The important role of forests in mitigating climate change through carbon sequestration has made it even more critical to ensure that forestry resources are managed and developed in a sustainable way.
These comments were made by Ms Fekita Utoikamanu, the Deputy Director-General (Suva) of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) when she opened the regional forestry technical meeting in Nadi, Fiji.
'SPC fully supports and promotes this exchange of information between the countries in the region, particularly sharing success stories on the use of new strategies, policies and programmes that are helping countries and communities move closer towards the development and sustainable management of their forest resources,' Ms Utoikamanu said.
The theme of the week-long meeting is 'Sustainable Forest Management for a Resilient Future in the Pacific Region'. It will cover a wide range of topics, including Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+), conservation and management of forest genetic resources, forest health, food security, forest trade and certification and new initiatives.
Acknowledging that forests and trees play a vital role in climate change mitigation and adaptation, biodiversity conservation and livelihoods, the Deputy Director-General reminded the meeting that these valuable resources must be conserved, managed and utilised in a sustainable manner.
The meeting is being organised by the Land Resources Division and supported by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The contribution of the European Union (EU) to SPC's forestry programme is also acknowledged.


The latest addition to Roland Pro A/V's growing line-up of OHRCA (Open High Resolution Control Architecture)-based live mixing consoles.
Measuring under 30" (74cm), the M-5000C offers the flexibility and features of the M-5000 console in a smaller footprint for touring, broadcast, theatre and live performance applications.
The M-5000C made its European debut on HHB Communications' IBC stand earlier this month.
The "next step in the evolution" of beyerdynamic's acclaimed DT 770 PRO studio/monitoring headphones.
A triple-layer compound membrane in the DT 1770 PRO reduces unwanted partial vibrations, allowing increased accuracy in the reproduction bass and overtone reproduction.
German manufacturer beyerdynamic has designed the new cans for maximum comfort, with soft velour or leather ear cushions, velour ear cups and a spring-steel headband.
K-array's loudest portable loudspeaker system.
The self-powered, 142dB KR802 features a pair of KMT218 2 x 18" subs each with two channels of 2,500W matched to two KY102s with 4" neodymium speaker elements.
All DSP functions, including EQ, can be controlled with remote managing software via USB or RS485 on a standard XLR.
Three new products allowing integrators to quickly and easily add extra inputs and outputs to their SymNet DSP systems.
xIn 4 is an audio input expander for SymNet Dante-scalable systems featuring four mic/line inputs with +48 VDC phantom power, while xOut 4 is, similarly, an output expander. Symetrix xIO 4x4 is an audio input/output expander for SymNet systems sporting four mic/line inputs and four line outputs.
All three devices are configured using the newly updated SymNet Composer software, t eliminating any requirement for hardware DIP switches, front-panel menus or third-party software.


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The Economic Impact of Racism
College friendships are sometimes just that. They may begin and develop over the course of four years, but in the time following graduation, friends can drift apart and friendships can fade. Some relationships forged in college, however, stand the test of time. And in the case of two University of Louisville alumni who met in the College of Business, that friendship happened to lead them back to where it all began.
Meet OJ Oleka and Terrance Sullivan. OJ graduated from the College of Business with a degree in marketing and a minor in political science. (He went on to receive his MBA and PhD in leadership and higher education from neighboring Bellarmine University). He is currently president of the Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities. Terrance graduated from UofL with a bachelor's degree in political science, law and public policy, a minor in economics, and later earned his JD from UofL's Brandeis School of Law. He is executive director of the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights.
The two met in a CIS100 (computer information systems) classroom, and OJ credits his friend with being the reason he was able to get a B in the class. The rest, as they say, is history.
Fast forward to summer 2020, when social unrest was peaking in Louisville. The two, who had remained close over the years since graduation, knew they needed to do something. "We needed to find a way to use our experiences and skillsets to participate in creating change," said Terrance. So, over the course of a weekend in June, AntiRacismKY (ARKY) was born. ARKY is a non-partisan coalition created to eliminate institutional racism through policy change. After gathering ideas and concerns from citizens throughout the state, the two decided ARKY would focus on creating meaningful reform in eight key areas: agriculture, education, economic development, housing, health care, criminal justice, wealth generation, and the workplace.
OJ and Terrance spoke about AntiRacismKY in October as part of the Center for Free Enterprise Menard Family Lecture Series. During the virtual event "The Economic Impact of Racism," they discussed how, although they come from different backgrounds, and are on opposite sides of the political aisle, they felt it was important to come together to create change in the community and state they call home.
Both OJ and Terrance say their undergrad days at UofL and the College of Business helped shape who they are and what they do today. "Courses like Capitalism and Economic Freedom with Professor Gohmann helped me approach issues from an economic perspective, as well as encouraged me to learn and appreciate 'the other side of the argument,' which has helped me develop consensus on many issues professionally and personally," said OJ. Terrance echoes the importance of his experiences at UofL. "There was great reiteration on how we can go further together, and I firmly believe that," he said. "For me, campus involvement meant identifying needs for a larger group, and working with that larger group to facilitate change. And that bleeds over to my professional work and AntiRacismKY."
"Any time a former student says their time in class and on campus was well-spent is rewarding for a professor and a win for the university," said Center for Free Enterprise director, Steve Gohmann. "The fact that Terrance and OJ are using what they learned at UofL to make lives better is certainly gratifying. It's why we are here."
UofL Student Opening Career Paths for Black Students
Mentoring Spirit

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Q: The Linux(CentOS 7.9) kernel has prompted a bug. Is it harmful? My runtime environment is CentOS 7.9(kernel is version 5.16.11) in the VMBox virtual machine, it is allocated 1G memory and 8 CPU cores.
[root@dev236 ~]# uname -a
Linux dev236 5.16.11-1.el7.elrepo.x86_64 #1 SMP PREEMPT Tue Feb 22 10:22:37 EST 2022 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

I ran a computation-intensive program that used 8 threads to continuously use the CPU.

After some time, the operating system issues a bug alert, like this:
[root@dev236 src]# ./server --p:command-threads-count=8

[31274.179023] rcu: INFO: rcu_preempt self-detected stall on CPU
[31274.179039] watchdog: BUG: soft lockup - CPU#3 stuck for 210S! [server:1356]
[31274.179042] watchdog: BUG: soft lockup - CPU#1 stuck for 210S! [server:1350]
[31274.179070] watchdog: BUG: soft lockup - CPU#7 stuck for 210S! [server:1355]
[31274.179214] rcu: 0-...!: (1 GPs behind) idle=52f/1/0x4000000000000000 softirq=10073864/10073865
fqs=0

Message from syslogd@dev236 at Jan 25 18:59:49 ...
 kernel:watchdog: BUG: soft lockup - CPU#3 stuck for 210S! [server:1356]

Message from syslogd@dev236 at Jan 25 18:59:49 ...
 kernel:watchdog: BUG: soft lockup - CPU#1 stuck for 210S! [server:1350]

Message from syslogd@dev236 at Jan 25 18:59:49 ...
 kernel:watchdog: BUG: soft lockup - CPU#7 stuck for 210S! [server:1355]

^C
[root@dev236 src]#

Then, I looked at the program log, and the log file was constantly being appended, which indicated that my test program was still running.
I wonder if I can ignore this bug tip?
Or, do I have to do something?
for example:
    Reduce the computational intensity of the program?
    Give the CPU a break once in a while?
    Reduce the number of threads started in the program?

Thank you all

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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How are galaxy distances inferred from their recessional velocities? (Intermediate)
I have a Ph.D in physics from Caltech (1948). I am living in a retirement community in Redlands, CA. By request, I am giving lectures on astronomy every two weeks. A question that I am asked but cannot answer satisfactorily is "How do they determine the age of the universe and the distance in light-years (or kilometers) to distant galaxies?"
I understand that the redshift determines the recession velocity, but I do not understand the relation of this to the distance.
There is a simple answer and a not-so-simple complication to it.
The simple answer is that it has been known for some time that the distance to a galaxy is proportional to its recessional velocity: this is called Hubble's Law, and it was demonstrated observationally by Hubble in the late 1920s. It turns out that if you assume that the Universe is homogeneous and isotropic (which we think is the case), then Hubble's Law can also be predicted by theory. The constant of proportionality between the recessional velocity of galaxies and their distance is called Hubble's constant. Astronomers have tried to measure Hubble's constant ever since the term was coined: the simplest way is to look at the recessional velocities of galaxies for which the distances are known by other means (like looking at the period of variable stars). The current best estimate of Hubble's constant today is about 20 km/s per Mly, so that a galaxy with a recessional velocity of 2000 kilometres per second is 100 mega-light-years away, and so on.
We can therefore use Hubble's law to tell us distances to galaxies by simply measuring their redshifts, which is a relatively easy thing to do even for very distant objects. We can also estimate the age of the Universe: you'll notice that the units of Hubble's constant are actually 1/time, so one over Hubble's constant must be the characteristic age of the Universe. From the Hubble constant above, we therefore calculate that the Universe is about 14 billion years old.
Now for the complications: it turns out that for *very* distant objects (at redshifts of, say, 2 and greater) Hubble's Law doesn't quite hold, because at very great distances we have to start taking the (4-dimensional) curvature of the Universe into account. A more important effect is that in most cosmologies, Hubble's constant isn't really a constant: it actually increases as you look back in time, so that its value was different for galaxies at redshifts of 5 than it is today. So, to get estimates of the distances to galaxies and the age of the Universe, astronomers must assume a set of cosmological parameters for the Universe (for instance, the total amount of "normal" matter it contains) and model its age and the distances of galaxies as a function of redshift by integrating the equations of motion for cosmological evolution. The answers they get are not that different from what we estimated above, but can be crucial to learning about galaxies at high redshift (for instance, the extraction of their sizes depends linearly on their distance, and their masses on the distance squared).
For all intents and purposes, however, Hubble's law is a very powerful tool for getting distances from velocities (and you may want to stop at that in your lectures).
This page was last updated June 27, 2015.
Hubble Constant
Kristine Spekkens
Kristine studies the dynamics of galaxies and what they can teach us about dark matter in the universe. She got her Ph.D from Cornell in August 2005, was a Jansky post-doctoral fellow at Rutgers University from 2005-2008, and is now a faculty member at the Royal Military College of Canada and at Queen's University.
Kristine's email:
Kristine's websites:
http://www.astro.queensu.ca/people/Kristine_Spekkens/main.php
http://www.rmc.ca/aca/phy/per/spekkens-k-eng.php
Is the universe expanding faster than the speed of light? (Intermediate)
Do galaxies that are receding from us faster than the speed of light disappear from our observations? (Intermediate)
When measuring the expansion of the universe, do astronomers consider that they're seeing how galaxies moved long ago, not today? (Intermediate)
How do we define distance in an expanding universe? (Intermediate)
How is it proved that the Universe is expanding? (Intermediate)
Could a different theory of gravity explain the dark matter mystery? (Intermediate)
Stellar Evolution Sirius Wolf-Rayet Stars Art Jupiter Illusion Meteors Meteorites Pioneer Impacts Rovers Interior Gravitational Waves Radiation Scintillation Variable Stars Nebulae Drake Equation Proper Motion Electromagnetism


text:
<?php

namespace Sedra\View;

use Sedra\View\TemplateEngine;

/**
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interface TemplateEngineProvider
{
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}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
in radius of 5 km in radius of 10 km in radius of 20 km in radius of 30 km in radius of 40 km in radius of 50 km in radius of 60 km in radius of 70 km in radius of 80 km in radius of 90 km in radius of 100 km in radius of 110 km in radius of 120 km in radius of 130 km in radius of 140 km in radius of 150 km in radius of 160 km in radius of 170 km in radius of 180 km in radius of 190 km in radius of 200 km
Courtyard by Marriott Prague Airport
Aviaticka 1092/8161 00, PragueCzech Republic
More Infos on Courtyard by Marriott Prague Airport
Prague, with its enchanting castles, bridges and old town squares, is one of the most intriguing cities in Europe. Whether travelling for business or pleasure, the Courtyard by Marriott Prague Airport hotel offers an ideal location and first-class amenities. Located in the Europort Center, our Prague Airport hotel is just a 20-minute drive to Prague's city center. The Courtyard, a 4-star hotel in Prague, features rooms with air conditioning, a safe, flat-screen TV, high-speed Internet, refrigerator and coffee/tea facilities. Amenities available 24 hours a day include the business center, fitness room, early breakfast and a convenience market. For lunch and dinner, Oleo Pazzo's chefs prepare lavish meals in our show kitchen featuring Mediterranean specialties. From the lobby, stay connected with wireless Internet and posted schedule of flight arrivals and departures. The Courtyard by Marriott – we welcome you to your home away from home while visiting Central Europe.
When every detail must be perfect, you can count on our advanced facilities and expert meeting professionals to deliver a productive and successful outcome.
www.conferencehotels.eu offers you a free and comfortable search for conference hotels in Prague. Here you will find the most popular conference hotels which Prague has to offer and which you can request directly online with the best conditions available.
You still have questions and need a quick reply?
Do you have special requirements regarding seating, technical equipment or catering? Please tell us in the notes!
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It is winter time. The days are shorter and it gets darker quicker. This should not make you run in the house. All you need is a little outdoor lighting for your outdoor living spaces. We are here to help you light up your nights by providing you quick tips on how to light up your outdoors. Read below to get started.
Ø Security Lighting. This type of lighting is very bright and can be motion activated. This can improve the safety of your property.
Ø Task Lighting. This type of lighting is used to help you safely move around while doing tasks such as grilling or walking safely around your property. Task lighting should be installed eyes length to object. This purpose is to help guide you visually through tasks.
Ø Accent Lighting. This type of lighting adds an artsy feature to a display. This is great to install near gardens, trees, and bushes.
Ø Ambient Lighting. This type of lighting can be used to increase the comfort of occupants and to make your landscape look more attractive.
Ø Solar-Powered lights. Solar powered lighting is easy and portable. It can absorb sun energy even on cloudy days.
Ø Battery Operated and Rechargeable. This type of power is wireless and portable.
Ø Line-Powered. This type of power is connected to your home's electricity. You can plug them in an outdoor socket. It is the most expensive type of lighting and must be installed by a licensed electrician.
Ø Low-Voltage Powered Lights. This type of power is connected to your home but uses less electricity than a line powered lighting system (goes from 120 volts to 12 volts).
Ø Make sure you keep your lighting simple. Less is often better than more lighting when it comes to an attractive outdoor lighting. Use low watt bulbs to keep your lighting simple, attractive and useful.
Ø Never install lights in a straight line on pathways, driveways and patios.
Ø Do not use yellow lights. They are not appealing to guests or plants. Blue-white bulbs are a better choice.
Ø Make sure you position your outdoor lighting in a way that is easy to access because eventually you will need to change light bulbs.
If you have any questions or need installments, contact TLC Incorporated by calling 888-742-5852 or click here today!
But decorative lighting from TLC Incorporated isn't just for the holidays!
Source: Light Up the Night! Quick Facts About Outdoor Lighting.
This entry was posted on Monday, January 9th, 2012	at 3:26 pm	. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0	feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.


Northampton Town's staged their annual Open Day at the PTS Academy Stadium on Sunday, with huge numbers of supporters attending to see Dean Austin put the players through their paces in an open training session, a mascot race involving Clarence and some of his furry friends and the launch of the new home kit.
Young supporters met the players who were on hand throughout to meet supporters, sign autographs and pose for pictures, while stadium tours ran regularly.
In addition, there were plenty of fun activities outside the stadium.
Thank you to all who attended, we hope you had a good day and you can view our gallery of images here!


For years Tough Mudder prided itself on being a challenge, not a race until it was a race. However, over the years as obstacle racing has matured so have the race organizations. This year with over $500,000 in prize purses and several competitive series Tough Mudder is here to compete.
For years, Spartan Race was the biggest player in the competitive obstacle racing market. Spartan Race and Warrior Dash were the original races in the industry. While many have forgotten, Warrior Dash was the first OCR company to offer age group prizes going back to 2010. They later abandoned this to focus on the fun and after party. Spartan Race from the beginning positioned itself as a race series. In the beginning, Tough Mudder was the outlier with no competitive offering. The one exception being the annual World's Toughest Mudder started in 2011.
Many competitors and fans of Tough Mudder asked for a competitive option for years. Conversations with Junyong Pak date back to 2011 about the topic. But for years Tough Mudder stood strong as the outlier. The event that wasn't a race, except for World's Toughest Mudder. The irony at the time Spartan Race was a race until it wasn't at the Death Race.
However, as the obstacle racing industry has continued to grow and adapt to have the major companies. Warrior Dash has long abandoned age group results, and only have one competitive heat an event. Spartan Race recently added age groups for 2018 and the Death Race is resting in peace in Vermont.
Like any industry going through puberty, Tough Mudder has had some major changes in the last year. In 2017, Tough Mudder started to get serious about being a competitive sport with the introduction of Toughest Mudder, Tough Mudder X, and Tougher Mudder. While the names can be confusing and a mouthful, what Tough Mudder did in 2017 was beginning to position itself deeper in the OCR universe. No longer just an event for the frat types, white-collar workers, or just someone who wanted to brag about getting muddy on the weekend. It got competitive.
This year the company is all in with the 2018 Pro-Team announced months earlier this year and adding two more racers to the team. As well committing over $500,000 in prizes for the competitive events – Tough Mudder X, Tougher Mudder, Toughest Mudder, and World's Toughest Mudder in 2018. Couple all of that with their continued partnership with Facebook and CBS Sports, this could be a breakout year for Tough Mudder in the competitive obstacle racing circuit.
Do the top racers pick one series over another?
Will this dilute the competitive pool?
Or will we see the top in our sport competing in several competitive series?
The one thing is for sure, with so many competitive options at the local, national, and international level it is a great time to be a competitive obstacle racer.


Fervent loyalty by the Federal and Postal Employee to want to work for as long as possible, and to do the best job possible, is often taken for granted; what is not as common, however, is a "bilateral loyalty" — meaning, loyalty shown by the Agency back to the Federal or Postal employee, especially when such loyalty is needed, during the long process of filing for, and obtaining, disability retirement benefits from the Office of Personnel Management.
In representing a client, I am often asked whether or not the Agency should be notified of our intentions immediately, and my response always is: It depends. If there is a strong and positive relationship between the employee and supervisor, where there are strong indicators that the Agency will be supportive during the lengthy process, then I will often advise informing them fairly quickly.
More often, however, the Agency has had a long history of acting in a "less than sympathetic" manner — and that is in most cases. In such cases, I normally advise to wait until the disability retirement packet has been prepared and finalized, and it is ready to be submitted to the Personnel or District H.R. Office.
Each case must be looked at independently, and there are never any easy answers. Agencies are comprised of individuals; individuals are complex beings, with the potential for compassion and empathy, but just as well with a potential for cold disregard for the plight of an individual. So long as Agencies are comprised of individuals, Agencies themselves act as individuals, and each case must be viewed in that light.
This entry was posted in OPM Disability Retirement Application, The Agency, The Applicant and tagged agency's loyalty, applying for federal disability, civil service disability, disability retirement facts, disability retirement for federal employees, disability retirement for nara employees, federal disability lawyer, federal supervisor response to employee work injury, FERS Disability Retirement Lawyer, filing a csrs disability claim, filing fers disability application, filing for OPM disability retirement, getting OPM disability benefits, gsa medical retirement, injured federal employee, letting the agency know about your opm disability application, medical retirement for nasa employees, notifying the Agency, notifying the supervisor/agency, OPM disability application, OPM disability application tips, OPM Disability Retirement, OPM medical retirement, Postal Service disability, postal service's attitude towards its own employees, Postal supervisors and managers, pragmatic methodology, receiving disability retirement from the postal service, resigning for OPM disability retirement, should I tell my supervisor about my fers disability application?, supervisors and disabled employees in the US federal agencies, usps medical disability, usps medical retirement, when supervisors show empathy and sensitivity, when the agency does not treat employees well, when the agency treats employees fairly well by Federal Disability Lawyer . Bookmark the permalink.


Do you find business generation a real challenge? Tired of chasing after the same Clients along with the rest of the Advisor population? Perhaps you prefer working with existing Clients and offering them a real quality and ongoing service? IF so then perhaps this opportunity maybe for you!
Within this role you will inherit, manage and develop and existing client base whilst also benefiting from additional lead flow, the firms strong reputation and heritage also sees regular repeat business and Client referrals.
Gary Raine has 12 years' recruitment experience and has specialised in recruiting wealth management professionals for the last 10 years. He is the longest serving member of the BWD team and during his 10 years with the firm has recruited across an ever-changing market for banks, wealth and investment management firms. Gary's competitive advantage is definitely his experience - it is rare to find someone with 10 years at the same firm as recruitment is a very transient market. It is not only his level of experience but the reach of his network and closely built relationships that he has developed over this time. Such relationships cannot be underestimated and allow him to keep fully in touch with market changes and access to key decisions makers. Gary has an excellent understanding of the market and has continuously placed people in roles ranging from Directors, Wealth Managers, Paraplanners and Sales Support staff.


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How the brand was born
In the 1970s Giancarlo Nannini of Modena marketed Italian components for the appliance gas market (cookers, barbecues, etc.) all over the world. He particularly worked with an Australian world leader in the manufacture of gas barbecues. During a trip to Australia, Giancarlo and his wife discovered and had a close-up experience with the Australian barbecue tradition, and fell so deeply in love with it that in 1981 they founded M2z, initially a company that only imported Australian barbecues. M2z later also became the manufacturer of a line of barbecues called Dolcevita.
Today M2z is called Dolcevita BBQ srl, and is headquartered in Piancamuno, in the province of Brescia. It continues to both collaborate with the Australian company and to make barbecues at its own plant. The new ownership still works with the founder Mr Nannini, to make use of his valuable advice, and the Dolcevita brand is recognised in Italy and abroad as excellence in the world of barbecues.


My customer got lucky with this estate sale treasure. English rolled arms, feather cushions, turned legs and good bones. This, my friends, is an ideal chair for a slipcover makeover.
Keep reading to see the before and take a tour of Nellie's charming living room. You'll love how she uses white slipcovers and blue + green accessories to unify her different furniture styles for multiple seating areas.
Isn't this chair fabulous? Tempting as it was to live with the cheery green plaid, Nellie decided to go with a washable slipcover in 12 oz white denim. I made it with a non-bleed navy welt and a box pleat skirt. This fabric was just thick enough to keep the upholstery from showing through.
Earlier this summer I transformed Nellie's sofa, an outdated floral Henredon piece she found on Craigslist. This is the anchor piece of her living room and sets the look & feel for additional seating.
Her sofa and chair are completely different styles and brands yet they work well together. That's because she chose the same fabric, color, trim and skirt design for both slipcovers.
The slipcovered armchair faces a second seating area in her living room. It's paired with a large Ikea Ektorp sectional also dressed in white. Navy accents galore. So pretty!
And finally, the third seating area is across from the sofa. Nellie found these gorgeous rattan chairs — secondhand, of course. I slipcovered the cushions in the same white denim and navy welt as her sofa and armchair.
As I walked around my customer's living room my eye was drawn to her beautifully curated shelves, tables, book cases, walls and mantel. I love creative layers of books, objects, vintage treasures, art and textiles. Eclectic style. Nellie's personal touches add so much warmth and beauty to her home.
I hope this mini tour of Nellie's living room sparks ideas for your next home decor project. Cheers to making old furniture look new again with white slipcovers!
This entry was posted in Uncategorized on September 4, 2018 by slipcovermaker.
I love the chair you slipcovered for Nellie. It looks like a down cushion. Did you have to add additional feathers to it? I also love her house with your slipcover designs.
Thanks Jennifer! Yes, the seat cushion is filled with 100% feather/down. No foam insert, which is unusual. I didn't add any feathers. I let a down cushion expert refresh or replace that type of cushion. Feather/down has to be blown in for best results. I think that chair was built over a dozen years ago and mostly likely that feather seat was a custom request.


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Bella Hadid Opens Up About Her 'Excruciating and Debilitating' Mental Health Struggles
By Nicholas Rice, People
Bella Hadid is speaking honestly about her mental health.
The 25-year-old supermodel spoke to WSJ. Magazine for the publication's "My Monday Morning" series, where she opened up about her mental health struggles, which she described as "excruciating and debilitating."
When asked by the publication what her secret is to putting together her outfit in the morning, Hadid explained that she hasn't had a stylist "in a long time, maybe two years now," and she was "in such a weird place mentally that it was really complicated for me to get out of the house and put an outfit together, especially with the anxiety of [paparazzi] being outside and all that."
But, after learning to deal with her anxiety and other mental health struggles, Hadid said she learned to embrace her fashion and dress in a way that makes her happy.
"In the last year, it was really important for me to learn that even if people talk about my style or if they like it or if they don't, it doesn't matter, because it's my style," she noted. "When I leave the house in the morning, what I think about is: Does this make me happy? Do I feel good in this and do I feel comfortable?"
In her interview with WSJ. Magazine, Hadid continued to chat about her own mental health, as well as what her thought process was behind an Instagram post she shared in November, where she posted a series of selfies of herself crying.
"I would have really depressive episodes and my mom or my doctor would ask how I was and instead of having to respond in text, I would just send them a photo," she said. "It was the easiest thing for me to do at the time because I was never able to explain how I was feeling."
"I would just be in excruciating and debilitating mental and physical pain, and I didn't know why. That was over the past three years," she continued. "[When I posted them] it was to make sure that anybody that was feeling that way knew it was OK to feel that way."
Added Hadid: "Even though on Instagram things look so beautiful, at the end of the day, we are all cut from the same cloth. I felt like it was just good for me to be able to speak my truth and at some point I wasn't able to post nice pretty pictures anymore. I was over it."
Breast Cancer Survivorship and the Impact on Mental Health
By Leona Vaughn, Everyday Health
Three years ago, Hil Moss says she was lounging around, casually watching television and relaxing when she touched her chest and felt a lump. She was 28, and with no family history, she says her doctor reassured her that she had nothing to worry about. But after a few more appointments, they confirmed a diagnosis of breast cancer, likely caused by an ATM gene mutation they found.
After three years and a 14-month treatment plan — which included three months of chemotherapy, a double mastectomy, and a tissue-based reconstruction, later followed by hormone therapy — Moss, a student in the Yale School of Public Health in New Haven, Connecticut, and an advocate for cancer care, now considers herself a breast cancer survivor.
The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) defines survivorship as, "living with, through, and beyond cancer." But some patients who get to the "beyond cancer" stage say they were unprepared for the toll this experience would take on their mental health.
When she was first diagnosed, Moss says she anticipated that the most difficult part of her experience would be receiving the treatment, but a fellow survivor warned her that it would actually be the months following her completion of it that would be the hardest. Sure enough, Moss says she found the first six months of her recovery period more mentally challenging than anything she had physically gone through, including the amputation of both her breasts.
"That just seems impossible to believe," Moss says. "You're in chemo, you feel horrible, how could it possibly be worse? But it kind of is. When you're actively in treatment, you at least have this sense of what your day-to-day is, and sometimes that can feel like a safety blanket."
"When you are removed from that, you are forced to essentially reckon with what's happened. You have to come to terms with your own mortality," Moss says.
Breast Cancer Survival Rates Are Increasing
Marleen Meyers, MD, a medical oncologist and the founding director of the Survivorship Program at Perlmutter Cancer Center at NYU Langone Health in New York City, says that breast cancer is a "hopeful cancer," because more and more patients diagnosed with breast cancer are surviving, but that living through this experience "comes with a price."
"I've been an oncologist for a long time, and early on, we were just happy that people survived," Dr. Meyers says. "We didn't really look at what their quality of life after survivorship was. I always like to say that the cancer treatment may be over, but the cancer experience is far from over."
Experts say that the vast majority of patients struggle with mental health after receiving cancer treatment.
"There's anxiety about what the next steps are, how they're going to feel, how long it's going to take for them to get better," Meyers says. "The reality is, while you can give somebody an estimate, it's impossible to predict."
Click here to read the full article on Everyday Health.
5 Ways to Chill Out in a Hectic Life
HealthLifestyle
According to the American Psychological Association, the country is facing a mental health crisis that could yield serious health and social consequences for years to come.
This was brought on by the stress created by the pandemic, leaving many people to feel anxiety and worry more. With that in mind, it's crucial that people prioritize relaxing and reducing stress in order to protect their mental health. The good news is there are numerous things they can do to help them achieve that goal.
"Being busy became such a trend, as though busy equated success – now freedom and flexibility are the symbols of success," explains Katie Sandler, personal development and career coach. "It's hard for people to chill out when their systems are programmed to be going nonstop and working nonstop. It takes a minute to down regulate the system in order to actually reduce stress and chill out."
In a Pew Research Center survey, at least 60% of the adults reported that they sometimes feel too busy to enjoy life, with 12% of them saying they felt that way all of the time. Living like this is one sure way to increase stress and anxiety levels. Having long term stress can lead to a variety of health problems, including heart disease, obesity, cognitive decline, and depression, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
While many people want to reduce the stress in their lives, they are not always sure how to go about doing so. Here are 5 ways to chill out in a hectic life:
Mindfulness. Keeping yourself in the present moment can go a long way toward helping you lower stress, anxiety, and even depression as well as help you get better sleep and establish a better sense of well-being. Mindfulness is something that everyone can learn and practice anywhere at anytime.
Connect with people. Getting together with people we enjoy being around helps us laugh, feel connected, and make us happier. Those populations who are the healthiest in the world, such as the Blue Zones, tend to get together for social interaction regularly. Join a group or find some friends you like to be around and meet up on a regular basis. If you don't feel comfortable being in person – create zoom social events; something is better than nothing.
Be in nature. There are many health benefits from spending time in nature. Even a view of nature helps us feel better and can improve our mood. Be sure to get outdoor time, taking walks, biking, gardening, or doing something else you enjoy. Nature-deficit disorder is real. Whatever you choose, just be sure to spend time outside and in nature.
Schedule free time. With the busy lives that people live today it may be necessary to put free time on the schedule. This way it will be a part of your plan and you will have to give it your attention. Don't let other things crowd out your scheduled free time.
Set the intention. The first part of making your life less hectic is to set the intention that you are going to chill out. Setting the intention will get you to formulate your thoughts, plans, and goals. Determine what you want, what you will do to make it happen, and what you want the outcome to be.
"You can't continue to put off reducing your hectic and stressful lifestyle," added Sandler. "Having a more relaxing life with less stress takes being proactive and making some changes. You have to put work into it, some of it may seem counterintuitive, but what you get back is beyond rewarding."
Sandler has worked with many people to help them identify a plan for personal achievement, take steps to reach goals, and identify areas that need to be worked on. She provides people with meaningful tools that they can use to help bring calm and insight into their life. In addition to working with individuals, she offers luxury impact retreats.
Sandler has a bachelor's degree in psychology anda master's degree in mental health counseling, has a strong foundation in mindfulness-based stress reduction, and has worked in hospitals and private practice. She previously spent time as a research assistant while at Johns Hopkins, focusing on purpose in life. To learn more about Katie Sandler and her services, or to see the retreat schedule, visit the site: https://katiesandler.com/.
About Katie Sandler
Katie Sandler is a popular impact coach and provides health and wealth coaching and personal and professional development. She offers retreats around the world, as well as private coaching and corporate impact coaching opportunities. She focuses on helping people become more successful so they can live with purpose and make an impact in our world. To learn more about Katie or her services, visit the site: https://katiesandler.com/.
American Psychological Association. Stress in America 2020. https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2020/report-october
Pew Research Center. How Americans feel about the satisfactions and stresses of modern life.https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/02/05/how-americans-feel-about-the-satisfactions-and-stresses-of-modern-life/
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Manage Stress. https://health.gov/myhealthfinder/topics/health-conditions/heart-health/manage-stress
Selena Gomez Calls Out Body Shamers Who Criticize Her Looks: 'I Don't Care About My Weight'
EntertainmentHealth
By Julie Mazziotta, People
Selena Gomez doesn't care about her weight — and wishes other people wouldn't either.
On Sunday, the actress and singer, 29, called out the body shamers who feel the need to comment about her looks. Talking on her TikTok Stories, Gomez said that she tries to limit her fast food meals, but sometimes goes all in. "So I be trying to stay skinny, but I went to Jack in the Box and I got four tacos, three egg rolls, onion rings and a spicy chicken sandwich," she said, E! News reported.
The Only Murders in the Building star said that it doesn't matter, because no matter what she does people will still criticize her body. "But honestly, I don't care about my weight because people bitch about it anyway. 'You're too small,' 'you're too big,' 'that doesn't fit.' 'Meh meh meh meh.'" "Bitch, I am perfect the way I am," she added. "Moral of the story? Bye."
Gomez — who underwent a kidney transplant in Sept. 2017 due to complications from lupus — has previously explained that her health issues cause "weight fluctuations" that used to bother her.
"I have lupus and deal with kidney issues and high blood pressure, so I deal with a lot of health issues, and for me that's when I really started noticing more of the body image stuff," she said in an interview with friend Raquelle Stevens on her video podcast Giving Back Generation in Nov. 2019.
The "Lose You to Love Me" singer said that the "combination" of her lupus and the medication she needs alters her weight.
"It's the medication I have to take for the rest of my life — it depends on even the month, to be honest," Gomez said of her weight changes. "So for me, I really noticed when people started attacking me for that. And in reality, that's just my truth. I fluctuate. It depends what's happening in my life."
Selena Gomez says she's 'happier' after being off social media for over 4 years: 'It makes me feel normal'
AdvocacyEntertainmentHealth
By David Artavia, Yahoo! Life
Selena Gomez is taking her passion for mental health advocacy to new heights.
On Monday, the singer, actress and entrepreneur celebrated the launch of her multimedia company Wondermind alongside her two co-founders, her mom Mandy Teefey and fellow mental health activist Daniella Pierson. The new platform aims to be a free resource to help users navigate their own mental wellness. The 29-year-old, who has spoken candidly about living with bipolar disorder, says she wants to use her own experiences as a conduit to help others, particularly as it pertains to the toxicity of social media.
"I haven't been on the internet in four and a half years," Gomez said in an interview with Good Morning America. "It has changed my life completely. I am happier. I am more present, I connect more with people. It makes me feel normal."
Last year, she told InStyle she "created a system" where she doesn't know the passwords to her social media accounts — a step she said was necessary in order to focus on herself.
The Only Murders in the Building star explained that "growing up in the spotlight has definitely taught me so much."
"I can't believe that I am where I am mentally just because of how I took the necessary steps in order to kind of remove myself from that because it's just not normal," she said.
Gomez, who has spoken candidly about living with bipolar disorder after publicly revealing her diagnosis in April 2020, says her mental health journey has been "freeing."
"I started to have a relationship with myself," Gomez said. "I think that's the best part. I've probably been the happiest I've ever been."
With Wondermind, Gomez says she wants "people to be understood and seen and heard. It's OK to not be OK."
"If I'm known for anything I hope it's simply just for the way I care about people," she added. "Those days where I don't want to get out of bed, if I had something like Wondermind, even if it took me a minute to get into it, it's just there. And there's something that's really comforting about that."
Now, as the star is getting closer to turning 30, she hopes to take all the lessons she learned in her 20s and apply them to a better future.
"I couldn't be more thrilled to step into this chapter. Alone, independently, strong, confidently," she said. "That's all I really want, you know?"
This isn't the first time Gomez has spoken openly about her mental health.
In an interview with Elle magazine last year, she touched on the public scrutiny she faced over the years — including a very public breakup with Justin Bieber, undergoing a kidney transplant due to her lupus diagnosis and seeking mental health treatment.
"I don't even know what they really believed I was doing — drugs, alcohol, running around, partying," she explained of the negative press she endured. "The narrative was so nasty."
Click here to read the full article on Yahoo! Life.
Black women start to talk about uterine fibroids, a condition many get but few speak about
By Claretta Bellamy, NBC News
When Daye Covington visited her doctor for a routine physical last year, she expressed concern about weight gain in her belly that she said made her look seven months pregnant. But she knew she wasn't pregnant, and she had a healthy lifestyle. An MRI revealed that she had multiple uterine fibroids — noncancerous growths in the uterus — the size of cantaloupes.
"First, I was relieved to know that I was not pregnant because I was not trying to be pregnant," she told NBC News, "and then I was scared because I didn't know much about fibroids."
Uterine fibroids are rarely discussed, despite being a common condition, particularly for Black women. Experts say that by age 35, about half of Black women have had them, and by age 50, 80 percent of Black women have them, compared to 70 percent of white women. Black women are also more likely to have higher fibroid growth than other racial groups. While most cases require no treatment, in some instances, they can cause weight gain, heavy periods, frequent urination or pelvic pain, and they may require surgery.
Now, some Black women, like Covington, who shared her experience on are speaking up about their struggles and are encouraging others to educate themselves about the condition, so they can identify the symptoms and seek treatment, if necessary. Former star of "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" Cynthia Bailey, 55, recently shared her experience with uterine fibroids with People, saying she endured heavy bleeding during periods, fatigue and an expanded belly, which led fans to assume she was pregnant. She also said her mental health took a toll.
31-year-old Daye Covington's stomach is shown before and after her surgery to remove fibroids. Daye Covington
"It's very hard to be in a good space mentally when you're bleeding all the time and when you don't have any energy, and you're anemic," she told the magazine.
While all women are at risk for developing uterine fibroids, Black women are disproportionately affected, with one study showing that Black women are three times more likely to develop them than white women and that Black women are more likely to need surgical treatment.
The reasons for this disparity, however, are less clear, said Eric Hardee, a physician and co-founder of Houston Fibroids and Texas Endovascular Associates. A family history of fibroids increases a woman's risk. Obesity, diet and environmental factors may also play a role. Hair relaxers have also been linked to increased risk of uterine fibroid development.
Black women may also be less likely to seek help.
Cynthia Talla, 28, said despite her severe symptoms, she felt like she had to endure her pain alone. When she did seek help after dealing with fibroid symptoms as a teen, Talla said the medical professionals made her feel that Black women are able to bear the pain.
After Talla had surgery in 2020, she recalled telling her mother how good she was finally feeling.
"I remember crying, like, 'I can't believe I didn't feel like this for years,'" she said. "So it's very bad."
Sara Harris, who serves on the board of the reproductive health organization Resilient Sisterhood Project, agreed.
"I do think there's that superwoman phenomena, that Black women can do it all," she said, "and speaking from my own personal experience, not wanting to ask for help because you know that you can take care of your own stuff, and you have to take care of everyone else around you at the same time."
Harris added that many Black women also feel a taboo talking about these issues. Resilient Sisterhood Project offers support groups and virtual webinars with Black health experts to answer questions about topics on endometriosis, infertility and HPV, as well as training for universities and health care organizations about reproductive health and Black women's needs in accessing health care.
Another issue with uterine fibroids, Harris said, is that they're often misdiagnosed.
"Black women might be misdiagnosed for having an STI [sexually transmitted infection] or misdiagnosed for being pregnant or treated for preventing pregnancy, rather than looking at sort of what could be a deeper cause of the same symptoms that a Black woman is facing — like pelvic pain or prolonged menstrual bleeding," Harris said.
How to Eat Like Your Life Depends On It (Because it Does)
March is National Nutrition Month, making it a great time to talk about what we eat. Sure, most people know what a healthy diet looks like, but truth be told, they don't follow it. However, the problem with this is that it's leading to a myriad of health problems. Junk food, fast food, and highly processed items may be convenient and taste good, but they are not good for the body. It's time to get serious and make some healthy changes.
"We all get stuck in ruts, where we are doing the same thing over and over," Jennifer Scherer, certified personal trainer and owner of Fredericksburg Fitness Studio. "Oftentimes, these things we are doing are unhealthy. We have to change the habits that we have, so they are helping us, rather than hurting."
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the percentage of the adult population considered obese continues to rise. The latest figures show that 42% are obese, and obesity increases the risks of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer. All conditions, which they point out, are largely preventable through diet and lifestyle.
Here are some expert tips on how to make changes to your diet to make it healthier:
Eat five or six small meals per day and aim for half your plate to be fruits and vegetables.
Aim to consume no more than 2,000 mg per day of sodium. Purchase canned goods with no salt added and cook without adding salt. Salt can be added at the table, but it can't be removed once it's added during cooking.
Don't drink your calories. Eliminate empty calories in sugar-sweetened beverages, coffees, and fruit juices.
Focus on Fiber. Try to get at least 25 grams per day for women and 38 grams for men. Great sources of fiber include oatmeal, beans, lentils, popcorn, and whole-grain bread.
Power with protein by getting 0.8 grams per kilogram body weight. Consuming adequate protein is good for bone health, retaining muscle mass, and reducing cravings by keeping you full. Great protein sources include lean meats, poultry, eggs, seafood, beans, tofu, peas, lentils, nuts, and seeds.
Make a goal to increase your daily fruit and vegetable intake. Fruits and veggies should be a staple to the diet because they contain fiber, antioxidants, and phytonutrients. The CDC reports that only 9% of adults eat the recommended daily supply of vegetables, and 12% eat the recommended daily supply of fruits.
Try to limit eating highly processed foods. Most of them are made with a long list of unhealthy ingredients. The National Institutes of Health reports that those eating highly processed foods tend to eat more calories and gain more weight. Make snacks at home, so there's more control over what goes into it.
"Start making changes with your diet, and you will see how quickly they make a difference," adds Scherer. "When you eat a healthier diet, you will feel better and have more energy, in addition to reducing the risks of many diseases. We have to make good nutrition a high priority."
To get in the habit of eating healthier, make a list of meals that will be made and shop only for the ingredients needed to make them. Avoid shopping while hungry, and try to stick to the store's perimeter, avoiding much of the highly processed foods in the middle.
Fredericksburg Fitness Studio offers personalized fitness programs, including customized fitness training programs. Their private personal training studio offers a range of services to improve health and wellness, including medical exercise, personal training, in-home medical training, virtual personal training, nutrition coaching, and a Pilates reformer program.
Unlike typical fitness studios and gyms, Fredericksburg Fitness Studio doesn't offer memberships. They also don't have big crowds of people working out together. They offer private customized fitness programs that are available by appointment. Their nutrition coaching program is offered virtually and covers three months to help ensure accountability and success. Their Pilates reformer program uses a variety of machines with a customized routine.
Many people who go to the studio are referrals from physical therapists and doctors. The wellness professionals at the studio communicate with the medical teams to keep them up on patient progress. To learn more about the Fredericksburg Fitness Studio, visit the site at: https://www.fburgfitness.com.
About Fredericksburg Fitness Studio
Founded in 2008, Fredericksburg Fitness Studio offers personalized fitness programs, nutrition coaching, and medical training. The private personal training studio was started by Jennifer Scherer, who has a background in human physiology, anatomy, nutrition, weight training, and exercise. The studio has a team of people working to help people reach their health and wellness goals. To learn more, visit the site at: https://www.fburgfitness.com.
Alicia Keys Lends Voice to Athleta With New Partnership, Product Line Promoting Women's Well-Being
By Stephen Garner, Yahoo! Life
Alicia Keys is lending her powerful voice to a strong cause.
The 15-time Grammy Award winner has joined forces with Athleta to further their mutual commitment to women's well-being.
As such, Keys has signed on to Athleta's "Power of She Fund" grant program as a mentor and advisor. According to Athleta, Keys will also work with the brand to connect with women through "meaningful community conversations" in AthletaWell, the retailer's digital community that supports women's well-being.
And, on International Women's Day, which is March 8, the duo will release the Athleta x Alicia Keys collection. Athleta, a division of Gap Inc., said the collection will have exclusive products co-created and co-designed by Keys, who worked alongside the brand's all-female design team. Among the items, which will be available in sizes XXS-3X on athleta.com and at all Athleta retail locations, will be Keys' favorite piece — a pink jumpsuit. More details of the collection will be released closer to the launch, according to Athleta.
"Alicia has made a powerful commitment to well-being and we are thrilled to welcome her to Athleta's community of empowered women," said Mary Beth Laughton, president and CEO of Athleta. "With a values-driven partnership like this one with Alicia, we are ideally positioned to continue to meet our customer's needs in the well-being space and support her across all aspects of her life."
"I was drawn to Athleta because we both want to encourage women to discover, accept and own their power," added Keys. "We're all about the uniqueness of women, body positivity and creating a lifestyle that showcases our immeasurable power within. It's time to thrive – not just to survive – and my hope is that these offerings are another outlet for you to amplify your personal power, your possibility, and feel comfortable in your own skin."
Keys joins a roster of powerful, like-minded partners, including Simone Biles and Allyson Felix.
Biles, a former Nike athlete and the country's most-decorated gymnast, signed a long-term partnership with Athleta in April 2021. The deal includes a signature performance wear line designed with Athleta's team and capsule collections for the company's Athleta Girl sister brand.
Fitness Trainer Karena Dawn Launches Mental Health Organization in Honor of Her Late Mother
HealthUncategorized
By Stephanie Emma Pfeffer, People
Karena Dawn doesn't shy away from hard conversations.
The co-founder of Tone It Up is launching a new charitable organization, The Big Silence, to normalize discussions about mental health issues.
"I've been wanting to create a foundation and a resource for many years," says Dawn, who was just 12 years old when her mom was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and depression.
"[My mom] was in and out of the house many times, from being a missing person to being in the hospital," Dawn tells PEOPLE exclusively. "And it was in the '90s, so no one was talking about mental health."
As a teenager, Dawn tried to research mental illness and schizophrenia at the library. "There were no resources out there for me to lean on," she recalls. "It kind of sent me in a spiral of my own situational depression, drug abuse, suicide attempt and losing a lot of friends because no one around me was talking about it."
That's why she believes so strongly in offering support for those who are struggling. "There's a stigma around mental health," says the NYT bestselling author. "That is what The Big Silence is: It's the thing you don't want to talk about. At The Big Silence, we are here to break the silence."
The content platform, which she leads with her sister Rachel Sahaidachny as executive director, is dedicated to normalizing conversations around mental health through online and social content, as well as a podcast hosted by Dawn.
"Because of my mom's mental illness, I went through a really dark period — from about 12 years old until about 22," she says. "I was at a breaking point."
She found light again by focusing on fitness. "I was on a three-day bender and was thinking back about when I was my happiest," she says. "It was when I was running, and I was active and I was working out."
"At that time I thought, in my own depression, that I was going to end up like my mom, so I didn't believe in myself." But she decided to do something positive and signed up for a triathalon. "I trained my butt off and did the race," she says. "I crossed the finish line, like 'Wow, like I accomplished something.' "
From then on, she says, she wanted to teach people that movement is medicine, which led to her co-founding Tone It Up in 2009 and further dedicating herself to not only her physical health but her mental health as well, through self-help books, therapy and meditation.
Selena Gomez launches new media platform with a focus on mental health
DisabilityHealth
By Megan Marples, CNN
Talking about mental health is good for you, according to pop star, actor and producer Selena Gomez, and she's determined to be the catalyst for positive change.
The "Ice Cream" singer announced the launch of her latest venture, Wondermind, a mental health platform focused on connecting people with educational resources and ending the stigma around mental illnesses.
She teamed up with her mother, Mandy Teefey, and The Newsette founder and CEO Daniella Pierson to create the media company, which is set to launch in February 2022.
Gomez hasn't been shy when it comes to discussing her mental health publicly. She previously wrote for CNN about how she's a "big advocate for social media detoxes" and therapy.
And she announced on Miley Cyrus' Instagram show "Bright Minded" in April that she has bipolar disorder.
"I went to one of the best mental hospitals in America, McLean Hospital, and I discussed that after years of going through a lot of different things, I realized that I was bipolar," Gomez said. "And so when I got to know more information, it actually helps me. It doesn't scare me once I know it."
Her mother revealed being misdiagnosed for over 20 years with bipolar disorder that later turned out to be attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, with trauma, according to the Wondermind website's welcome video.
Pierson opened up in the video as well, saying she has dealt with obsessive-compulsive disorder since she was a child.
The three said they struggled to find a safe space online where they could engage with uplifting content about mental health on a daily basis. Enter Wondermind.
Click here to read the full article on CNN
Wedding planning, driving and potentially more music: What's next for Britney Spears post-conservatorship
DisabilityEntertainmentHealthLifestyle
By Raechal Shewfelt, Yahoo! Entertainment
Britney Spears has spent the last three days blissfully happy following the termination of her 13-year legal conservatorship.
"What an amazing weekend … I felt like I was on cloud 9 the whole time !!!" Spears wrote Monday on Instagram. "I actually got my first glass of champagne at the most beautiful restaurant I've ever seen last night !!!! I'm celebrating my freedom and my B day for the next two months !!!!!!!!!!! I mean after 13 years … I think I've waited long ENOUGH !!!! I'm so happy my lawyer Mathew Rosengart came into my life when he did … he has truly turned my life around … I'm forever thankful for that !!!! What a sight seeing so many people celebrating my victory …. I love my fans so much … so thank you !!!!"
Spears has a lot of famous fans cheering her on, too, including Lady Gaga, Dionne Warwick, Jameela Jamil and Andy Cohen.
So what's next for the superstar now that she's free? As her lawyer said immediately after Judge Brenda Penny made her ruling in a Los Angeles courthouse, "What's next for Britney, and this is the first time this could be said for about a decade, is up to one person: Britney."
Here are a few things we know are on the horizon:
Planning her wedding
When Spears gave a shocking testimony in court in June, she flat-out said that she would like to "get married and have a baby." And she's moving ahead on that front.
She and Sam Asghari, the personal trainer and actor she has dated for four years, announced their engagement in September, less than a week after her father, Jamie Spears, filed a petition to end her conservatorship. "She would love a beach ceremony at a tropical destination," a source told People at the time. "It will be a small wedding."
Then, just last week, Spears said that designer Donatella Versace — a longtime friend — is already making the bridal dress.
On the family front, Spears had said in court that she had been forced to use birth control, but that obviously won't be the case any longer.
Making her own medical decisions
Speaking of, Spears will also no longer have to take anything she doesn't want to take, and that includes the antidepressant lithium. The singer said in a June hearing that it made her feel "drunk" and unable to have a conversation. But no more.
Harry Nelson, the founder and managing partner of Los Angeles-based law firm Nelson Hardiman, tells Yahoo Entertainment that, without a conservatorship over her person, Spears is free to make all her own health choices.
Driving whenever and wherever she wants
Spears was reportedly thrilled to be driving again, once her conservatorship allowed her to do so, over the summer, for the first time in years. (MTV's 2008 For the Record documentary on Spears, filmed at the start of the conservatorship, contained a scene that showed her explaining that the last time she had felt free was when she had gotten to drive her car a lot.) So, of course, she spent her first free weekend cruising around by herself, too. According to TMZ, at one point, Spears drove her Mercedes to Catch restaurant in West Hollywood, where she had a date with Asghari.
That goes for shopping, too
Remember in July when Spears wrote about having splurged for new sneakers? Spears controls her own finances now, so she can look forward to as many new kicks as she'd like. Spears's considerable assets are now being transferred from the conservatorship into a trust that she controls.
Nelson explains: "A trust is a highly flexible legal structure set up by a person to protect property assets. In setting up a trust, Britney can decide who the trustees of the trust, who will manage the trust, are, and who the beneficiaries will be. She can name herself as a trustee and a beneficiary, designate other trustees or beneficiaries, and change trustees and beneficiaries over time. She can set up the rules by which the trust is managed. Absent some dispute between trustees or beneficiaries, the trust is easy to manage. This is in sharp contrast to conservatorship, which is governed by the court and cannot be set up, amended, or removed without court approval. Conservatorships are only necessary when the person who is the subject won't cooperate and is putting themselves at risk. The trust structure will allow Britney to protect herself, her children, and other loved ones, with the flexibility to make the structure work for her needs."
Click here to read the whole article on Yahoo! Entertainment


text:
Q: How to display service configuration ? Is there built-in functionality in Symfony2 which display the configuration of all services (or selected one)? For example I would like to know if Twig has autoescape turned on.

A: Imho You can only use the
php app/console container:debug

Next you need to check constructors and yaml files.

A: Not sure if such command exists by default, but you can always have a look at the compiled XML file that is generated. It may be located in something like app/cache/dev/appDevDebugProjectContainer.xml.
If you want to make it handy you can write a command that will dump it for you. You can access to the parameters using Symfony\Component\DependencyInjection\Container::getParameterBag().
e.g.
$parameters = $this->getContainer()->getParameterBag()->all();

Don't forget to make it extends ContainerAwareCommand :
class MyCommand extends ContainerAwareCommand

Beware that the parameter you are looking for may not be present in the output, as it can use an implicit default value.
Finally you can also use config:dump-reference in order to get the default configuration of a service that exposes a semantic configuration.
e.g.
php app/console config:dump-reference twig


text:
O Batistério de São João é um prédio religioso em Florença, na Toscana, Itália. Acredita-se que é o mais antigo prédio da cidade e é famoso por suas magníficas portas de bronze. Fica na Piazza del Duomo, a oeste da Santa Maria del Fiore.

Por um longo tempo acreditou-se que o batistério era, na verdade, um templo romano dedicado a Marte. Menciona-se que Dante Alighieri tenha sido o criador dessa lenda. Contudo, essa era uma ideia incorreta. Escavações no século XX mostraram que o batistério era uma torre de guarda, parte de uma muralha que protegia a cidade. A construção mais próxima à atual foi feita e consagrada em 1059 pelo Papa Nicolau II. Os mármores foram trazidos de Fiesole. Uma lanterna octogonal foi adicionada ao teto do pavilhão em 1150. Nos séculos XIV e XVI três portas de bronze foram adicionadas.

O batistério é uma construção octogonal que simboliza o oitavo dia (octava dies), o tempo da Ascensão de Cristo. Simbolizava a vida eterna, que é dada pelo batismo. O estilo da igreja serviu como protótipo para a construção, por Leone Battista Alberti, de outras igrejas românicas na Toscana. O exterior é decorado por estátuas de  Andrea Sansovino, Giovan Francesco Rustici e Vincenzo Danti.

As portas

Em 1329, Andrea Pisano, recomendado por Giotto, recebeu a encomenda de projetar as primeiras portas (Portas Sul). A execução durou seis anos e foi finalizada em 1336. Consistem em 28 painéis quadrangulares, representando cenas da vida de São João Batista e as virtudes. Os relevos foram adicionados por Lorenzo Ghiberti em 1452. Vincenzo Danti criou as estátuas acima das portas em 1571.

Em 1401, uma competição foi anunciada para a execução das Portas Norte do Batistério. Competiram sete escultores, entre eles Lorenzo Ghiberti, Filippo Brunelleschi, Donatello e Jacopo della Quercia. Ghiberti, então com 21 anos, ganhou a encomenda. Brunelleschi ficou tão desiludido com a perda da encomenda que partiu para Roma para estudar arquitetura e nunca mais esculpiu. Ghiberti levou 21 anos para finalizar as portas. São novamente 28 painéis, agora com cenas do Novo Testamento. Antonio Paolucci as descreveu como o mais importante evento da história da arte de Florença no primeiro quarto do século XV. As estátuas de bronze acima das portas norte foram feitas por Francesco Rustici, com assistência de Leonardo da Vinci.

Ghiberti tornou-se então uma celebridade e o artista máximo em seu campo. Em 1425 recebeu uma segunda encomenda: as Portas Leste, que ele executou com a ajuda de Michelozzo e Benozzo Gozzoli. São dez painéis com cenas do Velho Testamento e que utilizaram a nova técnica da perspectiva para que os painéis adquirissem profundidade. Michelangelo se referiu a essas portas como As Portas do Paraíso, nome que permanece até hoje. A obra tem 5,20 metros de altura por 3,10 de largura e 11 centímetros de espessura.

A porta do paraíso foi colocada em local seguro em 1943, durante a II Guerra Mundial, e mais tarde danificada pela grande inundação de 1966.

As portas agora no Batistério são cópias das originais que foram removidas em 1990 porque estavam entrando em estado de deterioração. As portas originais estão no Museu Opera del Duomo, preservadas em contêiners cheios de nitrogênio. No topo das Portas do Paraíso está um grupo de estátuas que reproduzem O Batismo de Cristo, por Andrea Sansovino, e que foram finalizadas por Vincenzo Danti e Innocenzo Spinazzi.

O interior

O vasto interior remete ao Panteão de Roma e é um tanto escuro, com a luz entrando através de pequenas janelas e pela lanterna no topo. A construção contém o esplêndido túmulo de Baldassare Coscia, o Antipapa João XXIII, projetado por Donatello e seu aprendiz Michelozzo Michelozzi.

Por fim, o interior apresenta um magnífico teto em mosaico, executado por vários artistas de Veneza (talvez até mesmo  Cimabue) em 1225. Representa o Julgamento Final, com cenas de horríveis castigos que lembram as obras do artista flamengo Hieronymus Bosch. Dante Alighieri cresceu olhando os mosaicos e foi baseado neles que criou muitas das cenas que narra em sua obra Inferno. Dante e também muitos membros da Família Médici foram batizados no local.

Sao Joao
San Giovanni
San Giovanni
Torres romanas

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


When studying the Great Revolution, one is so much attracted the magnitude of the struggles which unfolded themselves in Paris, that one is tempted to neglect the condition of the provinces, and to overlook the power which the counter-revolution possessed there all the time. This power, however, was enormous. The counter-revolution had for it the support of the past centuries, and the interests of the present; and it is necessary to study it in order to understand how small is the power of a representative assembly during a revolution — even if its members could all be inspired with the very best intentions only. When it comes to a struggle, in every town and in every little village, against the forces of the old régime, which, after a moment of stupor, reorganise themselves to stop the revolution — it is only the impulse of the revolutionists on the spot which can overcome that powerful resistance.
It would take years and years of study in the local archives to trace out all the doings of the royalists during the Great Revolution. A few episodes will, however, allow us to gain me idea of them.
The insurrection in the Vendée is more or less known. But we are only too much inclined to believe that there, in the midst of a half-savage population, inspired by religious fanaticism, is to be found the only real hotbed of the counter-revolution.Southern France represented a similar hotbed, all the more dangerous as there the country districts and cities had furnished some of the best contingents to the Revolution.
The direction of these various movements emanated from Coblentz, the little German town situated in the Electorate of Trèves, which had become the chief centre of the royalist emigration. Since the summer of 1791, when the Count d'Artois, followed by the ex-minister Calonne, and, later, by his brother, the Count de Provence, had settled in this town, it had become the head centre of the royalist plots. Thence came the emissaries who were organising throughout the whole of France anti-revolutionary risings. Everywhere soldiers were being recruited for Coblentz, even in Paris, where the Editor of the Gazette de Paris publicly offered sixty livres for each recruit. For some time these men were almost openly sent to Metz and afterwards to Coblentz.
A complete Court, with its ministers, its chamberlains and its official receptions, and also its intrigues and its infamies, was evolved round the King's brothers, and the European sovereigns recognised this Court, and treated and plotted with it. Meanwhile, they were expecting to see Louis XVI. arrive and set himself at the head of the troops formed by the émigrés. He was expected in June 1791, when he fled to Varennes, ant later, in November 1791, and in January 1792. Finally it was decided to prepare for a great stroke in July 1792, when the royalist armies of western ant southern France, supported by English, German, Sardinian and Spanish invasions, were to march on Paris, rousing Lyons and other large towns on the way, whilst the royalists of Paris would strike their greatblow, disperse the Assembly and punish the hot-headed Jacobins.
It is needless to add that all the cabals, all the tale-bearings, all the jealousies, which characterised Versailles were reproduced at Coblentz. The two brothers had each his Court his acknowledged mistress, his receptions, his circle, while the nobles indulged in Court gossip which grew more and more malicious according as they grew poorer and poorer.
Around this centre gravitated, quite openly now, those fanatical priests who preferred civil war to the constitutional submission proposed by the new decrees, as well as those noble adventurers who chose to risk a conspiracy rather than resign themselves to the loss of their privileged position. They went to Coblentz, obtained the prince's sanction for their plots, and returned to the mountainous regions of the Cévennes or to the shores of the Vendée, to kindle the religious fanaticism of the peasants and to organise royalist risings.
The historians who sympathise with the Revolution pass, as a rule, too rapidly over these counter-revolutionary resistances, so that many readers may consider them as unimportant events, or as the work of but a few fanatics who could have been easily subdued by the Revolution. But in reality, the royalist plots extended over whole regions, and as they found support among the big men of the middle classes, in the great commercial cities — and, in certain regions, in the religious hatred between Protestants and Catholics as in the south — the revolutionists had to carry on a terrible struggle for life in every town and in every little commune to save the Revolution from defeat.
Thus, while the people of Paris were preparing for July 14, 1790, the great Fête of the Federation, in which all France took part, and which was to give to the Revolution a firm communal basis — the royalists were preparing the federation of the counter-revolutionists in the south-east. On August 18 of the same year, nearly 20,000 representatives of 185 communes of the Vivarais assembled on the plain of Jalès, all wearing the white cross on their hats. Led by the nobles, they formed that day the nucleus of the royalist federation of the south, which was solemnly constituted in the month of February following.
This federation prepared, first, a series of insurrections for the summer of 1971, and afterwards the great insurrection which was to break out in July 1792, simultaneously with the foreign invasion, and which was expected to give the finishing blow to the Revolution. The Jalès confederation existed in this way for two years, keeping up regular correspondence with both the Tuileries and Coblentz. Its oath was "to reinstate the King in all his glory, the clergy in their possessions, and the nobility in their honours." And when their first attempts failed, they organised, with the help of Claude Allier, the prior of Chambonnaz, a widely spread conspiracy, which was to bring out more than fifty thousand men. Led by a large number of priests, marching under the folds of the white flag, and supported by Sardinia, Spain and Austria, this army would have gone to Paris "to free" the King, to dissolve the Assembly, and to chastise the patriots.
In the Lozère, Charrier, notary and ex-deputy to the National Assembly, whose wife belonged to the nobility, was invested with the supreme command by the Count d'Artois. He openly organised a counter-revolutionary militia, and even got together some artillery.
It may perhaps be said that, even all taken together, the conspirators and the confederations of south-eastern France were not very numerous. But the revolutionists, too, those at least who were determined to act, were not numerous either. Everywhere and in all times, the men of action have been an insignificant minority. But thanks to inertia, to prejudice, to acquired interests, to money and to religion, the counter-revolution held entire provinces; and it was this terrible power of reaction which explains the fury of the Revolution in 1793 and 1794 when it had to make a supreme effort to escape from the clutches that were strangling it.
Whether the adherents of Claude Allier, ready to take arms, really amounted to sixty thousand men, as he stated when he visited Coblentz in January 1792, may be doubted. But this much is certain, that in every town in the south, the struggle between the revolutionists and the counter-revolutionists continued without intertnission, making the balance sway sometimes to one side and sometimes to the other.
These few lines borrowed from Ernest Daudet are characteristic. They give a picture of what was taking place more or less all through France. Four years of revolution, that is, the absence of a strong government for four years, and incessant fighting on the part of the revolutionists were necessary to paralyse to some extent the reaction.
At Montpellier, the patriots had founded a league of defence against the royalists, in order to protect the priests who had taken the oath to the Constitution, as well as those parishioners who attended mass when the constitutional priests officiated. There was frequent fighting in the streets. At Lunel in the Hérault, at Yssingeaux in the Haute-Loire, at Mende in the Lozère, it was the same. People remained in arms. It might be truly said that in every town in that region similar struggles took place between the royalists, or the "Feuillants" of the place, and the "patriots," and later on between the Girondins and the "anarchists." We may even add that in the vast majority of the towns of the centre and of the west, the reactionaries got the upper hand, and that the Revolution was seriously supported only in thirty out of the eighty-three departments. More than that; the revolutionists themselves, for the most part, began to defy the royalists only by degrees and in proportion as their own revolutionary education was effected by events.
In all these towns the anti-revolutionists joined hands. The rich people had a thousand means, which the generality of the patriots did not possess, of moving about, of corresponding by means of special messengers, of hiding in their châteaux, and of accumulating arms in them. The patriots corresponded undoubtedly with the Popular Societies and the Paris Fraternities, with the Society of the Indigent, as well as with the mother society of the Jacobins; but they were very poor! Arms and means of moving about both failed them.
Besides, those who were against the Revolution were supported from without. England has always followed the policy she pursues to this day: that of weakening her rivals and creating partisans among them. "Pitt's money" was no phantom. Very far from that. With the help of this money the royalists passed quite freely from their centre and depôtof arms, Jersey, to St. Malo and Nantes, and in all the great seaports of France, especially those of St. Malo, Nantes, Bordeaux, the English money gained adherents and supported "commercialists" (les commerçantistes) who took sides against the Revolution. Catherine II. of Russia did as Pitt did. In reality, all the European monarchs took part in this. If in Brittanv, in the Vendée, at Bordeaux, and at Toulon the royalists counted upon England, in Alsace and Lorraine they counted on Germany, and in the south upon the armed help promised by Sardinia, as well as on the Spanish army which was to land at Aigues-Mortes. Even the Knights of Malta were going to help with two frigates in this expedition.
In the beginning of 1792, the department of the Lozère and hat of the Ardèche, both rendezvous of the refractory priests, were covered with a network of royalist conspiracies, of which the centre was Mende, a little town hidden away in the mountains of the Vivarais, where the population was very backward, and where the rich and the nobles held the municipality in their hands. Their emissaries went through the villages of the province, enjoining on the peasants to arm themselves with guns, scythes and pitch-forks, and to be ready to turn out at the first call. In this way they were preparing for the insurrection which, they hoped, would raise the Gévaudan and the Velay, and compel the Vivarais to follow suit.
It is true that none of the royalist insurrections which took place in 1791 and 1792, at Perpignan, Arles, Mende, Yssingeaux in the Vivarais, were successful. It was not enough to shout "Down with the patriots!" to rally a sufficient number of insurgents, and the patriots promptly dispersed the royalist bands. But during those two years the struggle was incessant. There were moments when the whole country was a prey to civil war, and the tocsin rang without intermission in the villages.
There was even a moment when it was necessary that armed bands of the Marseillais should come to hunt out the counter-revoutionists in that region, to take possession of Arles and Aigues-Mortes, and to inaugurate the reign of terror which,later on, attained such vast proportions in the South of Lyons, and in the Ardèche. As to the rising organised by the Count de Saillans, which broke out in July 1792, at the same time as that of the Vendée, and at the moment when the German armies were marching on Paris, it would certainly have had a fatal influence on the progress of the Revolution if the people had not promptly suppressed it. Fortunately, the people took this upon themselves, while Paris, on her side, made preparations to seize, at last, the centre of all royalist conspiracies — the Tuileries.


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text:
A medical helicopter rests next to the Drexel Hill United Methodist Church after it crashed the day before in the Drexel Hill section of Upper Darby, Pa., on Jan. 12, 2022. (Matt Rourke/AP Photo)
Caller at Helicopter Crash Site Told 911 Pilot Wasn't Alert
January 14, 2022 Updated: January 14, 2022
UPPER DARBY, Pa.—A man at the scene of a medical helicopter crash outside Philadelphia this week told a dispatcher he was most concerned about the infant girl who survived, but that the pilot was the only passenger not alert after the wreck, according to a 911 call excerpt released Thursday.
The unidentified caller described the pilot as a middle-aged man in the transcript released by Delaware County officials.
"He is breathing, he is talking," he told the dispatcher. "My main concern right now is the 2-month-old child, I need an ambulance here right away."
The dispatcher said help was already on the way.
The pilot somehow crash-landed the helicopter without loss of life next to a church in a residential area of suburban Philadelphia.
Brian Rayner, senior safety investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board, told reporters Wednesday he was grateful that the occupants were relatively unhurt in the 1 p.m. Tuesday crash.
The pilot's injuries were most severe, but the other two adults and the girl were "miraculously unhurt," he said.
A spokesperson for Children's Hospital of Pennsylvania said no new information about the girl's condition was available.
The Eurocopter EC135 medical helicopter was owned by Denver-based Air Methods, an air medical emergency transport service. The company said the aircraft it was part of the LifeNet program based in Hagerstown, Maryland.
Firefighters from Upper Darby, Pa., stand near a medical helicopter that crashed next to a church in a residential area of suburban Philadelphia, on Jan. 11, 2022. (Claudia Lauer/AP Photo)


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Home/Business/The year the kwacha threatened to runaway
The year the kwacha threatened to runaway
Taonga Sabola December 17, 2019
BEEN FLUCTUATING—The kwacha—File photo
If there is a year when the monetary authorities and businesses have sweated over the value of the local unit, the kwacha, in the past four years, then it is 2019.
The second quarter of 2019 will be discussed as a period to forget as it was when the kwacha hit a new low trading as low as K820 to the dollar in forex bureaus.
This was after over two years of exchange rate stability at around K730 to the green buck.
The desperation caused traders to start making adjustments to their products as they factored in the cost of an expensive dollar.
The sharp fall of the kwacha in the second quarter of the year was surprising.
This is so because, traditionally, that is the time the kwacha is supposed to start appreciating as it is the time tobacco sales start.
According to Financial Market Dealers Association (Fimda) President, Patricia Hamisi, the fall was due to both demand and supply factors that the market faced coupled with monetary policy and political uncertainty being an election year.
"This year saw a lot of speculation by the importers due to the uncertainty brought about by elections. You will recall that in 2012, when leadership changed the currency was depreciated from K160 per dollar to K350 over night.
"Pre-election this year, people weren't certain if current policies were going to prevail post elections. Importers then chose to pay off majority of their bills before elections which significantly increased demand and put pressure on the currency. All this was happening during the country's lean season which ends with the tobacco season," Hamisi said.
In addition, this year Malawi experienced delays in opening of the tobacco season which saw it commencing end April and not early March as is usually the case and this created a lag between expectations and actuals.
As if that was not enough, tobacco proceeds did not trickle in at expected levels to support the kwacha.
"Banks usually time their foreign exchange commitments to match the peak of the tobacco season and with the unprecedented proceeds realised, the mismatch between demand and supply grew further.
"On top of all this, the current Monetary Policy which is aimed at reducing interest rates allows access of funds to both individuals and companies leading to increase in consumer demand in the short term. Being an importing country, this means increased demand for imports and increased pressure on the foreign currency in the short term," Hamisi said.
But Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) Governor, Dalitso Kabambe, downplayed the fall, describing it as a blip.
As more and more cross border businesses were steadily losing hope in the value of the kwacha with some speculating that it would stop at a K1, 000 to the dollar, then suddenly, the kwacha started breathing again.
Starting from July the country saw the kwacha gaining ground against the green buck and steadily appreciating.
Analysts attributed this to reversal of the underlying factors that caused the depreciation in the first place.
Among others, the around July the country saw reduced rejection rates from the tobacco floors from a high of 70 percent to around 25 percent which improved the flow of dollars from the tobacco market hence addressing the challenge of supply.
In addition, the country started experiencing reduced kwacha liquidity in the market as the central bank continuously worked on tightening the monitory policy to mop out liquidity in the market.
At the same time, importers had prepaid majority of their bills during pre-election and were left with limited kwachas at their disposal.
In its December 2019 Malawi Economic Monitor, the World Bank says the Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) also tightened foreign exchange bureau trading regulations in September 2019, with stiff penalties for speculative behavior and trading beyond specified bands.
World Bank says while a generally stable kwacha supports business confidence, it has, however, contributed to real exchange rate appreciation, which could reduce competitiveness and support higher levels of imports.
Continued strong reserve levels have supported the kwacha's stability. Gross official foreign reserves have remained in excess of three months import cover throughout the year. Reserves stood at $ 631.6 million (3.0 months import cover) at the end of September 2019, compared to US$ 689.2 million (3.3 months import cover) in September 2018.
Unlike last year, Malawi this year realized subdued earnings from its top foreign exchange earner, tobacco.
According to Tobacco Commission Chief Executive Officer, Kaisi Sadala, a total of 165.7 million kg of all tobacco was traded realizing around US$237 million at an average price of US$1.43 per kg.
The traded volumes, realisation and average price attained were all lower than those attained last year where Malawi sold 202 million kilogrammes, realising about $337.5 million at an average price of $1.67 per kg.
But RBM Director of Communication and Protocol, Mbane Ngwira, recently indicated that the bank sees a stable local trading unit moving forward despite the close of the tobacco season.
"The market normally reacts to surprises. However, the closure of the tobacco marketing season has not come as a surprise. The amount raised from the sales was also expected.
"All in all the impact of tobacco on the foreign exchange market was well known," Ngwira said.
On her part, Hamisi said the country needs to seriously look at building and diversifying its export base.
She said, tobacco, the major forex earner in this economy, brings in an average of $300 million per year whilst the annual import bill is at $2.5 billion.
"This in itself shows a potential huge imbalance looking at how limited sources of forex the country has. In the short term, if the currency is to see a decreased rate of depreciation, there is need for sustained intervention to ease out demand, coupled with a tight monetary policy by central bank. However, the dilemma is aligning this tight stance with the current low interest rate regime.
"In the long run, the challenge for the economy is to address underlying fundamentals so as to reduce reliance on imports for consumables and thus manage our balance of payments. With the right policy direction, the country should come up with measures to change the country's economy altogether; Increase local production for consumables to reduce import demand and increase exports to increase foreign exchange supply," Hamisi said.
With tobacco losing its salt year in year out and with no other single crop in sight to bring the much-needed forex compared to tobacco, it is not rocket science that the country should brace for hard times moving forward.
The ball is now in the court of every Malawian to think big and craft ways of how the country could earn a steady supply of forex to support the fragile kwacha.
Taonga Sabola
Financial Market Dealers Association (Fimda) Kwacha
Government hopes for ECF as IMF review meetings resume
Government cautioned on debt
Fertiliser prices drop globally, rise locally
Shire Valley Transformation Programme phase II faces $91 million deficit
Power Market Limited wanted K1 billion monthly from tariffs
Tax education crucial to enhancing revenue—MRA
Consultancy firm takes leadership training to UAE
Luanar graduates tipped on entrepreneurship drive
High taxes driving up internet prices
DHL plants 9,000 trees in Mulanje
Private sector laments continued forex shortage
International tourism showcase returns
National Bank donates K4.7 million to Beit Cure
Tobacco growers upbeat over 2023 minimum price


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Sharp-Shooting Chaps Down Aggies
Friday, December 20, 2019 9:41 AM EST
LCU vs Camron
LAWTON, Okla. (December 19, 2019) – The Lubbock Christian men's basketball team earned its first road win of the 2019-20 season Thursday night, taking down Cameron 82-66 in Aggie Gym.
The Chaps also moved above .500 for the first time all season with the win, improving their overall record to 5-4 and their Lone Star Conference record to 2-2. Cameron dropped to 2-7 with the loss and is 1-2 in league play. LCU has now won three straight games against Cameron and is 5-10 against them all-time.
All five Chap starters finished the game in double-figures, led Lloyd Daniels with 18 points. Daniels also finished with five rebounds and three assists. Parker Hicks was the best on the glass for LCU, falling just one rebound short of a double-double with nine boards and 15 points. He also contributed three blocks on defense. Copley once again led the team in assists with a season-high nine.
Hicks started the game with a block on the first shot by either team, but an offensive rebound by the Aggies was followed by a layup to get them on the board first. LCU's first bucket of the night came from behind the arc off the hand of freshman Ty Caswell at the 18:02 mark, cutting the Cameron lead to 4-3. The Wichita Falls native finished second on the team in scoring with 16 points, most of which came from his 4-5 shooting on three-pointers.
Caswell followed up with a fastbreak layup to give LCU its first lead, and Daniels followed with his first of two three-pointers on the night to quickly push the Chap lead to four points. Cameron kept close for most of the rest of the first half, however, even re-taking the lead with 8:10 remaining in the opening period. Copley then got three-points the hard way, followed by back-to-back made three-pointers from Caswell and Copley to give LCU back the lead. The would not trail again for the rest of the game.
An 11-2 run over the last four minutes of the first half sent the Chaps into the locker room with all of the momentum. Daniels then came out of the break and scored the first four points, followed by another Caswell three-pointer to get LCU up by 17 at the 16:21 mark.
Cameron cut the lead back to just 12 points with 14:32 remaining in the game on a jumper from Tyler Williams, but that was the smallest the gap would ever get the rest of the way. A dunk by Rashaan Proctor with 9:52 left to play sparked a quick 7-1 run by the Chaps that pushed the lead out to 20 for the first time. Proctor finished in double-figures for the second straight game, scoring 13 points and pulling down six rebounds.
Aamer Muhammad also got hot late in the game, scoring all eight of his points (including a fastbreak dunk) in the second half. The New Mexico native was responsible for eight of LCU's 10 points off the bench.
Muhammad's dunk came with just 59 seconds left in the game, but it put the Chaps up by 21 points, which was their largest lead at any point in the game. Cameron hit back-to-back three-pointers in the game's final minute, but it was too little, too late, as the Chaps walked away with the 82-66 win.
With LCU trailing 24-23 with 7:18 left in the first half, Hicks blocked an Aggie shot and Caswell hit a three-pointer on the ensuing Chap fastbreak. The shot sparked a 17-4 Lubbock Christian run to close out the half, and they never trailed again.
The Chaps shot 52.6 percent (30-57) from the field against the Aggies, which was their second-best mark of the season. This included 45.5 percent shooting from behind the arc. Their shooting percentage was helped by the fact that they scored more than half (40) of their points from inside the paint.
AROUND THE LEAGUE
Other scorelines of note in the Lone Star Conference include Texas A&M-Commerce beating previously undefeated Dallas Baptist 102-78 in Dallas, Angelo State losing to previously winless Midwestern State 80-74 and LSC newcomer UT Tyler taking down Tarleton 58-47 in Stephenville.
Lubbock Christian will travel down interstate 44 to take on Midwestern State in D.L. Ligon Coliseum in Wichita Falls, Texas. It will be the first Chap trip to D.L. Lion Coliseum since they up set the No. 1-seed Mustangs in the 2016 South Central Regional.