WRD's mission is to empower the local Church to serve the most vulnerable. We believe partnership with the local church and the wider community is for seeing the most vulnerable transformed economically, socially and spiritually. WRD currently engages with dozens of churches of different denominations, backgrounds and sizes in ministry to refugees, as they are the hands and feet of our work and mission.
The Church Engagement and Outreach Intern serves as an asset to the volunteer coordination and church engagement department to engage pastors, church staff and key volunteers in the Triangle as they work to mobilize their congregations to partner with the refugee community. This intern also works to implement and attend WRD events and trainings with the local Church, the local community and the refugee population. This intern also serves in the area of general volunteer coordination and empowerment, as volunteer engagement is a key to successful church engagement and partnership.
This intern is free to voice his or her creative ideas for improving systems, church communication, organizational systems, materials, etc. He or she must have a great eye for detail, be quick to learn new databases and skilled at project juggling and prioritization. Additionally, he or she is welcome to suggest projects based on possessed skillsets and passions. He or she must be a self-starter, possessing skills in both independent and team work. A heart for the refugee community and commitment to seeing it served through relationship with the local Church is core to this position. The internship would increase an intern's knowledge of Christian Community Development (CCD), non-profit operation, time management and task prioritization, the refugee community, organizational skills, professional writing, and church mobilization.


2019 Retail Forum, the current event of C-star, will be themed as 'Dynamic Future of Retail Ecosystem', inviting retailers, experts, commercial propertites, technology companies, providing you a professional knowledge sharing platform.
C-star 2019 will take place from April 25-27 at the Hall N5 of Shanghai New International Expo Center. This year we will create an excellent business platform together with 150+ retail industry innovative solution providers and 15,000+ professional visitors from well-known retail brands.
As time passes by, C-star is in the midst of preparations of a great communication platform for retail equipment solution providers and retail brands.
C-star 2018 image film is now released!
Three months have passed since C-star 2018, after three successful days and numerous opportunities to explore the cutting-edge technologies, inspiring and new solutions in shop-fitting, lighting, retail technology and visual merchandising, the high-quality fair attracted visitors from renowned retail brands including Sephora, Louis Vuitton, C&A China, Watsons, Max Mara, Apple, Uniqlo, MINISO, Superdry etc converging for the 2018 show.


I was determined to change few things like my ego and my arrogance, and WOW, I did not know about it before! This has been a very deep journey within myself. This kind of a journey is a new challenge in anyone's life, it could be hard at the beginning, yet I know I got this!
"For now I am so happy of being my new ME"
I have always been a person who look after others, listen to, encourage and support them.
My first training was Foundation of Coaching Success in June 2016 at The Coaching Institute, I thought that I could learn even more and add to my knowledge about personal development. The training blew my mind away!
I realized I had a limiting belief about English as my second language and that I was a very needy person.
I want to say thank you to each person who has helped me in this journey to become a life coach and the most important thing for me is who I have become.
I now manage my ego and arrogance with ease, I ask for help and I say thank you.
I understand people why they do what they do, with respect and understanding.
I respect and I give love to my relationships and I receive back a heart-full of beautiful feelings and memories.
I understand more about people's behaviour in such a way that I have stopped judging so much and now understand how to include them and how to help them feel belonging.
I know there is a lot more for me to learn and grow, and for now I am so happy of being my new ME.
Thank you, Sharon Pearson, thank you Joe Pane, thank you to the WOW team and the whole community!
When I was working in a music shop, I liked the people around me, yet with coaching, I realized every single person has their own stories and I learnt to respect them.
I did not like the routine, always the same, I felt empty.
It was nothing like I had ever experienced in any of my other education or positions.
The knowledge and experiences I was gathering was actually changing my life!
They were helping me through some decisions and concerns that I had. Some I had worked on for years and other professions or education couldn't help me shift.
Everything that has been shared has added value to my life. It has challenged and developed me and has been so easy to apply to my coaching and training.
My current biggest goal is to run workshops around Australia, New Zealand and South America.
This kind of a journey is a new challenge in anyone's life, it could be hard at the beginning, yet I know I got this!
When Gisell first started her journey, she was unresourceful and had low self-confidence. After her first Foundations of Coaching Success training, she went through transformation after transformation, and finally she now has her own business.


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The busiest and hottest months. If you like beach parties and packed clubs then Mykonos is the place to be. The less-busy islands (Antiparos, Sifnos, Ikaria, Folegandros, Milos) have short tourists seasons and this is when they're fully open and running. Santorini, Crete, Rhodes, and Corfu are in peak-season but all are large enough to retain their charm.
The other groups are best tackled individually. For example, the Ionians have no ferry connections to the rest of the Greek islands; the same story with the Sporades and the Argo-Saronics. The NE Aegean islands do have a link to the Dodecanese and the Cyclades but are probably best left for another trip once you have got the feel of the rhythm of the Greek islands.
Dubbed the Isle of Flowers and crowned by 4,583-foot Mount Pelee, Martinique may just be the Caribbean's best-kept secret. Some exploration is required to uncover the island's treasures, like the Balata Gardens' Treetop Trail of suspension bridges, Saint-Pierre's 18th-century theater ruins, and the poignant Anse Cafard Slave Memorial. This overseas region of France is also considered the rum capital of the world; follow the Route des Rhums to tour esteemed distilleries like Clement and Rhum JM.
With so much on offer, choosing where to go island hopping along the Adriatic Coast can be tough. Maybe you want gastronomic delights, perhaps you want to party all night long? Or it is that you simply want a sandy beach? Do you want to sail to the islands or ferry from mainland? The various and varied Croatia islands offer culture, nightlife, history and of course relaxation. Find out which one is perfect for you in this Croatian islands guide.
Another South Pacific island group (see a pattern here?), the Cook Islands are pretty far off the map. OK, not too far, but they are considerably less visited than some of their neighbors. These tiny islands are named after James Cook, the intrepid man who discovered them. With few amenities, this is the best place to find your inner castaway and escape modern life. The islands see similar weather to the rest of the area, with temperatures hot and humid all year round.
To sum up: a lot depends on your own stamina because island hopping means packing and unpacking, getting on and off buses and ferries. Limit your choice of islands to perhaps one or two less than you think you can manage. Maximise transport links to avoid backtracking or port-transferring and since you are traveling high season be aware that you will usually need bookings ahead at most places. It is possible to turn up on an island and not find a place to stay or have to make do with a third-rate option.
Im here in Vermont and love it here but want more and Im antsy to move in the future. I dont know where to start, but I do know I want a tropical place warm year round. I guess I need a break from this cold weather. I own and operate an herbal shop for I am a Holistic Practitioner , Master Herbalist, Nutritional consultant and much more. Iam looking to relocate my business and myself with my 2 boys!!! Anyone have any locations that I may visit that might be a new future location with a high call for my type of work please oh please let me know. Namaste! Cold here in Vermont!!!!
What's most stunning in Bali — dazzling beaches like Nusa Dua, Seminyak and Jimbaran Bay? Ubud's terraced rice fields, sacred forest and ancient monuments? Or the island's 10,000 intricate temples, including Pura Empul (the one you bathe in) and Uluwatu sea temple? Experience all of the above and decide for yourself. The Land of the Gods also boasts a loveliness that is more than skin-deep, thanks to its warm people and ubiquitous, inclusive spirituality.
I'm a Maui native and it is not that expensive! You just need to do it the smart way, avoid tourist traps and ABC stores, stop at Costco to stock up on supplies before you reach your hotel. Many of the best things Hawaii has to offer are free: beaches, sunsets, hikes, snorkeling, walking the streets of small beach towns. Condos are also way cheaper than hotels and they are usually beachfront.
We're planning a Greece trip to celebrate our 25th anniversary in September 2017 We plan to arrive in Athens and directly take train to Kalambaka/Meteora (2 nights), then down to Delphi (hotel stay in Athens), a day to see sights in Athens, a day trip to Nafplio and then leave to explore islands. Our plan is to go to Naxos for 4-5 nights, then to Santorini (for our anniversary) for 4 nights, and then to Crete for 5-6 nights. I would like to see Delos and wonder if it's possible to stop in Mykonos, do the tour to Delos and still be able to catch ferry to Naxos the same day?
Thank you for putting together such a great site. My husband and I are planning a trip to the Islands in May – neither of us have been and, honestly, have no idea where to even start putting together an itinerary. We have at least 14 nights to spend there (and may be able to push that to 17). I'm in my early 30s, my husband's in his early 40s. Our priorities are culture and history, swimming, beautiful views, nice towns, and food and drink. We're not interested in clubbing at all, but more laid-back late night bars definitely appeal. This is probably our one big holiday this year so while the budget is more mid-range than sky-high, we can push it a bit for the right places or experiences. We're happy to take in quite a few islands, or with a mix of longer and shorter stays.
Airlines often have a strong seasonality, with traffic low in Winter and peaking in Summer. In Europe the most extreme market are the Greek islands with July/August having more than ten times the winter traffic, as Jet2 is the most seasonal among low-cost carriers with July having seven times the January traffic, whereas legacy carriers are much less with only 85/115% variability.[73]
Whether you're booking at the last minute, you're not sure what is a good deal, you're departing from a remote city with few options, or you need any help at all, give us a call. We're here 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Flight Network is a member of TICO and has been awarded a rating of A+ by the Better Business Bureau of Canada which we've held for the last 10+ years.
To island-hop some of the most beautiful havens in the world, book a trip to Asia, which lays claim to six of this year's top 15 destinations. But if you only have a week, you'll hardly suffer. Each of the islands on this list is worth a visit on its own, from the perennial World's Best list-makers Maui and the Galápagos to Portugal's rising star, the Azores, with its friendly locals and awe-inspiring landscapes.
Each operator of a scheduled or charter flight uses an airline call sign when communicating with airports or air traffic control centres. Most of these call-signs are derived from the airline's trade name, but for reasons of history, marketing, or the need to reduce ambiguity in spoken English (so that pilots do not mistakenly make navigational decisions based on instructions issued to a different aircraft), some airlines and air forces use call-signs less obviously connected with their trading name. For example, British Airways uses a Speedbird call-sign, named after the logo of its predecessor, BOAC, while SkyEurope used Relax.
I'm a little worried I'll get bored in Milos. My husband likes to stay in one place, but I like exploring. We would have split our time more evenly but we want to stay on the caldera and it's just too expensive to stay any longer than two or three nights. Alternatively, we could stay in Santorini for longer but move to a cheaper hotel. Perhaps Santorini 6 nights and Milos 6 nights?
I'm traveling to Greece for the first time, and I'm so fortunate to be staying for about 9 weeks (peak season, unfortunately, I'm an educator and it's summer!). I have ample time planned in Athens, and the Peloponnese (with rental car). Here's where I need some help and suggestions. I have 5 weeks saved for the islands and I'm still trying to figure out how to spend them. I'm not sure if I'd like to cover just a few islands and soak them in a bit deeper with longer stays…or to travel at a quicker pace covering several islands in each main area (the Cyclades, Ionians, Crete-Rhodes Dodecanese, Eastern Islands) I'm an easy traveler and enjoy diversity. I crave spending time with locals and interacting with families – home stays at times, I enjoy the water and I'm an avid diver, I like hiking and exploring. Also, want to perhaps relax a bit – food/wine tasting welcomed). I'm excited about the trip and my ideas are racing all over. Do you have some ideas and suggestions to share? A rough sketch itinerary for Greece? Thanks so much!
Airline financing is quite complex, since airlines are highly leveraged operations. Not only must they purchase (or lease) new airliner bodies and engines regularly, they must make major long-term fleet decisions with the goal of meeting the demands of their markets while producing a fleet that is relatively economical to operate and maintain; comparably Southwest Airlines and their reliance on a single airplane type (the Boeing 737 and derivatives), with the now defunct Eastern Air Lines which operated 17 different aircraft types, each with varying pilot, engine, maintenance, and support needs.
Following the 1978 deregulation, U.S. carriers did not manage to make an aggregate profit for 12 years in 31, including four years where combined losses amounted to $10 billion, but rebounded with eight consecutive years of profits since 2010, including its four with over $10 billion profits. They drop loss-making routes, avoid fare wars and market share battles, limit capacity growth, add hub feed with regional jets to increase their profitability. They change schedules to create more connections, buy used aircraft, reduce international frequencies and leverage partnerships to optimise capacities and benefit from overseas connectivity.[51]
A complicating factor is that of origin-destination control ("O&D control"). Someone purchasing a ticket from Melbourne to Sydney (as an example) for A$200 is competing with someone else who wants to fly Melbourne to Los Angeles through Sydney on the same flight, and who is willing to pay A$1400. Should the airline prefer the $1400 passenger, or the $200 passenger plus a possible Sydney-Los Angeles passenger willing to pay $1300? Airlines have to make hundreds of thousands of similar pricing decisions daily.
Often the companies combine IT operations, or purchase fuel and aircraft as a bloc to achieve higher bargaining power. However, the alliances have been most successful at purchasing invisible supplies and services, such as fuel. Airlines usually prefer to purchase items visible to their passengers to differentiate themselves from local competitors. If an airline's main domestic competitor flies Boeing airliners, then the airline may prefer to use Airbus aircraft regardless of what the rest of the alliance chooses.
In 2017, 4.1 billion passengers have been carried by airlines in 41.9 million commercial scheduled flights (an average payload of 98 passengers), for 7.75 trillion passenger kilometres (an average trip of 1890 km) over 45,091 airline routes served globally. In 2016, air transport generated $704.4 billion of revenue in 2016, employed 10.2 million workers, supported 65.5 million jobs and $2.7 trillion of economic activity: 3.6% of the global GDP.[60]
Patmos has an indefinable je ne sais quoi - an otherworldly quality that radiates from its crowning glory, the medieval monastery of St John. This turreted fortress, bursting with Byzantine relics, is named after John the Divine, who conjured up his apocalyptic revelations in a cave nearby. Pure-white Chora, a World Heritage Site, is where A-listers and fashion editors stay. High walls and heavy doors conceal magnificent mansions dating back to the 16th century.
In view of the congestion apparent at many international airports, the ownership of slots at certain airports (the right to take-off or land an aircraft at a particular time of day or night) has become a significant tradable asset for many airlines. Clearly take-off slots at popular times of the day can be critical in attracting the more profitable business traveler to a given airline's flight and in establishing a competitive advantage against a competing airline.
Java, with a population of 140 million, makes its first appearance on this list. Celebrated for its ancient culture, breathtaking vistas, and UNESCO World Heritage sites like the Borobudur Temple Compounds, the island also offers the opportunity to indulge in modernity (five-star hotels abound). Waterfalls, volcanoes, protected parks, and white-sand beaches also allow visitors to get away from the thrum.
Yes, I would agree that 8 or 9 days is too long for Naxos – unless you're happy sitting at the beach for several of those days. But if you're looking to be semi-active and explore then you'd be best to add Paros and spend 4/5 days on each. Crete, on the other hand, would be perfect for an 8/9 day road trip. Start in Heraklion (where the ferry arrives from Santorini) head east and then south and finally ending up in the western town of Chania where you can fly up home from.
Every imaginable shade of blue manifests in the lagoon of Bora Bora, aka, the Jewel of the South Seas. Coral motus ring the main island like a sandy sash, and beneath the surface, dolphins, rays, sharks, turtles and colorful fish throng. Presiding over it all is the moss-green volcanic peak of Mount Otemanu, where god descended to the island on a rainbow, according to local lore. Timeless grass-skirted dancers and exotic overwater bungalows round out the sublime scene.
Hi Dave. Thank you for your amazing website! We (30's / 40's couple – no kids) used your recommendations last year in September and visited Santorini (7days), Milos (3days) and Crete (12days) before spending 3 days in Athens. The trip was amazing and Greece is calling us to go back again this year! We have a conundrum which we are hoping you can assist (well, many of them really!)
Where to stay in Zante: Porto Zante, eight villas with five-star facilities, set above a pristine bay of finely raked sand, is kitted out for kids of all ages: there's a playground, mini-golf, and every water-sport under the sun. The sociable Peligoni Club is especially good for toddlers and teens: the crèche is run by qualified nannies and over-13s have their own bar, serving milkshakes and mocktails. Zante Maris Suites, as well as the new Olea All Suite Hotel just next door, are both squarely aimed at adults, with a haute hippie vibe. Kids over 12 are welcome.
Although Philippine Airlines (PAL) was officially founded on February 26, 1941, its license to operate as an airliner was derived from merged Philippine Aerial Taxi Company (PATCO) established by mining magnate Emmanuel N. Bachrach on December 3, 1930, making it Asia's oldest scheduled carrier still in operation.[52] Commercial air service commenced three weeks later from Manila to Baguio, making it Asia's first airline route. Bachrach's death in 1937 paved the way for its eventual merger with Philippine Airlines in March 1941 and made it Asia's oldest airline. It is also the oldest airline in Asia still operating under its current name.[53] Bachrach's majority share in PATCO was bought by beer magnate Andres R. Soriano in 1939 upon the advice of General Douglas MacArthur and later merged with newly formed Philippine Airlines with PAL as the surviving entity. Soriano has controlling interest in both airlines before the merger. PAL restarted service on March 15, 1941, with a single Beech Model 18 NPC-54 aircraft, which started its daily services between Manila (from Nielson Field) and Baguio, later to expand with larger aircraft such as the DC-3 and Vickers Viscount.
Zakynthos, or Zante, has shrugged off its reputation as a destination for lads on tour (as long as you avoid Lagana and the built-up south coast) by rebranding itself as Greece's greenest island. It's not just the emerald hills sliding into the electric blue Ionian: much of the south coast is a nature reserve where endangered loggerhead turtles hatch in the sand. The turtle beaches are off limits, but there are countless coves in every hue of green and blue. Favourites are tiny Xigia, with its bubbling underwater springs, and craggy Porto Limnionas, with sunbeds wedged between the rocks and palm-frond umbrellas positioned between the pine trees. Skinari is the starting point for boat trips to the most famous landmarks, the Blue Caves and Shipwreck Beach, where a rusting liner leans into the chalky cliffs. From Keri, you can cast away for Marathonisi island, another turtle sanctuary.
As you head south, high-rise resorts give way to stretches of golden sand, such as Glystra, Tsambika, and Fourni. Inland, you'll find alpine forests (Mount Attavyros), hilltop castles (Monolithos), faded frescoes (Agios Nikolaos Foundoukli) and ancient ruins (Kamiros). Marooned on the southern tip, Prasonisi is a powdery peninsula where the Aegean meets the Mediterranean. One side is calm, the other choppy - a metaphor for this island of two halves.
Can you see all the major sights in Athens in one day? No. But you can see the Acropolis, Acropolis Museum, and the top historical sites of the Plaka in one day. If you had an extra half-day then visit the Archaeological Museum in Exarcheia. That still leaves many great sights but you will have seen all of the iconic Athens attractions. Adding Naxos is always a good idea. You might even enjoy it more than Mykonos (but no nightlife like Mykonos).
Other factors, such as surface transport facilities and onward connections, will also affect the relative appeal of different airports and some long distance flights may need to operate from the one with the longest runway. For example, LaGuardia Airport is the preferred airport for most of Manhattan due to its proximity, while long-distance routes must use John F. Kennedy International Airport's longer runways.
In the Soviet Union, the Chief Administration of the Civil Air Fleet was established in 1921. One of its first acts was to help found Deutsch-Russische Luftverkehrs A.G. (Deruluft), a German-Russian joint venture to provide air transport from Russia to the West. Domestic air service began around the same time, when Dobrolyot started operations on 15 July 1923 between Moscow and Nizhni Novgorod. Since 1932 all operations had been carried under the name Aeroflot.[13]
Lefkada is an island, but is connected to the mainland by a causeway at the northern tip and its access airport is on the mainland at Aktio (Preveza). It is an island popular with Greeks and mainly European visitors. Italians and Brits predominate. It is green, verdant, has good beaches and facilities and is compact enough to get around easily. Tourism is centred on the east coast around the port village of Nydri. It is low-key accommodation with villas and small family-run hotels predominating. Off-shore from Nydri are a couple of islands worth visiting on excursions: the sizeable Meganisi (car ferries run to and fro') and the private Skorpios Island which belong to the Onassis family. On your own hired motor boat, you can heave-to on just one private beach on the north side of the island and swim and claim boasting rights to having swum on Aristotle Onassis' private piece of Greece.
They're all great choices. Athens (1 to 2 full days) is great for historical sightseeing. Mykonos for beaches and nightlife (2 to 4 days). Crete for historical sightseeing, greek culture and towns, some beaches but spread out (4 to 7 days). Santorini has great sightseeing, tours, and some history (4 to 7 days). If visiting outside of June to September then drop Mykonos and do the other 3 for sure.
One argument is that positive externalities, such as higher growth due to global mobility, outweigh the microeconomic losses and justify continuing government intervention. A historically high level of government intervention in the airline industry can be seen as part of a wider political consensus on strategic forms of transport, such as highways and railways, both of which receive public funding in most parts of the world. Although many countries continue to operate state-owned or parastatal airlines, many large airlines today are privately owned and are therefore governed by microeconomic principles to maximize shareholder profit.
You seem to have your heart set on Zakynthos but I have to say it's not a good use of time for a sort-of overrated payoff. Your time is much better spent (in my opinion) seeing another Greek island in the cyclades (maybe taking a ferry to Naxos or Paros sitting outside on the deck drinking a bottle of wine) rather than taking a bus and connecting flights. Zakynthos and Santorini/Mykonos are on opposite sides of the country and the only way from one to the other is by flying (or some combination of bus and ferry). So, my recommendation is to consider spending those Zakynthos days in Naxos, Paros, Milos, or some other Cycladic island.
My husband and I are planning a trip to Greece in late May/early April. We already plan to spend a few nights on Santorini, and are trying to choose one other island to pair with it (will have 3 nights on other island). We are in our late 20s and are more interested in outdoors (hiking, exploring, beaches, boat trips). I'd like to keep travel time to a minimum, so I have been looking at the closer islands – Milos, Paros, and Naxos. Do you have any recommendations or thoughts on a good island to pair with Santorini?
We are two guys in our early 30s, we have 12 days for the Greek Islands. We like to swim, ride bikes, or drive on the islands to explore villages, culture, local life, love to eat local food, rest and have beers on beach, stroll and walk around in evening, etc. We will go to Santorini for 3 nights and select Fira according your suggestions, we are confused for next island between Crete and Naxos. Crete is huge but if we choose Naxos as it's easy to reach from Santorini than does 8-9 days will be boredom in Naxos? Please suggest what's best and on which place we should look for accommodation in either island you suggest..
The delicate Great Barrier Reef is the earth's most extensive coral-reef system, supporting more than 1,600 species of fish, along with whales, rays, octopuses, dolphins and more. Nestled in the heart of this world wonder are the 74 Whitsunday Islands, all but four of which are protected national parklands. Bask in luxury at a high-end resort like Hamilton Island, and book a seaplane or helicopter flight to admire sights like Heart Reef and the swirling silica sands of Whitehaven Beach's Hill Inlet.
On Syros, capital of the Cyclades, you won't find sugar-cube villages and whitewashed lanes. The colourful 19th-century city of Ermoupoli is built on twin peaks – one Orthodox, the other Catholic, the heritage of a long Venetian occupation. There's still a strong Italian flavour in Ermoupoli's marble piazzas, princely mansions, and miniature replica of La Scala, the showpiece of a year-round cultural scene. Syros hosts festivals of animation, dance, digital art, film, classical music, jazz and rembetiko, the Greek blues popularised by local musician Markos Vamvakaris. A few rembetiko joints have survived in the upper town, Ano Syra.
Growth rates are not consistent in all regions, but countries with a de-regulated airline industry have more competition and greater pricing freedom. This results in lower fares and sometimes dramatic spurts in traffic growth. The U.S., Australia, Canada, Japan, Brazil, India and other markets exhibit this trend. The industry has been observed to be cyclical in its financial performance. Four or five years of poor earnings precede five or six years of improvement. But profitability even in the good years is generally low, in the range of 2–3% net profit after interest and tax. In times of profit, airlines lease new generations of airplanes and upgrade services in response to higher demand. Since 1980, the industry has not earned back the cost of capital during the best of times. Conversely, in bad times losses can be dramatically worse. Warren Buffett in 1999 said "the money that had been made since the dawn of aviation by all of this country's airline companies was zero. Absolutely zero."[88]
With a population of under 2,000, the locals are outnumbered by shaggy goats that blend in perfectly with the burnished landscape and hippie vibe. But you don't have to be a recluse to fall for Amorgos. There are plenty of all-day, late-night bars where Amorgos groupies meet, summer after summer: Jazzmin, in Chora, for backgammon and cocktails; Pergalidi in Langada for herbal infusions and jazzy tunes; Seladi in Tholaria, with giddying views and a telescope for stargazing.
Ferries are not really cheap any more – certainly not like they used to be – but the vessel fleet is better, safer and faster than in previous years so the cost is justified. You can get exceptionally cheap deals on longer-haul routes if you are prepared to forego a booked seat: €14 v €40 on a run to a mid-distant island, but it's probably wise to consider taking fast catamarans to get to core islands (Mykonos, Santorini, Paros etc.) and even then, go the extra 10/15% for Business or even VIP class for the extra comfort. On longer hauls it can be cheaper to fly if you seek out flights online and book beforehand.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Imaeyen Ibanga is a senior producer and presenter with AJ+. She manages a team that produces long-form videos focused on contextualizing domestic and international news.
Imaeyen is an OG member of ONA's Women's Leadership Accelerator. She has a particular interest in helping to increase the number of women and people of color within the industry ranks – from the entry level to the executive offices in news organizations.
She is also the owner of the world's best pet, an adorable curious kitty cat named Lady Snuggles, and Imaeyen believes any story can be a good story if told in an engaging way.
As a candidate for the 2019-20 Board of Directors election, Imaeyen submitted the following information. Learn more about the election process.
My first interaction with ONA was as a part of the inaugural Women's Leadership Accelerator (2015). Since then, I've been an active ONA member and have considered myself an ambassador and evangelist for the organization.
In addition to attending the national convention since 2015, I also go to local chapter events. And I decided to run for a board seat in 2016. I promote the organization and its values in other journalism groups, like NABJ, and also within my professional network.
I also do a lot of speaking about journalism, digital video, and inclusivity in the industry.
It's absolutely not hyperbole to say that getting involved with ONA was life-changing for me. It brought out the boss in me by helping ignite my career, giving me an invaluable, trusted network and the platform to highlight issues like the lack of inclusivity within our stories and newsrooms.
Here's the thing. I don't want this amazing experience to only be my own. This is why I first ran for the board in 2016. At that time, my primary goal was to help ONA increase its inclusivity. And if you're looking for a measure of our success, check out the demographics of the membership and the board today versus only three years ago.
Still, we know there's more work to be done, and I want to be a part of it, which is why I'm seeking a second term. In addition to continuing to grow inclusivity within our organization, I'm particularly interested in reaching young journalists because they often lack support and don't always think of digital as a career option. I want to make sure their voices resonate in our conversations about our industry.
I also want to focus on finding ways to connect more experienced journalists with continuing education, opportunity, and career growth, because whether you're mid- or late-career, your thoughts matter, too.
I want to be a person you see on the board and know I understand your plight. I've spent most of my career at legacy organizations, and I'm currently managing a video team at a digital native. I'm working every day in a medium the industry has become obsessed with mastering: digital video. I also have worked as a print journalist and been the student trying to break into this vast digital space. This is why I understand the importance of representation and connectivity.
I want to accomplish all of my goals while helping to make sure ONA remains accessible, active, and relevant to our members and to the industry. That means YOU.
There are a lot of specialized organizations aimed at helping journalists. I believe ONA is the one uniquely positioned to offer the most insight and impact. Together, I know we can help ONA shine brightly.


The game of football can be exceedingly complicated to explain, especially when one considers the variations between the high school, college and pro game.
The fair catch kick, something that played a role in Greendale's loss to Milwaukee Pius in the first round of the WIAA playoffs Tuesday night, represents one of those crazy quirks that eludes most casual football fans. I didn't even know it was part of the game until my second year covering sports when the rule came into play during a game.
You can check out video on Facebook of the attempt by Greendale kicker Andrew Brees, one that sailed left and allowed Pius to escape with a 22-20 victory.
The rule, universally labeled as "little known," gives the team an option to attempt a free kick after making a fair catch. A team can essentially attempt an uncontested field goal, and the opponent can't even linger closer than 10 yards. It's like a kick in warmups.
The scenario doesn't often present itself. Most fair catches will be made at an unrealistic distance from the uprights, and seldom would a situation present itself where a team needs the points with time running out and feels the kick is the best option. But Brees had the considerable wind at his back, and with 8 seconds on the clock and his team down two, coach Rob Stoltz called upon the talented soccer player to try a 66-yarder.
Wissports.net writer Travis Wilson points out the boot would have been a new state record had it been good.
The NFL also has the rule, and the bastian of all knowledge -- Wikipedia -- offers a list of 21 instances in which the fair catch kick was used in the regular season, including a playoff game and one that won the game for the Chicago Bears against the Green Bay Packers in 1968. Only five attempts were successful, including the last in 1976 when Ray Wersching converted from 45 yards for San Diego.
The last attempt came in 2008 from Green Bay's own Mason Crosby (which I had already forgotten about) before halftime against Detroit. Neil Rackers of Arizona also tried one earlier the same year (and wasn't even close).


1/48 scale. Dornier Do 215 B-5 World War II German Night Fighter. ICM. The Dornier Do 215 was a light bomber, aerial reconnaissance aircraft and later a night fighter, produced by Dornier originally for export, but in the event all except two served in the Luftwaffe. B-5 Night fighter version called Kauz III, 20 aircraft converted from B-1 and B-4 versions with Do 17 Z-10 "Kauz II" nose equipped with IR searchlight for the Spanner infrared detection system. Kit features engraved surface details, detailed cockpit interior, DB 601A engines, one-piece three-blade propellers with separately molded spinners, optional canopy, detailed undercarriage, open bay door with internal detail, bomb racks and armaments. Decals and markings for 2 aircraft: Stab II./NJG 2, Leeuwarden Spring 1942 and Obit P. Gildner, II./NJG 2, Giltze-Rijen Autumn 1941 - includes instrument panel.


This is a prime example of how my son's brain gets confused, when he is given homework that entails knowing several different concepts that he struggles with, and then those concepts are mixed together – he even struggles with taking 0 away from 5.
I will recognize that even if this Math HW was not based around CC he would still be having a hard time. I will also add that CCSS is not helping special ed kids in any- way, shape, or form. They are rushing him through 3rd grade lessons without a solid foundation, and I truly believe it is BECAUSE of Common Core.
My son was never diagnosed special needs. In first grade (2012) they started using Common Core math. The first six weeks they did addition. The next 6 weeks they did subtraction. Then there was adding two numbers in a column. Then we moved onto adding three numbers in a column. Then there was subtracting two numbers in a column. My son was so lost he would come home and scream at me because he didn't have a clue how to do any of it. They never memorized their addition facts – or their subtraction facts – before the end of the year, they just kept going – because it made them better critical thinkers and it was harder. Interesting. It didn't work for him on any level. In fact, after he was home schooled last year (wasn't going through that again) and he was exposed to some Kumon tricks of the trade, we found out he has the equivalent of mathematical dyslexia. The Common Core really would have helped my kid! Helped him NEVER LEARN MATH and BE DUMB AS A POST that is!
I've looked at the math standards for high school (where I can look at them without falling asleep, frankly — I am too bored by the elementary standards) and they look pretty good. It would be great if "all students" can meet those standards, in fact it would be a miracle. We would indeed be up with China and India, but they have genetically homogeneous populations and we don't. And they don't have anywhere near the issues we do with autism and other odd developmental issues.
It follows that special educational support will have to ADJUST and probably INCREASE to help kids keep up with these standards. And I think they must have left something out, because I just heard an interview with one of the people setting the math standards, and they said the facts (at least multiplication table) ARE in the standards.
The standards do look mathematically appropriate and likely to waste less time on pointless stuff that isn't really math. In that version of the standards, I think the standards are an improvement. But we'll need to support students to keep up with them, especially in detecting and working with disabilities.
I think the emphasis on language in the word problems may be his problem as well as many children without IEPs using Common Core. If he doesn't have problems with doing the problems on a sheet "dedicated to subtraction with borrowing" he probably understands math in its linear form and could be quite good at math outside deciphering the language of the word problem. In time, as he and all kids develop better reading comprehension skills, the word problems become easier. Common Core is developmentally inappropriate for all kids, just look at kindergarten.
I agree 100%, not only are the word problems too complicated for their neurological development, the time is wasted when drilling basics should be done at the younger ages. Kids don't care about the process of a word problem, they want to get the homework finished and go out and play.
The look on Liam's face at 3:05 is heartbreaking and totally unnecessary. How many ADULTS figure out problems like this one by converting hours to minutes and then subtracting? Why are they complicating what should be simple, intuitive processes?
School does not teach the way (most) humans are designed to learn. Other than the most basic of skills, did YOU actually learn enough to justify the sacrifice of 13 years of your life…without your consent?? I didn't.
As a prelude, I have a kid with an autism IEP too. Different set of challenges in some ways, same in others. My kid had way less physical coordination at that age, but he's pretty good at math. His response to frustration looks similar to your kid.
He's just had a hard time preparing for a year-end exam. I think we just got it done. He went through many moments that looked like what you describe at home — and worse. We have spent a lot of time together on those tough times.
But it was necessary, and it worked!! My son is learning the math. The school does a lot for him with the IEP, and he works very hard on it, and he gets there. It looked like Liam worked very hard, had to deal with frustration, and he got there too. He solved the problem with some help from you, and he learned from it. Keep on solving those problems, and he will learn from it.
I wrote a long reply because I feel deeply about this, and I think I know some of what you're going through.
Can not see the video. It is private.


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Q: Sending email confirmation or using play store account to authenticate the user's account for my app? I am developing an app in android and it needs to authenticate the user's email validity, but I am lost and don't have any clues on how to confirm if the user have a valid account...
Should I send a confirmation email to the user's email to confirm his validity? If yes how would I implement this?
Should I use a play store service to authenticate his account???
Really I don't know!
I am thinking of embedding or linking the user's playstore account into my app but I heard that it's a nut job, can you recommend an easier or a more convenient way to confirm the user's email?

A: You can try calling google sign in .
https://developers.google.com/identity/sign-in/android/start
Here you will get the email address from the google account he is signed in his phone.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Merck spotlights promising data on 'breakthrough' cancer immunotherapy MK-3475
by John Carroll |
Nov 18, 2013 2:32pm
Merck ($MRK) highlighted evidence of a rising response rate to its closely watched PD-1 immunotherapy MK-3475, spotlighting an 81% overall survival rate for advanced melanoma patients after 12 months of therapy with 41% of all patients demonstrating tumor shrinkage--rising to an impressive 51% for one group at the high end of the dose range.
About one in 10 patients were ranked as "complete" responders to the therapy, with 88% of all 49 responders showing no signs of disease progression.
The new data offer some additional encouragement for the team handling the Phase Ib trial, which has enrolled more than 1,000 patients--extremely unusual for that stage of development. These checkpoint receptor inhibitors are designed to expose cancer cells to an immune system attack, and initial results indicate that this could offer a major advance in treating cancer.
For Merck, which has experienced a series of pipeline setbacks in the past two years, MK-3475 has emerged as one of its most important programs in the clinic with blockbuster potential. It's already in a Phase III registration study, a head-to-head with Yervoy for advanced melanoma. And there are 8 studies underway with more than 3,000 patients as a dedicated research team stays focused on rapid progress for the therapy, which the FDA has singled out with its breakthrough therapy designation.
ISI's Mark Schoenebaum fired off a quick response to the data, noting that MK-3475's response rate looked increasingly similar to the data that Bristol-Myers Squibb ($BMY) is seeing for a combo melanoma therapy of Yervoy plus its PD-1 drug nivolumab.
"The 12-mo survival data appears to imply that MRK's PD1 by itself is tracking similar to Bristol's PD1+Yervoy combo," writes Schoenebaum. "However, we would note that survival curves will mature as we go out further. Of note, the median OS has not been reached."
Roche ($RHHBY) is also barreling ahead with its own immunotherapy program for a PD-L1 therapy.
- here's the press release
Special Reports: 10 top drugs in biopharma's late-stage pipeline - MK-3475, Merck | Top 10 experimental cancer drugs - 2013
Bluebird's gene therapy helps some beta-thalassemia patients
Fifteen of the 22 patients in a gene therapy trial no longer needed transfusions, while the remainder needed fewer transfusions.
by Amirah Al Idrus Apr 19, 2018 10:58am
Argos abandons kidney cancer vaccine after phase 3 fail
Argos Therapeutics is ending its kidney cancer trial and mulling options, including a merger or sale, to stay alive.
CNS Pharma turns to crowdfunding for glioblastoma drug
CNS Pharma says berubicin is the first anthracycline drug to cross the blood-brain barrier and could transform treatment of the highly invasive brain tumor.
by Phil Taylor Apr 19, 2018 10:46am
John Carroll


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Samsung Galaxy M30s with 6000mAh batt, Galaxy M10s out in India
Rei Padla
Numerous Samsung Galaxy M series phones have already been released in India. Two more models will be added–the Samsung Galaxy M30s and the Galaxy M10s. The Galaxy M30s' specs and protective phone case render were earlier shown off while this is the first time we are learning about the Galaxy M10s since the Galaxy M10 was launched back in January. The Samsung Galaxy M30s was also teased on Amazon India before the official launch and soon after, a hands-on video surfaced.
The South Korean tech giant recently announced both Android smartphones. The Galaxy M30s will be remembered for its "monster" battery. It boasts a 6000mAh battery with a triple rear shooter system, and an AI Game Booster. The Galaxy M10s comes with a 6.4-inch Infinity V Super AMOLED screen with only a dual rear camera setup and a decent 4000mAh batt.
These new Galaxy M phones are targeted for the Gen Z and the young millenials. The pair follows the Galaxy M10, M20, M30 and M40. They are mid-range devices but come with almost premium specs.
The Samsung Galaxy M30s will probably sell for its massive 6000mAh battery with Type C 15W fast charging. It's not that big and heavy at only 8.9mm thick and 188 grams. It features a large 6.40inch Super AMOLED Infinity U display, FHD+ resolution, Widevine L1 certification, triple rear camera system (48MP + 8MP Ultra-Wide lens + 5MP camera with Live Focus), 16MP selfie shooter in-display flash, Exynos 9611 Octa-Core processor, and Mali G72 MP3 GPU. When it comes to imaging, the M30s comes with advance features like a Flaw Detector, AI Scene Optimizer, Night Mode, 4K video recording, Super Steady, Hyperlapse, and Super Slo-Mo.
The phone costs INR 13,999 ($196, 4GB RAM, 64GB storage) and INR 16,999 ($238, 6GB, 128GB). You can buy directly from Amazon.in or Samsung.com beginning September 29. Choose from these colors: Sapphire Blue, Opal Black, and Pearl White.
The Samsung Galaxy M10s features a 6.4" Super AMOLED screen, 4000 mAh battery with 15W fast charger, a rear fingerprint sensor, and a new Exynos 7884B chipset. It only comes with 3GB of RAM, 32GB built-in storage, dual rear 13MP and 5MP cameras, and 8MP front camera. Pricing is set at INR 8,999 ($126). The smartphone runs on Android Pie and Samsung OneUI.
HP Fortis rugged Chromebooks, HP 320 FHD Webcam announced
Rei Padla - January 19, 2022
Earlier this month, HP launched a slew of new products. We remember the HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook and HP Webcam Monitors being unveiled over...
Samsung Galaxy S22 wallpapers can now be downloaded
Watch: OnePlus 10 Pro gets the teardown treatment


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SMSF sector at risk of getting 'too big'
Self-managed super funds (SMSFs) play an important role in the Australian retirement system but risk becoming too popular to effectively manage, warns Challenger's Jeremy Cooper.
by Aleks Vickovich - April 17, 2013 4 comments
Addressing an SMSF Professionals' Association of Australia (SPAA) NSW chapter function last night, Cooper – who led the federal government's Cooper Review of the superannuation sector – said the SMSF sector needs to ensure the factors that have made it a success are maintained.
"The reason why the self-managed sector works is self-selection," he said. "SMSFs appeal to people that are generally better off and are used to making money decisions and they are suitable for those people.
"But as you grow the SMSF sector, it will become indistinguishable from the general population – and the minute you have the general population taking control of their own retirement savings, there is a risk that politicians and policymakers just clamp down on the sector.
"So the fear is that too many people want to be in it, and it loses the characteristics that have made it work so far."
Cooper, a former ASIC commissioner, also singled out the risk of "property-related leverage", echoing comments made by current ASIC commissioner Peter Kell last week about the regulator's intention to crack down on dodgy property spruikers in the SMSF space, though he added this is only a "tiny percentage of SMSF activity".
However, at the same time, the chairman of retirement income at Challenger Limited said he was not a "Chicken Little" on the future of the SMSF sector and pointed out that the sector has survived previous negative rhetoric following the Westpoint and Storm Financial crises.
"Overall, I think the outlook is extremely good; everything is on the up, the regulator is paying attention and the standards of gatekeepers are rising," he said.
"We are showing the rest of the world that individuals with a good bit of advice really can manage their own retirement savings."
Aleks Vickovich
Last Updated: 30 April 2013 Published: 17 April 2013
Consumers waking up to 'restricted advice'
Regulation forces another UK retail advice closure


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The idea for Habitat for Humanity was developed by Millard Fuller and the late Clarence Jordan in 1968 at Koinonia Community in Georgia. From 1973 to 1976, Millard Fuller and his family put the principle of Habitat to work in Zaire in Central Africa, building hundreds of houses there. In 1976, the Fullers returned to the United States and Habitat was formed. Since 1976, Habitat has expanded to cover all 50 states in the U.S. and over 1,500 locayions in other countries.. Our visibility has been enhanced by former President Jimmy Carter, who has worked as an international board member and as a volunteer laborer at summer work camps since 1984, in cities across our country and around the world.
Since its founding in 1976 by Millard and Linda Fuller, Habitat For Humanity International has built and rehabilitated more than 300,000 houses with families in need, becoming a true world leader in addressing the issues of poverty housing.
The concept that grew into Habitat for Humanity International was born at Koinonia Farm, a small, interracial Christian farming community founded in 1942 outside of Americus, Georgia by a farmer and Biblical scholar named Clarence Jordan. The Fullers first visited Koinonia in 1965, having recently left a successful business in Montgomery, Alabama and all the trappings of an affluent lifestyle to begin a new life of Christian service. At Koinonia, Jordan and Fuller developed the concept of "partnership housing" – where those in need of adequate shelter would work side by side with volunteers to build simple, decent houses.
The houses would be built with no profit added and no interest charged. Building would be financed by a revolving Fund for Humanity. The fund's money would come from the new home owners' house payments, donations and no-interest loans provided by supporters and money earned by fund-raising activities. The monies in the Fund for Humanity would be used to build more houses.
In 1968, Koinonia laid out 42 half-acre sites with four acres reserved as a community park and recreational area. Capital was donated from around the country to start the work. Homes were built and sold to families in need at no profit and no interest. The basic model of Habitat for Humanity was begun.
In 1973, the Fullers decided to apply the Fund for Humanity concept in developing countries. The Fuller family moved to Mbandaka, Zaire (now Democratic Republic of the Congo). The Fullers' goal was to offer affordable yet adequate shelter to 2,000 people. After three years of hard work to launch a successful house building program, the Fullers returned to the United States.
In September 1976, Millard and Linda called together a group of supporters to discuss the future of their dream. Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI) as an organization was born at this meeting. The eight years that followed, vividly described in Millard Fuller's book Love in the Mortar Joints, proved that the vision of a housing ministry was workable. Faith, hard work and direction set HFHI on its successful course.
In 1984, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalyn took their first Habitat work trip, the Jimmy Carter Work Project, to New York City. Their personal involvement in Habitat's ministry brought the organization national visibility and sparked interest in Habitat's work across the nation. HFHI experienced a dramatic increase in the number of new affiliates around the country.


What Patterns Are Related To Renal Failure?
The Chinese Medicine treatment of renal failure generally involves arriving at the appropriate TCM diagnosis or pattern. This pattern within the individual is what treatment is based on not the general condition (see treating the cause and not the symptoms).


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Home » Gary Petty Column » Bull's Eye
This month NPTC officially launches one of the most dynamic private fleet management tools ever to enter the marketplace. The Private Fleet Assessment Program, sponsored as a joint venture by NPTC, Schneider National and Optima Associates Inc. , is a uniquely innovative Web-based management resource designed to help private fleets find pathways to world-class performance against best practice standards of the industry.
Using data generated from NPTC's annual benchmarking survey and other resources, the program will be used by private fleet managers to gauge the cost effectiveness and overall excellence of their fleets. At the same time, this assessment highlights areas of underperformance that can be remedied through training, technology enhancement and/or change in management protocols.
"While each fleet has its own performance characteristics, there are common dimensions influencing the outcomes and success of each fleet," says Steven Hirt, president of Optima Associates, a national continuous improvement consulting firm specializing in helping private fleets enhance their operations. He adds: "The fleet owners who have previewed the tool find the breakthrough insight into fleet practices and improvement discoveries to be absolutely invaluable."
The Private Fleet Assessment Program is a self-contained, Web-based, easy-to-use mechanism that catalogues and scores "Eight Pillars" of performance, including safety and fleet organization, network planning, customer management, fleet management, information management, driver management, continuous improvement, and financial management.
Private fleets navigating the assessment begin by visiting the Optima link via NPTC's Web site, entering key operating information, and then comparing their performance against some 40 qualitative and quantitative attributes. Fleet performance is scored against world-class standards derived from hundreds of industry benchmarks and subject matter experts. Not only does the fleet receive a report comparing performance to world-class standards, but it receives a set of detailed recommendations that prescribe the why and how of needed improvements.
Once the process is complete, the fleet manager has a blueprint model that not only identifies opportunities for improvement, but also provides a sliding scale showing the impact or gains of proposed changes. Further, this model yields what-if scenarios that have been too complex to thoroughly consider up until now. The result is a game plan to sharpen performance, drive out unnecessary costs, enhance efficiency, and more rigorously define expectations of ROI.
"We know firsthand how critical it is to have accurate and timely information when making decisions about a fleet," says Todd Jadin, senior vp-dedicated operations, of Schneider National, the nation's largest truckload carrier. "We're impressed with the program's ability to quickly and accurately pinpoint both the areas where a fleet is doing well and areas needing help. Even more impressive is a roadmap to improvements necessary to achieve the fleet's organizational objectives."
NPTC members are invited to take the Basic Level of the program's assessment free of charge. The complete assessment requires payment of a fee, however. For more information, contact www.nptc.org.
One manager, pressed to justify his company's investment in the private fleet, went through the assessment and discovered it provided the tools to help make a strong case to upper management. "This scorecard doesn't just hit the target, it hits the bull's-eye!" he said.
previous post: It's Show Time for NPTC
next post: Growth From Within


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Guy Wins $194K on First Spin Playing Atlantic City Online Slots
There is lucky and then there is Anibal Lopes. Lopes, a north Jersey guy, won nearly $194,000 on his first spin of an Atlantic City online slots game Monday night. you kidding me? Lopes told the Associated Press he was a little bored after work Monday, so he created an account on the playsugarhouse.com website, affiliated with Atlantic City's Golden Nugget Casino.
After choosing the slots game Divine Fortune, Lopes,33, won the payday on his very first spin. The progressive jackpot had been building since September.
Winning that much money could make you a little weak in the knees, as Lopes told the AP...
"I thought, 'This is not happening,' " he said. "I couldn't believe I won that much money. I told my wife: 'I don't feel well. My legs are shaking.' She said, 'We need to get you to the emergency room.' I told her, 'No, I'm not sick; I just won close to $194,000!'"
The family plans to use the money to pay bills and start a savings account for their 6-year-old son.
Source: Associated Press/Time Magazine
Filed Under: Golden Nugget Atlantic City, man wins $194m playing Atlantic City online, playsugarhouse.com
Categories: AC, Community, Entertainment, Lite Rock Morning Show, South Jersey News


VICTORIA — A new observation platform constructed at Forever Fields, a 500-acre nature habitat in Knox County, will officially open to the public Thursday.
The platform will also be used for educational programs periodically hosted by Pheasants Forever, the nation's largest not-for-profit organization dedicated to upland habitat conservation. In 2011 the organization purchased the property in Knox County with grants from a variety of sources. Soon after it began habitat restoration.
The property is at the intersection of Illinois Routes 167 and and 180 in Knox County. Visit www.ihuntil.com for a map and to see a list of rules and regulations.
The platform has an ADA-compliant handicapped-accessible ramp which leads to a 4-foot-tall wildlife viewing deck, and steps leading up another platform which rises 11-feet above the surrounding landscape. Special accommodations will be made for people with disabilities if they contact Pheasants Forever Staff online or at 660-3147, said James.
Construction on the platform started last fall. Pheasants Forever purchased the materials with funding support from the Union Sportsman's Alliance. Volunteers provided all the labor for the project.
Many of the volunteers were members of United Brotherhood of Carpenters Local 237 and International Union of Operating Engineers Local 649.


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Q: Is it a good idea to cache DataContractSerializer instances? I'm writing a windows service application that needs to serialize and deserialize XML documents repeatedly during its execution. As I need to serialize and deserialize generic types that are not known during compilation time (I don't know a priori how many types I need to serialize/deserialize) I'd like to know if it is a good idea do keep a cache of DataContractSerializer objects I instantiate for serializing and deserializing the objects.
I'm asking this question because I know it is a good idea to cache the XmlSerializer class instances since they create a dynamic assembly in memory under the hood and the assemblies dynamically created in memory are not garbage collected.
I read that the DataContractSerializer relies on lightweight code generation, but I'm not usual with the details of it. That is why I'm asking this question, I need to understand if I instantiate DataContractSerializer instances as needed it would lead me to a memory leak as the XmlSerializer would?
I have chose to use the DataContractSerializer instead of the XmlSerializer for being able to serialize internal properties.

A:
...it is a good idea to cache the XmlSerializer class instances since they create a dynamic assembly in memory under the hood...

With XmlSerializer, it actually depends on whether you use the simple constructor (new XmlSerializer(typeToHandle)), or the more complex constructors that allow you to specify all the attributes etc at runtime. If you only use the simple constructor it re-uses the background assembly, so there is no repeat penalty.
I would expect (but haven't tested) DataContractSerializer to work similarly; but there is certainly no harm in simply caching it, perhaps in a static readonly field
Note that DataContractSerializer restricts the xml layout you have available to you... as long as you're OK with that ;-p


Our communities have experienced transformative demographic change over the last few decades, and more arts funders and institutions are recognizing that the entire arts sector would benefit if arts funding better reflected that diversity.
According to a recent study, just 2 percent of US cultural institutions receive almost 60 percent of all arts funding. In the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area, the study found similar gaps. Here, 23 arts organizations with budgets of at least $5 million received 77 percent of arts funding, while 345 arts organizations with budgets under $1 million received just 9 percent.
In McKnight's third-quarter 2018 grantmaking, the board awarded 81 grants totaling $15.3 million. Of that sum, $1.6 million went to our Arts program. We highlight three of this quarter's arts grants below. The full list of approved grants is available in our grants database.
Minnesota is home to many diverse communities, and these arts organizations—among many others that we support—help us fully express our state's cultural identities.
Theater Mu, The Princess' Nightingale, Photo by Rich Ryan.
Penumbra Theatre, Minnesota's only professional African American theater company, received $300,000 over three years to produce art roaring with the authentic, complex, unrestrained voices of black America. Penumbra continues to deepen its commitments to artists, civic engagement, and social change, leveraging the arts to create more inclusive and compassionate communities for all.
TU Dance received $225,000 over three years. TU Dance, under the artistic direction of Toni Pierce-Sands and Uri Sands, raises the bar for the entire dance community with its commitment to diversity and excellence in its productions, commissions, educational programming, and community engagements. In addition to co-founder Uri Sands's creations, TU Dance is recognized for performing commissioned works by African American choreographers. Through these celebrated professional performances, and its accessible dance education, TU Dance provides opportunities for all to experience the connective power of dance.
McKnight also made a three-year grant to Theater Mu for $210,000. One of a handful of professional Asian American theater companies in the country, Theater Mu produces performances from the heart of the Asian American experience. Theater Mu also plays a leadership role among local and national theaters, particularly around racial equity issues. The theater provides a home for Asian American performers and opportunities for Minnesotans to explore and experience Asian American culture.


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A Hong Konger's Way of Living Well
Alice Poon Feb 4, 2011
Pong Yat-ming (龐一鳴), a 37-year-old Hong Kong teacher, created a sensation on air when he recently appeared on TVB's Sunday Report program to recount how he makes daily-life consumer choices (i.e. avoiding to patronize shops and service outlets connected to the developer conglomerates), which is meant as a silent protest to the conglomerates' cross-sector monopolizing situation.
I would like to give kudos to Pong Yat-ming for his grit in acting out his beliefs and thereby moving people to reflect more on the way they lead their lives, especially in response to gross injustices and oppressive inequities that surround them. A Youtube video clip on how he does it is appended here for sharing:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgnjPxwIxro&feature=youtu.be&a
On the subject of living well and having a good life, there's an excellent article written by Ronald Dworkin in The New York Review of Books (thanks to ESWN for the link: http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2011/feb/10/what-good-life/?page=1), which is adapted from his book Justice for Hedgehogs. The author thinks that living well means striving to create a good life, but only subject to certain constraints essential to human dignity. As self-conscious creatures, humans are charged with the responsibility to create not only pleasurable lives, but lives that make them take pride in having lived. It is each individual's ethical responsibility to find the appropriate meanings of living well and a good life. He also warns that living well is not the same as maximizing the chance of producing the best possible life - it sometimes means choosing what is likely to be a worse life.
Pong is obviously opting for "living well" even when it means choosing what seems a worse life for him, or at least a harsher life. He has given his own ethical meaning to "living well", which is to strive to do what he conscientiously believes is right. As much as he is aware that his personal effort in trying to change society is nothing but a tiny drop in the ocean, he still fervently believes that by choosing to say no to the services provided (and monopolized) by titan developer conglomerates, he can at least set an example to other people of what can be done on an individualistic level to object to those injustices and inequities. Skeptics have deemed his actions useless. It is anyone's guess as to what rippling effect, if any, his actions will have on society at large. But one thing is certain: Pong did rise to the challenge of living a life he can take pride in.
I am most impressed by a saying of his on the TV program – that we should not let pragmatism determine whether or not we should act; we should act whenever it is the right thing to do. Perhaps these words of his would be a true reflection of his own ethical interpretation of "living well". This is quite a wake-up call to those of us who are so used to the concept of pragmatism and consumerism, which tends to disregard the factor of human dignity.
Pong recently posted a real life story of a security guard on his blog just out of empathy with someone who is financially worse off than he is. He has no way of knowing whether such action will bring about any sensible change in government's policies, but he decided to act all the same because he felt it was the right thing to do. Is this not a good illustrated example of his version of living well?
This is my translation of his blog post:-
"I was surfing the internet inside the Kwun Chung Sports Stadium when a man approached me. He asked me whether I was the person who was on TV…. I said yes, just this week, before he could finish his question. This has happened a lot of times lately.
He told me that he learned from the program that one could access the internet for free in some public facilities, and that he would want to be able to navigate the web but didn't know how. He asked if I could teach him. I did that. Then he told me his story.
He has been working as a security guard and has been on the waiting list for public housing application for a few years. Right now he shares a three-bedroom flat in a Shanghai Street building with a few other friends. He is surviving on marginal means. But then problems come.
The minimum wage law is well-meant, but then after its enactment, his increased salary will exceed the income ceiling that qualifies single applicants for public housing units.
This means that people who live on their own and are paid the minimum wage will be disqualified from applying for public housing units for single people. What kind of public policy is that?
He is so worried about his situation that he has to take anti-stress medication. He has been exercising more often in order to distract himself from the dilemma.
If he keeps his job as a security guard, in a few months he will get a raise in salary, but will have to forgo the long-awaited chance of being provided public housing and will be chronically burdened with heavy housing rental outlays. If he continues to waitlist for public housing, he will have to give up his full-time job and change to a part-time job, which means no income security.
He said that he doesn't like radical protests, but he would want to express his views to government. Why can't government, in sync with enacting the minimum wage law, take measures to raise the income ceiling for public housing applicants?
He bade me to disseminate his story on the internet in the hope that it will bring about policy changes. He then said goodbye peacefully.
I cannot forget the almost impalpable, yet intense, sad look on his face and body."


Nadia Wright argues that V. Miss Joaquim was a delibrate cross (see also 1982 issue).
Tim Yam proposes the varietal parents of V. Miss Joaquim were teres v. aurorea and hookeriana.
Taeniophyllum obtusum has flowers a few mm diameter. Magnified about x10.
Harold Johnson comments on the MOR 60 years earlier.
About 25,000 flowers on ten plants of Coelogyne rochussenii was grown by Mak Chin On.
Issue listed 42 OSSEA challenge cups, illustrating many.
Deaths of Tan Hoon Siang and Chay Sing Hai, both past OSSEA presidents.


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We realize you may have a few questions, like what type of portable toilet do I need or how much is this going to cost. Just give us a call and one of our specialists in Spencer, Indiana will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
A Few Tips For Renting a Porta Potty by Spencer, Indiana!
Renting a portable toilet may not be something you think of on a daily basis, yet if you find yourself wanting them you're going to want an education on what's involved in the process.You've probably used a portable toilet at least several times during the course of your life, but when it pertains to getting a porta potty for your gatherings or celebrations, you'll have to make sure you know a few important facts first.
Before selecting a portable toilet setup you'll need to figure out the approximate amount ofattendees you'll be hosting, the amount of the gathering and how many refreshments that will be served. By far the most important considerations that go into deciding on your porta potty will be the number of people you're having, the type of occasion and how long will people be staying .
A portable restroom is simply a contemporary outhouse that acts as a contained outdoor stall for guests to use whenever they have to. You can see these stalls at all sorts of events including construction sites, concerts and even backyard parties. You're likely to see nicer porta potty types at a wedding or on the sets of movies. The last thing you want is their special occasion getting destroyed by a porta potty issue, so it's important to inquire about response times in case of a spill or emergency.
The basic porta potty is made of lightweight plastic and will come with toilet paper as well as some type of hand sanitizer . If you are looking to keep costs down, you can always install an outside sanitation station where attendees can wash their hands after, which will save you the cost of needing to rent units with inside wash bins. As you might know already, porta potties don't have any plumbing, but instead they use chemicals to take care of waste and are emptied afterwards . If you are renting your portable toilets for an extended period they will need regular emptying as well as being serviced to keep them fresh.
Where you put your porta potties is very important, whether you're having a wedding or a jobsite, if they are too far away it could really slow things down. You should make sure that your portable toilets are placed on dry, level ground and should be centrally located so that people have easy access to them, but not too close that they are in the way. Fortunately, you can change your portable toilets to match your occasion and needs by adding additional options. Although you would think portable toilets would be the least of your concerns at an event, lacking quantity or quality can quickly impact your guests in a very negative way.
Porta potty placement is a very important factor to consider in order to ensure people will not have to walk a long distance to find a portable restroom. It's suggested to place the porta potties in a easy to acces location that is easy to find for all attendees, yet isn't in the way or obstructive of foot traffic. Keep in mind that the portable toilet units will need to be between 20 and forty of access area for a pump truck to come in if you need to get rid of their contents before you are done using them. It's absolutely important that the portable toilets aren't placed too close to any dining areas at your event, as it could result in obvious issues should a leak orproblem occur.
An additional point you'll want to think about is the type of cleaning services that are going to be provided during your occasion. This includes different things such as toilet paper and paper towel refills along with cleaning or sanitizing the stalls. Be sure to inquire about more toilet paper and other amenities with your toilet rental company, since it can be very embarrassing if guests need to come up and you inform you about them or find themselves in a bad situation.
Considering the kind of porta potty you choose and the length of time you'll be renting them for, your price could be anywhere from fifty dollars on the low end to 0 if you are in a more expensive area. To avoid any additional charges, you need to get the exact amount instead of renting more portable toilets than you'll utilize. Get the portable restroom rental agency that is close to the occasion's location as it can save you some more money. Costs of portable toilets tend to increase during wedding season, in the Spring or Summer times, so that's something to consider when deciding on a rental. You can get lower rates if you rent your portable toilets ahead of time throughout the off season. If you have a basic understanding of portable toilet options and what goes into their pricing, you'll be able to make the best choice in order to host a smooth event regardless of how many people you're anticipating.


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April 29, 2019	By Edwin Martínez
Source: El Diario/La Prensa
| Translated by K. Casiano
from SpanishOriginal story
Hispanic Youths Learn about Democracy to be Agents of Change
Denora Getachew with student Jayden López and instructor Karla Modesto. (Photo by Mariela Lombard via El Diario)
Looking back, high school senior Jayden López says that, in June 2017, he was a young man who did not care much for his community's issues. He spent most of his time in school, with his friends and, sometimes, playing video games. "The truth is I didn't do anything. It was a very different life," he admits.
Now 18 years old, the student of Puerto Rican descent, who attends Belmont Preparatory in the Bronx, said that he still enjoys video games but the way he sees life has taken a 180-degree turn. Now Jayden values political issues, understands that there are civic tools to promote projects and defend rights. He became a leader and an agent of change thanks to a democracy education program created by the organization Generation Citizen.
"(…) At first, when the people of Generation Citizen came to my school, I thought: 'Oh my God, when are they going to leave?' But then I understood that their curriculum is active and that it serves to create results," said López. After going through their democracy training, he and other classmates promoted a project to push Albany to pass a law so that 17-year-old citizens could register to vote in future elections.
"For my class and me, it was an experience that changed our lives. At a personal level, it helped me focus more, and we saw the results that can be achieved by pressing politicians with calls and actions," said the young man, who is getting ready to go to college after graduating in June.
"I want to study biology and then medicine but, with this I have learned, I want to combine medicine with health advocacy for marginalized communities and, in the future, I would like to seek a political position as senator or maybe mayor," said López, who also said that the program set off a chain of sorts.
"In my house, no one used to talk about politics, and now I am the one educating my parents about the topic and about democracy. I transmit this knowledge to them, and it makes me proud to know that, as a son, I am doing something for them," said the senior, who says he is inspired by young political leaders such as Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. "She is us. She comes from my neighborhood in The Bronx and, for us, to see her up there pushing for things and being a strong voice, shows us that you can make a change if you educate yourself. She has, and we are the new face of political issues."
DeNora Getachew is the executive director of Generation Citizen New York, which offers the Action Civics program with the help of 250 volunteer youths from 11 New York colleges working at 40 schools in the city. (…) In the last 10 years, they have educated 21,000 students across the five boroughs, and 4,800 others are currently studying the curriculum, mainly in marginalized areas.
"We are focused on educating young people to become actively involved in civic issues, almost exclusively in populations of under-served youths, particularly young people of color and of low socioeconomic levels, as these populations have historically been disproportionately excluded from opportunities to obtain effective democratic education," said the organization's director, adding that almost half of the program's beneficiaries are Hispanic and that approximately 74 percent of them go to schools in marginalized areas.
Getachew also said that the key to the program is that it is not a dead curriculum but is based in action and in forming leaders. She pointed out that civics education is disproportionately less available to communities of color, Latinos among them, and that 50 percent of the youths are less likely to receive it, diminishing the chances to create change.
"At this moment, we need civic education more than ever. It has to be a fundamental part of education so that people can actively participate in democracy beyond casting a ballot," said the activist. (…)
Caroline Claro, a student at Wagner College and an instructor for the program for five semesters at Curtis High School, Port Richmond High School and Staten Island School for Civic Leadership, said that the program not only helps high school students but also the people who join as volunteers.
"This has been my most solid development experience, and it has gone beyond that, giving me skills and growth opportunities. I was able to grow by being in uncomfortable situations, such as working in a high school classroom," said Claro.
(…) "The Latino community is a large and vibrant part of New York, but we do not have the level of representation that we need in our government. In fact, I am one of two Latinas in the entire City Council. However, programs such as Generation Citizen will help develop the next generation of community leaders," said Lower Manhattan Council member Carlina Rivera.
Karla Modesto, born to Mexican parents, has worked in the program for two and a half years training volunteers. She admits that it is not easy to awaken civic interest in students from marginalized communities.
"We see that the largest obstacle is the youths' lack of interest, as they feel that they have been forgotten. The schools they go to do not have the same resources as others where children with more money go, and it is often a challenge to convince them that this is something they should care about," said the coordinator. "In many communities, they feel that the government does not think about them and that they do not have value, but that is not true, and to show them that they can be agents of change, we let them choose a problem in their community that interests them, such as gang violence, the relationship with the police or health insurance, and offer them the tools to propose solutions."
(…) "I think that, if we reach them at a younger age and from first grade, we are telling them that they have a voice and that they have power, and this will change their lives, because, for instance, I come from a family of parents who were undocumented most of their lives. I never had the chance to hear about the country's politics or know that there were tools to demand our rights. Had I been educated in that I think we would have not gone through so many difficult situations," said the 23-year-old.
Tags: civic engagement, Generation Citizen
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Governance:
Food Works is governed by a seven-member board of directors, each of whom brings unique individual insight into farming, research, policy, and food-related business practices in Southern Illinois. The board operates using a Policy Governance model that empowers organization staff to execute the mission, while empowering its board members to fulfill their responsibilities for accountability. The model has been used extensively with cooperatives and other non-governmental organizations. It creates clarity and focus which reduces the mountains of paperwork boards often feel obliged to review while allowing them to effectively steer the organization's course. Board decisions are made on a consensus basis so that it speaks with one voice and establishes clear expectations for the organization.
Board Members:
Jill Rendleman (President)
Jill Rendleman owns and manages All Seasons Farm, a biointensive vegetable farm near Cobden Illinois. Following a career in banking, including agricultural finance in commercial and government sectors, and an active partnership in a cash grain family farming operation, Ms Rendleman began All Seasons Farm to produce vegetables using organic and small scale sustainable farming practices. Innovative practices on the farm include the use of rolling high tunnels, raised beds, and intensive natural soil amendments. Holding a Masters degree in Agricultural Industries from Southern Illinois University, she is also a graduate of the Central Illinois Farm Beginnings program and a member of the Southern Illinois Farming Alliance. The Rendleman family was one of the first to settle Southern Illinois and with other early farm families worked to develop it as a major fruit, vegetable, and grain market in the region.
Brad Genung (Vice President)
Brad Genung is the owner and President of Owl Creek Vineyard, the founding producer of wine grapes in the Shawnee Hills, makers of Owl Creek wines and Apple Knocker Hard Cider. He is a strong advocate of locally grown value-added products with an eye toward sustainable practices and social responsibility to the community. After careers in journalism and capital markets/brokerage, he moved to Southern Illinois in 2002 to help develop the fledgling Shawnee Hills wine region. Owl Creek and the region have flourished, going from a handful of operations to almost 30 wineries and 60 commercial vineyards. Brad holds an MBA in finance and a Bachelor's degree in English/Political Science from Illinois State University. The Genung family settled in the southern regions of Illinois and Indiana in the 1790s and have been farmers, business owners and trades people that have been engaged in the economic development of the region.
Kim Hamilton Miller
Kim Miller holds a Ph.D in Health Education from Southern Illinois University. She retired in 2016 after over twenty years in faculty positions at University of Kentucky and SIUC. A strong focus of Kim's academic work has been on holistic approaches to health, including the role of community and community design in fostering health. Kim has long been an advocate of local foods and locally produced goods and believes that these are important not only to physical health but also in building strong community alliances. Kim's husband is an avid gardener and she enjoys finding creative ways to maximize the produce from his garden. Other personal interests include belonging to the Saluki Master's Swim Club, hiking, and reading.
Marika Josephson
Marika Josephson is the co-founder and head brewer at Scratch Brewing Company, a farmhouse brewery that makes beer and food with ingredients sourced in Southern Illinois, most of which are from the brewery's working farm. Marika is also the author (along with Scratch's co-founders) of The Homebrewer's Alamanac, a book on brewing with farmed and foraged ingredients, released fall 2016 from Countryman Press.
Leslie Duram
Leslie Duram, PhD, is a professor of Geography at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and Director of the Environmental Studies Program since 2012. She was a Fulbright Scholar to the National University of Ireland at Galway. An accomplished researcher, she's explored organic farming systems and environmental sustainability in her academic and professional life. With more than 30 journal articles to her credit, her academic range encompasses local food, alternative agriculture, environmental education, sustainability, water quality, and grassroots participation in environmental management. A frequent lecturer, writer, and speaker, Duram shares her commitment to sustainable food systems development with students, researchers and farmers across the planet. She is the author of Good Growing: Why Organic Farming Works (2005) and editor books on sustainability: America Goes Green: An Encyclopedia of Eco-Friendly Culture in the United States (2013), and Encyclopedia of Organic, Sustainable and Local Food (2010).
Marjorie Sawicki
Marjorie Sawicki owns Acorn Ridge Farm near Dongola, Illinois and recently completed the Southern Illinois Farm Beginnings and the University of Illinois New Illinois Fruit and Vegetable Farmers programs. She follows sustainable farming practices, growing for market and producing handcrafted herbal products. Marjorie returned to Southern Illinois in 2017 after teaching at Saint Louis University (SLU). She graduated from Southern Illinois University Carbondale, became a community dietitian and joined a team of faculty responsible for establishing an urban farm focused on organic principles, sustainability, and permaculture at SLU. She studied public policy and continued teaching and mentoring in sustainable agriculture. Since 2000, Marjorie has been actively involved in farmers markets, farm-to-school and farm-to-table programming, culinary and gardening camps for kids, and the creation of an urban permaculture orchard. She provided public service to Illinois Local Food, Farms & Jobs, Illinois Cottage Food Act Task Force, and the Illinois Alliance to Prevent Obesity.
Karen Schauwecker
Karen Schauwecker is a Carbondale native, returning home to graduate with a Master's degree in Geography and Environmental Resources from SIU. While at SIU, Karen co-managed the LOGIC organic garden and completed the Master Gardener's program. She spent a year teaching K-8 standard curriculum, nutrition, and agriculture in a garden setting in Birmingham, AL, with the Jones Valley Teaching Farm. After that, she worked as the assistant manager of the University Farm in Sewanee, TN. She also has registered voters in Arizona, landscaped with native plants in California, built hiking trails in Montana, and bartended in Seattle, WA.