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To fight poverty, start with women
Maria Cardona, CNN Contributor
Published 3:21 PM EST, Mon January 13, 2014
GOP image problem over jobless benefits
Editor's Note: Maria Cardona is a Democratic strategist, a principal at the Dewey Square Group, a former senior adviser to Hillary Clinton and former communications director for the Democratic National Committee. She is a member of the National Advisory Committee for the Shriver Report and her company's California branch has worked with the A Women's Nation Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded by Maria Shriver.
Maria Cardona: In parties' inequality debate, GOP has chance to show it gets it
She says economy's failure to help Americans seen clearly in the lot of women,children
She says women need equal wages, workplace policies that support women
Cardona: Rubio, GOP slam War on Poverty policies; issue needs attention, not partisanship
There's a coming showdown between Democrats and Republicans on the issue of income inequality. President Obama has called it the "defining issue of our time."
Progressives recognize that sustaining unemployment benefits, increasing the minimum wage and ensuring equal pay are key weapons. Republicans, who recently voted to leave 1.3 million Americans in the cold by not extending unemployment benefits, frame the inequality debate as yet another attempt to implement liberal, anti-free market, big-government giveaways. Americans know better.
Maria Cardona
In a speech last week, GOP presidential hopeful Marco Rubio said federal money should be given to the states to figure out how to deal with poverty. He called for replacing the Earned Income Tax Credit with a subsidy to encourage people to take low-wage jobs, and for the federal government to encourage marriage. He called President Lyndon Johnson's War on Poverty a failure.
But there is no question that without the War on Poverty, millions more would be in it today. Attempts to paint it any other way will backfire, as majorities of Americans support its policies. Republicans have a chance to show they are on the side of the American people in addressing poverty and inequality. America's women and children, in particular, are depending on them.
In fact, 50 years after Johnson declared war on poverty, an astonishing new report by Maria Shriver paints a bleak picture of today's barren economic landscape for 42 million women and 28 million children.
Shriver's father, Sargent Shriver, helped lead the Johnson administration's all-out campaign on behalf of the elderly, the hungry and vulnerable families and children. While facts show that without this effort many more Americans would be in poverty today, Maria Shriver's report, "A Woman's Nation Pushes Back From the Brink," describes a much-changed nation in which poverty wears a different face.
On the one hand, it is indisputable that women have made much progress. A majority of women are now family breadwinners, and they hold more college degrees than men. Women have also made gains in reaching the highest levels in business and politics. But these benchmarks mask a disturbing reality: Too many women are one missed paycheck, one illness, one hospital visit or car breakdown away from economic disaster.
A recent best-seller urged career women to "lean in" to succeed in the workplace. The Shriver report underscores how many women lie awake at night worrying that they could fall out of the middle or working class and into the ranks of the poor. While many of us are pondering how to have it all, these strong women are doing it all, without having much. Shamefully, the richest country in the world does not invest enough to allow women to keep fueling America's economic growth while securing their own economic futures and those of their children.
WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 11: Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), speaks at the 2013 Values Voter Summit, held by the Family Research Council, on October 11, 2013 in Washington, DC. The summit, which goes for three days, is attended by a number of Republican senators and high profile conservative voices in American politics. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)
Fight on extending unemployment continues
sot obama unemployment benefits vote_00002912.jpg
Obama: Jobless 'desperately want work'
Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner take the kids Violet, Seraphina and Samuel to the park in Pacific Palisades sunday March 17, 2013 X17online.com
X17Online
Garner: 'Playing field for kids not equal'
The report lists many reasons for this predicament – the lack of well-paying jobs that offer upward mobility; the change in the family structure where majorities of low-income women, many of them single, are heads of households; and most importantly, the lack of good education.
Those are the overarching realities, but there are many more subtle, hidden aspects of the economic landscape for women in America. One-third live in or on the brink of poverty. They struggle to get their children to school at 7 for breakfast, so they can take their mothers to medical appointments and still make it to work by 9. Forty-two million women represent two-thirds of minimum-wage workers in the country, and women still make just 77% of what men make.
So what can be done? For starters, we can fix the wage discrepancy between men and women. This could cut the poverty rate in half for struggling working women and it would represent an economic stimulus of half a trillion dollars.
The Shriver report also outlines a set of other public policy solutions, including raising the minimum wage for all and helping women access better paying jobs through job training. It describes how government support structures could allow for better and more affordable child care, enabling women to balance the roles of caregiver and breadwinner.
And in a surprising revelation, it uncovers the regret many of these low-income women express about marrying early – and also, in many cases, their satisfaction at having gotten divorced. Republican lectures about marriage and family values will not work to solve poverty. But making education and child care accessible, closing the wage gap and leveling the playing field will.
Republicans should note that one of the studies in the Shriver report shows that women of color – a key demographic with whom the party desperately needs to make inroads – overwhelmingly believe government has a role to play in providing adaptive workplace structures and policies that support today's contemporary families. No, this is not a plea for a handout. These women, while in a more financially precarious position than their white counterparts, are also more optimistic about their futures. As in: I want to work hard and know there are better economic opportunities out there for me to succeed.
These policy solutions the report offers are not new; progressives have been fighting for them for a very long time. But it also outlines what we can do as individuals, communities and corporations. We can, for example, help young girls make smarter choices, promote a "college before kids" mentality, and help businesses identify best practice policies that can better support low-wage women workers.
So let's forgo the showdown. These are common-sense proposals that uphold mainstream principles of taking care of our families and children. They are not liberal, progressive or Democratic values. They are American values that will protect and secure the American dream for everyone once and for all. Americans expect our leaders from both parties to uphold them. Let's get to work.
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Maria Cardona.


A once-in-a-lifetime steam excursion took place in June 1997 and Pentrex was on the spot with five camera teams to record the entire event. Union Pacific"s mighty 844, leading an A-B-A set of E-units and 18 matched passenger cars, made one last extraordinary trip through the Royal Gorge and over Tennessee Pass prior to UP"s closing of this historic line. Now you can relive the excitement of this thrilling steam adventure!
On Day One, you"ll follow the beautiful train as it heads south out of Denver on the Joint Line and into Canon City. Day Two brings you the sights and sounds of steam marching through the depths of the Royal Gorge, across the hanging bridge, up along the banks of the winding Arkansas River, blasting up grade to conquer 10,000-foot high Tennessee Pass, and heading down through Glenwood Canyon, a spectacular achievement! Day three features a high-speed chase across Utah"s magnificent desert landscapes, running past Green River and into Helper. In an awesome display of power, the 844 battles steep grades of Castle Gate and Soldier Summit. The final hours of the day see the train heading down through the Thistle tunnels and Provo, and arriving at Salt Lake City. Mainline steam just doesn"t get any better than this!


ZTE Tempo Go U.S. price and availability: The first Android Go in the U.S.
The ZTE Tempo Go has become the first phone that runs Android Go to be released in the U.S.
It has pretty basic specs but is available for only $79.99.
Android Go is essentially a stripped down version of Android Oreo for entry-level smartphones.
The ZTE Tempo Go has just gone on sale on ZTE's official website in the U.S. This makes it the first smartphone running Android Go to be available in the country. The unlocked phone costs $79.99 and standard shipping is free.
The ZTE Tempo Go was one of several Android Go phones revealed during MWC 2018. As an Android Go-based phone, it isn't the most powerful device out there, but it should have more than enough power to run the various apps optimized for the platform.
The phone has a 5-inch display with a 480 x 854 resolution, a 5MP rear camera, and a 2MP selfie camera. It uses a quad-core Snapdragon 210 processor and has 1GB of RAM. In terms of storage, it comes with 8GB built-in and the option to add more via microSD card.
In case you need a catch-up, Android Go is a stripped down version of Android Oreo that has been designed to run on entry-level smartphones. All the phones come with nine pre-installed apps which are basically slimmed down versions of existing Google apps. These apps have been designed to work better than the full versions would on only 1GB of RAM, but they are also missing some features.
The main aim of Android Go is to provide affordable smartphones that work well to emerging markets where customers have less purchasing power. The U.S. isn't really the target market of Android Go, so it will be interesting to see what demand for the ZTE Tempo Go is actually like.
Although, with a price point of only $79.99 and the latest version of Android, I'm sure ZTE will be able to find at least some takers.
Up next: What is Android Go?


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REMAINS OF THE DAY – movie - 1993
Directed by James Ivory – based on a novel by Kazuo Ishiguro, screenplay by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala – the players are, James Stevens (Anthony Hopkins), Miss Kenton (Emma Thompson), Lord Darlington (James Fox), William Stevens (Peter Vaughan), Spencer (Patrick Godfrey), Congressman Jack Lewis (Christopher Reeve) – the movie was stitched together by Andrew Marcus - camera work was by Tony Pierce-Roberts with outstanding support from his lighting crew and their flawlessly lit interior, scenes. It was nice to see this happy and healthy incarnation of Christopher Reeve. His death was a sad loss. The film was nominated for eight Oscars.
This movie was originally to be directed by Mike Nichols using a script by Harold Pinter, but due to rewrites by the producers they both withdrew from the project. The interiors were shot in various country estates scattered around the English countryside – Dyrham Park, Powderham Castle, Corsham Court, and Badminton House.
Our movie begins in 1956 and is told in flash-back to scenes leading up to the World War II. Lord Darlington has died and US Congressman, and anglophile Jack Lewis, has purchased Darlington Hall, saving it from destruction. He has retained a reduced staff, but is missing a major component - the housekeeper - a position that is second in command to the butler.
Our story is about Mr. Stevens and his reign as the butler at Darlington Hall. It is a powerful tale of a man who has loved little and lost much. Using his slavish devotion to his daily duties and claiming the moral high ground, Stevens escapes personal attachments, and abandons human
feelings and personal obligations to himself and other members of the staff. Although Stevens is not mean or vindictive, he is an insufferable, stiff-necked ass, consequently the pain that he inflicts on others has the same result.
Soon after Mr. Lewis assumes ownership Stevens receives a letter from Miss Kenton, who is now a loose ends, recalling her memories as house keeper at Darlington Hall before the war, and how happy she is that it will not be destroyed. Although it is now 20 years later, like all of us, he is susceptible to subconscious desires and try as he may, Miss Kenton has not escaped from his thoughts.
At Mr. Lewis' suggestion, Stevens has set off on a cross-country trip from Oxfordshire to the West Country in search of Miss Kenton. When she joined the staff before the war she made attempts to penetrate Stevens' emotional wall but was rejected.
In frustration, she left Darlington Hall, married, moved far away and then divorced. She now has a daughter who is expecting a child.
Thanks to Tony Hopkins portrayal we can see that Stevens, deep inside his emotional fortress, feels a gentle tug at his core …. a deep sense of loss…. the heights and valleys of love and satisfaction denied … here was something that he missed. An emotional yearning that is still repressed and that he has yet to consciously admit to. And now Stevens is taking, for the first time in his life, steps that may lead to his long denied emotional fulfillment.
Historically, our story takes place during that period in England leading up to WWII and the country is again facing its old enemy, Germany. Because of the ill-planned and executed Treaty of Versailles, Germany was unable to rescue itself economically. The country has re-armed and is again threatening its neighbors.
The year is 1936. Lord Darlington, who is not a worldly man, has been caught up in a group of German sympathizers including Neville Chamberlain. Chamberlain, with encouragement from President Roosevelt, signed the Munich Pact two years later – condoning the German invasion of Czechoslovakia. With great fanfare he announced that he had guaranteed "peace for our time."
When Lord Darlington hosts an international gathering at Darlington Hall, he is informed by the American representative (Congressman Lewis) that Darlington and all the other gentlemen politicians in the room were a bunch of rank amateurs and they should leave international relations to the professionals.
With Stevens and the other service personnel standing by at meals and other activities, the German representatives at the weekend meeting openly state their plans for racial purification and to rid their world of Jews and other minorities.
When questioned about what he thought of the conversations taking place that weekend Stevens said; "I hear nothing"…. "It not my place to have an opinion."
Lord Darlington, caught up in the emotional rhetoric, subsequently tells Stevens to fire two recently hired servant women because they are Jews. Repulsed by his unquestioning action, Miss Kenton threatens to leave in protest.
However, she
backs out of her promise to leave "because I'm a coward and I have no place to go."
Bowing to his higher order of discipline, our emotionally crippled Stevens is unable to convey his repressed love for Miss Kenton and the longing he has to fill a painful void in his barren life. The only words he can force from his lips, are to tell her how important she is "to this house". Unhappy and frustrated, Miss Kenton leaves the Hall, moves away, and marries and has a child with a man she'd worked with in the past.
This movie provides a showcase for the practiced discipline and the nuanced acting abilities of Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson who have managed to virtually inhabit the characters of Stevens and Kenton. The director, James Ivory, has inspired flawless performances from the entire cast.
In the closing scenes our tragic couple sits quietly in the evening, enjoying the remains of the day. They talk, but they are evading what actions they might take to retrieve their misspent lives and rescue what little time they have left. Just before parting Stevens comes to realize his last chance to fill an aching gap in his life may be slipping away.
Ruth Prawer Jhabvala
Patrick Godfrey
Tony Pierce-Roberts
Munich Pact
German invasion

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Card view - show user stories as graphical "cards", sorted by priority and severity with Scrum specific information like story points.
Planning game - quickly drag and drop you Work Items to iterations and / or user baskets to plan you product backlog or balance users work load.
Follow the README.txt from the installation bundle.


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Home » Hollywood Feed expands with largest acquisition in its history
Hollywood Feed expands with largest acquisition in its history
PetPeople's store in Lee's Summit, Mo. (Source: PetPeople)
By Nicole Kerwin
MEMPHIS, TENN. — Hollywood Feed, a pet food and products retailer, announced it has entered an agreement to acquire PetPeople, a retailer based in Columbus, Ohio. The acquisition will be the largest for Hollywood Feed to date, expanding its geographic presence, store count, employee base, and its natural and holistic line of products.
PetPeople offers premium, natural pet food and treats, as well as pet supplies and services including self-washing and grooming, for dogs, cats, fish, birds, reptiles and other small animals. According to Hollywood Feed, both retailers share similar values and a passion for helping local animal recue groups within their respective communities.
"We're thrilled to welcome PetPeople's team members and customers into our family," said Shawn McGhee, president and chief executive officer, Hollywood Feed. "A like-minded retailer, they share our dedication to providing the highest level of care, products and service to our customers and their furry family members."
The acquisition will increase Hollywood Feed's retail store count to 180, expanding its reach to include five new states, totaling 19 states from Texas to Pennsylvania and from Michigan to Florida. The number of employees will also increase to about 1,225 for Hollywood Feed.
"The in-store experience has long set us apart in the pet supply industry," McGhee said. "Outstanding product selection, competitive pricing, unparalleled sales associate training and education, and support of local rescue groups are the standard here. PetPeople demonstrated a similar culture of excellence, and we look forward to bringing them on board as we continue to be a top-tier retailer as well as an employer of choice."
Outside of its retail stores, Hollywood Feed has a robust operation to support its brick-and-mortar stores, including an e-commerce platform, a 180,000-square-foot warehouse and a fleet of 17 tractor-trailers for distribution. The retailer also provides curbside pickup and same-day delivery at all of its locations.
"As demand for holistic pet products continues to grow, so do we," McGhee said. "The acquisition of PetPeople helps ensure that our customers have access to products that enhance quality of life for their pets."
Business Companies Retailers Pet Food Pet Treats Mergers and Acquisitions Warehouse/Distribution
KEYWORDS acquisition bird food cat food community outreach curbside pickup delivery distribution dog food e-commerce fish food holistic pet food hollywood feed national retail natural pet food omnichannel PetPeople premiumization reptile food retail retail expansion retail stores small animal food
Voff expands with acquisition of chews and treats company
Jinx expands with in-store, online distribution
Pet Valu enters Québec market with acquisition
Zooplus expands with GXO partnership
Air-dried pet food manufacturer expands with personnel


(2632). Physiological Performance of Soybean Cultivars Under Salinity Stress. Journal of Plant Physiology & Breeding, 1(1), 1-7.
. "Physiological Performance of Soybean Cultivars Under Salinity Stress". Journal of Plant Physiology & Breeding, 1, 1, 2632, 1-7.
(2632). 'Physiological Performance of Soybean Cultivars Under Salinity Stress', Journal of Plant Physiology & Breeding, 1(1), pp. 1-7.
Physiological Performance of Soybean Cultivars Under Salinity Stress. Journal of Plant Physiology & Breeding, 2632; 1(1): 1-7.
Two experiments with factorial arrangements on the basis of randomized complete block design in three replications were conducted in 2007 and 2008, to evaluate chlorophyll content index (CCI), fluorescence of chlorophyll, proline content and grain yield of three soybean cultivars (Williams, Zan and L17) under a non-saline (control) and three saline (3, 6 and 9 ds/m NaCl) conditions in the greenhouse. Six seeds were sown in each pot filled with 900 g perlite, using 144 pots in each experiment. After emergence, seedlings were thinned and four plants were kept in each pot. Zan had the highest leaf proline content, but the lowest CCI, chlorophyll fluorescence and grain yield per plant. However, these traits were statistically similar with those of L17 and Williams. The chlorophyll content index and fluorescence of chlorophyll in soybean leaves decreased with increasing salinity. Reduction in chlorophyll fluorescence due to salinity stress was related to the damage of chlorophyll under saline conditions. In contrast, leaf proline content increased as salinity increased. Mean grain yield per plant under salinity stress was much less than that under non-saline conditions. These reductions were closely related with low CCI and PS II activity (fv/fm) and high leaf proline content in soybean cultivars. It was concluded that soybean is a sensitive plant to salinity stress, but the extent of this sensitivity varies among cultivars.


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Vision Mātauranga
Successful Learning
Resilient teens
He waka eke noa Better Together
Social disadvantage a key prediction of gap between Māori, Pacific and Pakeha child obesity
by ksch009 | Jun 16, 2019 | Big Data, Healthy Weight, Media release
Differences in socioeconomic conditions are a major driver of unequal obesity rates among Māori, Pacific and European children, a new study shows. The study – the first of its kind in Aotearoa New Zealand – found that the difference in numbers of four-year-old...
Let's not lose sight of the need to encourage all children to play sport
by ksch009 | Jun 3, 2019 | Healthy Weight, Media release
Over the past 11 years there has been a large increase in ACC claims for sports injuries in teens. Since 2008 there has been a 60 per cent increase in ACC lodged sports injuries in 10-14 year olds. ACC are concerned that children are over doing it. Is that really the...
A Better Start endorses Wellbeing Budget 2019
by ksch009 | May 29, 2019 | Events, Healthy Weight, Media release, Resilient Teens, Successful Literacy and Learning
"We are pleased to endorse the Prime Minister's first Wellbeing Budget, which was released today," says A Better Start Challenge Director, Professor Wayne Cutfield. "A Better Start National Science Challenge's mission is to elevate the importance of children as vital...
Child obesity prevalence across communities in New Zealand: 2010-2016
by michellec | Mar 5, 2019 | Healthy Weight, Media release, Updates
New Zealand has high levels of childhood overweight and obesity, and it remains a significant public health concern. It is associated with later obesity and a range of poor health outcomes. A group of researchers from A Better Start E Tipu e Rea has published a report...
Move to prevent later childhood obesity
by michellec | Feb 12, 2019 | Healthy Weight, Media release, Updates
A Better Start's Model Acceptance study is the first of its kind to explore the acceptability of early childhood obesity prediction in a multi-ethnic cohort of parents, caregivers, and grandparents of children aged five years and under in New Zealand. Using an anonymous online questionnaire distributed nationwide, researchers received a total of 1,934 responses from parents, caregivers, and grandparents of children aged five years and under which could be analysed.
Challenge and Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Whai Maia launch young tamariki research
by Challenge communications | Sep 19, 2018 | Events, Healthy Weight, Media release, Partner
A new collaboration to develop a comprehensive picture of health and well-being in young Maori children has been signed between A Better Start National Science Challenge and Whai Maia, the cultural, educational and health arm of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei. A Better Start...
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[PATCH 2/5] wined3d: Store back buffer surfaces as	IWineD3DSurfaceImpl pointers in the swapchain.
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Immunogen: Partial human ATF6 (activating transcription factor 6) containing aa 1-273.
Application Notes: Detects bands of ~90kDa (full length ATF6) and ~50-70kDa (cleaved forms of ATF6) by Western blot.
Use/Stability: Stable for 6 months when stored at +4°C.
Figure 1: Western blot analysis of ATF6 on 15µg of (A) Jurkat and (B) NIH3T3 cell lysates using MAb to ATF6 (70B1413.1) (Prod. No. ALX-804-381). A band of ~90kDa was detected."
Figure 2: Western blot analysis of ATF6 using MAb to ATF6 (70B1413.1) (Prod. No. ALX-804-381). Method: Western blots were probed with 4µg/ml of MAb to ATF6 (70B1413.1), followed by an HRP-conjugated second step and visualized with PicoTect Western Blot Chemiluminescence Substrate. Film was exposed for 1 min. The top arrow corresponds to the ~90kDa form of ATF6 described as full-length in the literature. Lane 1: 293 cells transfected with full-length ATF6. Lane 2: 293 cells transfected with partial length ATF6 (aa 1-373). Lane 3: Untransfected 293 cells. The human full-length and partial length ATF6 plasmids are described in Luo and Lee (2002) ."


After a lucrative transfer in Argentina, UAE Team Emirates will travel to Colombia to participate in the Tour Colombia 2.1 from February 12 to 17.
The six stages of the race will feature an initial time trial, then a course designed for sprinters, three stages with undulating altimetry and the conclusive day dedicated to climbers with an uphill arrival on Alto de Palmas.
Three riders (Bohli, Gaviria and Troia) have already raced in the Tour de San Juan, while the other half of the selection (Henao, Molano and Muñoz) participated in the Colombian national championships.
General Manager Matxin has laid out the team's goals for the Tour Colombia: "The start of the season has been good for our team, with positive results achieved in Australia and in Argentina.
The aim is to lend continuity to these performances, first and foremost with Gaviria, in what will be a homeland race for him. Fernando will be especially motivated and he will be able to count on the support of a great guy like Molano, who was his rival last year and who is now riding by his side.
We have a top tier line-up and that should mean that we can stand out as major contenders, whether in the individual stages or in the general classification, for which we are counting on Henao".


WellSky, a leading health and community care technology company, and Excel Health, the leading source for post-acute outcomes data and performance analytics for the healthcare industry, announced today that the two companies will work together to bring market intelligence to WellSky home health and hospice customers. This strategic alliance includes joint industry education and sales and marketing efforts to enable WellSky users to more effectively compete in today's value-based care economy.
The leading home health and hospice agencies, including eight of the industry's 20 largest organizations, depend on Excel Health for powerful growth solutions that help them grow their referral relationships and identify new referral partners.
Excel Health software solutions automate sales and marketing processes, including pre-call planning and referral source targeting, to enable sales teams to confidently present an agency's quantifiable value. Unlike other market intelligence providers, who deliver solely Medicare Part A institutional data, which represents only one-fourth of post-acute claims, Excel Health delivers 100 percent of all Medicare Part A and B data, including outpatient and physician services, preventative care, labs, mental and home health services, and more through easy to use productivity software solutions. Refreshed quarterly with approximately one-quarter lag, Excel Health customers gain first-mover advantage when identifying physician-facility affiliations.
WellSky customers who are interested in learning more about how Excel Health market insights and solutions can help them boost their performance in 2019 should visit www.excelhealthgroup.com/wellsky.
Excel Health provides growth solutions that drive critical workflows and dramatically improve agency performance. Our performance analytics, quality metrics and targeting tools are derived from complete 100% Medicare Part A & B data to produce high value to hospitals and home health and hospice agencies. In a recent study, our customers outpaced their competition and have experienced an ROI of over 600%. Given our strong client retention rate and ROI we have developed the "90 Day Stress Free Guarantee" program for a limited time. Details can be found here: https://www.excelhealthgroup.com/stress-free Excel Health customers are the only agencies in the market that can position themselves as an invaluable resource to their referral partners because they have exclusive visibility into the full continuum of care. For more information, please visit: http://www.excelhealthgroup.com; or, to see a demonstration, email us at sales@excelhealthgroup.com.


Our client are experts in the provision of first-class property management services Nationwide. They deliver a hands-on style of property management. Customer satisfaction is the primary focus and they have a close partnership with their clients to provide tailored management solutions, ensuring that their key requirements are met whilst achieving competitiveness and value for money.
They are looking for a Property Manager to join their team. The successful candidate will share these values and will be personally and professionally motivated to provide an excellent service to our clients.
You will be responsible for a portfolio of multi-unit developments and the job entails all aspects of the management and administration of Owner Management Companies (OMC's), Liaising with Directors of OMC's on a regular basis, Facilities management including appointment and supervision of contractors and management of on-site staff, Dealing with all queries between residents, owners, developers, and contractors.
You will look after the financial management of each individual company to a pre-determined budget administration of CRO obligations, Attend AGM's, General Meetings and Directors meetings, compliance regarding statutory obligations of the Owner Management Companies (OMC's) and adherence to the Multi-Unit Development (MUD) Act.
The ideal candidate will have a minimum of 2 years' experience in a similar Property Management role and must be able to work on their own initiative to provide a pro-active management service to the client. You must qualify for a PRSA license, a qualification in Property and/or relevant degree and/or experience necessary for NPSRA licensing, strong computer skills & administration skills, ability to work under pressure and to meet strict deadlines and have excellent interpersonal and relationship building skills.
You must have the ability to identify opportunities, have Strong verbal, numerical and written communication skills, good negotiation and influencing skills demonstrate an ability to provide a proactive approach to property management, the experience of Blockman software a plus but not a requirement and a full clean driver's license. You will be required to work some evenings to attend client meetings.


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Dvoupolní systém čili přílohové zemědělství byl v našich přírodních podmínkách nejstarší hospodářský systém obnovy půdní úrodnosti.
Hojně se využíval v raném středověku. Předcházel úhorovým systémům hospodaření, např. trojpolnímu systému.

O poměrně výkonné přílohové zemědělství se opírala obilnářská produkce starých Slovanů (slovanské stěhovavé zemědělství). Bez něho by byla nemyslitelná jejich značně vyspělá hmotná kultura, vznik rozsáhlých sídelních útvarů a politicko-správních jednotek.

Základem přílohového zemědělství byly 2 až 3 roky po sobě orané a osévané plochy (ager) a plochy příložené (campus), tj. ponechávané 3 až 10 let ladem. Příložení tedy znamenalo ponechání pozemků po několik let bez orby a bez osevu. Staří zemědělci říkali, že půda – stejně jako člověk nebo tažné zvíře po těžké práci – si musí odpočinout. Na přílohu se úrodnost půdy regenerovala v průběhu sukcese rostlinných společenstev a sukcese společenstev půdních organizmů. Stadia vývoje vegetace v přílohovém systému podléhala určitým zákonitostem a pravidelně se opakovala. Přílohové hospodaření i přes své mimořádné nároky na výměru půdy využívalo krajinu vysoce selektivně.

Na našem území byl za dobrý považován hektarový výnos obilovin okolo 0,4 tuny (hektarový výnos obilovin v roce 2019 byl odhadován na 5,22 tun). Znamenalo to, že pouhý jeden neúrodný rok působil existenční potíže a dva neúrodné roky za sebou vyvolaly hladomor. Víceletá neúroda ústila v hospodářské katastrofy celých oblastí a zemí – např. v Evropě v 9. století propukl lokální hladomor 64krát a několikaletý všeobecný hladomor prožila Evropa čtyřikrát.

Pole měla jakási ohrazení na ochranu úrody či na ochranu domácích zvířat spásajících příloh. Orba se prováděla křížovým způsobem se zachovanými úvratěmi na všech čtyřech stranách. Způsob orby, střídavá pastva, příp. ohrazení působily jako účinná protierozní ochrana.

Dvoupolní systém se v 21. stol. zachoval pouze v periferních oblastech Latinské Ameriky či Mexika. Užívaným nářadím je převážně pluh a rádlo; do zápřahu se dávají i zvířata (osel, mezek či vůl, koně jsou méně častí).

Odkazy

Reference

Literatura
 [DVOŘÁK, Ondřej]. Vývoj základních systémů exploatace krajiny. In: Akademon: web pro technologické inovace, dobrodružství poznání a nejnovější poznatky vědy [online]. 11. 12. 2001 [cit. 8. 8. 2019]. Seznam použité lit. Dostupné z: http://www.akademon.cz/Article/Article?source=epl.xml
 FABŠICOVÁ, Martina a VYMYSLICKÝ, Tomáš. Úhory, staronový fenomén české krajiny. Vesmír. 2015, roč. 94, č. 9, s. 519. Přístup také z: https://vesmir.cz/cz/casopis/archiv-casopisu/2015/cislo-9/uhory-staronovy-fenomen-ceske-krajiny.html
 VAŠKŮ, Zdeněk. De oeconomia suburbana. Vesmír. 1995, roč. 74, č. 6, s. 313. Dostupné také z: https://vesmir.cz/cz/casopis/archiv-casopisu/1995/cislo-6/de-oeconomia-suburbana.html
 KUNA, Martin a kol. Nedestruktivní archeologie: teorie, metody a cíle. 1. Praha: Academia, 2004. 555 s., [40] s. barev. obr. příl. .

Zemědělství

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


A new request must be submitted each year.
In accordance with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) of 1987 (40 CFR Part 763), Broadalbin-Perth Central School District conducts periodic asbestos review and required inspection. Asbestos projects shall be conducted according to all applicable local, state and federal regulations. The Asbestos Management Plan for each building is available for review during normal business hours at the Business Office. For more information, please contact LEA asbestos designee Mike Carney at (518) 954-2512.
Notice is hereby given that the annual inspection for the current school year of all the schools and buildings of the Broadalbin-Perth Central School District for fire hazards which might endanger the lives of students, teachers, and employees therein, has been completed and the report thereof is available at the District Office during normal business hours. For additional information, please contact Director of Facilities, Operations & Transportation Mike Carney at (518) 954-2512.


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Home » Health News » New Stem Cell Treatment Might Help MS Patients Walk
New Stem Cell Treatment Might Help MS Patients Walk
By Adrian Newman, B.A. - January 18, 2016
Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients in the UK are demonstrating significant improvements after receiving a treatment that is usually reserved for treating cancer.
MS is an autoimmune disease that attacks the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord). The damage caused by MS can be permanent and lead to symptoms such as being unable to walk. Symptoms usually begin between the ages of 20 and 40-years-old.
Doctors in Sheffield, UK, report how over the last three years about 20 MS patients received bone marrow transplants using stem cells from their own bodies. This treatment has reversed paralysis in some patients, making it possible for them to walk again.
"To have a treatment which can potentially reverse disability is really a major achievement," said Professor Basil Sharrack, a consultant neurologist at Sheffield Royal Hallamshire Hospital.
The treatment is called autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT); using chemotherapy its purpose is to destroy the faulty immune system. Stem cells are then used to repair the immune system. Because these cells are still at an early stage of development, they haven't been infected by the flaws that initially cause MS.
Patients who have undergone this procedure have spoken about their recovery.
In a BBC interview, MS patient Steven Storey said that after his diagnoses in 2013 he lost sensation in most of his body. Once a natural athlete, he was eventually relegated to a wheelchair.
"At one point I couldn't even hold a spoon and feed myself," Storey said in the interview.
A few days after the transplant, Storey said he was able to move his toes; four months later he was able to stand.
"It's been incredible. I was in a dire place, but now I can swim and cycle and I am determined to walk," he further noted in the interview.
Holly Drewry was diagnosed with MS at the age of 21—her condition worsened after she gave birth to her daughter Isla.
"Within a couple of months I got worse and worse. I couldn't dress or wash myself; I didn't even have the strength to carry my daughter," Drewry said in the BBC interview.
The HSCT procedure changed Drewry's life.
"It's been a miracle. I got my life and my independence back and the future is bright again in terms of being a mum and doing everything with Isla," she added.
Sheffield Royal Hallamshire Hospital is partnering with hospitals in the U.S., Brazil and Sweden to assess the long-term benefits of the treatment.
As we have previously reported, a cure for mitochondrial is also closer—and it's due to stem cell breakthroughs. Scientists from Oregon Health & Science University and the Salk Institute for Biological Studies were able to convert skin cells from patients with mitochondrial disease into disease-free stem cells. Researchers are hopeful that they are even closer to finding a cure for people born with mitochondrial.
Mitochondrial is an inherited disorder that can cause physical as well as cognitive disabilities. Symptoms include muscle weakness, pain, learning disabilities, organ failure, gastrointestinal issues, and vision problems. Approximately one in 4,000 people have the disease, but there is no cure—making stem cell treatment breakthroughs all the more promising.
Source for Today's Article:
Walsh, F., "Cancer treatment for MS patients gives 'remarkable' results," BBC News web site, January 18, 2016; http://www.bbc.com/news/health-35065905.Â


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Catholic Churches and Schools Helston, Cornwall - TR13
Catholic Churches, Catholic Schools, Religious Houses, Chaplaincies and Catholic Organisations in Helston, Cornwall - TR13 and the surrounding area.
Catholic Churches, Schools, Religious Houses, Chaplaincies and Organisations in Helston, Cornwall - TR13
St Mary`s - Helston (0.9 miles)
Parish of St. Mary`s in Helston, Cornwall (Diocese of Plymouth).
Our Lady of All Nations - Camborne (7 miles)
Parish of St. John the Baptist in Camborne, Cornwall (Diocese of Plymouth).
St John`s Catholic Primary - Camborne (7 miles)
A mixed Maintained Primary School in Camborne, Cornwall (Diocese of Plymouth)
St Joseph the Worker - Hayle (8.1 miles)
Parish of St Joseph the Worker in Commercial Road, Hayle (Diocese of Plymouth).
St Edward the Confessor - Mawnan Smith (8.2 miles)
Parish of St. Edward the Confessor in Mawnan Smith, Cornwall (Diocese of Plymouth).
Our Lady of All Nations - Redruth (8.8 miles)
St Mary`s Catholic Primary - Falmouth (9 miles)
A mixed Maintained Primary School in Falmouth, Cornwall (Diocese of Plymouth)
St Mary Immaculate - Falmouth (9.8 miles)
Parish of St. Mary Immaculate Parish in Falmouth, Cornwall (Diocese of Plymouth).
Sacred Heart and St Ia - St Ives (11.2 miles)
Parish of Sacred Heart and St Ia in St Ives, Cornwall (Diocese of Plymouth).
Immaculate Conception of Our Lady - Penzance (11.3 miles)
Parish of Immaculate Conception of Our Lady in Penzance, Cornwall (Diocese of Plymouth).
St Mary`s Catholic - Penzance (11.3 miles)
A mixed Maintained Primary School in Penzance, Cornwall (Diocese of Plymouth)
Our Lady Star of the Sea and St Anthony - St Mawes (12.4 miles)
Parish of Our Lady of the Sea and St Anthony in St Mawes, Cornwall (Diocese of Plymouth).
Our Lady Star of the Sea - St. Agnes (14.6 miles)
Parish of Our Lady Star of the Sea in St. Agnes, Cornwall (Diocese of Plymouth).
Our Lady of the Portal and St Piran - Truro (15 miles)
Parish of Our Lady of the Portal and St Piran in Truro, Cornwall (Diocese of Plymouth).
Christ the King - Perranporth (17.4 miles)
Parish of Christ the King in Perranporth, Cornwall (Diocese of Plymouth).
Most Holy Trinity - Newquay (22.9 miles)
Parish of Most Holy Trinity in Newquay, Cornwall (Diocese of Plymouth).


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Hurley 6747
By Stephen Hagan - posted Friday, 9 March 2007 Sign Up for free e-mail updates!
Frederick Douglass (1818-95) American former slave and civil rights campaigner speaking on the 23rd anniversary of Emancipation in Washington DC, April 1885, said: "The life of the nation is secure only while the nation is honest, truthful and virtuous".
With amazing revelations emanating from a flood of media coverage of late, concerning the unconscionable conduct of police associations and weak politicians who choose to turn a blind eye to the Mulrunji case, only time will tell whether the commanding words of Frederick Douglas have any currency in Australia today.
After reading an article in the Sunday Territorian under the headline "Blue wrist bands to support Sgt Hurley" by Roberta Mancuso on February 9, 2007, I continue to be appalled by the unprecedented action, some might say militant deeds, of our protectors - the police - in support of their fallen comrade.
I, like many of my people, have friends who currently serve in the police service, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous officers, and often wonder what their position is on the extraordinary stance countless numbers of their colleagues are taking in support of Senior Sergeant Chris Hurley.
My reluctance to date in not asking my few police acquaintances whether they support their union's stance is probably more reflective of my present state of mind on the subject and angst, I guess, of their possible agreement with the actions undertaken by the union and of future plans the union may have on the drawing board.
The Sunday Territorian alluded to the potential of all Queensland police officers who may soon be wearing blue wrist bands in a show of support for Senior Sergent Chris Hurley who was recently charged over the death in custody of Mulrunji on Palm Island in 2004.
At present it would appear, from the article, that most Gold Coast officers are wearing the blue bands stamped with the number "6747" - the official police registration number of Senior Sergeant Chris Hurley.
Queensland Police Union vice president Denis Fitzpatrick was quoted in the article saying the bands would not only help raise funds for Snr Sgt Hurley's legal costs, but show a "silent protest" against his treatment.
It was also widely reported that the Queensland Police Union is considering staging an unprecedented police march on Parliament House in Brisbane.
I don't begrudge anyone from voicing a protest on any matter but one would have thought it more prudent of police to await the outcome of a jury of Hurley's peers to arrive at a verdict before trying to influence the court's outcome by threatening to march on Parliament House as well as an array of other innovative planned actions.
Why has this particular case caused so much anxiety to the all conquering and powerful police unions across the nation? Perhaps it has something to do with the history and culture of policing in this country and their perfect record of no convictions recorded against a single police officer for a death in custody of an Indigenous Australian.
To fully understand this observation I provide a journey back in time to illustrate a brutal start to our people's contact with non-Indigenous law enforcement agencies and the judicial system.
109 posts so far.
Stephen Hagan is Editor of the National Indigenous Times, award winning author, film maker and 2006 NAIDOC Person of the Year.
» The implosion of Kevin07 - July 21, 2010
» Racism in our schools - July 7, 2010
» The union of the black and white Hagan clans - February 10, 2010
» The Ethics Council: some inconvenient truths? - January 25, 2010
» Enough to make Mabo turn in his grave - October 23, 2009
All articles by Stephen Hagan


Yes you read that title right! Square Enix recently announced that one of the most popular games in the Final Fantasy Series, Final Fantasy VII, will be available to download for PC gamers!
Coming as part of the franchise's 25th anniversary, this new downloadable version will include a range of new features such as a Character Booster that enables players to fully power up their characters, cloud saves, and in-game achievements to encourage players to explore various facets of the game.


My little chicks and how they've evolved through the years.
This is one of my favorite designs of all time. I love this chicks. Many years ago, I was doodling one day in school and these little guys were the result. I've used them in many different projects.
The first greeting card I made with it. I really love the yellow that I chose here.
Then several years after the original sketch I finally took them into Adobe Illustrator and made a vector image.
I even made a poster for my friends that they could hang in their baby's nursery.
2014 UPDATE: I revisited this design and came up with a new poster. I really love the different colored chicks!


We are looking for skilled and excited individuals to join the opening BOH team of Basic Kitchen. The prep-person plays a key role in setting the tone for the day: going into service fully stocked, maintaining inventory levels and processing fruits and veggies. During service, you'll be on cold station, multi-tasking between smoothie and salad orders. Candidates should be flexible, team-oriented, comfortable in a high-paced open kitchen and eager to learn.


The concept of "The Magic Circle" was first described by Johan Huizinga, a Dutch historian, in 1938. Long before "game design" was a profession, Johan identified play as a vital aspect of human culture and development. He noticed how otherwise predictable children would change when interacting with friends during recess. In his book "Homo Ludens" he referred to the physical space for playing, the playground, as "the Magic Circle".
The Magic Circle is significant because it is a designated safe place to experiment with alternative realities. Cry "fire!" in a crowded public place and you may get arrested. Shout "base on fire!" in a game of tag and nobody thinks twice; it's just a new wrinkle to play. Inside the circle, in that place, events take on special meanings.
Conferences are a magic circle. They are a mind playground for exploring the myriad of intellectual possibilities not normally possible amid a daily litany of feature fulfillment and task triage. It is true; the semantics of any technical topic are most likely already available online, much of it for free. But while the content is ready one's mind may not be.
Why are conferences so much better at kick-starting our excitement than the equivalent online course? New experiences slow time down. Usually the brain ignores what is going on around us because the mind has already concluded, from experience, it isn't worth the storage. Present it with something new and we wake up. Rather than being yet another tab in a browser we're navigating unfamiliar environments, talking with new people, and hearing provocative ideas.
"For a few fun-filled, informative days, I get all pumped up with excitement. And then I get back to the office and work/life happens. High priority work comes in, staff changes, something happens and all the awesome stuff that I learned or wanted to do, just kind of fades to the background."
Continuing education isn't about finding the magic circle; opportunities for interacting with engaging, interesting people in new ways are all around us, if we dare to look. The trick is keep that magic from fading once we step back into our regular lives.


Women and the Second World War in France, 1939-1948 1st Edition by Hanna Diamond and Publisher Routledge. Save up to 80% by choosing the eTextbook option for ISBN: 9781317885436, 1317885430. The print version of this textbook is ISBN: 9780582299092, 0582299098.


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Home » Performing Arts
ALL IN THE FAMILY: THE SHOW THAT TRANSFORMED TELEVISION BROUGHT TO YOU BY NORMAN LEAR (SIGNED)
JIM COLUCCI
Universe Publishing(NY)
11.2in. x 8.7in. x 1.2in.
All in the Family creator Norman Lear takes fans behind the scenes of the groundbreaking sitcom on the occasion of its 50th anniversary. The face of television was changed forever in 1971 with the premiere of All in the Family. The working-class Bunker family of Queens, New York--lovable bigot Archie (Carroll O'Connor), his long-suffering "dingbat" wife Edith (Jean Stapleton), their liberal daughter Gloria (Sally Struthers), and son-in-law Mike Meathead Stivic (Rob Reiner)--instantly became, and half a century later still are, four of the most iconic characters in television.In All in the Family: The Show that Changed Television, Norman Lear shares his take on fifty essential episodes that exemplify why the show remains as funny and relevant as ever. Its boundary-pushing approach to hot-button topics is examined with commentary from co-stars O' Connor, Stapleton, Reiner, and Struthers, as well as writers, directors, and guest stars from the show.With previously unseen notes from Lear, script pages, production designs, and a foreword by super-fan Jimmy Kimmel, this book is the ultimate companion to the seminal series and a must for fans of Lear's shows and television comedy."Norman Lear, " said New Yorker critic Michael Arlen, "has a feel for what people want to see before they know they want to see it." All in the Family, like all of the Lear shows that followed, was a turning point in television's handling of taboo subjects such as race relations, feminism, homosexuality, war, religion, gun control, social inequity, and other controversial subjects, all of which remain in the news today.


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Bernie Petit / Lifestyle Correspondent
Jul 11, 2013 at 12:01 AM Jul 11, 2013 at 7:43 AM
The fireworks didn�t end with Independence Day, as even more summer blockbusters will bring explosions and excitement to the big screen.
With the exception of maybe �The Wolverine,� these flicks don�t have the same name recognition of �Iron Man 3,� �Star Trek Into Darkness� and �Man of Steel� � movies that dominated the first half of the season.
Still, there�s a nice mix of action, sci-fi and comedy to be found. Here�s a look at seven anticipated films hitting theaters in the next five weeks.
Stars: Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, Rinko Kikuchi, Charlie Day, Ron Perlman
Story: When legions of monstrous creatures, known as Kaiju, begin rising from the sea, a special weapon is devised � massive robots, called Jaegers, which are controlled simultaneously by two pilots. But as the Jaegers prove nearly defenseless in the face of the relentless Kaiju , a washed-up former pilot and a trainee are teamed to drive a legendary yet seemingly obsolete Jaeger from the past.
Stars: Jeff Bridges, Ryan Reynolds, Kevin Bacon, Mary-Louise Parker, Robert Knepper , James Hong, Marisa Miller,
Story: Two cops dispatched by the otherworldly Rest In Peace Department protect and serve the living from an increasingly destructive array of souls who refuse to move peacefully to the other side.
Stars: Hugh Jackman, Will Yun Lee, Svetlana Khodchenkova, Hiroyuki Sanada , Hal Yamanouchi
Story: Based on the celebrated comic book arc, Wolverine travels to Japan, where he faces a mysterious figure from his past in a fight that has lasting consequences. Vulnerable for the first time, he confronts lethal samurai steel and is pushed to his physical and emotional limits.
The To Do List
Stars: Aubrey Plaza, Johnny Simmons, Bill Hader, Alia Shawkat, Rachel Bilson, Christopher Mintz-Plasse , Donald Glover, Andy Samberg
Story: Set in 1993, valedictorian Brandy Klark wants to shed her uptight image before college, so she assembles a to-do list of everything she�s missed out on in high school. Realizing she�s out of her depth, she enlists help from her friends, sister and boss.
Stars: Denzel Washington, Mark Wahlberg , Paula Patton, Bill Paxton, Edward James Olmos, James Marsden
Story: Two operatives from competing bureaus are forced on the run together, though neither knows that the other is an undercover agent. When their attempt to infiltrate a Mexican drug cartel goes haywire, they are disavowed by their bosses.
Stars: Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, Sharlto Copley, Alice Braga, Diego Luna, William Fichtner, Wagner Moura
Story: In the year 2154, two classes of people exist � the very wealthy, who live on a pristine man-made space station called Elysium, and the rest, who live on an overpopulated, ruined planet. The only man with the chance to bring equality to these worlds is Max, an ordinary guy in desperate need to get to Elysium.
Stars: Jennifer Aniston, Jason Sudeikis, Emma Roberts, Nick Offerman, Kathryn Hahn, Will Poulter , Ed Helms
Story: In debt, a small-time pot dealer must smuggle his supplier�s latest shipment in from Mexico. Twisting the arms of his neighbors � a cynical stripper, a wannabe customer and a tatted-and-pierced streetwise teen � he devises a plan. One fake wife, two pretend kids and an RV later, the �Millers� head south of the border.


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Início › Focus on automotive › Search for Bugatti
Focus on automotive: Bugatti
Bugatti reaches milestone: the 200th Chiron produced
More than two years after production of the Chiron started in Molsheim, Bugatti is proud to announce this month's delivery of car number 200, in a limited-edition Chiron Sport "110 ans Bugatti". This anniversary model has the iconic French Tricolour proudly displayed at various points throughout, in homage to its origins and is destined for...
Italian premiére for the Bugatti Divo at the Salone del Mobile
The Salone del Mobile in Milan witnessed the official presentation of the new Bugatti Home Collection. The stand of Bugatti partner Luxury Living Group, set up like an actual home, had clearly been inspired by the curves of the French hyper sports cars and putting the details of the collection in the spotlight. On the parking spot of the Bugatti...
Bugatti: Middle East Premieres for "La Voiture Noire" and the Chiron Sport
Last week Bugatti presented Chiron Sport and "La Voiture Noire" at an exclusive event in Dubai. That of Dubai represented Première for the two cars in the Middle East after the world debut at the Geneva Motor Show. The Al Habtoor Polo Resort and Club in Dubai served as setting for the exclusive presentation, as well as a departure point for the...
New partnership for Bugatti in the complicated timepieces sector
Bugatti announced a partnership with Jacob and Co., a leader in complicated timepieces and a renowned diamond and jewelry house. The companies will collaborate on a series of exclusive co-branded products sharing a passion for cutting-edge design and pushing the limits of what seems mechanically possible. Stephan Winkelmann and Jacob Arabo, the...
Bugatti celebrates its birthday with a new look
The celebrations for the 110th anniversary of Bugatti are not only a celebration of past achievements, they also mark the beginning of a new chapter written with Audes Group. In Geneva the company has signed an agreement with Bugatti becoming the hyper sports car manufacturer's licensing partner for the next three years. This synergy combines two...
New tests for Bugatti Chiron at the Nasa Kennedy Space Center
The Bugatti Engineering team recently conducted routine straight-line aerodynamic testing of the Bugatti Chiron at a very special location: Nasa's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Such aerodynamic testing requires a series of features which is why the team chose the Shuttle Landing Facility. Not only is it impeccably maintained to meet Nasa...
Limited Edition of the Bugatti Chiron celebrating the 110th anniversary of the brand
Bugatti is celebrating 110th anniversary of its foundation with a special limited edition of the Chiron Sport. The "110 Ans Bugatti" Chiron will be produced in olny 20 limited cars wich underlining origin and French roots of the brand. Customizations concern both the bodywork and the interior of the car and present a series of references to the...


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Giorgia Meloni, the post-fascist inspired by Trump
Giorgia Meloni was the only Italian politician invited to America's National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday. An interesting choice by the bipartisan Fellowship Foundation, given that she is the leader of the party Steve Bannon once called "perhaps a little too right-wing".
Petite and blonde, Giorgia Meloni is the unlikely dark horse of Italy's far right. While the League's Matteo Salvini has been garnering most of the headlines in Italy and worldwide, Meloni's post-fascist Fratelli d'Italia (Brothers of Italy) (FdI) party has been quietly going from strength to strength.
There is no doubt that Italy as a whole has shifted to the right. The League's growth has come from voters deserting Berlusconi's centrist Forza Italia, and even the left-of-centre Democratic Party and not from the right. Over the last year, the Brothers' support has more than doubled (11.6% according to Winpoll on 6 February), with the Ixè poll at the end of January putting it on an all-time high of 12.4%. What is more, Meloni's personal approval rating surpassed that of Matteo Salvini (33% compared to 32%) making her the country's most popular party leader.
With the Five Star Movement in freefall (currently polling at 12.7%) and the Democratic Party (PD) struggling to stay above 20%, Salvini has a point when he questions the legitimacy of the fragile coalition government. With his party consistently polling at around 30% or more, a League/Brothers alliance would reach the 40% threshold necessary to form a government. All that is holding the current coalition together is the certainty that elections would see many - particularly those from the 5 Stars - saying goodbye to their very comfortable and lucrative seats.
Unlike Germany, which completely repudiated its Fascist past after WWII, forcing neo-Nazis to the fringes of the country's political culture, Italy has always had its Mussolini apologists. Some of them proudly bear the family name, like the modestly monikered Caio Giulio Cesare Mussolini, Il Duce's great-grandson and an Fdl candidate in the European elections. When Thomas Kemmerich was elected premier of Germany's Thuringia state this week with the help of the far-right, he breached the Brandmauer (firewall) and such was the outrage that he was forced to step down. In Italy, the heirs to the Fascist party have always been part of the mainstream political scene. In the immediate post-war period, unreconstructed fascists formed the Italian Social Movement (MSI), which morphed into the National Alliance (AN) and then the FdI.
For years, the conventional wisdom was that Italy did not enforce anti-semitic laws until the German occupation in 1943. In fact, Jewish children were banned from schools, university professors removed from their posts and Jews banned from the armed forces and certain professions as early as 1938. The fact that the Fascist Party "only" sent 8,000 Jews to their deaths, mainly in Auschwitz, far fewer than the Nazis, does not make it all right. And yet, a bill introduced last year into the chamber of deputies in 2017 to prohibit fascist propaganda and the "Roman salute" (illegal in both Germany and Austria) was blocked in the senate.
In policy terms, there is little to separate the League and the Brothers. Both are nationalist and want to tighten up immigration laws and put "Italians first". The difference between the two largest right-wing parties is largely one of culture and history. Traditional "post-Fascists" mistrust Salvini, whose party had a northern separatist agenda until he widened its base a few years ago, and they dislike his raucous, populist style. On the other hand, the 43-year old Meloni began her political career in the MSI's Youth Front, was the national leader of the student wing of the AN and one of the founders of the Brothers.
Meloni has generally avoided the kind of crassly racist remarks and gestures of Salvini and some of his colleagues. Not that she is a shrinking violet. On Italy's political talk shows, where the "debate" is won by those who shout the loudest and longest, she can more than hold her own with the bully boys.
The woman who some are tipping as Italy's first female prime minister was inspired by President Trump's speech at the Prayer Breakfast. The American president spoke of "God, fatherland and family, words that seem almost subversive in Italy. In the United States, they are part of the government and provide important answers. I am working so that one day it can happen for us too."
Tag: Meloni, National Prayer Breakfast, Salvini. Fratelli d'Italia, Trump
Scritto in Italian politics, Italy | 2 Commenti »
Ortsac 10 February 2020 alle 11:40
Let's break that out a bit. God: I guess Trump's ferocious hate for people desperately seeking a new chapter in their lives by trying to migrate to the US, would not be what a good christian - like Meloni and Trump purport themselves to be - might appreciate; in a post-fascist narrative Jesus Christ would be seen as a dangerous communist revolutionary pursuing an agenda of protecting the lesser, the poor, the misfit, the alienated by powerful political forces imposed by billionaires such as that mentally incapacitated which happens to dwell in the White House: the Savior, a bane in nowadays' far-right populism. God and his Holy Son would battle individuals like Meloni and Trump with all Their might, revealing and putting to shame such hypocrites. Family: Meloni and Trump have their own share of messing with family ties, certainly scandalizing the ones that find traditional christian values in the unity of a so called Holy Matrimony a fundamental tenet in a christian narrative: both Meloni and Trump disregard them - again, very hypocritically. As for Country, that's a huge BS: in a globalized world such as ours, far-right populism would immediately cease to exist depleted as it would of the vital oxygen of free market economic trades; in this view "America first" and "Italy first" are just empty concepts good only to whistling at their rank-and-files that happen to take on every piece of meat (and I am being polite) thrown at them.
Lrahip 10 February 2020 alle 01:12
Very scary and very dangerous. No matter how they are dressed and how quietly, or loudly they speak, this fascist tendency needs to be confronted, contained and stopped. We must not let ourselves be divided until it is too late. This is a well funded international movement, but it is up to us individually to not allow it to go any further. Each and everyone of us. Now is not the time to scatter and splinter into ever tinier parties. We need to figure out how to come together, neighborhood by neighborhood, city by city and country by country. NOW before it is too late.


I don't really remember being four. I'm sure it was a fun time though, before school started for me, but was well and truly occupying my three older brothers. I guess I hung out with my lovely mum and grandparents a lot. I think I must have gone to preschool part-time (maybe 3 days per week) and I do remember that place a little bit. I swear that War Memorial Preschool had front gates with black jail-style bars, but will need to fact check that (if the building hasn't yet been bulldozed to make way for an apartment block).
Anyway, enough reminiscing. I'm currently enjoying a little holiday over in WA, where my middle brother lives with his lovely wife and daughter. Milly is four. And I'd better keep spell-checking as that gets autocorrected to Milky. Which would be slightly too wacky as a name, even for WA.
It's fun to catch up with Milly, and I'm learning a lot. For starters, I didn't know there were different varieties of Vegemite; or that tiaras make surprisingly practical headbands; or that the free Playschool app is actually really clever. In return, I've shown Milly the genius of the funny filters on Snapchat; introduced the celebratory fist bump; and generally complemented an already impressive repertoire of wackiness. We've watched some movies and read some books and done some shopping. Good times.
We highly recommend this book.
Spoiler alert: the book is mostly a hit because of funny sounds like these. Inducing snorts of laughter.
We recommend this movie – it's like Barbie meets James Bond. With weapons like a glitter bomb, lipstick that turns into a tazer, a robot dog. Usual spy stuff.
So, I never saw the original, but this sequel was ok. The age old tale of the struggle between being a mermaid and a girl. Featuring the worst fake Australian accent I have ever witnessed.


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Das Festival de Cornouaille, seit 2010 auch kurz Le Cornouaille und auf Bretonisch Gouelioù-Meur Kerne genannt, ist ein bretonisches Musik-, Tanz- und Kulturfestival. Es findet jährlich im Juli in Quimper (Bretonisch: Kemper), der Hauptstadt des Départements Finistère, Bischofssitz und Zentrum der historischen Landschaft Cornouaille, statt.
1923 zum ersten Mal veranstaltet, ist es das älteste der großen Kulturfestivals in der Bretagne. Zwar gab es von 1931 bis 1946 mit Ausnahme zweier Jahre einen größeren zeitlichen Abschnitt, in dem das Fest zumindest nicht in dieser Größenordnung stattgefunden hat; dennoch bezeichnen die Ausrichter das Festival von 2020 auf ihrer Webseite als "97. Ausgabe".

Geschichte

Die Anfänge

Entstanden ist das Festival aus einer Wohltätigkeitsveranstaltung eines jungen Kinobesitzers aus Quimper, Louis Le Bourhis, im Dezember 1922, die dieser im September 1923 und danach jährlich bis 1930 in größerem Rahmen als Fête des Reines ("Fest der Königinnen") wiederholte, wobei ein Teil der Einnahmen den Kriegsversehrten des Weltkriegs zugutekam. Der Name rührte daher, dass auf diesem Fest aus dem Kreis der lokalen Schönheitsköniginnen jeweils eine "Königin der Cornouaille" ausgewählt wurde – ein Brauch, der sich bis in das 21. Jahrhundert hinein gehalten hat.Schon in dieser Zeit gehörten auch musikalische und Tanzwettbewerbe sowie ein Festzug durch die Innenstadt zu den regelmäßigen Programmpunkten, woran neben den Siegerinnen der Königinnenwahl und den traditionellen Bläsergruppen (Sonneurs) mit Bombarde und Binioù – wie auf dem Foto von 1927 (rechts) abgebildet – auch einige bretonische Barden, darunter Théodore Botrel, Francis Gourvil und der Neo-Druide François Jaffrennou, teilnahmen.

Entwicklung nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg
Nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg mitsamt der Befreiung von der deutschen Besetzung lebte das Festival unter dem Namen Fêtes de Cornouaille – später mit dem Zusatz Festival des arts et traditions de la Bretagne ("Festival der Künste und Traditionen der Bretagne") – wieder auf. Gab es 1947 lediglich ein mehrstündiges Fest, kam es 1948 schon zu einer zweitägigen Veranstaltung, an der auch eine kleine Delegation aus Schottland teilnahm; im Jahr darauf zog sich das Festival sogar über sechs Tage hin.
In den folgenden Jahren wuchs es sowohl von der Zahl der Einzelveranstaltungen, der teilnehmenden Musiker, Tanz- und Trachtengruppen als auch von der Zahl der Besucher her stetig an. So wurden 1951 rund 2.000 Teilnehmer gezählt; 1952 sorgte der Andrang von etwa 100.000 Zuschauern dafür, dass in den Bäckereien der Stadt das Brot zur Mangelware wurde. Dieses Wachstum entwickelte sich besonders stark ab Ende der 1960er Jahre, als es in der gesamten Bretagne zu einer stärkeren Rückbesinnung auf die Eigenarten und Werte der bretonischen Kultur kam, die zudem auch maßgeblich von einer neuen Generation mitgetragen wurde. Bei der das Festival traditionell abschließenden großen Musikerparade (Grande Assemblée, auf Bretonisch Abadenn Veur) durch die Innenstadt kam es 1976 zu einem Sprengstoffanschlag auf das an der Marschroute liegende Geschäftsgebäude der Banque Nationale de Paris – verübt von der Front de Libération de la Bretagne ("Bretonische Befreiungsfront") –, der unter den etwa 12.000 Zuschauern an den Straßenrändern aber keine Opfer forderte.

1982 nahm die Veranstaltung ihren bis heute gültigen Namen als Festival de Cornouaille an. Darüber kam es zu einem Zerwürfnis zwischen den Organisatoren, in dessen Folge Louis Le Bourhis, ein Enkel des Gründers des Fests, seinen Rückzug erklärte. Sachlicher Hintergrund dieser Umbenennung war, dass die Befürworter sich davon bessere Möglichkeiten der Vermarktung und bessere Chancen auf staatliche Subventionen erhofften. Zudem sollte die Zahl an Konzerten erhöht werden und der zuvor vier Jahre lang entfallene Festzug (Triomphe des Sonneurs) wieder einen zentralen Platz im Programm erhalten.

Programmatische Schwerpunkte

Bis in die erste Hälfte der 1970er Jahre hatte sich das musikalische Veranstaltungsprogramm noch vorrangig auf Sänger und Instrumentalgruppen wie die Sonneurs und die Spielmannszüge, dort Bagadoù genannt, konzentriert, die dem traditionellen, keltisch-bretonischen Liedgut wie den Gwerzioù oder dem Kan ha Diskan verpflichtet waren. Das änderte sich mit der sprunghaften Zunahme von Rockbands, die zwar bevorzugt elektrisch verstärkte Instrumente (E-Gitarre, E-Bass, Keyboards, dazu Schlagzeug) benutzten, aber entweder auch selbst traditionelle akustische Instrumente beherrschten oder bretonische Musik rockig beziehungsweise jazzig interpretierten.Dieses anfängliche Nebeneinander entwickelte sich auch bei diesem Festival dahingehend weiter, dass jüngere Rockmusiker und meist ältere "musikalische Traditionalisten" häufig miteinander auftraten, wie beispielsweise die Pipe Band Bagad Kemper und die Punk-Ethno-Rock-Fusion Red Cardell – beides Gruppen, die in Quimper beheimatet sind. Als Ausgangspunkt dieser musikalischen Annäherung gilt ein gemeinsames Konzert von Fairport Convention mit Dan Ar Braz beim Festival 1978.

In der langen Geschichte des Cornouaille sind sämtliche "Größen" der bretonischen Musik aufgetreten. Zu den Besonderheiten des Festival de Cornouaille gehört aber, dass es auch Anfängern und unbekannten Künstlern im Rahmen des offiziellen Gesamtprogramms eine Bühne bietet. Bei deren Konzerten besteht freier Eintritt. Für den Festivaldirektor Igor Gardes gehört dies zu den Alleinstellungsmerkmalen, mit denen Quimper sich von den anderen großen Kulturfesten in der Bretagne wie dem Festival Interceltique in Lorient, den Vieilles Charrues in Carhaix-Plouguer oder dem Yaouank in Rennes abgrenzt und zugleich eine Lücke füllt:

Organisation, Finanzierung und Veranstaltungsorte

Organisiert wird das Festival von einem eingetragenen Verein französischen Rechts (association loi de 1901). Es dauert wieder sechs Tage, endet stets am letzten Sonntag im Juli und zieht etwa 150.000 Besucher in die 63.000-Einwohner-Stadt (Stand 2017). Die Gesamteinnahmen stammen zu etwa 40 % aus der Unterstützung durch die Öffentlichen Hände (Stadt, Gemeindeverband, Département, Regionalrat und französischer Staat), der Rest kommt durch den Verkauf von Eintrittskarten – wobei rund drei Viertel der Veranstaltungen bei freiem Zutritt stattfinden – und Merchandisingprodukten sowie durch Sponsoring und Werbepartner zusammen.Nach Angaben der Ausrichter hatten schon 1994 insgesamt 130.000 Menschen das Festival besucht, die 75.000 Tickets für die einzelnen Veranstaltungen kauften; 1998 stieg die Besucherzahl sogar auf 250.000 an, was die bisherige Rekordmarke für das Festival darstellt.

Unter dem Festivalmotto au cœur d'une ville et d'une culture ("Im Herzen einer Stadt und im Zentrum einer Kultur") ist das gesamte innerstädtische Gebiet die Bühne für Auftritte unterschiedlicher Art. Konzerte beispielsweise finden in der Kathedrale Saint-Corentin ebenso statt wie im Théâtre de la Résistance oder dem Pavillon de Penvillers sowie in Bars und Clubs. Für Open-Air-Veranstaltungen bieten sich neben den weitläufigen Kais der Odet die Straßen und Plätze rund um die Kathedrale an; sie sind bei trockenem Wetter hoch frequentiert, insbesondere bei den Altstadtnächten (Nuits des Vieux Quartiers) und den Festoù-noz –, aber auch im Innenhof der Diözesanverwaltung, wo 2013 erstmals ein großes, öffentliches Festessen (Cornouaille Gourmand) ausgerichtet wurde.

Weblinks
 Offizielle Seite des Festivals (abgerufen am 3. April 2020)

Anmerkungen und Nachweise

Musikfestival in Frankreich
Kunst (Bretagne)
Quimper
Erstveranstaltung 1923
Veranstaltung in der Bretagne


After months of negotiation, planning and evaluation, Medyan Dairieh gained access to the Islamic State's power base in Raqqa on the day the group declared its self-proclaimed caliphate. He went on to spend three weeks embedded with them – the first journalist to do so.
We see aspects of the group's daily workings: street patrols, Sharia courts and hear from prisoners and frontline fighters. The judges were united in their praise for his "phenomenal access" and the endeavor behind it.
Medyan has over fifteen years' experience covering conflicts across the Middle East. He studied journalism at Baghdad University and photography at Marmaris University, Turkey. During the Libyan uprising in 2011, he was one of the first journalists to enter Tripoli, living with the rebels for months and documenting their battles first-hand. He has won numerous awards for his work. He is currently based in Brighton, UK.
"It is an extraordinary film. When everyone else was beginning to discover that IS existed, he was inside and filming with them."
"Phenomenal access but sober, restrained presentation. The every-day-ness was very revealing, it told me something I didn't know. I thought very highly of it."


Perfect for making hummus and other Middle Eastern dishes. This unique heirloom was collected in Kabul, Afghanistan. The 2-foot tall plants produce dark purple garbanzo beans. The purple color comes from a pigment called anthocyanin which enables seeds to sprout in cool soil, making this variety ideal for short growing seasons; it's ready in 105 days. Here are our best tips on How to Grow Beans, too!
Plant directly into rich, fast draining soil in spring after the soil has warmed. Sow 1 inch deep and 2-4 inches apart in rows 18-24 inches apart. Soaking 1-2 hours prior to planting will speed germination. Thin when seedlings emerge so that bush varieties are 5 to 6 inches apart; pole varieties 6 to 8 inches apart.
Pick often to keep plants productive; when harvesting immature pods you encourage new blooms to form. Look for firm, sizable pods and pinch off with your thumbnail and fingers.


At the April 12 Finance and Audit Committee meeting City Council will receive the 2017 Property Tax Rates bylaw along with staff reports outlining the updates and changes. The tax rates are being increased from a 1.5% to 2.3% property tax increase.
Severe winter weather is being blamed for the increase from 1.5% to 2.3% as the snow and ice control expenses exceed operating budgets and available reserves for 2017 according to CFO Mr. Mema.
It is said the projected 2.3% property tax increase includes a 1% increase directed towards the General Asset Management Reserve.


PHOENIX, AZ--(Marketwire - January 31, 2011) - MedShape Weight Loss Clinic, a national leader in safe and effective weight loss, announced today its strong endorsement of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) statement released on Jan. 24, 2011 calling for the immediate cease of the marketing and sale of "Homeopathic HCG" formulations.
"This clear, decisive act should reduce confusion and fraud for consumers searching for rapid weight loss," said Stephanie Smith, CEO of MedShape. Homeopathic HCG products, according to the FDA statement, contain none of the prescription substance "HCG" (human chorionic gonadotropin), a hormone known to cause rapid weight loss by suppressing a person's appetite. "Real" HCG is only available in the U.S. with a prescription from a doctor, such as MedShape's physicians who prescribe HCG as part of a supervised weight loss program.
In addition to weight loss, the prescription-strength form of HCG is a valuable medical tool that is prescribed for such conditions as infertility, hormonal imbalances and autoimmune diseases. These legitimate, medical uses of the hormone are not affected by the FDA's statement.
Although the term "homeopathy" is often used by marketers and the lay public as a synonym for Alternative or Holistic Medicine, it is not. Introduced by German physician Samuel Hahnemann in the late 1700s, homeopathy is a distinct philosophical school of medical theory that suggests that if a particular medicine causes a certain set of symptoms (such as a rash on the back of the hands & feet) in a healthy individual, then the same substance administered to an ill individual with the same symptoms (rash on hands & feet) should effectively treat the condition.
While this principle of "like cures like" remains controversial, the much more controversial aspect of homeopathy is that of "dilution." Homeopathic practitioners, beginning with Hahnemann, reportedly found that significantly diluted doses of medication resulted in superior therapeutic effects with reduced incidence of side effects. Some homeopathy practitioners have taken this idea to the scientifically unfounded conclusion that benefits persist even in formulations so dilute that no molecules of the original pharmaceutical agent can be found.
In the case of HCG, this concept of dilution was exploited by unscrupulous manufacturers and sellers of weight loss products who sold very dilute formulations of HCG. According to the FDA's statement, these businesses made illegal and fraudulent claims that these "dilute" products produce the effects typically associated with the full-strength, prescription version of HCG, despite no clinical evidence in support of these claims. As a result of these fraudulent marketing campaigns, thousands of consumers looking for fast weight loss have wasted money on the purchase of products that have no demonstrated pharmaceutical effect.
While fraud is a serious problem, it is not the biggest concern associated with illegal HCG products. Even though FDA officials have stated that "dilute" HCG products are not likely to cause health problems, potentially serious health conditions may result from the use of dietary advice promoted by the vendors of these products.
Vendors of the "dilute" HCG products have aggressively marketed their products for use in conjunction with a 500-calorie-per-day diet (known as the "Simeons Protocol"), which has been implicated in serious medical conditions and even death. While nearly all of the serious cases occurred in individuals who had significant pre-existing medical conditions, this underscores the importance of working with specialized healthcare professionals who have been trained to assist individuals develop balanced, sustainable, safe, and effective nutrition and lifestyle plans.
MedShape Weight Loss Clinic, a national leader in safe and effective weight loss, offers a variety of programs, proprietary formulas, products and support specially designed to facilitate rapid and sustained success. MedShape's physicians prescribe only pharmaceutical-grade, full-strength HCG to their patients as part of a balanced, safe and effective weight loss program.


Practice your listening skills by listening to the story. Just click here.
If you want to learn how to make Vietnamese egg rolls, you can always check out a cookbook, a food blog, or perhaps a site like Epicurious.
But Linh Nguyen — who is teaching a cooking class here in San Francisco — says that that's not really the way to do it. In fact, her family doesn't even own a cookbook.
"In a Vietnamese house, there are no measuring spoons or measuring cups," says Nguyen. "Everything is sort of just done by the handful, or the bowlful. And the recipes are all sort of passed down from one person to another."
Nguyen teaches for Culture Kitchen, a company that hires first-generation immigrants as cooking instructors. Unlike Nguyen's family, Culture Kitchen teachers do write down recipes.
But they also focus on that person-to-person tradition — showing how a dish should really taste or look when it's done, and answering all the little questions that come up along the way. Like whether egg rolls are rolled properly.
Jennifer Lopez co-founded Culture Kitchen a year and a half ago, as part of a graduate school project. She tried to find people who were amazing cooks but wouldn't normally be teaching because of a language barrier or lack of formal training. Lopez reached out to community groups, and also got help from a surprising source.
"A lot of our cooks that we've had ... it's their sons or daughters who have emailed us and said my mother or my grandmother makes the best food," says Lopez.
Culture Kitchen has held dozens of classes, with cuisines ranging from Bengali to Peruvian to Afghan, for $60 a session. It's also expanding beyond the Bay Area, sending out ingredient boxes to people who don't necessarily have a Vietnamese grocery nearby.
Linh Nguyen's Vietnamese soup features fried tofu, tomatoes, a scattering of fresh herbs and some delicate poached crab and pork dumplings.
But the connections between people are really the heart of it.
Student Laurie Mun came to learn Vietnamese cooking firsthand in part because that's how she picked up her family's Cantonese recipes — this same sort of one-on-one instruction.
"We actually started having family dinners, where my grandfather would say 'Oh, you know, this is like a B minus, because it's one pinch too much sugar, one pinch too much salt, a little bit too much soy sauce.' And we're like, 'B minus? You need to have grade inflation! This is too hard,' " says Mun.
Despite the harsh grading, Mun was grateful for the opportunity to learn how to be a better cook — then, and now.
"It's a way I think for us to connect the generations," says Mun.
Culture Kitchen classes don't just keep recipes from dying out. Co-founder Lopez says they change the way the instructors value themselves.
"A lot of the women we work with don't have that many friends outside of their own culture," says Lopez. "So the opportunity to share their cuisine with a larger group of people is huge. It's been phenomenal watching some of our cooks transform."
They're transforming into teachers with an important body of knowledge to share with students who are hungry to learn.


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How Your Mindset Affects Your Finances
Filed to:money
Money is an abstract and complicated topic, made all the more so by a never-ending stream of financial products, like mortgages, credit cards, and student loans. So how do you make the most efficient use of yours?
The answer is, you probably can't. At least not all of the time, according to Dollars and Sense: How We Misthink Money and How to Spend Smarter, a new book from Dan Ariely and Jeff Kreisler.
"Thinking a lot about money would be fine if by thinking more about it we were able to make better decisions. But that's not the case," the book reads. "The truth is, making bad money decisions is a hallmark of humanity. We're fantastic at messing up our financial lives."
How do you get slightly less bad with money? Recognizing our shortcomings and the ways we act irrationally is one way.
According to Ariely and Kreisler, relativity is "one of the most powerful forces that make us assess value in ways that have little to do with actual value." For example, you may be more inclined to buy a $40 shirt if its tag says it's on sale from a regular price of $60, than you would be to buy a shirt normally priced at $40. In our minds, the first shirt is more valuable relative to the second one, and a better deal. But of course that's not actually true. The "regular," pre-sale price is no longer the actual price, so should the $60 really be a consideration?
Buying "bargains," like the $40 sale shirt, make us feel smart, the authors write, and they make decision-making easier. But rather than valuing what we think we're not spending—$60, in the shirt example—we should consider the absolute value of what we still are spending.
Another classic example is upselling at the car dealership. If you're spending tens of thousands on a new car, it may not bother you to spend an additional $2,000 on leather seats. Relative to the price of the car, that upgrade doesn't seem like that much money (especially when you add in financing).
That's because we often think about the percentage of spending, rather than the actual amount. That's why you may spend an extra $2k on those leather seats, but not $4 on a cup of coffee on your way to work. Relative to $0, that's a lot of money.
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Every little bit we set aside adds up, sometimes in surprising amounts. The $5 savings plan is one…
Mental accounting is about how we compartmentalize our spending. While one dollar is theoretically worth the same as any other dollar, that's not how we view them, depending on the mental category we've assigned it, or how it makes us feel.
For example, you may have set up spending categories with strict monthly guidelines: $250 for loan payments, $200 for food, $100 for a vacation account, $100 for entertainment and $50 for utilities, like the envelope system. Once the money for one category runs out, you stop spending, though it would be easy to "move" money from another category. It's all your money, after all.
This isn't necessarily a problem; in fact, it can be a quite useful shortcut. That's because, the authors write, it allows us to not have to consider every single opportunity cost every time we buy something. Instead of thinking about your avocado toast as money you won't have for your future mortgage, you can think of it as a money you won't have for other food purchases that week. This isn't rational, but it will stop you from going crazy.
But of course, we don't just leave it at that. While we assign the categories ourselves, we often use malleable mental accounting to trick ourselves about our spending so we don't feel as bad. We change up our own rules with suspect justifications. For example, we know we shouldn't eat out, but we do just this once because we tell ourselves we deserve it after a hard week, and maybe that $60 dinner comes out of our "entertainment" fund rather than our "food" fund.
Then there's how we feel about money from different sources, called emotional accounting. We may spend our paycheck on "responsible" things, like rent and food, while Christmas money from Mom is spent on "fun" things, like a new TV. It's the same thing with a work bonus or tax refund—that all feels like "extra" money that we don't necessarily have to be responsible with.
Redefine the Latte Factor for More Successful Money Saving
The "Latte Factor" is a popular money-saving strategy that entails saving large amounts of money by
Anchoring occurs, the authors write, when we let irrelevant info affect our decision-making, and then use that irrelevant starting point "as the basis for future decisions from that point forward."
For example, you may have no idea how to value a car, until you see the MSRP. That gives you a figure to start from, regardless if it's the true value or not.
One of the ways anchoring occurs is because we trust ourselves—our judgment about the value of things—much more than we should. We base current and future money decisions on past ones. "We trust that we've made a specific value decision over and over, we assume it was a good one," the authors write:
Once we pay $4 for a latte and $50 for an oil change, we're more likely to do so in the future, because we have made this decision before, we remember it, and we're partial to our own decisions—even if it means paying more than we need to. Even if there's a place offering free coffee while we wait for our $25 oil change.
Another example of anchoring that can influence your financial life: salary negotiations. In negotiations, the first number thrown out has a ton of power—there are plenty of advice articles telling you not to give the first figure in case you undercut yourself (particularly for women), or to give an intentionally inflated figure before your potential employer does so that you're in control of the process.
But anchoring doesn't have quite a pronounced effect when you know a bit about what you're buying. For example, a real estate expert is less likely to be swayed by the listing price of a house than someone who's not an expert. Alternatively, we can trust ourselves less.
Negotiating Is Trickier for Women. You Should Do It Anyway.
It was my first meeting with a new potential client, and they tossed out a number. It was a good…
What You Can Do About It
Ariely and Kreisler's book says that self control is one of the keys to harnessing our finances, a concept they acknowledge is easier to talk about than to execute.
Managing our personal finances "responsibly" is intended to set our future selves up for success. And that future self can often feel like a stranger—thus why it's easier to splurge on something now or not enroll in your company's 401(k) program.
To make future you feel more like, well, you, you need to make this person "defined, vivid, and detailed." One way is through having conversations with your future self. Another is pick a specific retirement date (if that's the goal you're having a hard time making progress toward) rather than an amount of time. Say, January 12, 2058, rather than "in 40 years." The authors also suggest "meeting" a computerized version of old you as a way to build empathy.
That may seem a bit strange, but there are other ways they suggest as well. Automation, for one, assuming you have enough funds to do so. Guilt works, too (the book cites a study by Dilip Soman and Amar Cheema of the Rotman School of Management that found people spent less when envelopes of money had their children's names written on them, because they felt bad about it).
You could also try reward substitution. Instead of forcing yourself to think about future you all the time, think of some small reward you could have now if you complete the tasks you need to. For example,
Some states are doing just that by offering "lotteries" for people who put money into savings accounts. Each deposit is greeted with a ticket that offers a small change of winning an additional amount of money. These lottery-based savings plan work.
For you that might be treating yourself to a movie when you make a payment toward your credit card debt, or something similar.
Obviously these tactics won't solve all of your problems—so much of money isn't affected just by your personal behaviors, but by a system created to be opaque and confusing in many situations. It is, however, a good lesson in the ways we can start training ourselves to think smarter when it comes to our money.
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