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The carefully targeted shotgun
James Mitchell & Emma Ryan Friday, 15 Jan 2016 18 minute read
As the market adapts to two-tiered home loan pricing and higher rates, The Adviser asks regional brokers for their take on the regulator's national approach to a problem that was effectively driven by two capital cities.
There are a number of factors that contributed to the pricing and policy changes that hit the home loan market in the last six months of 2015. Capital requirements, responsible lending and a speed limit on investor lending are the three primary drivers. However, it is important to remember where these discussions began.
Particularly around strong investor demand, which arguably drove the biggest changes in the mortgage market and resulted in differentiated pricing, LVR limits and other policy changes.
Back in 2014, the RBA was doing plenty of 'jawboning' about the strong investor interest in the Sydney and Melbourne housing markets. In its Financial Stability Review, published on 24 September that year, the central bank famously remarked that the composition of the Australian housing market was "becoming unbalanced".
"This has been most evident in the current strength of investor activity in the housing market, and in its concentration in Sydney and Melbourne," it said.
The big figure being thrown around at this time was that 50 per cent of all new home loans written in NSW were for property investment. Regulators were officially spooked.
APRA jumped on the jawboning bandwagon, as did ASIC, and together they set about launching a strategy to rein in investor lending in an effort to rebalance the market.
However, in places like Perth, Darwin and many regional centres, property prices weren't growing nearly as fast as those in Sydney or Melbourne – indeed in some places, they were going backwards. Nor were speculative investors leading the charge.
APRA under fire
While many market commentators understood the reasons behind APRA's decision, they were confounded by its strategy.
Domain Group senior economist Dr Andrew Wilson made no secret of his feelings about what the prudential regulator had done. For a start, he says APRA's claims of an overheating market have not yet been proven and that the motives behind its decision require greater scrutiny.
"I don't think we've had a full and detailed modelling and explanation as to the nature of the policy shift and the details as to the actual quantities that have been determined that would be a so-called risky level of investor lending in our market," Dr Wilson says.
APRA's decision to put a speed limit on investor lending resulted in countless rate changes from Australian lenders in an effort to take the heat out of their investor portfolios. But according to Dr Wilson, APRA's measures were misguided.
"Where's the heat? I don't understand where the heat is," he says.
"We have the lowest level of mortgage defaults we've seen. Affordability is still below average levels.
"The only issues we really have in the Sydney market are low levels of first home buyers and that's just a reflection of the internationalisation of the Sydney market that has become so expensive."
Dr Wilson highlights that APRA's approach has been a "one-size-fits-all model" that ignores cities outside of Sydney and Melbourne. "We've had a lot of sloganeering happen over the last 12 months, particularly about housing market bubbles [and] international buyers," he says.
"We're now seeing a moderation in housing market activity in Sydney. We've had interest rates on hold for … months, so that means affordability has plateaued and price growth will plateau as a consequence. This is the nature of our housing markets and we're very fortunate that we have those in-built stabilisers in our housing market. I think once we see policymakers interfere in that process, the downstream consequences are really problematic."
While the lending crackdown was intended to balance the market out, Dr Wilson fears it could have the opposite effect.
"The danger is that we'll create imbalances in the marketplace down the track," he says.
"I don't know what the modelling is, what historical evidence of risk that APRA are trying to avoid here because our housing markets have a reputation over the longer term of orderly growth and correction phases."
While he doesn't necessarily believe APRA should come under investigation, Dr Wilson says the prudential regulator has a lot to answer for.
"It'd be good to have some more transparency about the actual modelling behind the crackdown," he suggests.
"APRA's said that they don't want to have investor lending growing by more than 10 per cent [but] I'm not sure where they've got that particular number from and they're saying that the reason behind this is to guard against risk in the housing market. Again, I'm not sure if we've had them explain clearly what these risks are exactly and what their modelling is.
"I just think that we need to have those questions answered by APRA. What is their modelling? Where is their evidence of an overheating market? Why is this a one-size-fits-all model that would restrict residential property investment and economic activity downstream in markets that are crying out for that at the moment, which really are most markets with the exception of Sydney and Melbourne?"
Shackled by policy changes
The speed at which some lenders implemented their pricing and policy changes rubbed some brokers the wrong way. Others were left baffled after having deals turned away by lenders with whom they'd been writing investor home loans for years.
Queensland broker Richard West, of Top Ten Home Loans, says the overnight credit changes of one lender shackled his client, leaving them unable to grow their portfolio unless he took them to another lender and swallowed the clawback.
Mr West told The Adviser that one particular non-major bank changed its lending policy towards investors, which in this case meant that if more than 50 per cent of the servicing was supported by investment rental income, then this income source was capped at 50 per cent, down from 80 per cent.
"I had a client who was looking to refinance five properties. This deal settled in February. It was quite a complex deal because they were getting significant investment property rental income," Mr West explains.
"After a lot of organising, I placed them with a non-major bank. I gave the bank five deals worth approximately $2.3 million.
"That same customer came back to me in August wanting to purchase another investment property, pushing their portfolio to six. I approached the bank, as they understood them as a client and understood the exceptional returns they were getting on their investment rentals.
"The bank said they would provisionally do the deal. We had the valuation done and the loan docs were signed ready to submit, but the bank changed their policy overnight, from allowing 80 per cent of investment rental return to 50 per cent."
As a result of the policy change, Mr West says the deal fell through.
"There was absolutely no way that I could go with the bank. That meant the customer was completely shackled. They couldn't move, they couldn't expand, and they couldn't grow if they stayed with the bank," he says.
Rather than refinancing all of those deals with the bank, Mr West refinanced one to a different lender, in order to generate additional equity from one property to be used for the client's new purchase.
"I took one of the five properties away from the bank to another lender that would allow 80 per cent of that investment rental return," he says.
"I got a clawback on that deal."
The other four of those original five loans stayed with the original bank.
"We run around like crazy trying to get these deals done," he says.
"I left four deals with the bank and took one away, simply because my customer could not move if I hadn't. But you get penalised for it with a clawback. It's a sickness in the business."
The Queensland broker said that while there are legitimate reasons for clawbacks, such as preventing unnecessary loan churning, he believes it is "very unfair" to have commission taken away simply because a bank changes its credit policy.
"What are you supposed to do when a customer is shackled and you have no other choice than to take them to another lender because of the restrictive policy changes that have been imposed on your client without warning? It's just crazy."
Mr West says he was clawed back 75 per cent of the commission he received from the deal, as the loan had been with the bank for only six months. He believes brokers are being unfairly penalised by changes in bank policy.
"In this bank's case, regulatory pressures drove them to change credit policy – that's not my client's fault, but they are the ones who get shackled and I am the one who gets the clawback."
He added that the client has a portfolio of holiday rentals with significant rental yields which had previously been acceptable to the bank.
Brokers not consulted
With mortgage brokers writing more than half of all home loans, one would think that the regulator could have consulted the third-party channel, if only to
get a better picture of the investor market from those who write the bulk of mortgages.
But this wasn't the case, according to WA broker and House+Home Loans managing director Rael Bricker, who believes that APRA has not captured a holistic picture of the Australian mortgage market.
"APRA never contacted the brokers or the MFAA, they only contacted the banks," says Mr Bricker. "In that way, they were only getting a 50 per cent
view of themarket."
Mr Bricker believes that APRA "knee-jerk reacted" by cracking down on investor lending.
"They have gone out with what I call a carefully targeted shotgun, aiming at specifics and they've caught everyone else in the spray," he says.
"I don't think their guidelines are actually going to stop this swell in the Sydney and Melbourne market, if you consider that it could be being
driven by non-resident investors payingcash."
Mr Bricker says that despite higher rates and tighter conditions on investor loans, he himself has seen very little impact to his business.
"Am I struggling to get deals across the line? Not really," he says. "I do a lot of public seminars on investment: I do at least one a week. My message to everybody is that APRA guidelines have come in but the banks are still lending. They can't aord not to lend."
Mr Bricker says three of the four majors are "still heavily pricing investment loans" and are "still giving signicant discounts
that they have always done".
Over time, he expects more lenders to enter the investor loan market and rates to become more competitive as banks begin to hit APRA's 10 per cent speed limit.
Looking on the bright side
Despite a number of brokers becoming frustrated by the changes we've seen in the industry over the past 12 months, at least one broker is choosing to rise above it all. Easy Loans' Leonie Hastie-Gordge says while the changes have been challenging, she has decided to take them on the chin and move on with the task at hand.
"The changes have certainly changed the way we do lending; however, there are still options available to write business with other lenders in the marketplace that are not as affected by the changes as some of the major banks," she says.
"They have allowed me to diversify my options for customers and use some of the non-major lenders who are offering a great range of products and services at competitive pricing."
Ms Hastie-Gordge says while the policy changes may have set out to target Sydney and Melbourne, they have "given other states and cities the opportunity for a look in for property investment".
She adds that while some of her clients have felt a slight strain by the changes, this is not cohesive across her entire database.
"The changes have, in some cases, limited their spending," MsHastie-Gordge says. "However for others, it has simply allowed them to spread their investment portfolio over different banks and to look at other investment strategies, giving a balance over their investment portfolio.
Ms Hastie-Gordge notes that brokers shouldn't feel threatened by the changes but should embrace and use them as an opportunity to talk to clients and build stronger relationships. Looking ahead, MsHastie-Gordge remains positive about the mortgage broking industry, regardless of what challenges it will continue to face from regulator forces.
"As a mortgage broker in the Northern Territory, I say bring it on," she says. "Change can mean more opportunities – I believe it will be a successful year!"
Tungsten Home Loans director Brad Quilty says 2015's raft of policy changes were not only inconsiderate but completely unfair to the general public
"It was a completely unconsidered way to control property values when in all reality, the market will control itself anyway. It appears to be a convenient way to make lending even more profitable for the lenders, rather than in any way controlling property values or actually limiting investment. What is with that anyway? If the demand is there, why do limits need to be placed on investing?
We had already had many news reports all year telling people that they are better off renting over buying a property and there is a definite trend towards the general population choosing renting over buying. Furthermore, the restrictions seem to take investing away from the less wealthy people or first time investors, but it remains much easier for an already wealthy person to continue to do so.
The major impact here is that people that want to buy a home, or an investment, are finding it harder due to affordability. So they are unable to buy a home, or increase their wealth, to be in a better position. It's unfair to the general public.
If the real purpose is to "cool" a property market that is increasing too quickly, why also restrict other markets that haven't moved in years?
In fact, wouldn't one method actually be to make investing in other areas easier? If you want to slow growth in Sydney and Melbourne, make Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth look more attractive to investing."
SCOPING OUT THE DANGERS
RE/MAX Australia and New Zealand managing director Michael Davoren explains the danger of APRA's national approach
"In all the talk about the effect that APRA's restrictions may have on the property market, there are a few things that strike me," says Mr Davoren.
"Firstly, there is a very real danger in applying a national remedy to a problem that is not national. Everything is not same-same across Australia – there is no 'boom' evident in most places outside Sydney and Melbourne – and even within those markets, it's not in all suburbs. There should be more engagement with financial and real estate industries before decisions are reached.
"Look what happened in New Zealand when the Reserve Bank there introduced lending restrictions on people buying houses in Auckland. It didn't really impact where they wanted it to, but it did cruel the first home buyer market. Don't strangle a market when and where you don't need to.
"Markets in Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Canberra, let alone Australia's provincial and regional centres, are not in the same ballpark as those Sydney and Melbourne markets that many commentators focus on. The vast majority of markets don't need to slow down. Some are already deflated.
"In CoreLogic's September 2015 Housing Market and Economic Update , I see:
Sydney where home values are consistently trending higher, median house price is $900,000 and median apartment price is $670,000.
Melbourne having the strongest quarter of any capital city, median house price is $620,000 and median apartment price is $475,000.
Brisbane with moderate capital growth, median house price is $482,400 and median apartment price is $382,200.
Adelaide with a slowdown in annual rate of value growth, median house price is $430,000 and median apartment price is $350,000.
Perth with declining home values, median house price is $520,000 and median apartment price is $415,500.
Hobart with values lower than five years ago though on the rise, median house price is $341,000 and median apartment price is $275,000.
Darwin with a sharp decline in home values, median house price is $580,000 and median apartment price is $450,000.
And Canberra with falling values year-on-year, median house price is $587,800 and median apartment price is $415,000.
"Look at the market differences – the different stages they are at in their property cycles – and these are just the capital cities!
"Property market activity – anywhere – is underpinned by supply and demand. This is effectively what moves markets through their property cycles.
"Undoubtedly there will have to be a shift, with some markets moving past their peak. Others will be on the upswing. That's the way things work. The danger is in taking a statement like 'property prices to fall' and thinking it applies to every market, every micro-market, in Australia."
Sam Crowley, managing director of Darwin-based Able Finance Services
Q. What are your thoughts on the raft of policy changes the broking community has seen this year as a result of regulatory forces which were originally set out in many ways to target rising property prices in Sydney and Melbourne?
Unnecessary really. It has had a big impact on the Darwin market. It basically killed the investment market in the north.
Q. Do you think the changes are unfair to brokers outside of Sydney and Melbourne, specifically those in regional areas?
Certainly do. The Darwin market was not overheating; in fact it was a little stagnant. Now it is dead.
Q. What impacts has it had on you as a broker and your ability to operate?
It has reduced our volumes by 30 per cent. We have been in Darwin for 17 years, so we are okay, but more recent brokers must be struggling.
Q. What impact has it had on your clients?
Six months ago, they could quite easily purchase an investment property. The raft of serviceability and policy changes have now made it extremely difficult.
Q. How do you expect things to pan out in your business in 2016 in light of these changes?
Interest rates are low. Property prices are falling. At some point next year, confidence will rise and the market will start moving again.
Tracy Wright, Loan Market Mount Barker in South Australia
Q. What have these changes meant for your business?
I think the changes to the policies are completely unfair to our market. The Adelaide market is nothing like the Melbourne and Sydney markets.
Q. How has this impacted your clients?
The changes to the servicing criteria have made it very difficult for mum-and-dad investors when they either already own or want to buy an investment property. The restrictions on the banks to slow their investment lending have made it difficult for clients to get one investment property, let alone trying to buy another one.
Q. It's been said that regional areas are the ones hurting the most from these changes. What are your thoughts on that?
Buying in rural areas has been made even more difficult by most of the big lenders having stopped capping the LMI on a 95 per cent LVR. First home buyers now need to come up with the five per cent deposit plus approximately five per cent stamp duty and now also the LMI fee. Living in a rural area is hard enough as it is. They are also limited to certain banks, as most of the banks don't like properties above approximately 20 acres.
James Mitchell & Emma Ryan
Last Updated: 02 March 2016 Published: 15 January 2016
Written by James Mitchell & Emma Ryan


An authenticated cipher is a symmetric key cryptographic primitive which protects the confidentiality, integrity and authenticity of the data. It is an integration of the existing symmetric key primitives such as block ciphers, stream ciphers and hash functions, and attracts a lot of research interests in recent years, especially after the announcement of the CAESAR competition. In this thesis, we study the analysis and designs of the authenticated ciphers. We begin with an introduction to symmetric key cryptography and authenticated ciphers followed by discussing on the typical methods used in the cryptanalysis and design of authenticated ciphers. Then, several concrete case studies in analyzing the authenticated ciphers are presented. We apply differential-linear cryptanalysis to recover the internal state of ICEPOLE. Differential IV cryptanalysis is used to attack the initialization of the 128-EEA3/128-EIA3 stream cipher ZUC. By exploiting the leaked state from the keystreams, we present a forgery attack on ALE. By exploiting the parameter settings, we present distinguishing and forgery attacks against the authenticated encryption scheme COFFE. We provide a collision attack to break the authentication claim for the authenticated encryption mode IOC. For the design of authenticated ciphers, we propose two schemes, JAMBU and MORUS fulfilling various features. JAMBU is a lightweight authenticated encryption mode which provides an intermediate level of nonce misuse resistance. MORUS is a nonce-based authenticated cipher which is targeted for high performance in both software and hardware.


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Couch Co-Op: 2 Players
Enter the Gungeon Co-Op Review
Review 4/5/2016 at 9:15 AM by Nick Puleo
Yo dawg, I heard you like bullets...
These days everyone seems to want to hop on the "Rogue-Like" bandwagon. It's a genre of game that has seen an explosion of titles in the last four years thanks to indie developers and titles like FTL, Binding of Isaac, Dungeon of the Endless and many many more. All of these games share a few traits - a strong death penalty, randomized gameplay, and lots of replayability with RPG-lite elements. With such an influx of titles though, games have to do a lot to set themselves apart from the competition. That's where Enter the Gungeon comes in, a game that most likely started out as a drunken game development joke and soon was realized it could be a fully fledge twin-stick rogue like game about shooting bullets at bullets shooting bullets at you.
The story of Enter the Gungeon was inspired by Dan Simmons 1989 book "Hyperion" - you travel into the dungeon as one of four heroes to try to acquire the gun that can kill the past and undo one of your character's mistakes in life. With four characters to play there are not only four unique endings, but four different final bosses to face.
The four characters all play a bit different initially, mostly due to their arsenal. The Marine starts with armor and a gun with a fairly low rate of fire (but faster reload speed) as well as the ability to call in ammo. The Pilot has a slightly better gun with infinite ammo and a lock pick utility item. The Convict starts with a pistol and shotgun and also carries a picture of the shopkeeper for some reason. The Hunter has a standard gun, crossbow and a pet that reveals room items on completion. The biggest difference between the characters for me was just how they felt with their starting weapon, though you quickly look for something better within the dungeon itself.
Gameplay in Gungeon is part twin stick shooter, part SHMUP, part rogue-like. While character control is very twin-stick like, bullets come at you in patterns similar to those found in SHMUPs. The dungeon itself is randomized so you'll go between rooms, flipping tables for cover, and firing bullets at bullets (and other enemies to be honest) while destroying lots of random items in the room like books, trees, chairs, vases, and more. Finally there is the dodge roll mechanic - inspired by Dark Souls - where rolling avoids all damage. Combine all the elements and it's a careful orchestrion of button presses, timing, pattern memorization and chaos with each and every level. I feel like the team at Dodge Roll was trying to capture the feel of a John Woo fight scene with how each room plays out.
There's also a good variety of enemies you'll go up again, sure you have bullets that shoot bullets. But you'll also face off against books that shoot bullets, wizards that shoot bullets, and slime molds that shoot slime molds. The bosses are inventive and challenging, defeating them yields a sense of satisfaction (and loot), and their placement is randomized based on the depth in the dungeon.
It should be no surprise that guns are the focus of Gungeon, but it's not just the shooting of the guns you'll be doing. The progression in the game is about collecting all of the game's 190 available guns. These guns range from the standard like shotgun or Tommy gun to the zany like T-Shirt launcher, Trident, Snowball Gun, or one that has heat seeking eggs (I think?). It's finding these guns hidden throughout the levels in chests that truly help you progress. Combined with over 200 items to use and you've got a fully loaded arsenal at your disposal to rain bullet hell.
Not all of these guns and items are accessible via the game at first. You'll collect a currency with each dive into the dungeon that can be used a shop in the breach to permanently unlock access to the rarest of these. All this is tracked in an almanac in the game and serve as your marker of progression. The shop itself is only unlocked after saving the shopkeeper from level two in the dungeon, another manner of minor progress.
Gungeon feels ripe for co-op. But it's kind of clear it was added later in development instead of there from the get go. To play co-op you need to start a game, then talk to the character in the purple robes in the breach. He becomes player two and joins you for your run. Sadly this means you can test strategies of different characters in the game, and it also means there's no online co-op.
Co-Op play itself is even more chaotic, and at times, a bit cramped. It's hear you can see that sometimes a room wasn't quite made for two people, so you end up colliding with flipped objects, walls, or simply falling into a pit in the floor because you are busy concentrating on all of the chaos. In a way it almost slows the game down.
Enter the Gungeon has all the makings of a solid game, but I can't help but feel like something is missing. Perhaps the progression element isn't strong enough for me, or I needed to be nudged just a little more; whatever the case may be I feel the carrot on the stick isn't quite big enough here. Couch co-op is a good time in short bursts, and while it can be frustrating, it often yields to hilarious results. That's not to say the game isn't fun, you'll definitely have a good time shooting bullets at bullets shooting bullets at you.
Co-Op Score
The Co-Op Experience: Two players shoot through the gungeon, one bullet at a time. To start co-op, make sure you have two controllers active and signed in, then speak to the character in purple robes standing to the right of the character select.
Co-Optimus game reviews focus on the cooperative experience of a game, our final score graphic represents this experience along with an average score for the game overall. For an explanation of our scores please check our Review Score Explanation Guide.
2 player local co-op
Enter the Gungeon Gets Release Date
Enter The Gungeon Is Coming To Nintendo Switch
Enter the Gungeon Once Again with new Supply Drop
Enter the Gungeon Gets All Co-op-ey
Co-Op Deals: 28% Off Enter the Gungeon, Plus GTA V for 46% Off
Final Expansion for Enter the Gungeon Available Now

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


From filmmaker Jon Glassberg and writer Caroline Treadway, China Doll follows climbers Heather and Chris Weidner as Heather attempts to trad climb China Doll 5.14 in Dream Canyon. In the film, Weidner battles the stigmas of female climbers, her own perceived lack of talent, and lastly, the wall itself. Keep your eyes peeled for the full film on our site in early December.


God created us to be a light. We are his image where he shines. When we stop trying to control our own life and surrender to His will only then we will be directed by His Spirit and will be more than Conqueror's in every battle that we encounter in our walk while we are on earth.


This week was the first time I properly listend to the The Horrors second album- it is rather good. My overall evaluation is that- 'Primary Colours' sounds like Farris Rotter is having a sneaky affair with a synthasizer. That's not a bad thing though, the synthasizer is hot so we don't really mind. I am not trying to condone that cheating is acceptable, what I basically mean is that 'Primary Colours' is rather different from 'Strange House' I don't want to say it's calmer but there may be less 'screaming'. Before I dig myself a hole, I will say that I really really love thier first album, but when it comes to the second, I only really love it.
However, I can't get enough of 'Who Can Say'. It is my song of the week because simply, I just love it. Not only are the lyrics amazing, I really like the general sound and as for the part where Farris speaks,, phewft.
...But I strive, to make them heard"


Outdoor advertising is a terrific advertising and marketing medium for business owners are trying to reach potential customers who are in their car. Outdoor advertising has traditionally been used as a branding tool, but with the somewhat recent addition of digital billboards, outdoor advertisers are using the power of the medium to create more timely messaging. When using digital, the customer also has the ability to target their message to different parts of the city depending where their locations are.
Another benefit of the digital sigange is the the production cost is eliminated. The creative process can be done by Social Magnet Marketing with desktop software and put into the roation almost immediately. The cost of digital also can be cheaper since you are generally sharing the advertising space with other advertisers.
One of the downsides of digital is that you share the location with other advertisers and you will miss potential customers when your message is not on the billboard.
Below are some examples of outdoor advertising that has been created by Social Magnet's Fred Pandrok.
Using some creative freedom from The Simpson's to promote the morning show at KUPD in Phoenix.
Billboard promoted special weekend programming on the radio station.
Part of a 'Labor Day' weekend promotion that aired on the radio station.
Station used billboard to promote high profile on-air personality, John Holmberg and his morning show.
Station used campaign to promote high visibility motorcycle giveaway.
Campaign used to create excitement about cash giveaway with radio station personality and rock star, Alice Cooper.


Moving day can be rocky. Take a look at this list so you can learn from other people's mistakes.
You'll live to regret this decision. Winging it leaves a huge room for error, the Better Homes and Gardens says. If you want to cut down on the number of potential pitfalls when you go from your old address to your new one, then have a plan.
There are about 40 million Americans who relocate every year. Keeping that number in mind, the last thing you want is to be caught during the rush hour. That means hiring too close to the eleventh hour. If you need long distance movers in Canoga Park, give yourself enough time to get everything done. Hire a firm about three to four months before D-Day.
Don't hire movers unless you get an estimate. Also, in generating that estimate, trustworthy long distance movers in Canoga Park will usually send a staff or crew member over to your home to check the property, the level of difficulty that the move may entail, the number of items that need to be moved and the size of the items, among other things. If the firm just gives you a random figure, without any basis, then you'll be better off hiring someone else.
Keep in mind that moving firms have a list of items they cannot move. Jewelry, personal documents, fancy cameras, money and more are just some of the items on this list. Make sure you check the list. Be clear on what you'll need to bring so you can make arrangements to move the non-movables. Most times, though, these should fit right into your car, so you should have no worries on that score.


Cork floor for bathroom cork plank flooring floor for bathroom f. Cork flooring in bathroom cork flooring for bathroom wood floors. Using cork flooring in a bathroom the decor girl. Stunning file cork bathroom flooring for concept and liquidators.


text:
// Copyright (c) 2012 Ecma International.  All rights reserved.
// Ecma International makes this code available under the terms and conditions set
// forth on http://hg.ecmascript.org/tests/test262/raw-file/tip/LICENSE (the
// "Use Terms").   Any redistribution of this code must retain the above
// copyright and this notice and otherwise comply with the Use Terms.

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function testcase() {
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                return false;
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        return propertyDefineCorrect && desc.enumerable === false;
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Legends of Wrestling II features over 65 of the greatest ring warriors ever, including the icon Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, Rowdy Roddy Piper, Bruno Sammartino, Bret "Hitman" Hart, Sid Vicious, "Big Poppa Pump" Scott Steiner, Jerry "the King" Lawler, and many more. There are cranium-crushing match types, such as six- and eight-man elimination bouts, cage, battle royal, ladder, plus three- and four-way dances. There is also the never-before-seen $15,000 Body Slam Challenge with Big John Studd. The all-new storyline career mode allows players to battle throughout the United States and the world for the respect of promoters and fans while fighting for the heavyweight championship of the world. There are fierce tag-team tournaments with great teams such as the Road Warriors, Steiner Brothers, British Bulldogs, Nasty Boys, Rock-n-Roll Express, and more. Signature entrances and taunts for each legendary wrestler include all-new licensed music composed by "Mouth of the South" Jimmy Hart.
*Game cannot be returned for refund if opened.


The traditional way to build a house has long been described as "stick built homes." That is, assembling the building, on site, out of sticks – pieces of lumber that are cut and nailed together into walls and roof trusses, linked together and sheathed with plywood on the exterior and drywall on the interior then finished with shingles, clapboard, vinyl siding, adobe or some kind of brick or brick veneer.
There are disadvantages to this type of building; weather is always a factor, shutting down worksites, damaging materials, and making work uncomfortably cold, hot, or wet for construction workers. Measuring, cutting, fitting, and nailing each "stick" into a whole house is tedious and time consuming; mistakes waste material and drive up costs. While most homes today are still stick built, there are many technological advances that shortcut or even eliminate the cutting, hammering, and nailing process without impacting the quality of construction. Today the term of reference is no longer stick built, it is "site built homes" and there are a lot of ways to do it.
The polar opposite of stick built housing is manufactured housing or what is commonly known as mobile homes. These are totally factory built housing delivered to the site in one, two, or three pieces. The pieces, still on wheels, are joined together, and usually not placed on foundations, are provided with skirting to connect them visually to the ground.
Over the years the line between site built and manufactured housing has blurred, but manufactured housing is, in general, titled differently than site built homes; ownership of the former being treated in most states more as a vehicle than a home. There are also differences in the insurance available to the two types of property and they are financed under special "mobile home" programs.
But the lines are growing fuzzy. If you have not been in a mobile home lately, prepare for a revelation. We recently inspected two "double wide" manufactured homes in Los Cruces, New Mexico. The first was a three bedroom unit with two baths, living room with a dining area and a kitchen. It didn't feel like a "trailer" but it did not feel like a quality home either. Our sales person was unapologetic, explaining that the model unit had few upgrades and could be delivered and set up for around $50,000 exclusive of land.
The second unit, however, was incredible. Aside from the molding covering the seams between the two or three pieces of the doublewide (or maybe it was technically a triple-wide), one would never guess that this was anything other than a quality home. Once the door was closed, the considerable noise from the busy highway in front of the dealership disappeared. An entry hall led to an open kitchen, living and dining room area and an oblique entry to a well appointed study and master bedroom with a fabulous master bath complete with walk-in closet, jetted tub, and oversized shower. The kitchen cabinets and island were an upgrade of very good quality as were the finishes throughout the unit. The thoughtful space planning was particularly impressive as were the yearly energy consumption figures provided by the dealer. The unit, with two additional bedrooms and a family bath could be on the ground and ready for occupancy in the configuration we saw for $98,000.
Manufactured housing is a major source of shelter in the Sun Belt. Our salesperson, James Gildon, from Palm Harbor Homes, one of the larger producers of manufactured homes, explained that 57 percent of new homes in his Southwest state are manufactured; an economical solution to housing even if manufactured homes tend to depreciate like cars (manufactured home dealers, like car dealers often even take trade-ins of older units.) rather than appreciate as site built housing has This may change as the quality of these homes increase and the stigma that has long haunted them disappears. They are not presently, however, practical in some parts of the country. Zoning and covenants prohibit manufactured housing in some locations and land prices in many places discourage them as a highest and best use of property. Also, while it is far easier to finance manufactured housing than it was even a few years ago, some stumbling blocks still exist.
There are also weather considerations. High quality manufacturers construct to code for temperature and snow load but recent events have shown that manufactured housing may not be the best choice for areas in hurricane or tornado-prone areas. On the other hand, stick built construction did not fare all that well in the face of the winds and storm surge along the Louisiana and Mississippi coast lines. A large display in the Palm Harbor office we visited showed a number of pictures of their homes, standing intact, after hurricanes Andrew and Charley while two by fours from stick –built neighboring houses were strewn everywhere.
Still, manufactured housing is an alternative to traditional construction in communities, particularly in the Southwest and Southeast and parts of the Midwest that are welcoming of them. They are also worth considering for vacation homes where they are permitted.
Moving back to site built housing; One shortcut we were surprised to learn about, again during a visit to the Southwest, is home building kits, i.e., buildings in a box. Sears Roebuck pioneered this concept at the beginning of the last century and many Sears houses are still around, commanding a premium price from lovers of the Craftsman style of architecture. Apparently the idea is still alive and well. Sutherlands Lumber, a big box home improvement store in the west, offers a dozen different home building kits ranging from 900 sq feet (they produce even smaller vacation homes) to 41,000 sq. ft. Among the smallest packages, a two bedroom, one bath bare bones model costs $14,000. A 2,100 kit is $42,000. The kits include pre-cut studs, kitchen and bathroom fittings, floor coverings, appliances, windows and pre-hung doors, and so forth. There are other costs involved, land, foundations, shipping, assembly, electric and plumbing installation – but the mass purchase discounts on lumber and other materials available to factory builders, the time savings on the ground from precut and pre-patterned construction, and savings from weather delays – probably save, and we are guessing here as we have been unable to get firm figures – ten to 20 percent over build from scratch construction. Sutherland is mainly a west-southwest vendor, web search on home building kits for more information and additional suppliers.
NEXT; Modular homes, pre-fabs, panelized construction, and other house building shortcuts.
I really want to comment, but your restrictions won't let me do so properly. It is unfair to generalize the product any different than you would the auto industry. Depreciation is only true in certain circumstances, quality is regional and manufacturer specific, and in some cases I believe our product would stand up better than much site-built.
Would I have to hire a construction Crew to erect a kit home? Can the assembly be done by one old geezer and a son in law who both have framing experience. Can the kit be shipped to Stillwater, Oklahoma and assembled on a pier and beam or concrete slab base the same way a stick built home is done? Do you have a catalogue with pictures avialable that you could send to me?
I live in a beautiful manufactured home with foundation. I have seen many stick built homes built in the Pacific Northwest during all times of the year. Most times the sturcture gets totally wet. But they continue to build all along it gets wetter and wetter. I've always wondered, what happens to all the water, when they seal it up wet? Do you get mold, does the water tend to come out causing the structure to look odd? Anyway you look it, I believe it's a valid question.
Big savings here. Jobs that would normally take 3 weeks to build, now only take 1 week because most of the walls and trusses and framing are done, it just needs to be put up. Labor costs can make or break your vacation home dreams. You also don't have the weathering issue because everything is wrapped before it is brought to the site. After comparing for the last 5 years before we built, we consider this to be the most bang for the buck.
I am having a difficult time sourcing Modular, Kit, Panel, and House-In-A-Box dealers for the Pend Oreille County Washington area. Could you point us to reputable dealers?
Question, when is a manufactured home not considered a mobile home? I have been doing some research and I have discovered loop holes...first, mobile homes are not on foundations. What is considered a foundation and if it is placed on a foundation would it still be considered a mobile home?
Also, mobile homes were built before 1976. Manufactured homes were built after 1976 due to state, local and HUD code requirements. I would say big difference between them. Doublewides weren't built until 1980. Would they be mobile homes? More land sellers are placing restrictions that no mobile homes allowed. Please reply.
I live in Washington State, and I have received conflicting information on what exactly I bought. Two appraisers have said I have a modular home, but when I look up from my daylight basement, I see two I-beams with connections for wheels. One realtor told me that when a manufactured home is put on a daylight basement, it becomes a modular home. When I checked the county records, I see that this home has always been coded as "01" meaning stick-built/modular. Can anyone clarify this for me?
Hello,I am a land owner in New Mexico who would like to purchase a Modular home out of Texas. The Manufacturer of the home plans to surrender the title to the property to make it a site built home. However due to lisencing with CID in NM that would take over one year. I only have 10 months left to replace structure, the manufacturing company is wanting to make the interior walls 2/4's vs origilal purchase was 2/6' interior walls to meet HUD code so that the home may be setbynov Please explain Why?
I am a working Structural Engineer (not retired). I do not recommend the use of mobile or manufactured homes because they have no permanant foundations to resist catostrophic events (tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, etc.). All structures designed to comply with local building codes (i.e. International Codes, UBC, CBC, etc.) must be designed to resist these types of events, and are therefore safer. The HUD codes have no stipulations for disaster design and can be equated to a car.
A true foundation is a bearing system designed to transfer gravity and lateral loads from the structure into the soil. Foundations must be designed for most structures using local wind and seismic load requirements set by the city's building safety department. Modular homes will be designed to sit upon these foundations. Mobile and manufactured homes are not required to rest on permanant foundations, therefore are not considered permanant structures. Hence, they are considered mobile.
A mobile or manufactured home is not designed to rest on permanant foundations. It can be done, but if not done correctly is a farse at best. They are designed to be moved and rest on a steel frame system similar to the traditional mobile home. These homes have no lateral support system, so without a lateral load path, a foundation would do little for a manufactured home. Some type of system would have to be added to transfer the lateral forces into the foundations. Modular homes have this.
I see comments from obvious stick built contractors on here hoping everyone believes paying $150 per sq ft for stick built vs paying $55 per sq ft for manufactured mean a stick build is better than a manufactured home. Not true. My old stick built home had a steel i-beam running down the center to hold up the structure above my basement.. how is that different than the steel i-beams holding up my manufactured? there is none! They talk about lateral forces... how about driving your stick built down the road at 75mph after building it and see if it can stand the loads. It think the NEW manufactured are getting a bad rap these days.. they are quality homes and should be mortgaged the same.. same rates... same coverages, etc. They say they mortgage at higher rates because people walked out on their mortgages... isn't that what is happening now with stick builts?
There are many advantages to buying a manufactured home, first of all you will be able to design your own home to your needs and satisfaction. When it comes to floor covering, vaulted ceilings, the design of your bathrooms, bedrooms, granite countertops, fireplaces, your outside porch scenery and not to mention your kitchen with stainless steel appliances. Secondly when it comes to the comparison of manufactured homes and site-built homes, they both use the same building materials in the construction phases and the cost is lower. Construction costs per square foot are anywhere from 10 to 35% less than a site-built home.


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There are several activities that humans do here on earth. Agriculture is one of the activities that humans carry our under the sun. Agriculture is the science of growing plants and rearing livestock. Agriculture is mostly suited where there is a fertile land.
There are several benefits of agriculture. It has been known for livestock and plants to be sources of food to beings. Livestock give products such as milk and meat which are foods to humans. We have cash crops as kinds of plants that produce fruits, roots, and leaves which are foods for human beings. People get money from livestock and plants. Some of the products such as hides, skin, timber, and fruits that come from plants and livestock are sold by beings to get money. Plants have been known to be sources of medicine. We have an instance cinchona plant as an example of a plant that is used in the treatment of malaria. Plants are source of construction materials such as timber and posts. There are a few subdivisions of agriculture. Examples of subdivisions of agriculture are aquaculture and floriculture. Aquaculture is keeping of fishes in ponds and aquariums. Floriculture is the growing of flowers.
Floriculture has been known to do well in greenhouses. A greenhouse is a structure with suitable growth environment for flowers. There are several types of flowers that are grown in a greenhouse. We have daisy, roses, and carnations as examples of classes of flowers. It has been known for flowers to be different in terms of color, shape, and size. Rose flower has been known to be the most known flower in the globe. It has been known for rose flower to be pink in color. Rose flower is considered as a love flower due to its beauty and scent. Loved ones have been using rose flower in days such as valentine day. We get rose flower from a rose plant. Expect rose plant to be grown like other categories of plants. You should regard some things when growing rose plant. You should value the season when growing rose plant. Rose plant do well in spring season. Spring season is a season with moderate temperatures.
It has been known for rose plant to be grown from cuttings. Cuttings are normally gotten and transplanted at the end of the season to begin the plant growth cycle. It is good to do pruning when the plant is growing. Pruning is done to the thin and diseased stems to encourage the growth of the healthy stems. It is good to do watering during summer to boost the growth of the plant. Pest and disease control should be done to protect the plant from producing flowers of bad quality.


Description The exterior of the Ritz Theatre at night can be seen in this 8" x 10" black and white acetate negative. There is a large crowd in front of the building, made up mostly of African Americans. The theatre has a vertical sign that reads "Ritz" and a marquee that reads: The finest all talking, singing, dancing pictures." Signs hanging from the bottom of the marquee advertise a show called "4 Days Wonder.


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About PolarQuest
Svalbard (Spitsbergen)
Since 1999, we have taken adventurous travellers on once-in-a-lifetime trips to Svalbard. From May to September our three small expedition ships, carrying only 12 and 53 passengers, explore this magnificent Arctic archipelago. Unpredictability and flexibility are the main keywords when you travel through Svalbard's untamed wilderness with PolarQuest as the exact route depends on weather, ice conditions and wildlife encounters. Sometimes you might be woken up in the middle of the bright night if a polar bear has been spotted on the ice. All trips are climate compensated.
Trips to Svalbard (Spitsbergen) Trips
Ship Vessel
No departures
All ships M/S Quest M/S Sjøveien M/S Stockholm All trip lengths 9 days 10 days 11 days 17 days
Lofoten, Bear Island & Svalbard 2022
M/S Quest 53 passengers
10 days 9 nights on ship USD 5 590
Departure: May 2022
USD 300 Discount & risk-free bookings
Expedition Svalbard 2022
M/S Stockholm 12 passengers
11 days 10 nights on ship USD 11 790
Departures: July / August / September 2022
Svalbard Adventure 2022
9 days 7 nights on ship USD 9 190
Departures: April / May 2022
Springtime in Svalbard 2022
Departures: May 2022
Departures: June 2022
11 days 10 nights on ship USD 8 090
Departures: July / August 2022
M/S Sjøveien 12 passengers
USD 300 Dicount & risk-free boookings
Departures: June / July / August 2022
USD 300 Dicount & risk-free bookings
Abenteuer Spitzbergen 2022
Departure: June 2022
Expedition Spitzbergen 2022
Departure: August 2022
Departure: July 2022
Expedition Svalbard with Doug Allan 2021
Risk-free bookings
Departures: May / June 2021
Hiking in Svalbard 2021
Languages More Hiking
Departure: September 2021
The Norwegian fjords, Bear Island & Svalbard 2021
Departure: April 2021
Experience our trips to Svalbard (Spitsbergen)
Ulrich Kühn
Zodiac cruising
Adam Rheborg
Maurizio Biancarelli
Magnficent Svalbard
Magical May
Maria Nordvall
Bråsvellbreen
Mattias Henningsson
Arne Naevra
Peter & Beverly Pickford
Glacier cruise with M/S Stockholm
Lisa Ström
Kerstin Langenberger
M/S Stockholm offers spacious decks
Magnus Lundgren
Henrik Haaning Nielsen
Svalbard in July
Annette J M Scheepstra
PolarQuest
Zodiac-cruising
Sea Endurance has spacious obeservation decks
Svalbard offers many magnificent glaciers
Zet Freiburghaus
Small ships - great moments
Niklas Nilsson
Mika Aberra
I am Production
Niklas Nilsson & Mattias Henningsson
Svalbard is an archipelago in the Arctic Ocean, located between 76° and 81° North. It lies directly north of North Cape on the Norwegian mainland. Spitsbergen is the largest island and occupies more than half of the area. Some of the other islands are Nordaustlandet, Edgeøya, Barentsøya, Prins Karls Forland, Kong Karls Land, Kvitøya/ White Island, and Bjørnøya/Bear Island. The total area is approximately 62,160 sqkm, roughly equivalent to the size of Ireland.
The name Svalbard is first mentioned in the Icelandic archives from the year 1194, "Svalbardr fundr" – Svalbard is found. It is uncertain, however, whether it was the land or the ice edge that had been discovered, since Svalbard can be interpreted as "cold coast" or "cold edge". It would take another several hundred years before any of the major nations in Europe discovered Svalbard. In 1596 two Dutch ships sailed north to round the tip of Norway, hoping to find a shortcut to China and India. On board one of the ships was the pilot Willem Barents, who is officially regarded as the discoverer of Svalbard. The Dutch were impressed by Svalbard's dramatic and mountainous landscape, and named the land Spitsbergen.
Svalbard soon became a natural starting point for several more or less successful attempts to reach the North Pole. Ice-free waters cannot be found this far north anywhere else on Earth. Nordenskiöld, Amundsen and Andrée are some well-known Arctic explorers who have attempted to reach the North Pole.
To most visitors, Svalbard is a life changing experience. It is a truly magic world with midnight sun and pack ice, glittering glaciers and exceptional wildlife – not far from the North Pole. The exact number of polar bears is hard to measure since the bears move across huge areas. During an expedition cruise, however, there are great chances to encounter some of them. The ice plays a central role in the Arctic ecosystem, which is both unique and vulnerable. In many ways, the mammals are Svalbard's very soul. Half of the 22 species of mammal that live on land and ice and in the sea around Svalbard are whales. Svalbard reindeer and Arctic fox are the only mammals that live entirely on land.
Svalbard has a rich bird life, particularly sea birds that nest in large colonies. More than 200 bird species have been observed in Svalbard and its surrounding waters, but only a few species nest here. Four species account for 95% of Svalbard's abundant bird life: Brünnich's guillemot, the northern fulmar, the little auk and the black-legged kittiwake. Nowhere else on earth do you find birds in such impressive numbers this far north.
Glaciers and pack ice
Svalbard is still in the ice age. Glaciers cover 60% of the land and the ice can be up to 600 metres thick. There are more than 2,100 glaciers in Svalbard. Some of the mightiest and most well known include Monacobreen, Lilliehöökbreen and Bråsvellbreen. Austfonna on Nordaustlandet in the northeast part of the archipelago is an ice cap that is one of the largest in the World. Its ice front reaching into the sea is more than 130 kilometres long.
Anyone who is interested in geology will find Svalbard very exciting. The archipelago was formed on the northeast coast of Greenland a long, long time ago, and has since moved via continental drift to the other side of the equator where it turned and headed north. Just wait another 50 million years, and Svalbard will probably be at the North Pole!
Svalbard is not exactly a hothouse, the fact is that plants can only live on some 7% of the land area. There are approximately 164 species of native plants growing on Svalbard, plus at least 6-7 species that were introduced by man.
Seasons in Svalbard
During the winter, the Svalbard archipelago is covered in ice and snow. The midnight sun shines brightly between mid-April until the end of August. The average temperature in July is +6°C.
Simply put, you can divide the year in Svalbard into two parts: The dark and the light season. In mid-February the first rays of the sun appear over the mountain peaks, and the midnight sun period in Longyearbyen is between 20 April and 22 August. The daylight completely disappears again in early November. The number of snowmobiles parked everywhere in Longyearbyen testify that the bare ground of the summer is only a brief interruption in an otherwise long winter landscape.
May and the beginning of June are characterised by a lot of snow and a wonderful purity. It is still spring in the Arctic. This year's polar bear cubs are still small and sometimes can both bears and seals be seen on the fjord ice in front of the glaciers.
Summer arrives in late June. The ice thaws around the islands and this makes it possible to get further east. Whales are more frequently seen in the waters and more and more snow-free areas become accessible for longer walks. Colourful flowers are in bloom.
Autumn arrives in late August and it is now that the snow free landscape is most visible. The tundra is shifting in autumn colours and the midnight sun is getting closer and closer to the horizon, which offers wonderful red and pink skies at sunset, as well as a warm and soft light, perfect for anyone interested in photography. From mid-August you may be able to see the Ivory Gulls' chicks, while some birds are preparing to migrate. Harp seals can be seen and female walruses with cubs are not an uncommon sight.
AECO – Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators – was founded in 2003 and has since become an important organization representing the concerns and views of arctic expedition cruise operators. AECO is dedicated to managing responsible, environmentally friendly and safe tourism in the Arctic and strive to set the highest possible operating standards.
The association's geographical range is considered to encompass the Arctic area north of 60 degrees north latitude. The core areas are Svalbard, Jan Mayen, Greenland, Arctic Canada and the national park "Russian Arctic".
Read more: www.aeco.no
Our ships in Svalbard (Spitsbergen)
M/S Quest
Built 1992 53 passengers
A small and comfortable expedition ship with excellent service and a relaxed atmosphere. From the panorama lounge and the spacious observation decks you can enjoy breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape. All cabins have windows and private facilities.
M/S Sjøveien
M/S Sjøveien (meaning the Seaway) was built in Bergen in 1964 for the Norwegian Government and she worked for them in various capacities. She is a true beauty with wooden decks and vintage details. There is a spacious outer deck from where you can enjoy the beautiful vistas.
M/S Stockholm
The M/S Stockholm is a classic vessel built in 1953 for the Swedish National Maritime Administration. She is a marvellous piece of maritime history with beautiful brass details and pine decks. With a maximum of only 12 passengers on board, this is like travelling on a private yacht.
Guide & Expedition Leader
Adam has been guiding adventurous tourists like yourselves amongst polar bears and walruses in Svalbard since 1998. He works full time as expedition leader, dive master, photographer, journalist and lecturer with the whole planet as his working ground.
Adrian Nordenborg
Adrian has spent most of his life adventuring in over 100 countries around the world. As expedition leader and guide, he has done almost everything – from leading treasure hunting in Morocco and skiing in Iran to walks in Turkey to kayaking outside Manhattan. Adrian has a great love for nature and wildlife.
Andreas Bergström
Andreas has studied biology at the Swedish University of Agricultural Science. In 2003 he started working as a guide and has been guiding ever since. He has also been working on different research projects and research stations, from gerbills in the Kalahari desert and green sea turtles in Costa Rica.
Caroline Svärd
With a university degree in Biology, Caroline has worked in many places, from Canada to Kenya. Since early age Caroline has a passion for environmental issues and sustainable development. She has conducted research on sea lions in Canada and studied marine ecosystems in East Africa.
Cecilia Sandström
Cecilia Sandström lives "where her heart is" and currently calls Luleå in northern Sweden her home. During her worldwide travels, she discovered her passion for snow, ice, and cold waters. For 13 months she studied in Svalbard, and considers the high Arctic as her second home.
Christian Engelke
Christian was born in Germany, but ever since his first vacation in Norway he has suffered severely from a "Scandinavia fever". He has curiously explored the mountain and coastal regions of Norway, Sweden and Greenland. Since 2009 he works as a fulltime guide in the Arctic and Antarctic.
David is a Swedish adventurer with a love for nature which started early. He has always been interested in the Polar Regions, and now has two university degrees in Earth science and Nature guiding. He caught the famous polar bug during his first visit to Svalbard and since then he has visited Svalbard several times.
Eirik Grønningsæter
Eirik grew up on the west coast of Norway. Through his keen interest in birds already from early childhood he is an acknowledged birder in Norway. After finishing his university studies in Zoology he started his own company, designing and running fieldwork for various scientific projects.
Elke Lindner
Always fascinated by cold and snow, Elke soon discovered the Polar Regions. This German scientist has spent extended periods of time in Svalbard and shorter periods of time in Greenland and in Antarctica as a student, field biologist and naturalist, working on various expedition-cruise ships.
Hannah Lawson
Hannah studied Zoology at the University of Liverpool and gained a Masters in Natural History Illustration from the Royal College of Art, London. After studying the parasites of mountain gorillas, she changed direction and worked as an artist and mural painter at Chester Zoo and in East Africa.
Henrik has always had an adventurous angle to his life and is considered to be a specialist in identification of seabirds and marine mammals, with particular expertise in the Arctic. He has participated in Arctic cruises with the purpose of counting and mapping the distribution of seabirds and marine mammals.
Henrik Løvendahl
Henrik's adventurous spirit and love of travel caused him to leave his native Denmark for more than 25 years ago to explore the world. He has travelled extensively to far and remote corners of the world. He has scaled Andean peaks, trekked and climbed in the Himalayas and dived in many exotic locations.
Kerstin Langenberger has fallen in love with the Polar Regions. Deeply. Originally from Germany she spent seven years in Iceland, where she graduated in Environmental Science before she started working with tourism. She studied in Longyearbyen, Svalbard, to become an Arctic nature guide.
Malenthe Teunis
Malenthe has always had a fascination for the polar areas, thus when the University of Groningen offered classes about the Arctic she quickly signed up. Since then her love for the Arctic has only grown. She is a Master student in Marine Biology with a focus on the Arctic regions and new technologies.
Manda Lundström
In December 2015 Manda joined her first expedition as a team member off the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula. She loves to travel and has spent several years abroad both working and studying. One of her biggest passions is marine mammals, which led her to Iceland to study marine biology.
Martin Berg
Martin's passionate interest in birds and mammals has brought him all over the globe. He has always been drawn to adventures and has participated in several expeditions, for example to the Amazon rainforest, Caucasus and the Himalayas to study rare and endangered bird species.
Marty Garwood
Born in Sydney, Australia, Marty's love for the ocean led him to a degree in Marine Science and a very hands on job with an assortment of marine animals as a senior keeper at Sydney Aquarium. This role provided Marty some very unique experiences such as being foster parent for penguin chicks and hand feeding sharks.
Mattias Horntrich
Mattias started his career as guide at PolarQuest 2012 after he had been working as a diving instructor for many years. His great passion is the arctic mammals, but he is also a newfound bird enthusiast! Mattias also works on our expeditions in Antarctica and the Galapagos.
Mia Lundqvist
In 2010 Mia started working at PolarQuest and she now works as Staff Manager, putting the guide teams on the ships together. The same year she visited Svalbard for the first time, and as for most visitors, it was love at first sight. Today she is splitting her time between the PolarQuest office, the Arctic and the Antarctic.
Nikita Ovsyanikov
Nikita has spent much longer time in the Arctic and around polar bears than most people on the planet. He is the Deputy Director for science and senior research scientist of Wrangel Island State Nature Reserve. On Wrangel Island, Nikita has in particular studied the polar bear population for decades.
Rutger Bianchi
Rutger has studied biology and has a particular fascination for animal behavior. He loves cold climates and the cold serenity of a winter landscape. The adaptations needed for animals and plants to survive in the rough Arctic is what fascinates Rutger. He loves being a guide in this magnificent place.
Sara Orstadius
Sara grew up in Uppsala, Sweden, but lives since 2013 permanently in Svalbard. Sara has a master's degree in linguistics and used to work as a translator in Stockholm and Berlin. But one day she decided to leave the office for the mountains and wilderness, and she spent the next couple of years up north.
Thérèse Horntrich
Thérèse is Swiss and grew up close to the Alps. She has a master degree in media and communication but her life changed direction when she visited Svalbard for the first time in 2010. Already the next summer she returned to Svalbard and worked as a trekking guide. In 2012 she left Switzerland and moved to Longyearbyen.
Zet is a former successful member of the Swedish national kayak team who after his active career gained a Master's degree in Molecular Biology. He has also travelled around the world. His sharp eyes and great experience in nature implies he rarely misses an animal.
Åsa Lindgren
Normally Åsa's work consists of planning and conducting research expeditions to the Polar Regions; Antarctica, Svalbard and the Canadian and Russian Arctic. She previously worked for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Nairobi, with projects focusing on ecotourism.
Future departures to Svalbard (Spitsbergen)
Length of trip
18 Apr 2021 17 days The Norwegian fjords, Bear Island & Svalbard 2021 12 passengers From USD 8 990
3 May 2021 9 days Svalbard Adventure with M/S Sjøveien 2021 12 passengers From USD 7 990
10 May 2021 9 days Springtime in Svalbard with M/S Quest 2021 53 passengers From USD 5 390
17 May 2021 9 days Svalbard Adventure with M/S Sjøveien 2021 12 passengers From USD 7 990
31 May 2021 9 days Svalbard Adventure with M/S Quest 2021 53 passengers From USD 5 890
7 Jun 2021 9 days Svalbard Adventure with M/S Quest 2021 53 passengers From USD 5 890
7 Jun 2021 9 days Abenteuer Spitzbergen with M/S Quest 2021 53 passengers From USD 5 890
10 Jun 2021 9 days Svalbard Adventure with M/S Sjøveien 2021 12 passengers From USD 7 990
10 Jun 2021 9 days Svalbard Adventure with M/S Stockholm 2021 12 passengers From USD 9 090
14 Jun 2021 9 days Svalbard Adventure with M/S Quest 2021 53 passengers From USD 5 890
2 Jul 2021 11 days Expedition Svalbard with M/S Sjøveien 2021 12 passengers From USD 10 190
8 Jul 2021 11 days Expedition Svalbard with M/S Quest 2021 53 passengers From USD 7 790
18 Jul 2021 11 days Expedition Svalbard with M/S Quest 2021 53 passengers From USD 7 790
22 Jul 2021 11 days Expedition Svalbard with M/S Sjøveien 2021 12 passengers From USD 10 190
22 Jul 2021 11 days Expedition Svalbard with M/S Stockholm 2021 12 passengers From USD 11 590
1 Aug 2021 11 days Expedition Svalbard with M/S Sjøveien 2021 12 passengers From USD 10 190
1 Aug 2021 11 days Expedition Svalbard with M/S Stockholm 2021 12 passengers From USD 11 590
7 Aug 2021 11 days Expedition Spitzbergen with M/S Quest 2021 53 passengers From USD 7 790
11 Aug 2021 11 days Expedition Svalbard with M/S Sjøveien 2021 12 passengers From USD 10 190
11 Aug 2021 11 days Expedition Svalbard with M/S Stockholm 2021 12 passengers From USD 11 590
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On July 2-9, 2018, colleagues from the MacArthur award-winning FrameWorks Institute led a summer training institute for Sewanee and Yale faculty and staff. Over several days, colleagues from a range of disciplines learned about and explored framing theory and methods, cultural models theory and analysis, cultural models interviews, and media content and field frame analysis, and worked together to develop next steps for projects. The summer institute was co-sponsored by Sewanee's Office of Civic Engagement and the Collaborative for Southern Appalachian Studies and strengthens the relationship that began several years ago between the FrameWorks Institute and Sewanee.


Shihan Barbee was born on November 24, 1986 in Brooklyn, New York. He was exhibiting artistic abilities at 8 years old. Drawing from comics, building sculptures out of Legos and taking art classes to sharpen his craft. He would attribute this to his early exposure to visual arts.
In 2004, Shihan attended the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, majoring in architecture. A field trip to the Paul and Lielu Hillard Museum incited an interest in Computer Animation. Shihan transferred to Brooklyn College where he would go on to major in digital arts and receive his Bachelor of Fine Arts.
In 2012, Shihan graduated from the School of Visual Arts Master of Fine Arts program. Recently, he worked as a teacher in The Animation Project (TAP), teaching 3D animation to at-risk-youth in the New York City metro area. This experience solidified his passion for character design and modeling.


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Pregnancy - Latest News
Jul 14, 2019 - 03:26 am .- Poor women are the most likely population to obtain an abortion.
New study supports decades of Catholic research on progesterone in pregnancy
May 27, 2019 - 04:05 pm .- A recent study in the UK found that taking progesterone supplements during pregnancy is associated with a decreased risk of miscarriage, at least in some cases. To Teresa Kenney, a women's health nurse practitioner in Omaha, the study came as no surprise.
'Abortion saves lives'? Catholic doctor responds to NYT op-ed
May 22, 2019 - 04:51 pm .- Following an op-ed in the New York Times claiming that all pregnancies are life-threatening, a Catholic doctor emphasized that pregnancy is a natural and healthy condition, and that complications which may arise can be treated without abortion.
'Back in February'- How an unexpected pregnancy led to joy
Apr 2, 2019 - 11:48 am .- At 23, Alexa Hyman discovered she was pregnant. This is her story.
Pregnant employees accuse Planned Parenthood of discrimination
Jan 2, 2019 - 03:33 pm .- Planned Parenthood Federation of America is frequently under fire from pro-life politicians and organizations for being the largest single provider of abortion in the United States.
'Natural cycles' fertility app gets FDA approval to prevent pregnancy
Aug 21, 2018 - 01:14 pm .- The FDA has approved a fertility-tracking app that boasts a lower unintended pregnancy rate than the pill, without the side effects of hormonal contraception.
Watch a 20-week baby in utero with new groundbreaking technology
May 28, 2018 - 02:05 pm .- When the fetal ultrasound gained popularity in the 1970s, it was hailed as a "window to the womb." But now, new technology could offer a much more in-depth view of babies before birth.
Critics warn against British movement advocating at-home abortion pills
Dec 12, 2017 - 12:04 am .- A new effort in the UK has garnered the support of some of Britain's maternity doctors who are recommending that women should be allowed to take abortion pills at home.
Abortion info required at pro-life centers? Supreme Court takes up case
Nov 14, 2017 - 02:35 pm .- The U.S. Supreme Court has announced that it will consider a California law that requires pro-life pregnancy centers to display information about how to obtain an abortion.
This pregnant woman found her faith in 1930s Spain – and died for it.
Mar 30, 2017 - 05:40 am .- A pregnant woman who found her faith in a Spanish prison, refused to give up the name of her Christian catechist to her persecutors, and died for lack of medical care was beatified on Saturday.
Arizona State University to hold first Pregnant on Campus Week
Mar 9, 2017 - 02:56 pm .- The Students for Life Group at Arizona State University is planning the nation's first Pregnant on Campus Week to offer resources, support and information for parents on campus this March 13-16.
At Planned Parenthood, 'women's health' often does not include prenatal care
Jan 24, 2017 - 02:56 pm .- Scalding new charges from a pro-life investigative group say that despite Planned Parenthood's claims to be a premier women's health care provider, the organization generally does not offer prenatal care.
Project Mater – an oasis of help for pregnant mothers
Jan 2, 2017 - 11:37 am .- Maria* has not had an easy life. Several years ago, while pregnant with her second child, she checked into a detox center for those with drug addictions. Social services had already taken temporary custody of her first child, as she was in no condition to take care of her.
How a simple idea helped 7,000 homeless pregnant women
Dec 23, 2016 - 03:39 pm .- Christopher Bell was in his twenties and living in Times Square when he heard something that sounded like the voice of God.
No one's talking about the trauma of abortion by pill
Nov 11, 2016 - 03:40 am .- While the number of abortions in the United States has declined, a recent report shows that women seeking abortions are increasingly preferring medical abortions, rather than surgical ones.
'House of Waiting' for pregnant Peruvian women seeks to remodel
Apr 28, 2015 - 02:17 am .- Inside the cracking adobe walls of a small building in Haquira, Peru, an on-duty nurse and staff are busy providing care for local women during the late stages of their pregnancy.
Supreme Court rules in favor of pregnancy protection in the workplace
Mar 28, 2015 - 06:25 am .- A recent ruling from the Supreme Court to clarify workplace protections for pregnant women will help remedy some of the pressure placed on working women to abort rather than continue pregnancies, pro-life legal experts say.
Cardinal Dolan blesses pregnant mothers, unborn babies
Apr 18, 2014 - 01:59 pm .- Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York blessed 30 expectant mothers and their unborn children in an April 6 Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral, offering a message of hope and love.
Mom contrasts rush to save baby twins with Gosnell murders
Jun 8, 2013 - 06:03 am .- When her twin girls were born suddenly at only 26 weeks, Anne Ponton said doctors and nurses in her home town of Irving, Texas fought diligently for her babies' survival.
Duchess of Cambridge's illness could save lives, author says
Dec 5, 2012 - 02:19 am .- The Duchess of Cambridge's stay in the hospital for severe morning sickness could help other women avoid aborting their children, according to author Ashli McCall, who has experience with the condition.


How to visit a museum?
Short answer: To visit a museum, please find out where are some museums, then choose one. Then, come to that building, enter, buy a ticket, and enjoy! I'm sure you will.
Long answer: Start by thinking, what kind of museum would you like to visit?
What does your "must-visit" list say about Paris? Louvre, Musee d'Orsay, and Versailles are the must-visit museums. Yeah. We know.
Then, let me tell you another phenomenon. Tourist marketing in collaboration with museums is usually a great thing, but it has flaws. Sometimes creators omit any thinking about who the real audiences really are, or what kind of people would be interested in the certain topic. Just a must-visit trap. There is an exhibition in the city. The exhibition features the artist X. But, the exhibition has only 3 of the artists' works. Everything else is just about comparisons, analysis, and works of lesser-known artists who are somehow similar to the artist X.
Maybe the exhibition is great in terms of storytelling, but its title is a pure clickbait – or translated into the museum language, a visitbait. Maybe you would like to visit that exhibition. But probably, you were more interested in visiting the artist than learning anything about the context.
Welcome to the world of the glorious "must-visit" tourist traps.
I would like to suggest you to think what kind of museum would you really be interested to visit. Don't expect anything to be magnificent, just look at the things the way they are. Instead of going for "must-visit" places with high expectations, go for something that sounds nice to you, with low expectations.
"That place disappointed me. I expect it would be bigger/richer/more magnificent/you name it".
After this long answer, the "visit a museum" part comes to the stage.
After selecting a museum to visit, here comes the time to check what is going on in that museum. One thing that can be extremely interesting and worth taking more time for a visit, are temporary exhibitions. Apart from anything we can find at any given moment in a museum, temporary exhibitions may provide additional information and therefore fun experience.
It's also lovely to see concerts and conferences in museums, so never underestimate the power of an event calendar you can find on museums websites.
Just avoid getting surprised with the number of things to experience in museums combined with a lack of time.
Lack of time to visit a museum. Plan your time ahead.
Think about how much time do you need, and how much time do you really have. Bigger museums always require more time. The world's biggest museums may require days or even weeks of coming back to see the entire collections. While the must-visit culture tells us that it's "important" to see La Gioconda (Mona Lisa) while visiting Louvre, on a completely opposite wing of that monumental museum, you may find a kind of art you will appreciate a lot.
If you have two hours, consider checking the museum's map. In the classical museums such as Louvre, each room takes you from 5 to 10 minutes to be observed carefully. You may spend even more time if you get attached to a specific work of art.
By setting goals and priorities, you will make your visit more relaxed, and probably feel more accomplished after the visit. However, don't forget to have a break. Take a seat and just don't think about anything.
Even though I recommend setting goals and priorities, it's also good to stay flexible, because unexpected experiences may come as great surprises. It's better to enjoy these possible unexpected moments than staying fixed to a strict schedule.
If you feel like leaving the museum before you fulfilled the time you planned to stay, don't feel guilty. Some museums simply do not turn out to be something we expected. But, if you feel like staying longer in a museum, consider staying. Don't make your general travel schedule too busy.
Are you visiting museums alone or accompanied?
What are the pros and cons of visiting museums alone and accompanied? Let me make some comparisons.
Your rhythm is on your own. You can observe better, study the content, read the labels, everything without distractions.
You don't have anyone to share your opinion with. You may feel a lack of other person's opinion.
You may not have enough time to choose individually how long do you want to stay in a certain room or in front of a specific object. It's not likely that you will have time for introspection if you are accompanied.
The conclusion: Invite people who really love the topic of a specific museum to join you. When traveling with friends, family, or partner, talk about visiting museums before. Split between different museums if you have different interests and desires.
Did I tell you that you are reading an article on the blog called "Fun Museums"?
If not, I apologize. So I assume that visiting museums is a fun experience, even if the topic and the content are not that fun.
Visiting museums is all about having fun while you are learning. Walk through the museum relaxedly. Do not stick to every single label. But, do not miss to read the label if you become curious about something.
As I wrote, some stories are serious. Be respectful when it's necessary.
Are museums supposed to be fun?
How to pick a lovely temporary exhibition?
That's a great write up, Lana!
This was a very enjoyable read. Thank you!


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Artists To Watch: Tony Taylor
It's not every artist who would critique the capitalist institutions of the modern global economy by with people in suits with animal heads, but that's why we like Tony Taylor. So we got the OCAD and University of the Arts London graduate to explain a bit about the thought process that informs his art:
"This collection of work is a reflection on world economic forums and G summit series — and how they undermine democracy and often lead to violently disrupting the civilians and cities in which they are hosted. These well-publicized events highlight an opportunity for world leaders and corporations to bump elbows, share anecdotes and discuss economic philosophy, disregarding any opportunity for public participation or representation. For me these events resemble a gathering of the animal powerhouses from the financial and political jungles where only the wealthy survive.
"I have chosen to replace the faces of these leaders and corporate representatives with those of animals that I feel reflect a truer sense of their character. Howard Zinn, a political science professor and activist believed that, 'Art moves away from reality and invents something that may be ultimately more accurate about the world than what a photograph can depict.' Affection and friendship expressed through overt body language and tone in front of the cameras communicate an often convincing, but false sense of 'we're all in this together'.
"I believe that art should be socially challenging, not based solely on aesthetics. I paint what I paint because I am concerned about the direction we're headed in as a species. Few people are making decisions that consistently and negatively effect a large percentage of the population; and I believe there is a desperate need for things to change. With the current OCCUPY movement fresh in the memories of Canadians and most of the developed world, artists have the opportunity to respond to a significant time in our generation's history in very creative and challenging ways. It is our responsibility as artists to continue to engage and encourage people both locally and globally to keep asking questions of those who control the financial structures we're forced to survive in."
Posted by Carmen Cheung. You can check out all of our Artists To Watch here.
posted Tuesday, April 24, 2012


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Private medical practitioners provide more than half the primary care for the population, so they need to be actively involved in health programmes rolled out by the Health Ministry. — Bloomberg
Why primary healthcare is so important
October 31, 2018 Health
By DR MILTON LUM
Drug addicts are not criminals
What really goes on in the Klinik Kesihatan
Malaysia is committed to attain the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, of which goal three is to ensure healthy lives and ensure well-being for all at all ages.
Target 3.8 is to "achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential healthcare services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all".
The World Health Organization (WHO) states that "Universal health coverage (UHC) means that all people and communities can use the promotive, preventive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative health services they need, of sufficient quality to be effective, while also ensuring that the use of these services does not expose the user to financial hardship".
Interchangeable terminologies
Primary healthcare, primary care, general practice and family medicine are terms that have been used interchangeably.
Primary healthcare (PHC) was conceptualised in the 1978 Alma Ata declaration, and is defined as "essential healthcare based on practical, scientifically sound and socially acceptable methods and technology, made universally accessible to individuals and families in the community through their full participation and at a cost that the community and country can afford…
"It is the first level of contact of individuals, the family, and community with the national health system bringing healthcare as close as possible to where people live and work, and constitutes the first elements of a continuing health care process."
Primary care (PC) is the care provided by a healthcare professional (HCP), for example, a doctor, dentist, nurse or pharmacist with whom a patient has initial contact and by whom a patient is referred to a specialist. In essence, PC is a subset of PHC.
General practice is a term that covers the general practitioner (GP) and other HCPs.
The GP is a doctor based in the community who manages patients with minor or chronic illness and refers those with serious conditions to a hospital.
Family medicine (FM) or primary care teams (PCT) comprise a core of GP(s) and nurse(s), but can be a multidisciplinary team comprising dentists, pharmacists, dieticians and so on.
The WHO defined a PCT in 2003 as a group of "fellow professionals with complementary contributions to make in patient care.
"This would be part of a broader social trend away from deference and hierarchy, and towards mutual respect and shared responsibility and cooperation".
Primary healthcare and universal health coverage
The healthcare system involves more than human resource and financing considerations, which must be integrated into an overarching framework for the organisation and delivery of appropriate care for the population's needs.
Such a framework is provided by PHC, which can be the foundation of an effective healthcare system that improves health, moderate increasing costs and lower inequality.
The interaction between PHC and UHC was stated succinctly by Thomas Hone et al in Revisiting Alma-Ata: What is the role of primary healthcare in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals?: "Firstly, with growing recognition that persistent health challenges require substantial health system reform, primary-care oriented health systems have become essential to increase appropriateness and efficiency, by focusing on people and their wellbeing.
"Strong primary care is essential to expand and sustain UHC, and UHC should promote equitable approaches to health system financing to support their reforms.
"Secondly, the importance of addressing the social and environmental determinants of health in relation to the UHC agenda has grown.
"There are concerns that UHC might focus too much on curative services, which disproportionately benefit wealthier populations. Embedding UHC within the broader vision of PHC is necessary to avoid such unintended consequences.
"Finally, PHC's emphasis on equity and the right to health support UHC, and adopting and institutionalising these principles are prerequisites for maximising UHC.
"The benefits of reorienting systems to primary care will be dependent on coverage of the world's most deprived and vulnerable populations. PHC is key to guaranteeing adequate and equitable coverage within UHC."
The core principles of PHC, i.e. first contact, continuous, comprehensive and coordinated care, has been shown to be stable over time.
Lessons from many countries support the view that PHC is the route to UHC.
The Health Ministry participated in the UHC Primary Health Care Self-Assessment Tool jointly developed by the members of the Joint Learning Network for Universal Health Coverage Primary Health Care Initiative.
This was a multi-stakeholder survey to help countries assess whether their national, state or district health financing approaches are well aligned with primary care initiatives, efforts, and programs.
The salient findings of the report, published in June 2016 were:
• PHC is a main priority in national health policy and plans.
• Private sector facilities lack awareness and training on current national health priorities.
• Misalignment between PHC policy and service provision. Although private PHC facilities provide 51% of outpatient services, the type of services was not aligned with PHC priorities.
• Whereas PHC has a central focus in health policy documents, secondary and tertiary healthcare services receive the majority of health resources.
• Payment mechanisms in public and private facilities do not offer incentives for providers to deliver preventive care.
• Public health services have a good referral system, but not the private sector.
• Lack of human resources in public PHC clinics is a key barrier to achieving PHC objectives, particularly in rural areas.
• Insufficient training for PHC, particularly for private providers.
The recommendations included the creation of a communication strategy to engage the private sector and improve the integration between public and private sectors, and the provision of training and support to private primary care providers to strengthen their capacity and capability to deliver preventive services.
The tool was validated and found to be a useful instrument to identify key alignments and misalignments between UHC and PHC.
The study team presented its findings to the Health Ministry and the Government "is using the findings of this report to inform ongoing health financing and system reforms".
However, there is a chasm between the words in an international report and the reality on the ground.
Although private registered medical practitioners (RMPs) provide more than half the primary care for the population, they are unaware of initiatives by the Health Ministry to address the PHC misalignments.
The private RMPs have provided and continue to provide cost-efficient and patient-centric services, usually in a one-stop patient-friendly facility, with choice, accessibility and affordability not a major issue.
Crucially, they have ongoing relationships with patients, as compared to their public sector counterparts.
The failure to seek the active involvement of private primary care providers is, at best, perplexing, and at worst, irresponsible, especially when Malaysia ranks 84th in the Global Health Quality and Access Index, behind Singapore (22nd), South Korea (15th), Brunei (53rd), Sri Lanka (71st) and Thailand (76th).
Dr Milton Lum is a past president of the Federation of Private Medical Practitioners Associations and the Malaysian Medical Association. The views expressed do not represent that of organisations that the writer is associated with. The information provided is for educational and communication purposes only and it should not be construed as personal medical advice. Information published in this article is not intended to replace, supplant or augment a consultation with a health professional regarding the reader's own medical care. The Star disclaims all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.
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You can find our Code of Conduct here. But why did we decide to adopt a CoC?
The Pinax Project is a community project and the community matters to us. We would like everyone, who contributes to Pinax, to have the best experience possible. We want to create a friendly and supportive environment, where everyone is welcome to contribute, regardless of level of experience, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, personal appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, age, or religion.
The Code of Conduct we decided to adopt is the Contributor Covenant, a Code of Conduct for open source projects. By adopting this CoC maintainers and contributors pledge to be respectful and cooperative, and to welcome all people to participate in their project.
Adding a CoC is a great opportunity to create a positive environment for all your contributors. If your open source project doesn't have a CoC yet, we would like to encourage you to adopt one.