Apparently, money isn't the most powerful or effective motivator, according to an article called Delivering Happiness a movement inspired by Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh's first book, Delivering Happiness, A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose.
Back in the 1970's, psychologist Edward Deci ran an experiment showing how incentivising students with money to solve puzzles actually made them less interested in working on them after being paid. Meanwhile, another group of students who hadn't been offered money, worked on the puzzles longer and with more interest. Deci's work uncovered the powerful and significant difference between extrinsic motivation, the kind that comes from outside sources, and intrinsic motivation, the kind that comes from within yourself.
So how do you attain that intrinsic motivation? Daniel Pink, in his book, Drive lists three elements of the motivation formula: autonomy, mastery, and purpose. In situations where people are paid fairly, this trio drives, engages, and stimulates us to do our best work.
Our self-direction is a natural inclination. Pink points to the simple example of how children play and explore all on their own. We're all built with inner drive.
Deci, and his colleague Richard Ryan, have continued to explore the nature of what's called self-determination theory, a theory of motivation that takes into account people's psychological needs. They discovered in a study of workers at an investment bank that managers who offered "autonomy support" — which means helping employees make progress by giving meaningful feedback, choice over how to do things, and encouragement — resulted in higher job satisfaction and better job performance.
Workplaces can support autonomy by giving people real control over various aspects of their work — whether it's deciding what to work on or when to do it.
We want to get better at doing things. It's why learning a language or an instrument can be so frustrating at first. If you feel like you're not getting anywhere, your interest flags and you may even give up. A sense of progress, not just in our work, but our capabilities, contributes to our inner drive.
Employers should look at calibrating what people must do by looking at what they can do. If the must-tasks are too difficult, people will become worried and feel out of their league. If the must-tasks are too easy, they'll will get bored.
The must-tasks should be just right. So Pink concludes that we should work on Goldilocks tasks, which are neither too difficult nor too easy. The trick is not to give tasks fitting a person's exact capabilities, but to give them space and support to reach a little higher to foster improvement, continual mastery, and growth. What this requires of employers is paying more attention to how employees are doing and feeling about their tasks in order to avoid keeping square Bob or triangle Mary from trying and losing heart at fitting into round tasks.
(Psst: Our culture that makes us truly extraordinary and able to deliver magical moments. Recognising the ordinary and having the spirit and ability to transform things into the extraordinary is something that defines each of us at Chill).
People who find purpose in their work unlock the highest level of the motivation game. Pink says that it's connecting to a cause larger than yourself that drives the deepest motivation. The purpose is what gets you out of bed in the morning and into work without groaning and grumbling — something that you just can't fake.
What can we do to help? Help employees connect to something larger than themselves. (*Hint: IDP's that is both Personal and Professional). Measurement by numbers and figures is great but it's not the only way. Connect work to people and values. Providing patient photos, for example, to radiologists, who have little direct contact with patients, improved their performance.
Why is the motivation trifecta especially relevant?
According to Pink, the old-school model of carrots and sticks is becoming increasingly outdated, and according to lots of research, is perhaps, plain wrong.
It makes sense that old-school organisational and personal frameworks of productivity just aren't cutting it in this age when knowledge work, creativity, and problem-solving are required to stand out and succeed. Here's to building more autonomy, mastery, and purpose to produce not just a more productive and effective workforce, but a happier one. Where the real magic happens.
Read the original article: At Delivering Happiness by Janet Choi.
This entry was posted in Business Strategy, Business Tools, Chill, Chill Team, Community News, Embracing Change, Leadership, Mindfulness, News, Sustainability. Bookmark the permalink.


"There's a simple way to tell if you're on the wrong side: nobody will ever turn back once they see the opposition."
I realised something. On most debates about a topic, a strange thing happens that always lets you easily know which side is the "right" one. It's simple: You will never see someone fighting on the right side suddenly defect to the wrong side. For example, a woman may not care about fighting for equal rights until she sees that she has unequal pay in a job, or has another experience that changes her mind. But there is no situation that could make someone go from believing they are unequal to deciding they are and that everyone should stop fighting for their rights. (Other than being surrounded and peer pressured by people already on the other side). In this situation it's obvious the right side is to fight for equality, but it seems to work in any given situation where there are 2 explicit sides to an argument.


A large late Victorian residence, converted into a nursing home but now vacated from that use. The placename Holcombe is mentioned on the 1332 Subsidy Roll. The area falls outside the manor as outlined on the 1790 Courtenay Survey and probably formed a free tenement, or part of one.


Do you love unique metal work and sculptures? Want to try your hand at repairing wrought iron fencing or fixing that broken bicycle? If you are new to welding and need some advice on getting started, begin with a visit to Josef Gas! We carry all the welding supplies you need to get started or expand your hobby.
Welding is a fun hobby that can become a great way to earn some income if you get good at it – simple repairs, automotive work, selling your pieces at festivals and fairs, or maybe you'll love it so much, you look in to it as a full time profession!
There are many different types of welding. Beginners usually start with some form of stick welding. MIG welding is the easiest process to learn and requires the least amount of skill to create a good weld. It's a great way to get your feet wet. Once you are comfortable or if you want to explore different techniques, you can move on to explore other methods. You can learn more about the specific welding methods on our blog.
We also recommend starting your new hobby with a basic class. Local vocational schools and art centers may offer classes or you can reach out to professional welders to see they would be willing to show you the ropes.
If you just want to learn more about welding in general and try out some equipment before you take the plunge, visit Josef Gas at 201 Basaltic Road, Concord, ON. Our showroom is fully stocked with the latest welding supplies. Our staff is very knowledgeable and would love to talk with you about your potential new hobby. We can advise you on gear and offer advice or resources you may not be aware of.
Stop in anytime we are open – no need to make an appointment! We look forward to seeing you soon!


The Nexuiz team has released version 2.2.3 of Nexuiz. You can read the release notes or hit the downloads page for the patch or the full release.
Google offered some clarification on what its plans are for YouTube and Google Video. Basically, Google Video will become a search engine only. YouTube will host the videos. Ars Technica also offers a few comments on the subject. It seems like a reasonable solution to me.


Have you completed the Biosimilars Education Need Assessment Survey? A reminder was sent to your inbox and the deadline to respond is Monday, February 18th.
The survey will inform the Biosimilars Task Force in the development of educational activities and resources to assist oncology pharmacy practitioners when implementing biosimilars medicines into their local practice.
Please check your inbox and contact services@isopp.org if you haven't received a reminder.


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Pakistani Actress Veena Malik Sues Indian Men's Magazine For 'Doctored' Nude Photo
11:46 AM PST 12/4/2011 by Elizabeth Snead
Posing nude for an Indian magazine with Pakistan's ISI intelligence agency tattoo on her arm and a grenade in her hand has sparked a political controversy.
U.S. actresses pose nude at the drop of a hat. No big deal. But this nude shot is a very big political deal. Pakistani actress Veena Malik appears nude on FHM India, an Indian men's magazine's website -- with the initials of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence Agency (ISI) initials on her arm, a hand grenade in her hand with the pin in her mouth. The photo has caused a loud outcry in her home country for disparaging both Pakistan and Islam.
Now Malik has filed a lawsuit against FHM India. She claims that the naked photo of her was doctored or "morphed." Her lawyers are demanding that the photo not appear on the mag's December cover. They also want the so-called altered photos pulled off the website, and for a very sizable sum (RS 100m, or nearly $2 million) in damages.
The lawsuit notice was issued on Sunday with Maxposure Corporate Media, FHM chief editor Kabeer Sharma and photographer Vishal Saxena named as respondents. The suit also discusses the specifics of what Veena was told about what the photo shoot would consist of and a claim that she "was assured that no nude photograph in any manner would be shot."
But magazine editor Kabeer Sharma argues that Malik gave full consent for the shoot. "We have all the record(s)," he told a Pakistani television station. "Veena was very excited about that ISI idea." He also claims eight people were present and they have video of the photo shoot and emails from her private account confirming the details.
Some critics call her lawsuit a publicity stunt and suggest that her denial is due to fear of more trouble and danger in Pakistan. Rumors also suggest Malik is drumming up publicity for her new Indian realty TV show Swayamwar Season 4, which is a kind of Bachelorette spinoff. Is Veena the Pakistani Kim Kardashian?
Conservative Pakistanis are horrified by the nude photo because they claim it brings shame to the nation. India and Pakistan have fought three bitter, brutal wars, and the Pakistan ISI agency is suspected of terrorist attacks inside India. To say there is ongoing distrust and hatred -- political, religious and cultural -- on both sides is putting it mildly. To fully grasp the uproar, imagine Kim Kardashian posing nude with the tattoo image of Osama Bin Laden on her arm, holding a toy airplane. Now you're getting it.
Malik has broken Pakistani religious and national taboos in the past and is a target for conservative anger while seen as a sexy Jane Fonda-like heroine to Pakistani liberals. Malik does most of her acting work in India. The entertainment sector in that country is booming, while Pakistan's is decidely not.
Her acting career in India has long been condemned by her critics. During a talk show appearance earlier this year, she lashed out at her nemesis, scholar Abdul Qawi, for criticizing her scripted love affair with an Indian actor on an Indian reality show.
"What is your problem with me?" an angry Malik asked Qawi, after he accused her of insulting Islam.
How much time ya got?
Elizabeth Snead

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Interestingly enough, these fake "Catholic bishops" from northern Belgium have decided to publish their sacrilegious pseudo-liturgy just a few days before they are scheduled to have their quinquennial ad limina visit with Jorge Bergoglio ("Pope Francis"). How will he react? How will the Vatican? Officially, the Novus Ordo Sect has condemned the blessing of sodomite couples. In 2021, "Cardinal" Luis Ladaria, the prefect of the then-so-called Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, released a statement to that effect. But Francis wouldn't be Francis if he hadn't already found a way to send mixed signals even on that issue. He had Juan Carlos Cruz tell the world that he is "very hurt by what has happened", namely -- so Francis reportedly told Cruz -- that he was tricked into authorizing the CDF statement against homo blessings. Likely story! It remains to be seen how the false pope, who is on record saying that sins of the flesh are "the least serious sins", will act in response to this. In an interview with Crux, Bombeek underscores his belief that this new ministry is "in the spirit of our pope", and there is no question he is right. We know where Bergoglio stands -- he has made that abundantly clear over and over again -- but, as we have learned throughout the last 9+ years, that is not necessarily an indication of what he will say or do. Presumably, Francis will take no action for the time being. Eventually, though, someone will ask him about this publicly during an interview or at a press conference, and then it's anyone's guess as to what he will say, but presumably with some non-committal or ambiguous answer that can be taken in one way or another. Of course he is also very good at saying or hinting one thing and doing another. At the same time, it is also quite possible that Francis will use this incident in Belgium to play tough conservative and crack down on the Flemish homophiles. This would score him some much-needed brownie points with the more conservative-minded members of his sect, to help keep them in the game: Three steps forward, one step back. That still nets a total of two steps forward. Bergoglio's farcical "accompaniment" is not a matter of gradually and compassionately leading the sinner onto the way of salvation, which is the royal and difficult road of the Cross, which alone leads to eternal life (cf. Lk 14:27). Rather, it supports, comforts, and encourages the sinner in his sins as he journeys merrily towards hell. Bergoglian accompaniment is therefore the exact opposite of being charitable or kind to the sinner -- under the guise of compassion, it actually despises him, mutilates him, and hurls him to eternal ruin, casting him "into the furnace of fire: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Mt 13:42). Only a monster could want that for any soul redeemed by the Precious Blood of Christ. Image source: composite with elements from Shutterstock (esfera) and Wikimedia Commons (Philcotof) Licenses: paid and CC BY-SA 4.0Interview on 'Catholic Family Podcast'...
A Recap of Francis' Participation in the Congress of World Religions in Kazakhstan
A lot happened last week in Kazakhstan. The seventh so-called Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions took place in the capital of Nur-Sultan, also known as Astana, and the head of the Vatican II religion, the Argentinian apostate Jorge Bergoglio ("Pope Francis") had a prominent role to play in it. Originally scheduled to be held in the city's pyramid building, named the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation, it ended up being transferred to the Palace of Independence. Novus Ordo Watch followed closely what took place at the interreligious conference, especially Francis' own two speeches. Our collected material on that is available here:
The Francis Show in Kazakhstan: Bergoglio's 'Apostolic Journey' of Sep. 13-15, 2022
Francis at Interreligious Congress: 'Man is the Way for All Religions'
'Final Declaration' of Interreligious Congress gets quietly revised after Conference is over
For those not willing or able to go through all this material, we can share an audio presentation giving the highlights of what took place, including also some comments about Astana's Novus Ordo auxiliary bishop Athanasius Schneider. On Saturday, Sep. 17, 2022, the host of the Catholic Family Podcast, Kevin Davis, kindly interviewed yours truly regarding Bergoglio's trip to the Central Asian nation and his participation in the ominous "interfaith" assembly. The interview, originally meant to be around 15 minutes in length, turned into a most informative 67-minute conversation:
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmBWrf2yjh8[/embedyt]
A big thank-you goes to Mr. Davis for the opportunity to explain the recent events in Nur-Sultan. Meanwhile, at today's general audience, the false pope reflected on his "apostolic journey" to the former Soviet republic. Regarding the error-laden joint Final Declaration that was read and approved at the end of the conference, Francis said: "The Congress discussed and approved the Final Declaration, which stands in continuity with the one signed in Abu Dhabi in February 2019 on human fraternity." The interreligious Abu Dhabi declaration of 2019 contains the blasphemous heresy that in the same way God in His creative wisdom willed a diversity of races, colors, and sexes, He also willed a diversity of religions. At the end of his reflection/report, Francis said that "in a world in which progress and regression are intertwined, the Cross of Christ remains the anchor of salvation...." Such beautiful and lofty words! It's too bad they flatly contradict what he said earlier this year (Feb. 4) in a video message for the second International Day of Human Fraternity, namely: "The path of fraternity is long and challenging, it is a difficult path, yet it is the anchor of salvation for humanity" (source). The blessed Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ was not included in the message, by the way, nor was His holy Cross mentioned. Francis changes the "Gospel" he preaches depending on the occasion, the audience, and the end he has in view. (And this was by no means the first time.) Clearly, he is one of those "false prophets, who come to you in the clothing of sheep, but inwardly they are ravening wolves" (Mt 7:15). Image source: YouTube (screenshot) License: fair use
Interview: A Recap of Francis' Participation in the Congress of World Religions in Kazakhstan
Interview on 'Catholic Family Podcast'…
A Recap of Francis' Participation in the Congress of World Religions in Kazakhstan
A lot happened last week in Kazakhstan. The seventh so-called Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions took place in the capital of Nur-Sultan, also known as Astana, and the head of the Vatican II religion, the Argentinian apostate Jorge Bergoglio ("Pope Francis") had a prominent role to play in it.
Originally scheduled to be held in the city's pyramid building, named the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation, it ended up being transferred to the Palace of Independence.… READ MORE
in Novus Ordo Wire Athanasius Schneider, Ecumenism, Francis, Heresy, Indifferentism, Interreligious Dialogue, Judaism, Kevin Davis, Mario Derksen, Naturalism 0


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iBirdCorp is a S Corp company who is providing services in Accounting and Taxation with back office support firm founded in 2018 by S . Silambarasan, MBA in Hospitality Management . The firm compliment includes an additional staff of approx. 25 which include senior CPA's, newly designated CPA's, CPA students and other accounting and administrative staff.
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PARENTS can get their hands on half price bikes for their kids at Tesco during its outdoor sale.
The supermarket has slashed the price of children's outdoor toys so the balance bikes cost £25 each instead of £50.
We found that the discounted price now means that it's one of the cheapest kids' bikes we could find.
It is now the same price as the Chad Valley training bike from Argos and the Indi Balance Bike from Halfords.
The next best value balance bike costs £29.99 from Smyths Toys.
The deal was spotted by bargain hunters over at Money Saver Online who shared it on their Facebook page.
The post has already received over a hundred comments from eager parents but some have been disappointed to find that they can't find the bike for sale online.
That's because the bikes would have been featured in the Tesco Direct side of the business, which it closed down in July last year.
Since then, the retailer has continued to stock tech, toys, home and cookware in its larger stores, such as Tesco Extra, but you can't order them online.
The Sun has asked Tesco exactly which stores the bikes are being stocked and will update this article as soon as we know.
The bloggers also spotted neoprene puzzle play mats for £7, £8 or £15 depending on what size you're after.
Peppa Pig, Paw Patrol and PJ Masks giant bubble buckets cost £2.50 down from £5. The next best price we could find for these were £3.49 from The Range.
There's an online sale too but the best bargains can be found in stores.
A set of two Carousel Water Blasters for £10 - or they're £7.50 - and bags of Lets Play Outdoor sand for the sandpit cost £4 for two, or £2.50 for one.
Bargain hunters spotted the price drops over the weekend although it's not clear exactly when it started.
The retailer also hasn't confirmed when the sale will be ending so shoppers might want to get in there quick to make sure they get their hands on the best deals.
Tesco is trialling giving Clubcard members lower prices and planning an Amazon Prime-like loyalty scheme.
Mothercare has also launched a toy sale with up to 70 per cent off with prices starting for less than £1.
Parents can also scoop deals at Aldi. The store is currently stocking toddler gear including a cute bee, ladybird, dinosaur and pineapple backpacks.


Line cookie sheet with wax paper. In a large bowl, put 1/2 cup of matza meal. Beat 6 egg yolks with a 1/2 cup of sugar. In another bowl, beat the egg whites with cream of tartar. Slowly pour the mix into the bowl with the egg whites, and stir. Add walnuts. Pour the mix into the cookie sheet and bake for a 1/2 hour until done. Remove from oven. Put powdered sugar on a towel. Roll the baked mix while still hot. Make whipped cream and add 2 tsp. coffee so you make it mocha. Add powdered sugar to taste. Open towel carefully. Spread mocha all over the cake and roll the cake again (without towel) and put it on a platter with the whipped cream. Decorate with walnuts. When frozen, it tastes like ice-cream. This may be refrigerated.


Nothing slows down progress like indecision. When a lone individual is responsible for making a decision, they may stall, worrying about the consequences of making the wrong decision. But when you ask a group to form a consensus and make a decision together, the formula is far more complicated and the process can take much longer.
But, organizations must make decisions all the time. And product management—as the hub where many parts of the company intersect—makes many big decisions. Given that a product manager has more to do than simply facilitate deliberations and prod people toward an outcome, many organizations turn to scalable decision making frameworks. When used effectively, these can help ensure decisions are made as quickly as possible without cutting corners or missing the input of stakeholders.
With so much riding on the choices companies make, and so many individuals tasked with making those decisions, a predefined method for reaching consensus can greatly improve an organization's efficiency and interpersonal dynamics while also ensuring the ideal outcome.
Decision making frameworks help teams maintain momentum. They help teams reach consensus faster by removing potential points of friction related to ambiguity around ownership. When properly defined and adopted, decision making frameworks ensure everyone knows exactly what their role is in the decision making process.
Defined processes for making decisions as a team ensure questions about roles and responsibilities are addressed during the process definition phase and the kick off of any particular project. This means there's no mystery about who should be doing what.
Decisions made in a vacuum can suffer from a lack of context as they don't take advantage of the strengths and perspectives of an organization's individuals. Using a set process ensures knowledge gaps are closed by soliciting input from those with relevant information, understanding all potential consequences of a decision once it's made, and getting everyone aligned regarding why a decision was made and what needs to happen next.
As teams and companies grow, silos form and different groups start doing things their own way. While that's not always a problem, when it comes to big decisions it's important that they are all made with a full consideration of their impact and leveraging all of the resources and institutional knowledge available.
A decision making framework can create some guidelines to guarantee everyone is properly informed and consulted while bestowing final decision making authority to the appropriate people.
Decisions are important, but everyone has other things they need to do, too. With a scalable model for decision making, team members will spend less time deliberating and more time executing, without sacrificing strategic thinking.
By adopting a framework that includes clearly defined roles, personalities can take a backseat to the process and staff won't spend time on tasks they don't really need to worry about.
Driver: This lone individual gets all of the information and gathers the stakeholders to make the ultimate decision.
Approver: This person makes the final call.
Contributors: They provide relevant information, but they don't make the decision.
Informed: They are made aware of what's decided.
After spending about ten minutes defining the roles, it's time to create an action plan, answering questions like when must the decision must be made, why you're deciding something, and what the current situation is. For each option being considered, you'll want to call out the pluses and minuses of each choice, as well as any potential risks or trade-offs that come with it.
Next the Contributors have their chance to provide any additional relevant information, at the prodding of the Driver. If necessary, some in-person debate between the Contributors can happen at this point. Then, with all the data and opinions at their disposal, the Approver makes the call and the Informed are told the verdict.
RACI stands for Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed. In this matrix, each row is for a particular task, and there is a column for each person/role in the organization (i.e. project manager, engineering manager, developer, sales executive).
Responsible: They're actually doing the work. In this context, they're either doing the research to make the decision or actually making the decision themselves.
Consulted: All of these people should be given a chance to provide their input before the decision is made.
Informed: These folks are told what's happening and what was decided, but they do not provide any input or have any responsibility.
The exercise of defining the matrix is almost as valuable as using it, since it clearly lays out who is responsible for what in the decision making process. It might bruise some egos, but it also plainly states whose opinion matters and whose does not.
Recommender: They kick things off and are the facilitator tasked with ensuring the process concludes with a decision.
Input: These people are consulted because their opinion or knowledge is valued, but they don't make the actual call.
Approve: These are essentially the same as Inputs, but they are also expected to agree with the final decision and possess veto power.
Decide: This is the person (or group) who makes the final decision. Nothing moves forward without their OK.
Perform: Once the decision is made, these are the folks who need to execute based on the outcome of the process.
LinkedIn's Performance Team uses this one for important decisions that have urgency, require horizontal collaboration across the organization, and represent a significant ROI.
Developed at Square, the SPADE framework is also predicated on breaking down each step of the decision making process so it is clear to everyone what's happening, who's doing what, and why a decision was reached.
Setting: Answering the What, When and Why of each decision—What are you trying to actually deciding on, When must that decision be made (and why by that date), and Why are you making this decision in the first place.
People: Doling out accountability, responsibility, and identifying who should be consulted for each decision.
Alternatives: What are the possible choices that can be made for the decision in question?
Decide: Making the choice, usually with private voting so people aren't worried about politics and personalities.
Explain: Once the decision is made, the decider then has to tell everyone else what the decision was and why it was selected. This includes both in person in a group setting as well as summarized in a one-page memo.
Making a decision is a process, and process mapping is always useful for ensuring all relevant information and people are considered while creating a consistent, repeatable model. And, when it comes to decision making in particular, it can also serve as an extremely useful and insightful tool for auditing how decisions are currently being made.
Was the same general process being followed?
Were any groups or individuals left out that should have been included?
Was there a clear owner of the process and a "decider" at the end of it?
Were both the final decision and the rationale clearly communicated to relevant parties?
At the end of the process was their full buy-in to the verdict across the organization?
If the answer to any of these was "no" then you know there's some work to do to round out the process. If it was a perfect report card, then it's just a matter of documenting what works and ensuring others understand how they can use it themselves when the next big decision needs to be made.
Sometimes the options for a particular decision aren't binary. When there are many possible ways to go, one way to collect input and generate a consensus that most can live with is to ask for a ranking of the options that is more nuanced that a simple yes/no.
When using gradients of agreement, those casting a vote can signal their enthusiasm by selecting from multiple options along a scale of declining approval.
With this more nuanced input, the person or group can tally up the responses and make the final decision, weighting each opinion appropriately. This process moves beyond an up/down vote and lets you sense what kind of ongoing support a choice will really have it it's selected.
A word of caution about decision frameworks… they aren't magic. Decision making frameworks don't replace hard work, research, discussion, and debate. Instead, they provide a common setting for decisions to be made, and a process that should create speed and consistency while still covering all the bases.
Relying on a framework for every single decision is overkill; they should be reserved for important decisions that impact a large swath of the organization. Overreliance can destroy everyone's sense of autonomy and create its own share of bottlenecks.
You should also start slow when you're ready to get started, so the process doesn't stall. Focus on decisions that have major strategic importance or cut across many parts of the organization.
Transparency—No smoke-filled rooms here; everyone knows exactly how the decision was made and who made it.
Common Understanding—By pulling information and expertise from across the organization, a baseline is created to inform the decision as well as those impacted by it.
Defined Roles—While often the longest and most contentious part of every process, it is clear who gets a say and who doesn't and removes the illusion that business decisions are reached in a democratic forum.
Momentum—Although they facilitate a thorough approach to the decision, they are all geared toward getting to an answer as quickly as possible.


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Laura Kelly for Governor Laura Kelly/Lynn Rogers Logo
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EQKS: Kansas Equality PAC Announces Primary Gubernatorial Endorsements
On the Democratic side, we choose State Senator Laura Kelly based on her 100% pro‑LGBT voting record, her advocacy for LGBT equality in legislative committees, on the Senate floor, and in her current campaign. Senator Kelly was first elected in November of 2004. Within four days of the Legislature convening in January 2005, she was faced with a vote on the same‑sex marriage ban. Despite enormous political pressure on the newly elected senator, Kelly voted against the ban. Her support for LGBT rights has been consistent. Her running mate, Senator Lynn Rogers, has in his two years as senator been a strong advocate for LGBT equality, leading the hours-long debate in opposition to this year's adoption discrimination bill. While a member of the USD 259 Wichita Board of Education, Rogers moved the adoption of district policies adding sexual orientation as a protected class. The Kelly/Rogers campaign scored 100% on our 2018 questionnaire.
Although the Carl Brewer and Joshua Svaty campaigns both achieved 100% scores on their questionnaires and have been vocal advocates for LGBT equality on the campaign trail, their record while previously in public office is absent or mixed. Brewer, while mayor of Wichita, was twice approached by the Equality Kansas Wichita chapter with a request to pass a non‑discrimination ordinance inclusive of sexual orientation and gender identity. The first approach, in 2010, was made privately. In 2012, chapter leadership made a public presentation to Mayor Brewer and the Wichita City Council. Brewer did not act on either request, telling local media in 2012 he believed Wichita didn't need such an ordinance. Joshua Svaty has a mixed voting record on LGBT issues. In March 2004, then‑State Representative Svaty voted in favor of the same‑sex marriage ban; in May of that year, he voted against a similar bill that, while banning same‑sex marriage, would have given legal recognition to civil unions. In 2005, he voted against the version of the marriage ban that eventually became part of the Kansas constitution. Other Democratic candidates for governor submitted questionnaires but lack a public record, and were not considered for endorsement.
P.O. Box 2098 Topeka, KS 66601
Paid for by Laura Kelly for Kansas, Kevin McWhorter, Treasurer
Join Team Kelly
Meet Laura Kelly


text:
Is Shikhar Dhawan's consistency his biggest asset in the IPL?
>feature
Written by: Kunal Joshi
Shikhar Dhawan lights up the IPL every year with his bat.
Shikhar Dhawan's batting can look really easy and pleasing to the eyes when he gets going. The left-handed batter has been brilliant over the years in the IPL and always attracted buyers whenever his name comes up in the auction so could he be the most consistent batter in the IPL?
The Indian Premier League is a platform for cricketers to showcase their talent whether it is from India or from other countries. Players come to this league to show what their worth is and how good they can be on the international stage when given an opportunity. The IPL is not like a Caribbean Premier League or Big Bash League or any other league in the world. The simple reason for that is millions of people watch this league across the world and no other league can match the viewership which makes it more challenging and rewarding at the same time for players.
The pressure that comes with it is also immense as many of the matches have really high intensity and can produce moments that have never been seen before. Fans who come to the stadium to watch the game are really passionate and will get behind the player or the side that they support. Players like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni and many more are used to such pressure because they have been playing for many years and know how to react in situations like these.
Another cricketer who has the ability to handle pressure and carry the burden of expectations without letting it get the better of him is Shikhar Dhawan. The southpaw is one of the most loved batters in Indian cricket and has done exceptionally well for the Indian team in international matches. The class that he shows when he comes out to bat is unmatched and makes batting so easy and extremely pleasing to the eyes when on the song. Shikhar's performances over the years in international cricket are a testament to how good he has been for the Indian team.
In ICC tournaments, Shikhar Dhawan has been one of the best performers in the history of Indian cricket. The ability to give his side great starts early on and take the game away from the opposition is something that he has done consistently. The left-handed batter runs hard between the wickets which shows how fit he is and is always aware of the game situation. He knows how to play the situation in whichever format he might be playing. However, now Shikhar Dhawan is only considered in the One Day Internationals setup when it comes to playing for India.
Shikhar Dhawan's performances over the years have made him into a batter who can be trusted to do well for his side. The cricketer from Delhi is also consistently doing well in the Indian Premier League. In a league where all eyes are mostly on youngsters who have the potential to play for their respective countries in the future, Shikhar Dhawan never fails to impress and mostly remains under the radar. The left-handed batter for many years now has been an asset for any side that he has played for and consistently scores run for them. This makes him one of the most sought-after batters whenever he makes his way to the auction pool of the Indian Premier League.
If we have a look at his run since 2016, Shikhar Dhawan has every year managed to cross the 450-run mark. In 2016, the southpaw scored 501 runs with an average of 38.53. This was the beginning of the rise of Shikhar Dhawan in the IPL as a consistent performer for any franchise that he played for.
In 2017, Dhawan played 14 matches and scored 479 runs with an average of 36.84. The left-handed batter was giving brilliant performances with each passing year and in 2018 he managed to score 497 runs with an average of 38.23 which was better than his previous year showing.
It seemed like Shikhar Dhawan was maturing every year and was having a better understanding of his game which is why in 2019, he scored 521 runs from 16 games that he played and averaged 34. 73. Dhawan's average dipped a bit in that season but he did make sure that he scored runs at crucial moments for his side.
The 2020 season for the Shikhar Dhawan was massive and unforgettable as he was at his very best and smashed 617 runs with an average of 44.14 which is massive in T20 cricket. The thing that was even better and grabbed the attention of fans, as well as cricket experts, was his strike rate. Dhawan's strike rate had gone up to 144.73 which was a huge improvement from the previous years.
In 2021, the left-hander played 16 games and amassed 587 runs with an average of 39.13 which is staggering. To give such performances for six years in a row is massive and speaks volumes about the kind of form that Shikhar Dhawan has been in. The consistency that he has shown over the years speaks volumes about the kind of performer he has been for any team that he has played in the Indian Premier League. The 2022 season is also going smoothly for him as he has scored 307 runs from 9 games so far averaging 38.38.
Shikhar Dhawan is one of the rare cricketers who silently goes about his job in every season of the IPL. Yes, he might get the big bucks when he is in the auction pool but what he gives in return in the form of consistency to the franchise that he plays for is unmatched. Dhawan's understanding of his own game has helped him become a better batter over the years in the IPL.
This means that Shikhar Dhawan's consistency is his biggest asset in the IPL for several years now and it may not be long before the left-handed batter surpasses Virat Kohli to become the top run-scorer in the Indian Premier League.
Kunal Joshi
A sports enthusiast who enjoys watching everything.


text:
Legal and Judicial Affairs
Hundreds March Against Ivory Trade in Tanzania
January 15, 2017 - WebDesk - Comment is Closed
DAR ES SALAM � More than 550 people took to the streets of Tanzania's biggest city on Saturday morning to protest the trade in ivory.
The "Walk for Elephants" march was co-organized by the Chinese Embassy in Tanzania and the Tanzania-China Friendship Promotion Association. Demonstrators, including the Chinese ambassador and many from the city's Chinese community, walked five kilometers and called for the protection of elephants.
Tanzania is an epicenter of the African elephant poaching crisis. In 2015, a government census suggested the country had lost 60 percent of its elephants to poaching in just five years. Elephants are mainly poached for their tusks, which are turned into ornate ivory carvings.
Investigations into the trade have pointed to China as the leading destination for poached tusks.
The Chinese community in Africa is determined to turn around the negative perception of their country.
There has always been a huge communication gap, said Hongxiang Huang, an investigative journalist and conservationist who helped organize the event. We're doing this so the world can know that not all Chinese are bad, there are many many good Chinese people as well.
One demonstrator, Jimmy Liguo, who works for Chinese telecommunications company Huawei, participated in the march with his wife and son. He said his family was disappointed by news stories this year about Chinese nationals involved in the ivory trade in Africa.
We've been living in Tanzania for two years, so for Chinese people here we love elephants, so we want everyone to protect elephants, said Liguo.
The march also served to educate Chinese expats in Tanzania about Africa's poaching crisis.
I want more of our people to know that the animals, the wildlife are the best friends of human beings, said Youqing Lu, the Chinese ambassador to Tanzania. Everyone should be involved in protecting wildlife, because we are one family.
Many Tanzanian celebrities and activists also took part in the march. WildAid ambassador and singer Ben Pol called for Tanzanians to support the movement against poaching.
This is important for my country, for our future, said Pol. People need to support this movement against poaching through any means: social media, organizing a march like this, word of mouth.
The walk followed a December Chinese government announcement that it will close its domestic ivory market by the end of 2017. The decision has been hailed by conservationists as a game changer for the ivory trade.
The ban is very important, because for those who facilitate and support killers of elephants, they will now get a message that the market is gone, so why go for killing an elephant, said Elisifa Ngowi, a top intelligence officer with the PAMS Foundation, a conservation NGO in Tanzania.
Ngowi was responsible for leading a task force that has arrested hundreds of poachers, including Yang Feng Glan dubbed the "Queen of Ivory" who has been charged with smuggling at least 706 elephant tusks.
Ngowi warned that though China's ivory ban is a win for Tanzania's elephants, new markets are emerging in other Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam and Malaysia.
Huang agrees more works needs to be done.
Even if it's now [better] for elephants, what about pangolins, rhinos, there are still many other species that need to be protected.
The Chinese ambassador said his government was committed to supporting the Tanzanian government in their continued fight against poaching in the country.
He hopes to make the march an annual event.
More than 90 per cent of children reaching Italy's shores are separated or unaccompanied – UNICEF
Trailblazing African Female Global Health Leaders Receive USP CePAT's Top Honors


text:
Q: dig: couldn't get address for 'ns2.bluedental.pl': not found. Linux DNS server I have my own DNS server.
Web browsers shows DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN for my sites.
My external IP is 37.190.144.15
For example I have cloud.bluedental.pl domain.
When I type dig cloud.bluedental.pl  from server, everything works
But when I make dig cloud.bluedental.pl from external network I got NXDOMAIN Error.
When I check dig cloud.bluedental.pl @37.190.144.15 everything works again.
But if I type dig cloud.bluedental.pl @ns2.bluedental.pl, the output is: dig: couldn't get address for 'ns2.bluedental.pl': not found
cloud.bluedental.pl bind config file:
$TTL 86400
@ IN SOA cloud.bluedental.pl. marcin.bluedental.pl ( 2019071000 10800 15 604800 10800 )
@ IN NS ns2.bluedental.pl.
ns2 IN A 37.190.144.15
@ IN A 37.190.144.15
www IN A 37.190.144.15

cloud.bluedental.pl zone:
zone "cloud.bluedental.pl" IN {
    type master;
    allow-transfer {none;};
    file "/var/named/dns.cloud.bluedental.pl.conf";
};

Bind options:
acl mynetwork {
    172.19.0.0/10;
    192.168.1.0/24;
    localhost;
};

options {
    directory "/var/cache/bind";

    allow-recursion { mynetwork; };
    allow-transfer { none; };
    allow-update { none; };

    forwarders {
             8.8.8.8;
             84.200.69.80;
             8.26.56.26;
    };

    dnssec-validation auto;
    version "Bluedental DNS2 server";
    hostname none;
    auth-nxdomain no;    # conform to RFC1035
    listen-on-v6 { any; };
    server-id none;
};

Two weeks ago these configurations worked well for many months. I don't know why now it's not working

A: It seems the domain is not delegated to your DNS server, because there is no "NS" record for it in the parent 'bluedental.pl' domain. As a result, other resolvers have no way of knowing that they need to ask your DNS server about this domain.
This is where the NS chain ends:

$ dnstracer -s. cloud.bluedental.pl
Tracing to cloud.bluedental.pl[a] via A.ROOT-SERVERS.NET, maximum of 3 retries
A.ROOT-SERVERS.NET [.] (2001:0503:ba3e:0000:0000:0000:0002:0030)
 |\___ c-dns.pl [pl] (93.190.128.146)
 |     |\___ ns3.nazwa.pl [bluedental.pl] (77.55.127.10)
 |     |\___ ns2.nazwa.pl [bluedental.pl] (77.55.126.10)
 |      \___ ns1.nazwa.pl [bluedental.pl] (77.55.125.10)
[...]

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Here's Why Black Women Marched On D.C.
Story from US News
Black Women Converged On The National Mall In Washington D.C. In Peaceful Protest
Marquita Harris
Photo: ERIC BARADAT/AFP/Getty Images
On Saturday, September 30, The March for Racial Justice and the March for Black Women convened on the National Mall in Washington D.C. to bring attention to the specific injustices Black women face.
It's no coincidence that the two events were held on the same day. Racism and sexism are often seen as two separate topics for their respective groups. However, for women of color facing intersectional bias on the daily, the two issues go hand-in-hand.
In an interview with the Washington Post, Farah Tanis, the executive director of Black Women's Blueprint, the organization behind the March for Black Women, spoke out about the decision to hold the march on the same day.
"I said to myself that there will not be another March for Racial Injustice that does not truly center on black women and their issues," Tanis said. According to its website, BWB aims to "Bring Black women, girls, and gender non-conforming people into full and equal social, economic and political participation of mainstream American society."
During parts of the D.C. rally, protestors can be heard chanting "Black women matter" and "Shame!" A Game of Thrones reference? Possibly.
Dorcas Davis, of the March for Racial Justice organization, also explained to the Washington Post that the organization began planning the march after a police officer was acquitted in the killing of Philando Castile.
Castile, a Black man, was shot by a Minnesota police officer during a routine traffic stop. His girlfriend captured the disturbing incident on camera.
In a longer public statement, organizers for the March for Black Women also specified the reason behind today's gathering:
"...In this highly political moment of the 20th anniversary of the Million Woman March, the March for Black Women will amplify the struggles of Black women in the rural South—the "Black Belt", and demand a cease and desist of all threats to those of us who are immigrant women across the country living in fear of deportation."
Smaller satellite marches took place in communities across the country. A number of participants showed solidarity on social media.
Check out some of the moments from the day below.
I'm marching because Black women should lead our orgs, our communities, our Mayor's offices & in Governor's chairs . #M4BW pic.twitter.com/9KIyb81BRf
— Jessica Byrd (@JessicaLBYRD) September 30, 2017
When I wore this to the Formation Tour, my dad said I'd never get another use out of it. He was wrong. 💁🏽🐝✊🏽 #TrustBlackWomen #M4BW
A post shared by Renee Bracey Sherman (@ruhnay) on Sep 30, 2017 at 7:48am PDT
From the joining of the March for Black Women and the March for Racial Justice in Washington DC, planned because past marches haven't focused explicitly on the issues faced by Black women #BlackLivesMatter #EveryBlackWoman #M4RJ #M4BW #WhiteSilenceIsViolence
A post shared by Intersectional feminism (@woman_a_day) on Sep 30, 2017 at 12:58pm PDT
"Often, when we engage in conversation about sexual assault, we center survivors who are white and #cisgender." #M4BW Farah Tanis
— BlackWomensBlueprint (@BlackWomensBP) September 30, 2017
We're joining the #M4BW to speak out against misogyny & patriarchy that infects the lives of #EveryBlackWoman: https://t.co/Txtbv8nnDK pic.twitter.com/6BpVZAVJAz
— Planned Parenthood (@PPact) September 30, 2017
March For Racial Justice, March For Black Women Rally
Cultural Issues & Equal Rights • News • Politics • The Latest • US News • Women's March On Washington
written by Marquita Harris
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PHIL TAYLOR will begin the defence of his TABtouch Perth Darts Masters title against New Zealand's Craig Caldwell on Friday, while Michael van Gerwen faces David Platt in the first round of the PDC World Series of Darts event.
Taylor, the 16-time World Champion, took victory in the inaugural Perth Darts Masters last summer, defeating van Gerwen in the final at the HBF Stadium.
Taylor has also won the previous two Sydney Darts Masters titles and was victorious in June's Japan Darts Masters.
His challenge to retain the title in Perth, the first of three World Series of Darts events in Australia and New Zealand this month, will see him come up against DPNZ qualifier Caldwell.
Caldwell has twice previously represented New Zealand in the PDC World Cup of Darts, and will be making his World Series of Darts debut this month with appearances in both Perth and Sydney.
World number one van Gerwen will open up his challenge in Friday's first round against Platt, UK-born, Perth based thrower who also competed in Perth last summer and is a former World Championship and UK Open qualifier.
World Champion and Premier League champion Gary Anderson will play Kim Lewis, the Perth-based qualifier who won his spot in last weekend's final knockouts at the Rendezvous Hotel in Scarborough.
The other qualifier from last weekend, Perth's Adam Rowe, has drawn James Wade, with the world number six having celebrated his wedding to partner Sammi before the newlyweds jetted out to Australia.
Number three seed Peter Wright, the Japan Darts Masters runner-up recently, will take on Australian World Cup of Darts ace Paul Nicholson, the former Players Championship Finals winner, in their opening clash at the HBF Stadium.
Two-time World Champion Adrian Lewis is up against DPA Australian Grand Prix number one Loz Ryder, who followed up last year's appearances in Perth and Sydney by reaching the second round of the World Championship at Alexandra Palace.
Stephen Bunting, last year's Sydney Darts Masters runner-up, will face Perth's Kyle Anderson in a tasty first round contest, with the Australian ace having made huge strides in the past 18 months on the PDC circuit, including last month's World Matchplay qualification.
Another huge clash sees five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld drawn against top Australian Simon Whitlock, the former European Championship winner and last year's Singapore Darts Masters runner-up.
The TABtouch Perth Darts Masters will be held from Friday August 14-Sunday August 16 at the HBF Stadium in Perth. For tickets, visitwww.downunderevents.com.au.
The TABtouch Perth Darts Masters will be broadcast live on Fox Sports in Australia and worldwide through the PDC's series of broadcast partners, as well as online through www.LIVEPDC.TV for International Pass Subscribers.
Coverage of the TABtouch Perth Darts Masters on ITV4 in the UK will be shown delayed at 8pm (BST) on Friday August 14, Saturday August 15 and Sunday August 16.


When you include essential oils with your Feng Shui corrections, the more aware of the multi-dimensional nature of the oils – the more magical they become to you. The more you can explore them from this perspective – the more you can consider the yin or yang nature of the oils and so much more. Next time you pull out the oils – listen to it, it will have much to say. Join us for our talk and we will explore the yin and yang of essential oils, and how to "listen" to your oils!


TONIGHT'S EVENT IS CANCELED DUE TO WEATHER RESTRICTIONS, WE WILL RESCHEDULE ASAP! THOSE WHO RSVP'D HAVE BEEN CONTACTED, PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL!
We know there's a lot to navigate.. but we're here to help!
Join us for happy hour at Mother Road's NEW Brewery and Taproom on Butler to be sure you're getting the most out of your business' membership with Local First Arizona!


The performances will take place in the newly renovated Sr. Mary Andrew Matesich, OP Theatre, located in Erskine Hall on ODU's campus, 1216 Sunbury Road, Columbus 43219.
Ohio Dominican University's (ODU's) student theater organization, the Panther Players, will perform "The Taxi Cabaret" on select dates from April 25-28. The performances will take place in the newly renovated Sr. Mary Andrew Matesich, OP Theatre, located in Erskine Hall on ODU's campus, 1216 Sunbury Road, Columbus 43219.
General admission is $10 for adults, and $5 for students under 18 and seniors 65 and older. Children under five will be admitted free. Admission is also free for students who show their ODU ID. Free parking is available in the Gold Lot, located west of Sunbury Road.
"The Taxi Cabaret" follows six people in their twenties during their first year in New York City. Scottie, an aspiring novelist, discovers you do not have to suffer to write. Mark and Sara test their relationship when they move in together. Zach lives an EZ-Pass lifestyle, while the eternally unlucky but relentlessly optimistic Karen falls for him, only to have her heart broken. C.C. is an actress/temp who longs for something in her life that will last more than sixteen bars.
The Panther Players is a student organization of Ohio Dominican where participants enhance their communication and acting skills. Students have the opportunity to act, direct and build set designs for various productions.
ODU's historic Matesich Theatre recently underwent a $1 million refurbishment, during which crews repaired and strengthened the theater's exterior walls and roof, restored its wood and plaster work, painted its interior walls and ceiling, and replaced its seats, carpet and stage curtain. Learn more about the theater's refurbishment at ohiodominican.edu/Theater.
Conceived by Cara Reichel, with book, music and lyrics by Peter Mills, "The Taxi Cabaret" is presented by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc.


Dr. Mridul Seth is a renowned Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon and Implantologist, with over 21 years of experience in the clinical field. He specializes in all kinds of dental procedures including complex ones like dental Implantation, clinical oral surgeries, maxillofacial surgeries, direct sinus lift surgery and many others. In his illustrious career, he has worked under reputed Surgeons and Implantologists in Canada and has been a teaching faculty (Prof. and HOD) in renowned medical teaching facilities. Dr. Seth is known for his compassion and personalized care he provides to all his patients.


Doctor Who expert Gavin Fuller reviews the The Rings of Akhaten, the latest episode in the new series of Doctor Who, BBC One.
Those watching this week's episode of Doctor Who could almost be forgiven for feeling a sense of déjà vu. Despite fielding a new writer in Luther creator Neil Cross, it featured many of the typical tropes of the series since it returned in 2005 with its focus on a companion and her family/backstory. Also, the assortment of aliens Jenna-Louise Coleman encountered on her first trip off Earth in the Tardis was very redolent of Rose's first trip in The End of the World, the second episode in series one of the reboot.
Indeed, the vast amounts of aliens with silly-sounding names gave more than a hint of trying too hard and did not get things off to the best of starts. However, once things got going with Clara's encounter with the Queen of Years (and just what exactly happened to the Doctor in that time?) things improved, with what turned into an absorbing evocation of an alien religion (to which The Doctor observed a refreshing non-judgmental approach). The religion's emphasis on song was very well and interestingly realised; arguably with the elements of sacrifice involved it might have been more apt to have this broadcast at Easter.
What was not so clever was to have, in the week after the Great Intelligence and its world wide web of fear, another mind parasite for the Doctor to face, and, as happens so often in the rebooted series, a companion to ultimately save the day. Although perhaps there is some overarching story arc which means the Great Intelligence is involved in some way in every episode.
So on the whole this was a bit of a mixed bag of an episode, but still with enough elements of uniqueness to demonstrate, almost 50 years on, just why there is still nothing like Doctor Who on television.


Wonderful opportunity to own this beautiful home nestled on a lovely cul-de-sac. This home has 4 large bedrooms with one bedroom located downstairs. Three bedrooms upstairs with a very large master suite connected to a large welcoming balcony overlooking the backyard. There is a large office downstairs by the updated kitchen and a recreation room upstairs. You will enjoy the formal sitting area when you enter the home as well as a second formal dining area. The laundry is conveniently located on the second floor next to a built-in desk. There is plenty of space for parking and storage in the large three car garage and the beautiful grounds around the home. All of this can be yours!


Since I was little, I've been drawn to rainforest. The way it drips with life. Like a promise that organic life on this lonely planet will live on forever. And anyone who loves rainforest dreams of going to Sumatra, a place where the romantic jungle of storybooks still exists in this age of the anthropocene. Most tourists head to northern Sumatra to visit the rainforest, where it is quite accessible via Medan, Sumatra's biggest city. There's a fair bit of tourism infrastructure here and there are also orang hutans (literally forest people in Bahasa Indonesia, otherwise known as orangutans) which are not found further south. But up north, much of the rainforest is quite degraded, with frequent palm oil plantation incursions.
That's why I decided to go to Western Sumatra. Out of ten million foreign tourists visiting Indonesia each year, less than 50,000 make it to Western Sumatra. Of these visitors, the majority are Malaysian, with less than 2,500 foreigners from any other part of the world each year. This is where Kerinci-Seblat is located, Sumatra's biggest national park by far. It is a mountainous tropical rainforest, home to mouse-deer (tiny deer!), sun bears, tapirs, elephants and clouded leopards. It also has the most important remaining population of Sumatran Tigers – between 165 and 190 Sumatran Tigers live here out of only 400-500 left in the world. Here, I figured we might get a less commercialised experience of a more intact rainforest. Visiting this part of Sumatra involves some very long travel distances over terrible roads, and there's limited information about the area available online. But having a penchant for the difficult option, I was undeterred.
We flew from Jakarta to Padang on the west coast of Sumatra, where, despite a devastating Earthquake in 2009, we found a friendly, laid-back city where hipster cafes nestled alongside the street stalls. Most non-Malaysian tourists here are surfers passing through town on their way to nearby islands, and we were the subject of much excited attention. One night the lovely young woman who had guided us around the museum picked us up with her friend and they took us on motorbikes through the pouring rain to try the local speciality of leaf-coffee at a cafe. Another day we chatted with some friendly young guys who were competing in the regional Koran-memorising championship.
After a few days in Padang, we were picked up by our driver Eddie, who spoke almost no English and was often bewildered by our attempts at Indonesian, but safely manoeuvred us through police bribery-posts, landslides and washed out roads over the course of the next 13 hours – and he even agreed not to smoke in the car – an act of incredible self-denial in Indonesia! For lunch we stopped at a road-side Padang Restaurant (a cuisine which is actually famous all over Indonesia) where we were befriended by the staff and a volley of selfies, group photos and portrait shots ensued.
Our destination was Lempur, a village on the edge of Kerinci-Seblat National Park, and when we arrived late at night we were greeted by our beaming, open-hearted guide Zacky, who runs Explore Kerinci and was hosting us in his home before and after our four-day trek. Zacky, his wife Mai and his young daughter also shared their house with a handful of other extended family members. We ate dinner on their living room floor, had a quick bucket shower and crashed out.
The next day, we hopped on motorbikes with our huge packs, and were dropped at the edge of the forest, where we began our hike. With us were also our two porters – the mischievous joker Bes and the calm, more reserved Akindo – who also worked as a trained nurse in the local hospital. We traversed forest interspersed with village farmland and swamps, then climbed up a steep, rough motorbike track through forest and cinnamon tree plantations, passing by the occasional buffalo dragging cinnamon bark down the mountain. We found a tiger pug mark in the mud, and I exclaimed 'Harimau!' which means 'tiger' in Indonesian. Zacky turned to me looking distraught, warning me to 'never say this word in the jungle'. There is a superstition that saying its name will call the tiger to you. Villagers around the park in Lempur retain a deep respect for tigers and are forbidden from hunting them. For a naïve tourist, the idea of seeing a tiger is exciting. For a wise local, it's scary.
That night we camped on the shore of Danao Duo – a crater lake surrounded by forest, popular with locals as a picnic spot, resulting in a smattering of colourful plastic strewn amongst the rocks. As the sun sank we heard hornbills flying overhead. At night, our guides caught fish from the lake by blinding them with red torchlight and Bes fried up the tiny fish whole with chilli and rice.
As the sun rose the next morning, gibbons chorused from the other side of the lake and we ate breakfast. I was feeling slow and tired from yesterday's hike and my stomach was unsettled. In fact I felt distinctly unsteady – the noise of animals and birds seemed to have disappeared and the wind seemed to be rocking my fold-up chair back and forth. There was something really wrong with me because as I stared at the ground it seemed to be shifting too. Earthquake! I had visions of the crater-lake exploding back into life and burying us in a pyroclastic flow. Our guides laughed at me. 'Now tsunami in Mentawi's', they joked – islands off the coast from Padang that had indeed suffered a bad tsunami not long ago.
After a couple of hours hike further uphill, we passed through one final farm before suddenly – as arbitrarily as a national border – we crossed the national park boundary and stepped into the proper rainforest where mosquitoes and leaches were upon us within seconds! I couldn't have been happier. It was interesting to have seen the land-use transitioning between the last proper road and the national park boundary, but the real rainforest – this is what I had come for. We walked for hours through the forest, hearing and seeing glimpses of birds and leaf monkeys as well as coming across a sublimely beautiful iguana that shuffled around its branch glaring at us as we subjected it to a serious photo-shoot.
About an hour from camp the sky broke upon like an egg and the rain came down thick and hard. When we eventually got to our campsite on a riverbank surrounded by bamboo, we were all soaked despite raincoats, but huddled under a swiftly erected tarp to drink tea and eat hot noodles till it cleared up and our tents could be put up. It felt strange to have our guides put up our tents for us, cook for us and bring us tea. We had the luxury of two foldable chairs whilst the others made do with the ground. Zacky delighted in calling Simon 'My Lord' and me 'My Queen' – a joke delivered in his disarmingly sweet, open manner, but also a comfortingly honest acknowledgment of the bizarre power and wealth imbalances that must be negotiated when people from different worlds come together. That night whilst we dried our wet things over a blazing fire, the eerie luminescence of glow-in-the-dark fungi in the trees gave the impression of eyes watching us from the darkness. Later, fireflies floated between the net and fly of our tent, like a bio-powered lamp.
The next day the plan was to hike further into the rainforest and camp at an even bigger river. We were well-and-truly off any path now, making it all the more surreal listening to Bes singing 'My Heart Will Go On' – the Celine Dion theme song from Titanic. But the rain came down again (it was rainy season after-all) and this time it was a violent thunderstorm that shook the trees. Zacky was worried about branches falling on us. We decided to head straight for Blue Lake, a nearby crater lake, which was otherwise going to be our camp on night four. We altered our route and soon met with the wide, muddy and well-used path to Blue Lake, where it was jarring to see a few bits of rubbish. I picked some up but Zacky told me not to bother as the guides did a dedicated trip to collect rubbish once a month. As we got closer to the lake, it became clear just how pointless my efforts were – the trickle of rubbish became a rainbow-coloured tsunami of plastic.
When we reached the lake we looked down at the sapphire-blue crater and it was impossible not to be awe-struck. But around it lay drifts of rubbish that made it feel like we were on the outskirts of a rubbish dump. Emotionally I was crushed. We sat on a log, rain drizzling on our wet, cold bodies, watching fish swimming in the absurdly clear water. I couldn't understand how people could trash this beautiful place. I had an ugly, angry impulse to just get out of the national park as quickly as possible – to turn my back on it all. I also felt guilty. Rubbish or not, this was a place Zacky was extremely proud of, and I didn't want him to think we didn't like it. But he was an observant and sensitive guy and it was impossible to conceal our disappointment entirely. He was clearly embarrassed by the rubbish. And tired. Zacky and his local environmental group had put up signs at the lake telling people not to litter, and visited schools to educate local kids about protecting the environment. It seemed an almost insurmountable task in that moment.
I also knew it wasn't just the rubbish that was getting to me. We'd hiked through the jungle for three days, with the notion of finding somewhere truly 'wild'. Somewhere untouched by human destruction. And here we were, only three hours walk from the road, at a place where locals and tourists made day-trips. Part of this sharp disappointment was a very selfish thing – I wanted this place to myself. I wanted to feel like the intrepid explorer going where others couldn't. It was the loss of my own imagined 'wilderness'. No doubt it was still out there in this park – a place too hard to get to, where animals and trees existed undisturbed. But it wasn't here. And yet, paradoxically, it was. The trees towering around the lake were cloaked in beautiful mosses and orchids. Squirrels darted along branches and we heard monkeys calling. And Zacky told us how only a short time ago one of his groups had seen a tiger drinking from the lake in the moonlight.
At Blue Lake, the rain kept coming down for the rest of the afternoon and through the night. We had an early supper and went to bed, damp and chilly in our tents thanks to Kerinci's relatively high altitude. With the black night around us, the though of seeing a tiger up close really did feel unsettling rather than exciting. I desperately wanted them to be out there, but I didn't want one to be out there, prowling around our tent. The 7D experience of wilderness had now diverged entirely from the romantic idea of wilderness. I was reminded once again that being in the rainforest is beautiful, but also uncomfortable, wet and exhausting. Wildlife is elusive and occasionally dangerous.
The next morning Zacky, Bes and Akindo collected rubbish and buried it – there was far too much to carry out on top of their existing loads. As we hiked back to Lempur village, I thought about my quest for the 'real' rainforest. The whole notion was further entangled because I knew that this rainforest wasn't 'untouched' – the park has long been inhabited and used by local people. I definitely wasn't hankering after the kind of 'wilderness' that erases humans from the landscape. There is actually a village of around 300 people deep inside the park, which you can walk through the jungle for 15 hours (probably best split over two days!) to get to. These forests are part of the traditional resources of the villagers, and a small amount of subsistence hunting of non-endangered animals for eating, and the cutting down of a couple of trees here and there for building wood is generally tolerated. Outside the national park in the buffer zone, traditional management of community forests still occurs, with patches lent to newly married community members for a period of five years, enabling them to access wood to build a house. The traditional co-existence of villagers with the rainforest was theoretically compatible with conservation. But in a rapidly changing Indonesia, could the old rules that previously governed sustainable use of the forest still be relied upon?
The park was only legally gazetted in 2000, using wooden and concrete markers to demarcate the boundaries, and encroachment is a real issue. The deforestation rate inside Kerinci is only 0.28% a year, which compares very favourably to the 2.9% a year over Sumatra as a whole. But buffer areas of forest around the park are being diminished and when these are gone the park could be at serious risk. The local community are not comparable with the logging and palm oil companies that can cause wholesale destruction in light-speed time – and which thankfully aren't a big problem here. Nevertheless, Kerinci's biodiversity is still slipping away, and quickly.
Rubbish is cosmetically offensive, and no doubt reflect on the attitudes of Indonesians towards the environment. But it doesn't even rate in terms of the most serious threats to Kerinci National Park. Poaching is a serious problem here. Rewind to1997 – I was in my year six classroom, shaking like a leaf, as I gave an impassioned two minute talk on rhino conservation. At that moment in time there were 28 Sumatran rhinos left in Kerinci. Ten years later, in 2007, a team was sent in to work out how many were left. These strange and captivating creatures had already vanished, leaving no trace. Snares are laid to catch tigers and deer – in 2015, an all-time high of 72 tiger snares were found and destroyed by ranger patrols. Targeted tiger poaching usually takes place through organised syndicates, with massive demand from Vietnam and China the driving force. A project funded in part by Dreamworld supports ranger-led community patrols (which Zacky participates in) as well as intelligence-gathering on poaching activities, and in recent years a number of poachers have actually been caught though this program. They were only sentenced to a mere year and five months in jail, but even this is an achievement, given intense lobbying by an influential local politician for the case to be dropped.
Zacky said that a lot of money had been invested in the park by NGOs, but locals feel that the money has lined the pockets of government officials without achieving real conservation outcomes or development of eco-tourism. Googling, I came across a big World Bank project funded in the late 90's/early 2000's, which aimed to integrate conservation and development in Kerinci. Parks staff were trained to use GIS (satellite mapping) software to track deforestation, a website for the park was developed, and for the first time ever, university graduates were recruited and trained as field staff. These seem like practical investments that would surely have improved capacity within the park's administration. It's hard to know how much of the funding would have gone directly to these activities, however, and I also read online that a lot of money went to big salaries for consultants.
The World Bank project also had a development-focused project, with grants of USD $50,000 per village paid to support agriculture in exchange for the villagers undertaking conservation measures. Contrary to what you might hope, villages that participated were found to have the same deforestation rates as villages that didn't. The development project didn't seem to have had any real impact. As un-PC as it may be to say, it seems at least in this case that integrating conservation and development isn't always the win-win we might wish it to be. Development is essential, but it doesn't follow that it brings conservation outcomes. Maybe if Kerinci is going to be protected in the longer term, direct investment in conservation by stepping up patrolling and law-enforcement may need to be the main focus?
Zacky explained that local people have mixed feelings about the park. They do want to see it conserved, but they also don't want to be shut out of it, and they want to see some benefits from it. He feels strongly that local villagers – at least around Lempur – are the park's greatest defenders. Despite their gripes, they do watch over the park, and collectively have the power to function as eyes and ears 24/7. Employing more local people as rangers in the park would help to change perceptions, as would the expansion of fledgling eco-tourism and related employment opportunities.
The day after our hike we had lunch in a local restaurant and a man asked us if we'd seen many animals in the national park. We told him about the iguana. He asked us whether we 'took' the iguana. We were confused. With an apologetic smile, Zacky explained that the man simply assumed that we would take an iguana if we were lucky enough to find one – they're worth a lot of money for starters. Plus they're beautiful and make great pets. We politely explained to the man that we left the Iguana there so that other people would have the chance to see it too, and he seemed satisfied by this answer.
Later that night, Zacky mentioned a potential operation on his leg. Somehow I hadn't noticed in the preceding five days, but Zacky pulled up his trouser leg to reveal a lower leg that curved in like a banana. He had broken it when playing soccer at the age of 16, and having no money to go to hospital, he simply lay in bed for nine months till it healed, badly. Despite this, he had become a tour guide, hiking for days on end for a living. He taught himself English, just as he taught himself how to be a photographer and videographer and had set up a successful local side-business doing wedding photos and videos and family portraits. He even showed us how he'd used youtube videos to DIY weld replica filmography equipment that would have been hugely expensive to buy. And on top of all this, he had become an environmental champion, working to expand eco-tourism, protect the national park and build the community's appreciation and respect for the environment. Zacky personified initiative. I was totally humbled by his perseverance and success, against the odds. Conservation is never easy or simple, even in an affluent country like Australia. In Sumatra it is an ethical quagmire of competing priorities, inadequate funding and inevitable compromise. And time is running through the hourglass. This is the real, desperate and complicated thing. But Indonesia is changing. There are people like Zacky who have ideas about how to do things better. With enough Zackys, maybe there is reason to have hope. And I do.


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Keith Alan Dickman
June 12, 1956 - December 15, 2021
Jun 12, 1956 - Dec 15, 2021
A memorial service for Keith will be held 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, January 5, 2021 at Zumbro Lutheran Church, 624 3rd Ave SW, Rochester, MN. Masks will be required. The service will be live streamed through ZumbroLutheran.org
Keith Alan Dickman, age 65, of Rochester, MN. passed away on December 15, 2021 from a head injury received during a weather related storm that hit the city of Rochester.
Keith was born in Rochester, MN to Mildred (Millie Black) and Donald (Don) Dickman on 6-12-1956 He lived out his faithful American values in his home town of Rochester. Having an ordinary youth Keith committed to varying sports teams, shared adventures in nature, playing on ice skates, preparing for the next friendly game, humbled by those who joined him.
After graduating from Mayo High school with the class of 1974 he earned his Associates Degree as a Drafter. Following his secondary education he became employed at People's Energy Cooperative and dedicated his lifespan career with them, retiring in year 2018
Keith's admiration for living life in the great outdoors on land and on water trained him to be a skilled hunter of duck, goose, pheasant and deer. Additionally, he was a gifted fisherman. His advocacy for the Return of the Robin Leagues and Camps for boys, girls and young adults changed the culture of hockey for the better.
Devoted to providing in the care of his mother and managing the demands of family operations his gentleness was received by the many he encountered, especially within his close personal friendships he truly valued. Keith treasured time spent at his home away from home, gathering with his family and friends on the Mississippi River. He formed many unforgettable relationships and memories as reciprocated in his love for humanity.
Keith was preceded in death by his father Donald Dickman, Brother David Dickman and nephew Bradly Black. He is survived by his Mother; Millie Dickman of Rochester, his brother Jim (Sally) Dickman of Byron, MN.
Keith is sorely missed by his family, with grateful hearts we extend our appreciation for your prayers and condolences during this time. United we stand and in God we trust. Respectfully, a private family interment will be held.
Please be the hand to someone this Christmas season, graciously consider donations to Zumbro Lutheran Church. We share in gifts to Paws and Claws Humane Society in honor of Keith A. Dickman a remembrance of Louie, the Shih Tzu who captivated us all.
Zumbro Lutheran Church
624 3rd ave SW
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J John Shonyo on Dec 20, 2021
This is heartbreaking losing Keith so soon after the passing of Dave. Peace to your family.
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"He has admitted himself it has made him realise how lucky he is and how he takes things for granted. I feel this is a very important quality every child should have to make them a better person"


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LCHS girls' basketball coach suspended, then reinstated following investigation
Published 4:44 pm Monday, January 4, 2021
By Jeff Moreland
Coach Brandon Fisher instructs his team during Lincoln County's season opener at East Jessamine Monday night. - Photo by Clinton Riddle
Brandon Fisher coached at Graves County prior to coming to Lincoln County in April of 2020. – Photo courtesy of The Paducah Sun
Brandon Fisher is back at work as coach of the Lincoln County High School girls' basketball team.
Fisher, who was hired in April of 2020 as coach and also as a teacher at Lincoln County High School, was suspended in December following an investigation. That was announced in a statement released by Lincoln County Schools Jan. 4.
According to that statement, allegations began against Fisher on Dec. 15. Upon reviewing the allegations Superintendent of Lincoln County Schools Michael Rowe launched an investigation into the girls' basketball program which consisted of speaking individually with 19 different players, all three assistant coaches, as well as support staff.
The district also contacted former employers of Fisher who were also consulted upon his initial hiring.
Fisher was suspended with pay pending the findings of the investigation.
"Principal Michael Godbey and Athletic Director Tim Estes brought the allegations to me back on Dec. 15, and we immediately started looking into them," said Rowe. "I suspended Coach Fisher with pay while our staff conducted the interviews and discussions with players and staff. That is normal procedure for a superintendent when it is determined an investigation is needed to look into alleged employee actions."
"Upon the conclusion of the investigative report, it was concluded no criminal activity had taken place. I determined it was appropriate for Coach Fisher to return to his position as head coach and gave him a formal letter listing the district's expectations on Dec. 22. I reinstated Coach Fisher to begin practice again with the team on Dec. 28," Rowe added.
The release stated that on Dec. 28, Rowe, Godbey, and Estes held a team meeting open to all parents and players to discuss the process of the investigation.
"We had hoped to wrap up the entire investigation by the 28th, but while conducting the first phase we uncovered other things that warranted more time to look into," explained Rowe.
"One assistant coach resigned during the investigation and one assistant remains suspended (with pay). We hope to resolve all personnel matters, including replacing the assistant coach, as soon as possible," added Rowe.
"I want to commend Mr. Estes and Mr. Godbey for promptly bringing this to my attention. It is a misconception to think that a high school principal or AD hires and fires employees. Only the superintendent has that ability. I fully support the job Tim Estes and Michael Godbey do for our school and athletic department," said Rowe.
Brad Smith, communications coordinator for Lincoln County School District, confirmed that Fisher has been reinstated.
The Lincoln County girls' basketball team opens the season tonight at East Jessamine at 7:30 p.m.
Attempts to reach Fisher for comment have not been successful as of press time.


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Ali Brand | Wednesday, March 27, 2019
Preserving the language of his people: One Fort Wayne man's mission to keep the Mon language alive
Nai Sac Lun is researching and recording the Mon language as it dwindles worldwide.By Ray Steup
From a student activist in Burma (Myanmar) to a human rights journalist in Thailand to a resident of the United States and Fort Wayne, Nai Sac Lun has now taken on another herculean task. This time, it's preserving the language of his people.
Officially known in the U.S. as Nai R. Sampranoi, he prefers to be identified by the name known to his Mon people, Nai Sac Lun.
After studying the Mon language for decades, Sac Lun began to compile a Mon-Burmese dictionary in 2005 with the hopes preventing Mon from fading out of existence.
Throughout the world, Mon is often relegated to a second language, after Burmese in Burma, Thai in Thailand, and English among immigrant populations like those in the U.S.
Mon was once a separate kingdom in Southeast Asia before it was invaded by the Burmese king in 1757 and absorbed into Burma. Even within the Mon State in Burma, Burmese is the official language.
"The Mon people lost everything, including home and culture," Sac Lun laments.
Nai Sac Lun is writing a Mon dictionary in his house in Fort Wayne.
Without proper schooling and regular use, the Mon language continues to dwindle worldwide. It is classified as a "vulnerable" language by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), which keeps a list of endangered languages.
According to Sac Lun, even most of the Mon people today are not able to speak or write fluently in their mother language.
He estimates that more than 100,000 old Mon words have been lost because of disuse. But he hopes that his 1,500-page dictionary will be able to keep the language alive.
Creating a comprehensive Mon-Burmese dictionary is just another way that he has dedicated his life to protecting Mon culture and its people.
Sac Lun uses a Mon-English Dictionary for reference.
Sac Lun also wrote a book about his life in English, in which he describes how he joined the pro-democracy movement in Burma when he was a young college student during the late 1980s. He organized peaceful demonstrations and protests with other student activists in his home village of Lamine and in several surrounding villages. But when he was threatened with arrest and possible persecution, he fled his home for Thailand with other student activists.
From the Thai-Burma border, he worked as a journalist for the Committee for Publicity of the People's Struggle in Monland (CPPSM), reporting on the human rights abuses in Burma to the international community until 1999.
Because of his work with CPPSM, Sac Lun needed to be able to translate documents such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women into the Mon language. The more he studied Modern Mon, the more he came to know its richness, and thus, began his mission to preserve the language of his people.
In his book, Sac Lun explains, "The language is central to the existence of the Mon people. There is a well-known saying, 'If the Mon language is dead, the Mon people will be extinct.'"
Nai Sac Lun has an English grammar book in Mon.
However, years as a human rights journalist was detrimental not just on Sac Lun's physical and mental health, but also on his relationship with family. In search of a better life for his family, Sac Lun applied for asylum in the U.S. and was able to make a home with his family in Fort Wayne.
Not only is Fort Wayne home to the largest Burmese settlement in the U.S., but the largest Mon settlement, as well. While there are about 1,500 Mon people living in the U.S., Sac Lun is proud to say that the Mon population in Fort Wayne is around 500.
Even half a world away, Sac Lun is striving to preserve the Mon language—not just for the Mon population in Fort Wayne, but for all his people scattered across the globe.
Currently, Sac Lun is the project director of the Mon Language Preservation Organization (MLPO) in Fort Wayne, which is a nonprofit he co-founded. It is currently working on several projects, including translating human rights education and health education from English to Mon.
By collecting and reading Mon literature, Sac Lun has been able to expand his dictionary with words that are not often used in common speech today. The Mon-Burmese dictionary has been a massive endeavor, which Sac Lun has worked on alone and without any funding assistance. He hopes to complete the entire project sometime next year.
In his book, he says, "I have always been proud of myself as being one who works for the welfare of others and works for the good of my people and country."
Sac Lun's book is titled The Mon Freedom Struggle in Burma: My Involvement As a Nonentity. It is edited by Dr. Chad Thompson and Helen Frost. Sac Lun is currently in the process of looking for a way to get it published.
Read more articles by Ali Brand.
Born and raised in Fort Wayne, Ali Brand graduated from the University of Saint Francis with a bachelors degree in English. For as long as she can remember, she has always loved writing, and she aspires to use her passion to promote her hometown.
Arts and Culture, Community Engagement, Creative / Design, Emerging Leaders, Emerging Leaders, Lifestyle, Profiles, Quality of Life, Regional Communities, Regional Communities, Talent, Talent Attraction, Talent Development
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Happy New Year 2017 Wishes in French :- First of all, I would like to thanks to keep visiting on our website and back with some interesting post today and we wish you a very Happy New Year 2017. And our team is also working hard and giving best efforts to provide latest collections for our visitors.
Today we will talk about Happy New Year 2017 wishes in French and our team is for sure that you people will definitely like New Year 2017 wishes in French which you can use for updating status in whatsapp and facebook. Happy New Year is an event for all of us to enjoy and make best decisions in our life.
Et fait d'elle une bonne année.
Cela viendra à votre rencontre.
As we all know most of us relatives and friends are living in other countries so you people also have some friends and family members are living in other countries or you are searching for messages, wishes, greetings in their language then you have landed at right place because we have compiled with unique collections of Happy New Year 2017 wishes in French language. So you can send your Happy New Year 2017 French wishes to them.
We have best Happy New Year 2017 wishes in French language so I hope you will pick best ones from here and shared with your near and dear one.
Below you will get the latest collection in the French language so that you can send your beautiful wishes to your friends and family members.
Comme la nouvelle année va commencer.
Cela nous rendra plus forts et meilleurs que jamais.
Sera comme un moment avec un ange de joie.
So keep your best buddies happy who lives far from you by sending your warm Happy New Year 2017 wishes and make them realize how important they are in your life. So, what are you waiting for? Just come and grab your favorite one from our website. Don't forget to share your views regarding this post so that our team will provide you some better next time.