text:
CSV-2000
ETDRS Acuity (CSV)
Low Contrast Acuity (CSV)
Low Vision Tests
Glare Testing
ESV-3000
ETDRS Acuity (ESV)
Low Contrast Acuity (ESV)
Evans Letter Contrast Test
Clinical Use
ETDRS Acuity
CSV-1000 Trials
ESV-3000 Trials
Mesopic Testing
Why VectorVision
CS Background
Normal Contrast Sensitivity Values for CSV-1000
Standardized Testing – Contrast Sensitivity, ETDRS and Glare
The CSV-1000 instrument is the recognized world-wide leader for standardized contrast sensitivity, ETDRS and glare testing. The patented auto-calibration circuitry provides for standard and consistent test conditions without a hassle. The instrument automatically controls the test lighting to a level of 85 cd/m2, which is the light level recommended for vision testing by the National Academy of Sciences and adopted by the FDA as the required testing light level for clinical trials. Ease of use is one reason why the CSV-1000 is used in eye clinics in more than 60 countries. All you have to do is turn on the device and it is ready to evaluate patients using standardized and highly accurate tests.
"I have a CSV-1000 in every examination lane. There are no moving parts that can break, and I've been so satisfied with the technology that I wouldn't hesitate to buy (these) devices if I needed to replace one. However, that has been a moot point because the units have continued to work reliably day after day for years."
Glenn Pomerance, MD
More than 100 published papers have demonstrated the usefulness of the CSV-1000 for a variety of applications including:
Cataract documentation and evaluation
Glaucoma screening and treatment optimization
Evaluation of retinal disease and the success of treatment
Measurement of real-world vision for contact lenses, IOLs and refractive surgery technology
FDA clinical trials
Post approval (Phase 4) marketing clinical trials
Instrument of Choice
In addition to its use as a clinical tool in more than 5,000 eye care practices world-wide, the CSV-1000 is routinely used for research and to evaluate visual performance. It has been selected for use in numerous multi-center trials in the United States and around the world for the standardized measurement of contrast sensitivity, ETDRS acuity, low contrast acuity and glare sensitivity. These studies include those for the evaluation of LASIK surgery, IOLs, contact lenses, presbyopia correction, athlete visual performance, glaucoma detection and treatment, visual impact of pharmaceutical treatments, nutritional supplements, etc. Companies who have sponsored these trials include Alcon, Abbot Medial Optics, Bausch and Lomb, Merck, Sharp & Dohme, Pharmacia, LensTec, Staar Surgical and Johnson & Johnson to name a few. It has been used by the Olympic Vision Centres to screen athletes for numerous Olympic Games since 1992 and for the evaluation of multiple professional and collegiate sports teams.
More Information About Clinical and Research Use
To learn about how to use the CSV-1000, visit the other pages of this website: for clinical use click here or research use (clinical trials) click here.
The CSV-1000 instrument can be used with a variety of tests. Please visit this page to learn more.
Got a Question about a VectorVision product?
CSV 1000
ELCT Evans Letter Contrast Test
VectorVision - 1850 Livingston Road, Suite E, Greenville, Ohio 45331
VectorVision Ocular Health (DBA: VectorVision) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Guardion Health Sciences Inc.


– My friends, family and everyone I love – blah, blah, blah.
Perhaps writing here was a bad idea- there's already a chocolate smudge on my page before any ink or words of wisdom land on the page. I'm sat in Starbucks, sipping down my hot chocolate, while trying to think straight with all this chit chat going on around me. I thought that this would be the kind of place to get some peace and quiet. Oh, how I was wrong. With the gift of hindsight that thought makes me chuckle a little bit (with sadness).
This wasn't the first 'Bucks' I've been in today. I'd say it's about the eighth. The first one I went in was busy, so I thought 'it's about lunchtime' so I wandered around Monday-afternoon London until I found the next one. Apparently they are all busy. I don't know where I got the idea that I could find peace in this place but I doubt it was based on anything I found in reality. Perhaps a dream? Probably some opportunistic residual 'Friends' memory I thought I had forgotten.
Anyways, I realized (disappointingly slowly) that it wasn't going to happen and I gave up peace in exchange for the caramel-hot chocolate I'd been craving since Starbucks number 1.
It was alright. Just alright.
It's the classic 'want-something-so-long-and-when-you-get-it-you're-disappointed' scenario. I am however enjoying creating brand new adjectives to describe just how chocolaty my hot chocolate is- chocolicious? choctacular? My personal favourite is supermegachocochoctastic- get that in scrabble and you have won, my friend.
I'm sharing my table with a blonde-haired chap with skinny jeans and the world's most colourful shirt. It's like he just returned from the world's most unsuccessful bout of paintball, ever. But it's actually quite jazzy and trendy and yes, I do want one. He's alternating between poking his nose into a tatty, dog-eared book and checking facebook for updates. I detect a hint of providence that we are sat at the same table. We seem to be the only people in this place who are being quiet.
There's not much else here worth mentioning. It's the quintessential cosmopolitan coffee house. The wall are all warm oranges accentuated with rich brown elements and mint green armchairs. There are photoboards of artists hanging everywhere, although I think I'm using the word 'artist', well, incorrectly because one board is Sharon Osbourne. Everything in here looks 'natural' which is ironic considering it's a replication used for a multinational corporation.
This afternoon I have noticed something about my writing- it has the tendancy to go off on tangents. It never goes A to B. It's always A to G, back to E, circle around that hippo thing there and then canoe the rest of the way to B. I've heard that the way you write is a reflection of the way I think, but it never really dawned on me until now. My writing, like me, somehow has a short attention span. I can't tell if that's my weakness or what makes me special. Either way, that's the closest thing to a lesson or a point this session will come. Aside from that consider it point-less, like hot chocolate, or Sharon Osbourne.
There's a word that's been on my mind a lot today – bored. It tends to be seen as a negative feeling but is it? Does it have to be seen like this?
Why can't it be seen like this?
My opinion is that bored should be redefined. It can be positive, perhaps even exciting, as contradictory as that sounds. Bored is an opportunity, it's a challenge. It's the interval between one memorable moment in life and the start of the next. It's a hunt for something interesting. The recognition that your current activities or lifestyle are not stimulating enough to warrant your full attention and effort. It is the availability of time, coupled with the desire to use it more productively. The motivation to change our lives for the better.
When you think about it, wouldn't the world be a better place if more people were bored?
I talk too much about advertising. I don't like people in advertising who only talk about advertising but my posts have all been advertising, advertising, advertising. I can't even open a post without talking about it. It's what's on my mind but it isn't what this blog was for.
It was for all the things I find creative, inspirational and wonderful on this ride through life. It was to motivate me to go explore and wander until I found things that make my heart excited. It didn't have boundaries. It wasn't for anything. It was just a document of my hunt for beauty and eccentricity.
I got off course and wandered off, much like I do in real life so I'm going to try to somehow find my way back. Write about things that interest me. Advertising interests me but so does design, music, photography, technology, philosophy… pretty much everything.
This is a declaration of intent. To expand my horizons a bit. I am somewhat trapped in London, one of the richest cultural places to be so I am going to try to soak up a bit more and find some inspiration.
Not many people know this but I studied 'Music Placements' on television for my dissertation. The point was to determine if it was an appropriate method of promotion for music artists. However my study only looked at tv shows. It didn't look at adverts. I can't help but notice, a lot of the adverts today (literally- today) have popular music in them so, I thought it might be worth some pondering. I guess that happens when you watch as much tv as me.
Personally I think it works best when an independent, upcoming artist is used because their songs have a degree of flexibility with regard to their perception and understanding. They can be easily manipulated by the cinematography and imagery to depict a particular feeling or story.
This is my favourite at the moment. It's the new (and very early, in my opinion) christmas advert for Matalan. The spot features 'What I Wouldn't Do' by A Fine Frenzy in the background and it works so well. Its warm, it's natural and it's baked full of christmassy goodness. Alison Sudol's voice can only be described as beautiful, which only enhances the feel.
The same goes the BT 'Infinity' advert. The song in this is 'Corner' by Allie Moss. Similar music and feel.
In contrast, the ad for Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood is awful. Not just the music but the whole presentation just lacked that element of finesse that makes an advert shine. Tinie Tempah was a poor choice for it. It's a great game and good song but it doesn't fit and I think part of that is due to having a song that listeners have already heard an interpreted with their own meaning.
I personally would have used something like 'Koyaanisqatsi' by Philip Glass as it creates more of an epic atmosphere that Assassin's Creed deserves.


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North Myrtle Beach spokesman Pat Dowling said the city ordered 150 replacements for its oceanfront street end signs that will be in place by the time the ban takes effect, costing a total of $15,000. The signs cost $100 each, he said.
Myrtle Beach spokesman Mark Kruea said the city ordered 250 signs for the beach accesses letting beachgoers know about the change to the law, costing a total of $2,000. Each sign cost $8, Kruea said.
Each year North Myrtle Beach prints refrigerator magnets with important beach laws on them. This year the city printed 25,000 – including the new tent rules – to be distributed to condo rentals and hotel rooms.
Additionally, Dowling said the city paid about $200 to send press releases to news distribution sites, and he said he's seen the ban get publicized in several media outlets in areas from which the city gets tourists.
"Before they get to their hotel – we hope – the [booking agency] will have informed them about the ban," Dowling said. "When they get to their hotel room, they'll see the magnet on the refrigerator. And then when they go to the beach they'll see the signage. … We've gone above and beyond launching an extensive out-of-the-area campaign to let folks know."
North Myrtle Beach, Myrtle Beach and Horry County all are working with the Myrtle Beach Area Hospitality Association and local chambers of commerce to spread the word to hoteliers and businesses.
"We're working with our member hotel properties so they know what's available to them," hospitality association President and CEO Stephen Greene said about the fliers, brochures, magnets and other forms of information that's been produced. "And the rules are different depending upon where you are."
There are several hundred lodging members in the hospitality association located along the Grand Strand, Greene said.
"We're trying as best we can to get the word out … so someone doesn't drag a tent out there and find out they can't have it," he said.
Pirateland Family Camping Resort rental manager Vickie Carmody said staff has shared information on the campground's Facebook page and the in-house cable channel as well as distributed an information sheet to its employees and guests. Pirateland is in Horry County's jurisdiction, where the ban already is in effect.
"We'll probably do some signage close to the beach," she said Thursday. "We're talking about that now."
Barb Krumm, spokeswoman for Ocean Lakes Family Campground, said it also ordered signs for its beach accesses and is spreading the word on its website and through social media. She said information about the ban posted on the Ocean Lakes Facebook page elicited comments both in support of and against the ban. Ocean Lakes is in Horry County's jurisdiction.
"Before the ban was final, the only people we heard from vocally were against the ban, even though we knew there were people who supported banning the tents," she said. "Once it passed, it's been about 50-50."
Not all businesses are moving quickly, though. Donald Hovis, marketing manager for Springmaid Beach Resort & Conference Center, said the business has not finalized any procedures to let their guests know about the change to the law. Springmaid also is in Horry County's jurisdiction.
"We've got something in place where if someone was to walk up to the front desk we have a statement that we give, but that's internally," he said. "We haven't finalized a plan for the public."
In Horry County, spokeswoman Lisa Bourcier said officials are considering installing beach signage to let people know the tents aren't allowed.
Oakland Raiders' Hunter Renfrow hosts inaugural youth football camp at Socastee High School
Four-foot shark spotted swimming in shallow waters along North Myrtle Beach
A major player in the growth of the Myrtle Beach area golf and hotel industries has died
By Alan Blondin
Les Morris, who developed Pawleys Plantation and built Sands Resorts into one of the Grand Strand's leading providers of golf packages and vacations with business partner Tom Baugh, died Thursday at 73.
Horry crews searching for distressed swimmer swept away in river
Horry County Fire Rescue working house fire in Conway area
'It's a step forward': North Myrtle Beach looks to strengthen law on animal welfare
Horry County Coroner identifies victim in North Myrtle Beach shooting
Murrells Inlet-Garden City residents voting whether to allow fire district tax increase

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Big Data, Rising Tides
How Advances in Free Remote Sensing Technology Can Help Cities to Prepare for Climate Change
By Ran Goldblatt, Nicholas Jones • September 3, 2019
Combining big data with satellite imagery can help cities such as Kampala, the capital of Uganda, to better prepare for natural disasters such as urban flooding and make more informed investment decisions.
In view of the increased vulnerability of cities to climate and disaster risks, accurate and up-to-date geospatial data is fundamental for a more resilient urban planning approach. Publicly available geospatial datasets are increasingly becoming the foundation stone for more informed urban planning decision-making and better investment prioritization. Today, satellite data can help cities to better prepare for natural disasters such as urban flooding and make more informed investment decisions.
For many residents of Kampala, the capital of Uganda, the start of rainy season brings a sense of apprehension nowadays. Originally built on seven hills surrounded by wetlands, the city's rapid growth has pushed settlements into flood-prone areas. Furthermore, extreme rainfall events now hit more frequently, as shown by destructive flash floods in May 2019. With the city's water table saturated and drainage channels blocked, the flood waters blocked roads, entered houses and swept away livestock. More than 500 households were affected, according to the Uganda Red Cross. Some of the photographs that went viral locally showed a chicken farmer who saved his birds by putting 300 on the roof of the brooder.
As climate change makes its impact felt, Kampala is just one of hundreds of cities around the world whose leaders face a generational challenge due to increased flooding. Whether from heavy rains, coastal floods or the creeping impact of sea-level rise, restoring harmony between cities and water is a crucial task that requires the use of geospatial data at scale. Fortunately, cities are becoming increasingly data-rich environments. Flood and stream gauges help to monitor water levels within and around cities, climate and weather models are becoming more accurate in forecasting catastrophic flood events, and satellite and aerial imagery is becoming increasingly accessible and playing a vital role in monitoring the impact of flood events.
Big data for resilience
Between 1950 and 2019, the share of the world's population living in urban areas rose from 30% to 55%, and the number of people living in such areas is likely to increase by a further 2.5 billion in the coming decades. By reducing trade costs and fostering innovation, cities have helped to lift hundreds of millions of people out of poverty in Africa and Asia. Yet the very agglomeration effects that make cities such powerful engines of economic progress also present a cost: the increasing concentration of people, buildings and infrastructure in high-risk coastal areas. It is estimated that up to 325 million extremely poor people will be living in the 49 most hazard-prone countries by 2030, particularly in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Unplanned settlements, inadequate drainage investments and challenges with solid waste disposal add to the problem.
Lima: Economic growth hotspots as derived from night-time light data.
Adapting today's cities to climate change requires addressing many pieces of a jigsaw puzzle: from investing in drainage and transportation to communicating early warning messages to vulnerable communities. But while their exposure to flood risk continues to grow, cities are also fast becoming data-rich environments. Internet-derived data together with satellite imagery offers a well-developed set of options to understand flood risk, shape policies to reduce it and prioritize investments in drainage and flood defences.
Satellite imagery: 3 ways to understand cities
In the past, expensive satellite imagery and limited computational power only allowed analysis of small geographical areas, e.g. the ability to count building footprints in a small neighbourhood or calculate the volume of live vegetation in a single agriculture field. This model is now being replaced thanks to publicly available and free satellite data that captures every location on Earth every few days and in a spatial resolution of just a few metres. Indeed, the increasing availability of satellite data has transformed how we use remote sensing analytics to understand, monitor and achieve sustainable development goals. As satellite data become ever-more accessible and frequent, it is now possible not only to better understand how Earth is changing, but also to utilize these insights to improve decision-making, guide policymaking, deliver services and promote better-informed governance, e.g. to help diagnose an issue of concern – such as flooding – and inform debate on remedial steps.
In the run-up to an investment planning conference convened by the World Bank's City Resilience Program, which would be attended by around 30 cities, the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) and New Light Technologies Inc. utilized free satellite imagery together with machine learning approaches to address the following three questions:
Question 1: Which parts of the city experience flooding?
Flood risk assessment is a mature and long-standing field. Flood modellers typically use digital elevation models (DEMs) and local rainfall data to identify flood zones (e.g. the area of a city expected to flood during a 1-in-50-year event). Traditional flood models built with engineering expertise are indispensable when designing a flood mitigation plan. Yet hydrological models often miss areas that experience persistent flood problems. Blocked drainage channels, new construction and changes in vegetation cover all influence the interaction of water with the urban fabric. Many residents in developing-world cities lose possessions or experience health impacts from flooding, even where flood maps show them in a dry zone.
Thanks to the EU's Copernicus mission in particular, the availability of free satellite imagery that can capture snapshots of actually experienced flooding is increasing. Sentinel-1 imagery relies on Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) – a radar sensor that is capable of detecting flood extents regardless of cloud cover – while Sentinel-2 provides high-resolution electro-optical imagery which can capture water content on Earth.
To supplement existing flood models, the research team mapped each major flood event that had occurred across 35 cities since 2015 and for which imagery was available. The identified flood extents show areas that have been affected by standing water in each city and that are thus more vulnerable to urban flooding.
Question 2: Which city zones are the focus of economic growth?
Night-time light data has produced a slew of academic studies since the 1990s, with the intensity of artificial lights – as seen from space – proving to be closely correlated with gross domestic product (GDP). Economists have used DMSP-OLS, a key imagery source from the USA's Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, to estimate, for example, economic trends in North Korea or to monitor economic development in countries where GDP figures are scarce or, in some case, unreliable. But while DMSP-OLS allows time-series comparisons since 1992, its resolution is relatively coarse and additional processing is required to mitigate a 'blooming' effect around urban areas or to make DMSP-OLS's eight satellites comparable.
Analysts can now utilize a higher-resolution source for night-time light data: the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS), which captures imagery at up to 500m resolution. This means that it is now also possible to estimate spatial trends in economic activity down to the neighbourhood level. The research team used a slope-of-change method to identify economic growth trends and hotspots since 2012, marking high-growth city districts as 'hot' and areas of steady or declining economic activity as 'cool'.
Question 3: Which areas in the cities have green spaces that could absorb more flood water?
The high-resolution imagery captured by Sentinel-2 allows for systematic extraction of open spaces, parks and gardens in urban settings. The widely used Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) effectively picks out vegetation from multispectral imagery, benefiting from the unique reflective properties of chlorophyll. Additionally, the research team used analytical products derived from Landsat satellites to pick out areas that show extensive trends of deforestation. This enables suggestions regarding locations where reforestation in a city's watershed could contribute to preventing excess run-off that floods businesses and neighbourhoods, for example.
Abidjan: Deforestation in city environs affects flood susceptibility.
Network effects
Just as analysis of satellite data is no longer limited to researchers with government connections or super-computers, the field of road network analysis is also being democratized by new technologies. Shortest-path analysis and routing engines have for decades been used by logistics firms to plan their vehicle itineraries or by emergency services to position their assets. Yet building a GIS road network remained onerous and time-consuming. Moreover, 'hidden choices' about how to represent city streets or intersections in the model have hampered cross-city comparisons.
So how can we compare road networks across 35 cities? Fortunately, data science tools such as OSMNx and Pandana – two open-source packages produced by researchers from the universities of Southern California and Berkeley respectively – have automated the process of importing road data from OpenStreetMap and transforming it into a mathematically valid graph object. This allowed the project team to pinpoint the most critical intersections that should be safeguarded from risks such as flooding and landslides. Criticality was highest in cities such as Cap-Haitien, Haiti, where 58% of shortest paths between network locations pass through a single point (a bridge at the north end of town).
Conclusion: from data to decisions
The availability of high(er)-resolution satellite imagery such as Sentinel and VIIRS at global scale begs further exploitation. Indeed, cities are becoming data-rich environments just as their vulnerability to climate change grows. Deriving more insights from free and currently under-exploited imagery sources can play a major role in driving the policy debates and investment choices that will enable cities to withstand natural hazards and climate change in the future.
The research team included Brad Bottoms, Jenny Mannix, Madeline Jones and Brooke Hatcher (New Light Technologies Inc.) and Gaurav Bhardwaj (World Bank).
Ran GoldblattAuthor
Dr Ran Goldblatt is a Chief Scientist at New Light Technologies (NLT) in Washington DC. Dr. Goldblatt has a ba...
Nicholas JonesAuthor
Nicholas Jones is a disaster risk management specialist at the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Reco...


text:
Malone Editorial
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Susan Malone / February 18, 2016
Can We Really Trust The Hero In Our Novel?
Depends.
archetypal-characters-hero
Don't'cha just love when I say that. But as with most things, trusting one's hero depends on many variables.
And while your hero's character traits hopefully contain a mixed bag of positive and negative (nobody is all good or all bad. As Elisabeth Kubler Ross says, "There's a little of Hitler in all of us."), and sometimes true character can feel somewhat obfuscated to the reader (hopefully by intention, on your part!), you, as the author, must know these folks inside and out in order to paint them will a full palate of colors on the page.
Even though often the protagonist will veer off in directions you never would have foreseen.
Which is still all fine and good—providing once the first draft is finished, you go back in revisions and even out and develop more fully what made him act seemingly "out of character" in the first place.
Which just means fully knowing your folks by the end.
So, how do we ferret through our main characters, digging down to the bones, drawing from archetypal characters in order to fully digest the trust issue?
A few ways will help.
֎ Do you intend for readers to trust your hero?
That sounds like a rhetorical question, but in essence, it must be answered yes or no.
Most writers will answer, of course! But once you dive a bit more beneath the surface, you might find that's not entirely the case.
A long-used device called the Unreliable Narrator becomes very effective in skilled hands. This just basically means that the narrator's credibility is seriously compromised. Sometimes this is immediately evident, with said narrator making a false or delusional claim. Sometimes this becomes slowly apparent. And sometimes, it comes with a twist at the end.
Humbert Humbert from Lolita is most often cited, and indeed, old Humbert is a master at lying, while heralded loudly by his community as an honest man.
This one is easily seen, but for my money, Joseph Conrad effects this best in Heart of Darkness. Marlow tells us from the get go that he likes to spin yarns. And in journeying with him up the Congo in search of ivory and the mysterious Kurtz, we realize we're really going deeply into the heart of man. By story's end, we are so caught up in the moral corruption found in the heart of all humans, we could give a fig if Marlow has told the tale exactly.
The point being, Nabokov and Conrad masterfully intended their narrators to be unreliable. And, both worked beautifully.
֎ Do the narrator's internal issues include some self-deception? Or a lot of it?
Because we all have some of this. Discerning exactly how much your protagonist sees himself clearly determines whether your reader can or cannot trust him. And, on which side of the hero/anti-hero scale he falls.
As a minor example, I always laugh at the study done about men and women looking at themselves in the mirror. The vast majority of women described themselves as heavier than they actually were. And, you guessed it, the majority of men described themselves as more fit.
But going a bit deeper, more recently, a study confirmed that men are more narcissistic than women, concluding that this is most likely due to gender roles learned in childhood.
The first is a small issue, the second, a larger one. But issues you can exploit with your characters either way.
Basically, it's one who's just a little shy of her truth, as my aunt used to say.
֎ Does she have a bias that although she admits to (or not), she doesn't always see the results of?
For example, take Race relations in our culture today. Okay, so maybe that's too big of a bag of potatoes!
So, let's pare it down to one: If you're white, do you think you have a racist bone in your body?
Of course not, you say.
Okay, let's ask another question: If you're a young white woman, walking alone down the street at night, and you see two young black men walking toward you wearing hoodies, do you cross the street?
Why, the answer may be, of course! That's only prudent.
Or, is it?
Explore this with your main character, and see how she answers. Dig deep into her visceral fear and find out its true origin.
֎ Is your hero based on character archetypes?
The best ones are. And if so, you've just sent a signal to your reader as per the protagonist's reliability or lack thereof.
And knowing which archetype your character fits (usually he fits into several) can help you expand and convey with few words who this person actually is.
Psychologist Carl Jung identified 12 primary types, with more of course but these 12 are the all-encompassing ones. He divided these into 3 sets of 4 types each. Each set shares a common driving source, named either Ego, Soul, and Self. Carl Golden gives a great explanation of these, and I encourage you to become familiar with them. This will help you truly hone in on who your folks are, and why they're the way they are.
֎ Is your hero successful?
By definition, he must be, or he's not the hero. But that doesn't mean he lives, in the end. Many times the tragic tale concludes with the hero's valiant death (think Maximus in Gladiator, and about a billion others). But often by way of that very death, the Grail is reached and attained, the boon received by the culture.
It also doesn't mean that by tale's finish, he's completed all of the tasks he set out to do (especially if you're writing a series). But he damn sure better have reached, achieved, etc., the main one.
If when all is said and done, however, he has failed in his Quest, then he was never the hero after all.
Even Marlow, Conrad's unreliable narrator, gets the Ivory and finds Kurtz in the end. Although the latter was nothing as he thought, and turned his world (and the reader's) inside out, which provided the true twist in the end. And exposed Marlow's own self-deception for what it was.
So, some protagonists are unreliable by design, and some, by the way they unfold on your page as the story goes along. Any of those work, and everything in between, but as with all things writing, it matters only that you, as the author, know that person inside and out. And that you bring him to life as intended.
Because with all things writing, no matter the twists and turns your character takes, the strengths and foibles that come to light through the course of your story, in the final analysis, you want them to all fit together for your reader. Not all neat and tidy, but enough that in the end, your reader simply says, "Yes."
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Filed Under: Craft of Writing Tagged With: archetypal characters, character archetypes
As an award-winning author and editor, since 1993, 50 + of my authors' books have sold to Traditional publishers. Many have won awards, been made into films, been featured in Publishers Weekly, and become bestsellers. I also love English Labradors, red wine, and write literary fiction and co-authored nonfiction,found here.
Michelle Gwynn Jones says
Often when I start a story I am not sure how much trust I want the reader (or myself) to put in the hero. However, in my stories, I ask myself is there a true hero? I basically write 'regular' people living their lives and sometimes they do something some people might see as heroic.
Susan Mary Malone says
Ah, those are the true heroes, no, Michelle? Everyday folks doing things that require courage and fortitude. And isn't it funny how our characters "become" who they are through our writing!
Susan Mary Malone recently posted…Can We Really Trust The Hero In Our Novel?
Rebecca Bryant says
My favorite part of reading is watching a character unfold and seeing how they grow.
Rebecca Bryant recently posted…Double Chocolate & Peanut Butter Chip Muffins #Recipe #Food
Love that, Rebecca. Mine too!
Julie Syl Kalungi says
I love to see how a book will end one way or another and I am a sucker for a bad boy in my heros or any book I read.
So should we assume that even non heros have a good side..people like Heathcliff…was he a hero or…? Can we truly believe that people like Henry viii, Maleficent, Hannibal Lector etc had a good side…! Definitely I can see then wee hitler in me emerge when I find a task I gave to the wee ones pending hours later lolol! Interesting read Susan 🙂
I'm a sucker for the bad boy too, Julie 🙂 And yep, even villains and anti-heroes have good things about them. The author just has to dig to find it. And funny about Old Hannibal–his intellect was what won folks over, luring them into his den . . .
Jennifer Corter says
As an aspiring writer, I really enjoyed reading this. I am definitely going to subscribe to your website!
Jennifer Corter recently posted…A Day In The Life Of A 5 Year-Old
Glad it resonated, Jennifer!
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As an award-winning author and editor, since 1993, 50 + of my authors' books have sold to Traditional publishers. Many have won awards, been made into films, been featured in Publishers Weekly, and become bestsellers. I also love English Labradors, red wine, and write literary fiction and co-authored nonfiction, found here.
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The location of Ghss Magrora is Magrora, Satna. The year of establishment of Ghss Magrora is 1948. Ghss Magrora is a Co-Educational school. The student teacher ratio of Ghss Magrora can be approximated to be 1 teacher for every 98 students. It is a Sr. Secondary School (Class 9-12), where lowest class is 9th and highest class is 12th. You can check other important information regarding the school like Ghss Magrora fee, their transport facility and other important information that you need to know regarding Ghss Magrora admission. Browse below to read everything you need to know about Ghss Magrora. Schools Square provides you with the up to date information of every school across India and world.
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Why is airbrush foundation so much better than traditional liquid, cream, powder or mineral foundation?
Airbrush foundation is specially formulated to be sprayed onto the skin using a very fine mist of concentrated pigments. The foundation is very concentrated, meaning the pigment will offer a lot of coverage without having to use as much product. This also means it will feel lighter on the skin, so no cake-y feeling. Most of my clients comment that they don't even feel like they are wearing foundation.
Does it matter if I have oily/combination/dry skin?
Airbrush foundation is also suitable for any skin type! Depending on what it is derived from (silicone, water, alcohol) it will give the appearance of different finishes. Silicone-based airbrush foundation has more of a dewy finish whereas water-based has a very matte look. We prefer silicone based airbrush foundation. Silicone based foundation also helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines!
Does it matter what brand is used?
Not in particular; however, a true professional will not carry the at home brands like Dinair or Luminess, but industry standard, professional brands such as Kett or Temptu.
The brand that our team uses, Temptu, guarantees their foundation to last a minimum of 12-14 hours without smearing, running, fading or caking. I have never had a client complain about the foundation not lasting until they choose to take it off. For my more oily skinned clients, or brides getting married on a hot, humid day, I do recommend blotting if sweating (do not wipe!) and bringing along a translucent powder and/or oil blotting sheets.
Can the foundation cover hyperpigmentation or extreme cases of rosacea?
Yes, red spots, brown spots, any spot,or blemish, even dark circles under your eyes diminish and/or disappear.
Feel free to leave comments below with any further questions!


The long-tailed minivet (Pericrocotus ethologus) belongs to the bird family Campephagidae under the order Passeriformes.
The Campephagidae is the family of cuckooshrikes and allies. The family Campephagidae was first described by Nicholas Aylward Vigors (1785 – 26 October 1840), an Irish zoologist and politician, in the year 1825.
The Campephagidae comprises genera, Campephaga, Coracina, Lobotos, Pteropodocys, Campochaera, Lalage and Pericrocotus.
The genus Pericrocotus was first introduced by Friedrich Boie (4 June 1789 – 3 March 1870), a German entomologist, herpetologist, ornithologist and lawyer, in the year 1826. The type species is Pericrocotus cinnamomeus (Linnaeus, 1766).
The genus Pericrocotus comprises fourteen species, including Pericrocotus ethologus. The species Pericrocotus ethologus is polytypic and comprises seven subspecies, viz., Pericrocotus ethologus ethologus, Pericrocotus ethologus laetus, Pericrocotus ethologus favillaceus, Pericrocotus ethologus annamensis, Pericrocotus ethologus ripponi, Pericrocotus ethologus yvettae and Pericrocotus ethologus mariae.
Current topic in Birds of India: Long-tailed minivet - Pericrocotus ethologus photos.


Does soy milk have the same tea phytonutrient-blocking effects as cow's milk?
In 2007, we learned that milk blocks the absorption of the phytonutrients in chocolate. In 2008, we learned that milk may completely block the beneficial effects of the phytonutrients in tea. Might as well just be drinking water. In 2009, soy milk was tested.
The reason cow's milk blocks the benefits of tea, we think, is because of the milk protein, casein, binding up all the phytonutrients. Since soy milk doesn't have casein, though, one would assume that adding soy milk to tea is fine; but, you never know until you run the experiment.
What do you think? Soy milk blocks the benefits of tea: fact or fiction? Let's look at the data. This is measuring the beneficial effects on arterial cells in a Petri dish. Here's the control, plain water. Then comes the plain black tea, no creamer, and you can see the spike in beneficial effects that appear to be completely blocked by milk. Then they tried three types of soy milk: sweetened, calcium-enriched, and unsweetened. All of which had the same effect as milk! Fact: vascular effects of tea are suppressed by soy milk.
Now this was in vitro, in a Petri dish. We don't know if this translates into actual people, but until we do know more, I encourage folks to drink their tea straight. And, as I've noted in previous volumes, green tea is healthier than black.
Lorenz, M., Jochmann, N., von Krosigk, A., Martus, P., Baumann, G., Stangl, K., et al. (2007). Addition of milk prevents vascular protective effects of tea. European Heart Journal, 28: 219–223.
M. Lorenz, K. Stangl, and V. Stangl. Vascular effects of tea are suppressed by soy milk. Atherosclerosis, 206(1):31-32, 2009.
This video along with some others seems to say that eating any kind of protein, not just animal protein, blocks absorption of the wonderful nutrients from plants like cocoa, berries and *green tea*.
There is also a video that says that our bodies will not absorb the good nutrients from greens (and my understanding is that green tea is like eating greens) unless we have some fat with the meal.
In this video, you recommend using whole foods with fats (such as nuts) instead of fat-laden dressing in order to get the nutrients from greens into our bodies.
But isn't one of the things notable about nuts is that they have protein? And wouldn't the protein block the absorption of the nutrients in greens? Do we really know the effects of nuts on absorption of nutrients in greens? And how much fat does one need to get the ideal absorption?
It's an honest question because eating greens is not easy for me. So, when I do it, I want to get the maximum impact. I'm working hard, with some minor successes, to build up a liking for kale. One recipe that I do like, probably because the sauce drowns out the kale, is a recipe that includes: kale, onion, and a yummy "creamy" dressing that is really a cashew base.
So, I figure the cashews are giving me some fat in which to absorb the kale nutrients. But how much fat/cashews do I need per X amount of kale? And is it possible that the protein in the cashews turns around and simply blocks the nutrient absorption?
Hope this gives you an idea of where my confusion is. I'm sure I'm making this more complicated than it needs to be. Any clarification you can provide would be appreciated.
JJ, only dairy appears to have the ability to block the phytonutrient benefits of cocoa and berries (Nutrient Blocking Effects of Dairy). So it's not all protein by any stretch (in fact it may not even be the dairy protein–we don't know what's in dairy that does that). So no need to worry about eating protein with your greens. And in terms of the carotenoid absorption (Forgo Fat-Free Dressings?) just a few cashews is all you need, especially if you release all their fat by blending them up. I'm sorry you got confused and I hope this helps clear things up!
Dr Greger: Yes, your explanation helps a lot.
My confusion is that I'm familiar with the concepts of things like "fat", "protein" and "carbohydrate". I do not have an understanding of what phytonutrient is. Or carotenoid. So, when I hear those words, I translate them into my head as "other stuff good for you". Looks like I was getting confused because I was equating phytonutrient and carotnenoid. You definitely helped clarify!
I clearly need to up my education level on for nutrition information so that I can process your videos better.
Hi, doctor. I can't really find this information online. What about if I consume both soymilk and green tea separately on the same day. Would soy milk still block the phytonutrient effects of the green tea, or is this block only effective when it's mixed in the same cup? For example, let's say I want to consume an oatmeal with soy milk at 8 in the morning and then drink a cup of green tea at 9? How far apart do the consumption times need to be to retain all the health benefits of green tea?
I would imagine an hour is enough for your stomach to empty enough for the two not to mix, although one could look deeper into this. Something that I've hard before is that the Japanese drink their tea 15 min to a half hour before they eat (under the premise that tea cleans the stomach and so prepping it for the meal to come).
What about coconut milk?, I dont think it has any protein so shouldnt effect polyphenol absorption.
I drink about 1 cup of milk a day with my two coffees in the morning. I'm drinking the milk then I usually eat my breakfast about 10 min after drinking the coffee with milk, my breakfast is always oatmeal with blueberries and no milk. My question is how long between drinking the milk and eating the blueberries does the milk effect the nutrients in the blueberries. I don't want to lose the nutrition of the blueberries but I really cant drink coffee without milk, so should I wait longer than 10 minutes between drinking milk and eating berries? I could just not eat berries with breakfast and maybe eat them later in the day but I really enjoy them in my oatmeal.
Just to be clear, you mean soymilk right?
No I actually only like real milk in my coffee.
This is a small sample of the many videos Dr. Greger has to offer over the topic of milk. After seeing some of these videos I hope you will reconsider your choice to include dairy milk with your coffee. It is indeed quite harmful.
The general rule with milk is wait one hour after eating berries and wait two hours after drinking milk before eating berries, this rule also applies to certain medications that interact with milk.
I also want to point out that that kale dish that I like also has a can of garbanzo beans – more protein.
One of the reasons I like that dish is that it seems to have it all: healthy protein, high-quality calcium-rich greens and good taste! But am I getting any good out of it?
The kale and cashews sounds yummy–you should post the recipe!
She has LOTS of really good "fat-free" (I think she means free of added processed fats) vegan recipes. I have modified her recipe to fit my tastes. For example, I omit the hot sauce, and I add mushrooms. I also changed up the process so that I can use the microwave instead of the stove top.
The recipe is yummy. I highly recommend it to people who are trying to develop a taste for kale. While the author recommends putting it on quinoa (which would be very good), I think it works just great as a dish by itself.
All plants have complete proteins..no need to compliment for the 8 essential amino acids.
I was thinking about this article recently, Does any non-daiy beverage have this effect? Has any more information been done to determine if it's the protein, the fat, or some other compound that impedes the phytonutrient absorption?
To quote Dr. Greger above, "only dairy appears to have the ability to block the phytonutrient benefits of cocoa and berries http://nutritionfacts.org/videos/nutrient-blocking-effects-of-dairy/ . So it's not all protein by any stretch (in fact it may not even be the dairy protein–we don't know what's in dairy that does that). So no need to worry about eating protein with your greens." Almond milk would be a safe non dairy substitute for tea, or with eating another nutrient dense meal. For right now the jury is out regarding what exactly blocks the nutrients.
Thank you for you work. The above video talks about milk only. This video talks about impacts of soy on vascular benefits of tea.
Absorption – Real milk blocks raspberry nutrients; soy milk is unknown.
Antioxident benefits – Real milk blocks benefits of coffee and chocolate; soy milk is unknown.
Cardiovascular benefits – real milk blocks NO2 release and vasodialation benefits from green and black tea and soy has the same blocking effects (this video).
How do we make sense of this? It seems to me like more research is needed to pin down these details.
while drinking a day may prevent the decline in IGF-1 levels one would ordinarily expect on a plant-based diet.
It looks like a quantity is needed.
Who does the voice on the videos? The guy cracks me up and does an amazing job of keeping me listening and engaged.
SOY. I heard too much soy is not good for men because of the supposed estrogen in it. I heard that allot of men started to grow breasts in the 90's who were drinking tons of soy. Is there any science supporting this? It completely put me off soy products when I heard/read this.
I am not sure if this was the right video to post this question. But there it is.
The narrator is non other than Dr. Micheal Greger!
Dr. Greger actually address this in many of his videos. this one in particular discusses how phytoestrogens had no estrogen raising affect while regular milk lowers testosterone and raises estrogen levels.
I know you said it's best to drink it straight, but is there any data yet about coconut milk-based creamer or other non-dairy non-soy creamers?
Tom, we should do our best to stay away from coconut products in general. Its a very high saturated fat food.
That is disappointing. Thank you.
Sorry! Coconut water is fine though. Perhaps you can add coconut water to your soymilk?
I do like coconut water. But with creamer it's mostly about the texture for me. Same thing with coffee. I was looking to replace dairy-based creamer. Soy milk, almond milk, creamers based on those, etc just don't add the right texture. I imagine coconut water wouldn't either.
I do like coconut water. But with creamer it's mostly about the texture for me. Same thing with coffee. I was looking to replace dairy-based creamer. Soy milk, almond milk, creamers based on those, etc just don't add the right texture. I imagine coconut water wouldn't either. Thank you for the suggestion, though.
Well what about this coconut "flavored" creamer. Based from rice milk and soy milk and "natural" flavors.
I approve of the ingredients (from face value) but id just need a confirmation from the nutrition label.
Actually, coconut fats have been found to be extremely healthy! Time to update this information!
That link is iffy since at the bottom of the page it states the website makes money off of the links in the article. I read it and until Dr. Gregory says so in a video I won't reevaluate my position that coconut should be part of my diet. I wouldn't recommend coconut products until then.
Re: More Texture to Faux Creamer/Coffee: I've been making my own soymilk for years now and a post by Bryanna Clark Grogan at http://veganfeastkitchen.blogspot.ca prompted me to add 1/4 cup old-fashioned large flake oats to my basic soymilk recipe. The results were delicious in my morning soy latte – very creamy. I'm not sure how you'd get this effect with commercially prepared soymilk. Mind you, none of this addresses the issue raised by Dr. Greger about soy and its effects.
So….to be most useful, research should show us not one bar for "adding soymilk" but many depending on how much, proportionately.
I agree, that's what i do too. I try to drink tea without anything, but sometimes it's just too bitter and i need to add a little almond/soy milk. I just add the smallest amount necessary to cover up some of the bitterness.
Both coffee and tea are healthiest when nothing is added to them.
Almond milk should not be assumed to have the same affect as soy milk. These foods have very different phytonutrients and protein ratios.
Hi, Toxins. I can't really find this information online. What about if I consume both soymilk and green tea separately on the same day. Would soy milk still block the phytonutrient effects of the green tea, or is this block only effective when it's mixed in the same cup? For example, let's say I want to consume an oatmeal with soy milk at 8 in the morning and then drink a cup of green tea at 9? How far apart do the consumption times need to be to retain all the health benefits of green tea?
I honestly do not know. I would assume when consumed at least 2 hours apart there should be no cause for concern. This is how long typical stomach emptying takes.
How about the effects of Soy milk on Coffee Lattes? Almond milk is just not as delicious to me. Is there anything we can mix soy milk with sans losing nutrient benefits?
Not that I know of Gayle, but I don't think that you should worry about it in that situation. Soymilk itself has nutritional value and masking some coffee antioxidants is not really a big deal.
Thank you for this, Toxins, and for all your informative and clarifying posts. You are treasure!
We add ½ tsp or so of a mix of spices, cinnamon, cardamon, cloves, turmeric, pepper, and ginger to our coffee with our soy milk, froth it up, and YUM YUM. Tastes a bit like "chai coffee." Someday I may go to almond milk, but I find it chalky and love the richness of soy after a lifetime of non-fat and 1% cow's milk!
After decades of loving green tea, just before going WFPB I suddenly began to hate it. Thanks to Dr. Greger, we discovered the even healthier and so beautifully ruby-colored hibiscus tea and find it delicious with some Truvía (erythritol 50+% and stevia).
I love your practical and non-dogmatic approach, Toxins! Thank you. So! Antioxidant vs phenol suppression. Blueberries and mangos with a date in our favorite Vitamixed soy ice cream. Soy in tea, milk, coco. Trade offs? In the context of a 100% WFPB diet, it seems OK even if we would be better off or safer using almond milk. We buy our Almond milk and it has more salt than our brands of Soy milk. How to gauge all the trade-offs? (BTW Whole Foods unsweetened soymilk has almost twice the sodium of Trader Joe's and of Wildwood brands.
Thanks Gayle for the compliments. I would agree with your tendency, that "In the context of a 100% WFPB diet, it seems OK even if we would be better off or safer using almond milk." These drinks are not your primary calorie source and even if they were, they are healthy nonetheless. Worrying about these minor details is not relevant in the big picture, as going WFPB is the best thing you can do for yourself and your family. Enjoy your soy milk infused drinks!
I would tend to think the tea first is a better approach so it can get out the stomach in an hour or so and then the oatmeal because the oatmeal would delay emptying for few hours by itself. Personally, I mix a teaspoon of ground organic green decaf tea a teaspoon of hibiscus powder and 1 bag of regular organic green tea and boil it keeping a close eye on it so it doesn't overflow, then put it into a glass with some cooler water, add a teaspoon of; turmeric, gooseberry powder, barberry powder, berberine extract, black pepper, and a couple of teaspoons of coffee. It's an antioxidant nirvana that tastes like straight up poison. I don't eat anything or drink anything especially soy for at least an hour and a half. I'd rather be safe than sorry. I suspect any protein whether from milk to soy milk to tuna fish would have the same problem because the difference with milk and soy milk is so different and yet they both have a good amount of protein and complete protein at that. I think it's worth it for me just to delay the following meal for an hour and 1/2 or so until I know otherwise.
I suspect any protein whether from milk to soy milk to tuna fish would have the same problem because the difference with milk and soy milk is so different and yet they both cause the same problem with antioxidants. The only thing they have in common is a good amount of protein and complete protein at that. I think it's worth it for me just to delay the following meal for an hour and 1/2 or so until I know otherwise.
The confusion is something i at one time shared with "JJ," until i did some academic research on tea. The main chemicals in tea that we do *not* want blocked is a group called "catechins" (there are several in tea, eg, EGCG & EGC). Research was done to compare green tea catechin absorption on an empty stomach versus with food. The human subjects were given either some carbs, in the form of bread of muffins, to accompany their tea, or just drank the tea on an empty stomach (in the morning after waking). The researchers found that the catechin absorption into the subjects' blood stream was much higher when tea was taken on an empty stomach. Another study also found that tea catechin absorption is further enhanced when ingested with something acidic, like lemon juice. (I experienced nausea when i tried to drink green tea on an empty stomach, and especially with lemons. However i experience considerably less nausea when i use white tea leaves instead).This however contrasts with the carotenoid antioxidants found in high levels of many colored and green leafy vegetables. These carotenoids are fat soluble and require some fats to go with the veggies, as i learned from Dr Greger's video also.
JJ, if you happen to see this post and would like links to the 2 research articles on tea, i would be happy to provide them to you.
So, long story short: try to drink tea on an empty stomach. It seems that any kind of food, not just tea, will affect catechin absorption. The exception is acidic foods, eg, lemons. Acidity actually seems to help.
Yes, would you please cite those articles? Eating bread increases cocoa catechin bioavailability, so it would be interesting to see where eating bread decreases tea catechin bioavailability. Thank you.
Polyphenol E is a pill that has standardized amounts of tea catechins. The paper explains that these pills were provided by the National Cancer Institute, but i also did a little more reading on the internet and found that it's made by a japanese company that makes these pills available to institutions for research (apparently Polyphenon E is the preferred means of studying standardized quantities of tea catechins, as opposed to extracting the substances from tea leaves oneself).
I recommend reading the whole paper, even though it's a bit lengthy.
I will have the other 2 papers for you by the end of this weekend; i need to search through my files and try to find them.
The paper above that i'm referencing is however not the same one that i alluded to in my first post above (from one year ago). That's one of the papers i'm going to look for.
mechanisms that decrease tea catechin absorption: slowing digestion rate or increasing bile release. Fat and protein probably decrease catechin absorption, but carbohydrate (sugar and bread) may or may not increase tea catechin absorption.
Is there any reason carbs should have different effects on tea and cocoa catechins? Interestingly, googling "cocoa milk catechin bioavailability" suggests milk protein impairs tea catechin absorption but not cocoa catechin absorption.
The above study echoes what you've stated, which is that ascorbate appears to help preserve the tea catechins, presumably in the gut, although we don't know for certain since this was just by test tube. And since the citric acid didn't preserve the catechins, we know that the pH of the ascorbic acid is not the only factor at work; it may be that the ascorbic acid acts as an antioxidant to help preserve the catechins. So i've taken to taking lemon juice with my tea, when possible. I've even tried consuming capers along with my tea, since capers have high levels quercetin, which along with the ascorbate, may aid in preserving the catechins (however i can't find the study that suggests the quercetin in the lemons may be responsible, so i guess i shouldn't speculate here). For me personally, i've recently enjoyed putting freeze-dried berry powder (different kinds of berries) into my tea, because it adds to the health properties and helps mask the tea's bitter taste, and so i think that the carbs from the berry powder may have an effect on catechin absorption, but whether it assists or hinders i have no idea.
I don't know what the answer is to your question about why tea being impaired by certain substances such as milk proteins, and yet cocoa catechins are not impaired. I did read that they have different flavonoids– cocoa having "procyanidins" and "flavan-3-ols," while tea has the trio of "EGCG,", "EGC," and "ECG" (hope i spelled those right), so maybe that's the primary reason for the difference.
Any updates on soy milk blocking this and that?
No updates on that, although i wouldn't worry about it too much. Soy has its own benefits, especially if homemade. I'm sure Dr Greger will update us eventually if a study appears on the subject. If you are concerned about interference by soy but don't want to give it up with your tea, try mixing it 50/50 with almond milk– that's what i do and i still manage to get some of the soy flavor that way.
"The intestinal uptakes of total catechins in green tea with xylitol/citric acid and xylitol/vitamin C were approximately 6 and 11 times, respectively, higher than that in green tea only. Meanwhile, the addition of sucrose and glucose to green tea with citric acid did not give any significant effect on intestinal uptake of total catechins, though sucrose and glucose were significantly effective on catechin uptake in green tea with vitamin C.
Thanks for this info! Really helpful.
I recently read that black pepper can help the absorption of antioxidants in green tea, though it seems to be only based on animals studies. However, I know black pepper increases the absorption of turmeric and other antioxidants in foods. Any info on black pepper and tea?
I used to get really nauseous when drinking green tea (or any powerful tea) on an empty stomach as well, but after being on a whole foods plant based diet for a long time, my stomach began to handle it fine. I imagine the nausea has something to do with the detoxing… at least that's what I always thought.
Does adding nut/seed milk, like hemp/almond, also interfere with absorption of antioxidants, particularly in green tea?
No, it appears that soymilk and dairy are the only perpetrators that we know of.
Thanks for this answer. How do we know this? Have more studies been done? Would love to know.
The protein profile may be at play here, and as soy has a very similar protein profile to that of animal products, including milk, we can assume that almond milk and others would not have the same effect. Of course this is speculation.
Someone needs to do the study! I love soy milk in my tea… I'd be willing to switch to almond if we had evidence that it doesn't block the effects we want.
If I put soy milk in a fruit shake containing amla powder, will it negate the effect of the antioxidants or any other good value of it?
Would you please present information or effects with carrageenan found in soymilk and alternative dairy products? I am reading that it is harmful and should be avoided. Thank you!!
Would soy milk also negate positive effects of other foods/drinks, like muesli, porridge, smoothies etc.?
Is there any information out there on whether other milk substitutes such as rice-, hazelnut- or almond milk have the same effects as cows milk and soy milk?
I don't actually put any milk in my tea anyways. What I would just like to have is a bowl of oatmeal with some sort of milk and a cup of green tea for breakfast. Surely, there must be some way to do that without losing the tea's benefits?
There is not currently any evidence showing that these other milks suppress the antioxidants like dairy or soy. I would doubt that this evidence would be found as we can hypothesize that this binding of nutrients is due to the protein structure.
Rami, what about whole soy beans with meals? Dr. Greger mentions the health benefits of including soy in the diet along with other legumes. So I can't imagine soy would inhibit all antioxidant absorption. Is it just that the phytonutrients in tea are especially vulnerable? Can you shed any light on this? Thanks!
How does soy milk compare to almond milk (store bought)? I try not to drink soy milk because I dont really like the taste and prefer almond milk so I just drink that. But what if I add almond milk to berries or tea? Does it block the nutrients?
Well there goes my antioxidant chai with rooibos tea each morning, which uses soy milk. What's the point if the soy milk likely blocks the uptake… So, which "milk" has a green light?
* consuming soy protein? wait 3-5 hours before consuming antioxidants?
* consuming dairy/casein? wait 6-8 hours before consuming antioxidants?
throughout the day, hoping some of them get absorbed.
It's only said that it blocks the phytonutrients of tea in the same way dairy milk does and dairy milk also blocks the antioxidants or many of the antioxidants in cacoa. There was no mention of berries or all antioxidants. It also didn't mention all soy which in itself contains antioxidants and is shown to have a positive impact on health with regular consumption. We're supposed to eat antioxidants all day long. Ideally, everything you eat should be a good source of antioxidants. But apparently, it's best not to use soy milk (or especially animal milk for a plethora of reasons) in tea and probably use a different milk, like almond milk when pairing with chocolate just to be on the safe side.
Does soymilk block the phyotnutrients in cocoa? Or should I switch to something like almond milk?
For now, we can assume that it does. Switching to almond milk may be a smarter choice to preserve the phytonutrients.
I often add cocoa powder, cinnamon and clove to my tea. Do you think these ones could affect the phytonutrient effect of tea as well?
or nut proteins in plant based milks have that same nutrition cancelling effect.
But I noticed that Dr. Greger uses soymilk in his smoothies, and recipes, and also tofu, which means that he isn't too concerned about the possibility that it might be blocking other phytochemicals beyond the ones in tea?
The study was in vitro, and not even on human cells: they used bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs). This is quite far from being conclusive.
Dr. Greger, I love your videos and I am so grateful for them – thank you! However, I have to admit that this information made me sad… I drink tea with soymilk everyday! Is there an update to this information? Perhaps a study done with humans?
Sounds like they used commercially made soy milk in there test ( we make our own) there is allot of other junk in that milk besides soy . Should we avoid eating other soy products when we drink green tea?
Yikes! I do love my homemade morning chai! I've been making it with soy milk. What about other plant based milks like rice, hemp, oat, almond, coconut, etc.? Any thoughts?
So if soymilk blocks the effects of the tea's flavanoids, does that mean I should not drink soymilk EVER? Or is it just in conjunction with the tea consumption (not necessarily afterwards)?
I'd like to hear more on this as well and just asked something similar. Though I'd imagine it's fine as even dairy milk is said to block the flavanoids in tea and chocolate but it isn't mentioned (that I'm aware of) that it blocks antioxidant activity from other foods. Also on some of his other videos, Dr. Greger points out the many benefits of soy and soy products like soy milk, and how particularly women who consume it on a regular basis appear to be healthier. So it can't be bad for everything. Tea flavanoids seem to be sensitive. Just observation but i'd like to learn more.
I'm vegan and I notice that in Australia camel milk is being promoted more regularly. Could you please do a piece on camel milk?
Wow, when will the exploitation of other animals ever end? :( Milk from any other animal is not for human consumption nor is it for any weaned animal. An animal produces milk specifically designed to nurture the offspring of that species. Cows milk is designed to make a baby calf grow into a full grown cow. The same can be said for a camel or a dog or a cat or a mouse or a human. The hormones present, among many other factors, are completely different in milk species to species due to it being only designed for that species. It's unnatural for a full grown camel to drink his/her mother's milk let alone a full grown (or any) human drinking the baby camel's mother's milk.
What about soy and antioxidants from other sources? Does it block antioxidants from foods eaten with it? Or is it just the particular types found in tea? But did soy have the same effect on chocolate as dairy milk? And does dairy milk block the antioxidants of other foods? Not that I think anyone should drink/eat dairy either way, but just curious.
Hi, Shaylen. I agree that this study raises more questions than it answers. As Dr. Greger points out, an in vitro experiment may, or may not translate to action in vivo in human beings. These other questions regarding berries and chocolate have not, as far as I know, been answered. While you might want to drink your green tea plain, I don't think it is necessarily wise to jump to lots of other conclusions that are not supported by the evidence. I hope that helps!
I see so many people asking if all soy blocks antioxidants or if all plant milks do. First, they're talking about the phyotnutrients of tea, and possibly chocolate. I think it would have been mentioned if almond milk or other plant milks had the same reaction. And I think it would be mentioned if this occurred for antioxidants in all foods. I find it unlikely they didn't check into that when seeing it has this reaction with tea, though it would be nice to know if they had. Still, there are so many studies done on soy that if it had an antioxidant blocking effect, it would have been noted several times along the line, or at least you would think so. For that matter, studies show that regular consumption of soy has a positive impact on health whereas if it blocked antioxidant activity (apart from the phytonutrients in tea and perhaps chocolate) the opposite would be the case. It would be really nice to know if there are more studies out there on this or get more details as to why this occurs with tea.
I limit soy to one meal per day, and I assume that I'm not getting the benefit of the antioxidants present in the foods in that meal. There are so many healthy plant foods to eat (and drink) at my other meals that I'm not concerned about it.
Aww a soy chai latte was my go to drink from starbucks. I convinced myself I was doing something healthy even though it was full of calories. :( I guess it's still a nice vegan treat though.
There is a recent video from Dr G (Oct, 2018) " https://nutritionfacts.org/video/does-adding-milk-block-the-benefits-of-coffee/ " that indicates soymilk in coffee is fine and I assume that holds for tea too as a cup of soy masala tea latte is my go-to celebratory drink of the day.
Dr. Gregor, thank you so much for this wonderful service! I'm hooked, and you've helped me to completely change the way I eat.
Like others who have posted so far, I'm curious to know more about soy milk (and almond milk) and the suppression of antioxidants/phytonutrients in other foods. I guess we'll just have to wait for those studies to be done.
I'm trying to piece together information from various videos to find the right amounts, combinations, and times to eat different foods. Is there a collection or index of videos that specifically deals with combining different foods for maximum effect, or avoiding the combination of otherwise healthful foods? I've seen a few (like this one on soy milk suppression), but I don't want to miss any!
Any suggestion for the best plant-based milk, no soy?
Hi, Ficcator! Plant-based milk is not nutritionally necessary, but may be used for flavor and texture. Almond or cashew milks are nice, if you don't like soy milk. If you have a high-speed blender, these are easy to make at home. Just soak nuts overnight, drain, place in the blender with water (and ice, if you want it cold) at about a 3:1, 4:1, or 5:1 ratio, depending on how thick you want your milk, and blend until smooth. If you want it really smooth, you can strain out any remaining pulp, but I like to leave it in for the fiber. A quickie almond milk may be made by blending plain, unsalted almond butter with water. Some people also blend almond flour with water, although I have not tried this method. I hope that helps!


text:
//---------------------------------------------------------------------
// <copyright file="Perspective.cs" company="Microsoft">
//      Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation.  All rights reserved.
// </copyright>
//
// @owner       [....]
// @backupOwner [....]
//---------------------------------------------------------------------
using System.Diagnostics;
using System.Linq;

namespace System.Data.Metadata.Edm
{
    using System.Collections.Generic;

    /// <summary>
    /// Internal helper class for query
    /// </summary>
    internal abstract class Perspective
    {
        #region Constructors
        /// <summary>
        /// Creates a new instance of perspective class so that query can work
        /// ignorant of all spaces
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="metadataWorkspace">runtime metadata container</param>
        /// <param name="targetDataspace">target dataspace for the perspective</param>
        internal Perspective(MetadataWorkspace metadataWorkspace,
                             DataSpace targetDataspace)
        {
            EntityUtil.CheckArgumentNull(metadataWorkspace, "metadataWorkspace");

            m_metadataWorkspace = metadataWorkspace;
            m_targetDataspace = targetDataspace;
        }
        #endregion

        #region Fields
        private MetadataWorkspace m_metadataWorkspace;
        private DataSpace m_targetDataspace;
        #endregion

        #region Methods

        /// <summary>
        /// Given the type in the target space and the member name in the source space,
        /// get the corresponding member in the target space
        /// For e.g.  consider a Conceptual Type 'Foo' with a member 'Bar' and a CLR type
        /// 'XFoo' with a member 'YBar'. If one has a reference to Foo one can
        /// invoke GetMember(Foo,"YBar") to retrieve the member metadata for bar
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="type">The type in the target perspective</param>
        /// <param name="memberName">the name of the member in the source perspective</param>
        /// <param name="ignoreCase">Whether to do case-sensitive member look up or not</param>
        /// <param name="outMember">returns the member in target space, if a match is found</param>
        internal virtual bool TryGetMember(StructuralType type, String memberName, bool ignoreCase, out EdmMember outMember)
        {
            EntityUtil.CheckArgumentNull(type, "type");
            EntityUtil.CheckStringArgument(memberName, "memberName");
            outMember = null;
            return type.Members.TryGetValue(memberName, ignoreCase, out outMember);
        }
        internal bool TryGetEnumMember(EnumType type, String memberName, bool ignoreCase, out EnumMember outMember)
        {
            EntityUtil.CheckArgumentNull(type, "type");
            EntityUtil.CheckStringArgument(memberName, "memberName");
            outMember = null;
            return type.Members.TryGetValue(memberName, ignoreCase, out outMember);
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Returns the extent in the target space, for the given entity container.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="entityContainer">name of the entity container in target space</param>
        /// <param name="extentName">name of the extent</param>
        /// <param name="ignoreCase">Whether to do case-sensitive member look up or not</param>
        /// <param name="outSet">extent in target space, if a match is found</param>
        /// <returns>returns true, if a match is found otherwise returns false</returns>
        internal bool TryGetExtent(EntityContainer entityContainer, String extentName, bool ignoreCase, out EntitySetBase outSet)
        {
            // There are no entity containers in the OSpace. So there is no mapping involved.
            // Hence the name should be a valid name in the CSpace.
            return entityContainer.BaseEntitySets.TryGetValue(extentName, ignoreCase, out outSet);
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Returns the function import in the target space, for the given entity container.
        /// </summary>
        internal bool TryGetFunctionImport(EntityContainer entityContainer, String functionImportName, bool ignoreCase, out EdmFunction functionImport)
        {
            // There are no entity containers in the OSpace. So there is no mapping involved.
            // Hence the name should be a valid name in the CSpace.
            functionImport = null;
            if (ignoreCase)
            {
                functionImport = entityContainer.FunctionImports.Where(fi => String.Equals(fi.Name, functionImportName, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase)).SingleOrDefault();
            }
            else
            {
                functionImport = entityContainer.FunctionImports.Where(fi => fi.Name == functionImportName).SingleOrDefault();
            }
            return functionImport != null;
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Get the default entity container
        /// returns null for any perspective other
        /// than the CLR perspective
        /// </summary>
        /// <returns>The default container</returns>
        internal virtual EntityContainer GetDefaultContainer()
        {
            return null;
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Get an entity container based upon the strong name of the container
        /// If no entity container is found, returns null, else returns the first one/// </summary>
        /// <param name="name">name of the entity container</param>
        /// <param name="ignoreCase">true for case-insensitive lookup</param>
        /// <param name="entityContainer">returns the entity container if a match is found</param>
        /// <returns>returns true if a match is found, otherwise false</returns>
        internal virtual bool TryGetEntityContainer(string name, bool ignoreCase, out EntityContainer entityContainer)
        {
            return MetadataWorkspace.TryGetEntityContainer(name, ignoreCase, TargetDataspace, out entityContainer);
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Gets a type with the given name in the target space.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="fullName">full name of the type</param>
        /// <param name="ignoreCase">true for case-insensitive lookup</param>
        /// <param name="typeUsage">TypeUsage for the type</param>
        /// <returns>returns true if a match was found, otherwise false</returns>
        internal abstract bool TryGetTypeByName(string fullName, bool ignoreCase, out TypeUsage typeUsage);

        /// <summary>
        /// Returns overloads of a function with the given name in the target space.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="namespaceName">namespace of the function</param>
        /// <param name="functionName">name of the function</param>
        /// <param name="ignoreCase">true for case-insensitive lookup</param>
        /// <param name="functionOverloads">function overloads</param>
        /// <returns>returns true if a match was found, otherwise false</returns>
        internal bool TryGetFunctionByName(string namespaceName, string functionName, bool ignoreCase, out IList<EdmFunction> functionOverloads)
        {
            EntityUtil.CheckStringArgument(namespaceName, "namespaceName");
            EntityUtil.CheckStringArgument(functionName, "functionName");

            var fullName = namespaceName + "." + functionName;

            // First look for a model-defined function in the target space.
            ItemCollection itemCollection = m_metadataWorkspace.GetItemCollection(m_targetDataspace);
            IList<EdmFunction> overloads =
                m_targetDataspace == DataSpace.SSpace ?
                ((StoreItemCollection)itemCollection).GetCTypeFunctions(fullName, ignoreCase) :
                itemCollection.GetFunctions(fullName, ignoreCase);

            if (m_targetDataspace == DataSpace.CSpace)
            {
                // Then look for a function import.
                if (overloads == null || overloads.Count == 0)
                {
                    EntityContainer entityContainer;
                    if (this.TryGetEntityContainer(namespaceName, /*ignoreCase:*/ false, out entityContainer))
                    {
                        EdmFunction functionImport;
                        if (this.TryGetFunctionImport(entityContainer, functionName, /*ignoreCase:*/ false, out functionImport))
                        {
                            overloads = new EdmFunction[] { functionImport };
                        }
                    }
                }

                // Last, look in SSpace.
                if (overloads == null || overloads.Count == 0)
                {
                    ItemCollection storeItemCollection;
                    if (m_metadataWorkspace.TryGetItemCollection(DataSpace.SSpace, out storeItemCollection))
                    {
                        overloads = ((StoreItemCollection)storeItemCollection).GetCTypeFunctions(fullName, ignoreCase);
                    }
                }
            }

            functionOverloads = (overloads != null && overloads.Count > 0) ? overloads : null;
            return functionOverloads != null;
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Return the metadata workspace
        /// </summary>
        internal MetadataWorkspace MetadataWorkspace
        {
            get
            {
                return m_metadataWorkspace;
            }
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// returns the primitive type for a given primitive type kind.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="primitiveTypeKind"></param>
        /// <param name="primitiveType"></param>
        /// <returns></returns>
        internal virtual bool TryGetMappedPrimitiveType(PrimitiveTypeKind primitiveTypeKind, out PrimitiveType primitiveType)
        {
            primitiveType = m_metadataWorkspace.GetMappedPrimitiveType(primitiveTypeKind, DataSpace.CSpace);

            return (null != primitiveType);
        }

        //
        // This property will be needed to construct keys for transient types
        //
        /// <summary>
        /// Returns the target dataspace for this perspective
        /// </summary>
        internal DataSpace TargetDataspace
        {
            get
            {
                return m_targetDataspace;
            }
        }
        #endregion
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Napster will slash its subscription fees
After nearly six years as a subscription-based service, Napster will make its library of over 7 million tracks available tomorrow for as low as five dollars a month. In addition to unlimited streaming, users get to keep five DRM-free tracks per month, essentially making the streaming service, which formerly cost $12.95 per month, free.
Napster's leaked press release describes streaming as "CD Quality," and most MP3s available for download in the service are encoded at 256 kbps, but there are also tracks currently only available in 128 kbps. The bitrate of each individual track will be listed when purchasing.
The service includes 60 commercial-free radio stations with formats from Oldies to Electronica to an all Wu-Tang clan station and a station that plays only Christmas-themed Jazz. Napster also includes 1,400 built-in playlists, and playlists arranged according to Billboard chart rankings that go back as far as 50 years.
Microsoft has likewise been making an advertising push for its own subscription service, Zune Pass. Using the logic that at $1 per song, it would cost $30,000 to fill an iPod, Microsoft touts the practicality of a subscription service with unlimited consumption. During last year's holiday season, Microsoft began to let Zune Pass subscribers keep 10 DRM-free tracks per month as a part of the $14.99 subscription cost.
Interestingly, this is the exact same approach that Napster took in 2005 when it advertised Napster to Go during the Super Bowl in a slot called "Do the Math." That commercial said it would cost $10,000 to fill an iPod with $1 songs, when it would cost only $15 a month for unlimited streaming through Napster. Maybe with these updated figures, Napster's value proposition makes more sense.
9 Responses to Napster will slash its subscription fees


text:
ETX Daily Up
Oscars will have a host again in 2022
The Oscars will have a host for the first time since 2018, broadcaster ABC said January 11, 2022.
The Oscars will have a host for the first time since 2018, broadcaster ABC said Tuesday, after television ratings for film's biggest night have plummeted in recent years.
The 94th Academy Awards, scheduled for March 27, will see Tinseltown's most important prize-giving event return to its traditional Dolby Theatre venue in Hollywood.
Last year's unorthodox edition, held at a Los Angeles train station with no host, was watched by just over 10 million viewers -- a 56 percent decline from 2020, which was already a record low.
"You heard it here first, I can confirm that this year's Oscars will have a host," Craig Erwich, president of ABC Entertainment and Hulu Originals, told a virtual panel discussion hosted by the Television Critics Association.
Erwich declined to give any further details, including whether Jimmy Kimmel -- host of ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" and the last two hosted Oscars in 2017 and 2018 -- will return.
"It might be me," he quipped.
In 2019, comedian Kevin Hart pulled out of hosting the Academy Awards after homophobic tweets he made several years earlier reemerged.
He was not replaced, and while that year's hostless format drew praise and was even emulated by other awards shows such as the Emmys, subsequent Oscar ceremonies were criticized for lacking focus and humor.
Also on Tuesday, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that veteran Glenn Weiss will direct the Oscars for a seventh consecutive year.
Few details have been confirmed for the show, which will be produced by Will Packer and were postponed for a second consecutive year.
The delay, reportedly to avoid clashing with February's Winter Olympics and the Super Bowl in Los Angeles, was announced months before the Omicron variant forced multiple Hollywood shows to scrap in-person events this winter.
amz/hg/sst
Most Covid-19 clusters involving education institutions found in boarding schools, health minister says
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 20 — Standard operating procedure (SOP) violations during and after formal schooling sessions were amongst factors contributing to the rise in Covid-19 clusters involving...
Act 342: Hefty fines can encourage abuse and corruption - business groups
They are concerned over the absence of a consultation process.


text:
Q: Ubuntu 20.04 hotspot connection not resolving DNS for iPhone device I have a wired connection on Ubuntu 20.04. I create a Hotspot connection. I believe NetworkManager automatically creates the following for my wireless interface:
inet 10.42.0.1  netmask 255.255.255.0  broadcast 10.42.0.255

I want to connect to the Hotspot connection with my iPhone. This is what i set up on my iPhone manually:
IP Address: 192.168.0.11
Subnet Mask: 255.255.0.0
Router: 10.42.0.1

I assume that I have to set the IP of the wireless interface as the router, because the Hotspot connction will be acting as the router in a sense. Is this correct? Where I have Router: 10.42.0.1
I am able to connect to the Hotspot, however upon examination of the traffic in Wireshark, it seems that the DNS is not resolving. The DNS settings on my iPhone are pointed to Google resolvers 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4. I am seeing DNS queries to Google resolvers, however no response is coming back.
It also seems like when i created the Hotspot connection NetworkManager magically started dnsmasq as the local-resolver on the wireless interface. This is what netstat -tupln looks like:
tcp        0      0 10.42.0.1:53            0.0.0.0:*               LISTEN      148021/dnsmasq
tcp        0      0 127.0.0.53:53           0.0.0.0:*               LISTEN      147835/systemd-reso
udp        0      0 10.42.0.1:53            0.0.0.0:*                           148021/dnsmasq
udp        0      0 127.0.0.53:53           0.0.0.0:*                           147835/systemd-reso
udp        0      0 0.0.0.0:67              0.0.0.0:*                           148021/dnsmasq

I am not really sure what to do, I have tried disabling ufw as well in case it was a firewall issue. Still no luck. I have also tried setting the ipv4.addresses and ipv4.dns manually in nmcli instead of shared. Still nothing. Please let me know what I'm missing here. Been at this all day.

A: BE CAREFUL WITH THE FIREWALL
First try:
sudo ufw disable

If this solves the problem, you can do:
sudo ufw enable
sudo ufw       allow in  on wlo1
sudo ufw route allow out on enp41s0

My system works with:
sudo ufw status numbered
[ 1] Anywhere on wlo1           ALLOW IN    Anywhere
[ 2] Anywhere on enp41s0        ALLOW FWD   Anywhere       (out)
[ 3] Anywhere (v6) on wlo1      ALLOW IN    Anywhere (v6)
[ 4] Anywhere (v6) on enp41s0   ALLOW FWD   Anywhere (v6)  (out)

Only [ 1] and [ 2] are strictly necessary.
Knowing all of this before would help me a lot!

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


KUWAIT CITY, June 2: In another attempt to control unjustified price hikes, Minister of Commerce and Industry Khaled Al-Roudhan said the ministry is currently working on an electronic system to monitor prices in the local market.
Although the accessibility details have yet to be disclosed, the minister explained that the system will list prices of around 500 products sold in various outlets allowing consumers to monitor and compare prices.
On the benefits that this system will provide to retailers, Al-Roudhan pointed out it will create a competitive atmosphere where the best offers and discounts will undoubtedly attract more consumers.
Furthermore, responding to queries submitted by several MPs including Riyadh Al-Adsani who is known for following up anticorruption measures, the minister confirmed the cancellation of 63 commercial licences due to various violations since the beginning of the year.
He attributed this to the constant inspection conducted by 30 teams in cooperatives, shopping centres and other smaller outlets.
Also, the ministry closely monitors festivals that affect the markets, including Ramadan shopping festivals. He explained outlets must obtain licences for discounts or special offers, indicating they are required to submit details of the campaign including costs and prices. He added the inspection teams carry out surprise and anonymous visits everyday, including weekends and official holidays, to ensure strict compliance with the law. He revealed the ministry recently increased the number of commercial inspectors and updated the 135 hotline for receiving consumers' complaints.
Moreover, the parliamentary Replacement and Employment Crisis Committee, as well as the Education Committee, will discuss important topics on Sunday. Sources said both committees are leaning towards postponing submission of their reports until the next term due to disagreements with the executive authority and discontent amongst MPs who believe that the reports are far from complete and require further investigation and preparation. On the other hand, the Budget and Final Accounts, Financial and Economic Affairs, and Legal and Legislative committees will also convene on Sunday to discuss the financial status and reserves of the country as MPs are keen on finalizing these matters during the special session scheduled for June 25, 2018 rather than postponing them until the next term.


text:
Impediments to housing finance, by UPDC, others
The Managing Director, UACN Property Development Company (UPDC) Plc, Mr. Hakeem Ogunniran, has identified five drawbacks to housing finance in the country. These include cost, character, capacity, collateral and conditions.
This is coming on the heels of a World Bank report. The findings of Word Bank Group, contained in "Doing Business in Nigeria 2014" under the section "Understanding Regulations for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, revealed that an investor in the country's real estate sector has to go through 11 procedures of over 78 days, and also pay 15.8 per cent of the value of the property before a transfer of property can be achieved.
This situation has made the country to be rated as one of the most difficult and expensive places to register property in the world.
Ogunniran said the problem with land registration and titling was much a systemic issue, explaining that the system is people-driven and not process-driven. He, therefore, suggests that there should be a "one-stop-shop" for perfecting title and should be made business-like.
The report, which is based its submission on findings examined in the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT), held that the easiest place to register a property is in Zamfara State, where it takes nine procedures, 31 days, and eight per cent of the property value.
In Abia State, it takes 13 procedures, 108 days, and 15.9 per cent of the property value. The report, which blamed the delays recorded while trying to register property on government bureaucracy, said "the time is largely dependent on a single requirement: the state governor's consent, which accounts for 65 per cent of the total time required, on average. The delay varies from four days in Gombe to six months in Anambra or Keffi."
As a way forward, the Managing Director, Resort Savings and Loans Plc, Mr. Abimbola Olayinka, said the Land Use Act should be used to empower the people and not as an economic and political tool by state chief executives, adding that the Act should be taken away from the constitution so that it could be easily tinkered with.
Olayinka said land administrators should adopt what he called "three-one-three strategy" for land registration. This means that land titles should be perfected in three days at one central place, and at the cost of three per cent of the value of the land.
Similarly, the Chief Executive Officer, Imoleayo Properties, Mr. Kayode Oyedele, explained that eliminating the bottlenecks created by the land and property laws and regulations will go a long way in encouraging mortgages.
He revealed that previously in Ghana, there is a dysfunctional land administration, long and expensive procedures that lasted up to five years and involving six different agencies supervising the process, leading to inefficiency of the system.
But following the reforms by the Ghanaian government, property registration in the country, Oyedele said, was cut to 34 days and queues at the lands commission disappeared, making it possible for the mortgage sector to thrive.
And following further improvement to the system, today in Ghana, it takes 10 days to register a property.
"A similar experience happened in Egypt, where high fees and inefficient government agencies that hindered the process of real estate was eliminated by reducing property registration fees; simplifying the property registration process thus encouraging citizens and companies to obtain titles," he submitted.