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The Famous Grouse Appoints New Master Blender :: Kirsteen Campbell :: 10th March, 2016
Kirsteen Campbell has been appointed to the role of Master Blender for The Famous Grouse, taking over from current Master Blender Gordon Motion this month.
Kirsteen has worked alongside Gordon for over 8 years and became Master Blender for Cutty Sark at the age of just 33.
Kirsteen will now become one of the few people allowed to share the secret of the unique blend of whiskies that combine to make The Famous Grouse. 43 million bottles of The Famous Grouse are produced each year, and it is exported to over 100 countries. It also holds the prestigious title of being the best-selling Blended Scotch in Scotland, and the UK.
The role involves managing the legendary '106 Sample Room' at Edrington's Blending Headquarters on Great Western Road. Here, an estimated 11,000 samples of single malts, grains and blends are stored – a working library for Edrington's team of nosers lead by Gordon and Kirsteen. The team can nose up to 600 samples a day, hunting down the right aromas, colour and character needed to create The Famous Grouse blend.
Gordon Motion will remain at Edrington in his new role as Edrington Master Whisky Maker, and will focus on the company's single malt portfolio, concentrating on Highland Park and The Glenturret Single Malts and including The Macallan.
Kirsteen Campbell said: "I feel very privileged to be taking on the role of Master Blender for The Famous Grouse. It is an exceptional blend and I'm looking forward to working with the team here to ensure we that we continue to deliver the quality and character expected of the UK's number one selling blend."
Gordon Motion commented: "Kirsteen is a very talented Master Blender and I've no doubt she will rise to this new challenge. I've thoroughly enjoyed the last six years as Master Blender for The Famous Grouse. My highlight would have to be when The Famous Grouse 40 Year Old was awarded the Trophy Award at the International Spirits Challenge in 2013, it was a very proud moment for me and the team."
Kirsteen will continue in her role as Master Blender for Cutty Sark Blended Scotch Whisky.
Glencraig 42 Year Old 1976 (cask 4283) - 30th Anniversary Gift Box (Si Single Malt Whisky ~ 42% ~ 70cl
The Glenrothes 1976 (cask 2677) (bottled 2015) Single Malt Whisky ~ 47.4% ~ 70cl
The Macallan 18 Year Old 1966 (No Box) Single Malt Whisky ~ 43% ~ 75cl
Dailuaine 35 Year Old 1983 (cask 4329) - Chieftains (Ian Macleod) Single Malt Whisky ~ 52.4% ~ 70cl
The Macallan Royal Marriage - 1981 Single Malt Whisky ~ 43% ~ 75cl
St Magdalene 30 Year Old 1982 - Old & Rare Platinum (Douglas Laing) Single Malt Whisky ~ 58.5% ~ 70cl
Region: Lowland ~ Type: Scottish
Glenrothes 1969 (bottled 2019) (cask 16207) - The Last Drop Single Malt Whisky ~ 47.1% ~ 75cl
Glenrothes 43 Year Old 1973 (cask 11099) - Cask Strength Collection Ra Single Malt Whisky ~ 41.8% ~ 70cl
Bowmore 26 Year Old - The Vintners Trilogy Single Malt Whisky ~ 48.7% ~ 70cl


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https://apnews.com/article/9494efd4aff843b8a08f99f8223e933f
For-profit charter operator lobbies for workplace schools
By EMERY P. DALESIOJune 28, 2017 GMT
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — As profit-driven charter school management companies seek growth opportunities, one of the country's largest for-profit firms is lobbying North Carolina legislators to create a new market for a type of school only rarely attempted.
The North Carolina legislation, modeled on a six-year-old Louisiana law, would allow corporations that help build or equip taxpayer-funded charter schools to reserve half the seats in those schools as an employee perk. With existing rules already allowing a charter school's employees and board members to claim places for their own children, the change could leave only a third of the seats in such schools for the general public.
Charter schools operate independently of other public schools under a contract, or charter, that allows exceptions to most state regulations. Enrollment is free, funded with tax dollars corresponding to the number of students they serve.
The North Carolina proposal comes at a time of increased excitement among charter advocates now that their most prominent lobbyist, Betsy DeVos, is President Donald Trump's education secretary. DeVos spent nearly two decades advocating for private-school vouchers and working for greatly expanding educational choices outside of traditional public schools.
The only workplace charter now operating in the country is affiliated with a massive retirement community in central Florida. Others have closed or businesses have cut ties since the first one opened for the Ryder truck rental company's suburban Miami headquarters in 1999. A Baton Rouge, Louisiana, medical center plans to open a workplace charter next year as part of a real estate development.
But a company lobbying for North Carolina to allow workplace charter schools believes they allow the private sector to fund school start-ups where states don't.
"There is a need and we would be filling the need and there is a demand for it," Charter Schools USA founder and CEO Jonathan Hage said in an interview. "To me, it seems like mom and apple pie and good stuff happening when people are talking about schools and corporations and businesses and people investing in education."
No companies have yet expressed interest in spending the minimum of $50,000 to get a North Carolina charter school off the ground for their workers, said state Rep. John Bradford, a suburban Charlotte Republican who sponsored legislation that passed the House earlier this year.
Bradford told The Associated Press that he doesn't know much about how similar laws have worked in other states. He said the legislation was brought to him by charter school advocates including a lobbyist for Charter Schools USA. The Florida-based company is one of the country's largest for-profit companies managing charter schools. It runs 85 schools in North Carolina, Louisiana and six other states — more than two-thirds of them in its home state.
The proposed North Carolina law could help reduce school construction financing costs and increase returns for Charter Schools USA's real estate development sister company, Rutgers University education professor Bruce Baker said.
A pattern at Charter Schools USA schools is that Red Apple Development buys the land and builds the school, then leases it to the non-profit board granted the charter to operate the school, which hires Charter School USA to manage the school. The board pays both a lease and school management fees, using taxpayer funds that follow students as they switch schools.
Hage told the AP he owns part of Red Apple, but it doesn't build all the schools Charter Schools USA operates.
"One would expect these charters, with a relatively guaranteed stable enrollment, and additional financial backing, to be a better bet than new start-ups dependent entirely on recruiting new choice students," said Baker, who teaches courses on school finance and management and has written about the business niches developed around charter schools. "By being a better bet in this regard, they also become a better bet on property acquisition for Red Apple."
These management fees and lease payments can total millions of dollars a year, according to the budget for one proposed North Carolina charter school planned entirely around Charter Schools USA's model.
West Lake Preparatory Academy is scheduled to open about 30 miles (48 kilometers) northwest of Charlotte next year. The founders said in their state application that they want Charter Schools USA because of the company's good results at operating schools nearby. The group projects paying almost $2.5 million in management fees over the first five years as enrollment ramps up to 1,100 students, according to the budget included in the school's state application. The school's lease payments are projected to be $7.23 million over those five years.
State Rep. Jason Saine, who co-sponsored the workplace charter legislation, is treasurer of a nonprofit board that secured West Lake's state charter, or authorization to operate. He said he has no business relationship to Charters USA and has not been personally lobbied by the company. Saine did get $3,000 in campaign contributions from Hage last year.
About 15 percent of the country's 2,900 charter schools are run by for-profit companies, according to the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, an advocacy group.
Privately owned Charter Schools USA doesn't report its earnings, but business research provider Hoover's estimates annual sales at about $120 million. School management fees are about $50 million to $75 million a year, Hage said.
Bradford says the law might encourage a business mulling a move to one of the state's poorer counties.
"One of the ideas behind the legislation was to create an opportunity that if a business wanted to locate there" and didn't find schools attractive to their employees, "they could invest into the public school system and help start a charter," Bradford said.
Groups representing North Carolina's public school boards and teachers oppose the proposal, saying set-asides of up to two-thirds of the seats in a new school seems to contradict North Carolina law that charters are supposed to expand educational opportunities for all students.
"This really pushes us down the road on privatization that we had previously resisted going on charter schools," said Rep. Graig Meyer, a Chapel Hill Democrat.
Follow Emery P. Dalesio on Twitter at http://twitter.com/emerydalesio. His work can be found at https://apnews.com/search/emery%20dalesio

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Tuesday: Popshots
Beyonces all at sea, Robbies working his magic and Sarah Hardings in lurve
The Daily Star reports that the Radio 1 Chart Show in Brighton this weekend was on the verge of turning into a proper cat fight as Beyonce threw a hissy fit at the All Saints.
During the chaos backstage, the re-formed girl band accidentally wandered into the dressing room of Miss Bootilicious, where tempers were lost, finger nails drawn and a dancer was reduced to tears.
A source close to Beyonce told The Star: "She's used to playing her own headline gig, a roadshow event is not something she's done for years."
This became even more evident as she told the Brighton crowd: "Im so happy, this always makes me happy, I just love being in London!"
A star who has made it to London is big Micky Jackson who's currently holing up in posh London hotel The Hempel.
The eccentric singer has booked rooms for himself, his children and 50 of his staff in preparation for his performance at the World Music Awards tomorrow night, where he will be re-vamping his 80's classic 'Thriller.'
The Sun reports today that Jacko has roped in young pretender Chris Brown to lend his unique styling to the performance, and it has to be said that whatever these two have got up their torn and rotting Zombie sleeves is probably going to be pretty special.
Meanwhile, in another career saving venture Robbie Williams, whose new material has not received the accolades the singer has come to expect, is aiming to win some friends this Christmas by wait for it appearing in Panto! Your career's behind you!
It's not that bad though, or that good, depending on your point of view, as he's being turned into a hologram for the show at the Regent Theatre in Stoke-on-Trent, and will only appear live one night ... maybe.
But why is it that anyone doing panto now reminds me of an episode of Extra's? C'mon Rob, it cant be that bad!
And to finish with, here's a bit of proper playground gossip. Today's Mirror says that New! Magazine said that Sarah Harding from Girls Aloud said that she's got the hots for Carl Barat from Dirty Pretty Things. "I saw him and was like 'Who is THAT!' The girls then looked him up on the internet."
Sarah and Carl, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!
More From Beyoncé
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Beyoncé Just Posted A Selfie Video on Instagram and Fans Think It's An Imposter
Fans Are Convinced Netflix Just Teased A Possible Beyoncé Documentary
Beyonce Serenaded Diana Ross At Her 75th Birthday Party And We're Losing It
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20 Music Videos That (Should've) Got Everyone Talking In 2018
Beyoncé Buys Out Ivy Park From Topshop Amid Sir Philip Green Sexual Harassment Allegations


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Category: HighClouds Live Sessions
May 13, 2016 HighClouds Live Sessions, New Videos, News
GUN OUTFIT – HighClouds x Today's Indie Music
Los Angeles indie band Gun Outfit recently played at the Botanique in Brussels to support their fourth album "Dream All Over" available now on Paradise of Bachelors. We had the chance to meet them to discuss a bit about their band, how they are evolving and to capture amazing moments from their live session. Watch the video now!
April 28, 2016 HighClouds Live Sessions, New Videos, News
GRAND BLANC (live and interview) – HighClouds x Today's Indie Music
The French electro-garage-pop band Grand Blanc was playing at Le Botanique in Brussels. As part of the Today's Indie Music x HighClouds collaboration, the band accepted to let us follow them on stage but also backstage. These exclusive footages feature live snippets of their performance. You will also hear some confessions about the formation of the band, their creative process, and their current evolution from a studio band to a gigging band. Discover more about this French quartet below!
December 17, 2015 HighClouds Live Sessions, New Videos, News
Chantal Acda – The Sparkle In Our Flaws (HighClouds Live Session)
Recently, we met an amazing artist, a self-taught singer songwriter, who dazzled us with her simplicity, her authenticity and the strenghts of her emotions. Chantal Acda kindly accepted to perform a live session for us and she sang and played the title track from her last album "The Sparkle In Our Flaws". Watch her live rendition in this post.


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Lesley Manville is from Brighton, England and has won many awards for stage and screen. She has worked a lot with the brilliant director Mike Leigh, who loves working with her, because she is such a good actor. She has twice been named The British Actor of the Year, both times for parts in Leigh's films. She was in his films, All or Nothing, (2002), and Another Year, (2010), with Judi Dench. She has also been in lots of other director's movies. In Mike Newell's Dance With a Stranger, (1985), and Stephen Frears's Sammy and Rosie Get Laid, (1987), and more recently Maleficent, (2014), with Angelina Jolie.
She has been on the West End stage many times. She won The Olivier Award for Best Actress for her starring part in Ibsen's play Ghosts in which she was, quite simply, genius!
Lesley Manville is a very, very fine actor. Just before Molly Moon was made she was in 'Ghosts' a play by Ibsen. She was so good in this that people were in tears at the end. Her part was very different to the part of Miss Adderstone as Miss Adderstone is such a mean, spiteful woman. But Lesley plays Miss Adderstone brilliantly. Being so believably nasty that I'm sure she will appear in some children's nightmares!


Charles Island is also a part of the park and is a protected bird nesting ground.Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.New York Post. Share this: Facebook;. 58 percent of Massachusetts residents approved of the idea in a poll. In Milford, casino interests "were promising the.
Tone Loc, Actor: Heat. Tone Loc was born on March 3, 1966 in Los Angeles, California, USA as Anthony Terrell Smith. IMDb. See more polls.
The operators of the original Connecticut casino have proposed a casino resort in Milford,. during the last election. Boston Business Journal.Milford was one of the early settlements in south central Connecticut and, over time, gave rise to several new towns that broke off and incorporated separately. Map of the city of Belfast, Waldo Co., Maine. Map of Milford,. New Hampshire General map showing selected buildings and householders' names and election.Milford voters reject Foxwoods-backed casino plan. and Nancy Wojick held opposing signs on the casino referendum outside a Milford polling. Casino-Free Milford.
One of the streets in the Liberty Park subdivision plans, Shelland Street, was later built in the late 1990s as an access road to the Milford Power Company.The Wilbur Cross Parkway cuts across the northern part of the city and is connected to I-95 and Route 1 via the Milford Parkway, also known as the Daniel S.
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The island is a part of the Hamonasset-Ledyard Moraine and was formed as glaciers retreated at the end of the last ice age.The Milford Cultural Center, operated by the Milford Council for the Arts, offers various events throughout the year.During this time, Milford also became known as a beach resort for residents of New Haven and Bridgeport.Crooked (short) first installment of Hallowland County films. 2018 (due to film in 2018).Barber wrote that he found 15 or 20 of these seaweed-covered huts along the shore when he visited the town in 1836.
The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.04. The Peninsular News and Advertiser was founded in Milford,. endorsed Ulysses S. Grant for President and Henry Wilson for Vice-president in the 1872 election. Washington Bridge — Spans the Housatonic River to Stratford (added in 2004).
Milford casino plan moves forward as Foxborough proposal is dropped. Rte. 1 following Monday's town election in Foxborough, in which two casino opponents.City Clerk: The city clerk is elected in odd-numbered years and receives a compensation for services provided.Covington casino a long shot. Opposition to more gambling must be overcome. By Patrick Crowley [email protected] A Bluegrass State Poll,.2011: 21: The Story of Roberto Clemente was released, a graphic novel by Wilfred Santiago (published by Fantagraphics) detailing Clemente's life in a comic-book format.At Yahoo Finance, you get free stock quotes, up-to-date news, portfolio management resources, international market data, social interaction and mortgage rates that.The Eells-Stow House, circa 1700, is believed to be the oldest extant house in Milford.Map showing Milford and neighboring towns: Stratford, Shelton, Orange, and West Haven.
WCVB Channel 5 is your source for the latest local headlines and live alerts. Visit Boston's most reliable source for breaking news.Oyster Huts on Milford Point, a sketch by John Warner Barber for his Historical Collections of Connecticut (1836).
General map showing selected buildings and householders' names and election. Election districts--New Hampshire--Milford. loc.gmd/g3744m.la002027.RealClearPolitics - Election 2016 - Massachusetts Republican Presidential Primary. Polls. Year. State ← Select All. Type. Apply Filter Clear Filter. Results. Select. The US operations of BIC were headquartered in Milford, but in March 2008 moved most of its operations to Shelton.Vote in our Massachusetts Casino Project Poll to cast an opinion on which will procure a Class 1 (slots and tables) operating license from the state.Sikorsky Memorial Bridge, Duck Island, and Nells Island, both near the mouth of the river.Delaware State Police said they're looking for a Millsboro man after his mother called authorities with the belief that her son was manufacturing methamphetamine in.
Go Pool in Flamingo Hotel & Casino Las Vegas. We offer party events and cocktails. Reserve a table, buy packages and season passes to party with your favorite djs.Polling Stations in Waverley. Candidates for this ward - results service for this election and results from the last election. Milford Ward.The beach resort quality of the town lives on, with several rocky beaches, Silver Sands State Park, the Connecticut Audubon Society Coastal Center at Milford Point, Charles Island, two golf courses, and numerous other recreational facilities available for residents and tourists.Online NHL hockey pool manager and MLB Fantasy baseball commissioner for individuals or office pools. Easy to use and free trial! Real-time updates. Only 2$ per team. Offering a huge selection of weekly rentals and lodging options for baseball families attending Cooperstown Dreams Park. Search by map & book online!.Milford owns three islands in the Housatonic River: Fowler Island, just to the south of the Igor I. Engines 8 and 10 (Reserve) are located at the quarters of Quint 3 and Engine 4, while Engine 9 (Reserve) is located at the quarters of Quint 5 and Engine 6.
Repeal The Casino Deal. 2.1K likes. Watch the election returns in East Boston, Milford, or West Springfield. Polls close at 8 pm. See All. Posts. Repeal The.The Metro-North New Haven Line has a station stop in downtown Milford ( Milford station ).Station Locator. Enter the Postal Code or Province and City to find the nearest Greyhound location. Click here to see the list of locations served within the United.Of the aforementioned households 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.7% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.4% were non-families. 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
The Milford Board of Selectmen has voted to negotiate with the operators of Connecticut's Foxwoods casino, who want to open a $1 billion resort casino in the.Search our Stratford, CT casino job listings to find great local jobs. Apply online for casino jobs today. Go Jobing!.


AAC Blocks Grade A as per IS2185 Strength 4+, Autoclaved aerated concrete block sales with provide mason training in kolkata. AAC Blocks in Kolkata AAC block is produced out of a porous cake moulded from a mix of quartz sand or Pulverized Fly Ash (PFA), lime, cement, gypsum, water and aluminium powder.
Compared with the traditional autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC), nonautoclaved aerated concrete (NAAC) has a substantial advantage in facilitating the manufacturing process and reducing the cost of products. During the NAAC production, steam curing was conducted lower than 100 °C for 8–24 h after being cut. Therefore, NAAC has the feature of safety in product process with low energy consumption compared with AAC.
Production. Autoclaved aerated concrete is cured in an autoclave a large pressure vessel. In aircrete production the autoclave is normally a steel tube some 3 metres in diameter and 45 metres long. Steam is fed into the autoclave at high pressure, typically reaching a pressure of 800 kPa and a temperature of 180 °C.
verized fly ash (PFA), lime, cement, gypsum/anhydrite, water and aluminium and is hardened by steamcuring in autoclaves. As a result of its excellent properties, AAC is used in many building constructions, for example in residential homes, commercial and industrial buildings, schools, hospitals, hotels and several other applications.
Lightweight concrete Block AAC Block Machine / AAC Fly ash Block machine AAC Block Equipments, Aerated Concrete Block Making Machine 300,000m3/year, 200,000m3/year, 150,000m3/year, 100,000m3/year,etc AAC Block forming process 1 The Preparing of Raw Materials A) The Preparing of Slurry B) The Preparing of Lime C) Cement D) Stone Powder E) Waste material 2.
AAC/Autoclave Aerated Concrete Block Machine production process . The Process of manufacture is simple t follow, and complex to implement. First, the Fly Ash is mixed with water, and made Slurry in a slurry mixture. If Sand is used as a base material, we need a ball mill to grind the sand to fine power.
It is made from fine ground silica sand, Fly ash, Portland cement, Lime, water and aluminum powder. The production process is very carefully monitored to ensure a controlled consistency in the proportions and timing of all ingredients that are used in every batch. The Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) material was developed in 1924 in Sweden.
AAC Fly Ash, AAC Production Line, AAC Plant manufacturer / supplier in China, offering 150000m3 250000m3 Autoclaved Aerated Concrete Fly Ash Production Line, Automatic AAC Panel and Block Plant, AAC Block Machine in Iran in Teheran Capacity 300000m3 and so on.
Properly cured concrete made with fly ash creates a denser product because the size of the pores are reduced. This increases strength and reduces permeability. Today, there are at least two ways to make fly ash more beneficial: a dry process that involves triboelectric static separation and a wet process based on froth flotation.
This ecofriendly building material is made from natural raw materials such as sand (or flyash), cement, lime, gypsum, aluminium powder and water. This mix creates an aerated concrete providing insulation, structure and fire protection in one lightweight product.
AAC) is a lightweight building product with high insulating value which can be. manufactured using 6075% fly ash by weight. Fly ash with carbon content up to 12%. may be used in the mix, thereby allowing high volume use of ash from sources that do not. meet readymix concrete specifications.
About EAACA The European Autoclaved Aerated Concrete The production process involves curing aerated of producers of autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) ... Plant for AAC Block which is the Light weight and porous building material, it includes fly ash, water, quicklime, cement . Aerated concrete block production line manufacturerblock .
Aerated concrete, line capacity 50 m 3 per shift (with fly ash) # Item . Qty. 1. ... List of additional equipment and materials for nonautoclave aerated concrete production # Item. Qty. Special vehicles. 1. Automated forklift . 1. Additional equipment. 2. Stocking hydraulic carts. 2. 3.
AAC Blocks Manufacturing Process. Enviado por Lavu Anil Chowdary. AAC blokcs. Direitos autorais: Attribution NonCommercial (BYNC) Baixe no formato DOCX, PDF, TXT ou leia online no Scribd. Sinalizar por conteúdo inapropriado. Salvar . AAC Blocks Manufacturing Process. para depois.


I don't know where to start. I do remember that evening. I was in fourth year of high school and I was facing my huge computer screen. Searching for criteria of what it takes to become a surgeon or a doctor or any kind with a high level of education. My best friend in the world had just told me that she couldn't picture me doing a Master or a PHD. I felt insulted. I took it as a dare. Was she more brilliant or something? How could she say that? I was so mad. I was worth it enough to do it.
Of course, she just meant it in a way that I was too bubbly and dreamy for that. Too artistic. Too weird. Too all over the place. But that is why she loved me! I was her crazy friend always full of ideas. She didn't mean it as rude. But I got mad.
In that time, I was one of the best in my class. I was studying the highest level of math and I was spending most of my lunch time at the orientation service. Doing test, talking to that woman, trying to find my profession. We soon had to decide our options for the last year. Would I do chemistry, physics? Or would I take more art classes?
I will be an international Makeup-Artist, I will become a highly-known investigator, I will be a doctor, I will be a politic influencer at the ONU, I will be an actress, I will be a veterinarian. Were some of my daily new idea and job.
All the doors were open. I was smart. It made the choice even harder. But life happened as always and things fell into place. Well I forced them too. Because at one point you must make a choice. Right?
And so, I did. I didn't choose chemistry and physics. I went in Human Sciences in College. I saw my cousin choosing her profession and it seemed cool enough. I'd have a well seen job, a great 9-5, I'd feel useful to society, I would have a purpose and live in Quebec City.
College was done. Bachelor in Psychology with high grades, 200 required implication and sufficient volunteering experiences were on their way. Doubts were arising and as I was so excited by all my other activities, yoga, cooking and writing, I realized something was off. But I still can't believe I blinded myself so long to fit in.
-"Dad, I will follow my 200 hours Yoga Teacher Training and use my student loan to pay, ok?
Falalallaalllaapahalaalallapa (Fast forwarding sound of travelling through space and time)!
I became a Yoga Teacher, I moved for a full year abroad in Germany to finish my Bachelor, traveled for more than 90 days, met the man of my dream, finished my bachelor, went back to Canada to sell everything I owned (goodbye blue Hyundai Accent) and moved to Berlin to find a flat with my lovely Greek-German man.
5 month have passed already since I moved here. I stopped my studies after my bachelor. No master in plan. I am trying to become a full-time artist. Sending hundreds of CV's to find a way to pay my rent, making my way as a Yoga Teacher, committing on my blog, doing casting as an extra in commercials, finding a full-time job, being exhausted, turning it into a part time job, finding my music identity and thinking about building my own business.
My best friend knew all along. I knew too. But it took me a while to allow myself to be myself.
I'm making my way up. January was the first time since I arrived in Berlin that things started moving fast and my plan aligned to finally make sense. I guess all my passions found a way to be friends.
Well, I don't care anymore. YEAH! I'm having fun and it's a great journey. Want to know what happened in January? Part two will be up on Monday at 18h00.
I'm becoming an artist woup woup!
Have a nice weekend Flighters!
Tags: acting in progress, alternative carreer, artist, berlin artist, berlin singer, blogger, creative thinker, creative writter, first EP, free soul, free spirit, freedom seeker, freelance, freelancer in berlin, passion project, passionate, path, project, singer, yoga teacher, Yoga teacher in Berlin. Bookmark the permalink.


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Macrorevena är ett släkte av skalbaggar. Macrorevena ingår i familjen vivlar.

Kladogram enligt Catalogue of Life:

Källor

Vivlar
Macrorevena

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Identity & Diversity
Budget - Local
Gender Equality & Equity
https://s3.amazonaws.com/participedia.prod/872aa592-5d59-428b-a6e3-800870d1d007_IOPD8thAward2.pdf
http://grpb.pwdc.org.my/
Develop the civic capacities of individuals, communities, and/or civil society organizations
Deliver goods & services
Co-governance
Citizenship building
Co-production in form of partnership and/or contract with government and/or public bodies
Open to All With Special Effort to Recruit Some Groups
Low-Income Earners
Public budgeting
Community development, organizing, and mobilization
Collaborative approaches
Propose and/or develop policies, ideas, and recommendations
Negotiation & Bargaining
General Agreement/Consensus
Government-Owned Corporation
Penang State Government
Types of Change
Changes in public policy
Changes in civic capacities
Elected Public Officials
Formal Evaluation
Gender Responsive and Participatory Budgeting in Penang, Malaysia
Gender Responsive And Participatory Budgeting – Credit: Penang Women's Development Corporation
13 juin 2019 Alanna Scott, Participedia Team
13 juin 2019 Scott Fletcher Bowlsby
10 juin 2019 limsengboonn
2 juin 2019 Scott Fletcher Bowlsby
16 mars 2019 Jaskiran Gakhal, Participedia Team
30 septembre 2018 Scott Fletcher Bowlsby
24 août 2018 Scott Fletcher Bowlsby
24 mai 2018 Sean Gray
23 mai 2018 alainawoo
Through local councils and nonprofits, organizers developed an inclusive, gender-responsive participatory budgeting project that led to concrete changes in two local housing projects.
Gender equality and social justice began to emerge as a priority for citizens and NGOs in Penang, Malaysia in the early 2000s. Many felt that gender responsive budgeting was crucial to equality, but individuals and groups had trouble gaining enough momentum to making lasting impacts.[1]
The support in Penang for gender responsive budgeting as a solution for inequality was based on the notion that that economic and social government priorities are often determined by budgeting. A gender responsive budget is one that that contributes to gender equality and women's empowerment through the allocation of funds.[2] Ideally, budgeting is based on an analysis of women's issues and the policies and programs that could solve these issues. Often, gender responsive budgets acknowledge issues of equal pay, childcare, support for low wage workers and maternity leave. Gender responsive budgets are built on the research backed premise that equitable societies and economies will be better off long term.
In 2008, Penang received a new state government. The government showed a willingness to financially support the calls for social justice and women's empowerment in ways that the previous government had not. In an effort organized by various women advocates and NGOs such as Women's Centre for Change (WCC) and Good Governance and Gender Equality Society (3Gs), the state government formed the Penang Women's Development Corporation (PWDC) in 2011. PWDC declared a mission "to mainstream gender into the policies and programs of all sectors and strive for gender equality and social justice", a vision that was consistent with the new state government's objective to turn Penang into "a modern and international city." According to its website, PWDC has three objectives:
"To support the capacities of state and local governments to integrate gender perspectives into policies, programmes and practices.
To strengthen women's leadership and political participation.
To enhance women's participation in economic life." [3]
The gender responsive budgeting detailed in this entry was PWDC's pilot project. Through two local councils, Majilis Perbandaran Pulau Pinang (MPPP) and Majilis Perbandaran Seberang Perai (MPSP), PWDC developed an inclusive participatory budgeting project that led to concrete changes in two local housing projects in Penang. These projects were directly a result of women's perspectives and gender responsive policy considerations.
In 2008, a new stated government formed in Penang, Malaysia. This new state government supported gender equality and social justice in a way that had not previously existed. This aligned with the government's larger mission to transform Penang into "a modern and international city".
A 2012 speech by the Chief Minister of Penang at the opening of the Penang Women's Development Corporation (PWDC) describes the formation of the 3Gs community NGO and provides great insight into how gender equality and social justice arrived at the forefront of the new government's agenda.[4] Though the new government pledged to support women's issues, the transitional months were tumultuous on this front as the Women's Development Department on the national level "withdrew its financial and personnel support from the [new] State government within a matter of months". However, following this withdrawal, there were years of "political transformation, fortuitous circumstances and above all, sheer hard work" in Penang. Through an advisory group of women and the support of the new state government, a new community NGO called the Good Governance and Gender Equality Society (3Gs) was created. This NGO hosted a Gender Mainstreaming Conference in 2010, where participants urged "the State Government to adopt the recommendations of its Declaration on Gender Equality in order to achieve gender justice in Penang, including the implementation of gender responsive budgeting". Following this conference, informal and formal lobbying, and an obvious need for "state machinery", the state government allocated RM1.5 million to gender equality projects. Thus, the PWDC was formed and the gender responsive and participatory budgeting projects began.
The chief minister describes the PWDC it as "a body set up and fully funded by the Penang State Government under the structure of a private non-profit company" and "equivalent of the Women Ministry at Penang state level". The Chief Minister also notes it as "the first of its kind in [Penang's] 55 years since independence".
The existing municipal councils, Majilis Perbandaran Pulau Pinang (MPPP) and Majilis Perbandaran Seberang Perai (MPSP), pledged their support by allocating three annual payments of RM200,000 (USD$60,000) to finance the project.
The state government had previously allocated RM1.5 million to the Penang Women's Development Corporation (PWDC) which funded the projects described on this page as its pilot projects. It can be assumed that the RM200,000 used to fund these projects came from the initial RM1.5 million allocation. [5]
The project report does not specify a process for participant selection. Other participatory budgeting projects have used random sampling to select participants along dimensions of age, region, gender and class.
In line with this, the project report did adopt a tagline of "different people, different needs" in an attempt to be "as socially inclusive as possible and work with a for all gender groups". This implies a participant group of all ages and genders. [6]
Participatory budgeting initiatives are built entirely on the premise of public deliberation. The Penang initiative was no different, and also involved some gender responsive budgeting techniques.
A gender responsive budget is one that that contributes to gender equality and women's empowerment through the allocation of funds. Ideally, budgeting is based on an analysis of women's issues and the policies and programs that could solve these issues. Often, gender responsive budgets acknowledge issues of equal pay, childcare, support for low wage workers and maternity leave. Gender responsive budgets are built on the research backed premise that equitable societies and economies will be better off long term.
The project was intended to be as socially inclusive and accessible as possible. This meant hosting it at local low income housing sites, and communicating through local municipal councils.
Another important note is that the public interaction methodology was specifically intended to by a 'bottom-up' approach that allowed for all voices to be heard. Rather than giving all decision making power to authorities, which was traditionally how things were done, the project was "an exercise in people's power". [8]
The project employed the two existing municipal councils to communicate its message and achieve its goals. The idea was that, by mainstreaming gender responsive budgeting in the local councils, the practice would eventually reach the state government level. These two councils, Majilis Perbandaran Pulau Pinang (MPPP) and Majilis Perbandaran Seberang Perai (MPSP), provided most of the funding and were the direct service providers. In order to emphasize inclusiveness and intent to give a voice to those often unheard, the Penang Women's Development Corporation (PWDC) elected to used two low cost housing flats, PPR Jalan Sugai and PPR Ampangan, as project sites to pilot the GRB effort.
Following these decisions on messaging and location, PWDC developed "a systematic process and methodology involving four phases of action". These phases are as follows:
"Phase 1 : Survey : demographic survey of the residents generating baseline information such as age, occupation, gender etc.
Phase 2: Focus Group Discussions: a dialogue platform for residents to express their needs, preferences and key concerns.
Phase 3: Prioritisation of needs and budget allocation: a democratic avenue for residents to vote on their priorities giving credence that votes do count and that the people's voices are heard and attended to.
Phase 4: Planning presentation and negotiation for the implementation of project(s): the phase where in depth discussion and planning with stakeholders is carried out to ensure the voted needs that were ranked the highest priorities received attention." [7]
The report notes that "concrete results materialized from the People's Housing Project residents participation" in the four phases listed in the methods sections.
Specific findings from the two housing project sites, PPR Ampangan and PPR Jalan Sungai are as follows:
"At the PPR Ampangan the residents had voted for the upgrading of their recreational park and they were consulted and involved in the designing and planning of the park and this project was duly completed after negotiations for budget approval from MPSP."
"At the PPR Jalan Sungai where the highest votes had gone to building maintenance, it resulted in the cleaning contract being awarded to the Residents Association Committee and NOT to external contractors as was often the norm, thereby creating employment opportunities for some residents. More importantly it meant that the residents (although tenants) were taking responsibility and ownership of the general cleanliness of their own physical surroundings through the community cleaning contract."
The project notes these findings as movement away from 'top down' decision making. This was brand new for most of the residents, and gave power to people in a way that had not existed previously. The report discusses these two outcomes as "an exercise in people's power." [9]
"The overall plan [was] to institutionalize Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB) in the local councils, eventually progressing to similar practice at the state government level". According to the project report, "this proved to be a very challenging task as the councils have for years carried out line budgeting of their revenue and expenses the conventional way with no special attention or reference to gender [or] people's participation."
In general there were two specific findings, from each of the project sites, where concrete steps were taken and the project inspired lasting influences and outcomes. As stated in the previous section, the findings were as follows:
Given this success, it was a pilot project that was limited in scope. The "bottom up" and "people's voices" focus will be significantly more powerful if it can be expanded past this pilot project. As the report concludes, "if this methodology may be replicated in other housing estates or residential areas" then "the state [will] have come a long way in returning power back to the people". The Penang Women's Development Corporation is currently very active, leading events and projects to achieve their mission.
More generally speaking, gender responsive and participatory budgeting processes have proved fairly successful around the world. As the community members in Penang saw an upgraded park, better living facilities and employment opportunities for residents, others projects cite similar results such as the building of more schools and community resources. Similarly, government authorities have begun to see the advantages of planning with the people they govern as they are more quickly alerted to issues and priorities in the the community. These issues and priorities typically arise anyway, so co-planning and participatory budgeting simply addresses them earlier. [10]
Participatory Budgeting (method)
[1]"Gender Responsive and Participatory Budgeting - Penang, Malaysia" VIII Distinction for Best Practices in Citizens' Participation,(2014): 38-39. International Observatory on Participatory Democracy Report. https://www.oidp.net/docs/repo/doc15.pdf
[2] https://unwomen.org.au/our-work/focus-areas/what-is-gender-responsive-budgeting/
[3] "Gender Responsive and Participatory Budgeting - Penang, Malaysia" VIII Distinction for Best Practices in Citizens' Participation,(2014): 38-39. International Observatory on Participatory Democracy Report. https://www.oidp.net/docs/repo/doc15.pdf
[4] https://www.penang.gov.my/en/dmedia/2221-the-launching-new-office-of-penang-womens-development-corporation-pwdc-sdn-bhd
Lead image: Penang Women's Development Corporation https://goo.gl/3jD6Av


Come and enjoy a fabulous, thought provoking numeracy session by a master presenter. Then enjoy the afternoon in beautiful Stirling in South Australia!
Find out about a range of minimum preparation, engaging and mathematically worthwhile place value activities from Reception to Year 8.
The session will cleverly link place value skills with the four operations, using them to actually understand why and how addition, subtraction, multiplication and division work.
Rob's session will look at some highly effective problem solving methods that are easy entry and provide a high ceiling for all students .... his approaches just work, and you'll never look back.
Phonics in Context R-3 with David Hornsby This whole day practical session will explore in detail the expectations of the Australian Curriculum around meaning making in order to teach phonics explicitly and systematically. Implications for the classroom will be discussed.
It is a practical follow up to the symposium held last November in partnership with the University of Sydney, the University of South Australia, the Australian Literacy Educators' Association, Early Childhood Organisation Inc, Lisa Burman Consulting and Cue Learning.


Diameter 5m. Inflatable slide for kids: Hot sale commercial grade pvc inflatable  water slide. 800w, 1200w. 0.8mm tpu. Xz-cg-1018-06. 7*2.5*4.5meters. Inflatable water sport plaything for children adult party supply glad. Pvc kids playground equipment indoor and outdoor inflatable slide. 1021pcs sluban.
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Dancing To Learn
Dancing for Health
Partnering Dance and Education
Disruptive School Behavior
Dance, Sex and Gender
The Performer-Audience Connection
To Dance Is Human
Books & Articles by Category
Links to Selected Articles
Lectures, Consultancies, Media
Judith Lynne Hanna, Ph.D.
Dance, Sex and Gender:
Signs of Identity, Dominance, Defiance & Desire
Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1988
"The book is ambitious in its scope and interdisciplinary in its purview. It is virtually encyclopedic in its survey of both western theatrical and nonwestern dance traditions, leaving the reader with a sense of having traversed the globe. It draws together in one volume no less than three analytic agendas: (1) the means through which dance communicates aesthetic and gendered meaning; (2) the anthropological basis for establishing the generality and the range of dance, with particular reference to sexuality; (3) the relation between aesthetic form and social change. Given this broad sweep, the work must be considered for its programmatic contribution to dance and gender studies above and beyond the strengths or questions raised by any of its particular analyses." Journal of the History of Sexuality
"Take it from someone who knows virtually nothing about dance performance and has always found it to be dull, alienating, or both: this is a wonderful book — a rare piece of highly entertaining, liberating scholarship. Hanna has a remarkable flair for explaining the attitudes toward sex, gender and power that animate dance on European and U.S. stages. She draws interesting comparisons from the Middle East and South and East Asia, and concludes with the alternative visions of black, gay male and feminist dancers." The Feminist Bookstore News
"Although it is commonly known and accepted that dance as such is connected with sex and gender, Hanna's book is the first such study that attempts to tackle 'the gender gap issue and places it within the context of an unexplored realm of expressive culture' …. Hanna's study is a valuable source of information concerning dance from varying points of view with the focus on sex and gender. We know that much culturally patterned non-verbal communication takes place without the participants being aware of its implications; thanks to her study, she has made us aware of what is happening in respect of dance and sex roles." World of Music
"The title of Judith Lynne Hanna's…contribution to the study of dance, with its alliterative listing of topics, effectively encapsulates …the great potential of this book…As an introduction to the study of dance as both metaphor and referent for gender relations; and values, it provides a wealth of cross-cultural description, wonderful photographs and bibliography, and a titillating and eminently entertaining catalogue of juicy, sexy stories. Literally packed with ideas, each chapter tantalizes us …. What results is a varied, and often salty, collection of participant-observations by Hanna, often chatty (sometimes catty) anecdotes by dancers and choreographers, and highly valuative dance criticism mainly from the New York Times." Ethnomusicology
"The range of material the book does cover is truly remarkable. I think it is safe to say that there is new information here even for the very well read." Dance Chronicle
"This book is capital … it underlines the significance of the body as an instrument of social expression and highlights the dialectic that dance represents between signs and meanings …. In an era of genetic engineering and of challenges to dominant hierarchies, the timing of its publication underscores the political nature of any form of knowledge: dance or the body politics of the politics of the body….Hanna capitalizes on her thorough analysis of dance as a language to emphasize the variety of structural dualisms through which relations of dominance and defiance are expressed, distorted, and eventually transcended….Hanna's well-written argument is presented with as much passion as lucidity." Contemporary Sociology
"Hanna introduced a new approach to cross-cultural studies of dance in her first publications in 1979, raised questions about gender in subsequent writings, and now presents a theoretical and empirical study of dance, sex, and gender …. I thoroughly enjoyed reading and studying this well-written book, which is thought-provoking and inspiring in its theoretical, methodological, and empirical clarity." American Anthropologist
"Richly detailed text and illustrative photographs provide an enlightening view of dance as a societal statement, the diversity of which is seen in the array of combinations of gender roles and sexual themes that have been played out." Contemporary Psychology
"Although many recent books deal with dance, with sex, and with gender, Hanna draws these topics together with new insight." Choice
"Hanna examines, with inquiring mind and disciplined scholarship, the effect of human culture on dance, an inherently sexual art form." Book News
"Hanna, an historian and anthropologist, approaches the subject from both perspectives …. fascinating and informative … As a good researcher and theoretician, Hanna is alert to the wide variety of views expressed on the subject….Hanna's book is valuable not only to teachers and students, but also to any reader with an interest in learning more about society and culture." Dance Teacher Now
"Hanna calls on her wide resources of interdisciplinary knowledge in the areas of ethnic and theatrical dancing and in the social psychology of both primitive and sophisticated cultures. The result is a fascinating smorgasbord of ideas, speculations, theories and conclusions about dancing and its sexual and gender implications…This is a book to be taken up frequently for stimulation, some shock, and for the enjoyment of gaining new insights." Vandance
Part One: Spotlight
1 Sex, Learning, and Dance Images
– Be a Man, Be a Woman; Nature and Nurture
– Danced Sexual Imagery: Modeling
2 Odyssey toward Understanding
– The Social Construction of Reality
– Sources of Evidence
– So What?
Part Two: A Worldwide Erotic and Sex-Role Dance Heritage
3 Sexuality
– Aphrodisiac Dancing Toward Culturally Licit Procreation
– Dance as Pre- and Extramarital Entertainment, Art, and Artifice
– Seduction of Forces and Female Shamans
– Sexual Sublimation
4 Sex Role Scripting
– Invitation
– Movement Metaphor
– Modulating Sex Roles: Transvestism, Adulation, and Appeasement
5 India's Dance Kaleidoscope: Divine Sexuality, Sex Roles, Erotic Fantasy, Profanity, and Emancipation
– Sacred and Secular Merge
– Sex Role Encoding
– Erotic Fantasy
– Profanity and Further Exploitation of Women
– Renaissance
Part Three: Western Theater Dance
6 Patterns of Dominance: Men, Women, and Homosexuality
– Gender and the Evaluation of Dance
– Dance for Women's Liberation: Indict, Dismantle, Create
– Gay and Men's' Liberation
– Big Bucks and the Challenge
7 The Sense and Symbol of Sexuality and Gender in Dance Images
– Awareness of Sexuality
– Gender Signs in Everyday Life
– Sexual Symbols in Western Theater Dance
8 Spotlighted Performances: More on Telling Sex Stories
– Insistent Traditional Masculinity and Femininity
– Life Cycle Portrayals
– Sexuality and Shock
– Beauty and the Body
– The Nutcracker: Christmas and Unconscious Cruel Sex
– Against Their Wills
– Ambiguities and Sexual Options
9 New Moves for Women
– Two Temperaments—One Woman
– Roles of Stature
– Men and Women Sharing
– Guiltless Female Protagonists
– Identity as Victim
– Female Bonding and Lesbianism
– Role Reversal and Androgny
– Asexual Female Dance
– Multiple Roles
10 New Moves for Men
– Men Reassert Themselves
– Derogation of Women
– Unisexuality and Role Reversal
– Gay Men?
11 Coda
– Spotlight
– Global Occurrence
– Transformations: The American Scene
– New Directions
Appendix: Coding Variables for Gender Pattern in Dance
Pole Positions
Conversations on The Naked Truth (UMD Libraries)
http://www.cc.com/video-clips/ryj0jw/the-colbert-report-difference-makers---stephen-dick-jr-
For the Love of Dance, Between the Columns, U of Maryland


I remember this kit from when I was a kid. now, with the renewed interest in Amelia earhart and her vegas, this kit is perfect. instead of building the Winnie mae, I've chosen to build the vega that ae used in the first powder puff derby (so called by wil rogers).
The Lindberg (Round 2) Winnie Mae kit hasn't been around for at least 45 years. It's a great kit and considering its vintage, was pretty well done. My first attempt to build it way back in the day was a total disaster, due mainly to my poor building skills at the time. I kept the original box and a few parts and for decades I have longed to find another Lindberg Winnie Mae kit and get it right. My prayers have finally been answered and Round 2 has resurrected this Lindberg masterpiece!
The kit molds appear to be in excellent shape as there is virtually no flash or finish issues. Add to that the nicely done decal sheet and you have the foundation for a fine replica of this famous aircraft. Can't wait to "get 'er done"!
I believe this order flew the wrong way. It was shipped on the 16th but as of the 21st has not yet arrived. Disappointed.


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Cacao Nibs & Beans
Cacao Liquor & Couvertures
Cacao Powders
Cacao Butter
Vanilla, Pulp, Dried Fruit & Others
FOR CHOCOLATE MAKERS
FOR BAKERIES
FOR ICE CREAM MAKERS
FOR JUICERIES
FOR SKIN CARE & SOAP MAKING
CocoaTalk
Using Sustainable Cacao Ingredients as a Market Differentiator
How to Promote your Sustainable and Craft Products as a Small Business
As consumers become more and more aware of the impact that their buying choices have on the environment, they are looking for products that are produced in a sustainable way. It's not just about buying organic or using less plastic; sustainability has become a broad term to define the entire life cycle of a product, from its sourcing to the ways in which it makes its way into consumers' hands.
Sustainable cacao is no exception, meaning if you are using cacao as an ingredient in your products — from craft beer and bakery items to soaps and other beauty care products — you've got to pay attention to sustainability to stay competitive. Not only is using sustainable cacao a better choice for the planet and the people who work in the cacao industry, but it's also a smart way to differentiate yourself from the competition. In the following guide, we walk you through the ins and outs of sustainability as it pertains to cacao. In the end, you will be better equipped to make any necessary changes and meet consumer demand while having a positive impact on the world.
Why Sustainability Matters
Sustainability is a broad concept encompassing environmental protection, social equity, and economic development. Today, sustainability is summed up as the term "sustainable development," which involves making choices that will allow us to live better lives now while also leaving enough resources for future generations to live equally good lives.
The concept of sustainability has become increasingly important to modern consumers who care about the broader impact of the products they choose to buy. The most recent Food and Health Survey from the International Food Information Council shows a sharp uptick in demand for environmental sustainability.
In particular, research on the youngest adults, known as Gen Z, shows they are more likely to purchase products labeled as carbon-neutral or having a small carbon footprint. In addition, 73% say they have a greater concern about the environmental impact of their food than other generations.
Yet other generations care, too. Millennials, parents of young children, college graduates, and those with higher incomes were more likely to count themselves among the 52% who said their food and beverage choices have an impact on the environment.
Simply put, consumers are looking at the packaging, reading more about the products they're considering, and learning more about the journey of a product from the time it's grown or produced to when it's in their hands. Brands that wish to attract and keep this increasingly aware audience need to prioritize sustainability.
The Problem With Non-Sustainable Cacao
The cacao bean, commonly known as cocoa, grows mainly in the tropical climates of Western Africa, Latin America, and Asia. The Western African countries of Ghana and the Ivory Coast supply approximately 70% of the world's cocoa, which is then sold to the vast majority of chocolate companies. This includes many of the large brands with which you may be familiar.
If you're using chocolate to make any kind of craft products, including food and beverage items, there's a good chance it came from one of these regions — that is, unless you are consciously making an effort to source sustainably. The problem with this non-sustainable cacao is that certain organizations and journalists in recent years have uncovered the widespread use of child labor and even slavery on cocoa farms in Western Africa.
In these regions, most cocoa farmers earn less than $1 a day and resort to using child labor to stay competitive. Children working under such conditions are exposed to the unthinkable — trafficked from their homes and sold into slavery for mere dollars, and forced to work long hours under grueling, abusive, and dangerous conditions. Fed a cheap diet of corn paste, cassava, or bananas and forced to live in unsanitary and uncomfortable conditions, these children face a life of hardship with no freedom, education, or ability to live as a child deserves.
Why Sustainable Cacao?
Under pressure from consumers and various lawsuits brought about against them, chocolate companies have only recently admitted to the presence of child labor and slavery within their supply chains. Admitting it is one thing; actually, making a change is another. This is why it's so important to look closely at where you are sourcing your cacao products — whether you are making craft beers or bakery items or creating fancy soaps with cacao nibs.
With sustainable and ethical cacao, cocoa is produced under fair and ethical conditions for farmers and workers. It meets ethical standards that help eliminate child slavery from cocoa-producing countries while providing farmers with fair wages, benefits, access to education, better housing conditions, and access to sustainable farming tools. It also helps provide sustainable jobs for people who may otherwise be forced into child labor practices or other forms of exploitation due to poverty levels in these countries.
Beyond the ethical benefits, sustainable cacao also has a positive environmental impact in the following ways:
Promotes ecological and organic farming
Avoids harvesting cacao from the Amazon jungle, thereby preventing deforestation
Promotes Agroforestry projects
Promotes the use of natural fertilizers like husks and cacao pot skin
Protects natural resources by using hydroelectric power in processing plants
Avoids using chemicals in processing that are harmful to the environment
Utilizes all parts of the cacao fruit to minimize waste
Use cacao as nibs or liquor instead of beans with shell, leaving about 25% of waste products (cocoa shell) at the origin. That means 25% less of waste does not have to be shipped through ocean containers with fossil fuels
Minimizes plastic and seeks out an alternative, compostable materials for packing and shipping, such as cornstarch packing peanuts and other biodegradable materials
Set Yourself Apart as a Sustainability Partner
Using sustainably sourced cacao can be a great way to differentiate yourself from other brands that have yet to engage in sustainable practices. With sustainable cacao, you can take your beer marketing, chocolate marketing, and other promotional practices to new heights. Promote your bakery, brewery, cafe, ice cream shop, or sustainable craft products as you use chocolate that's sustainable, ethical, and responsible — not to mention delicious!
By using organic or fair trade cacao in your products, you can demonstrate your commitment to ethical sourcing and increase customer loyalty at the same time. This trend isn't limited to just chocolate bars or chocolate-flavored products; many companies are using sustainable cacao in other types of products like ice cream, baked goods, and beverages. You can even find sustainable cocoa butter used in lotions, soaps, and other personal care products.
Below, we've included just a few ideas for incorporating sustainability into your marketing and setting yourself apart from your competitors.
Be proud of your efforts to be sustainable — make sure your audience knows how and where you source your cacao! Get creative with your graphics, tagline, and terminology used in your marketing materials. From your logo to your packaging, everything should scream "sustainability." This will encourage like-minded consumers to pick up your product off store shelves, click on your ads, visit your website, or stop by your store.
Consider Your Packaging
Embrace sustainability in your packaging, too. Green packaging is more common than it used to be, but you can still find ways to stand out — whether that means using recycled materials or choosing an environmentally friendly material like paper instead of plastic packaging. With the right design and a sustainable look and feel, it can make for an eye-catching look on social media and in storefronts.
Show Off Sustainability on Your Website
People want to know what goes into the products they buy, so tell them! Show off your sustainability practices on your website, write blogs about them, and create ads that explain how and why your products are sustainable. This will help build trust between you and your customers, which can lead to increased sales when they know they're buying from someone who cares about more than just profit margins.
Take to Social Media
Tell your audience on social media about your sustainability practices — show them you care about these topics! Consider partnering with influencers who care about sustainability and can help promote your brand. Many influencers, especially micro-influencers, will promote your brand in exchange for free products; be sure to provide them with a unique discount code that they can share with their followers.
If you are new to sustainable cacao and other sustainability practices, it's important to start small, so you don't get overwhelmed and quit. Whether you are just getting started with creating sustainable craft products or you're interested in making the switch to new suppliers, it's never too early or too late to start thinking about sustainability.
And remember, you don't need to create big projects or spend a lot of money to share your sustainability vision; every little bit helps to make an improvement toward sustainability. Just start small, and in time, your little steps will add up to big, sustainable strides. Here are a few ideas for starting small:
Start with the packaging. If you're using plastic to package your products, for instance, consider switching it out for something that's recyclable or compostable.
Examine your list of suppliers used in production, and inquire about their sustainability practices. At CocoaSupply, we offer transparent pricing to farmers and take social responsibility seriously. We are committed to making it easier to incorporate sustainability into your business and educating future generations of chocolate makers, and promoting sustainable projects and agroforestry farms.
Take action. Not all large chocolate companies will take the actions needed to put an end to child labor and slavery, but that doesn't mean you have to follow suit. Get vocal about your focus on working with sustainable suppliers to make it known that you refuse to buy cacao from non-sustainable companies.
A Few Caveats
Be aware that while up to one-third of all cacao is grown under a certification label — such as those indicating fair trade certifications and the Rainforest Alliance/UTZ certification — there is no single label that can guarantee a chocolate product was made without the use of child and slave labor.
Moreover, third-party inspectors who verify such certifications are typically only required to visit less than 10% of cocoa farms. These farms are also often given a heads-up about audits, giving them time to mask any evidence of rule violations. In short, a label that says "fair trade certified" isn't necessarily indicative of fair and ethical practices.
At CocoaSupply, however, we can guarantee sustainability, and we live up to the standards we promote. Working directly with small farms and coops, our plant in Ecuador ensures all of our products are fairly traded and sustainability-focused, helping to bolster the working and living conditions for farmers and their communities. To learn more about our sustainability and social efforts, click here.
#promote sutsainability
#social media marketing
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Wicked Ghosts: A Harper Harlow and Ivy Morgan Mystery
That Magic Moment
Narrated by: Meghan Kelly
Ofelia Archer is working toward a goal, both personally and professionally, and she's making great strides on both. Her attention is diverted, however, when a steamboat washes ashore next to the riverwalk…and it's a boat that is more than a hundred years overdue. The Adelaide was supposedly lost on the river back in the day, all souls onboard believed lost, and yet it's in New Orleans…and it might not be empty. Ofelia and her boyfriend Zach Sully are part of the first team to visit the boat, and almost immediately Ofelia is struck by the reality they're not alone.
Ghostly Shadows
Harper Harlow has it all, including a new business, a husband she adores, and a best friend she's determined not to murder even though he's determined to be the groomzilla to end all groomzillas. Life is good...until it's not. Everything is thrown into doubt when her former boyfriend, a grifter on trial for murder, escapes from the county courthouse and starts terrorizing Whisper Cove.
Ghostly Endeavor
Harper Harlow is ready to move forward with her business, which just so happens to include taking ownership of the beleaguered Whisper Cove Cemetery. She and her partner Zander Pritchett have big plans...until the day they close on the property and discover a body on one of the well-worn pathways.
Once in a Brew Moon
Ofelia Archer has a lot on her plate. Between building renovations for her new business endeavor and plans to move in with her boyfriend for the duration of the construction, she doesn't have time for anything else. All that changes when a teenage girl is almost abducted in front of her bar. Ofelia and her boyfriend Zacharias "Zach" Sully intervene, save the girl, and believe they have the kidnapper caged in...only to find that he's somehow escaped in plain sight.
Bourbon Street Ghosts
A Harper Harlow and Ofelia Archer Mystery
Harper Harlow-Monroe and Zander Pritchett have been excited for their upcoming ghost conference in New Orleans for years, since before they were involved with their significant others. What was once a trip for two has now become a trip for four...but that doesn't make them any less excited. Ofelia Archer has just found out that her bar Krewe is about to be inundated with ghost hunters...and she's beyond excited. She's looking forward to a good week, which means more money to funnel into her next business venture.
My Brew Heaven
A Supernatural Speakeasy Cozy Mystery, Book 6
Ofelia Archer should be riding high after a blissful week spent with her boyfriend Zacharias "Zach" Sully. Sun, fun, and cocktails make for a great break...until she gets home. Then she realizes exactly how far things can fall apart in only a few days. It seems in her absence Ofelia's mother Marie Charles has been taken in by a cult, and Ofelia is convinced it's not the sort of group who worship beignets over chaos and bloodshed. When Ofelia tries talking to her mother she finds a different woman waiting for he...and she's beyond concerned.
It's vacation time for Harper Harlow and her boyfriend Jared Monroe. They have big plans to head to northern Lower Michigan for a wine tasting event – which happens to be close to a small town called Shadow Lake – and they're even taking Zander and Shawn along for the ride.
In Shadow Lake, Ivy Morgan finds herself in a good mood. It's officially the start of morel season (her favorite holiday) and she knows exactly how she's going to spend the next three weeks of her life, much to her fiancé Jack Harker's chagrin.
Everything changes when the two groups meet in the woods – the whimsy of morel hunting too much for Harper's group to turn away from – and they happen to stumble across a body. It seems a local woman, a party enthusiast with a bad reputation, was shot down in the middle of the forest and it appears someone is out there hunting people rather than animals or mushrooms … making for a very dangerous morel season.
When Harper and Ivy meet, they're instantly intrigued. They're used to being the only magical people in the room, and now they have someone to compare notes with.
Jared and Jack are worried about the growing bond, especially when Harper and Ivy decide to solve a mystery … and put themselves in harm's way to do it.
It's double the hands on deck for this one when Jared and Jack find themselves in a race against time to track down their troublesome females, terror driving them in case death catches up with them first.
It's a magical meeting and showdown, and none of them are ever going to be the same again.
Note: This is a full-length crossover mystery featuring characters from the Ivy Morgan and Harper Harlow series.
Series: A Harper Harlow Mystery Series, Book 8.5
Cozy Fantasy
What listeners say about Wicked Ghosts: A Harper Harlow and Ivy Morgan Mystery
Tigress5cubs
I always try to start with something positive, so I will say that I usually enjoy everything this author has to offer.
The narration was horrible. Completely ruined it. Brian's voice was grating and caused me to plug my ears every time he was in a scene. I love that character, too! The way Zander was portrayed was horrific. He is usually not very enjoyable, but the way he was read in this book, made me hate him.
I almost stopped listening; however, because I enjoy these characters, I suffered through it. I will never listen to another book read by this narrator.
Great idea having characters meet
Nicely done and production of Ivy and Harper. Storyline was well done with lots of funny comments and twists along the way. Would like to see this happen again
Great Crossover!
I love both these series and combining them was a real treat! Angel Clark always does a nice job as well. 💜
Tina T
Exactly the book I love
I'm really not sure about all the narrator bashing...I truly felt she did a great job. I'd like to see the bashers try and come up with all the voices. That said; this book is full of turns that are delightfully surprising. Starting on the next book because I can't help myself.
Gina Wilms
#WantMoreLikeThis
I knew Harper but not Ivy. Now that I know Ivy, I had to read all of her stories too! this was a fantastic way to combine both of my favorite people. I absolutely love the trouble these two got into together and hope there will be many more adventures to come! #Tagsgiving #Sweepstakes
enjoyed but difficult to distinguish characters.
because the narrator does not change her voices between characters, it was very difficult to distinguish who was talking.
Too much gabe
Not enough story ,too much back and forth argument, not funny,not interesting, not worth listening too.
Lee Ann Fritz
Can't tell the difference
It's very hard to tell between each person because their voices sound the same. Harper and Ivy sound almost the same.
Noa Boshnack
fun all around
I've been listening to the rest of the 2 series, so this meshing of the characters was especially fun!
LOVE THIS!!!!
SO MUCH FUN TO LISTEN TO. LAUGHS, SURPRISES AND LOTS OF ROMANCE! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!


Thirty leaders from the neighborhoods of Beni's four communes received cell phones as part of the response to Ebola in North Kivu. The epidemic has already killed 104 people in the region.
According to the director general of the fight against the disease and coordinator of the response to the Ministry of Health, Dr. Bathe Ndjoloko, these phones will facilitate the work of alert, if suspected cases are located in the neighborhoods of Beni.
"We have increased the capacity of the leaders of the neighborhoods to be able to notify, to be able to alert us. That's why we gave them these phones with credit so they can report as many cases as possible and take ownership of the fight against Ebola," he said.
The Ebola Response Team and the Heads of Neighborhoods agree to work together in the fight against the epidemic. "We are now going to work harder, including with the community relays, all the social actors and civil society, who have also committed themselves as the main actors of this response," continued Dr Ndjoloko.
In its statement released Tuesday, the Ministry of Health indicates that since the beginning of the epidemic, there are 181 confirmed cases, including two new ones. The statistics show 104 deaths and 57 recoveries; while 32 suspected cases are under investigation.


It's that time of year... time to add some eggs to the decor. These eggs are blown, dyed and then speckled. Use food coloring and vinegar to dye the eggs and a metallic Sharpie to create the speckles.
Love the eggs! I've pinned and will be doing this project! Thanks!
A lovely macramé wall-hanging tutorial that is easy for beginners to follow!
Follow along this tutorial and your mailbox will be the prettiest one on the street this fall!
How to Make a Pretty Frame With Paper Tubes!


Congratulations to the 6-4-3 DP Tigers (15U) team for winning the Triple Crown 15U Fall Season Opener silver bracket championship on September 16th. The 15U Tigers tallied a 4-1 overall record on the weekend. After losing a close pool game to the eventual gold bracket champs, Titans Blue, the 15U Tigers bounced back to win three games on Sunday to take the title. After winning a ten inning battle against Showcase Baseball, the 15U Tigers would go on to knock off Triton Rays Prime in the semifinals. The Tigers then played the Dunwoody Diablos in the silver bracket championship game and won in walk off fashion in the bottom of the 7th inning by the final score of 4-3. Congratulations again to the 15U Tigers players and coaches on their early season success!


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Master Direction- RRBs - Priority Sector Lending - Targets & Classification (updated as on 18Jun2019)
RBI Master Direction FIDD.CO.Plan.2/04.09.01/2016-17 dated July 7, 2016 (addressed to all Regional Rural Banks) —
The guidelines for priority sector lending by Regional Rural Banks were revised by the Reserve Bank of India vide circular dated December 3, 2015. The Master Direction enclosed incorporates the updated guidelines/ instructions/ circulars on the subject. The list of circulars consolidated in this Master Direction is indicated in the Appendix. The Direction will be updated from time to time as and when fresh instructions are issued. This Master Direction has been placed on the RBI website.
2. The revised guidelines on priority sector lending by Regional Rural Banks were made operational with effect from January 1, 2016. Accordingly, the priority sector loans sanctioned under the guidelines issued prior to this date will continue to be classified under priority sector till repayment/ maturity/ renewal.
Master Direction- Reserve Bank of India (Regional Rural Banks-Priority Sector Lending –Targets and Classification) Directions, 2016 (Updated as on June 18, 2019)
In exercise of the powers conferred by Sections 21 and 35 A of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, the Reserve Bank of India being satisfied that it is necessary and expedient in the public interest to do so, hereby, issues the Directions hereinafter specified.
CHAPTER – I
1. Short Title and Commencement
(a) These Directions shall be called the Reserve Bank of India (Regional Rural Banks -Priority Sector Lending – Targets and Classification) Directions, 2016.
(b) These Directions shall come into effect on the day they are placed on the official website of the Reserve Bank of India.
2. Applicability
The provisions of these Directions shall apply to every Regional Rural Bank (RRB) licensed to operate in India by the Reserve Bank of India.
3. Clarification:
All other expressions unless defined herein shall have the same meaning as have been assigned to them under the Banking Regulation Act or the Reserve Bank of India Act, or any statutory modification or re-enactment thereto or as used in commercial parlance, as the case may be.
CATEGORIES AND TARGETS UNDER PRIORITY SECTOR
4. The categories under priority sector are as follows:
i. Agriculture
ii. Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)
iii. Education
iv. Housing
v. Social Infrastructure
vi. Renewable Energy
vii. Others
The details of eligible activities under the above categories are specified in Chapter III.
5. Targets /Sub-targets for Priority sector:
RRBs will have a target of 75 per cent of their outstanding advances for priority sector lending and sub-sector targets as indicated in table below.
Total Priority Sector
75 per cent of total outstanding*
18 per cent of total outstanding
Small and Marginal Farmers
8 percent of total outstanding
Micro Enterprises
7.5 per cent of total outstanding
Weaker Sections
* The overall Priority Sector target should be achieved across all prescribed categories viz. – Agriculture, MSME, Education, Housing, Social Infrastructure, Renewable Energy and Others. However, lending to Medium Enterprises, Social Infrastructure and Renewable Energy shall be reckoned for priority sector achievement only up to 15 per cent of total outstanding.
The computation of priority sector targets/sub-targets achievement will be based on the total outstanding as on the corresponding date of the preceding year.
DESCRIPTION OF ELIGIBLE CATEGORIES UNDER PRIORITY SECTOR
6. Agriculture
The lending to agriculture sector will be categorized as (i) Farm Credit (which will include short-term crop loans and medium/long-term credit to farmers) (ii) Agriculture Infrastructure and (iii) Ancillary Activities. A list of eligible activities under the three sub-categories is indicated below:
6.1 Farm credit
A. Loans to individual farmers [including Self Help Groups(SHGs) or Joint Liability Groups (JLGs), i.e. groups of individual farmers, provided banks maintain disaggregated data of such loans], directly engaged in Agriculture and Allied Activities, viz., dairy, fishery, animal husbandry, poultry, bee-keeping and sericulture. This will include:
(i) Crop loans to farmers which will include traditional/non-traditional plantations and horticulture, and, loans for allied activities.
(ii) Medium and long-term loans to farmers for agriculture and allied activities (e.g. purchase of agricultural implements and machinery, loans for irrigation and other developmental activities undertaken in the farm, and developmental loans for allied activities.)
(iii) Loans to farmers for pre and post-harvest activities, viz., spraying, weeding, harvesting, sorting, grading and transporting of their own farm produce.
(iv) Loans to farmers up to ₹ 5 million against pledge/ hypothecation of agricultural produce (including warehouse receipts) for a period not exceeding 12 months.
(v) Loans to distressed farmers indebted to non-institutional lenders.
(vi) Loans to farmers under Kisan Credit Card Scheme.
(vii) Loans to small and marginal farmers for purchase of land for agricultural purposes.
B. Loans to corporate farmers, farmers' producer organizations/companies of individual farmers, partnership firms and co-operatives of farmers directly engaged in Agriculture and Allied Activities, viz., dairy, fishery, animal husbandry, poultry, bee-keeping and sericulture up to an aggregate limit of ₹ 20 million per borrower. This will include:
(iv) Loans up to ₹ 5 million against pledge/hypothecation of agricultural produce (including warehouse receipts) for a period not exceeding 12 months.
6.2. Agriculture infrastructure
i) Loans for construction of storage facilities (warehouses, market yards, godowns and silos) including cold storage units/cold storage chains designed to store agriculture produce/products, irrespective of their location.
ii) Soil conservation and watershed development.
iii) Plant tissue culture and agri-biotechnology, seed production, production of bio-pesticides, bio-fertilizer, and vermi composting.
For the above loans, an aggregate sanctioned limit of ₹ 1 billion per borrower from the banking system, will apply.
6.3. Ancillary activities
(i) Loans up to ₹ 50 million to co-operative societies of farmers for disposing of the produce of members.
(ii) Loans for setting up of Agriclinics and Agribusiness Centres.
(iii) Loans for Food and Agro-processing up to an aggregate sanctioned limit of ₹ 1 billion per borrower from the banking system.
(iv) Loans to Custom Service Units managed by individuals, institutions or organizations who maintain a fleet of tractors, bulldozers, well-boring equipment, threshers, combines, etc., and undertake farm work for farmers on contract basis.
For the purpose of computation of achievement of the sub-target, Small and Marginal Farmers will include following:-
• Farmers with landholding of up to 1 hectare are considered as Marginal Farmers. Farmers with a landholding of more than 1 hectare and up to 2 hectares are considered as Small Farmers.
• Landless agricultural labourers, tenant farmers, oral lessees and share-croppers, whose share of landholding is within the limits prescribed for small and marginal farmers.
• Loans to Self Help Groups (SHGs) or Joint Liability Groups (JLGs), i.e. groups of individual Small and Marginal farmers directly engaged in Agriculture and Allied Activities provided banks maintain disaggregated data of such items.
• Loans to farmers' producer companies of individual farmers, and co-operatives of farmers directly engaged in Agriculture and Allied Activities, where the membership of Small and Marginal Farmers is not less than 75 per cent by number and whose land-holding share is also not less than 75 per cent of the total land-holding.
7. Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)
7.1. The limits for investment in plant and machinery/equipment for manufacturing / service enterprise, as notified by Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, vide S.O.1642(E) dated September 9, 2006 are as under:-
Investment in plant and machinery
Does not exceed twenty five lakh rupees
Small Enterprises
More than twenty five lakh rupees but does not exceed five crore rupees
Medium Enterprises
More than five crore rupees but does not exceed ten crore rupees
Investment in equipment
Does not exceed ten lakh rupees
More than ten lakh rupees but does not exceed two crore rupees
More than two crore rupees but does not exceed five crore rupees
Bank loans to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, for both manufacturing and service sectors are eligible to be classified under the priority sector as per the following norms:
7.2. Manufacturing Enterprises
The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises engaged in the manufacture or production of goods to any industry specified in the first schedule to the Industries (Development and Regulation) Act, 1951 and as notified by the Government from time to time. The Manufacturing Enterprises are defined in terms of investment in plant and machinery.
7.3. Service Enterprises
All bank loans to MSMEs, engaged in providing or rendering of services as defined in terms of investment in equipment under MSMED Act, 2006, shall qualify under priority sector without any credit cap.
7.4. Khadi and Village Industries Sector (KVI)
All loans to units in the KVI sector will be eligible for classification under the sub-target of 7.5 per cent prescribed for Micro Enterprise under priority sector.
7.5. Other Finance to MSMEs
(i) Loans to entities involved in assisting the decentralized sector in the supply of inputs to and marketing of outputs of artisans, village and cottage industries.
(ii) Loans to co-operatives of producers in the decentralized sector viz. artisans, village and cottage industries.
(iii) Credit outstanding under General Credit Cards (including Artisan Credit Card, Laghu Udyami Card, Swarojgar Credit Card, and Weaver's Card etc. in existence and catering to the non-farm entrepreneurial credit needs of individuals).
7.6. To ensure that MSMEs do not remain small and medium units merely to remain eligible for priority sector status, the MSME units will continue to enjoy the priority sector lending status up to three years after they grow out of the MSME category concerned.
7.7 Overdrafts under PMJDY:
In terms of revised guidelines issued by Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance, dated September 24, 2018, Overdraft limit to Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) account holder has been raised to ₹10,000/-, age limit of 18-60 years has been revised to 18-65 years and there will not be any conditions attached for overdraft up to ₹2,000/-. These overdrafts will qualify as achievement of the target for lending to Micro Enterprises.
Loans to individuals for educational purposes including vocational courses upto ₹ 1 million irrespective of the sanctioned amount will be considered as eligible for priority sector.
9. Housing
(i) Loans to individuals up to ₹ 3.5 million in metropolitan centres (with population of one million and above) and ₹ 2.5 million in other centres for purchase/construction of a dwelling unit per family provided the overall cost of the dwelling unit in the metropolitan centres and at other centres does not exceed ₹ 4.5 million and ₹ 3 million respectively. The housing loans to banks' own employees will be excluded.
(ii) Loans for repairs to damaged dwelling units of families up to ₹ 0.2 million.
(iii) Bank loans to any governmental agency for construction of dwelling units or for slum clearance and rehabilitation of slum dwellers subject to a ceiling of ₹ 1 million per dwelling unit.
(iv) The loans sanctioned by banks for housing projects exclusively for the purpose of construction of houses for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) and Low Income Groups (LIG), the total cost of which does not exceed ₹ 1 million per dwelling unit. For the purpose of identifying the economically weaker sections and low income groups, the family income limit is revised to ₹ 0.3 million per annum for EWS and ₹ 0.6 million per annum for LIG, in alignment with the income criteria specified under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.
10. Social Infrastructure
Bank loans up to a limit of ₹ 50 million per borrower for building social infrastructure for activities namely schools, health care facilities, drinking water facilities, sanitation facilities, construction/refurbishment of household toilets and household level water improvements in Tier II to Tier VI centres.
11. Renewable Energy
Bank loans up to a limit of ₹ 150 million to borrowers for purposes like solar based power generators, biomass based power generators, wind mills, micro-hydel plants and for non-conventional energy based public utilities viz. street lighting systems, and remote village electrification. For individual households, the loan limit will be ₹ 1 million per borrower.
12. Others
12.1 Loans not exceeding ₹ 50,000/- per borrower provided directly by banks to individuals and their SHG/JLG, provided the individual borrower's household annual income in rural areas does not exceed ₹ 0.1 million and for non-rural areas it does not exceed ₹ 0.16 million.
12.2 Loans to distressed persons [other than farmers already included under 6.1(A) (v)] not exceeding ₹ 0.1 million per borrower to prepay their debt to non-institutional lenders.
12.3 Loans sanctioned to State Sponsored Organisations for Scheduled Castes/ Scheduled Tribes for the specific purpose of purchase and supply of inputs and/or the marketing of the outputs of the beneficiaries of these organisations.
13. Weaker Sections
Priority sector loans to the following borrowers will be considered under Weaker Sections category:-
Artisans, village and cottage industries where individual credit limits do not exceed ₹ 0.1 million
Beneficiaries under Government Sponsored Schemes such as National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), National Urban Livelihood Mission (NULM) and Self Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers (SRMS)
Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes
Beneficiaries of Differential Rate of Interest (DRI) scheme
Self Help Groups
Distressed farmers indebted to non-institutional lenders
Distressed persons other than farmers, with loan amount not exceeding ₹ 0.1 million per borrower to prepay their debt to non-institutional lenders
Individual women beneficiaries up to ₹ 0.1 million per borrower
Overdraft limit to PMJDY account holder upto ₹ 10,000/- with age limit of 18-65 years
Minority communities as may be notified by Government of India from time to time
In States, where one of the minority communities notified is, in fact, in majority, item (xii) will cover only the other notified minorities. These States/ Union Territories are Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Lakshadweep.
14. Priority Sector Lending Certificates
The outstanding priority sector lending certificates bought by banks will be eligible for classification under respective categories of priority sector provided the assets are originated by banks, are eligible to be classified as priority sector advances and fulfil the Reserve Bank of India guidelines on Priority Sector Lending Certificates issued vide Circular FIDD.CO.Plan.BC.23/04.09.001/2015-16 dated April 7, 2016.
15. Monitoring:
The data on priority sector advances has to be furnished by RRBs to NABARD at quarterly and annual intervals. The quarterly and annual reporting formats are annexed. For the purpose of calculation of priority sector lending targets, total outstanding will be calculated as on corresponding date of the previous year. (i.e. for reporting PSL data for quarter ending June 2019, total outstanding will be considered as on June 30 2018).
16. Other Guidelines
RRBs can issue Inter Bank Participation Certificates (IBPCs) to Scheduled Commercial Banks in respect of their priority sector advances in excess of 75 per cent of their outstanding advances.
17. Common guidelines for priority sector loans
RRBs should comply with the following common guidelines for all categories of advances under the priority sector.
(i) Rate of interest
The rate of interest on bank loans will be as per directives issued by our Department of Banking Regulation from time to time.
(ii) Service charges
No loan related and adhoc service charges/inspection charges should be levied on priority sector loans up to ₹ 25,000. In case of lending to SHGs/JLGs, the loan limit shall be applicable per member of SHG/JLG and not to the group as a whole.
(iii) Receipt, Sanction/Rejection/Disbursement Register
A register/ electronic record should be maintained by the bank, wherein the date of receipt, sanction/rejection/disbursement with reasons thereof, etc., should be recorded. The register/electronic record should be made available to all inspecting agencies.
(iv) Issue of Acknowledgement of Loan Applications
Banks should provide acknowledgement for loan applications received under priority sector loans. Bank Boards should prescribe a time limit within which the bank communicates its decision in writing to the applicants.
These directions are subject to any further instructions that may be issued by the RBI from time to time.
Banks should ensure that loans extended under priority sector are for approved purposes and the end use is continuously monitored. The banks should put in place proper internal controls and systems in this regard.
LIST OF CIRCULARS CONSOLIDATED
Circular No.
FIDD.CO Plan.BC.18/04.09.01/2018-19
Priority Sector Lending – Targets and Classification
FIDD.CO.Plan.BC.18/04.09.01/2017-18
Priority Sector Lending Certificates
Regional Rural Banks- Priority Sector Lending- Targets and Classification
Tags: Banking Laws in India, Priority Sector Lending (PSL), Regional Rural Banks (RRBs)
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