the next ten year period. Similarly it was estimated that complementary ditching would be needed on an area of 1.5 million ha which is higher figure than was presented in the Finnish National Forest Program (Hkk et al. 2002).
Restoration of peatlands drained for forestry.
Needs and aims of restoration. Peatland restoration aims to revitalize a self-sustaining naturally functioning mire ecosystem which accumulates carbon and retains nutrients from through-flowing waters (e.g. Wheeler and Shaw 1995). The first step is to raise the water table and ideally stabilize water table level close to peat surface. In successful restoration, the recolonization of mire plant species follows rewetting, and finally, the carbon cycle typical of the mire ecosystem, including anoxic decomposition, begins once again (Pfadenhauer and Kltzli, 1996).
The aims of restoration of peatlands drained for forestry are diverse. As forestry is most profitable on nutrient-rich peatland sites (Paavilainen and Pivnen 1995), those sites have been selected for drainage first, and thus are now the rarest in pristine condition. Nutrient-rich mires have threatened species requiring habitats with flowing water having often also a special landscape value (Aapala et al. 1996, The principles.... 1999, Virkkala et al., 2000). One type of mires that has been used intensively for agriculture and forestry, is the spruce mires which can be found as narrow strips in the ecotone between forest and mire ecosystems. These ecotones are ecological hot-spots for biodiversity (Aapala et al. 1996) but may be easily destroyed by a single ditch and even have often been left out of the nature conservation areas. Drainage in these ecotones diverts waters from the seemingly natural mire area and affects its natural state. The need for restoration is very high in spruce mires in hemiboreal and southern boreal zones, where (data from Finland) less than 1% of them have been protected, and almost half of these protected spruce mires have been drained (Virkkala et al. 2000).
Other priority sites to be restored include areas with special landscape value where the natural mosaic of dense forests and open or sparsely treed mires should be returned. Also, the need to create buffer zones between terrestrial and water ecosystems to capture liberated nutrients from the forestry operation areas can be achieved by restoring small areas of peatlands drained for forestry (Sallantaus et al. 1998).
Restoring drained peatlands to promote landscape and species diversity.
The planning for peatland restoration should be done on peatland ecosystem level. Attempts should be made to restore the hydrological aspects of the whole watershed including mineral soil and peat covered areas, although this is often difficult due to the local land ownership conditions (Aapala and Lindholm 1999).
In recently drained areas, it is likely that restoration reverts the area to its original habitat type. The longer the area has been drained, the more difficult it is to fully recreate the original state. In such cases, successful restoration leads to a "new natural state", different from the original, but nevertheless recognizable as some other peatland habitat type (Heikkil and Lindholm 1996, The Principles...., 1999).
The restoration of hydrology is achieved by damming or filling in the ditches (Vasander et al. 1992, Heikkil and Lindholm 1995). Drainage has caused peat subsidence to be the most pronounced near the ditches (Minkkinen and Laine 1998). Thus, water may continue to flow along or stay in the dammed or filled-in ditches, instead of spreading across the mire. Therefore, appropriate water conditions for the initiation of restoration processes are difficult to reach, and the result is usually a mosaic of drier and wetter areas much unlike to the moisture conditions in pristine peatlands. Also the fluctuations of the water table are expected to increase due to the increased bulk density of the surface peat after drainage (Minkkinen and Laine 1998). Extending dams several meters to the sides of the ditches will spread the water flow more evenly across the mire (Sepp et al. 1993). Hand-made dams are expensive and very often do not hold water in peatland. That is why excavators are usually used in damming or filling-in the ditches (Sallantaus et al. 2003).
Tree stands which have developed since drainage can be removed partially or totally. In peatlands which originally had a dense tree cover, particularly spruce mires, the whole tree cover is usually left intact during restoration (The Principles....1999). This will increase the amount of windfalls and decaying wood on the site increasing the future fungi and insect biodiversity. On topographically flat areas large stands of dead trees may be formed. If the tree stand is manipulated, typical characteristics of pristine spruce mires, such as long continuity, trees of all sizes and ages, large amounts of dead wood and gap-phase dynamics (Kuuluvainen 1994, Hrnberg et al. 1998) should be taken into account. Restoring the hardwood component of the natural tree stand structure is usually not a problem since birches as pioneer tree species, readily recolonize restored habitats. The structure of pre-drainage tree stands may be clarified with the aid of old air photos. On peatlands which were treeless before drainage the whole tree layer is usually cut and taken away. On ombrotrophic peatlands, also the slash might be taken away to diminish the amount of nutrients left on the site.
Vegetation recovery after restoration in peatlands drained for forestry is usually fast after rewetting as diaspores of mire plants are nearby (Jauhiainen et al. 2002). No seeding or planting is needed contrary to the situation on large cut-away peatlands (e.g. Sliva and Pfadenhauer 1999, Rochefort 2001).
However, species compositions in pristine and restored sites may remain to be different for a long time (Soro et al. 1999).
Changes in water quality after restoration. Before large-scale forestry drainage, the discharged water from forested peatlands was naturally filtered through the existing peat deposit. The even topography, dense moss cover and the favourable physical, chemical and biological properties of surface peat (e.g. anoxia, porosity, cation exchange capacity, and microbial retention) facilitate versatile buffering functions in these systems. As a result of forest drainage, the major part of these buffering systems has been lost. Restoring drained peatlands, being potentially well suited to act as buffer zones between forestry land and a watercourse, is an important reason for rewetting outside nature reserves (Sallantaus et al. 1998). These restored buffer zones are important in reducing the nutrient loading (especially N and P) imposed on watercourses from the forestry operation areas (Hyvnen et al. 2000, Silvan et al. 2002, 2003a,b).
Restoration has also been noted to cause an immediate increase in phosphorus concentration in the outflow (Sallantaus 1999, Vasander et al. 1988, Vasander et al. 2003). Drained peatland forests have often been fertilized with phosphorus, and in the restoration site, felling slash has been left on the site. Although mires were restored in late fall or early winter, the increase in phosphorus concentration may take place late in the summer and in early fall, showing that biological processes are involved, directly or indirectly, to the phosphorus release. As water level is raised abruptly, phosphorus bound in roots and mycorhizae may be released due to anoxic conditions (Sallantaus et al. 2003). Very high concentrations of phosphorus may occur especially during the low flow periods, up to more than 1000 µg/l. However, three years after restoration, average P concentrations in runoff dropped down to below 50 µg/l. The maximum annual phosphorus load due to restoration was on the order of one kg of phosphorus per restored hectare, based on the results of the catchments monitored in Seitseminen National Park, southern Finland (Sallantaus 1999). Thus it seems that the increase in P concentration is only of short duration compared to the age of the buffer zone.
Also other changes in water quality take place after restoration.
Leaching of dissolved organic carbon increases for some time after restoration, when increased amounts of water reach the decomposed surface peat of the drained area. The higher concentrations of organic acids increase the acidity of runoff waters as well, and the increased acidity may be the reason, why the establishment of so called brown mosses (Amblystegiaceae) is very poor after restoration of sites where they used to thrive in the natural state (Sallantaus 1999).
Silvan et al. (2002, 2003a,b) noticed that a restored peatland was very effective in retaining N and P. Approximately 15 % and 25% of experimentally added high loads of N and P, respectively, were retained by microbes while the retention by vegetation was 70% for N and 25% for P.
Karsisto et al.(2003) noted that the concentrations of dissolved carbon and iron in the smallest molecular size fraction and iron also from high molecular compounds were lower after the water had passed this restored area. These promising results show that whenever possible each drainage area should include a restored buffer zone through which the outgoing waters from the drainage area and the surrounding upland forest catchment would be filtered.
Future needs in research and monitoring. The first experiences of restoration are quite promising. The forestry drained peatlands restored are, however, in their very early stages of post-restoration succession and many questions remain. Practical restoration projects should be closely linked with monitoring and research whenever possible (Heikkil and Lindholm 1997, Principles.... 1999). Restoration of nutrient-rich peatlands might not be easy since changes in mire vegetation and peat properties are most pronounced after disturbance. Restored habitats will be colonized by their typical species most likely if restored fragments are close to existing sources of potential colonists (Campbell and Rochefort 2003). So sites where targeted plant and animal species still exist in the surroundings should be prioritized for restoration. Monitoring enables to correct future actions in order to better achieve the restoration goals (adaptive management, Walters and Holling 1990). Incorporation of research into management generates synergy benefits, for example, by enabling to set up experiments at scales that are relevant both ecologically and for management.
This also helps to ensure the formation of a knowledge basis about the long-term effects of restoration, which in turn can be used in planning future restoration efforts (Kuuluvainen et al. 2002). Other questions concerning the restoration of peatlands drained for forestry are linked with physico-chemical changes in the surface peat and changed hydrology after restoration. Also the metapopulation dynamics of specialized mire animals (e.g. butterflies) and rich fen vascular plants should be known better to ensure that restoration activities lead to successful results (Rassi et al.
References Aapala K., Lindholm T. 1999. Suojelusoiden ekologinen rajaaminen. (Abstract:
Ecological evaluation of the boundaries of protected mires). Metshallituksen luonnonsuojelujulkaisuja. Series A 95.
Aapala K., Heikkil R. & Lindholm T.1996. Protecting the diversity of Finnish mires. In: Vasander H (ed), Peatlands in Finland. Finnish Peatland Society, Jyvskyl, pp:45-57.


Rich in Omega 3 essential fatty acids, particularly EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexanoic acid) which are needed to be obtained from diet.
EPA helps in circulation by reducing the formation of blood clots and preventing blood clots from blocking blood flow to the heart and brain. DHA forms a vital component of human cellular membranes, especially in the brain and retina. Long-term consumption of Fish Oil is beneficial for maintenance of a healthy cardiovascular system, eyes and brain health.


Astroneer, an upcoming space game, looks hot as hell. No wonder, given the quality of the concept art that helped define its aesthetic.
The images you're seeing here are the work of John Liberto, a veteran concept artist who we've featured on Kotaku previously for his awesome contributions to Halo 4.
You can see more of John's work at his personal site and ArtStation page.


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Youth in America need to learn the truth behind climate change
U.S. must make an effort to implement climate change, environmental sustainability into public school curriculum
by Shailaja Singh · Dec 11, 2019 Share Tweet
Molly DeVore/The Badger Herald
Climate change: The thing almost everyone is aware of, no common person has the power to change and what almost every politician refuses to take action against.
Carbon dioxide levels are rising. This is an unobjectionable fact, with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration observatory on Mauna Loa showing a rise from under 320 ppm (parts per million) in the 1960s, but over 400 ppm in 2019 — a rise of over 80 parts per million in 50 years. This is something that simply does not occur naturally. There is no possible debate here.
Coastal areas tend to be hit worst, with Italy in particular being a recent example. The Regional Council of Veneto rejected a plan to combat climate change, and in a twist of cruel irony, had their council chambers flooded mere minutes later. The waters peaked at a height of 1.87 meters — or over 6 feet — while the city was 70% submerged. This was weeks ago, but the effects remain, costing Italy billions in future damages due to the more intense rains and higher sea levels of climate change — as will be the fate of all coastal regions.
Fresh-faced, fearful and ready to fight: young, new faces of climate activism frustrated with lack of political actionHundreds of people stand crowded atop the steps of the Wisconsin State Capitol. Most are young. Many hold painted signs Read…
Therefore, it should come as a surprise to no one that Italy has decided to begin teaching about climate change in its public schools as an official subject, the first country to do so. Students will be taught about climate change with sustainability being at the core of it, something that will undoubtedly lead to heightened awareness. Lorenzo Fioramonti, the current Italian Education Minister, said "[he] want[s] to make the Italian educational system the first educational system that puts the environment and society at the core of everything we learn in school." The obvious question will now linger in the air: should the United States institute something similar?
The United States is an international hegemon and therefore should be the one leading the world in terms of climate action instead of having a government that denies its existence, a culture that's still hostile to climate action and a populace left ill-informed and unknowing of the truth of the matter, lulled into thinking if they simply recycle plastic they've saved the turtles and their expensive water bottles make up for the environmental cost of their rich, suburban lifestyle.
Fight against climate change is heating up in WisconsinSome of my earliest memories involving the outdoors are from my family's weekend camping trips or hiking excursions at Devil's Read…
Almost every science class that a public school student in the United States has been through has experienced some sort of lesson on the greenhouse effect and vague messages about reducing, reusing and recycling. Rarely are the hard statistics given, or the sources for the most greenhouse gas emissions and pollution revealed — facts which not enough people know about.
The fossil fuel industry keeps on buying out politicians, keeps on deliberately misinforming the public and their PR has managed to work. For example, ExxonMobil has known about climate change since 1977. They deliberately covered it up, hiding the truth from American voters for decades, pulling the wool over our eyes without us even realizing it.
It's true — science is not a liberal conspiracyA recent study from Pew Research Center found American public trust in scientists is on the rise. This year, 86% Read…
Despite the current political climate, it'd be best for our students to learn about the players behind the climate change crisis. Our students should learn about sustainability as the ones in Italy do, even though its industrialists are the ones doing the worst of it. The students of today are the politicians and voters of tomorrow, and we're all the ones inheriting this problem.
It is imperative that teaching about climate change and its disastrous effects, as well as whatever we can do to mitigate them, be taught in schools, effective immediately. The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization themselves make a point of climate change education, stating it "helps young people understand and address the impact of global warming, encourages changes in their attitudes and behavior and helps them adapt to climate change-related trends." Climate change education is not something we should ever deny our young citizens.
Shailaja Singh ([email protected]) is a freshman studying genetics.
Tags: Climate change, Climate change education, Education, Environment, Environmental awareness, Fossil fuels, Sustainability