FAQs - CARUSO, SPILLANE, LEIGHTON, CONTRASTANO, SAVINO & SMOLLAR, P.C.
A. Workers' compensation is insurance that provides cash benefits and/or medical care for workers who are injured or become ill as a direct result of their job.
Employers pay for this insurance, and may not require the employee to contribute to the cost of compensation. Weekly cash benefits and medical care are paid by the employer's insurance carrier, as directed by the Workers' Compensation Board. The Workers' Compensation Board is a state agency that processes the claims and determines, through a judicial proceeding, whether a worker will receive benefits and/or medical care, and how much he/she will receive.
In a workers' compensation case, no one party is determined to be at fault. The amount that a claimant receives is not decreased by his/her carelessness, nor increased by an employer's fault. However, a worker loses his/her right to workers' compensation if the injury results solely from his/her intoxication from drugs or alcohol, or from the intent to injure him/herself or someone else.
A claim is paid if the employer or insurance carrier agrees that the injury or illness is work-related. If the employer or insurance carrier disputes the claim, no cash benefits are paid until the Workers' Compensation Law Judge decides who is right. If a worker is not receiving benefits because the employer or insurance carrier is arguing that the injury is not job-related, he/she may be eligible for Disability Benefits in the meantime. Any payments made under the Disability Program, however, will be subtracted from future workers' compensation awards.
Q. Can I receive a monetary award even if I did not lose time from work?
A. ABSOLUTELY. In fact, in many cases the injured worker will receive a greater cash award if he/she loses minimal or even no time from work. There are certain injured parts of the body, such as arms, legs, hands and feet, as well as hearing & vision loss, that allow for impairment awards.
Q. Should I file a claim only if I suffer a serious injury?
A. ALWAYS file a claim, notifying your job and seeing a doctor immediately, because you never know what medical problems can develop as a result of an apparently minor injury. You need to protect your future rights to monetary benefits and medical treatment. You may be due an award for even a minor injury!
Q. Do I need a lawyer for a workers' compensation case?
A. NEVER try to represent yourself in any legal action. Attorneys are trained in their stated fields and nothing could be more important than to have an experienced legal team to assist and guide the injured worker. The insurance companies are NOT in business to pay an injured worker his/her full benefits and will never act in the best interests of the injured worker.
Q. If I am disabled for my job and I am not collecting any workers' compensation payments, can I collect unemployment or other disability benefits?
A. SOMETIMES under certain circumstances, an injured worker can apply for unemployment or state disability benefits. Each case must be viewed individually. However, when a worker is deemed partially disabled and unable to do his particular job, yet able to perform light duty work which is not available, he/she may apply for unemployment benefits. The injured worker may also collect a partial payment from workers' compensation. Also, an injured worker should file a New York State disability benefits claim when the workers' compensation insurance company denies the claim as being work-related, pending a final determination by the Workers' Compensation Board.
A. Yes. If medical care is necessary, it will be provided even though there has been no lost time from work and no cash benefits paid.
Q. Can I collect Social Security Disability Benefits while I am collecting workers' compensation?
A. DEFINITELY. If the injured worker remains disabled or is expected to remain disabled for at least 12 months, then a claim for SSDB should be filed. If approved, the monthly SSDB payment will supplement the weekly workers' compensation payments. The Social Security Administration may adjust the monthly benefit depending upon the weekly compensation amount.
Q. How do I know which doctors to get treatment from and how often?
A. ALL physicians and chiropractors who accept workers' compensation can treat an injured worker. Initially, any hospital will accept the patient on an emergency basis but follow-up care should be with the WC Board approved doctor. The injured worker should see his/her doctor at least once per month for any period of time he/she claims to be disabled and unable to work in order to prove the disability status to the WC Board and be paid for the lost of wages.
Q. Can I file a claim for workers' compensation benefits if I believe my work caused an injury or illness even if I did not have an accident?
A. YES. In fact, many claims for benefits arise from injury or illness caused or aggravated by the nature of the occupation. The more obvious cases include a computer keyboard operator who develops carpal tunnel syndrome in the hands, an asbestos handler who suffers from a respiratory disease, or a machine operator who suffers hearing loss. However, a home care attendant, a delivery person or construction worker can develop a low back disorder from repetitive heavy lifting and carrying while working over a period of time. Another example is a carpet installer who injures his/her knees due to the nature of the occupation. These are all valid claims as long as there is supporting medical proof that they were caused, aggravated or developed while working.
Q. Do I have any out-of-pocket expenses, costs or fees for filing a claim?
A. NO. There are essentially no costs to the injured worker. All necessary medical treatment is paid by the workers' compensation insurance company. No co-payments should be paid by the injured worker. Any test or procedure costing more than $1000 needs pre-approval and, of course, ordinary treatment or therapy privileges should not be abused. The worker is entitled to reimbursement for his/her "reasonable" expenses for medications and travel for treatment visits. Additionally, an injured worker is not permitted to pay a lawyer directly for legal services. Instead, any attorney's fee must be approved by a WC Law Judge first and deducted from an award to the injured worker only if an award is obtained. Otherwise, no fees are payable.


The first time you switch on an iPhone 6, you will be amazed at how clear the display is. It looks even higher definition than the iPhone 5s which is a pretty nice display itself. So, given that the screen of the iPhone 6 looks so much better than the iPhone 5s, I wondered what was different and ran into the lab for a quick capture of the iPhone 6 screen to see if any of the pixels had changed in size over the last little while.
Turns out, there's some very subtle but significant refinements in the iPhone 6-generation of the device's display.
When the iPhone 5 came out, Apple bonded the display to the glass in an effort to get the pixels closer to the surface and Apple has appeared to make the pixels in the 6 even closer still. "Some of what we are seeing with the iPhone 6 may be a polarizing filter underneath the glass, but even so, the glass appears thinner and required less focus distance adjustment to get from the surface of the glass to the pixel on another microscope. I don't know what that precise distance is in microns between the surface of the glass and the pixels, but it was a shorter distance as judged by rotation of the focus knob in the iPhone 6 vs. the iPhone 5. What this accomplishes is making the display appear to be higher resolution. The blacks are blacker, contrast is higher and colors are more vibrant, even with the same OS.
Attention to details that other companies would overlook in the name of cost savings or perceived irrelevance is what makes Apple Apple.
Tags: iphone 6, LCD, optics, pixels, retina display, Science Posted November 26, 2014 by Jeff V.


Showing results by author "Rosemary Border (adaptation)"
Adapted from the novel by L. Frank Baum.... Dorothy lives in Kansas, but one day a cyclone blows her and her house to a strange country called Oz. There, Dorothy makes friends with the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion. But she wants to go home to Kansas. Only one person can help her, and that is the country's famous Wizard of Oz. So Dorothy and her friends follow the yellow brick road to the Emerald City to find the Wizard.


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Spurs could benefit from veterans in squad
2yMark Ogden
Sydney qualifiers in doubt over coronavirus
2hAAP
Kai Havertz: The making of a superstar
3hBruce Schoenfeld, contributing editor
Pablo Mari's task at Arsenal: fixing the defence like he did for Flamengo
3hTim Vickery
Rangers sign Bala Devi on 18-month-deal
5hAgencies
Joao Felix set to miss Madrid derby through injury
6hAlex Kirkland
Rumour Rater: Will PSG convince Aubameyang to join?
Africans Abroad: Saka and Nketiah see Arsenal through
12hEd Dove
FFA confirms venues for Matildas' Olympic qualifiers
14hAAP
Kompany: More diversity in football to battle racism
16hAssociated Press
Tottenham's young squad could use experience, leadership amid slump
Mark OgdenSenior Writer, ESPN FC
Inconsistency has always been the curse of the "next big thing" and Tottenham Hotspur are now discovering that there is a flip-side to beating Real Madrid and hitting four past Liverpool. Young players, coached by a relatively young manager, can ensure vibrancy and fearlessness but it is a combination that can also lead to naivety and a search for reassurance and leadership at times of turbulence.
The latter is the situation in which Mauricio Pochettino and his Spurs squad now find themselves after suffering four defeats in nine games since defeating Liverpool 4-1 at Wembley on Oct. 22, a run that it is largely down to inconsistency and their inability to win when playing poorly.
During that nine-game run, Spurs have hit the heights of securing Champions League victories against Real and Borussia Dortmund, but they have also lost at Manchester United and Arsenal, been eliminated from the Carabao Cup by struggling West Ham (after leading 2-0) and taken just two points from their last three leagues in a seemingly straightforward run of fixtures against West Brom, Leicester and Watford.
Back in October, after Liverpool had been swatted aside, Spurs appeared to be the most realistic challengers to Manchester City at the top of the Premier League but just six weeks later, they are down in sixth position, four points adrift of the top four.
Mauricio Pochettino's side are in need of some experience and leadership if they're to turn around. Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
Aside from his two-goal display in the 3-1 win against Real, Dele Alli has been poor for Pochettino's team while Christian Eriksen has blown hot and cold. Harry Kane has scored just three goals in his last seven games and Pochettino's handling of Danny Rose -- selecting the England left-back one minute and dropping him from the squad the next -- hints at disharmony behind the scenes, which always becomes more apparent once results take a nosedive.
Spurs remain a team capable of beating any opponent on their day, and it would be foolish to dismiss their chances of winning at City on Dec 16, but their inconsistency is now beginning to cost them.
When former Liverpool captain Alan Hansen declared that "you can't win anything with kids," following a youthful Manchester United's 3-1 defeat at Aston Villa on the opening day of the 1995-96 season, his logic was was sound. Too many young players without the necessary experience around them will always struggle when results go awry, but United bounced back to win the League and FA Cup double that season because those kids -- David Beckham, Nicky Butt, Paul Scholes and the Neville brothers, Gary and Phil -- had the knowledge and experience of Peter Schmeichel, Eric Cantona, Gary Pallister, Steve Bruce and Brian McClair alongside them to provide guidance and leadership when times were hard.
They also had Sir Alex Ferguson as manager, a man with trophy-winning credentials and the authority that comes with silverware in the cabinet. So when the young players suffered dips in form, they were carried through them by the older heads and their "been there, done it" manager.
Now that Tottenham are struggling for results, however, who do the likes of Kane, Alli, Eric Dier and the rest turn to for advice, guidance and leadership?
Pochettino's job is to provide that as manager but he does not have the track record that Ferguson had at United. He is also going through the first big test of his reign as Spurs boss, meaning he has the dual task of winning his own battle and keeping the cool head required to pull his players from their slump.
Harry Kane has scored just three goals in his last seven games. Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
The history of the Premier League is littered with examples of managers using the knowledge and presence of an old head to carry younger players along, but Pochettino has continually resisted the opportunity to add a veteran to his squad. Jose Mourinho signed Zlatan Ibrahimovic at United 18 months ago in order to alleviate the goalscoring burden on youngsters Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial, knowing that the Sweden legend possessed the charisma and confidence to lead.
Ferguson signed Henrik Larsson to do a similar job at United 10 years ago, Gerard Houllier recruited Gary McAllister (in his mid-30s at the time) to add seniority to his young Liverpool team and even Arsene Wenger went down the experienced-player route by re-signing Thierry Henry on loan in 2012.
Pochettino's players do not have a "big brother" figure to turn to, however, and this is arguably the time that they need one the most. As a group of players, Spurs really do possess a team that has the ability to become the next big thing, but their recent run shows that they need a helping hand along the way. This is because the pattern beginning to form at Spurs is one of high promise followed by low delivery: the players are becoming accustomed to being told how good they are but without having anything to show for it at the end of the season.
A wise old head on the pitch, one who has come through the ups and downs of a career and won things along the way, would be able to help change the narrative. But if Pochettino remains reluctant to add that player to his squad, he will have to put them back on track on his own and find a way to end the age-old problem of young players being knocked off their stride by inconsistency.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


ArmA 3 will exit its Early Access phase this September, finally unlocking that 300 square kilometer island.
Early Access releases have become a big part of digital game sales lately, thanks in part to projects like ArmA 3. Bohemia Interactive's tactical military simulator wasn't the first to follow the practice, but it helped kick off a new wave of alpha releases by giving early customers a discount and the chance to provide valuable feedback. Of course, these games aren't supposed to be alphas and betas forever, so ArmA 3's testing phase is quickly drawing to a close. The full version of Bohemia's latest shooter will launch on September 12, 2013, whether you're a current customer or interested in a Limited Deluxe Edition filled with extra content.
The ArmA 3 Limited Deluxe Edition is packed into a hologram slip case, and features a key card, map of Altis Island, and printed game overview as physical goodies. On the digital side, the limited edition includes ArmA 3's soundtrack, a tactical guide, digital maps, and the original ArmA: Cold War Assault. In other words, it's the Steam Digital Deluxe Edition with a few physical extras, but as long as you haven't purchased that version already, you'll get a good deal.
Of course, all customers will also get the finished ArmA 3 game, complete with a 300 square kilometer island, all weapons and vehicles, showcase missions, editing tools, and more. The only thing you won't find, at least not right away, is a story campaign. ArmA 3's plot will come in the form of 3 free post-launch DLC episodes, which is admittedly frustrating for anyone who wanted more than showcase missions. On the other hand, since ArmA's story campaigns are really just extended mission sequences anyway, a delay for extra polishing could be a good thing in the long run.
Regardless, finally getting a 300 square kilometer island to explore should be refreshing for anyone who's been playing since alpha. If you're still hoping for a digital pre-order discount, ArmA 3's beta price will remain in place until the September 12 launch.


The government may have abandoned its target to halve the disability employment gap, according to a leading disabled people's organisation.
Disability Rights UK (DR UK) said it feared comments made last week by the new work and pensions secretary, Stephen Crabb, suggested he had abandoned his party's general election manifesto commitment to halve the gap between the employment rates of disabled and non-disabled people.
Crabb told the Commons work and pensions committee last week that he wanted to "take a step back" from previous government plans to publish a white paper that would include "firm legislative proposals" on supporting disabled people into work.
Instead, he said, there would be a "much more discursive green paper that starts to reframe the issue and points the way towards more meaningful long-term reform".
Sue Bott (pictured), DR UK's deputy chief executive, said: "The government has an ambition to halve the employment gap between disabled people and everyone else. Are they abandoning this ambition?
She said that many Conservative MPs had only been persuaded to vote for a £30-a-week cut in the rate of employment and support allowance (ESA) paid to new claimants placed in the work-related activity group because of the promise of a white paper this summer.
Bott said: "It is bad enough that the government spends so much of its time and resources on finding ways to deny us benefits and support but then not to put measures in place that would increase employment opportunities really is a double whammy for disabled people.
"The fact is that it is only when we see a government seriously committed to equality will we get progress.
Meanwhile, new analysis published by the TUC suggests that at current rates of progress, the government will not meet its pledge to halve the disability employment gap until 2030.
The findings, published ahead of the TUC's annual disabled workers' conference (taking place in London on 19 and 20 May), forecast that by 2020 just over half (52 per cent) of disabled people will be in work – 11 percentage points lower than the government promised.
The analysis also reveals that disabled people face significantly lower wages than non-disabled people.
Full-time disabled workers earned 13 per cent (£75 a week) less than full-time non-disabled people in 2015, while disabled people working part-time earned 14 per cent (£30 a week) less than part-time non-disabled workers.
Among its recommendations, TUC called on the government to expand, protect and promote schemes like Access to Work; reverse the cuts to ESA; and amend the government's Work Programme to provide separate streams tailored for disabled people.
It also called on employers and the government to work with unions to tackle the discrimination many disabled people face in the workplace, and for employers to work with unions to ensure disabled staff have the adjustments they need to stay in their jobs.


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Useful Talent are the best and most reliable celebrity agents based in the UK, in part because we understand that authenticity is an essential component to building a successful campaign. Couple this with a strong PR approach that will engender plenty of media coverage and you have a winning formula.
We also understand that many content avenues exist for applying a celebrity's talents. This has become increasingly important in the digital era as the younger generation is both media- and marketing-savvy. Therefore, we think long-and-hard on what communication tools are available, and which will best drive a successful collaboration.
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We consult with our clients in the Advertising, Marketing and PR industry to identify the celebrity or personality with the strongest appeal to the target market who will deliver the best possible results at the most economical cost for any proposed celebrity led advertising or endorsement campaign. We give our clients unlimited ideas and suggestions completely FREE of charge.
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Sometimes it is only through thoughtful accounting in conjunction with our experienced lawyers and taxation experts that will encourage a particular Talent to agree to undertake a contract. We can make financial arrangements a big advertising agency could not.
We make all the necessary arrangements for the travel and attendance of the selected Talent at the studio or other venue and personally supervise whatever activity is called for under the contract. We are one of the most experienced and reliable agencies in the world for any commercial activity concerning any type of Talent.
We are an enthusiastic group of talent agents, qualified in advertising and PR, who speak the same language as our agency clients. We pride ourselves on being highly skilled negotiators, able to secure the best deals with managements when buying talent.
No other talent agency has such experience in procuring celebrities for long-term deals that continuously create value for the brands they represent.


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Some Helpful Answers For Uncomplicated Career Methods
"We just tried to jell it together, compete with each other and be great together. It's something that didn't happen, but it felt real good (being teammates)." http://jasemyersvoice.universitypunjabi.org/2016/08/03/picking-out-uncomplicated-systems-of-medical-studentThe Lions went to the postseason during two of Fairley's four years in Detroit, but he was a backup as a rookie in 2011. When the team made it to the playoffs again in 2014, Fairley missed the second half of the season due to a knee injury. With the Lions already rejecting Fairley's player option before the 2014 season, it was clear he was going to become an unrestricted free agent. "It's a business," he said. "I feel like things happen for a good reason, good cause. That actually happened for a good cause; I'm now here in New Orleans, closer to home, closer to mama. "It just made me feel like I just got to improve as an individual in my career, and that'll take my career to another level." Fairley visited the Cincinnati Bengals before signing with the Rams, in part because he played with coach Jeff Fisher's son at Auburn. The Rams gave Fairley $5 million, but with Aaron Donald and Michael Brockers in place, the new guy had to revert to being a backup.
For the original version including any supplementary images or video, visit http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/2016/08/nick_fairley_feeling_at_home_w.html
Details» Foreign Service Medical Providers: Promote the health of America's diplomatic community. Enter your e-mail and tell us a bit about yourself, and we'll keep you informed about upcoming events and opportunities that match your interests. Have the latest jobs in "Washburn, Virginia" delivered to your Inbox. Want to learn more? Start your job search now by browsing Sales Jobs, etch Jobs, Management Jobs, Healthcare Jobs, Accounting Jobs, Construction Jobs, and Customer Service Jobs, or use our search above to find jobs. Ready to Quit Your Job? her explanationStay connected by joining our network! Girl power: summer Camp encourages girls to pursue STEM careers SOUTH BEND, IN — Embracing girl power.
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Honorary Legal Counsels
Honorary Chaplains
The Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) movement was started in 1844 in London by Mr George Williams and a group of like-minded concerned Christians. It is one of the oldest and largest Movements for youth in the world and now operates in 119 countries, and reaching 58 million people. The YMCA works to bring social justice and peace to young people and their communities, regardless of religion, race, gender or culture.
Established in 1902, the YMCA of Singapore is a volunteer-based Christian organisation that seeks to serve and impact all members of the community, regardless of race, language or religion, through programmes, services and enterprises to develop the body, mind and spirit.
A Brief History of the YMCA of Singapore
The YMCA of Singapore celebrated 115 years of service to the nation in 2017.
A large part of this journey encompasses its contributions to the local social service sector through successively providing leadership to the Board of the National Council of Social Service (NCSS) for decades, ever since its inception as the Singapore Council of Social Service (SCSS).
YMCA of Singapore has contributed significantly to the leadership of the Council, beginning with Mr Cecil V R Wong, then Treasurer of YMCA, being appointed as the first Honorary Treasurer of the SCSS. He served alongside Dr Lee Kong Chian and Mr S R Nathan, who were the President and Secretary of SCSS respectively. Dr Robert C K Loh, YMCA's longest serving President from 1970 to 1992, was subsequently appointed as the first President of the NCSS when it was restructured from the SCSS in 1992. Prior to his presidency, Dr Loh was already actively involved in the local social service sector, making contributions in various advisory committees. Dr Loh had also served as the Vice President of the SCSS from 1984 to 1992. Mr Sim Miah Kian, another of the YMCA's longest serving Directors and Vice President of the YMCA from 1974 to 1986, was also a founding member of the SCSS. Other YMCA Directors who have served on the NCSS Board include former YMCA Presidents Mr David Wong Cheong Fook, Mr Stephen Loh Sur Yong, Mr Chew Kwee San and Mr Eric Teng Heng Chew.
Back to history, the YMCA takes pride in the following initiatives, some of which continue to flourish today.
The YMCA espouses the development of the Body, Mind & Spirit, and actively contributed in the promotion of sports by opening the first public swimming pool1 in Singapore as well as constructing tennis, basketball and volleyball courts in the early 1900′s2. The YMCA is also credited with involvement in the invention of Basketball and Volleyball3, and was the first to introduce Rugby4 into Singapore. Two of our past Presidents, Mr. F C Sands and Mr. James M. Fraser, founded the local Boy Scouts and the Boys' Brigade5 movements respectively.
The YMCA also pioneered the classes6 for commercial studies. By 1913, the scope of courses available had been expanded to include professional courses such as architecture, building construction and electrical engineering among others.
In the late 1970's, the government banned discos as they had become increasingly associated with drugs and undesirable activities. The YMCA then worked with the Police and Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association to re-open the first disco7 in town and provided supervision through YMCA volunteers. Though other establishments eventually set up their own discos, the YMCA disco remained popular with the youth who found the place affordable and safe as they knew that the YMCA was running the place.
In the early 1980's, the YMCA pioneered the setting up of the first Social Service Centre8 in Singapore (currently known as the Ang Mo Kio Family Service Centre). It was set up in response to government initiative to build a healthier community through supporting individuals and families by providing developmental, preventive and remedial services. The centre was a partnership with the Anglican Church and Asian Women Welfare Association. By 1985, the centre became an autonomous entity but the YMCA continued to support the centre's projects. Mr Eric Chan, then a YMCA Director, was Chairman of the Centre's committee from 1992 to 1998.
In 1998, with support from the Ministry of Education, the YMCA took over the organising of the annual Plain English Speaking Awards (PESA). This is a national level public speaking competition which aims to develop students' abilities to think and communicate effectively, sharpen their English speaking skills and build their self-confidence.
In the 1990's, the YMCA embarked on a pilot programme of the Inter-ministry Committee on Youth Crime, formed to galvanize efforts in rehabilitate young offenders and keeping youth from crime. Starting out as a collaborative effort between the YMCA, North West Community Development Council and the National Youth Council, this led to the establishment of YMCA Project Bridge in 1999. It was the first outreach programme for out-of-school youth and youth-at-risk that aims to guide them to return to mainstream education as well as equip them with the skills for employment. Following the success of YMCA Project Bridge, many other similar centres have been set up today in Singapore.
YMCA also goes beyond raising funds for itself. The highly acclaimed Citibank-YMCA Youth For Causes programme piloted in 2002 has successfully raised over $ 2.1 million for the less fortunate in 214 VWOs, mobilizing over 45,400 volunteers and reaching out to 2.7 million people. The National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre's Non-Profit Organization Award for Philanthropy Management conferred on the YMCA on 15 November 2007 recognized the YMCA's best practices in donor management and fundraising among non-profit organizations.
In December 2004, when the Asian Tsunami Disaster struck, the YMCA rallied some 19 Non-Profit Organizations in Singapore to provide emergency aid to victims of the disaster. Within three days of the disaster, the YMCA had set up an operations centre at its Orchard Road headquarters to support the relief efforts. It also setup a hotline, rallied volunteers and coordinated volunteer-driven overseas relief missions to Sri Lanka. Through the YMCA, two medical relief teams were dispatched to Sri Lanka, with enough medical supplies to treat 200 patients a day, for a week. More missions to Sri Lanka eventually followed. The YMCA continued to be involved in coordinating the building of a community centre in the tsunami-hit Batticaloa region on the east coast of Sri Lanka for the next 10 years. The building has now been completed.
In 2007, the YMCA established the YMCA-Lim Kim San Volunteers Programme which aims to promote volunteerism among Singaporeans as well as enhance the capability of volunteers to better serve the beneficiaries. In the same year, YMCA partnered with the National University of Singapore, to provide certification courses for the staff and volunteers of Non-Profit Organisations. The YMCA-NUS Business School Volunteer Service Management Programme is Singapore's first most comprehensive management course for the non-profit sector. It aims to inspire and equip volunteers and staff with the skills and knowledge to implement service projects successfully.
Held in conjunction with Y Camp Challenge, 30 June 2007 signified the beginning of partnership between YMCA of Singapore and Tan Chin Tuan Foundation with the aim of enhancing the lives of the less fortunate. The Foundation pledged $990,000 over the next three years to increase the YMCA's programmes from 10 in 2007 to 14 by 2009, number of beneficiaries from 500 to 980 and number of active and regular volunteers from 4,100 to 5,050. There will be more new programmes to reach out to other categories of beneficiaries, such as the elderly and children. The signing of the partnership agreement was witnessed by the Guest-of-Honour, Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan. This partnership is a shining example for other companies and foundations to collaborate with voluntary welfare organizations to better serve the community together. 2007 also marked the first YMCA Proms, which celebrates diverse abilities of persons with special needs and advocates for an inclusive society.
In recognition of the YMCA's commitment to serve the less fortunate through its structured and sustained programmes, the YMCA of Singapore received the Meritorious Award and Excellent Service Silver Award from the Children's Charities Association on 20 October 2007. YMCA was nominated by Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (MINDS) for the Meritorious Award and by Association of Persons with Special Needs (APSN) for the Excellent Service Silver Award. Last but not least, as an acknowledgement of YMCA's 105 years of service to the community, National Parks Board presented a new orchid hybrid that was named, "Dendrobium YMCA" on 19 November 2007 at the National Orchid Garden, Singapore Botanic Garden. Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan graced the ceremony.
In 2012, the first YMCA Silver Fiesta was held to promote active ageing and inter-generational bonding between elderly and youth. Apart from fun activities and cultural performances, the following runs of the YMCA Silver Fiesta would aim to include workshops and consultation services that improved the quality of life of seniors through imparting life skills such as increasing digital literacy.
In addition to reaching out to older populations, the YMCA of Singapore dedicated itself to serving all ages, and sought to serve children from a younger age. In January 2018, the YMCA of Singapore opened its first kindergarten care centres to nurture community champions from an even younger age. The positive impacts of early intervention manifested at the Sengkang South Ki-bies carnival on 24 March 2018, which involved students from all 20 YMCA Student Care Centres of the time in raising funds for less privileged students.
In 1917: 'The Y – First 100 Years In Singapore 1902-2002' by Raymond Flower, pg10
In 1891 and 1895 respectively:
http://www.ymca.net/about_the_ymca/history_of_the_ymca.html
'The Y – First 100 Years In Singapore 1902-2002' by Raymond Flower, pg11
In 1910 and 1930 respectively: '90 Years Of Service To The Community' by Rowland Lyne, C.Gopal Menon, Edward K.W Ong and Ong Ai Teck, pg19
'90 Years Of Service To The Community' by Rowland Lyne, C.Gopal Menon, Edward K.W Ong and Ong Ai Teck, pg19 & 'The Y – First 100 Years In Singapore 1902-2002' by Raymond Flower, pg9
'90 Years Of Service To The Community' by Rowland Lyne, C.Gopal Menon, Edward K.W Ong and Ong Ai Teck, pg30 & 'The Y – First 100 Years In Singapore 1902-2002' by Raymond Flower, pg85
'90 Years Of Service To The Community' by Rowland Lyne, C.Gopal Menon, Edward K.W Ong and Ong Ai Teck, pg91


They seem expensive for what I used to paint myself for a fraction of the price for bisque!
I used to be able to get bisque items suitable for kids parties (for the kids to decorate themselves for a couple of quid) but im a bit out of touch now... as the person I got the pieces from has died... I have also grown up and married and had kids since... but think the prices are def. retail not for people wanting to do their own!


Southern California Rail Journal 2010 is the third in our Rail Journal series and it delivers more trains, more variety, longer running time, and more railroading adventure than ever! All new footage, not used in any other Pentrex show, is presented to you in the same chronological order as it was recorded so you can experience the year's activities just as if you were side-by-side with our rail journalist as he sought out the best locations and movements in this densely trafficked region.
Along your journey, you'll pay a visit to the Surfline to catch Amtrak and Coaster commuter trains as they battle Miramar Hill and other sites on the route. You'll be there in May to see former Santa Fe 3751 making her third trip from Los Angeles to San Diego and return on the following day, including the much talked about photo run-by at the Poinsettia Station. You'll also see the 3751 one week later when she pulls a short train over Metrolink's San Bernardino line to the Railroad Days Festival being held at the San Bernardino Station. Colton Crossing and the Cajon Subdivision present their own brand of heavy traffic. You can enjoy trains streaming past two of the area's last remaining wigwags, including the soon-to-be-abandoned portion of Union Pacific's Riverside Branch. Even more variety was found on Beaumont Hill, Cajon Pass, and busy Pepper Avenue in West Colton. For a fast-paced tour of great freight and passenger action throughout the year, turn to Southern California Rail Journal 2010. You won't be disappointed!
Chapter Menus provide instant access to program segments.
Special Audio Feature provides the option of watching the program with or without narration.


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Peter A. Holland
Emanwel J. Turnbull
Joint Enfocement Action: Maryland Attorney General and CFPB Act On Illegal Mortgage Kickbacks
by pholland
In a time of limited resources, perhaps a new model is emerging of joint CFPB/State Attorney General enforcement actions. The 2015 joint action by the Bureau and Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh provides a nice case study.
In 2015, Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau took an action against a mortgage kickback scheme involving former Maryland title company Genuine Title, LLC and employees at national banks Wells Fargo and JPMorgan Chase. "Homeowners were steered toward this title company, not because they were the best or most affordable, but because they were providing kickbacks to loan officers . . . this type of quid pro quo is illegal, and it's unfair to other businesses." Said Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh. The complaint in the case is available here.
Between 2009 and 2013, Genuine Title swapped marketing services and cash payments for referrals of business by loan officers to Genuine Title.
Loan officers typically are paid by commission. Through the Marketing Services Scheme, Genuine Title offered loan officers valuable services to increase the amount of business they generated, and thus the commissions they would earn. The scheme was also intended to increase the amount of business generated by the participating loan officers and, through referrals, to increase Genuine Title's profits.
In some cases Genuine Title:
not only analyzed and purchased leads from a third-party vendor, it also paid for marketing letters directed to the consumer leads to be printed, folded, stuffed into envelopes, and mailed.
Genuine Title even attempted to conceal its involvement by having the company which printed the marketing materials provide "fake" invoices to the loan officers, so that it could pretend that the loan officers had paid for the materials themselves. Genuine Title went out of business in April 2014, which is why they are not named in the joint enforcement action.
Over 100 loan officers at Wells Fargo were involved in the scheme, along with 6 at the JPMorgan Chase, and an unknown number at other, unnamed banks. The enforcement action led to consent orders with Wells Fargo and JPMorgan Chase. Wells Fargo will pay over $10 million in redress to affected consumers, $21 million in penalties to the CFPB and $3 million to the Maryland Attorney General's office. Chase will pay less than $1 million in redress and penalties.
Maryland's First Co-Operative Action with the CFPB
This was the first case in which the Maryland Attorney General's office and the CFPB acted jointly. The investigation seems to have started in Maryland, with the Office of the Attorney. In a time of contracting state budgets, joint federal/state actions of consumer protection laws seems to make good sense, and seems to be an excellent way to use the Dodd Frank act to pursue both local and national actors when they engage in fraud and abuse in the area of consumer financial services.
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Attorney Peter A. Holland is responsible for the content of this website. You must be a resident of, or authorized to do business in, the State of Maryland in order to use the legal services offered by this web site and law firm.
Accessing this page, and any interior pages, is a request for information. The information contained on this web site is for educational and advertising purposes only. For specific legal advice that applies to your individual situation, you must be a client of our law firm. Nothing on any of the pages of this website, or on any pages linked to these pages, shall be construed as legal advice, nor shall anything on these pages by itself operate to create an attorney/client relationship. An attorney/client relationship cannot be created before the firm has accepted the representation and confirmed the representation in writing.
This Web Site may be considered to constitute advertising under Rule 7.2 of the Maryland Code of Professional Conduct and other state rules. No representation is intended to be made that Peter Holland "specializes" in a particular area of law (although he does focus and concentrate on consumer protection law). Similarly, nothing on this website is intended to state or imply that the quality of the legal services to be performed by Peter Holland is better than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers.
Note: each case is different and the past record of a lawyer is no assurance that the lawyer will be successful in reaching a favorable result in in any future case.
Disclaimer: The Law Guides within this web site are for educational purposes only. For specific legal advice that applies to your individual situation, you must be a client of our law firm.


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Adobe Is (Finally) Letting Flash Die A Slow Death

Adobe is killing off one of its most ubiquitous tech relics — but this news has been a long time coming.

According to an announcement from the company, the Adobe Flash Player, which has been around for over 20 years, will end updates and distribution by the end of 2020.

Adobe Flash served as the foundation for multimedia streaming. It's responsible for YouTube, and it's been used by both Spotify and Hulu. Outside of streaming media, Flash is also responsible for hundreds of thousands of Flash-based games.

SEE MORE: Calls For Adobe Flash's Demise After Security Flub

Adobe Flash was ubiquitous — and then the iPhone was born.

Originally, Apple included Flash in the iPhone at launch, but poor performance on mobile devices caused Apple to pull support. YouTube then bypassed the need for Flash on mobile devices, and by 2010, it was nixed completely on Apple devices.

Former Apple CEO Steve Jobs penned "Thoughts on Flash" to explain the company's decision. He criticized the technology for being unreliable, insecure and too exhaustive for mobile devices.

Jobs concluded by writing: "Flash was created during the PC era — for PCs and mice."

Other companies followed suit. Back in 2015, Facebook dropped the platform for its video browser, and a year later Google Chrome began blocking all Flash content by default. The technology became such a nuisance that, in 2015, Adobe — yes, the very same company that owns Flash — rolled out its own program to help content creators switch platforms.

That move signaled the beginning of the end for Adobe Flash, and in just three and a half years, the platform will cease to exist.

Trending stories at Newsy.com

Musk And Zuckerberg Spar Over Artificial Intelligence

NASA Is Trying To Get Supersonic Commercial Flight Off The Ground

The Robot Searching Fukushima's Reactors May Have Made A Big Discovery

By: Casey Mendoza, Lauren Stephenson
Adobe is killing off one of its most ubiquitous tech relics — but this news has been a long time coming.
According to an announcement from the company, the Adobe Flash Player, which has been around for over 20 years, will end updates and distribution by the end of 2020.
Adobe Flash served as the foundation for multimedia streaming. It's responsible for YouTube, and it's been used by both Spotify and Hulu. Outside of streaming media, Flash is also responsible for hundreds of thousands of Flash-based games.
SEE MORE: Calls For Adobe Flash's Demise After Security Flub
Adobe Flash was ubiquitous — and then the iPhone was born.
Originally, Apple included Flash in the iPhone at launch, but poor performance on mobile devices caused Apple to pull support. YouTube then bypassed the need for Flash on mobile devices, and by 2010, it was nixed completely on Apple devices.
Former Apple CEO Steve Jobs penned "Thoughts on Flash" to explain the company's decision. He criticized the technology for being unreliable, insecure and too exhaustive for mobile devices.
Jobs concluded by writing: "Flash was created during the PC era — for PCs and mice."
Other companies followed suit. Back in 2015, Facebook dropped the platform for its video browser, and a year later Google Chrome began blocking all Flash content by default. The technology became such a nuisance that, in 2015, Adobe — yes, the very same company that owns Flash — rolled out its own program to help content creators switch platforms.
That move signaled the beginning of the end for Adobe Flash, and in just three and a half years, the platform will cease to exist.
Trending stories at Newsy.com
Musk And Zuckerberg Spar Over Artificial Intelligence
NASA Is Trying To Get Supersonic Commercial Flight Off The Ground
The Robot Searching Fukushima's Reactors May Have Made A Big Discovery


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December 8 6:00pm
Pop-Up Concert // Miller Theater
TILT Brass Sextet l to r: Tim Leopold, Mike Gurfield, Will Lang, Jen Baker, Gareth Flowers, Chris McIntyre
http://ukadventureracing.co.uk/uk-adventure-racing-rankings/uk-adventure-racing-rankings-results/ POP-UP CONCERTS
abstinently Wild Ones – TILT BRASS
Tuesday, December 8, 2015, 6pm
Miller Theatre at Columbia University
From Miller Theater's Event Page:
"Brooklyn's "always fun and forward-looking" (The New Yorker) TILT Brass ensemble takes the stage for the final Pop-Up of the fall. TILT presents new works by contemporary composers Anthony Coleman, TILT co-founder Chris McIntyre, and Catherine Lamb, whose "vivid, evocative orchestral colours" (Guardian) have begun to earn her international acclaim. TILT will also provide their interpretations of existing works, such as an all-brass version of James Tenney's Swell Piece and Australian composer Liza Lim's Wild Winged One—an aria for trumpet and (aptly-named) wacky whistle.
All concerts start at 6 p.m. Admission is on a first-come, first-served basis, and doors open at 5:30 p.m."
TILT Brass Sextet
trumpet – Gareth Flowers, Mike Gurfield, Tim Leopold
trombone – Jen Baker, Will Lang, Chris McIntyre
James Tenney Swell Piece for Alison Knowles (1967)
Liza Lim Wild Winged One (2007)
Gareth Flowers, solo trumpet
Anthony Coleman A Fistful of Footfalls (2015) World Premiere
Catherine Lamb overlays/smear (2015) World Premiere
Chris McIntyre Dedifferentiation for Brass No. 3 (2015) World Premiere
Sextet and sound score
Location: 2960 Broadway, New York, NY 10027 [MAP]
"Always fun and forward-thinking"
"Best Classical Music of 2015"


R. K. College of Pharmacy, Rajkot – 360020, Gujarat, India.
Introduction: 'Paarshva-pipla' is an important drug mentioned in the traditional medicinal texts. However, two completely different species are used as 'Paarshva-pipla': Thespesia populnea (Malvaceae) and Ficus arnottiana (Moraceae). Recent pharmacological findings indicate that leaves of Ficus arnottiana possess significant anti-ulcer activity which complies with the claims made in the traditional medicinal texts regarding 'Paarshva-pipla'. However, no conclusive pharmacognostic study of the leaves has been performed yet. Methods: The present investigation deals with the qualitative and quantitative microscopic evaluation of the leaf material and establishment of its quality parameters, including physicochemical and phytochemical evaluation. Results: Main characters of the transverse section include presence of bi-layered palisade, cystoliths, pericyclic fibers and perimedullary phloem. Diagnostic characters of powder include pericyclic fibers, cystoliths, anomocytic stomata, horse-shoe shaped xylem vessels and xylem vessels with annular thickening. Phytochemical analysis showed the presence of many important classes of phytoconstituents like alkaloids, cardiac glycosides, saponins, flavonoids, phenolics and carbohydrates. Conclusion: Such a study would help in distinguishing Ficus arnottiana from Thespesia populnea and make way for isolation of phytoconstituents, therapeutic investigations and standardization of formulations containing its leaf material. Most importantly, it may throw light on the true botanical identity of 'Paarshva-pipla'.
MN K, JV V, TR D, DJ P.


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Majestic Wine PLC Preliminary Results
On Monday 18 June 2012 | By Majestic Wine Team | No comments
'Good progress towards strategic objectives'
Majestic Wine PLC ("Majestic"), the UK's largest wine specialist with 181 stores, today announces its preliminary results for the 53 weeks ended 2 April 2012.
Group profit before tax increased by 14.5% to £23.2m (2011: £20.3m).
Total sales up 8.9% to £280.3m (2011: £257.3m).
Like for like sales in UK retail stores up 2.6%.
Final dividend of 11.8p net per share, bringing the total dividend for the year to 15.6p, an increase of 20.0% on last year (2011: 13.0p).
Lay & Wheeler: Profit before interest and tax at £1.9m (2011: £0.7m).
Majestic in France: Profit before interest and tax at £1.4m (2011: £1.0m).
A further significant increase in the number of customers who have made purchases in the last twelve months, up 11.1% to 568,000.
Average spend per transaction up £2 to £128.
Strong growth in transaction numbers, up 8.3% to 2.2m.
Average bottle of still wine purchased at Majestic is now £7.34 (2011: £6.94).
Online sales increased 7.8% on last year and now represent 10.0% of UK retail sales.
Majestic Commercial: Sales to business customers grew 6.9% on last year and now represent 24.0% of total UK sales.
Sales of fine wine (priced at £20 per bottle and above) increased by 18.5% on last year, representing 6.2% of UK store sales.
Record sixteen openings in the financial year. Evesham, Weston-Super-Mare, Fleet, Livingston, Hale, Dundee, Worthing, Bury St Edmunds, Clitheroe, Ripon, Braintree, Chesterfield, Wirral, Broadstairs, Wakefield and in Berwick upon Tweed.
Since the year end, we have opened in Northallerton, Esher and Queensferry Road in Edinburgh, giving us 181 stores in the UK.
We are confident of being able to expand Majestic to 330 locations.
In the ten weeks from 3 April to 11 June 2012, UK like for like sales up 0.6%.
Commenting on the results Steve Lewis, Chief Executive, said:
"Majestic has a clearly differentiated operating model, with a focus on delivering exceptional customer service that has proved resilient in a challenging economic environment."
Majestic Wine PLC
Steve Lewis (CEO) / Nigel Alldritt (FD)
Buchanan Communications
Tim Thompson / Nicola Cronk / Gabriella Clinkard
High resolution images are available for the media, please contact Buchanan on 0207 466 5000.
Investors page
The #Joyof6


subsidiary, Elite Electronic Material (Huangshi) Co., Ltd.
Building construction and electric engineering project.
The total contract amount is Rmb 125.8 million dollars (or equivalent toNT$564.2 million dollars).
11.Do the directors have any objection to the present transaction?:No.
12.Any other matters that need to be specified:None.


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Behaviour: lack of empathy and bullying
13 December 2001 Anna Freud Centre
Understanding how children's capacity for empathy is obstructed can shed light on why they may become bullies
All about...Drama
05 December 2001 Melanie Peter
By Melanie Peter, lecturer in early childhood studies at Suffolk College, and freelance consultant and author on arts education and special needs First act
All about...Storytelling
31 October 2001 Mary Medlicott, a professional storyteller based in London
Sitting comfortably? * The importance of storytelling and how to organise storytime
All about...ICT
Children love switches and buttons and can usually pick up how to work a video recorder at home pretty quickly. In the nursery, the purpose of introducing children to a wide range of mechanical toys, tape recorders and computers is to give them the basis...
All about...Role play
By Anne O'Connor, who is an early years specialist and has held posts including co-ordinator of an early years unit, deputy head and associate trainer for a local authority Let's pretend
Behaviour: anxiety
Dealing with children's anxieties so they can move on into maturity requires tact and understanding by adults
All about eczema
22 August 2001 Maggie Jones
Eczema is perhaps the most common skin complaint. It is especially common in young children. It is a rash or irritation of the skin caused by a genetic predisposition and exposure to substances in the environment to which the child is sensitive. These...
All about...Music
Young children have an innate appreciation of music, so it's easy to build on their enthusiasm. Our special eight-page pull-out looks at ways to develop musical awareness through voice, instruments, dance and pre-recorded music Sound it out
Behaviour: boundaries
Children need adults to set boundaries in order to feel secure and have a measure for their independence
All about...Consulting with children
Listen in * The importance of consulting with children - By Peter Moss, professor of early childhood provision at the Thomas Coram Research Unit, Institute of Education, University of London
All about (16)
Positive relationships (1)


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You are here: Home / STEM Pathways Project
STEM Pathways Project
The primary goals for this project are:
Help students in the 13-county region where WFU is situated build a strong foundation in STEM fields, thereby expanding their eventual career opportunities.
Guide and prepare students for careers in health care, biotechnology, and other STEM-related fields.
Provide parents, mentors, and teachers with reliable information about STEM-related careers
This project aims to create a collaboration and data-sharing network for STEM and Health Careers education and enrichment programs in Winston-Salem, Forsyth County, and adjacent counties. It's first goal would be to improve communication, data capture, and resource sharing between programs. This can aid and empower the individual participating programs many ways, but particularly by:
Providing access to marketing and evaluation resources shared by other programs
Collecting and sharing data on outcomes and impact that would not otherwise be available to them.
Helping programs identify unmet needs that can be targeted in the future.
Supporting efforts to pursue outside funding.
The network would be positioned to look beyond individual enrichment for a series of activities that develop students' STEM knowledge and abilities long-term. As such it could become a valuable "go-to" resource for teachers and parents.
Finally, the network could better assess the impact of programs by tracking participants longitudinally.
This project to take a cohort-centered approach, tracking progress of individuals as they participate in institutionally sponsored STEM enrichment programs. Priority will be given to Grades 5/6 through college. However, some tracked enrichment programs may reach down to children as young as kindergarten. Others at the graduate and post-graduate level are likely to be recruited and trained as part of programs targeting the primary audience.
The project does not target high-achievers and self-directed learners such as those recruited for current HAG school programs, nor focus only on the lowest performing students. Rather it aims to increase the knowledge and pursuit of STEM-related career paths by the large "middle band" of students in the 13-county target region. The senior planning group believes this is the most efficient way to increase STEM attainment across a larger population.
WFU Biology
WakeHealth Office of Medical Education
Wake Forest Institute of Regenerative Medicine
Maya Angelou Center for Health Equity
Center of Excellence and Research in Teaching and Learning
Translational Science Institute of WakeHealth
WakeHealth Human Resources
Awaiting budgetary support & administrative approval. (Last updated 8/1/16)


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The True Islamic Doctrine of 'Jihad'
Posted by Kashif Chaudhry on August 10, 2017 December 10, 2017
The word Jihad is perhaps on the top ten most feared words in the West. The same word also perhaps makes it to the top ten of the most ill-understood concepts amongst both those following Islam and those outside.
There are many sects in Islam. Just over a hundred years ago, almost all sects without exception held the belief that Jihad meant 'Holy war' – that waging such a war on infidels was an obligation of the Faithful Muslim. The killing of an unbeliever was Jihad and such an act entitled the perpetrator to paradise and granted him the title of 'Ghazi' [Raider]. Important as it was to the Muslims, Jihad was referred to as the 'sixth pillar of Islam' by many Sunni scholars and Shia Muslims incorporated it in the ten ancillaries of faith. Anyone who dared disagree with this definition as the sole meaning of Jihad was deemed an infidel. When the founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian, India claimed at the end of the 19th century that the doctrine of Jihad as understood by the orthodox clerics was opposed to the true principles of Islam, he was immediately branded a heretic and an infidel by the clerics of his time.
Ahmad wrote: "They [Orthodox Muslim clerics] adhere so strongly to their doctrine of jihad—which is completely misguided and entirely contradicts the teachings of the Holy Qur'an and hadith—that they label as "dajjal " [Antichrist] and advocate the murder of anyone who objects." [British Govt and Jihad p.8]
Today, his peaceful interpretation of 'Jihad' finds place in many Muslims' hearts. Over a hundred million followers of Ahmad reject the violent interpretation of Jihad. Not just the Ahmadiyya Muslims, sect after sect, clerics are starting to incorporate peaceful interpretations of the word and are renouncing fanaticism as unIslamic and unlawful. What used to be prime identity of the faithful is itself becoming a mark of infidelity. Knowingly or unknowingly, the interpretation of Ahmad is spreading across hearts and souls. This said, the influence of the 'jihadis' is also getting stronger in their own circles.
A brief interpretation of the Islamic concept of Jihad is intended here.
Jihad is an Arabic word which literally means 'struggle'. It has been used multiple times in the Quran and in the sayings of the Holy Prophet [pbuh]. The Quran for instance says:
"Lo! those who believe, and those who emigrate (to escape the persecution) and strive in the way of Allah, these have hope of Allah's mercy. Allah is Forgiving, Merciful." [2:218 Pickthal]
"Those of the believers who sit still, other than those who have a (disabling) hurt, are not on an equality with those who strive in the way of Allah with their wealth and lives. Allah hath conferred on those who strive with their wealth and lives a rank above the sedentary." [4:095 Pickthal]
The word for fighting in the Quran is "Qitaal". Muhammad [pbuh] did fight wars, however, all without exception were defensive wars. Muhammad [pbuh] was averse to fighting all the 13 years he and his followers were tortured and put to the worst persecution in Mecca. It was not until Muhammad [pbuh] migrated to Medina and heard of the Meccans deciding to wage war on Medina that divine permission to fight was granted. What is described by islamophobes as an offensive and brutal first war was in fact a battle between nearly three hundred ill-armed Muslims and over a thousand well-armed and armored fighters from Mecca. Seriously, I can see no person take on such a war in all sanity and claim victory beforehand. This was not an offensive but a defense against an offensive. It was a last resort to prevent innocent bloodshed in Medina and to defend the peaceful propagation of Islam. Such was the nature of all wars fought by Muhammad [pbuh].
Indeed, such fighting is a struggle. But so is spending out of one's wealth for the poor and needy. So is fighting against one's inner temptations. So is trying to establish the 5 daily prayers. So is to fast in the true Islamic spirit. So is to refuse to be slave of one's inner self and rise in moral strength. Why then should the word 'Jihad' be limited to fighting alone.
This, with the fact that no offensive act is remotely allowed in Islam, makes the Orthodox stand on Jihad funny all the more. Talking of Jihad, the Quran says: "Ye should believe in Allah and His messenger, and should strive for the cause of Allah with your wealth and your lives. That is better for you, if ye did but know." [061:011 Pickthal]
Where is the fighting mentioned? And emphasizing the extraordinary importance of human life, it says: "Whosoever killeth a human being for other than manslaughter or corruption in the earth, it shall be as if he had killed all mankind, and whoso saveth the life of one, it shall be as if he had saved the life of all mankind." [5:032 Pickthal]
The fanatic understanding of Jihad that was common at the time of Ahmad was further propagated and preached by later clerics. Prominent amongst these was Abul Aala Maududi, a religio-political figure in the indo-pak subcontinent, who wrote:
"Islam wishes to destroy all states and governments anywhere on the face of the earth which are opposed to the ideology and program of Islam regardless of the country or the Nation which rules it. The purpose of Islam is to set up a state on the basis of its own ideology and programme, regardless of which nation assumes the role of the standard-bearer of Islam or the rule of which nation is undermined in the process of the establishment of an ideological Islamic State. Islam requires the earth—not just a portion, but the whole planet.. Towards this end, Islam wishes to press into service all forces which can bring about a revolution and a composite term for the use of all these forces is 'Jihad'… the objective of the Islamic 'Jih?d' is to eliminate the rule of an un-Islamic system and establish in its stead an Islamic system of state rule." [Jihad in Islam, p.6,7,22]
This probably was the wish of Maududi. The Holy Quran and the sayings of the Prophet [pbuh] do not state such an aim of Islam. The aim of Islam is to submit to the will of God and to serve His creation.
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad writes: "They should remember that their understanding of jihad is not at all correct, and that human sympathy is its first casualty. Their belief, that jihad should be lawful today because it was permitted in early Islam, is totally incorrect and we offer two rejoinders. The first is that their reasoning is baseless. Under no circumstance did our Holy Prophet [pbuh] raise the sword against anyone unless they had first raised the sword, mercilessly killing innocent, pious men, women and children with such brutality that reading about these events even today brings tears to our eyes. Second, even if we assume that jihad as conceived of by these maulavis was obligatory in early Islam, the commandment is no longer applicable because it is written that violent jihad and religious fighting will come to an end with the appearance of the Promised Messiah, who will not raise the sword or any other earthly weapon. Prayer shall be his only instrument, and firm determination his only weapon. He will establish peace and gather together the goat and the lion. His age will be one of peace, gentleness and human sympathy. Alas! Why do these people not reflect that thirteen hundred years have passed since the Holy Prophet [pbuh] said, "yada-'ul-harb" in honor of the Promised Messiah. These words mean that the Promised Messiah will end warfare when he comes." [British Govt and Jihad p. 9]
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad claimed to be the same Messiah and reformer awaited by all world religions. The Holy Prophet [pbuh] had said of the Messiah, "He will put an end to wars". Ahmad declared that of the many wrong concepts that he had come to rectify, one was the notion of 'Jihad'. He writes:
"The second principle for which I have been appointed is the reform of the incorrect concept of jihad that is widespread among some ignorant Muslims. So God has made me understand that the prevailing concept of jihad is opposed to the Qur'anic teachings. Fighting commanded in the Holy Qur'an, was more sensible than the fighting of Moses, and possessed greater attraction than the warring of Joshua. It was based on the fact that those who took up swords unjustly, murdered Muslims without cause, and took oppression to extremes, be killed by the sword." [Tohfah-e-Qaisariyyah, p. 10]
The only time fighting is allowed in Islam is in state of defense when an enemy launches an uncalled for offensive. Fighting is the last option in such a case and is only to be used to protect religion and one's own life in extreme situations of persecution. In a country like the US for instance where Muslims live in peace and practice faith freely, the very thought of a violent 'jihad' on this soil is disgusting at the very least and totally against Islam itself.
Ahmad wrote in a letter to one of his disciples, "In this age, jihad has taken a spiritual form. And jihad in this age demands that we strive in raising the Islamic kalimah"
"Spread the meanings of the Islamic kalimah," he preached. "Give answers to opponents, spread the beauties of the Islamic faith in the world, and manifest the truthfulness of the Holy Prophet [pbuh] to the world. This is jihad, until such a time that God shows another form in the world."
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has understood Jihad to mean a peaceful struggle against one's inner temptations and a peaceful struggle to spread the beauties of Islam and interfaith harmony worldwide. The Jihad of the fanatics is a concoction of their misguided power-hungry masters. It has no basis from the teachings of Islam. Where a rejecter of this 'jihad' was considered an infidel at the time of Ahmad, fanaticism is progressively being abandoned by one non-Ahmadi Muslim sect after another. Just a while back no one except the Ahmadi Muslims had this philosophy, today the violent Jihadi interpretation found in the literature of most Muslim sects is being rejected by their followers themselves!
While some misguided Muslims are still killing others in the name of Islam and Jihad, the Ahmadi Muslims are doing their Jihad by striving to make people understand the true meaning of Jihad and the beautiful image of Islam. Whereas the Ahmadiyya Jihad is peace and love, that of the fanatics is hate. Whereas the Ahmadiyya Jihad is the Jihad of Islam, that of the fanatics is rebellion – rebellion against the very meaning of Islam.
1) The Holy Quran
2) A collection of Hadith [sayings of the Holy Prophet [pbuh]
3) British Government and Jihad – a booklet written in 1900 by Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Promised Messiah and the Founder of the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Community. In this booklet, he refers to the Holy Qur'an and the ahadith (sayings) of the Holy Prophet Muhammad [pbuh] in order to explain the true nature of the Islamic concept of jihad. The author points to the peaceful nature of the Islamic faith and explains that Muslims resorted to defensive war early in their faith's history only after suffering thirteen years of brutal oppression. Divine permission to retaliate was granted for the specific purpose of self-defense, to punish aggressors, and to uphold freedom of conscience. [Click to read online]
AhmadiyyaAllegationsIslamIslamophobiaJihadMirza Ghulam Ahmad
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From Evil Dead, to Believe it Or Not: A Chat With Bruce Campbell
Still Groovy
It is hard to deny the impact Bruce Campbell has had on genre cinema. From the humble start working on the Evil Dead back in 1981 to his countless film and television roles, Bruce Campbell has made a name for himself, and a legacy that everyone in genre cinema has to respect.
Now, with him moving onto Ripley's Believe It or Not CGMagazine got to be part of a round table interview where we got a chance to touch base with the iconic "b-list" actor to talk about his career, along with the industry of film making as a whole.
Perhaps his most endearing performance, even after over 30 years, is his portrayal of Ash. With three films and a series under his belt, he has made the character his own. His portrayal has led to numerous parodies, and countless takes and iterations on what that type of character is within horror. Yet, even the time, and new horror coming out almost daily, few can touch the timelessness of Ash.
Even with the show over, the legacy of what The Evil Dead means to fans will always remain. It is a series that stands in the pantheon of horror, cementing Bruce Cambell and Ash as staples of genre and cinema as a whole. Even with this, many questions about if the series got the ending it deserved, but it seems Bruce Cambell feels they sent the series off in the best way possible.
"I'm fine with it neck because I we got to we get to finally do it." Campbell explained in response to his take on the legacy of the series "I got to, to address it to my maximum abilities right now. And I felt that we did that. And I felt we honoured the fans too. Because we gave them a pseudo ending. They will never be happy with anything that we do. But in this case, we were like, okay, we don't know if we're going to get cancelled or not. Let's go Come up with let's make sure we end this particular season with something that could be considered an ending. So that's what we did. And thank God we did it. Because we get caned. So if we didn't do that ending people would be going, where is Ash what happened. So we took care of that business."
With the fact, the show is now over, Cambell can finally step back from the role of ash. While an iconic character, and one he enjoyed playing, it is taxing bringing that character to life, especially on a show that pushes you both mentally and physically.
"It was painful. I pulled another hamstring," Campbell said diving into the strain on his body while doing Ash vs. The Evil Dead. "There's a series of embarrassing emails to Rick Jacobson, Season 2 I think where the episodes kept getting bigger and bigger because things are coming to a head storywise and there are all these fights, falling and all the worst crap. So there'd be these emails of 'Hey Rick, I woke up this morning and I'm not sure if I can run today, can you make sure my stunt guy Raicho Vasilev is ready to go?' Then the next day, 'Hey Rick, my left knee is kind of fucked-up, can I just stand over the guy?' I was falling apart. My whole body was disintegrating."
Even with The Evil Dead now over, it is hard to deny the connection Bruce Cambell and Sam Remi have. Old high school friends, and having worked with Remi on many features, including the Spiderman franchise and Darkman, the team brings great chemistry to the silver screen. And even after all these years knowing each other, Bruce Cambell still enjoyed working with Remi.
"I think Sam is the best director working," Campbell outlined responding to the question on why he likes working with Remi so much. "He's one of the best directors in the business, probably top five as far as technical abilities. Watch Spider-Man 2. I think it's one of the best superhero movies period and it's the best of the trilogy. He's really amazing at exponential learning. What he learns from one movie to the next technically. Like, he actually read the American Cinematographer's Manual. You want to read stuff that will make you want to hang yourself with technical information about apertures and film speeds? He read it! He's like 'I think I should know how a camera operates because as a director that's my tool. How can I use apertures and exposure to get a certain look or dynamic?' That's what's fun about working with Sam."
With many horror films looking to revive practical methods, people that love classic horror are happy to see what can be done by blending the two methods. With his countless years in the industry, and has worked on plenty of practical and CGI based movies, Bruce Cambell does not mince words discussing the trend to push CGI whenever possible.
"CG had to run its course. Because everyone was fascinated with CG "Oh, let's just do CG." But the problem of CG is it would spray off and defy optics, like a creature, would be here and frame one, frame three, It's right in front of your face. So to the point where our eyes can't even adjust because the optics are not correct. So they had to kind of work that out. And then they had to come to the horrible realization that special effects could not be the actual story." Cambell explains when responding to a question about the revival of practical methods in genre cinema. "What does he mean we have to have a story. Hopefully, they're coming around to the realization that effects can be used very effectively to tell a story like Forrest Gump."
"So, when you watch that movie, they made special effects work to tell the story of a single feather flipping around during the opening sequence and it lands all the way at Tom Hanks's feet looks like a real feather. floating through the sky landing at his feet was a pain in the ass to do that opening sequence. But the point is the digital process can really help you tell a story, but it's not the story. I mean, once you see a superhero, throw another superhero through one building it eight buildings 10 buildings. It doesn't matter. That's not the story. "
Along with being a renowned actor, Bruce Cambell also has a best selling book, one that is a great read if you have the time. While working in both realms, it is no wonder he has a view on how they differ and how Hollywood could learn a thing or two from the world of publishing. "The writing world is very respectful compared to the film business. There are very few chefs when you write a book," Bruce Cambell explained "I addressed my editor's changes for my latest book in about 15 minutes and if I wrote a screenplay I'd have 10-pages of single-spaced notes from some 26-year-old kid who doesn't know shit, but they feel like they got to justify their job. It's good to do different stuff, you get exposed to different people too. Making a book is a whole different story than making a movie. It's kinda cool, the difference."
While his days of picking up the chainsaw as Ash may be over, he is now stepping into the role of host for the new Ripley's Believe It or Not on the travel channel. It may mean less zombie killing, but is looking to be just as exciting for fans of the new and bizarre. Hearing Bruce discuss it, this is looking to be an exciting season of the show while keeping the legacy it has built over 100 years.
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Home CULTURE Letting in the light: Auction House Market
May 1, 2018 Kim Ranjbar 0
Letting in the light: Auction House Market
Local real estate firm Felicity Property Co., with the help of Bell Design & Architecture and the team behind St. Roch Market, has taken the dingy ground floor of a two-story property in the Warehouse District and transformed it into a bright, delightful "contemporary" food hall.
Built over 120 years ago to house Tinker Copper and Iron Works, the building on the corner of Magazine and Julia streets now houses one of the city's newest food halls. With a name derived from the building's previous tenant, New Orleans Auction Galleries, Auction House Market is another creation from Will Donaldson and Barre Tanguis, the pair behind St. Roch Market on St. Claude Avenue.
Though the building's renovation, specifically the second-story lofts, was primarily handled by studioWTA, the market itself is the work of Megan Bell and Lindsay Butler of Bell Design & Architecture. With almost 9,000 square feet of space, Auction House Market is similar in many ways to its sister St. Roch with its high ceiling, pristine white walls and light-colored marble, but the differences stand out. "Every meeting that we had that discussed design included a member of the St. Roch team," says Bell. "I think it was a combination of their influence and the fact that our aesthetics sort of align with theirs anyway."
The main focal point, and what many consider the market's best feature, is the marble bar centered smack in the middle of the hall under a light well that reaches all the way to the roof. "It was the natural place to put a central gathering spot" says Bell. Above the bar is shiny brass and glass shelving lined with potted plants that bask in the illumination from the light well. The original design for the bar was vastly different than the end result, a change that came about after analyzing 3D renderings of the project. "The 3D rendering process really helped with that because we're not always able to visualize things as well as we'd like and often clients have an even harder time with it because it's not what they do everyday," says Bell. "It's an extra service that takes a lot of time, but it really helps people make the right decisions."
Auction House Market made ample use of our area's trove of skilled artisans in its design. All of the brass shelving above the bar was done locally by E. Kraemer Fine Metal and Woodwork in New Orleans. "Anyone who's doing brass work in town knows them because they're brilliant at it." says Butler. Mandeville-based Avalon Marble LLC did the marble bar installation and tabletops, and WoodWorkers Construction Inc from Picayune, Mississippi crafted the oyster bar front of rounded walnut dowels, adding an almost tropical-like element to the design. "Some things are unexpected," says Bell. "It's not always intentional, but it is always great when things come together."
One of the major challenges in creating the Auction House Market was managing the building systems that drop down from the residential spaces above. By working closely with the engineers involved in designing the lofts, they were able to push a lot of the plumbing, mechanical and electrical works to the perimeter of hall. "We wanted to keep the center of the space as open and airy and as high as possible" says Butler, "Though it is a technical difficulty, it's one of those things that are really hard to get organized. We realize no one will probably notice it, but we appreciate it so much."
More than 1,000 square feet were dedicated to providing a full commercial kitchen for the eleven vendors at Auction House Market. Bell Design & Architecture were able to flesh out what was needed and where with the help of a kitchen consultant. "The folks at St. Roch basically told us what equipment they needed, how it works and how it should be set up." says Butler. Each vendor has a prep table and both cold and dry storage spaces, like at St. Roch Market, in an attempt to lessen the situations that can arise when people share a common area. "I think what we did was an improvement over what they have at St. Roch," says Bell. "The design at St. Roch evolved when they were figuring out the use of the space. As a result we were able to benefit from what they learned and were able to improve on that."
https://www.auctionhousemarket.com/
Currently, the vendors at Auction House Market include familiar sellers from St. Roch like Coast Roast Coffee, The Mayhaw, Elysian Seafood and Empanola, but there are several newcomers as well. Tracey Davenport and her husband Dave Kirtland have created Aloha Lei featuring flavors from the Pacific Rim like sushi and poke. Egyptian couple Chris and Sandy Minias run Alpha, serving an eclectic array of Mediterranean cuisine from hummus and baba-ganoush to gyros and baklava. With a focus on healthful eats, HappyJaxx from Chef Patrick Kearney offers inventive and delicious salads, toasts and teas while Mac & Moon offers plant-based treats like their vegan macarons. Sola Deli, operated by Camdon Richardson, is an "internationally-inspired and Louisiana themed" delicatessen with cooked and cured meats and house made accouterments, and finally there's Tava, an Indian dosa concept from Chef Manish Patel.
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Paper Crafter Anonymous: Happy Birthday, UnBirthday Giveaway!
Yes today IS My Birthday!
As I get older, and I am not complaining at all.
I just haven't really Celebrated a birthday since I was a teenager.
I treat my birthdays well like any other day.
This year is no different, my Husband is in Virginia he did call me and sing Happy Birthday to me this morning, thanks babe.
I have a house to clean, kids (teenagers) to cart around and take care of, be present and accounted for as well as productive at work. So yeah, there may or may not be cake for me (I usually have to purchase one myself).. there may or may not presents (with a birthday so close to Christmas I usually get Birthmas gifts), but there is nothing I NEED. I have everything I need, bills paid, roof over my head, food (though I really need to hit the grocery store this weekend) in my fridge and cabinets and my health. I am feeling very blessed, so much so that I even donated today to Teen Challenge., it felt good to drop some money in their bucket this morning on my way to work.
and age is really just a number, I don't feel older or different.
Because it IS my Birthday and I can do what I WANT..
I am giving away a $20.00 gift certificate to Close to My Heart.
Click Here to like, and share the photo on Facebook.
Oh a happy birthday to you Heather! Congrats on making it through another year and thanks for continuing to blog and inspire us all! Even though your birthday isn't a big deal for you I do hope your teenagers pause and reflect on how much they appreciate all you do...and maybe even bake or buy you a cake!!! Off to share this on FB and hope your day was happy!
Happy Birthday to you! I hope it was a very special day!
Heather, I hope your day was special, even if not a big party!! I find that every year that goes by is one in which I am more grateful for good health, family and friends. Even if no one else spoils you, you can always spoil yourself you know!! Happy birthday! Posted on FB!


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Home World May Expected to Request Brexit Delay as U.K. Government Remains in Crisis
May Expected to Request Brexit Delay as U.K. Government Remains in Crisis
LONDON — The chaos and dysfunction of the British government were on full display on Wednesday, with Prime Minister Theresa May preparing to request a short delay to Britain's departure from the European Union after a bitter dispute in her cabinet over her plan for a lengthier extension.
The deadlock in the cabinet underscored the political crisis gripping the government as the deadline for Britain's withdrawal from the bloc draws ever closer. Even Mrs. May's spokesman acknowledged as much, saying the prime minister had warned this could happen if her Brexit plan were rejected.
Mrs. May was expected to forge ahead, writing a letter to European Union leaders asking for an extension to the Article 50 negotiating process. Exactly what she will ask for is still unconfirmed, though on Wednesday her officials were not denying widespread reports that she would request only a short delay, perhaps to June 30. That raises the prospect that Britain could still suffer a disorderly departure in the summer.
The prospect of any delay to Brexit, as Britain's departure from the bloc is known, is a broad and humiliating reversal for Mrs. May. It is sure to infuriate many members of her Conservative Party, most of whom support leaving the European Union with no deal if necessary, and to reaffirm the cynicism, rampant among many of the 17.4 million Britons who voted to leave, that the elites in London would never let them have their way.
Her decision to ask only for a brief extension was sharply criticized by the opposition Labour Party.
"Theresa May is desperate once again to impose a binary choice between her deal and no deal despite Parliament clearly ruling out both of those options last week," the shadow secretary for Brexit, Keir Starmer, said in a statement. "What the government should be doing is showing real leadership, making good on their commitment to break the deadlock and secure an extension with a genuine purpose."
Limiting the request to a short delay is the latest in a series of political gyrations from Mrs. May. Last week she said that, if Parliament failed to vote swiftly for her plans — which have been rejected twice — then Britain would face a lengthy delay and have to take part in European elections in May.
It was that prospect that triggered a rebellion from Brexit supporters in her cabinet on Tuesday, and reports of resignation threats, that appear to have prompted another retreat. A short delay would keep alive hopes among hard-line Brexit supporters in Parliament, who want to leave without any agreement, and they will be under little pressure to approve Mrs. May's deal.
Though the political paralysis over Brexit is in Parliament, the decision on whether to grant the delay lies with the European Union, whose leaders had been expected to agree to some sort of extra time when they gather in Brussels on Thursday. But that could now be in doubt.
Speaking to the German radio station Deutschlandfunk on Wednesday, Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission, said that any decision by the European Union might have to be postponed until the end of next week, after fresh votes in Parliament. That could be on the eve of Britain's departure, scheduled for March 29.
An extension could come with conditions, and European leaders stressed on Tuesday that they want to see some form of strategy in place to resolve the crisis. They worry that three months is not sufficient for Mrs. May to achieve success, and that she will be back to request another delay in the summer. That would be hard for them to accommodate for legal reasons, because Britain would not have participated in European elections.
Since becoming prime minister in 2016, Mrs. May's overriding objective has been to extricate Britain from the bloc while maintaining the unity of her Conservative Party.
By beginning the negotiations in March 2017, she committed herself to an exit by March 29, 2019, within the two years dictated by the bloc's rules, either with or without an agreement — a promise that critics have pounced on as one of her many misjudgments.
She has largely failed in that mission, and the underlying political problem for Mrs. May remains unresolved. There is no majority in Parliament for any approach other than a "soft" Brexit, with Britain staying in the bloc's customs union and close to its single market. But that would require cross-party cooperation and would surely rip apart the Tories.
On the other hand, if a hard-liner like the former foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, should supplant Mrs. May, that would just as surely prompt widespread resignations and defections among pro-European Conservatives.
Mrs. May is hoping she can still salvage something from the wreckage of her Brexit negotiations by making the delay a short one. Extra time would at least stave off the prospect of a disorderly, economically costly Brexit with no deal next week, which Parliament has made clear it wants to avoid.
Continental economies would be hit too, if not as severely as Britain's, by a departure without a deal, so European Union leaders are unlikely to rebuff Mrs. May completely. But their patience is being sorely tested.
Mrs. May is likely to try to return to Parliament next week and stage another vote on her deal, even though it has been rejected twice by lawmakers by large margins.
Her plan would give Britain power over immigration from Europe at some point, but would tie the country to the European Union's customs and trade rules until the end of 2020.
On Monday, the speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, said the prime minister could not put her deal to a third vote this week, citing parliamentary rules devised in 1604 to prohibit multiple votes on the same proposition.
Depending on what the talks with the European Union yield, Mrs. May could return with a changed proposition by next week, making it harder for Mr. Bercow to block another effort by Mrs. May to get a vote in Parliament.
If her deal is rejected again by lawmakers, Mrs. May could be forced to change tack, and perhaps allow Parliament to consider other options, like keeping closer economic ties to the European Union.
Mrs. May, nothing if not stubborn, is not giving up on her unpopular blueprint for Brexit. Indeed, she excels at buying more time, and a delay would give her at least a couple of more weeks to resolve the crisis before another critical deadline kicks in.
Like most everything else with Brexit, the process of requesting and granting an extension is no simple matter, which helps explain why it created such bitter divisions in the cabinet on Tuesday.
For legal reasons, a delay beyond the end of June would be likely to require Britain to participate in elections to the next European Parliament, making a mockery of British plans to leave the bloc.
But as another legal matter, a decision on whether to stage the elections — and effectively to go for a longer delay — must be made during the second week of April. The Brexiteers want to use the upcoming European elections as a sort of backstop, to borrow a phrase, to force Britain to leave, since it would be legally problematic to remain in the bloc without representatives in the European Parliament.
If a long delay is awkward for Britain, it is not straightforward for the European Union either. It would mean the British enjoy the full rights of membership despite their efforts to leave the club.
In that event, European officials are concerned that Britain might try to use its power to paralyze the bloc's other business as leverage to extract more concessions on its exit deal.
Such considerations are likely to be weighed when leaders of all 27 other European Union countries discuss the delay plan on Thursday — without Mrs. May.
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Home » U.S. whole wheat flour production dips in quarter
U.S. whole wheat flour production dips in quarter
By Josh Sosland
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S. — Production of whole wheat flour in January-March 2018 totaled 5.711 million cwts, down 89,000 cwts, or 1.5%, from the first quarter of 2017, according to figures published May 1 by the National Agricultural Statistics Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
First-quarter production was larger than 5.515 million cwts of whole wheat flour milled in the first quarter of 2016 but was smaller than 6.122 million cwts in 2015.
Whole wheat flour production was slightly smaller than 5.737 million cwts in the fourth quarter of 2017.
Whole wheat accounted for 5.4% of all U.S. flour production in the first quarter. For the last five quarters, whole wheat's share of U.S. flour production has held within a range of 5.1% to 5.5%.
Whole wheat semolina production in the first quarter was 179,000 cwts, up 13,000 cwts, or 7.8%, from 166,000 cwts in the same period last year. Whole wheat semolina production was up sharply — 47% — from 122,000 cwts in the fourth quarter last year but fell shy of 194,000 cwts in the third quarter last year.
Whole wheat semolina accounted for 2.2% of semolina production in the first quarter, a small increase from 2.1% in the same period of 2017.
Whole wheat flour production excluding semolina was 5.532 million cwts in the first quarter, down 1.8% from 5.634 million cwts in the first quarter of 2017. The share of whole wheat flour, ex-semolina, in the first quarter was 5.7%, up from 5.6% in the same period a year earlier.
Business Commodities flour
Third-quarter U.S. whole wheat flour production down 7%
U.S. whole wheat flour outturn rebounds in first quarter
U.S. whole wheat flour outturn up 3% in second quarter
U.S. whole wheat flour down slightly in third quarter
U.S. whole wheat flour production down in 2016
IBIE 2019