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One City; One and a Half Days; Eight Exhibitions; Two Women; and a Shortage of Colour
Doing eight exhibitions in a day and a half in London is madness, I admit, and not conducive to serious consideration of any of them. But there was no stand-out show that I had wanted to see in advance – lots that were interesting but nothing that felt 'must see' – so I went for quantity over quality (of appreciation, not work). Reflecting afterwards, these two women, Hannah Höch & Isabella Blow (my wife's choice for a visit), had the strongest impact on me & I also couldn't get the physical similarity out of my mind, either, hence the compiled image above. And the shortage of colour? The men – Ray-Jones & Parr at Media Space; Chris Shaw & Moriyama at Tate Britain; David Lynch, William Burroughs & Andy Warhol at the Photographers' Gallery – almost without exception (those being a handful of Burroughs' photos) these were black and white prints – hundreds of them!
Hannah Höch at the Whitechapel Gallery (here) was excellent. "Well, I can't exactly see them needing to close Whitechapel High Street because of the stampedes to see this one" is the opening sentence of Alastair Smart's Review on the Telegraph website! So attitudes to her work haven't improved much since 1930s Germany, it seems! (Though, to be fair, his comment is more about the attitude of others than his own.) Actually, even though the High Street was indeed still open, there were a lot of people viewing the exhibition last Sunday – and rightly so.
It's the first dedicated UK exhibition of her work – more than 35 years after her death and nearly a hundred years after the creation of some of the earliest works. Reading other reviews and the exhibition information, one gets the impression that there are what one might call some 'standard' views of her and her work – another classic being the comment from one of her fellow Berlin Dadaists that (more or less) she was good at providing beer and sandwiches (as the only female on the team, of course). I tried, in my rapid scan around this show, to focus on the work and, on the whole, I thoroughly enjoyed what I saw. There was some early stuff on show; then a wide selection from the Dada-influenced period in the 20s & 30s; and then a whole room dedicated to her Post Second World War work. It was the middle group that was strongest for me – deftly cut and assembled collages in subtle muted colours which, clothed in a velvet glove and presented with good humour, poked a forceful finger at pretty much everything around her – art in general; her fellow Dadaists; pompous politicians and business men; and, albeit with some care, the principles of the Nazis (from whom she eventually had to quietly hide away until the previously mentioned post-war period). I got a strong sense of the subversive anarchist, which appealed, and she still managed to organise the beer and sandwiches! Good for her! The more abstract post-war work just seemed more formal, more distant – also more thoughtful, perhaps, but lacking some of the energy and directness of the previous work. I'm delighted to have seen the show and may yet purchase what looked like an excellent catalogue – for further study and to help inform and inspire as I, potentially, do more collaging and montaging of my own.
Now, on to Somerset House and an exhibition which, I suppose, would not normally fall into the art category, but which made an impression in all sorts of ways – Isabella Blow: Fashion Galore. No photography was allowed, but somehow this image found its way onto my memory card.
Blow was, of course, highly influential in the fashion world in the eighties, nineties and noughties, until she took her own life in 2007. Her influence partly came through writing and editorial roles with Vogue, Tatler, Sunday Times etc, but she is probably best known as the champion of some of Britain's most successful young designers at the start of their careers – Alexander McQueen, Philip Treacy, and Julian MacDonald being some of the best known. Now let me emphasise, the world of fashion has only a passing interest for me, and whatever else I might be about to say about the show, it certainly emphatically re-affirmed notions of superficiality, extreme commercialism, indulgence, fierce pressure and competition, one might even go so far as to say pointlessness! However, here was another woman with strong convictions, determined to pursue the 'causes' she supported, and with a ruthless determination to make things happen. Here also was an opportunity to see, up-close and in-the-flesh, just what all the fuss is about in terms of the clothes. For example, Philip Treacy's hats – I don't suppose an endorsement from me is going to do much to further boost his reputation (!), but to see them in reality is to understand why so many women want wear them. Genius – a kind of irreverent attitude to the whole spatial and formal notion of what a hat might be!
Also worth a mention is the presentation of the exhibition itself – the use of the space; the steady build up from informative words and pictures on an intimate scale; through the placing of McQueen designs on museum-like pedestals; to the spectacle of the room above; industrial-style plastic hanging dividers and specially constructed staircase; then an insane large-screen presentation of one of McQueen's Paris shows; then a soft, slow exit to Bryan Ferry's voice! It works well – but it also left that feeling of insane pointlessness and waste! She took her own life; Alexander McQueen took his own life; the huge global commercial fashion circus rolls on, drawing in, chewing up and swallowing, sometimes spitting out, endless talent and creativity.
Then' it's just going to be, for now certainly, a passing mention for some other shows seen this week:
'Making it Up: Photographic Fictions' at the V&A
It was good to see originals from the likes of Hannah Starkey & Gregory Crewdson; but this type of mixed show, many artists all presented together in a single, relatively small room, doesn't really inform or inspire.
Media Space (Science Museum) – Tony Ray-Jones & Martin Parr
A very big show, which we 'consumed' rather quickly, late Sunday afternoon, but I'm glad to have seen it. It's in, broadly, three parts – Ray-Jones originals; Parr's Hebden Bridge images, which were directly influenced by and closely followed the Ray-Jones work; then Parr's selections from other Ray-Jones contact sheets (also on show), digitally printed for this show. A lot of the work is familiar, from books or previous shows I've seen, but it's a very comprehensive and informative (and amusing) exhibition – all in black and white! The contact sheets would have been worthy of more detailed study. It looked, from a quick scan, as though Ray-Jones typically shot four or five images of a particular scene, and that one or two selections from each roll of film was about the norm.
Tate Britain – Chris Shaw (and Daido Moriyama)
We hadn't planned to see this, but stumbled upon it in the Tate. The link is here. It covers three (black and white!) series from British photographer, Chris Shaw, with whom I was not familiar before. They are displayed alongside 3 or 4 Moriyama's (black & white – naturally) – he having been a major influence on Shaw's work. I enjoyed Shaw's "Weeds of Wallasey" – shot in the post-industrial wastelands of the Wirral, where he grew up. Look out for 'The haywain by constable'!
Photographers Gallery – Three Shows – Lynch, Burroughs & Warhol
Three (black & white!) shows were on at the Photographers' Gallery – all by 'non-photographers',so to speak – David Lynch; William Burroughs; and Andy Warhol. It was free entry day on Monday and the place was heaving mid-afternoon; and I was suffering exhibition (black & white!) fatigue by this stage. However, I did take one gem of a notion away from these shows. Andy Warhol liked to stitch images together. We're all familiar with his multi-exposure, colour screen print portraits, or bean cans, or whatever – but here we had photographic prints of, for example, Jerry Hall reclining on a sofa with a glass of champagne, nine of them all developed slightly differently, actually stitched together, with white thread, on a sewing machine by the look of it. That's one to think about in doing collage work!
As I said at the start of this post, eight shows in one and a half days doesn't really work. However, I'm particularly glad to have seen the Höch show and to have experienced something different with Isabella at Somerset House; now for a lie down.
This entry was posted in Exhibitions on January 22, 2014 by standickinson.
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2 thoughts on "One City; One and a Half Days; Eight Exhibitions; Two Women; and a Shortage of Colour"
jsumb January 22, 2014 at 16:59
Interesting Stan, but 8 shows in a day and a half, I thought we'd finished all that in Arles last year!
It was a busy show on Saturday also, maybe because it is still early in it's season, queues almost out of the building. Those queuing would, I agree, have got a lot from this exhibition, the singular approach to her work after her student days – unless we have been led to that conclusion by the curator (?) – was impressive and how she remained active for so long.
I may go TPG and see that show, though it's pull isn't strong I have to say.
standickinson Post author January 23, 2014 at 09:07
I noted some hint at questioning the curation in your own blog, John; is there something behind that? I did read one review (Independent, I think) which suggested that there was much left out – paintings and drawings – but I have to say I don't know enough about her to have a view on that. The collage work and use of found images to create meaning was of interest to me because I've been dabbling in some of that, as you know.
Regarding Photographers Gallery shows, I can't say that I would strongly recommend a visit. If you have a specific interest in Lynch, Burroughs or Warhol, then there will be a new dimension to appreciate through these photographs, I'm sure. But do they, on their own, have much to offer for a student of photography? I'd say, probably not.


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Home > Theses and Dissertations > Honors Theses > 111
Honors Undergraduate Theses
The United Nations: The Syrian Refugee Crisis
Zahra R. Syed, University of Central FloridaFollow
The main objective of this research paper is to analyze the international effects the Syrian Conflict has had to the global community. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has declared this conflict to be the worst humanitarian crisis of our time. Millions of Syrians have fled their home country to avoid unjust persecution and are looking to not only neighboring countries, but the European Union for assistance in resettlement.
Since the outbreak of the conflict in Syria in 2011, more than 220,000 people have been massacred, leaving fifty percent of the population in unrest due to home displacement. According to Amnesty International, apart from the twelve million Syrians who are in dire need of humanitarian assistance inside the country, there are about four million refugees fleeing to countries such as Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, and Iraq. These five countries are unable to maintain the capacity of refugees that are desperate to pour in from Syria. Further gulf countries such as Qatar, United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia have refused to offer any resettlement venues for these migrants. Therefore, a plethora of European Union countries have received many asylum applications over the course of four years. Germany and Sweden have pledged resettlement locations for these refugees however relying on these two countries is not enough.
This paper provides a historical background of the civil war in Syria, along with what the United Nations has done thus far to end the conflict. It will also analyze similar refugee situations in other countries in the region and compare it that in Syria. Finally, it will provide possible solutions of how the Refugee Agency, Human Rights Council, and Security Council can operate as a whole to distinguish this horrifying hostility in the region.
Thesis Completion
Thesis Chair
Sadri, Houman A.
Orlando (Main) Campus
Syed, Zahra R., "The United Nations: The Syrian Refugee Crisis" (2016). Honors Undergraduate Theses. 111.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/honorstheses/111
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Don't believe the overstated 'headline estimates' of unemployment
By John A. Tatom, opinion contributor — 06/02/20 08:30 AM EDT
Since COVID-19 deaths began to rise in mid-March, people have awakened every Thursday to the latest report of the number of unemployed associated with virus-related shutdowns. A recent "headline estimate" of job loss was 40.8 million people, but a more reasonable and accurate number is less than half that. The overstated loss in employment of 23 million people is large and grows every week.
The headline estimate is based on adding the number of "initial claims" for unemployment compensation, filed with state unemployment insurance offices each week, to the total from the week before. The report is issued by the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration for the week ending the previous Saturday. But each week, the same report includes the continued claims for unemployment — called insured unemployment — which includes those who claim they were unemployed for at least a week and who are due unemployment compensation.
People who file initial claims are often subsequently revised off the rolls because their claim was invalid or because they obtained jobs before they could claim their first weekly benefit. Each week some of the past unemployed drop out of the "continued claims" data because they find new jobs or, these days, are called back to existing ones, and are no longer eligible for unemployment compensation.
Another problem with the headline estimate of lost employment is that it uses seasonally adjusted data, which do not count actual people, but rather estimates that add or subtract people based on normal seasonal patterns. For the headline measure reported over the past 10 weeks, the sum of initial claims has exceeded the actual number by up to 3.2 million people each week. Applying a seasonal adjustment to data largely based on an unprecedented government shutdown of businesses yields a meaningless result. Unadjusted data are used here.
Continued claims data, released with a one-week delay, show a much smaller number of the growing unemployed. According to that measure, the number unemployed since March 14 — when it equaled 2.1 million — rose to 19.1million in the week ending May 16, a rise of 17.0 million. This is less than half the headline number, but it is for a period ending a week earlier. For the same week, May 16, the headline sum of initial claims was reported to be 38.6 million, about 21.6 million more than the estimated 17 million based on the rise in continued claims.
Some part of initial claims for the week of May 16 will be added to continued claims for the week ending May 23. Based on the past relationship between initial claims and continued claims, the continued claims for the latest week of May 23, are estimated by the author to be 17.6 million, which will be only 43 percent of the widely reported headline estimate of 40.8 million people.
So, did unemployment rise by 40.8 million because of the surge in coronavirus over the past 10 weeks? Absolutely not. Because of factors such as seasonal adjustment, mistakes by initial claimants, errors in whether workers were truly unemployed, or workers obtaining new jobs or getting their former jobs back, continued claims data suggest the correct rise in unemployment as of May 23 was only about 17.6 million. Indeed, a recent Federal Reserve survey indicates that 9 out of 10 of those who lost their jobs because of the coronavirus shutdown expect to be called back to their old jobs. The slower the reopening of their employer's businesses, however, the less likely are those expectations to be realized.
Nonetheless, the rise in unemployment is still massive — though the evidence here provides a strong warning that fears of Great Depression levels of unemployment are not likely to occur because of the pandemic. Instead, the unemployment rate for April rose to 14.7 percent from March, still well above the post-World War II peak of 10.8 percent at the end of 1982, instead of an excess of 20 percent expected by many observers. It is not likely to rise much further from here, if at all.
Moreover, in 1983, the unemployment rate fell in the 12 months after its peak, largely because of the Reagan tax cuts kicking in, by 2.5 percentage points. This time, the relaxed constraints of the government-induced rise in the unemployment rate should bring it down much more rapidly.
The old Chinese curse, "May you live in interesting times," is wholly inadequate to describe the surge in deaths from COVID-19 to more than 100,000 in the U.S. in 10 weeks (from March 17, when 121 had died, to 100,572 on May 26, according to Worldometers.info), the near shutdown of the economy, with a recession decline at a 5 percent rate in the first quarter the year, a rise in unemployment to 4.4 percent in March and even larger rise in April to 14.7 percent. We need not overestimate the pain, at least in terms of the size of the rise in the number unemployed.
John A. Tatom is a fellow in the Institute for Applied Economics, Global Health and the Study of Business Enterprise, Johns Hopkins University, and a former executive director and head of Country Risk and Limit Control at UBS AG in Zurich.
Tags Department of Labor Unemployment economy COVID-19 shutdown orders


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Q: App has stopped working - Android I tried searching on similar questions but couldn't get what I wanted. I tried reading the logs and searched for CAUSED BY: and this is what I got:
caused by : java.lang.NullPointerException

Here's my code:
public class MainActivity extends ActionBarActivity {

    int counter;
    Button add,sub;
    TextView display;

protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
    setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);
        counter = 0;
        add = (Button)findViewById(R.id.button1);
        sub = (Button)findViewById(R.id.button2);
        display = (TextView)findViewById(R.id.text1);
        add.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {

            public void onClick(View v) {
                counter = counter +1;
                display.setText("your total is "+ counter);
                                        }
            });
sub.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {

    public void onClick(View v) {
        counter = counter -1;
        display.setText("your total is "+ counter);
                                }
        });
     }

and the xml file:
 <TextView
    android:layout_width="fill_parent"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:text="@string/ref"
    android:id="@+id/text1"
    android:layout_gravity="center"
    android:gravity="center"
    android:textSize="40sp"
/>

<Button
    android:layout_width="400dp"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:id="@+id/button1"
    android:layout_below="@+id/text1"
    android:text="@string/refbut1"
    />
<Button
    android:layout_width="400dp"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:id="@+id/button2"
android:layout_below= "@+id/button1"
android:text="@string/refbut2"
    />

activity main xml file:
<FrameLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
 xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
 android:id="@+id/container"
 android:layout_width="match_parent"
 android:layout_height="match_parent"
 tools:context="com.liall.tutorialfrominternet.MainActivity"
 tools:ignore="MergeRootFrame" />

A: Next time you posting a question please provide the full crash log so that we would at least know in what line you get the exception.
NullPointerException is an Exception of type NullPointerException, the jvm will through this exception when a reference is being made for an object that wasn't initialized or was initialized with null value.
In this example the you did initialized add and sub buttons but still got NPE on one of them.
The code is fine so the problem's source probably arise from an environment point of view,

*

*Did you clean and build your project before you ran it? probably the xml weren't generated yet, sometimes clean and build force regenerating of the resources, updating the R file and solve resource's related bugs.

*What is the first xml you posted? why doesn't it a child of the rooted FrameLayout in activity_main?

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There were very few consistent themes across the commodity complex this quarter.
The global economic recovery has remained broadly on track, albeit with lingering uncertainties around the political environment and various policy implications. However, even as the recovery continues, the changing composition of global growth is expected to have a material impact on certain commodities going forward, particularly as demand from China shifts down a gear. Meanwhile, supply side conditions are mixed, with production curtailments playing a major role in some markets. Overall however, we have only made fairly modest changes to our outlook for commodity prices, with most revisions merely reflecting recent movements in spot prices. The impact from currency movements was relatively muted in the September quarter, with the USD index broadly stabilising against the major currencies – although it generally strengthened in October. That said, the influence that US political factors are having on the USD is adding to the unpredictability of currency impacts on commodity demand.
Global oil prices have strengthened greatly since their recent nadir in mid-2017. Brent has gone from mid-40s in June to touching $60/bbl of late – a more than 35% rally. With an extension of the OPEC-Russia deal likely to continue to at least late next year, prices have found ongoing support. There remains a risk, however, that an extended rally will see a strong supply response from US shale producers. Higher oil prices will flow through to Australian LNG export prices, which is on balance bad news for domestic gas consumers. The Commonwealth has agreed with gas producers to secure more supplies for the domestic market, but the days of $2-4/GJ gas in Eastern Australia are now well and truly over.
Bulk commodities prices have exhibited differing trends in recent months – with iron ore prices rapidly retreating across September, metallurgical coal prices surging higher again (having been hugely volatile over the past year) and thermal coal remaining persistently high. Capacity closures in China's steel industry between November and March should impact demand for iron ore and metallurgical coal, with steel production expected to fall in 2018. Spot prices for iron ore are forecast to trend around US$60 a tonne in 2018. Hard coking coal contract prices are forecast to fall from around US$207 a tonne in 2017 to US$116 a tonne in 2018. The 2018 Japanese financial year contract for thermal coal is forecast to fall to US$80 a tonne, from US$85 a tonne in 2017.
We forecast some retreat in copper prices in early 2018 from current high levels, as Chinese demand continues to moderate and supply disruptions are better managed, despite a small forecast deficit in the global refined copper market. Aluminium has received strong support from Chinese efforts to tackle overcapacity with a largely balanced global market expected for 2018. The nickel demand outlook is looking strong, although supply uncertainties could introduce price volatility. Zinc prices will continue to be supported by a lack of supply while the lead market looks well supplied in 2018.
From a recent high of USD1,347/oz. in early September, the price of gold has eased to around USD1,270/oz. This easing has occurred in consonance with a stronger US dollar. Gold still maintains investor interest due to geopolitical risks and uncertainty surrounding the outlook for US core inflation, and by extension, interest rates. NAB Economics is forecasting a gold price of around USD1,262/oz. by the end of 2017, rising further to USD1,300/oz by late 2017. Risks to our forecasts are evenly balanced.
The NAB USD non-rural commodity price index is expected to rise by around 25% in 2017, although this largely reflects actual price developments to date and masks volatility in bulks prices; the index is forecast to be fairly flat over the year to December 2017. Declines are forecast to resume in 2018, with the USD price index falling nearly 10%. Given our anticipated USD appreciation, prices falls will be slightly less in AUD terms. Overall, the Australian terms of trade is expected to maintain a gradual descent into 2019.
For more information please refer to the attached report.


Train Timings and schedules, Train Ticket Fare, Distance from Mumbai to Secunderabad | Fastest train from Mumbai to Secunderabad.
Passengers can choose from 8 trains to travel from Mumbai Lokmanya Tilak Terminus/LTT to Secunderabad Junction/SC .
2750 train number corresponds to LTT Vishakhapatnam SF Express. It departs at 12:25 at the Mumbai Lokmanya Tilak Terminus/LTT and arrives the destination at Secunderabad Junction/SC at 02:00 +1 night. Distance travelled by this train is 773 kms and it reaches its destination in 13 h 35 min. The departure days of 2750 is on Sunday, Thursday,. They charge Rs.150 for general class, Rs.310 for SL class, Rs.817 for 3A class, Rs.1112 for 2A class.It is the fastest train from Mumbai to Secunderabad.
2701 train number corresponds to Hussain Sagar Express. It departs at 21:50 at the Mumbai CST/CSTM and arrives the destination at Hyderabad Deccan Nampally/HYB at 12:10 +1 night. Distance travelled by this train is 790 kms and it reaches its destination in 14 h 20 min. It has daily departures and daily arrivals.Fare for the travel is Rs.151 for general class, Rs.312 for SL class, Rs.823 for 3A class, Rs. 1119 for 2A class, Rs.1876 for 1A class.
Bhavnagar Kakinada Express has the train number of 7203. It arrives the destination point of Secunderabad Junction/SC at 10:20 +1 night by leaving the departure point of Kalyan Junction/KYN at 19:45. It travels a distance of 735 kms within 14 h 35 min.Except Saturday the train won't schedules.Cost of the tickets is Rs.144 for general class, Rs.282 for SL class, Rs.764 for 3A class, Rs.1047 for 2A class.
7017 train number makes up for the Secunderabad Express. It makes it departure at 19:45 in Kalyan Junction/KYN and makes it to reach the destination at 10:30 +1 night in Secunderabad Junction/SC. It takes 14 h 45 min to pass the distance of 735 kms. The departure days of 7017 is on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday,. Fare for the travel is Rs.144 for general class, Rs.282 for SL class, Rs.764 for 3A class, Rs.1047 for 2A class.
1019 represents Konark Express. This train departs at Mumbai CST/CSTM at 15:10 and reports an arrival at 07:50 +1 night at Secunderabad Junction/SC . 16 h 40 min are required for it to travel 789 kms of distance. This is available for daily departure and daily arrival.Fare for travelling in this train is Rs.151 for general class, Rs.292 for SL class, Rs.793 for 3A class, Rs.1089 for 2A class.
7057 is the number for Devagiri Express. It starts at 21:05 in the departure point of Mumbai CST/CSTM and reaches the destination point of Secunderabad Junction/SC at 14:15 +1 night. It takes 17 h 10 min to travel 881 kms of distance. It has daily departures and daily arrivals.Rs.163 for general class, Rs.313 for SL class, Rs.851 for 3A class, Rs.1169 for 2A class, Rs. 1963 for 1A class, are charged.
7031 train number corresponds to Hyderabad Express. It departs at 12:45 at the Mumbai CST/CSTM and arrives the destination at Hyderabad Deccan Nampally/HYB at 05:55 +1 night. Distance travelled by this train is 790 kms and it reaches its destination in 17 h 10 min. It runs seven days a week. It costs Rs.151 for general class, Rs.292 for SL class, Rs.793 for 3A class, Rs.1089 for 2A class.
0731 train number also indicates Dadar Hyderabad Summer Special. It leaves Mumbai Dadar Central/DR at 16:50 and reaches Hyderabad Deccan Nampally/HYB at 10:00 +1 night within duration of 17 h 10 min travelling a distance of 781 kms.This train is scheduled only on Sundays.Tickets costs as follows: Rs.151 for general class, Rs.292 for SL class, Rs.793 for 3A class, Rs.1089 for 2A class.


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Home > Blog > Author Q&A > Author Q&A :: David Hill on the life of a First Fleet surgeon
Author Q&A :: David Hill on the life of a First Fleet surgeon
The journal of surgeon Arthur Bowes Smyth, who travelled onboard the Lady Penrhyn convict ship, reveals much about the First Fleet voyage, attitudes to female convicts and life in the early settlement, says author David Hill. Here, he tells Sarah Trevor about his new book, First Fleet Surgeon: The Voyage of Arthur Bowes Smyth, published by the National Library of Australia.
IHM: What drew you to the story of Arthur Bowes Smyth?
David: Most of the journals written by those on the First Fleet were by officers who were careful not to offend their superiors. Arthur Bowes Smyth wrote a private diary which in many respects was more revealing and frank. He even criticises the fleet commander Arthur Phillip.
IHM: What were some of the challenges faced by surgeons aboard convict voyages?
David: The surgeon's tools were restricted to a few items he carried in his bag, including puncturing instruments for bleeding. Otherwise the surgeon simply had to make do. Bowes Smyth was on the Lady Penrhyn, which carried only women convicts. There were no medical provisions for children or for the children born on the voyage. Many diarists and observers of convict women, on the First Fleet and beyond, were quite harsh in their judgment of these women.
IHM: What were Arthur Bowes Smyth's attitudes regarding the women of the Lady Penrhyn?
David: Bowes Smyth, like many of the 'officer class', had a low regard for the women on the Lady Penrhyn. He probably never encountered their class before he agreed to sign on as ship's surgeon. Many of the other officers took up with convict women during the voyages but there is no evidence that Bowes Smyth did.
IHM: What sorts of impressions of the early colony are recorded in Bowes Smyth's diary?
David: He was only in Sydney for three months before he left to return to England. Yet he provides a valuable perspective of the arrival of the fleet and the struggle to establish the settlement. He also provides one of the frankest accounts of the management of the early days of the colony – including the claim that the marines were punished more severely than the convicts.
IHM: Which stories affected you the most in the course of your research?
David: The total disregard by the British of the condition or suitability of the convicts sent on the first fleet. According to Bowes Smyth the oldest was an 82-year-old woman. The youngest was a boy who was convicted at the Old Bailey when he was 9 years old. Nineteen convict women gave birth during the eight-month voyage, the first only weeks after leaving Portsmouth, suggesting many were obviously pregnant before they left.
IHM: Which stories amused you the most in the course of your research?
David: The convicts being 'showered' with fresh oranges at Rio di Janeiro where they stopped for water and food. Arthur Phillip and his colleagues were enlightened about hygiene and diet and they were probably correct in their claim that the convicts were in better health by the time they left Rio than when they had left Portsmouth five months before.
IHM: Which resources did you find most helpful in researching Bowes Smyth and the voyage?
David: Bowes Smyth's journal is a terrific read on its own. But for a comprehensive picture of the First Fleet story and the original British settlement, the Historic Records of Australia and the Historic Records of New South Wales have all of the dispatches and reports between Sydney and London in the early years.
IHM: What resources did you come across that haven't been widely used by others?
David: Some of the other journals written by less prominent men on the first fleet. For example, Jacob Nagle, an American who fought against the British was pressed into the British navy and was a seaman on the Sirius. Nagle was with Arthur Phillip the first day Europeans sailed into Sydney Harbour. He was also survived the shipwreck of the Sirius at Norfolk Island.
IHM: If you could track down one thing you haven't yet managed to find out, what would it be?
David: I would like to read a convict woman's account of the voyage. I would also like to read an Aboriginal account of the devastating impact of the British occupation of their land. Unfortunately all of the known records are by men – and most of them officers.
IHM: What's your best tip for people wanting to write a history book of their own?
David: Have some idea of the structure of your book before you start writing. Even if it is just a short outline of each chapter.
Fancy a copy of First Fleet Surgeon for yourself? We're giving away 5 convict-themed book packs containing First Fleet Surgeon as well as June Slee's Crime, Punishment and Redemption. Simply subscribe or renew your subscription to Inside History before the end of June to enter the draw. Good luck!
Cick for more information on the book


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Engaging the Private Sector
Engaging Private Businesses
Strategic Collaboration to Create Public-Private Partnerships
Recharging the River and Growing Incomes in Jordan
Unlocking a Regional Trade Bottleneck in Benin
Powering Up: the Urgent Need to Close Africa's Energy Gap
Creating a Market Mechanism to Keep the Lights on in Malawi
Reforming Civil Courts to Enhance the Business Environment in Lesotho
Gender Equality: A Smart Proposition for Business
Technical and Vocational Education Training: Key Nexus for Corporate Partnership
KIN Journal: Engaging the Private Sector | April 2015
Joshua Gallo and Isabel Marques de Sá
Public-private partnerships are an important way to fund and sustain infrastructure projects and public services. They can be quite complicated to complete, with numerous conceptual and structural issues to resolve. Millennium Challenge Corporation's business model, because it is so tightly focused on timing and funding, does not provide the flexibility to do all of the preliminary work that is often necessary to lay the foundation for successful completion of public-private partnerships. Strategic collaboration with other investment partners enables MCC to create opportunities for private sector participation in infrastructure and public services in its programs. Partnering with the World Bank's Public-Private Infrastructure Advisory Facility (PPIAF) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) has proven particularly fruitful.
Because of limited resources, governments around the world are looking to the private sector to help supply transportation, power, water, sanitation, public health, and other services. There is a recognition that partnerships with the private sector may be able to deliver, operate and maintain such services more efficiently than governments alone. Accordingly, working with the private sector in public-private partnerships (PPPs) is an important part of Millennium Challenge Corporation's mission to foster economic growth and reduce poverty and represents a strategic priority for MCC. Through PPPs, MCC seeks to mobilize the capital, expertise and efficiency of the private sector to deliver faster, better and affordable services and generate more sustainable development outcomes.
MCC Support for PPPs
PPPs are not a panacea, nor are they a one-size-fits-all solution. When compared with the public sector, PPPs—under the right circumstances and a well-designed contractual structure—can offer value for money due to efficiency in investment, including through shorter construction periods; deliver better quality service; and allow for greater innovation, transfer of skills and more efficient operations and maintenance.
Private sector participation can involve an assortment of contracting modalities with a wide range of levels for the delegation of service responsibility, risk allocations and reversibility of asset-ownership, as summarized in Diagram 1.
Diagram 1: Spectrum of Private Sector Participation Contracting Modalities
Such market-based approaches can better balance the risks and benefits between the public and private sectors. In this way, PPPs represent legally enforceable contracts between the public and private sectors in which the private business provides a service traditionally furnished by government. Under a PPP, government remains accountable for service delivery, but it delegates responsibility to the private sector according to a contract that transfers key risks such as design, financing, construction, and operation. This is in exchange for payments dependent on meeting specified service quality and performance standards as well as penalties or liquidated damages for failing to deliver the relevant contractual requirements. With these sorts of PPP arrangements, the role of government shifts from asset owner and operator to that of supervisor and regulator.
Where involving the private sector makes sense, MCC can provide support to its partner governments to deliver public services through PPPs, including providing capital for construction 1 as well as technical assistance and capacity building for sector institutions such as utilities, line ministries and regulators. Table 1 shows how MCC can support private sector participation throughout the PPP project cycle.
Forms of MCC financial support for PPPs
Type of Support
Timing of Support
Project development and preparation
Funding for transaction advisors
Funding for country credit ratings
Upstream sector reform/enabling environment/project identification
Viability gap funding for capital investments
Legal/regulatory environment
Institutional strengthening for implementing entities, government ministries, PPP units, national actors, and local providers
Throughout the PPP cycle
Strategic communications/advocacy
Collaboration is a key success factor for MCC
PPPs require certain pre-conditions at both the country and project levels. At the country level, these include: having a clear legal and policy framework, credible regulatory arrangements, institutional readiness to supervise PPP arrangements, and a favorable investment climate. At the project level, these include: strong partners, a secure and adequate revenue stream, and efficient allocation and management of risks.
For PPPs to succeed, governments must demonstrate political commitment, good governance and the ability to manage complex contracts. Putting these conditions in place and then executing the PPP transaction can take years, sometimes beyond the typical MCC compact development period plus five-year implementation horizon period. It also requires highly specialized skills and experience. This is particularly true in the challenging operating environments of MCC partner countries.
At an operational level MCC collaborates with other development partners based on their respective institutional comparative advantages to create these enabling conditions and implement the deals, while balancing public policy objectives with the needs of private sector sponsors and project lenders. To this end, the World Bank's Public-Private Infrastructure Advisory Facility (PPIAF) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) have proven to be particularly valuable partners in promoting PPPs in many compact countries where MCC works.
Public-Private Infrastructure Advisory Facility Background
The Public-Private Infrastructure Advisory Facility (PPIAF), a multi-donor facility managed by the World Bank and a facility to which MCC has been a donor since 2009, is the leading donor in facilitating public-private partnerships on a global basis. PPIAF's mandate is to act as a catalyst to increase private sector participation in infrastructure and thereby achieve sustainable development. PPIAF provides technical assistance grants to governments to support the creation of a sound enabling environment for providing basic infrastructure services by the private sector, thereby facilitating PPP transactions and pioneering deal structures. PPIAF's grants help governments frame infrastructure strategies; develop consensus around them; design specific policy, institutional, and regulatory reforms; support specific path-breaking transactions; and build government capacity to design, execute and regulate PPP arrangements. Through its subnational technical assistance window, PPIAF also assists local-level governments and entities such as utilities or financial intermediaries to access private capital markets without sovereign guarantees, thus facilitating local sources of finance for infrastructure.
PPIAF's comparative advantage is on creating the upstream enabling environment for PPPs, while IFC's advantage is on downstream transaction advising, structuring, tendering, and financing. PPIAF can also assist sub-national entities such as power and water utilities to improve their creditworthiness to access capital markets without sovereign guarantees, which helps mobilize infrastructure financing. For MCC, collaborating with these development partners can facilitate compact development and implementation by bringing PPP transactions to market that deepen the sustainability of MCC investments.
International Finance Corporation Background
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) is the world's largest multilateral provider of financing for private enterprises. IFC also provides technical assistance and transactional advice to governments and businesses. In its PPP advisory capacity, IFC helps governments design and implement PPPs. As a PPP transaction advisor, IFC's work typically breaks down into two phases as seen in the diagram below: phase 1, transaction analysis and due diligence and phase 2, transaction structuring and execution.
Diagram 2: Phases of a Public-Private Partnership
For example, PPIAF's assistance early in the compact and threshold program development processes for El Salvador, Ghana and Honduras provided important operational and financial benefits by generating actionable due diligence information to help inform MCC's program design efforts. PPIAF's early involvement also accelerated the program development process, compared with MCC's typical process where project preparation activities are funded by a grant (so-called 609(g) funding) that can take several months to activate.
In compact implementation, PPIAF is currently supporting MCC investments in Cabo Verde and Zambia, and has developed a pipeline of potential further activities to strengthen the performance of water and power utilities in various MCC partner countries.
Meanwhile, on the downstream side, MCC and IFC have collaborated closely on developing PPPs to leverage MCC's portfolio, including the container terminal in Benin's Port of Cotonou and MCC's health sector investments in Lesotho. In addition, to support the second compact with Ghana, MCC retained IFC to define possible options for introducing private sector participation in the country's two power utilities, the Electricity Company of Ghana and Northern Electric Distribution Company. The PPP options analysis considered the technical, operational, and financial conditions of each utility, and projected their long-term performance based on a financial model that assumed an efficient operator.
Examples of PPIAF/MCC Collaboration
Compact/Threshold Program development
Ghana: PPIAF supported the development of MCC's second compact with Ghana by providing technical assistance to the Government of Ghana to focus on the enabling conditions for increasing independent power producer investment and assessing the models for performance-based power distribution contracts.
El Salvador: PPIAF, together with IFC, screened the Government of El Salvador's priority PPP pipeline and identified a shortlist of PPP projects for MCC's second compact with El Salvador. In addition, PPIAF identified various areas for institutional support and consensus-building relating to PPPs as part of its actionable recommendations for compact's program design.
Honduras Threshold Program: PPIAF, together with IFC, screened the Government of Honduras's priority PPP pipeline and identified a short list of projects for a threshold program involving support for PPPs.
Compact implementation
Cabo Verde: PPIAF is providing funding that will directly benefit the water/sanitation component of MCC's second compact in Cabo Verde. This includes assistance for creating multi-municipality utilities on Santo Antão and São Nicolau, and facilitating the access of those utilities to the compact's infrastructure grant facility.
Zambia: PPIAF is funding a multi-year technical assistance program that was developed in close coordination with MCC to improve water utilities' access to capital for infrastructure investment. The program aims to: (1) improve the commercial viability of the Lusaka Water and Sewer Company by strengthening its finances, operations and governance in order to obtain a credit rating and take other possible steps towards a capital market transaction; and (2) strengthen Zambia's institutional capacity to attract investment in water/sanitation infrastructure and execute on PPPs, thereby helping to fill a $2.9 billion funding gap in Lusaka's capital investment needs for the sector. This activity includes capacity building for the Development Bank of Zambia to obtain a credit rating to facilitate its access to local capital markets and to strengthen its ability to provide infrastructure financing to sub-national entities. To help these initiatives take root, the program also includes capacity building activities to replicate local best practice in other utilities by providing support to the national capacity building and training program.
With an optimal risk allocation between public and private stakeholders, PPPs can improve development outcomes by:
Accelerating infrastructure and public service delivery;
Reducing life-cycle costs for projects;
Improving quality of services;
Leveraging private sector competencies and knowledge transfer (e.g., management, technology, innovation);
Introducing effective means for ensuring accountability, transparency and separation of roles between policy makers and productive functions; and
Promoting local sources of financing.
In addition to collaborating with PPIAF and IFC to deliver on this vision, MCC welcomes the opportunity to partner with other private and public sector organizations to promote and deliver on PPPs going forward.
IFC Support for Lesotho Health Sector PPPs
The Government of Lesotho (GOL) and MCC funded the refurbishment and reconstruction of 154 health facilities throughout the country. MCC also supported Lesotho's health sector reform efforts by:
Funding a health care waste management strategic plan to improve waste management practices; and
Implementing various health informatics initiatives, including an electronic national health informatics system, electronic medical records system, and assets inventory and management system.
To enhance the sustainability and impact of MCC's and the GOL's investments, IFC was retained to assist the government in structuring several health sector PPPs, including for health care waste management, facilities management (FM) and information and communications technologies (ICT).
First, IFC was hired to design and develop a PPP to pilot the health care waste management system in three districts of Lesotho—Leribe, Berea and Maseru that serve 300,000 people—before a nationwide rollout. Mediwaste, a consortium between Ditau Health Solutions, a South African firm, and Matsete Investments, a local company, won the tender. The consortium signed a management contract in October 2012 to collect, treat, and incinerate hazardous medical waste from 15 health centers and two district hospitals, as well as to operate and maintain the incinerators. Implementation of the pilot demonstrated some important successes. Second, the GOL retained IFC to analyze potential PPP structures with the private sector to maintain the various MCC- and GOL-funded health facilities, and possibly to equip them with ICT capabilities thereby linking the facilities to the rest of the country's health system in Lesotho. IFC undertook a detailed technical, legal, and financial due diligence of over 150 health care facilities and presented the GOL with a Transaction Structuring Report in January 2014. The Government is considering the options of delivering the facilities management services through either public service delivery or through the private sector, although there may be challenges regarding affordability of potential PPP solutions. IFC's agreement with the Government for advisory services terminated in August
1. See the related article on the As-Samra Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion in this issue.
Stephen Gaull is a member of MCC's Finance, Investment, and Trade Team and responsible for originating and implementing private sector development projects and public-private partnership investment opportunities. He has been involved in finance and development since 1988 in Latin America, Africa and Asia. He has worked on private and public investment programs from a wide variety of vantage points, including that of project sponsor, lender, financier, and advisor. Prior to MCC, he worked at Aegis Capital Corporation, the Export-Import Bank of the United States, Bechtel Enterprises, the World Bank, and the International Finance Corporation.
Joshua Gallo is an Infrastructure Finance Specialist at PPIAF. An Italian national, he joined the World Bank in 2000 and currently leads the Sub-National Technical Assistance (SNTA) program housed in PPIAF. Previously, he coordinated PPIAF's portfolio in Latin America and, among other results, led SNTA's support to the first sub-sovereign transactions in Peru. Prior to joining PPIAF, he focused on regulation of public utilities, output-based aid approaches, and private sector participation in infrastructure.
Isabel Marques de Sá is a chief investment officer at IFC where she has been engaged in the structuring of PPPs for the last 20 years. She has worked extensively in the power sector in Latin America, Africa and the Middle East as well as global experience in water, mining, airports, and special economic zones. Prior to joining IFC, she worked for Paribas Bank in Paris, where she was responsible for the Paribas Bank's equity portfolio in the mining industry and participated in several mergers and acquisitions in Europe and emerging markets in mining, metals and steel sectors. She holds a doctorate in industrial economics from the Paris School of Mines and a bachelor's degree in economics from Oporto University, Portugal.


text:
'use strict';

// Configuring the Articles module
angular.module('ratings').run(['Menus',
    function(Menus) {
    }
]);

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
'use strict';

var test = require('tape');
var config = require('../lib/config');

test('basic answer conversion', function(t) {
  var testAnswers = {
    eventAbout: 'Barcelona.JS is a usergroup focused on JavaScript and related topics.',
    eventUrl: 'http://barcelonajs.org',
    organiserName: 'BarcelonaJS',
    organiserUrl: 'http://barcelonajs.org',
    organiserEmail: 'hola(at)barcelonajs.org',
    organiserStreetAddress: 'C/ Mare de Deu del Pilar 20',
    organiserPostalCode: '08003',
    organiserLocality: 'Barcelona, Spain',
    eventLocationName: 'Mobile World Centre',
    eventStreetAddress: 'C/ Fontanella 2',
    eventPostalCode: '08001',
    eventLocality: 'Barcelona, Spain',
    eventDuration: 'PT2H',
    eventLocationUrl: 'https://www.mobileworldcentre.com',
    talkDuration: 'PT30M',
    startTime: '19:00',
    doorTime: '18:45',
    githubUsername: 'BcnJS',
    githubOrganisation: 'BarcelonaJS',
    githubGiteventRepo: 'BarcelonaJS',
    githubPlanningRepo: 'planning',
    githubSpeakersRepo: 'speakers',
    githubAccessToken: 'abc',
    githubWebhookSecret: 'xyz',
    configurePlugins: []
  };

  var configuration = config.fromAnswers(testAnswers);

  t.equal(configuration.debug, false, 'debug');
  t.equal(configuration.github.user, testAnswers.githubUsername, 'gh username');
  t.equal(configuration.github.org, testAnswers.githubOrganisation, 'gh organisation');
  t.equal(configuration.github.repos.planning, testAnswers.githubPlanningRepo, 'gh planning repo');
  t.equal(configuration.github.repos.speakers, testAnswers.githubSpeakersRepo, 'gh speakers repo');
  t.equal(configuration.github.repos.gitevent, testAnswers.githubGiteventRepo, 'gh gitevent repo');
  t.equal(configuration.github.repos.jobs, testAnswers.githubJobsRepo, 'gh jobs repo');
  t.equal(configuration.github.secret, testAnswers.githubWebhookSecret, 'gh webhook secret');
  t.equal(configuration.github.token, testAnswers.githubAccessToken, 'gh access token');
  t.equal(configuration.about, testAnswers.eventAbout, 'about');
  t.equal(configuration.date_format, 'DD.MM.YYYY', 'date format');
  t.equal(configuration.paths.talks, 'talks/', 'talks path');
  t.equal(configuration.paths.events, 'events/', 'events path');
  t.equal(configuration.paths.jobs, 'jobs/', 'jobs path');
  t.equal(configuration.url, testAnswers.eventUrl, 'url');
  t.equal(configuration.labels.job, 'job', 'job label');
  t.equal(configuration.labels.talk, 'talk', 'talk label');
  t.equal(configuration.labels.proposal, 'proposal', 'proposal label');
  t.equal(configuration.labels.event, 'event', 'event label');
  t.equal(configuration.labels.hot, 'hot', 'hot label');
  t.equal(configuration.schema.default_organizer.type, 'Organization', 'org type');
  t.equal(configuration.schema.default_organizer.address.type, 'PostalAddress', 'org address type');
  t.equal(configuration.schema.default_organizer.address.addressLocality, testAnswers.organiserLocality, 'org address locality');
  t.equal(configuration.schema.default_organizer.address.postalCode, testAnswers.organiserPostalCode, 'org address postal code');
  t.equal(configuration.schema.default_organizer.address.streetAddress, testAnswers.organiserStreetAddress, 'org address street address');
  t.equal(configuration.schema.default_organizer.email, testAnswers.organiserEmail, 'org email');
  t.equal(configuration.schema.default_organizer.name, testAnswers.organiserName, 'org name');
  t.equal(configuration.schema.default_organizer.url, testAnswers.organiserUrl, 'org url');
  t.equal(configuration.schema.default_talk_url, '/talk/', 'talk url');
  t.equal(configuration.schema.default_event_url, '/event/', 'event url');
  t.equal(configuration.schema.default_start_time, testAnswers.startTime, 'start time');
  t.equal(configuration.schema.default_talk.type, 'Educational event', 'talk type');
  t.equal(configuration.schema.default_talk.duration, testAnswers.talkDuration, 'talk duration');
  t.equal(configuration.schema.default_event.context, 'http://schema.org', 'event context');
  t.equal(configuration.schema.default_event.type, 'Social event', 'event type');
  t.equal(configuration.schema.default_event.location.type, 'Place', 'location type');
  t.equal(configuration.schema.default_event.location.address.type, 'PostalAddress', 'event address type');
  t.equal(configuration.schema.default_event.location.address.addressLocality, testAnswers.eventLocality, 'event address locality');
  t.equal(configuration.schema.default_event.location.address.postalCode, testAnswers.eventPostalCode, 'event address postal code');
  t.equal(configuration.schema.default_event.location.address.streetAddress, testAnswers.eventStreetAddress, 'event address street address');
  t.equal(configuration.schema.default_event.location.address.name, testAnswers.eventLocationName, 'event address location name');
  t.equal(configuration.schema.default_event.location.url, testAnswers.eventLocationUrl, 'event location url');
  t.equal(configuration.schema.default_event.duration, testAnswers.eventDuration, 'event duration');
  t.equal(configuration.schema.default_event.url, testAnswers.eventUrl, 'event url');
  t.equal(configuration.schema.doorTime, testAnswers.doorTime, 'door time');
  t.equal(configuration.schema.inLanguage.type, 'Language', 'language type');
  t.equal(configuration.schema.inLanguage.name, 'English', 'language name');

  t.equal(configuration.rollbar, undefined);

  t.equal(configuration.plugins.jobs.enabled, false, 'jobs not enabled');
  t.equal(configuration.plugins.meetup.enabled, false, 'meetup not enabled');
  t.equal(configuration.plugins.auth.enabled, false, 'auth not enabled');
  t.equal(configuration.plugins.stripe.enabled, false, 'stripe not enabled');

  t.end();
});

test('meetup plugin configuration', function(t) {
  var testAnswers = {
    configureMeetup: true,
    meetupGroupName: 'BarcelonaJS',
    meetupGroupId: 123123,
    meetupDefaultVenueId: 456456,
    meetupSimpleHtmlDescription: 'Here is something',
    meetupHosts: ['123', '35', '9'],
    meetupApiKey: 'xyz',
  };

  var configuration = config.fromAnswers(testAnswers);

  t.equal(configuration.plugins.meetup.enabled, true, 'enabled');
  t.equal(configuration.plugins.meetup.apikey, testAnswers.meetupApiKey, 'api key');
  t.equal(configuration.plugins.meetup.group, testAnswers.meetupGroupName, 'group');
  t.equal(configuration.plugins.meetup.group_id, testAnswers.meetupGroupId, 'group id');
  t.equal(configuration.plugins.meetup.default_venue_id, testAnswers.meetupDefaultVenueId, 'venue id');
  t.equal(configuration.plugins.meetup.hosts.length, 3, 'hosts length');
  t.equal(configuration.plugins.meetup.hosts[0], '123', 'hosts value');
  t.equal(configuration.plugins.meetup.hosts[1], '35', 'hosts value');
  t.equal(configuration.plugins.meetup.hosts[2], '9', 'hosts value');
  t.equal(configuration.plugins.meetup.simple_html_description, testAnswers.meetupSimpleHtmlDescription, 'html description');

  t.end();
});

test('jobs plugin configuration', function(t) {
  var testAnswers = {
    configureJobs: true,
  };

  var configuration = config.fromAnswers(testAnswers);

  t.equal(configuration.plugins.jobs.enabled, true, 'enabled');

  t.end();
});

test('auth plugin configuration', function(t) {
  var testAnswers = {
    configureAuth: true,
    authSecret: 'abc',
    authAudience: 'xyz',
  };

  var configuration = config.fromAnswers(testAnswers);

  t.equal(configuration.plugins.auth.enabled, true, 'enabled');
  t.equal(configuration.plugins.auth.secret, 'abc', 'secret');
  t.equal(configuration.plugins.auth.audience, 'xyz', 'audience');

  t.end();
});

test('stripe plugin configuration', function(t) {
  var testAnswers = {
    configureStripe: true,
    stripeSecretKey: 'abc',
    stripePublishableKey: 'xyz',
  };

  var configuration = config.fromAnswers(testAnswers);

  t.equal(configuration.plugins.stripe.enabled, true, 'enabled');
  t.equal(configuration.plugins.stripe.secretKey, 'abc', 'secret key');
  t.equal(configuration.plugins.stripe.publishableKey, 'xyz', 'publishable key');

  t.end();
});


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This is like a cancer and it will be ignored by the "fee-good" coexist Liberals and eventually like a cancer that's ignored kill them.
Everyone must watch,Jay Smith,about islam. This should be mandatory learning. Also the website,the religion of peace.


Style: U82D7G_0006K_C3016 Ships in 2-3 business days.
The iconic hi-tech men's Geox sneaker with a super-breathable lightweight design, pliant cushioned construction, extraordinary grip and outstanding durability. Suitable for the office, road trips, leisure pursuits or chill-out days, the iconic Nebula sneaker is a piece of multi-tasking footwear that delivers unprecedented levels of comfort and well-being. Versatile and highly wearable, it boasts a modern innovative design which is an incredible combination of high-performing technology and will work well with a casual look. Crafted from a knitted fabric in a sage-green palette, it is endowed with an Italian-patented Geox sole and Net-Breathing-System technology which come together to deliver extraordinary levels of breathability. Lightweight and pliant with an EVA sole which cushions every step you take, it has an Inner-Breathing-System lining and a mounting insole in 3D mesh, helping to boost the levels of breathability and cushioned effect. The tread has three-dimensional rubber inserts, guaranteeing an excellent grip and outstanding durability, while the wide toe makes for unparalleled walking comfort. The removable insole is practical and hygienic. Carefully curated to deliver uncompromising levels of well-being, Nebula can also be converted into a soft slipper that pampers your feet when the pressure is off. Last but not least, it is easy and quick to put on with its slip-on upper featuring double elasticated panels which endow the shoe with plenty of on-trend contemporary appeal.


This is a food grade salt that is suitable for both bathing and food consumption.
Available in both fine and coarse texture.
Please be clear. While we do provide links to research and articles we personally trust and that are freely available in the public domain, at Chris Woollams 4 Health we do not consider any one of these products to be a cancer treatment or 'cure' or a treatment or 'cure' for any other disease. We suspect that none of the product claims on this site, usually taken from the packaging and are thus written by people at other companies, has been approved by the FDA or any other equivalent national body.


SECOG assists its members with general planning technical assistance activities and/or education and research which lead to the development and cultivation of the tools required to make educated decisions regarding community and economic development. SECOG staff also assists member communities with the development and adoption of comprehensive plans, zoning and subdivision regulations and municipal ordinances.
For information on land-use planning and zoning regulations related to residential areas and housing development, contact Patrick Andrews at patrick@secog.org or Kristen Benidt at gis@secog.org or (605) 367-5390.


Resistance was futile, and so we made a date to try out "Burgers & More" which is an independent restaurant below the Kimberly Hotel on Kings Road. We went on a Sunday tea time, and whilst it was fairly busy, we hadn't booked and they managed to fit us in straight away.
The interior is great, it's below ground but it's bright and welcoming. There is a good mix of seating and it looked like it would cope with large bookings with ease.
The menu is extensive to say the least!
They both chose the monster burgers and were absolutely thrilled with the amazing unicorn bread.
The adult menu is where the magic really happens… The donut burger is actually called the "Trump Burger" (Described in the menu as "that daft it might actually work") There were 22 different burgers on the regular menu plus 4 specials. Not only could you order them individually, you can choose a few of your favourites and get them in a "tower" which is 2, 3, 4 or 5 burgers in a stack.
Anyway, back to the Burgers, I chose a special called "Burger Wellington" which was basically beef wellington (garlic mushrooms, pastry and all) but with a burger instead of steak. It was delicious! My husband chose "Jack the Lad" which was a special impregnated with more than a dash of Jack Daniels. He assured me that it was really good although he had wolfed it down before I had the chance to try it myself!
For desert, the kids both chose the sundae which was fantastic value at £2.45 for a massive helping of Vanillis ice-cream with cream, sauce and wafers.
I was extremely impressed with Burgers & More. The staff were really friendly and the food was fantastic. It's a real gem, an independent family friendly restaurant and I would urge you to get down there to try it for yourself.
Note- I wasn't invited to review Burgers & More, nor did I receive any free food! I just visited with my family and was really impressed.
If any of you are interested in the Burgers & More food challenge, you can see the competitive eating legend Adam Moran, "Beard Meats Food" demolishing the 100oz twin burger challenge at Burgers & More here.
Tilly Peppers on Cold Bath Road is a big favourite with us at Harrogate Mumbler. There isn't a play area as such – but there's a big sofa with lots of toys and plenty of books.
My daughter happily sits on the sofa reading (you guessed it) a Peppa Pig book whilst hubby and me tucked into some delicious millionaire shortbread!
It has a really nice laid-back feel to the place and the staff are super friendly.
There is a selection of food available throughout the day from breakfast right through until dinner. The venue is also available for private hire.
A family favourite in the Mumbler household! This American themed restaurant is extremely family friendly and the food is delicious . Children get given a goody bag on arrival with an assortment of crayons, stickers and activities inside. The burgers here are the best in town and if you can't face a meal out with little ones I can highly recommend ordering from their takeaway menu.
What we love about this place is your child can't escape! There's plenty for your little one to do and the dining room is in the centre of things, so you can always keep your eyes on them. The breakfast menu and cakes get a big thumb up from me. There's a lovely feel to this place – a big hit for the grown ups as well as the little ones!
Note- this is not a normal cafe- you pay to go in here as it is a soft play/craft/activity club house.


text:
Extract Lignin(Lignosulfonate\Lignosulphonate) From Black Liquid
Lignosulphonate) From Black Liquid
Black liquid contains a large number of organic substances and inorganic substances, which are difficult to remove .Organic substances generally comprises lignin and its derivatives thereof, polysaccharides, alcohols, organic acids, resins, pectin, phenolic compounds,Among which lignin accounted for black liquid waste the total amount of 1% to 2% .Lignin can be generated worldwide each year about 600 trillion tons, is the largest human-dependent resources. This huge production of lignin, renewable, biodegradable natural polymers due to their complex structure, a polydispersity of macromolecular chemical properties and physical heterogeneity, so that it has not yet been fully and effectively utilized. Currently lignin can be used as industrial raw materials is mainly a byproduct of the paper industry, derived from pulping liquor, of which only one percent water-soluble lignin sulfonate such as primary industrial application, while a majority of the fuel burned away, such as the use of black liquid lignin as raw material, can produce as many as 200 kinds of lignin products, primarily a series of lignin of surfactants purpose for the comprehensive utilization of black liquor has opened up a new way .
Two principles
Lignin is a phenylpropyl group as the basic structural unit, having a network structure for a class of amorphous polymers, complex structure, molecular mass uneven, with the cellulose and hemicellulose with in plants, which is mainly the cell wall composition. Alkaline pulping process, the lignin macromolecule group water degradation and dissolved in the cooking solution, which is mainly phenol, a large amount of phenolic hydroxy ether fracture, there are more hydroxyl and carboxyl groups. In alkaline solution, a solution of sodium salt liquor after acidification, an ammonium ion substituted alkali lignin phenolic hydroxyl and carboxyl groups on the alkali lignin sodium ions of the yellow precipitate was hydrophobic state. Alkali lignin by different components of the pH fractionation, methoxy group content is reduced with a decrease in pH, a phenolic hydroxyl group and a carboxyl group increase when pH goes up.While the pH reaches 3, the lignin sufficiently precipitate. Room temperature, acidified black liquor lignin precipitated poor cohesion, like colloidal properties, separation very difficult. As the temperature rises, solid particles increases, and the precipitate was centrifuged and heat cohesion making it possible to filtration, after acidification and heat treatment so industrialized an important means of lignin extraction.
Three conclusions
Full use of the organic solvent and good solubility of organic solvents or volatile organic solvent separation, hydrolysis or dissolution of lignin, to achieve efficient separation of lignin and cellulose. Pulping waste produced can be recovered by distillation of the organic solvent, repeated recycling, no water or a small amount of waste water, forming a closed loop system that can actually control the pulp and paper from a source of environmental pollution, and can be purified by distillation lignin, lignin organic of high purity. The refined crude lignin, lignin can be obtained. Lignin is an important chemical raw material, commonly used in the oil industry to control the flow of drilling muds, and instead of phenol, made of Bakelite, lignin can be made to be stained brown corduroy cotton dyes. In addition, you can produce fish feed, humic ammonium fertilizers, plant growth, etc. or for coarse woody tangled sulfonated by S04. Then the Ca (0H) 2 neutralization, evaporation, drying, to obtain calcium lignosulfonate. The calcium lignosulfonate, the appropriate inclusion of certain additives, such as curing agents, dispersing agents, early strength agents, retarders, etc., can be made of a variety of different characteristics of normal wood calcium concrete superplasticizer, it rigid material and the gas can be used as additives in cementitious materials.
How to extract lignin
Reducing Sugar in Calcium Lignosulfonates


Photos by Doug McSchooler for The Journal Gazette Members of the Carroll High School 200-Yard freestyle relay team react as their team finishes second in the event during the 2019 IHSAA Girls Swimming/Diving Championship at the IU Natatorium at IUPUI on Saturday in Indianapolis.
Doug McSchooler for The Journal Gazette Carroll's Mallory Jackson reacts after winning the 100-yard backstroke during the IHSAA Girls Swimming/Diving Championship on Saturday.
Homestead diver Jackie Brenn waves from atop the podium after winning the second state title of her career on Saturday.
INDIANAPOLIS – The day couldn't have been much better for Carroll junior swimmer Mallory Jackson, who became the school's first individual champion in her sport.
But it was the team's third-place finish that left her nearly speechless.
Jackson was on the Chargers' 200 and 400 freestyle relay teams that placed second to help Carroll finish in a third-place tie with Fishers with 165 points Saturday in IHSAA Girls Swimming and Diving State Finals at the IU Natatorium at IUPUI. Carmel won its 33rd consecutive state championship with 413. Franklin placed second with 167.5. Homestead, helped by senior Jackie Brenn's 1-meter diving title, finished seventh with 140.
Joining Jackson on the Chargers' second-place relay teams were junior Mya VanderHagen, sophomore Teagen Moon and freshman Mya DeWitt.
Gibson said Jackson was a little disappointed in her sixth-place finish in the 200 individual medley.
Jackson nipped Chesterton's Jaclyn Klimczak for the victory.
Moon finished third in the 100 butterfly.
"Last year I was bummed I didn't make the finals heat (in the butterfly) so that was my goal this year," she said.
Gibson said Moon had awesome relay swims as well.
"Best on the team," Gibson said.
Moon also was on the 200 medley team, which placed fifth. VanderHagen place eighth in the 100 butterfly and DeWitt was ninth in 100 backstroke.
It was diver Brenn's second state title. She won as a freshman and was second her sophomore and junior year.
Homestead coach Justin Max said he was pleased with everything except the 200 freestyle relay's disqualification in the championship heat.
Homestead's relay team of Shelby Crist, Cora Walrond, Audrey Crowel and Kyra Tonsil placed third in the 200 individual medley relay.
Crist was the Spartans' top individual finisher with a fifth in the 100 backstroke. Crowel finished sixth in the 200 freestyle and Maggie Stock took seventh in 100 freestyle.
Warsaw senior Delaney Wihebrink placed third in the 100 breaststroke.
Other Homestead finishers was Stock, ninth, 200 IM, Crowel, 12th, 100 butterfly; Crist, 15th, 100; Lily Kaiser, 500 freestyle and 200 IM, 15th; Tonsil, 50 freestyle,15th and Halle Weaver, 16th, 100 freestyle.
For Bishop Dwenger, Anna Yaggy was 14th in the 1-meter diving and Laura Wright was 10th in the 100 breaststroke.


2019 Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid Colors, Release Date, Redesign, Price – About the moving, the accurate company affirms these capable expert guidance factors from the consumer design. An excellent ion is undoubtedly an electronically-accrued atom, mending in the direction of the car's signature blend of electrified powertrains, as simply being the next component of the company recommendations that special place in the Hyundai choice. Last but not least, the particular "Q" could possibly be demonstrated in the vehicle's company logo design is without the need of a hesitation an apparent improvement, being familiar with a lot of beneficial strategies within the great, reduced-emission release.
Unsurprisingly, the progression vehicle will never be simply because of greater seeking since the one observed in every a single of the renderings. However, which is often to never mean that this Ioniq boasts the design of levels. For the, in comparison, Hyundai's hybrid athletics a crucial true actual physical element, blending up each and every of the brand's most in-need design abilities with the present purposive design from the Toyota Prius as well as Honda Simply being accustomed to. The certain Ioniq features a comparable sizing and type, speedy overhangs, a brand-new hatchback-like again principal stage on this page, plus larger sized rear stop bumpers. Even so, it shows up with a more amazing nose area place situation as well as windscreens when compared with Prius, which can make that appear to be like much less unheard of amid far more Hyundai merchandise. In addition, all the physical fitness, the hatchback-like purchaser-consumer information provides all the Ioniq as nicely as attached hybrid forms.
Anytime Hyundai introduced the unique grasp appearance in the distinct interior, I truthfully regarded that the enhanced design would not produce to get as interesting. It feels like I located me actually absolutely unacceptable confident that the first interior is gonna be mainly just like all of the renderings, exhibiting the exact same dashboard, the identical coronary cardiovascular system system group generates, a very similar music resource load, properly properly nicely toned-bottomed deals with, as well as wonderful-beautiful blue implants. The exclusive issue that provides the boost product or assistance besides the creating might be the coronary middle bunch, as nicely as a product; functionality significantly more control methods as well as changes. Whichever, all the design stays vision vision-taking, and like the cardiovascular system package may be by no indicates chaotic.
Truly feel-check show from the center environment exercise oxygen air vents gives the vehicle driver in addition to entry approaches each one of your car's infotainment strategy. Made making use of the 2 The apple inc company CarPlay as well as Google google android portable phone mobile phone Auto, that enables consumers to go into the effect the units as well as deal with disruption, phone and even meals selection characteristics on the display screen. Also, it features a wireless inductive re-re-charging aid in cellular telephones. About electric managed, excellent-high-quality, TFT tunes system class, this uncovers some performance and provides specifics of the real car's levels, power provider, together with durability ingestion. By the determined create environment, ancient prior pigmentation, as well as gauges are tweaked to persistently offer you with the primary combined with beneficial info and data.
As instead of the initial Prius, each and every of the Ioniq is open to incorporate some drivetrains. There is be referred to as a hybrid and a webpage website link-in hybrid, in the identical approach dealing with a gas drivetrain, in addition, a complete-electric handled version. This type of installment enables you to make the Ioniq the primary volume-produced auto to provide you these some powertrain options in the identical method type. The specific hybrid a variety of patterns out of your Ioniq get wed a new 1.6-liter Kappa GDI gasoline constructing 104 Hewlett Packard as well as 147 Nm connected with transforming, an electric powered electric motor gadget method positioned during 42.8 Hewlett Packard, along with a new 6-price, equally-clutch system method approach hauling. Yup, there is out there not any CVT applying this type of one. The standard end result is located at 139 Hewlett Packard along with 265 Nm in 1st products and 141 Playstation with 235 Nm on the inside alongside the sixth products.
The accurate 2019 Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid will in all probability be defined making use of $22,000, which could look smart given that that time period each and every beautifully-adored Prius shops by the strategy of $23,475. Normally, the power range offers caused by $29,500, which areas it by means of the exact same market as generally the most in-demand EVs supplied, the particular Nissan Leaf.


With its status as an aviation hub, Hong Kong offers the best location for aviation maintenance operators and spare parts suppliers to set up their Regional Distribution Centre (RDC). Spare parts and engine units are sourced from various locations in China and abroad. These components require a particular storage environment and management owing to temperature requirements, a short product cycle and low inventory volumes.
Tradeport serves as the perfect RDC for the aviation industry with our highly customisable warehousing spaces. Strong storage racking and shelving in our temperature-controlled area can be configured to accommodate spare parts of various shapes, sizes, weight, expiry date, levels of fragility and values.
Hong Kong is a free port offering greater regulatory flexibility, quicker customs clearance and less documentation requirements, and hence saving your time and cost. Our on-airport location can satisfy any Aircraft On Ground (AOG) orders in a timely manner. All major Asian cities are just a four-hour flight away. Our proximity to the China border and connectivity to multi-modal transportation options make Tradeport the ideal RDC for other industries who reach their customers by land and sea as well.


Since the car had a V6 engine instead of the customary Ferrari twelve-cylinder engine, it was sold not as a Ferrari but under the "Dino" brand, which is named after the nickname of Enzo Ferrari's son, Alfredo Ferrari.
In original condition, a Dino bears neither the Ferrari logo nor the Ferrari lettering. The Dino has its own emblem which shows the name "Dino" in blue writing on a yellow background.
The vehicle was fully restored in 2014/2015 and was painted in the rare original "Giallo Dino" delivery colour.


A student project in the field of rational use of water resources has won the Holland Innovation Challenge organized by the Netherlands. Six teams, including the students from Kazakhstan and the Netherlands, conducted research in greenhouse gardening, waste management and application of space technologies. The teams developed unique ideas. One of them involves introduction of a smart water supply system to residential buildings. The project sparked interest among the jury. The system will be introduced in the construction of high-rise buildings in Almaty. Once tested, the system may be introduced in construction throughout Kazakhstan.
- Our goal is to introduce this technology to reduce water wastage. As the President said, there will be water shortage worldwide in 2025; therefore we should address this issue now.
Holland is the one of the leading exporters of agricultural products despite its small territory and because of its advanced greenhouse technologies. According to the Minister of Economy of the Netherlands, Kazakhstan has all the prerequisites for introduction of such technology in various fields.
- And it's the same as what the countries are doing too and what big companies are doing, too. If Kazakh companies want to do business in the Netherlands, they speak with their customers in the Netherlands, they speak with the government and try to offer solutions, and that's companies are doing the same in Kazakhstan. And now the students are doing the same, too. And that's well for society and also well for the students themselves.
The Netherlands is one of the world's leaders in development of alternative energy sources. The country of tulips is showcasing innovations in agriculture and green technologies in its expo pavilion.


Rep. Gary Alexander (R-2, position 1), House Speaker Frank Chopp (D-43, position 2), Representative Gerry Pollet and Sylvester Cann (D-46; D-46, position 1), Jessyn Farrell (D-46, position 2), Cyrus Habib (D-48, position 2), Rep. Larry Haler (R-8, position 2), Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen (D-10, Senate), Matt Krogh (D-42, position 2), Matt Manweller (R-13, position 2), Mark Mullet (D-5, Senate), Rep. Chris Reykdal (D-22, position 1), Marcus Riccelli (D-3, position 2), Rep. Mike Sells (D-38, position 2), Rep. Pat Sullivan (D-47, position 2), Gael Tarleton (D-36, position 2).
These candidates were selected based on their understanding of higher education policy and their passion for advancing holistic and innovative higher education policy. Each has worked in the legislature or their community to expand accessibility, affordability, accountability and academic quality for Washington state students and institutions.
Graduate Washington's early endorsed candidates – David Frockt (D-46, Senate), Chad Magendanz (R-5, position 2), Larry Seaquist (D-26, position 2), Derek Stanford (D-1, position 1) and Hans Zeiger (R-25, position 2) – who were announced in August, are all endorsed in the general election.
The Graduate Washington questionnaire was distributed to every candidate filed for the 2012 state legislative election, and the organization received nearly 100 completed questionnaires from across the state. Endorsements were made after reviewing legislative records and responses to the Graduate Washington endorsement questionnaire, along with interviews in races where more than one candidate met minimum endorsement standards.


Akbariyeh Garden is Located in Birjand, North-east of Iran and is one of the most beautiful Persian gardens. This historical garden lying in the mountainous bed, consists of two mansions.
Construction of the older building in the easternmost of the garden dates back to the late Zandiyeh and early Qajar era. But the central building, on the western front, is almost as the core counts of the garden. It is beautifully decorated and was used for ceremonies.
The mansions display inlaid decorations, netted and sash windows with colored glasses, and geometrical plaster designs. The Russian-Iranian design displays tall trees, pavilion, and extremely beautiful sash decorating with mirrors and tile.
The Akbariyeh Garden's mulberry trees, pomegranates and flowers are making beautiful sights.
Although the garden is situated in remote parts of the country, it is one of the Persian gardens that worth visiting in a trip to Iran.
Today, the mansion is used as a library, museums of archaeology, anthropology and wildlife and a traditional Persian tea house.
Akbariyeh Garden is among the 9 Iranian Gardens which are collectively registered as one of the Iran's 17 registered World Heritage Sites under the name of the Persian Garden.
Akbariyeh Garden is also known as the Akbarieh Garden and Edifice, or Akbarieh Garden and Complex. In Persian it reads as "باغ اکبریه" (from right to left) and pronounced as "baqe akbariyeh".
This entry was posted in Architecture and tagged Architecture, Iran, Persian Garden, South Khorasan Province on July 14, 2015 by socialinform.
Shazdeh Garden is a historical Persian garden located 6km away from the city of Mahan in Kerman province, Iran. It is a rectangular green oasis surrounded by brown desert and a good example of Persians gardens that take advantage of suitable natural climate.
This entry was posted in Architecture, Travel and tagged Architecture, Iran, Kerman Province, Persian Garden, Photos, Shazdeh Garden, Travel on June 25, 2015 by socialinform.
Here the second batch of pictures of the Persian Garden Park in Tehran. Enjoy!
The Persian Garden Park is a 3.4ha (8.4 acres) areal in Tehran that was designed based on the pattern of a Persian Garden.The reconstruction project planned passages for the disabled and dedicated 2.5ha (6 acres) to green spaces, preserving the old trees and planting new species. The park has six fountains, a restaurant and tea house, a public library, a children's playground and other facilities.
This entry was posted in Culture, Travel and tagged Iran, Persian Garden, Photos, Tehran on April 26, 2015 by socialinform.
The tradition and style in the design of Persian Gardens (Persian: باغ ایرانی transliterated as Bagh-e Irani) has influenced the design of gardens from Andalusia to India and beyond.
The Persian Garden Park in Tehran, located on north Sheikh Bahai Street – District 3, is a 3.4ha (8.4 acres) areal that was designed based on the pattern of a Persian Garden. The two main entrances are located on the eastern and the western side of the park but it has also two other gates on the northern and southern side.
The reconstruction project planned passages for the disabled and dedicated 2.5ha (6 acres) to green spaces, preserving the old trees and planting new species such as bay leaf, berberis, firethorn (pyracantha), eglantine (sweet briar), milkweeds (asclepias), shrubs and other seasonal and perennial plants.
The park has six fountains, a restaurant and tea house, a public library, a children's playground, a sports ground, bathroom and dressing room facilities as well as a prayer room.
This entry was posted in Culture, Travel and tagged Iran, Persian Garden, Photos, Tehran on April 18, 2015 by socialinform.
The tradition and style in the design of Persian Gardens has influenced the design of gardens from Andalusia to India and beyond. Unesco declared the Fin Garden in Kashan a World Heritage Site on July 18, 2012.
This entry was posted in Architecture, Travel and tagged Architecture, Fin Garden, Iran, Isfahan Province, Kashan, Persian Garden, Photos, Travel on January 22, 2015 by socialinform.


Vodafone has an optimistic view of the world and the future. They want to inspire people to capture the opportunities of a digital future and build a better tomorrow.
In line with the brand idea, for New Year 2019, Vodafone wanted to create a campaign that would work across many markets and spread the spirit of optimism that comes with New Year's Eve.
New Year resolutions are probably the most important part of embarking on a New Year and data showed us that only 8% of people achieve their resolutions. On top of this, social listening told us that more and more people are sharing their New Year resolutions through social media, possibly to be cheered on by their peers.
So, we thought, why don't we let people share their resolutions Live on Facebook on New Year's Eve and let the world cheer them on. After all, when we tell people about our resolutions, we are more likely to keep them.
We worked with Facebook and their tech partner, Telescope, to create a bespoke Live experience on each of the seven participating Vodafone local Facebook channels (Albania, Czech, Egypt, Greece, Portugal, Romania, and Turkey), where people could share their New Year's Resolutions Live.
The whole campaign started with Digital advertising, PR and Influencer engagement just around Christmas, when everyone was starting to think about their New Year plans and resolutions. This drove awareness and participation of the Live event.
The campaign drove people to a page where they could upload their submission videos to the world. On New Year's Eve, people watched the LIVE event featuring the best of the submissions. Viewers could interact with the stream through comments, reactions, and a live HTML optimism barometer.
Our average Live engagement rate was over 11%, which is very high considering that the only incentive was to share the moment of New Year with other people on Facebook. Over 50,000 people watched the Live event and half a million watched the feed across the day with 97% of positive reactions. Our reach was beyond 85 Million.
This year, Vodafone helped people keep their resolutions with the whole world watching.


In the middle of all of this renovation chaos, and discussions about subfloor and tile and drywall and dollars, today, I wanted to make something.
Something that I could start and then finish.
My dear blog friend, Adrianne of Happy Hour Projects, taught me how to make a memory wire bracelet months ago. And I immediately fell in love with them. You get big bang for your buck.
But typically, memory wire bracelets are made with smaller beads. Tonight, I wanted to break the rules and use bigger beads. These cat's eye beads are 12mm, as opposed to the typical 4-6mm beads used in memory wire jewelry.
I used cat's eye green, as well as gold filigreed beads. Adrianne also introduced me to the fabulousness that is the tube bead. Not only does it have a great look, but tube beads make building your bracelet that much faster.
And within 15 minutes, I was done.
I had started a project and finished it. Just like that.
There was a conspicuous lack of hammers, crowbars and planning… and I needed that.
Sometimes, you just have to finish a project. Does that make sense to anyone besides me?
Green and Gold, are you secretly supporting us Aussies in the Commonwealth Games? You know their our colours right 🙂 It looks lovely and very patriotic to me.
Lovely colours, though, green and gold!?!? Lucky Australians….
Aww…. thanks for the share, Krista! You have a fabulous week, too, lady!
I recently purchased a TON of beads from a garage sale and they are nice too. This is the perfect project! Thanks so much for sharing at #HomeMattersParty I think I will get started with some Christmas Presents.


Nearly 3 billion people rely on open fires and inefficient stoves and fuels to cook their food, causing widespread health problems, air pollution, and environmental degradation. This large-scale challenge calls for large-scale solutions. In response, the Alliance and Ashden have teamed up to offer a special award to organizations working to accelerate the uptake of clean cooking solutions. These solutions could include products or services that improve the affordability and financially-viable distribution channels of clean cookstoves and fuels, and/or efforts that demonstrate successful approaches to women's empowerment, user-centered design, and long-term behavior change.
Winners of the prestigious Ashden Award will receive £20,000, as well opportunities to present their work to large and influential audiences at the Ashden Awards Ceremony and elsewhere. In addition, winners will gain access to the Ashden alumni network, and the possibility of further support in the form of professional mentoring, training, help raising finance and investment, and media and communications assistance.
Any organization doing relevant work (and meeting's Ashden's general criteria) is welcome to apply, including businesses, NGOs, government organizations, and social enterprises (both for-profit and not-for profit, including community groups). However, priority will be given to applicants whose solutions meet the Alliance's performance guidelines for 'clean' and 'efficient' based on the ISO International Workshop Agreement (IWA) of 2012.
The work must be delivered in at least one of the UN's developing regions of Africa, Caribbean, Central America, South America, Asia (excluding Japan) and Oceania (excluding Australia and New Zealand), and can be in rural or urban areas. High-income countries in these regions, as defined by the World Bank, are not eligible to apply. See here for a list of eligible countries.
Applications for the Ashden Awards must be submitted by 11:59 pm GMT on 06 November 2018. Winners will be announced in June of 2019.


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Antpur, West Bengal, India
About 70 km from Kolkata, Antpur is home to one of the finest pieces of terracotta architecture in the world. A mute testament to the glorious past of Bengal, the Radhagobinda temple, is a 20-minute rickshaw ride from Jangipara. The rich history of the village dates back to early 17th century. The place was then called Vishhari. Legend has it that a king named Bhuri Shreshtha used to rule the region. Eight of his trusted Senapati S lived in eight adjacent villages. Later, the villages combined to form a hamlet, which derived its name from Aatpur or Antput. In 1786, Krishnaram Mitra, dewan of the royal state of Burdwan, first took the initiative to build a Krishna temple here. It was a tumultuous time in the history of Bengal. The power of the Muslim rulers was at an ebb, and overseas invaders like the British, Dutch, French, and Portuguese were becoming dominant. The aim behind building the temple was to motivate the Hindus, who bore the brunt of the tyranny of the outsiders. By then, the terracotta craft was no longer a preserve of the artisans of Bankura and Vishnupur. The magic of clay was being used in architecture in all corners of Bengal. Antpur, with its rich cultural heritage, was no exception. Terracotta became the automatic choice for the temple. Clay from the Ganga was brought and burnt to build the 100-ft high and 47-ft wide structure, adorned with peerless depictions of episodes from Hindu mythology and Bengali social life. The Radhagobinda temple in the village bears characteristics of the Bengal school of architecture. The aatchala or Bangla style, typical of the school, is completely different from the design of north or south Indian temples. The temple is rectangular and covered by two sloping roofs, one over the other. The real beauty of the temple is on its facade, replete with carvings from Hindu mythology, the Ramayana, and the Mahabharata. Episodes from the life of Krishna are also depicted. In fact, the figures of Radha and Krishna are the most conspicuous. Mahishasurmardini Durga with her family can also be seen. At the time of the construction of the temple, Durga puja was reintroduced among Bengalis by Raja Nabakrishna Dev. The impact of the move can be gauged from the fact that Durga is depicted even on a Vaishnav temple like this. The social lives of the royals and commoners are also sculpted on the walls of the temple. A few panels even illustrate the lives of the Europeans. Hindu symbols like lotus and shankha are abundant, as are scenes of fighting and sporting activity, of elephants and tigers. A massive snake statue reaches up to the first floor from the front side of the temple. The terracotta figures are mostly bright red. A few have turned black with age. Besides the temple is a wooden chandimandap that Shri Ramakrishna Paramhansa had visited. A stone's throw away is the residence of Swami Premananda (Baburam Ghosh), a direct disciple of Ramakrishna. On December 24, 1886, nine of Ramakrishna's direct disciples had assembled here to take an oath to dedicate their lives to the service of mankind. One of them was Narendranath Dutta, who later became Swami Vivekananda. Swami Avedananda was also present. Vivekananda visited this house again in 1889. A simple shrine commemorates the visits. Antpur is significant in the history of Indian Railways as well. The village was an important station on the 45-km Howrah-Amta narrow-gauge route of the Martin Light Railway Company, a private rail service established in 1892. The rail company was shut down in the 1950s, and the tourist flow to the village declined gradually after that. Poet Vishnu Dey and minister Ashoke Sen, however, came back several times, lured by Antpur's solitude and beauty. Going: Buses are available from Howrah station to Jangipara. The journey takes around 2 hours. Take a cycle-rickshaw to Radhagobinda temple from Jangipara. The Vivekananda shrine is not far away. Direct buses to Antpur are available from the CTC service at Curzon Park. Otherwise, you can take a local train from Howrah to Haripal. It's a 30-minute bus journey to Antpur from there. Rajbalhat, 15 minutes by bus from Antpur, is famous for handloom saris. There's also a 500-year-old Rajballavi temple.