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Placospermum is a genus of a single species of large trees, constituting part of the plant family Proteaceae. The species Placospermum coriaceum is endemic to the rainforests of the wet tropics region of northeastern Queensland, Australia. Common names include rose silky oak and plate-seeded oak.

History
The genus and species were first formally scientifically described in 1924 by Cyril T. White and William D. Francis.  The precise relationships of the genus were unclear, though it was clear it was an early offshoot within the Proteaceae and retained primitive characteristics, until Lawrie Johnson and Barbara G. Briggs classified it in the subfamily Persoonioideae in their 1975 monograph "On the Proteaceae: the evolution and classification of a southern family". They noted that it had large chromosomes, like those of Persoonia and allied genera, as well as sharing some other primitive features.

Description

Placospermum coriaceum trees grow to 30 m (100 ft) tall in their native rainforests, and are likely to be much smaller in cultivation. Leaves on the youngest plants are simple and oblanceolate, but large lobed intermediate leaves soon appear. These are up to 90 cm (36 in) long with up to nine lobes up to 20 cm (8 in) long each. The adult leaves are once again simple, and are spathulate or oblanceolate and up to 17 cm (7 in) long and leathery. The pinkish flowers grow in racemes at the end of branches. Flattened oval fruit follow, which measure 3.5-4 by 3 cm. Each contains many seeds. Like other members of the Persoonioideae, Placospermum coriaceum lacks the cluster roots typical of most Proteaceae.

The large lobed immature leaves are an attractive feature, and Placospermum coriaceum has been cultivated as an indoor plant.

References

Proteaceae
Monotypic Proteaceae genera
Ornamental trees
Endemic flora of Queensland


This weekend retreat will focus on the practical application of some of the Buddha's most accessible and powerful meditation teachings. We will begin by looking at the Five Hindrances — difficult mind states that can seem like obstacles to our meditation practice — and learn that, through examining and befriending the hindrances, they too can become avenues to deepening insight.
Retreatants will then learn how the Buddha's Seven Factors of Awakening, positive mind states that bring relief and release, can be cultivated and put to use in meditative practice.
The retreat will be suitable for anyone with previous experience of mindfulness meditation.
Carl Fooks has been practising Buddhism since the late 1980's in both the Mahayana and Theravada traditions. He teaches a weekly group in London and retreats at Satipanya Buddhist Retreat Centre and is a Gaia House visiting teacher. He holds an MA in Buddhist Studies from the University of South Wales.
Andy Wimbush is a graduate of the Community Dharma Leaders' programme at Gaia House retreat centre. He has practised insight meditation since 2010 under the guidance of Kenneth Folk, Beth Resnick-Folk, and Rob Burbea.
Please, be aware that the retreat will not run unless 8 people have booked to attend.


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Vadodara: An old lady was conned by two persons in Godhra taluka of Panchmahals district on Sunday. The incident occurred when the lady identified as Khadija Hajiani was alone at her home located in the posh Mohamedi area.
The accused duo approached her and offered to repair lock and make keys as well. The duo engaged the victim in talks and asked her if she has some other key for repairing the lock. Khadija gave them key of the safe following which they diverted her attention and opened it.
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The cops examined the CCTV footage of the main road near Khadija's colony and found images of two persons. When Khadija was shown the images, she recognized them.


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Charline Reeves
On May 7, USAID alumna Charline Ann Reeves passed away. She was born on July 31, 1941, to Charles and Elizabeth Ensor Reeves. She grew up in Knoxville, Tennessee, where she may have astonished her folks by working at the Highlander Center, a pioneering social justice institution, and attended the University of Tennessee, where she received a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration.
After graduation, Charline joined the Peace Corps, which sent her to Afghanistan. There she was assigned to work with staff at the Afghan national airline, Ariana (known locally as "Scariana"). In 1966, she went to Vietnam as a secretary with the U. S. Agency for International Development (USAID), where she spent four sometimes exciting years. She must have liked international development, because she made USAID her career for the next 30 years. Her work ethic, common sense, and honesty were so greatly valued by her supervisors and colleagues that she was sent to Syracuse University for a multi-month training program to convert from secretarial work to professional. Thereafter she was a prized member of the high-stress USAID budget office, with occasional work trips to Africa.
Charline retired in 2006. In 1984, she met the love of her life, Bradley Turner. They became devoted partners, and, in 2005, they married. Charline and Brad had a dozen splendid years together as husband and wife, until her death.
Charline is survived by her devoted husband Brad; her brothers Charles and James (Mary); her nephews Clay, Aaron, and Chip; and many, many friends. A memorial service will be held at Macedonia Baptist Church, 3412 22nd St. S, Arlington, VA, 22204, on Thursday, May 25, 2017, at noon.
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text:
Page Overview: BMW Group - Innovation - Design
BMW Group Design.
For me design combines art and engineering. At BMW Group we create products that are at the forefront of technology and sustainability. But we also want our design to offer much more than the total sum of its functions. We aim to create experiences that appeal to all senses and ensure a lasting emotional bond between the object and the customer.
Adrian van Hooydonk
Head of BMW Group Design
WHAT MAKES BMW GROUP DESIGN SPECIAL?
We are the design studio for the BMW, BMW i, BMW M, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad brands. Our headquarter is located right at the heart of the BMW Group, at the Research and Innovation Centre in Munich. This is where we are designing the mobility of tomorrow.
Our design always follows its own path – touching people and exceeding their expectations in surprising ways. That creates joy. And trust. And desirability.
We have more than 500 associates from 40 countries working at four studios worldwide. With our Designworks subsidiary, that means we have a presence in all key markets. We are characterised by our different nationalities, cultures, talents and ways of working: all very different personalities who share the same goal of shaping the future.
Rooted in history – moving forward in design. Over the decades, we have developed iconic statements for our brands. Our designs interpret these in a modern and contemporary way, while always remaining true to our history.
We have always created individual experiences for the BMW Group brands. Our company always looks to the future and develops innovative ideas and solutions.
CAR DESIGN – SEVEN STEPS TO THE CAR OF THE FUTURE.
Developing and designing a new vehicle takes several years, in a process that combines traditional craftsmanship with the latest technology. We still use physical models made of clay, but also work with innovations like virtual reality. You can check out the seven steps of our design process here.
EVOLVING TRADEMARKS: 13 BMW KIDNEY GRILLE DESIGNS.
Since 1933, nearly every BMW has featured a double kidney grille. As the central air inlet, it also symbolises the power of the engine and the air it needs. The design of this grille has changed over time, as it has become increasingly functional and intelligent. But, through its many transformations, the famous kidney grille has never lost its role as a brand-identifying feature. A look at the milestones of the BMW kidney grille.
From the BMW 1-Series all the way up to the 8-Series - the team at the BMW design studio develops the design of the core BMW brand. As the models differentiate between each other also our entire team is very heterogenous: a group of enthusiastic people that are brought together by their passion for BMW. We also shape the brands of BMW i and BMW M. This allows us to bring in our passion for innovation and sustainability on the one side and for performance and luxury on the other.
At the MINI design studio, 30 designers are working on all MINIs for the coming years. These creative minds are always focused on the mobility of the future. They set trends from technology to innovative materials that will ensure a MINI remains a typical MINI in the future: cheeky, emotional and unique, while never losing sight of its roots.
A whole host of different characters work at the BMW Motorrad design studio. Each designer has their own very unique style and feels comfortable in their respective biker scene. These different perspectives come together in the design process and are evident in every newly created BMW motorcycle.
The Rolls-Royce Motor Cars design studios create the designs for all Rolls-Royce models, as well as optional equipment and accessories that meet the high standards of the exclusive luxury brand. What is unique here is the close collaboration with individual customers to create truly one-of-a-kind vehicles, as part of the Rolls-Royce bespoke and coachbuilt programme.
Designworks is part of the BMW Group: an inspiring studio that generates ideas and works for external customers, as well as the BMW Group.
The three studios in Los Angeles, Munich and Shanghai put forward ambitious visions of the future to shape our world and make it a better place.
efficiency and electro-mobility.


How much of Jennifer Nash's work have you seen?
In the world of Star Trek Next Generation, Jennifer's brother is her father. Marcus Nash (Jennifer's brother) played Captain Picard in a flash back scene in the episode 'Tapestry'. Jennifer got him the audition, and he really does make a good young Picard.


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If you don't have iTunes, download and install iTunes on your Mac or PC. If you don't have a computer, borrow one from a friend, or go to an Apple Retail Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider.
On an iPad with Face ID: Press and quickly release the Volume Up button. Press and quickly release the Volume Down button. Then, press and hold the Top button until you see the recovery-mode screen.
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Running a hotel is an extremely demanding business. One of the many aspects that you must consider when running a hotel or a bed and breakfast is to have a good insurance policy, from an insurance company registered with the Financial Conduct Authority, that will cover your business in most insurance eventualities.
Owners and operators of UK hotels face risks that could threaten the future of their businesses. These risks range from a natural disaster or a major fire to accidental poisoning of guests..
Metcalfe Insurance Services offers a hotel package specifically developed for the hotel industry with solutions that every hotel business demands.
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Meet Hon. Isata Kabia, Sierraloaded Woman Crush Wednesday
6 days ago |
Meet our Woman Crush for this week, Hon. Isata Kabia.
Meet a Statewoman whose mission is to see that women in the country are independent, their voices are heard, and are resourceful to themselves and the country at large.
Holding an Honors degree in Biochemistry, an MBA in Global Business and Impact Entrepreneurship, Hon Isata is a woman who is so passionate about the females being held in the society. She educates the women about women empowerment in order to be independent and resourceful.
She started serving her country at a very young age, developing over the years to become an beacon of hope and icon worth of emulation to young girls and women in the country. Due to her passion about woman empowerment, she has made it her life mission to see that every girl can dream, can be strong, be provided a strong platform to be resourceful to all.
To further help the women, after resigning her position as special advisor on Diaspora Affairs in the Office of the President in 2012, she ran for office and was elected as the first female Member of Parliament from the Port Loko district in Northern Sierra Leone represent constituency 050 in the district of Port Loko between 2012 – 2017.
She most recently served as a government Minister of Social Welfare, Gender and Children's Affairs (2018) and as the Minister of State II at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. She also served as a member of the Pan African Parliament.
Hon. Kabia is the Founder and Director of Voice of Women-SL (VoW-SL), an organization working to increase women's political participation and leadership, encourage women to vote and support a record number of women running for office in Sierra Leone. VoW-SL aims to increase political participation and leadership by building an intergenerational community with an inclusive national membership of women to mobilize and build lasting infrastructure for sustained action.
Hon. Isata Kabia is also the founder and CEO of AFRiLOSOPHY, a social impact training and manufacturing company focused on creating jobs through the manufacturing of cosmetics, hair and body products, and assisting women and youth in starting and managing their own enterprises through skills and financial management training provided by the AFRiLOSOPHY Foundation. The AFRiLOSPHY Foundation currently works within Port Loko district on a Rural Education Program (REP) building schools within the community.
She was selected as a Fellow for the 2019-2020 VV Engage Cohort.
MORE ABOUT: Port Loko | Woman Crush Wednesday
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Being an activist for liberty can occasionally be downright depressing. Sometimes it feels like it's just one bad news after another as the government continues to grow and take away our basic freedoms.
Every now and again, there is some good news though!
The Supreme Court just ruled that police officers must obtain a warrant before searching through an arrestee's cell phone. This unanimous decision has huge implications as 12 million Americans are arrested every single year and most carry cell phones with vast amounts of personal information.
Of course, this issue should be a no brainer. The Fourth Amendment, which clearly prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures, should still apply in today's digital age.
Up until now, however, the law has been unclear about smart phones. For better or worse, the Supreme Court has upheld that personal items, such as wallets, may be subject to search after arrest. The Obama administration has previously defended cell phone searches by saying that the devices are no different than anything else a police officer could find on a person.
Cell phones differ in both a quantitative and qualitative sense from other objects that might be carried on an arrestee's person. The term "cell phone" is itself misleading shorthand; many of these devices are in fact minicomputers that also happen to have the capacity to be used as a telephone. They could just as easily be called cameras, video players, rolodexes, calendars, tape recorders, librararies, albums, televisions, maps, or newspapers.
The justices are right. Cell phones are in a different category than wallets because the devices store so much private and sensitive information about a person. In today's world, searching through someone's phone can be as intrusive as searching through their home.
Modern cell phones are not just another technological convenience. With all they contain and all they may reveal, they hold for many Americans "the privacies of life." The fact that technology now allows an individual to carry such information in his hand does not make the information any less worthy of the protection for which the Founders fought. Our answer to the question of what police must do before searching a cell phone seized incident to an arrest is accordingly simple— get a warrant.
FreedomWorks applauds the Supreme Court for upholding the Fourth Amendment. This is a huge win for personal privacy. We hope that this means that the Supreme Court has decided to take civil liberties issues seriously.
Isn't it odd to be celebrating what should be a given? We are so suppressed these days that your own cell phone has become an issue?! Has anyone else felt this? We are no freer here than in Russia! I am ashamed we took so long to see it.


Exactly as the title says. The creator of Haloid, Dead Fantasy, RWBY and many more has passed away. I f***ing admired that guy. His death has thrown me off a lot. I will miss that stoic guy and his work a lot. A f***ing lot. Today is a sad day.
Rest in peace my hero, I'll never forget watching Haloid in 2007.
I think this is a nice quote to remember him by... he was taken from us too soon. RIP.
May he rest in peace and may his work be a reminder and be continued by his friends.


Heating and cooling systems all have a regular range of sounds that they regularly make, but they shouldn't be disruptive or really even audible. If your system is making unusual sounds, it typically highlights that it should have heating and cooling service.
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You can prevent some of these noises from ever showing up by setting up normal maintenance appointments with Total Comfort. We can find and repair possible problems before they become bigger. Just give us a call at 201-268-5663 to set up your appointment.


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Montana Property Owners File Lawsuit to Force FWP to "Remove, Harvest, or Eliminate Thousands of Elk"
Local conservation groups say that the lawsuit is a direct attack on the state's long-standing traditions of public hunting
By Steven Hill | Published May 17, 2022 6:00 PM
Elk hunting regulations in Montana have been a source of recent controversy. Lori Iverson / USFWS
A lawsuit filed in April by a group of Montana property owners accuses wildlife officials of breaking a state law that requires elk populations to be maintained at sustainable levels, squandering "our prized natural resource [and] turning the regal elk into a common nuisance, like locusts or grasshoppers." The lawsuit asks a judge to void current elk regulations and to give the defendants—the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission and the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP)—90 days to develop a plan to "remove, harvest, or eliminate thousands of elk" as quickly as possible.
The lawsuit is the latest salvo in a long-running battle over elk management in the state, which has led to disagreement even among state wildlife officials. Earlier this year, the Fish and Wildlife Commission rejected a recommendation by FWP to allow general license hunting on private land in several parts of the state. In public comments leading up to a February decision to institute big changes in Montana's elk and deer seasons this fall, hunters, outfitters, and landowners called on the commission to reject the proposed changes—albeit all for different reasons
The recent lawsuit was filed in Fergus district court by United Property Owners of Montana. The plaintiffs are accusing the commission and FWP of allowing the elk population to grow to 50,000 animals above management objectives called for by state law.
"No matter whether reducing elk numbers is popular with environmentalists or other special interest groups or not, defendants are to keep populations at or below the population objectives," the lawsuit states. "The defendants, however, have failed to do so in much of the state, resulting in damage to property owners across the state."
The lawsuit notes that limited permit hunting for bull elk is correlated to districts that have elk populations exceeding objectives. The plaintiffs add that the combination of restrictive game regulations and the institution of "game damage hunts," which require opening access to public hunters, is making property owners abandon private property rights by forcing them to allow public hunters onto their land.
In stark contrast, some local hunters and conservation groups, including Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA), say that the property owners' lawsuit is a direct attack on Montana's long-standing tradition of public hunting and equitable wildlife management. They also say that the lawsuit seeks to negate the public process for managing elk and setting hunting regulations in the Treasure State. Local conservation groups are considering the next steps on how to advocate for public land hunters in relation to the lawsuit.
Read Next: Feds Mull Appeal of Court Decision That Relisted Wolves Under the Endangered Species Act
"After failing to impose their self-serving ideas on the public, the legislature, or the FWP Commission, the United Property Owners of Montana are now attempting to use the court to force their unwelcome ideas upon Montana," Montana BHA board member and Lewistown resident Doug Krings said in a written statement provided to F&S. "Their approach would fundamentally undermine Montana's hunting opportunities…The Gianforte administration and his appointees should vigorously oppose this blatant attack on public elk hunting and wildlife management."
Field & Stream will continue to report on this developing story.


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Dé Máirt, 14 Beal 2019
An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business
Senator Jerry Buttimer
The Order of Business is No. 1, motion re Sectoral Employment Order (Construction Sector) 2019, to be taken without debate at the conclusion of the Order of Business; No. 2, Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017 - Committee Stage (resumed), to be taken at 4.45 p.m. and adjourned at 6.20 p.m., if not previously concluded; and No. 3, Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2018 – Second Stage, to be taken at 6.20 p.m., with the time allocated to group spokespersons not to exceed eight minutes each and to all other Senators not to exceed five minutes each.
I refer to the autism spectrum disorder, ASD, units attached to schools and the lack thereof. There is a serious lack of these units in schools in Dublin 6, Dublin 6W, Dublin 8 and Dublin 12. I asked my colleague Deputy James Browne to table a question to the Minister to ask how many persons were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder in the south central area of Dublin. We received a reply from the HSE stating there was no comprehensive national or local children's disability database that gathered data for children with autism spectrum disorder or other diagnostic groups. That is remarkable, especially when huge funds are allocated to autism services. It is most important to find out where the children who need these services are in order that funds can be directed accordingly. There is a huge demand for ASD units in the Dublin 6, 6W, 8 and 12 areas. The lack of statistics alone shows how low this issue is on the Government's agenda. Will the Leader bring this matter to the attention of the Minister to ensure accurate statistics will be gathered and that we will allocate funding on the basis of those statistics to ensure the children who need these services will receive them?
The second issue I would like to raise concerns the early childhood care and education scheme. This fantastic scheme was introduced by Fianna Fáil. One of the problems with it is that it is so fantastic that many crèches are closing their new baby wards such that families are finding it very difficult to find childcare places for babies aged from six to 12 months. This is creating problems. Crèches are closing their baby rooms because their toddler rooms are so successful under the scheme. I ask the Minister to take a look at this and look at ways by which we can ensure people will have access to childcare places for very young babies.
The final issue I wish to raise concerns WhatsApp. I was extremely surprised to learn there had been a hacking of WhatsApp and that spyware or malware has infiltrated the application. It is an application many of us use on a daily basis and we all have many groups on it. I encourage people to ensure they download the update. We all must be careful of the applications we use on our phones and ensure they are secure. Perhaps we need to consider the introduction of further legislation to ensure that what has occurred in this instance does not happen again and to heighten awareness among people to ensure their phones are constantly upgraded and the apps downloaded on phones are renewed to ensure they are not vulnerable to malware or spyware.
Senator Gerard P. Craughwell
On the final issue adverted to by my colleague concerning WhatsApp, we should always be aware of the fact that all software is constantly under threat from criminal elements. They are working ahead of us all the time and the problem for us is that we have to catch them. Our cybersecurity network structure is excellent at the job its does, and we should acknowledge that at this time.
I wish to raise two points with the Leader. We heard yesterday that the cost of renting an apartment in Sandyford is €2,100 per month. The cost of a mortgage for the same apartment is €1,350 per month. That indicates there is quite a bonanza for those who can afford to buy a number of apartments. I acknowledge there is no Member of this House who is not concerned about the issue of homelessness and the various other problems with respect to housing. I have raised previously the possibility of easing the banking rules. A relation of mine has spent €87,000 on rent in the past seven year. That person could have bought an apartment and be well into the repayments of the mortgage at this stage had there been access to a mortgage but the problem is this person cannot save the deposit. Where will this person get the deposit when paying out that sort of money on rent? From that point of view, could the Leader arrange for the Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform to come to the House to debate this issue and outline what influence can be brought to bear on the Central Bank with respect to the rules that apply.
The second issue I wish to raise concerns the Defence Forces. First and foremost, I want to acknowledge the report in today's edition of The Irish Times that there is some ease for the Defence Forces with respect to their pay claims. I compliment the Public Service Pay Commission, the Defence Forces, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the Chief of Staff, in particular, for the work they have done in trying to secure this. I hope other public servants would not see this as a bonanza for everybody to jump on the bandwagon. The Defence Forces have been at the bottom of the heap for quite some time.
Yesterday the Minister told the Dáil that 200 members of the Defence Forces had availed of sick leave. It has been seen as an extraordinary high number. I ask people to bear in mind that members of the Defence Forces are constantly working in very physical roles. It is not uncommon for people to break their legs, have back injuries or various other injuries. The problem is that we do not have the infrastructure within the Defence Forces to treat those members and, in many cases, they have to go on to the public waiting list. That is where the differential kicks in. Commissioned officers have access to private health insurance whereas 85% of the members of the Defence Forces who are service men and women, enlisted men and women, non-commissioned officers, etc., do not have the funding to afford private healthcare and, as such, they are dependent on the public health system. God be with the days when I was in the Army where if one got sick there were the hospitals one could attend and one was treated totally by the Defence Forces. Sadly, that is not the case any more. I do not want the message to go out that we now have malingerers in the Defence Forces. People need to realise that members of the Defence Forces abseil out of helicopters, engage in extremely physical activities and quite a number of them are involved in sporting activities. By their very nature, these activities bring injuries with them and, as such, there is a backlog of cases to be treated. I will leave it at that.
Senator Paul Gavan
At the weekend we heard the Minister for Finance and for Public Expenditure and Reform comment on the national broadband plan. When asked about possible knock-on effects of the spend on the national broadband plan, he rejected any notion that Government plans for tax breaks would be affected. He effectively said, no matter what the cost of the national broadband plan, money would still be found to cut taxes. In other words, we should not worry, the money would be found. That is an extraordinary statement. I call on the Minister for Finance to come to the House to discuss this obsession with tax cutting above all else. Terse answers have been given to the likes of patients waiting for life-saving drugs. Schoolchildren are waiting on the delivery of proper school buildings. Older citizens have had their home care hours slashed in recent years while people are desperately waiting on housing lists, yet the priority, as stated again at the weekend by the Minister for Finance, is tax cuts. The ideological obsession with tax cuts at the expense of everything else is completely at odds with the reality for so many people today in terms of the health and housing crisis.
There is a striking contrast in terms of the experience of the 17,000 SIPTU members in the health service, who will complete a ballot for strike action this week. These people are porters, chefs and support staff who have honoured the Lansdowne Road agreements, who have gone through a job evaluation process and who have been awarded money through that process but are now being snubbed by the Minister for Finance. The Minister sits in breach of his own Lansdowne Road agreement. He cannot find money for those workers, but he will find money for tax cuts. Last night I met childcare workers in Clare, as part of SIPTU's Big Start campaign. They are people on abysmally low wages who have campaigned for years but the Minister can find no money for them either. What does that tell us about the priorities of Fine Gael in government? They are tax cuts, tax cuts and tax cuts. The health service is in crisis and housing is in the worst crisis of the history of the State, but the Minister can only make one guarantee, namely, regardless of what else happens in the State, he will deliver tax cuts for his wealthy friends. It is high time for a debate on this issue.
I was very struck by the comments of a Fine Gael spokesperson on TV last night on the rent crisis. He said that if it is given time, the rent crisis will work itself out. People who are renting simply do not have time. Every month expensive rental accommodation sees them further away from ever having a home of their own. This evening in the Dáil there will be a debate to enshrine the right to a home into the Constitution. Sinn Féin is proud to take that stance today. I do not wonder what position Fine Gael will take; it will oppose it. Perhaps we need a real debate on the ideological chasm that exists in this Chamber. Fine Gael and its obsession with tax cuts are costing the people of this country far too much.
Before I make my main point I wish to pay my respects to Fidelma Doonan, an usher in the Houses, whose brother died suddenly yesterday. He happens to also be my nephew's grandad. That is how I became aware of it and I thought it would be nice to pay my respects to Fidelma.
I wish to move an amendment to the Order of Business, that No. 19 would be taken before No. 1. Today, I intend to introduce the Electoral (Civil Society Freedom) (Amendment) Bill 2019 to the Seanad. The Bill aims to fix an urgent problem with the Electoral Acts, which currently sees valid political advocacy by civil society organisations and community groups treated as electoral activity by the Standards in Public Office Commission. As a result, it attaches disproportionately high, stringent and unfair financial declaration requirements to the work. The interference by the State in the political lobbying activities of civil society groups was an unintended consequence of an amendment made to the Electoral Acts 18 years ago. The amendment was made to the Bill responsible in the Seanad during a Committee Stage debate on 14 June 2001. It is an urgent issue that has seen some civil society groups forced to close their doors in the face of the high compliance standards required, such as Education Equality, a group of concerned parents who came together to work for secular education. We must support groups of ordinary people who want to organise together to agitate for positive change and yet the laws just get in the way. Ireland is a world leader in civil society advocacy, including to the UN Human Rights Council and the European Union, yet European Union fundamental rights agencies and the Standards in Public Office Commission criticise the law domestically. It undermines us internationally and opens us up to charges of hypocrisy and needs reform.
In a Commencement debate in the Seanad on 29 November last year the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, admitted that he was aware of the problem and the concerns expressed and saw its potential resolution within the process to set up a new electoral commission. However, this process could feasibly take years to come to fruition, whereas the current issue needs to be resolved in a timely fashion. That is why I am tabling the Bill today. I thank colleagues in the Civil Engagement group, the Independent group, Sinn Féin and the Labour Party for co-sponsoring the Bill which I hope to see receive cross-party support in the House in the near future. The problem has been caused by bad legislation and has damaged Ireland's vibrant civil society space. It is our responsibility as legislators to fix it.
I second Senator Ruane's proposed amendment to the Order of Business.
The issue I want to raise is the spiralling cost of insurance. I know that it has been discussed in the House, but it is urgent. Last week we heard, for example, that the Ballina Salmon Festival was not being run this year because of the high cost of insurance. Just today I was contacted by the principal of St. Teresa's special school in Ballinasloe and told that the cost of insurance had risen last year from €3,221 to €19,199, a colossal increase. The school contacted the school governance board and the database section of the Department of Education and Skills, but it got nowhere. It used money it had fundraised to meet the bill, but on Friday last it received an email from the patron to say Allianz Insurance's quote for this year had risen again, this time to a staggering €26,317. The Department suggested the school try to negotiate with the insurance company and offer to pay in monthly or other instalments, but the insurance company flatly refused to negotiate with the school and stated it had two days to make up its mind. The school made up its mind, but it has no way of paying the cost of the insurance. It is going to have to close. The issue is really urgent and I ask the Leader to raise with the Minister for Education and Skills.
Senator Colm Burke
I am reading with concern about the appointments that may be made in the Football Association of Ireland, FAI, and about how some influence might be brought to bear by what are perceived to be Government agencies, if not by the Government itself. It is important that every organisation in the country maintain its independence. I am not saying there is interference, but I understand some people within the organisation are concerned that if it is perceived to be the case, the governing body at international level may decide to cease giving the FAI the financial support it requires. I am sorry about being a little vague, but I am concerned that I have received a number of calls about the matter. The last thing we need is for funding for any organisation to be withdrawn because of a perception, rather than what is actually happening on the ground. It is important that that be made clear. I understand fully that there is a need for full and thorough oversight of every organisation that is receiving state aid, including the FAI, which is accountable for that funding and making sure it is assigned to the areas for which it was given on the first day, but that does not give any Government agency or the Minister the right to interfere in how an appointment is subsequently made. It is important that a clear message be sent that the FAI does retain its independence and that the only concern we have is in respect of Government funding and making sure it is used in the appropriate way.
Senator Jennifer Murnane O'Connor
I raise an issue in Bagenalstown, County Carlow, where there is an ongoing protest. Last week Irish Rail confirmed that it was going to downgrade the service provided in Bagenalstown train station to use of an automated machine.
It states it will no longer have a stationmaster on site and will subcontract maintenance of the station. The stationmaster will be relocated to another station which already has adequate staff. In 2017, the station was thought so beautiful that An Post captured it on a commemorative stamp. We now hear Irish Rail plans to lease it out. To say it is not busy enough to keep it manned is unacceptable in a rural town. People in towns such as Bagenalstown matter. This issue is so important. We speak about rural areas but Bagenalstown, which has one of the most beautiful railway stations in Ireland, is now being told the man who runs the station will be going somewhere else. That is unacceptable.
Irish Rail has told us 80% of users avail of online ticketing and that only 20% of passengers go into the station to buy tickets. That does not matter. What about the 20%, who need to have the service in the railway station? I have been informed by Irish Rail that a staff member will disembark at all stations to help with machine tickets and acceptability issues. I worry that we are slowly destroying rural Ireland and its way of life.
Transport poverty and accessibility are social and environmental issues. More than one in four people living with a disability do not use public transport due to accessibility reasons. What we are now seeing will further prevent the use of public transport at a time when we need to be considering ways to reduce our carbon footprint. I am very concerned that, without a staff presence in Bagenalstown, there will be an increase in anti-social behaviour. The issue of maintenance needs to be examined but we also must consider the requirements of people who need help - the 20%; they matter. They include older people who do not use online services and those with disabilities. My office telephone has been ringing for the past week. I have been contacted by older people, in particular. They are so concerned about this. Individuals with disabilities are also ringing me. A disability rack may be pulled out for wheelchairs users. College and schoolgoing children also use the services in the station. What is occurring is unacceptable. Irish Rail cannot afford to be turning away customers. I fear this is what is going to happen.
I will talk to the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport about this. I believe what I describe is happening across the board. It is happening in Athy and it has happened in Thomastown. It is unacceptable that rural Ireland is being forgotten. We have to ensure that we provide the services to the people. God be with the days when one said, "Hello", to everyone. One went into the train station and people said, "Hello", and asked how things were. Are we changing all this? Are we going to live in a society in which we will be going online for everything? That is unacceptable.
Senator Victor Boyhan
The declaration of a national emergency in Ireland owing to climate change is welcome. We can declare all these emergencies but we have got to stay focused and on target. We are aware that we have a global problem and we need global solutions.
I wish to allude to the meeting of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly that took place over the past three days. The Leas-Chathaoirleach was present. We had an excellent presentation from the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Deputy Richard Bruton. The meeting was interesting because of the considerable engagement and the questions. The Minister responded to all the questions, and queues of additional people wanted to engage with him on them. We would benefit by having the presentation here, if possible. The Minister was exceptional. Everyone from all the jurisdictions talked about a Minister who was totally on top of his brief. He was asked many questions and had no idea what questions would be asked. He responded very well. It would be good to see him here.
I attended the beef summit in Galway last week. There were many parliamentarians there, as there were city and county councillors, particularly from Galway but also from other parts of the country. One of the points arising in the environmental debate is that of a just transition. We need to concentrate on that. I would like to hear more from the Minister on it. There has to be a just transition. Certain groups will suffer more than others. We have to guard against that. Just transition is a really important aspect.
Let me refer to agriculture, producers and farmers in regard to just transition. This issue is important. If we want to achieve targets, we have to incentivise. We have not used the word "incentivise". I believe in incentivising people. I would like to hear more about just transition and how we can incentivise people. We have a plan and targets but we have to incentivise people to succeed. If it all possible, and if it fits in with the schedule of the Minister, whom I realise is busy because he has a lot going on, he should be invited to make his presentation to the Seanad. Senators would benefit from it and perhaps from the opportunity to ask a few questions. The Leas-Chathaoirleach will agree the presentation was very positive. There was a lot of engagement.
It is an important issue that should also be aired in Seanad Éireann.
Senator Kevin Humphreys
I echo the remarks made by my colleague, Senator Murnane O'Connor, about unmanned train stations. It is not only a feature of rural Ireland as many of the railway stations in Dublin have been unmanned for quite a long time. That has led to a degree of anti-social behaviour at those stations because the person who manned the station acted as an early-warning signal. He or she could see what was happening at the station, who was getting on the train and if there was a problem. A passenger could step off the train and tell the person manning the station of a problem happening on a train. We need to be cautious. The Government is working out the cost of everything and the value of nothing. There is real value in manning railway stations.
I wish to raise a matter close to the Leader's heart. I welcome the Cork area transport strategy that was announced today. It has the potential to change Cork for the better over the coming decade but I have slight concerns. I hope the National Transport Authority, NTA, has learned lessons from community engagement in Dublin. Many people from the Labour Party in Cork have been on to me today voicing their support but they also want an extension of the consultation period which currently runs until 28 June. Cork is in the middle of local and European election campaigns and a plebiscite about whether there will be a directly-elected mayor for Cork. Those Labour Party representatives feel it would benefit the city if the consultation period was extended. I echo their calls and ask the Leader to engage with the Minister to see if he will extend the consultation period. The citizens of Cork need to have ownership of the transportation plan for the city. They need an opportunity to input their ideas. I hope we do not end up in conflict with communities as has been the case in Dublin.
Consultation can be done well and properly. An extension to the consultation period at this stage would benefit any transport strategy for the city.
Senator Robbie Gallagher
Recent figures released by the Department of Health show that the number of persons awaiting a child and adolescent mental health service, CAMHS, appointment stood at 2,738 at the end of March 2019. That figure represents an increase of 6% on the previous month.
More worrying is the fact that the number who have been waiting more than a year for an appointment has jumped to 336. That figure represents a leap of 13.5%. I know one young family in County Monaghan which has been waiting somewhere between three and four years and are still awaiting an appointment. It is vitally important that we remember that there are real people behind those figures - children, their parents and families, who are left suffering while waiting for an appointment.
Something needs to be done about this. I ask that the Minister comes to this House to advise us of the strategy he intends to adopt in order to alleviate this serious problem so that families and children will not be kept waiting for an appointment that is needed.
I join with Senator Ruane in offering our sympathies to Ms Fidelma Doonan on the very sad death of her brother.
I welcome Ms Rose Barford from County Wicklow who is a transition year student on work experience in the Seanad Office. I wish her well and hope she has a pleasant experience. She will learn a lot in the course of her week working here.
I thank the ten Members of the House for their contributions on the Order of Business. In response to Senator Ardagh, and linked to Senator Gallagher's contribution, the Government is committed to ensuring that every child with special educational needs receives a thorough and proper education. That is why the budget for meeting special educational needs has increased to €1.75 billion, a 43% increase since 2011 and 18.79% of the overall education budget.
Since 2011, the number of special needs schools has increased in Dublin and throughout the country. There are 37 special schools and 235 special classes. There has been an increase in ASD special classes in County Dublin from 66 to 195. There are issues that Senators Ardagh and Gallagher raised that need to be tackled, particularly CAMHS. It is a source of worry that there is a waiting lists and that there are issues around CAMHS. Perhaps some of it relates to the way we categorise and diagnose people now. There is a need for more resourcing, but it is not as simple an issue as resources. It is not just that one-dimensional point about which the Senator spoke.
Regarding the early childcare matter raised by Senator Ardagh, I would be happy to have information on that given to the Senator. Through the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, the Government is very much targeting the early childcare sector because, as we all know, early intervention-----
I am saying that there are not enough places for newborns.
I will come back to the Senator about that. I do not have the reply to hand but I will give it to her. Early years formation is important in terms of early intervention and early investment is critical but I will get the information on that for the Senator.
Regarding the issue relating to WhatsApp raised by Senators Ardagh and Craughwell, it is important that the Data Protection Commissioner, who is working with the organisation, counteracts any type of infiltration of our data. It is a source of worry and highlights the dangers posed by the new forms of technology we have.
The Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government will be here later on to answer Senators Craughwell and Gavan. In respect of his one-dimensional Sinn Féin speech, Senator Gavan always comes in and talks about the philosophy of Fine Gael. The philosophy of Fine Gael is to give people a society in which they can live, grow, develop and flourish. That is what we are about, which is why we have more people back at work and the highest housing budget, about which the Senator spoke. Construction is taking place. It is slower than we had hoped.
Senator Gavan has a one-dimensional approach to housing, which is to have everything in the public domain. That does not work and has not worked. It has never worked. We need a combination of everything. We will have that debate with the Minister later on and I look forward to hearing more from Senator Gavan about his proposals and policies relating to housing that can help address the matter. Putting down simple motions does not address the issue of building and moving people we meet every day of every week through our work from bedsits, family hubs or hotel rooms into proper accommodation. We all accept that it is slow. None of us is hiding the fact that we have a housing need that needs to be addressed, but it cannot happen just like that. We have seen an increase in investment in the housing budget. If the Senator travels to my city of Cork, I will bring him to many sites where social housing is being constructed, where people are being taken out of homelessness and where the budget for housing and homelessness has increased. I will gladly bring the Senator to Cork to show him those sites.
Why are the figures getting worse every month?
Senator Craughwell also raised the issue of the Defence Forces. We will have that debate with the Minister of State, Deputy Kehoe, in due course. We all look forward to the publication of the report of the Public Sector Pay Commission on the matter. I would be happy to accept Senator Ruane's amendment to the Order of Business. I thank her for bringing forward her Bill.
Senator Norris raised the issue of insurance. The Minister of State, Deputy D'Arcy, has been in the House a couple of times recently to address the matter. The Government is committed to tackling the issue of insurance. There is the political will to solve the issue raised by Senator Norris. We need to address a compendium of matters in terms of the costs being awarded by the courts. The Government is bringing forward four pieces of legislation, particularly the Judicial Council Bill, that will have a positive effect on insurance. The Minister of State and the Government are determined to solve the problem. I think we must all agree that the level of awards is one such worry.
We need to address the compensation payment culture from both a legislative and cultural point of view. The Personal Injuries Commission made 44 recommendations. The level of payments for soft tissue injuries at 4.4 times those in the UK is a source of concern. I understand a case over monopoly in the insurance industry will come before the European courts this week. The insurance companies also have a critical role to play and cannot be let off the hook.
Will the Leader contact the Minister about St. Teresa's school?
If the Senator passes me on the details on St. Teresa's school I will personally take the matter to the Minister on his behalf.
I thank the Leader.
Senator Colm Burke raised the issue of the Football Association of Ireland, FAI. I do not want to stray into the internal issues of that organisation. Those of us in this House who are sports people and are interested in the welfare of all sports, but in this case soccer, recognise that the FAI has a job of work to do to clean up its house and to restore confidence in the way in which it manages its affairs. Outside influence from political or other quarters is not helpful. There is concern that UEFA payments could be suspended. I understand that represents about €16 million to the FAI. I hope all of us involved in politics, in government and in the wider Oireachtas, will allow the FAI to appoint its own CEO and get its house in order by appointing a new board and by bringing in new governance structures. The work being done on the ground is of enormous benefit to many communities across the country. We all want to see a vibrant strong FAI with proper governance and that means working with UEFA. I hope that will happen because the suspension of further funding will not help the sport of football at grassroots level.
Senator Murnane O'Connor raised the issue of Bagenalstown rail station and Senator Humphreys raised the issue of unmanned stations. I am not familiar with the situation. I know that an additional 7.10 a.m. service from Bagenalstown was added which showed that Irish Rail is committed to the route. The Senator did not mention that in her contribution.
I did not have time; I was cut short. I had to highlight the main points only.
I am sure the Senator will have another outing on it. I ask the Leader to continue without interruption.
I agree with Senator Murnane O'Connor that there is a movement away from the interpersonal communication which applies when calling any organisation. Eircom has become appalling in its customer care, as have the banks. There now seems to be no interface with a person; it is all through a machine. Over the phone customers are put on hold for an inordinate amount of time with no resolution. I hope we will not lose that personal communication. I share the Senator's concern over self-serve kiosks. There are people in a hurry who do not have the capacity to use the machine. It is an issue we should address as a society. On a number of occasions I have made the point that banks do not want to see people inside their buildings. I am a Bank of Ireland customer and I refuse to go onto Banking 365 because I want to be able to go in. I know I am probably old-fashioned-----
Quite rightly.
The Leader is right.
----- but I want to be able to go in and speak to somebody rather than going through a machine or dealing with them online. I know it might be the way to go.
Many people like me prefer to go into the bank. I make no apology for that.
Based on the Leader's contribution, I can understand why the bank would want him to go on Banking 365 online.
The Senator could very well be right.
Senator Boyhan raised the very important issue of climate change and I would be happy to facilitate having the Minister, Deputy Bruton, coming back to the House. Senator Humphreys had a very good suggestion about a rolling debate on climate change, something we did prior to the Christmas recess. We will come back to that again. I will arrange to have the Minister, Deputy Bruton, come back to the House because the issue of climate change is very important.
Senator Humphreys welcomed today's publication of the new ambitious metropolitan transport strategy for Cork, which I welcome.
The €1 billion light rail network proposed for Cork is both innovative and necessary. I hope we can see the period of consultation extended, as Senator Humphreys said, and I exhort all involved to extend it. This is about the future of Cork. It is going to 2040 and the more engagement we can have the better the outcome will be for our metropolitan transport strategy. It is an investment of €1 billion in light rail and €545 million in BusConnects. We are extending the routes from 14 km to 100 km and increasing walking and cycling propositions to the people of Cork. I welcome it and commend those involved in the draft publication.
We need to get this right. If that means extending the consultation period, let us do that, given we saw the benefit of this in Dublin. I know Anne Graham was on the "News at One" today making comments about listening to people and it is important that people are listened to.
I answered Senator Gallagher on CAMHS. I am happy to accept Senator Ruane's amendment to the Order of Business.
Senator Ruane has moved an amendment to the Order of Business, "That No. 19 be taken before No. 1." The Leader has indicated he is prepared to accept this amendment.
Is the amendment agreed? Agreed.
Order of Business, as amended, agreed to.
Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters
Electoral (Civil Society Freedom) (Amendment) Bill 2019: First Stage


Habitat for Humanity helps families to achieve stability and self-reliance by helping to provide them with high-quality housing. The Guadalupe County Habitat team is out building houses every Thursday and Saturday. It's a lot of fun and you don't have to have any construction expertise.
Meals on Wheels provides nutritious meals to the elderly and disabled who are confined to their homes. These meals not only provide much-needed nourishment, but they also provide the homebound with a friendly social visit every day. When you volunteer with Meals on Wheels, you will drive a designated route and deliver meals to 4 or 5 homes. The whole process takes about an hour. St. Andrew's is the hub for MOW in Guadalupe County, so pickups and drop-offs happen here in our church office. You can sign up to drive as often as you would like – once a week or once a month.
Seguin Youth Services provides after-school care for children from underprivileged neighborhoods. They help children complete their homework, learn life skills for success, build friendships, and have fun. Many St. Andrew's members serve as tutors, helping the kids do their homework or listening to them read. We also bring the kids over to St. Andrew's on Wednesday evenings so they can participate in our children's choir, Joyful Noise, and our Youth Group. This is a great way to have fun and give back to the community.
St. Andrew's is involved in several overseas missions. We support Iglesias Manos De Dios, an Episcopal Church in Danli, Honduras. Once a year, a mission team travels to Honduras to support the church and provide a free vision clinic for the community. The Manos de Dios team also awards scholarships to students, allowing them to attend middle school, high school, and college.
The Owen Project provides laptop computers and tablets to children and teachers in Honduras and Guatemala. These computers greatly expand the children's opportunities for learning. The Owen Project mission team travels to Central America every summer to deliver the computers and teach the children and teachers how to use them. For more information about our World Mission projects, email outreach@standrewseguin.org.
In addition to these four organizations, St. Andrew's financially supports the following local organizations: Guadalupe Valley Christian Counseling Center, the Children's Advocacy Center, the CPS Rainbow Room, Christian Cupboard Food Pantry, the South Texas Pregnancy Center, and the Rodriguez Elementary School backpack program.


Meet the International Career coach from U.S. News Global Education and the India team from the University of Illinois at Chicago, University of Dayton, University of Utah, Auburn University, University of the Pacific and University of Kansas, in Chennai on 17th Nov to learn about the application, visa processes, scholarships and career opportunities.
Scholarships available for high achievers!
* Required documents are: School transcripts for grades 9 through 12, undergraduate transcripts (for students looking for a graduate degree) and English placement tests such as IELTS or TOEFL.
Ahmedabad | Nov 25 | 2:00 P.M – 5:30 P.M. IST?


Being a franchisee is one of the best opportunities for a university student, in my opinion. However, it is just an opportunity. It's up to you to make it a great one.
I'm assuming you're looking at this saying "I don't know how to paint" trust me I did the same. In saying that, you will be surrounded by some of the best people. Not just your District Manager, but also all the other franchisees who are just a call away. You may be an independent franchisee, however, from that first time you meet your peers I know you'll feel one of the best team mentalities I've been a part of. Everyone is here to help you and as long as you have their back they'll have yours.
The thing that I want to stress the most is that this is not a regular job. It is both the best and worst thing about the position. You will be rewarded for that extra effort. It may not be the next day, or even the next week; but if you keep those wheels turning, and keep pushing through those hard times (guarantee you will experience hard times) you'll come out on top eventually. This is my favourite aspect of Student Works, there's no cap. In a regular job you have a general idea of the maximum amount of money you can make. With Student Works it is very much like running your own business in the fact that there is no cap. The more you focus on sales and efficient production the more you make.
In summary, this opportunity will be 100% what you make it. All those extra hours you put in will pay off. You'll also be joining an amazing team of independent self starters, who only want everyone to succeed. So if you feel as though you have the capacity to taker on a challenge like this, Student Works is the best place for it.


Enigma is a German new age band formed in 1990 by the Romanian-born Michael Cretu, David Fairstein and Frank Peterson.
Cretu is both the composer and the producer of the project. His former wife, pop singer Sandra, often provided vocals on Enigma tracks.
"Return to Innocence", "Sadeness", "Mea Culpa", "Prism of Life", Beyond the invisible", "The Child in us", "Principles of Lust"
This song reached number one in over ten countries (including Greece, Norway, Sweden and Ireland).


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Rooms Hôtel de l'Avre
Hotel in Paris
Check-In 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 2020 2021 2022 2023
Check-Out 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 2020 2021 2022 2023
Iata Code
Double room overlooking the garden
Triple room overlooking the garden
From 10 to 12 m
1 single bed of 1,40 m
Free Wireless Internet Access
With bath or shower
From 13 to 14 m2
1 double bed – queen size of 1,60 m
1 double bed and 1 single bed
1 double bed – queen size of 1, 60 m and 1 single bed
We offer double rooms overlooking the garden or the very quiet street, each one with carefully chosen, personalized decoration.
© Hotel de l'Avre 2020 - VAT


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Q: Function for filtering columns with dates ID No.
WP1 252 Main Deck       √           5kg     Jan-20
WP1 4025    Main Deck       √       5kg     Jan-20
WP1 TBC Main Deck       √           5kg     Jan-20
WP1 PENDING Main Deck       √       5kg
WP1 # 147   Main Deck   √           25kg    Nov-18
WP1 200 Boat Landing    √           9kg     Oct-18
    ID No.

I am trying to count different dates in my table using VBA. But I can't reach to a solution.

A: Sounds like a simple case of =COUNTIF()

Then again, this situation almost begs for a  pivot-table

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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3rd Telco in PH is not dead
On June 21, 2018 By Dutertenews In Current Events
DEPARTMENT of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Acting Secretary Eliseo M. Rio Jr. is in earnest to pursue the mandate of Pres. Rodrigo Duterte to have a 3rd player in the telecom industry. Mind you, Rio knows what the public is clamoring for and he has the strategy to deliver what the crafty duopoly deprived the helpless public despite its stranglehold of the industry.
The terms of reference in the search for the 3rd player had been changed a number of times leading to unkind speculations that DICT deliberately delays the selection. Rio knows his turf but maybe the government does not want to go wrong that an oversight committee was created.
The other day, the oversight committee in search of a new player scrapped the draft TOR anew. The committee is not sold to the so-called committed delivery of services from those who aspire to be the 3rd player. I simply understand this to mean that promises or commitments are meaningless and in fact elicit caution.
Finance Sec. Sonny Dominguez, an investment savvy businessman is correct. There are aspiring telecom firms which do not have a single service installation or a modicum of perceptible operations but by sheer publicity via cute PR strategy make the public believe they are the preferred telco to compete with the duopoly. There is nothing wrong with news dispatches except that these can inveigle investors from buying stocks from what could be just paper corporations! But this just one bone of contention.
Between promises or commitments and demonstrated delivery of telecom services at this point, it is only Acting Secretary Rio who can name the players outside of the duopoly- PLDT/Smart and Globe — which, aside from congressional franchise, have existing resources like frequencies, facilities and accessories, operational and technical oranizations and clientele to prove their commitment and programs of expansion. If DICT and the oversight committee have a primordial responsibility to the public at this crucial stage of the search for the 3rd player, it won't harm the public or the government if they now identify the aspirants who have track records and those which have yet to start with the proverbial cornerstone.
Certainly, we do not want to have a repeat of the BW Resource scandal and Secretary Dominguez is correct in this, assuming that I am correct in my assessment why the oversight committee would not buy commitments.
On the other hand, Rio's DICT should be given an elbow room to deliver on Duterte's agenda to have a 3rd telco. When you have a situation where 45% of the country's geographical area is not served or underserved and the rest of the 55% is hankering for an internet speed that is still trying to graduate from the jurrasic dial up, the din of clamor will not cease. While the delay in the search has accorded the duopoly to shape up their service or equipment, if any, have yet to be felt.
Definitely a 3rd player can catch up as it will not be hobbled by heavily capitalized investments which have yet to be fully subscribed. Without the challenge, the duopoly can sleep comfortably in the absence of a lullaby. Remember that PLDT for one only had P1.5-billion in paid up capital so a telecom player with an initial P10-billion plus financial backing and several billions more in assets and ongoing financial transactions can be a big nightmare to these big guys. For now, that player is not expected to be in the category of Globe and PLDT/Smart which had long controlled the telecom industry and fleeced their subscribers despite the despicable service and free-wheeling rate that is notoriously known as the most expensive in the world
. But in time, given the rapid evolution in the internet of things, the duopoly will not actually matter that much.
In the meantime, there ought to be a synergy between DICT and DOF/Transco.
Between the two agencies, they can deliver the Duterte promise and in the process makes the Philippines to leap frog from the "kangkungan" pond to the clouds. He who says the 3rd telco player is dead must be out of sync or singing the discordant and nervous tune of the duopoly. | JUN LEDESMA
DOH Sec. Duque discovers billions worth of anomalous projects
Taiwan politician is campaigning for election and here's why he uses Duterte


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Austin Events /
Kool & The Gang Event Time & Tickets
This event has been marked mature level 1 due to the following, "sex".
Kool & The Gang in Austin
Austin City Limits Live @ Moody Theater
Kool and the Gang
Formed by Robert "Kool" Bell, his brother Ronald Bell and a bunch of their New Jersey teenage friends in the mid-60s (then called the Jazziacs), Kool & the Gang played traditional jazz in regional venues for several years, slowly morphing their style to incorporate emerging funk sounds of Sly and the Family Stone and James Brown. They were signed by the De-Lite label in the early '70s and gathered a small but loyal national following (in particular for their 1971 release Live at the Sex Machine). The group's fortunes exploded in 1974 with Wild and Peaceful, an infectiously raw album that spawned three smash hits, "Funky Stuff," "Hollywood Swinging," and "Jungle Boogie," all featuring great instrumentation and lyrics virtually shouted by the group. However, as quickly as they rode to fame, Kool & the Gang faded, their rough sound appearing out of place against the slick, dance-oriented sounds that began to dominate popular radio in the late '70s.Kool & the Gang was an afterthought in the music world in 1979, when they brought in the honey-sounding lead James J.T. Taylor and pop/jazz producer Eumir Deodato for one last gasp, a shiny dance album called Ladies Night. Deodato simplified and sweetened the group's jazz stylings in a heavily produced package, fronted by Taylor's irresistible tenor voice. It was an across-the-board smash, leading to two top hits, the title cut and the midtempo "Too Hot." It was also the beginning of a nearly unprecedented string of top-10 pop and soul hits for the group that would make Kool & the Gang the top-selling soul group of the '80s. Ladies Night was followed by the even bigger Celebration, the joyous title cut of which becoming the theme song of countless sports teams in the '80s and one of the most-played songs of the past 25 years. The next five years brought hit after hit, including chart toppers "Misled," "Cherish," "Take My Heart," "Joanna," "Fresh," and "Let's Go Dancin'." The infectious innocuousness of their music sometimes went to a silly extreme ("Get Down On It"), but the group clearly created a catalogue of enjoyable, well-performed cuts, both during Deodato's tenure as producer and after they took over the production of their albums in 1983 -- songs that have generally aged well. Their 1987 album, Forever, was another smash, but also provided warning sign that the fresh sounds Kool and the Gang introduced in 1979 had run their course and had begun to sound formulaic.In 1987, Taylor left the group to pursue a modestly successful solo career (he had one major hit with "All I Want Is Forever," a duet with Regina Belle), and the group continued on but never had another chart hit. They spent the next decade on the oldies circuit before Taylor rejoined for a 1996 reunion tour and the album State of Affairs, an extremely enjoyable disc (and the group's strongest lyrically) that was ignored by both Pop and Soul radio. Now a quintet consisting of brothers Robert "Kool" Bell, Ronald Bell (Khalis Bayyan), George Brown, Dennis Thomas, and Charles Smith (all original group members), the group tours internationally, and has a particularly large following in Asia. J.T. Taylor has continued his solo career, with limited success.
Cost: 59.50 to 99.50
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