text:
Pope welcomed to Rome synagogue despite tensions
by John L. Allen Jr.
Pope addresses gathering in Rome synagogue
Heading into Pope Benedict XVI's much-anticipated Jan. 17 visit to the Great Synagogue of Rome, one towering question loomed. What impact would the recent move towards sainthood for Pope Pius XII, the wartime pontiff whose alleged "silence" on the Holocaust has long fueled controversy, have on the broader Jewish-Catholic relationship?
In the wake of the visit on Sunday, two answers seem equally clear:
One, fraternal relations between Jews and Catholic will survive the latest round of tensions over Pius XII, with the enthusiastic welcome given to Benedict XVI as proof of the point.
Two, those tensions also aren't about to disappear.
This was only the second papal trip to the Rome synagogue, after John Paul II's groundbreaking visit in April 1986. Benedict was greeted warmly, including an emotional reunion with the former Chief Rabbi of Rome, Elio Toaf, who hosted John Paul twenty-four years ago.
The crowd featured a cross-section of Jewish, Catholic, Muslim and civil dignitaries, including a handful of Holocaust survivors in blue-and-white scarves, the colors of the Israeli flag. The small but growing Jewish community in Rome seemed visibly grateful for Benedict's presence, giving him two standing ovations and interrupting his speech with applause nine times.
Benedict said his visit was meant to express "the esteem and affection which the Bishop and the Church of Rome, as well as the entire Catholic church, have towards this community and all Jewish communities around the world."
The pope likewise affirmed the "irrevocable commitment" of Catholicism to dialogue with Judaism, condemned "the scourge of anti-Semitism and anti-Judaism," and underscored the indelible memory of "the singular and deeply disturbing drama of the Shoah," the Hebrew term for the Holocaust.
Yet there were also clear reminders of divisions over Pius XII. Pope Benedict recently approved a decree of heroic virtue for Pius XII, which permits him to be referred to as "venerable" and leaves only the documentation of one miracle for beatification and another for canonization.
"The silence of Pius XII on the Holocaust is still painful," said Riccardo Pacifici, head of the Jewish Community of Rome, in his remarks to Benedict XVI.
"Perhaps he could not have stopped the trains of death, but he could have transmitted a signal, a final word of comfort, for our brothers on their way to the camps of Auschwitz," Pacifici said.
Pacifici also called upon the Vatican to open its archives from the era of Pius XII. While the Vatican has already published multiple volumes of material which it asserts contain everything relevant to the pope's conduct during the war years, other material has not yet been unsealed.
Rome's Chief Rabbi, Riccardo Di Segni, was more indirect, but no less clear in his reference to Pius XII.
"The silence of God about the evils of the world, or our inability to hear his voice, is an inscrutable mystery," Di Segni said. "But the silence of man is a different matter. It confronts us, it challenges us, and it does not escape judgment."
In his speech, Benedict XVI issued what amounted to a veiled defense of his controversial predecessor.
Benedict noted that the Nazi campaign to exterminate Jews reached as far as Rome, and conceded that "unfortunately, many remained indifferent."
"But many, including Italian Catholics, sustained by their faith and by Christian teaching, reacted with courage, often at risk of their lives, opening their arms to assist the Jewish fugitives who were being hunted down, and earning perennial gratitude," the pope said.
Benedict then added: "The Apostolic See itself provided assistance, often in a hidden and discreet way."
It has long been a central contention among defenders of Pius XII that he was compelled to act behind the scenes to assist the victims of the Nazis, because public proclamations would have done more harm than good, triggering even more ferocious crackdowns.
A small number of Holocaust survivors from Italy's Jewish community were on hand wearing blue-and-white scarves. They presented the pope with a letter, which alludes to "the silence of those who could have done something" -- widely understood in the Italian media as a reference to Pope Pius XII, whose cause for sainthood was recently advanced by Benedict XVI.
This link takes you to an NCR translation of the survivors' letter, which was published in the Jan. 18 edition of Corriere della Sera, the main Italian daily: Holocaust survivors: 'Silence has marked our lives'
Whatever Roman Jews make of Pius XII, their gratitude for numerous Catholics who came to their aid during the Holocaust is still palpable. Pacifici, for example, whose grandfather was the Chief Rabbi of Genoa and who died at Auschwitz, said that he is alive today because other relatives were sheltered in a convent of the Sisters of Martha in Florence.
"This is not a unique story in Italy," Pacifici said. "Numerous monasteries and convents risked their lives to save Jews."
The polarizing nature of disputes over Pius XII was reflected not only inside the synagogue, but also in those who weren't there. Rabbi Giuseppe Laras, President of the Italian Rabbinical Assembly, boycotted Sunday's visit in protest over the move towards sainthood for Pope Pius, which he charged is part a broader deterioration in Jewish-Catholic relations under Benedict XVI.
"During the current pontificate, the fraternal relationship (between Jews and Catholics) has become steadily weaker," Laras told reporters in the run-up to the event.
Only the church "will draw any advantage" from the pope's visit, Laras said, "above all its most backward circles," while it "will not have a positive effect on Jewish-Catholic dialogue."
Predictably, reaction to the synagogue visit was somewhat mixed.
Fr. John Pawlikowski, a veteran of Jewish-Catholic dialogue at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, said on Sunday that Benedict's visit was "a positive step forward that has the potential to erase the negative developments during this papacy and restart a constructive discussion."
At the same time, Pawlikowski also said that Benedict's speech left several important matters hanging, including difficult theological questions such as the on-going validity of the Jewish covenant and the legitimacy of missionary efforts directed at Jews.
On Pius XII, Pawlikowski called for "fast-tracking the release of the relevant Vatican archival materials as well as a hold on any future movement on Pius' canonization."
German Cardinal Walter Kasper, the Vatican's top official for relations with Jews, offered a largely sunny reading of the dispute.
"On Pius XII, we can have different opinions, and I'm sure we will have them," Kasper said. "We're two different communities, and it's inevitable that there will be disagreements. There will always be some problem. But we also have many, many things in common. This visit should underline our common heritage and our common commitment to dialogue and peace."
"In this world," Kasper said, "we already have enough conflicts."
Before arriving at the synagogue, Benedict XVI briefly paused at two memorials. One recalls the deportation of Roman Jews in October 1943, the other a terrorist attack on the synagogue in October 1982 in which 37 people were injured and one two-year-old boy was shot to death. The pope greeted members of the boy's family.
While the move towards sainthood for Pius XII is the most recent sticking point in Catholic/Jewish relations, it's hardly the only one.
Another is formed by the long-running negotiations between the Vatican and Israel over implementation of the 1993 Fundamental Agreement, which involves a cluster of thorny matters such as the tax and legal status of church properties, entrance visas for church personnel, and the capacity of chaplains in the military, prisons and hospitals to minister freely.
On that front, the Vatican drew support from a prominent Jewish source on Sunday. Rabbi David Rosen, a longtime veteran of Catholic/Jewish dialogue, told the Israeli newspaper Haaretz that Israel's behavior towards the Vatican has been "outrageous."
"Any [other] country would have threatened to withdraw its ambassador long ago over Israel's failure to honor agreements," Rosen said.
Rosen also rejected suggestions that Catholic/Jewish relations have taken a step backward under Benedict XVI in comparison to his predecessor, John Paul II.
"Most people don't know that almost every current problem in Vatican-Jewish relations began not with Pope Benedict, but with his predecessor Pope John Paul II, who is now seen as a saint by Jews," Rosen said.
Benedict made the roughly ten-minute trip to the synagogue, which lies just across the Tiber River from the Vatican, on an evocative date. Roman Jews recall Jan. 17 as Mo'ed di Piombo, marking a day in 1793 when a massive rain, which tradition regards as miraculous, saved the Jewish community from a pogrom. A Roman mob at the time blamed the city's Jews for supporting the French Revolution.
Read more of John Allen's reporting here: A sampling of reaction to the pope's synagogue visit


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Prior to admission, Birchwood Cottages will complete an assessment of the resident's care requirements. The daily fee is tailored to their care requirements. The resident's fee will rise proportionately as the level of the resident's care requirements increase.
This fee is reduced for a Semi-Private room. While it may seem that having a roommate is not a desirable situation, there is compelling research that people who have a roommate often sleep better, are less depressed and exhibit fewer signs of isolation and loneliness. In addition, they live longer.
Assistance with all "activities of daily living"
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The following specialty nursing treatment/services are available as an add on to the daily rate when your care level is A, B or C.
The resident's fee is "all inclusive" from a care-related standpoint. Therefore, no additional fees will be applicable if the resident requires additional care services during the month. Appropriate responsible parties will be notified verbally and in writing regarding any change in fees.


text:
IT Talent Crisis? Gartner Says Get Creative
Gartner CIO Symposium gives CIOs a hint about the talent shortage. It might not be as bad as you think if you're willing to get creative.
15 Hottest IT Jobs for 2016
At the start of the Gartner CIO Symposium on Oct. 5, the main topic of analysts has been strategy for CIOs for the coming year, but resonating through several of these presentations has also been a very tactical problem -- a lack of talent.
Interestingly enough, Gartner doesn't think there is a lack of talent, not even a lack of IT talent. There's just a lack of talent in your department. It turns out you might be looking in the wrong place for talent.
Let's put together a few quotes from Monday's keynote presentations so you can see what I mean.
Senior President of Gartner Research Peter Sondergaard said, "The consumer technology market is now bigger than the enterprise technology market. Partially as a consequence of that, there are now more tech savvy people working outside of your IT department than in it."
"It is time to rebalance the IT department," said Mary Mesaglio, a Gartner Research vice president. "If a business process isn't crucial to your enterprise or it doesn't differentiate you, divest it. Let others do it. But never divest of innovation capability or digital strategy."
Mary Mesaglio, VP Gartner Research, speaks at the Gartner CIO Symposium morning keynote.
(Image: David Wagner)
"Less than half of CEOs, around 49%, think there is a talent crisis. Two thirds of CIOs think there is," said Dave Aron, vice president and Gartner Fellow, "When CEOS think of talent they think across the board of the enterprise. CIOs only think within IT."
All of these quotes create a picture of the problem with CIOs. According to Aron, for five years when they've asked CIOs what their biggest barrier to success is, they say staff talent levels, but in those five years when they asked what CIOs are doing about it, most say they are doing nothing or that they are working more closely with recruiters or universities.
None are looking for other places for sourcing talent.
Aron told a story of a Chinese company called Baidu that has a unique view of managing people. Rather than attaching people to managers, "managers don't own people," Aron said. Instead, people can pick projects they are interested in and work for managers they like. This way talent flows to the projects that are most interesting or most valued to the company.
Talent is no longer "IT" and "non-IT."
Qualified people work on what they are qualified to work on.
Even if you can't convince your CEO to radically re-design the way your company does business, you need to rethink the talent that works for you. First, you can scout talent in other parts of the organization. Tech savvy and IT skills are now everywhere. And when you can't find them, as Masaglio points out, you can buy them to do all but your most important business processes.
Also, you don't need people to work "for you."
Your influence matters just as much.
In the keynote today, Sondergaard pointed out that in 2005, IT controlled 70% of technology spend. By 2017, it will be less than half. But that could be good news. Sondergaard said, "Technology ownership has shifted and talent has shifted. All of these factors have expanded the universe of technology management outside of your control. But that doesn't have to be bad news. Accept the reality that you control a smaller part, but you now have more resources to draw on outside your organization. Influence scales. Control does not."
[This should be especially helpful for government CIOs. Read 10 IT Hiring Trends Confounding Public, Private Sector CIOs. ]
In other words, your goal as a CIO or manager isn't just accumulating talent on your team. You're better off locating and influencing talent through your whole enterprise. Doing so might allow you to see what CEOs see -- it isn't a lack of talent or skills, just where you are looking.
David has been writing on business and technology for over 10 years and was most recently Managing Editor at Enterpriseefficiency.com. Before that he was an Assistant Editor at MIT Sloan Management Review, where he covered a wide range of business topics including IT, ... View Full Bio
DDURBIN1,
Re: Shortage in Their Minds
@David, Most assuredly, its better than its ever been. However, in most fortune 2000 companies the head person of the IT group still does NOT report to the CEO. When the majority of corporations have their lead IT person as part of the executive decision group we'll have the culture change that's needed for best results. Change rarely occurs from the bottom up. Until then the IT group is still treated like the unwanted step-child in most organization. A good example is when finding a Hana expert is considered an "IT" problem and not a problem for the business.
David Wagner,
@ddurbin- I have no doubt that's true some places. But cultures change. CIOs need to take an active part in changing the culture. We know of some organiztions that have croken through on those problems.
@David, This is not something new. I've been an IT pro for 42 years now and still kicking (knock on wood). It's not been the IT department or IT personnel that have kept them separated or out of the business. Crossing the moat and storming the business walls just gets you fired. From career day one its always needed to be a team effort but telling this to the IT group is like singing to the choir. The problem is not with "techies" wanting to remain geeks but with the business side stereo-typically treating them in this manner. This relationship continues to get better as the technology continues to be better unstood by the business and vice versa.
No, it is true. Your SAP Hana experts are IT's problem. on the other hand, HANA is producing a lot of data IT needs to take that data and present it in a useful way to the business. That's where the non-IT department talent can help.
I think the issue here is that when IT pros think of IT, they think of machines and processes. When the rest of the enterprise thinks of IT they think of what It does for the business. what the business wants is frictionless technology. If the talent outside of the department can help translate IT to the business so that it seems like it is frictionless, it frees up the hardcore talent to get the technology done.
It is all about how you leverage resources to deliver service, not technology.
@David, Yes the article is directed to "department" talent in the business since "consumer" technology has permeated the work place. But you're not going to find an SAP Hana expert in the user ranks of the accounting department.
@ddurbin1- They're not saying there is no talent shortage in IT. They're saying that talent is more spread than it used to be. So CIOs need to look in new places for it. Some of the best IT talent isn't working in IT anymore.
I mean, one thing is always true, and Gartner doesn't deny this, is that we all wish we had all the smart people. In that way, there is always a shortage of talent.
But the point is that we are looking at IT talent as only people working in IT on IT teams. But all over enterprises are digital natives with training in technology, analytics, etc. Tapping into those sources informally or formally will help with your talent shortage.
10/7/2015 | 10:15:07 AM
Shortage in Their Minds
So Gartner says there's NO talent shortage but the majority of CEOs believe there is. What the CEO and probably the CIO are really saying is there's no talent available to work for the wages they want to pay in the timing they are needed. It's also the only reason H-1B visas exists. Let say Gartner is wrong and there is a shortage. What have the fortune 1000 companies done to solve this problem over the past 25 years since H-1B has very actively been applied to technology jobs? Most have done absolutely nothing. It's called investing in your employees which has become a lost concept for technology personnel. Instead corporations want to buy what they want when they want it with little in the way of planning for technology personnel needs. This is a big change from the 60s, 70, and 80s when corporations developed their talent and kept investing in them to the advantage of both. As in Aesop's Fable, it's a grasshopper IT world today when it should be an ant world.
10/6/2015 | 1:44:07 PM
Re: Talent and Control
@jastroff- I think we've seen the CIO changing for a while. I think that's why we're finding so many people with art degrees and former jobs as teachers and other random backgrounds. I think the role is becoming increasingly about vision. And vision is found in different types.
One thing i'll probably be writing about later this week is a Gartner analyst said yesterday that 75% of CIOs can be classified as "intuitive thinkers" where only 57% of other executives can be. That's interesting since we often consider IT to be a very logical place. CIOs seem to be bucking a trend in what we think of IT pros.
jastroff,
@dave
>> tech is changing fast and you're the only one who can keep track of it all. Your knowledge makes you invaluable.
so the CIO role expands -- will a new type of person take up the role?
@jastroff- True enough. Though while you are losing the budget, you have a real advantage as a CIO-- tech is changing fast and you're the only one who can keep track of it all. Your knowledge makes you invaluable.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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January 19, 2022 | Disruption and the future of higher education
January 19, 2022 | Trends among transfers this fall
El Paso Community College's cybersecurity program got a boost with a Microsoft grant. (Photo: EPCC)
By Tabitha Whissemore November 22, 2021 Print
In Texas, El Paso Community College (EPCC) has received a $50,000 grant from Microsoft Philanthropies to support its cybersecurity program. The funds will go toward mentorship and curriculum from the National Cybersecurity Training & Education Center (NCyTE) and to build faculty knowledge through Microsoft training and certifications. Funding also will allow EPCC to provide financial assistance to students studying cybersecurity or computing.
The grant funding is thanks to Microsoft's Techspark Texas, an initiative that is facilitating access to underserved groups so that everyone can participate in the digital economy.
Amarillo College will use a $1 million grant from the Carl & Marilynn Thoma Foundation to accelerate and expand work-based learning opportunities.
The grant supports the Adams Earn & Learn Program, a multi-year effort to accelerate work-based learning in the Texas Panhandle region. The pilot program will create a proof of concept for healthcare and STEM programs with the long-term goal of expanding work-based learning opportunities into all program areas.
More than 300 students will be served in the first year of the program, which launches this fall. The college aims to reach 10,000 candidates by 2030. It also will open fast-track pathways for local high school students into high-earning, desirable careers.
"By positioning the future of learning to intersect with a work-based, earn-and-learn model, Amarillo College and the Thoma Foundation are creating a structure that could be the innovation to save higher education from itself," Amarillo College President Russell Lowery-Hart said in a statement.
Broward College has received a $5 million U.S. Department of Education grant to improve opportunities for Hispanic and low-income students in STEM education.
The grant will support the college's Accelerating College Completion by Engaging Students in STEM (ACCESS) project, which addresses the academic and support services needs of Hispanics and other underrepresented populations. It also serves the growing needs of local employers and the needs of the students studying information technology to improve completion and transfer rates.
"As we focus on equity and supporting all of our students to successful career paths, the ACCESS project is another way we are expanding and improving academic and support services to all our students," said Jeffery Nasse, provost and senior vice president of academic affairs.
Tallahassee Community College's workforce development programs will benefit from a $200,000 gift from an anonymous donor. The gift will fund 10 welding booths in the new welding lab and 35 full-tuition scholarships in the trades for local residents.
"In the current climate of worker shortages, it has become even more critical that we place a laser focus on the skilled trades and the training necessary to produce workers ready to enter the workforce," said Kimberly A. Moore, vice president for workforce innovation and TCC2WORK.
The Tallahassee Community College District board of directors this month celebrated a new financial gift. (Photo: TCC)
Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) has received a $30,000 grant and 100 new laptops from Comcast. The grant will help students who lack resources through the college's Student Emergency Aid Fund, and the laptops will go to students enrolled in CCBC certificate and adult literacy education programs.
A $8,814 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities will help Hagerstown Community College (HCC) preserve historical documents related to its 75 years. The grant allows the completion of a general preservation assessment of the archive at HCC. The archive consists of the historical records and materials documenting the history of Maryland's first community college, from its establishment as a junior college in the late 1940s to the present.
Metropolitan Community College (MCC) can help students better explore careers thanks to a $300,000 grant from the DeBruce Foundation. The funding will support hiring a project coordinator, as well as research assistance, curriculum development, and training and development for MCC academic advisors, career services staff and counselors.
New MCC students will have access to the DeBruce Foundation's Agile Work Profiler tool, a 10-minute online assessment that identifies an individual's work strengths and interests, as well as other career exploration tools. Starting with the fall 2022 semester, all new students will be expected to complete the Agile Work Profiler assessment.
The partnership between MCC and the DeBruce Foundation coincides with a new MCC emphasis on academic and career pathways and a reimagined first-year experience for students.
"Assisting students with early identification of their academic and career goals is a proven strategy for increasing college completion rates," said MCC Chancellor Kimberly Beatty. "This partnership with The DeBruce Foundation will support our students in determining their career pathways."
MCC also received a $600,000 grant from the Edward F. Swinney Trust, Bank of America, as trustee. The grant will help MCC fund relocation of workforce training programs from its Business & Technology Campus to the new Advanced Technical Skills Institute.
The college hopes moving workforce programs to the midtown site will provide greater access for students in the urban core, increase diverse enrollment in training for skilled trades and make a positive impact on economic development in the area.
Tabitha Whissemore
is a contributor to Community College Daily and managing editor of AACC's Community College Journal.


On behalf of Law Office of Henry B. LaTorraca posted in Commercial Real Estate on Wednesday, January 31, 2018.
Office ents in Los Angeles increased 9.3 percent in the final quarter of 2017 compared to the same time period in 2016. That translated to an increase of $3.29 per square foot despite the fact that vacancies were also on the rise in that market. Vacancy rates were at 15.1 percent in 2017 compared to 14 percent in 2016. This was partially attributed to new construction creating more space for lease.
On behalf of Law Office of Henry B. LaTorraca posted in Business Litigation on Wednesday, January 31, 2018.
California hockey fans may be excited about the Vegas Golden Knights' inaugural season. However, the Army is claiming that the Golden Knights name is a violation of their intellectual property. It claims that it has used the term Golden Knights since the 1960s for public relations and recruiting purposes. The Army also claims to have rights to the black-and-gold and yellow-and-white color schemes used by the NHL franchise.
On behalf of Law Office of Henry B. LaTorraca posted in Business Litigation on Monday, January 29, 2018.
The lead plaintiff in a federal class action lawsuit filed on Jan. 26 against Ulta Beauty, a cosmetics company, is a California resident. The lawsuit alleges that the company repackaged returned cosmetics and sold them to customers as though they were new.
On behalf of Law Office of Henry B. LaTorraca posted in Business Torts on Tuesday, January 2, 2018.
The California-based technology giant Apple is facing a consumer backlash after it was revealed that older iPhone models slow considerably when their iOS operating systems are updated. Apple claims that the decision to slow down the performance of older iPhones was made to make their lithium batteries last longer, but critics of the Cupertino-based company say that the throttling is designed to encourage consumers to purchase the latest iPhone 8, 8 plus and X models.


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BFV – Season 3 – PS4 Europe
PS4 – 5v5 SQ Conquest – EU Division 1
BFV – Season 3 – PS4 South America
PS4 – 5v5 SQ Conquest – SA Division 1
BFV – Season 3 – XB1 Europe
XB1 – 5v5 SQ Conquest – EU Division 1
PS4 – 5v5 SQ Conquest – EU D1
5v5 Squad Conquest
5v5 Incursions
5v5 Domination
12v12 Conquest
PS4/X1 5v5 Domination
PS4 8v8 Conquest
X1 12v12 Conquest
PS4 16v16 Conquest
Ruleset – Battlefield V – 8v8 Squad Conquest
1.1 Restrictions (Not Allowed)
CLASS RESTRICTIONS (4/4/4/4):
Assault: Maximum 4 per Team
Medic: Maximum 4 per Team
Support: Maximum 4 per Team
Recon: Maximum 4 per Team
M1907 SF (Assault)
BREDA M1935 PG (Assault)
SUOMI KP/-31 (Medic)
Type 2A (Medic)
M1928A1 (Medic)
M3 Grease Gun (Medic)
(Banned only on PS4 & XB1)
Chauchat (Support)
All Bolt Action Carbines
Commando Carbine (Medic)
M28 con Tromboncino (Medic)
Jungle Carbine (Medic)
All Semi-Auto Rifles
Gewehr 43 (Assault)
M1A1 Carbine (Assault)
Turner SMLE (Assault)
Selbstlader 1916 (Assault)
Gewehr 1-5 (Assault)
AG/M42 (Assault)
Mass 44 (Assault)
Karabin 1938M (Assault)
M1 Garand (Assault)
M1941 Johnson (Assault)
Selbstlader 1906 (Recon)
M3 Infrared (Recon)
All MMGs
MG-42 (Support)
VGO (Support)
M1922 MG (Support)
M1919A6 (Support)
S2-2000 (Support)
12G Automatic (Support)
M30 Drilling (Support)
M1987 (Support)
Model 37 (Support)
Sjögren Shotgun (Support)
All Self-Loading Rifles
Model 8 (Recon)
ZH-29 (Recon)
RSC (Recon)
All Anti-Materiel Rifles
Boys AT Rifle (Recon)
Panzerbuchse 39 (Recon)
New Tides of War & Chapter Rank Weapons
New weapons are banned until they are available to purchase by everyone through company coins.
This means that until new weapons are only available through Weekly Challenges or through Chapter Ranks, they won't be able to be used in matches.
Weapons that currently fall into this category:
GRENADES:
Impact Grenade (Support)
Demolition Grenade (All classes)
Type 99 Mine (All classes)
GADGETS:
Frag Grenade Rifle (Assault)
PIAT (Assault)
Pistol Flamethrower (Assault)
AP Mine (Medic / Support / Recon)
Spawn Beacon (Recon)
Flare Gun (Recon)
Doppel-Schuss (Recon)
New Tides of War & Chapter Rank Gadgets
New gadgets are banned until they are available to purchase by everyone through company coins.
This means that until new gadgets are only available through Weekly Challenges or through Chapter Ranks, they won't be able to be used in matches.
Gadgets that currently fall into this category:
BATTLE-PICKUPS
All Battle-Pickups are banned, including but not limited to:
M2 Flamethrower
COMBAT ROLES:
Medic:
Machine Gunner
Recon:
ARMORED VEHICLES:
Only the following tanks can be used:
Valentine Mk VIII (UNITED KINGDOM)
Staghound T17E1 (UNITED KINGDOM)
Panzer IV (GERMANY)
Panzer 38T (GERMANY)
Sherman (USA)
LVT (USA)
Type 97 (JAPAN)
KA-MI (JAPAN)
Note: Putting AT Mines in the enemy spawn (red zone) is strictly prohibited.
REINFORCEMENTS:
Only the following reinforcements can be called in:
Supply Canister Drop – 2,450 Squad Points
Smoke Barrage – 7,450 Squad Points
JB-2 Rocket / V-1 Rocket – 41,500 Squad Points
This effectively means that every other reinforcement is banned (including but not limited to):
T48 GMC 6 pdr AT Half-track / Sd. Kfz 251 Pakwagen – 9,850 Squad Points
Sector Artillery – 17,750 Squad Points
Churchill Crocodile / Sturmtiger – 20,750 Squad Points
ROOFS & AREAS:
The following Roofs & Areas are now banned. This means that you may not walk/crouch/crawl/glitch/jump/climb onto them in any way.
Lofoten Islands Roofs & Areas:
Rotterdam Roofs & Areas:
Devastation:
PENALTIES:
If a team violates a Gadgets / Armored Vehicles / Reinforcements / Roofs & Areas / Battle-Pickups restriction, only the map the item was used on will be forfeited and not the entire match.
If a team violates a WEAPONS / COMBAT ROLES restriction, a 25 Ticket Penalty per BANNED Weapon / Combat Role Kill will be applied.
(This means that getting a kill with a – banned weapon doesn't cost your team the map)
If a team violates a CLASS restriction, a 25 ticket penalty will be applied for every 10 seconds in which the violation occurs.
This means that accidentally spawning with an extra class doesn't cost your team the game as long as you redeploy right away.
Accumulating three (3) CLASS restriction violations within the same map (2 sides) will cause a map forfeit for the team in violation.
Video proof is required for each incident.
Videos must be at least 10 seconds long and must show the scoreboard for the duration of the infraction.
Teams will be required to report and provide proof of any rule infraction(s) at the end of the map in which the infraction occurred. Failure to do so can possibly void any penalty for the opposing team.
Please report infractions in your respective division's #rule-infractions channel in the "ESB League HUB" Discord server.
1.2 Maps
MAP POOL:
Pacific Storm
Armored Vehicles are banned.
1.2.1 SIDE SELECTION
Home Team (Left on the Schedule) is allowed to pick which side they wish to start on the first map.
1.2.2 MAP SELECTION
Home Team picks 1st map, Away Team picks 2nd map. 3rd Map will be set for each week.
Note: No map can be picked twice in the same match, meaning that if Mercury is the set map for Week 1, neither teams can pick it as their map choice.
In addition, a team can't pick the same map for two matches in a row. This means that if a team picks "Provence" as their Match 1 map, they won't be able to pick it again for Match 2.
1.2.3 WEEKLY SET 3rd MAPS:
Regular Season:
Week 1: Devastation
Week 2: Arras
Week 3: Mercury
Week 4: Hamada
Week 5: Rotterdam
Week 6: Lofoten Islands
Week 7: Pacific Storm
Playoffs:
Semi-Finals: Hamada
Finals: Pacific Storm
1.3 Server Settings
Every server MUST be password protected. We recommend that teams change their server password before every match to avoid people keeping track of old passwords and joining as possible players/spectators.
To access Community Games, press: Play > Multiplayer > Create Community Game > Add Config
Basic Config Settings:
Config Name: ESB 8v8 SQ CQ
Game Name: ESB Match
Game Size: 16
Game Modes & Maps: 7
Burn Round: (Can't be the same as Map A)
Round 1: Map A (Side 1)
Round 3: Map B (Side 1)
Round 5: Map C (Side 1)
Password: ON
Minimum Players: 6
Allowed Spectators: 0
Advanced Config Settings:
Once the Config has been created, select the config, and press "Create & Join Game".
1.3.1 Server Selection
Home Team (Left on the Schedule) hosts the full match.
For European divisions, only EU servers may be used.
For South American divisions, only SA servers may be used.
1.4 Scoring
1.4.1 SQUAD CONQUEST
Capture and Hold the Flags
Each match is a Best of 3 Maps. Each map is composed of 2 sides. To win a map, your team must have the most amount of total tickets remaining after both sides of the maps are played.
Your team must win 2 out of the 3 maps to win the match.
1.4.2 BO3 League Matches
Even if your team has already won 2 out of the 3 maps in a match, the third and final map must still be played in full. Meaning each match should have 6 total sides played regardless of the outcome.
1.4.3 BO3 TIES
If your team is playing in a Best of 3 match and the following situations arise, the match is counted as a tie.
Match IS a tie if:
Team A wins first map, Team B wins second map, and the third map is a tie
Or any combination of the above.
Match ISN'T a tie if:
Team A wins first map, both second and third maps are ties.
1.5 Official Schedule
The full schedule is detailed below. The Standard Days/Times are there in the event both teams can't come to an agreement on the Day/Time of the match. When that is the case, the "Standard Day/Time" is to be applied (this is why it appears on the league schedules this way, which doesn't mean teams can't agree to play on another Day/Time, as long as it's in the respective week the match is meant to be played on).
All 8v8 leagues feature 1 Match a Week only.
While the schedule below highlights the Standard-Days for each week, teams are still able to play the games on other days/times as long as each match is played in its respective week.
For 8v8s, each weekly match has to be played from Monday-Sunday.
Standard-Times are as follows:
8v8 SA: 9:00 pm BRT (Brasilia Time)
All matches MUST be played in their respective weeks.
Week 1: Monday 02/11/2020 – Sunday 08/11/2020
Match 1 (8v8): Saturday 07/11/2020
Match 2 (8v8 ): Saturday 14/11/2020
Week 3: Monday 16/11/2020 – Sunday 22/11/20
General Roster Lock: Monday 23/11/2020
Playoffs: Brackets Released on Monday, 21/12/2020
Playoffs Weekend: Saturday 02/01/21 – Sunday 03/01/21
Semi-Finals: Saturday 02/01/21
Finals: Sunday 03/01/21
1.6 Matches
1.6.1 ORGANISING
For 8v8 Divisions (for their only match of the week), each team must communicate their availability & map with their opponent by:
SA Divisions: Wednesday's (of the respective match week) at 9:00 PM BRT.
If a team fails to communicate their availability (and therefore can't agree upon a match day) with their opponent by the above timeframe, a 50 ticket penalty on the first side of the first map will be applied for each late day (24 hours).
Once both teams agree on the date/time they will both play, please confirm the details of your match via your respective #division-chat in the league's Discord server.
Please refer to Section 1.5 for more details on the schedule and standard times.
Note: The above rules should give teams at least 48 hours notice to prepare for a match.
1.6.2 MATCHDAY
Failure to abide by the following rules may result in a match forfeit/penalty:
Teams must have one of their representatives in the League Discord chats 15 minutes prior to the match start in order to communicate on which server the match will be played on.
Teams have a maximum of 30 minutes past the scheduled match time to have all their players join the respective server used for the first map of the match, and ready to play.
A match may not start unless both teams each have exactly 8 eligible players in the server.
IMPORTANT: Each team may not have more than 8 players in the server.
Players may only be subbed in between maps, and not rounds.
Teams must communicate that a substitution is taking place before the start of the next map through their #division-chat channel in the "ESB League HUB" Discord server.
Teams have a maximum of 5 minutes to make any substitutions. Taking more time may result in a 15 ticket penalty per extra minute the player isn't in the server.
Once a player is subbed out, he may not be subbed in again for the remainder of the match.
1.6.3 SERVER CRASHES
In the event that a server crashes during a LIVE round, please use the following procedure:
If the server crashes DURING the first 4 minutes of the match, the round is to be fully replayed.
If the server crashes AFTER the first 4 minutes of the match, and during the first half of the match, teams will be required to keep the point score obtained thus far, and continue playing the second half of the map.
If the server crashes DURING the second half of the map, teams will be required to keep the scores of the round in which the server crashed.
1.6.4 PLAYER CRASHES
In the event that a player crashes during a LIVE round, please use the following procedure:
If a player disconnects before any kills are made at the start of the side (and not match), the side must be restarted.
If a player disconnects while a kill has been made and the map is therefore live, the player must rejoin the map as soon as possible.
1.6.5 MATCH RESULT REPORTING
The winning team will be required to report the match result, using the format presented below in their respective #score-submission channel in the "ESB League HUB" Discord server.
Team A vs Team B
Maps Won: (X)-(X)
Sides Won: (X)-(X)
If the losing team wishes to contest the result, it must do so within 24 hours of the match end.
Any result contesting must be done via the #event_assistance channel in the "ESB League HUB" Discord server.
1.7.1 ELIGIBILITY
Each roster can be composed of 20 players maximum (8 Starters and 12 Substitutes)
All players must be on the respective team's roster on their dedicated team page of the league.esport-battlefield.com website to be considered ELIGIBLE.
Players must have their EXACT PSN ID / XBL GT / ORIGIN ID (based on the respective platform they are playing the event on) in his/her team's roster.
Each player* may only have ONE account* on their team's roster page.
Each account* may only be used by 1 person. Account sharing is strictly prohibited.
All players must be currently living in the region their division is taking place in, which effectively means that only players living in Europe can play in the European divisions and only players living in South America can play in the South American divisions.
This effectively does mean that the event is region locked.
Players that have a constant ping that is above 100 throughout a match, will be considered out-of-region and investigated by ESB Staff.
The use of an ineligible player will result in a full-match forfeit.
Each account* must have reached at least Rank 50 in Battlefield V with at least 60 hours played.
This can easily be checked through https://battlefieldtracker.com/
For players that play on multiple platforms:
As long as they meet the requirements on one of the platforms they play on and can prove that both Platform IDs are linked to the same EA Account, they will be allowed to play.
Teams must communicate these exceptions through the #event-assistance channel in the "ESB League HUB" Discord server.
Verified players will have a "*" next to their IDs on their team's roster on the league website.
Teams using accounts that don't meet these criteria will be disqualified.
Any player caught playing simultaneously for more than one team on the same platform and division (ex PS4 5v5), regardless of the region, will receive an immediate ban from the whole season.
To clarify, a player CAN:
Play on a different team on a different platform. Meaning a player could theoretically play on both a PS4 and X1 team at the same time.
Play on a different team that is playing a different game mode on the same platform. Meaning a player can play in both PS4 5v5 and PS4 8v8.
To clarify, a player CAN'T:
Play in multiple divisions of the same format/mode even if they are based in different regions (whether this is NA, EU or SA).
Players who have already received a season ban in previous seasons and are caught breaking this rule again will be permanently banned from all future ESB events indefinitely.
Depending on the severity of the infraction, these penalties may be increased at the discretion of the staff handling the case.
Note: *Player refers to the physical person, while Account refers to the online persona being used by the player.
1.7.2 ROSTER LOCK
A roster lock will come into place at the start of Week 4. After Monday 23/11/2020 at 06:00 AM BRT (Brasilia Time), no changes can be made to any of the rosters, no exceptions.
1.7.3 ROSTER CHANGES
Any and all roster changes must be communicated via the #roster-changes channel in the "ESB League HUB" Discord server, by one of the 2 assigned team representatives at least 24 hours prior to the time of their next match.
If a roster change request is placed on the same day of the match, then the changes will not be validated until after the match is over. Any players used during that match that was not present in the team's roster prior to the match will be ineligible to play.
The use of ineligible players results in a map forfeit for each map the player participated in.
If a player is switching between Team A and Team B within the same league category (ex PS4 8v8 International), the player changing also has the responsibility of notifying the league Admin and verifying his identity by sending a private message with the request to either CodeName_Deus (PSN ID), CodeNameDeus (XBL GT), or CodeName_Deus (Origin ID)
The following actions count as roster changes:
adding players
removing players
fixing IDs
changing IDs (without proof, more info below)
Proof Required for ID changes:
PlayStation 4: TBA
Xbox One: TBA
Each 8v8 Team Roster is composed of 8 STARTERS and 12 SUBSTITUTES. During the course of the season, only a maximum of 10 roster changes are allowed for each team throughout the season.
Players may only switch teams once during the season and before the Roster lock detailed in section 1.7.2 of the rules.
1.8 Spectator Mode
Teams are forbidden from spectating matches no matter the reason, even if their team isn't currently playing in the match. Teams are therefore responsible for all their players and need to remind them of this. Even if it's currently impossible to disable spectator slots through community games, teams are responsible for their own players.
Teams caught spectating will face the following consequences if enough proof is gathered.
The player(s) using spectator mode will receive a 12-month ban from ESB events.
If the player is a member of one of the teams that are playing, they will forfeit the entire match the spectator was used on.
The team spectating will also be disqualified from the whole event.
The team spectating will be rendered non-eligible for a 6 month period and won't be able to sign-up to any other of our events.
We, therefore, ask teams to act with proper sportsmanship and refrain from cheating.
The use of spectator-mode is banned for anyone outside of the casters listed in Section "1.10 Live-Casting" unless specifically authorized by an ESB administrator.
1.9 Fair Play
To guarantee fair play for all teams and players involved, under extenuating circumstances, our league administrators have the right to make decisions outside or against the current league ruleset.
We ask teams to refrain from abusing known glitches to get an advantage in matches. Due to the different nature of these glitches, each case will be reviewed individually and a decision will be made by the admins.
As Section 1.7 of the rules states, sharing accounts is strictly prohibited.
Team leaders will be held accountable for facilitating and organizing account sharing between players.
Players caught lying and/or providing fake claims/proof to any match-related issue, will be disqualified for the remainder of the season.
We, therefore, ask teams to maintain a certain level of fair play when playing in our events.
1.10 Live-Casting
Throughout the season, Official ESB Casters will be available to broadcast and commentate on your matches through various stages of the event. If one of the casters below contacts you regarding casting your match, please make sure to give him the necessary information to allow him to do so. Matches will be broadcast on https://www.twitch.tv/esbinternationaltv
BrettFX#7655
nerv#7151
Catalyst#1856
AWildeTime#1847
Lycan MB#3458
JulioCaster#2930
Please note: The above list may be updated throughout the season and without warning.
1.11 Commitment
Participating in our leagues takes a lot of effort and dedication from teams who want to compete in a stable and competitive environment consistently. Teams that participate in our leagues automatically commit to playing their respective season fully.
Teams who chose to leave or stop playing in the league before the season is over may face the following consequences:
Ban from participating in the next ESB League Season.
Note: Teams who forfeit more than 2 Games during a single season may be disqualified from the current season, and/or banned from participating in the upcoming season as well.
1.11.2 REMOVED TEAMS
In the event that a team retires or is removed from the League during the first part of the season (prior to Week 5), every match played won't count towards the league table and all future fixtures will be counted as a bye.
In the event that a team retires or is removed from the League during the second part of the season (after Week 5), the matches that remain to be played by that team will be counted as 0-3 (0-6) losses, in favor of the team(s) that was supposed to play them.
1.12 Playoffs
The top 4 teams in each division will be invited to participate in the Playoffs detailed in "Section 1.5 Schedule".
#1 Seed – 1st in their respective division
#2 Seed – 2nd in their respective division
#3 Seed – 3rd in their respective division
#4 Seed – 4th in their respective division
The Playoffs have a single-elimination bracket format.
Semi-Finals:
Match 1: #1 vs #4
Finals:
Match 3: Winner of M1 vs Winner of M2.
1.12.2 MATCH-SCHEDULING
Teams may not change the match date detailed in Section 1.5, however, they may schedule their match-time.
Teams are required to communicate their availability (and select maps) with your opponent by Wednesday, December 12th, 2020:
9:00 PM CEST for the EU divisions
9:00 PM BRT for the SA division
In the event teams can't agree on what time to play their Semi-Final match, the standard times remain the same:
5v5 EU: 9:00 PM CEST (Paris Time)
We will provide a detailed finals schedule for all divisions as we get closer to the playoffs. Teams may not play their matches at any other time.
Teams are required to communicate their map pick for the finals by Sunday, January 3rd, 2020:
12:00 PM CEST for the EU divisions
12:00 PM BRT for the SA division
1.12.3 MAP SELECTION
Highest seed picks the first map, while the lowest seed picks the second map.
Note: #1 is the highest seed, #4 is the lowest seed.
Teams may not pick the same map for both Semi-Finals and Finals.
You may pick the same map from Match 7 in the Semi-Finals.
1.13 Promotion & Relegation
Please note: The following is only valid for the same game mode/format combinations.
Division 1:
Once Season 3 is over, the top 5 teams from each Division 1 will be invited back to participate in Season 4.
While the bottom 3 teams from each Division 1 will have to go through the qualifying process again if they wish to participate in Season 4.
Once Season 3 is over, the top 2 teams from each Division 2 will be promoted to Division 1 for Season 4.
While the remaining 6 teams from each Division 2 will have to go through the qualifying process again if they wish to participate in Season 4.
1.14 ESB Points
ESB Points for Season 3 will be explained at a further date. For more information on ESB Points, please visit: https://esport-battlefield.com/points/
ESB League Hub
Welcome to the ESB League HUB, follow one of the largest Battlefield V events on Playstation 4, Xbox One and PC, anywhere.
discordapp.com/invite/NVCcXmy
Visit our helpdesk
help.esport-battlefield.com
Esport Battlefield International © 2020 | All Rights Reserved


Find other businesses in the Laundry & Dry Cleaners or Clothing categories by clicking the links beside "Chicago" above this listing. The "View Larger Map" link below will allow you to put in your address and give you driving directions to 3390 Commercial Ave to visit Coit Drapery Cleaners Inc. To write a review for Coit Drapery Cleaners Inc in Northbrook please click on the "Review this Merchant" button on the right of this page. Coit Drapery Cleaners Inc is located at 3390 Commercial Ave but if you visit them and find they aren't there, please click the "Send" button below. To find out about Coit Drapery Cleaners Inc please don't hesitate to call them at the phone number below, or visit them at 3390 Commercial Ave Northbrook.


text:
Q: How do you build / use a slider with angular2? I need to use a banner slider in a angular 2 app. I have created a component called banner slider that holds the html for the slider and then im displaying it on the view from the app component.
the problem is, when the browser then loads the page all I get is three stacked li's where as when I use the code straight on the index.html the slider works fine? do I need to do something to get angular to work with jquery or is there a angular 2 speific slider that is good? if not does anyone know where to start with building one?
I am currently using unslider | unslider.com

A: This question could help you:

*

*Angular2 with Jquery-ui Slider
The idea is to wrap the applying of the jquery plugin within an Angular2 component. This can be done within its ngOnInit method:
@Component({
  (...)
})
export class Slider implements OnInit {
  elementRef: ElementRef;
  slideValue: number;

  constructor(private elementRef: ElementRef) {
  }

ngOnInit() {
  jQuery(this.elementRef.nativeElement).slider({
      range: false,
      orientation: "vertical",
      min: 0,
      max: 100,
      value: 60,
      slide: (event, ui) => {
        (...)
      }
    });
  }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Independent Tournaments/
Alcano Shows Mastery Over Reyes
Ronnie Alcano
Ronnie Alcano maintained his mastery over Efren "Bata" Reyes – at least in tournament play – as the challenger overcame the legend, 9-4, in their one-on-one 15-ball rotation match dubbed as the VILLARDS "Challenge of the Legend: The Maestro versus The Volcano" Friday at the jam-packed Skydome of SM North Edsa in Quezon City .
Alcano took advantage of Reyes's lackluster performance to pull away midway of the match to secure the win and the unofficial title of rotation king in the country – or perhaps the world.
Alcano said "I'm proud to have beaten my idol, especially in his game." The 37 year old pocketed the P150,000 top prize at stake in the event presented by Senator Manny Villar's Villards: Tulong sa Pagsulong ng Philippine Sports and JBETpoker.net, in cooperation with the Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines and Bugsy Promotions.
It was the first time Alcano and Reyes, who share the distinction as two of only four players to win both world 9-ball and world 8-ball titles, met in a tournament atmosphere since the Alcano eliminated Reyes in the last 16 of the 2006 World Pool Championship which Alcano won in an amazing run defeating European ace Ralf Souquet in the finals.
Reyes, looking to avenge that defeat got off to a good start, winning the lag and running out the opening rack – an unusual occurrence in rotation. But Alcano immediately countered by outwitting Reyes in the second frame, and then followed it up by claiming the next three to go up 4-1.
Reyes managed to get close to within one, 5-4, but the man also known as "The Magician" lost steam as his age compared o the younger Alcano began to tell as the Calamba, Laguna pool superstar raced through the next four racks to close out the match and celebrate the feat witnessed by some one thousand adoring fans, including Senator Manny Villar, the foremost patron of Philippine billiards.
"I still consider him as the best player in the world.There's no one, who can match the champ."said Alcano, adding that "all of us players consider it a big honor if we can play him and beat him but we know we cannot equal his achievements.."
Reyes humbly accepted the defeat and hailed Alcano as one of the best pool players in the world today. Reyes said "he is really good. We can call him Champ because he is a double world champion and I think he will win many more titles."
Sharing the limelight with Alcano were reigning Japan Open champion Ramil Gallego and former Asian Games gold medalist Antonio Lining, who won the JBETpoker.net Scotch Doubles All-Star Challenge, as well as rising-star Carlo Biado who ruled the Sipag at Tiyaga-Search for the New Billiards Idol Special Edition, which served as the undercard of this two-day event sponsored by Camella Communities and supported by ABS-CBN, the Philippine Star, Yamaha, Tanduay and the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines.
Ronnie Nathanielz
Bata, Alcano Face Off in Rotation Match
Press Release | May 10, 2009
Reyes vs Alcano in Villar Cup
Press Release | May 4, 2008
Bata vs Alcano in Philippine Challenge Match
Press Release | Jun 23, 2009


text:
Brazil May Have the Answers ...
A Soccer Fable: The Day ...
Brazil May Have the Answers to Many Global Ecological and Social Ills
by Duncan Crowley July 7, 2014
Brazil is a fantastic country, in an amazing part of the world. For many years I have been intrigued by this corner of the world; not just Brazil, but the entire Latin American sub continent. Back in Ireland during the "tiger years", those few of us who cared about what were then still "unpopular" issues like the environment, social justice and the idea of pursuing a sane economic model that wouldn't cost the earth, we looked toward what was going on here and drew inspiration.
From afar, it seemed that something special was happening. That after such a long and disgusting period subjected to outer economic and political interference, more and more of the peoples of the "New World" were growing in confidence, finally standing up for themselves, and starting to turn their dreams into the lived reality.
It seemed that there was a radical creativity coming from Brazil in particular. New ways of thinking and doing things, with many processes based on deep and very inclusive communication systems. Slowly, these ideas were making their way Northward, from the "Global South" to Europe and Ireland.
And it was not just in one specific area, it was in many different areas of life. Through my own areas of interest, first as a social and political activist, I heard about the amazing work of Augusto Boal and his theatre / activist technique "Theatre of the Oppressed".
After that, it was the experiments coming from Porto Alegre; the World Social Forum. This being the opening of a new space and process to peoples of the world to discuss what sort of world they wished to live in. Then lastly as an architect working in ecology, it was hearing about a place referred to as the "Greenest city on Earth", Curitiba.
World respected ecologists, such as Bill Mc Kibben were pointing to the city and claiming it to be a "Global Model For Development". Was it really as amazing as it was claimed? That's why I'm here, its my home now, I'm still investigating…
As the world enters times of deeper ecological and social crisis, many people like myself feel that much of the solutions to these huge problems we are facing will be found in places like Brazil.
Brazil is a huge country, twice the landmass of India, and it has made huge positive steps in recent years. It has both shocked the old guard and challenged old accepted views of what "development" means. Its economy has become very well respected, now the 5th largest on the planet, earning its letter "B" in the nicely named global economic block; BRICS.
More importantly though, is how Brazil used its new found wealth. It chose to redistribute it more fairly, in an attempt to make a more just and inclusive society. There are not many other regions in the world who can claim to have lifted nearly 40 million people out of poverty in the same amount of time.
Also during these last few years, it seems the global tables have turned. Much of the "Old world" is now experiencing a terrible economic crisis and things in the land of the, not nearly as nicely named economic block, "PIGS" seem to just go from bad to worse.
I lived for 7 years in Barcelona, when I arrived the trend was Latinos coming to Europe to seek work and a better life. Now its the reverse, with a youth unemployment rate in Spain of nearly 60%, many Latinos are returning home and many Europeans have packed their bags and gone with them.
Despite the incredible amount of positive developments of recent years, the country has a long way yet to go. There is still a long journey to sort the old and nasty tensions: political corruption, crime, drugs, gangs, inequality, racism, lack of indigenous rights, deep class division and mistrust… Yes its come a long way, but it will take a lot more vision, creativity, time, effort and work to get Brazil to where it could be.
So, the cup is here. But, have you heard that there has been much anger in Brazil over the last few months due to the arrival of the world's greatest sporting event? Perhaps you have seen the massive protests that happened all over the country in June last year; from hundreds to thousands to millions in the streets, weeks of demonstrations, anger, confrontations with the police, overturned cars, buildings taken over, streets in flames…
Also police baton charges, tear gas, rubber bullets, lots of injuries, even deaths… Nasty! We even saw the current Brazilian president, Dilma Rousseff, express support for the protests. She herself was a Marxist urban guerrilla who was imprisoned and tortured for protesting the military dictatorship (1967-1985). But, despite her support, her popularity rating has come crashing down, from 57% to 30%.
The important question is; Why all the anger? More and more people simply feel that FIFA are not arriving with their circus for the benefit of the normal people of the country, but for the 1% who will benefit massively from the games. People are angry that the government have paid out nearly twice the original bill, when the country desperately needs a decent infrastructure; schools, hospitals, a proper public transport system…
It was actually a small rise in the cost of a transport ticket in São Paulo that sparked the massive protests last year. By the way, the people won that battle, the fare stayed the same, this is an important fact. Sometimes when you fight, you do win.
There has also been global indignation at the horrific stories and images coming from the evictions of the favelas, the squatter communities that exist all over the country where the poorest of Brazil's poor live. Lastly are the deeply disturbing images of what can only be described as ethnic cleansing of the poor by the infamous BOPE, the military police, in Rio.
It seems the majority of Brazilians don't think that FIFA's World Cup is here to improve the lives of ALL. In both the lead up to and during the Cup, people will complain and protest. Brazil is a football mad country, many politicians were hoping that once the games started that locals would simply focus on how well the host country does.
In a recent online poll in Brazil, only 22 percent of people in the country are even going to root for Brazil during the World Cup. I mean, the amount of dissatisfaction with what FIFA has done in conjunction with the Workers' Party is reaching historic heights.
The problem is that first Lula and then Dilma told the country very explicitly that the World Cup was not just going to be a soccer tournament; it was going to walk hand in hand with even more developments, more money, more employment, more opportunity for people.
And when folks see the gap between the promises for the World Cup and the actuality of what it's bringing, and in the context of actually much smaller growth rates in the country than existed even three years ago, that's what's really fueling a great deal of the discontent, because when you see a stadium being built for $500 million, and there's no food on the table, there's no healthcare, and education has gotten, by many measures, worse, then it breeds the kind of anger that you're seeing right now.
The Workers' Party is using both carrots and sticks as a way to quell the protests. Like, they are telling the folks in both the homeless and Landless Workers' Movements – they're the folks doing the occupation next to the stadium – that they'll talk to them about maybe using that empty lot to build more public housing, while at the same time also sending in the police with the rubber bullets, with the tear gas, and also trying to pass legislation to make demonstrating a crime akin to terrorism.
Possibly the greatest footballer of all time, Pelé, is even quoted as saying: "It's clear that politically speaking, the money spent to build the stadiums was a lot, and in some cases was more than it should have been. … Some of this money could have been invested in schools, in hospitals. … Brazil needs it. That's clear."
People will complain and protest and hopefully through these actions, positive change will come to Brazil. Some groups have called for a full boycott of the event, while some will march and perhaps riot behind the #NãoVaiTerCopa (There will not be a cup) banner which could lead to very ugly scenes and responses from the Brazilian police.
But some groups recognize that the cup is going to happen and with that, are trying to use the event as a tool to make real positive change, all be it on a small scale. I am supporting and participating with a great initiative from one such group in my hometown: #Cheerforpeace, its symbol is the redefined three fingered peace sign you can see below.
While there is much to be against, we are putting our energy and creativity into being FOR things; an idea of a peaceful state or way of being, based on three interconnected fundamental core principles: Social – Environmental – Economic
The campaign has been developed by Brazilian students and it has an open co-creative philosophy, thereby trying to evolve as different people get involved with the project. It attempts to create a dialogue about the real impact of the World Cup and to try to make steps toward the whole World Cup process being more ecologically and socially just. A fundraising campaign has been set up and the money will be used to assist in three areas, each relating to one of the core principles:
Trees planted by SOS Mata Atlântica, an NGO that plants them in the devastated Atlantic Rainforest, they are monitored for 5 years and certified for optimal survival rates.
Although this campaign does not have the solutions to all the big problems facing Brazil, what it is doing, is promoting a vision of sustainable and socially just change and using this moment to demonstrate that vision through action, while the world looks on over the next few weeks. All of us involved come from a wide span of backgrounds, but we find common ground in this project and all agree that the holistic approach is the only choice we have.
The three pillars of the campaign do not stand alone. Each one supports and reinforces the other two, all are mutually interdependent. The true richness and power of things resulting from the interaction and overlapping of each. In finishing off this article I will briefly explore each of the pillars in more detail:
The overall environmental cost of this World Cup, in terms of CO2 emissions generated, will make it the highest for any sporting event, ever. With an estimated 3.1 million Brazilians and 600,000 foreign travelers coming to watch the games and having to travel great distances between games by airplane, it will be TWICE that of the last World Cup, the 2010 South African Cup.
That Cup was one of the biggest environmental impacts of any sporting event in history, generating 2.75m tonnes of carbon emissions. That event had a carbon footprint eight times that of the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
Our response is that part of the money raised will go to planting trees in the devastated Atlantic Rainforest, all along the coast of Brazil. These plantations will go to somewhat offset the massive levels of CO2 emissions generated by the cup. The trees will be planted by SOS Mata Atlântica, an NGO going since 1985, the plants will be monitored for 5 years and certified for optimal survival rates.
The #CheerForPeace Brazil Jerseys that will be given to the underprivileged Youth in Brazil are made from 100% recycled plastic bottles.
The campaign is being supported by and supporting back the e-book Jabujicaba, financial contributors have various options they wish to donate to #CheerForPeace, one option includes receiving a copy of the e-book:
Which is about immersing yourself in the novel, falling in love with the rainforest, and engaging in action to help save it. A portion of the proceeds from the e-book go to the World Land Trust towards forest conservation.
We are also setting up a big event on Sunday 15th of June, rather than having the normal type of food and drink party of hotdogs and Soft drinks, we will be offering more healthy options using organic fruit and veg sourced locally from suppliers in the city.
Obviously the base of the quality of life in Brazil, a country of massive extremes, is one of economic well being. There is huge wealth here, huge resources and lots of money going around. But, like this World Cup, it does not "trickle down" to all in society. So having views on that is one thing, but moving from views to action is the next step. Testing those views and trying to create moments, spaces and processes for change, this is the challenge to which #CheerForPeace has thrown itself into.
The fundraising drive was set up, 10,000 US dollars was the hoped for goal. We have asked people coming here to "give a little back" to those that wont benefit in any way from the millions who visit. We are also asking people outside to assist, basic charity. Its quite normal for people in the richer "North" or "First World" to assist the poorer "South" or "Developing World", but is it as normal for the richer ones in the "South" to help their own brothers and sisters?
Turns out, not so much. We hope this campaign challenges such norms in the hope that Brazilians do a little more to help themselves. Obviously simply giving money wont solve all the problems, unfortunately for many in richer countries it is felt that all problems can be solved by simply "throwing a little cash back".
The fundraising campaign kicks off a dialogue, it forces people to stop for a moment to consider the argument and maybe give something. If everyone just gave a fiver, there would be a lot of trees being planted and food being eaten, that might not happen otherwise.
The second chunk of money donated to the campaign goes to donating meals to Brazilian communities in need. This is not restricted to Curitiba but passed onto groups around Brazil through the networks that the campaign supports and works with.
We always try to demonstrate best practice, to highlight sustainable practices and groups in the city. So rather than simply go for a cheaper option; lowest quality food from giant supermarket chain, we have approached Curitiba's wonderful Municipal Market. Some of their Organics sector kindly donated food for next Sundays event. Again the mutual support, the mixing of the pillars. This also tries to promote stronger local economies and might lead to better opportunities for employment for people in the future as well as a more resilient city.
The basic strength of the World Cup is that it is something which brings the world together, for a brief moment, we are one. Those that travel, shout, roar, sing and cry along with their teams. The footballers who go out and play. The ones at home also shouting, roaring and crying. Even those whose team didn't make it, but tune in avidly and share in the highs and lows just the same.
At the end of the day we are social animals and being together is what we do. #CheerForPeace recognizes this and works with it to the maximum: It is allowing different people to come together and to try to make a difference. It is bringing together different groups of people and bringing those people to different places. For some, that even means going far beyond the limits of their normal comfort zone. This applies to both foreigners and Brazilians alike, as for many it will be the first time in their lives entering the zones where their poorer neighbors live, the shanty town, the favela.
Some urbanists claim that as world trends continue, soon 1 in 4 people living on the planet will be living in such a settlement and that they are not "falling into poverty", as is often the claim, but actually getting out of poverty by the fastest means possible. While many in the "West" or "North", or even Brazil for that matter, view the favela in a totally negative light; a place of drugs, gangs, murder, crime, violence etc…
Incredible things are also happening here, some of the most interesting and exciting ideas are coming from such worlds, especially in terms of design, recycling, micro business, women's rights, grassroots political activism.. There is much for the world to learn yet. (For more on that I'd direct you to the research of Stewart Brand and Robert Neuwirth)
Personally, I feel the idea of connection to be the key to all things; all problems, all solutions. Once we are thrown together, we adapt and learn. Normally it is the basic fear of "the other" that puts up the walls of distrust, jealousy, even hate, which lead to many of society's rotten ills like racism and sectarianism. For me, as a newly arrived English speaking Irish immigrant to Curitiba, just another "Gringo" to the Brazilians, #CheerForPeace has allowed me to connect to something, to make friends, to share ideas and dreams, to learn a lot quickly, to end up in places I might not have ever ended up… and for all of that I am thankful. Hopefully my input will help.
The history of the project came from a Brazilian women, a Curitibana, who moved to Canada. Seeing the power of football, the global game, but being aware of the major differences between the two countries, she decided to make a difference. She collected up old football jerseys in Canada and packed them into her suitcase when she came home, she started to distribute these to the poorest communities in Curitiba and the state of Paraná.
Then she started organizing trips with the students of Fanshawe College, where she worked in Canada, back to her hometown in Brazil. So Canadian youngsters came to Brazil and saw a very different reality from what they left behind. They donated the jerseys, played football games with their new Brazilian friends and generally got to find out about each other and each others worlds. A few years later, this exchange had grown into the NGO Football for Kids Foundation.
Some time back more Canadian students did some charity work and got very nice red football jerseys sponsored for kids in the largest Favela in Brazil, Rocinha. They traveled there and learned about the reality and challenges of life there. Later in Curitiba there was another great team of architecture students who came to a place in the city that doubles up as a kids zone and food distribution point for a favela, there they designed and built a colorful lively play zone for the kids in what had been previously a drab space, they also gave out a few tops. You can see the look of joy on the face of one of the young kids below.
From these great initiatives and through connections to Brazilian students here in Curitiba #CheerForPeace was born and in a few days time, next Sunday, will be our first major event. The day before the first World Cup game in the city we will go to the cities most central favela Vila Torres for a peoples World Cup, its an open event, all are welcome and there will be football games, free food, art, games… a day of celebration for the community that can see the stadium but have no other means to feel part of the World Cup party.
So, these little events in themselves are not going to change the world. But, what they are doing, is creating small steps toward more individuals, more people, more communities breaking down the barriers that separate them. Each learning from the other, confronting the wrongs, injustices and reasons of poverty, building mutual understanding, finding shared dreams and visions, exchanging skills, different views and wisdom, understanding ideas of global solidarity…
These little events wont change the world, but they are laying the foundations for movements that will.
Opera Comes to Favela
An amazing day happened on Sunday 15th of June 2014 in Vila Torres, Curitiba, the day before the city saw its first of four World Cup games. Vila Torres is the most central and oldest of the many underprivileged Favelas of the city. Its a tough existence here, people with next to nothing do what they can, despite all the challenges that face them on a day to day existence.
Like all of the city and the country, people love their football. But unlike the more well to do parts of society, the community here had no means to get in on the excitement of the World Cup. So the Brazilian student led movement #CheerForPeace decided to change that, to try to bring a little bit of the magic here too.
What unfolded was weeks of building a movement, working with the community and pulling together whatever was available or possible to make a truly special day for all the football loving fans there. Huge thanks to all who supported, donated, came and shared in the day, hopefully all enjoyed the event.
This was just the first of many more events. Huge respect must be given to the extraordinary women behind the local school, the Organização de Desenvolvimento do Potencial Humano (ODPH): Valdimê, Kauann and all the gang… With leadership, strength and love like these remarkably strong and resilient women have, the future will indeed be feminine!
The event was a great success, about 200 kids came, played, made juices from the peddle powered bike machine / juice maker, ate organic vegan food, played football, danced, got their faces painted… And a whole lot more.
Canadian students from Alberta and their teacher Nick arrived and donated a whole load of green tops, boots and footballs. Also a coach from the local football ground Paraná FC kindly came and gave a free training class to anyone who wanted, some great little players in the barrio, both boys and girls.
Equating healthy eating with a party… that's a first for Vila Torres. A "Great Event with Great Food" (not Junk food) provided generously by the Organic Growers Association of the Mercado Municipal De Curitiba – ASCESME. Special thanks to the amazing chef Igor Oliveira and the man responsible for sorting all the great organic food for the event: Sebastião Martins Coelho. Although some kids were not too happy, maybe preferring Cola and hot dogs, hopefully the event opened a wider debate about healthy eating, local markets and wider issues of a healthier local economy.
Although word was sent to a host of both local and international media, many of which said they would come to report the event in the favela, only one did come to cover the story. Subsequently there has been no reports of any the local or international media. The only communications with the wider world about the goings on, coming from a few brief blog reports by some small groups and individuals. The following day Irish radio did cover the story for 5 minutes on RTE's Joe Duffy show Liveline.
The unprecedented #CheerForPeace Give&Game Fan Fest for the Rest in Vila Torres, Curitiba closed on a high-note withe beautiful Opera from English-Brazilian artist Penelope belting out a few tunes, Albert hall it might not be, but all there felt it was a perfect end to a very special day.
favela
Duncan Crowley
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text:
Le Wisma Atria est un centre commercial et un gratte-ciel de bureaux de 104 mètres de hauteur construit à Singapour en 1987. Il est situé sur Orchard Road.

Le bâtiment construit sur l'ancien site de l'ambassade indonésienne (d'où le nom de « Wisma ») a été conçu par l'agence singapourienne d'architecture DP Architects

Il a été rénové en 2005.

Liens internes

Liste des plus hauts gratte-ciel de Singapour

Liens externes

 Wisma Atria sur Emporis
 Wisma Atria sur Skyscraperpage

Gratte-ciel à Singapour
Gratte-ciel mesurant entre 100 et 149 mètres
Gratte-ciel construit en 1987
Centre commercial à Singapour
Orchard Road

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


For any business, customer feedback is invaluable to overall success and it's critical collect – and act on – feedback on a regular basis. Below, we've outlined several benefits of having a process in place to proactively collect, analyze and address feedback.
Whether your customer retention is high or you're seeing an increase in customer turnover, the only way to truly understand customer satisfaction levels is by listening to their feedback. Some customers might reach out directly and share their thoughts on what they like or dislike about your product or service. But your business should also be proactive when it comes to soliciting customer feedback.
Make sure you include contact information on your website so customers can easily submit feedback. Also consider sending out customer surveys quarterly – or whenever works best for your business – and ask customers for their thoughts on your product or service overall, their experience with your customer service and other related topics. And if your business has the resources to do so, hire a customer service or customer success team, dedicated to staying in touch with customers, ensuring they have a great experience with your business and collecting valuable feedback. Analyzing feedback from surveys and your customer success team can help your business determine what's working and what's not – and identify ways to continuously improve the customer experience.
Once you have an understanding of what's working and what's not, have a process in place to use feedback to inform future product or service updates and meet the needs of your customers. For example, if your customers request a specific product feature, you can consider adding it to your product roadmap. Or if they're running into certain challenges with customer service, you can complete training with your team to address this feedback. Over time, embracing feedback can lead to improved customer satisfaction, a stronger product or service offering and increased sales.
Whether you receive positive or negative feedback, always acknowledge it so your customers know you value their feedback. Doing so will make customers feel more like partners in shaping the future of your business – and therefore, be more likely to remain loyal customers for the long haul. On the other hand, if they feel like feedback is being overlooked, your customers might not feel a true connection to your business and move on to another product or service with a team that will listen.
Your loyal customers are also more likely to turn into brand advocates. By acknowledging customer feedback, they'll likely be more willing to recommend your product or service to friends, family and others in their network, leading to continued growth for your business. And once you've identified brand advocates within your customer base, think of other ways you can tap into their feedback – including more detailed testimonials, case studies and more.
Customer feedback not only gives you much-needed data to improve your business, but it also offers the opportunity to share success stories and positive feedback across a variety of channels. With your customers' permission, you can share their feedback with the rest of your customer base – and prospects – via email marketing, social media and your website. Doing so will help your company attract more customers once they have an understanding of the great customer experience you offer.
At Hireology, our team is always hard at work on the latest product and customer service developments, and customer feedback plays a significant role in continuously improving our business offerings. Do you have feedback to share? If so, don't hesitate to contact your dedicated Customer Success Manager.


text:
Tracey Tawhiao
Tracey Tawhiao (Ngai te Rangi, Whakatohea, Tuwharetoa) was born in 1967. She is a multi-skilled contemporary artist who has studied and worked in a variety of fields. She is a writer, performance poet, filmmaker, qualified lawyer and practising artist. Her artworks convey the breadth of her experience and her position as a Maori woman in a European-dominated society. She is a regular contributor to Te Ao Maori Collective and her work has been incorporated into several Contemporary Maori art group shows. The book 'Taiawhio: Conversations with Contemporary Artists' includes a chapter on this artist and one of her artworks features on the cover of this publication.
Her practice employs the unconventional art material of newspaper. Her use of this media evolved from her interest in the written word and text and is an extension of her live performances in which she highlights the oral aspect of Maori history. The newspaper series has its origins in Tawhiao's youth, when as a way of brightening up her grandparent's home on Matakana Island in the Hauraki Gulf, she suggested redecorating their newspaper-covered walls with colourful murals. While completing this project she noticed the negative connotations in the headlines and decided to embark on her series of artworks that subvert the 'truth' of the daily news.
Tawhiao employs pages of newspapers such as the New Zealand Herald and the New York Times and obscuring certain passages of their text using alternating blocks of boldly coloured oil pastel and single graphic symbols. The symbols she uses are sourced from Maori rock art and Creation myths. She has also created her own visual language comprising of fish motifs and other symbols that relate to her Matakana Island heritage. Her blanking out of news stories acts to 'rewrite' them from an alternative, Maori perspective. By obscuring certain words in a headline or passages of an article she changes the focus of each news item and subverts the editorial slant.
Click a link below to view artworks by this artist:
View All Artworks by this Artist


With just a 6 weeks to go until the Tokyo Marathon, I'm trying to get in as much training in as I can.
The other night I decided to take my camera with me to document my run …and it kind of turned into a mini-documentary about what running means to me.
I started off on the Imperial Palace circuit, before heading off to Shimbashi, then down to Tokyo Tower, before finally running back home.
This was also an experiment in making music: I recently purchased Apple's sound editing software, Logic Pro X, and thought I'd see if I could put together a couple of tracks for this.


text:
These new laws are coming into effect in 2018
This year has seen plenty of changes - some of which, we're sure, you've probably already heard of
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2018 is a year of major change in terms of legislation.
This year has seen plenty of changes - some of which, we're sure, you've probably already heard of.
Typically, it takes a while for laws to come into effect after the Government first announces them.
So don't be alarmed if you already know these laws below.
But you should definitely be aware - and, if you didn't know about them, you do now.
These are the laws it's imperative you know about over the course of 2018 - and, more importantly, how they are set to impact your day-to-day life.
May 2018 - UK Data Protection Bil
The UK government's new data protection legislation, which will implement the vast majority of GDPR was published on September 14, 2017.
The bill must pass through the House of Commons and the House of Lords before it becomes law.
Matt Hancock, Minister of State for Digital, said the measures are designed to "give consumers the confidence that their data is protected and those who misuse it will be held to account".
If passed, the Data Protection Bill will bring British law into line with the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which will become enforceable from May 2018.
It will be easier to withdraw your consent for the use of your personal data
You will be able to ask for your personal data held by companies to be erased
Parents and guardians will be able to give consent for their child's data to be used
Companies will have to gain your 'explicit' consent before processing your sensitive personal data
Your IP address, internet cookies and DNA will also be classified as 'personal data'
It will be easier and free to see what personal data an organisation holds on you
It will be easier to move data between service providers
Companies will face increased penalties for breaking the rules
Teenager Damilola Johnson GUILTY of murdering 'trusting' stab victim during bungled break-in
Apr 2018 – Gender pay gap
England, Wales and Scotland employers with at least 250 employees will be required to publish information about the differences in pay between men and women in their workforce, based on a pay bill 'snapshot' date of 5 April 2017, under the Equality Act 2010 (Gender Pay Gap Information) Regulations 2017.
he first reports must be published by 4 April 2018.
This is what's new on Netflix in January 2018 - TV shows, movies and more
Apr 2018 – Termination payments
The government plans to make changes to the taxation of termination payments from April 2018. T
he proposals include:
removing the distinction between contractual and non-contractual PILONs (payments in lieu of notice) so that all PILONs are taxable and subject to Class 1 NICs
ensuring that the first £30,000 of a termination payment remains exempt from income tax and that any payment paid to any employee that relates solely to the termination of the employment continues to have an unlimited employee NICs exemption
aligning the rules for income tax and employer NICs so that employer NICs will be payable on payments above £30,000 (which are currently only subject to income tax)
Theresa May promises to plough on with Brexit after humiliating Commons defeat
Apr 2018 - Employment Allowance changes
The government plans to introduce a further deterrent to the employment of illegal workers.
From April 2018, employers will not be able to claim the Employment Allowance for one year if they have:
hired an illegal worker
been penalised by the Home Office
exhausted all appeal rights against that penalty.
Apr - Minimum Energy Performance Ratings
From 1st April 2018, there will be a requirement for any privately rented properties to have a minimum energy performance rating of E.
The government has announced it will be unlawful to rent out a property which breaches this minimum rating.
A civil penalty of up to £4,000 will be imposed for landlords who do - meaning properties which fall in the F or G category will no longer be acceptable.
May - MOT scrapped on classic cars
From May 2018, 293,000 cars in Britain will be exempt from having an MOT test.
Under new plans, cars that are over 40 years old won't have to take the annual road safety test.
This means around 1.5 per cent of cars in Britain will not have an MOT certificate, but will be road legal.
The Department for Transport defended the decision from suggestions it was an unsafe move, by saying owners of older cars usually keep them in the good condition and don't use them regularly enough for an MOT test to be necessary.
TBC - Grandparental leave/parental bereavement
Two years ago, David Cameron's government stated its intention to extend shared parental leave and pay to working grandparents by 2018.
But Theresa May's government has yet to indicate whether it intends to pursue the policy.
Likewise, a year ago, the government backed a private members' bill, the Parental Bereavement (Leave and Pay) Bill.
The Bill, currently progressing through Parliament, will entitle employees who lose a child under the age of 18 to two weeks' leave, paid at the statutory rate if they have 26 weeks' service.
The government is aiming for the new law to be in force in 2020.
TBC - Drones
Drones - unmanned aircraft - are becoming increasingly regulated amid health and safety fears.
In 2018, the UK government is introducing new laws which mean users will need to take a basic online safety test and register their drone in order to lawfully use it.
Police will also be able to search and seize drones if they have grounds for suspicion. The test has been described as 'similar to a driving theory test.'
I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of HereITV I'm A Celebrity's Danny Miller makes family announcement with fiancée Steph"We're just going to show you a bit of our lives and hope you enjoy it," the Aaron Dingle star from ITV Emmerdale shared.
Gemma Collins concerns fans with 'upset' Instagram video
The Only Way Is EssexThe GC, who is a former The Only Way Is Essex star, posted an Instagram Story this morning.
Sandwell council told to get "a corporate grip" as it accepts improvement plan
Black CountryThe improvement plan comes as local councillors heard recommendations from Grant Thornton
The ChaseAnne Hegerty, also known as the Governess and Frosty Knickers, was in the studio on Wednesday for the third episode of the week.
Escape to the Chateau's Dick Strawbridge admits to 'little bit of concern'
Channel 4Nowadays, Dick and wife Angel are going from strength to strength - but it was not always that easy for them.
Your MoneyMobile and broadband bills warning as every customer faces huge price hikesCustomers of BT, EE, Vodafone and Plusnet will see their bills increase the most following the latest Consumer Price Index (inflation) figure
Rule change affecting Aston Villa on the cards after Premier League chaos
Aston Villa FCAston Villa, who have seen a games called off recently, host Leeds United on February 9 when new rules could be in place by
ITV I'm A Celebrity's Danny Miller makes family announcement with fiancée Steph
I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here"We're just going to show you a bit of our lives and hope you enjoy it," the Aaron Dingle star from ITV Emmerdale shared.
Government make major announcement affecting Aston Villa, Birmingham, West Brom and Wolves fans
Coronavirus'Plan B' placed tougher restrictions on football fans at matches


While working in my first job as a shared learning support/resource teacher I created a language box using a variety of different resources. I spent hours cutting, laminating, organising and labelling the resources. The following year, I got a job as a mainstream teacher and didn't use the language box at all so when I decided to move to the UK I gave the language box away to a delighted learning support teacher in my school. A year later I returned from Brighton and had to make a new language box. Sourcing the resources was difficult and time consuming but I used it daily in the resource room and use it very regularly in the classroom too.
There are resources to suit all abilities and different age groups. Most of the resources were sourced free online and some are from speech and language therapists.
These are from Seomra Ranga.
Read the statement; Coal is black. Name 3 other things that are black. The first child who puts their hand up says the 3 things and their team gets a point. The 2nd child is then given a chance to say 3 different things and earn a point for their team.
The children absolutely love the game and its great to develop their recall skills.
These are also from Seomra Ranga. I just printed them in colour and laminated. There are lots of ways to use these.
Whole class discussions of the statement.
Brainstorm arguments for or against the statement.
Walking debate – children walk to one side if they are for the statement or to the other side if they are against.
Divide the children who agree and those who disagree into different groups. Give them 10 minutes to write down and discuss their arguments with their groups. Debate the topics.
Unfortunately, I can't find the original source of the 'Would you Rather' Cards. However, these are great from The Measured Mom.
There are some fantastic resources available from Black Sheep Press.
I love these Idiom cards.
These are great practice for phonics/reading/spelling etc.
Children need to find the digraphs to help them read the word. (The ones without pictures of aliens are real words). These are available from Twinkl for the Year 1 Phonics Test in the UK.
What would you do if…. cards are available from Twinkl. These are great conversation starters and encourage the children to use their imagination/ previous knowledge to solve 'problems/issues'.
I find that if I keep my language resources in the same box then I use each of them more regularly as I don't have to go searching for individual resources. I laminate everything for the language box because I want the resources to last. I often print things on coloured paper too – this makes them more appealing and sometimes easier to find. I store the items in 2 different ways.
For smaller resources I use plastic CD sleeves – it keeps them together and then just label the front so you can find them easily.
If a child in your class is attending a speech and language therapist – contact them and ask for resources that you can use/ the resource teacher can use to support the child. They will often send you different photocopiable resources which you can use to support the child or use for the whole class.
Overall, I use the language box for oral language lessons, in small group work and for early finishers. The resource teacher also borrows it regularly when working with children with additional needs.