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Interview: Adrienne Davies (Earth)
Invisible Oranges Staff
Long before she became Earth's drummer, Adrienne Davies was a teenager in Washington State who lived through grunge's seminal years. She met Earth founder Dylan Carlson when she was a teenager, but lost touch with him until the 21st century. Davies began jamming with Carlson and later joined Earth on drums. She also married Carlson. She's a staunch minimalist with an appreciation for over-the-top percussion.
— Justin M. Norton
How did you meet Dylan and get involved in Earth?
I've known him more than half of my life, so it could get kind of rambling if I were too detailed (laughs). I met him when I was 17. I was a big fan of Earth before I had the pleasure of playing with them. I was too young to go to shows because there were very few all-ages shows in Seattle. There were some in Tacoma and Olympia, but few in Seattle. I actually had a fake ID that belonged to a friend of mine named Bo - he was really effeminate with a unisex name. I was 17 using a 28 year-old man's ID to get into shows. Dylan took off for California for a while. We ran into each other about 2000 and started playing music without any aims. It just fell into our lap, the opportunity to take it somewhere. But it was a little chaotic in the beginning.
When did you start playing drums?
I did some drumming for school bands in the fifth grade. I had four brothers and came from a real musical family. I got my first drum set early, and it was my pride and joy. I had to keep my brothers from destroying it. It was a used kit, a Ludwig from the '70s.
I lost the vibe for a while and didn't pursue it in high school or college. Then I played in garage bands with some friends when I was in Olympia. I didn't take it too seriously until I got into this band and decided to do it right.
How did you approach putting together your drum parts for Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light?
The cool thing about this album is we were going through a transformation. Two people were moving on, and we had a brand new bass and cello player. So we were reformatting the band. When we got to the studio, we had finished a two-week West Coast tour. We had three pretty solid songs and were working stuff out on the road. We had ideas and a few set songs.
This flood of creativity set in. It's the first recording I've done where the structures were removed and self-imposed perfectionism was let loose. It opened this whole freedom to experiment. So the drum parts were much looser, freer. Every single song involved some level of improv, even if it was charted out.
Before Dylan went into the studio, he was going through a big health crisis. Anything that gives you a taste of mortality can turn your mind around. It was more of a scare than anything, but at the time we had no idea what was happening. He was feeling the vibe that this might be his last album. We all tried to make it extra special for that reason. There was finality to it. Luckily, he's fine now.
"Descent to the Zenith"
A lot of Earth's songs are very modal, and there's a lot of repetition. Working in that framework, how do you keep your drumming fresh and interesting, especially during very long songs?
Part of my ability to play at a slow tempo is to get my breathing to slow down and make sure my heart isn't racing. I'm normally a bit of a hyper person, so I have to adjust my body to play slow.
There's a risk with this type of playing of getting too into your own head. I have to make sure I'm in tune with everyone else musically and visually so we can play off each other better. It's a new development for me. I try not to get so deep into a trance that I'm unreachable.
Were you living in Olympia during the time when grunge broke?
I was a teenager during those years. I was always the young one in the scene, and a lot of my friends were six or seven years older than me.
When you get older, it's different. The drive to go to shows every single night isn't there as much. I have trouble seeing live shows unless I'm out playing, probably because I see so much of it from touring. And if you've been a drinker or into drugs, and you aren't anymore, it's like being a new babe in the woods.
Bands like Nirvana had this meteoric rise and flamed out pretty quickly, but Melvins and Earth are still recording.
Dylan has always said if you do something long enough and don't follow trends or genres, people will take notice, even if they disregard it for years. It's like hitting your head against the wall and finally breaking through. I was a huge Mudhoney fan. I can't count how many times I've seen them live. They are still relatively active, and we've run into them on tour.
This is something you really have to want to do for 20 years. Dylan is the founding member, and he's the core of Earth. He can hardly go a day without playing guitar. He can't turn it off. If you are going to do something for this long, you better get something out of it besides fame or royalty payments.
When you had your little Ludwig kit, did anyone ever try to discourage you from playing?
My family was never like, "You're a chick, and you need to play the flute". The only annoyance was when I played for three hours. I didn't ever feel I had to go a certain direction because I was a female.
When I think of Earth's early music, I don't think of percussion much. When you joined the band, were there discussions about how to best incorporate you?
Yes. It wasn't until the third Earth album that they had a live drummer. Everything else was done on a machine Dylan programmed. That wasn't their desire; they just couldn't find someone who fit with their musical taste. I wouldn't touch that [early] stuff with a ten-foot pole, because I love it as it is.
My whole thing was trying to fit into the band musically. I'm all about keeping songs as simple as possible and serving the song. I'm not a showy drummer. I like to find the heartbeat, the feel of a song, [to] give it movement and dynamics. There are tons of showboating drummers in rock, but in this band and format, we could never have a 20-minute drum solo.
Davies names her drumming influences
You aren't going to drop a big Peter Criss solo in the middle of an Earth album.
I would really hope not (laughs). It wouldn't play very well. Even fills I keep to a minimum. In this band, it's about what I don't play. I like to play on the precipice, [to] see how slow and relaxed I can get. It's right on the cliff of accent drumming, where you don't play a groove. I try to play with tempo and see where I can take things. Less equals more in this band. That's not just with drums, either.
Have you always been a minimalist, or were there ever times you wanted to let it rip like Keith Moon?
Everyone loves getting a drum set and just banging the skins and playing as loud and fast and possible. It's fun. But it's not always fun for the listener. I'm most comfortable playing relaxed and laidback. I like drums that build the song and stay out of the way. If the drums in Earth were too in your face, it would wreck the whole dynamic. I'm very aware of that.
Meg White's drumming for The White Stripes gets criticized, but the minimalist approach works.
If you putt Matt Sorum in The White Stripes, it would be a disaster. The way she plays definitely works for what they are doing - the simple and child-like nature of the songs. She gets a bad rap.
Do you like practicing with a click track?
It's absolutely essential to be able to do it. In the studio, it can suck the life out of things.
Do you enjoy playing live?
I had some issues early on, because I feel like I jumped into the fire quick. I had occasional stage fright and nerves. That's the death knell for being able to play slower music. You can't be having a panic attack. Over the years, I've played a lot more live music. I can't say I don't still have some issues, but I've learned to make it work a little better. It doesn't seem to matter if it's 3,000 or 30 people. Halfway through the first or second song, it becomes more enjoyable.
So you got over stage fright by continuing to play?
I'm a perfectionist, and I had this fear that it would be a complete disaster, or that I would screw the whole set up. These negative things were paramount in my mind. I just realized if I completely blew it, the world wouldn't stop turning. I was making a bigger deal of it than I needed to it and taking the fun out of it. Your brain eventually just needs to wrap itself around reality. It's not perfect now, but it's so much better.
I thought it was funny that when I downloaded the new album it was classified as "other".
"Other", huh? Wow (laughs). Well, two weeks prior to the release date, iTunes was doing some kind of special push for it on the rock page. We've been categorized under country and soundtracks and rock. I'd rather have that than metal at all times. It's nice to incorporate disparate ideas. I'd much rather not be classified.
EARTH - UPCOMING TOUR DATES
EU tour w/ Sabbath Assembly
4/29 Unwound – Padova, Italy
4/30 MC Velenje – Velenje, Slovenia
5/01 Arena – Vienna, Austria
5/02 Feierwerk – Munich, Germany
5/03 Beatpol – Dresden, Germany
5/04 Gebaeude9 – Koln, Germany
5/05 Stadsschouwburg – Brugge, Holland
US tour w/ Ô Paon
6/08 Mayne Stage – Chicago, IL
6/09 Mad Planet – Milwaukee, WI
6/10 Magic Stick – Detroit, MI
6/11 The Strut – Kalamazoo, MI
6/12 Grog Shop – Cleveland, OH
6/13 Johnny Brendas – Philadelphia, PA
6/14 Wadsworth Atheneum (Aetna Theater) – Hartford, CT
6/15 Middle East Downstairs – Boston, MA
6/16 Le Poisson Rouge – New York City, NY
6/17 Ottobar – Baltimore, MD
6/18 Braddock Carnegie Library – Braddock, PA
6/19 Southgate House – Newport, KY
ATP Fest, curated by Portishead
10/02 I'll Be Your Mirror, curated by Portishead & ATP – Asbury Park, NJ
Filed Under: features, jmnorton, rock, usa
Categories: Features, Interviews
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2021 Invisible Oranges - The Metal Blog, Townsquare Media, Inc. All rights reserved.


>>> It essentially needs dbus-launch, to start dbus-daemon.
>> Is this the session bus, or a parallel bus, or both?
That's a session bus, so you need to get one started, somehow.
a file in /etc/X11/Xsession.d, so that there's already one running.
primarily there to support the "run a single GNOME/KDE app under fvwm"
dbus-x11-udeb could go away before Jessie is released, though.


With a unique location in Mexico city, only a few steps away from the Reforma Avenue, Historical Center and Zona Rosa, Hotel Monaco gives you an excellent starting point so you can tour the multiple cultural and entertaining attractions in places nearby. We are located at a very short distance from major financial and trade zones, in addition to the Metropolitan Cathedral and the Bellas Artes Palace. The "Benito Juarez" Airport is 20 minutes away from our premises.


placing your awareness on all levels of mental activity which might occur. Notice whatever appears without judging. Do not fabricate. Be as accurate and precise as possible in your observation of mind's activity, such as: memories, emotions, observations of your body's inner and outer movements, sense perceptions, dreams, plans, awareness of the space around you, an internal monologue, mind watching itself, all kinds of mental activities. Touch in with the thoughts arising, but do not force awareness into a direction. Follow the natural flow. Whatever appears is part of the performance.
articulating as precisely as possible, repeat ad libitum.
The general flow here should be like natural speech, 'casually observing'.
Always push the PTT button while reciting and release it at end.
Choose the performance mode spontaneously, according to the emotional content of the commentary.
Use different intensity ranging from ppppp to fffff , and tempo from very slow to very fast.
Reproduce rhythmic structures in regular or irregular appearance.
applying different tempo and intensity, as suggested by the impulse.
Play the instrument ad libitum, in any way you choose to, if the wish to do so surfaces.
Voice can be used ad libitum, using spoken or sung sound, if some words appear in your mind, and you wish to sing or speak.
Productions as in 1 and 2 are triggered by the performer's thinking activity considered as 'noise of mind'. Productions as in 4 and 5 – such as performing with the recorder and focused vocal production – are considered as regular 'signals' emitted by a performer. 3 has an intermediate role; in this setup, percussive action can be governed by noisy mental activity and by performative 'signals' from the improviser as well.


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Woman shopper, 60, plummets 60ft off a balcony to the basement in a John Lewis store... but survives after a BED breaks her fall
60-year-old fell from upper storey of a John Lewis in Cheadle, Manchester
She plummeted down to the basement level and landed on a display bed
Witnesses told of hearing screams after woman fell over the glass balcony
She was rushed to hospital to be treated for injuries to her hip and spine
Do you know the woman or did you see the incident? Email jay.akbar@mailonline.co.uk or call 02036153475
By Jay Akbar For Mailonline
Published: 14:27 EDT, 9 February 2016 | Updated: 21:37 EDT, 9 February 2016
A woman has survived a 60ft fall from the balcony of a John Lewis store after a bed miraculously broke her fall.
Shoppers watched in horror as the 60-year-old plunged two storeys to the basement of the shop in Cheadle, Manchester.
She only suffered minor injuries to her hip and spine after landing on a display bed, it was reported.
Shoppers watched in horror as the 60-year-old woman plunged two storeys to the basement of the shop in Cheadle (pictured), Manchester, and miraculously landed on a display bed
Police and emergency services rushed to the store on Wilmslow Road (pictured) at around before 4pm
Opossum miraculously survives after being shot in the head... Horrifying moment passenger is catapulted from somersaulting...
Formula One driver Mark Webber miraculously survives 360...
Police and emergency services rushed to the store on Wilmslow Road at around before 4pm after several people called 999 to report she had fallen from the upper levels.
She fell over the glass balcony near the shop's escalators, the Manchester Evening News reported.
Witnesses told of hearing screams after she fell. The shop was closed by bosses for the remaining four hours as police began their investigation.
CCTV footage has been handed to officers, who were seen talking to managers behind closed doors today.
Staff at the department store are understood to have been offered support by John Lewis bosses after a handful witnessed the harrowing incident.
Several ambulances, a helicopter and three hazard response teams, were scrambled to the scene.
The woman was rushed to Wythenshawe Hospital where she was treated for only minor injuries to her hip and spine (pictured, an air ambulance at the store)
An ambulance took the injured woman to Wythenshawe Hospital where she remains for treatment, although she is said to be in a stable condition.
A spokeswoman for John Lewis said: 'We are glad that the customer's injuries are not thought to be serious, and wish her all the best for her recovery.'
'Our customers' safety is of the utmost importance to us and all of our shops conform to the highest safety standards.
'We are helping the police with their investigations, and continue to offer support to our Partners who witnessed the distressing incident.'
Police are appealing for anyone who witnessed the incident to contact officers on 101.
John Lewis shopper plummets off a balcony but survives when BED breaks her fall

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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What are the COVID entry rules for travelers to European countries?
Summer, sun, surf, sandy beaches, and lots of culture: vacationing in Europe is once again a possibility for many – but only cautiously so.
As coronavirus infection numbers continue to fall across much of Europe, many countries are lifting lockdowns and easing travel and entry requirements. But while COVID rules are being relaxed in some countries, others are tightening their entry rules again due to the surge of the Delta variant. As was the case before, the situation in each country can change from one day to the next, which again requires flexibility from tourists and tour operators, hotels and restaurateurs in the summer of 2021.
Tourists from Israel, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore, among others, can already travel to Europe. And since June 20, US citizens have also been able to do so again.
As of July 1, travel restrictions have been lifted for other countries jointly selected by EU member states. Tourism in Europe is picking up again. Here is an overview of the latest rules and most important information.
An overview of EU travel measures, including information on the EU Digital COVID Certificate, is available via the European Commission website.
Detailed information regarding quarantine rules, testing requirements and more in the EU's 27 member states — along with non-EU Schengen countries Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Iceland — can be accessed through the Reopen EU platform. You can also download the Reopen EU smartphone app for up-to-date information on the go.
Please note that every member state maintains its own rules for granting entry to third country travelers already within the EU or Schengen zone. Member states may require a negative COVID test upon arrival, or mandate a quarantine period after entry. In addition, EU countries have implemented a wide variety of social distancing rules, curfews and mask-wearing rules.
The EU has agreed on a traffic light system to make understanding travel restrictions easier
The European Union COVID traffic light system
The EU has introduced a traffic light system for a better overview of the epidemiological situation in individual member states. Three colors — red, orange and green — denote high-, medium- and low-risk areas in the bloc. Grey regions signify areas where insufficient data is available.
Please note: The information listed here is not exhaustive, serves as a reference only and is subject to change at any time. All travelers to and within Europe, the EU and the Schengen area are strongly advised to consult the official guidance and regulations of local, state and national authorities in the relevant countries.
EU digital COVID certificate
To ease EU travel, European lawmakers approved a digital COVID certificate that has been rolled out across the entire bloc. It shows that individuals have either been fully vaccinated, tested negative for the virus, or recovered from the disease.
The document is issued by test centers and health authorities, and has been available in all EU member states since July 1, 2021. At this stage, however, only COVID vaccination records performed by an official, government-mandated body within the EU can be logged on the certificate. Vaccinations from outside the EU are not accepted yet.
For more information, visit the COVID Certificate platform.
Across Germany, coronavirus infections have been falling drastically, dropping to a mere five cases per 100,000 residents within seven days on average early in the summer. In late July, that number had risen to ten cases, with higher rates reported in some areas. Politicians are monitoring the situation with caution.
As a general rule, anyone arriving in Germany — whether by airplane, car, train or ship — must present either a negative test result, proof of vaccination, or documentation proving their recovery from COVID-19.
Those arriving from designated high-risk and virus variant countries must meet additional criteria. Before setting off, individuals must register digitally. Arrivals from high-risk areas must quarantine for 10 days, but can cease self-isolating if they produce a negative test result on the fifth day. Germany currently classifies Cyprus, Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands and United Kingdom as high-risk areas, alongside numerous non-European countries such as Egypt, India and South Africa.
All travelers to Germany must present either a negative test result, proof of vaccination, or documentation proving recovery from COVID prior to departure
Travelers from virus variant regions must quarantine for 14 days without exception. Brazil and Uruguay are currently categorized as such. Only German nationals and individuals with German residency permits are permitted to enter the country from such coronavirus variant regions.
In Germany, certain safety precautions continue to apply in general, such as adherence to hygiene rules, keeping a minimum distance of 1.5 meters (5 ft) from others, and wearing a surgical face mask in enclosed, publicly accessible areas as well as on public transport.
Fancy a jaunt to France, or an extended stay even? The country is pretty much open to visitors, but depending on where you are traveling from, there are certain standards to meet.
Fully vaccinated travelers may enter France without restrictions. They must, however, show proof of vaccination and fill out an entry form stating they don't have any COVID symptoms.
Unvaccinated individuals arriving in France from a green list country — currently all EU countries alongside Andorra, the Holy See, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland, the US, and others — must present a negative PCR or antigenic test, or proof of recovery from COVID.
Unvaccinated individuals from red list countries — currently Afghanistan, Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Democratic Republic of Congo, Indonesia, Maldives, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Russia, Seychelles, South Africa, Suriname, Tunisia — may enter France only for important purposes. They must take further COVID tests and quarantine for ten days.
All other countries fall on France's orange list, which requires a seven-day quarantine. For detailed information on entry requirements, consult the French foreign ministry website.
Vacationing in the French capital Paris isn't out of the question this summer
Meanwhile, French public life is gradually returning to a sense of normality — but mainly for those who are vaccinated. The country is reacting to the spread of the Delta variant. Since July 21, entry to cultural events and public venues is no longer possible without prior proof of vaccination. From August onwards, access to long-distance trains, coaches, restaurants, cafés and shopping centers is only possible with a vaccination certificate, negative PCR or antigen test.
For tourists who are not fully vaccinated, a vacation in France might quickly become expensive, as COVID tests are no longer offered free of charge.
Meanwhile, hygiene and social distancing rules remain in place. France's nighttime curfew was lifted on June 20. It is no longer mandatory to wear masks in public. Covering one's mouth and nose, however, is still obligatory when indoors, and when travelling on public transport. Some areas of the country are showing higher incidence rates than others.
Incidence rates are rising again in Italy. If you enter the country from an EU state, the Schengen zone, Israel, Canada, Japan or the United States, you won't face any major problems at border controls. Arrivals must present a passenger locator form and proof of either full vaccination, recovery from COVID-19, or a negative PCR or antigenic test result from the past 48 hours. The digital EU COVID certificate is the preferred form of documentation here as well. Travelers from the United Kingdom, however, have to enter a five day-quarantine period and get tested again at the end of it.
For everyone else, there is a complicated system consisting of five different levels, which comes with various testing and quarantining obligations. Entering and traveling through Italy is prohibited for individuals who in the past fourteen days stayed in or transited through Brazil, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
Authorities have classified the country itself into four color-coded zones — ranging from white, yellow, orange to red — in accordance with the local coronavirus infection risk. Currently, all of Italy falls into the white, low-risk zone, where life has almost returned to lively pre-pandemic times.
As of August 6, visiting indoor restaurants and bars, sporting events, museums, theaters, swimming pools, gyms, spas, festivals, fairs and amusement parks will be permitted only for those who have received at least one vaccine dose, recovered from COVID-19 or tested negative. Mask-wearing is mandatory in enclosed public places, crowded outdoor areas and on public transport. Government buildings and some shops also measure your temperature as you enter the premises. Social distancing is advised.
The city of Naples at sunrise, with Mount Vesuvius in the background
Spain is recording some of the highest number of cases per capita of all EU countries. Regions like Madrid, Catalonia and Andalusia are reporting particularly high infection rates. Some countries, such as Germany, therefore require mandatory quarantining upon return from Spain.
All travelers must fill in a health form ahead of their trip. Arrivals from high-risk EU/EEA areas, such as Belgium, Portugal and the Netherlands, must show either a certificate of full vaccination, recovery from COVID-19, or negative PCR or antigen test.
Individuals from a range of non-EU third countries may also enter Spain provided they can show proof of vaccination, recovery from COVID-19, or negative test.
Arrivals from Brazil, South Africa, Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia and Namibia must quarantine for 10 days upon entry.
Many vacationers this summer seek ways of traveling where contact to other people is limited — yachting is one such option, like here at Cala Salada lagoon on Ibiza
Most restrictions on ordinary life have been lifted, though regional variations remain. Spain's Madrid, Catalonia and Andalusia regions have instituted a maximum capacity for many venues and establishments, as case numbers continue to be a point of concern there.
Across the entire country, masks must be worn in enclosed public spaces and on public transport but are not necessary outdoors and wherever the minimum social distance of 1,5 meters can be maintained.
Many governments, including Germany, view the UK as a high-risk area, with travel warnings and quarantine measures upon return in place. Coronavirus cases have been falling since late July, yet still remain high. Infections have been attributed to the more contagious Delta variant.
The four nations of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have adopted a traffic light system similar to the EU model, categorizing countries into high-, medium- and low-risk zones. Entry requirements and quarantine rules vary in each of the regions, and are subject to rapid change. Please make sure you get the latest information if you are planning to travel to the UK.
Individuals from red-listed countries and territories — currently including Turkey, Argentina, Brazil and South Africa — may only enter if they are UK or Irish nationals, or hold residency rights in the UK. In this case, they must take a COVID test prior to arrival, then self-isolate for 10 days in a quarantine hotel at their own expense, which costs at least £1,750 (2,000 euro).
Boating along Canterbury's Great Stour River is popular with tourists
Fully vaccinated travelers and underage persons from most EU countries and the USA no longer have to go into quarantine after arriving in the UK. As of August 2, only a pre-departure COVID test, and a day two post-arrival COVID test is required. These tests are however rather expensive.
The exemption from the quarantine requirement applies to anyone fully vaccinated with a vaccine approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), according to officials. Previously, only people who had been vaccinated in the United Kingdom were exempt from the quarantine rules.
Individuals from amber-listed countries and territories — Belgium, Denmark, France and Greece among others — are required to take a COVID test prior to arrival, and two further tests on day two and eight after entry. Travelers must cover the costs for these tests. They are also required to quarantine at home, or their temporary residence, for 10 days. They can opt to pay extra to take an additional test on day five to be released from quarantine early.
Entering the United Kingdom from green-listed countries or territories is relatively simple, necessitating only a pre-departure COVID test, and a day two COVID test after arrival. Australia, New Zealand and Singapore among others are currently on this list. Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Slovakia, Latvia, Romania and Norway will be added as of August 8.
All travelers entering the UK, regardless of departure country or nationality, must complete a passenger locator form.
The UK is unique in its full easing of restrictions, which started on July 19.Despite a surge in SARS-CoV-2 Delta cases, the UK hospitality sector has been allowed to fully reopen, as have cultural venues like museums and many theaters. There is no mask requirement, however, most public transport companies still enforce mask-wearing.
The UK is the only country so far to completely do away with government restrictions but is still advising locals and visitors alike to act with care and caution.
Greece was one of the first countries in Europe to reopen to tourists
For anyone dreaming of escaping to the seaside, visiting ancient monuments, or simply island-hopping, Greece has gradually opened its borders for many visitors since mid-May. Residents of the European Union and Schengen Area countries, the US, UK, Serbia, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, Russia, Israel, Canada, North Macedonia, Ukraine, China, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Belarus, Bahrain, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, Japan, Lebanon, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Jordan, Moldova, Brunei, and Kosovo may visit Greece for tourist reasons.
Anyone entering the country must fill out a digital passenger locator form before arrival. A QR-code will be part of the document generated by the form, which you have to show at border control. Failing to produce the QR-code may result in a fine of €500. You must also present either a negative molecular PCR or antigen test, proof of recovery, or proof of vaccination (at least 14 days must have passed since the second dose of the vaccine was administered).
Travelers from all other destinations may enter only for important reasons.
The Greek government has lifted most coronavirus restrictions. Entering bars, restaurants, nightclubs and other venues, however, requires showing proof of vaccination, or recovery from COVID-19. Masks are mandatory indoors, yet no longer required in uncrowded outdoor spaces. Greece has however imposed a night time curfew and banned music on two popular tourist islands for a week begining on August 6, to contain the spread of COVID-19. The areas affected are the island of Zakynthos in western Greece, and the city of Chania on Crete.
Austria is taking the protection of its borders still quite seriously. Anyone entering Austria must present either a negative test, proof of recovery or vaccination. A person is considered vaccinated 22 days after receiving their first dose. If you cannot provide any of those documents upon arrival, you are subject to a 90 euro-fine. Due to the spread of the Delta variant of COVID-19, non-essential travel from the UK remains prohibited.
The seven-day incidence has fallen below 8 in Austria and more than half of the population has been vaccinated at least once.
Hallstatt, a very popular destination in Austria, is seeing visitors beginning to return
Restaurants, hotels, theaters and sports facilities have all reopened. But a negative test or proof of vaccination or recovery is still required. The same is true for nightclubs, which have reopened but are only allowed to operate at 75% capacity. This limitation is also expected to be lifted on July 22. Most such places, however, will require you to leave personal details for tracking purposes if required.
Since July 1, masks are no longer be mandatory to be worn if a person can present a negative test or proof of recovery or vaccination. Social distancing rules have also been abolished as long as a negative test or proof of recovery or vaccination can be shown. Cloth masks, however, are still required on public transport, inside shops and in government offices.
Public events will also soon be permitted to take place once more without limits to attendance numbers.
Croatia said it would base its entry rules on the EU's COVID-19 traffic light system, meaning that anyone coming from a green area could enter without restrictions. All others would have to provide a negative test or official proof of vaccination or recovery — but that was only in theory.
On July 1, Croatia surprisingly — and without any prior notice — decided to change its COVID-based entry requirements. Whereas EU citizens from countries with low infection rates, including Germany, were previously able to travel to Croatia without any additional conditions or restrictions, border officials have now started to require all travelers to present the new EU Digital COVID Certificate. Croatian officials are also collecting personal information on travelers coming to the country at their borders.
People who do not have the EU certificate need to produce a negative PCR test result, a rapid antigen test result, an official certificate showing that they received two doses of vaccine used in EU member states or a certificate showing they have recovered from COVID-19 and have received one dose of the vaccine. These new measures have led to long traffic jams at the border crossings in early July.
Many people visit Croatia because of its beautiful beaches — there are so many that a secluded bay can always be found
Since June 12, cafes, bars, restaurants, bakeries, and casinos have been allowed to operate in Croatia until midnight. Restaurants are allowed to receive guests in their indoor areas, except for cafés without food service, which are only allowed to serve outside. No alcohol may be sold between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. and Croatia's beaches are subject to certain access restrictions during the same times.
Some areas in Croatia are showing higher incidence rates than others; however, the overall incidence rate in the country remained below 20 in mid-July.
The Netherlands has issued public advice against tourist travel for the time being, registering more than 50 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the last seven days. Those traveling from Germany or other Schengen-countries by land, however, do not have to show a negative PCR or antigen test, nor do they have to go into quarantine. If travelling by air, individuals must complete a health declaration form. Arrivals from high-risk, very high risk and virus variant regions remain obliged to show a negative COVID-19 test result and to quarantine, and must have an important reason for travel.
The Netherlands are begining to return to normal after the overnight curfew was lifted
Tighter contact restrictions are once again in place in the Netherlands: night clubs have also been closed, while other recreational facilities operate with capacity restrictions and limited opening hours, subject to hygiene and social distancing rules. These include restaurants, museums and retail stores. Visitors are also required to leave their contact information for tracking purposes in most places. Masks remain mandatory.
These stricter rules are set to apply until at least August 13. Authorities plan to reevaluate the outlook on restrictions then.
People returning from the Netherlands might face restrictions such as having to quarantine when they're back home. Germany is among the countries that has introduced a ten day-quarantine for those coming back from the Netherlands.
Portugal is a good example of how quickly the situation can change. The country seemed to be on its way back to normality when the Delta variant was found to have reached Lisbon last month. Urban areas are now subject to certain restrictions.
The Portuguese government has reintroduced nighttime curfews in parts of of the country; residents of Lisbon and of 45 other municipalities have to stay at home from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. on weekends until further notice. There is also a travel ban between the capital region, which is particularly affected, and the rest of the country.
In certain areas, restaurants have to close at the weekends as early as 15:30. In addition to Lisbon, there are 16 other cities that are affected by this particular restoration — as well as Albufeira region in the Algarve, which is popular with tourists.
In Portugal, life on the beach is fine, but in Lisbon the country is grappling with the spread of the delta variant
Portugal had opened its doors to visitors from the rest of the EU and the UK only in June under the provisor that people from these countries where the COVID infection rate is below 500 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in a 14-day period are allowed to enter without quarantine requirements. A negative test or a vaccination or recovery record, however, is still required upon entry.
Also, due to the high incidence rate in Portugal, you might face quarantine rules or other restrictions when you return back home. Travellers to Portugal from Germany, for instance, have to quarantine for at least five days and take a test if they are not fully vaccinated. The quarantine obligation does not apply to those who are fully vaccinated or have recovered from a COVID infection in recent months.
Switzerland has reopened its hotels, museums, stores, theaters, cinemas, zoos and amusement parks to visitors in early June already. Since June 28, the mask requirement has been lifted in outdoor areas including train stations.
There are no more limitations on group sizes in restaurant terraces, and those who have the EU COVID certificate you are even allowed to go to nightclubs and attend events with up to 5,000 participants.
Everyone entering Switzerland must register electronically and show a negative test. Vaccinated and recovered people do not need to register — for the time being.
Only those coming from a country designated by Switzerland as a risk area have to go into quarantine. To decide whether a country or area has an increased risk, Switzerland looks at the incidence of new infections per 100,000 people in the last 14 days. If the incidence rate of a country is at least 60 higher than the incidence rate in Switzerland, the country is put on the "black list."
Due to increased infection rates, you a valid reason for entering Denmark. Tourist travel from Germany, for example, is currently not allowed. Denmark also requires a negative COVID-19 test from everyone entering the country. Visitors are also required to take a second COVID-19 test free of charge, which must be done before leaving the airport if this is your method of arrival.
The country follows the EU's traffic light system, which means that fully vaccinated residents from a green, yellow or amber country are exempt from this mandatory testing upon arrival. In addition, children under the age of 15 are not required to be tested, nor are fully vaccinated people if the last dose was more than two weeks ago.
Rather uniquely, Denmark only accepts people who got AstraZeneca for their first vaccination as a fully vaccinated if their second vaccination dose was an mRNA vaccine (Moderna, Pfizer/BioNTech).
In Denmark, masks are no longer compulsory, the only exceptions being airports and public transport. In public transport, the mask requirement is scheduled to be dropped on September 1. Restaurants and pubs are allowed to stay open until 2 am. Shops are open throughout Denmark, and cafés, restaurants and bars are all allowed to serve customers indoors as well — however, only if the guests can prove full vaccination or recovery status or show a negative test result.


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The Mavericks - Live in Austin, Texas
The Mavericks - Live in Austin, Texas by MAVERICKS at My Promo Pool. MPN: 060768839199. Hurry! Limited time offer. Offer valid only while supplies last. The band hits the stage of Austin's Stubbs' Barbecue in 2004 for their first-ever live concert film DVD..
The band hits the stage of Austin's Stubbs' Barbecue in 2004 for their first-ever live concert film DVD..
Manufacturer: Sanctuary Budget
Brand: MAVERICKS
Part Number: 060768839199
Publisher: Sanctuary Budget
Studio: Sanctuary Budget
MPN: 060768839199
Item Size: 5.5 x 0.75 x 0.75 inches
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George Strait - For the Last Time: Live from the Astrodome
By Universal Music
Strait closes the legendary Houston Astrodome with the last performance at the Houston Rodeo, before 70,000 fans. INcluded are 19 of his top songs.What began with a last-minute replacement has become a long-standing tradition.Called upon to fill-in for another artist, George Strait made his first appearance at the RodeoHouston in 1983. To date, George has played for more then one million RodeoHouston fans. On March 3, 2002, George performed the final concert at Houston's famed Astrodome. The


How one small business is using software to manage the increasing demand for a wedding-related products.
Samsung said it plans to reduce Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge smartphone prices to boost its lagging smartphone sales.
Microsoft released Windows 10 on Wednesday, and the reviews are in.
This small menswear business is using silver to make socks and underwear more comfortable.
New lie-detection technology is offering insight into when people are lying—and hedge funds and institutional investors are taking note.
Like many artists, Swift realizes that the promotional value of YouTube is as important as radio, and it's a key revenue driver.
Movie theater audiences are engaging with ads in the form of video games, according to a software company.
Apple Music launches on Tuesday. Here's what you need to know before you think about ditching Pandora or Spotify.
A near miss occurred on a California road between two driverless cars earlier this week, according to a Reuters report.
This new app is giving New Yorkers access to many local dry cleaners on demand.
In a few months, virtual reality will be a fully fledged retail product like any other gaming platform.
The cost to a company from a single cyberattack can run as high as $20 million, but there are simple steps business owners can take.
Fibit's future: Can it compete with Apple and Google?
Fitbit, the NYSE's newest member, faces some serious challenges, analysts tell CNBC.
At the Expo Milano 2015 in Italy, today's consumers took a peek into a possible supermarket of the future.
Oracle is shifting from software and hardware to cloud computing and data. Here's what to expect during that transition.
Tesla hopes to have 1 million of its electric vehicles on the road within the next five years, according to a recent report.
Vice President Mike Pence said Wednesday that the American dream was "dying until President Donald Trump was inaugurated" in 2017.
Insurance firms are facing increasing competitive pressure on all fronts due to the rise of insurance technology (insurtech), according to a report.


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WALTER O. FORD
Walter O. Ford of Chalfont, Pa., died Sunday, April 21, 2019, at Doylestown Hospital. He was 62. He was the beloved husband for 28 years to Anne Schumacher Ford. Born in Philadelphia, Pa., he was a son of Walter O. and Jean Archer Ford. Walter grew up in Philadelphia, graduated from Abington High School Alternative School and went on to study at the University of Miami. He worked for Guy M. Cooper, Inc. Mechanical Contractors in Willow Grove for over 20 years as their MIGA (Make It Go Away) guy. Walter liked to ride motorcycles, listen to rock and roll music, boat and ski. He was also active competed in dog sports, such as confirmation (look pretty), obedience, rally, agility, and his most favorite lure coursing with his Borzois. Last summer he took a cross country ride across the country on route 66 with his brother Henry, nephew Hank, and dear friend Neil Bookman. In addition to his caring wife, he is survived by his loving sister, Carolyn Ford and her partner Marjorie Slyhoff of Perkasie, and his brother, Henry Ford and his wife Helen of London, England. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews, friends and professional colleagues. Relatives and friends are invited to attend his viewing from 10:30 a.m. until his funeral service at 12 p.m. Saturday, April 27, in the Joseph A. Fluehr III Funeral Home, 241 East Butler Ave. (at Sandy Ridge Rd.), New Britain, PA 18901. His interment will be held privately. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his name may be made to Fox Chase Cancer Center, 333 Cottman Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19111, www.foxchase.org. www.fluehr.com


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Home/2018 Tournament/Main draw set, Dolehide top seed for Braidy Industries Tennis Classic
Main draw set, Dolehide top seed for Braidy Industries Tennis Classic
avten823822018-07-24T17:25:07-04:00July 24th, 2018 at 10:30 am|2018 Tournament|
No. 1 seed Caroline Dolehide won her first $60,000 singles title at the USTA Pro Circuit clay-court event in Indian Harbour Beach, Fla., in April and is ranked 102 in the world. Photo by Susan Mullane, itftennis.com.
ASHLAND, Ky. — The main draw for the Braidy Industries $60,000 Women's Tennis Classic, a USTA Pro Circuit Event Presented by Bon Secours Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital was set Monday evening at the Ashland Tennis Center, with only four qualifying play-in spots to be determined.
The top seed for the tournament is Caroline Dolehide, a 19-year-old from Orlando, Fla. Dolehide played singles at Wimbledon and the French Open this year, winning her first-round match at the French; she also played doubles in the 2018 US Open. She won her first $60,000 singles title at the USTA Pro Circuit clay-court event in Indian Harbour Beach, Fla., in April and is ranked 102 in the world.
Nao Hibino of Japan is the No. 2 seed. She competed in singles this year's Australian Open and all four grand slam events in both 2017 and 2016. Her lowest singles ranking was 78 in 2015.
Sofya Zhuk of Russia, who played in this year's US Open, is the No. 3 seed. Kristie Ahn, an American who played in this year's Australian Open, is the No. 4 seed.
The tournament's qualifying will conclude this morning with winners advancing to the main draw of the tournament. Main draw plays also begins today. Draw & live scoring is at itftennis.com.
DRAW & LIVE SCORING AT ITFTENNIS.COM
DOWNLOAD TOURNAMENT MEDIA NOTES


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Thornberry on Shanahan Nomination
WASHINGTON, DC -Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-TX), Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee, made the following statement on the nomination of Patrick Shanahan to be Secretary of Defense:
"I applaud the nomination of Pat Shanahan to be Secretary of Defense. Today, the United States faces an unprecedented spectrum of serious threats. Facing those threats requires a new kind of thinking and a Pentagon that is more efficient and agile. Pat Shanahan has proven his willingness and ability to take on important reforms at DOD ."


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Salvia hispanica, commonly known as chia, is a species of flowering plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae, native to central and southern Mexico and Guatemala. The sixteenth-century Codex Mendoza provides evidence that it was cultivated by the Aztec in pre-Columbian times and economic historians say it may have been as important as maize as a food crop.
"chia" is the ancient Mayan word for "strength."
Sometimes I add a teaspoon of Chia Seeds to my white coffee in the morning.
https://authoritynutrition.com/11-proven-health-benefits-of-chia-seeds/
Posted by Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 at 3:35 PM 1 comment:
Doctors-refuse-let-Charlie-Gard-s-parents-home
I don't understand the hospital why they decline to let the parents take Charlie home to die.
I myself experienced a similar scenario. We were told Andrew would die the evening he was born. We stayed at NICU because I couldn't handle it. Andrew did not die, towards the last ten days, he was having apnea, and the first time, we all thought he had died. Through out his 55 days, the hospital had asked if we wanted to bring him home for a short stay. They would provide oxygen. I did not do it. The hospital was very respectful of our feelings.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4650642/Doctors-refuse-let-Charlie-Gard-s-parents-home.html
Posted by Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 at 2:59 PM No comments:
Thursday Challenge Rocks
http://www.spunwithtears.com/thursday.html
"HARD (week 1 of 2)" (Rock, Stone, Pavement, Steel, Glass,...)
Next Week: HARD (week 2 of 2) (Rock, Stone, Pavement, Steel, Glass,...)
Thursday Challenge is a place for photographic fun and
learning.
Gannet birds fly from Australia to nest at these rocks in Muriwai. From August to March each year you can watch the comings and goings of a busy gannet colony. It's hugely entertaining.
Each pair lays one egg and the parents take turns on the nest. The chicks hatch naked, but within a week they're covered with fluffy down. As they mature, they grow juvenile feathers and begin to exercise their wings in preparation for the one-shot jump off the cliff.
Once airborne, the young gannets leave the colony and cross the Tasman Sea to Australia. A few years later, surviving birds return to secure a nest site at the colony.
Posted by Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 at 12:03 AM No comments:
Hamilton city councillor Siggi Henry said fat people were a health risk because they could fall on you.
When I was in school, I had a close friend who was slightly overweight. She was teased for being fat, and it really affected her personality. She argued back which made it worse. She said she was teased even at work. Shortly after I saw her before I went abroad, she killed herself.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11884200
A Hamilton City councillor has come under fire for saying fat people are a hazard because they could fall on you.
Councillor Siggi Henry made the comment during a council debate about sugary drinks this week.
"It does affect a lot of things. I mean, you have a fat person falling on you, I think that would affect you, too," she reportedly said.
When asked about the comments after the meeting Henry said she knew "it wasn't right" as soon as she said it.
Posted by Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 at 11:09 PM No comments:
bookniture-furniture-hidden-in-a-book
I watched this on TV and thought what a great idea. Imagine folding your stool and displaying it like a book. When you have visitors, you open up your book like origami and you have a stool.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1985945130/bookniture-furniture-hidden-in-a-book
BOOK x FURNITURE = BOOKNITURE
BOOKNITURE is an extremely compact furniture. You can store it or carry it around just like a book. In just a flip, it unfolds from a book to a piece of multifunctional furniture.
Highly portable
Tong Kuai aka Guai aka Dang Gui aka Angelica acutiloba.
A friend said she was hitting menopause and I reckom she was too young. I remember my mum's secret.
Here's my parents Mr and Mrs John Chan Hiu Fei. My niece Jane says, "My stylo Milo "Grandma. Thanks to the little lump of Tong Kuai aka Guai aka Dang Gui aka Angelica acutiloba. Mum used to be the Vice President of the Women's Institute of the 6th division chapter. She held cooking demos and was a cooking judge, so she knew what she was talking about.
Tong Gui Angelica acutiloba
Gee Zai , Goji aka Wolfberry (above), garlic (below)
Chinese red dates (dried)
and a young virgin chicken. LOL
http://youtu.be/-0KvMJCERF4
http://www.planetsweetpea.com/
When I arrived back to New Zealand, in 2006, my daughter treated me as a mum-daughter thing to watch a musical,"Menopause". I laughed as I was pre-menopausal and was dreading the big day.
One of the things they were singing about was TONG GUAI, and she didn't understand what it was. I explained to her. The audience were mainly women with a few brave men.
TONG GUAI is known as a women's herb. It is used as a helpful regulator of one's menses and also keeps a women young looking and also, eases a women in her transition to menopause.
This is no laughing matter, though my girls friends and I laugh about it. My mum told me, from the age of forty, I should brew this concoction with chicken every month after my menses .
What's the verdict? I breezed through my menopause without any debilitating hot flushes, weight gain, mood swings or any of the nasties associated with it. It arrived and it went even before I realised it. I wonder if the TONG GUAI was responsible for that.
And as the proof is in the eating. I went to a students' reunion, some thought I was one of the students, and another even made the remark that the teacher was younger than the students. LOL.
***These are the raw ingredients, the TONG GUAI is chalky colour, and the Chinese Medical hall proprietor will roast it, and shave it to thin slivers.
It is also called Angelica acutiloba – dang-gui in Chinese/Mandarin. A highly regarded herb used for female hormonal balance, blood purification, migraines & much more.
In New Zealand, they sell it in clumps. I try to grate it into powder as it is very hard to shave it. You can buy them in a fluid form or tablet in a health food store.
The bigger red things are dried red dates, the little ones are Gow TZE, they are very good for you. The other two is ginger and garlic. Some times I also add some shitaki mushroom. In the old days, the best chicken is a virgin rooster or a hen before it lays eggs. We joked about this. How do you know? ***
Kiwis Eating Less Red Meat - Research
By Fleur Revell
More than half of Kiwis say they are eating less meat, and a quarter expect to be mostly meat-free by 2025, as they focus on their health and budget according to the results of a new survey.
It seems the days of a nightly meal of meat and two veg may soon be behind us too, with one in five of those surveyed (21%) saying they choose to have a meat-free dinner for more than half of the week.
The Bean Supreme survey which investigated the eating habits of more than 1,000 New Zealanders found that one in four (24%) of those surveyed expect to be mostly meat-free within the next seven years.
Health played a key role in their selection of a vegetarian meal choice with four in 10 (42%) respondents giving this reason, this was followed by cost (28%) and concerns for animal welfare or the environment 14 percent. Only two percent of those surveyed said they did not eat meat due to religious considerations.
Around 14% of Kiwi women and 13% of Kiwi men do not eat red meat, with health a primary driver for males (44% vs 41% of females) and cost more relevant to women (for 30% of women vs 25% of men).
The survey also found that Kiwis were more likely to reduce their meat consumption and instead, opt for vegetarian meals as they aged. According to the results, one in five (21%) 18-24 years olds (compared to half of those aged 65 or older) selected 'health concerns' as the main reason for choosing a meat-free meal.
Millennials aged 18-24 were the most common age group to believe they would follow a diet that was mainly meat-free over the coming decade.
When it came to special dietary requirements it was Aucklanders who said they were most likely to follow vegan or vegetarian nutritional plans with those in the Waikato/Bay of Plenty regions less keen on embracing this trend.
Wellingtonians and Otago/Southland residents were most open to adopting a flexitarian/semi-vegetarian approach to dining - with nine in ten (88%) removing meat from their diets at least once a week.
The survey also revealed that vegetarians and vegans were most frequently found to be aged 25-54, female and live in Auckland or Canterbury.
While more than eight in ten (81%) Kiwis include red meat in their diet, a seventh (14%) excluded red meat with 1% of the population identifying as vegan, 2% as vegetarian and almost one in 10 (9%) saying they ate poultry or fish but not red meat.
Liz O'Meara from Bean Supreme says it was interesting to see that a similar proportion of men and women chose not to eat meat but men were more likely to choose vegetarian meals for health reasons and women more likely to chose vegetarian options for their lower cost.
"Kiwis' developing interest in a 'flexitarian' diet has led to the introduction of more products which fit this lifestyle option.
"According to new industry data, NZ sales of products made from plant based ingredients such as vegetarian burgers, sausages, tofu and falafel increased by over 20% in the last year alone," she says.
Download media relating to this story using the links below:
Written on behalf of Bean Supreme by Impact PR
Tonight , Mt Albert Baptist Church celebrated our Mosaic Global Cafe Night. Our survey showed there are 24 ethnic groups worshiping here. We have Malaysian Peter and Angie Seow who led in the worship with their beautiful music and song.
Posted by Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 at 3:24 AM No comments:
Two Asian Stories
The world has always been pro males. The Asian women fare it worst. Women were sold as slaves, women were made to marry men they don't know, some of these matches were made even when the girls were babies. Girls were molested, raped, impregnated and had their babies aborted or given away, beaten. The modern day insecure women subject themselves to get their breasts bigger or smaller.
In story one, two girls born in the 1920s. One "upstairs" as the rich pampered missy. The other "downstairs", born to be the slave aka mui zai of the rich girl. Fate and victims of tradition brought them to Borneo, World War II aka Japanese War and finally to New Zealand.
In story two, a girl born in the 1960s, ran into trouble with the Communists, and teenage pregnancy. She ran to the big city of Singapore. Crisis after crisis plague her. Her whole world shattered and she committed suicide. She ended up in a mental institution.
cover: 出入平安 chūrù Pingann Peace to all who enter and to those who leave
My latest book, published 2017.
Oppressed women
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4595990/Two-brothers-kept-mother-sister-slaves.html?ito=social-facebook
Shocking, more shocking and fiction than my fiction Book, Cry of Oppressed Women. When I wrote this book, some friends asked if I am overboard with the oppression. Time and again, oppression takes place. "This is the street in Bradford where Faisal Hussein, 25, and Arbaaz Ahmed, 19, kept their mother and sister as slaves " and I am not stereotyping .
Shocking, more shocking and fiction than my fiction Book, Cry of Oppressed Women.
Posted by Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 at 3:23 AM 1 comment:
Bethals
My husband's favourite place. Climbing 6 stories high, up 3 steps, slip down 2.
Bethal beach of New Zealand.
a different kind of oppression
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/201846444/primary-school-excludes-girl-with-period
Can't believe this kind of oppression. A 10-year-old girl was sent home from her primary school because it did not have a sanitary disposal unit for her to use, a public health sociologist says.
I wrote a book entitled "Cry of the Oppressed Women.
Posted by Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 at 2:24 AM 2 comments:
Mum and the pig
I think of my parents and grand parents. I think of how the pig had played such an important part in the Chans and Kongs. Last year, I spent time in Sibu, sharing a bed with mum's sister, my aunty Ngui /Kong. I learned something interesting from my Aunty Ngui-Kong. My grandmother kong aka bodai reared pigs during the war. Just before my mother went to her match making session, she played with the newly born piglets, and the sow bit her heel. That heel was very painful and mum walked with a limp.
The Kongs explained that Mum was gardening and while digging with a changko, she hurt herself. When she wore her wedding gown, she still had a limp and the Chans said she was a cripple.
On the other side of the coin, it was the pig that attracted my Ah Tai, mum's grandmother to the Chans. The first time, Ah Tai landed at the Chan's jetty she exclaimed,"Wah, during the war, you have pork." Ah Kung was washing his pickle jar where he had kept his pickled pork.
It was a source of contention leading to a family feud. I wrote this n my From China to Borneo to Beyond and World War 2 in Borneo.
Friday Floral : Cotoneaster
Cotoneaster /kəˈtoʊniːˈæstər/[2] is a genus of flowering plants in the rose family, Rosaceae, native to the Palaearctic region (temperate Asia, Europe, north Africa), with a strong concentration of diversity in the genus in the mountains of southwestern China and the Himalayas.[3] They are related to hawthorns C. simonsii is listed on the New Zealand National Pest Plant Accord preventing its sale and distribution because of its invasiveness.(Crataegus), firethorns (Pyracantha), photinias (Photinia) and rowans (Sorbus).
http://floralfridayfoto.blogspot.co.nz/
Top In Town Food City
@topintownfoodcity 583 Sandringham Road.
http://www.grabgrocery.co.nz
There are some products that you can't get in bulk or not at the supermarket. I use a lot of baking soda for cleaning, and psyllium husk turmeric as health products. I even found a Thai tamarind.
The store is packed with products, is very busy so the items are fresh. So glad to be served by Gaurang Desai. He was very friendly, whilst busy, he had time to talk to be about the free food in the Paradise restaurant.
Save the world: Don't waste
Paradise, Sandringham, Auckland
591 Sandringham Rd Sandringham 1025 ·
The first thing that struck me as I entered this restaurant in Sandringham was the sign which says." Free food for people in need." I was told they don't throw away excess food, but packed them nicely for people to take away. They also included some apples.
If only more restaurateurs would do this.
Hamilton city councillor Siggi Henry said fat peop...
Tong Kuai aka Guai aka Dang Gui aka Angelica acut...


Dhaka, Sep 7 (Just News): Voicing serious concern over its chairperson's health condition, BNP on Friday alleged that the government is out with an 'evil plan' to kill Begum Khaleda Zia in jail.
"The family members of our leader Khaleda Zia met her in jail yesterday (Thursday). "We're not only concerned, but also got surprised and disappointed over what they told us about her health condition," said BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
Under the circumstances, Fakhrul said, their party is going to send a letter to the Home Minister today seeking permission so that its senior leaders can meet Khaleda Zia in jail to see for themselves her health condition.
He urged the government to take steps for ensuring Khaleda Zia's better treatment in any specialised private hospital and free her from jail to save her life.


Ofgem is the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets and acts as the regulator to the energy industry.
The purpose of Ofgem is to protect the interests of electricity and gas consumers in Great Britain.
Ofgem works with the energy industry and other stakeholders, as determined by the UK government and (at time of writing) the European Union. Despite working closely with these organisations, Ofgem is completely independent and is a non-ministerial government department.
As a regulator, Ofgem will step in where necessary to protect consumer' interests. Ofgem has the power to request information from energy suppliers and to impose fines and enforcement orders on energy suppliers that they find to breach regulations.
As well as energy suppliers, Ofgem works closely with energy price comparison websites to make sure they provide the best service to domestic energy customers.
Ofgem currently runs the Confidence Code, a voluntary code of practice for domestic energy price comparison websites. Energylinx is one of the eleven energy comparison websites accredited to the Ofgem Confidence Code.
The aim of the Confidence Code is to help consumers feel confident about the advice that they receive when using an accredited energy comparison website to switch energy suppliers.
Ofgem ensures that any energy price comparison website accredited to the Ofgem Confidence Code meets the key principles of how to operate their service.
This means Energylinx must be independent of any energy supplier on our platform and must provide impartial advice to customers that are not in favour of or against any particular energy suppliers.
Ofgem Accredited websites must endeavour to compare all available domestic energy tariffs.
After a recommendation made by the Competition and Markets Authority, in July 2018 Ofgem removed the "Whole of Market" requirement from the Confidence Code. Previous to this, energy comparison websites had to default a personal projection to show a "Whole of Market" view, regardless of whether the energy comparison website could arrange a switch to the energy supplier or not.
Now Customers that create a personal projection on Energylinx can filter the results page to show all energy tariffs available to them and also tariffs they can switch to through Energylinx.
Energylinx has contracts with more domestic energy suppliers than any other energy comparison website, so we are confident our customers will find the best energy tariff available to them by using our website.
Under the Confidence Code, Energylinx can assign ratings to a supplier's performance. We get these ratings by inviting our customers to review the switch to their new energy supplier 6 weeks after they have organised it.
When a new customer creates a personal projection, they will be shown a results page based on their information. On this results page, they will see a star rating next to each energy supplier. This rating is what our previous customers have reviewed the energy supplier on the back of their switch. If a supplier has no rating, it is because we don't have enough data to generate a star rating.
Ofgem review and revise the Confidence Code regularly. Any changes made to it will be published on the Ofgem website and adhered to by Energylinx.


I asked for HELP that I might do GREATER things.
I asked for POWER that I might have the PRAISE of man.
According to the AP. Bolivia lowered their retirement age to 58, and will be backing the move with borrowed money. The authors state that Bolivia enacted a law Friday lowering the country's retirement age to 58, bucking a global trend in which countries push people to work longer to counteract the burden on national treasuries of rising life expectancy.
Critics say the law, which also nationalizes the pension system and generously extends coverage to the poor, is overly ambitious and unsustainable.
Leftist President Evo Morales signed the bill surrounded by members of the powerful Bolivian workers federation, which helped draft the law.
"We are fulfilling a promise with the Bolivian people. We are creating a pension system that includes everyone," Morales he said at the signing ceremony.
The law, which takes effect in a year, also extends pensions to the 3 million people -- 60 percent of the working population -- who labor in the informal economy as everything from street vendors to bus drivers.
"Evo Morales thinks about the poor people, so they can have something for when they get old," said Juan Quispe, 45, a father of three without a pension who sells ice cream on the street outside the National Palace.
The new law will allow Bolivia's 70,000 miners to retire two years earlier -- or as soon as age 51 if they have worked in life-sapping conditions deep underground. Mothers with more than three children will also get special treatment: the right to retire at age 55.
Morales, an Aymara Indian and the country's first indigenous president, grew up a dirt-poor llama herder and later went on to become a coca-growers' union militant.
The socialism he preaches is rooted in the communitarianism of his native culture. Since taking office in 2006, he has put this landlocked Andean nation's natural gas reserves, main phone carrier and electrical grid under state control.
"This is enormously important, possibly one of the greatest advances for lower- and middle-income people in South America in the last 15 years," said Mark Weisbrot, co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research in Washington.
But critics say the new law could breed financial disaster.
"I would say that they are setting themselves up for a train wreck down the road," he said in a telephone interview. "That they should be willfully going down this road strikes me as very, very shortsighted."
Other countries are moving in the opposition direction. France has led the charge to raise the minimum retirement age in Europe, increasing it last month to 62, with full benefits not available until age 67. Even socialist Cuba has raised its retirement ages from 60 to 65 for men, and from 55 to 60 for women.
"A lot of Bolivian workers perform jobs that are eminently physical, not intellectual, and this means that at age 55 they don't have the ability anymore to keep working," he told The Associated Press. "Yet we made them continue."
Bolivia's average life expectancy is 68 years for women and 63 years for men, according to the U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs' Population Division. The division puts the global average at 68 for both sexes, with western Europe at 80 and Latin America at 73.
In addition, Guillen said, the conditions spurring European governments to raise retirement ages -- more elderly people and falling birth rates -- don't exist in this country of 10 million where per capita annual gross national income was $1,620 in 2008.
Lowering the retirement age had long been a priority for the labor federation, a strong backer of Morales.
Bolivia's business community is not pleased, however.
The president of the country's Federation of Private Businessmen, Daniel Sanchez, called the new law unsustainable and complained that his group was never consulted on it.
And the government has not explained the financial details of how the new system will work.
"The government is preparing a banquet for 300,000 people, but inviting 3 million to partake," said pensions expert Alberto Bonadona. "It will collapse."
In order to provide for those 3 million new future pensioners, employers will pay the equivalent of 3 percent of their payrolls into a "solidarity fund." Workers will add 0.5 percent of their wages on top of retirement contributions of their own.
Informal sector workers will qualify for pensions if they pay at least $13 a month into pension funds over a decade. They would then qualify for pensions beginning at $68 a month.
Thirteen years ago, Bolivia privatized pension funds after a state-run system collapsed under a cloud of mismanagement and theft.
Currently, Bolivia's two pension funds, covering 1.2 million private- and public-sector workers, are privately run by Zurich Financial Services and the BBVA bank. Together, they manage $4.5 billion.
However, the state has borrowed most of that money -- $3 billion at 2.6 percent interest -- and critics cite that as a worrisome precedent how the government will now administer all pensions.
Associated Press writers Paola Flores reported this story from La Paz and Frank Bajak from Bogota, Colombia. AP writer Carlos Valdez in La Paz contributed to this report.
One of the major concerns shared by most of our readers is: "Will I have enough money when I retire?" Until recently, most people could accurately estimate how much they could reasonably expect to have accumulated at the point of their retirement. With the uncertainty of today's economic climate, that is becoming all but impossible for a growing number of Americans.
With the current economic policies now in effect in the United States, the value of your money is slowly being diminished. The last couple of years have brought on rampant federal spending, numerous bailouts, and an explosive increase in the national debt. Inflation, devaluation of the dollar, monotizing of our national debt, the absolute uncertainty of global economic conditions, and future actions of congress and the Federal Reserve leave even the best prognosticators bewildered. How much will $100 in today's dollars be worth in comparative dollars 10 years from now? Sure, it will still be a $100 dollar bill, but what will you be able to buy with it at that time…half a tank of gasoline, a small sack of groceries, or a family dinner at Taco Bell?
Today I talked with a friend who's brother refinanced his home a little over one year ago. During the intervening year, his home has lost some 60-65% of its value and its owner finds himself living on a street that is lined with vacant houses. Why is his home worth 60-65% less than it was a year ago? There is no simple answer, but it involves our stagnated economy, our jobless recovery, the devaluation of the dollar, the treacherous real estate market in his location, etc. etc. etc.
This week revealed the fact that the Fed had secretly loaned trillions of dollars to foreign banks and institutions. Secret Federal Reserve System data released on December 1 revealed that the Fed and its member banks bailed themselves out with more that $10 trillion in emergency funds, with trillions going to European and other foreign banks. This previously undisclosed information was made available after Congress passed and the President signed Ron Paul's (R-Texas) bill calling for an audit of the Federal Reserve.
The Fed was forced to hand over details about six emergency loan programs, trillions in "asset purchases," the bailout details of certain favored firms like AIG, and "currency swaps" with foreign central banks, These facts have had a shocking effect upon financial analysts and lawmakers. The $700 billion Wall Street bailout turned out to be mere pen money compared to the trillions and trillions of dollars in near zero interest loans the Fed lent to major banks and financial institutions. After years of hidden practices and stonewalling by the Fed, Americans are finally learning the incredible details of the multi trillion dollar bailouts of Wall Street and corporate America. 2011 will see Congress taking an extensive look at all aspects of how the Federal Reserve functions.
Our country is in trouble. Millions are living under the constant threat of losing their jobs, their homes, their families, their retirement accounts, and many other cherished things. There are no easy answers and there will be no quick-fixes. Our country may be facing major downward economic adjustments and may even be flirting with possible bankruptcy, and loss of the lives we have grown so accustomed to enjoying.
Yet, there is good news...when man and women get desperate, they turn to God. While it is obvious that many took their eyes off the Lord to discover what men could do for them, they have now realized what man can't do for them and are turning back to God. What are we to do? Draw near to the Lord and cultivate an intimate relationship with him.
Pray and seek God's wisdom, trust in the Lord, be thankful for your many blessings and give back to the Lord, look for opportunities to help other people, cut your spending, establish a cash emergency fund, work diligently to pay off your mortgage, pay off your credit cards, save all you can, invest in a widely diverse portfolio, and enjoy life in spite of all the troubling news that bombards you. Things may get worse, but they will also get better; make the most of the life God has entrusted to you. Your devalued money may just enrich your life.
"The US needs to take urgent action to cut its debt in order to prevent the next financial crisis, which may start in Washington. The federal debt has doubled over the past seven years, to almost $14 trillion, and the growth is a result of both the financial crisis and the government's 'unwillingness over many years to make the hard choices necessary to rein in our long-term structural deficit,'" Bair wrote.
Retiring baby boomers will impact government spending heavily and this year, combined spending on Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid are expected to make up 45 percent of primary federal spending, compared with 27 percent in 1975, she explained.
"Defense spending is similarly unsustainable, and our tax code is riddled with special-interest provisions that have little to do with our broader economic prosperity," Bair wrote. "Overly generous tax subsidies for housing and health care have contributed to rising costs and misallocation of resources."
If no action is taken, US federal debt held by the public could rise from 62 percent of gross domestic product this year to 185 percent in 2035, she warned.
"With more than 70 percent of United States Treasury obligations held by private investors scheduled to mature in the next five years, an erosion of investor confidence would lead to sharp increases in government and private borrowing costs," she added.
There needs to be "a bipartisan national commitment" for an austerity package of both spending cuts and tax increases over many years in order to solve the problem, according to Bair.
"Most of the needed changes will be unpopular, and they are likely to affect every interest group in some way," she said.


BELOIT, Wis. – Sept. 14, 2018 – The Board of Managers of NorthStar Medical Technologies, LLC ("NorthStar" or the "Company"), a global innovator in the production and distribution of radioisotopes used for medical imaging, today announced the appointment of Stephen Merrick as President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Merrick has been with NorthStar since March 2016, initially in the role of Chief Operating Officer and later as President and Chief Operating Officer.
Mr. Merrick replaces outgoing Chairman and Chief Executive Officer George Messina, who was named Chairman Emeritus. Mr. Messina was simultaneously appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of NorthStar Nuclear Therapies LLC ("NNT"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of NorthStar focused on developing medical isotopes for therapeutic applications. Diane Hendricks, Chairperson of Hendricks Holding Company, Inc. has assumed the Chairperson role for both Companies' Board of Managers.
Prior to joining NorthStar, Mr. Merrick served as Vice President, International Marketing for Baxter International's Hospital Products business. Previously, he was Senior Vice President and President – International Commercial Operations for Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals and worked in management at Bristol-Myers Squibb for 17 years, holding a series of increasingly responsible positions around the world. Mr. Merrick began his career with Eli Lilly and Company.