Think local. Eat Local. Stay local. Buy Local. Shop Local in List51.
Why Shop Local In List51?
The Shop Local Movement in List51 helps strengthen the local economy, protects local services and supports the people and businesses that give List51 its unique character.
When you shop at a Local Indie Business in List51 more of your money stays within the community. How? Independently-owned businesses reinvest as much as 25% more revenue into the List51 community when compared to other non independently-owned businesses. When you Shop Local in List51 and support the Local Indie Businesses, you're not only being a smart shopper, you're also supporting the people of List51.
Become a Local List51 Partner!
Take the quiz and reveal how much you care about List51.
If you own a Local Indie Businesses in List51 you can get it featured right here on this page and also participate in the Certified Locally Owned™ program from ShopLocal.us.
To begin click the button below to tell us about your locally owned List51 business.
Find a List51 Shop Local Buddy!
Shopping local in List51 is always easier and more fun to do with a friend or two.
It will keep you motivated to find local indie businesses in List51 as alternatives to chain stores and create new local habits by getting out and exploring List51 towns and neighborhoods together.
To help you with this, we're creating a List51 Shop Local Buddy Network. Find some local like-minded friends with whom you can make the Shop Local Shift together. Organize safe and secure Shop Local outings in List51 while meeting new local friends who are also passionate like you about supporting their local communities.
Help out your favorite Local Indie Businesses in List51 by getting them recognized at Shop Local.us.
Share the Shop Local love by telling us about the most amazing independently-owned businesses in the List51 area. Just give us a little bit of info about the business and why you think they're awesome.
We'll be sure to give you props so they know how much they're loved by their loyal local customers in List51.
Buy locally grown fruits, veggies and other homemade specialty foods direct from your local List51 farmers market or direct from local growers through Community Supported Agriculture groups. When you shop at the supermarket, try to buy items that are local or at least regional. Read the labels to see how local your produce or food items are before you buy.


Neste volume o foco está nas colcheias, ou seja muito Rock e Funk. Grooves poderosos e consistentes. Os músicos que tocam no CD tornam a prática de play-along bastante divertida. As partes são bem escritas e de fácil leitura.
In this session the focus is on "straight-eights" i.e. Rock and Funk. Strong and consistent grooves are what this volume is all about. The players on the CD make it a joy to play along. Parts are well-written and easy to read.


text:
#include <aws/iotwireless/model/AssociateAwsAccountWithPartnerAccountResult.h>
#include <aws/core/utils/json/JsonSerializer.h>
#include <aws/core/AmazonWebServiceResult.h>
#include <aws/core/utils/StringUtils.h>
#include <aws/core/utils/UnreferencedParam.h>

#include <utility>

using namespace Aws::IoTWireless::Model;
using namespace Aws::Utils::Json;
using namespace Aws::Utils;
using namespace Aws;

AssociateAwsAccountWithPartnerAccountResult::AssociateAwsAccountWithPartnerAccountResult()
{
}

AssociateAwsAccountWithPartnerAccountResult::AssociateAwsAccountWithPartnerAccountResult(const Aws::AmazonWebServiceResult<JsonValue>& result)
{
  *this = result;
}

AssociateAwsAccountWithPartnerAccountResult& AssociateAwsAccountWithPartnerAccountResult::operator =(const Aws::AmazonWebServiceResult<JsonValue>& result)
{
  JsonView jsonValue = result.GetPayload().View();
  if(jsonValue.ValueExists("Sidewalk"))
  {
    m_sidewalk = jsonValue.GetObject("Sidewalk");

  }

  return *this;
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Use Tipe Folders the same way you'd use them in your computer's OS.
To create a Folder, go to the Folders section of the Tipe Dashboard.
Enter a name for your new Folder. Spaces are ok.
Click the circle with the three dots on a Folder and select Rename, Copy Folder ID, or Delete.
Click Rename to change the name of a Folder.
See the following video for a walkthrough of renaming a Folder.
Click on Copy Folder ID to copy the ID of the Folder to your clipboard. You can then paste this into your local project. Alternatively, you can get the Folder ID from the URL when you are inside the Folder. See the following video for a walkthrough of copying the Folder ID.
Click Delete to permanently delete an empty Folder. If you have things in a Folder, you'll need to delete them first.
See the following video for a walkthrough of deleting a Folder.
If you're not already versed in Tipe Documents, be sure to check this section out. If you're already familiar with Documents, head over to Templates.
Templates are what Documents are based on.


Scientific Brief on the implications of local and regional jurisdictions for mitigation and adaptation to climate change: How can they enhance engagement of their constituents? State of science and focus on economic and financial tools.
Alexia Leseur, Vivian Dépoues and Cécile Bordier (I4CE), Cynthia Rosenzweig, Chantal Pacteau, Luc Abbadie, and Somayya Ali Ibrahim (UCCRN).


text:
← A week in the life of Ivan Duque, President of Colombia (part 2)
A week in the life of Ivan Duque, President of Colombia (part 4) →
A week in the life of Ivan Duque, President of Colombia (part 3)
Posted on March 6, 2020 by Richard
The jovial President Ivan Duque
Poor old President Duque, did he ask for this job? Whatever the case, he agreed to be the sacrificial lamb for the Uribista camp from 2018-2022, so he bears some responsibility. As I have written in parts 1 and 2, President Duque probably doesn't go out seeking the problems he encounters, but he certainly doesn't help himself either. Also, as a side note, I never meant for this series to continue past part 1, but I can no longer help myself.
And so, here you have it, again: A week in the life of President Ivan Duque (part 3), in no particular order
Ñeñe Hernandez…where to start? Perhaps it's best that we look at the present day and wind backwards. I suppose it should all begin with the question, how did someone known for trafficking drugs and now known, due to various recordings of telephone conversations, as the bag man for vote-buying in favour of Ivan Duque during the presidential election, end up at President Duque's swearing in ceremony? There are photos too and so much more that Duque's political patron former President Alvaro Uribe is involved, what a surprise. Oh, did I mention that el Ñeñe was killed in an alleged robbery in Brazil last year? No, well it happened. #ñeñegate
This event of vote-buying has thrown into significant doubt the legitimacy of President Duque's victory in the election and has cast further accusations the way of former President Alvaro Uribe regarding his involvement in the scandal.
It seems like an incredibly rare occurrence, but there was some good news for President Duque as he was found to be clear of the Corona Virus having attended a meeting overseas where carriers of the virus present. But even this close shave couldn't reduce his disapproval ratings which remained steady at 71%.
As if President Duque hadn't already had enough of his role as an object of ridicule at home, he was served up on a platter to President Trump who all but ordered him to recommence aerial fumigation of coca crops to reduce the production of cocaine. Reports are published showing that coca cultivation in Colombia is at an all-time high.
And then, on 6 March, it was revealed that Colombia had its first case of the Corona Virus. Interestingly enough the Colombian student had returned home from Italy (who knew they had the virus!?) on 26 February, had been in close contact with 16 people and on 3 March was admitted to hospital. On 6 March the virus was confirmed. What happened in the days in-between arrival, hospital and diagnosis? There are a couple of probable options and President Duque's government comes out on the losing side for each:
The Ministry of Health, despite claiming to have had a protocol in place for eight weeks, had nothing ready at all, or,
The case of Corona virus was already known and the government decided to release it to "bury" the new of further scandals stemming from recordings of Ñeñe Hernandez (see above).
In a case of "hold my beer," while I pass it from my left hand to my right, Alicia Arango, the newly appointed Minister for the Interior not only likened the deaths of social leaders to those who were killed for their telephones (because it's about numbers) but also managed to make an unforgivable gaff regarding the killing of a social leader's bodyguard. It's hard to decide whether the Uribista cabinet minister outdid Gen. Montoya (part 2) or Gen. Zapateiro (part 1).
President Duque's diplomatic corps continues to excel in its role, here we move on from Colombia's ambassador to Uruguay Fernando Sanclemente (you'll recall that three long-term laboratories for use to produce cocaine were discovered on his family farm), and introduce you all to, Claudia Bustamante, Colombia's consul in Orlando. Bustamante allegedly doesn't possess even the minimum requirements to fulfil the role, not least a decent level of English.
In trying to gain the upper hand in a spat with the UN, President Duque accused the entity of interfering in Colombia's national sovereignty when it was suggested as a recommendation that the country's police force should be transferred from the Ministry of Defense to the Interior Ministry, which would of course, make sense. It becomes clear that President Duque and his government tried to erase the findings of the UN. The report does not make for easy reading.
Related to this, the ICRC concluded in a recent report that there's an upsurge in victims in the armed conflict despite the peace process.
Throwing more kindling onto the fire as if taunting the demonstrators who set to take to the streets later this month in protest of everything, President Duque's government approved fracking for "scientific" purposes. All bets are off on the probability of this "investigative" fracking evolving into a fully-fledged government energy policy before the presidential term is over.
Further headaches for President Duque include an upcoming investigation into former mayor of Bogotá Enrique Peñalosa's squandering of 1,400,000,000 pesos to ensure that his pet project of an elevated metro for Bogotá take precedence over previous mayor Gustavo Petro's more complete studies for an underground metro.
And then, former, former, former mayor of Bogotá, the disgraced Samuel Moreno, under some bizarre premise that perhaps he represents some collateral damage in an alternative universe from the country's armed conflict by taking bundles of cash to back corrupt infrastructure projects in Bogota, has submitted his application to have his case reviewed by the JEP. One suspects that perhaps this is some nefarious plan to weaken and diminish the authority of the JEP (Jurisdicción Especial para la Paz), or to clog the courts with a backlog of cases so great that it ultimately and inevitably becomes redundant.
I'm not sure I can pen another of these updates. Please continue to tune in to the Colombia Calling podcast and perhaps support the podcast on our Patreon page.
This entry was posted in Colombia Calling, Journalism and tagged colombia, colombia calling, jep. Bookmark the permalink.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Fuel Poverty Action
Cladding & Insulation
About the cladding and insulation campaign
Union Support for Safe Cladding & Insulation Now
Salford, Just Like Grenfell
Open Letters to the Secretary of State
FPA in the news
Struggles and successes
Energy Bill of Rights
Fracking won't bring down the bills
Response to consultation on the UK Government's draft Fuel Poverty Strategy for England – September 2019
Fuel Poverty Action's response to the UK Government's long-awaited draft Fuel Poverty Strategy for England. We do not engage with the definition of fuel poverty proposed. Instead, we propose a strategy based on high standards for all, as opposed to ever-increasing means-testing; adequate incomes as opposed to cuts in benefits, pensions and wages; support for genuinely renewable energy and community energy programmes; street by street insulation programmes; and tariffs that promise security for those least able to pay. We believe the draft Strategy fails to address the ways in which many specific government policies force up energy prices or bring down incomes and housing standards.
"Sustainable infrastructure" — housing and heating Examination of the London Plan – 29 March 2019
Fuel Poverty Action were glad to be invited to take part in the session on Sustainable Infrastructure, on 29 March 2019. The discussion took for granted the seriousness of the climate crisis and a determination to decarbonise. Its particular focus was on heating — one of the hardest areas to make green — and within that, the focus was largely on the Mayor's favoured option: District Heating.
The EiP assembled formidable expertise, hearing from representatives of the DH industry, architecture, planning, and energy consultancies. Yet there had clearly been no process for engaging grassroots participants, and no expectation that DH users' experience would be relevant to policy decisions, at the EiP stage, or earlier.
Response to London Plan Matter M67 – Sustainable Infrastructure – January 2019
Response to BEIS consultation, Heat networks: ensuring sustained investment and protecting consumers -January 2019
Response to consultation on the UK Government green paper – "A new deal for social housing" – November 2018
Evidence to Household, Communities and Local Government Leasehold Reform Inquiry -September 2018
Response to Drax Power Station Proposal – August 2018
Drax power station has applied to the Planning Inspectorate for permission to replace its two remaining coal-fired units with much larger ones burning fossil (natural) gas.
Response to new Energy Company Obligation proposals – July 2018
The government has published proposals for the ECO (Energy Company Obligation) scheme due to come to force in October. We think that the proposals, by excluding oil, risk the lives of rural residents.
Fuel Poverty Action's response to the 2018 Draft New London Plan– March 2018
Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) in Private Sector housing: FPA response to BEIS consultation – March 2018
Response to Heat Networks Market Study Statement of Scope – January 2018
Response to 'Housing for the many, Labour's review of social housing' – January 2018
In September 2017 the Labour Party announced a call for evidence as part of its social housing review. We produced a response which focuses on the importance of adequate heating and efficiency measures to address Fuel Poverty among social housing tenants. Recommendations include: increasing minimum energy performance standards with supportive infrastructure investment, re-committing to the Zero Carbon Homes policy, increased regulation of District Heating Networks, and meaningful consultation for residents on regeneration/demolitions.
The Mayor's draft London Environment Strategy – November 2017
We respect the scope of the Mayor's draft Environment Strategy and the depth of work that has gone into it. Being of limited resource, we could only comment on a few areas, but appreciated the inclusion of, for instance, air quality, the effects of rising temperatures in the city, and the big questions around supply of electricity and gas on a national level. We instead focused our response on retrofitting for energy efficiency (and how this should be implemented on an area or community basis), district heating and the enforcement of standards, and the specifics of the Mayor's plans for an Energy for Londoners company. In fact, the day before the consultation closed, we joined Switched on London to Take Back City Hall and demand that Sadiq Khan hold true to his promise for a fully licensed, democratic and affordable public energy company for London, which also invests in renewable infrastructure.
The Mayor's draft Fuel Poverty Action Plan for London – November 2017
In London, the draft Fuel Poverty Action Plan document estimates 1,300 – 4,000 such deaths between 2011 and 2016 — totally unacceptable tragedies taking place all around us, in a city with great wealth. Many thousands more suffer ill health and lasting damage to their education, work, prospects and relationships. We are therefore very glad to see an action plan on fuel poverty for London. In our response, we found much to welcome, including plans for stronger enforcement in the private rented sector, direct investment in energy efficiency measures, and targeted lobbying of central government, but took issue with, for example, the Mayor's position on estate regeneration.
Ofgem Consultation on Safeguarding Cap – November 2017
In the context of multiple u-turns by the Tory government on the implementation of a universal cap on energy tariffs, Ofgem brought a proposal to institute a limited cap for some 'vulnerable' customers, as determined by their receipt of the Warm Homes Discount. With the exception of a core group, the money available to fund this payment for the 2 million households eligible is limited, and distributed on a first-come-first-served basis. More than a million people are therefore arbitrarily excluded from the WHD, and will, as a consequence, also lose out on an absolutely vital cap on their energy tariffs. We argue first that Ofgem should attempt a universal cap despite the difficulties they might face in implementing it, and then that should a limited cap be instituted, it can and should be extended much further than proposed, without delay.
GLA Estate Regeneration Consultation – March 2017
Between December 2016 and March 2017, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan put out a Draft Good Practice Guide to Estate Regeneration for consultation with civil society. We wrote a response highlighting the importance of seriously considering heating and energy efficiency in regeneration and refurbishment plans, and citing multiple examples of where both have been overlooked with serious consequences.
Coal phase-out consultation – February 2017
In early 2017 the UK Government put out a consultation called "Coal generation in Great Britain: The pathway to a low carbon future", essentially about the timeline for phasing out the use of coal for electricity production in this country. The Coal Action Network coordinated a series of responses from organisations in the UK, as well as Colombia and Russia, where much of our coal is imported from (and where the conditions of its production are incredibly poor). For our part, we emphasise the role energy efficiency must play in reducing the overall demand for electricity, rather than assuming that all coal-based capacity must be replaced by other forms of generation – an assumption that plays into the Government's plan to see fracking take off in the UK. We also discuss how the increasing number of homes built with electric heating not only increases demand but simultaneously forces more people into fuel poverty.
City for All Londoners – December 2016
In December 2016 Sadiq Khan's office published a "new vision for London" called A City for All Londoners. It outlines changes City Hall plans to make over Khan's four year term. We produced a response acknowledging some of the positive commitments on energy efficiency pegged out in this document, but also raised three requirements without which fuel poverty can continue unhindered; a public energy company for London, as demanded by the Switched on London campaign; no prepayment meters installed as default in new housing (social or otherwise); and serious consideration of the role of heat networks in decarbonising heat without disadvantaging people on estates where being part of a district heating heat network is the only option: it should instead provide less expensive, cleaner, heat.
CMA Proposal on Prepayment Meter Tariffs – November 2016
In October 2016 the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced plans to impose a cap on the price of energy for prepayment meter (PPM) customers, who get a raw deal compared to often more financial secure folks paying by direct debit. A version of this came into force in April 2017, saving PPM customers about £80 on average, and we got on TV to make the point that this was wholly insufficient. We represented as much to the CMA at the time, preparing a response reaffirming the plight of PPM customers, endorsed by 17 other organisations, and including a number of testimonies submitted to us about the real life results of PPMs. We even presented it to them at their offices in Holborn, telling them "Your cap doesn't fit" and wielding banners reminding them that "Cold Homes Kill!". The fight continues.
Heat Network Investment Project (HNIP) Consultation – August 2016
The HNIP is being undertaken by the Heat Network Development Unit (HNDU) at DBEIS (Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy) as a way to bolster the creation of new heat networks, also known as district heating systems. It includes making £300mn available in the form of grants and credit to actors interesting in building this new infrastructure. Our response argued against the assumptions in which the project is grounded (that the market is supreme and private capital should be responsible for the majority of new projects) and provided detailed evidence of how seriously poorly managed heat networks can affect peoples' lives, based on our work with residents at the Myatts Field estates in south London. Many social housing tenants there are locked into a 40 year contract with EON, who are failing to deliver on basic aspects of the service. However, we also recognise that heat networks could be a functional means of decarbonising heat provision in the UK, which is a vital step in reducing carbon emissions and combating climate change; this is exactly why they must be done right.


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Over the course of my 30 days of eating plant-based I learned, enjoyed, hated and took note of a few things. Here's the rundown.
The first few days of this challenge was hard mentally draining. I had this great idea one day to go for the challenge without actually doing my homework to start with. How hard could it be? Just eat plants, right? Sure I knew that to be successful in this I had to eat tons of different types of foods to get the proper amount of nutrients. I am the type of girl who finishes everything on her plate plus everyone elses, basically I can put it away. Also take into consideration that I was about two weeks away from running a 50k. I needed lots of calories, fats, and carbs to sustain energy to complete this race.
Now it may seem silly to start a drastic change in diet so close to a big race, but that was part of the challenge. I knew that if I could successfully complete the race without falling over and dying with hunger, that the diet challenge would be a complete success.
If I could do this, then anyone could! Here are a few things that I learned the hard way.
A week before I started the challenge I should have researched what types of foods had the most bang for their buck, heck even 2 days before the challenge would have been better. But no, I jumped right in and had to figure it out as I went along. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but for me my time to research what to eat and new and inventive ways to spice up plants is divided between family, household chores, work, homework, studying, and training for a race. And this is not over the course of the week, no it's everyday. The extra thirty minutes it would take to find and plan out yummy vegan recipes to fulfill my desire for foods similar to what I used to enjoy simply does not exist. Pre planning time would have made the transition so much smoother.
I usually have dry beans, canned beans, and some sort of legume in my pantry at all times. These things I found to be my staples in this challenge. I love beans, don't judge me. The canned beans are higher in sodium, but when you are lacking some serious time (as I already noted, I suffer from this) they can make for a real quick meal. After running out of my supply of canned beans, and figuring this out while I was starving, I made sure to never let that happen again.
As I noted earlier, dry beans are always something on hand. They take a huge chunk of time to make though. If you plan it out, you can prepare a huge batch of beans to freeze and have even more ready when needed. I learned to soak my beans overnight and cook them in the crock pot the next day, which took absolutely no effort really on my part, and it didn't take time away from the time I already don't have. From this I was then able to have a base for all my meals that could be transported with me anywhere I went. On days when I went to work, I brought all my meals with me so I wouldn't have to sit and wonder what I was going to eat next. I knew what I was going to eat for dinner in the morning so that I wouldn't have to suffer from mental distress all day long trying to figure it out. These things I didn't learn until the end of the first week or so, and I was so thankful that I did. I don't think the first week would have been quite so hard had I known about planning it out.
Breakfast was the hardest for me. I have gotten by for quite some time without consuming dairy simply because it doesn't like me, but eggs? Almost a couple of years ago I ate a vegetarian type diet but consumed eggs and fish, pesco-ovo-vegetarian. I mostly consumed egg whites during this, and they were the basis of my breakfast, lunch or dinner. Obviously this challenge was little different so I had to get creative with what I ate for breakfast. Almond butter became a daily thing as well as avocado and potatoes. If I don't eat enough at breakfast time, I suffer from foggy brain the rest of the day, so this was an important thing to conquer. Here is one my favorite veganized breakfast meals that I ate a lot during the challenge.
I live with a meat-eater. Said meat-eater feels that a meal is not complete without meat. This became an issue over the course of the 30 days because I became content eating vegan pizza and bean tacos for dinner. I knew that my 6-year-old son along with the meat-eater would complain about anything I served them that I could eat, so I kind of stopped making traditional dinners. I knew that this was my chance to introduce my picky eater kid and boyfriend to new foods, but it seemed like more work than it was worth. Failure on my part. At dinner time I would have had to make two separate meals, involving more time. It was just easier to make them something that they already eat, and I would eat leftover foods that I already had for myself. My son never caught on to the fact that mom wasn't eating anything animal related, and I didn't really want him too, yet. He did learn that mom doesn't drink milk though, and he was amazed. My meat-eater boyfriend was supportive of the diet 'as long as his diet didn't have to change' kind of thing.
Things that I thought were interesting through all this were the comments I would get from people who didn't understand what I was doing, or why.
At these moments I was placed on a platform where I had my chance to preach about a lifestyle that may seem foreign to them. I never claimed to be vegan throughout this, and every time I had the chance, I explained that it was simply a 30 day challenge.
Towards the end of the challenge I was so used to eating 'my foods' that it felt weird to stop. I decided a few days before the thirtieth day that I was going to try my best to continue eating plant-based, but I knew that when I didn't actually have to do it, my chances of doing it were smaller.
Eating plant based made me feel healthier, cleaner and overall better. After the 30 days was up, I ate meat and eggs and right away I didn't feel the same. I felt like crap.
So what am I going to eat? Who knows. I imagine that most of my meals will be vegan or as close to it as possible. I found that the hardest part of the entire challenge was thinking about what to eat. Not actually eating it.
Now if only I had a vegan chef, who planned and prepared all my meals… that would be the life!
← Welcome back Motivation, I Have Been Waiting for you!
Good on you for giving it a go! You might pick up Scott Jurek's book Eat and Run for some more inspiration.


text:
Рудоуправління імені В. І. Леніна — історичне підприємство з видобутку та переробки залізних руд у місті Кривий Ріг, Дніпропетровська область, Україна. Входило до складу ПО «Кривбасруда».

Розробляло Криворізьке родовище з 1891 року відкритим способом. У 1928-33 роках побудована шахта ім. Орджонікідзе, в 1963 вступила в дію шахта ім. В. І. Леніна. Рудоуправління носило ім'я Орджонікідзе, а в 1969 році було перейменовано в рудоуправління імені Леніна. Ліквідовано 1 жовтня 1989., на його базі були виокремлені шахти шахта ім. Орджонікідзе, шахта ім. В. І. Леніна.

Рудоуправління включало дві експлуатаційні шахти, дробильно-сортувальну фабрику, залізничний, автомобільний цехи тощо. Виробляло агломераційну, доменну руди. З 1981, шахта ім. Орджонікідзе видобуває магнетитові кварцити.

Ресурси Інтернету
 MiningWiki — свободная шахтёрская энциклопедия
 Освітній портал Рудана

Підприємства Кривого Рогу
Історія Кривого Рогу
Тернівський район
Рудодобувні підприємства України

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


When the winter chills set in, this colorful tangerine hued salad, with its bright splashes of pomegranate, feta, and cilantro is a full flavored pick you up. This is a long-standing recipe in our repertoire, with a captivating citrus and spice vinaigrette.
On a holiday weekend famous for feasting and barbecues, we wanted to share one of our favorite burgers. These healthy Turkey Feta Burgers with Yogurt Curry Sauce are quick to make, light on fat, and big on flavor. If you are feeling adventurous, you can also substitute the turkey in this recipe for another lean meat like lamb, buffalo, or venison. To top these burgers, we ditch the usual lettuce, and opt instead for the crips fresh accompaniments of cucumber, tomato, and homemade pickled red onions.
Inspired by a fantastic lettuce wrap my sister made for a family dinner, we created these Thai Spiced Turkey Lettuce Wraps for a light weekend meal. These quick to make Thai lettuce wraps are healthy, filling, and flavorful, with the characteristic Southeast Asian flavors of garlic, ginger, crunchy water chestnuts, and vibrant fresh herbs.
We woke up this April fools morning to a fine dusting of frost covering our spring crocuses. The joke, it appears, was on spring. It is a fickle time of year for food, we crave the soft colors and zippy flavors of spring, but still desire the hearty textures of winter. We bridge the seasons with our Lime Edamame Dip, a bold, herby dip with a buttery hazelnut taste and hearty texture. Edamame beans are green soybeans removed from their pods and eaten prior to ripening. Edamame is typically found in Korean, Japanese, Chinese and Indonesian cooking. This dip is a fantastic crowd pleaser, and well worth sourcing edamame.
Think of this Sweet Potato, Chili and Lime Soup as a sweeter tortilla soup, a spicier butternut bisque, or a limey chowder. This silky textured soup eats like a hearty cream soup gone funky with chili and lime. Given the natural richness of the sweet potatoes, we found that sour cream, lime, cilantro and tortilla strips are a must for both flavor and textural contrast. Our soon-to-be brother-in-law had the inspired idea of adding a dollop of Chimichurri Sauce to the soup, he was right, it's a winner! Serve with some homemade bread and a bright beet salad, and you have yourself a colorful and light winter meal. This recipe is adapted from James Peterson.
Its the season for resolutions, and food trends are emphasizing the lean and green. In this spirit, I suggested a kale salad for dinner last night. Paul smirked, and countered with a suggestion of loaded nachos. So goes marriage. Our brilliant compromise, Citrus Pulled Pork Tacos with Feta, pairs Yucatán Citrus Pulled Pork with a cumin and garlic red cabbage salad, cilantro, and briny feta, for a satisfying and light main.
"What kind of weird orange tomato is that..." the check-out clerk wondered aloud, as persimmons made their way up the conveyor belt at the grocery store last week. Ten minutes later, there were two mangers involved, a low buzz of grumpy conversation in the line, and toes tapping impatiently. Finally, with the arrival of a third manager, and no persimmon on the produce list, I was told to name my price and take my strange fruit home. Victory! Persimmon Citrus Salad is worth the trouble to track down persimmons in your area, it is a festive and zippy salad, featuring winter's most vibrant colors and textures, bathed in a lime mint vinaigrette.
Persimmons are a fall fruit in season between September and December and there are a number of varieties of this fruit. We prefer the pumpkin orange, tomato shaped Fuyu persimmons, as they can be eaten at all stages of the ripening process, unlike other varieties which are astringent and incredibly bitter until they fully ripen.
In a holiday season notorious for sweet potato casseroles topped with marshmallows and candied nuts, we play it unconventional. We love the warm spices and fresh herbs of this Moroccan Roasted Sweet Potato Salad. A fragrant dish with a nod towards North African seasonings, the sweet potatoes are roasted until they are lightly crisped, flavored with an aromatic, garlic, and lemon infused Charmoula vinaigrette, and topped with feta, cilantro and pomegranate. Charmoula is a traditional Moroccan, Tunisian, and Algerian marinade that is traditionally used in fish and vegetable dishes. Moroccan Roasted Sweet Potato Salad is a winner with guests and an unusual twist on the seasonal sweet potato.
Food has the power to connect us to people and places around the world. In 2007, Rebecca and I spent three months traveling through South East Asia together. Leaving Cambodia on the back of moto-bikes, we arrived for the night, hot and dusty, in a small village in rural Vietnam. After dropping off our packs, we sat down on the rickety plastic stools of the town's only food stand, famished. Without asking what we wanted, two pungent bowls of Phở Gà, Vietnam's famous chicken noodle soup, were plunked down in front of us. We were hooked! As we made our way north over the next several weeks, we enjoyed many local variations of Phở: from the dark, rich, and beefy to bright and spicy with shrimp. Our favorite Phở, on which our recipe is based, was eaten from steaming bowls one early morning overlooking Hạ Long Bay. This version used chicken that had been marinated and grilled, rather than boiled in the soup, giving it a crispy texture and sweet charred flavor.
Each sip of flavorful broth reminds us also of the people and culture that created it. Phở is an aromatic and visual dish, one that we like to serve in our Vietnamese blue petal bowls made in the Kinh family workshop in the famous pottery village of Bat Trang, Vietnam. By partnering with a local non-profit and Ten Thousand Villages, women potters are able to make a living for their families, continue a rich cultural tradition, and gain access to tools, education, training, interest-free loans, and literacy classes. We buy many of our dishes and gifts from Ten Thousand Villages each year, and appreciate their commitment to ethical partnerships with local artisans around the world.
Quick Mexican Tomato Salsa is a perfect summer food: fresh, spicy, and casual. While it is easy to be seduced by the beautifully packaged jars of salsa lining the grocery shelves, nothing beats the flavor of homemade. Quick Mexican Tomato Salsa is a breeze to make, and this simple salsa lets the quality of the ingredients come through without the need for gimmicky "new" flavor combinations. It is tomato season, and this is our favorite summer salsa. Quick Mexican Tomato Salsa is adapted from one of Paul's favorite cookbooks: Food of the Americas by Fernando and Marlene Divina.
Andean Corn and Cheese Salad is one of our quickest, easiest, and most delicious vegetable salads. In the tradition of Andean cuisine, this dish relies on the simple flavors of local fresh vegetables to create a balanced and vibrant dish. I love the way the bright fresh flavors in this salad are contrasted with soft salty chunks of creamy queso blanco. This recipe is adapted from one of our favorite cookbooks of the year: Gran Cocina Latina by Maricel Presilla. This beautifully compiled and thoroughly researched tome is an incredible resource for people interested in exploring the diverse and vibrant food of Latin America.
Louisiana is the home of many excellent things; delicious foods, our good friend Jeff, and the inventor of these exquisite Cajun Crab Cakes with Jalapeno Remoulade. Whenever we travel to a coastal area, Paul starts researching regional takes on crab cakes, a particular favorite of his. Our time in New Orleans last year was a definite button busting success of a food vacation, with one exception, Paul did not find the one perfect crab cake. We returned home and proceeded to immerse ourselves (read: obsess) with Cajun and Creole cooking, It was through a Louisiana native chef and cookbook author, Donald Link, that we found this dynamic crab cake recipe. Cajun Crab Cakes with Jalapeno Remoulade feature some of the classic Cajun flavors with an incredible punchy hit of flavor. These crab cakes are unique in their minimal use of filler and binding ingredients, making for a very loose cake and which allows the sweetness of the crab to shine. These crab cakes do rely heavily on the quality of your crab meat, so make sure to get the best quality you can find.
Creamy cumin lime coleslaw is a dynamic coleslaw: intensely flavored by garlic, mellowed by a base of mayonnaise and buttermilk, perked up with a strong jolt of lime, with aromatics of cumin and cilantro perfuming each bite. This coleslaw came into my life when I was 16, my Mom made it for dinner one night and our whole family quickly became obsessed with it. At one barbecue, I even went so far as to earnestly tell every single guest, what an outstanding coleslaw this was, noting, with the only the gravity a 16 year old can muster, that it was the best coleslaw they would ever eat. I recall one guest stopped me as he was leaving to thank me for my pointed food recommendation noting that I had indeed been correct and that it was the best coleslaw he had ever eaten. This, slightly tweaked version of my mothers' coleslaw, is certainly on our favorites list and may just be the best coleslaw you will ever eat!
With all our spring work efforts we thought some guacamole and chips were in order to keep up our energy, especially after the 38 wheelbarrows of mulch down our steep yard. This Charred Onion Guacamole is creamy, smoky and garlicky, you really don't even need chips to eat it. This Guacamole is the reward you deserve after a long spring day of work. If you are like us, and don't always plan ahead to buy your avocados in time to ripen, Paul has a neat technique that works well to ensure you have access to this addictive dip. 1-2 days prior to use (the longer the better) Paul puts unripe avocados in a brown paper bag with a very ripe apple. The apple releases ethylene gas, which gets trapped in the paper bag to fast forward the avocado ripening process. It's cool science.
Kale and Red Leaf Salad with Apple Mint Vinaigrette is an unusual and delicious salad that we made this evening with our first spring batch of local green kale. Kale is the quiet gawky kid in the corner who landed the starring role in the school play and never looked back. Kale has a serious following of die-hard fans who devour it in all forms; chips, smoothies, ice cream, brownies, pesto. Kale is a cancer-fighting super-food loaded with beta-carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, calcium, and antioxidants. To learn about the many ways to use kale and its nutritional value check out Deborah Madison's new book Vegetable Literacy. This Kale and Red Leaf Salad is a tasty example of raw kale serving as a base for this distinctive crisp apple mint vinaigrette.
Following a weekend of holiday feasting, we usually find ourselves craving something light, and refreshing. After we had stuffed ourselves to capacity, these Crab Lettuce Wraps with Spicy Lime Vinaigrette were the refreshing light meal to bring us back from a carb induced holiday daze. While crab is a splurge, this dish allows the sweet and delicate flavor of blue crab to shine. It is worth every penny. If you're truly adventurous, you can buy crab fresh, cook it and remove the meat. We generally buy a high quality canned crab, which is quick, easy and consistently available. To make these crab wraps, Rebecca used avocado, some stunning watermelon radishes, cucumber, and a sweet and spicy lime vinaigrette. She used hydroponic Bibb lettuce fresh from our CSA for the wraps. We found these cute little lettuce cups were a neat way of holding this light and healthy crab salad together.


This document reports on progress made on the implementation of the EU-Palestinian Authority (PA) European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) Action Plan between 1 January and 31 December 2014. Developments outside this period are taken into consideration where relevant. This is not a general assessment of the political and economic situation in Palestine! Information on regional and multilateral sector processes is contained in the Partnership for Democracy and Shared Prosperity progress report.
It must, however, be noted that circumstances have been such that any assessment must include a caveat to cater for the unique context of occupation, which is clearly not ideal for reform.
The new High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice President of the Commission (HR/VP), Federica Mogherini, dedicated her first foreign visit to meeting Palestinian and Israeli partners. In October 2014 HR/VP Catherine Ashton represented the EU at the international conference on Reconstructing Gaza in Cairo, during which the EU pledged more than EUR 450 million in aid. The HR/VP met President Abbas on numerous occasions during 2014, including in Paris, Brussels and Cairo.
After direct peace negotiations broke down in the spring, no progress was made on the Middle East Peace Process (MEPP). The signing of the Beach Camp Agreement in April marked a step forward in the intra-Palestinian reconciliation process. It led to the formation in June of a National Consensus Government of independent technocrats, headed by Rami Hamdallah, which is committed to the principles set out by President Abbas in May 2011 (i.e. a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders, recognition of Israel's legitimate right to exist, nonviolence and respect for previous agreements). The agreement provided for effective rule over Gaza by the Palestinian National Consensus Government and the holding of presidential and parliamentary elections across the Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem.
The armed conflicts in Gaza over the summer constituted a major setback. With over 2100 Palestinian and 71 Israeli casualties during 50 days of hostilities, the conflict was the third and most deadly conflict in Gaza in the last six years. This and the additional restrictions imposed by Israel in the West Bank under Operation 'Brother Keeper' further aggravated the two major obstacles to progress already reported in earlier progress reports: the Israeli occupation particularly in Area C2 — and the PA's continued de facto lack of authority over the Gaza Strip. These factors severely limited the PA's ability to carry out its governmental responsibilities, even in the areas within its control.
Human rights issues continued to be a matter of concern, despite some limited progress, such as the amendment of the Penal Code on the issue of honour killing and the accession of Palestine to a number of international conventions. In the West Bank, despite a relatively positive environment, there has been a shrinking of democratic space with complaints of arbitrary detention, torture and ill-treatment, as well as reported violations of freedom of expression (undue pressure on journalists) and assembly (violent dispersion of demonstrators). The socio-economic vulnerability of women across Palestine was of concern. The death sentence remained in use in Gaza and approximately 25 'suspected collaborators' were summarily executed in August. This was of particular concern, though it should be noted that the Gaza Strip has, for the most part, not been under the PA's control.
The formation of the National Consensus Government was expected to foster the necessary harmonisation of legislation between Gaza and the West Bank, and the unification of their respective legal systems. However, there were no tangible developments in this regard. A clear delineation of responsibilities between the different institutions operating in the justice sector was also lacking. Some progress was made in strengthening the capacities an accountability of the police and civil defence, thanks partly to European support.
• presenting a number of sectoral strategies in the fields of export promotion, social protection, environment, water and health.
The PA made considerable efforts to maintain fiscal discipline, including by improving revenue collection, adopting a zero net hiring policy and increasing fiscal cooperation with Israel. However, in a difficult economic context, both the total and recurrent budget deficits increased in 2014, highlighting the continued need for incisive reforms to the civil service and pensions, and for additional efforts in the fields of health referrals and electricity net lending.
Taken into account the particular situation in 2014, including the armed conflicts and hostilities in the region, and despite its limited ability to carry out its governmental responsibilities, the PA made limited progress in implementing the ENP Action Plan. Achievements were made in the capacity building and accountability of police and civil defence services, in the area of fiscal discipline and with regard to some sector-related issues, such as water and health.
• developing and implementing a policy to address violence against women and women's socio-economic vulnerability.
In April Hamas and the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) signed a new agreement on reconciliation. In accordance with the agreement, a consensus government of independent technocrats was formed in June under Prime Minister Hamdallah, including four ministers from Gaza (Labour, Public Works, Justice and Women's Affairs). Other elements of the agreement included presidential and parliamentary elections, no earlier than six months after the government's formation, while many of the most sensitive issues (including Hamas's inclusion within the PLO and the integration of respective security forces) were entrusted to committees. In this context, the EU emphasised that full democratic legitimacy and institutional sustainability can only be restored through genuine democratic legislative and presidential elections throughout Palestine. In the meantime, progress in returning the PA to Gaza was slow, partly due to complex legal, political and practical issues but primarily as a result of the Israeli operation, which lasted 50 days in July and August. Since then, the PA played a leading role in efforts at recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction in Gaza. An international conference on Reconstructing Gaza was held in Cairo in October, during which the EU pledged more than EUR 450 million.
In March 2014 President Abbas signed accession instruments for 18 international human rights, humanitarian and diplomatic treaties without reservation. These included the seven core UN human rights treaties, the four Geneva Conventions and the Hague Convention of 1907. These instruments took effect in the ensuing months. In December, President Abbas signed a further 20 international instruments.
Although the environment in the West Bank continued to be relatively positive regarding respect for freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and freedom of the media, there remained cause for concern.
As regards freedom of expression, regular complaints were made throughout the year by social media activists and journalists of undue pressure placed on them, including through the use of summonses by the security agencies. Most of the cases concerned journalists and bloggers who exposed intra-Fatah rivalries or criticised the PA. Palestinian security forces were also accused of preventing journalists from covering some demonstrations in the West Bank.
Respect for freedom of assembly remained a cause for concern, with some demonstrations being dispersed by force and some participants being detained by the Palestinian security forces.
Regarding freedom of association, while civil society organisations (CSOs) were generally able to operate freely in the West Bank, concerns existed regarding the role of the NGO Affairs Committee established in December 2012 by Presidential decree. In addition, a special committee was set up in August, under the PA's Financial and Administrative Control Administration, to evaluate and regulate the activities of CSOs and the compliance of their internal by-laws with the Palestinian Law on Charitable Societies. On a positive note, following the agreement on reconciliation, the Jerusalem-based al-Quds newspaper was again distributed in Gaza and the Gaza paper `Filistin' circulated in the West Bank.
In Gaza, freedom of expression remained under severe pressure. Journalists were attacked by the de facto authority's security forces, restrictions were imposed on journalists' movements and — until the formation of the National Consensus Government in June attempts were made to prevent the Palestinian Journalists' Union from operating.
The work of CSOs in Gaza continued to be impeded by officials from the de facto authorities. Although restrictions on the activities and movement of CSOs were less rigorously applied, officials continued to demand information on financial and staffing matters. Moreover, additional requirements were introduced for obtaining exit permits for national staff working for local civil society and international organisations and licenses were required for organising a public event — in direct violation of the Palestinian Basic Law.
The National Action Plan for Human Rights was approved by the Minister of Justice and the Minister of Planning after 12 months of consultations, research and drafting, with the support of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Most of the plan's recommendations were subsequently incorporated into the final version of the Palestinian national development plan for 2014-16.
Seven death sentences were handed down in 2014 by the de facto authorities in Gaza. Two people were executed in Gaza in May 2014. In addition, approximately 25 'suspected collaborators' were summarily executed in August by Hamas in Gaza.
There were regular complaints during 2014 of torture and ill-treatment in detention centres, in both Gaza and the West Bank. Most complaints in the West Bank, registered but not investigated by the Independent Commission on Human Rights, concerned the Palestinian Civil Police. Torture and ill-treatment continued despite the Presidential Decree issued in May 2013, confirming the PA's commitment to the prohibition of all forms of torture. However, one of the national intelligence agencies, the Palestinian Preventive Security Service, developed a revised code of conduct for its staff, which clearly prohibits the use of torture. Similarly, both the Palestinian Preventive Security Service and the General Intelligence Service agreed to unannounced visits to their detention centres by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Since January 2011, no civilians have been tried in West Bank military courts. However, 22 civilians sentenced by a military court prior to that date remained in prison, with no possibility of a retrial before a civilian court. Arbitrary detention remained a matter of concern, with 32 complaints being lodged before the Independent Commission of Human Rights. These included failure to observe due process, illegal detention procedures, and non-separation of civil and political detainees.
As regards freedom of religion or belief and the rights of people belonging to a minority, Christians were well represented at political level. However, many Christians, along with secular Muslims, complained of an increasing trend in Palestinian society advocating conservative Islamic values, especially in Gaza.
Violence against women and their overall socio-economic vulnerability remained challenges for Palestinian society. Based on the data provided by the Women's Centre for Legal Aid and Counselling (WCLAC), 23 femicides occurred in 2014 (16 in the West Bank and seven in Gaza). 16 honour killings and seven suicides for violence were documented by WCLAC. According to the 2013 statistics on women and men in Palestine issued by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS), married and previously married women were those most subjected to all forms of violence in Palestine.
In a positive step, President Abbas issued a decree amending the Penal Code to remove the power of the judiciary to take into account certain 'mitigating factors' when sentencing in cases of honour killings or femicide. However, another provision remained in place, giving any family member of the victim the right to relinquish his/her rights, following which a case is often dropped.
Palestinian women's rate of participation in the labour market remained among the lowest in the world (17.3 % against 69.3 % for men for 2013) even though women now comprise the majority of Palestinian university graduates. A general increase in unemployment and poverty contributed in turn to an increase in early marriages for girls and in the number of girls dropping out of school. Both human security and access to justice remained highly problematic for women, who often only have recourse to traditional informal justice systems.
The use of children in the labour market continued to be a concern, with 3.5 % of all children aged 10-17 years being employed in Palestine (4.9 % in the West Bank and 1.4 % in the Gaza Strip).
People with disabilities continued to suffer from social exclusion and a lack of access to appropriate care, especially people with mental disabilities. The summer conflict in Gaza resulted in a significant increase in the number of people with disabilities. The main centre in Gaza providing services to people with disabilities was destroyed. Steps were taken over the year to establish a national mechanism to monitor and document disability-based discrimination.
Personal status laws contained discriminatory provisions in the areas of marriage, divorce, child custody and inheritance. Matters relating to personal status were handled by Sharia courts for Muslims, and ecclesiastical courts for Christians.
Direct peace negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis, re-launched in 2013, broke down in April 2014, following a lack of agreement on a US-brokered framework and on an extension of negotiations, Israeli settlement announcements, Palestinian accession to 18 international conventions and the formation of the Palestinian National Consensus Government. In its Council Conclusions of May, July and August 2014, the EU urged the parties to resume meaningful negotiations with the aim of achieving a comprehensive peace agreement based on a two-state solution. It stressed that the US-led peace efforts, fully supported by the EU, must not go to waste, and cautioned that a fundamental change in negative developments on the ground, including continued settlement expansion, was necessary to prevent the irreversible loss of the two-state solution.
The 50-day military conflict between Israel, llamas and other Palestinian militant factions in Gaza in July and August 2014 was the longest and deadliest round of violence in Gaza to date. Over 2 100 people on the Palestinian side (including over 1 500 civilians) and 71 Israelis and one foreigner (of which 5 civilians) were killed; there was an unprecedented level of destruction with 17,000 homes and major infrastructure in Gaza, including UNRWA facilities, destroyed or damaged; nearly 500 000 people were displaced at the peak of the conflict.
The EU condemned the indiscriminate firing of rockets into Israel by llamas and militant groups in the Gaza Strip and reiterated that all terrorist groups must disarm. At the same time, the EU condemned the loss of life of hundreds of civilians, including many women and children, and emphasised that the Israeli military operation must be proportionate and in line with international humanitarian law. Gaza received an additional EUR 5 million from the EU to provide immediate relief to affected civilians in Gaza, bringing the overall EU humanitarian aid to Gaza in 2014 to EUR 23.5 million.
• address the broader context of the Middle East Peace Process and the situation in the West Bank.
The EU engaged extensively with both Israel and the PA and offered to contribute significantly to a comprehensive solution, including through Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) missions on the ground.
The EU stressed that the Palestinian National Consensus Government should exercise its full government responsibilities in both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, including in the field of security and civil administration, and through its presence at Gaza's crossing points.
Palestine's real GDP fell by 3.7 %3 year-on-year in 2014, following the conflict in Gaza. The economic impact of the conflict is difficult to distinguish from other factors, but Gaza's real GDP is estimated to have declined by around 15%. Unemployment in Palestine is expected to reach up to 30% and the external sector continues to be defined by the dependence on the Israeli economy, which accounts for about 85% of Palestinian exports and 65% of Palestinian imports. The fiscal deficit was estimated at 16.5 % of GDP, up from 14 % in 2013, despite some improvements in tax collection. Delays in the clearance of revenue transfers to the PA led to delays in salary payments to civil servants and an accumulation of arrears in payments to the private sector, further worsening the fiscal situation and burdening the private sector. Public debt breached the 40% threshold stipulated by law and is expected to have reached 44 % of GDP at the end of 2014.
The conflict in Gaza was expected to deepen extreme poverty, the rate of which was already 21% before the conflict (compared with 13% in Palestine as a whole). In January the PA adopted its 2014-16 social protection sector strategy emphasising social cohesion and solidarity while seeking to develop an integrated system of social protection. Social assistance payments benefited over 110000 households, with an estimated annual cost of EUR 110 million, 45 % of which continued to be funded by the EU and World Bank.
To boost employment there was a further expansion of initiatives to bring together training and labour market stakeholders at local level by developing local employment and training councils. The National Qualifications Framework was rolled out at local level, though it was still not fully integrated at ministerial level, and a labour market information system was also established.
To help improve revenue collection, the PA developed a comprehensive strategy for tax policy reforms. This included re-examining tax laws, tax holidays and the investment promotion law, as well as widening the tax base, increasing compliance and strengthening tax administration.
The Ministry of Agriculture endorsed a new 2014-16 agriculture sector strategy on resilience and development, and is soon to launch the 2014-19 olive and olive oil sub-sector strategy and the livestock sub-sector strategy, all three supported financially by the EU. The agriculture sector continued to be severely affected by settlers' violence, including the destruction of olive trees, and the restrictions imposed on Palestinians' access to their land.
The EU-28 remained the second most important trading partner of Palestine, with total trade in goods amounting to EUR 0.155 billion in 2014.
3 For sources and detailed figures, see Statistical Annex accompanying the reports; figures without sources are forecasts by Commission services.
adopted in August 2014, which provides a legal, regulatory and institutional framework for metrology, certification and accreditation.
In the area of customs, Palestine ratified the Convention on pan-Euro-Mediterranean preferential rules of origin in May 2014. The Convention entered into force on 1 July 2014.
Regarding sanitary and phytosanitary issues, there were delays in adopting the food safety strategy and the food safety law due to fragmented legislation, multiple jurisdictions, and gaps in institutional capacity and in infrastructure. However, the PA and donors upgraded the Central Veterinary Laboratory and introduced an animal identification and traceability system.
The introduction of regulatory impact analysis remained at a very early stage. Palestine completed a first drafting manual for primary and secondary legislation.
Minimum capital requirements for business start-ups were completely abolished and a single identification number was introduced. While these actions contributed to a faster and cheaper system for company registrations, the administrative costs of registration remained relatively high.
New regulations were introduced and amendments to the tax law were passed to improve revenue collection and tighten the relevant legal framework.
The modernization of the Palestinian statistical system is ongoing with an increased focus on the use of administrative data sources. The national statistical system is dependent on donor contributions.
Palestine made further progress in implementing public procurement rules. Implementing regulations for the Public Procurement Law (along with modifications to the law itself) were approved in April 2014. The organisational structure of the High Council for Public Procurement Policies was reformed, pending Cabinet approval.
Legal changes were drafted in April to bring the State Audit and Administrative Control Bureau's legal framework into line with INTOSAI4 standards and best professional practices. There were no replacements for the three-member Audit Committee, all of whom resigned in 2013, and there was uncertainty as to whether the committee would be reconstituted.
In the area of Integrated Maritime Policy (IMP), Palestine participated in the EU-funded IMP-MED Project providing assistance on cross-sectorial marine and maritime issues.
The joint 2014 evaluation on SME policy5 highlighted challenges to be addressed by Palestine, including the elaboration of a multi-year SME development strategy and of a national lifelong entrepreneurial learning strategy and work programme, strengthening of creditor rights, establishment of a national framework for training needs analysis, and promotion of female entrepreneurship.
The limited jurisdiction of PA institutions over all the territories continued to impact negatively on both the justice and security sectors, weakening the capacity and effectiveness of their associated institutions. Notwithstanding the formation of a National Consensus Government in April, and the nomination of a Minister of Justice based in Gaza, the PA did not advance in harmonising legislation between Gaza and the West Bank and unifying their respective legal systems.
The PA's 2014-16 National Strategy for Justice and Rule of Law, drafted in April 2014, was amended in September 2014 on the basis of comments received from the international community This modified version has not yet been approved by the Minister of Justice. The delineation of responsibilities between the different institutions that operate in these sectors still needed to be tackled comprehensively. Efforts were also made to establish the Palestinian Judicial Institute as the central institution in charge of training for the judiciary and prosecution. The nomination by the PA of a Eurojust contact point would help facilitate closer judicial cooperation with the EU.
The new draft Penal Code remained in draft form only. It contained some important progressive elements with regards to the death penalty and honour crimes, but should be reviewed to ensure its wider compatibility with the commitments contained in the international conventions to which the PA committed itself in April 2014. The draft legal aid law was also delayed, following concerns raised by civil society. The draft law on youth justice has been with the President's office for signature since April, despite the fact that its adoption is crucial for establishing a specialised youth justice system.
As far as the security sector is concerned, the Ministry of Interior played a lead role in developing the 2014-16 Security Sector Strategy Plan, which was adopted in April. Progress was made in implementing the strategy and the Ministry made greater efforts to reach out to international stakeholders.
The capacities of the police and civil defence continued to be enhanced, with EU support. New infrastructure and equipment were delivered for community police stations and prisons, and firefighting and rescue vehicles were provided for civil defence. The organisational capacity of both services was strengthened, with the development of more efficient management systems, improved communication skills and strengthened human resource and administrative capacities.
In September the Palestinian Civil Police adopted an Accountability Strategy and Action Plan. The EU Coordinating Office for Palestinian Police Support will support the Palestinian Civil Police, alongside the United Nations Development Programme, by advising on delivery of the action plan. A Code of Conduct for the Palestinian Civil Police was completed and distributed across its 11 districts in the West Bank. A law on the civil police has yet to be fully developed. This will be important in clarifying the role and mandate of the civil police and in strengthening accountability.
While the overall political context between the Israeli and Palestinian authorities remained tense and uncertain at field level, some technical cooperation was initiated with joint Palestinian/Israeli workshops to exchange respective practices in community policing.
Some progress was made in promoting civilian oversight in both the security and justice sectors thanks to the organisation of regular, specialised training by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) supported by the EU and other donors.
The development of Palestine's transport policy and infrastructure continued to be subject to severe constraint, particularly due to Israel's occupation and closure regime, and issues relating to permitting and ownership. In order to develop a long-term, consistent response to these problems, the PA embarked on preparatory work for a road and transport master plan with the support of the European Investment Bank, aimed at providing Palestine with a 20-year planning horizon and a five-year programme for priority actions in the sector. At regional level, the PA is a member of the Euro-Mediterranean transport dialogue and technical assistance programmes.
In the energy sector, the EU continued to assist the PA in reducing the burden of net lending originating from the electricity sector. The new Palestinian Electricity Transmission Company was established in February, following the earlier establishment of electricity distribution companies and of the Palestinian Electricity Regulatory Council. Four new supply substations and a control centre in Palestine were also being developed to increase Palestinian control over electricity loads imported from Israel and to help reduce the purchase tariff paid to the Israeli Electricity Company. Progress was good despite a land expropriation issue and a delay in securing some of the required funds.
The Environmental Quality Authority developed a climate change strategy for Palestine, though this was not yet formally adopted. Palestine actively participated in the regional EU CLIMA South project, which provided capacity building on climate action.
An external review of the Environmental Quality Authority's organisational structure was carried out by the Swedish International Development Agency, which recommended that it should develop a strategic and institutional development five-year plan to improve monitoring and inspection, and to develop databases, information systems and a communication strategy. Following the formation of the National Consensus Government, the PA prepared an action plan to reactivate environmental institutions in Gaza. The action plan was put on hold at the beginning of Operation Protective Edge.
The landfill site of Al Minya was opened in March 2014, allowing the disposal of solid waste from Palestinians and settlers.
In June 2014 President Abbas adopted a decree endorsing a new water law, providing the legal basis for implementing the Palestinian water sector reform. In addition, the 2014-16 national water sector strategy was presented to the international community in February, and a national awareness and education strategy for the environment sector was adopted. The water sector was hit heavily by the armed conflict in Gaza, leaving a large segment of the population in the Gaza Strip deprived of safe drinking water. Even before the conflict, 95 % of the water that Palestinians in Gaza had been consuming for decades was unfit for human consumption, as electricity shortages limited water treatment capacity and thus the availability of water to households. Infrastructure was systematically destroyed during the conflict, and the bombing further damaged the aquifers.
The EU continued to assist the PA in the water sector, investing in large infrastructure projects including: the water sanitation and reuse for agriculture project in Tayasir (EUR 22 million); the wastewater treatment plant in Nablus East and a reuse scheme (EUR 20 million); the North Gaza emergency sewage treatment project (EUR 6 million); and the short-term low-volume sea water desalination plant for Southern Governorates in the Gaza Strip (EUR 10 million).
In the area of research and innovation, two projects with Palestinian participation were selected for the first 'Horizon 2020' calls: the Middle East research and innovation dialogue, promoting science diplomacy and cooperation between the EU and the Middle East, and the Beyond Project, promoting space cooperation. A series of promotional 'Horizon 2020' events took place during the year in An-najah. The Scientific Research Council at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education launched an initiative on establishing research centres of excellence in Palestinian universities. As a result, 20 proposals from different universities in West Bank and Gaza were submitted (in fields ranging from health, water, energy, agriculture to nanotechnology, e-learning and others).
The education sector working group first met in September 2014 and agreed on the `partnership principles' to support the common education development strategic plan for 2014-19 (EDSP III). An education sector annual review was launched, paying special attention to the consequences of and needs resulting from the last Gaza conflict. Basic education in Gaza faced a difficult infrastructure situation and a growing need for psychosocial support for traumatised children. It continued to suffer from infrastructure shortcomings in areas besides Gaza, in particular East Jerusalem and Area C, due to the threat of demolition and difficulties obtaining permits for new construction. Due to a structural deficit, Palestinian higher education institutions were unable to accept all students that wished to continue their studies. Almost all higher education institutions were private entities and were underfunded because of low tuition fees and limited public contributions.
The current role of technical and vocational education and training does not meet the needs of the economy. The national technical and vocational education and training strategy in 2014 continued to be implemented with the creation of the National Agency for Technical and Vocational Education and Training, approved in May. Work was being done to set up the agency's by-laws and to make the agency operational.
Palestine participated in the Tempus programme with 14 on-going projects, five of which are coordinated by Palestinian universities. 205 Palestinian students and staff were selected in 2014 within partnerships supported by Erasmus Mundus and two students received scholarships to participate in joint master's programme. In 2014 no candidates were selected for funding under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie actions (MSCA) under 'Horizon 2020'.
Young people and youth organisations benefited from Erasmus +, with 532 people taking part in mobility projects. Cooperation on MedCulture and Euromed Audiovisual programmes continued.
The Palestinian health system continued to operate under severe economic and political pressure. In February 2014 the PA adopted its new 2014-16 national health strategy. The implementation of this and previous strategies was hampered by system inefficiencies coupled with a severely depressed fiscal situation. This translated into chronic drug shortages (particularly in Gaza) and an unsustainable increase in health expenditure related to medical referrals (which represented over 40 % of the budget of the Ministry of Health in recent years).
The massive destruction caused by the summer conflict in Gaza, including to UN facilities, caused grave disruption in the delivery of essential services to the population, including in the health and education sectors.
Steps were taken in early 2014 to improve the fairness and efficiency of the referral system, especially by decentralising the process. Stronger action was still needed to address this fiscally unsustainable trend, which translated into accumulated unpaid bills to outside providers of nearly ILS 410 million (EUR 90 million). The debt to pharmaceutical suppliers counted for an additional ILS 265 million (EUR 58 million).
The quality of hospitals in East Jerusalem was further improved with two additional hospitals passing international quality accreditation in early 2014, bringing the total number of accredited East Jerusalem hospitals to four. The network was also registered as an NGO. In addition, five Ministry of Health hospitals in the West Bank were equipped with a comprehensive management and information system designed to help the Ministry of Health in shaping national policies and priorities, and monitoring and evaluating services. Three more hospitals (including two in East Jerusalem) should be equipped shortly.
Palestine continued its technical cooperation with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) in the framework of an EU-funded regional project on preparatory measures to support participation by ENP countries in ECDC activities. Palestine nominated a national correspondent for relations with the ECDC.
Developments in civil society focused on the Palestinian national development plan's objective of providing better opportunities for young people to participate in political and community life. The Higher Council for Youth and Sports (under the PLO), in partnership with UNICEF, launched national minimum standards for youth and adolescents centres, to enhance their development and oversee the support provided for youth work. The EU accreditation process for voluntary work for local NGOs working with young people was being implemented.
1 This designation shall not be construed as recognition of a State of Palestine and is without prejudice to the individual positions of the EU Member States on this issue.
2 Area C refers to 62% of the occupied Palestinian territory in the West Bank that remains under full Israeli military and administrative control.
4 International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions.
5 SME Policy Index, the Mediterranean Middle East and North Africa 2014, Implementation of the Small Business Act for Europe (SBA).


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Home/Tourism/Tourist Attractions/Pyongyang
Pyongyang International Football School
Pyongyang International Football School opened on May 31. A modern base for the training of young football players built in…
Pyongyang Metro
The Pyongyang Metro, one of the major means of public transport, was inaugurated in September Juche 62 (1973), and underwent…
Pyongyang College of Tourism
Pyongyang College of Tourism was founded on February 5, Juche76 (1987). It was founded as the Tour Guide-Interpreter School at…
Kim Jong Suk Nursery
This nursery was set up in February 1948 at the initiative of Kim Jong Suk, an anti-Japanese war heroine, for…
Kang Pan Sok Revolutionary School
Chilgol in Mangyongdae District, Pyongyang is the native place of Kang Pan Sok (1892-1932), President Kim Il Sung's mother, who…
Changdok School
The school is located in Chilgol-Dong No.1, Mangyongdae District, Pyongyang. It has three school buildings. Building No.1 has 27 classrooms…
Fatherland Liberation War Martyrs Cemetery
The Fatherland Liberation War Martyrs Cemetery is situated at the foot of Mt Sokbak near the entrance to Ryonmot-dong in…
The Sci-Tech Complex
There is the Sci-Tech Complex on Ssuk Island in Pyongyang, the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. It…
Ryomyong Street
Ryomyong Street is a monumental creation in the Mallima era which was built in Juche106(2017) in the area adjacent to…
Mirae Scientists Street
Mirae Scientists Street is located in Pyongyang on the bank of the Taedong River, extending from Chungsong Bridge to Yanggak…
Changjon Street
Changjon Street is located near the Okryu Bridge on the Taedong River, extending to Mansu Hill where the bronze statues…
Ryongwang Pavilion
Standing at the side of Pyongyang Bell, it represents the pavilion architecture of Korea. It was first built during the…
Choesung Pavilion
The Choesung Pavilion is situated in the highest place (95m) on Moran Hill. In old days, people called the place…
Hyonmu Gate
The Hyonmu Gate, the northern gate of the northern fort of the Walled City of Pyongyang, still remains on picturesque…
Sungnyong Temple
The Sungnyong Temple is located in Central District, Pyongyang, side by side with the Sungin Temple, built in the later…
Chongnyu Pavilion
The Chongnyu Pavilion is situated in Kyongsang-dong, Central District, Pyongyang. It had been built as the tower of the Jonghae…
Chilsong Gate
It stands just beside the Moranbong Theatre with a road in between. It was built in the mid-6th century as…
Ulmil Pavilion
The pavilion stands on the centre of Moran Hill. It was built in the mid-6th century as the northern command…
Kwangbop Temple
It stands 4 km northeast of the Central Zoo. It is said that the temple was built in 392 by…
South Gate of Fort on Mt. Taesong
It stands in the centre of the Taesongsan Pleasure Ground. It was used as the front gate to the Fort…
Raising All People to Be Well Versed in Science and Technology
July 4 Joint Statement—Fundamental Principle of Korea's Reunification
Preparations for the 32nd April Spring Friendship Art Festival
Chilbosan Biosphere Reserve
DPRK's 70th Birthday Highlighted with National Meeting


VILPE places a strong emphasis on the quality of company products and operations. The management system of VILPE Oy has been assessed and the company has been granted the SGS ISO 9001:2015 quality certificate. This certification covers the product development, manufacturing and sales of VILPE®-products. The company is continuously developing its manufacturing processes in order to guarantee the supreme quality and applicability of its products. Applicability of the VILPE® products for construction has been proven with product certificate VTT C164 and, in the case of fastenings, with European Technical Approval ETA-12/0595 and a quality control certificate by the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. VILPE® roof fans have been granted the right to use the CE marking with SGS and NCS certificates in compliance with the Low Voltage Directive. Reliability in all situations is an integral element in the spirit of VILPE. We therefore offer our VILPE® products a technical guarantee of 20 years and a colour guarantee of 10 years, plus a two-year guarantee for all electrical components.
Respect for the environment is one of the fundamental factors behind all of VILPE's activities. All company products are manufactured from chemically neutral, recyclable polypropylene. The management system of VILPE has been evaluated and the company has been certified with the SGS ISO 14001:2015-environmental standard. The certificate covers the development, design, manufacturing and sales of the VILPE®-products.


He could have come as an adult but He didn't!
What if coming as a child added weight to his teaching about being like a child?
Jesus came to identify with us not just to be God among us!
Jesus came as a child to show us the way into God's Kingdom - "Unless you receive the Kingdom of God like a little child you cannot enter it" (Mark 10:15). Jesus came as a child - dependant, trusting, needing to learn obedience, playful, wanting hugs and eager to give them, curious and full of wonder about God. The point is Jesus became a human so He could identify with us AND we with Him!
Jesus identifies with our joys! He had His own!
Jesus identifies with our sorrows! He had sorrows too!
Jesus understands all our problems, difficulties, circumstances and opportunities.
He identified with them all and proved He was bigger.
Because Jesus dwarfs everything we can face all things with confidence.
This is the Kingdom way of Jesus!
This is His gift to us.
What gift do you think Jesus wants to receive from you?
What if it has something to do with being like a child toward Him?
What if it has something to do with going higher up and further into His Kingdom?
How about asking Jesus then listening for His response?


Women accounted for 47% of the U.S. labor force in 2016, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, but just 29% of the U.S. manufacturing workforce. Moreover, in a 2017 Deloitte survey of women in manufacturing, more than 7 in 10 respondents indicated they believe that women are underrepresented in their organization's leadership team.
As manufacturers work to address their hiring needs and cultivate leadership for their organization's future, what strategies can help ensure that women are represented in the hiring and promotion pools? What are some of the keys to fostering a culture of inclusion — one that supports retention of female employees and elevation of innovative women leaders? This roundtable discussion will feature perspectives from three members of Putman Media's inaugural class of Influential Women in Manufacturing.
Get insights into the state of women's representation in manufacturing in the U.S.
Hear perspectives on what works (and what doesn't) when it comes to ensuring that women employees are able to make the contribution they want to make to your company.
In her current role as business development manager at Rockwell Automation, Freeman works with multiple product groups to develop new products and features that meet the unique automation application needs of customers in the entertainment and theme-park industry.
She is a life member and volunteer for the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and was a key developer of the Rockwell Automation Society of Women Engineers (RASWE) employee resource group, which looks to help women attain technical and leadership skills that can prepare them for promotions and success in their careers.
Kelly Finch's "passion for process design and improvement" have been a powerful complement to the technological applications (she) has put in place as director of technology at O-AT-KA Milk Products Coop. Inc., praises Jill Smith, senior director at ERP provider Aptean. "These changes have replaced many of the non-value-added tasks with automated solutions, ultimately creating efficiencies and optimization within the manufacturing plant...(giving) workers the opportunity to pursue a more fulfilling role within the plant," Smith adds. Finch began her career at O-AT-KA in 1992 as assistant to the CEO and quickly found a passion for manufacturing. By 1994, she was named systems administrator within the newly formed IT department – a role in which she laid the groundwork for O-AT-KA's first network.


One of the best capacities that have been given by innovation to people is the capacity to have the capacity to control the earth in a house. This is by having the capacity to control the temperature of the room and in this way one can set the temperatures that they are comfortable with. The need to have the best heating, ventilations and air conditioning systems can therefore not be avoided.
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Village Walk
Memories – 1920s to 1940s
Local Transport through the Ages
Brockeridge Centre
Frampton Cott
On April 25, 2018 April 25, 2018 By admin
There are at least 7 different countryside walks from Frampton Cotterell / Coalpit Heath. One is chosen as the 'Parish Walk' so funding may improve accessibility along this route for people with disabilities, as it takes us across the centre of the village, including also part of the Frome Walkway.
On April 25, 2018 By admin
This photograph taken outside the Western Coach House Inn shows a village procession to celebrate the Coronation of King Edward VII on 15th June 1902. They have walked from St Peter's Church along Church Road to the junction with Bristol Road. All are wearing hats; the ladies' skirts are long;
Mail-coaches and waggons In 1787 a morning mail coach from Bristol travelled along the Cotswold ridge to Cirencester and Oxford, while an overnight mail coach left Bristol at 7pm via The Old Gloucester Road, reaching Birmingham next morning by 10am. In 1900 waggoner James Uley began a daily service from
The civil parish of Frampton Cotterell within the County of Gloucestershire was created by the 1894 Local Government Act. There was more local government reorganisation in 1974 when this parish became part of the newly-created County of Avon. Further local government reorganisation in 1996 caused Avon County to be disbanded,
Celts The Severn Vale was covered with dense forest when the Iberians arrived about 4000 BC and cleared a patch to live. Celts from Central Europe followed in 1100 BC, growing crops in the valley but built homes within bank and ditch fortifications on high ground. The hill fort at
The Brockeridge Centre was opened on 6th May 2000, and it replaces a derelict hut with this energy efficient building at the commercial centre of the village. The Centre has walls of local pennant stone, a simulated black slate roof, and mullioned windows to harmonise with Brockeridge Infants' School; (built
Ancestor Search
St Peter's churchyard Within this secret garden of Frampton Cotterell you may relax on a seat to gaze over fields and woods as you ponder or pray. In the south-east corner of the churchyard is an assortment of weather-worn tombstones amongst trimmed grass shaded by ornamental and mature trees that
St. Saviour's Church
The ecclesiastical parish of Coalpit Heath was constituted in April 1845 from the mining hamlets of Coalpit Heath, Nibley, and Henfield in Westerleigh civil parish together with the hamlets of Brockeridge and Adam's Land from Frampton Cotterell civil parish. St Saviour's is the first Anglican Church designed by the renowned
The first service in the old Zion building on August 6th 1795, was largely due to the driving force of Thomas Humphreys. He was Colliery Manager, and an evangelist who also compiled a hymn-book. In 1812 a Sunday School was opened on these premises. By 1815 the congregation numbered 300,
Parish Churches
Local Ecumenical Partnership The Clergy and Worshippers at each church agreed and signed a Local Ecumenical Partnership between St Peter's; St Saviour's; and Zion. Occasional United Services are held in each building, also joint activities that include– Lent Lunches & Groups; Easter Sunrise Service; Children's Summer Holiday Club; Christmas Carols


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High school coach fights opioid crisis in his own town
By Fox News on March 20, 2018 in Current Events
Patric Morrison is on a mission to tackle the epidemic in Madison, Indiana one player at a time.
FOX News Channel (FNC) is a 24-hour all-encompassing news service dedicated to delivering breaking news as well as political and business news. The number one network in cable, FNC has been the most watched television news channel for more than 15 years and according to a Suffolk University/USA Today poll, is the most trusted television news source in the country. Owned by 21st Century Fox, FNC is available in more than 90 million homes and dominates the cable news landscape, routinely notching the top ten programs in the genre.
Subscribe to Fox News! https://www.youtube.com/user/FoxNewsChannel
Tucker Carlson Tonight http://video.foxnews.com/playlist/longform-tucker-carlson-tonight/
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Steyn on lawmaker's Jewish weather 'conspiracy'
Peter Schweizer on how politicians enrich families, friends


Designed with the beach lifestyle and entertaining in mind, this home was built by highly regarded Blay Builders and has a list of features almost too numerous to mention. With a combination of bagged brickwork and Primeline Newport exterior cladding, for an easy care, low maintenance exterior, the home has 2.550m high ceilings, which provide a sense of space and with strategically placed windows and doors, the home benefits from the cooling sea breezes.
Access to the front door is by way of an intercom system and leads to the dedicated media room, which is air-conditioned, sound-proofed and features an integrated sound system, projector and movie screen. The central hub of the home comprises a designer kitchen with Ilve electric oven, 6 burner gas cook-top, island bench, stone bench-tops, stunning herring-bone tiled splash-back, a butlers pantry and double fridge space. The living areas are air-conditioned and also have a built-in, raised fireplace.
Double stacking sliding doors lead from the dining room, out to the covered alfresco entertaining areas, which overlook the back yard and the bush back-drop. There is ample room for a pool in the back yard, which also includes a 4.5m x 4.5m garden shed and rear access for the caravan or boat. There is a built-in study in the hall, a powder room for guests and both bathrooms have top quality fittings and frame-less shower screens. The master bedroom is huge, with air-conditioning and a massive 4m x 1.6m walk-in wardrobe and dressing room. There is a sound system which has built-in speakers connected to the living areas, alfresco and also the garage. A 5.5kw solar system means your power bills can be kept to a minimum.
Coming back from the beach, which is only 800m away, there's also an outdoor shower to wash off the sand from your feet.