1)Building on the coarse grain report on ecological fiscal transfers, detailed fine grain studies on different aspects of integrating ecological indicators in the German fiscal transfer system are pursued such as the development of appropriate conservation indicators, the detailed discussion of ex ante scenario modelling results, or the legal and institutional options and constraints for introducing ecological fiscal transfers. A substantial part of the fine grain analysis related to EFT is already covered in the national case study report. Fine grain analysis on EFT will be continued, resulting mainly in journal publications that will be integrated in the upcoming fine grain report.
2) As Germany is a federal country with its states being responsible for implementing nature and forest conservation policies, a second major focus of the German fine grain analysis relates to the topic of afforestation and related ecosystem services in the Free State of Saxony. Here, the local level analysis investigates economic incentives for afforestation in Western Saxony and discusses the role of these instruments in the Saxon policy mix. This second topic will be a major focus of Deliverable 7.2.2 – Assessment of existing and proposed policy instruments for biodiversity conservation at state and local level.
The territory of Germany covers 357 021 km2 and is influenced by a temperate seasonal climate. With more than 80 million inhabitants it is the most populous member state of the European Union and amongst the most densely populated countries on a global comparison (Federal Ministry for the Environment, 2010a: 5). Agriculture is the dominant land use type (~52%). Though increasing in recent years, forest cover in Germany (~31%) is substantially lower than European average (~45%) (Federal Statistical Office Germany, 2012).
Conserving biodiversity is among the central elements of Germany's National Sustainability Strategy adopted in 2002 (Bundesregierung, 2002). In 2007 Germany also adapted a National Strategy on Biological Diversity (Federal Ministry for the Environment, 2007). The Biodiversity Strategy contains 16 indicators for monitoring current status and trend of biological diversity, roughly 330 objectives with timeframes and about 430 measures calling the various governmental and non-governmental actors to action. There are five main goals of the strategy, namely (1) biodiversity conservation, (2) its sustainable use, (3) reducing environmental pollution, (4) conservation as well as access and equitable sharing of benefits of genetic resources, and (5) raising social awareness for biodiversity conservation as one of the top priorities for society. From an instrument perspective it is interesting to note that the strategy places strong emphasis on regulatory instruments, i.e. protected areas (Fig. 1) like national parks, biosphere reserves, nature conservation areas or Natura 2000 and interlinkage between critical biotopes, and the well-functioning management of these sites and corridors.
Figure 1: Figure 1: National Parks (purple), Biosphere reserves (orange) and nature conservation areas (green) in Germany. Source: Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (2012e).
Another major focus is on stimulating sustainable use of ecosystems, i.e. cultivated landscapes used for agriculture and forestry, with a particular focus on the provision of habitats critical for the survival of endangered species or species for which Germany has a particular conservation responsibility. Against this background, the German POLICYMIX case study can be seen as an effort to support the aims of the Strategy on Biological Diversity and to facilitate the national TEEB-process by contributing to a better understanding of the interaction of policy instruments for biodiversity conservation with a particular emphasis on the role of economic instruments.
Nature conservation has a long tradition in Germany dating back to the first half of the 19th century (Aßmann and Härdtle 2002). The most important legislative outputs at federal level are the Federal Species Conservation Act (Bundesartenschutzverordnung – BArtSchV), and the Federal Nature Conservation Act (Bundesnaturschutzgesetz – BNatSchG) firstly adopted in 1976 but recently reformed and in effect since March 2010 (Table 1). The new legislation intends to harmonise nature conservation laws nationwide. The objectives in the new Federal Act on Nature Conservation and Landscape Management are determined by three main aspects, 1) conserving biodiversity, 2) enhancing productivity and functionality of the ecosystem, and 3) safeguarding variety, singularity, beauty and recreational value of nature and landscapes.
The main regulatory instrument for nature conservation is the designation and management of protected areas. Several types of protected areas are defined by Germany's Federal Nature Conservation Act and are designated by land-use planning at Länder level. They can be classified by size, protection purpose and conservation objective, and by the resulting restrictions on land use. The main types are nature conservation areas, national parks, biosphere reserves, Natura 2000-sites, landscape protection areas and nature parks.
Though since the end of the 1980's the variety and funds related to incentive-based instruments for nature conservation are growing, they are still of minor importance compared to the impact of regulatory instruments. A few of these financial support programmes are issued at the national level, e.g. Testing and Development Projects in Nature Conservation and Landscape Management are funded by the German Ministry for the Environment, as is the direct financial support for important large-scale nature conservation and riparian zone projects by the federal government.
Starting with the EU agricultural reform in 1992, environment-related subsidies for agriculture have been systematically expanded and developed into the current agro-environmental measures as part of the policy for developing agriculture and rural areas. By converting the former production- and product-related subsidies for farmers in Germany into land-related subsidies and linking these payments to compliance with defined environmental protection (cross compliance), incentives for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity have been significantly enhanced. In Germany, these support programmes are implemented at the Länder level and mostly co-financed by the EU. Relating to our local level case study, the two most important incentive-based instruments for forest conservation in Saxony are 1) an agro-environmental scheme that supports afforestation on agricultural land and on other post-industrial sites, and 2) the Directive for Woodland and Forestry in Saxony that aims to increase forest conversion and supports forest-owners that take respective measures.
Table 1: Current (black) and new (blue) instruments for biodiversity and forest conservation in Germany, addressing various actors at different levels of government.
Although the instrument box for biodiversity conservation seems to be well equipped (see Table 1), sufficient funding of nature conservation activities is still lacking and drivers of biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation are persistent and often further spurred by other sectoral policies. This holds true for private conservation activities, e.g. by farmers or foresters but even more so for public policy makers in charge of landscape and conservation planning. Hence, the German case study looks at two promising instruments to complement the policy mix for biodiversity and forest conservation. Firstly, we explore from an ex ante-perspective the potential of integrating ecological indicators in intergovernmental fiscal transfers at federal level in Germany; and secondly, we study in depth the conditions for incentivizing farmers by PES for afforestation to contribute to the state's aim of increasing forest cover in Saxony, a German state with a particularly low share of forest on total land cover.
Despite advances in implementing instruments that reward conservation at the private level in Germany (e.g., PES to landowners), there are few instruments addressing public actors. This might lead to an under-provision of the public good biodiversity conservation, since in such context subnational governments do not have incentives to take conservation benefits into account, especially those affecting other jurisdictions beyond their own boundaries. Ecological fiscal transfer (EFT) is an instrument that has potential to address this issue by distributing money from higher to lower levels of government based on ecological indicators. So far, only Brazil, Portugal and to a certain extent France have adopted EFTs (Ring et al. 2011a). While EFT is an innovative approach to German federalism, fiscal equalisation as such is not.
There is an extensive field of regulation covering the relationship between federal level, states (so-called Länder) and municipalities. The constitutional rules for the distribution of legislative power and responsibilities among these governmental levels are mirrored by a complex mechanism of distributing public revenues in order to provide governments with the funds necessary to fulfil their responsibilities.
Against this background, one set of questions tackled by the POLICYMIX project is whether it is suitable to integrate ecological indicators into the existing fiscal transfer system to account for the different levels of conservation activities by the Länder. What should an indicator for measuring the different levels of conservation activities look like? What are the legal options and constraints such an approach would face? How would this kind of incentive mechanism interact with other types of regulation concerning nature conservation? In defining potential indicators, we build on existing experience with EFT in Brazil and Portugal, and develop a series of protected area-based indicators for integration into the fiscal transfer system.
EFT build on existing protected area regulation in that they use officially designated protected areas as an indicator to allocate fiscal transfers. Hence, they synergistically complement conservation law with an economic incentive that accounts for state conservation costs and spillover benefits related to these protected areas (Ring et al., 2011a: 115). Depending on the indicators chosen, EFT may also facilitate indirect conservation measures such as avoiding further fragmentation of landscapes by traffic infrastructure development or patchy settlement expansion. Furthermore, EFT may provide the funds necessary to equip support programmes for conservation activities by private land users. From an institutional perspective it is also important to note that implementing EFT at state level may also provide an impetus for introducing ecological indicators at other levels of intergovernmental transfers, e.g. fiscal equalisation at municipal level, thereby boosting impacts resulting from EFT at state level.
Ecological Fiscal Transfers share some characteristics with payments for ecosystem services (PES) as they incentivize decision-makers to change their behavior in an environmentally friendly way. However, it is important to note, that fiscal transfers are first and foremost a distributive instruments, i.e. aiming at leveling off differences in the available public budgets per capita at the respective governmental levels. Hence, when ecological indicators are introduced without increasing the overall amount of money available to distribute, there will always be winners and losers and thus some states will receive less with EFT than under the status quo. Thus, effectiveness and efficiency of EFT for biodiversity conservation cannot be evaluated in rigorous way. The main research questions tackled by the fine grain analysis regarding EFT focus on 1) the creation of sound ecological indicators capable of representing the differences in conservation activities among the states, 2) options for their integration into the existing fiscal transfer scheme, and 3) simulation of EFT as proposed to showcase potential distribution results as an input for further discussion with stakeholders about the potential role of EFT in the conservation policy mix.
In Saxony, we focus on a new design of the agri-environmental scheme for forest increase. It has been found that this scheme in its current design is not attractive. This is due to very low compensation payments, partial reimbursement of investment costs and complicated application procedures. The current programme period is from 2007-2013. Authorities are now looking for ways to improve the scheme in the next programme period.
We investigate the terms and conditions under which landowners would be more interested to engage in the agri-environmental scheme for forest increase. These include economic issues (i.e. compensation payments, reversibility to agricultural use, contract length, competition of afforestation with other land uses), social /institutional issues (i.e. degree of administrative effort, consultation) and ecological issues (farmer's interest in certain ecosystem services of forests, such as recreation, timber production, biodiversity). One possible reason for the limited interest of farmers in the agro-environmental scheme for forest increase is that agricultural production is more attractive. Since many farmers already participate in other agro-environmental programmes or conservation schemes, it might be possible that they are reluctant to change to yet another PES scheme. These terms and conditions will be investigated in a local case study area, namely Western Saxony (Figure 2).
For the fine grain analysis of Ecological Fiscal Transfers, the site descriptions relating to Germany have already been presented earlier.
In the Saxon fine-grain analysis the relevant ecosystem services are not related to existing forests but to new forests that will be grown on agricultural land in accordance with the agro-environmental scheme for forest increase. We look at the importance landowners in Western Saxony place on different ecosystem services and biodiversity aspects and investigate how these affect the decision to participate in the afforestation scheme. The ecosystem services include future recreational use and timber production. In terms of biodiversity, we ask for landowners' preferences for production forest (1 or 2 species, little diversity) and natural forest (several species, high diversity). Ecosystem services associated with new forests are identical in the Dutch case study, possibly Barrancos and further POLICYMIX case studies.
Ecological Fiscal Transfers aim at public actors and provide incentives to public actors. If protected areas/area-related conservation indicators are integrated into intergovernmental fiscal relations, there is a spatially explicit consideration of these conservation areas in terms of increasing the fiscal needs of the relevant state government. Thus, existing protected areas are considered in a spatially explicit way – although potentially weighted according to conservation value and land-use restrictions associated with them. This might have two effects on conservation efforts: Länder could designate new protected areas, and Länder could redesignate their existing protected areas to stricter protection categories to receive a higher weighting factor. However, the incentive effect for future conservation is not spatially explicit. In this way, it is not possible to evaluate the ecological effectiveness of EFT in a rigorous way. Regarding competing land uses at state or municipal levels, EFT will most probably change land-use patterns in the long term as on average protected areas are valued higher and do provide monetary benefits to state or municipal budgets. Depending on the ecological indicator chosen, one may evaluate the change of this indicator in the long run.
With respect to the agro-environmental scheme for forest increase, we would like to compare the scheme with 1) other instruments for forest increase (mainly foundations) and 2) other competing instruments of relevance to farmers (i.e. premium for set aside land is more attractive). The most restricting factor in analysing cost-effectiveness is little knowledge about the transaction costs of the different instruments. In a questionnaire with farmers we will elicit the payments farmers receive for other conservation measures.
As mentioned above, the distributive aim of fiscal transfers makes it hardly impossible to rigorously assess the costs and benefits associated with integrating ecological indicators. Nevertheless, some qualitative judgements can be made. Firstly, by acknowledging conservation efforts as a public responsibility eligible for fiscal transfers, public actors are incentivized to rethink their long-term development strategies that are nowadays singularly focused on tax-creating land uses. Thereby a gap in the conservation policy mix is closed, as fiscal transfers address public decision makers that in turn create the framework for decisions by private land users, e.g. by land-use and land-development planning. Secondly, transaction costs of EFT will be moderately low, since all necessary regulation for intergovernmental fiscal transfers is in place, ecological indicators chosen are mostly based on available data and only the basis for calculating size and direction of transfers is modified.
With respect to the agri-environmental scheme, we use a Choice Experiment and a follow-up questionnaire to investigate compensation required by landowners for converting some of their land into forest.
On the one hand, EFT can provide a counterbalance in relation to existing, often adverse incentives for land use, such as attracting more inhabitants and businesses, agricultural land uses, settlements, construction and housing. On the other hand, intergovernmental fiscal transfers are not primarily targeted towards biodiversity conservation but strive towards levelling off substantial differences in available tax revenues per capita. In this way, fiscal transfers are per se a redistributive instrument, accounting for fiscal needs in relation to the fiscal capacities of relevant jurisdictions. Financial constitutions (in Germany part of the Basic Law) and fiscal transfer laws thus represent the result of a complex bargaining process between the federal level and the states of what is considered fair and legitimate in a certain period of time. As these laws are always a result of political majorities, bargaining continues for law changes, especially of those states that pay more than they receive. If ecological indicators are newly integrated, the relative weight of other criteria in the distribution formulas is reduced that is mainly the number of inhabitants. As the number of inhabitants is the agreed abstract indicator for representing fiscal needs of various inhabitant-related public functions, e.g. infrastructure needs for housing and transport, social security and health care, education and cultural activities, loosing states with an EFT scheme will also have less money for these other public functions. However, beside some qualitative judgements it is way beyond the scope of the POLICYMIX fine grain study to assess the welfare effects of this shift.
With respect to the agri-environmental scheme for forest increase we have included questions regarding the social impact of the scheme in the Choice Experiment. We plan to conduct qualitative interviews with farmers who refuse to participate in the afforestation scheme in the Choice Experiment to determine the reasons why they do not want to participate and the extent to which shortcomings in the implementation of the instrument play a role. This allows us to filter out possible social impacts and distributional fairness issues (i.e. is a certain group disadvantaged: part-time vs. full-time farmers, high soil fertility rate vs. low soil fertility rate, size of landholding).
There are several options to integrate ecological indicators into the German fiscal transfer system at state level. We choose to integrate a conservation factor at the stage of horizontal equalisation, i.e. where fiscal needs and fiscal capacities of the states are compared and levelled off. This is due to the fact that already now, higher fiscal needs of states with very low population densities (which can be understood as an area-related indicator) are considered at this particular stage. In this way, conservation efforts are "translated" into additional inhabitants and thereby into higher fiscal needs. Another option would be to put conservation-related indicators side by side to population-based indicators. Moreover, as our preliminary simulation has shown, marine protected areas should be considered in a separate form. As our chosen indicator relates the protected area of a state to its overall area, the large size of marine protected areas in relation to the land size of the relevant states (such as Schleswig-Holstein) highly distorts the results. Furthermore, marine protected areas are associated with considerably different opportunity and management costs than their terrestrial counterparts, leading to a strong bias in favour of coastal states.
With respect to the agri-environmental scheme for forest increase, we have conducted a number of in-depth interviews with a variety of forestry authorities. According to these interviews, the main institutional constraints are related to the complicated application procedure and administrative effort, to the lack of personnel to promote the scheme and to assist farmers during the application process, and to the fact that the scheme is voluntary.
As ecological fiscal transfers are introduced at the national / state level, please see section on "Instrument interactions in the federal/national/state policy mix" above.
In the local fine grain analysis, conclusions will be derived regarding the agri-environmental incentive scheme for afforestation in Saxony, whether the instruments acceptance by farmers and thus effectiveness in terms of forest increase can be enhanced through design changes. This will be discussed in the light of its co-existence with other existing instruments, such as foundation's activities for forest increase, and other agri-environmental measures possibly competing with the afforestation scheme.


text:
Угор — річка в Україні, у Куликівському й Чернігівському районах Чернігівської області. Ліва притока Десни (басейн Дніпра).

Опис
Довжина річки приблизно 40 км.

Притоки
 Ржавець, Коренівка (ліві).

Розташування
Бере початок у Горбовому. Тече переважно на південний захід і на північному заході від Количівки впадає у річку Десну, ліву притоку Дніпра.

Населені пункти вздовж берегової смуги: Уборки, Виблі, Піски, Підгірне, Єньків, Анисів.

Річку перетинає автомобільна дорога

Цікавий факт
 У XIX столітті річка Ржавець брала початок у Анисові Янівської волості Чернігівського повіту Чернігівської губернії.
 Від річки Ржавець залишилося лише декілька окремих ділянок довжиною приблизно 2 км.

Посилання

 Малі річки України
 Річки Чернігівської області
 Річки Куликівського району
Річки Чернігівського району
Притоки Десни

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
National News Nigeria
Shell restates commitment to economic growth of Delta
Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) Joint Venture (JV), said it would continue to embark on programs that would galvanize the economic growth of Delta.
The post Shell restates commitment to economic growth of Delta appeared first on The Guardian Nigeria News – Nigeria and World News.
Credit: Punch News
Emir urges investments in food processing to reduce wastages
The Emir of Zuru, Maj-Gen. Muhammad Sani Sami (rtd) has appealed to the federal and state governments to find an alternative means of attracting investors in food processing to reduce wastages being experienced by the farmers in the country. The post Emir urges investments in food processing to reduce wastages appeared first on The Guardian […]
Ahmad Lawan Bukola Saraki Malam Ibrahim Usman National News Nigeria SUDA
Senate Presidency: Group appeals to senators-elect to support Lawan
The Sustainable Democracy Agenda (SUDA), a pro-democracy group, has urged senators-elect to support the bid of Sen. Ahmad Lawan, representing Yobe North… The post Senate Presidency: Group appeals to senators-elect to support Lawan appeared first on The Guardian Nigeria News – Nigeria and World News.
Asia News World
Thousands protest against Honduras president
Thousands of people marched through the streets of the Honduran capital Friday night demanding the resignation of President Juan Orlando Hernandez and an investigation of him and his family. The protestors, from the so-called Movimiento Indignados (Indignant Movement) and numbering around 5,000 according to reporters, shouted "get out J.O.H.," as they marched to the public […]
Simona Halep stuns Serena Williams to win first Wimbledon title
Cricket World Cup 2019: Eoin Morgan determined to end England's four-year process with maiden title

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text:
California State, Dateline USA
California's two largest public higher ed systems temporarily ease admission requirements
by Klarize Medenilla
UC, CSU cite mass disruptions to K-12 schools in decisions to change requirements for 2021 and incoming fall 2020 students
In response to the novel coronavirus outbreak that has upended the lives of students in California, the University of California (UC) and California State University (Cal State) systems announced they would be relaxing its admissions requirements for 2021 and beyond, according to two separate announcements released on Wednesday, April 1.
The UC Board of Regents, the governing body of the UC that oversees nearly 300,000 students across 10 campuses, decided to ease UC admissions criteria late Tuesday night as a response to the cancellation of testing by the SAT and ACT this spring amid the coronavirus-related school cancellations across the state.
"We want to help alleviate the tremendous disruption and anxiety that is already overwhelming prospective students due to COVID-19," John A. Perez, chair fo the UC Board of Regents said in a statement. "By removing artificial barriers and decreasing stressors — including suspending the use of the SAT — for this unprecedented moment in time, we hope there will be less worry for our future students."
Most high schools have adopted a "pass/fail" or "credit/no credit" form of grading instead of letter grades for any of the 15 A-G courses needed to be eligible for UC admission, and the GPA they had before the shutdown will be accepted.
As major determinants for college admission, the cancellation of the SAT, ACT and other college entrance tests for fall 2021 admission was a major turning point for prospective students of the UC and the CSU.
"The COVID-19 outbreak is a disaster of historic proportions disrupting every aspect of our lives, including education for high school students, among others," UC President Janet Napolitano said in a statement endorsing the changes. "The University's flexibility at this crucial time will ensure prospective students aiming for UC get a full and fair shot — no matter their current challenges."
Among other "short-term measures" that the Regents approved of include suspending letter grade requirements for A-G courses that were completed in the winter/spring/summer 2020 quarters.
Likewise, the Cal State system, which oversees 23 diverse campuses from Humboldt to San Diego, has also implemented its own relaxed measures in a statement from the Office of the Chancellor.
"With the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become necessary to adjust some CSU admission requirements and prior guidance to incoming students for fall 2020 and beyond," the guideline read.
Like the UC, the Cal State campuses are accepting "credit/no credit" and "pass/fail" grades to satisfy the A-G requirements. But the Cal State will not hold its system-wide Early Start Program for the summer of 2020; although, individual campuses may offer online summer transitional programs.
The College Board, the non-profit organization that administers standardized tests and curricula for K-12 and higher education institutions, also recently announced changes to Advanced Placement (AP) exam content and format for tests administered for spring 2020. Both the Cal State and the UC will continue awarding credit to those who pass with a score of 3 or above.
Additionally, students will not be penalized for late submissions of their official transcripts for high school seniors who have already been accepted. The UC and the Cal State still ask for students to send in final transcripts by July 1 and July 15, respectively, but admission offers will not be revoked if the deadline isn't met.
Filipino students and parents weigh in
Jenny Fernandez, 16, is a junior at Franklin High School in Highland Park, and ever since the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) shut down, she and her mother have been worried college prospects.
"Eleventh grade is the most important grade when it comes to applying for college, and I was really worried that with everything going on, my grades and all the things would just go down the toilet," Fernandez told the Asian Journal in a recent phone interview.
Fernandez was a part of the school's varsity soccer team and was hoping to leverage her lifelong soccer career into a scholarship. Described as a high achiever by her mother, Fernandez is also a member of the California Scholarship Federation and planned on studying kinesiology in college.
"Everything she's done so far — soccer, AP and SAT test prep, getting involved in the various clubs on campus — has been towards getting into a great university, and as a parent, I was heartbroken when all of this went down," Fernandez's mother Pam said, calling her daughter an "unprovoked star student."
"She did all this on her own, and I'm so proud of her," the mother said. "I never had to force her to get good grades and I was that you know, stereotypical Asian parent always dissatisfied with her report cards. And you know, she was really bummed out when all this went down and I just had to tell her that everything is gonna be okay. We just have to stay safe right now, and we'll figure everything else out later."
In response to the loosened requirements for UC and CSU admissions, both mother and daughter felt that the latter's chances of getting into her top three schools — UCLA, UC San Diego and Cal State Long Beach — were within reach despite the COVID-19-related social and institutional restrictions.
"It was like a huge relief, and it makes sense because none of this is our fault and we should have a fair shot at applying and getting into these really prestigious schools," Fernandez remarked, citing the changes in the SAT requirements as a personal comfort for her.
She added, "I didn't score as well as I wanted so knowing that that won't factor into my application makes me feel a lot better."
As Filipino American families struggle to maintain some semblance of normal life for school-aged children, parents are worried about the effectiveness of distance learning and if their children are still getting a quality learning experience through virtual lessons.
Jeff and Moira Mendoza have two high schoolers, one in 9th grade and one in 11th grade. They had a similar fear that the Fernandez family had about whether or not attending a university was on the cards for their 11th grader. (The couple asked not to include the names of their children.)
"When the shutdowns happened across the district, we were all so worried about how this affects our kids' possibilities of attending college," Moira Mendoza told the Asian Journal. "And I think what [is] top of mind for us was how this affects their learning now. We commend the teachers for doing as much as they can for the students, but this doesn't replace the value of a classroom."
In response to the UC's and Cal State's new flexibility in admissions, the Mendozas were also worried about how these changes affect financial aid.
According to the Cal State's guidelines, any financial aid that is awarded to a student will not impede their ability to be officially admitted after final transcripts are received and reviewed by their campus. The UC offered no specifics but assured that its campuses will work with students' families over the summer to review financial aid eligibility.
Despite these assurances, the Mendozas expressed concern over the family's economic instability and predict that when their 11th grader begins applying to colleges, their financial situation will get even worse.
Jeff Mendoza was recently laid off from his job as a floor manager at a local restaurant, and as a result, the family is in the process of applying for public benefits.
"It's difficult because as Filipinos, we have a lot of pride, and I always wanted to ensure that we would never have to rely on food stamps or anything like that," he said. "And having a kid who's almost ready for college, and worrying about how we're going to pay for her applications and eventual tuition is just another stress we don't need."
To that point, Moira Mendoza added, "And we know that we're far from the only family going through this right now, and that is both comforting and terrifying."
LA County officials discuss immigrant rights, price gouging
Beneficiaries to receive cash aid in full — DSWD
Klarize Medenilla April 4, 2020


Companies in the same industry as Athens State University, ranked by salary.
Pay ranges for employees at Athens State University by degree.
How much does Athens State University pay?
Athens State University pays its employees an average of $48,298 a year. Salaries at Athens State University range from an average of $36,804 to $63,382 a year. Athens State University employees with the job title Enrollment Manager make the most with an average annual salary of $110,025, while employees with the title Admissions Advisor (College/University) make the least with an average annual salary of $34,149.


This is something you will actually be able to tell your smart home device now that the audiobook company Audible has introduced it's audiobooks for animals series.
The series — called "Audible for Dogs" — was designed by the "Dog Whisperer" himself, Emmy-nominated animal behavior specialist Cesar Millan.
After the series was produced, a new study of 100 dogs over four weeks found that 76% of owners who played Audible content for their dogs reported that their pets seemed more relaxed.
The dogs were also found to enjoy narrators who had similar voices to their owners.
So if you really love your pet, you should record yourself reading a book.
"Marley and Me" might be a little too sad. But don't worry, Fido won't actually know what's going on in the plot.
Because he's a freakin' dog.
Next, read about how people in Brooklyn are refusing to vaccinate their dogs because of autism fears. Then, see if you agree with what the world thinks is the ugliest dog on the planet.


The average home buyer will buy a home and then sell it within 2 to 5 years. First time home buyers are often closer to the lower end, staying in their first home for only 2 or 3 years.
First time home buyers are more likely to purchase a home as a commodity rather than an investment.
First time home buyers don't know what they want until they've lived in a home for a couple of years.
Selling a home can be profitable, but it does have costs associated with it so you need to be smart when you choose a home to purchase.
What you qualify for and what you actually are comfortable with paying each month are often way off, so make sure you know what you can afford for your mortgage on a month to month basis.
First and second time home buyers are more likely to relocate due to changes in employment or growth in a family rather than just having a desire to live in a new location or change in floor plan.
So if you knew before you bought your first home that there is a good chance that you will desire another home in 2 to 5 years and want or have to move, and when you sell a home it can cost you money, wouldn't you want to position yourself to capitalize not only on having a great home, but a better financial position for your second and third house and/or be positioned well if you must transfer for a job?
Generally when buyers are looking to buy a home, whether they know it or not, they mentally decide whether they want to put precedence on either the type of home or the location. We generally find 80% to 90% of first time home buyers as well as second time home buyers are buying the home first no matter the neighborhood while 80% to 90% of third- and fourth-time home buyers buy choose a neighborhood first and then locate a suitable home.
For example, if I am a first time home buyer preferring to purchase the best home for me, location matters a little, but it's really the home I'm choosing as long as it's in the general location I need to be in. Buying location first means I picked a few specific neighborhoods or a school district and I will only look at homes in those specific areas and won't consider a home anywhere else no matter how amazing.
There is no right or wrong way to find the home you plan to buy for you and/or your family to live. This is just one strategy that can position you to have more money and clarification when you are ready (which will be sooner than you think) to buy your second or third house, thus putting you in a better financial position.
When you hear all these, you think, "Well, that is a no brainer". And yes, it may be. However, more often than not, most first and even second time home buyers start looking for a new home and quickly their eyes get big after finding a "nice" house. They forget about all of the facts they should consider in order to strengthen their financial position down the road and just buy because it feels good now, not knowing how painful it could be if they had to sell or wanted to sell in two years.
So exactly why should you consider those three tips when searching for your new (or next) home?
Most buyers start off searching for a home under market value, but quickly get distracted on what looks nice versus what is a good value. When you are in a great market like we are here in the Austin/Round Rock area, "great" deals are harder to find. Many properties that would be considered the best deals would request a lot of cash to fix up and most first-time home buyers don't have a lot of cash to immediately put into a home that needs tons of work to make nice or even just liveable.
However, finding deals several thousands or tens of thousands below market value that do not need a lot of money put into them are not too hard to find if you know where to look. They are out there, but most do not look as attractive as the newer homes or homes that are at or above market value. But even gaining $10,000 to $20,000 on the front end of buying could make all the difference in selling later and having cash in your pocket.
Buyers do not always realize it, but there are certain homes that sell better in certain areas. An easy example is to not buy a two story home with the master upstairs in a retirement community unless it has an elevator. The majority of people moving into the area will be older and most won't want or be able to climb stairs on a daily basis. A condo in the suburbs is a lot harder to sell versus being in downtown Austin, where they are extremely popular because the suburbs draw families that need more space than a condo can provide. A two bedroom home in the suburbs in a great school district is not an optimal product for a place where you see large families congregate.
You need a good local Realtor that truly knows the entire local market so they can help guide you in determining the best area for your and your family's needs. A lot of Realtors may claim they're area experts, but they don't always keep track of developing neighborhoods and demographic shifts as areas grow and change, so make sure you search for an agent you feel is smart and understands the big pictures of real estate in your desired area.
Location, location, location. This one is easy. If you buy a place that everyone loves to be and where everyone wants to live, normally even in a down market you would be safe. For a first or second time home buyer, buying the least expensive home in the most expensive neighborhood puts you in a great position to take advantage of the higher property values without having to shell out a bunch of cash. Choosing a great location could be buying close to a bustling downtown, in a developing area with tons of buzz and potential, in a high-end neighborhood everyone wants to live in, by a major employer where workers want to live to decrease commutes, in a highly rated school district, etc.
Can location hotness change? Normally not and if it does, it happens slowly. School districts can change and quality of individual schools can shift, businesses can relocate and/or go out of business, and foreclosures could start popping up in individual neighborhoods during a downturn in the economy, so it is never 100% that the hot area you move into will remain popular forever. Certain areas are almost always good and that too can be easily tracked and figured out if your Realtor is an expert on the area.
In short, there is so much more to buying a home than most people think. Most buyers look at buying a home as if they were buying any commodity like a flat screen television. That's not necessarily bad because it is your home and you decide what you want to do. However, I'm just offering a strategy to help position you and your family for financial success in the future.
If you can manage 2 or 3 of the above options, you will position yourself for future success when it comes time to sell.
A great Realtor will be your real estate financial adviser and not only tell you how good a home is to buy, but how good or potentially bad that same home may be to sell. If you find a Realtor willing to look out for your best interest and knows how to interpret the market, you might find yourself with $20,000 to $80,000 extra to use toward your second, third, or fourth house and have a lesser chance of being tens of thousands of dollars upside down. A great Realtor is a huge asset to have on your team and will help you keep in mind that it's important to consider how the house might sell later before making such a huge financial decision.
Please enjoy this complimentary info and just keep us in mind when you or someone you know decides to buy, sell or invest in real estate.


What are Cod Liver Oil 1000mg Capsules?
Improve the formation of neural cells and maintain the heath of the nervous system.
Maintain a healthy looking skin.
Maintain heart health and proper blood circulation.
Omega-3 fatty acids may help protect the heart.
People who eat a typical western diet which lacks in Omega acids, EPA and DHA.
Those who wish to maintain healthy supple joints and relieve joint pain.
Those who wish to maintain healthy blood pressure and heart health.
Caution : This product contains Vitamin A. Do not use if pregnant or likely to become pregnant except on the advice of a doctor or ante-natal clinic.
Allergen Information : This product contains fish oil and soya.
Free from Yeast, Gluten, Wheat, Dairy, Sugar, Salt, Artificial Colours, Preservatives & Flavourings.
Explore the entire range of Omega Fatty Acids available on Nykaa. Shop more HealthAid products here.You can browse through the complete world of HealthAid Omega Fatty Acids .


ISLAMABAD - AHMAD AHMADANI- A new hike in POL prices is on the cards to further burden the masses as the federal cabinet�s Economic Coordination Committee (ECC), which is scheduled to meet today (Friday), is likely to approve the increase in commission margin on petroleum products. Sources aware of the matter told TheNation that the ECC is likely to take up the summary of Petroleum Ministry seeking increase in the margin of oil dealers and oil marketing companies. They also said the committee scheduled to be held under the chair of newly appointed Finance Minister Senator Saleem H Mandviwalla is likely to give approval to jack up the prices of petrol and diesel by up to Rs 0.65/litre, sources added.
�If ECC gives its approval to the proposed raise then the over burdened consumers of petroleum products would bear the brunt of increase in the margin of dealers and marketing companies because the prices of petrol and diesel would witness a raise by Rs 0.65/litre in the country, a senior official of Petroleum Ministry said, adding that Adviser Dr Asim Hussain has also given his consent to increase the margin as the dealers and the companies pleaded to the ministry that their cost of doing business had increased manifold and it was impossible for them to run their businesses on the existing volume of margins and commissions.
Available summary dispatched to the ECC in haste by the MPNR says,� The OMCs (Shell, Chevron, Total PARCO) were not comfortable with the existing margin on petroleum products and are planning to disinvest in Pakistan.� Following the demands of oil dealers and marketing companies involved in the business of fuel oil, the ministry has already given its nod to further increase the margin. Earlier the ministry approved to raise the dealers margin by Rs0.41/litre on petrol while margin of OMCs on petrol by Rs0.25/litre and Rs0.10/litre on diesel. At present, petroleum dealers are getting Rs2.37/litre margin over the sale of petrol and Rs2.20/litre in high-speed diesel (HSD) while the margin of oil marketing companies on petrol stands at Rs1.98/litre and on diesel it is Rs1.76/litre.
Sources in independent Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) told that the OGRA is expected to oppose the move of the ministry, seeking raise in OMCs margin and dealers� commission, as it is of the view that they are already getting reasonable margins and commissions.


text:
Q: Why do we divide the cross product by sine when obtaining the points for the dual triangle on a sphere? I'm studying spherical geometry and had a question regarding triangles on spheres.
The book that I'm using says that if we have triangle $\triangle ABC$ and we want to obtain the dual triangle $\triangle^* ABC$, then we do:
$$
\begin{align}
A^* & = \dfrac{B \times C}{\sin{(a)}} \\
B^* & = \dfrac{A \times C}{\sin{(b)}} \\
C^* & = \dfrac{A \times B}{\sin{(c)}}
\end{align}
$$
What I'm wondering is why do we divide by sine here?
I know that the cross product between two vectors is:
$$
\mathbf{a} \times \mathbf{b} = \Vert \mathbf{a} \Vert \Vert \mathbf{b} \Vert \sin{(\theta)} \mathbf{n}
$$
and so it seems that dividing by each respective sine would leave us with
$$
\mathbf{a} \times \mathbf{b} = \Vert \mathbf{a} \Vert \Vert \mathbf{b} \Vert \mathbf{n}
$$
I'm just confused as to what the division accomplishes. My intuition of how the sine in the cross product measures "how perpendicular" the two vectors are tells me that it has something to do with normalization, but I'm not 100% sure on that.
Any tips are appreciated.

A: This is really just an elaboration of @ancientmathematician's comment. From your cross product formula, since $B,C$ are vectors with length $1$, one obtains that
$$||A^*|| = \frac{1}{|\sin(a)|} \cdot ||B||\cdot ||C|| \cdot \sin(\sphericalangle(B,C)).$$
Now, since the distance function $d_S$ on the sphere $S = S^2$ is defined by
$$d_S(X,Y) := \arccos(\langle X,Y\rangle)$$
and since $\cos(\sphericalangle(B,C)) = \frac{\langle B,C \rangle}{||B||\cdot ||C||} = \langle B,C\rangle$, we obtain that $a := d_S(B,C) = \sphericalangle (B,C)$. (Here, $\langle \cdot , \cdot\rangle$ denotes the standard inner product on $\mathbb R^3$.)
Combining everything, we obtain $||A^*||= \frac{\sin(a)}{|\sin(a)|} = 1$, since $a \in (0,\pi)$ as it is the length of a side of a spherical triangle.
The argument is of course the same for $B^*$ and $C^*$.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Clem Coetsee (c. 1939 – 7 September 2006) was a Rhodesian conservationist. He developed new methods of big game conservation.

History
Coetsee was at the forefront of the campaign to de-horn rhinos under sedation, to make them safe from poachers who kill for the horn.

He also pioneered the practice of managing elephant populations by sedating and moving entire family groups, from bulls and cows down to calves, in contrast to the practice of slaughtering the mature animals and relocating only youngsters. Moving family groups was seen as more successful in relocating the animals without ill effects, and has been repeated in several countries. In 1992 he had tracking microchips implanted under the skin of more than 40 elephants, which were being relocated from Zimbabwe's Gonarezhou National Park to South Africa because of drought. This was the first time an elephant relocation had used this technology for follow-up.

He died of a heart attack on the 4th of September 2006.

References

Further reading

2006 deaths
Afrikaner people
White Rhodesian people
Rhodesian scientists
1939 births
20th-century zoologists


The city of Toronto is located on the shores of Lake Ontario and is a great sports city. It is home to sports franchises from Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, Canadian Football League, American Hockey League and Ontario Hockey League but the crown jewel of Toronto sports is definitely its National Hockey League franchise, the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Maple Leafs are one of the original six National Hockey Leage teams with a rich history and tradition. They are also one of the most successfull NHL franchises, sporting a large fan base that spans the world. This website features information about the team's history, some of its greatest player, memorable coaches and the latest news tid bits.


text:
Auctores
wokati Technologies
Bourget Airport
Medria
NextRadioTV
RadioShop
So Foot
SnapComms
YetiForce
Touchstone Solutions
Arcade Beauty
Frank & Oak
Global Data Sentinel
JustHostMe
Altravia
MDDV
Don Disfraz
Green spin
Intesens
Edinet
Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise (ALE)
Logit.io
SentiOne
PebbleHost
Swarm64
Aplim
Policy-Insider.AI
Todocoleccion
Customs Bridge
iATROS
Netrivals
Combigo
Yepic.ai
Lota.cloud
Securitee
Ziax
IAMDS
Mid-size software publishing house uses highly scalable public cloud as the basis for SaaS offerings
OVHcloud & Auctores
Customized server capacity
for demanding cloud applications
Fast to go to market
with a complete cloud package
Certified security standards
in compliance with EU data protection rules
Modern, secure and highly scalable applications from the cloud
Since 2006, Auctores GmbH, headquartered in Neumarkt (Bavaria), has been helping businesses and public institutions successfully manage their digital transformations. The company was created from the spin-off of an in-house computer systems department. Since then, Karl Weigl, the managing director, has consistently developed Auctores GmbH.
The range of services offered by the company includes the development of online applications - from simple websites and online shops to intranets and data management for companies and organizations from various industries. Auctores experts use a software framework based on the Java Enterprise Edition (Java EE) platform.
Auctores develops market-oriented and cross-media communication and software strategies for its customers. The range includes the development of brands and mission statements as well as cross-media communication concepts for the B2B and end-customer sectors. The company also supports customers in tasks such as setting up and optimizing sales structures. Auctores customers benefit from the fact that the company has built up a cross-media division in addition to its software development division - including its own graphics department and editorial team.
In addition to modular customized software solutions, Auctores provides a wide range of software products with which customers can digitize their business processes. Based on its Java EE software framework, for example, the company offers a range of web-based applications for use in enterprises and public institutions. These are secure and scalable cloud applications with high availability.
These include the Visavid videoconferencing solution, the Conseles learning platform for schools and Auctores Home Office Management, a comprehensive solution for networked home office computing. For machine maintenance, object management, audits, on-demand control technology and internal documentation, Motys is available. With Auctores ERP, users can keep track of resources and business processes at all times.
A powerful cloud infrastructure for demanding applications
In order to provide users with their cloud-based applications, Auctores first used bare metal and virtualized servers. But this approach had limitations. This was particularly the case when, following an EU-wide invitation to tender, the Bavarian State Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs introduced the Visavid video conferencing system to Bavarian schools. Educational institutions used the platform during the Corona pandemic to maintain teaching operations under home-schooling schemes.
Up to 1.65 million students are now using the Visavid videoconferencing solution with the "Made in Germany" stamp. In addition, Auctores with Visavid Business provides a version of the videoconferencing system tailored to the needs of businesses and organizations. This enables them to conduct internal team meetings and coordinate with customers. Another area of use is interviewing people and meeting online with applicants. Visavid users can set up virtual meeting rooms for these conversations. The solution runs on all types of endpoints and can also run in a browser. Another advantage is that Visavid can be integrated into third-party applications, such as school software.
But real-time communication with a videoconferencing solution is a challenge for the IT infrastructure - especially when the system is deployed in the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model through a cloud. Users do not find interrupted connections or shaky images acceptable. To avoid this, the IT environment must have sufficient server capacity and network bandwidth. Similar requirements exist for business applications such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Customer Relationship Management (CRM). If needed, thousands of servers can be powered up in a very short time without lengthy waiting times or performance degradation. "Sufficient capacity in terms of computing and bandwidth capacity is the be-all and end-all, something that not many providers in Europe could manage due to our requirements," says Daniel Hausner, project and product manager at Auctores GmbH. In Auctores' experience, the pre-existing IT infrastructure was unable to cope with these requirements.
Powerful, scalable cloud infrastructure with load balancing capabilities
The software and consulting company from Bavaria therefore set out to find a cloud provider that could offer a high-performance and a highly scalable cloud infrastructure that could also be dynamically adapted to the requirements of Auctores' customers. Data and application security were other criteria. The cloud platform had to comply with the requirements of the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This is especially important when dealing with sensitive data using cloud services. This is particularly true for a solution that is used in schools. However, business information must also ensure that third parties cannot gain access to data. This is also true of state institutions outside the EU.
After a thorough analysis of the offerings of various cloud service providers, Auctores selected OVHcloud. Headquartered in France, the company is the leading European cloud provider. With datacentres in France, Germany, and Poland, the vendor is well positioned in the European Union. In Germany, OVHcloud operates a datacentre housing 45,000 servers on a campus of approximately 2,500 square meters in Limburg. With a total of more than 30 datacentres worldwide, high availability of cloud resources is guaranteed at all times. In addition, OVHcloud datacentres are ISO/IEC 27001, 27017, 27018 and 27701 certified. Moreover, the company holds the C5 certification of the Federal Office for Security in Information Technology (BSI) in Germany and other national certifications such as SecNumCloud in France or G-Cloud in the UK. This means they meet the most demanding information security, data protection, business continuity, and resiliency requirements. "Data protection and security are key requirements for our customers - especially in the educational sector - and are therefore crucial for us," says Hausner.
Auctores uses several OVHcloud services and infrastructure components. These include the OVHcloud Public Cloud infrastructure and the OpenStack API interface as well as Managed Cloud Databases. These managed databases are designed for demanding applications such as cloud-based business applications and video conferencing solutions from Auctores GmbH.
In order to ensure that sufficient bandwidth is always available for their applications in a consistently high quality, Auctores also uses OVHcloud Loadbalancer. The solution handles load balancing when demand for a web application is subject to fluctuations. Another advantage of OVHcloud Loadbalancer is that it allows network capacity to grow along with an increase in users.
"OVHcloud has enabled us to deliver highly scalable and secure software solutions from the cloud to our customers. These offerings are in demand more than ever before."
Daniel Hausner, Project and Product Manager at Auctores GmbH
The switch to OVHcloud has paid off in full for Auctores GmbH. Even if thousands of servers are needed to be quickly activated due to high demand for the company's SaaS offerings, there are no performance bottlenecks. Services are available to users immediately and in high quality. The extremely high scalability of traffic and network bandwidth particularly yield excellent results, especially for videoconferencing applications.
Another benefit of Auctores' collaboration with OVHcloud is: The amount of time it takes for cloud-based applications to go live has dramatically decreased. Auctores and their customers both benefit from this. Users can drive their digitization projects faster with the help of the company's solutions; the solution provider, in turn, is able to bring attractive SaaS offerings to market more quickly.
Another point that speaks in favour of OVHcloud is their excellent technical support. Customers can rely on an experienced team of technical account managers, key account managers, solution architects, and engineers. OVHcloud builds these teams according to the industry in which each customer operates. This means that OVHcloud's specialists will address a user's specific needs. These experts are available to assist users at every stage - from the strategic and technical implementation of a project to the resolution of a fault.
"OVHcloud not only offers excellent cloud solutions at an attractive price, but also a first-class service. This significantly reduces the time to market for our offerings."
Sophisticated software and platform development for medium-sized businesses
Ziax is made up of an expert team of UK developers and designers. Founded in 2012, they run a Minecraft multiplayer server called CubeCraft Games that had 30 million unique users in 2021 joining from all over the world.
As part of the OVHcloud Startup Program, the Combigo startup — which specialises in travel comparison — is using Managed Databases for MongoDB to increase its operational efficiency and reliability, and support its growth.


text:
Nanaimo Ebbtides
Practice Times
Swim Meet
Passionate about swimming, we are a club formed under the umbrella of the Masters Swim Association of BC, Swim Canada, and Swim BC.
The Ebbtides Swim Club began in 1980 with just 14 members under the direction of Lois Gonyer Walkling, our founding coach. We now have about 70 members from 19-76 years of age and some have been with the club for over 30 years! We provide pool time and coaching for recreational and competitive swimmers.
We have hosted our local swim meet every year for 35 years (there was a short break in our record due to COVID). This is a great meet for both new and seasoned swimmers. Meets bring together swimmers who support and encourage each other and create team spirit both within and across clubs. Of course, participation in Masters swim meets is optional, but it is fun to earn points for the club and to see how all that training really does improve swim times. It's amazing to see how one's energy level and motivation goes up after swimming in a meet.
Our club organizes socials so club members can get to know their fellow swimmers 'with their clothes on'. Look for E-mail invitations sent out to all members.
Copyright © 2023, Nanaimo Ebbtides.


text:
Las Palapas is planning to open a Corpus Christi restaurant serving up Tex-Mex eats
Las Palapas, a popular Tex-Mex restaurant based in San Antonio, is looking to open a restaurant in the Corpus Christi area.
According to Las Palapas director Brad Peak, the company is currently looking at spots in Corpus Christi. Though the company had a site selected, the property is going to be sold off.
Harbor Bridge Project:Here's the projected completion date, expected detours
"We like the area and would love to engage with the community," Peak told the Caller-Times in an email.
Signs for a Las Palapas restaurant were seen on the Island late last year. It's not clear when or where the new location will be open.
More:New Selena Quintanilla album to be released nearly 27 years after her death


text:
Welcoming Syrians
The federal government is working with Canadian organizations, private sponsors and all levels of government to help Syrian refugees resettle in Canada.
Of the first wave of refugees, 10,000 by year end, the majority will be privately sponsored and settled and cared for by their sponsors. In Ontario, those accessing the federally-funded Refugee Assistance Program agencies will be located in six urban centres: Toronto (serving the Greater Toronto Area including Peel, York and Durham Regions), Ottawa, London, Windsor, Hamilton and Kitchener-Waterloo. An additional 15,000 refugees are expected to come to Canada by the end of February 2016.
The Town of Oakville will support the federal government's refugee plan in any way possible and will share information on what we can all do to help welcome Syrians to Canada.
Thank you to the Oakville Community Foundation for putting together a list of resources and information for the community.
Where can I drop off clothing?
Safetynet Children and Youth Charities is the drop-off location for clothing donations in Oakville.
226 Randall St. Suite 101
safetynetca@hotmail.com
Where can I drop off food and personal items?
DAR Foundation is the drop-off location for food and personal item donations.
485 Morden Road
Oakville, Ontario
DOHA@darfoundation.com
Please note that no drop-off is available between 12:30-1:30 p.m. in the winter months as the mosque is in service.
Large food donations by corporations: Food For Life
Food for Life is the drop-off/pick-up coordinator for large corporate food donations that require refrigeration.
2258 Mountainside Drive
Where can I make a donation?
Donate to an agency sponsoring a Syrian refugee in Oakville or volunteer you time
Many of the faith communities across Halton are organizing their efforts to sponsor families. Connect with your local place of worship (i.e., church, mosque, synagogue, temple, etc.) to find out how you can help.
Halton Multicultural Council: Offers a special line of donations to support refugees in Halton. One hundred per cent of donations will be dedicated to supporting the Interfaith Community Initiative.
Interfaith Council of Halton is working to bring a Syrian family of seven to Halton.
Lifeline Syria Toronto: Seeks to help local organizations sponsor 1,000 Syrian refugees and bring them to the GTA in the next two years.
Oakville Community Foundation
Oakville Neighbourhood Group: Is crowdsource funding on INDIEGOGO to help sponsor a family.
United Way of Halton and Hamilton
Donate to an agency providing international humanitarian relief
Canadian Red Cross
Medecins Sans Frontieres/Doctors Without Borders
WorldVision Canada
How do I sponsor a refugee?
To help those seeking asylum from the crisis in Syrian, Canadians can sponsor refugees in three different ways. Learn more by visiting the Government of Canada website.
I've sponsored a refugee. What resources are available to help newcomers?
Halton Immigration Portal provides information on what to expect when refugees arrive in Halton. Information on the site is aimed at newcomers, people who are planning to come to Halton and those who are supporting them or provide services to newcomers. The website can be translated using the translate button at the top of the page to any language.
Halton Multicultural Council is a community-based settlement agency providing programs and services to immigrant and refugee communities.
Settlement.org provides information for newcomers to Ontario.
How are other levels of government helping?
Government of Canada, Welcome Refugees: Provides up-to-date information on the welcoming of Syrian refugees to Canada.
Government of Ontario, Syrian Refugees: Provides information on how people can help.
Halton Region: For information about Halton Region's services such as emergency housing, financial assistance, public health services, and low-income supports dial 311. You can also dial 311 to ask about funding and support efforts to help Syrian refugees who are seeking asylum from the conflict in Syria.


text:
Saudi Arabia: Saudi-led coalition intercepts multiple Houthi explosive-laden UAV near Yemeni border October 28
28 Oct 2020 | 04:11 PM UTC
Saudi-led coalition intercepts multiple Houthi explosive-laden UAV near Yemeni border on October 28; further attempted UAV attacks likely
TIMEFRAME expected from 10/28/2020, 12:00 AM until 10/30/2020, 11:59 PM (Asia/Riyadh). COUNTRY/REGION Saudi Arabia
28 Oct 11:11 PM UTC —
Saudi Arabia: Saudi-led coalition intercepts multiple Houthi explosive-laden UAV near Yemeni border October 28 /update 1
- Select a news alert - Saudi Arabia: Saudi-led coalition intercepts multiple Houthi explosive-laden UAV near Yemeni border October 28 /update 1
Warning Security Saudi Arabia
Saudi-led coalition forces reportedly destroyed six explosive-laden unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) on the country's border with Yemen during the early hours of Wednesday, October 28. A coalition spokesman said in a statement that the drones were believed to have been launched by Yemeni Houthi rebels. The statement did not specify the specific targets of the drones.
The intercept comes following a similar incidents during the weekend of Saturday-Sunday, October 24-25, during which Saudi forces claimed to have intercepted an explosive-laden UAV which was believed to be targeting civilian areas of southern Saudi Arabia. Houthi rebels claimed that the UAV, along with two others launched on Friday, October 23, were targeting Jizan (GIZ) and Abha (AHB) airports and Khamis Mushait airbase.
Further cross-border attacks are possible in areas close to the border with Yemen over the near term.
Yemen-based Houthi rebels have launched hundreds of rockets, missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) into Saudi Arabia since 2015, when Saudi-led coalition forces intervened in the country's civil war in support of the Yemeni government. Towns and cities in the southwestern border provinces of Jizan, Asir, and Najran have frequently been targeted in such attacks, but longer-range ballistic missiles have also been launched towards Riyadh, Jeddah, and other major cities in the country. Many of these missiles, rockets, and UAVs have been intercepted by Saudi air defenses, but hundreds of civilians have been killed and injured in such attacks since the beginning of the conflict.
Those in southwestern Saudi Arabia are advised to monitor developments and heed any directives issued by local authorities. Travelers should familiarize themselves with missile attack procedures in their particular area of operations and the location of the nearest air raid shelters.
In the event of a missile attack, those in the affected area are advised to seek shelter, and adhere to all instructions issued by the local authorities


Recent news articles about Dementia residents, who have gone missing from ACF's, bring up some serious questions for you as an aged care worker.
If you google "Missing Dementia" you will get many articles from all over the world. This doesn't mean People living with Dementia (PLWD) go missing all the time but it brings up some questions for you, the aged care worker, about your workplace and it's security procedures.
"Of the 6,700 missing people reported to police each year, over 300 are older people or people living with dementia," Assistant Commissioner Hogan said.
"While we find 99.7% of those who go missing, there are still some cases that end tragically.
The article goes on to explain a new 'Safely Home' program where PLWD have wrist bands with contact information engraved on the band that means the person can be returned home if found by the public.
Is your workplace Dementia Unit really secure?
Are you well trained in your Dementia residents' wandering behaviours?
What is the procedure for new Dementia residents? Is there one?
Next time you work in the Dementia unit observe closely how secure it is. It's more than door keypads and posters on walls, but the attitude of all the staff towards security and behaviours, new residents procedures to settle them in. Also how strict are the staff about personal security devices e.g. alarm bracelets or mats.


In a commanding performance, Taryn Manning (Orange is the New Black) plays Gloria, an Evanston mother wrestling with bipolar disorder and an imminent empty nest. Her loyal daughter Beth (Madison Davenport) is a bright Illinois high school student who's been accepted to UCLA, but must now decide if she should stay near home and care for her unpredictable mom, or follow her own path out west. An endearing, unsettling, ultimately moving coming-of-age story that balances family obligation with personal aspirations.


Ok so Christmas shopping can get a little hectic. I feel like this year time has been going by extremely fast. The year is already almost over. I was finally able to find time in my busy schedule to go shopping for some of the presents I needed to finish. I was running around the mall going crazy to find small but cute gifts to fill up some of my gift bags. Ideally, I am a fan of gift baskets. So, I love to have presents filled with a bunch of items that cater to different things the person love.
For Myoshi, I knew one of her gifts early on because she mentioned she wanted a pair of shoes. However, I didn't want to just get them and be done with her gift. I wanted to add a couple of other items like a Tumblr cup. I always get her these, but recently her other one broke so I wanted to make sure I replaced it. I also wanted to get her some cute accessories for her phone like a pop socket and case. My favorite place to get these small items is from Francesca's. I'm not sure if any of you have been there but it's a small boutique inside the mall. They have tons of jewelry, accessories, hats & scarves, clothes, etc.
Christmas cards are always an added plus to any gift. I went to Walgreens to get some Christmas cards to put in my gift bags and I thought the one below was soooo funny. I got it for Myoshi!
You can even get some candles and chocolates! I went to Yankee Candles and Bath and Body Works to get some candles. You really can't go wrong with a candle. They smell good and really calm your mood. As for chocolate, who doesn't love sweets for the holidays. Also, just pay attention to the things people say. Maybe you can get away with getting a cute planner or face and body products.


I just put a new build of the COAN plugins on the ballforge site.
grayscale). It will not load JPEG2000 compressed data.
* US-* MR-* XS-* are sample DICOM files. You can find more on the web.
an in-progress background suppression plug-in.
To unsubscribe from this discussion, e-mail: [[hidden email]].


text:
'He's like a Duracell Bunny': Steven Gerrard lauds workrate numbers of key Rangers man
By Christopher Jack @Chris_Jack89 Senior Rangers Writer
Rangers manager Steven Gerrard
STEVEN GERRARD reckons Kemar Roofe is 'like a Duracell Bunny' as he leads the way in terms of his workrate numbers this term.
The striker took time to get up to speed at Ibrox following his move from Anderlecht but has now become an integral part of the Rangers attack.
Roofe's movement and energy are trademarks of his game and Gerrard has been impressed with the statistics that he has been posting in recent weeks.
Gerrard said: "I think there is more to come in certain departments. One thing for sure, I have to pay credit to the fitness department and the sports science lads.
"The numbers that we are hitting right now are really impressive. I think Kemar Roofe has certainly helps on that. He doesn't stop, he is like a Duracell Bunny.
"He is hitting numbers that you don't really expect from a forward player, he is running more than the midfielders and running the most in the team at the moment.
"I think he is really setting the example in terms of what we need to put into a game to get the results we are getting.
"Everyone is hitting impressive numbers, but Roofe has raised the bar with the last couple of performances he has put in."


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News Zim: Unsafe abortions are a major public health co...
Zim: Unsafe abortions are a major public health concern
By Muchaneta Chimuka
Harare, 10 December: Unsafe abortion cases are rife among youth and adults in Zimbabwe owing to high medical costs, restrictive abortion laws and lack of or inadequate youth friendly clinics that offers sexual reproductive health services, negative attitudes by service providers towards patients, lack of knowledge on how and where to seek services among others.
The 2020 #VoiceandChoice Barometer notes that 24% of all pregnancies in Southern Africa end in abortion. Although no Southern African country totally bans abortion, most conditions under which women can obtain abortions remain restrictive
According to the Termination of Pregnancy Act of 1977, it is illegal to terminate a pregnancy unless it has been sanctioned by Government authorities among them, the court, which has to confirm that the intercourse was unlawful.
However, there are several incidents where abortion was supposed to be legalised by the courts and the draconian procedures have led to some ending up giving birth and some succumbing due to pregnancy related complications.
A typical example of the case of Mildred Mapingure of Chegutu who was raped by Courage Chamboko during an armed robbery in 2006, would haunt her for the rest of her life.
After the traumatising incident Mapingure immediately reported the matter to Chegutu Police so that she could be assisted to get medical assistance and stop her from conceiving.
Chegutu Police referred her to Chegutu Hospital where the nightmare unfolded. Instead of getting the immediate attention, the medical personnel on duty that fateful night refused to "drain the sperms from her body".
A few weeks after the violation, Mapingure discovered that she was pregnant. Several visits to the Chinhoyi Magistrate's court to seek legal recourse and have the pregnancy terminated were futile until she gave birth to a child whom she did not want.
Her hopes were hinged on the provisions of the Termination of the Pregnancy Act (1977) Section 4 which allowed rape victims to abort on the grounds that intercourse was unlawful. Sadly for her when the certificate was issued, six months later, it was too late to terminate the pregnancy. Mapingure eventually gave birth to a child against her will.
Nine years later with an order to the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Home Affairs to jointly and severally pay a total of $6500 being damages for pain and suffering that was incurred by Mapingure for wrongful pregnancy.
The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women 1979, ratified by Zimbabwe on 13 May 1991, Articles 4 and 14 of the Maputo Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People's Rights of Women in Africa 2003 and article 4 of the United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women 1993, which provides that women who are subjected to violence "should be provided with access to the mechanisms of justice and . . . just and effective remedies for the harm that they have suffered" as well as information on "their rights in seeking redress through such mechanisms" lay the backdrop for the claim in this matter.
Invoking these instruments calls for the Government to be accountable especially with regards to the obligations set out in these instruments that Zimbabwe is a signatory.
"She among hundreds of women in Zimbabwe who are giving birth against their will because it is illegal to abort. While Mapingure's situation qualified her for an immediate abortion because of the circumstances in which she got pregnant, she still could not access the services. The situation is even more complicated for the majority of women in Zimbabwe who often resort to backstreet and unsafe abortions when they find themselves pregnant and are not prepared to give birth," said Edinah Masiyiwa the Executive Director of Women's Action Group.
The majority of women who opt for unsafe abortions, which sometimes turn fatal know that their fate, demise and future is yoked on a piece of legislation promulgated in 1977 and is yet to be aligned with existing laws in the Constitution that now have provisions to ensure women have rights to safe reproductive health.
However, after noticing that so many women were dying due to unsafe and illegal abortion the ministry of health and child care resorted to allowing women and girls to receive post abortal care any health institutions without being questioned.
"The depletion of the uterus may occur causing profuse bleeding, which may lead to haemorrhage and genital sepsis hence women should be provided with various sexual reproductive services for their choice and be educated on them such that they can make informed decisions. In countries that abortion laws are not restrictive we have noted a decline in maternal deaths," she said.
She called on the public and stakeholders to start conversing on abortion in Zimbabwe and its implications on the country's maternal mortality rate. There are already calls by the civic organisations and other stakeholders to look into the Termination of Pregnancy Act of 1977 and align it with existing laws in the Constitution that speaks to the advancement of women's rights.
Backstreet or illegal abortions have become a major public health concern in Zimbabwe, with reports pointing to an increase in unsafe abortions, straining the ailing health sector.
According to the Demographic Health Survey, 30 percent of maternal mortality are due to unsafe abortions. Health professionals say that the figures were just a tip of the iceberg of the number of women opting for unsafe abortions in a desperate move to manage unplanned pregnancies.
The ministry of health and child care says abortion is a major public concern which has led to high maternal mortality rate in Zimbabwe.
Ekenia Chifamba the Founder and Director of Shamwari Yemwanasikana called on the Government to review Termination of Pregnancy of 1977 and decriminalise abortion to ensure that women and girls can choose what works best for them.
"There is an upsurge of backstreet and illegal abortions taking place in Zimbabwe, putting the lives of women, particularly young girls at risk. The existence of the law (Termination of Pregnancy Act) has not in any way stopped abortions, but has seen an increase in backstreet termination of pregnancy. "We are not talking about single, but multiple abortions, as women and girls find themselves in untenable situation, leaving them with no choice but to abort on several occasions," she said.
She said some of the abortions are often as result of date rape, or sexual violence perpetrated to the victim by relatives or close associate.
"The victim is often threatened with unspecified action, leaving them with no choice, but to use backyard abortion facilities which are usually life threatening," she said.
Health experts say the risk of death following complications of unsafe abortion procedures is several times higher than that of an abortion performed under legal surgical and safe conditions.
Section 76 (1) of the Constitution confers upon every citizen and permanent resident of Zimbabwe the right to basic health care services including reproductive health care services.
The 2020 #VoiceandChoice SADC Gender Protocol Barometer notes that Unsafe abortions affect mostly poorer, unmarried women and adolescents. As this group contributes significantly to high maternal mortality rates in the region, it will be difficult to reach the goal of eliminating maternal mortality without addressing the need for safe abortion.
Muchaneta Chimuka is a journalist in Zimbabwe. This story is part of the Gender Links News Service
One thought on "Zim: Unsafe abortions are a major public health concern"
Agatha Mwamuka Jatira says:
Why is it taking us women so long to review laws that can liberate us. Where are the women's advocacy groups?
Comment on Zim: Unsafe abortions are a major public health concern Cancel reply


inversecondemnation.com: New Cert Petition: Does The Fifth Amendment Require Compensation For Destroying Business In A Taking?
New Cert Petition: Does The Fifth Amendment Require Compensation For Destroying Business In A Taking?
Check this out, the latest cert petition from the Institute for Justice (Kelo), in a case we've been following.
This one asks a question that has been kicking around in the lower courts for a long time, and has long bothered we who represent property owners who have to eat the often-massive losses to a business which come about as a direct result of eminent domain (and which condemning agencies and the courts almost invariably determine are "consequential" losses, not compensable.
The U.S. Supreme Court, in Kimball Laundry Co. v. United States, 338 U.S. 1 (1949), held that "an exercise of the power of eminent domain which has the inevitable effect of depriving the owner of the going-concern value of his business is a compensable 'taking' of property," and you would think that would take care of the question of whether such losses are part of just compensation. But that's not the way that many courts -- here, the Louisiana Supreme Court -- see that case.
More on the case and issues here, from IJ.
Now, for the real test: how do you pronounce "LaFourche (something we learned yesterday)?"


The Clams Have Just Become Our New Period Heroines!
These Babes Have Just Become Our New Period Heroines!
We LOVE celebrating our female bodies here at Pink Parcel and support everyone and anyone with a positive message about periods, which is why these women have just hit the number 1 spot on our heroine list.
Meet The Clams – an Australian book-club-turned-water-ballet-team who are smashing the taboos around menstruation.
A group of 30 awesome synchronised swimmers are gearing up to perform a routine called 'Crimson Tide: A Period Piece', which uses tampon-shaped floats and a huge piece of red fabric to act out the four stages of the monthly cycle.
The team will be performing their unique pool show in Melbourne on 18th March, with the money from their ticket sales going to Share the Dignity – a charity that provides homeless women with sanitary essentials.
One swimmer, Roz, who has her own line of sustainable sanitary pads, hopes the performance will open up a wider conversation about menstruation around the world.
"I wish that periods wouldn't be seen as taboo, dirty or wrong. I wish that when girls get their periods in some countries that it doesn't mean the end of their ability to go to school.
"I wish that people everywhere are adequately educated about menstruation, and have access to affordable, efficient and hygienic sanitary protection.
Anyone want to book us a flight to Australia in time for Saturday…?


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DC / Our Obsessions
The Daily Planet Dynamo: Ranking the best and worst of Lois Lane
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Who even really cares? Today we're here to talk about Superman's better half and The Daily Planet's fiercest reporter – Lois Lane. As a culture, we're understandably obsessed with the heroics of the Kid from Krypton, because the guy is a swoonworthy supernova and all-round good guy with some spectacular superpowers. However, despite not possessing any "super" powers, Lois is undoubtedly a different type of hero with her own spectacular set of strengths.
She might not be able to fly, punch people through buildings, or shoot lasers from her eyes (wait, can Superman even do that?), but when done right, the character is spectacularly smart, strong, and self-possessed – she's a woman who could save the world with words if she really wanted to. But that's not to say every depiction of the character has got it right over the years. Here's our ranking of the best and worst depictions of Lois Lane in film and on TV.
9. Superman Returns (2006)
Firstly, Lois would never write an article about why the world doesn't need Superman – that's clickbait if ever we saw it and Lois is way classier than that. But secondly, in Superman Returns, Lois is reduced to being little more than a love interest and a mom – something that isn't helped by Kate Bosworth (Blue Crush) reeling off lines as if her Uber arrived ten minutes ago and she has somewhere way better to be.
8. Man of Steel (2013) & all the other DCEU films
We don't even know where to start with this hot mess of a depiction. Lois started out as an ambitious, tough-talking investigative reporter in Man of Steel (which we thought was cool, obviously), but by the end she was little more than a little lady who needed to take care of her big, important, super boyfriend. It's an absolute waste of a great character and a phenomenal actor – Amy Adams (Sharp Objects) – and Lois Lane deserves far better.
7. DC Super Hero Girls (2015 – )
Voiced by Alexis G. Zall (Ouija: Origin of Evil), Lois's design in this sweet kids animated series is wonderfully adorable, but the character is also crafted with depth and strength. In DC Super Hero Girls, Lois is a witty, skilled reporter for the school newspaper with a resolute commitment to telling important stories. She's exactly the sort of role model you want young girls to see on TV.
6. Adventures of Superman (1952 – 1958)
When played by Phyllis Coates (Goodnight, Sweet Marilyn) between 1952 and 1953, Lois was depicted with a feisty noir edge, full of conviction and tenacity for scoring a great lead.
When Noel Neill (Campus Sleuth) took over the role until the show's end, the character maintained that same audacious nature, but also showcased a greater sense of gallant wit and intelligence that made her unafraid to call men out for their bullshit, all while getting weak at the knees for the Metropolis Marvel.
5. Justice League: Unlimited (2004 – 2006)
There's an emotional weight to the voice acting of Dana Delany (Tombstone) that really brings clarity to Lois's identity in this animated series. The character is sharp and outspoken and completely unafraid to let Clark know he's being a gigantic goober about this whole "saving the world" thing whenever it looks like his judgement is being clouded. It takes a big woman to take on such a super strength titan, but this Lois can more than handle it.
4. Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993 – 1997)
Though Teri Hatcher's (Desperate Housewives) portrayal of Lois is definitely the sexiest depiction of the character ever seen on screen, her sexuality is never used to diminish her strength or drive. Instead, she maintains her headstrong approach to journalism while still capably dealing with the fact that her bookish dork of a man is actually a total jock from another planet.
3. Superman: The Animated Series (1996 – 2000)
Before lending her voice to the character in Justice League: Unlimited, Delany also voiced the most dynamic and sultry version of Lois ever seen on screen. As well as being ludicrously smart (dropping casual references to Nietzsche) and oddly sex-positive (her dialogue brims with innuendo), Lois also dazzles with feminist ferocity with Delany lending an exquisite noir edge to her performance.
2. Smallville (2001 – 2011)
The young adult exploration of Clark Kent in high school didn't exactly offer the best Superman stories for fans, but it did provide a sparkling depiction of Lois. Erica Durance (Saving Hope) plays the role perfectly as a fearless & flawed young woman figuring out life while allowing her indomitable drive to thrust her towards the career of her dreams.
She's sharp and witty, flirtatious yet guarded, focused yet fallible, and enjoys a series-spanning romance with the boy she calls "Smallville" without allowing it to derail her identity. Lois might not rock a cape or super powers, but in Smallville she's a total hero.
1. Superman (1978) and the many sequels
Margot Kidder's (The Amityville Horror) witty yet vulnerable performance as The Daily Planet go-getter secured the character feminist icon status among fans. She's committed to being treated fairly and equally within a male-dominated industry and is an absolute boss on every possible level.
However, that doesn't make her some cold-hearted career obsessed shrew. Lois is warm and compassionate and she's able to let her guard down enough so that she can openly swoon and fall in love with the strongest (and geekiest) dude in the universe without ever sacrificing her ow sense of self.
Adventures of SupermanAlexis G. ZallAmy AdamsDana DelanyDCDC Super Hero GirlsErica DuranceJustice League UnlimitedKate BosworthLois & Clark: The New Adventures of SupermanMan of SteelMargot KidderNoel NeillPhyllis CoatesSmallvilleSupermanSuperman ReturnsSuperman: The Animated SeriesTeri Hatcher
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