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Belarusians Do Not Want Feminism – Digest of Belarusian Analytics
Belarusian analysts discuss recent foreign policy developments, the failure of the government to attract investors and two realities created by the state and independent media in Belarus among other issues. In Belarus neither women nor men want...
Belarus Can Learn Democracy from Iran
It may sound surprising but the Iranian political system is more democratic and pluralistic than its Belarusian counterpart. To build a democratic state Belarus needs a complete overhaul, while Iran needs just light repairs. Anti-Western rhetoric united these regimes but...
Should Germany Be Blamed for Cooperation with Belarus Police?
Scandalous news hit many media outlets this week in Germany: German police have been training their Belarusian counterparts for years. This raised many eyebrows because of the serious human rights violations perpetrated by Belarusian security services. In addition, the German media confuse...
Lukashenka Reshuffles Top Officials: Will Anything Change in Belarus?
This August is remarkable because of a number of new appointments of top officials in Belarus. The most notable changes include yesterday's appointment of the new head of the Presidential Administration Andrey Kabyakou, new foreign minister Uladzimir Makey and new presidential...
Teddy Bear Publicity and Burgeoning IT Business – Western Press Digest
Thanks to teddy bears, Belarus has the honour of making it into the infamous British tabloid press this month. The UK's ubiquitous Daily Mail provides sensationalist coverage of the teddy bear episode and fall-out, and includes a thorough...
Belarusians in Poland: Living Together but Separately
On 12 August Polish hooligans attacked Belarusian journalists and activists in Warsaw. Although such incidents are rare, old stereotypes and prejudices often make life for Belarusians in Poland difficult. Such stereotypes also provoke anti-Belarusian acts of vandalism. Although Poland guarantees...
Is there Meaning in Belarus's Parliamentary Elections?
In about a month, Belarusians will vote in parliamentary elections. Although parliamentary elections have become a mere formality since the late 1990s, each time they arise the Belarusian opposition actively discusses whether it makes sense to participate in them. The...
Change.org Blocked in Belarus, New Civil Society Initiatives – Civil Society Digest
Two individuals arrested by the KGB in connection with the teddy bear stunt released in Belarus. Change.org - an international web site platform to sign petitions - blocked in Belarus. New initiatives for small small businesses, people with disabilities...
Beyond High Politics: German Organisations in Belarus
As a result of the Belarus-Sweden diplomatic conflict, many media stated once again that Belarus is now "even more isolated" than it was before. Last Tuesday, the Belarusian ambassador to Berlin, Andrei Giro, was ordered to come to the German Foreign Ministry as...
Programmers in Belarus: the Cream of Society
The 2012 university admissions campaign in Belarus has just finished and reflects a very interesting trend. However good Belarusian higher education is for engineers, physicists, and mathematicians, that does not seem to matter to young people anymore. They want...
A Bad July for Lukashenka
July did not start very happily for Alexander Lukashenka. At the Independence Day speech on 4 July he praised the great political and economic situation of Belarus, but subsequent developments undermined both. The teddy bear affair and rejection of his...
Interpol Clashes with BBC over 2011 Minsk Metro Bombing
On 30 July, BBC showed a controversial documentary about the 2011 terrorist attack in Minsk where 15 people died and over 200 were injured. It questioned the guilt of the two men convicted and subsequently executed for it. The...
Despite Lukashenka's Rhethoric Belarus Officials Worry about Economic Outlook
While Alexandr Lukashenka assures Belarusians of economic stability, other high-profile officials warn of foreseeable problems in the economy. The Government and National Bank sent a joint official letter to the Anti-Crisis Fund of the Eurasian Economic Community where they painted quite a...
Economic Troubles Deepen and Regime Consolidates Before Elections – Polish Press Digest
The Polish press most frequently reported on the teddy bear affair over the last weeks. The newspapers follow the actions undertaken by the Belarusian authorities aimed at the investigation and punishment of those related to it. Other issues...
Belarusian Solvents: A Tricky Path to Economic Growth
Despite the proclaimed common Russia-Belarus way to prosperity within the Customs Union, neither country is ready to sacrifice individual economic interests for this cooperation. On 24 July Russia stopped railway deliveries of straight-run gasoline – the main raw material...


Spring City Golf and Lake Resort, a premier integrated golf resort in Kunming, comprises luxury villas and two championship golf courses - the Mountain Course designed by Jack Nicklaus and the Lake Course by Robert Trent Jones Jr. Both courses have received numerous international accolades since they were completed in 1998.
In 2003, Spring City added another two awards to its list of accolades - "The World's Most Influential Golf Award - China" and "The World's Most Influential Golf Award in China Cities - Kunming". In addition, the US Golf Digest ranked it the "No.1 Golf Course in China" while Golf Digest Hong Kong listed it among the "Top 10 Golf Courses in China and Hong Kong". The latter also voted Spring City as the "Best Maintenance Golf Course" and named Holes No. 5 and 7 of the Lake Course as "Signature Holes". For the fifth consecutive year, the resort was named "My Favourite Golf Club" by the China Golf Magazine.


Pictures can't do justice to this wonderful space in the heart of the Old Northeast. Potential tenants should know that the unit is being refurbished and will be rented as a furnished apartment. Here's the Postlet listing.


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Along the South-African coastline - Musical cruise
Cruise Africa
from 17 March 2020 to 25 March 2020
Departure Port : Cape Town
Arrival Port : Durban
Ship : LE LYRIAL
Ref : Y170320
In partnership with RADIO CLASSIQUE.
Discover a PONANT itinerary that explores the essential towns and sites of South Africa's wild east coast. A circuit in partnership with RADIO CLASSIQUE, with the exceptional presence of Alain Duault and of the Sirba Quintet.
At the crossroads of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, embark aboard Le Lyrial on a 9-day cruise between Cape Town, mother-city of the country, dominated by Table Mountain, and Durban, a cosmopolitan seaside city.
This journey in South Africa will also allow you to discover Port Elizabeth, nicknamed "the friendly city" for its welcoming inhabitants, and Richards Bay.
A land of ethnic diversity, South Africa is often described as "a world in one country". Its incredible melting pot of cultures, religions, and histories infuse its rich heritage.
The diversity of fauna and flora is also one of South Africa's treasures: the nation is home to three of the largest terrestrial mammals—the elephant, rhinoceros and hippopotamus—and its plant life alone represents one tenth of the world's botanic heritage, with some 25.000 species.
Between its bustling metropolises and its breathtaking natural beauty, we invite you to discover the two contrasting sides of this incredible country.
FREE SINGLE SUPPLEMENT *
*The supplement for single usage of a double cabin is waived, according to availability and staterooms categories.
* €800 flight credit per person on select cruises. This offer is subject to availability and may be changed or withdrawn without prior notice. It cannot be backdated.
A cruise in partnership avec RADIO CLASSIQUE, in the presence of Alain Duault and of the Sirba Quintet.
The visit to Robben Island, a tiny UNESCO World Heritage Site where the Nobel Peace Prize winner Nelson Mandela was held prisoner.
Cape of Good Hope and its cliffs plunging sharply into the Atlantic Ocean, overlooking the immense white sandy beaches.
The chance to see the emblematic species of the African continent during a safari in a reserve.
Phezulu Safari Park and the history of the traditional Zulu tribes.
After your cruise, you have the opportunity of going on safari in the Kruger National Park, inside the largest game reserve in South Africa.
Musical cruise
Guest(s) Lecturer(s)
Privilège Suite
Grand Privilege Suite
The Owner's suite is situated on Deck 6. It has been decorated by French interior designers and will provide you with a breathtakting panoramic sea view.Individually-controlled air-conditioning
Fourth ship in this superb series loyal to the PONANT spirit, Le Lyrial like her sisterships embodies the subtle alliance between luxury, intimacy and wellbeing which is PONANT's signature. The elegance of her exterior and interior lines and her intimate size (only 122 staterooms and suites) make this a rare and innovative yacht on the cruise market.
We have been inspired by the destinations we visit and decided to create a subtle variation around a palette of blues. Ranging from the luminous delicate grey-blue of the Polar ice to splashes of the vivid turquoise blue found in Mediterranean coves, it also includes the blue light of the future pole star.
Dynamic and peaceful, cosmopolitan and hip, Cape Town offers its visitors a most unique mix. Here, the locals like to say that their city is "the quintessential melting pot of South Africa". Located in the heart of one of the most beautiful bays in the world and dominated by the famous Table Mountain, it is graced with extraordinary landscapes including sheer cliffs that plunge into the Atlantic Ocean and vast whitesand beaches. We invite you to discover this incredible city, the South African capital of fashion, the art of living, and gastronomy. Further on, the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve awaits you and is home to a wide variety of endemic fauna and flora.
18 March 2020 – Cape Town
19 March 2020 – At sea
20 March 2020 – Port Elizabeth
Discover Port Elizabeth, one of South Africa's major cities. Located in the province of Eastern Cape, Port Elizabeth is nicknamed "The Friendly City", in reference to the hospitality of its inhabitants. Renowned for the beauty of its beaches, Port Elizabeth is also home to rich wild life, particularly in the Addo National Park, famous for its elephants. Another key site in the city, the Donkin reserve is a public space home to numerous historic monuments. Port Elizabeth also reflects an important aspect of South African history, through both its colonial heritage and its contemporary history marked by the end of apartheid.
23 March 2020 – Richards Bay
A simple fishing village in the past, Richards Bay is now South Africa's second port. Despite the significant development of industrial activity, particularly in terms of mineral extraction, Richards Bay is one of the country's cleanest and most environmentally responsible towns. Bordering the Indian Ocean, the town is a haunt for water sport enthusiasts. In the heart of the Hluhluwe Game Reserve, nature lovers will be able to observe the wild fauna, made up of crocodiles, hippos and different bird species, as well as rich subtropical flora. Richards Bay is the departure point for many excursions heading off to discover Zulu country.
24 March 2020 – Durban
As your vessel cruises along the coast of Durban, from the exterior decks you will be able to admire the long beaches washed by waves from the Indian Ocean and the skyscrapers that overlook the jacaranda-lined avenues. Not far from there, you will be captivated by the Valley of a Thousand Hills, the ancestral land of the Zulu people. The undulating, soft green hills are home to a multitude of small villages with traditional round huts. In the heart of the Phezulu Safari Park, the beliefs and rituals of the fascinating Zulu culture will be revealed to you and you will be treated to a show that pulsates to the beat of Zulu drums.
Anti-malarial treatment is recommended (see your doctor) especially if you are participating on one of the pre/post programs in the Kruger National Park.
The musicians in the renowned Sirba Octet, with us in their quintet formation, are from the prestigious Paris Orchestra, hence their reputation for excellence and an eclectic repertoire. As a counterpoint to discovering South Africa, so long disfigured by the cancer of racism and exclusion, their programme will reflect an opening of the spirit. From the pure classical music of Mozart, Brahms and Schumann to Yiddish music and Klezmer, they show how in music as in life everyone feels pleasure from sharing beautiful experiences that unite us.
Discover the delights of our cultural cruises where music takes centre stage, combining sumptuous scenery and exceptional artistic heritages.
A waterborne musical journey
Whether you are a fan of instrumental classical music or opera, or you prefer jazz or Celtic melodies, why not enjoy a different and very special experience aboard a PONANT ship? Set sail for a luxury cruise combining the charms of music and the sea.
These cultural cruises, where the tempo is set by concerts on land or at sea as well as a series of conferences, bring together music lovers and artists around a shared passion: music.
An exceptional selection of artists*
Aboard the ships, our guests of honour, all well-known artists, talented performers and brilliant virtuosos will share their knowledge and their passion in an accessible and intimate way.
According to the theme of each cruise, PONANT welcomes prestigious artists, be they pianists, violinists, singers and more.
Come and share alongside them the refined adventure of a PONANT musical cruise.
*See the list of guests of honour present during your cruise in the "Guests" tab.
Alain Duault
The novelist, poet, journalist, musicologist and radio and television presenter Alain Duault has been sharing his passion for and knowledge of classical music for more than 30 years. Considered to be one of the greatest opera specialists in France he is now President of the Prix Pelléas jury, and has been made an Officier de la Légion d'Honneur and Commandeur des Arts et Lettres.
Alain Duault studied literature, philosophy and psycho-analysis in Paris, then musicology and piano. His first TV appearance was as a guest of Bernard Pivot for his book of poems, Colorature. This led to a number of radio programmes dedicated to classical music, notably on RTL, the radio station where Alain Duault would be "Mr Classical Music" for 22 years, before joining Radio Classique with daily slots until 2018. A role that he also took on for the France 3 television channel, presenting a number of exceptional programmes (masterclasses with Ruggero Raimondi in the Salle Gaveau, Musiques en fête at the Chorégies d'Orange festival…).
In 1999, he conceived and presented Intégrale Chopin (225 works, 60 pianists), broadcast on France 3. Then in 2001, he wrote and performed an ambitious and very popular show, Verdi, une passion, un destin (with Jean Piat and 250 musicians). In the wake of this success, he wrote and performed two other shows: Victor Hugo, la légende d'un siècle in 2002 and Rencontre avec George Sand (with Marie-Christine Barrault) in 2004 and 2005.
Alain Duault also puts his writing skills to the service of classical music. The author of a number of books, including Dans la peau de Maria Callas, (Le Passeur Éditeur, 2014, pocket edition, 2017), Dictionnaire amoureux illustré de l'Opéra (Plon Gründ, 2016), Ce léger rien des choses qui ont fui, poetry (Gallimard, 2017), he also writes editorials for Classica.
Language spoken: French
Photo credit: Laurent Rouvrais @Radio Classique
Rémi Delangle
Rémi Delangle is a multifaceted musician, led by the discovery, diversity and musical quality. Formed in the conservatories of Boulogne-Billancourt, Cergy-Pontoise, Aubervilliers and Sydney, he joined Pascal Moragues and Jean-François Verdier's class at CNSMDP where he obtained his Master of clarinet with honors.
He joined the orchestra of the Republican Guard in 2007, while pursuing his career in parallel as a guest within prestigious orchestras such as the Orchestre de Paris, the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, the Orchestra of Nancy, the Orchestre de Bretagne…
He also participates in international competitions and finished semi-finalists of the competition of the ARD in Munich and won the competition of the Societa Umanitaria Milan.
Very involved in contemporary creation, Remi plays regularly in all Cbarré, Ensemble Intercontemporain, all TM +, the Muse en Circuit. Alongside his classical training, Remi was fascinated early to improvised music and oral transmission from the Balkans and for the Klezmer music. It flourishes in this direction in the Alcolytes groups, Wistiteats Balkan Kamikaze and Sirba Octet, as well as many improvised ephemeral projects.
Languages spoken: French, English
Photo credit: Henri Selmer
Richard Schmoucler
Member of the Orchestre de Paris since 1998, Richard Schmoucler trained at the Conservatoire de Paris under Gérard Poulet, Maurice Moulin, Devy Erlih and Alexis Galpérine for violin and Bruno Pasquier and David Walter for chamber music. In 1990 he was awarded first prize diplomas both in violin and chamber music.
He continued to study under Ivry Gitlis and also with Maya Glézarova at the Moscow Conservatory, Tibor Varga and Myriam Solovief. Schmoucler has been awarded prizes by the Fondation Bleustein-Blanchet and the Fondation de France and is a regular soloist for the Auvergne and Toulouse Chamber Orchestras, the Pasdeloup Orchestra and the Orchestre Lamoureux. From 2010 to 2014 he was first violin for the ensemble Musique Oblique. In 2003, Schmoucler formed the Sirba Octet and has been the driving force behind the group's progression and the production of their five albums. He has given various masterclasses and performances, notably at the Académie Festival des Arcs, PESM de Bourgogne and the Academy of Music in Bydgoszcz in Poland.
At his request, Kaija Saariaho composed Frises for violin and electronics and November 2012 saw the world premiere of the piece, which was dedicated to Schmoucler, at the Borusan Art Centre in Istanbul. In 2011 he became the director of studies at the Orchestre Atelier Ostinato. In 2016 he began teaching competition preparation at the Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional in Paris.
Photo credit: Bernard Martinez
Claude Giron
After receiving Premiers Prix from the CNSM of Paris in cello and chamber music in the classes of Roland Pidoux and Michel Strauss respectively, Claude Giron set out at the age of twenty-one for further study with Aldo Parisot at Yale University, where she was awarded a Master of Music and an Artist Diploma.
In 1994 she joined the Orchestre philharmonique de Radio France, moving to the Orchestre de Paris in 1998. Claude Giron also plays in quartet and chamber orchestra repertory (with the European Camerata and the Octuor de Paris among others), and has recorded a CD with the jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal. She frequently toured Europe and the United States between 2000 and 2007 as a member of the American group Pink Martini.
Credit photo: Bernard Martinez
Christophe Henry
After training at the Conservatoire de Paris with a series of first prize diplomas under Alain Planès for piano, Michel Chapuis for organ, Bruno Pasquier for chamber music and Jean Koerner for accompaniment, Christophe Henry honed his skills alongside Menahem Pressler at the Banff Arts Festival in Canada.
As both a pianist and organist he has performed with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio-France, Orchestre National de France, Orchestre de Paris, Orchestre de Lyon and the Radio-France Choir at some of the greatest concert halls in Beijing, Tokyo, Seoul, Paris and Vienna and at the Roman Theatre of Orange.
In 2009, he was recorded playing Charles-Valentin Alkan's pedal piano, a one-of-a-kind instrument displayed at the Musée de la Musique in Paris. In 2011 he played with the Quatuor Ludwig and in 2012 he appeared as a soloist with the chamber choir Accentus at the Mozarteum as part of the Salzburg Festival. A multitalented keyboardist and passionate jazz fan, he plays with and learns from pianist Emil Spanyi, vibraphonist Philippe Macé and drummer Georges Paczinski.
Iurie Morar
Iurie Morar trained at the National Conservatoire of Moldova in Chisinau (USSR) and won the Stefan Neaga competition there before continuing his training in France at the Conservatoire de Strasbourg under Detlef Kieffer.
Performing with various ensembles he has appeared with popular groups as well as symphony and chamber orchestras alongside artists such as Laurent Korcia, Sarah Nemtanu (with whom he has released a CD) and Gilles Apap (with whom he released the album Transilvanian Lointain Boys). In 2010 he made a guest appearance with the Orchestre de Paris to perform Stèle, György Kurtag's Opus 33, conducted by Pierre Boulez. Morar is also an arranger and conductor and in 2012 formed Le Grand Orchestre for whom he has composed and directed two shows – Tzars, which is centered around Caucasian and Eastern European music and dance, and Atmosphère, which focuses on film music from Chaplin's silent era to the Hollywood greats. He plays a cimbalom made by the Hungarian manufacturer Bohak.
Possibility of withdrawal in case of force majeure.
16/03/2020 – OVERNIGHT IN CAPE TOWN (1 NIGHT)
Take advantage of a day to relax in a pleasant and comfortable setting and discover Cape Town with a scenic city tour.
Day 1 – Cape Town
Arrival in Cape Town International Airport. Meet PONANT representative off the flight. As the programme is built in connection with a late flight arrival, you will be directly transferred to your hotel One & Only.
Day 2 - Cape Town
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast at the hotel. You will then depart the hotel driving on a scenic route to a local restaurant for lunch. This is followed by a city orientation tour of Cape Town, before being transferred to Cape Town harbour where you will board your ship.
Your Hotel :
The One & Only Hotel/Cape Town
Located in the heart of the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, The One & Only hotel features panoramic views of Table Mountain. Its rooms are elegant and spacious with a South African touch. It has an outdoor infinity pool, a spa, many restaurants and offer all the amenities expected in a 5-star hotel
1 night at the One & Only Hotel (or similar), including breakfast.
Lunch on Day 2 in a local restaurant.
Beverage package included during lunch (mineral water + 1 soft drink or 1 local beer + tea or coffee).
English-speaking assistance during the programme.
Visa fees if necessary.
Tips for the driver and local guide.
Other services not mentioned in the programme
Rand is the official currency in South Africa. Euros and US dollars can easily be changed in the banks or exchange offices. International credit cards are widely accepted in the hotels, shops and restaurants.
The surrounding area of Cape Town enjoys a Mediterranean climate: dry and warm from September to April. In March, average temperatures vary from 59 to 79°F (15 to 26°C). Along the Indian Ocean coast, the climate is of subtropical kind with temperatures between 70 to 82°F (21 and 28°C).
Antimalarial treatment is recommended (see your doctor), especially if you are participating on one of the pre/post programme in the Kruger National Park.
Please consult your respective government agencies for visa and health information.
One & Only hotel
Dock Road, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront,
V & A Waterfront,
8001 Cape Town
Téléphone: +27 21 431 5888
Durations are indicative, and the order of visits may change. For the times of your PONANT flight, please contact your travel adviser; they are also shown on your electronic ticket included in your travel documents.
25/03/2020 – Panoramic tour, lunch and transfer to Durban airport (1 day)
Travel with peace of mind as PONANT organises your transfer between your port of disembarkation and the airport.
After the disembarkation formalities, you will meet your PONANT representative on the pier, and depart on a Durban panoramic tour.
It is said that the bay was spotted by Vasco de Gama in 1497, on Christmas Day and christened Port Natal. It is not until 1843 that the town got its new name, Durban, in honour of Sir Benjamin of Urban.
Discover Durban melting pot during this panoramic tour, along the Golden Mile (the seafront promenade). A photo stop at Currie Hill will allow you to enjoy views over the city.
Continue to the botanical gardens which are amongst the oldest ones of Africa and well-known worldwide, in particular for the exotic plants collection from sub-tropical regions.
Lunch will be served during the excursion in a local restaurant. This panoramic tour will end at the international King Shaka Airport of Durban.
A panoramic half day sightseeing excursion.
Beverage package included during the lunch (mineral water + 1 soft drink or 1 local beer + tea or coffee).
English speaking assistance during the programme.
Your programme does not include :
Personal expenses and tips for the guide.
For passengers on the PONANT flight from Durban to Johannesburg, a representative will assist during transit.
Antimalarial treatment is recommended.
Durations are indicative and the order of visits may change. For the times of your PONANT flight, please contact your travel adviser ; they are also shown on your electronic ticket included in your travel documents.
25/03/2020 – SAFARI IN THE KRUGER PARK - STAY AT LUKIMBI LODGE (3 NIGHTS)
For your comfort and serenity, this programme benefits from a PONANT accompaniment***.
The escort, mandated by the company, accompanies you and remains at your disposal during your stay.
His mission: offering you assistance and facilitating the organisation to ensure the full success of your stay.
This safari trip will take you to the heart of South Africa's largest wildlife reserve, recognized by UNESCO as a Biosphere Reserve. You will track, follow and closely observe a wide variety of animals in their natural environment, during an enjoyable stay in the comfort of a luxury lodge.
Day 1 - Durban/Lukimbi Safari Lodge & Kruger National Park
Then, you will be transferred to King Shaka International Airport. You will have some drinks and snacks, prior to your domestic flight Durban/Nelspruit.
Upon arrival at Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport, you are met and transferred to the Lukimbi Safari Lodge situated within the Kruger National Park on the Lwakahle River.
The concession you will be exploring during your programme stands as one of the biggest in the southern section of the Park and represents over 15 000 hectares (37 100 Acres). You will arrive to the Lodge in the evening.
Check-in in Classic Suite and freshen up.
Day 2 - Kruger National Park
After an early morning wake-up call, embark on a sunrise game drive with your qualified English-speaking game ranger.
Game drives take place in an open safari vehicle and are conducted in the early morning and late afternoon every day in search of animals.
A team of experienced, knowledgeable and personable rangers paired with local trackers will ensure you a first-class safari experience. Trackers typically sit up at the front of the vehicle looking for fresh animal tracks, while rangers skilfully navigate into ravines and through thickets in pursuit of fantastic game sightings.
Close encounters will be plentiful, since the fauna is not threatened by human presence thanks to the Reserve Sound Conservation management policies. Be ready for one-of-a-kind photo opportunities of the Big Five, and much more – over 300 bird species can be spotted.
After your morning safari, return to the Lodge for breakfast and leisurely morning.
You are welcome to enjoy the remainder of the morning going on a bush walk with your guide (this can be organized during breakfast time & usually departs right after it). Or you may relax by the pool, or indulge yourself at the relaxation retreat with sauna and exercise room, or why not simply catch up on a well-deserved sleep.
Return to the Lodge for lunch, followed by an afternoon sunset game drive.
After enjoying sundowners in the bush, return to the main Lodge for dinner.
Today's programme will basically follow the same plan as per above with two game drives during the day: morning and afternoon game, meals as described on Day 2.
Day 4 - Kruger National Park/Johannesburg
Depending on flight departure time, you will depart from the Lukimbi Safari Lodge after one last morning game drive & breakfast.
Late morning transfer to Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport.
Flight Nelspruit/Johannesburg.
On arrival at Oliver Tambo International Airport, you are met and escorted to a lounge within the airport, where you can freshen up, rest and enjoy selected snack food & drinks.
Assistance for check-in in connection with the flight selected by PONANT.
Your Lodge:
Lukimbi Lodge proposes for each individual unit a private lounge and deck.
Common facilities at the Lodge itself include a well-equipped gym and a swimming pool. Whether quietly enjoying the views, reading a good book, or enjoying conversation with fellow safari participants, the warmth and charm of the Lodge environment will be fully part of your safari experience.
Additional amenities include a mini bar (stocked with a selection of beverages), hairdryer, telephone and laptop connections and not to forget tea/coffee making facilities.
Domestic flights Durban/Kruger & Mpumalanga/Johannesburg in economy class.
3 nights in Classic Suite at the Lukimbi Safari Lodge (or similar)
Meals as per above description.
Beverage package included during the meals at the Lodge (mineral water + 1 soft drink or 1 local beer or 1 local wine + 1 tea or coffee).
Two safari games on Day 2 and 3, by open-air vehicle escorted by a ranger and a local tracker.
Luggage porterage at the Lodge (1 piece of baggage per person).
Tips for the rangers.
Access to private lounge at the OR Tambo Johannesburg airport to freshen up and enjoy some drinks and snacks at the end of the programme.
Supplement for excess of luggage.
Tips for the guide and the driver.
We recommend taking along light clothing (neutral, dull colours are essential) and comfortable shoes as well as sun protection mosquito repellent and binoculars.
We recommend drinking mineral water only and avoid ice.
Safaris take place on uneven rough terrain therefore the programme is not adapted to guests with back problem or with a mobility challenge.
Luggage allowance: 2 pieces of 20 kg maximum for the domestic flight in economy from Durban/Kruger & Mpumalanga/Johannesburg. A 7-kg hand luggage is allowed, dimensions: 56 x 36 x 23 cm.
Contact for your lodge:
Lukimbi Safari Lodge
Southern part of the Kruger National Park
Malelane, 1320, South Africa
Telephone +27 11 792 6165
Durations are indicative and the order of visits may change.
For the times of your PONANT flight, please contact your travel adviser ; they are also shown on your electronic ticket included in your travel documents.
*** The programme's escort is subject to a minimum of 20 participants.
25/03/2020 – MAJESTIC VICTORIA FALLS (3 NIGHTS)
Between the wild savannah and the Zambezi River, thunder the majestic Victoria Falls.
Take a few days of discovery for a unique encounter with breathtaking scenery and stunning wildlife. Between Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana to South Africa, embark on a safari adventure and immerse yourself in nature in all its glory.
Day 1 – Durban/Victoria Falls
After your disembarkation, you will be greeted by our local representative.
You will be transferred directly transferred to the airport and onto your connection flight to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, via Johannesburg.
Flight Durban/Johannesburg/Victoria Falls – approximately 4 hours including 1h30 for connection.
On arrival at Victoria Falls Airport, you will be greeted by our local representative and transferred to your hotel, after proceeding through immigration formalities.
Check-in your room and enjoy a welcome drink at the Victoria Falls Hotel.
Lunch and the rest of the afternoon are at leisure.
In the late afternoon, you will be transferred from the hotel to the Zambezi River for a Sunset Cruise on the Ra-ikane, a monohull cruising boats fashioned after David Livingstone's exploration boat. Enjoy the dazzling African sunset, and get an up-close view of the wilderness and African game along its banks.
After your river cruise you will return to the hotel and where dinner will be served.
Day 2 - Victoria Falls
In the morning, depart to the Botswana Border for a full day adventure in the Chobe National Park.
After immigration procedures, you will start a cruise on the Kwando river, the natural border between Botswana and Namibia. You will have the chance to observe the birds along the river such as African darters, fish eagles, kingfishers and other waders and water birds.
Lunch will be served in a lodge and then you will embark on open 4x4 game drive vehicles for further exploring.
The Chobe National park is one of the most biologically diverse and the third largest park in Botswana. The park is known as "The Land of The Giants" due to its spectacular elephant population.
After your game drive you go back to the Victoria Falls Hotel.
Dinner will be served at the hotel.
Enjoy the day at leisure on your own.
The Victoria Falls hotel offer several excursions such as helicopter ride, craft markets visits, bird-watching safari…
After spending the afternoon at leisure, you will be driven for your dinner in a local restaurant entertained with Amakwezi traditional dance show.
You will be welcomed with traditional greeting in the local languages, Shona and Ndebele. You will be dressed in "chitenges" (Traditional Robes) and prepared to enter the main enclosure where you will be invited to take part in a hand washing ceremony before sampling traditional beer and snacks. You will taste the traditional Zimbabwean dishes.
Amakwezi traditional dancers, a local storyteller and a witchdoctor will keep you entertained throughout the night
Return to the hotel after an eventful evening.
After check-out you will be driven to the water falls for a guided tour on the Zimbabwean side of the border.
Victoria Falls presents a spectacular sight of awe-inspiring beauty and grandeur on the Zambezi River, forming the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. It was described by the Kololo tribe living in the area in the 1800's as "Mosi-oa-Tunya", "The Smoke that Thunders". In more modern terms Victoria Falls is known as the greatest curtain of falling water in the world.
Columns of spray can be seen from miles away as, at the height of the rainy season, more than five hundred million cubic meters of water per minute plummet over the edge, over a width of nearly two kilometres, into a gorge over one hundred meters below.
A light lunch will be served in a local restaurant.
Then, you will be transferred to Victoria Falls Airport, for your international flight.
Surrounded by tropical gardens and situated few minutes'walk from one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World: the Victoria Falls, the Victoria Falls Hotel has been built in the early 1900's and is decorated in a style of Edwardian times. The comfortable guestrooms are elegant with traditional design preserving the colonial atmosphere. An extensive range of facilities is on offer, such as a swimming pool, a spa and three restaurants including one which looks out Victoria Falls.
Upgraded rooms are also available depending on availability and on a supplement basis. Contact your travel professional for further detail.
3 nights'accommodation in Stable Signature Wing Room at the Victoria Falls hotel (or similar).
Domestic flight Durban/Johannesburg/Victoria Falls in economy class – Luggage allowance is 23 kg per person.
Meals as mentioned in the programme.
Beverages package during meals mentioned in the programme (mineral water + 1 soft drink or 1 local beer + 1 coffee or tea).
Transfers, visits and entrance fees as mentioned in the programme.
Sunset cruise on Zambesi river
Cruise on Chobe river.
Game drive on Chobe National Park.
Visa fee for entering Zimbabwe for EU, US, Canadian & Australian citizens.
EU, US, Canadian & Australian citizens are visa exempt for entering Botswana. Based on the 2018-current information.
The services of a local English-speaking guide.
US dollars and South African Rand are accepted in Botswana and Zimbabwe.
The Central Bank of Zimbabwe has limited the withdrawal of cash to 1000 USD per day per person.
The water flow over the Victoria Falls is not guaranteed, since it does depend on the rains.
Visa Information are based on current 2018-information. They are subject to change prior to your departure and revisable, according to official government regulations.
Please consult your local Embassy for the updated details for visa requirements for Zimbabwe including the amount of blank pages required in your passport including entry back into SA.
The contents and order of activities in this program are subject to change by the lodge management without prior notice, due to the prevailing weather conditions and movement of dangerous wildlife on the Game Reserve.
During early morning game drives in open vehicles it can be a little cool. We recommend that guests take along a windbreaker.
Antimalarial treatment is highly recommended please consult your physician. We strongly recommend all guests contact their medical practitioners prior to travel for advice on the appropriate anti-malaria precautions and/or any other inoculations, vaccinations etc.
Luggage allowance for the domestic flight in economy class from Durban to Victoria Falls via Johannesburg: 23kg maximum and one 8-kg hand luggage is allowed, dimensions : 56 x 36 x 23 cm.
The Victoria Falls Hotel
1, Mallet Drive, Victoria Falls
PO Box 10, Victoria Falls
Telephone number: +263-213-2844751/9
16/03/2020 – Flights From/ To Paris (Economic Class) + Overnight in Cape Town 1N (Pre) + Panoramic tour, Lunch and Transfer to the Airport in Durban (Post)
16/03/2020 – Flights From/To Paris (Economic Class) + Overnight in Cape Town 1N (Pre) + Majestic Victoria Falls 3N (Post)
16/03/2020 – Flights From/To Paris (Economic Class) + Overnight in Cape Town 1N (Pre) + Safari in the Kruger Park - Stay at Lukimbi Lodge 3N (Post)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


This beautiful Mykonian villa overlooking Ftelia Beach is situated in the Ftelia area of Mykonos. The villa perfectly fits into the untouched Mykonian environment, and offers to its guests an opportunity to find their inner peace while looking at the crystal clear blue Aegean water, and enjoying the panoramic view of the Aegean Sea and Panormos bay.
The villa has three levels and is 250sqm. The design of the villa combines traditional Cycladic architecture with modern interior decoration, offering the ultimate of luxury. It can accommodate up to ten guests.
The upper level has two master en suite bedrooms. The entrance level has bright living room, dining area, cozy fully equipped kitchen, WC, 1 bedroom with en-suite bathroom. The lower level offers 1 guest suite with double bedroom and 1 guest suite with 2 double beds. The outdoor area has infinity swimming pool – Jacuzzi, pergola which offers shaded outdoor dining space to enjoy magnificent Mediterranean cuisine, warehouse and parking area.


The Talkabout T465 provides features and accessories designed specifically for hunters. Just press the push-to-talk button to easily connect to your fellow hunters and campers in the forest, around the campground and even by the lake.
Bring the carry case with you and fully enjoy your wilderness adventure with up to a 35 mile range, emergency features, and hands-free communication.
Range up to 35 Mile sin perfect conditions (Mountain-to-Valley) With a range of up to 35 miles and freedom to communicate wirelessly, the T400 won't slow you down. The range in real-life conditions can be reduced from maximum range.


Last year was the first Christmas that the bulk of a congregation's pastoral care needs fell on my shoulders. I was warned by other pastors to prepare myself--the need for my presence would mysteriously increase right around the holiday. I would get "the calls." And sure enough, beginning two days before Christmas, two broken hips, a nursing home-related family crisis, an accelerated kidney failure. Those were just the physical emergencies. For reasons that remain a mystery, Christmastide is a time when, deep within our subconscious--at the place where the body and the spirit intertwine--people prepare to die.


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Q: Installing driver for asus usb-n13 on win7 without disk The problem is - the ZIP files from asus support site contain a bunch of .sys and .inf files(Tried right click->install them, resulted in error), and sometimes an Asus utility as well(tried installing it - no use). Device manager also does not see the driver, even if I point right to driver folder.
OS - Win7 Ultimate

A: When you use Device Manager, have you tried telling it "Have Disk" and pointing it to that directory where you extracted the ZIP file? Sometimes Windows will not "see" the driver even thought its right there infront of it. Also, not to be offensive, but double check that the driver you downloaded is the one for the device in question.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Whenever you're sent an important document via email – maybe a contract or an invoice – it's likely that it will be in PDF format. Adobe invented the PDF back in 1993, so it's not only one of the most commonly used files, but a veteran file format, too.
The main aim of the PDF (Portable Document Format) is to send important information to another person quickly and easily. Despite the fact that this file type is so old, its capabilities haven't changed much over the years. It's still a highly versatile way to combine text and multimedia within one document.
Another reason why PDF files have become commonplace in today's interconnected world is that they work with almost all applications, hardware and operating systems. These documents use the PostScript language, which makes it possible to display a range of text fonts, graphics and other media in a single, universal file.
Of course, while virtually all operating systems support PDFs, that's not to say they can handle everything that pertains to this file format. Upon receiving a PDF, you should be able to view it in your browser without any trouble, but what if you want to print the file out, for example? Fonts or other formatting may not come out quite right, and these elements aren't exactly easily tweaked from the OS level.
However, that's why PDF readers exist: not only do these apps allow you to easily view and print PDFs, but they often give you tools to pull off more advanced tricks like editing, converting or sharing these documents with ease. In this article, we've picked out five of the best PDF reader apps for Mac users.
Available to download directly from the Mac App Store, PDF Reader Premium from Kdan Software is one of the most powerful and popular PDF management tools for Apple computers. It functions as a file manager, file converter and page editor.
With the software, you can easily edit PDF files by adding freehand writing, text boxes, sticky notes, hyperlinks and annotations. And to ensure that important documents don't get mixed up, you're able to label them by adding tags and color-coding. What's more, to keep track of all your saved files, you can make use of an import history feature.
The app works with iCloud, too, meaning you can back up and access saved documents on an iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad. There's even compatibility with Dropbox, so you can easily import documents from devices that run on other operating systems.
Overall, you should find the app smooth and quick to use. It's powered by a proprietary rendering engine, which aims to ensure that large files are processed and loaded without any lag. Currently, the app costs $59.99 (£42), although there is a free version that you can try before you purchase.
Apple Books is more than just an app for reading novels-at the heart of Apple Books is the ability to read and organize PDF files. The only stipulations is that they must be DRM-free, which makes it somewhat limited by comparison to some of the more dedicated readers featured here.
However, as a simple PDF reader Apple Books-formerly iBooks-does the job exactly as it needs to. Better still, it's bundled for free with iOS 12 so if you're already up to date with the upgrade cycle then the chances are you already have it but perhaps didn't know it can be used to read PDFs as well as novels and a range of document formats.
The one limitation Apple Books has that some of the other apps here don't have is that it can't be used for editing, anotating, or creating PDF files. However, as we're only focused on PDF readers in this piece Apple Books is still a wworthy and necessary inclusion. Even still, there are other apps available in the App Store that can provide expanded functions for manipulating PDF files, if required.
Adobe not only invented the trusty PDF document in the first place, but the company has also created some top-notch apps to manage them. Acrobat Pro DC is a great example, and it supports both Windows and Mac devices. The software allows you to create, edit and convert PDF files with ease.
Whether you happen to be using a desktop PC, laptop or tablet, Acrobat lets you turn any paper document into a PDF file. You just have to snap a photo of the piece of paper and upload it to Adobe's platform, then you can subsequently edit it. Acrobat also lets you convert PDFs into any Microsoft Office file format, preserving all fonts and formatting.
Thanks to integration with Excel, you can even edit data in scanned tables, making it easier to edit and analyze financial data. Just like Kdan Software's PDF Reader Premium, you can keep track of the changes you and your colleagues make to PDF documents.
Acrobat is capable of detecting the differences between two versions of the same PDF, too. You can sign up for a business plan for £15.17 a month, which gives you the option to add more team members in the future.
PDF Expert is a robust and easy-to-use solution for managing business documents. And with a four-and-a-half star rating in the Mac App Store, it seems to be one of the most popular options out there for Mac users. The software gives you the ability to read, edit and annotate PDF documents from a central dashboard.
One of the great things about PDF Expert is that it's fast and slick to use. Thanks to smooth scrolling and a fast search function, you can quickly find what you're looking for across multiple PDF files.
This app lets you edit images, text and links, plus the software can automatically detect fonts, size and opacity of writing. Plus, if you happen to own an iPad Pro and Apple Pencil, you can add annotations and notes to documents on-the-go. Like most PDF apps out there, PDF Expert comes with a free download option, but the app for iPad/iPhone costs $9.99 and includes in-app purchases, while the version for Mac costs around $100 for 3 Macs.
Wondershare has developed a Mac version of the popular PDFelement app, which is positioned as an easy way to edit PDF documents. It gives you the tools to add text, images, links, backgrounds, watermarks, headers and footers to PDF documents.
The software provides an extensive selection of PDF editing options. Not only can you add text to documents, but you can also tweak the font type, size and style. There's the ability to rotate, extract, replace and crop images too.
PDFelement is a great option for teams in particular, with powerful collaborative capabilities, letting you add sticky notes, comments, text boxes and more. And you can use the tool to fill out business documents such as contracts and tax forms. PDFelement retails at $49.95 for the standard package, but for all features you will need the Professional package priced at $79.99.


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Seaway w Like Pacific + Bearings
Doors: 9:00 pm	/ Show: 10:00 pm
Doors 9 // Show 10
TICKETS ON SALE NOW ONLINE > https://goo.gl/YmjHZq or in person through the Etixnow kiosks located Graystone Brewing Grimross Brewing Co.
Evolution often happens at just the right time. Six years deep into their career, Seaway progress the patented pop punk prowess that put them on the map with sharper songcraft and a nod to the nineties on their third full-length record, Vacation [Pure Noise Entertainment]. The Ontario, Canada quintet—Patrick Carleton [rhythm guitar, co-vocals], Andrew Eichinger [lead guitar, backing vocals], Ryan Locke [lead vocals], Adam Shoji [bass], and Ken Taylor [drums]—confidently step up their game across the board, while maintaining the spark that ignited a fervent fan base.
"The new music still sounds like Seaway,͟ explains Andrew. ͞It's got that party vibe, and it's fun, but some of the songs are more mid-tempo. There are some more rock aspects influenced by bands we love like Weezer and Third Eye Blind. I felt like was just a matter of time before those influences came out. It's pop punk at the end of the day. However, it's just a little different. We sat down and talked about it. We had more time to put into this than in the past. It's the first album where we weren't juggling full-time jobs or school. It was a natural progression.͟"
https://seawayoakville.bandcamp.com/
Like Pacific
https://likepacific.bandcamp.com/
https://bearingsband.bandcamp.com/
« Jamie Comeau + The Crooked Teeth w/ Tortoise the Hare & the Millionaire
Open Mic Night (Summer Hours 10pm-2am) »


NEW YORK -- A Russian researcher, delving anew into once-secret Soviet files from the Cold War, says she has found no evidence that Alger Hiss spied or that Soviet intelligence had any particular interest in him.
Soviet defectors, retired KGB agents and U.S. officials, some claiming to have documentary proof, have come down on both sides of what remains one of the Cold War's most enduring controversies.
In 1995-96, U.S. intelligence agencies released the Venona Files, a series of decoded Soviet diplomatic cables on espionage matters during World War II. They mentioned a U.S. contact called Ales, who already had been identified by a defecting Soviet agent as Hiss.


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Q: Facebook Graph API friends birthdays I searched a lot, I didn't succeeded in getting the friends birthday
[facebook requestWithGraphPath:@"me" andDelegate:self];

what should I write instead of me to get the friends birthdays.
thanks

A: Try with below:
[facebook requestWithGraphPath:@"me/friends"
                         andParams:[ NSDictionary dictionaryWithObjectsAndKeys:@"picture,id,name,link,gender,last_name,first_name",@"fields",nil]
                       andDelegate:self];

Let me know in case of query/difficulty.
Sometimes,
Birthday value will be like "null" or only "month & date" or the "full date". So you have to check it manually.
I have one requirement in which I have to display only Month & Date.
You can check it from below function:
+(NSString *)getShortDate:(NSString *)pstrDate{
    NSArray *arrayDateData = [pstrDate componentsSeparatedByString:@"/"];
    NSString *strShortDate = @"";
    if([arrayDateData count]>=2){
        strShortDate = [NSString stringWithFormat:@"%@/%@", [arrayDateData objectAtIndex:0], [arrayDateData objectAtIndex:1]];
    }
    return strShortDate;
}

Here, "pstrDate" date value is Facebook birthday date value.
I hope it will be helpful to you.
Cheers.

A: I found an answer & it is as follows:
NSMutableDictionary * params = [NSMutableDictionary dictionaryWithObjectsAndKeys:
                                @"select uid,name,birthday_date from user where uid in (select uid2 from friend where uid1=me())", @"query",
                                nil];
[[StaticFacebook getFacebook] requestWithMethodName: @"fql.query"
                       andParams: params
                   andHttpMethod: @"POST"
                     andDelegate: self];

A: Get friends_birthday using graph api:
[facebook requestWithGraphPath:@"me/friends?fields=id,name,gender,picture,birthday" andDelegate:self];

and add permissions like this:
_permissions = [[NSArray arrayWithObjects:
                     @"read_friendlists",@"publish_stream ,user_checkins",
                     @"friends_checkins", @"publish_checkins",@"email", nil]
                 retain];


Can I Sync Clio Contacts to my Phone?
When a Clio Contact calls me, can my phone recognize that Contact if I've entered their phone number in Clio?
Clio does not sync directly with your phone's contacts, but you can achieve this by syncing Clio Contacts with Google and also syncing your phone's Contacts with Google. Note that this will also result in your phone's Contacts being synced into Clio.


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Muscle Cars were born in 1964 with the release of the Pontiac Tempest GTO. General Motors had banned its divisions from motor racing, which had been a major part of Pontiac`s promotional activities. So instead of the focus switched to high-performance road cars. The recipe was simple: take the new Tempest intermediate saloon and drop in a 389ci ( 6374cc ) V8 engine as used in the full size Pontiac Catalina and Bonneville. Corporate rules dictated that intermediate models could not have engines larger than 330ci ( 5408cc) but this was to be an option package, not a model in its own right, so it slipped through a loophole.
John Z DeLorean , the Pontiac`s chief engineer came up with the name GTO was the designation of the fastest of the Ferrari 250 range and purists were outraged that mere Pontiac was impertinently appropriating the initials.
The GTO package cost just $300. There was a choice of two specifications for the 389ci ( 6374cc ) V8,either with a four barrel carb and 325bhp or three twin-choke carbs and 348bhp. The package also includeda twin exhaust system, faster steering and high performance tyres. Production was initially limited to 5000, but the GTO was a huge success and more than 30000 were sold. A crisp restyle for 1965 made the GTO even more popular : more than 75000 were built most of them hard top coupe`.
From 1966 the GTO was a model in its own right and it continued to offer bargain-priced performance until emissions regulations began to strangle the powerful V8s in the late 1960s.
Engine : 6474cc 90-degree V8
Bore x Stroke : 103.2 x95.3 mm
Valvegear : Pushrod operated overhead valves.
Fuel System: Triple Rochester carburettors
Suspension: Front- wishbones and coil springs Rear: fourlink live rear axle with leaf spring.
Wheels : 14in steel wheels
Brakes: Drum brakes all round , servo assisted.
Top Speed : 120 mph


Library collection was questioned by the local ministry.
Kuhar, counselor, Worthington Campus, Pennsylvania State University.
Transcript Library Unit gw Holds Session We* Annual spring meeting for the Northeast Chapter of Pennsylvania Library Association was held at Keystone Junior College, LaPlume. Speakers for the morning session were Kathy Russell White, head librarian for the Washington County Public Library, Abingdon, Va. Library collection was questioned by the local ministry. National attention was focused on this conflict and the local residents took the challenge to the polls and voted out the anti-library candidate. On the program with Mrs. White were Dan Hummel, Pennsylvanians for Biblical Morality, and Anita Ondursek, chairman of the Intellectual Freedom of Pennsylvania Library Association. Workshops were held: Bibliographic instruction, conducted by Frances Hopkins, head of reference, Temple University; basic computer literacy, Apple 2 Application, Michelle Hokein; Kemper Data Systems and the career change game, Deborah Kuhar, counselor, Worthington Campus, Pennsylvania State University. Jacqueline Boulden, Channel 16 news anchorwoman, was luncheon speaker.


Nature Collection Wall Panels are made of different textures taken from nature which mimic natural elements. Nature panels are made of recycled wood barrels of Rioja wine and sherry, which will definitely add to your rooms a natural environment.
Wood also allows to play with both shapes and colours in the room. Nature collection comes in three different designs, Cabernet, with thin elongated forms, and Merlot and Pinot with geometrical shapes. In terms of colours, these panels combine randomly a mixture of colours, from brown to different reds and purples, dark grey, black and white. All those create a balanced contrast that will provide a sense of liveliness, dynamism and balance to the room. Therefore these panels can be combined with a range of natural colours and decorations that add joy and comfort to your personal space allowing you to reflect your own personality in a simple and natural way.


The Human Rights Council has directed the Special Rapporteur to "identify…and promote best practices." In this regard the Special Rapporteur has focused on working to advance legal, administrative, and programmatic reforms at the domestic level to implement the standards of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and other relevant international instruments. Reform of this kind is a major undertaking, as it is full of all kinds of complexities and requires a strong commitment, both financial and political, on the part of Governments.
Information on these activities and the contributions the Special Rapporteur endeavors to make to developing good practices can be found in Special reports, as well as in parts of the Annual reports and Communications reports.


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Census Bloodbath: The Lunatic Is In The Hall
Director: Jack Sholder
Cast: Jack Palance, Donald Pleasence, Martin Landau
Up until now, I've been going through 1982 in pretty much chronological order, but I just had to skip ahead for two reasons: 1) I'm going to be speaking about this movie with the Keep Screaming podcast in about a month. 2) Alone in the Dark is the film on my remaining 1982 list that enjoys the loftiest reputation, so I seized onto it like a life raft, in a fit of desperation after a couple real stinkers.
Time to see if I made the right decision.
Alone in the Dark is perhaps the most diffuse slasher we've ever covered because it focuses on no less than four different killers, the psychopaths who populate the third floor of an asylum in sleepy Springwood. New psychologist Dan Potter (Dwight Schultz) has moved into town with his wife Nell (Deborah Hedwall) and daughter Lyla (Elizabeth Ward), and are soon visited by his nuclear activist sister Toni (Lee Taylor-Allan), who is recovering from her own mental breakdown.
At work, Dan meets the psychopaths: Frank Hawkes (the Jack Palance), a veteran who is the de facto leader of the group; Preacher (the Martin Landau), a man who constantly lets loose a stream of religious fundamentalist babble; Fatty (Erland van Lidth), a child molester; and The Bleeder, who doesn't like to show his face (leading him to wear a pre-Friday the 13th hockey mask) but gets a nosebleed whenever he strangles his victims.
They are kept in bounds by an electric security system manned by the hippy dippy Dr. Leo Bain (Donald Pleasence), who thinks the world is the place that's crazy and the people under his care are "voyagers" into new spaces of the mind. Of course, there's a blackout and the killers are released. After a murder spree, they focus their sights on Dr. Potter, who they think has killed their former doctor, who just left for another job.
Donald Pleasence really needs to stop being hired to be in charge of mental patients, he really can NOT keep track of them.
Alone in the Dark is a curious beast. You've already seen the ways the structure breaks from the established slasher norm (and after the landmark year of 1981, which saw the release of literally dozens of theatrical slasher movies), and it breaks down even further when it becomes a home invasion/siege movie in the third act. But it was also the first film produced by a little distribution company known as New Line Cinema, which would eventually strike gold two years later with the release of an indie cheapie called A Nightmare on Elm Street.
An indie cheapie that would spawn a litany of sequels, the first of which was directed by Jack Sholder of... Alone in the Dark. Dude kept himself a job.
And while your mileage on Freddy's Revenge may vary, the opening scene of Alone in the Dark is more than enough to prove to me how he got the gig. It's a dream from Preacher's perspective that takes place in a generic small town diner which slowly devolves into surreality, from a frog hopping across the counter to rain suddenly pouring from the ceiling. It's an impeccably crafted scene that has nothing to do with the remainder of the movie, but that doesn't mean it's not effective as a little capsule of nightmare fuel.
And I can't say I'm not grateful for this image.
I mostly get what Alone in the Dark is going for. It's attempting to show that Dr. Bain is right: the world we live in is crazy, and maybe those who society sees fit to put away aren't the ones we should be afraid of. The second the blackout occurs, the looting and rioting begins (this is apparently based on real incidents at the time as well), and the movie spends a lot of town fleshing out Toni's nuclear protest and the live wire rock 'n roll music that fuels her. Violence and chaos are everywhere in 1982, not just in the psychos behind the mask. But this is a slasher movies and they do need to chop up people, so they're really trying to have their cake and eat it too.
The place they're most successful is actually with the character Fatty, whose crimes are most irredeemable. However, his arc implies that he might actually be attempting to improve himself as a human being, and his inevitable eventual death is given the most heartbreaking coda.
So this is all interesting, if not particularly well-executed. Unfortunately the slasher movie elements are worth far less. The gore budget on this film is nil, so a lot of the bloodier kills are edited into ribbons, giving the vaguest impression of what is even happening. I know down below, my description for kill #3 sounds very confident, but I have about 10% clarity on what actually happened beyond a vague slashing motion and a gob of goo that represents a completely illegible mystery internal organ.
And Jason wore it better, too.
And this is all presented rather plainly. Beyond the first sequence, the only moment that shows any sense of flair is a shot of Toni slowly drifting across the room to close an open window while absolute hell breaks loose behind her in deep focus. Also, I'm not going to complain about a movie that gets such heavy-hitters to play its killers. Unfortuantely, they're poorly written personalities and aren't given enough screen time to really ham it up. Thus, the character that emerges as truly iconic is a horny teen neighbor mysteriously named Bunky (Carol Levy), who gives the bizarre snack-devouring girl in Death Valley a run for her money as my favorite Census Bloodbath babysitter.
The way it all shakes out, I think I liked this film. But I'm incredibly far from loving it. It's fun to see the trends in horror (and New Line specifically) it's predicting, but pretty much everything on display here would be perfected later in the cycle.
Killer: Frank Hawkes (Jack Palance), Preacher (Martin Landau), Fatty (Erland van Lidth), and The Bleeder
Final Girl: The whole Potter family
Sign of the Times: When Toni first shows up, she is dressed like Hello Kitty joined the Cobra Kai dojo.
Best Kill: I love when the lieutenant is attached to a tree via crossbow bolt to the gut, because it's one of the only truly good effects and also it's the moment that really launches the movie into high adrenaline mode until the credits roll.
Scariest Moment: Lyla is cornered by Fatty who starts trying to groom her while they're alone together in her house.
Weirdest Moment: The asylum's post-blackout roll call includes the names David and Lisa.
Champion Dialogue: "What are you, some kind of asshole?"
Body Count: 12; committed by a good half dozen characters.
Curtis has his back broken over Fatty's knee.
Larkin has his head punched through a car window.
Looter has his larynx removed with a hand rake.
Mailman is hit with a van.
Billy is killed offscreen.
Bunky is lifted into the air and strangled.
Lt. Burnett is shot in the gut with a crossbow.
Dr. Leo Bain is axed.
Fatty is cleavered in the back and the cleaver is hit with a bat.
Tom is stabbed in the gut.
Preacher is stabbed in the back.
Bouncer has his head smashed against a wall.
TL;DR: Alone in the Dark does enough off-template stuff to distinguish itself, but it's not a particularly energetic slasher.
Also sprach Brennan at 1:05 PM No comments:
Labels: Census Bloodbath, Donald Pleasence, Jack Palance, Jack Sholder, Martin Landau


text:
Kanye West Gives Surprise Twitter Performance From Uganda During Family Trip
by Corinne Heller | Sun., Oct. 14, 2018 1:13 PM
Live from Uganda, it's Kanye West.
The rapper took to Twitter on Sunday to give an impromptu musical performance from the African country, where he is recording his new album after weeks of controversy over his outspoken praise of Donald Trump and other political views.
Kanye traveled to Uganda with wife Kim Kardashian and their eldest child, daughter North West, 5, after taking a more than week-long break from social media following the backlash. On Saturday, he returned to Twitter with a video of him speaking out against "mind control." On Sunday, he posted a video of him performing in and around three dome-like tents, which appear to be part of a pop-up studio. He captioned the video, "Spaceship call earth| 3 Uganda Domes."
Kanye started his impromptu performance sitting on a couch inside one of the tents, while wrapped in the Uganda national flag.
"Relax your mind / Let your conscious be free," Kanye rapped into a microphone, quoting a line from EPMD's 1988 rap hit "You Gots To Chill."
"No matter what they say / I'ma still be me / We're free / We're free," Kanye continued.
Kanye West Returns to Twitter With a Video About Mind Control Days After White House Visit
Spaceship calling earth| 3 Domes Uganda https://t.co/8rlv7aTSav
— ye (@kanyewest) October 14, 2018
Kanye's new album Yahndi was supposed to drop two weeks ago. He later said on TMZ Live that he didn't finish the record. He said he would travel to Africa to record music for it and release it in November, adding, "Now the alien Ye is like, fully back in mode, off of medication, you know, working out, breaking as much fresh air as possible, thinking, doing, being himself, you know, and when I say being myself, it doesn't mean I'm being Donald Trump. It means I'm being me and I'm punk and I can wear whatever I want 'cause I'm a god."
In the video, Kanye is later seen removing the flag, remaining in an orange T-shirt and black shorts, then getting up as a DJ stops the music, prompting the rapper to tell him, "Don't stop the music unless I say stop the music...turn that music back on, OK? Turn it up. Turn it loud."
Kanye then moved outside and sang the same lyrics before beginning new tracks, during which he freestyled with some "poopy-di scoop" verses.
"Ya'll getting money do ya really fall," he rapped. "Ya'll slaves to money y'all gonna really fall. / Y'all tryin to open up another mall / We gonna open up our souls after all / This right here is the last call."
"Yeah we gonna put it on blast off / yeah, we're gonna put this song on blast off / Yeah yeah we show up with the mask off," he continued. "Yeah, check the space ships, we blast off / Yeah yeah, check the space ships, we blast off."
He made his way back inside and said, "If ya'll f--k with me too much, the hat's coming out. Anytime y'all f--k with me, I got my superpower, the hat gonna come out. Y'all don't wanna see the hat, don't f--k with me." He then complimented a female photographer on her T-shirt.
Kanye, a longtime support of the Republican president, wore a red MAGA cap while appearing on SNL two weeks ago, during which he stirred controversy over an impromptu, onstage pro-Trump speech. He also wore one when he met the U.S. leader at the White House last week. There, the rapper compared his cap to a "Superman cape" and praised and hugged the president. Many people on social media poked fun at both men, as did SNL on Saturday's episode.
Kanye West Reveals Phone Password During White House Visit
Running with North https://t.co/FRUg3tT7u7
Kanye had rented out an entire luxury safari lodge for him, his family and his entourage for several days.
Spaceship call earth| 3 Uganda Domes https://t.co/TtJgWrG7IS
Earlier on Sunday, he shared videos of him running in the park while carrying North on his shoulders and a clip of people setting up for his Twitter performance.
TAGS/ Kanye West , Music , Top Stories , Apple News


Students who learn Spanish in middle school and high school are better prepared to face the challenges of college and experience success in a global society.
As a first introduction to the Spanish language, my students have loved Discover Spanish's variety of approaches! The characters, lessons and games all helped to ease them into a new language without overwhelming them with vocabulary or intimidating them with complex grammar. One of the things I appreciate most about Discover Spanish is the small "bites" of information each lesson tackles. Students felt confident that they had mastered the specific vocabulary by the end of each lesson. The program offers a comprehensive approach to learning the language, which many students used as review for their final assessments as well. Sometimes, at the end of class we would put the memory game on the screen and play boys versus girls; it always ended in fierce competition as students enthusiastically try to prove who got the most out of the lesson.
Discover Spanish is a great enrichment tool for my classroom. Having the auditory, tactile and visual input enabled every type of learner to be engaged.


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Q: Google BigQuery Reading Rows into an array When I try and read the rows into an array from what was extracted from a table in Google BigQuery it only reads the first row into the array.
I have done it the same way in other code and do not know why this is not reading all the rows in.
<?php
    function top10($chart){
        $client = new Google_Client();
        $client->useApplicationDefaultCredentials();
        $client->addScope(Google_Service_Bigquery::BIGQUERY);
        $bigquery = new Google_Service_Bigquery($client);
        $projectId = 'projectID';

        $request = new Google_Service_Bigquery_QueryRequest();

        $query = "SELECT First_Name, Last_Name, G FROM [" . $chart. "] ORDER BY G DESC LIMIT 10";

        $request->setQuery($query);

        $response = $bigquery->jobs->query($projectId, $request);
        $rows = $response->getRows();

        $ii = 0;
        $i = 0;
        foreach ($rows as $row)
        {
            foreach ($row['f'] as $field)
            {
                $Info[$i][$ii] = $field['v'];
                $ii++;
            }
            $i++;
        }
    }
?>

A: you need to use something like this:
 $rows = $queryResults->rows();
        foreach ($rows as $row) {
            printf('--- Row %s ---' . PHP_EOL, ++$i);
            foreach ($row as $column => $value) {
                printf('%s: %s' . PHP_EOL, $column, $value);
            }
        }

full example here


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Tennessee Nos. 15, 19, and 10 in latest polls
By Joel Hollingsworth Sep 19, 2006, 6:53am EDT
Share All sharing options for: Tennessee Nos. 15, 19, and 10 in latest polls
In the latest AP and USA Today polls, Tennessee is No. 15 and No. 19 respectively. College Football News has the Vols at No. 10. The AP Poll had a bit of a hiccup this week when The Charlotte Observer's Ken Tysiac realized on Monday that he had accidentally sent the prior week's ballot to the AP on Sunday. The AP apparently has a policy of generally not allowing corrections to ballots, but since this one was so obviously just a mistake and not a reconsideration, they recalculated the poll to maintain its integrity. Only Nos. 20, 21, and 22 (Boston College, California, and Arizona State) were affected.


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Register Prices & Ordering Open Access Books
previous article in this issue next article in this issue
Document Details :
Title: Marriage as a Sacrament for Young Adult Catholics
Author(s): BARRY, Robert J.
Journal: Marriage, Families & Spirituality
Volume: 14	Issue: 2 Date: 2008
DOI: 10.2143/INT.14.2.2034405
Catholics born and raised after the Second Vatican Council possess an attitude and understanding about marriage that is markedly different from that of pre-Vatican II Catholics. In response to the different cultural situation of their upbringing, post-Vatican II Catholics tend to relate to the Church's teaching about marriage in one of two ways: either with an enthusiastic and faithful adherence to and promotion of the Catholic teachings about marriage, or with an unknowing indifference to such teachings. Theological writings and pastoral practices in the decades after the Second Vatican Council that have sought to address the issues and concerns of pre-Vatican II Catholics fail to address the pastoral needs of Generation X and Y Catholics. Writings that characterize a marriage between two 'baptized unbelievers' as valid but non-sacramental misunderstand the pastoral problem of these younger generations and attempt a solution grounded in an inadequate theology of marriage as a sacrament. In fact, considering such marriages as valid but non-sacramental would excuse and exclude the majority of post-Vatican II Catholics from active participation in the true lay ministry that marriage constitutes. Instead, this article argues that young Catholics are best served by the reaffirmation of a theology of marriage that emphasizes the intrinsically sacramental nature of the marital bond, even in the case of a marriage between 'baptized unbelievers'. Rather than being diminished or rejected, the role of spouses as ministers of the grace operative in the sacrament of marriage can be the seed for a renewed and fruitful faith of the couples themselves, the families they raise and the Church as a whole.
3.84.132.40.
Disclaimers - Statistics - Contact - Doi Resolver - Google Scholar


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Q: What are the implications of using mods in minecraft? I'd like to install the Redpower mod, but every time that this comes to my mind I try to imagine the situation after I installed it and I feel like minecraft wouldn't be pure anymore, full or risks and bugs or will simply ruin my old save games or that my games started and saved with the mod will be not be compatible with a vanilla version of minecraft.
I'm not gonna ask you if I should mod minecraft or not. I just want to ask:

*

*What happens internally to the minecraft application?

*What happens with the old saved games?

*What is the compatibility of modded saved games versus a vanilla minecraft installation?

*What else should I be aware of?

Thanks.

A: *

*What happens internally to the minecraft application?

Currently, the way Minecraft Mods work is by modifying the minecraft.jar that contains all the game code. This changes the code to allow extra features such as Single Player Commands or Zepplin Mod.

*

*What happens with the old saved games?

Nothing will happen to your old saved games.

*

*What is the compatibility of modded saved games versus a vanilla minecraft game?

A modded save game will work fine in vanilla minecraft. However, if you use a mod that adds new blocks (such as a nuke block) having those blocks in your inventory or placed in your world will cause them to not appear or worse.

*

*What else should I be aware of?

Do note that sometimes mods may not be compatible. This is usually because they modify the same source files, which means that when you install one, and then the other, the other will overwrite the first one, meaning that first mod will not be able to use that source file.
Also, sometimes when I install minecraft mods, minecraft does not start up. If that happens, I use the following command to start minecraft.
java -Xms512m -Xmx1024m -cp "%APPDATA%\.minecraft\bin\*" -Djava.library.path="%APPDATA%\.minecraft\bin\natives" net.minecraft.client.Minecraf

(it goes in the run box which you open by pressing WinKey + R)


FC Basel (FCB) or in simple Basel is a Swiss football club; the club was established in Basel in the year of 1893. The clubs' nicknames are FCB, Bebbi, RotBlau and the home stadium in St. Jakob-Park.
From the national awards the Basels have won Swiss Super League 19 times, Swiss Cup 11 times, and Swiss League Cup 1 time.
From International competitions, they won UEFA Champions League (Last 16 2011–2012, and 2014–2015, and in UEFA Europa League they were a semi-finalist in 2012–2013 and Quarterfinalists 2013–2014 and also they won Coppa Delle Alpi thrice.
Urs Fischer (18 June 2015 to Present).


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NEDA CRISP
data management + collaboration
// Quick Start
The Data Management allows users to upload, download, modify and remove data. You can also preview these data via Open Layers or through Google Earth.
Access Data
The Data Access gives users the capability to overlay different available data sets and even access remote WMS service. Also, a web map with your desired layers can be created and then exported as part of a Map View. Access to these geo-data are subject to user permissions. It also allows users to add and edit features in their data sets. Data Query is a unique feature available using this tool.
Create a Map View
Once you're finished editing your data sets, have created a Map and would like to share them, you can create a Map View. Map Views are pages containing your maps, the metadata, tables, graphs, notes and other related documents..
What is CRISP?
A standardized and decentralized spatial information management environment, designed to enable access to geo-referenced databases, cartographic products and related metadata from a variety of sources, enhancing the spatial information exchange and sharing between organizations and their audience, using the capacities of the internet. This approach of geographic information management aims at facilitating a wide community of spatial information users to have easy and timely access to available spatial data and to existing thematic maps that might support informed decision making.
A mirror site for the system called CRISP Lite is located at DENR Regional Office 02 and can be accessed thru the URL http://crisplite.rdc2.gov.ph
CRISP Navigation
FOR RGIN MEMBERS ONLY
Only RGIN Members are allowed access to this site.
Non-RGIN Members can only view maps of this site.
A Project of the National Economic Development Authority.


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Aam Aadmi Party
The official Arvind Kejriwal App. Download the app and get the latest news and updates anywhere, anytime! Get verified news, get it first: The AK App will provide all the latest news and updates about Arvind Kejriwal Exclusive access to Arvind Kejriwal's public events: Have you always wanted to know what Arvind Kejriwal is doing on any day? Get exclusive access to his public event calendar.
All public programs will be streamed Live on the AK App, and every user will get notified of Live streams in advance.
For the first time, trace Arvind Kejriwal's entire journey, from his days as a student at IIT Kharagpur, to his struggle for the people as an activist, to his transition into politics. Access an interactive timeline that documents this journey through pictures and videos.
DELHI MODEL
The AK App provides users with a holistic view of what the Delhi model of governance is. Take a look at the different aspects of Arvind Kejriwal's governance model, that come together as the Delhi Model – education, healthcare, women empowerment, power, water, environment, transport, among other areas.
No permission is required on the Arvind Kejriwal App. You can access the app even as a guest without entering your email address or phone number.
The idea is to provide unfiltered access to the work that has been done, and is being done under the leadership of Arvind Kejriwal, and to give him an opportunity to communicate directly with people.
hr@www.orpversatile.com


Bring Charles Dickens' classic story A Christmas Carol, adapted by Art & Anvil Entertainment, to your community!
CHARLES DICKENS' A CHRISTMAS CAROL, A PLAY WITH MUSIC is a presentation of Charles Dickens' original 1843 novel by two highly skilled performers—one actor, and one musician. This exciting and imaginative event condenses Dickens' words into 75 minutes, accompanied and underscored with both traditional and unexpected Christmas music and sound effects live on stage. With no stage or technical requirements beyond three small sturdy chairs, a small table, and a playing space as limited as 20 feet by 15 feet, it can be performed in virtually any setting. We are excited to bring this classic tale to your community.
If you're interested in booking a performance for your venue, please contact Education Associate Sarah Morrisette at sarahmorrisette@newrep.org.
JEFFRIES THAISS (Art & Anvil Entertainment) has performed all over the country, having done plays at Seattle Repertory Theatre, Idaho Shakespeare Festival, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Great Lakes Theatre, Syracuse Stage, Portland Stage, Virginia Musical Theatre, Ogunquit Playhouse, Cape Playhouse, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Triad Stage, Shaker Bridge Theatre, New London Barn Playhouse, Northern Stage, Forestburgh Playhouse, Riverside Theatre, Middlebury College/ACTF (2014 Special Achievement in Performance), Kennedy Center, Olney Theatre Center, and New Repertory Theatre, among others. He's also performed off-Broadway, and off-off Broadway, doing plays and sketch comedy in New York City.


And according to the marketing consultant, the hosting rights would place the country in a good position to reorganise sporting disciplines categorised as the least financed sports (lesser known sports).
The African Games boss added, "For the Ministry of Youth and Games, it offers the unique opportunity to work on several synergies, including the recent inauguration of committees such as for the National Sport Policy Review to enable us as a nation to reposition sport, especially as an emerging industry.
He indicated that Ghana has also accepted to construct as part of the requisite infrastructure and host on behalf of the Games, the African Union Sport Museum & Hall of Fame with a 1,500-capacity auditorium for hosting annual African Sport Awards.
The hosting of the Games will see the running of a 10,000 volunteer programme, with volunteers from selected African nations.
The project CEO mentioned that "we intend to organise the first Green Games under same standards as that of the London 2012 Olympic Games. Ghana Standards Authority in collaboration with the Ghana Chamber of Events management have passed the GS ISO 20121:2012 Event sustainability management systems – requirements and we will use these in all facets of the Games.
Mr. Danquah mentioned that "we will, amongst others, work on providing visa on arrival for those who register by set time frame.
"As mentioned by our Minister of Youth and Sports, we will start the annual African Sport Governance Series in collaboration with the AUSC – dealing with various issues confronting our continent. The first will be organised in Accra on the theme: 'Sport Integrity' in September this year.
"We look forward to the start of the series of our stakeholder engagements towards ensuring the active participation of the citizenry in the 13th African Games in 2023, starting now," he indicated.


ObjectDock is a program that allows you to have a nice animated launchbar/taskbar on your screen that reacts to your mouse when you mouse over it. In short, it's a task bar and program launcher that does it with style.
Other Thoughts: Really good program, but how do you save the settings to run it portably?


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About PAEF
Administrators and Cooperating Agencies
PAEF Board of Directors
PAEF Secretariat
Fulbright Philippine Programs
Fulbright Graduate Student Program
Fulbright Advanced Research and University Lecturing Program
Fulbright U.S. – ASEAN Visiting Scholar Program
Fulbright-Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA)
Hubert H. Humphrey Program
Fulbright Distinguished Awards
in Teaching Program for
International Teachers (Fulbright DAI)
Fulbright US Program
Non-Fulbright Award
Global Undergraduate Exchange Program
Philippine (Local) Institutions
Fulbright Specialist Program: Host Institution Application
Fulbright Hubs
Philippine Universities
Philippine Government Organizations
Other US & Philippine Agencies
Philippine Fulbright Scholars Association (PFSA)
International Association of Hubert H. Humphrey Fellows Philippines
Global UGrad Scholars of the Philippines Alumni Association (GUSPAA)
Fulbright Lecture: Becoming a Global Scholar in the Philippines
Dr. Ma. Carmen Ablan – Lagman, an alumna of the Fulbright-Philippine Agriculture Scholarship Program (2013 – 2014) and also a recipient of the USAID Science Technology Research and Innovation for Development (STRIDE) program on its first year of implementation last August 2014. The said program aims to increase partnerships between the academe and industry in the Philippines and encourage U.S.-Philippines interactions with the eventual aim of developing technology and industries that fuel inclusive economic growth in the country. She was one of the five grantees (from a pool of 57 applications), each amounting to $80,000 on that year. Three grantees were for university and industry projects while two were for industry relevant projects that involved U.S. and Philippine university interaction.
Dr. Ablan – Lagman is also an Associate Professor in the Biology Department of the De La Salle University – Manila and a member of the Centre for Natural Science and Environment Research (CENSER). Her career started by working on the physiology and genetics of giant clams and genetic connectivity and adaption of reel fish for her Ph.D. at the University of the Philippines. She also had research positions at the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute and the International Centre for Living Aquatic Resources Management in Manila and in the World Fish Center located in Malaysia.
Last October 1, 2014, Wednesday, 3:00PM, she gave a talk at the PAEF Office entitled "Becoming a Global Scholar in the Philippines". The lecture was attended by a number of PAEF alumni, and students and professionals from different local schools. The audience actively participated by raising their points and arguments about the topic and they were inspired to maximize their potentials in becoming a global scholar in their own way.
2020-2021 Fulbright Senior Scholar Program is Now Accepting ONLINE Applications
Added: 12-Jul-2019 at 12:00 pm
Job Announcement: Program and Communications Officer
Added: 03-Jul-2019 at 4:28 pm
Eight Filipinos Named as 2019-2020 Fulbright Scholars
Added: 06-Jun-2019 at 4:39 pm
2020-2021 Fulbright FLTA Competition Is Now Open
Added: 23-May-2019 at 2:24 pm
IFDPAA held its 3rd TEApanan in Bacolod
Philippine-American Educational Foundation (PAEF)
10/F Ayala Life - FGU Center - Makati
6811 Ayala Avenue, Makati City 1226
Home • About PAEF • Scholarship Programs • Scholars • News & Events • Resources • Institutional Partners • Alumni • FAQ • Gallery • Contact • Privacy Policy • Terms of Use • Site Map
© 2015 Fulbright. All Rights Reserved. Website Design by Intuitiv Solutions.


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Arunachal sets stage for state open badminton tourney
Tournament to witness total of 332 shuttlers including 80 female and 243 male, from 23 districts of State
by DAMIEN LEPCHA
ITANAGAR , September 4, 2019 11:37 am
Image: Northeast Now
The seventh edition of Dorjee Khandu Memorial State Open Badminton Championship-2019 is all set to be held at the Raj Bhawan and MLA Cottage badminton stadiums in Itanagar, the capital of Arunachal Pradesh from September 6-11 next.
It is dubbed as one of the biggest badminton tournaments in the State.
Sponsored by the Department of Sports, the championship, which is being organized by the Arunachal State Badminton Association (ASBA), would witness a total of 332 shuttlers including 80 female and 243 male, from 23 districts of the State.
Besides players from the districts, those from the Sangey Lhaden Sports Academy and Capital Complex would also be competing in the tournament, Bamang Tago, the secretary of ASBA said on Tuesday.
Tago, who was addressing a news conference at the Itanagar Press Club said, "The winners of the championship will get an opportunity to represent the State in the regional and national competitions organized by the Badminton Association of India."
The championship has been divided into seven categories and includes Under-9, Under-15 and Under-19 boys' and girls' (singles, doubles and mixed doubles) events and senior open men and women's (singles, doubles mixed doubles) events, Tago said.
Where international umpire from Manipur, H Gyaneswor would be the tournament referee, the ASBA would also simultaneously be training the Grade-II umpires of State during the championship, he said.
Replying to a question on lack of proper infrastructure for the shuttlers, Tago informed that the tender for construction of the Dorjee Khandu Badminton Academy has already been floated and soon the players would have all the basic requirements in terms of infrastructure, training and growth.
Taking the opportunity, the ASBA secretary also informed that the top-ranked players from the last edition of the tournament namely Montilly Pul, Taku Neha, Pakli Bagra and Lobsang Choiden Sherdang have been selected by the BAI for an intense 15-daylonhg training that would be conducted at the coveted Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy in Karnataka.
State's ace shuttler Laa Talar will, however, be missing the tournament this year as he will be participating in an international tournament scheduled to be held at Delhi.


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The EPA's Bold New Agenda
Molly Redden
Charles Mostoller/ZUMA
The Environmental Protection Agency has released its to-do list for 2014, in the form of its annual regulatory agenda. And it calls for tackling some controversial environmental questions that Congress has been unable to resolve, including how to limit carbon emissions from existing power plants and whether energy companies should be required to disclose the chemicals they inject into the ground during fracking. While the plan has some gaps—Bloomberg BNA has pointed out it's noticeably silent on coal ash, a toxic coal-burning byproduct that has been responsible for several recent environmental disasters—it could have far-reaching environmental benefits. Below is a summary of the EPA's biggest goals in the new year.
Carbon caps for power plants
Between now and September 2014 the EPA aims to finalize its rules for capping greenhouse gas emissions from existing natural gas and coal-fired plants, which together produce a whopping 40 percent of the United States' carbon emissions and one-third of its heat-trapping gases. Controlling smokestacks emissions is critical to addressing climate change, but carbon legislation is a non-starter, even in the Democratically controlled Senate. The EPA rules are bound to be challenged in court and they'll invariable fuel allegations that Obama—and his vulnerable Democratic allies on Capitol Hill—are waging a war on coal. But, presuming they survive, they could be historic.
While the caps for existing plants have yet to take shape, the White House recently called for limiting new coal-fired plants to 1,100 pounds of carbon dioxide per megawatt hour—60 percent less than the average coal-powered plant releases—and gas-power plants to 1,000 pounds.
Disclosure rules for fracking fluid
Late next year, the EPA plans to weigh in on whether oil- and gas-drilling companies should be required to disclose which chemicals they inject into the ground during fracking. Environmentalists and public health watchdogs have long pressed fracking companies to reveal this information, saying otherwise there's no way of judging the risk to groundwater. (The scene in HBO's documentary Gasland in which a resident near a fracking site lights tap water on fire encapsulates their fears.) But companies usually resist, claiming their formulas are proprietary. So far, only a handful of states have passed laws forcing fracking disclosure. Industry groups have managed to hobble some of them, while also pushing their own legislation that would protect these chemicals as trade secrets.
Congressional lawmakers, who have seen donations from oil and gas companies rise by 180 percent rise over the past nine years, don't seem eager to act on the issue. The FRAC Act, a bill first introduced in 2009 that would force disclosure of fracking chemicals, is stalled in committee in both the House and the Senate. And thanks to the "Halliburton Loophole," which was slipped into a 2005 energy bill at the behest of then Vice President Dick Cheney, the EPA is barred from monitoring the industry's compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act. EPA disclosure requirements could go a long way to bringing uniformity to patchwork state laws and allowing public health advocates to keep tabs on an opaque industry.
Protecting small waterways
Two US Supreme Court rulings from 2001 and 2006 have created enormous confusion over the EPA's authority to regulate small water bodies under the Clean Water Act. As a result, under George W. Bush the agency dropped hundreds of enforcement cases involving streams and isolated wetlands that share flood plains with or flow into the nation's major water sources. The new rules would clarify the EPA's authority to protect these waterways, based on a September report showing that they are vitally interconnected with larger ones. (This, of course, is common knowledge among ecologists.)
Environmentalists say the move is long overdue. "This really isn't an expansion of EPA's authority," Bob Wendelgass, the CEO of Clean Water Action, said recently. "It's really a restoration of EPA's authority." But Republican lawmakers are framing the potential rule as assailing the rights of private citizens who have waterways on their property, with Reps. Lamar Smith (R-Tex.) and Chris Stewart (R-Utah) calling it "a massive power grab."
Climate Desk
CHART: These Members of Congress Are Bankrolled by the Fracking Industry
Coal Ash Spills in Lake Michigan
Kate Sheppard


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CAUTION to Host Andrew Boucher
March 25, 2013 | Written by Christian Hine
Andrew Boucher
CAUTION, the organizational arm of the Charlotte Tea Party, will host Andrew Boucher on Monday, April 1st, at 6:00pm at the Dilworth Neighborhood Grille located at 911 East Morehead Street in Charlotte.
Andrew Boucher is the president of Boucher Strategies, a strategic and political consulting firm based in Charleston. He serves as executive director of The Monday Meeting, the national meeting of the center-right coalition held monthly in New York.
In 2012 Boucher served as National Political Director for Rick Santorum's campaign for President. He is a former executive director of the New Hampshire Republican State Committee and has consulted on and managed campaigns for local, state and federal office in Colorado, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Missouri, Ohio, New York and Massachusetts.
Up for Discussion:
In the middle of September 2004, Andrew Boucher was in Colorado, consulting on the highly-targeted State Senate campaign of Fort Collins mayor Ray Martinez. An ad came on the radio with the message: "Ray Likes to Travel." The theme: As mayor, Ray Martinez spent taxpayer dollars on lavish trips. The tag to the radio ad referred to a new website: "RayLikesToTravel.com" That afternoon, the mailbox had the first of dozens of mailers touting the attack website.
This was the first anyone had heard of "The Blueprint" or "The Colorado Model." Forensic accounting revealed that coordinated groups had spent an astounding $1.7 million against Ray Martinez – ten times the "high-spending" previous years.
In August of 2004, Ray Martinez was at 68% in the polls. In November, he received 42% of the vote.
Now North Carolina is in the crosshairs, and Republicans – even nine years later – still don't fully understand the Democrats' successful Colorado blueprint.
More ominously, our tactics – at every level – have gotten worse.
If you care about 2014 and beyond, you need to hear what's coming your way…
Be afraid. Be prepared.
Please RSVP by clicking HERE. The event is free and open to the public.
Recent Posts by Christian Hine
Rubio and Walker to Campaign in Fort Mill
Widen I-77 Response to Javier Tamargo
Ridenhour Decides Against Mayoral Run
Our America Initiative Will Sue Commission on Presidential Debates
More on CAUTION
NCDOT Admits Money is Available for Interstates
CAUTION Incensed at Observer's Support for Racial Divisiveness
Weekly Activist – CAUTION Newsletter
CAUTION Welcomes Trevor Loudon
CAUTION to Host NC Energy Forum


Successfully complete the game to fight battles with partners by yourself.
story mode. Use this option to replay any story mode battle.
Successfully complete the game two times to unlock Neo G Red.
Successfully complete the game four times to unlock a blue colored G Red.
Successfully complete the game five times to unlock a crystal G Red.
Successfully complete the game six times to unlock a silver colored G Red.
Successfully complete the game seven times to unlock a gold colored G Red.
Successfully complete the game eight times to unlock a silhouette G Red.
Successfully complete the game nine times to unlock Shadow Neo G Red.


The Domain Pink Test has come to an end and thanks to the fantastic support from everyone involved – we've raised over $1.3 million, helping fund 9 McGrath Breast Care Nurses for a year! It's our second biggest year ever, behind the Ashes Pink Test last year. Although the cricket has come to a close, there's still a lot of work to be done to ensure every person and family in Australia experiencing breast cancer has access to a McGrath Breast Care Nurse, so see how you can still make a difference below!
Although the cricket has come to a close, you can still bring the magic of the Domain Pink Test to your club, local, or backyard game and 'Pink Up' by holding a Pink Stumps Day event!
Donate to support our mission to fund more McGrath Breast Care Nurses in communities that need it most across Australia.
The McGrath Foundation is the official charity partner of the Domain Pink Test and Cricket Cares, Cricket Australia's community action program.
Over a decade the Domain Pink Test has become a national phenomenon. It is the largest sporting fundraising initiative in Australia where Cricket Australia and the wider cricket community, both on and off the field, wear pink as a symbolic show of support for those experiencing breast cancer and raising much needed funds for the McGrath Foundation.