If you are a DIRECT DESCENDANT of an ancestor who settled in Coles Co. Prior to 1880 you could qualify. Click on links below for instructions and forms. These make great gifts for family members.
Chairperson of this project is Brenda Taber. Please email Brenda at colescoilgensoc75@gmail.com if you have any questions or comments.
The Coles County Genealogical Society is adding to the collection of newspapers on microfilm in the Genealogy Room at the Charleston Public Library. This will enable the Society and Library to better serve researches when they request information about genealogy and local history.
The are purchasing the Charleston, Mattoon, and Oakland newspapers and hope to someday purchase the Arcola and Toledo newspapers as well..
In order to reach the goal, the Society needs your support. Each reel of microfilm costs between $30.00 to $180.00. The Society would appreciate donations of any amount to help with this project. The names of donors will be published in our newsletter(s). No donation amount will be listed unless the donor requests this to be done. Contributions are tax deductible.
If you have any questions, you may decide to email email our President or to write to us at the address listed below.


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Bran, mai demult Bran-Poarta (în  sau Törzburg, în , varianta românească veche: Turciu) este satul de reședință al comunei cu același nume din județul Brașov, Transilvania, România.

Etimologie
Toponimicul Bran e de origine slavă (în protoslavă borna, în cehă și slovacă brána, în poloneză brona, în ucraineană și rusă борона) cu semnificație poartă. Cu toate aceasta, localitatea Bran nu avea nici o legătură cu satul Poarta, ele erau despărțite inițial de o pădure deasă de brad și fag, pădure ce se întindea dinspre sud-estul actualului castel până la actuala biserică ortodoxă a comunității Poarta.

Istoric

Ordinul teutonic a început construcția unui fort din lemn (primul castel Bran, numit Dietrichstein) la începutul secolului al XIII-lea. După ce acesta a fost distrus de mongoli în 1242, Sigismund al Ungariei a început în 1377 construcția unui castel din piatră, timp în care așezarea Bran a început să se dezvolte în apropiere. Aflat pe o culme abruptă, castelul proteja o cale strategică de trecere între Transilvania și Valahia. În 1498 Branul a căzut în jurisdicția Brașovului.

Evenimente locale

Măsuratul Laptelui, aflat la prima edițe în 2008, în perioada 19-20 iulie, are ca loc de desfășurare pârtia Zanoaga-Poartă, evenimentul a prezentat parada portului popular, concursuri atelaje, tracțiune greutăți, tăiere bușteni, foc de tabără și multe altele pe fundalul unei serbări câmpenești.

Răvășitul oilor este un eveniment anual, ce are loc la sfârșitul lunii septembrie, odată cu vremea rece. Este vorba de coborârea oilor de la munte și răvășirea turmelor, adică împărțirea oilor către proprietarii acestora. Această tradiție pastorală seculară a început să fie valorificată turistic.

Monumente

În Bran se găsește Stella Maris, sau Capela Reginei, o copie a capelei de la Balcic, construită la Bran de prințesa Ileana a României pentru a adăposti vasul cu inima reginei Maria a României, vas ce a fost adus în România după ce Cadrilaterul a fost cedat Bulgariei, în 1940. Capela din Bran a fost renovată și resfințită în anul 2005.

Aici se află Parcul etnografic Bran.

Orașe înfrățite
În toamna anului 2006, primarii din Bran și Balcic au semnat actele prin care cele două localități s-au înfrățit.

Note

Bibliografie

Legături externe

Informații despre cetatea din localitate
Strategia de dezvoltare durabilă a stațiunii turistice Bran în perioada 2008-2014
Dicționar de localități din Transilvania
Ravasitul oilor la Bran
Informatii Bran
  Anuarul "Socec" al României Mari, 1924-1926, Biblioteca Congresului Statelor Unite ale Americii
 REPORTAJUL SAPTAMANII / Falimentul pensiunilor de la Bran, 14 octombrie 2009, Anca Nastasi, Ziarul de Duminică

Vezi și
 Castelul Bran

Bran, Bran

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Whether you have your own coaching centre or you are an entrepreneur with your own office, projectors are one of the most important devices that you need to give a proper presentation. ViewSonic has always been one of the most popular names in the market. And it has offered the customers with a plethora of extraordinary projectors over the years.
However, it becomes too hard for you to choose the best ViewSonic projector for yourself since the company has launched so several ones over the years. That's why; we have decided to make the job easy for you by preparing a list of top 10 ViewSonic projectors in 2019.
Known for its user-friendly design and high-resolution quality, the ViewSonic PA503S 3600 Lumens is undoubtedly one of the best buying choices you can make. It comes with the highly efficient SuperColour technology that offers a wide array of vibrant colours to the images. The project has a special energy efficient Super Eco feature that reduces the power consumption greatly and increases the life of the lamp by 15,000 hours. Plus, this ViewSonic projector offers a multitude of audio-visual features as well as connectivity options which make it an ideal choice for your requirements.
The PA503W is another great product from ViewSonic. Having a resolution of 1280×800 and 3600 lumens, the projector makes sure that you get the best picture quality. It is also equipped with SuperColor Technology which gives the images and clips a life-like projection. Plus, this projector comes with several connectivity options ranging from HDMI to VGA input as well as output. It also comes with SuperEco feature which assures you to reduce the consumption of electricity by almost 70 percent.
If you are looking for an extraordinary audio-visual projection, then the ViewSonic PJD7828HDL 3200 Lumens 1080p HDMI Home Theater Projector is an incredible choice for you. The projector comes with 3200 lumens and offers a 1920×1080 full HD resolution. It boasts a user-friendly design and a magnificent white chassis that enhances its outlook greatly.
This ViewSonic projector is also equipped with the SuperColor technology that produces best quality image projection under any circumstances. However, the best thing about the projector is perhaps the proprietary SonicExpert technology that powers a 10W speaker to provide you with best audio quality.
ViewSonic PA502S projector has gained much popularity amongst the customers for the incredible features it offers. The projector offers 3500 lumens and 800×600 SVGA resolution. The best thing about the projector is that it utilizes a proprietary feature called the SuperColor technology which helps the projector to project vibrant images in any sort of environment. Plus, it also offers the SuperEco feature to reduce the electricity consumption and a plethora of connectivity options for your ease of usage.
Offering a full HD resolution of 1920×1080 pixels and brightness of 5000 lumens, the ViewSonic PG800HD is one of the recommendable HD projectors available on the market today. With a centered lens, 1.3x optical Zoom and vertical shifting of the lens, this projector is ideal for large venues, conference halls and big classrooms.
The projector features a stylish top for providing easy access to the quick lamp along with several other accessories. Furthermore, it comes with a smart PortAll compartment for accessing additional accessories. Apart from providing a high-quality display, the projector also assures you about the audio quality by using the SonicExpert technology. Thus, this projector offers you with utmost assurance of high audio-visual quality.
Sitting at the fifth position, the ViewSonic PJD5353LS 3200 Lumens XGA HDMI Short Throw Projector is really incredible. Delivering 1024×768 resolution along with 3200 lumens brightness, this projector proves over and over to be a worthy choice. With the help of ViewSonic's proprietary SuperColor and SonicExpert technology, it promises to provide lifelike projection along with best quality sound experience.
Apart from several connectivity options, the projector also makes use of SuperEco feature to reduce almost 70 percent consumption of electricity and increases the life expectancy of the bulb by 10,000 hours approximately.
One of the most advanced projectors in the market today, the ViewSonic PRO8530HDL Projector offers a 1080p full HD resolution apart from a brightness of 5200 lumens. Thus, you can be completely assured of the image quality of the projector. It also makes use of HV keystoning, vertical shifting of the lens, 1.6x optical zoom and centre lens to enhance your experience greatly.
This ViewSonic projector also features PortAll compartment to provide you with a flexibility of usage. Moreover, the cable management hood that the projector comes with hides the cables efficiently. Above all, four HDMI ports along with additional audio and video ports make it easy to connect the projector to your laptop or PC.
An excellent HD projector designed for home theatres, the ViewSonic PJD7720HD offers a screen resolution of 1920×1080p along with a brightness of 3200 lumens. The projector makes use of DarkChip3 technology which further enhances your projection experience.
With the help of SuperColor technology, this projector offers true-to-life image projection. And the SonicExpert technology helps it to power a 10W speaker to deliver an extraordinary audio experience. Plus, the projector supports HDMI dongle as well as MHL connectors while the cable hood hides the unsightly cables with utmost efficiency.
With an enticing accuracy of colour and prominent images, the ViewSonic PRO7827HD is undoubtedly a worthy choice. It offers 1080p full HD images and uses the advanced SuperColor RGBRGB technology to make the pictures as well as clips completely life-like. Plus, the projector comes with ISF certified day as well as night modes along with several other modes to provide complete cinematic experience. And the proprietary SonicExpert technology also makes sure that you get the perfect sound quality.
The ViewSonic PRO9510L projector sits at the topmost position of our list for a reason. It is the best ViewSonic projector that you can buy in the market today. With 6200 highly advanced brightness, the projector offers an ultra -quality projection which makes it perfect for big professional venues. It also uses the SuperColor technology which helps to bring the images and clips to life on the screen with alluring colours and crisp graphics. It also offers horizontal as well as vertical lens adjustment along with wide 1.7x optical zoom and a centered design for the lens to offer the best user experience.
Well, this marks the end of our list of best ViewSonic projectors in 2019. Every projector that we have listed above is of top-notch quality. So, choose the one that meets your requirement and impress others with high-quality projection.


EBP created three videos to help explain various products offered under the Minergie energy-efficiency label. The scope of the assignment included the conception, illustration, scripting and animation of the videos.
The Minergie Association commissioned EBP to produce a series of easily accessible and yet informative animated videos that could be used to present its range of products to clients and partners. EBP approached the assignment by first developing a unique storyline for each of the following three topics: "New Construction"; "Renovation"; and "Energy-Efficient Building Use." Despite their stand-alone quality, we also conceived the videos as parts of a series, for instance, by using common elements. Doing so promotes brand recognition and reinforces core brand messages.
Although every product has its unique properties, advantages and target groups, the videos were also to function as a unit. We met this specification by using a common introductory scene and a consistent visual language for each video. Similarly, the concluding scenes for each of the videos were given common elements as well as the function of placing the product in the collection of Minergie products. This enabled us to simultaneously provide an overview of the entire portfolio.
One special challenge when making explainer videos is to present the technical details succinctly and incisively. Indeed, we were determined to limit the videos to 1.5 minutes so as to optimally account for the attention span of each target group. We also worked out intuitive and persuasive product pitches for the target groups, including a touch of humor, to enhance the viewers' capacity to retain the relevant information.
We placed particular value on the technical accuracy of the video contents. The explainer videos were to be accurate both in terms of their scripts and illustrations. We profited here from our many years of experience, our prior work with Minergie and our close coordination with our own EBP experts. This enabled us to secure an optimal combination of technical accuracy, linguistic incisiveness and visual appeal, as well as the necessary levity that makes the explainer video such a compelling medium.
EBP provided a comprehensive video production service, ranging from the video concepts to the storyboards, scripts, illustrations, animations and sound-design coordination.


There's a bagel place down the street from our office that we love going to. Now, in New York City you can easily find a bagel shop every two blocks, so why are we so attached to this bagel place? The dancing bagel that rocks out on the curb out front. The unexpected sight is entertaining and his energy is contagious. They've successfully growth hacked their way into our hearts (or should I say stomachs).
Much like the bagel industry in New York, the inbox is a saturated and noisy digital space. What is your company currently doing to differentiate your email from competitors? Are you taking advantage of small hacks to attract customers to your funnel and to retain loyal customers? Here are six tips for generating growth through email.
Creating engaging content on your site will drive people to sign up for your emails, and then the amazing content in your emails will keep people talking about your product.
Your blog is a great place to do this by coding or using a plug-in to add an email opt-in form at the bottom of each blog post. The ease of access can turn a casual reader into a super-user and super-sharer after they subscribe to your emailed blog updates.
Don't forget that email and social make a good pairing too. Take advantage of Twitter's Lead Generation Card to seamlessly capture email addresses from Twitter users who are interested in your product. Similar to your usual promoted tweet, a Lead Generation Card is served on Twitter feeds of users who meet the predefined demographic you'd like to target. Users can sign up your email communication through your tweet without ever having to leave their feed.
Then, in your emails, be sure to include relevant social sharing buttons, to extend your reach.
Once a customer opts-in to receive your emails, the conversation has only begun. Build up customer loyalty from the beginning by using a drip campaign, where you schedule a triggered series of emails to guide the customer through the onboarding process. You'll want to experiment with the optimal cadence for your business and determine how long it takes a customer to get acquainted with your product. Once you have this timing down, you'll be ready to schedule your series of automated emails.
Hack the powerful network you already have access to: your existing customers. With just a snippet of code, you can embed a referral widget into your website to empower customer evangelists to share exciting product news and discounts with their friends. Because the email comes from a friend, open and click rates are quite high and can drive serious growth. Proceed cautiously though, these programs can intentionally or unintentionally lead to abuse and require thoughtful creation and close supervision.
Sometimes, a small reminder goes a long way. Recapture potentially lost sales byretargeting customers who have engaged with your product (started making a purchase or partially onboarded) but for some reason didn't follow through. Collect this informationwith your CRM database and build a triggered email that automatically goes out to these customers reminding them that they might have forgotten to complete their task.
Email is a powerful tool for growing your audience and customers and, with these tips, you'll be the dancing bagel in people's inbox in no time. What did we miss? What are some of your favorite email growth hacks?


Category: What should we learn from the tribe of Ephraim?
Israel's 12 tribes were named for Jacob's children or, in the case of Ephraim (and Manasseh), his grandchildren. Ephraim was born in Egypt to Joseph his wife, Asenath. Joseph named his second-born son "Ephraim" because "God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering" (Genesis 41:52). When Jacob gave his blessing to his grandsons Ephraim and Manasseh, he chose to bless the younger Ephraim first, despite Joseph's protests. In doing so, Jacob noted that Ephraim would be greater than Manasseh (Genesis 48:5-21).
Throughout the Old Testament, the name "Ephraim" often refers to the 10 tribes compromising Israel's Northern Kingdom, not just the single tribe named after Joseph's son (Ezekiel 37:16; Hosea 5:3). The Northern Kingdom, also referred to as "Israel," was taken into captivity by the Assyrians in 722 B.C. (Jeremiah 7). The Southern Kingdom, also known as Judah, was conquered by the Babylonians nearly 140 years later (586 B.C.).
We learn from the tribe of Ephraim (and the other tribes) about our human essence, who we are as people. The history of the early Israelites reflects our universally flawed and sinful nature. As the book of Romans says, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).
There are several specific events regarding the tribe of Ephraim that we can learn from. While God gifted the tribe as warriors and valiant fighters (1 Chronicles 12:30), Ephraim failed to follow God's order to remove the Canaanites from the Promised Land (Exodus 23:23-25; Judges 1:29; Joshua 16:10).
During the time of the judges, the Ephraimites became angry with Gideon because he had not initially called for their help in battling the Midianites (Judges 8:1). Gideon wisely displayed godly kindness and extolled the tribe's commitment and willingness to serve the Lord, thus diffusing what could have become an ugly situation (Judges 8:2-3).
However, ugliness did arise later, and again it can be linked to Ephraim's pride, jealously, and self-centeredness. When Jephthah chose to fight (and defeat) the Ammonites without the aid of the proud Ephraim warriors, a civil war erupted, and 42,000 warriors from Ephraim were killed. As Jesus said in His Sermon on the Mount, we are to seek first the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33). Do not seek glory for yourself; all honor and glory always belongs to God, not to man.
Often, God chooses to use us in a manner less glamorous or spectacular than we would like. Do we pout? Do we yearn for glory? Do we control our pride and jealousy and accept God's will? Many of us, like the Ephraimites, have difficulty learning those lessons well. God says that we should accept what happens to us as His will, regardless of how good or bad those circumstances seem to us (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).
Other lessons of Ephraim complete the picture of the wide-range of human behavior. We see Ephraim turning away from God and doing wicked things (Isaiah 28:1-3), yet we also find the tribe recognizing the need to repent and obey by following the prophet Oded's instructions (2 Chronicles 28:12).
The biggest lesson from the history of Ephraim is that God loves us as the Perfect Father despite our failings. He is patient and merciful beyond our understanding. He hears our cries of anguish, disciplines and guides us, knows our moments of repentance, and yearns for us to be in perfect communion with Him (Jeremiah 30:22; 31:18-20).


OK, so this is nothing to do with my life in China, but how cute is this little creature? I spotted him in an online article about endangered species and I think he has now replaced ferrets as my "favourite animal". Look at his wide eyes, that cheeky grin and all those woolly ears. Check out those dinky fingers. And he's called an "Axolotl Salamander" - even the name is whimsical. These little critters live in Mexico, but few are now found in the wild. They can regenerate missing limbs, because they never actually grow out the baby stage of their development. How they reproduce is therefore a bit of a mystery. So my next question - where do I get one?


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Three Alarm Comics
Power Ranger visits Three Alarm Comics
Lorraine Weiskopf,
Local Power Ranger fans were in for a treat as Three Alarm Comics had a super visit. If you've turned on a TV in the 90s you've probably heard that iconic theme song from the Power Rangers.…
Power Rangers Protection Program heads to Three Alarm Comics
Grant Chighizola,
Comic book stores have felt the economic impacts from COVID-19 and one local store is getting a visit from a superhero this week to help out. Actor Jason David Frank is known for his role as Tommy…
Stan Lee's influence on local comic book store
It's been three days since Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee passed away at the age of 95. The writer created some of the most well-known superheroes including Spider-Man and the Hulk. News 25 spoke to Three Alarm Comics in St.…
Chance to Meet Comic Book Illustrator
Science fiction fans and comic book lovers, a comic illustrator turning a page to fame is in Biloxi this weekend for meet and greets. Over the years, comic book illustrator Steve Scott has done everything from "Indiana Jones" to "Batman."…

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


My contribution to the set Love, Christmas – Movies You Love is The Polar Xpress. Unlike the movie The Polar Express, mine doesn't have a train as the primary means of transportation. It has dogs. The sled dogs and their 'lead dog' (musher) in my story come to the rescue of a downed doctor who is trapped beneath a snowmachine in the mountains near Talkeetna, Alaska.
Why did I change from a train to dogs for my story? Who wants to cozy up to a steam or diesel-powered iron monster? Yes, there are trains in Alaska, but to get up close and personal in the Last Frontier's back country in the winter, you either need a snowmachine or a dog sled…unless you're a superwoman and can handle cross country skis like Kikkan Randall!
I saw my first Iditarod dog sled race in 1992. In those days, the roads were blocked off so the dog teams could cross them on their way north. Flaggers stopped traffic while the teams of a dozen or so furry friends and their two-legged pets who ran behind their sleds crossed Tudor Road on the way to Eagle River and beyond.
I remember crying that day at the beauty and irony, Alaska's traditional mode of transportation being granted first rights to the road as the modern exhaust-spewing cars waited for the fragile yet determined teams to pass. I was close enough to see their foggy breath, their smiles that proved to me that running is what they loved to do.
The race doesn't start from Anchorage now—it's only a ceremonial one. The 'real' Iditarod begins further north where there's more snow. Those with pull (like a mother-in-law) or for a donation to a charity (there are many to choose from), regular folks can ride in a dog sled, bundled in blankets and furs as the teams scurry over the hauled-in snow-covered roads, the downtown Anchorage streets lined with folks waving as their favorite dogs and mushers hurry past.
I can't think of any other sport that takes so long to finish and relies on the stamina and tactical skills of the coordinator who is not only a player, but also the chef, vet, mechanic, tactician and who is the only one who is allowed to take care of any problem that arises. The musher can't get help from anyone (save a veterinarian). If a person so much as gives her a bucket of water for the dogs, she's disqualified. Her months and years of selecting and training her dogs, vet bills to keep them healthy, costs of transportation to Anchorage and from Nome and the entrance fee, can all go belly up with one well-meaning spectator.
The trail is about 1,049 miles long, depending on where they start and whether the northern or southern route is used. Essentially, it's from Anchorage or nearby and terminates in Nome. Note: There are NO roads to Nome.
A fast-paced race might take eight days for the winner. The last place or 'Red Lantern' winner—as in the caboose carries the red lantern—might come trundling into Nome thirty-two days after starting. The average is more like ten or twelve days, but either way, it's a long arduous trail with snow melted over canned heat for water, food mixed in five gallon containers, booties put on the dogs to protect their feet, straw laid out for their beds, and if the musher is lucky, four hours of sleep for him or her.
Do you think you're as tough as these guys and gals—barely eighteen to senior citizens—who run this race? And I do mean run: mushers might take a break by stepping on the runners, but they trot behind the dogs most of the way.
Enjoy my story of the California doctor who is rescued by the nearly blind woman who started Second Chance Kennels and dreams of running the Iditarod or 'When worlds collide, there are sure to be sparks!' Part of Love, Christmas – Movies You Love.
This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged Alaska, Author, box set, Christmas, Christmas tree, collections, gender equality, good read, Iditarod, miracle, mushing, novel, romance by Dani Haviland. Bookmark the permalink.
I stand in awe of the athletes (four-footed and human) that take part in such a grueling race.
Dandy post, no pun intended! Shared on twitter and enjoyed reading it, the mother in law part gave me a good chuckle.Plus I didn't realize the race was so long!


UTV Ignition Entertainment Ltd. Type Limited Industry Video game industry Founded April 2002 Headquarters Essex, England Owner(s) UTV Software Communications UTV Ignition Entertainment Ltd. is a British video game publisher formed in April 2002. It was created from a selection of smaller developers and publishers, such as Archer MacLean's Awesome Studios. In 2007, the company was acquired by the Indian media conglomerate UTV Software Communications and opened two new branches: Ignition Tokyo in Japan and Ignition Florida in the United States.


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Part of MultiCultural/HPMG News. ©2020 Verizon Media. All rights reserved.
06/18/2013 12:14 pm ET Updated Jul 10, 2013
Best Places To Retire 2013: 21 Spots Around The World Are Named
The Old Town at Dusk
Where's the best place in the world to retire? Is it Abruzzo, Italy or maybe Cayo, Belize? The truth? Only you can decide. But to help anyone who might be contemplating a move abroad, Live and Invest Overseas has compiled its First Annual Retire Overseas Index.
After considering 12 factors -- things like taxes, safety, climate, health care and real estate -- Live and Invest Overseas came up with 21 destinations it believes offer the greatest potential for the would-be retiree in 2013.
Note that none of the destinations are countries -- but cities or regions.
"Naming countries as top places to retire is silly. It doesn't make any sense. Because even very small countries can offer dramatically different standards of living, lifestyle options, costs of living, climates, etc.," said Kathleen Peddicord, publisher of Live and Invest Overseas and Huff/Post50 blogger.
"Belize is maybe the best example. It's a tiny country with all of 350,000 people, yet it offers both Caribbean beach living and back-to-basics country living on the mainland in the Cayo district," she added.
There's also no ranking. According to Peddicord, all the destinations should be considered.
"I would say that, collectively, these are the world's most affordable, most welcoming, friendliest, safest retirement choices," she said.
To see photos of the 21 best spots, check out our slideshow below. What do you think? Let us know in comments.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this article misidentified the geographical regions identified in the list as "cities." Not all of them are in fact metropolitan areas.
The World's Top 21 Overseas Retirement Havens
Retire Overseas Post50 Live And Invest Overseas Panama Costa Rica
Abruzzo, Italy


It's sounding like Samsung is looking to pack in all the new feature in the upcoming Galaxy S7 including Google's new Marshmallow operating system. Android 6.0 is about to be launched on new Nexus handsets, and most of the upcoming 2016 smartphones will have Marshmallow just in time for final production.
This should be the same for all 2016 Galaxy S7 variants including the S7, S7 Edge, S7 Active, and S7 Edge Plus which looks to be the larger, premium variant. Coming pre-installed with Android 6.0 Marshmallow is great news for consumers as the S6 and most other flagships had to wait quite a while before being updated to Android 5.1.
The Samsung Galaxy S7 Android 6.0 operating system is expected to be up and running, and hopefully without any carrier issues. Once Google releases 6.0 to the manufacturer, a couple of tweaks are made before it's passed on to carriers for the final touches. The operating system is then typically passed onto owners via an OTA install which is downloaded, and installed onto the phone itself.
If Marshmallow does come preinstalled on all GS7 variants as expected, the time lapse between the carrier rollout and reaching the consumer is ultimately mitigated. Hopefully, this will mean a much a better experience than we seen with Lollipop.
Consumers will also be happy to know that all variants of the GS7 will be coming with Qualcomm's new 820 SoC which is said to be faster, handle more processes, and be much more efficient than the 808 and 810 processor. Of course, the processor seen is contingent in the area as some handsets by geography will come equipped with Samsung's own Exynos chipst.
Besides the operating system and processor, expect to see a 5.2″ display, fingerprint scanner, 4-5GB RAM, and at least a 20MP rear camera.


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CLIENT ACCOUNT ACCESS
Jeremy L. Stanley
CFP®, AIF®
Our mission is to inspire our clients in making informed decisions through education, communication and service that exceeds their expectations.
Jeremy comes to Private Advisor Group with over two decades of experience as a financial advisor working with a variety of individuals and small businesses. He is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) certificant and, as such, has met rigorous accreditation and professional standards set by the CFP® Board. Through this process he has agreed to adhere to the principles of integrity, objectivity, competence, fairness, confidentiality, professionalism and diligence when dealing with clients. He also holds the Accredited Investment Fiduciary designation, further cementing his commitment to working towards the best interests of his clients.
Jeremy tries to live his life by this quote from Theodore Roosevelt, "It behooves every man to remember that the work of the critic is of altogether secondary importance, and that, in the end, progress is accomplished by the man who does things." It is Jeremy's passion to help his clients ignore the critics and strive for financial independence.
Jeremy currently holds series 6, 7, 24 and 63 registrations through LPL Financial, and series 65 registration through Private Advisor Group, LLC. He is also licensed in life, health, disability and long term care insurance. He has been named to the Chairman's Club at LPL Financial each year from 2008 through 2015. This distinction is based on a ranking of all registered advisors supported by LPL Financial and is awarded to less than six percent of the firm's approximately 13,600 advisors nationwide based on annual production.
Jeremy is a member of the Winston-Salem Estate Planning Council, the Wake Forest Planned Giving Advisory Council, and is President of the Board of CareNet. Additionally, he is a member of the Financial Services Institute and a Toastmaster.
When he's not working, Jeremy enjoys leisure time with his wife Sara, and children, Lauren, Hollyn and Landon. He is an avid reader and appreciates fine wines. Travel is also a passion and he often returns home with a "piece of the culture," adding to his great collection of rocks.
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When you arrive in Hong Kong, the first impression you get is that of a developed city, but still with many characteristics typical of China. I thought Seoul was a city of contrasts, but in Hong Kong contrasts are much, much more exaggerated.
Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated cities in the world, and you can feel that just seeing some of its apartment complexes, true swarms of people.
The sea is one of the things I miss the most in Seoul. It definitely gives any city lots of life, and mixed with a great skyline… it's just a perfect place to stay.
Hong Kong is also popular for its martial-arts movie stars like Bruce Lee or Jackie Chan. Here is Bruce Lee star.
The view from our hostal was probably the worst I have had to deal with, but it was cheap, the room was clean and there was hot water, so we decided to just keep the window shut.
During my trip to Hong Kong, I could meet my friend and former internship colleague Javier, also known as Chicharrero por Hong Kong. He also visited Seoul not long ago.
It seems that they also eat Jamón in Hong Kong.
Filipino women gathering on their day off. There are around 140,000 Filipinos in Hong Kong. Most of them are women who came to work as maids or nannies. On sundays, they gather together near Statue Square to socialize. We could see groups of Filipino women doing all kinds of cultural activities, traditional dancing, praying, playing cards… not a bad way to spend your day off.
Indonesians in Victoria Park. In a similar way to Filipino servants, there are also many Indonesians in Hong Kong. We could also see their gathering place, and I can assure that there were many, many of them.
But probably to see the most impressive Hong Kong, you have to see it during the night. The skyline, the lights, the life of this city made us forget how tired we were after walking around all day long.
The skyline light show takes place every night from 8 to 8:15 PM. It is recommended to get there in advance, as there are a lot of people and it is not easy to get a good place to see the show.
Street markets in Hong Kong are quite similar to those you can find in Seoul, selling all kinds of fruits, some of which I had never seen before.
Jiwon and Nuria at a street market near Central.
Awesome view of Hong Kong from the Victoria Peak.
View of the Bank of China Tower at night, undoubtedly one of the most representative skyscrapers of Hong Kong.
During our last day in Hong Kong we decided to visit another attraction of Hong Kong, the Big Buddha, or Tian Tan Buddha, located in Lantau Island.
Nuria and Jiwon in the cable car that goes to the Big Buddha.
We were not very lucky, and happened to go on a very cloudy and foggy day, so we couldn't see the Buddha from very far away, which is one of the best sceneries.
Jiwon with the Big Buddha.
Gumi is known for being the birthplace of Park Chung-Hee, former president of South Korea (from 1961 to 1979), as well as for hosting some factories where Samsung cellphones are made by its subcontractors.
On Saturday they took me to the top of the Geumo ("Golden Crow") mountain, where you have a very nice view of Gumi.
On Sunday, we went to a Buddhist temple in Kim-Chon (see the map), a city near Gumi. Because fall is coming and the trees were turning red, and also because it was Sunday, it was pretty crowded, but we had a nice time and I could see real monks praying for the first time in my life.
On the way back to Seoul, we took a faster train, the KTX (Korean Train eXpress), based on the French TGV (runs at around 300 km/h).
Ga-Young and Eun-Hye on the train.
Selling vegetables on the street.
Gumi from the Geumo mountain.
Having a typical Korean breakfast.
These are vines. They put sticks so that the grapes grow above the floor.
When people come to pray, they put a stone making these piles. You have to be careful, because if the stones fall, it will bring bad luck.
These are the temple's guards… scary, huh?
Standing in front of one of the many temples.
There were some real monks praying to Buddha.
There are 1000 buddhas in this room. Can you find the only one standing?
Yes, these are grasshoppers, and I tried one!
At Ga-Young and Eun-Hye's family coffee place.


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You are here:	Lexxion > State Aid Blogs > State Aid Uncovered > Levying of Charges to Maintain Equal Treatment Is Not Necessarily Selective
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Levying of Charges to Maintain Equal Treatment Is Not Necessarily Selective
29. June 2015 | State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides
The standard of proof of whether a measure is selective depends on whether that measure is a scheme or a grant of individual aid. Measures providing for exemption are by definition selective. Measures that impose additional charges for the purpose of maintaining equality between operators are not necessarily selective even if the responsible authorities retain a degree of discretion in their application. The margin of discretion of the responsible authorities for the purpose of ensuring equality is wider from the (narrow) margin relating to the granting of advantages. This is because the application of a measure on objective criteria can still result in the conferment of a selective advantage. No State aid is subsequently granted by an agreement between the state and an undertaking, which is initially free of State aid, if economic conditions change and undertakings without such an agreement are later at a disadvantageous position. However, an agreement that initially is free of State aid may turn out to involve State aid if the responsible authorities intend, at the time of signing the agreement, to change the level of relevant fees later on.
This article reviews two recent judgments of the Court of Justice. The first judgment, concerning the Hungarian oil exploration company MOL, focuses on the issues of selectivity and the granting of gratuitous advantages. MOL had successfully challenged a Commission decision that found incompatible State aid. The Commission appealed and lost. Because of the importance of the clarifications made by the Court of Justice, the case is examined in more detail than the other case which concerns a nuclear power station in Germany. In both judgments the decisive element was the notion of selectivity.
Background to Commission v MOL
On 4 June 2015, the Court of Justice delivered its judgment in case C-15/14 P, European Commission v MOL.[1] The Commission had appealed against the judgment of the General Court in case T-499/10, MOL v European Commission. In that judgment, the General Court annulled Commission decision 2011/88 which found that Hungary had granted incompatible State aid to MOL.MOL is a company that extracts and markets hydrocarbons such as oil and gas. It has a licence to explore for oil in Hungary. In 2005, that licence was renewed. In 2008, Hungary raised the licence fee. The Commission claimed that the 2005 renewal coupled with the later increase in fees implicitly granted State aid to MOL.The General Court relied on the principle expounded by the Court of Justice in C-399/10 P, Bouygues v Commission. In that case, the Court of Justice had ruled that apparently separate actions can be considered to be a single measure if, due to their chronology, purpose and circumstances, they are so closely linked that they are inseparable. The General Court applied that principle to determine whether Hungary had acted in such a way as to protect MOL by concluding with it an agreement for a fee that was fixed for the entire duration of that agreement, while having the intention of subsequently increasing the fee so that other market operators would be placed at a disadvantage.The General Court concluded that Hungary had no such intention in 2005 and the fact that the subsequent increase in exploration and exploitation fees indirectly benefitted MOL was merely incidental of the discretion that Member States enjoy to adjust their regulations in response to changing economic circumstances. The Hungarian measure, according to the General Court, did not confer an advantage to MOL, nor was it selective.The judgment of the Court of Justice in Commission v MOL
The issue in dispute was whether the Hungarian measures provided a selective advantage to MOL. The Court of Justice began its analysis by clarifying how selectivity had to be demonstrated.
"60 It must be noted that the selectivity requirement differs depending on whether the measure in question is envisaged as a general scheme of aid or as individual aid. In the latter case, the identification of the economic advantage is, in principle, sufficient to support the presumption that it is selective. By contrast, when examining a general scheme of aid, it is necessary to identify whether the measure in question, notwithstanding the finding that it confers an advantage of general application, does so to the exclusive benefit of certain undertakings or certain sectors of activity."
"61 It follows that the appropriate comparator for establishing the selectivity of the measure at issue in the present case was to ascertain whether the procedure for concluding and setting the terms and conditions of the agreement extending mining rights, […], draws a distinction between operators that are, in the light of the objective of the measure, in a comparable factual and legal situation, a distinction not justified by the nature and general scheme of the system at issue."
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The European State Aid Law Quarterly is available online and in print, and our subscribers benefit from a reduced price for our events.
"64 There is a fundamental difference between, on the one hand, the assessment of the selectivity of general schemes for exemption or relief, which, by definition, confer an advantage, and, on the other, the assessment of the selectivity of optional provisions of national law prescribing the imposition of additional charges. In cases in which the national authorities impose such charges in order to maintain equal treatment between operators, the simple fact that those authorities enjoy discretion defined by law, […], cannot be sufficient to establish that the corresponding scheme is selective."
"65 Consequently, it must be stated, first, that the General Court correctly held […] that the margin of assessment at issue in the present case allows the fixing of an additional charge imposed on economic operators in order to take account of the imperatives arising from the principle of equal treatment, and can be distinguished, by its very nature, from cases in which the exercise of such a margin is connected with the grant of an advantage in favour of a specific economic operator."
It is not clear why the Court of Justice chose not to state, in much simpler terms, that by seeking to ensure equality between operators the Hungarian authorities were acting objectively.
"67 In addition, […] the General Court first analysed, […], the rates stipulated under that agreement and found that no evidence of unjustified preferential treatment of MOL was apparent from the decision at issue, and that therefore it could not be assumed that MOL was afforded favourable treatment in relation to any other undertaking that was potentially in a situation comparable to its own".
The Court of Justice went on to observe that the General Court had also examined "76 […] whether or not the mining fee rate was set on the basis of objective criteria applicable to any potentially interested operator. Thus, the General Court noted first, […], that the Mining Act was drafted in general terms as regards the undertakings eligible for the extension of mining rights. Next, the General Court found, […], that the fact that MOL was the only undertaking to have concluded an extension agreement in the hydrocarbons sector did not necessarily constitute evidence of selectivity, since the criteria for concluding such an agreement are objective and applicable to any potentially interested operator, and the absence of other agreements may result from decisions by undertakings themselves not to apply for an extension of mining rights."
Then the Court of Justice faulted the Commission for misreading the judgment of the General Court. According to the Court of Justice, the General Court did not hold "77 […] that the presence of objective criteria necessarily rules out any possibility of selectivity". "78 In any event, it must be stated that, […], the Court of Justice addressed the issue of whether or not the beneficiaries of State aid schemes were selected on the basis of objective criteria. Thus, in particular in the judgment in GEMO [C‑126/01], the Court found that, despite the fact that the beneficiaries of the scheme adopted by national law were defined on the basis of objective and apparently general criteria, the benefits of that law accrued largely to farmers and slaughterhouses."
Having dealt with the issue of selectivity, the Court of Justice turned its attention to the issue of advantage. It began by observing that "89 where a Member State concludes with an economic operator an agreement which does not involve any element of State aid for the purposes of Article 107 TFEU, the fact that, subsequently, conditions external to such an agreement change in such a way that the operator in question is in an advantageous position vis-à-vis other operators that have not concluded a similar agreement is not a sufficient basis on which to conclude that, together, the agreement and the subsequent modification of the conditions external to that agreement can be regarded as constituting State aid."
"90 If that were not the case, any agreement that an economic operator might conclude with a State which does not involve any element of State aid for the purposes of Article 107 TFEU would always be open to challenge, when the situation on the market on which the operator party to the agreement is active evolves in such a way that an advantage is conferred on that operator, […[, or when the State exercises its regulatory power in an objectively justified manner following a market evolution while observing the rights and obligations resulting from such an agreement."
"91 A combination of elements […] may be categorised as State aid where the terms of the agreement concluded were proposed selectively by the State to one or more operators rather than on the basis of objective criteria, laid down by a text of general application, applicable to any operator. […] The fact that only one operator concluded an agreement of that type is not sufficient to establish the selective nature of the agreement, since that may result from, inter alia, lack of interest on the part of any other operator."
"93 A combination of elements […] may be categorised as State aid when the State acts in such a way as to protect one or more operators already present on the market, by concluding with them an agreement granting them fee rates guaranteed for the entire duration of that agreement, while having the intention at that time of subsequently exercising its regulatory power, by increasing the fee rate so that other market operators are placed at a disadvantage, be they operators already present on the market on the date on which that agreement was concluded or new operators."
The Court of Justice agreed with the General Court that as "96 […] there is no chronological and/or functional link between [the 2005 and 2008 agreements], they cannot be interpreted as constituting a single aid measure."
On the basis of the above considerations, the Court of Justice dismissed the appeal of the Commission.
Taxation of nuclear power
On 4 June 2015, the Court of Justice also issued a preliminary ruling in case C-5/14, Kernkraftwerke Lippe-Ems v Hauptzollamt Osnabruck.[2] A German court requested a preliminary ruling in a dispute between Kernkraftwerke Lippe-Ems [KLE] and the tax authorities in Germany. KLE was an operator of a nuclear power station. It claimed that the production of electricity from nuclear material was taxed twice; first at the level of inputs [a tax on nuclear fuel] and then at the level of output [a tax on consumption of electricity]. KLE also claimed that this double taxation was State aid to those methods of generating electricity which did not produce CO2 but which were not subject to the same tax. Indeed green electricity is exempt from any charges on the consumption of electricity produced from fossil fuel. [In addition, KLE alleged that the taxes were contrary to the free movement provisions of the Treaty, but this part of the judgment is not examined in this article.]
Before turning to the substance of the case, the Court of Justice had to resolve a legal dilemma that had been raised by the referring German court. In its request for a preliminary ruling the German court noted that the case was also pending before the constitutional court of Germany and for this reason the referring court was not sure how to proceed given that the two parallel procedures could give rise to contradictory findings.
The Court of Justice clarified that a national court is under duty to apply any relevant provisions of EU law and in this connection, it must refuse to apply any conflicting provisions of national law [paragraphs 32 & 33]. Moreover, the effectiveness of EU law would be in jeopardy if national courts would be prevented by domestic procedures, even of constitutional nature, from referring cases to the Court of Justice for interpretation of EU law [paragraph 34].
Then the Court reviewed the various EU directives on excise taxation and taxation of electricity and concluded that nothing in their wording could lead to the conclusion that taxation at both the input and output level was prohibited.
The main issue concerning State aid was the alleged selectivity of the taxation of nuclear fuel. On this point the Court of Justice noted that the relevant German law that taxed nuclear fuel did not have as its objective the taxation of energy sources used for the production of electricity, which do not contribute to CO2 emissions [paragraphs 76-77]. [Indeed it would have been bizarre if German law taxed a CO2-free method of electricity production.] On the contrary, according to the Court, the aim of that German law was to raise revenue for the maintenance of the site where radioactive waste was stored, in compliance with the polluter-pays principle. No other means of producing electricity generated radioactive waste [paragraphs 78-79]. Hence, the non-taxation of other methods of electricity generation did not confer an advantage to them because they did not produce radioactive waste.
[1] The full text of the judgment can be accessed at:
http://curia.europa.eu/juris/document/document.jsf?text=&docid=164723&pageIndex=0&doclang=EN&mode=lst&dir=&occ=first&part=1&cid=208045.
court of justice Equal Treatment Levying of Charges MOL standard of proof
Phedon Nicolaides
Dr. Nicolaides was educated in the United States, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. He has a PhD in Economics and a PhD in Law. He presently holds positions at the College of Europe and the University of Maastricht. He has published extensively on European integration, competition policy and State aid. He is also on the editorial boards of several journals. Dr. Nicolaides has organised seminars and workshops in many different Member States, and has acted as consultant to several public authorities.
by Jose M.
8. January 2016 at 21:33
Sir, the claim "no other means of producing electricity generated radioactive waste [paragraphs 78-79]" is not supported by available scientific evidence, as convincingly argued for instance by UNSCEAR review of technologically modified exposures to natural radiation. This authoritative UN body has for instance endorsed the conclusion that "radionuclide concentrations in ashes and slags from coal-fired power stations are significantly higher than the corresponding concentrations in the earth's crust". In other words, coal used for electricity production provides an immediate counter-example to the said claim. It would be interesting to speculate whether the conclusion of the Court still holds in absence of that leg. JM
by Phedon Nicolaides
Thank you for your comment. Paragraph 79 of the judgment states 'as only that method [i.e. nuclear power] generates radioactive waste arising from the use of such fuel.' You may be right that there are radioactive by-products in coal-fired power stations. I, of course, cannot assess the correctness of the scientific information on which the judgment is based.
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One team member present with a unknown voice, sounds like "No" after the word wind.
One male team member present with a unknown voice, sounds like "Help"
Team members did a brief walk through the Williams cemetery in July 2015 and found two EVP's that can't be explained.
Unk. voice sounds like "Help me"
Unk. voice sounds like "Jack or Jacked"
Members says "you don't know that" and a unknown female voice mocks her.
Female team member present with a unknown voice, sounds like "Help Me"
Unknown voice talking as other members were talking.
Whisper at the end of the clip.
Two male team members present with unknown voice, sounds like "Go to Hell"
Two male team members present and a unknown voice, sounds like "Shhhhhh"
Lori asked the question, can you tell us the year it is?. It sounds like the reply says, "1800".
A second recorder caught the same reply to Lori's question on what date is it? Sounds like the voice is saying "1800".
Lori and Jeanne are walking through the cemetery and a unk. voice sounds like it's saying "wait".


In this talk, I will present our recent research on collaborative sensemaking (to appear at VAST 2014). When people work together to analyze a data set, they need to organize their findings, hypotheses, and evidence, share that information with their collaborators, and coordinate work activities amongst members of the team. Sharing externalizations (recorded information such as notes) could increase awareness and assist team members to better communicate and coordinate their work activities. However, we currently know very little about how to provide tool support for this sort of sharing. We explored how linked common work (LCW) can be employed within a 'collaborative thinking space', to facilitate synchronous collaborative sensemaking activities. Collaborative thinking spaces assist team coordination by providing an environment for analysts to record, organize, share and connect externalizations. Our tool, CLIP, extends earlier thinking spaces by integrating LCW features that reveal relationships between collaborators' findings. We conducted a user study comparing CLIP to a baseline version without LCW. Results demonstrated that LCW significantly improved analytic outcomes at a collaborative intelligence task. Groups using CLIP were also able to more effectively coordinate their work, and held more discussion of their findings and hypotheses. LCW enabled them to maintain awareness of each other's activities and findings and link those findings to their own work, preventing disruptive oral awareness notifications.
Melanie Tory is an Associate Professor of Computer Science at the University of Victoria, Canada, where she conducts research in visualization and visual analytics. Tory received the Ph.D. degree in Computing Science from Simon Fraser University in 2004 and held an NSERC post-doctoral fellowship at the University of British Columbia from 2004-2006. Her research applies to a wide variety of areas spanning natural sciences and engineering, business, and personal informatics; for example, recent projects have focused on the domains of Business Intelligence and Building Design Engineering. Tory actively contributes to the visualization research community and is Papers Co-chair for IEEE InfoVis 2014-15. The work presented in this talk is part of the Ph.D. research of her student, Narges Mahyar.


Partnership HealthPlan, which links Medi-Cal patients to primary care providers, is sponsoring two free dinners to answer questions from local physicians about pending changes to Medi-Cal, which will affect both physicians and patients. The presenters for both dinners will be Partnership's chief medical officer, Dr. Ron Chapman, and the regional medical director for Marin County, Dr. Marshall Kubota.
Both dinners run from 6:30 to 8 p.m. The first is set for Tuesday, March 29, at the Hilltop restaurant in Novato, and the second for Thursday, March 31, at Jason's Restaurant in Greenbrae. The dinners are free, but RSVPs are required. To RSVP, contact Ashleigh Strasheim at 415-924-3891 or ashleigh@marinmedicalsociety.org. Please indicate your dinner choice: beef, chicken or vegetarian.
About 15,000 Medi-Cal patients throughout Marin County are eligible for Partnership's managed care plan. The plan—currently implemented in Sonoma, Napa, Solano and Yolo counties—has proved effective in reducing emergency room usage and improving access to care. It also offers increased reimbursements to both primary care and specialist physicians.
All women physicians in Marin County—MMS members and nonmembers alike—are invited to an informal potluck dinner on Thursday evening, Feb. 17. The dinner, hosted by Dr. Lori Selleck, is a great opportunity to gather with your female colleagues in a relaxed, convivial atmosphere. To RSVP and receive the address, contact Ashleigh Strasheim at 415-924-3891 or ashleigh@marinmedicalsociety.org.
Marin County is seeking a new Public Health Officer to replace Dr. Fred Schwartz, who has retired. The filing deadline is Feb. 4, so time is of the essence. The Officer plans, organizes and directs public health programs, and enforces public health laws and regulations. Responsibilities include serving as county spokesperson on public health issues, advocating for disease prevention and health promotion, and developing public health policy. Salary range is $166,000 to $201,000 per year.
Application forms and instructions are available at www.co.marin.ca.us/jobs. Physicians with questions or suggestions should contact HHS Director Dr. Larry Meredith at lmeredith@co.marin.ca.us or 415-499-6924, or Interim Public Health Officer Dr. Craig Lindquist at clindquist@co.marin.ca.us or 415-473-4047.
Marin County trauma surgeon and CMA President Dr. James Hinsdale will speak at the MMS Spring Membership Dinner on April 12, at a location to be determined. Please save the date for this important event, to which all local physicians and their spouse or guests are invited. Final details will be published next month.
Note: The following story is excerpted from Ms. McNeil's Jan. 28 report to the CMA Board of Trustees.
On Jan. 19, the House of Representatives passed HR 2, legislation to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), but the measure is not expected to pass the Senate nor gain the support of the White House. CMA did not take a specific position on HR 2. In fact, none of the major national health care organizations took a position on HR 2.
CMA will be working vigorously to pursue improvements to the ACA, such as eliminating the IPAB (the non-elected board given broad new authority to govern Medicare), repeal of the Medicare SGR payment formula, increases in Medi-Cal reimbursement rates, augmenting graduate medical education, and improvements to quality reporting programs. CMA will continue to support provisions of the ACA that reform the abuses of the for-profit insurance industry, such as ending rescissions and coverage denials for pre-existing conditions, as well as forcing insurers to dedicate at least 80% of their revenue to direct patient care.
While a full repeal of the ACA is not expected to be successful, many predict that Congress will adopt some changes to the law on a bipartisan basis. For instance, both Democrats and Republicans have agreed to eliminate the Form 1099 new reporting requirement that requires businesses, including physician offices, to report certain payments.
AMA, CMA and the federation will be pushing legislation (The Medicare Patient Empowerment Act) to allow physicians to privately contract with Medicare patients. CMA was actively involved in crafting the bill, and several Republican leaders appear to be interested in introducing the legislation.
The AMA and many other state medical associations are pushing for federal medical liability reform that mirrors the successful laws in California and Texas. There will be several liability bills introduced and moved through the House, but passage of liability reform will be much more difficult in the Senate. CMA's first priority will be to protect MICRA to ensure that federal law does not weaken California law.
Hello from San Francisco! We've just completed the Jan. 28-29 CMA Board and strategy meeting. Rebecca Patchin, recent chair of the AMA Board, reported the AMA is continuing to pursue medical liability reform at the national level. Many of us heard President Obama raise the possibility of liability reform during his recent State of the Union address. Whether his weighing in will lead to significant and appropriate national action remains a question. At our state level, there's serious concern about a MICRA challenge this legislative session. CMA and its affiliate organizations are ready to take on this challenge. Do we merely defend MICRA, or do we try to promote and enhance it?
The concept of being a reactive organization versus a proactive organization is one of the key elements as CMA moves forward with its strategic plan. Many of you had a chance to see the initial "blueprint" of the plan during the CMA House of Delegates last fall. We spent much of the Jan. 28 session working on implementation of the plan, which focuses on growing membership, building relationships, providing leadership in policy development, and building CMA capacity. Over the next several weeks, reporting metrics will be developed to monitor our progress in implementing the plan. Your trustees will continue to report on this project on a regular basis.
In early April, part 1 of the new CMA website will be unveiled. The new website is part of the process of improving communication and expanding outreach. We are also working to strengthen the alignment with our component county societies, having taken the steps to establish a limited liability company to administer payroll services and fringe benefits for employees of component societies wishing to use this service.
We believe CMA has a renewed sense of purpose and energy. The day-to-day legislative and legal challenges will continue to be addressed. Ruth Haskins, the new chair of the CMA Council on Legislation, is energized and clearly ready to lead. We have the luxury of a top-notch staff at both the state and local levels working on our behalf. Having a long-range vision and plan to implement that vision is vital to medicine's future. Your continued involvement is key to our collective success.
This year's Preteen Vaccine Week begins shortly before Valentine's Day, a fitting reminder of the need for vaccinations amid an outbreak of kissing. The goal of this year's campaign is to raise awareness of the new Tdap vaccine requirement for incoming students in grades 7-12, also known as "The New Rule: Shots Before School." All students in those grades will need proof of a Tdap booster shot before starting public or private school in the fall.
In addition to Tdap, the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends that 11- and 12-year-olds receive meningococcal, varicella, HPV and annual flu vaccines. Complete details about Preteen Vaccine Week, including brochures, posters and multilingual materials, can be found on the California Department of Public Health website at www.cdph.ca.gov.
MMS President-Elect Dr. Irina deFischer has been appointed to the CMA Council on Legislation to represent CMA District X, which includes Marin County. The Council submits recommendations for CMA positions on federal and state legislative, regulatory and administrative proposals.
To register, visit www.cmanet.org/calendar or call 800-786-4262.
Physician leaders are encouraged to attend the IMQ/PACE Platinum Training Program for Physician Leaders, to be held March 10-12 at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront Hotel. The program covers the practical knowledge and skills needed to lead medical staffs and offers an interactive forum to empower physicians and reinforce learning. For more details, or to register, visit www.imq.org or call Leslie Anne Iacopi at 415-882-5167.
The 18th annual HIV/AIDS Review runs from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on March 12 at the Hilton Hotel, 3555 Round Barn Blvd., in Santa Rosa. This educational seminar, sponsored by the North Coast Area AIDS Education & Training Center, includes breakfast, lunch and 6 units of AMA PRA Category 1 credits. Cost is just $45. To register, call 707-527-6223.
Nonprofit health organizations in Marin County are encouraged to apply for Community Grants from the Pacific Foundation for Medical Care. The grants, generally in the $10,000 range, are awarded twice a year by the nonprofit foundation to support local projects that enhance health services. The application deadline for the next round of grants is April 2. For application materials, contact Kathy Pass at 525-4281 or kpass@rhs.org. For more information, visit www.pfmc.org.
Physicians who enjoy flying planes are invited to attend an Electric Aircraft Symposium in Santa Rosa on April 29-30. The event, sponsored by the Santa Rosa-based Comparative Aircraft Flight Efficiency (CAFE) Foundation, features presentations by scientists from NASA and Lawrence Livermore Lab, among others. For more details, or to register, visit cafefoundation.org.
Physician wanted for ethical medical weight control. Part time. Pleasant conditions. No billing, no on-call. Short shifts. Perfect for semi-retired or someone looking for a little extra work. Locations in Vallejo and San Francisco. Please call 415-447-4200 or email info@californiaweightclinic.com.
Largest available medical office space in Marin County, with spaces from 10,000 sf to 70,000 sf at 1 Thorndale in San Rafael. Contact Bayside Realty Partners, medical office specialists, at 650-949-0700 or tleonard@baysiderp.com.


THE ICE HOCKEY GRAPHIC IS A SINGLE LINE DRAWING!
Stylish and sophisticated, this ice hockey T-shirt will catch the eye of those around you. It's a great way to showcase your passion for ice hockey while making a unique fashion statement at the same time.


Senate Republicans succeeded to stop a desperate attempt by Senate Democrats to force a final vote on the measure. 60 votes were required under Senate rules, but the final tally was 52 to 46, largely along party lines.
The Cybersecurity Act of 2012, first introduced in February 2012, set cyber security standards for critical infrastructure, and gave legal immunity to companies who would meet them. Its main goal was to encourage information sharing on cyber threats between businesses and the U.S. government, giving incentives to companies that adopt the protections against hackers and malware.


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'There's Been a Lot of Debate About Ajinkya Rahane': Wasim Jaffer Picks His Playing XI for 1st SA Test
bobby December 25, 2021 No Comments
As India gear up to face South Africa in the first Test on Sunday, the think tank would face a dilemma of figuring out the perfect XI. Virat Kohli and his men are eyeing to register their first-ever Test series win in the Rainbow Nation. India have had a terrific run in the longest format of the game this year. They defeated Australia to clinch the Border Gavaskar Trophy and dominated England in their own backyard. And now, it's time to challenge the Proteas and script history.
The fans are eagerly waiting to find out the playing XI for the opening Test in Centurion. Meanwhile, former India batsman Wasim Jaffer has named his team for the series opener. The duo of KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal have found the spot in top of the order while Cheteshwar Pujara continues to be at no. 3 despite his poor form.
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Speaking with ESPNcricinfo, Jaffer said, "There has been a lot of debate about Ajinkya Rahane. Whether he should play, whether he should not play? There's Hanuma Vihari waiting in the benches. In my opinion, however, he should play as he has been there and has even done well."
Jaffer picked Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj in the pace department. Veteran speedster Ishant Sharma, alongside Hanuma Vihari, was another notable omission.
South Africa is the only country where India is yet to win a Test series. The visitors have played 7 series in the Rainbow nation and lost 6 of them, while one ended in a draw. Team India have won only three games so far and look forward to improving their past record.
Wasim Jaffer's India's playing XI : Mayank Agarwal, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.
Tags: Ajinkya Rahane, Boxing Day test, cheteshwar pujara, India vs South Africa, jasprit bumrah, KL Rahul, mayank agarwal, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Ravichandran Ashwin, Rishabh Pant, shreyas iyer, Virat Kohli, wasim jaffer, wasim jaffer playing xi
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Share this Story: Regina's own Santa Claus loves his job (with gallery)
Regina's own Santa Claus loves his job (with gallery)
Brian Schoenroth makes a very realistic Santa Claus.
Mark Melnychuk
Brian Schoenroth during his duties as Santa at the Northgate Mall Monday December 9 2013. Photo by Bryan Schlosser /Regina Leader-Post
Brian Schoenroth during his duties as Santa at the Northgate Mall Monday December 9 2013. Here with 2 year old Bryan Syrett. Photo by Bryan Schlosser /Regina Leader-Post
Brian Schoenroth during his duties as Santa at the Northgate Mall Monday December 9 2013. Here with Samantha and Parker Bear. Photo by Bryan Schlosser /Regina Leader-Post
REGINA — Brian Schoenroth makes a very realistic Santa Claus.He's got the glasses and red suit, but most importantly the beard. Go ahead and give it a tug. It's the real deal.
Upon seeing him sitting in his 'office' at the Northgate Mall, he recalls one girl telling her father: "See, I told you this was the real Santa."
Regina's own Santa Claus loves his job (with gallery) Back to video
Schoenroth, 61, is semi-retired and currently lives in Vibank.
The term mall Santa doesn't do him justice. This is his first year playing Santa's stand-in at a shopping centre, but he's been doing it for about eight years. He started off putting on the suit at staff parties back when he worked as the service manager at Taylor Automotive, and it's grown from there.
"I just do it because I like the kids and I like how they react," he said.
When August rolls around Schoenroth starts growing out his beard, and gets it touched up with some colouring to give it that authentic look.
"The kids find it more natural, and they can tell when it's a fake beard."
Schoenroth is so legit he might be able to guess what you want for Christmas before you even ask.
"I have grandchildren that are still pretty young, so I know a lot of the toys and stuff that the kids want, so it's kind of cool if you can ask them what they want," said Schoenroth.
Barbies and Lego are the most requested items right now. He's also glad to see that kids are still asking for toys.
"There's definitely some that want iPads and video games, but there's a lot of kids that are kind of going back to the older stuff again which is nice."
On a busy Saturday Schoenroth can talk to up to 120 kids. There are some more unusual requests. Schoenroth had one girl who wanted a crossbow, and another who wanted a rifle.
"I said 'well I don't know, Santa can't give you a rifle'. And I said 'if I do make sure your dad doesn't shoot any reindeer.'"
For some of the younger kids, seeing Santa is a little too much. But Schoenroth does what he can to prevent any scarring memories.
"I try and keep my voice down, and you try to be as calming to them as you can. And then I just tell the parents to give them time," said Schoenroth, who avoids saying any loud ho-ho-hos.
His duties don't end after he's left the mall. Schoenroth also visits the Pasqua and Regina General Hospital to hand out teddy bears to patients.
"It can be sad, but I always think if you can give them a few seconds of happiness and they can forget where they are, that just makes their life a little better."
Being Santa has even meant taking a few lumps. One year, Schoenroth snuck up onto the roof of his house and yelled down the chimney so the kids could hear. But unfortunately he slipped and fell on his way down. Aside from a few scrapes, Schoenroth was OK.
"But it was funny because they could hear Santa hit the ground," he laughs.
When asked how much longer he plans to be Santa, Schoenroth said he isn't interested in retiring anytime soon.
"Because I enjoy the kids and stuff I'll probably do it as long as my health let's me."
Twitter.com/Melnychuk86
mmelnychuk@leaderpost.com


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Tragocephala castelnaudi es una especie de escarabajo longicornio del género Tragocephala, subfamilia Lamiinae. Fue descrita científicamente por Thomson en 1868.

Se distribuye por Camerún, Gabón, Guinea Ecuatorial, Nigeria, República Democrática del Congo y República del Congo. Posee una longitud corporal de 18,5 milímetros.

Referencias

Enlaces externos
 Tragocephala castelnaudi BioLib.
 Tragocephala castelnaudi Catalogue of Life.

castelnaudi
Insectos descritos en 1868
Insectos de África