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13 Taiwanese nabbed in Thailand on telecoms fraud charges
August 15, 2019 taiwanwireservice.com Foreign Affairs
Taipei, Thirteen Taiwanese have been arrested in Thailand on suspicion of telecoms fraud, the Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) announced at a news conference Thursday.
A man surnamed Wu along with 12 accomplices were recently detained by the Thai authorities with the assistance of their CIB counterparts in a villa in the southern suburbs of Bangkok on information provided by victims after a six month investigation, according to the CIB.
Wu, who is believed to be a senior figure in the criminal ring, was found to have set up telecommunications equipment in the villa to conduct fraud schemes when investigative officers raided the premises, the CIB said.
An initial investigation found that the Taiwanese fraud ring allegedly swindled NT$30 million (US$955,261) from 20 people in Taiwan by posing as law enforcement and national health officials, the CIB said.
The 13 Taiwanese will be taken back to Taiwan by CIB investigators and be referred to the Taoyuan District Prosecutors' Office for further investigation, it added.
From May 2016 to Aug. 14, 2019, 244 Taiwanese were convicted of crossborder fraud crimes in foreign countries, and are currently serving their sentences in those countries, CIB statistics show.
A total of 770 fraud suspects have been deported to Taiwan, while 652 have been sent to China, the figures indicate.
Stevie® Awards Announce Winners in 16th Annual International Business Awards® from Across the Globe
Taiwan signs visafree agreement with Solomon Islands

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Bupa Global launches Private Client
Hong Kong,19 Aug 2021
Bupa Global launches Private Client, a first in market service redefining premium healthcare with dedicated Lifecare Concierge
Research reveals a rising interest in personalised and preventative healthcare amongst high net-worth individuals
Insights show there is continued impact from the pandemic, with 80% of HK top executives/ HNWIs having experienced mental health symptoms over the past year, with the most common issues being anxiety (58%) and disturbed sleeps (45%). The two top worries keeping them up at night are business uncertainty (61%) and tough decisions at work (60.5%).
Despite 53% of HK top executives/ HNWIs saying they are health conscious; 55.5% admit they have fast-paced life and 51.5% always work overtime.
HK and CHN top executives/ HNWIs currently dedicate an average 8.3% of their budget on healthcare and medical protection. Next year, HK executives intend to spend 12.4% more on self-funded private medical insurance with "stronger focus preventative healthcare" being a top consideration, while CHN executives are likely to increase budgets by 20.4%.
Over 70% of HK top executives/ HNWIs in Hong Kong expect premium medical insurance companies to evolve from a health insurer to a lifecare partner expecting a medical concierge to provide holistic wellbeing support that is personalised to their needs (63%), offer professional advice on maintaining both physical and mental health, as well as preventative healthcare (64.5%)
Bupa Global today released the latest Global Top Executive & HNWIs Wellbeing Index, examining the health challenges and rising interest in holistic wellness for private medical insurance. The research was conducted in May to June 2021, surveying a total of 600 Hong Kong (HK) and Mainland China (CHN) senior executives1 with liquid assets over HK$10.8 million (CNY8.98 million) across a range of industries in the two markets. The report reveals a concerning state of mental health amongst executives and a growing willingness to increase spending on top-notch private medical insurance that provides personalised services and coverage for preventative healthcare. Catering directly to the needs and lifestyles of HNWIs, Bupa Global has today unveiled its brand-new Private Client service proposition together with the Ultimate Health Plan, offering the market's first and most exclusive personalised healthcare service for high-end customers.
Despite being health-conscious, top executives in Hong Kong and China face numerous physical and mental health challenges
More than half of HK and CHN top executives (53.0%) describe themselves as health-conscious, even though only a quarter say they maintain work-life balance. In Hong Kong, 55 % of top executives admit they have fast-paced life and 51.5% always work overtime. Work-life balance has naturally become a concern for the majority of executives, especially for younger executives aged 18-29 (70%) and 30-39 (58.7%).
In both Hong Kong and China, more executives have experienced health issues over the past 12 months. Male executives tend to face health challenges more commonly than female in Hong Kong, made evident by the three most common issues faced, i.e. high blood pressure (19.2%; 11.3%), overweight and obesity (15.8%; 10%) and high cholesterol (15.8%; 7.5%).
Along with physical health challenges, the mental health of HK and CHN top executives is even more concerning. Over three quarters of HK executives admit to experiencing mental health symptoms over the past 12 months (78%), with the most common issue being anxiety (58%), double the figure in China (29%). More prevalent in Hong Kong than China is disturbed sleep (45.5%; 37.5%) and lack of energy/feeling fatigued (39%; 37.5%). Alarmingly, 2% of HK executives have experienced hallucinations and 4.5% have had thoughts about hurting themselves or others. The major kinds of worries keeping them up at night are business uncertainty (61%) and facing tough decisions at work (60.5%).
Female executives in Hong Kong experience a heavier mental burden because of responsibilities at home and at work
Comparatively, female executives in Hong Kong face a greater burden as a result of carrying out responsibilities at home and at work. According to the survey, female executives tend to work more out of office hours than male executives (61%; 45%). In fact, 70% of female executives worry about dealing with challenges at work and half of them feel like their personal freedom has been reduced, a proportion that is significantly higher than that for male executives (50% and 23.3%).
HK top executives are taking action for greater wellbeing while relying more on insurers
Faced with increasing health challenges, most HK top executives hope to exercise more regularly and improve their diet. In addition, Hong Kong is more broad-minded when it comes to mental health, as over half (52.5%) of HK top executives are open to embracing the issue, compared to just 36.5% in China.
One in ten (8.5%) HK top executives have also sought help for their mental health from their insurer, which is considerably higher than just 4.0% in the Bupa Global survey last year. Overall, HK top executives are more aware of professional mental health support, with 13.5% of them saying they have spoken to a doctor/mental health expert and 8% via virtual consultation, compared to just 8.4% seeking professional help last year.
To meet the higher demand for professional support, insurers as the healthcare partner, are expected to play a greater role in maintaining people's overall wellbeing.
"The 2021 Bupa Global Wellbeing Index has revealed an increasing awareness of mental health and wellbeing amongst senior executives in Hong Kong and China. It is encouraging to see that despite prevailing health challenges and pressures, leaders are taking a more proactive approach to care for their own wellbeing. We are committed to understanding and responding to our customers' needs, supporting them in their individual healthcare journeys to achieve holistic wellness," said Neil Kirby, Marketing and Consumer Sales Director, Bupa Global.
Private medical insurance is more than protection; it offers personalised concierge services with end to end health management, including mental and preventative care
Despite health being one of their leading priorities, HK and CHN top executives allocate an average budget of just 8.3% to healthcare and medical protection, a spending level lower than other tangible items, such as entertainment-related activities (10.2%) and fashion/luxury goods (13.4%). Nonetheless, over the next 12 months, 54.5% of HK top executives/ HNWIs will increase spending on medical insurance plan, up 25.9% compared to the same study in 2020. They intend to spend 12.4% more on self-funded private medical insurance, while in China, executives show stronger interest in enhancing medical protection with a plan to spend an additional 20.4% compared to this year's budget.
What's clear is that preventative healthcare and mental health support are key differentiators when choosing an individual health plan, as "stronger focus on preventative healthcare" has become the top consideration for most HK executives (70.5%). With awareness of mental health also gaining momentum, the majority of HK executives (60.5%) are also demanding greater coverage for related support such as psychologist and psychiatrist treatments, significantly higher than the figures last year2 (27.2%).
Top executives are increasingly demanding personalised services that cater to their lifestyle and individual needs. Over 70% of top executives in Hong Kong want premium medical insurance companies to evolve from a mere health insurer to a lifecare partner with dedicated medical concierge, managed by a known individual with a deep understanding of the insured and their family, as well as a personal manager for administrative and one-stop services.
Expectations go beyond a healthy body and mind - wellness is the ultimate state of balance
Overall wellness has emerged as the preference to optimise physical and mental health. The majority of HK top executives (70.5%) see wellness going beyond a healthy body and mind, but also feeling connected to people and the community while contributing to a more sustainable and natural environment.
While close to a quarter of HK executives considered themselves "Not well or Not well at all", they are leaning towards medical insurance companies to provide more holistic wellbeing support that is personalised to their needs (63%), offers professional advice on maintaining both physical and mental health, as well as preventative healthcare (64.5%). Among various wellness programmes, they are receptive to participating in wellness programmes such as aromatherapy (73%) and alternative therapies such as hypnotherapy (60.5%), which indicate a need for high end insurance plan to cover related treatments as part of their health management support.
Kirby said, "We know our customers are seeking preventative healthcare for holistic wellness, as well as personalised services among high-end customers. In response, Bupa Global is launching the first-in-market Private Client service and has made enhancements to our top-tier Ultimate Health Plan, which include strong health protection and preventative healthcare elements as well as Lifecare Concierge. Our Private Clients can also share their health screening results with our senior clinical staff at their discretion, so that we can pre-emptively manage potential conditions and advise the best course of action in line with their Health Plan."
Bupa Global launches new Private Client service setting a new personalised healthcare standard
Going beyond healthcare, the exclusive Private Client service that comes with the Ultimate Health Plan offers global and speedy managed access for discerning HNWIs. Benefiting from an extensive global network and an unlimited overall annual coverage, the insured will have fast access to the leading facilities and private healthcare specialists globally. With comprehensive coverage including day-to-day care, treatment for serious illnesses, health screening and wellness programmes, clients can be supported with their holistic wellness through Lifecare.
As a Private Client, those who select the Ultimate Health Plan also receive a dedicated Lifecare manager, and supported by 24/7 Lifecare Concierge services. The manager will provide all-rounded support such as booking appointments, helping with administrative tasks, connecting clients with experts for second medical opinions and arranging medical or non-medical evacuation services. Equipped with a profound understanding of the client's needs, lifestyle and preferences, the Lifestyle Concierge can directly address all enquiries quickly and unobtrusively with just a phone call or email, allowing our clients to have peace of mind about their wellness.
1 200 Hong Kong and 400 mainland China top executives/ HNWIs participated in the survey
2 Bupa Global Research Report, released on 22 July 2020
Andrew Merrilees, General Manager of Bupa Hong Kong and Stella Sung, Sales and Distribution Director of Bupa Hong Kong, jointly celebrate the Bupa Global's launch of Private Client service and Ultimate Health Plan
Bupa – A global healthcare specialist
Bupa's purpose is helping people live longer, healthier, happier lives and making a better world.
We are an international healthcare company serving over 31 million customers worldwide. With no shareholders we reinvest profits into providing more and better healthcare for the benefit of current and future customers.
In Hong Kong, we are known as the health insurance specialist. We have gained the trust of more than 400,000 individuals and 3,200 companies. We have provided quality health insurance for Hong Kong's civil servants for more than 20 years.
Bupa also provides primary care services through Quality HealthCare Medical Services (QHMS), one of Hong Kong's largest private clinic networks.
Bupa Global is the international health insurance arm of Bupa, serving 2 million customers around the world. We provide products and services for globally minded and mobile people who want the most premium coverage and access to the healthcare they need anytime, anywhere in the world, whether at home or when studying, living, travelling or working abroad.
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Only the second transaction to be issued via the Clydesdale Bank's Lannraig Master Trust programme, where the transaction is a revolving cash securitisation of residential mortgages extended to obligors located in the UK. The actual originators will be Clydesdale Bank plc and Yorkshire Bank Home Loans Ltd - a wholly owned subsidiary of Clydesdale Bank.
The portfolio comprises of BTL mortgage loans secured by property located in the UK, comprising an aggregate current principal balance of £1.033bln. The mortgage loans in the cut-off date mortgage portfolio were originated between 15 November 2002 and 14 February 2017.
The average current balance is £131,917. Type of repayment plan (by current balances): Repayment 81.07%, Interest Only 18.93%. The WA original LTV was 69.07%, with a current LTV of 65.17%. WA seasoning is 89.40 months. Geographical distribution (by current balances): London 43.30%, South East 17.03% and Scotland 10.91%.


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Chipping in
Hugh Crossley, 4th Baron Somerleyton, at home in the magnificent Somerleyton Hall with wife Lara and two children
Tucking into a box of chips, perched at a table inside his new business, the enthusiasm of Hugh Crossley, Lord Somerleyton, is infectious. Since opening Hot Chip in the centre of Norwich in June, he has, he laughs, become somewhat of a chip aficionado.
"We have something like 12,000 fish and chip shops in the UK, but in Holland and Belgium it is very much just about the chips with these amazing adventurous toppings and flavourings. I loved the idea of that and began doing some research. I realised there were several traditional chip salons in the UK still, and some of the best are on Great Yarmouth market," he says. "We are surrounded by farming here in Norfolk so I like the idea of a business with a foot in local agriculture and produce and a foot firmly in the modern fast food world."
The menu is certainly very different, turning classic flavours on their heads, such as the Arabesque, the Sunday Roast and Chip Salad. With Steve Duffield, head chef for both Hot Chip and the Somerleyton Estate, they are constantly coming up with new ideas. "I think Steve despairs sometimes," he laughs. "We are soon going to test run our Mint Choc Hot Chip flavour, which has certainly been a fun challenge."
He and business partner Toby Marchant are ambitious about the future of the business, but for now he is very pleased to be launching it in Norwich.
"I would be so proud if we become successful so I could say we launched here, in my home city. But," he laughs, "I am also nervous because I am very aware that if I don't succeed everyone will know about it. You cannot hide here like you can in London."
Having returned to Somerleyton Hall seven years ago following the death of his father, the third Lord Somerleyton, Hugh Crossley has a renewed vigour and enthusiasm for his childhood home.
He and wife Lara are working hard to transform the grand hall, deemed one of the best examples of Tudor-Jacobean architecture, to ensure more people can enjoy its beauty and to secure its future for generations to come.
"When I arrived I was younger and more naive, and questioned focusing so much attention on the hall which needed so much time and money spent on it. So I focused on other areas of the estate and business. Now we realise the hall is essential to the future of the estate."
As the fourth generation to live in the beautiful stately home, he is clearly very sentimental about the estate but with the help of Lara, is gradually making changes and hiring out more of the historic house for weddings, parties and events.
"We are opening up the part of the house where my family historically would have lived in the good old days and we now live in what would have been the servants' quarters, which is perfect for family life. It is an odd thing that 100 years ago my family would have been looked after by servants but now the role has almost been reversed. But I love that, I think it would be a bad thing to live in a house like this and not share it."
Now with two young children, John and Christabel, he says it has made him appreciate the hall even more and reminded him of the wonderful childhood he enjoyed at Somerleyton.
"I think there is part of your brain that stores all your childhood memories and keeps them safe until you have children. I love doing all the things with my children that my dad did here with me. I get very upset if I can't find a certain old Ladybird book to read to John which I know I used to be read as a child and is somewhere in the house still."


Government plans to fund more apprenticeships and work experience placements may fail to address demand for high-level skills in the IT industry, according to an industry expert.
Chancellor George Osborne today announced funding for 50,000 new apprenticeships over the next four years, and confirmed 80,000 additional work experience placements for young people as well as funding for 12 new university technical colleges (UTC).
Andrew Tuson, course director at City University London's Centre for Information Leadership, is sceptical about apprenticeships bridging skills gaps in the IT industry or help unemployed IT graduates into jobs.
"The question is, can a successful apprenticeship be constructed to meet the gap between NEET (not in education, employment or training) and the high-level skills needed for IT roles? If the apprenticeships are aimed at too low a level, there will not be IT jobs for apprentices because of the movement towards high skill level within the industry," he added.
Tuson believes the 80,000 work experience placements offer the opportunity for IT employers to "inspire and engage with future IT professionals" but requires IT employers to take on placements.
Karen Price, CEO of E-skills UK, says the 10,000 higher level apprenticeships announced in the Budget as well as a "suite of IT apprenticeship programmes that meet the needs of the sector" will go some way to driving growth in the IT industry.
"It is essential that we work closely with employers to ensure that there is continued investment in the skills of the IT professionals that form the backbone of these sectors," she added.
The Chancellor is also giving businesses a tax break to help stimulate growth, which may improve the jobs market. "The tax breaks will free up cash flow and allow companies to again invest in their IT infrastructure. This is beneficial for the IT job market as highly skilled professionals are required to help manage growth initiatives and get key projects back on track," said Neil Hedges, senior manager at Robert Half Technology.
Read the Budget report here.
For more on the 2011 Budget, click here.


All formal disciples of the Taiping Institute are required to complete the Taiping FIT - Foundation Program. This may be prior or concurrently but should be in the earlier part of their training. To practice martial arts it is important to ensure the right basic level of fitness, the foundation co-ordination and kinesiology skills/principles is necessary. Correct movement patterns allow more efficient use of power and most importantly help to prevent injury by developing a good foundation.
These programs were designed and are led by trained Sports Scientists and Physiotherapists. At the completion students are able to undertake the Fitness Instructor certification (and other relevant ones) to obtain formal qualifications. The Taiping Certificate is only awarded on satisfactory completion of the Foundation Practicum and the associated theory examinations which are predominantly based on the subjects of Anatomy & Physiology, Biomechanics, Kinesiology and Movement Science.


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My history of the founding of Handsworth Park
The Earl of Dartmouth opens the Victoria Park Extension on 30 March 1898
O My history of the founding of Handsworth Park Originally uploaded by Sibad.
This afternoon, I did another history tour of Handsworth Park - initially titled Victoria Park - but the chilly wet weather was too much for all but my friend Zarina, so we strolled round the pond in the wind and the rain for over an hour, meeting one of the rangers and the boatman and some people measuring the Canada Geese population ("There are too many" said one, while another wrestled a bird to the ground to ring it), sheltering under trees, gazing at the views, and chatting about lots of things - geese and whether its cruel to pierce their eggs, Guantanamo, that 'heavenly body' and the uses of sheep according to Lawrence Durrell in Prospero's Cell, the Sisters of Mercy Convent in Hunters Road, Mr Smiley's houses, plans for Aston and Lozells, the gate the developers want removed from the masterplan linking the park and the new houses on the Victoria Jubilee Allotments, the workings of the Serious Organised Crime Agency, discarded gum and cigarette butts, details of Austin Line's and Charles Palmer's lovingly restored fountains ("You know Palmer was a keen cyclist"), what to do about dog mess, the boats which were out again yesterday, the hoped for return of fish to the pond, the unmarked pauper's graves in St.Mary's Churchyard and the thinking of the people who created Handsworth Park - "so people like us could talk in a public place on a rainy day?" Strolled home to tea and coffee with Lin. Had a good afternoon yesterday attending a friend's wedding where the pastor has been for 50 years and is struggling a bit with rituals - checking stage directions sotto voce. My friend M, arrived 50 minutes late, having struggled, she told me later, to get the clingiest of pale pink wedding dresses around her slender figure. She's now married twice - well actually thrice if you count yesterday. She divorced a while ago. Yesterday, having plighted their troths and sworn the vows the pastor started over "Do you – sorry remind me of your name – yes, right – OK - do you M take ... ?" and so we went round again, everyone, including bride and groom, smiling and laughing at a joyful and hilarious piece of double knot-tying to the music of 'Greensleeves', through Handel's 'Behold the Lamb of God' and the singing of 'Amazing Grace' and 'When Jesus Washed – Oh happy day', a Lesson from Ephesians 5, 20-33, some vibrant preaching with the tale of Paul shipwrecked on Malta surviving a snake bite - 'for his destiny was Rome' - and a convivial blend of black and white. Someone whispered to me later that the 'pastor was past his best' - yet he founded this church and saw its congregation through hard years of settling in England – years about which the Anglican communion in Birmingham has reproached itself for being less than welcoming to Christians from the Caribbean. It will be decades or more before a faltering secularist like me can compete with this sort of thing. Around 4.30 I was at The Village Cafe over from the Arcadian Centre with Richard and Amy enjoying noodle soup with roast duck. R took the car to work in Broad Street. Amy and I walked home via Bennetts Hill, the Jewellery Quarter into Hylton Street where a shoulder-width alley between workshops leads to Key Hill and the closed post office on Hockley Hill. By a bus stop among broken bottles lay the glossy cardboard packaging of a legless headless torso branded 'Heavenly Body'. We threaded the low tunnels and non-agora under Hockley flyover, up the sidewalk, past flytipping, past the nearly completed Gurdwara Babe-Ke - "Hey the fibreglass dome is rotating!" - down Naden Street (more an alley) where we were asked to a boombox enhanced block BBQ in the car park behind the redbrick flats overlooking Soho Hill. Along Hunter's Road, with the exception of the Catholic church and St.Mary's Convent with their flowered frontages, a street of fine buildings has suffered low-budget private renovation. We walked on to the top of the hill and the tripartite junction of Weston Road, Hunters Road and Barker Street, wondering why some roads are called 'streets' and v.v., passing The Observatory Pub in the bow of one junction, and walking up Barker Street to the acutely angled Villa Cross, its identity mishapened by the disorder of the 1980s, losing us a cinema (already a bingo hall), pub (a drug market), shops (uninsurable) and gaining us a carpark, boarded up buildings and grant-funded offices with frontages attracting fly-posting as a cul-de-sac attracts flytipping, prompting traffic to pass rather than arrive. How titanic a task to draw in the involvement of its present and future population in reshaping this place and its surroundings. It can be done. People are working at it. We do meet and strive to get our minds around many tasks. It helps to have lots of cups of tea and biscuits. Promise exists - despite the acronyms of planning - in the Aston, Newtown and Lozells Area Action Plan (AAP) Issues and Options Report handed out at the Ward Area Committee last week. Comments need to go by 15 June 07 or phone 0800 694 3100. This plan will be part of the Local Development Framework (LDF) replacing the Unitary Development Plan (UDP). It's about the interconnection of housing, jobs, architecture, green space, health, education, transport, sustainability. It's about the circuitry of the area – IT, lighting, energy and water. It's about places to buy and sell, to worship, to play, to grow, to sit and talk, to listen, to eat, to associate, to read and view. It's about museums, gardens, smallholdings and trees and all with an eye to the broader changes that transform the practices and objects of one era so they become incomprehensible or impractical in another. Coming down Heathfield Road we came across three quite new brick houses in this dystopian place. They'd been built with such care and skill I wanted to clasp the hand of their builder. Amy took a picture she hasn't given me yet of a carved plaque in the wall of one house, saying it was built and designed by a man called Anthony E. Smile in 1998. Of course I've seen these many times but never asked about them. We strolled down Heathfield Avenue under trees and peered at the backs of the houses through iron gates. With a 'peep' of its horn an estate drove up. A lady introduced herself as Mrs.Smile. I shook her hand. "When you see your son please pass to him my deepest respect. He is a craftsman!" Smiley's houses are hope in brick. Mrs Smiley said "See the Lodge at the top of North Drive. My son worked on that." We did. This was the Lodge at an entrance to James Watt's Heathfield Estate, the original house demolished and what would now be called executive homes built in eclectic styles in the 1930s and now made more eclectic by prosperous newcomers who instead of flying to the suburbs on making their wealth have stayed in wicked Handsworth. The rawness of some renovations, such as the giant rampant gilt lions on one frontage, has not yet been moderated by the patina with which time can moderate the flamboyant impulses of new money. We walked on down North Drive, turning left along Gibson Road cursing the non-planning that had permitted the placing of several ill-proportioned new houses, still fenced off with paling and barbed wire, much too close to the pavement with diminutive back yards taken from gardens in North Drive. "It's someone in North Drive who's built them" said Amy. Greed in brick. So we came home, having enjoyed several little adventures. (see this entry 13 Dec'11 on a proposed Heritage Trail for Handsworth and Lozells)
Labels: Area Action Plan, Birmingham, Canada geese, Handsworth Park, heritage, jackdaws, Lozells, Newtown, Smiley, St.Mary's Convent


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1. In a medium nonstick pan over high heat, cook and stir the pine nuts until they begin to brown lightly and smell toasted, but not burnt.
2. Set the pine nuts aside in another dish.
3. Return the pan to the burner over medium-high heat.
4. Add 1/4 cup water. As it begins to boil, add a small handful of the spinach.
5. Cook and stir just until it begins to wilt.
6. Then push it to the side of the pan, and add another 1/4 cup water and handful of spinach.
7. Continue until all the spinach has been cooked, adding the raisins with the last handful of spinach.
8. Sprinkle with nutmeg and salt. Cook and stir until all the spinach is wilted and the raisins are warm.
9. Remove from heat. Press out excess water.
10. Place 1 cup spinach and raisins in a serving bowl.
11. Top with pine nuts.
KidneyBuzz.com will continue to provide you with informative articles and healthy recipes that are appropriate for both the renal and diabetic diet daily. Do not forget to visit our E-commerce section and support us by purchasing one of our NEW products. We have also just started a New Forum where your can connect with potential Donors and others with Kidney Disease and/or Diabetes for FREE. All are welcomed, so join now!


The classic Musto button down country shirt in new designs for spring/summer 17. Made from 100% cotton twill with a high wikcing treatment to help keep you cool and dry. The fabric has been lightly peached for a soft hand feel. A real staple for any country wardrobe.


← Spirituality without Religion: Hope or Hoax?
As Easter approaches, celebrants all around the world will extol the virtues of God's sacrifice on the cross. While I accept the praise, I tend to cringe at the rationale.
The rationale is also offensive to critics of Christian theology. What kind of logic is to be found in the proposition of an all-loving God that creates fallible creatures that are punished eternally for their weakness? That is cruel and arbitrary to the core.
I'd like to offer another analogy: think of evil as a cell in the body. If we performed surgery to remove that cell, how many other cells would be destroyed in the process? Is it fair that those cells should suffer and die so that the single cell can be removed?
That is the problem facing God. Yes, s/he could do the surgery and destroy evil. But in the process innocent creatures would be harmed.
In human medicine, the alternative to surgery is to condition the immune system to locate and remove the malignant cell. That can take some time, but has the advantage that it establishes a memory in the immune system. Future malignancies are dealt with far more efficiently.
Humanity is the immune system. Unfortunately, we have an auto-immune disorder. It's not something that happened in Eden, because the serpent existed before we did. No, it's something that precedes even the creation of this reality.
So why did Jesus choose to die on the cross?
Because experience of the disease is required for diagnosis and treatment.
Because God failed to protect us from evil, and so bears responsibility for our suffering.
Because while there is no sufficient form of atonement for our suffering, to share it, at least, might inspire us to grasp the power that is tendered for our healing.
That is the beauty of the resurrection. Not even death is beyond that power, should we chose to have faith in the love that is offered to us.
This entry was posted in Christianity and tagged Atonement, Easter, immune system, sin. Bookmark the permalink.


Парк Хотел Камчия разполага със 50 двойни стаи и 10 апартамента. Те са модерно и функционално обзаведени и разполагат всичко необходимо за спокоен престой.
Park Hotel Kamchia dispose with 50 rooms for 2 persons with either single or double beds. In 20 of the rooms 1 more bed can be added.
Park Hotel Kamchia's guests can choose amongst 10 serviced apartments. Each of them consists of elegant living room with a sofa and a separate bedroom with double bed.
At about twenty-five kilometers from the sea capital of Bulgaria – Varna you can find a little paradise where rare combination of dense forests, rivers and sea greed you with natural beauty.
This unique nature known with its sonorous name KAMCHIYA reminds more about Jurassic Park than the civilized 21st century. Unique dense forests in the KAMCHIYA reserve combined with the vast dunes of the protected area make this nook of the Black Sea coast, situated between Varna and Bourgas, a great place for relaxation, recreation and sport.
Kamchiya Park Hotel is a two star hotel renovated in 2014, located in the resort Kamchiya near the beach. The hotel offers very good accommodation conditions and a wide range of services, which makes it the ideal place for family holidays. Here everyone can relax and entertain to the best, take time for himself and his closest people. With its combination of beautiful coastline, fresh air and unspoiled nature, Kamchiya became a favorite place for many.
Kamchiya Park Hotel has 50 double rooms and 10 studios. They are modern and functionally furnished and have everything you need for a restful stay.
The restaurant of Park Hotel Kamchiya is well-known for its cuisine. Here guests can enjoy both specialties of the local cuisine and international dishes too. The menu is rich and also satisfies guests with specific requirements and needs of their diet because it can easily be adapted to them.
Guests of Park Hotel Kamchiya can further relax in the sauna or the gym at the hotel, swim in the large pool or party in the night club. At their disposal is a medical center.
For those who would prefer to organize their business events in a quiet location near the sea , Park Hotel Kamchiya offers its conference hall with 50 seats . The hall is equipped with everything needed for seminars, presentations and other events.


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Match Preview: Can Austria Stem The Irrepressible Italians?
June 26, 2021 Emmanuel Adeyemi-Abere No Comments
What a difference two weeks can make. Coming into EURO 2020 under the tag of dark horses, Italy's group stage displays have raised the expectations of what this team can achieve to a new level. As the odds stack up against Austria, this preview looks to explore some of the issues this side will have to counter, as well as the question on everyone's lips about Italy's midfield.
Match preview by Emmanuel Adeyemi-Abere.
Italy: transcending the Inferno
The ignominy of failing to reach the World Cup has set in motion a renaissance of the Italian national team. Under the aegis of Mancini, the Azzurri have taken EURO 2020 by storm. Three wins, seven goals scored, and none conceded in three group games have seen their unbeaten streak under his leadership extend to thirty games. But this is not a team in the mold of an archetypal Italian outfit. Instead, the tactical basis for this stark turnaround has been a flexible and progressive style of play.
The usual setup of a 4-3-3 system converts into an asymmetric 3-2-4-1 shape on the ball. From here, the left side of the attack is more ball dominant, gifting Lorenzo Insigne the license to roam between the lines or drift back out to the flank. The back three, and above all Leonardo Bonucci, look for line breaking passes into the halfspaces. If you divide the field in five vertical lanes, the halfspaces are the lanes that are not on the wing and not in the center. Because there is no touchline like on the wing, players have the freedom to go everywhere. But this zone often is not as well-defended as the very center. This makes it a very valuable offensive zone to play in and a lot of chances are created by passes or dribbles from the halfspace. Shifting the point of attack to find Nicolò Barella toward the right frequently helps the team get into the final third, The one-third of the pitch that is closest to the opposition's goal. where chipped balls behind the defense are common.
Automatisms run from back to front, leaving Mancini free to mix and match without risking the loss of cohesion. Add their 4-1-4-1 high press into the mix, and the final product is a highly organized unit. From the destructive approach of the Turks to the more aggressive strategy of the Swiss, nothing thus far has been much more than light work for Mancini's men. Indeed, their matured game model ultimately begs one question. Why had this team slipped under the radar going into the EUROs?
In truth, even though Mancini had long planted the seeds of change, an accurate appraisal of this outfit ahead of the tournament was not a straightforward task. On the one hand, stood a shift in approach at the outset of his reign, an eagerness to hand chances to new players, and an impressive run of results. On the other hand, Italy have met few elite teams during their streak. So, now facing a side that has coasted to this stage, where does Austria's punch stack up against Europe's heavyweight division?
Austria: new system, new approaches
Off the back of a 2-0 loss to the Netherlands, Austria manager Franco Foda went for a new formation. Ditching the back three setup from the first two games, his men took to the field in their duel with Ukraine in a 4-4-1-1 shape.
Facing a passive 4-1-4-1 block, the Austrians had a lot of joy. From left back, David Alaba could help put the shackles on Andriy Yarmolenko, an astute move in light of the winger's displays to date. But above all, Florian Grillitsch could take the reins for his side in possession. Drifting into the space on the side of the striker, his languid style on the ball helped tease open gaps into Ukraine's block.
From here, more ideas flowed. Marcel Sabitzer roamed over to the left halfspace while Xaver Schlager moved up higher between the lines into the right halfspace. Cue another neat trick: Stefan Lainer would often pull off into deeper positions on the right in the buildup, opening room for Konrad Laimer. As his teammates looked to overload When one team has more players in a certain area or zone than the other team. this zone in the early stages of the game, there were a few moments where the winger, or Schlager, could explode in behind with their intense running style.
For all of the criticism that Foda has accrued, he has shown an ability to adapt to the opponent. Here, their enterprising spells on the ball were a positive sign before facing the Italians. Though their desire to engage high up the pitch is commendable, Mancini's men are still prone to errors arising from their compactness off the ball. Should the lion's share of the play swing in Italy's favor, as one would expect, the relief such sequences can offer their rearguard will be valuable.
4th minute: possession sequence from the game against Ukraine. Grillitsch picks up the ball deep in the left halfspace, delays a little on the ball and then punches a pass into Marko Arnautović. Austria will hope to find similar gaps in front of the back four against Italy's defensive block. A defensive block is the compact group of defenders that defends a particular zone, either their own half in a medium defensive block, or the zone around their own box in a deep defensive block.
Sassuolo's star or the established epicenter?
This probable game state will be indebted in no small part to the men in the middle of the park. At the heart of Italy's success so far has been an outstanding midfield, a pleasant surprise given the outlook of this area of the pitch just a few days out from their opening game. Marco Verratti, the epicenter of the outfit, was already out of the picture due to a knee problem. Stefano Sensi and Lorenzo Pellegrini ended up falling foul of injury, too, leaving the identity of Verratti's deputy up in the air. But Mancini had little to fear, as his trio of choice excelled against both Turkey and Switzerland.
Jorginho sits at the base of the midfield. A master of the metronomic short passing game, he keeps the flow of the game ticking over. In the meantime, higher up the field, the dynamic all-rounder Nicolò Barella has found a home working from the right halfspace. The final piece, on the left of the three, has been Manuel Locatelli. Far from a mainstay in the starting eleven at the outset of EURO 2020, his prudent playmaking has proven to be a valuable asset. In turn, the midfielder has only helped elevate his standing in this setup, at least prompting Mancini to consider his selection.
But whether Locatelli features from the off or not, one huge positive is clear. Italy's manager can look to two men to execute the central role in this construct. Assign the pieces around either the correct tasks, and he can place different demands upon his players that could make all the difference.
The variation of the buildup phase from the Italians has made this contrast evident, raising a pivotal question for Austria going into today's game. As the Azzurri's superstar, Verratti sees this role as one where he can direct the show. The buildup structure from the back against Wales showed a marked change from the opening two games of Italy's campaign. The concept of the 3-2-4-1 shape was still in use, but players occupied different roles and spaces.
From the off, some of the asymmetries in the back three had flipped over. Verratti would drop off into the left halfspace to demand for the ball, never letting too much time elapse without his presence being made known. In turn, though Alessandro Bastoni is a central defender, he would act as a deep full-back from the left in the way the right back often did in Italy's first two games of the EUROs.
Italy's adjusted offensive structure against Wales: Verratti drops in, splitting Bastoni wide, Jorginho pivots higher to give him license to roam and Pessina flexibly moves between the lines.
In a word, Verratti executed the role in a ball dominant manner. As he roamed laterally to receive passes, Jorginho often moved up higher, thus creating an asymmetry between the double pivot. Two central midfielders next to each other. Pinning markers to give Verratti space for his elaborate pirouettes and dribbles, he had around half of his partner's touches on the ball. At just 57 to 103, the metronome bowed to Verratti's ball mastery. For better or worse, once the PSG midfielder has a hold of the ball, it is hard to separate him from it.
On the other hand, Locatelli is content not being at the heart of every phase of play on this team. His contribution focuses more exclusively on the left halfspace. As was the case in Italy's first two games, several new buildup structures can then emerge. Jorginho can hold down the center while Locatelli stays deep on the left. The former can drift far over to the left halfspace to offer a short passing option to the latter. Or both can stay narrower, letting one of the back three step into the midfield and engage.
53rd minute: Buildup sequence leading to Demiral's own goal. Locatelli and Jorginho double up on Çalhanoğlu, allowing the former to pivot on the ball and progress the play. Before Chiellini picks up possession, Locatelli scans and moves higher to open up the diagonal pass to Jorginho, playing a key role in pinning the attacking midfielder to initiate the attack.
Locatelli shows readiness to fill spaces where he won't get the ball, and his ability to make line breaking runs into the final third have displayed his value off the ball too. With Locatelli, Italy have an extra level of unpredictability in the attack. With Verratti, they can monopolize the ball at ease. Austria must be ready to face not just an asymmetric back three but all the subtleties that then come with it.
Austria are not wholly out of the running for this contest. Foda may find yet another neat solution to counteract some of Italy's strengths. But where one solution arises, another problem can equally emerge. Mancini's men are stern favorites to win this game for a reason, and there is nothing to suggest yet they will not be able to deliver.
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Tags: AustriaFranco FodaItalyRoberto Mancini
By: Emmanuel Adeyemi-Abere
"Possession as a philosophy is overrated. Possession of the ball as a tool is underestimated." João Cancelo stan (19) [ View all posts ]
Arsenal – Leeds United: Gunners' Grasp On Top Four Goes From Strength To Strength (2-1)
Emmanuel Adeyemi-Abere May 9, 2022
Paris Saint-Germain – Manchester City: Mahrez Strikes Oil In Stinging Comeback (1-2)
Emmanuel Adeyemi-Abere April 29, 2021


My Mum Helen and I are dropping into Waroona tomorrow to leave you some comfy beds, food and toys, for those of you who have lost your homes. I hope some of you get to enjoy our contributions from the Subiaco and Hillary's dogs. We know you will be feeling tired and anxious so some of us left our Wee-Mails on the blankets to enable you to smell of our concern and warm wishes.
I would also like to invite you to tell your tales on my blog at some point in the future. You can bark about your escape or woof about the sadness of loosing your mates and home. Or maybe you could tell us of your new lives now that homes are being rebuilt.
My Mum is good at translating Wee-mails but we live a bit far away. We might have to come down to visit when things have settled a bit.
My Mum loves taking photos of animals so if you would like to be the centre of attention, please let your humans know.
The City of Subiaco provides us with a little stream to cool our hot tummies. Our Mums are not happy though, as we are green and black with algae and mud when we get out! Not deterred we roll in the grass and shake off the excess before we jump in the car to go home.
Well time flies – Monday saw me at Greg the Vets in Subiaco having my ten year check yup. YES! I am now older than my human Mum.
I was very well behaved while Greg checked my teeth (95% great), my heart (still beating like a two year old's), my lungs (sadly for my Mum not deteriorating in anyway, so I can still yell at her VERY LOUDLY), and of course I tolerated that little unmentionable test.
As a reward for my good behaviour my Mum Helen took me to Cliff Sadlier Park for a big run around.
There were old friends and new mates to play with at the park.
I played ball chase with Jack and Honey whom I had not seen for a long time. Us cream and apricot dogs don't grow grey with age but instead, as you can see, change colour.
I discovered that Jensen and Albi still like to have fun. The most sprightly and cheeky puppy I met today was aptly named Minnie. Her golden fur glowed in the evening sun. She was with her auntie Maggie.
My love interests were spiked when I laid eyes on the gorgeous Marnie – she looked deeply at me with her King Charles Spaniel eyes and I melted into the green summer grass. She looked so… sweet! Coco and Lulu also seemed happy meandering around leaving Weemails for their mates.
As we walked around the park we met a trickster black dog who jumped back and forth through the hoop, and George with his colourful collar.
The play fighting twosome Elvis and Indy kept us laughing at their antics and jumping away when they came too close.
The last photo shows Blondie trying to win a competition for the longest doggie tongue!


Home to your source of Internet Cafe and Adult Arcade news and updates. Find out what's happening in your area, online and across the country at http://icafenews.com.
Internet Cafes or Internet Cafe Sweepstakes centers and Adult Arcades that offer skill based games are becoming one of the most popular pastimes for many retired and working folks across the country.
Some states have started to clarify their positions on gaming and have sought to eliminate these types of establishments in favor of big casinos and lotteries. As a result, some have been forced to close due to the risk of legal action by state and local authorities. View our news link for more information regarding possible shutdowns or action being taken against operators of cafes.
Sweepstakes are legal in most states that have not re-written their laws to specifically target this business model. In some cases, operators are moving to the web to deliver games to customers without the hassle of the local governments that could change their minds and target these types of businesses.
iCafe News has observed that play at home or play@home sweepstakes are beginning to offer the same fun and excitement as your favorite local sweepstakes parlor and game room. We recommend that you check out the links of businesses highlighted on our site and join the fun.
If you own, operate, or manage an Internet Cafe or Arcade and would like to feature your business at iCafe News, please use our contact page to find out how you can list or advertise your business and let customers know more about your location.


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ACI Afrique
ACI Stampa
CNA Deutsch
South Africa's Durban and Klerksdorp Dioceses Postpone Reopening of Churches
Credit: Public Domain
By Mercy Maina
DURBAN , 03 June, 2020 / 3:21 AM (ACI Africa).-
Days after the President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa announced the possible resumption of public worship beginning June 1, a move the Catholic Bishops in the country supported, the Archbishop of Durban and the Bishop of Klerksdorp diocese have decided to postpone the reopening of the places of worship in their respective jurisdictions to allow for adequate preparations, including awareness workshops for Priests.
"We are looking at when we have had the (COVID-19) training, when we have the (preventive) measures in place and we are flattening the curve, that's when we can consider opening Churches," the Archbishop of Durban, Wilfrid Cardinal Napier said at the end of Pentecost Sunday Mass that was streamed live on social media.
He added, "I know it's going to be a difficult one for many of you to accept but it's your safety, the safety of your children and most important of all, your grandmothers, fathers, grandfathers, the elderly; those who are most vulnerable."
Considering that the various precautionary measures required "will need a lot of planning and logistics, what happens if someone turns up and they have a high temperature? Are we then bound to call an ambulance and take responsibility for their care or what do we do?" the 79-year-old Cardinal probed May 31.
"At the moment, it's looking like a task only very few parishes will be able to accomplish safely and that would be parishes that are very well resourced," Cardinal Wilfrid noted and probed, "What about the parishes that do not have the resources; is it fair to say they will open, they can open and then they are going to be the first ones to suffer should something happens?"
"Therefore, I have decided that only after every priest has been to a workshop and understands clearly what's involved and is committed to fulfilling every one of the conditions to the letter, only after the parishioners have understood the instructions from the priests, only after that will we even consider reopening the churches," he added.
According to the South African Prelate, "It is foolhardy to reopen Churches now when the numbers are going up; we will be accused of recklessness."
He said that most of the 77 parishes in the Archdiocese are struggling financially due to the continued lockdown and appealed to the faithful to start making their contributions.
The Cardinal cautioned against using cash money saying, "It is one of the most dangerous things at the moment, therefore make arrangements to make your contribution electronically."
On his part, Bishop Victor Phalana of South Africa's Klerksdorp diocese announced a one-month preparation period before reopening.
"For us to get ready for reopening our parishes I would like to announce the following: The diocese of Klerksdorp will take one month to prepare for the reopening of the churches," Bishop Phalana said in a message published on Facebook Saturday, May 30.
In the message, the Bishop outlines a series of activities to be undertaken on a weekly basis during the month of June to ensure safety when churches in his jurisdiction reopen for public worship.
The activities include meetings with Priests and other church leaders, as well as study and reflections on the statement on reopening of churches issued by the Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference (SACBC), regulations for the same purpose by the South African Council of Churches (SACC) and a previous diocesan Pastoral Letter.
"During week four, we, The Diocesan COVID-19 Relief Team, will deliver masks - (a limited number of 50 masks per priest/deacon)," the South African Prelate has stated in his Facebook post, adding, "Thanks to our Chancery Office and the COVID-19 relief team - there is a consignment of masks from Caritas Hong Kong coming our way."
A thermometer will also be delivered to each priest and deacon, courtesy to a donation the leadership of the diocese has sourced from Caritas Poland, the 59-year-old Bishop revealed.
In the same week, a pastoral letter aimed at guiding the people of God in parishes for reopening churches in July will be issued.
"During the month of June, I recommend a general cleaning of our churchyards and other buildings. Let us do repairs and maintenance. Let us ensure that we have running water and that toilets work properly," the Bishop of Klerkscorp says in his Facebook post.
He adds, "Train those who are going to supervise the screening of members, those who are going to be responsible for the registers and those who will supervise hand-washing and the use of sanitizers. This must be a busy week for all."
"We, as bishops, speak from the standpoint of health and safety on one hand and faith and spiritual care of the flock of Our Lord on the other hand," he says and goes on to highlight the specific role of the Church during such pandemic.
"The church is called upon to be involved in the joys and sorrows of our people and to give them hope and comfort at this time of the pandemic," Bishop Phalana says, adding, "This is our Kairos moment. History will judge us: Where was the Church during COVID-19? There will be some whispers: no, the Church went into hiding, focusing on self-preservation."
The Church, in the words of Pope Francis, is there with the people - bandaging their wounds, Bishop Victor recalls in his Facebook message and adds, "Let the Church give hope and not entrench fear and panic. Spreading panic and fear is the ministry of the devil and not of the church of God."
Archdiocese of Durban
Klerksdorp diocese
Reopening of Churches
ACI Africa
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Catholic Bishops in DR Congo Say Process Toward Free Basic Education "irreversible"
Online "Bishop's Catechesis" in Senegal's Thiès Diocese Aims to Deepen Faith amid COVID-19
Bishops in Southern Africa to Hold Virtual Plenary Assembly amid COVID-19 Surge
Nigeria's Christian Leaders Call on President to Protect Catholic Bishop amid Controversy
After Days in Hospital, Zambian Bishop Succumbs to COVID-19-related Complications
South Africa's Cardinal Seeking Spiritual Solidarity with Archbishop in ICU for COVID-19
Pope Francis' Opening of Lector and Acolyte Ministries to Women Explained
Pope Francis' Doctor Since 2015 Succumbs to COVID-19-related Complications
"It is unwise to open churches at this time for public worship": South African Archbishop
Win for Poor "self-esteem, self-respect": South African Cardinal to Caritas Coordinators
Corruption "the number one threat to our heritage": South African Prelate
Lesotho-based Cleric Reflects on COVID-19 Challenges, Anticipates Reopening of Churches
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Belgian filmmakers Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani trade in the crushed velvet and creeping shadows of their giallo-worshiping first two films (Amer, The Strange Color of Your Body's Tears) for blistering sun, creaking leather and raining bullets in this glorious homage to 1970s Italian crime films. After stealing a truckload of gold bars, a gang of thieves absconds to the ruins of a remote village perched on the cliffs of the Mediterranean. Home to a reclusive yet hypersexual artist and her motley crew of family and admirers, it seems like a perfect hideout. But when two cops roll up on motorcycles to investigate, the hamlet erupts into a hallucinatory battlefield as both sides engage in an all-day, all-night firefight rife with double-crosses and dripping with blood. Based on a classic pulp novel by Jean-Patrick Manchette and featuring vintage music cues by Ennio Morricone, Let the Corpses Tan is a deliriously stylish, cinematic fever dream that will slamfire your senses like buckshot to the brain.
"Meticulously executed, obsessively stylized. You almost expect to see Dario Argento or Mario Bava's name on the credits and for Morricone to have composed the music."
"Beautiful, experimental and bold. One of the most exciting cinematic experiences I've had in quite some time. I couldn't look away for fear of missing yet another thing I'd never witnessed before."
"This is a worshipful film, adoring of guns, of gold, of the human body, and of cinema itself. Supplicate yourself before it."
"An exercise in fetishization, of both the human body and the visual medium that captures it. There's a gleeful, twisted imagination at work here."
"A fetishistic, ultra-violent exploitation flick that's all kinds of artistic and exciting. A stunning display of visual seduction and slaughter-first gunplay."
"Let the Corpses Tan might be the best 1970s Italian crime thriller never made."
"Cattet and Forzani might have made the quintessential midnight movie."


You can find more Hastings Hastings, NE alumni who participated in activities at Classmates.com®. Click here to join Classmates.com® for free and to view HHS profiles.
Did you participate in high school sports or high school activites when you attended Hastings High School in Hastings, Nebraska? If you did, you can register as a member of the alumni directory and select the various school activities you were involved in.	The main activities at Hastings Hastings, NE that have members on this site were Art Club, Band, Baseball, Basketball, Drama, Football, Gymnastics, Music, Student Council, Swimming, Track, Wrestling and Yearbook.


Crap Craigslist Posting From A Dude: "Everything You Need To Know About Women"
Ah, the Craigslist screed. The philosophizing of sages who don't care that their inadvertent audience really only wants a free couch, or an adult encounter, or a cleaning gig. The sociologist in question today has ideas about "women."
The "modern American woman" debate here on CL lacks cogent analysis. I am here to supply it. Here is everything you need to know about women in less than five minutes. Man or woman, if you take this to heart it will serve you the rest of your life.
• Just as citizens of the old Soviet Union who envied capitalism actually only craved the material goods that were the dividends of capitalism – they were horrified to learn of the personal risk inherent in a market economy – most women recoil from genuine equality. Responsibility, as men are required to shoulder it, is not much fun. Women want equal pay for equal work, but want (and usually get) the option of not working, or getting someone else to subsidize their good times. Women are infuriated by the proposition that they are inferior to men, but equally infuriated by the prospect of men not paying for dates. There is no grown-up way to reconcile these two points of view; this too infuriates women.
• Women achieve more security as perpetual victims than by actually acquiring power. (Most married suburban women would rather avoid working – and keep complaining about the "boredom" of their subsidized, self-indulgent, coffee-and-yoga lives – than join their husbands on an equal professional footing and shoulder equal risk.) Women keep imagining themselves aggrieved and oppressed by dark, male forces. But there is almost no real evidence of this. Feminist interests derive endless mileage and sympathy from complaining that the "male-dominated" academic world is biased against women, but you will not see them hurrying to point out that far more women than men are enrolled in college today; that fact undercuts their "victim" status.
Feminism as a pragmatic program for living remains in an infantile, arrested state because these fundamental contradictions remain unresolved.
The cherry-picking strategem, in which women pivot in nanoseconds from Ms. Boardroom to Daddy's Little Girl and expect to be congratulated for each fresh self-indulgence, is not only irrational but morally reprehensible. As a practical matter, few men can retreat at will from risk and responsibility, but most women can do so anytime they like.


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French Election: Macron Elected
The second round of the 2017 French Presidential Election has concluded, with Emmanuel Macron being elected as France's new President.
Macron was elected on a platform of centrist policies. This is in contrast to Marine Le Pen of the Front National, who advocated more protectionist economic/social policies.
Mr Macron won 66.1% of the vote. Ms Le Pen conceded defeat, having won 33.9% of the vote.
Situational Summary
Former government minister Emmanuel Macron, who ran on a centrist platform, has been declared the next French President, following an incredibly volatile election campaigns France. Macron won nearly two thirds of the vote (66.1 per cent) compare to Le Pen (33.9 per cent). Macron's opponent, Marine Le Pen, has conceded defeat but she promises to rebrand the National Front and adopt the mantle of France's new opposition leader.
Intrinsic Comment
The 2017 French Presidential Election has the unique distinction of being the first vote in the life of the Fifth Republic (since 1958) in which neither the established Socialist Party nor the Republican Party managed to enter the second round. Mr Macron's victory in the second round comes as a relief to the proponents of the European project. For the duration of the campaign, his opponent, Marine Le Pen, ran on a radical platform that included policies such as holding a referendum over France's membership of the Euro and the European Union. A Le Pen Presidency is likely to have led to an adverse reaction similar to that following the UK's EU referendum in 2016 in a number of ways. In contrast, Macron is set to be more of a status-quo President, although he has expressed a desire to reform aspects of the European Project, and intends to enforce liberal reforms of the French labour market. This is significant, given that France has endured decades of high unemployment, partly owing to globalisation. France has experienced significant unrest in the past. Large-scale protests took place on multiple occasions in 2016 against reforms to labour laws. Tens of thousands participated in action that disrupted public transport. The protests included a series of strikes, resulting in the closure of venues including the Eiffel Tower and ended with over 100 arrests. Following this election, anti-capitalist protests have been taking place in the centre of Paris and further unrest has the potential to disrupt travel, possibly through strike action.
Mr Macron will inherit the Presidency in the wake of a series of terrorist attacks that have claimed the lives of over two hundred people, including an attack in Nice on Bastille Day in 2016 and Paris in November 2015. Macron's first year in office will be shaped by how responsive his administration can be to such threats. The country remains in a state of emergency as a result of these attacks. Just days before the first round, a police officer lost his life in a terrorist attack on the Champs Élyséés. This came just days after security services foiled what they believed to be an attempted attack, with the arrest of two suspects in Marseille.
Intrinsic Advice
It is recommended that post-election protests are avoided. Political gatherings in France generally remain peaceful but visitors should remain wary of large-scale events, in case they turn violent. In recent times, far-left and far-right protesters have had confrontations with police, who have resorted to using tear gas, amongst other things, as means to break up the protests. Travellers should familiarize themselves with their environment in Paris especially, so as to avoid hotspots that are likely to attract large crowds.
France remains in a state of emergency, following a series of terrorist attacks. Travellers should be aware of the potential for further attacks, but the risk of this may diminish, now that the election has concluded. Demonstrations and protests are potential targets.
Most visits to France are trouble-free. The largest threat to travellers remains crimes of opportunity such as pickpocketing and petty theft.
We would not advise clients of the need to use enhanced security measures when visiting France. Travellers would also be advised to make use of travel-tracking apps that include an updated news feed to keep them aware of local developments. It is also important to employ sensible security precautions and maintain situational awareness.


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Mr Mizrahi's Blog
Parents' Fun Page
Flexible Thinking
Preschooler Worksheets
Four Lessons from "Inside Out" to Discuss With Kids
Published on December 25, 2017 December 26, 2017 by Coach Benjamin Mizrahi
As I mentioned in one of my previous posts, it's important to get involved in your kid's media lives, one way of doing so is to watch movies together.
Today, I sat with my kids to watch the movie "Inside Out."
"Since its release, Inside Out has been applauded by critics and adored by audiences.
But perhaps its greatest achievement has been this: It has moved viewers young and old to take a look inside their own minds. As you likely know by now, much of the film takes place in the head of an 11-year-old girl named Riley, with five emotions—Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust—embodied by characters who help Riley navigate her world. The film has some deep things to say about the nature of our emotions—which is no coincidence, as the GGSC's founding faculty director, Dacher Keltner, served as a consultant on the film, helping to make sure that, despite some obvious creative liberties, the film's fundamental messages about emotion are consistent with scientific research.
Those messages are smartly embedded within Inside Out's inventive storytelling and mind-blowing animation; they enrich the film without weighing it down. But they are conveyed strongly enough to provide a foundation for discussion among kids and adults alike. Some of the most memorable scenes in the film double as teachable moments for the classroom or dinner table.
Though Inside Out has artfully opened the door to these conversations, it can still be hard to find the right way to move through them or respond to kids' questions. So for parents and teachers who want to discuss Inside Out with children, here we have distilled four of its main insights into our emotional lives, along with some of the research that backs them up. And a warning, lest we rouse your Anger: There are some spoilers below.
1) Happiness is not just about joy. When the film begins, the emotion of Joy—personified by a manic pixie-type with the voice of Amy Poehler—helms the controls inside Riley's mind; her overarching goal is to make sure that Riley is always happy. But by the end of the film, Joy—like Riley and the audience—learns that there is much, much more to being happy than boundless positivity. In fact, in the film's final chapter, when Joy cedes control to some of her fellow emotions, particularly Sadness, Riley seems to achieve a deeper form of happiness.
This reflects the way that a lot of leading emotion researchers see happiness. Sonja Lyubomirsky, the author of the best-selling How of Happiness, defines happiness as "the experience of joy, contentment, or positive well-being, combined with a sense that one's life is good, meaningful, and worthwhile." (emphasis added) So while positive emotions such as joy are definitely part of the recipe for happiness, they are not the whole shebang.
In fact, a recent study found that people who experience "biodiversity," or a rich array of both positive and negative emotions, have better mental health. The authors of this study suggest that feeling a variety of specific emotions may give a person more detailed information about a particular situation, thus resulting in better behavioral choices—and potentially greater happiness.
For example, in a pivotal moment in the film, Riley allows herself to feel sadness, in addition to fear and anger, about her idea of running away from home; as a result, she decides not to go through with her plan. This choice reunites Riley with her family, giving her a deeper sense of happiness and contentment in the comfort she gets from her parents, even though it's mixed with sadness and fear.
In that light, Inside Out's creators, including director Pete Docter, made a smart choice to name Poehler's character "Joy" instead of "Happiness." Ultimately, joy is just one element of happiness, and happiness can be tinged with other emotions, even including sadness.
2) Don't try to force happiness. One of us (Vicki) felt an old, familiar frustration when Riley's mother tells her to be her parents' "happy girl" while the family adjusts to a stressful cross-country move and her father goes through a difficult period at work. As a child, Vicki got similar messages and used to think something was wrong with her if she wasn't happy all the time. And all the research and press about the importance of happiness in recent years can make this message that much more potent.
Thank goodness emotion researcher June Gruber and her colleagues started looking at the nuances of happiness and its pursuit. Their findings challenge the "happy-all-the-time" imperative that was probably imposed upon many of us.
For example, their research suggests that making happiness an explicit goal in life can actually make us miserable. Gruber's colleague Iris Mauss has discovered that the more people strive for happiness, the greater the chance that they'll set very high standards of happiness for themselves and feel disappointed—and less happy—when they're not able to meet those standards all the time.
So it should come as no surprise that trying to force herself to be happy actually doesn't help Riley deal with the stresses and transitions in her life. In fact, not only does that strategy fail to bring her happiness, but it also seems to make her feel isolated and angry with her parents, which factors into her decision to run away from home.
What's a more effective route to happiness for Riley (and the rest of us)? Recent research points to the importance of "prioritizing positivity"—deliberately carving out ample time in life for experiences that we personally enjoy. For Riley, that's ice hockey, spending time with friends, and goofing around with her parents.
But critically, prioritizing positivity does not require avoiding or denying negative feelings or the situations that cause them—the kind of single-minded pursuit of happiness that can be counter-productive. That's a crucial emotional lesson for Riley and her family when Riley finally admits that moving to San Francisco has been tough for her—an admission that brings her closer to her parents.
3) Sadness is vital to our well-being. Early in the film, Joy admits that she doesn't understand what Sadness is for or why it's in Riley's head. She's not alone. At one time or another, many of us have probably wondered what purpose sadness serves in our lives.
That's why the two of us love that Sadness rather than Joy emerges as the hero of the movie. Why? Because Sadness connects deeply with people—a critical component of happiness—and helps Riley do the same. For example, when Riley's long-forgotten imaginary friend Bing Bong feels dejected after the loss of his wagon, it is Sadness's empathic understanding that helps him recover, not Joy's attempt to put a positive spin on his loss. (Interestingly, this scene illustrates an important finding from research on happiness, namely that expressions of happiness must be appropriate to the situation.)
In one the film's greatest revelations, Joy looks back on one of Riley's "core memories"—when the girl missed a shot in an important hockey game—and realizes that the sadness Riley felt afterwards elicited compassion from her parents and friends, making her feel closer to them and transforming this potentially awful memory into one imbued with deep meaning and significance for her.
With great sensitivity, Inside Out shows how tough emotions like sadness, fear, and anger, can be extremely uncomfortable for people to experience—which is why many of us go to great lengths to avoid them (see the next section). But in the film, as in real life, all of these emotions serve an important purpose by providing insight into our inner and outer environments in ways that can help us connect with others, avoid danger, or recover from the loss.
One caveat: While it's important to help kids embrace sadness, parents, and teachers need to explain to them that sadness is not the same as depression—a mood disorder that involves prolonged and intense periods of sadness. Adults also need to create safe and trusting environments for children so they will feel safe asking for help if they feel sad or depressed.
4) Mindfully embrace—rather than suppress—tough emotions. At one point, Joy attempts to prevent Sadness from having any influence on Riley's psyche by drawing a small "circle of Sadness" in chalk and instructing Sadness to stay within it. It's a funny moment, but psychologists will recognize that Joy is engaging in a risky behavior called "emotional suppression"—an emotion-regulation strategy that has been found to lead to anxiety and depression, especially amongst teenagers whose grasp of their own emotions is still developing. Sure enough, trying to contain Sadness and deny her a role in the action ultimately backfires for Joy, and for Riley.
Later in the film, when Bing Bong loses his wagon (the scene described above), Joy tries to get him to "cognitively reappraise" the situation, meaning that she encourages him to reinterpret what this loss means for him—in this case, by trying to shift his emotional response toward the positive. Cognitive reappraisal is a strategy that has historically been considered the most effective way to regulate emotions. But even this method of emotion regulation is not always the best approach, as researchers have found that it can sometimes increase rather than decrease depression, depending on the situation.
Toward the end of the movie, Joy does what some researchers now consider to be the healthiest method for working with emotions: Instead of avoiding or denying Sadness, Joy accepts Sadness for who she is, realizing that she is an important part of Riley's emotional life.
Emotion experts call this "mindfully embracing"emotion. What does that mean? Rather than getting caught up in the drama of an emotional reaction, a mindful person kindly observes the emotion without judging it as the right or wrong way to feel in a given situation, creating space to choose a healthy response. Indeed, a 2014 study found that depressed adolescents and young adults who took a mindful approach to life showed lower levels of depression, anxiety, and bad attitudes, as well as a greater quality of life.
Certainly, Inside Out isn't the first attempt to teach any of these four lessons, but it's hard to think of another piece of media that has simultaneously moved and entertained so many people in the process. It's a shining example of the power of media to shift viewers' understanding of the human experience—a shift that, in this case, we hope will help viewers foster deeper and more compassionate connections to themselves and those around them."
Source here.
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text:
Playing It By Ear
KEVIN ABERNATHY has been hailed as "the best undiscovered singer-songwriter in America," his 2012 release Some Stories called "a masterpiece," his songwriting and story-telling compared to such legends as John Prine and Steve Earle.
Abernathy takes each accolade in stride, then puts his proverbial shoulder to the wheel and gets back to work.
In just over a decade, he's released eight CDs (from 2006's Better Days to last year's Family Hour), always going stylistically down whichever path his muse leads him, rockin' it out when he wants to rock it out, acoustically introspective when he doesn't. It makes no difference – each of Abernathy's musical identities is just a different approach to his art, different strokes on a canvas, always thoughtful (and thought-provoking), always well-crafted and finely-tuned, always written with a true writer's love of words and phrasing.
The writing part all came later, though. It was the guitar to which a young Abernathy was first drawn, locked away for hours in his room in small-town Madisonville, Tennessee, wearing out his Van Halen albums. It was his lead guitar virtuosity which took him to San Francisco in the early-eighties, livin' the dream in a hard-rock hair band. It was during the down times, between the parties, that Abernathy began his love affair with songwriting. And it was this love affair which drew him back to Tennessee, and eventually to Nashville, the Holy Land for those who dream of turning words and music into portraits and stories.
Abernathy moved to Music City with his "Knoxville Girl" Christine, now his wife of over twenty years (their three daughters have their own band, The Pinklets), in 1993. Shortly after arriving in town, he got the lead guitar job in the Shapeshifters, a rock quartet formed and fronted by Brian Relleva, whom Abernathy credits with sharpening his own songwriting skills. The band released a critically-acclaimed CD (1998's Alienated), and, Abernathy says, "played a lot of gigs and had a grand time," but dissolved after five years.
To say that "when one door closes, another opens" doesn't quite do justice to the effect of the dissolution of the Shapeshifters on the trajectory of Abernathy's career. He and his now-growing family left Nashville, moved back to East Tennessee, and the songwriter set out to establish himself as a solo artist.
His sideman days were over, and he hasn't looked back.
In the years since, he's become a mainstay on Knoxville radio and a fixture of the East Tennessee live music scene, playing both solo and with his band, known simply as "KAB." (You figure it out). He's done shows with acts as diverse as Robin Trower, Lucinda Williams, The Band Of Heathens and Delbert McClinton, proving again and again that his appeal runs the gamut, that good, honest songwriting is not limited to style or genre or demographic.
It's just how Kevin Abernathy rolls. And rocks, when he wants to.
Ty Hager, Jan. 2018