text:
Africa is more resilient than you think
Landry Signé | Published: June 26, 2020 22:40:42
Despite apocalyptic predictions, Africa may be better positioned than many think to weather the combined shock of the Covid-19 pandemic, collapsing commodity prices, and global economic recession, assuming its leaders act wisely. While African economies' performance has varied, overall progress during the last two decades has made the continent more resilient than ever before.
In my book Unlocking Africa's Business Potential, I analyse the continent's ongoing transformations and new economic opportunities. Applying that analysis today, six trends in particular will help to reduce the impact of the current crisis.
First, African economies are becoming increasingly competitive. Although the majority of African countries rank toward the bottom of the World Economic Forum's 2019 Global Competitiveness Index 4.0, Mauritius, South Africa, Morocco, the Seychelles, Tunisia, Algeria, Botswana, Egypt, Namibia, Kenya, and Rwanda are all in the top 100. In addition, improved macroeconomic policies have enabled countries such as Ethiopia, Côte d'Ivoire, and Ghana to achieve significant GDP growth rates in recent years.
Second, Africans support the ongoing trend toward better and more accountable governance resulting from democratic elections, term limits, and increased civic participation. Over the last five years, Afrobarometer surveys have indicated that 68.0 per cent of Africans prefer democracy, 75.0 per cent support two-term limits for leaders, and 62.0 per cent think that citizens must hold governments accountable, even if it slows down decision-making.
Recent political leadership changes and overall governance improvements reflect not only the vertical accountability that citizens exercise through elections. African countries have also made progress on horizontal accountability, involving government checks and balances, as well as what might be called diagonal accountability, or the effect of personal responsibility on institutions.
The third positive trend is demographic. Sub-Saharan Africa's population is expected to increase from 1.1 billion to 1.4 billion by 2030, 2.1 billion by 2050, and about 3.8 billion by the end of the century. In 2030, over half of the continent's population will be concentrated in seven countries: Nigeria, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Egypt, Tanzania, Kenya, and South Africa. The first four will each be home to more than 100 million people.
The share of Africans with available discretionary income will also grow, and is expected to surpass 43.0 per cent by 2030. To support this trend, leaders should pursue policies that ensure that economic growth outpaces population growth, and that support the creation of quality jobs. Effective pro-poor interventions are also essential.
Moreover, Africa is currently the fastest-urbanising region in the world. By 2035, over half its population will live in cities, and by 2050, nearly 60.0 per cent will. These cities' concentrated skilled workforces and relatively wealthy consumer bases will offer attractive opportunities for investors.
And, in recent years, child mortality in Africa has declined while fertility rates have remained unchanged, thus creating a demographic dividend. Today, the continent has one of the highest dependency ratios in the world, owing to the large number of children under the age of 15. But by 2030, they will be Africa's workers and consumers.
Fourth, Africa's innovative and productive potential has already attracted substantial foreign investment and finance. In the agriculture sector, for example, European, Chinese, Saudi Arabian, South Korean, and Indian companies are investing billions of dollars to buy or lease large areas of farmland. And countries such as Cameroon, the DRC, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, and Senegal are growing a variety of exportable produce, including flowers, lentils, palm oil, rice, sugar cane, bananas, and corn. Though the Covid-19 crisis may weaken investment in the short run, the continent will attract higher investment inflows in the longer run.
Fifth, Africa continues to diversify its trade patterns. Although trade with China, the United States, and the European Union still accounts for more than 30.0 per cent of the continent's total imports and exports, emerging trade partners are taking ever larger shares. For example, Africa's trade with Brazil, India, Indonesia, Russia, and Turkey more than doubled between 2006 and 2016.
Furthermore, the African Continental Free Trade Area - a single continent-wide market for goods and services, with free movement of capital and people - entered into force last year, with 54 countries on board. The AfCFTA's operational launch, however, has been delayed, due to Covid-19.
Once fully operational, the AfCFTA will likely transform the structure of African economies by moving them away from low-productivity, labor-intensive sectors and toward higher-productivity, skills-intensive industrial and service activities. And by promoting intra-African trade, the agreement will foster a more competitive manufacturing sector, promote economic diversification, and encourage firms to benefit from continent-wide economies of scale. In short, the AfCFTA will enable countries to reduce poverty and accelerate their development by unlocking business potential and creating desperately needed and better-paid jobs.
Last but not least, African firms and countries are well placed to benefit from the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), which is being driven by new digital technologies such as the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and 3D printing. By integrating 4IR technology into their current operations, companies will be able to leapfrog legacy infrastructure, strengthen Africa's health-care systems and response to infectious disease, revitalize public-sector support, and establish mutually beneficial public-private partnerships.
Africa is also benefiting from the rapid expansion of its mobile broadband networks, which can attract investors to the information and communications technology sector. Kenya and Rwanda, for example, are implementing national strategies aimed at fostering technology adoption and innovation, while countries such as South Africa, Nigeria, and Egypt host a significant number of tech hubs. And creative entrepreneurs are launching a broad range of services to meet the needs of Africa's citizens, with technology ranging from mobile applications for health care and agricultural finance to 3D printing of titanium metal parts.
The short-term shock of the pandemic and its economic fallout will have a significant impact across Africa. But the continent has a newfound resilience and will come back stronger, especially if African governments seize the current opportunity for effective leadership.
Landry Signé, a professor and co-director at Arizona State University's Thunderbird School of Global Management.
Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2020.
www.project-syndicate.org
Rise of extremism in the West
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Making upcoming vaccination drive successful
Education in time of the pandemic
Improving disaster management


According to the studies made by Nexian´s HR department, it has been proven that the results of the work do not go hand in hand with the hours spent in front of the computer. Only 50% of the working day is 100% profitable and as much as 15% of this time is lost in ineffective meetings, unnecessary interruptions, and tasks that do not add value. For example, on average we check email about 20 times per hour meaning only 40 minutes of each full hour is actually spent doing real work, and that's if we are lucky!
Henry, a mobber and nutritionist working at MOB PAU, says that for him: "It´s quite hard to do more than four hours focused. You need to work in different places. And, definitely, there´s no point sitting at your laptop when you are feeling tired." Meanwhile, his British compatriot, Jenny, who is an English teacher in Barcelona, recommends "breaking the day into chunks to be more productive, than just trying to work for 8 hours". Neus is a Catalan graphic designer and says she works between four and five hours per day.
She also recognizes that when she can no longer think, she pauses, takes a break, and plays ping pong for a while.
In the same way, most mobbers agree that when the brain is more relaxed, the best ideas come up and that they are more productive.
Many recommend cutting the workday, taking a walk, listening to music or practicing sports.
Stretch! Here are some suggested stretches that you can do without changing into your Yoga gear!
Read a couple pages in a book (not on a screen).
Good luck and good work!


text:
GUWS Medical
» Psychological Assessment
Tue, 12 Jun 2012 | Psychological Assessment
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Complete Recovery from Anxiety and Panic
Improve Your Intelligence and IQ
Overcome Negative Thinking

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
// Copyright (c) 2013-2016, Matt Godbolt
// All rights reserved.
//
// Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
// modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
//
// Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this
// list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
//
// Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice,
// this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation
// and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
//
// THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS"
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// IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE
// ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE
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/* $Id: md5.h,v 1.4 2002/04/13 19:20:28 lpd Exp $ */
/*
  Independent implementation of MD5 (RFC 1321).

  This code implements the MD5 Algorithm defined in RFC 1321, whose
  text is available at
    http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc1321.txt
  The code is derived from the text of the RFC, including the test suite
  (section A.5) but excluding the rest of Appendix A.  It does not include
  any code or documentation that is identified in the RFC as being
  copyrighted.

  The original and principal author of md5.h is L. Peter Deutsch
  <ghost@aladdin.com>.  Other authors are noted in the change history
  that follows (in reverse chronological order):

  2002-04-13 lpd Removed support for non-ANSI compilers; removed
    references to Ghostscript; clarified derivation from RFC 1321;
    now handles byte order either statically or dynamically.
  1999-11-04 lpd Edited comments slightly for automatic TOC extraction.
  1999-10-18 lpd Fixed typo in header comment (ansi2knr rather than md5);
    added conditionalization for C++ compilation from Martin
    Purschke <purschke@bnl.gov>.
  1999-05-03 lpd Original version.
 */

#ifndef md5_INCLUDED
#  define md5_INCLUDED

/*
 * This package supports both compile-time and run-time determination of CPU
 * byte order.  If ARCH_IS_BIG_ENDIAN is defined as 0, the code will be
 * compiled to run only on little-endian CPUs; if ARCH_IS_BIG_ENDIAN is
 * defined as non-zero, the code will be compiled to run only on big-endian
 * CPUs; if ARCH_IS_BIG_ENDIAN is not defined, the code will be compiled to
 * run on either big- or little-endian CPUs, but will run slightly less
 * efficiently on either one than if ARCH_IS_BIG_ENDIAN is defined.
 */

typedef unsigned char md5_byte_t; /* 8-bit byte */
typedef unsigned int md5_word_t; /* 32-bit word */

/* Define the state of the MD5 Algorithm. */
typedef struct md5_state_s
{
    md5_word_t count[2];    /* message length in bits, lsw first */
    md5_word_t abcd[4];        /* digest buffer */
    md5_byte_t buf[64];        /* accumulate block */
} md5_state_t;

#ifdef __cplusplus
extern "C"
{
#endif

/* Initialize the algorithm. */
void md5_init(md5_state_t *pms);

/* Append a string to the message. */
void md5_append(md5_state_t *pms, const md5_byte_t *data, int nbytes);

/* Finish the message and return the digest. */
void md5_finish(md5_state_t *pms, md5_byte_t digest[16]);

#ifdef __cplusplus
}  /* end extern "C" */
#endif

#endif /* md5_INCLUDED */

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Wylie ISD trustees will meet in executive session Monday to discuss administrator contracts.
During its regular open meeting, the board will consider additions and renovations bids for Wylie High School. A resolution of a complaint under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act is also on the agenda.
The board will meet at 6 p.m. at the Wylie ISD Educational Service Center, 951 S. Ballard Ave.


The Monaco Ocean Week unveiled Thursday, February 28, the program of its 3rd edition, which will take place in Monaco, from March 24 to 30, 2019.
Columbus Monte-Carlo's new restaurant Tavolo offers a new, happening dining experience in Monaco.
Many stars, at the ceremony of the Oscars of the sport in Monaco.
A wonderful Valentine's Day to all friends and visitors of Monaco-Life!
He is a real friend of the "boot"! Prince Albert II of Monaco (60) always enjoys visiting the world's largest water sports fair.


India is known for numerous festivals and one such festival that is celebrated all across the country is the Karwa hauth festival. We will now discuss the same in more details. For those who do not know about the Karwa Chauth festival, it is a pooja that is done by married women for a long life of their husbands.
Happy Karwa Chauth to all the Beautiful Ladies. Karwa Chauth is celebrated by all the married ladies they keep fast for a Long day and pray for a Happy and healthy life for his husband.
Lakshmi Pooja, or the worship of the goddess of wealth, is the main event on Diwali in India. It is extremely important to keep the house spotlessly clean and pure on Diwali. Goddess Lakshmi likes cleanliness, and she will visit the cleanest house first. This is also the reason why the broom is worshiped on this day with offerings of haldi and kumkum (turmeric and vermilion). Lamps are lit in the evening to welcome the goddess. They are believed to light up her path. Ganesha is worshiped at the beginning of every auspicious act as Vighnaharta.


text:
To the Book Fair and Beyond!
May 07/05/2021
Library, Tuesday 18 May – Tuesday 25 May.
Starts at 12:30 pm on the first day, and finishes at 9:00 am on the last day.
Our Twilight Event is Thursday 20 May 3:00 pm to 6:30 pm.
Our Book Fair is only successful because of wonderful volunteers. We will need help setting up and packing up, before and after school, during 1st and 2nd breaks and during the Twilight Event. First break, Junior School students will be allowed access; second break will be for Middle and Senior School students. If you can help, please email Mrs Peachey at library@redlands.qld.edu.au or call the Library on 3286 0213 with these details: your name, phone number/s, your email, your child's name and class, time/s you are available to help.
Year 7 in 2025
January 27/01/2023
Dance by Brooke Cassar
Parent Prayer Sessions
Redlands College Sport Aerobics (RCSA) 2023 Season Information
2023 Photo, Video and Audio Prohibition Form
Upcoming Vaping Health Webinar
Home/Our Community/College News/Uncategorized/To the Book Fair and Beyond!


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Feb. 1 is Deadline to Apply for $1.2 Million Edison Scholars Program
Media Contact: Susan Cox, (626) 302-2255
ROSEMEAD, Calif., Jan. 20, 2015 — Edison International, the parent company of Southern California Edison (SCE), reminds high school seniors that there's still time to apply for the 2014-15 Edison Scholars Program, which offers $1.2 million in scholarships to high school seniors planning to pursue college studies in science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) fields. The application deadline is Feb. 1.
Thirty scholarships valued at $40,000 each and paid over four years will be awarded to high school seniors who either live in or attend public or private high schools in SCE's service area.
Applicants must have a 2.8 GPA or better. Students from low-income families and underserved communities are especially encouraged to apply.
Since 2006, Edison International has awarded nearly $4 million in scholarships to 460 Edison Scholars.
To apply and to get additional eligibility information, students are encouraged to go to: www.scholarsapply.org/edisonscholars. Applications must be received by 11:59 p.m. PST, Feb. 1.
Click here to view a video about the Edison Scholars Program and last year's scholarship recipients.
Scholarship recipients will be announced in April and they may also be eligible for summer internships at SCE after completing their second year of college. Dependents of Edison International employees are not eligible for the Edison Scholars Program.
For more information about SCE, follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
About Edison International
Edison International (NYSE:EIX), through its subsidiaries, is a generator and distributor of electric power and an investor in energy services and technologies, including renewable energy. Headquartered in Rosemead, Calif., Edison International is the parent company of Southern California Edison, one of the nation's largest electric utilities.
Topics: People


My mum always says that everything things happens in its time and that there is a time for everything. Though it's hard to remember this at times, I wholeheartedly believe it.
I begin my journey into movement based expressive arts through Tamalpa UK tomorrow.
"The Tamalpa Life /Art Process ® is an internationally-recognized expressive arts approach, which combines movement, visual art, and creative writing to access the innate wisdom of the body and the transformative power of the imagination. This work supports personal, interpersonal and social change, teaching new models of health, education, psychology and art."
My personal and professional experiences have been led to learn about expressive art therapy and I was drawn to Tamalpa in particular because it enabled me to explore my body and movement as well as visual art and writing as tools for self reflection and healing. I dont know where this path will lead but I'm excited to find out. Anything that allows me to align with the sea on a monthly basis has got to be good!


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NEW NOISE: SEINT MONET
The soul-pop singer breaks down her mesmerising EP and talks of her dreams of working with Charlie Puth.
In the past week, if there has been one EP we've had on repeat it is up and coming soul-pop singer Seint Monet's "Bloom". With elegant building melodies and heartwarming lyricism, the EP is the perfect transitional soundtrack as we ease ourselves into the colder months. Capturing an array of genres from contemporary pop to elements of country and folk, the EP showcases the singer's boundless vocals and productions which make it unequivocally Seint Monet.
Speaking on the release, Monet said, "My artistry is based around abandoning the idea of genre, and that's exactly what we did with this EP. Each song has its own unique sound and story while still being very cohesive as a whole."
Having spent the past year working with industry heavyweights Chris Gehringer and Johnluke Lewis, the singer is well on her way to breaking out in the scene. We sat down with Monet, talking the new EP, creating genre-bending music and what's next.
Check out the interview below
Hey Seint Monet! How's lockdown been? What's one thing you've learned?
Hello! Lockdown has definitely been a unique experience. The beginning of quarantine was hard to navigate and I felt a bit of panic, but I made it a point to use this free time to my advantage by consistently writing and creating. I would say the most important thing I've learned during lockdown is to take it one day at a time. I realized that when I started thinking about the pandemic and what it'll be like in a few months, my anxiety went off the charts. It's easy to get wrapped up in the craziness of this situation, but if you focus on what's happening in the moment, it helps a lot.
Congratulations on your debut EP! What was the creative process like? Which song means the most to you and why?
Thank you! A year ago, my manager Matt and I had thrown around the idea of releasing an EP, but it wasn't until this past February that the process really began. Matt and I hosted a writing retreat at the Jersey Shore to write for the Seint Monet project. It was a huge success; four out of the six songs on the "Bloom" EP were written at this retreat. At the beginning of March, right before everything shut down, Matt and I went out to LA to record "32 Degrees" and "What Does It Mean" with a producer named Mike Malchicoff, who has worked with the likes of King Princess, Troye Sivan, and Kanye West. It was an unreal experience simply because of how talented and knowledgeable Mike is. I learned a lot from him in the five days we were there, and it set me up to record the rest of the EP. Once I was back in Nashville after the quarantine, Johnluke Lewis and I went into the studio for four days and finished the other four songs. He already had some insane ideas for each song that made recording them pretty easy. It's difficult for me to choose a song that means the most to me; I feel connected to all of them. I would say that the song I gravitate towards a bit more than the others is "Good For Me." I had been wanting to release a soul/pop song like this for years, so I'm extremely proud that this song is mine.
You've said your artistry is based around abandoning the idea of genre, what led you to this?
Well, I've always been inspired by all types of music. I have a playlist of songs I wish I'd written, and it goes from rock to pop to soul to jazz and so forth. I noticed that often, when I'm listening through an album, the songs will be really good but sound really similar. I knew that was not what I wanted for myself as an artist. I want to constantly change my style and experiment with my music. I know my sound well enough to be able to do this while keeping everything cohesive. Even now, as I'm writing for my next release, the songs are completely different than anything on the EP. It just excites me to test my versatility.
You worked with some amazing writers and producers for your debut EP such as Julius Rodriguez and Chris Gehringer, how did these collabs come about?
Yes, it's surreal to me knowing that talented people like this were a part of the Seint Monet project. Matt had a mutual friend with Julius, Mia Shelton, who is also a writer on this project. Julius had a part in almost every song we wrote, jumping from session to session to laydowns keys, guitar, etc. He is, without a doubt, one of the most talented people I've ever met. When it came to Chris Gehringer, Mike Malchicoff had recommended him when we were looking for someone to master our songs. So, we sent him our songs, and fortunately, he responded! This was my first time getting a song of mine mastered, and to have someone, as experienced as Chris Gehringer, do it was unreal.
Who are your musical inspirations?
Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin, Lady Gaga, Anderson .Paak, Charlie Puth, the list goes on. There are so many artists out there that inspire me with their music, branding, personality, etc. I try to learn something from every artist, whether I'm a fan of their music or not.
Who would you love to collaborate with and why?
Definitely Anderson .Paak. He seems like such a cool guy, not to mention the fact that his songs are fantastic. I feel like if we got in the studio together, we would make something interesting. I would also love to collab with Charlie Puth. I've been trying to write a Charlie Puth-type song forever. He's so sure of his sound and I admire that.
Now that your debut EP is out, what is next for you? Can we expect an album in the near future?
We have so much more planned. Merch, visuals, music videos, live shows, giveaways! This is just the beginning. When it comes to music, I have my next three releases written and produced out. We haven't set a date yet, but it should be in the next few months. I'm obviously eager to release more, but I also want to make sure I put my all into the "Bloom" EP.
Daniel Chaney.
New Noise
The Craft: Legacy
Premiere: Penelope – "Coming Home"
Japanese pop artist Sena Kana and Ty Dolla $ign have just joined forces, resulting in the birth of the genre-bending tune, "Show Me".
Luton native BXKS breaks down her creative process, taking a step away from the scene and how her new project will take us on a different sonic journey.


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Will Norwegian Cruise Line Be Able To Sail to Alaska in September?
Transport Canada Bans Most Cruise Ships Until 2022; Move Kills 2021 Alaska and New England Seasons
What Happens To 2021 Alaska Cruise Tourism After Canadian Ban? Lines Weigh Land Trips, Small Ships Might Go
"Just Shook to my Core": How Small Ships and Amended Laws Might Save the 2021 Alaska Cruise Season
Why Hasn't My Alaska Cruise Been Canceled?
Carnival Corporation Cruise Lines Cancel Most 2021 Canadian Sailings
U.S. Senate Passes Bill Which Could Save Alaska Cruise Season
Alaska 2021 Cruise Season Gets Closer As U.S. House Approves Measure To Save Tourism
Royal Caribbean Group Announces Royal and Celebrity Cruise Ships Will Go To Alaska This Summer
Canada Changes Its Stance on Cruise; Provides Reassurance 2022 Will Sail As Planned
Carnival Cruise Line in Alaska (Photo: Carnival Cruise Line)
Alaska Cruises Closer to Restart Following President Biden's Approval
(6 p.m. EDT) -- On Monday, U.S. President Joe Biden officially signed the Alaska Tourism Restoration Act into law, paving the way for cruises to restart to the Last Frontier directly from Seattle.
The Alaska Tourism Restoration Act breezed through Congress this month in a rare example of swift bipartisan approval. The bill, which was introduced by Alaskan Senators Lisa Murkowski, Dan Sullivan and Representative Don Young, temporarily repeals the Passenger Vessel Services Act, or PVSA, and allows ships to sail directly to Alaska from Seattle without the need to stop in a Canadian port of call to satisfy cabotage laws.
"This is the first time that the Passenger Vessel Services Act has been touched in about 135 years," commented Young at a media briefing at the White House. "We feel great as a delegation we got it done in 10 days."
"They told us trying to work through the PVSA is near impossible. That this was not going to come together," said Murkowski, noting that the Alaska cruise season typically only runs between May and September. "What we were looking for was a very narrow fix to what would say is a very outdated bill. We could not give up because it was too important."
The Act is in place until February 2022, when Transport Canada's ban on cruise activity is set to expire. It is the first time in history that foreign-flagged cruise ships have been permitted to sail between U.S. ports of call without a stop in a "distant foreign port" prior to returning to the U.S. In the past, many Alaskan cruises either homeported in Vancouver or stopped for several hours in Victoria, British Columbia in order to satisfy U.S. cabotage laws.
Senator Sullivan laid into Canada during his remarks. The Government of Canada and the provincial British Columbia government and its leader, New Democrat John Horgan, have been accused by the opposition party of British Columbia of ignoring the Alaskan Delegation's requests for technical calls and putting British Columbia's cruise industry in jeopardy.
"The real issue was a third country was not being cooperative and was preventing American citizens from one state to visit another state," said Sullivan. "When the Canadians were saying, 'The Americans will never fix this', I think that motivated a lot of people, even beyond Alaska, to say, we're not going to let Canada dictate who can visit another state in America."
The Alaskan delegation had lobbied for cruise to return to Alaska following the economic devastation wrought on many parts of the state following the cancelled 2020 cruise season.
Now, with the signing of the Alaskan Tourism Restoration Act into law by President Biden, cruises are ready to resume to Alaska for the first time since the last vessel left the region in October 2019.
Though lines are still waiting on the official green light from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in order to set sail, numerous cruise line executives have publicly expressed confidence that approval is close.
Within hours of last week's announcement that the bill passed handily in the House, numerous cruise lines revealed plans for sailings to resume this summer from Seattle to Alaska. Lines currently planning to go include Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Lines, Celebrity Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Holland America Line and Princess Cruises.


A unique and brandable name great for the small to mid-sized business hoping to cut into the marketplace with a memorable name, Possible uses: A business consulting agency. A kitchen accessory brand. A communication app.
The following are business names for sale with similar qualities to Krife.com.


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Fox quickly sells out its inventory of 30-sec Super Bowl ad spots for $5.6 million each.... yes, you read that correctly.
Yes, more quickly than expected, Fox sold every 30-second spot for the upcoming Super Bowl for $5.6 million EACH, which is an all-time high. And if you've ever watched the Super Bowl, you know there are a LOT of ads.
Does it seem worth it? Or does it seem like a total waste of perfectly good marketing dollars? In honour of this news, I'm digging out [and updating] an old post about the value of expensive Super Bowl advertising, to re-open the conversation. Let me know what you think in the comments!...
In 2006 I distinctly remember being outraged that the Boston Red Sox paid $51 million just to negotiate with a promising Japanese pitcher named Daisuke Matsuzaka. "There's no way a pitcher who plays every fifth game is worth that!" I announced to anyone willing to listen. Then a colleague changed my thinking on baseball contracts...and subsequently on advertising costs...with one statement. "They expect to make that back in jersey sales alone" he said.
I guess it's worth it then! I'll shut up now.
The simple fact of the matter is that advertisers make their money back...and then some...for Super Bowl spots. Consider:
More than 100 million people watch the Super Bowl. That's a lot.
MORE THAN HALF of those people are watching JUST FOR THE ADS. Unlike any other program in the universe, people get up and make their sandwiches during game action so they don't miss the commercials! If you want to waste money on TV ads, buy spots on programs where viewers are making sandwiches while your ad is playing. I'm not even going to mention all the viewers that skip commercials using [the digital ad-blocking and playback recording options now available].
Every ad gets countless mentions leading up to the game and even more re-runs after the game in the news media. It's next to impossible to count all the 'Best Super Bowl Ads' lists.
Social media coverage and YouTube views can explode for the best ads. Forever. One of my all-time favourite ads - the Volkswagen Star Wars spot from 2011 - has [85 million] views and counting on YouTube. Update: the video has been removed from VW's YouTube page, but lives on on other YouTube channels.
The retail channel makes more shelf space for products being advertised.
Brand awareness skyrockets.
Forbes, who estimates the value of each spot at $10 million, believes the advertisers make their money back on brand recall alone.
Much like the Red Sox making their investment back in jersey sales alone.
That, my friends, is the power of brand impressions, and the power of the Super Bowl.
Despite all this, many previous SuperBowl advertisers are backing out due to the hefty price tag. What's your take on the ROI of Super Bowl spots?


Our previous event was rated excellent by 100% of our participants, we will keep it up for Chromium 2017!
We are currently working on offering you the most pertinent programme with independent expert speakers that will make us think, challenge our views and bring us new knowledge.
As usual, networking and evening functions will be marked by this inimitable ICDA atmosphere.
It will be much more than an industry gathering, we are an exclusive community sharing the same values, this event will be the place to learn, meet with friends, participate, be awarded and challenge your mindset!
Registration will open soon, in the meantime, please save the date!
Looking forward to seeing you in Johannesburg !


Language barriers can be a real struggle when traveling. But never fear, Japan has a clever solution for its English-speaking visitors.
Officials in the Iwate Prefecture have developed a lineup of tourism signs that display info about menu choices, payment options and locker room etiquette in simple, illustrated form.
The signs are already on display around the city of Morioka, a regional development director told The Japan Times. They're intended to make English-speaking tourists feel more welcome in the area, he added.
Many of the signs have to do with dining. But they also provide advice for using onsens, Japan's popular hot spring baths.
For more information on visiting Japan's Iwate Prefecture, check out Lonely Planet's guide.


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Home / world / Trump defends daughter Ivanka's role at G20
Trump defends daughter Ivanka's role at G20
IANS | Washington | July 11, 2017 3:25 am
US President Donald Trump defended his daughter and adviser Ivanka amid criticism in the media over his decision to allow her to sit in for him during a portion of the G20 summit in Hamburg last week.
"When I left Conference Room for short meetings with Japan and other countries, I asked Ivanka to hold seat. Very standard. Angela M agrees!" Trump said in a Twitter post on Monday, referring to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Efe news reported.
Ivanka Trump, the President's eldest child and a close adviser, took the seat on Saturday reserved for her father at the main table at the summit.
At high-level gatherings, such as the G20, the usual protocol is for a top official to temporarily occupy the seat of a head of state or government when the leader is away, so as not to have an empty chair.
Merkel said in response to a question from reporters that it was up to each delegation to decide who could occupy the President's chair in his absence.
"Ivanka Trump was part of the American delegation, so that is something that other delegations also do, and it is very well known that she works in the White House and that she is also engaged in certain initiatives," Merkel said.
In another tweet, Trump lashed out at his critics, saying that if his Democratic rival in the 2016 presidential election, Hillary Clinton, had allowed her daughter, Chelsea, to do the same, there would have been no criticism from the media.
"If Chelsea Clinton were asked to hold the seat for her mother, as her mother gave our country away, the Fake News would say CHELSEA FOR PRES!" Trump tweeted.
Chelsea Clinton, for her part, responded to Trump on Twitter, saying that her father, former President Bill Clinton, would never have put her in a similar situation.
"Good morning Mr. President. It would never have occurred to my mother or my father to ask me. Were you giving our country away? Hoping not," Chelsea Clinton tweeted.
'Brazen, Unlawful': Donald Trump lawyers slam 'dangerous' impeachment trial
Bill Clinton prosecutors to defend Trump in impeachment
A pivotal moment


Vision investments offer excellent returns while growing the Kingdom. Compare our rates and see for yourself.
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It would be nice to have a checkbox to "lock" a password card or note from being edited or deleted until this check box is unchecked. A few times I have accidentally edited a note card and lost some important information.
Also perhaps an "undelete" option? So if I did go as far to completely delete something, I can restore it.


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'America's Got Talent' Rocker Jay Jay Phillips Dead at 30 from COVID
December 3, 2021 Jothi Venkat
"America's Got Talent" Featured Jay jay phillips – whose big hair drew as much attention as his talent – has died of complications from COVID-19.
A family member tells us that Jay Jay was battling illness at home on Thanksgiving week. We are told that family and friends contacted him constantly by phone and that he deteriorated the day before the holidays.
Jay Jay's family urged him to go to the hospital, but he just told them he needed more sleep … and that was the last time they'd heard from him.
We are told that Jay's girlfriend Jay and his mother – who is a nurse – went to see him on Thanksgiving Day and found him dead. The family member tells us that Phillips was not vaccinated, but just before he got sick he started telling people he was planning to get the vaccine soon.
Phillips' father, who he lived with, is currently hospitalized and fighting for his life on a ventilator.
Jay Jay made his first appearance in Season 4 of the talent show, but was knocked out early. He returned in Season 12, but was knocked out in the Judges' Cups just before the quarter-finals.
Phillips was 30 years old.
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UN General Assembly President Maria Fernanda Espinosa has described India as a 'very important player' of global multilateral system. "India is indeed a very important player of the multilateral system. It is a friendly country to the United Nations. If India succeeds in the achievement of the 2030 Agenda – we are talking about 1.3 billion people – this really can change the face of the world," said Espinosa who assumed presidency in September this year. Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), also known as 2030 agenda is a set of 17 goals which is set by UN General Assembly to be achieved by 2030. The SDG aims to solve many socio-economic problems such as, poverty, hunger, health, education, global warming, gender equality, water, sanitation, energy, urbanisation, environment and social justice.
Espinosa is former foreign minister of Ecuador and was elected as UN General Assembly president in June this year. She is the fourth female president of the general assembly. As foreign minister of Ecuador she had visited India earlier and had meetings with PM Modi. She lauded India's efforts in UN peacekeeping forces and its progress towards SDG. "It is very important also to set the standards on issues of involvement of women in peacekeeping, zero tolerance to any abuse or violence against women peacekeepers and against women and girls in general in conflict situations," said Espinosa. She also congratulated PM Modi for UNEP Champions of the Earth award. "I was very happy to see the award given to India and Prime Minister Modi for his environmental work and to look at the every strong commitment of India towards renewable energy. They are really very important players for the climate agenda as well," she said.
Espinosa was very impressed by many social movements like Swachh Bharat Mission and access to clean energy to poor people. "I see that things are happening in a very positive way. The favorable conditions are a very dynamic and active civil society engagement, vibrant democracy, strong participation of people, engaged citizens are the conditions you need to make a difference and the conditions are there in India," she said. India has made 'great leap forward' on socio-economic front in the last two decades. The economic liberalization started wealth creation in the country at large scale and this helped to deliver essential necessities.
The country has made significant improvement in the decrease of maternal mortality ratio, infant mortality ratio, and gender gap ratio. India is no longer home to the largest number of poor people in the world, every minute 44 Indians are being pulled out of poverty, thanks to economic liberalization. Today most of the household have access to electricity and clean cooking fuel. On health front, the government is going to implement a near universal healthcare insurance program to democratize healthcare access. To face the increasing challenges of rapid urbanization, infrastructure investment has been increased by the government. India's ranking in Human Development Index (HDI) improved significantly during last decade. The transparent delivery of welfare money through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) has saved billions of dollars of taxpayers' money. The policymakers are also discussing to implement Universal Basic Income (UBI) in which government will transfer a certain amount of money to poor people for their access to basic amenities. All these efforts have led to the improvement in standard of living of common people. However, there are still many challenges that Indian people face and therefore India's contribution in improvement of socio-economic well being of its people will be an important part in achieving of UN's sustainable development goals.


Special in Downtown Colorado Springs. Immaculately cared for 2-Story home built in 2013 offering you easy access Colorado Springs Arts, Entertainment & Fine Dining. Open and inviting great room that flows to your Gourmet Kitchen with ample seating at the large Caesar Stone island. French Doors step out to your back-yard oasis with oversized patio and custom pergola. Unwind from the day in your master suite w/Sansiro soaking tub then a quick stroll has you relaxing in the upper level loft family room w/ Mountain views. Sculpted carpet, Caesar stone countertops, custom honeycomb blinds, and recessed lighting throughout. Semi-private front room perfect for formal living, dining or office space, open concept main floor with 9 ft. ceilings. Sansiro soaking tub in Master Bath, versatile modular system in master closet. Second Laundry or storage upstairs. Oversized garage, 23' deep! Private back yard with oversized pergola covering large patio and stepped down 13'x14' area perfect for entertaining. Peak views from loft and master bath. You'll appreciate the professional designer touches throughout this meticulously maintained, must see home. Walking distance to Old North End, just around the corner from Shooks Run Park and close to Patty Jewett Golf Course. Easy access to downtown dining and entertainment, walking paths, Colorado College, schools and I-25.


All-over exfoliating might top our list of favorite grooming activities. There's just something about the clean sense of renewal that comes with freshly scrubbed skin. There's just one catch: The body scrub has to be top notch. If the granules are too big, they won't adhere to the body. If they're too few-and-far-between, the body scrub is useless. To find the best body scrub that is just right for your skin, peruse our reader reviews. They've rated their favorite body scrubs, exfoliating pastes and sugar and salt concoctions to provide you with the ultimate list of the very best body scrubs.


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Home	10.95	Just Ear-ringsGolden Earrings
Just Ear-rings
Golden Earrings
SKU: RETRO852
Categories: 10.95, RPM, RPM Christmas Sale
The Golden Ear-rings (name change to the singular Golden Earring in 1969) were pioneers – Holland's first home-grown beat-era stars: before The Motions, before Q65, before The Outsiders. Their first single hit the charts in April 1965 and began a career which still thrives today.Before the international smash Radar Love in 1974 the band had scored an unbroken run of Dutch hit singles during the 60's. Unlike most bands of the era, The Golden Ear-rings wrote their own material – they only ever recorded a single cover version. The reissue of their first three albums – 1965's Just Earrings, 1967's Winter Harvest and 1968's Miracle Mirror – reveals that The Golden Ear-rings were amazingly assured, years before the international recognition. Bonus tracks from singles complete these reissues, making The Golden Ear-rings' entire recorded works available for the first time They were Holland's secret – but not anymore.Their music combined the toughness of The Small Faces and the minor-key brooding melodies of The Zombies. They sounded like no one else, always melodic, always focused, always immediate. 1968's Miracle Mirror took on a psychedelic influence to create an album that stands alongside song-based classics like Odyssey And Oracle, Ogden's Nutgone Flake and The Hollies' Butterfly.
Nobody But You / I Am A Fool / I Hate Saying These Words / She May Be / Holy Witness / No Need To Worry / Please Go / Don't Stay Away / Lonely Everyday / When People Talk / Now I Have / A Shout In The Dark Bonus Tracks Chunk Of Steel / Not To Find / That Day / The Words I Need / If You Leave Me / Waiting For You
Alien Sex Fiend: Possessed
Harmony For Elephants: Various Artists, A Charity Album
Space Bandits


Welcome to "e1 coaching center" an online organisation founded out of a passion to simplify the process of preparing for govt. job exams like SSC, BANK PO, DEFENCE exams, RAILWAY and all STATE GOVT. EXAMS. We provide free video lectures on RU-clip and Free Study Material on our site. Our videos cover many topics of all competitive exams.
BHUTESH SIR: A very passionate and motivational teacher (currently teaching in Chandigarh). He scored 98.74 %ile in CAT and 193/200 in SSC CGL T-2 Quant. He has cleared many other exams also, like SSC CPO, SSC CHSL, CDS, PSTET (P1 & P2 both), NDA, SSB etc.
PRADEEP Punia SIR: A very helpful, dynamic and energetic teacher (currently teaching in Hisar). He scored 98.99 %ile in CAT and 187.5/200 in SSC CGL T-2 Quant. He has cleared many other exams also like SBI PO, SSC CPO, SSC CHSL, etc.


Is it me, or did it just get freezing? I can't deny it anymore - it's November, the clocks have gone back, and it's now pitch black when I leave the office. I must say though - hats off to you summer - you did well this year.
Speaking of hats - see what I did there? - my cream Chidora bobble made its first appearance this week. It's been my saviour on the cold walk to the station each morning….
Here are three ways to style your bobble hat to make sure you are right on trend this Autumn.
If there was one thing that screamed out at London AW fashion week, it was pastels. Wear your bobble hat with a pastel knit jumper and collar combo for a smart but casual look for the office.
Bring out the earthy undertones in the cream wool by teaming your hat with brown or grey. Throw on some comfortable ankle boots and textured tights to keep you warm.
Blue is another hot trend this season, and if there was ever a blue that goes hand in hand with cream, it is definitely navy. Team your chunky knit bobble with a navy sweat and jeans for an effortlessly cool look this weekend.
Do you have a Chidora bobble hat? Send us your pictures of how you've styled it!