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The Desolate Era - Book 9, Chapter 14 - Return to Serpentwing Lake
The Desolate Era
Book 9, Chapter 14 - Return to Serpentwing Lake
"Not good." Shui Yi was secretly shocked; he could sense that both the fur-clad youth and the white-robed steward by his side both posed a serious threat to him.
This sensation came from the killing intent that filled the hearts of Ning and Uncle White. Shui Yi could sense it, and thus his heart was filled with dread.
"I am Shui Yi. Given that the two of you have stopped me, I imagine that you already know who I am." Shui Yi looked at the two of them. "I imagine that you two also expected that I would hurry back here from the distant Dong clan. Our Shui tribe is a small one, and it isn't overly ambitious; if there's anything you want, just go ahead and tell me. As long as I can accomplish it…naturally, I won't decline."
His words were simple, but at the same time, he not only issued a threat via his backers, the Dong clan, he also assumed a humble attitude. In an ordinary power struggle, this would be enough for the two sides to enter a negotiation. However…this wasn't a power struggle. This was revenge!
"I want you…" Ning suddenly moved as he executed the Windwing Evasion, and a flashing sword-light stabbed directly through Shui Yi's chest. Shui Yi wanted to dodge, and in fact, he even sent a few flying swords in front of him, but the difference in power between them was too great…in terms of power or in terms of the Dao, the difference was too great. In a single exchange, Shui Yi's chest was pierced through.
"You…you!" Shui Yi stared. His flying swords fell down from midair, and multiple magic treasures spilled out next to him. Although his storage-type magic treasure remained with him, it was now an ownerless item, because his Zifu had been completely destroyed.
"You destroyed my Zifu…" Shui Yi couldn't believe it.
"I'll take these." Ning waved his hand, collecting all of the magic treasures, then turned to stare coldly at Shui Yi. Although his Zifu had been destroyed, Shui Yi still stood there in midair, not sinking down at all…because an enormous Waterflame Lotus had bloomed beneath him, and Shui Yi was standing right on top of it, at its center. The lotus wasn't swiveling; naturally, it contained no killing power.
"Why did you destroy my Zifu. I…I don't even know you." Shui Yi was stupefied. This sudden calamity was beyond his ability to comprehend. "Who exactly are you? Who are you!!!" Shui Yi's face began to twist and distort. With his Zifu destroyed, his Immortal path had been severed; he would have no more hopes for advancement.
"Shui Yi, do you recognize me?" The nearby Uncle White transformed into mist, and then reformed into a snowy white dog.
"A Godbeast, Whitewater Hound?" When Shui Yi saw it, memories from twenty-plus years ago suddenly flooded his mind. These were memories from back when he followed young master Dong Seven. Back then, he had done all sorts of dastardly deeds with Dong Seven, but he had been completely fearless, because the young master would be able to deal with any repercussions. That truly was an enjoyable period of time for him.
Back then, he and Yu Dong had received orders to go capture a woman…but that woman's elder brother and husband had used forbidden arts, frantically trying to block them. At that time, a snowy white dog had carried the woman away and fled.
"You…you are that Whitewater Hound?" Shui Yi looked at Ji Ning. "And you, you are…?"
"Those people you acted against were my uncle, my father, and my mother!" Ning stared at him, the cold look in his eyes causing Shui Yi's heart to tremble.
"You are that child the woman was pregnant with?" Shui Yi stared. Good heavens. It was only twenty or so years. The child that woman was pregnant with had become this powerful? Could it be that the woman was pregnant with a reincarnated Immortal?
"Hmph." With but a thought, Ning sent the elemental ki surging from his body, forming into a glowing rune that appeared in front of him. It was the Heartburner Art. The shining runic seal instantly merged into Shui Yi's body.
"Enjoy this," Ning said with cold emotionlessness. Shui Yi instantly let out an agonized scream. His flesh and his bones began to twist and distort, and his skin turned completely red. The agony was causing him to scream in pain.
"Kill me, kill me!" Heartrending roars rang out from Shui Yi's mouth, but Ning just watched him calmly. "KILL ME!" Shui Yi bellowed. "Make it clean and fast!"
"Clean and fast? If I granted you your wish, who would come and grant me mine? Can you let my parents come back to life? Let my uncle come back to life?" Ning stared at him coldly. Shui Yi's flesh was beginning to char, and his eyes had turned completely red. This was hell itself.
"I curse you, I curse you. You'll die a miserable death, a miserable death!" Utterly agonized, Shui Yi stared death at Ning, filled with a towering rage.
Crackle, crackle, crackle…his body began to actually flicker with flames as it began to burn…
Ning produced the incense burner magic treasure. "In you go!" A soul was directly absorbed into the incense burner, then was corroded and destroyed. Ning then waved his hand, collecting all of the magic treasures that remained in the surrounding area.
Ning, previously incomparably icy, suddenly turned calm. Only, a very complicated look remained in his eyes. "Two are dead," Ning said softly.
"Ning, son, your father and your mother never would have imagined that two out of the three culprits would have died in your hands so quickly." Uncle White stood there to one side, gently patting Ning on the shoulders. "If they knew, they would definitely feel very gratified."
"The last one, Dong Seven, remains. However, he's at Snowdragon Mountain. That's the headquarters of a school; even Loose Immortals would be cautious about charging into it. I have no chance at all, right now," Ning said softly. "I'll wait. I'll let Dong Seven live for a bit longer, but when the time comes, I'll destroy his soul as well!"
Revenge. Naturally, he wouldn't give them a chance at all. These enemies were all Immortal cultivators with extremely powerful souls. Generally speaking, after they died and went to the Netherworld Kingdom, they could cooperate and become ghost soldiers, and eventually train to become Ghost Immortals. Ning wouldn't permit this to occur.
"Let's go. The others have been waiting quite a while," Uncle White said. Ning turned his head and saw the distant Mu Northson and Little Qing. They clearly didn't want to disturb Ning as he was taking revenge, and so simply had watched from far away.
"Right. It's time to go back." Next, Ning released Shui Tianyi. They were no grudges between them; given Ning's proud disposition, he wouldn't stoop to massacring this man. However, with Shui Yi's death, in the future, the entire Shui clan would definitely begin to decay.
At the Crimson Dragon Mountains, the headquarters of the Raindragon Guard, not too far away from Stillwater City.
Ning and Northson both handed in their missions. "With these ten karmic points, we'll have a hundred years of leisure." Northson looked towards Ning. "Senior apprentice-brother, where are you planning to go?"
"I plan to go home," Ning said. "I will probably stay permanently at Serpentwing Lake in my homeland, Swallow Mountain. I'll occasionally go out and do some adventuring, but most of the time, I'll be staying at Swallow Mountain."
That place was his home.
That place had the people he was most familiar with.
That place had the underwater estate which would be of great use to him.
And similarly…it had been a long, long time since he had drifted about on a small boat on Serpentwing Lake, and enjoyed that feeling, that truly warm sensation, of being in the embrace of his father and his mother. He missed that sort of feeling.
"Back to Serpentwing Lake?" Northson paused for a moment, then said, "Senior apprentice-brother, then I'll part with you for a time. I want to focus on analyzing the Dao of Constructs…I am going to return to the school. My master has reached an extremely deep level of understanding regarding the Dao of Constructs, and being with her is of great help to me. In addition, Master is close to the end of her life; I want to spend some time with her."
Ning could sense that this junior apprentice-brother of his truly viewed Daoist Jadefine with affection, almost like the affection a son felt for a mother. After all, his actual mother had long since passed away.
"Alright." Ning nodded. "Let's split up for now. If you are free in the future, you can come to Serpentwing Lake of Swallow Mountain."
"Right. When the time comes, I'll definitely go to visit you, senior apprentice-brother," Northson said with a nod. And then, Northson rode his dragon-headed warship into the skies, flying straight towards Stillwater City.
As for Ning, he just watched as his junior apprentice-brother left. Then, he turned to Little Qing and Uncle White. "Let's go." They walked towards the Crimson Dragon Mountain's teleportation array. This place was rather far away from Swallow Mountain, and going through the array would be somewhat faster.
Swallow Mountain. The mountains were the same mountains; the water was the same water. A ship was soaring through its skies, and aboard it was a fur-clad youth, a large, snowy white hound, and also a little azure snake, the latest addition to the party.
"We're back." As Ning stared at the sight of his homeland, he revealed a hint of a smile on his face. "When I left, it was winter, and white snow covered the entire place. Upon my return…it is still the cold winter."
When he had left the Black-White College and joined the Raindragon Guard, it had been the middle of summer. However, after the trials at the wild marshes of the Gaol Mountains, the pursuit of criminal suspects, and the killing of Yu Dong and Shui Yi, it was already the middle of winter. The ground below was covered with silver-white decorations of snow. Swallow Mountain was a cold place to begin with, and in the winter, it was almost completely covered in snow. When Ning was born, the world was covered in snow as well.
"Serpentwing Lake." The Whitewater Hound suddenly spoke in the human tongue. "We're here." Ning, too, stared at the vast Serpentwing Lake. Although snow had built up on the banks of the lake, the waters of the seemingly endless lake continued to flow forth in waves. A lake of this size…even in the coldest of temperatures, it would very rarely be completely frozen over.
"Serpentwing Lake." Upon seeing the lake, Ning felt a surge of warmth. His mother's ashes…his father's ashes…they had all been sprinkled into the waters of this lake. The boat drifted downwards from the skies, landing in the middle of the lake.
"Father. Mother." Ning looked towards the lake, then revealed a smile. "I'm back. Of our three enemies, your son was only strong enough to kill two of them for now. One of them is awaiting his turn. He, too, will die."
"Uncle White. I'm going to sleep for a time," Ning said. The Whitewater Hound nodded. Ning then lay down on the boat, feeling incomparably relaxed and comfortable. The boat drifted atop the surface of the lake. It felt so very wonderful, far more so than sleeping on a bed. The gentle rocking movements of the boat stop the waters of the lake…it felt like how, when he was an infant, his mother had constantly cradled him in her arms.
The boat slowly rocked forward, a Whitewater Hound lying on one side of it, and with a little azure serpent wrapped around Ning's wrist, snuggly nestled against him.
Slowly, the boat floated towards the center, towards Brightheart Island.
Sundown. Only now did the boat draw close to the shores of Brightheart Island. Ning could sense the auras of the many people living on the island, and he naturally rose to his feet. As he rose to his feet, he saw the distant snowbanks, and a white-robed woman standing within them, staring towards him, unable to disguise the tears within her eyes.
"Autumn Leaf!" Ji Ning revealed a smile on his face. "I'm back."
Super God Gene
Moon's Labyrinth
The Second Coming of Gluttony


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Health, Medical, Nutrition
July 26, 2016 Oliver Hobdon
The South African Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions (SAACAPAP) was proud to host the first IACAPAP World Congress to be held on the African continent, and doubly proud to have done so during the term of office of the first African President of IACAPAP, Olayinka Omigbodun, Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
The International Convention Centre in Durban is one of the most advanced conference facilities in the world. Durban, capital of the province of KwaZulu Natal, is South Africa's premier holiday destination. The subtropical climate and warm Indian Ocean mean all-year-round swimming and outdoor activities. Several game parks are only a few hours' drive to the north, and the majestic Drakensberg mountain range, with its holiday hotels and scenic hikes, is only a few hours' drive to the west.
Let's begin by clearing up the misconceptions that exist for many people about the differences between a psychiatrist and a psychologist. It's not uncommon for people to be confused between these two professions. A psychologist has a degree in In the study of the human mind and behavior, whereas psychiatrists have graduated as doctors from medical school and have completed their internship and residency. Psychiatrists are qualified to prescribe medication for their patients whereas psychologists are not. The two both work in the same areas of treatment and often refer patients to each other.
Poverty, unemployment and a history of violence and discrimination in the country are all factors that contribute to an unstable environment for children and youth to flourish mentally and emotionally in South Africa. In poor communities, it is not uncommon for children to neglected and abused by their caregivers.
The Red Cross War Memorial Children's hospital in Cape Town is the only medical institution in South Africa which is entirely dedicated to the physical and psychological well being of children.
Early in 1964, psychiatrist, Dr Vera Buhrmann, founded the Child and Adolescent outpatient unit at the Red Cross hospital, meeting an urgent need for psychiatric care for children and adolescents in the community. The unit was permanently busy and grew from strength to strength and just over ten years later a dedicated facility was established in a converted residential premises nearby. The new facility comprised a much larger staff, including three child psychiatrists catering for seriously damaged children by means of their out patient program. In late 1978, DCAP, or the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry found its home at the Sawkins Rd establishment in Rondebosch, Cape Town.
DCAP has helped tens of thousands of children and adolescents since its inception and humble beginnings. With the help of government grants and generous donations from generous sponsors, the facility has become the country's leading specialist center for psychologically disturbed children and adolescents.
AdolescentsConferencePsychiatry
Medical, Psychology
October 24, 2016 Zodwa Ngisi
Recent research in the United States showed that the abuse of alcohol and illegal drugs costs the state over $700 billion annually in related crime, lost productivity and healthcare. More and more people are travelling from abroad to drug rehabilitation centres in Cape Town, like Ixande. Why Cape Town ? Why South Africa you might ask ? Let us not forget that Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town is where the first successful and historic heart transplant was performed on December 3rd 1967 by Dr Christiaan Barnard. South Africa has medical facilities that are on par with some of the finest in the world. The University of Cape Town and Stellenbosch University also provide world class training for those entering the medical profession.
In recent years there has been a rise in the number of drug rehabilitation centres in Cape Town. There are several reasons for this. Cape Town is one of the world's most beautiful cities. It's flanked by the Indian ocean on the right and the Atlantic ocean on the left, and home to to the majestic Table Mountain. Cape Town is surrounded by mountains teaming with wildlife and a rich diversity of flora and fauna. So from an aesthetic point of view, Cape Town is a beautiful and healthy environment from where one could begin building a cleaner and better life. Cape Town is also home to some the worlds most renowned drug addiction experts that have pioneered certain approaches and treatment methods. Lastly there are the financial considerations to take into account. The costs involved in being admitted into a decent drug rehabilitation centre are quite high. Not all medical aid plans and schemes will cover the costs of treatment for addiction. The debate continues as to whether addiction is a disease or a choice. The medical aid schemes that do allow for such drug rehabilitation treatments will often only cover the costs for a limited period of time. The cost of drug rehabilitation in Cape Town and South Africa in general are already much lower than in other first world countries like the United Kingdom and Holland. The currency exchange rates between these countries make the costs of being admitted into one these drug rehabs far more affordable and as a result many of the clients that are attended to by Ixande and other drug rehabilitation centres are from the United Kingdom, Holland and the USA. Research has also shown that by removing the person suffering from addiction from the toxic environment in which they have learned to thrive on drugs, and relocating them somewhere completely removed from that environment is beneficial in jump starting their recovery process.
Ixande drug addiction rehabilitation centre in Cape Town has an excellent track record in assisting both local clients and clients from abroad in learning to manage and recover from their addiction. Ixande deals with clients suffering from cocaine addiction, crack addiction, marijuana or weed addiction, heroin addiction, prescription medications, tik or crystal meth addiction and GHB addiction. There are many other legal and illegal drugs that people with addictive tendencies can become addicted to, but the therapeutic approach to helping these people is quite similar. Ixande has a team of respected and experienced medical professionals with a history in addiction treatment. Ixande also assist their clients with integration into a 12 Step Fellowship like Narcotics anonymous which has proven to be tremendously successful worldwide in providing recovering addicts with a support system.
AddictionCape Town
Cape Town, Health, Medical
September 6, 2016 Zodwa Ngisi
Dealing children and adolescents and their psychiatric problems, we can make progress with regular contact with our patients, developing trust between ourselves and the youngsters and allowing them to feel unashamedly honest. We gradually make progress with these kids, identifying issues as the therapeutic process moves forward. It is common to identify some patients who exhibit bipolar or borderline personality disorders.
Unfortunately once these youngster grow up, many of them are tempted by pier groups and society to try alcohol and substances. In fact it is well know that many people who suffer from substance addiction are in fact undiagnosed bipolar, adhd or borderline personalities that have been trying find relief through self medicating themselves with narcotics or prescription drugs. Without intervention these youths will continue with their use of substances as means of trying to feel better. What many of the youngsters fail to understand is the risk they are taking by using illegal street drugs if they are already taking some form of prescription medication for a psychiatric disorder. The combination of the two will either make the psychiatric symptoms worse, or nullify the effects of the prescribed medication. Invariably these youngster, if they are lucky, will end up in a rehabiliation centre to help them get a better understanding of why they are drawn to escapism of drug or alcohol abuse. Most medical aid schemes will only cover the basic twenty eight day treatment program that just touches the surface of begining a new life in recovery, free of the urge to self medicate. The first few weeks after a patients leaves a drug rehabilitation centre or psychiatric centre are critical to the success of that patients recovery. Many patients have no choice to return to abusive homes with alcoholic parents, siblings who use drugs at home in neighbourhoods that overlook this behaviour. There are a few other options. Over the past few years, more and more "sober houses" have been started. A sober living house, is a safe house where someone who is comitted to staying abstinent and maintaing their recovery can go an live for a period of time until they are well adjusted to sober live. Scotswood Sober House Cape Town is one such sober house in Cape Town. The facility was recently set up to cater for people leaving treatment centres that require a safe and substance free environment that will encourage and motivate them to continue forward on their recovery path. Typically, a sober house will have a communal kitchen, weekly meetings of the residents, an on site counsellor, cooked meals and a healthy routine that encourages participation of the residents. Scotswood offers all of this and more. It has WiFi, beautiful gardens, the house is serviced three times a week and there is also a lovely swimming pool and safe off street parking for residents. It might be new, but Scotswood is certainly one of the nicest sober houses in Cape Town. It is strongly urged that if you are leaving a treatment facility or psychiatric facility and are concerned about the home environment that you are returning to, that you consider a sober house in Cape Town, and put your recovery first.
AdolescentsPsychologists
Health, Medical, Professional Services
Swizzle Stick Manufacturer Supports Child Psychiatry
August 3, 2016 Zodwa Ngisi
The children of Southern Africa can never get enough support from generous donors and sponsors concerned with the psychiatric well being and health of children and adolescents in the region. Recently, local Cape Town business, The Sugar Crystal Company showed it's support for the psychiatric centers that cater to the needs of emotionally disturbed children and adolescents in the Cape Metropolitan area. The company is based in the Montague Gardens industrial area and is involved in the rather unique process of manufacturing sugar swizzle sticks in South Africa. The business came into existence thirteen years ago, realizing that there was a gap in this niche market. After pioneering a secret process for mass producing rock candy and sugar swizzle sticks using state of the art equipment the company began expanding into the international export market. The business has grown to almost three times it's original size in the past ten years, much of this owed to the hard work of partners Richard Morris and Gary Clarke. There were many times in the beginning when it looked like the end of the road, but somehow they managed to persevere and pull through the rough times. After beginning with standard natural flavored sugar swizzle sticks in a clear and amber (brown sugar) color range the company started expanding and diversifying its product range. The initial natural flavored swizzle stick range was aimed at the hospitality industry, hotels, coffee shops and restaurants. The new product range was quite different in that it was a flavored swizzle stick that was available in thirteen colors and flavors.
After focusing on the perfecting their formula and refining their manufacturing process, the South African company opened the sugar swizzle stick online store which enables customers to order their swizzle sticks and rock candy online via the website.
The Sugar Crystal Company has been extremely generous of its support of the child psychiatry services in Cape Town and outlying areas. Not only have they shown their interest in giving back to the local community by backing the local child psychiatry initiatives, but the company has also been involved in many other community development projects which aim to empower women in the communities. Next time you may stir your cup of coffee or tea with a sugar swizzle stick, think of the Sugar Crystal company and its commitment to improving the conditions of children through access to psychiatry.
The company currently employs over fifty African women, most of them mothers with children that depend on them for basic needs.
ChildrenRecommendedSponsors
Cape Town, Health, Medical, Professional Services, Resources
Drug Rehabilitation Centres in Cape Town
July 30, 2016 Zodwa Ngisi
Children and adolescents in Cape Town and South Africa are not only psychologically damaged by the immediate negative conditions in their homes and communities, but also through the widespread abuse of drugs and alcohol by family members and community members. In some cases the children and adolescents themselves have already begun to experiment with drugs and harmful substances, perhaps in an attempt to self medicate the pre-existing psychological traumas they experience. People who suffer from addiction in what ever for it may manifest itself (alcohol, drugs, gambling, sex addiction, eating disorders) all show similar symptoms of addiction. That is the compulsive repeating of a behavior which promises reward, but ultimately destroys the addict. The addict is unable to stop repeating this cycle, regardless of the evidence to show that it is harmful to them and those close to them. The addict remains compelled to get that next drink, or next fix, even though they can see that their lives are falling apart, jobs lost, families torn apart.
Fortunately Cape Town is one of the leading cities in world when it comes to facilities geared towards and dedicated towards treating suffering addicts. The number of facilities offering treatment to those suffering from substance abuse has increased dramatically over the past few years. However not all the centres offer the same quality of service or specialize in the same fields. Pricing also varies a great deal from one treatment centre to the next.
A Cape Town, web based business called Rehab-Search.directory has started an online portal where a user could easily find detailed information, for example about drug rehabilitation centres in Cape Town. Using the Rehab-Search.directory website, an addict looking for the best treatment for themselves, or a family member trying to find the treatment centre most suited to their loved one, is able to navigate the comprehensive directory which lists only the best addiction treatment facilities and drug rehabilitation centres. Rehab-Search.directory makes it easier for the person searching for help to find the centre which is best equipped to deal with their specific form of addiction or disorder. The website has a fresh clean layout and is simple to navigate. Whether you're looking for centres that specialize in addiction, behavioral health, specialty centres dealing with ADHD and OCD, Eating Disorder Centres, Healing Centres, Integrative Health Centres or Halfway Houses and Sober Living Facilities, Rehab-Search.directory has got you covered. They can also offer you assistance in finding the best Multi-professional Counseling Centres, Multi-professional Psychological Groups, Outpatient Rehab Programs, Psychiatric Clinics and Testing Services.
Taking that first step and reaching out, asking for help can be scary and quite daunting. Rehab-Search.directory has made it extremely easy to find the right service for you or your loved one by placing all of the best facilities available in one easy to find directory. The facilities are then carefully categorized into their various areas of proficiency to make your search even easier.
healthSponsors

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Als Sidecar oder seltener auch in deutsch Beiwagen wird im Rückversicherungsbereich eine Zweckgesellschaft bezeichnet, über die sich Investoren an einem vorher definierten Versicherungsportfolio beteiligen können.

Hintergrund
Mittels Verbriefung können Rückversicherer Risiken und Renditen von Portfolien von Versicherungsverträgen an den Kapitalmarkt bringen, hierzu hat sich seit den 1980er Jahren ein Markt entwickelt. Während bei der sog. primären Securitization eine direkte Emission stattfindet, wird bei der sekundären Securitization über Zweckgesellschaften vorgegangen. Standen bis zur Jahrtausendwende Retrozessionen innerhalb der Rückversicheurngsbranche Im Fokus bei der Suche nach Kapazität, gewannen seither entsprechende Konstrukte deutlich an Bedeutung. Im Gegensatz zur Versicherungsverbriefung über Anleihen, die als Fremdfinanzierung zum Fremdkapital gehören, erfolgt bei Sidecars eine Eigenkapitalinvestition durch die Anleger. Der Durchbruch von Sidecars kam nach dem Hurrikan Katrina.

Im Falle von Sidecars sammeln die Zweckgesellschaften in der Regel Kapital von institutionellen Investoren wie Private-Equity-Gesellschaften ein, um mit dieser Kapitalbasis als Rückversicherer für einen vorab fest definierten Portfolioausschnitt des das Sidecar initiierenden Rückversicherers aufzutreten. In der Folge partizipieren die Anleger an Risiko und Rendite, die sich aus diesem Geschäftsbuch ergeben. Häufig erfolgt dabei eine quotale Teilung des Risikos zwischen dem Rückversicherer und dem Sidecar, das in der Regel keine eigene Underwritingabteilung besitzt. Die Auszahlung folgt der vertraglichen Ausgestaltung zwischen der Rückversicherung und der Zweckgesellschaft und ist maßgeblich vom Verlust eines bestimmten Schadenereignisses abhängig, oftmals bezieht sich dieses bei Sidecarstransaktionen auf Großschaden- oder Katastrophenereignisse.

Weblinks
 Sidecar im Lexikon von versicherungsmagazin.de
 Umfangreiche Übersicht von Sidecars bei artemis.bm

Einzelnachweise

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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Here is a quick short bio, professionally written in the 3rd person. Francesco is Pipeline TD and Producer at Blender Animation Studio.
After earning a BA in Industrial Design in Italy, Francesco spend some time freelancing as a CGI generalist in Switzerland, Germany and Italy. After that he worked as compositor and animator on Tears of Steel (codename Project Mango), the fourth Open Movie Project realized by Blender Institute. After that he remained involved with the Blender project for several years as Production Coordinator.


I am in colorado and I'm bored [....] please send me lengthy updates on your lives, situations, problems, joys, sorrows, aspirations, favorite kinds of cheese (melted and non-melted), etc.
btw you're not off the hook for emailing me a rundown of your life and favorite types of cheese, ESPECIALLY the cheese thing because I got a $25 gift certificate to a famous cheese store for christmas.
I like British cheeses a lot, especially Cotswold and Double Glouchester (which are almost completely the same, see below), but find that the American versions are often too snooty for my taste. Here's the problem: European cheese manufacturers feel that the equivalent to Kroger cheddar isn't good enough to export, so the only stuff they send to America is Snooty-McSnootSnoot Super-Sharp Double Cheddar, which is a bummer, because sometimes the less sharp & lower quality stuff (esp Dbl Gl.) is better tasting.
If I'm remembering correctly, I don't like this one because it's moist and flaky. Moist–yech.
This used to be my favorite cheese after my first visit to England. It's since been replaced by its cousin, Cotswold (though I've also become less definitive about my favorite after not having much luck finding good Cotswold in Boston). It's a creamy cheese like Cheddar with just a bit more richness and is rarely made as sharp as cheddar.
Cotswold is just Double Glouchester with chopped onions and chives incorporated into the cheese. I find this cuts through the creamyness of the base, providing a nice juxtaposition that is easier to eat more of without getting overwhelmed; think straight peanut butter versus peanut butter cut with jelly. Cotswold makes a magnificent sandwhich cheese but doesn't melt particularly well.
I'll agree with most people and say that I find French cheese the best on average in the world. I used to not enjoy some of the softer cheese and some of the stinky cheeses, but have come to appreciate both types, and in so doing, greatly increase my appreciation of French cheese.
The story goes that Peter got addicted to Brie when he and my parents bicycled through Brittany in the early 80s. He's certainly the one who pushed me to start trying this stuff enough to like it. In that, I consider it a bit of an aquired taste, like coffee or beer. If you sort of like these cheeses but not completely, try experimenting with cooling the brie before eating it–it'll take most of the runniness away. Once you're cool, let it get warmer and warmer to appreciate more of the beautiful flavor. Brie, of course, is the perfect pair with good baguette.
You know about American cheeses, so I'm not going to bore you with a further description here.
Parmesean is the only Italian cheese that I can really pretend to have any familiarity with. E and I use it quite liberally in cooking now that we have discovered that spending more upfront on the real, good stuff, is worth it. Because it's such a hard cheese, blocks of this keep in the fridge for months.
Gruyere has a nutty, partly swiss-like flavor. It's strong flavor characteristics and harder texture make it the perfect cooking cheese, and that's why it's the standard for Chicken Cordon Bleu and a good melted ham and cheese sandwhich.
Another swiss-like cheese that's just a bit more refined. Perfect for crackers.
Havarti is a perennial favorite snooty-yet-still-likeable cheese that often shows up at cheesy functions, and for good reason: it's subtle flavor and creamy texture will win over everyone's hearts while the lacy structure crushes their hopes and dreams–perfect party cheese.
I like good goat cheese, but usually in moderation or paired with a food (pears can actually be quite good with it, for example). The texture is, of course, quite different from a cow's milk cheese and I don't always like the tangyness/bitterness of some goat cheeses.
Well, I hope that provides some utility. I'll try to update it if anybody leaves comments below or I think of more things.
You are currently browsing the Keith's Blog blog archives for December, 2005.


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Bobbi is a physician assistant who provides patient care services in a clinic setting, hospital and first assist. She is a graduate of the University of South Dakota Physician Assistant Studies Program and is certified through the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants. She has over 13 years experience as a physician assistant. She is trained in Coolsculpting, cosmetic laser treatments, Botox, Juvederm fillers, laser tattoo removal and deep chemical peels.
Dr. Robert Schutz is a board-certified plastic surgeon in Rapid City, SD, with more than 20 years of experience. He draws patients from areas such as Gillette, Wyoming, and Pierre and Spearfish, South Dakota, for cosmetic and reconstructive surgery procedures.
"My philosophy is to achieve a natural-looking result with every surgery and procedure. When it comes to facial rejuvenation and body contouring, I believe less can be more. I also believe the goal is to help patients look like younger versions of themselves while still retaining the facial characteristics that are uniquely theirs."
Dr. Mary Snyder is board certified by both the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. She performs cosmetic and reconstructive surgery for a patient base spanning from the Midwest to the Rockies.
Practicing in Rapid City, SD, Dr. Snyder is a highly trained and qualified plastic surgeon whose professional interests include breast reconstruction, breast enhancement, body contouring and facial reconstruction. She is dedicated to providing a personal approach and treatment plan for the women and men who visit her from areas near and far, including Montana, Nebraska and Rapid City, SD.


Things like datetime fields, text fields, and a few others, will need to be converted to valid Postgres types. The text type in Postgres is fantastic; use it. Datetime fields will probably need to be saved as timestamp fields in Postgres.
There are plenty of tools out there to help you. PGloader seems like a good tool, but I ended up using a ruby tool called sequel. If you've got Ruby installed, or are comfortable setting up a Ruby environment, I suggest going that route.
In this case, I was flabbergasted when I experienced how much easier it is to work with Ruby on FreeBSD (the target system) than Debian Linux (the server we were migrating the database away from). Another huge win for FreeBSD. However, these instructions should work with both Linux and FreeBSD (they're a tiny bit vague because package names will be different between different operating systems).
I've referenced setting up a Postgres user several times; here's a quick cheatsheet on how to do this.
That's it! I hope that helps someone else — it'll certainly help me when I need to do another import of a sqlite3 database to postgres in the future.
I am new at Linux and watched up to lesson 9 and read (partly) THE LINUX COMMAND LINE, by Shotts. I jumped in and got rid of Windows (GUI user) and now triple boot (Fedora, Ubuntu, and OpenSuse). I love it. I also jump ahead to parse watch videos and of course info and man all the time. Fedora is my go to OS mostly, because Ubuntu has a systemd intermittent failure. init 0 and poweroff and shutdown -h now will not work after a few hours of uptime. I work around by logging out and a hard re-boot at login to preserve file integrity. Great Videos and audio. I think the audio presentation by Professor Munger was enlightening. The audio should be re-mastered/ cleaned up and given to all politicians in our current age.


Home Combat Photographers Collection Wounded Marines being evacuated via rubber boat at the end of the pier.
Wounded Marines being evacuated via rubber boat at the end of the pier.
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2014 was a year I just sat back and let happen. I didn't make any goals, I didn't plan for anything big, and wow, what a year it turned out to be. We started the year by saying "so long" to sweet California, and the people that mean the most to us there. We celebrated three years of marriage and six years together. We spent a month in Utah surrounded by family, and then headed off on our biggest adventure yet, with Steven's career taking us to Tokyo in March. The Spring was all about adjusting to this new life, and country, surrounded by blossoming trees everywhere we looked. My words were published in the New Zealand parenting magazine OH! Baby, and all over the internet in April (what a wild and humbling experience!). We celebrated Steven's 24th birthday in May. In June, Steven worked his tail off, graduated ALS, and was promoted in his career. In July, we spent my 22nd birthday at Lake Sai, near Mount Fuji, and I had the privilege to start writing for Coffee + Crumbs. Anabel took her very first steps this month, started talking and signing more, and began telling us she was ready to potty train! In August, our sweet girl turned one with my mama in town, and we spent her day with swimming and coconut cake. We spent the rest of the summer in the Pacific and The East China Sea and all around our most beloved Okinawa. In the Autumn, we adventured all over Tokyo to see the most beautiful foliage. Steven traded road biking for BMX biking, and I slowly built up my photo business in our new home. Anabel was Mickey Mouse for Halloween, my parents joined us for Thanksgiving, and we spent a day at Tokyo Disney. Our winter came quickly after that. December was for celebrating Christmas with just us three, a tiny bit of snow, and a lot of sickness in and out of our home.
I leave 2014 with nothing but gratefulness. I leave it with a better sense of who I am, what I want, and a strength that I am proud to carry. 2014 was all about mistakes being made, lessons being learned, and trying our hardest to figure everything out together. I have no doubt that 2015 will bring us even more of the love and growth that we need; and I am just going to hang on tight and ride this ride trusting that whatever comes our way will come with a purpose.


The upper age limit of OBC/SC/ST is relaxable as per Govt. of India rules in vogue.
Maximum 5% relaxation in aggregate in the degree certificate only for SC/ST candidates, NCC 'C' certificate ( 'A' grade) holders, Sports person of National level(Inter State & above) and Wards of Coast Guard uniform personnel deceased while in service. No relaxation is applicable for 12th class marks.
Coast Guard reserves the right to fix the cut off percentage for issue of PSB call up letters. While short listing applications for call-up, priority will be given to candidates with higher percentage of marks in the degree.
Candidates to choose any one branch and any one examination Centre.
Only candidates who have cleared their final year/ final semester exams and completed their degrees are to apply. Appearing candidates/final semester result awaiting candidates are not eligible to apply for 01/2019 batch.
Free boarding & lodging facility for the duration of FSB will be provided. To & Fro travelling fares by AC III/Chair Car or actual normal bus fare by shortest route (only from the current or permanent address mentioned in e-admit card) to the candidates appearing first time in FSB(Stage-II) will be reimbursed on production of original tickets only. No TA will be paid to candidates appearing for the written qualifying test i.e. Stage-I (Preliminary Selection Board).
Date of opening online application will be : 19 May 2018 from 0001 Hrs.
Date of closing online application will be: 01 Jun 2018 up to 1700 Hrs.
DISCLAIMER. Information published in various News Papers is for guidelines only. In case of any ambiguity regarding eligibility criteria, date and time of examination and other procedures, the contents given in the Coast Guard recruitment website www.joinindiancoastguard.gov.in and published in Employment News will be final.


text:
Volunteers of CBC's Consumer Advisory Board Contribute to Better Health Outcomes
By: Robert Potter Coordinated Behavioral Care (CBC)
behavioral health, recovery, substance use disorder, technology, treatment, volunteer, Winter 2022 Issue, workforce development
Coordinated Behavioral Care (CBC) values the role of volunteers and cultivates opportunities to support active participation of volunteer members comprising its Consumer Advisory Board (CAB).
CBC was launched in 2011 by innovative NYC not-for-profit behavioral health organizations to meaningfully participate in NYS's Medicaid redesign and Value-Based Purchasing initiatives. In the following years, CBC developed a citywide Health Home, which is currently the largest of its type in NYC. CBC has launched effective gap-filling service programs for low-income New Yorkers that build on the expertise of its community-based service network. CBC "knits together" affiliated programs to holistically address individuals' treatment and recovery needs, while assessing community deficiencies and connecting individuals to needed support.
Robert Potter
CBC's CAB Charter states that members "provide feedback and voice an informed perspective on issues that impact the recovery, resiliency, and rights of persons with mental illness or substance use disorders in navigating the health care industry."
The CAB is comprised of a cross-section of volunteers from the CBC network (close to 70 agencies total) who identify as a consumer of behavioral health services, including Peers and Peer Specialists. CAB members contribute their skills, insights, and experience at monthly online meetings, and in turn, CBC uses CAB recommendations to improve care coordination practices and member-engaging supports. Meetings are co-facilitated by leadership from across CBC programs and departments.
Robert (Bob) Potter, Performance Manager at CBC and newly appointed CAB Chair, has volunteered at the National Alliance on Mental Illness of NYC (NAMI-NYC) as a leader of their peer-to-peer course and various support groups, as well as at other community-based and advocacy organizations. In a recent NAMI-NYC video, Bob shares that "NAMI-NYC programs have made a real difference in my life, starting from when I was first a participant, 15 years ago."
Thanks to CAB volunteer members' input, the CAB has completed several important projects including:
Extensive revisions to the Adult Health Home comprehensive assessment used with all members at intake and periodically thereafter, to include person-centered language and reflect greater member diversity. The revised assessment is now incorporated in the Health Information technology (HIT) platform used by CBC and several other Designated Lead Health Homes.
Identified barriers to online resources under quarantine and made available 60 pieces of computer equipment including used laptops, PCs, monitors, and keyboards for Health Home members' at-home learning, job development, and telehealth needs.
Contributed their lived experiences to CBC's Pathway Home™ research to reduce their members' hospital readmissions.
Reviewed member-facing brochures and materials to ensure person-centered services and full inclusion.
Provided valuable feedback on training topics for continued workforce development.
CAB Members Vanessa Brockman and Yuriy Schneiderman have participated in nearly all CAB meetings in 2021. Vanessa, Certified Peer Specialist at The Jewish Board, commented "Volunteering is wherever you turn, even if it is a little thing, doing something for which there is no pay, just the privilege of helping others." Yuriy, HARP Specialist at Interborough Developmental & Consultation Center (IDCC), also noted that "Volunteering on the CAB has broadened my horizons and enabled me to better assist people in need."
Robert Potter is a mental health professional working as Performance Manager at Coordinated Behavioral Care, a Lead Health Home. Prior to joining CBC in 2018, he worked as Data Analyst and Peer Supervisor with a CBC network Health Home Care Management Agency. He joined that agency in 2011, supporting direct care as a Peer Specialist with the CMA's SAMHSA-funded onsite integrated medicine clinic. He considers himself fortunate to pass along the support he received in his recovery from a mental health diagnosis, and as a volunteer at NAMI-NYC and other advocacy organizations. He can be contacted at rpotter@cbcare.org.


text:
France Should Stop Selling Arms to the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia
Macron Should Address Rights Abuses in Gulf Region
This week, French President Emmanuel Macron will visit the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia and Qatar, with a large delegation of French ministers and major business executives. In the UAE, he will apparently be finalizing a weapons deal, when…
France Should Halt Arms Exports to Saudi Arabia, Egypt
Arms Sales to Rights-Abusing Countries Fuel Atrocities Against Civilians
Last week, the French government published its latest report on arms exports, documenting sales and transfers throughout 2019. After Qatar, the governments of Saudi Arabia and Egypt received the greatest amounts, accounting for €1.4 billion and €1.0…
French Police to Stop Using Explosive Tear Gas Grenades
Other Dangerous Crowd Control Weapons Remain in Use
This week, France's Interior Minister Christophe Castaner announced that French police would stop using the controversial GLI-F4 tear gas grenade. This move is long overdue, but doesn't address serious concerns about other weapons…
Yemen International Inquiry Offers Glimmer of Hope
Appoint Strong Experts, Press All Parties to Cooperate
Bombing and shelling of civilians. Denial of access to food and medicine. Landmines and cluster bombs. Torture and abduction. Child soldiers. For more than two years, international, regional, and Yemeni human rights groups called on the…
Dispatches: France Destroys Its Cluster Munitions
A Leader in Rejecting Weapons So Deadly to Civilians
France has completed the destruction of its stockpile of 34,876 cluster munition rockets and artillery projectiles that contained 14.9 million explosive submunitions, meeting a key obligation of the international ban treaty. It has also strongly condemned…
UN Human Rights Council: HRW's Submission for Canada's Universal Periodic Review
I. Summary This submission, drawn from recent Human Rights Watch research, focuses on four areas of concern regarding Canada's human rights record: violence against indigenous women and girls, counterterrorism, abuses related to the…
Statement on Cluster Munitions, Canadian Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development
Delivered by Steve Goose, Director
Ottawa, Canada Thank you for this opportunity to address the Committee. We appreciate your recognition of the importance of the cluster munition issue. We are at a special moment in time, when governments and civil society are once again…
Orphans and Abandoned Children


It is said that second marriages are the triumph of hope over experience. Certainly exploration in Colombia (and Guyana) also fall into that category. Both were particularly egregious examples of collective mania that seized the Canadian mining community (no-one else fell for it) in the early part of the decade. I feel it is timely to do a post-mortem on this period and pick over some of the corpses to try and interpret what went wrong and whether it is worth pursuing mining in Colombia.
As we all know Bolivia and Venezuela are plastered with red flags (literally and figuratively) that make miners think twice and head in an opposite direction. As I have written before Bolivia is not actually all that bad. However more dangerous pitfalls are hidden ones. And the best-hidden pitfalls are generally the ones that come with the imprimatur of the US financial media and most particularly the Wall Street Journal. When that august pillar of journalistic respectability says a country has turned the corner then it has gold showered down upon it. The problem with the enthusiasm for Colombia at the "end" of its long-running civil (and drugs) war was that the gold showered down on Colombia and virtually none came out. The fabled Eldorado (who was supposedly in pre-Columbian Colombia) was a one-way street for investors and it ran in the wrong direction.
The declaration that it was "safe to go back into the water" and that the country was investor-friendly proved a powerful lure for hapless mining investors. Frankly Colombia has made the DRC look like mining heaven. Never has a supposedly friendly regime sabotaged directly (or through neglect) so many foreign owned mining projects in such a short time. The bleached bones of Canadian miners (figuratively speaking) litter the Colombian jungle.
After the brutal civil and cartel war started to abate over the last decade sentiments towards Colombia as an investment destination soared. Foreign direct investment in Colombia more than tripled to $7.2 billion in 2009 from $2.1 billion in 2002, when former President Alvaro Uribe took office with pledges to repel guerrilla forces, including the Revolutionary Armed Force of Colombia, or FARC. However it was only really after the Crash of 2008, that foreign miners started to kick the tyres on what many perceived to be the Great Undiscovered Gold province. Essentially an Eldorado in waiting.
My own participation in this sphere was early on when I was engaged in vetting of deals (i.e. due diligence) on some then unlisted Colombian mining assets. This was back in 2010. It was not a happy experience as I kept giving the thumbs-down to these proposals as they were all flawed in some way of another. I moved on and have eschewed the topic and place ever since.
My initial impression was not mistaken as the Colombian government's failure to implement a clear project development road map has seriously hampered several significant projects, such as AngloGold Ashanti's (NYSE: AU; JSE: ANG) Colosa project and Eco Oro Minerals' (TSX: EOM) Angostura project. Other projects have seen drilling programs blocked because of restricted water access as in the case of Colombia Crest Gold (TSXV: CLB). Greystar became a by-word for disappointment and an adventure by Eike Batista into Colombian gold mining was one of the straws that broke his camel's back.
After so many disappointments, is it any wonder investors have developed Colombiaphobia.
Gran Colombia Gold (TSX:GCM, OTCPK:TPRFF) is one of those rare beasts, a Latin American mining company mainly run by Latins. That undoubtedly has been helpful in navigating the by-ways of Colombian government but did not stop it from falling into a debt pit of its own creation.
Back in January the company announced that it has missed the interest payment due December 31, 2014, on its Senior Unsecured Silver-Linked Notes. As a result, the company defaulted on the debt as it had 10 days to cure the default and failed to make the payment. The company shortly thereafter also announced that it has not made the interest payment on its Gold-Linked Notes. The company engaged GMP Securities to assist in the evaluation of its various options.
Meanwhile on the production front the company anticipated production to increase to 150,000 ounces of gold production a year at sub-$950 all-in costs. In May it delivered on that promise with a reported $938 per oz AISC.
The problem back in January was the company's hefty debt load of $167.9 million.
Despite making some payments and "only" losing $3.1mn in the first quarter (despite the lowered AISC) the stock price wallows at a mere fraction of where it has been in the last 12-months.
The dully-named Greystar was like the canary in the coalmine for Colombian gold wannabes with its problems giving the first warning signal that all was not well in the Land of Eldorado. The first sign of trouble came in March 2011, when the Colombian government rejected Greystar Resources' proposed $1 billion gold and silver mine, which lacked "viability" because of environmental concerns.
This sent this one-time market star (pardon the pun) into a share price descent more like that of an Acapulco cliff-diver. The company was totally blindsided and rushed to meet with regulators to discuss "alternative options" while withdrawing its permit applications for the Angostura deposit in northeastern Colombia.
The Angostura project is in a watershed area of Colombia and had "technical and environmental difficulties" (to put it mildly). Opponents of the Angostura project said it endangered water supplies to the nearby city of Bucaramanga. Greystar had the option of ending its development plans or redesigning the project which, it claimed at the time, might take one to two years.
The decision was a grievous blow to Greystar's efforts to start its first gold production and stem on-going losses. Greystar needed environmental approval by the end of June 2011 to start output in 2013. The company had said Angostura would produce about two million ounces of silver and 500,000 ounces of gold annually. The company, at that time, had a market capitalization of CAD$231.6 million.
Here we are four years later and the company has changed its name to Eco Oro Minerals (TSX: EOM) to leave behind its unhappy history and in standard Toronto form keeps announcing more ounces at Angostura. This seems to work with the cheap seats though as the stock has soared in recent times.
Ambitions have since been scaled back with a PEA being published with a reduction of the estimated average annual production to 269,000 oz AuEq, largely as a result of having to abandon the open-pit plan and shift to an underground mining format.
The project still appears to be alive and kicking but at least four years behind original planning and much diminished in expectations.
They say that as one window closes another one opens. This proved to be a bad pun and a bad proverb for Brazil's once-upon-a-time business superman, Eike Batista, when he dared to enter Colombia in February 2011 with his purchase of Ventana Gold ("ventana" is the Spanish for window, get it?) for around $1.43bn.
At the time Batista acquired an 80% interest in the company, through his resource conglomerate EBX Group, for $13.06 per share in cash. He had already owned 20%, accumulated through his 63X Master Fund. This also is a twisted tale as this agreed offer was at the same price Ventana initially rejected in November 2010, which prompted EBX to launch a hostile bid at a slightly lower price the next day. His goal was to get his hands on Ventana's flagship La Bodega project in Colombia.
If Batista had waited a few more months the Greystar debacle (and the gold price tumble from over $1,800) would have made Ventana a much, much cheaper buy. Indeed if he had even wanted to pursue a Colombian asset any more. For Ventana shareholders it was a lucky escape indeed.
The rest is history with the business empire of Batista blowing up quite spectacularly in late 2013. AUX (the vehicle holding La Bodega) was listed at that time as collateral for US$1.5 billion that EBX (Eike's main vehicle) owed Mubadala Development after the Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund converted a preferred equity investment into debt. As the whole matter has disappeared into the Latin American bankruptcy courts, La Bodega has dropped off the radar and its current ownership must be a matter of conjecture.
Colombia really needs to get its act together. The proof of the pudding is in the eating and the Colombian mining scene has been like thin gruel in recent years. Great promise and great geology have been overwhelmed by a government that cannot get out of its own way. Bathing in the adulation of the US press make give Colombian politicians a warm inner glow but it doesn't create jobs or boost GDP.
After so many years of national trauma it was not seen as politic to criticize the government when it was making headway against rebels. Things have moved on though and miners need to call a spade a spade and tell the government that mouthing pro-mining statements while blocking all and sundry is a quick way to scare off foreign investors. It's time for the Colombian government to either embrace mining or to reject it and at least make its stance clear..
I just finished sending friends at Pacific Rubiales congratulations, and of course; their management is in Colombia.
While reading this, I was wondering what happened to that series of 3-4 junior exploration plays in Colombia that all rhymed with each other that I always raised an eyebrow to while being 'publicised' in Yorkville over expensive wine at ONE. While I loved the chocolate, coffee and roses* in Colombia, this country has had some of the best PR machinery on the planet for turning it around from a well known area for K&R specialists (kidnap and recovery) due to drug cartels — to getting people like me loving their boutique hotels, and savoring the art.
The young people in Colombia are hard working and put the "D" in discipline. While I agree that the initial cavalcade that went into Colombia seeking to maximize the classic pump and dump formula, I DO believe that Colombia has some of the sharpest most competitive millennial mind's on the planet, and future leaders. I would NOT count out Colombia, but count it in.
(*) Colombia is famous for having the most exquisite long stem roses in the world.
And it looks as if that is certainly the case.
One Australian company battles on in Colombia. Condoto Platinum (ASX:CPD) notes on its website that Colombia is only one of two major sources of primary platinum production outside of Russia, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Incidentally, Chocó is where Condoto is pursuing its project.
Whilst not sharing Christopher Ecclestone's knowledge (or fear and loathing) of the mining side of Colombia's resource sector, I would like to point out that the country has in fact been extremely rewarding for many O&G companies. Examples range from majors – Talisman, to Pacific Rubiales and many other Canadian-listed companies such as Parex and Canacol. Perhaps it's time for the mining community to learn from the oil industry how to get the Colombian government to embrace their efforts through cooperation with local communities for job creation and development of environmentally responsible rules & regulations.
I would not have come up with your 'Colombia peril' thesis on my own, but having now read your well researched and thought out piece, it does seem to have some merit.
Do you have any research to show if this "Heart of Darkness" thesis also holds up for coal investments in Colombia?


text:
SPARX (Smart, Positive, Active, Realistic, X-factor thoughts) is a free online computer game intended to help young people with mild to moderate depression, stress or anxiety. Through the game, this e-therapy will teach them how to resolve their issues on their own, according to a talking psychotherapeutic approach called cognitive behavioural therapy.
Before taking part in this game, a personality test is required to determine if SPARX will be suited and helpful for the future user.

Game scenario

Based in a 3D fantasy world, the game leads players through seven realms (each lasting between 30 and 40 minutes). At the beginning of SPARX, the user meets the Guide who explains what SPARX is and how it could help. Then the user customizes an avatar and starts to journey within the seven provinces in order to complete different quests. In the first level, gamers challenge GNATS (Gloomy Negative Automatic Thoughts). These GNATS fly towards the avatar and say negative things like, for example: "you're a loser". Further, in the game, the user meets different characters, solves puzzles, and completes mini-games. As soon as a quest is completed, the Guide explains how to use new skills in order to feel better, solve problems, and enjoy real life. Players complete one or two levels in the game each week, during three to seven weeks.

Development

Behind the SPARX project is a team of researchers and clinicians from The University of Auckland.
Pr Sally Merry, Dr Karolina Stasiak, Dr Theresa Fleming, Dr Matt Shepherd and Dr Mathijs Lucassen created it.
Associate Professor Sally Merry is a child and adolescent Psychiatrist, Head of Department of Psychological Medicine and Director of The Werry Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.
Dr Stasiak also coordinated the main study of SPARX.
Drs Fleming, Shepherd and Lucassen carried out doctoral studies of SPARX.

In 2011, SPARX won the World Summit Award, supervised by the United Nations, in the category of e-Health and Environment which honors excellence in multimedia and e-Content creation.
SPARX was also rewarded by the 2013 International Digital Award from Netexplo, hosted by UNESCO, for being the first out of ten most innovative and promising digital initiative of the year.

After a such success, in 2012 Dr Lucassen decided to develop another version of SPARX entitled Rainbow SPARX to help adolescents attracted to the same sex, or both sexes, or unsure of their sexuality. According to a small study carried out by Mathijs Lucassen, himself, more than 80% of the participants said that the game helped them to deal with their sexuality, and would recommend it to other people.

References

External links

The effectiveness of SPARX

2013 video games
Video games developed in New Zealand
Video games set in 2013
Educational video games
Fantasy video games


The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has arrested and detained a businessman, Babagana Abba Dalori, who is alleged to have fleeced his business associates to the tune of over N7 billion. Dalori, a 35- year-old 2010 graduate of Electrical Electronics, University of Maiduguri, is the Managing Director, Galaxy Transportation and Construction Services Limited, according to EFCC sources. Investigation by the commission revealed that Dalori allegedly made his money from his unsuspecting investors as he lures them with mouth-watering Returns on Investment (RoI).
. In 2016, Dalori veered into full transportation business as he registered Galazy Transport and Construction Company with his mother as co- director. In 2017, he claimed that he invested about N400 million to acquire a quarry licence and started mining at Mpape, Abuja. He added that he had offices in 11 states and continued to lure his investors with mouth watering returns.
He continued collecting money from investors until his investors rose to 20, 700. But instead of concentrating on the line of business for which the investors had put their money, he further diversified as he registered and delved into Galazy Global Energy Limited, Galazy Miners Concepts Limited, Galazy Global Farms, Galazy Guest Palace Limited, Galazy Hospital, Galazy Computing, Galazy Block making and Galazy Car Wash. Investigation further revealed that in all the above companies registered and running which spread in three cities of Abuja, Maiduguri and Yobe, the investors were never carried along; neither were they co-owners in the companies.


text:
package com.deleidos.rtws.commons.net.dns;

import java.io.IOException;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.Collection;
import java.util.Map;

public class MockDnsClient implements DnsClient {

	public MockDnsClient() {
		super();
	}

	public void bind(String fqdn, String ip) {
		// Pretend everything worked fine.
	}

	public void bind(String host, String domain, String ip) throws IOException {
		// Pretend everything worked fine.
	}

	@Override
	public void addZone(String domain) {
		// Pretend everything worked fine.
	}

	@Override
	public void removeZone(String domain) {
		// Pretend everything worked fine.
	}

	@Override
	public void unbind(String domain, String fqdn) {
		// Pretend everything worked fine.
	}

	@Override
	public void addForwarder(String domain, String dnsIP, String tmsDomain, String publicIPAddress) {
		// Pretend everything worked fine.
	}

	@Override
	public void removeForwarder(String domain, String dnsIp, String tmsDomain) {
		// Pretend everything worked fine.
	}

	@Override
	public Collection<Map<String, Map<String, String>>> getForwarderStatus() {
		// Pretend everything worked fine.
		Collection<Map<String, Map<String, String>>> forwarders = new ArrayList<Map<String, Map<String, String>>>();

		return forwarders;
	}

	@Override
	public Collection<String> getZoneStatus() {
		// Pretend everything worked fine.
		Collection<String> collection = new ArrayList<String>();

		return collection;
	}

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Home » NIH, Scripps consortium grant expands to $207M
NIH, Scripps consortium grant expands to $207M
The NIH, as part of its national Precision Medicine Initiative (PMI) Cohort Program, has expanded a five-year funding award to The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) from $120 million to $207 million.
The award marks a significant increase in scope from the initial award announced in July and provides additional details about the network of partners in the TSRI-led consortium.
"The size of this award underscores the critical nature of this research in improving our ability to prevent and treat disease," said TSRI President Peter Schultz. "We are thrilled to be part of such a major undertaking and look forward to supporting Dr. Eric Topol in leading this unprecedented project."
Topol, who is director of the Scripps Translational Science Institute (STSI), professor of genomics at TSRI and chief academic officer at Scripps Health, will direct the award as part of the PMI Cohort Program, which seeks to engage one million or more U.S. participants in a historic medical research effort aimed at improving the ability to prevent and treat disease based on individual differences in lifestyle, environment and genetics.
STSI is a NIH-sponsored site led by TSRI and Scripps Health. This innovative research partnership is leading the effort to translate wireless and genetic medical technologies into high-quality, cost-effective treatments and diagnostics for patients.
The new award expands the group's role in overseeing the enrollment of 350,000 "direct volunteers," individuals interested in joining the PMI research study directly rather than through a healthcare provider organization. In addition, the award funds the creation of a Participant Technologies Center (PTC) to develop, test, maintain and upgrade the mobile applications and technology platform used to enroll, consent, collect data from, communicate with and retain participants. The PTC will also develop parallel platforms to deliver these same functions to those without smartphones.
"We are exceptionally fortunate to be working with an unparalleled group of partners and to be able to leverage the strengths of these leaders from a broad spectrum of sectors—pharmaceutical companies and health insurers to wireless technology experts and mobile application developers," said Topol. "The depth and breadth of expertise of these organizations will be invaluable to our goal of advancing individualized medicine at a national level."
To enroll the 350,000 "direct volunteers," Topol's team at STSI will work with:
Walgreens, a drugstore chains;
Leidos/QTC, a provider of government-outsourced occupational health and disability examination services;
Quintiles Quest (Q2) Solutions, a provider of biopharmaceutical development and commercial outsourcing services;
San Diego Blood Bank, the primary supplier of blood to hospitals in San Diego County;
National Blood Collaborative, a national network of blood centers; and
EMSI, a national provider of both medical information and risk management services.
The network of partners focusing on technology development, data privacy and security, implementation and participant engagement for the study as a whole involves Walgreens, Leidos and other partners including:
Vibrent Health, a premier health technology platform developer;
Sage Bionetworks, a provider of biomedical research-related mobile-apps and platforms;
WebMD, a health and medical news publisher;
Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, a national federation of 36 independent, community-based and locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies that collectively provide healthcare coverage for more than 106 million members;
PatientsLikeMe, an online patient network;
Computer Science Corporation, a global healthcare system integrators and major provider of call center support; and
Qualcomm Inc., a leader in 4G and next-generation mobile technologies.
"Not only is the Precision Medicine Initiative the most ambitious health research program ever undertaken, it will also serve as a model for the way healthcare can be provided in the future—more convenient, less costly and more individualized," said Steven Steinhubl, director of Digital Medicine at STSI.


Deep black mud is covering his jaws, but the rising sun reveals the glancing brake draped antlers of the majestic dead stag. His massive blast of distortion will tear down even the thickest boondock wilderness and set the world on fire.
The Dead Stag is based on one of the most classic discrete fuzz/distortion circuits in pedal history. This design has been built into countless versions by many pedal builders along the last forty odd years, however we wanted to take the evolution further than ever before and give you a Big Muff style pedal, but one with many more tonal options and smart features to make as versatile a fuzz/distortion pedal as possible.
Beneath the active Bass/Treble EQ with a 15db cut/boost, KMA designed a parametric mid EQ with a 12db cut/boost between 400Hz and 2.4kHz. Apart from the internal Q Bandwidth control, every EQ control is on top of the pedal which gives you a ton of tonal options. From a thick low-end rumble or spitty mid-range, to scooped mids or a low mid hump, everything is possible. The MUD control sets up the grade of distortion, while GROWL controls the overall volume. In addition, you can choose between two gain levels with the high/low switch and give your high mids a boost at the end of the circuit by the smooth/sharp switch.


How do I improve my energy levels?
Home » Frequently asked Questions on Health » How do I improve my energy levels?
Q: I am a 22 years old software professional, 163 cm tall and weigh 62 kg. I get tired quickly. How can I increase my energy levels and stamina? I feel that I am very absent minded, forgetful and have poor concentration levels. How can I improve my memory?
A:But you must study the type of food you eat, if it is not nutritious enough, you may not be getting the required energy. Make sure your meals are not mainly junk food, consist of all types of nutrients - carbohydrates like whole grains, vegetables, fruits, proteins like dals, milk products, fish, chicken, etc. Add some nuts in small quantities and water. The changes you make in your food do make a great deal of difference in your energy levels. You could also add light exercises to your everyday plan, so that it boosts your energy levels. Forgetfulness could also be a function of having too much to do, with no time to relax and for recreation. If you work hard at it, you will not forget things that are important. It is a matter of keeping the most important things in priority and making a list of those things that are not.


We, at SOS Web Design, highly recommend the following companies as providers of WordPress Managed Hosting.
WPEngine is a deluxe WordPress hosting provider. Their hosting provides fast and reliable servers that could deal with any challenges. Your website will be basically impenetrable by hackers and their customer service will blow you way. They will update your WordPress installation automatically, create daily backups, provide one-click restore points, handle automatic caching, offer top-tier security, one-click staging area, and much more. WPEngine is like having a team of WordPress experts at your command. Brands like HTC, FourSquare, SoundCloud, Balsamiq, and many others use WPEngine for their WP hosting. If you are a business who does not want to constantly deal with the technical aspect of your site, then WPEngine is the best solution for you.


text:
Safe Harbor has grown from two roots. In 1983, the Easton Drop-In Center began a day program for the city's low-income residents. The Drop-In Center offered meals, recreation, advocacy and socialization for low-income residents who were often living on the street. The Drop-In Center was located at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church until it outgrew its facilities.
In 1988, Lafayette College students demonstrated a need in the community for a shelter by opening a "roving" shelter that moved from church to church during the winter months. Soon a community group formed to establish a permanent shelter in an abandoned building owned by the City of Easton. A capital campaign raised over $400,000 for the renovation of the facility. In thefall of 1990, the Easton Drop-In Center moved into the Safe Harbor building at 536 N. Bushkill Drive, and the Salvation Army of Easton opened an overnight shelter for adult men and women there. These two programs operated independently, though cooperatively, until 1993 when CACLV took over the shelter and merged the two programs. In October 2011, Safe Harbor Easton parted ways
with CACLV due to budget cuts and a reevaluation of their mission.
Safe Harbor Easton grows out of community needs and is sustained by community support. Government grants (city, county, and state) provide much of the funding for staffing and expenses but Safe Harbor Easton would not exist and cannot survive without broad support from individuals, churches, philanthropic groups and businesses.


At BR Flooring, we stay up to date with the latest flooring styles. Our flooring company has been around for over 25 years as we are the area's choice for all types of purposeful flooring. No matter what you need, we can always get you the best, and by best we mean we have won the Home Advisor Winner Award in 2013 and the Angies List Super Service Award 2014 and 2015.


text:
Part of HuffPost Education. ©2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved.
The Blogdisabilityeducation policyEducation
The Special Education Graduation Gap
Lost in all of the discussion about these new graduation numbers is recognition that graduation rates for students with disabilities remain abysmal.
Todd Grindal, Contributor
Senior Researcher, SRI International
Jan 14, 2016, 04:26 PM EST | Updated Dec 6, 2017
Todd Grindal and Laura Schifter
Last month, U.S. newspapers reported a rare piece of good news about the state of American education. Continuing a trend that's been ticking upwards for years, more than four out of five students in the class of 2014 graduated high school on-time -- the highest U.S. graduation rate on record. President Obama noted these numbers in his recent State of the Union address, claiming that the country has "lifted the high school graduation rate to new highs." Though some dispute the validity of these numbers and there is an argument to be made that the value of a high school diploma may be lower than it once was (either as a ticket to a middle-class wage or a signal that a student is ready to succeed in college), it's pretty clear that having a high school diploma is a lot better than not having one.
Across the United States, 63 percent of students with disabilities graduated from high school in 2014 -- a rate of graduation roughly 20 percent lower than the national average. In Georgia, Nevada and Mississippi, students with disabilities graduated from high school at half the rate of their non-disabled peers. In 20 states, the graduation rate for students with disabilities is lower than 60 percent -- the threshold commonly used to identify schools as "dropout factories."
Rates of high school graduation for students with disabilities 2013-2014
This is alarming as high school graduation represents a particularly important milestone for students with disabilities. Evidence from the National Longitudinal Transition Study indicates that students with disabilities who graduated from high school were more likely than dropouts to spend their early adult years engaged in school, work, or preparation for work. Even more importantly, students with disabilities who complete high school were nearly three times less likely than non-completers to get in trouble with the law in early adulthood.
For students without disabilities, the current high rates of graduation are likely attributable, at least in part, to an increased national focus on helping students complete high school. This has included coordinated national efforts to consistently measure and track rates of graduation, to intervene with students at risk for dropping out and to provide supports for schools that graduate fewer than 60 percent of students.
The good news is that we are learning a lot more about how to help students with disabilities graduate high school. For instance, there is increasing evidence that maintaining high expectations for students with disabilities and providing them with opportunities to take classes alongside their typically developing peers is associated with higher rates of graduation for students with disabilities. A peer-reviewed study released last month found that, across all disability categories, students who are included in classes with their non-disabled peers for most of the day have substantially higher on-time graduation rates when compared to students in substantially separate placements, even when controlling for individual and community factors including disability category and family income status.
Students with disabilities graduate at higher rates in those states where they are encouraged to pursue a regular diploma that has the same requirements for students with and without disabilities. In fact, graduation rates for students with disabilities are lower when states offer more alternate, special education diplomas. These diplomas allow students with disabilities to graduate even when they do not meet general education requirements.
Graduation rates for students with disabilities have improved slightly in recent years. Some have attributed this small but steady increase to the fact that schools and school districts have been, at least in theory, accountable for the outcomes of students with disabilities. However, to continue and accelerate this improvement, states must make the success of students with disabilities a top priority as they develop their plans to implement the recently passed Every Student Succeeds Act. This should involve increased efforts to support more students with disabilities in general education settings, the maintenance of high expectations for students and clear mechanisms to hold district and school leaders accountable for the performance and graduation of students with disabilities.
These steps, though important, will likely not be sufficient to close the graduation gap between students with disabilities and their typically developing peers. Doing so will require new ideas and approaches for both general and special education teachers. We need to continue and expand investments in proven strategies such as multi-tiered systems of support and Universal Design for Learning, while dedicating new resources towards testing promising ideas such as the i3-funded Everyday Arts for Special Education and Unconditional Education programs. Most importantly, we need an unflinching commitment -- from the president to school administrators to classroom teachers -- to do everything necessary to help students with disabilities to thrive and graduate from high school.
Todd Grindal, Ed.D is a researcher with Abt Associates Inc, where he studies how public policies impact young children and children with disabilities. @Grindato
Laura A. Schifter, Ed.D is an Adjunct Lecturer at Harvard Graduate School of Education and recently co-authored How Did You Get Here? Students with Disabilities and Their Journeys to Harvard. @laschifter12
disabilityeducation policyEducationState of the Unionhigh school graduation
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Discussion in 'Gear Chat' started by el manana, Sep 30, 2017.
Chiseller and Arne L. like this.
maybe get some boots to match?
FOX160, el manana and Chiseller like this.
Not sure of the logic of trapping warm air if it's not sealed in?
its just a down jacket extension isnt it? quite useful if you want to look like arsene wenger.
Chiseller, Gadget, Shewie and 1 other person like this.
I've not seen this quilt from ali express before.
seems like a good summer option .
800 fill goose down 400 grams of the stuff.
That one is interesting, especially for the price. The one thing that I find off putting is that if you want it open as a quilt then one side will be warmer than the other thanks to the 55/45 split in fill, zipped up and there's no issue.
You'd probably look real fetching in that, just call it a kilt.
Fair Weather Camper and el manana like this.
FOX160, Shewie, Ken T. and 4 others like this.
Graham and Teepee like this.
Mole, Chiseller and el manana like this.
Not used a rain kilt and it's been years since I've donned a frock, so I fear I spoke from ignorance!
Mole and Chiseller like this.
Says you - Some might call it 'Telling it like it is' - false modesty is so last century ; ya know..
Skirts have many advantages ; but the idea of wearing them still seems ; somewhat mysteriously ; to terrify the average western male.
Not, totally convinced however of the specific need for extra warmth in that area, in dry cold, when walking.
JimH, WilliamC and Fair Weather Camper like this.
Bottom of my trousers got wet, but as i don't bother with gaiters they do even in WP trousers.
What impressed me was the lack of sweat build up everywhere else.
Even with Event trousers my hiking kecks get wet through with sweat underneath them..
Not noticed anything noise wise, as it doesn't stretch your legs are moving underneath it rather than with it.
Fair Weather Camper, Chiseller, edh and 1 other person like this.
I find rolling up trousers ( if sporting em) until they're above drip line of rain skirt, helps..
Britches, skirt, or drawn up leggings, underneath effects same.
Of course wet flesh dries more quickly than cloth..
If it's cold, then pulling up your long flowery merino socks, keeps your calves warmer, as they dry out..
Glad you don't get deafened by the Cuben.
Munro277 and el manana like this.
interesting idea, the water resistant soft shell overmitt rolls away into the cuff.
Chiseller, Teepee and craige like this.
Those are interesting. Not sure if they're worth £40 but it's definitely a nice idea.
Charles42, Dave V, JKM and 2 others like this.
I quite like that, much better without all those excessive cat cuts I keep seeing on the Ali tents. I'd be interested to see the fly and inner weights separately if anyone finds them.


Trying to find a point return twill (goose eye) pattern for rag rug and cannot. Any leads where to find draft?? Thanks!
Try Rag Rug Handbook by Meany and Pfaff, weaving Rag Rugs by Tom Knisely, or Swedish Rag Rugs – can't think of author's name. Good luck!


After the school shooting in Florida, Collierville Schools officials are updated on safety protocols.
Collierville's schools are prepared for emergencies of any kind, a level of preparedness that comes from system-wide communications, protocols and consistent practice.
A week after 17 people were killed in a school shooting in Parkland, Florida, district officials presented a safety and security report to the Collierville School Board on Thursday.
All of the schools have conducted training and are current on the required drills and drill logs, said Nancy Kelley, emergency operations coordinator.
"I think it is what is most important for everybody is number one, having a plan in place – which we do. And the biggest thing is the practice. And practice and practice," Kelley said.
The reason many children survived the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting where 20 children and six adults were killed was because they had practiced.
"They had practiced fire drills so well that those kids exited that classroom and walked out just like they did a fire drill," Kelley said.
The district follows the requirements put in place by the state and Federal Emergency Management Agency, Kelley said.
Collierville should never join the company of Columbine or Jonesboro – now synomous with mass school shootings.
"I don't ever want that to happen. That's why I say we take this seriously and we want to do what we can for these kids," Kelley said.
On Valentine's Day, Nikolas Cruz, 19, entered Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School (where he had previously been expelled) and opened fire with an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, killing 17 victims.
The board also heard from Superintendent John Aitken who discussed existing security procedures that include intruder drills.
And with the shootings in Florida and in Benton, Kentucky in January, each principal has been asked to review and update security plans with employees, he said.
The district is pursuing a safety audit for all its buildings, Aitken said, and has contacted local first responders and local FBI personnel who live in Collierville to review, plans, protocols and training.
"Plans are also being discussed to hold another active shooter drill," he said, which is a massive undertaking that will require extensive planning.
The new $97 million high school school has more than $3 million dedicated "in some form or fashion" to security, Aitken said, including 250 interior and exterior cameras and an enhanced key-lock system that allows any employee to lock any door in the building, no matter their location.
"I don't think we can overlook the mental health piece of this and the social and emotional learning of our students as we go through this strategy of planning," Aitken said.
Parents must be vigilant, monitor their children, their children's friends, social media and establish boundaries, he said. And students must be involved.
"If you see something that needs reporting, students, tell us. Tell someone. Tell a parent. Tell a trusted adult at the school. You telling someone could prevent a tragedy," Aitken said. "You're seeing all kind of things come out now in the Florida shooting of things that should have happened didn't happen."
Across the country many believe school shootings can be stopped by arming guards and teachers.
"Some of the solutions being thrown out there really scare me as an educator," Aitken said.
Locally, unofficial online polls in some suburban communities show support for arming teachers – a solution endorsed by President Donald Trump – as a way to keep school children safe.
Karen Rosekelly, the mother of two young boys, was at the school board meeting early to hear her 7-year-old son, Ben, sing songs to celebrate Black History Month with the other first-grader students from Collierville Elementary School.
Schools should provide more resources for kids who are struggling, and if someone must be armed, it should be a non-faculty member, Rosekelly said.
"That whole concept of arming a teacher worries me, not because I don't trust teachers or think they can handle the responsibility," she said. "I think they have too many other things on their plate."
And there's the possibility of a student getting the gun, increasing the liability the teacher.
"It's just not fair to them," Rosekelly said.