text:
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Chemours challenges EPA health advisory for GenX
By Trista Talton
Coastal Review Online
The Chemours Company is suing the Environmental Protection Agency for its recent health advisory for GenX, one of the contaminants discharged for years into the Cape Fear River from the company's plant in Fayetteville.
Chemours is challenging the EPA's review of the agency's health advisory for hexafluoropropylene oxide dime acid, or HFPO-DA (GenX), arguing the agency failed to use the best available science when making its determination.
"Nationally recognized toxicologists and other leading scientific experts across a range of disciplines have evaluated the EPA's underlying analysis and concluded that it is fundamentally flawed," according to a Chemours release. "EPA's own peer reviewer called aspects of EPA's toxicity assessment (which serves as the basis for the health advisory) 'extreme' and 'excessive.' The agency disregarded relevant data and incorporated grossly incorrect and overstated exposure assumptions in devising the health advisory. The EPA's failure to use the best-available-science and follow its own standards are contrary to this administration's commitment to scientific integrity, and we believe unlawful."
The suit filed Wednesday in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit in Philadelphia specifically names EPA Administrator Michael Regan, who is also former secretary of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality.
Chemours warned it might take legal action against the EPA after the agency's assistant administrator for water, Radhika Fox, announced the final health advisory June 15.
Fox made the announcement at the third National PFAS Conference held in downtown Wilmington, a city and surrounding region thrust into the national spotlight five years ago when the news broke that Chemours' Fayetteville Works Facility had for decades been discharging per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances into the Cape Fear River, air and ground.
The EPA's final health advisory for GenX is 10 parts per trillion, or ppt and, for perfluorobutane sulfonic acid, or PFBS, at 2,000 ppt. PFBS has not been found in significant concentrations in samples in North Carolina, according to DEQ.
The agency also issued updated interim health advisories for perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, or PFOS.
GenX was created to replace PFOA, which was voluntarily phased out of production more than 10 years ago in the U.S.
Chemours states in its news release that HFPO-DA is not a commercial product and does not pose human health or environmental risks "when used for its intended purpose."
Health studies of animals that ingested GenX show health effects in the kidneys, blood, immune system, liver and developing fetuses, according to the EPA's toxicity assessment.
Chemours argues that the GenX toxicity assessment issued October 2021 was "materially different" from a draft assessment published in November 2018 and that the EPA did not provide public notice or allow for public comment on the new assessment.
What are PFAS?
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of man-made chemicals that includes PFOA, PFOS, GenX, and an estimated 5,000 types of PFAS, none of which are federally regulated. PFAS have been manufactured and used by industries worldwide since the 1940s, used in everything from Teflon pans to raincoats to dental floss. They are also used in firefighting foams.
The two most extensively produced and studied, PFOA and PFOS, have been phased out in the U.S., but they don't break down easily and can accumulate in the environment and in the human body. There is evidence that exposure to PFAS can lead to adverse human health effects.
"Upon review of the October 2021 Toxicity Assessment, Chemours and external experts identified numerous material scientific flaws, including its failure to incorporate available, highly relevant peer-reviewed studies and that it significantly overstates the potential for risk associated with HFPO-DA," according to the release.
The EPA did not respond to an email request for comment Wednesday.
EPA Deputy Assistant Administrator Benita Best-Wong defended the GenX toxicity assessment in a letter to a law firm representing six North Carolina health and environmental groups, stating the assessment "was subject to two rigorous independent peer reviews by scientists who were screened for conflicts of interest in 2018 and 2021."
Best-Wong went on to write that the agency asked the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences National Toxicology Program to conduct an independent review of the liver histopathology slides from two studies.
The agency published detailed responses to comments from both peer reviews and the assessment was put out for public review and comment for 60 days, she wrote.
That letter was in response to the groups' call for the EPA to order Chemours to conduct health studies on 54 PFAS. Those groups, including Cape Fear River Watch, Center for Environmental Health, Clean Cape Fear, Democracy Green, the NC Black Alliance and Toxic Free NC, filed a lawsuit against the EPA for failing to require Chemours to conduct the studies.
The EPA's health advisory for GenX replaces the state's 2018 provisional drinking water health goal of 140 ppt.
A consent order between DEQ, Cape Fear River Watch and Chemours requires the company to provide whole house filtration for households that rely on private water wells where GenX concentrations are above the health advisory.
"We expect Chemours to meet their obligations under the Consent Order and to the communities impacted by the PFAS contamination," Sharon Martin, DEQ deputy secretary for public affairs, said in an email Wednesday.
Cape Fear River Watch Executive Director Dana Sargent said in a telephone interview she was "shaken" by the lawsuit.
"This is going to be seriously infuriating for the community to hear this news and to still be looking at commercials and this nonsense saying (Chemours) are good neighbors," she said. "I think Chemours needs to recognize that they can't continue to claim that they're good neighbors while suing the nation's regulatory agency based on their assessment of the GenX toxicity level, which was done under strict calculations based on available science on the health impacts of GenX. The science is science."
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by Coastal Review Online, North Carolina Health News

Chemours challenges EPA health advisory for GenX

by Coastal Review Online, North Carolina Health News
July 15, 2022

By Trista Talton

Coastal Review Online

The Chemours Company is suing the Environmental Protection Agency for its recent health advisory for GenX, one of the contaminants discharged for years into the Cape Fear River from the company's plant in Fayetteville.

Chemours is challenging the EPA's review of the agency's health advisory for hexafluoropropylene oxide dime acid, or HFPO-DA (GenX), arguing the agency failed to use the best available science when making its determination.

"Nationally recognized toxicologists and other leading scientific experts across a range of disciplines have evaluated the EPA's underlying analysis and concluded that it is fundamentally flawed," according to a Chemours release. "EPA's own peer reviewer called aspects of EPA's toxicity assessment (which serves as the basis for the health advisory) 'extreme' and 'excessive.' The agency disregarded relevant data and incorporated grossly incorrect and overstated exposure assumptions in devising the health advisory. The EPA's failure to use the best-available-science and follow its own standards are contrary to this administration's commitment to scientific integrity, and we believe unlawful."

The suit filed Wednesday in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit in Philadelphia specifically names EPA Administrator Michael Regan, who is also former secretary of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality.

Chemours warned it might take legal action against the EPA after the agency's assistant administrator for water, Radhika Fox, announced the final health advisory June 15.

Fox made the announcement at the third National PFAS Conference held in downtown Wilmington, a city and surrounding region thrust into the national spotlight five years ago when the news broke that Chemours' Fayetteville Works Facility had for decades been discharging per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances into the Cape Fear River, air and ground.

The EPA's final health advisory for GenX is 10 parts per trillion, or ppt and, for perfluorobutane sulfonic acid, or PFBS, at 2,000 ppt. PFBS has not been found in significant concentrations in samples in North Carolina, according to DEQ.

The agency also issued updated interim health advisories for perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, or PFOS.

GenX was created to replace PFOA, which was voluntarily phased out of production more than 10 years ago in the U.S.

Chemours states in its news release that HFPO-DA is not a commercial product and does not pose human health or environmental risks "when used for its intended purpose."

Health studies of animals that ingested GenX show health effects in the kidneys, blood, immune system, liver and developing fetuses, according to the EPA's toxicity assessment.

Chemours argues that the GenX toxicity assessment issued October 2021 was "materially different" from a draft assessment published in November 2018 and that the EPA did not provide public notice or allow for public comment on the new assessment.

What are PFAS?

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of man-made chemicals that includes PFOA, PFOS, GenX, and an estimated 5,000 types of PFAS, none of which are federally regulated. PFAS have been manufactured and used by industries worldwide since the 1940s, used in everything from Teflon pans to raincoats to dental floss. They are also used in firefighting foams.

The two most extensively produced and studied, PFOA and PFOS, have been phased out in the U.S., but they don't break down easily and can accumulate in the environment and in the human body. There is evidence that exposure to PFAS can lead to adverse human health effects.

"Upon review of the October 2021 Toxicity Assessment, Chemours and external experts identified numerous material scientific flaws, including its failure to incorporate available, highly relevant peer-reviewed studies and that it significantly overstates the potential for risk associated with HFPO-DA," according to the release.

The EPA did not respond to an email request for comment Wednesday.

EPA Deputy Assistant Administrator Benita Best-Wong defended the GenX toxicity assessment in a letter to a law firm representing six North Carolina health and environmental groups, stating the assessment "was subject to two rigorous independent peer reviews by scientists who were screened for conflicts of interest in 2018 and 2021."

Best-Wong went on to write that the agency asked the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences National Toxicology Program to conduct an independent review of the liver histopathology slides from two studies.

The agency published detailed responses to comments from both peer reviews and the assessment was put out for public review and comment for 60 days, she wrote.

That letter was in response to the groups' call for the EPA to order Chemours to conduct health studies on 54 PFAS. Those groups, including Cape Fear River Watch, Center for Environmental Health, Clean Cape Fear, Democracy Green, the NC Black Alliance and Toxic Free NC, filed a lawsuit against the EPA for failing to require Chemours to conduct the studies.

The EPA's health advisory for GenX replaces the state's 2018 provisional drinking water health goal of 140 ppt.

A consent order between DEQ, Cape Fear River Watch and Chemours requires the company to provide whole house filtration for households that rely on private water wells where GenX concentrations are above the health advisory.

"We expect Chemours to meet their obligations under the Consent Order and to the communities impacted by the PFAS contamination," Sharon Martin, DEQ deputy secretary for public affairs, said in an email Wednesday.

Cape Fear River Watch Executive Director Dana Sargent said in a telephone interview she was "shaken" by the lawsuit.

"This is going to be seriously infuriating for the community to hear this news and to still be looking at commercials and this nonsense saying (Chemours) are good neighbors," she said. "I think Chemours needs to recognize that they can't continue to claim that they're good neighbors while suing the nation's regulatory agency based on their assessment of the GenX toxicity level, which was done under strict calculations based on available science on the health impacts of GenX. The science is science."

This article first appeared on North Carolina Health News and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
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In current yrs, cannabidiol, a compound derived from hashish crops, has begun popping up additional and a lot more in each day everyday living. Now lawful in most U.S. states, the cannabinoid normally recognized as CBD can be found in supermarkets and drugstores, the place it is usually sold […]
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Skimming devices are used by criminals to capture the data stored on a debit or credit card's magnetic strip, such as the name, card number, and expiration date. Recently, there have been several reports of skimming devices found on ATMs and other devices in our area. Two were discovered at ATMs at Cumberland Farms locations in Attleboro, and another at Cumberland Farms in Walpole. A skimming device was also found on a gas station pump in Bedford. The suspects in these incidents appear to be the same individuals for the three ATMs. It is possible that they have skimmers on other ATMs as well that have not yet been found. Gas stations are especially vulnerable seeing how the pumps are generally not monitored. While Middlesex Savings Bank has converted to chip-enabled debit cards, not all merchants or banks have converted to accept this technology.
Skimming is not a new tactic used by criminals; however, there has been an increase in activity as they try to obtain as many card numbers as they can before all financial institutions convert their cards and ATMs to chip technology. As you may recall, Middlesex Savings Bank converted all of its customers debit cards to this new chip and PIN technology in September, ahead of the federal deadline and is on track to convert its ATMs as well.
While it is alarming to think that you could unknowingly be a victim of ATM or card skimming, there are measures you can take to protect yourself. First, inspect the ATM that you may be using for signs of possible tampering. Report any suspicious devices to the bank's call center or nearest branch. If you notice a suspicious device on other terminals, such as a gas station pump, be sure to notify the owner or manager of the business.
One sign that a card reader has a skimming device attached is that it may appear as if it has been bumped loose; it might wiggle and not be securely affixed to the machine. The keypad may also appear to be loose.
The photo shows a typical Middlesex Savings Bank ATM card reader. It is already considerably bulky, which makes it hard for a criminal to place another device over it. Even if you are using an ATM with a bulky card reader, it is wise not to just assume it is safe. It is still worth a quick inspection to see if anything looks awry.


// Modified version of Chris Maunder's system tray class.
// Changes are marked with "DR:".
// especially the "CSystemTray::OnTrayNotification" member function.
// callback notification value, which is sent back to the Parent window.
//                        (icon animation suggested by Joerg Koenig.
//                        Restricted tooltip text to 64 characters.
// Updated: 9 Nov 1999  - Now works in WindowsCE.
// Updated: 1 Jan 2000  - Added tray minimisation stuff.
//                        NOTE: Signature of GetTrayWndRect has changed!
// The author accepts no liability for any damage caused through use.
#ifndef _WIN32_WCE  // Use C++ exception handling instead of structured.
BOOL bHidden /*=FALSE*/,   // Hidden on creation?
//  New version of Create() that handles new features in Win 2K.
//  szTip: Same as old, but can be 128 characters instead of 64.
//                  don't want a title.
//  uBalloonTimeout: Number of seconds for the balloon to remain visible.
//                   Must be between 10 and 30 inclusive.
// The balloon tooltip text can be up to 255 chars long.
// The balloon title text can be up to 63 chars long.
// dwBalloonIcon must be valid.
// The timeout must be between 10 and 30 seconds.
m_tnd.uFlags |= NIF_STATE; // DR: Changed "=" to "|="
// CSystemTray support for Win 2K features.
//  Shows a balloon tooltip over the tray icon.
//  szText: [in] Text for the balloon tooltip.
//           the tooltip text (szText).  Pass "" if you don't want a title.
//            be between 10 and 30 inclusive.
//  TRUE if successful, FALSE if not.
// Bail out if we're not on Win 2K.
// BUGFIX: See "PRB: Menus for Notification Icons Don't Work Correctly"
if (rectClock.bottom < pRect->bottom-5) // 10 = random fudge factor.
// window rect, perhaps limiting the width and height to, say 150 square.


My research work focuses on three-dimensional imaging of multiphase flow in permeable media using both in-house and synchrotron X-ray micro-tomography, with applications to oil recovery from reservoirs, remediation of contaminated soils and geological sequestration of CO2.
(i) Pore-scale dynamics of immiscible fluid flow through media using ultrafast synchrotron X-ray micro-tomography. The animation shows the displacement of oil (red) by brine (transparent) in the pores space (semi-transparent) of a carbonate rock sample. The colorbar indicates the pore radius (µm). (ii) Effect of wettability on capillary trapping of oil at reservoir conditions (high pressure and elevated temperature).
(iii) Multi-scale characterisation of carbonate rocks dissolution during supercritical CO2-saturated brine injection: FIBSEM, Confocal and X-ray micro-tomographic imaging.
(i) Architectural design of smart ventilation and drainage systems in termite nests.
(ii) Three-dimensional microstructure of lignocelluloses and their implications for the performance of the catalytic upstream biorefining.
(1) Oil displacing brine in a water-wet carbonate rock sample - Drainage.
(2) Brine displacing oil in a water-wet carbonate rock sample - Secondary imbibition.
(3) Interfacial curvature mapping during snap-off leading to oil trapping in a water-wet carbonate rock.
Research Associate, Department of Earth Science and Engineering, Imperial College London, UK (Dec 2013 - ).
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Beamline ID-15A, European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), Grenoble, France (Nov 2011 - Nov 2013).
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Max-Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Goettingen, Germany & Saarland University, Saarbruecken, Germany (May 2009 - Oct 2011).
PhD Researcher (Civil Engineering), School of Engineering and Information Technology (formerly Aerospace, Civil and Mechanical Engineering), The University of New South Wales at Australian Defence Force Academy, Canberra, Australia (July 2004 - March 2009).
Research Assistant, Punjab Engineering College/Panjab University, Chandigarh, India (July 2002 - June 2004).
M.E. (Environmental Engineering), Punjab Engineering College/Panjab University, Chandigarh, India (2000 - 2002).
B.E. (Civil Engineering), GNE/ Punjab Technical University, India (1996 - 2000).
Arthur Holmes Centenary Research Grant, 2018 (£700).
Dame Julia Higgins Engineering Postdoc Collaborative Research Fund, 2017 (£3400).
Awarded Supplementary Transcript by the University of New South Wales (Australia) for special achievements, including academic achievement, sporting achievement, leadership and service contribution to the University during PhD, 2010.
BSTS grant for visiting Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Denmark, 2007 ($5000).
PRSS grant by the University of New South Wales at ADFA, Australia, 2007 ($2800).
Best Poster Presentation at the University of New South Wales at ADFA, Australia, 2005 ($700).
RTS award for PhD at the University of New South Wales at ADFA, Australia, 2004-2008.
National level GATE scholarship for Master of Engineering, India, 2000-2002.
Invited speaker at the Interpore 10th Annual Meeting and Jubilee Conference, May 14-17, 2018, New Orleans, USA.
Invited speaker at the Imaging the Microstructure of Reservoir Rocks in 3D and 4D workshop, 80th EAGE conference & Exhibition 2018, June 15, 2018, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Research highlights: Our work on imaging the dynamics of multiphase flow in permeable media using synchrotron X-ray micro-tomography is showcased in the Diamond Light Source 2017/18 Annual Review.
1. Time-resolved synchrotron X-ray micro-tomographic images of drainage and imbibition in a water-wet carbonate rock sample (Data: approx. 1000 three-dimensional X-ray micro-tomographic images).
Repository: British Geological Survey (BGS). http://dx.doi.org/10.5285/3aa44060-d4fd-453f-9e5b-7d885ad5089f.
2. High resolution X-ray micro-tomography for in-situ effective contact angle analysis in carbonate rocks.
3. FIB-SEM and X-ray micro-tomographic images of carbonate rock dissolution during reactive CO2-saturated brine injection under reservoir conditions.
4. Micro- and medical X-ray tomographic images of termite nests from Senegal and Guinea.
Advances in Water Resources (Elsevier); Environmental Science and Pollution Research (Springer); Environmental Science & Technology (ACS); Journal of Hydrology (Elsevier); Journal of Microscopy (The Royal Microscopical Society); Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering (Elsevier); Water (MDPI AG); and Water Resources Research (AGU).
Singh, K., Muljadi, B.P., Raeini, A.Q., Jost, C., Vandeginste, V., Blunt, M.J., Theraulaz, G., and Degond, P.A.A. (2019, accepted for publication). The architectural design of smart ventilation and drainage systems in termite nests. Science Advances.


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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A Case Study of District Swat - Pakistan
Local Governance in Post Conflict Situation at District Swat: Challenges for Services Delivery and Decision Making Capacities
Local Governance in Post Conflict Situation: Challenges for Services Delivery and Decision Making Capacities
(A Case Study of District Swat)
Pakistan has been facing a complex security environment along its Western borders since the War on Terror (2001). The volatile situation has emerged from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) along the border with Afghanistan and the Provincially Administered Tribal Areas (PATA) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, (Pakistan) have left the whole KPK region vulnerable to terrorist attacks as well as protracted armed conflict. So, there has been a wave of Talibanization in FATA and PATA and particularly in district Swat which has often ended up in military operations to flush out the miscreants. Over time, the wave of Talibanization has taken grip in Swat area and trend reached its climax in 2009 when the Taliban inspired and allied, Tehrik-e-Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Mohammadi (TNSM) took over the Swat Valley. They banished all government functionaries' institutions and de-functional situation appeared. The military operation, Operation Rah-e-Raast have flushed out the militants and liberated the Swat area.
In general, the growing trend of Talibanization coupled with religious extremism and overflow of the Afghan War was to blame for the Swat occupation and it happened because of the weak response of the local administration and the Provincial Government who failed to understand the nature of conflict. The mainstream causes to fuel the situation were poverty of the writ of the government, lack of communication of the government institutions, economic backwardness, illiteracy, poor law and order and judicial vacuum given the space to violent organizations such as TNSM and Taliban who exploited ground situation and ultimately converted peaceful Swat area into an armed conflict zone. In addition, the trend of Talibanization combined with religious extremism, overflow of the Afghan War and War on Terror was to blame for the Swat Conflict and that the weak early response by the federal and provincial institutions helped to prolong the conflict. Historically, since the formation of state of Swat, it was a peaceful area where the Wali ruled without any resistance. This was primarily due to the fact that the state of Swat was formed based on a consensus of the Jirga. This allowed the Wali to spend time focusing on developing the state economically and socially. Priority was given to roads, schools and hospitals. Free education and health services were provided to all living citizens. It was welfare state under the patronage of the British Raj or even after the independence of Pakistan (1947). Swat continued to function as an independent state till 1969. Swat State was internally independent which had its own laws, its own justice, army, police and administration, budget and taxes, and even its own flag. So, the principality was dependent upon British Imperial Order and later Pakistan for currency, defence, foreign affairs and electricity.
Thus, the violent organizations engaged the Swat area in an armed conflict and created heinous violence to impose their brand of Islam on the people. They have introduced an alternate governance system in the area and enforce their brutal rules. They publically executed women, chopped kids and youngest, destroy infrastructure, killed local municipal leadership and local mullahs and blew up the whole area. So, it is apparent that bad governance played a large role not only in the conflict but in the very creation of the TNSM and other violent organizations. There were also severe flawed in public policy at the local level, and governance issues only helped make matters worse. Even technical and bureaucratic decisions like the political and administrative status of Swat had a direct impact on creation of this conflict.
There is no doubt that extremism can be an integral part of the dynamics of conflicts and their resolution. Swat insurgency has been particularly intense in the case of conflict and post-conflict societies. The military operation badly inflicts boundless individual suffering and also damaged economic, social and human developments. The day operation has completed for permanent peace and stability, it has been evaluated that the population faces the massive task of rebuilding and reconstructions. In the case of Swat it has observe that the state's authority has collapsed completely and the local administration and government lost its legitimacy because it has failed to provide peace and security to people. Thus, the post-conflict phase is the period of precarious and chaotic transition rather than the more ordered progress previously envisioned of the development programs. In the circumstance, good governance plays a key role in rebuilding in the post-conflict areas. For this purpose, human and institutional resources needed in that reconstruction have often fallen victim to the previous violence. It is necessary because Swat is in transition phase and requires administrative assistance and socio-economic cooperation from the federal government and the international community. The task is thus to build transparent, efficient and participative governance structures that can help to stabilize the volatile transformation of post-conflict society. Furthermore, local governance is a vital tool to guarantee peace, boost economic development, maximize administrative efficiency, and ensure social inclusion and environmental sustainability. In general, local governance are increasingly considered to have a key role in responding to the socio‐economic needs of affected populations in both the immediate post‐conflict humanitarian early recovery phase and in the long term, as part of the consolidation of peace and state‐building. In this regard, local governments are viewed as pivotal in bringing formal state institutions into direct contact with their citizens and thus play a crucial role in establishing inclusive patterns of post‐conflict governance, responsively providing services delivery and decision making to divided populations and consolidating resilient law and order.
Moreover, district Swat emerging from violent conflict require the support from all concerned quarters for socio-economic development and administrative reforms in order to face the vast challenges of reconstructing, physical infrastructure and, most of all, of recreating institutions according to the need of post-conflict society. Although institution-building issues in post-conflict situations have received increased attention in the last few years, there is no comprehensive set of political guidelines for the promotion of good governance in fragile environments. This task will have to be undertaking by the federal and provincial government to enhance transparency and harmonization of approaches. As a step, the concerned bodies outline crucial issues for the promotion of good governance in post-conflict societies, identifying the most important actors and sketching relevant starting points and possibilities of sequencing measures. However, the new political and administrative reforms that satisfy the principles of good governance can prevent outbreaks of new violence by providing more peaceful procedures of conflict resolution. This research will help to elaborate the basic core problems and the rules of engagement to enhance the capacity of institutions and service delivery to the people. The research will focus fundamentally on strategy, basing its analysis on the security, political-administrative and socio-economic dimensions of governance, which play varying roles in the different stages of reconstruction. It also offers some recommendations for the operational level. Since the promotion of good governance in post-conflict societies requires difficult decisions and prioritizations, which desire contributed valuable insights from the perspective of development policy. Nevertheless, the area of Swat belongs to violent conflict and need to make critical choices between the often momentous task of responding to the aspirations of local people and the need to quickly reconstitute a semblance of government at local and federal levels; between rapid economic development and longer‐term peace consolidation and sustained development, and hence, the importance of addressing the root causes of conflicts.
In addition to post-conflict situation local government has a role in the reducing of conflict and "the strengthening of good governance through adequate representation, participation and recognition of all identity (minority) groups at the local level can be seen as an important entry point for the resolution of ethnic tensions, and this in turn will also support the national political process of reconciliation. Furthermore, the lessons learnt at the local level can provide important answers to the question as to how to restructure the national political system so that it is suitable to accommodate all identity groups". It is said that "at the local level, much greater constructive potential survives conflicts and other complex emergencies than we had expected or than we found at higher levels in most political systems". Therefore local government has a vital role in post conflict reconstruction, services deliveries and decision making.
The present study Local Governance in Post-Conflict Situation at Swat District: Challenges for Services Delivery and Decision Making Capacities will be an appropriately effort to identify challenges in the way of local government in providing services delivery and decision making at local level in the post conflict situations of District Swat.
Justification of the Study:
The research will provide an overview of the district Swat which in the recent past severely affected by the War on Terror (Conflict situation) and society experience serious challenges associated with local governance, decentralization of policies and the strengthening of local governments within contexts of peace building, area building and post conflict recovery in the recent past. It underlines that harnessing the potential of local governance in sensitive and volatile peace building processes requires addressing a series of significant challenges and in particular recognizing the dynamics of each conflict along with the concomitant power struggles involved. Failure to do this adequately has led to mixed results. The research will attempt to provide historical and analytical grounding to this hypothesis by providing historical background to the Swat Conflict as well as presenting the findings of an extensive field research conducted in the district Swat. In addition, local governance can give voice to the local population, and enhance their participation in the reconstruction and peace building efforts and thus alleviate tensions based on social exclusion, polarization and regional disparities that are often at the origin of conflicts. It is also an essential means for increasing national capacities and ownership to lead recovery efforts across all the key phases, from the identification of needs, to planning, programming, implementation and monitoring. Therefore, good local governance is not just about providing a range of local services but also about preserving the life and liberty of residents, creating space for democratic participation and civic dialogue, supporting market-led and environmentally sustainable local development, and facilitating outcomes that enrich the quality of life of residents.
Aims and Objectives of the Study
The overall objective of the study is to find out the role of local government in the provision of services delivery and decision making at local level in post conflict society of district Swat.
The specific objectives of the study are:
1.To asses the role/ functions/performance of local government in service delivery, and decision making in post conflict society of Swat;
2.To identify challenges faced by local government in post conflict society of Swat in delivery of services and local decision making;
3.To find out the role of local government to establish state outreach and control in remote areas especially in post conflict situations;
4.To find out the views of the people, and experiences with, service delivery, decision making and local governance;
5.To suggest possible measures to improve service delivery, decision making and local governance.
This study will answer the following questions.
1.What are the role/ functions/performance of local government in improving in service delivery, and decision making in post conflict society of Swat?
2.What are the challenges faced by local government in post conflict society of Swat in delivery of services and local decision making?
3.How the state establishes its outreach and control in remote areas through local government especially in post conflict societies?
4.What are the views of the people about local government, and their experiences with, service delivery, decision making at their local level?
The methodology of this study will be historical, descriptive, empirical (qualitative & quantitative) and analytical in nature. The study will be historical & descriptive in terms of the historical appraisal of existing local government and administrative structure of Swat. It will be empirical in the sense that both qualitative and quantitative data will be collected through interviews and questionnaires. The opinion of the people of Swat and important stakeholders about local government system, etc. local administrators, and people working in local municipality will be collected through different data collection methods mentioned below. The study will be analytical as it will analyze the views of different stakeholders, common people, and different experts. Primary data will be collected through structured questionnaires from a sample of 364 people (calculated through a statistical formula) will be randomly selected for this research study.
Research Methodology:
This paper through the help of a field survey and key personnel interviews will be presented to strengthen evidence that backs this hypothesis. In order to make the case for this hypothesis, the historical background will be presented as well to signify the change in situation since the annexation of the region. Moreover, field research will be conduct in the Swat district to substantiate the hypothesis using findings based on the primary data collected.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


According to Christian authors John Ankerberg and John Weldon, "until recently iridology has been practiced primarily by chiropractors, naturopaths, and homeopaths. But in recent years, many other new age therapists have begun to use iridology and even some physicians and optometrists…" which should raise red flags (Can You Trust Your Doctor?, 339).
"The iridologist claims he is able to diagnose the physical condition of the body through examining the iris, the colored part of the eye. He also claims that he can diagnose the probability of future illnesses and diseases by the same method." (Can You Trust Your Doctor?, 340). In iridology it believed that each organ of the body is represented by a corresponding area within the iris. Not only iridology will be addressed here but other forms of diagnosis using occult methods.
What are the risks of getting involved with iridology?
There is the risk of one's health because iridologists don't diagnose based upon proven methods of medical diagnosis. There are more than just potential physical risks associated with iridology. The connections between this practice and the occult can pose potential spiritual risks as well.
As we read further we can see why anyone should be wary of iridology when its history was steeped in the occult and New Age.
According to Can You Trust Your Doctor? "Iridology can be traced to ancient Chinese astrological practices" (341).
In the U.S., the "father" of iridology in America may be considered chiropractor and naturopath Bernard Jensen. By far, he has been the most influential proponent of the practice.
Here is where things get interesting, Jensen was not an actual scientist, but was a popular new age healer, a fact revealed in his various works, such as Iridology: Science and Practice in the Healing Arts. In his book, he reveals his belief in new age concepts or practices such as reincarnation, astral travel, psychic development, and other occultic practices and philosophies. Such occultist practices are known to open a person to demonization. Jensen also confessed his great indebtedness to occultist Manly P. Hall, gurus Sai Baba and Jiddhu Krishnamurti, homeopath V. G. Rocine, occultist and polarity therapy founder Randollph Stone, and those of similar persuasion.
Iridology is shown to be compatible with new age medicine in general. There is a chart used in iridology (they use several different charts) that reveals how iridology can be correlated to the practices of Chinese acupuncture and philosophy (as well as Hindu yogic principles and Ayurvedic medicine) (Can You Trust Your Doctor?, 343).
One does not have delve deeply to study iridology long before one uncovers iridologists who claim to diagnose the iris on the basis of psychic powers or even on the basis of spirit guides. Not all iris diagnosticians are involved occult of course, but clearly some are, thus one should stay away for that reason alone.
"Iridology is based on scientific observation. [However] It is the kind of science that cannot be related through scientific tests, for it does not provide clinical information…. Iridology can only be judged by those who use it properly. Iridology has not been used properly by those who have criticized and say it fails the test" (Can You Trust Your Doctor?, 356).
"If the iris is indeed blessed with such enormous diagnostic potential, why is iridology not taken seriously in the scientific community?
In fact, iridology is taught neither in medical school nor in high school biology classes, nor is it practiced… by optometrists or opthalmologists…." (Can You Trust Your Doctor?, 349).
So how are correct diagnosis in iridology made?
Ankerberg and Weldon speculate that it could be that most patients will tell an iridologist their medical history, including the symptoms they are having, well before he examines their iris. This may supply the iridologist with sufficient clues to make an accurate diagnosis at least some of the time.
Or it could be iridology diagnosis characteristically involves speaking in vague and general terminology. The patient is left to fill in the details.
Or it could be iridologists, like many other new age healers, are adept at self-justification. Because practitioners assume iridology is never wrong, some novel explanation is always available to explain errors, no matter how implausible.
Or perhaps they have "success" in diagnosing patients is because iridologists do not usually provide one single diagnosis but offer the patient an entire list of actual or potential problems.
"iridology is worthless as a diagnostic technique, and it may involve a person in the occult. Whether considered from the perspective of logic, scientific tests, or iridology theory itself, iridology is a pseudoscience of no value. The practice has deceived both practitioner and patient alike" (Can You Trust Your Doctor?, 357).
If it is none of the above, an iridologist practitioner can diagnose mediumistically. In other words, an evil spirit (or evil spirits) somehow convey the practitioner the correct diagnosis.
"Many of our healers and occult practitioners use eye-diagnosis mediumistically… That means that they are only interested in the iris as an mediumsitic contact. In this way the human eye serves a psychometric purpose in much the same way as hand lines do when a fortune-teller uses them as contact material or as an 'intuition stimulant.' When this is the case, eye-diagnosis becomes a form of fortune-telling. Because of this, these eye-diagnosticians are often very successful. Indeed, some of them with little or no medical training can diagnose illness with 100 percent accuracy." (The Devil's Alphabet, 40-41).
A father was ill and went to an iris diagnostician for advice. His family knew nothing about this method of therapy (treatment of disease). After several sessions with the eye diagnostician, the man's character began to change. His wife said, "He became a devil to his own family. He took to alcohol, bullied his wife and children, though until then he had been a friendly, peaceable man.
Over forty-four years I have collected thousands of examples which tell a similar story. those who engage in occult activities undergo a change of character, feelings, and faith.
A doctor discovered that he had the ability to use of pendulum. He began a series of experiments that lasted over a period of about a week. When a new patient entered his consulting room, he would first offer him a chair, and then he would go into an adjoining room and use a pendulum over the letters of the alphabet to find out the patient's Christian names, surname and complaint. The results proved to be correct in each case and the successes encouraged the doctor to conduct further experiments. When a nurse called from his brand office and told him of some new patients, he used the same method. With the help of the pendulum and the alphabet he discovered the names, diseases and ages of the still unknown patients. The results always proved to be correct. These surprising successes spurred him on to make yet other more difficult experiments. For instance, if he wanted to know the time of departure or arrival of a train, he found that the pendulum obligingly gave him desired information. He could also with the help of the pendulum state the names, ages, family relationships and other things of people, merely by using the pendulum in conjunction with a photograph of the individual in question. There appeared to be nothing impossible to this pendulum practitioner.
During these experiments, however, the doctor observed various psychic changes in himself. He lost control of himself sexually as well as towards alcohol and smoking. He often had fits of temper and did not understand why. Already after the first week of experimenting with the pendulum he had felt and feared that he was going out of his mind. After a time he therefore stopped using his pendulum and in his inner confusion he endeavoured to become a Christian. In doing so he was completely delivered from the powers that he had been working with. Today this doctor believes that such pendulum abilities depend on demonic forces, because the characteristics effects appeared not only in his mental life but also in his spiritual life.
… It is not only quacks and amateur healers who use occult methods of diagnosis and cure; there are also a few occultists among doctors. The doctor in question is not only a fully qualified M.D., but is also a psychometric clairvoyant, clairsentient, and fortuneteller. He takes a drop of blood from his patient. This blood sample is not tested in a laboratory. It suffices for the doctor to hold the drop of blood up against the light and to concentrate on it. Then he gives his complete diagnosis. Undoubtedly man diseases can be diagnosed by examination of the blood. I have had a blood test myself. The doctor had the blood tested in forty different ways in the laboratory. It is not possible to do that with just one drop of blood, and some of the laboratory checks take a long time. This doctor is an occultist. All patients who undergo this occult diagnosis come under a ban.
While we are talking about doctors, I will mention another example. I was told in the course of counseling about a school doctor who asked for samples of urine. He does not make the usual urine tests for protein, sugar, hemoglobin and so on, but he uses it like the doctor in the last example. He concentrates for a few second on the urine, without sending it to the laboratory for examination, and then makes his diagnosis and prescribes his cure accordingly. This too is a case of occult diagnosis.
Thus it is only quacks and healers who use occult methods. There are are doctors who do the same thing under cloak of their professional qualifications.
A French pastor's wife came to me for a talk. She had been suffering for years from depression. The depression cold not be accounted for medically. The pastor's wife told me the story of her life. It included a case of fortunetelling. One day when her son (now grown up) was ill as a baby, a man from the parish came to the door of the house. 'I know that your son is ill," the man said.
A mother who is anxious about her beloved child is, under some circumstances, open to persuasion. So she went into the house and brought one of the baby's dresses. The man went home with it. A short while later, the fever abated and the child recovered.
But the child's development was unusual. He was not normal. He was very clever and went to the high school. But when he came home from school he would stand against the wall and, for about two hours, knock his forehead against it. He could not be persuaded to stop this. His mother also had spiritual problems. She was hardly able to pray or to read the Bible, and she started to suffer from depression.
I believe those who have yielded to being diagnosed or treated by any occult method can possibly open the person to spiritual defilement.
The only hope for deliverance from occult subjection can be found in the Lord and God Jesus Christ.
When I first saw this, I was amused and amazed and I wondered where you always find all these "weird wacko-New-Age-things", but then it suddenly dawned on me that many, many years ago I had gone to a homeopathist who had used this method on me!
I had completely forgotten about it!
And this man helped me!
I had forgotten this one and had not repented for it, so thank you for bringing it back to my memory, thank you once again for digging so deep and finding all these "New Age things".
I have been greatly blessed by your research and I pray that many others will be, too and that THE LORD will reward you abundantly!


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FORMAT_RAW_BINARY and FORMAT_RAW_STRING enable the support of future data formats. When using these formats, the actual format name is specified as a String. The application is responsible for the proper encoding of the data according to the specified format.
Constant instance representing a boolean false value.
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Constant instance representing a leaf node of null format.
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Get the size of the data.
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Gets the string representation of the DmtData.
The node holds an OMA DM bin value. The value of the node corresponds to the Java byte type.
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The node holds an OMA DM null value. This corresponds to the Java null type.
Format specifier of an internal node. An interior node can hold a Java object as value (see DmtData(Object) and getNode()). This value can be used by Java programs that know a specific URI understands the associated Java type. This type is further used as a return value of the MetaNode.getFormat() method for interior nodes.
The node holds raw protocol data encoded as String. The getFormatName() method can be used to get the actual format name.
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DmtIllegalStateException - if the format of the node is not base 64.
Certain interior nodes can support access to their subtrees through complex values, making it simpler to retrieve or update all leaf nodes in the subtree.
Get the node's format, expressed in terms of type constants defined in this class. Note that the 'format' term is a legacy from OMA DM, it is more customary to think of this as 'type'.
Returns the format of this DmtData as String. For the predefined data formats this is the OMA DM defined name of the format. For FORMAT_RAW_STRING and FORMAT_RAW_BINARY this is the format specified when the object was created.
Gets the string representation of the DmtData. This method works for all formats.
For string format data - including FORMAT_RAW_STRING - the string value itself is returned, while for XML, date, time, integer, float, boolean, long and node formats the string form of the value is returned. Binary - including FORMAT_RAW_BINARY - base64 data is represented by two-digit hexadecimal numbers for each byte separated by spaces. The NULL_VALUE data has the string form of " null". Data of string or XML format containing the Java null value is represented by an empty string. DateTime data is formatted as yyyy-MM-dd'T'HH:mm:SS'Z').
Compares the specified object with this DmtData instance. Two DmtData objects are considered equal if their format is the same, and their data (selected by the format) is equal.
In case of FORMAT_RAW_BINARY and FORMAT_RAW_STRING the textual name of the data format - as returned by getFormatName() - must be equal as well.
Returns the hash code value for this DmtData instance. The hash code is calculated based on the data (selected by the format) of this object.


Admittedly, I'm a Denver Broncos fan. It's not the only team I cheer for, but you can bet I was sporting my orange and blue Broncos sweatshirt during their appearance at Super Bowl 50 on Sunday.
Having said that – mostly in the name of transparency – I'd also like to assure you I was more than excited to see the up-and-coming football star of the east, Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, lead his team down the field and give Denver a run for their money.
Newton had accomplished the impossible this season, even garnering the coveted MVP title. Because of his positive, upbeat attitude and tremendous level of play, he was able to rally millions of fans far beyond the borders of North Carolina.
And in two sophomoric decisions to be a poor sport — as far as I'm concerned — he ruined whatever reputation he created for himself as a professional sportsman.
If you missed it, the first instance came near the end of the game, when Newton was visibly frustrated at what was taking place on the field. He threw himself down on the ground like a scolded 6-year-old. It was quite embarrassing, but that wasn't his worst play of the night.
At the post-game press conference where — win or lose — leaders of the team are expected to show dignity and class by answering gently-worded questions about the game, Newton apparently didn't like what he heard.
He walked into the room with a hood pulled over his head and gave pouty, three-word answers to sports journalists who were asking typical post-game questions.
And then he stormed out, leaving everyone in the room completely stunned.
They were stunned for good reason – this is Cam Newton we're talking about. Sure, he's semi-cocky, but in a good way. He certainly backed up any good-natured trash talk throughout the season with his impressive stats and wins, but all that was gone in a New York second when he took his proverbial ball and went home.
Newton is especially popular among today's youth and up to that very moment in time, set a fine example for his legion of young followers.
Now, thanks to his unprecedented crybaby antics, young athletes – if not properly guided – will think it's perfectly acceptable to moan, pout and stomp off if they have a bad game.
Some might say to give the guy a break – but I couldn't disagree more. He's the leader — the commander of a championship team. This was not acceptable.
Sure, he lost and that stings, but it's no reason to make a fool of yourself in front of 115 million people and then give a metaphorical middle finger to the very people who'll write about your grace and dignity the next day.
Newton was definitely on my radar for the future, since it was likely Peyton "The Sheriff" Manning's last game and I'll soon be in need of a quarterback to rally behind.
But not anymore. As far as I'm concerned, he's just another flash in the sore loser pan.


*Ancient Artisan Bi Luo Chun Green Tea has multiple health benefits ranging from anti-cancer, anti-aging, to lowering blood pressure and even can clear bad breath.
*The health benefits of bamboo shoots include healthy weight loss, balanced cholesterol levels, and a boosted immune system. They also have cancer-fighting and anti-inflammatory properties. They are heart-friendly and contain protein, a sufficient supply of vitamins and minerals, and a negligible amount of fat.


The 2018 Nationwide Children's Hospital Championship field is set with the passing of the typical Friday entry deadline. The field is set for this event, played at The Ohio State University's Scarlet Course in Columbus, Ohio.
The Nationwide Children's Hospital Championship field is headlined by the top 75 players from the Web.com Tour regular season money list and those ranked 126th throuth 200th on the regular season-ending PGA Tour FedEx Cup points list.
There are no top-50 players in the field for this event, as the field is comprised of players who struggled on the PGA Tour or made their way up through the Web.com Tour regular season.


text:
SMALL FIRM.
BIG JUSTICE.
James T. Fordham
Nathan D. Lock
Samuel Lee Sanders
Robert H. Smalley III
Daniel T Strain Jr.
Stephen A. Williams
FREE INITIAL CONSULTATIONS 706-508-4292
Georgia car accident kills 2 and injures 4
On behalf of McCamy, Phillips, Tuggle & Fordham, LLP | Sep 18, 2014 | Uncategorized |
Car crashes seem to happen almost daily due to drivers who consumed alcohol prior to getting behind the wheel of a vehicle. Most Georgia drivers are told the dangers of drinking and driving as a part of learning to drive and prior to getting their driver's license. Some drivers seem to either forget this or ignore the consequences, which can lead to a serious or deadly car accident.
Local law enforcement officials might site alcohol as the primary cause in a recent fatal crash. This particular accident took place at an intersection off Buford Highway sometime after 2 a.m. According to authorities, two vehicles were involved in the crash.
The first was a Daewoo, occupied by a 48-year-old man and a 29-year-old man, that failed to stop at a stop sign. The report did not identify which of the two men was the driver. The second vehicle involved was a Pontiac which had a family of four as its occupants.
The two men in the Daewoo were killed in the crash. The boy and girl in the Pontiac, 9 and 5 years old, were transported to a local hospital to be treated for their non-life threatening injuries. The parents were reportedly injured as well, but no detail on the extent of their injuries is available at this time.
The Gwinnet County Police continues its investigation into the crash. Georgia officials have stated that both speeding and driving while intoxicated were most likely the causes of this fatal car accident. The family of the deceased passenger in the Daewoo may exercise their right to file a wrongful death claim against the estate of the driver. The injured family may file personal injury claims for each family members seeking damages including any out-of-pocket medical expenses and lost wages (for the parents) while recuperating from their injuries.
Source: accessnorthga.com, "Two die in Buford traffic accident", Derreck Booth, Sept. 15, 2014
General Litigation (5)
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Accidents with uninsured drivers in Georgia
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Dealing with unreasonably low settlement offers
Consult A Lawyer Today
Get started on your legal case. Call 706-508-4292 local, or toll free at 800-798-3162 today.
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Mail: PO Box 1105
© 2021 McCamy, Phillips, Tuggle & Fordham, LLP. All Rights Reserved.


Don't these just make you want to say, "Awwwwww" or "Yuuummmm!" They make me say, "I need a big glass of milk!" I love strawberry cupcakes and you know what else I love even more? Moscato wine. I have a huge sweet tooth and am drawn more to sweet wines. I do love my Rieslings and an occasional Pino but Moscato is my fave! So I though why not combine the two things I love? Genius! Why not throw in some chocolate chips too while I'm at it? Even better!!
I didn't go homemade with these, don't shun me! I just wanted a quick and easy cupcake and that is exactly what I made.
Mix your strawberry cake according to the box directions and substitute the 1 cup water with 1 cup of Cupcake Moscato wine. You can add maybe a half cup more of the wine if you want to be daring. I would have liked more Moscato flavor in my batch. Here is a picture of this wine if you have never had it before. It is one of my favorite brands!
After your batter is mixed stir in one cup of mini chocolate chips and distribute the batter evenly between 24 cupcake liners. Bake according to the box directions.
While your cupcakes are baking you will want to make your chocolate heart cupcake toppers. Begin by lining a baking sheet with wax paper. Next, melt 2 cups of chocolate chips in 30 second intervals in the microwave stirring between each 30 seconds. When the chips have melted spoon them into a squeeze bottle or piping bag. Make your heart shapes on the wax paper and place in the fridge to set up.
When your cupcakes have cooled and your toppers have set up pipe on your butter cream frosting and top with your chocolate heart cupcake toppers! You may even have a glass of that Moscato while you're at it!
These are perfect for Valentine's Day or just because, enjoy!
These look beautiful and I bet taste beautiful too!!! Love it.
Amazing! I have a pot luck at work next month. I'm thinking I will have to make these.
Oh wow, gorgeous and delish! I would love for you to share it at my Valentines Party @ www.cheapcraftymama.com!
I love the little hearts! I'm always a fan of chocolate designs on top of cupcakes though!
Are you kidding me!?? These look so cute and delicious! I am so going to have to make these! Great job!!!!
They look delicious! THanks for sharing!
WOW, you are after my heart!!!!
Um, yum!! Seriously tasty looking. Thanks for linking up at Beyond the Picket Fence.
so cute and nothing wrong with a box mix at all.
Pinned these! Thanks so much for sharing!
these look pretty and yummy! will be featuring it today!
Look so yummy, Love these!
Thank you so much for this! Tried it with a vanilla mix. I used regular Moscato the first time but the Cupcake Brand took it up a notch!!! I will give strawberry a try too.
Finalist! Please Vote For Me!


text:
John Palliser surveys the West
Exploration of Canada, Recognizers
Date of Issue March 17, 1988
Quantity 3,658,800
Perforation or Dimension 12.5 x 13
Series Exploration of Canada, Recognizers
Series Time Span 1988
Printer Ashton-Potter Limited.
Mint - Never Hinged - Very Fine $0.75
Used - Very Fine $0.35
About Stamp
In the 18th century, new scientific equipment allowed explorers to survey land and sea with greater accuracy than ever before. Some of George Vancouver's maps, in fact, are still in use today. An explorer and avid hunter, Palliser headed the "Palliser Expedition" which, from 1857 to 1861, explored the plains north of the 49th parallel and the passes through the Rockies. The expedition delineated a stretch of semi-arid land named "Palliser's Triangle", and the surrounding, "fertile belt" which was found suitable for stock raising and agriculture. Artist Frederick Hagan of Newmarket, Ontario painted these four images, third in the series of Exploration stamps. Using a palette of vivid colours, he depicts the lands carted by four 18th century explorers. His imaginative backgrounds detail charts, map-making tools and the Discovery, the ship Vancouver sailed on his voyage around the world.
Designed by Frederick Hagan.
Canada Post Corporation. [Postage Stamp Press Release], 1988.


Devi-Suktam.pdf - Download as PDF File (.pdf), Text File (.txt) or read online. Scribd is the world's largest social reading and publishing site. Search Search. Close suggestions... Devi Suktam. These files are related to devi suktam. Just preview or download the desired file.
Devi Suktam. The Devi Suktam is a hymn of the Rigveda (RV 10.125). It consists of 8 verses and is dedicated to Vak. It is recited at the end of Devi Mahatmya.... 1/10/2016 · Devi Kavacham- Consisting of 61 verses, Devi Kavacham is in Markandeya Purana. This kavacham (armour) protects the reader in all parts of the body, in all places and in all difficulties. Every part of the body is mentioned and Devi, in different forms, is being worshipped.
1/01/2011 · This is a very traditional Stotram that is recited in Devi worship, it describes the forms Devi assumes. There is a beautiful translation of this hymn in Swami Satyananda Saraswati's book …... 16/03/2013 · Manyu suktam recitation by vedic pundits with text in devanagari.
Devi Suktam. These files are related to devi suktam. Just preview or download the desired file.
1/10/2016 · Devi Kavacham- Consisting of 61 verses, Devi Kavacham is in Markandeya Purana. This kavacham (armour) protects the reader in all parts of the body, in all places and in all difficulties. Every part of the body is mentioned and Devi, in different forms, is being worshipped.
Tantrokta Devi Suktam song from the album Divine Diwali - Anuradha Paudwal & Anup Jalota is released on Nov 2015 . The duration of song is 06:18. This song is sung by Anuradha Paudwal. The duration of song is 06:18.


A few links for your weekend - have a lovely one. I love the rain, but it might be time for a break.
*Studded nails? Yes, or no?
*What do you think about houseplants?
houseplants are the best! they bring a little bit of green inside, and they are good for cleaning the air inside. you can get so many lovely varieties these days, that are a world away from those huge, slightly creepy twisted up varieties they grew in the seventies!
I love the labels you can make with a Dymo, I have thought of a million different ways to use them.
I have this book, it's really good!
i say 'yes' to studded nails. though, i probably wouldn't keep them looking pristine for very long.


Become your preferred neighborhood casual dining.
We will annually increase the number of units by exceeding in our products quality, crafting authentic "localization" pizzas while our guests feel at home.
Toti Granata oversee the restaurant operation. He makes sure the quality of the product and services are consistent. He also keeps the restaurant relevant and tied to its culinary Italian tradition but also maintaining it locally relevant to the different neighborhoods.
Wessex Investments LLC manages financially the business and the growth of the company.
Our food will be an authentic Italian and Sicilian cucina. We will use fresh ingredients on a casual ambiance bringing a friendly service on a local environment.
Low to medium range. It is focused on volume.
The company was born with the name of Pizza Lovers, created by Toti Granata, his founder and expanding in South Florida. His successful business model is being expanded in South Florida by adding the corporate expertise process-oriented approach, multidisciplinary professionalism and funding from Wessex Investments LLC.
Wessex Investments LLC is an industry leading investment and asset management company with ability to identify compelling investment opportunities. His financial professionals focus on maximizing profitability upon their deep history and proven outperformance in the field.
Pizza Lovers Licensing LLC ownership is composed by Salvatore Granata founder of Pizza Lovers in Weston, Florida and Wessex Investments LLC, bringing a great expertise, professionalism, marketing to make this company grow in the United States of America.
Toti Granata is an Italian entertainer, who has brought his family culinary experience and tradition to reality, first in in Spain and then he moved to the United Stated, founding his first restaurant in the US. Toti, through the years, has also incorporated other techniques and knowledge through specializations done in Venice. His last years he has training with Graziano Bertuzzo, the multiple and actual worldwide pizza champion.
Wessex Investments LLC is a company own and led by several professional with more than 30 years of experience in several industries, who have operated different companies and make them profitable. It is a company that is service driven where it is all about people, services provided and its returns. The vast experience provide a holistic approach to optimizing business assets using brands or developing unique brands that consistently resulted in superior returns for its clients.
Wessex Investments LLC feel that in order to maximize the owners' investment value, they need to invest in their associates..


text:
Keeping my baby: The bravest thing I've ever done
Pauline Muindi 05th May 2019 00:00:00 GMT +0300
Patricia Kombo, 22, Student at Moi University and blogger at patriciakombo.wordpress.com
I realised I was pregnant at 3 weeks; I was shocked since I had used contraceptives. I had missed my menses which led me to suspect pregnancy and buy an over-the-counter test kit, and the results were positive. Being raised in a Christian family with strict parents, I saw abortion as the only way out. The thought of turning into a laughing stock to all those who had celebrated my going to university mortified me.
I called back home and lied I had malaria and I needed to visit the doctor. My parents sent me some money; little did they know my evil plans. A friend introduced me to a quack doctor who I paid Sh7,000 with the understanding that he would help me terminate the pregnancy in a week's time.
SEE ALSO :Gang kills pregnant woman and child
The "doctor" was a no-show on the D-day. I called and called but he ignored my calls and eventually blocked me. My plan had hit the wall and I didn't have any more money to go ahead with my plan. I thought of how my parents would be disappointed in me, how much I was disappointed in myself. What would happen to my pursuit for education and a better future?
Three days after my abortion plan failed, my mum called to check up on me and wish me a happy birthday. She told me how much she loved me and gave me general advice on life. That call stirred something in my heart. At this point, the friends I'd shared my predicament with were pressuring me to go ahead with the abortion and were even willing to help raise money for it. However, I decided to keep my baby.
I informed my aunt, who later broke the news to my mother and sister. My dad, who's more authoritarian, was kept in the dark. Balancing university assignments and the stress of pregnancy was quite a challenge. I lost my friends and even started missing classes because I just wanted to be alone.
Later that September, while living with my dad, I'd wear loose clothes to hide my rapidly protruding belly. He only found out about my pregnancy when I was eight months along, at my sister's graduation. He was so upset that he refused to speak to me. This was really hard on me and I feared that he would chase me from home and stop paying my school fees, which thankfully he didn't do.
I delivered my baby girl, Tiffany, safely. My dad took care of the hospital bills. I breastfed my daughter for three months before going back to school. Tiffany is now a rambunctious 2-year-old who fills my life with joy and purpose. Now I advocate for women's empowerment through agriculture, which led to being nominated for Kotex #periodOrNot She Can Awards. I'm glad that I was brave enough to keep my baby; it was the right decision.
SEE ALSO :Church leaders link Matungu killings to collapse of sugar factory
I CAME OUT TO MY FAMILY
Marylize Biubwa, 28
Human Rights Activist
I first realised I was queer when I was in high school. In form two. It came as a surprise because it started off as people, especially schoolmates, assuming I was a lesbian. A friend even told me I get too close to my friends and that's why people think I am a lesbian.
Fast forward to 2010 just after I cleared high school, I freed myself off a non-sexual romantic relationship with a man to find myself. I felt like I tried too hard to be in that relationship although deep down I felt I desired something different. I told him I was attracted to women. However, it was only in 2013 that I finally accepted myself as a lesbian.
SEE ALSO :Rising rates of marijuana use among pregnant women spark concern
In August 2018, I decided to finally come out to my family. It was actually more like coming out to my mum. I was afraid of disappointing her and I knew her reaction would set the tone for the rest of the family. My coming out ended up bringing up a lot of other issues, including how I had been sexually abused as a child but my family refused to believe me. With nowhere else to go, and no job to sustain myself, I was on the streets for two weeks. This was a very dark phase for me. I broke. I broke in ways I have grown to abhor. I was lost, defeated, and alone. The only emotion I was familiar with was numbness and the desire to die. I just wanted to end it all. Eventually a Nigerian friend, Ifeatu Nnaobi, took me off the streets.
My family has not reached out to me for reconciliation; at least not directly. I have had scenarios where a friend tells me my mum was asking about me. My mum only called once but I didn't pick her call, so she tells people I refuse to talk to her.
I'm still rebuilding myself. Sometimes I suffer mental breakdowns. But I have found wonderful friends and have a therapist and a psychiatrist. I consider it a success that I'm still here, still alive and chasing my dreams. I have had to go through a journey of self acceptance and self love. This helps me through the tough times.
What would I do differently? I would wait till I'm financially stable to come out. The most traumatising thing for me was to live in the streets. Until today, my greatest fear is not being able to pay rent and finding myself in the streets again. I learnt that being free should be the ultimate goal of life. It also taught me that family is not blood, family is people who choose you over and over and over again. I've become more vigilant about LGBTIQ rights. I am not scared to knock through doors and to speak life to why sexual minorities' rights are human rights. Coming out has made me a more legitimate LGBTIQ activist and feminist. It made me free. I guess it's true what they say; if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear. If I died today, I will be happy to know I lived a free life.
SEE ALSO :Pregnant woman murdered, body dumped by roadside
I QUIT ALCOHOL
Name: Kenneth Kaane
IT specialist at woks for an Advanced Cybersecurity firm in Silicon Valley
I was angry at myself. I had settled for less than I deserved in life. The dangerous relationship I had formed with the drink had to come to an end if I were to live a quality life and manage personal and business relationships effectively.
I have memories of my late father severally giving me a sip of his drink when I was young. In my family, imbibing alcohol was just something adults, especially males, did. It was expected and accepted. But I started taking alcohol with friends late in high school; when I was in Form Four. To me alcohol was unpalatable at first but my taste buds adapted with time.
At first, I was only drinking socially and everything was fine. I noticed alcohol had become a problem when it took centre stage in my life; when it became a coping mechanism. At the peak before I quit, I was drinking daily and even at times from morning.
I decided to quit cold turkey. I took stock of my life at that point and focused all the resulting anger towards this one goal. I had to make extreme lifestyle changes like avoiding some friends. I also announced on social media my decision to quit alcohol which made me accountable. With hindsight, I could have used easier methods.
This year will mark five years since I gave up the drink. I quit alcohol 26 October, 2014. This quote from Israelmore Ayivor captures perfectly my mood when I made the decision to quit, "If you are not angry with your average performance, you can't effect a change! You must get upset to grab the energy to break the fence confining you!"
I started seeing benefits of an alcohol free lifestyle almost immediately. I have not had a single drink since quitting. I count each day alcohol-free proudly. By the grace of God and encouraged by loved ones and friends I continue the journey.
In the beginning I kept off places where alcohol was served. It is easier to avoid a temptation when it is not in the same room with you. With time the cravings have become but silent whispers and I can go anywhere comfortably without worrying so much about backsliding. I remember a friend telling me I had become boring and that he will never invite me out. Most friends tried so hard to reintroduce me to the drink. It is a cult. Right now everyone has accepted the new me and we hang out without pressure.
Quitting alcohol is a personal decision but I'll always advocate for responsible drinking. Know when to say no, what your tolerance level is, and especially being able to take safety into your hands when you go out drinking.
I've learned that courage is just anger at the situation in front of you. If you are angry enough at what is challenging you, you will confront it no matter its size.
Register to advertise your products & services on our classifieds website Digger.co.ke and enjoy one month subscription free of charge and 3 free ads on the Standard newspaper.
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G&G specializes in tailoring your system to your specific needs. We deliver special orders quickly and consider it a privilege to work with you! We specialize in integrating industry proven technologies into robust functioning process systems tailored to meet your specific requirements. Our design and manufacturing team works directly with your technical team to deliver the right solution. We pride ourselves on quality and timely delivery, and we have made our reputation on design engineering and customer satisfaction.