text:
Kenya + 1 more
RNIS Update April 1998
UN SCN
Refugee Nutrition Information System (RNIS)
In the most recent RNIS report (No 23), flooding in the Dadaab area camps leading to destruction of infrastructure and livestock was described. Flooding had made many access roads to the camps impassable, and relief food had to be airdropped to the refugees.
A two-stage cluster sample nutrition survey was carried out in February 1998. In Ifo camp, wasting, defined as weight/height <-2 z scores, was measured at 16.1%, with 1.0% severe wasting (defined as weight/height <-3 z scores). Oedema was measured at 1.6%. In Dagahaley camp, wasting was measured at 10.9% with 0.9% severe wasting. Oedema was measured at 1.6%. In Hagadera camp, wasting was 14.7% with 1.5% severe wasting. Oedema was measured at 0.6%. For all camps, coverage of selective feeding programmes is low, particularly for therapeutic feeding.
There are some new arrivals from Somalia to these camps who were fleeing the effects of the El Nino rains. These people are said to be arriving in a poor nutritional state. Many of these new arrivals do not yet have a ration card and are therefore largely dependent on sharing of rations for food. Not surprisingly, during the nutritional survey, higher levels of malnutrition were noted among those without a ration card when compared to those with a ration card.
In general, the nutritional status of the children under five has not changed significantly in the Dadaab area camps (see graph). The exception to this is in Ifo camp, which is also the camp most seriously affected by the floods. While levels of wasting remain high, the fact that there was no decline in nutritional status is thought to be due in large part to massive efforts by WFP to airlift food aid to the affected population during the floods.
In light of this, it is critical that funding for the air operation to assist these refugees is provided at sufficient levels. A recent WFP Emergency Report (17 April 1998) states the operation is facing a cash shortfall for the special air operations. In addition, only 62% of the food needs for the operation have been pledged. Other priorities include improving coverage of selective feeding programmes and rebuilding destroyed infrastructure, particularly roads. (based on: Nutrition Survey Report for Ifo, Dagahaley and Hagadera Camps, MSF-Belgium, February 1998; WPP Emergency Report No. 16 of 1998, 17 April 1998; Personal Communication, UNHCR, 22/04/98)
Recent flooding along the Juba and Shabelle rivers led to population displacements and massive crop destruction. As the flood waters began to recede in March 1998, people began returning home, replanting fields when possible.
A series of rapid food security assessments have been carried out to assess the situation and give a general idea on the nutritional status of the populations as the floods recede. An assessment was carried out in Qorioley and Merka districts in the Lower Shabelle region in mid-March 1998. The food economy in the area has been seriously interrupted by the recent flooding. For example, the collapse of the banana industry, which previously provided a vital source of income for almost a quarter of a million people, is having the most profound impact on the food security of the seasonal workers. There are reports of many seasonal workers having to beg for food, and of alarming increases in child malnutrition, particularly oedema.
Some of the reasons for this decline in nutritional status were cited as:
abrupt change in food consumption in terms of diversity and quantity;
consumption of low quality cereals;
reduced caring capacity of parents since both are looking for food;
outbreak of disease, particularly malaria.
The situation in Afmadow and Hagar districts in Lower Juba was described as improving but fragile in the most recent RNIS Report (No. 23). More recent reports are that the situation has continued to improve and many of the temporary camps used during the height of the flooding are now reportedly empty. This improvement is attributed to two main factors: first the receding flood waters and second the continuation of WFP food deliveries, often by air.
However, household food availability is said to be low. The purchasing power of the people is also low and prices on the market are high. This means the situation remains tenuous for many people, and food aid is likely to be needed for the months to come.
Another assessment was carried out in Bulo Hawa and Dolo in the Gedo region, where the situation is reportedly getting back to normal. This area is dependent on food supplies from Mogadishu so when the road was impassable during the floods, food was in short supply. However, prices remain high. In recent rapid assessments around Bulo Hawa indicators in some of the poorer areas were of a serious nutritional situation. It was determined that the nutrition programmes in the area are insufficient and need to be improved.
As the seasonal rains begin, there is widespread concern that this will lead to renewed flooding. People have little to no food reserves, and the next harvest, which is likely to be greatly reduced, is not due until July.
In light of these assessments, WFP food aid is an important part of maintaining food availability for many families and should be continued. This will require additional support from the donor community, and is likely to be needed at least until the July harvest. There is currently a 32% shortfall in food aid pledges for this operation. In addition, WFP is facing a cash shortfall for the critical air operation. Nutrition rehabilitation programmes need to be improved and efforts to control malaria are also needed. (based on: Bulo Hawa and Dolo/Gedo Region - Assessment of the Nutritional Situation 17-19 March - FSAU/ACF; Overview of the Nutritional Situation in Afmadow and Hagar Districts, Lower Juba, FSAU 2 April 1998; Overview of Food Security and Nutritional Status in Qorioley and Merka Districts, Lower Shabelle Region, FSAU Mar 1998; Bleak Perspectives for the Banana Industry in the Shabelle Valley and its Impact on Food Security, FSAU, 3 April 1998; WPP Emergency Report No. 16 of 1998, 17 April 1998; Personal Communication, FSAU, 22/04/98)
Assessments and Survey included in Update (April 1998)
Survey Conducted By
% Wasting*
% Severe Wasting*
Sampling method
Ifo Camp, Kenya
MSF-B
2stage cluster
Dagahaley Camp, Kenya
Hagadera Camp, Kenya
Qorioley, Lower Shabelle, Somalia
FSAU
67.7 (MUAC<125mm/oedema)
These are quick assesssments to give an indication of the nutritional status. Children were selected on a transect of the camp or village.These are not random sample surveys.
Belet Amin, Gedo Region, Somalia
Bulo Hawa, Gedo Region, Somalia
*Wasting is defined as wt/ht <-2z scores and severe wasting as <-3z scores unless otherwise noted.
UN Standing Committee on Nutrition
Kenya: Floods - Nov 1997
Somalia: Floods - Nov 1997
FAO appeals for aid to fight livestock diseases in horn of Africa
WFP seeks US$17 million to aid one million flood victims in Kenya and Somalia
WFP Emergency Report No. 06 of 1998: Somalia and Kenya Floods


text:
Kris Around The World
Friends Project
Shake what your mama gave you
I am elated to say that no matter the country, it seems, my friends are the last to leave the dance floor. Saw an interesting concert last night La Cuneta son Machin at some huge dance club on the beach, then despite aching feet from dancing in the sand, danced til like 4 a.m. to everything that came on, from Sean Paul and DMX and Macklemore to Beyonce and Mark Anthony and Pitbull (whoo!), and tons of Latin stuff and reggeaton I have no idea what it is but likethe heavy grinding beat.
Because I couldn't really move my feet in the sand, i was forced to use my hips and think I advanced about 80 percent in nailing this latina style down. (despite not having a butt to do so).
At the end of the night, this beautiful woman came up to me, smiled, asked where I was from and said she was from Cuba and would I be here tomorrow, and when I said no, she made a frown and pointed at me dancing and gave me a thumbs up.
Not sure if it was for trying for style, but I was sure proud! Ha!
in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua
http://krisdreessen.com/
http://thefriendsproject.org/
All content copyright Kris Around The World © 2021 • All rights reserved.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Karl Strauss Brewing Company is a San Diego, California-based beer business with a microbrewery and a chain of brewpub restaurants. Besides being available at its own restaurants, the company's beers are available on tap at many Southern California restaurants and bars, as well as being sold in bottles at retail stores. Karl Strauss is the oldest surviving brewery in San Diego County, having been founded in 1988, and is credited with launching the county's rise to prominence in the craft brewing industry.
25 YEARS OF KARL STRAUSS from Love Machine Films on Vimeo.
KARL STRAUSS: THE MAN from Love Machine Films on Vimeo.
KARL STRAUSS: THE BRAND VIDEO from Love Machine Films on Vimeo.
KARL STRAUSS: WEST COAST PUB FARE from Love Machine Films on Vimeo.
KARL STRAUSS: PAIRING from Love Machine Films on Vimeo.
KARL STRAUSS: SHARE THE BEER from Love Machine Films on Vimeo.
THE KARL STRAUSS BREWING COMPANY: BEACH TO BREWERY from Love Machine Films on Vimeo.
KARL STRAUSS BREWING COMPANY PRESENTS…WRECK ALLEY from Love Machine Films on Vimeo.
KARL STRAUSS BREWING COMPANY PRESENTS…QUALITY CONTROL from Love Machine Films on Vimeo.
KARL STRAUSS BREWING COMPANY PRESENTS…OFF THE RAILS from Love Machine Films on Vimeo.
KARL STRAUSS BREWING COMPANY PRESENTS…FULLSUIT BELGIAN BROWN ALE from Love Machine Films on Vimeo.
KARL STRAUSS BREWING COMPANY PRESENTS…FOUR SCOWLING OWLS from Love Machine Films on Vimeo.
KARL STRAUSS BREWING COMPANY PRESENTS… THE TASTING ROOM from Love Machine Films on Vimeo.
KARL STRAUSS BREWING COMPANY PRESENTS…TOWER 20 IIPA from Love Machine Films on Vimeo.
KARL STRAUSS BREWING COMPANY PRESENTS…TOWER 10 IPA from Love Machine Films on Vimeo.
KARL STRAUSS BREWING COMPANY TV SPOT from Love Machine Films on Vimeo.


Authority: 8 U.S.C. 1103, 1424, 1443.
Source: 56 FR 50482, Oct. 7, 1991, unless otherwise noted.
Advocate includes, but is not limited to, advising, recommending, furthering by overt act, or admitting a belief in a doctrine, and may include the giving, lending, or promising of support or of money or any thing of value to be used for advocating such doctrine.
Advocating Communism means advocating the establishment of a totalitarian communist dictatorship, including the economic, international, and governmental doctrines of world communism, in all countries of the world through the medium of an internationally coordinated communist revolutionary movement.
Affiliation with an organization includes, but is not limited to, the giving, lending, or promising of support or of money or any thing of value, to that organization to be used for any purpose.
Circulate includes circulating, distributing, or displaying a work.
(6) Any communist-action or communist-front organization that is registered or required to be registered under section 786 of title 50 of the United States Code, provided that the applicant knew or had reason to believe, while he or she was a member, that such organization was a communist-front organization.
Organization includes, but is not limited to, an organization, corporation, company, partnership, association, trust, foundation, or fund, and any group of persons, whether incorporated or not, permanently or temporarily associated together for joint action on any subject or subjects.
Publication or publishing of a work includes writing or printing a work; permitting, authorizing, or consenting to the writing or printing of a work; and paying for the writing or printing of a work.
(2) The forcible suppression of all opposition to such a party.
(4) The direct predecessors or successors of any such association or party, regardless of what name such group or organization may have used, may now bear, or may hereafter adopt.
(g) Is or has been a member of, or affiliated with, any organization that publishes or circulates, or that possesses for the purpose of publishing or circulating, any subversive written or printed matter, or any written or printed matter advocating communism.
(a) General. An applicant shall bear the burden of establishing that classification in one of the categories listed under §313.2 is not a bar to naturalization.
(5) Necessary for purposes of obtaining employment, food rations, or other essentials of living.
(c) Awareness and participation—(1) Exemption applicable. The exemption under paragraph (b)(2) of this section may be found to apply only to an applicant whose participation in the activities of an organization covered under §313.2 was minimal in nature, and who establishes that he or she was unaware of the nature of the organization while a member of the organization.
(2) Exemptions inapplicable. The exemptions under paragraphs (b)(4) and (b)(5) of this section will not apply to any applicant who served as a functionary of an organization covered under §313.2, or who was aware of and believed in the organization's doctrines.
(ii) That he or she participated only to the minimal extent necessary to receive the essential of living.
(ii) Which did not qualify as essentials of living.
In all cases in which the applicant claims membership or affiliation in any of the organizations covered by §313.2, the applicant shall attach to the application a detailed written statement describing such membership or affiliation, including the periods of membership or affiliation, whether the applicant held any office in the organization, and whether membership or affiliation was voluntary or involuntary. If the applicant alleges that membership or affiliation was involuntary, or that one of the other exemptions in §313.3 applies, the applicant's statement shall set forth the basis of that allegation.


text:
// @flow

import { makeStyles } from '@material-ui/styles';
import React, { useCallback, useRef } from 'react';
import { v4 as uuidv4 } from 'uuid';

import { translate } from '../../base/i18n';
import { Icon, IconPlusCircle } from '../../base/icons';
import { VIRTUAL_BACKGROUND_TYPE, type Image } from '../constants';
import { resizeImage } from '../functions';
import logger from '../logger';

type Props = {

    /**
     * Callback used to set the 'loading' state of the parent component.
     */
    setLoading: Function,

    /**
     * Callback used to set the options.
     */
    setOptions: Function,

    /**
     * Callback used to set the storedImages array.
     */
    setStoredImages: Function,

    /**
     * A list of images locally stored.
     */
    storedImages: Array<Image>,

    /**
     * If a label should be displayed alongside the button.
     */
    showLabel: boolean,

    /**
     * Used for translation.
     */
    t: Function
}

const useStyles = makeStyles(theme => {
    return {
        addBackground: {
            marginRight: `${theme.spacing(2)}px`
        },
        button: {
            display: 'none'
        },
        label: {
            fontSize: '14px',
            fontWeight: '600',
            lineHeight: '20px',
            marginLeft: '-10px',
            marginTop: `${theme.spacing(3)}px`,
            marginBottom: `${theme.spacing(2)}px`,
            color: '#669aec',
            display: 'inline-flex',
            cursor: 'pointer'
        }
    };
});

/**
 * Component used to upload an image.
 *
 * @param {Object} Props - The props of the component.
 * @returns {React$Node}
 */
function UploadImageButton({
    setLoading,
    setOptions,
    setStoredImages,
    showLabel,
    storedImages,
    t
}: Props) {
    const classes = useStyles();
    const uploadImageButton: Object = useRef(null);
    const uploadImageKeyPress = useCallback(e => {
        if (uploadImageButton.current && (e.key === ' ' || e.key === 'Enter')) {
            e.preventDefault();
            uploadImageButton.current.click();
        }
    }, [ uploadImageButton.current ]);

    const uploadImage = useCallback(async e => {
        const reader = new FileReader();
        const imageFile = e.target.files;

        reader.readAsDataURL(imageFile[0]);
        reader.onload = async () => {
            const url = await resizeImage(reader.result);
            const uuId = uuidv4();

            setStoredImages([
                ...storedImages,
                {
                    id: uuId,
                    src: url
                }
            ]);
            setOptions({
                backgroundType: VIRTUAL_BACKGROUND_TYPE.IMAGE,
                enabled: true,
                url,
                selectedThumbnail: uuId
            });
        };
        logger.info('New virtual background image uploaded!');

        reader.onerror = () => {
            setLoading(false);
            logger.error('Failed to upload virtual image!');
        };
    }, [ storedImages ]);

    return (
        <>
            {showLabel && <label
                aria-label = { t('virtualBackground.uploadImage') }
                className = { classes.label }
                htmlFor = 'file-upload'
                onKeyPress = { uploadImageKeyPress }
                tabIndex = { 0 } >
                <Icon
                    className = { classes.addBackground }
                    size = { 20 }
                    src = { IconPlusCircle } />
                {t('virtualBackground.addBackground')}
            </label>}

            <input
                accept = 'image/*'
                className = { classes.button }
                id = 'file-upload'
                onChange = { uploadImage }
                ref = { uploadImageButton }
                type = 'file' />
        </>
    );
}

export default translate(UploadImageButton);

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Posted by Alexandra Juryte December 19, 2017
The Dank: a potent margarita of Tex-Mex music with a shot of LA blues.
(Los Angeles) What happens when two Texan musicians raised in classical music and school choirs find themselves in a punk venue in Guadalajara playing for tacos and tequila. They write a song, "Guadalajara", part of The Dank, a potent margarita of Tex-Mex music served with a shot of blues in one of the best ALM debut albums this year.
Actually, the Dank's story started in 2014, when guitarist/singer David Monnich connected with keyboardist/singer Jimi Morales in college and discovered that besides music they had in common a love for standing up and playing in front of people. So they formed what they called a border blues band they called The Dank and hit the road playing anywhere people would listen. People listened. And danced. And cheered. And demanded ¡Mas!
The album opens with the high tempo polka/norteno "Lupita" that pleads mostly in Spanish for the elusive Lupita to recognize that her husband - presumably the singer – is a hardworking man "Cumbia De La Comida" follows at a slightly slower pace extolling the food of Latino LA with lyrics like "The gallos are cluckin and there's perros in the street/They smell the sweet aroma of our carne asada feast". You can't help laughing as you dance and get hungry.
Then the music turns serious – sort of - in "Sister Dorothy", a brass and keyboard-led rock song extolling a big-hearted social worker who saved them from a drunken stupor one night on LA's Skidrow. They sing "God bless the homeless" and they put their hearts and money where their lyrics are by helping raise money for the La Casa Del Migrant organization which helps homeless migrants. "Texas", delivered by Jimi in his raspiest sandpaper voice, tells us the story of the move from Texas to LA, landing "tired, drunk, and stoned" but "not gonna rest until they/ Name me the best poet in the land". Could happen. "Dank Time", the only instrumental on the album, starts out with an echo of "Ghost Riders in the Sky" led by a bongo beat, both addictive and fun.
But the fun really ramps up with "Guadalajara" the story of an ill-planned trip to perform in a what turned out to be a pretty rowdy punk venue in that huge city. With bongos, keys, violins Max Kim's baritone sax sounding a lot like a tuba, Crisia Regalado of Sin Color providing operatic backing vocals, and Manolela Wunder on the violin, David Monnich reels out a story that ends with their learning they were paid not in pesos but in tacos and tequila, which is bad for the bank account but great inspiration for a song.
The final three songs on the album continue the musical fun but show the band's range -- it's not all polka and bongos. "The Trimmer" is down and dirty blues; "Karma De Los Musicos" floats into the psychedelic with Evan Hatfield on the electric sitar, and "Joaquin Jackson" goes talking blues with a high tempo 4/4 rock beat colored Mexican with percussion accents to spin out the story of the bloody final stand between a legendary Texas Ranger and the jefe of a cocaine cowboy gang. There is nothing like it …it is dank!
Get social with The Dank


National award-winning filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani, who worked with Nawazuddin Siddiqui in the early days of the actor's career, says he never imagined that he would become such a prominent name in the film industry.
Interestingly, the scene was inspired by his real-life incident of a childhood memory of his father. Sharing the story during an interactive session titled 'Indian Film and Television Directors' Association (IFTDA) Masterclass', Hirani said, "Once a young man from Raipur came to my father saying that his money had been stolen and he needed Rs 2,000 to go back home, and asked if my father could lend the money. My father gave it to him.
"My father found out the man and instead of taking him to the police station or beat him up physically; took him to the Sindhi Panchayat; which consists of some of the who's who of our Sindhi community of the town.
"I applied the same story in that scene," said the Sanju director.


Kusserow's Corner: Billing, Auditing, and Monitoring Effectively—Measure to Manage Risk!
You are here: Home / Claims / Appeals / Kusserow's Corner: Billing, Auditing, and Monitoring Effectively—Measure to Manage Risk!
One of the most important elements of a compliance program for health care organizations is adhering to accurate claims processing. This entails proper documentation of medical records, accurate application of diagnosis and billing codes, and proper charging of payers for services rendered. Today, health care systems face increasing scrutiny of their coding and billing by regulatory agencies and their recovery audit contractors. The Medicare Integrity Program also emphasizes the significance of avoiding payment errors. HHS, with CMS and the Office of Inspector General (OIG), is coming down heavily on inappropriate billings and payments to health care providers. The result: denials of improper claims, recovery audits based surveillance, financial penalties and refunds, initiation of in-depth investigations, and loss of revenue for physicians and medical practitioners, including litigation cost in some cases.
How to better manage claims data using measures.
How to get ahead of the game and think like contractors.
How to use data to manage and measure risk proactively.
How to keep it simple while still being sophisticated.
Effective Billing Auditing and Monitoring in an era of data analysis/mining and contractor reform.
How to use metrics, sampling, and phasing to monitor billing effectively.
How A&M and use of metrics can assist enormously in preventing demand letters/surveillance and establish that compliance oversight works.
I recommend this program to anyone who is involved in meeting the compliance challenge of accurate and reliable data to support their claims processing system.


text:
Money Marriage: Bank Mergers & Acquisitions in the Modern Era
by LINDA BENNETT
Banks are looking to fill the gaps in their institutions and they often look to other organizations to help them create a more holistic experience
When the average consumer thinks of bank mergers, high profile examples like Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Citi, and Chase are often what spring to mind. These cases weren't all a marriage of equals, nor were these mergers or acquisitions a distinct, one-time event. In fact, according to Motley Fool, "Bank of America were actually 35 separate companies in 1990. Even before the activity that took place as a result of the financial crisis, the banking industry has a long history of big M&A deals." And they weren't the only one. The merger mania that marked much of the 1990s took a hit during the economic recession of 2008 with less capital available to make these deals a reality. That activity has increased and expanded even on a global scale in the post-recession years.
Today, it's not just large banks where mergers are heating up, either. As reported by the Wall Street Journal, the Federal Reserve ushered in new rules this spring that will allow U.S. banks with assets of $25 to $100 billion to negotiate bigger merger deals without a systemic risk analysis requirement. According to the article from March, "In approving the tie-up of two mid-Atlantic banks Thursday, the Federal Reserve made it easier for smaller bank mergers to be approved without a rigorous analysis of whether the resulting firms would pose a threat to the stability of the financial system. The change is unlikely to unleash a flood of bank deals. It does however come amid efforts to make life simpler for smaller banks and as the Trump administration is weighing a host of regulatory rollbacks in the financial sector."
While mergers and acquisitions are most often viewed through the lens of big-money deals by finance watchers, there's often a lot more going on than simply a big fish swallowing up a smaller one because it can. Bankers care what happens after a merger, and consumers care, because what's more personal than personal finance? Customers have come to expect a certain level of service from their financial institution, and they don't want to see that go away. They don't know what the big bank with a new name will mean for their favorite tellers, the fees they pay, the convenience they expect or the branch they use. Believe it or not, these issues are actually at the forefront of the minds of the key players merging or acquiring other financial institutions - and they should be.
Geoff Walters, Managing Director at Adrenaline, works with financial institutions to execute rebranding programs following M&A deals. Geoff states that "In theory, financial institutions merge when they feel the synergy of the two entities creates an organization that builds stockholder value and enhances customer experience. In reality, mergers occur when one or both organizations can't attain their financial and/or organizational goals without the assistance from another. Organizations with gaps hunt to fill those gaps or risk being swallowed by a more substantial entity. Gaps can occur in geographic coverage and/or within business offerings. Each opportunity should afford a more holistic and integrated offering in a cost effective manner."
"In reality, mergers occur when one or both organizations can't attain their financial and/or organizational goals without the assistance from another. Organizations with gaps hunt to fill those gaps or risk being swallowed by a more substantial entity."
Geoff Walters, Managing Director, Adrenaline
While it makes sense why banks would want to merge, how they do it makes all the difference for their success. Making a smooth transition from a brand communications and retail experience standpoint determines the success of the merger. Frank Beardsworth, Managing Director at Adrenaline, who helps banks develop and implement their brand and targeted customer experience following a merger or acquisition, says, "One of the biggest challenges banks have is minimizing customer attrition. The other major consideration is the process of merging the cultures of the banks; sometimes they can be very different. Understanding the context of these mergers is also important. Many of the executives in place during the 1990s and early 2000s who may have gone through a merger are no longer in key positions, so there is not a lot of experience at banks for implementing a conversion in their retail network – of particular key importance is how to staff and how to create efficient workstreams."
"One of the biggest challenges banks have is minimizing customer attrition. The other major consideration is the process of merging the cultures of the banks; sometimes they can be very different."
Frank Beardsworth, Managing Director, Adrenaline
Brand equity is also a vital consideration. One might assume that an acquired organization will lose its identity during the merger. But that is not always the case. Walters says, "When organizations merge, especially between those where cultural differences transpire, it is paramount that the brand positioning, product and service offering, and expense reduction be done in a thoughtful manner. Given that, at times the acquiring organization is the one that drops its name and/or changes its positioning and culture as one the impetuses for merging is gaining brand equity. That is precisely what happened when Norwest bought Wells Fargo and Nations Bank bought Bank of America in 1998."
One bank that had serious brand challenges following an acquisition was Santander – a Spanish bank – that purchased Sovereign – a U.S. bank and undertook a massive $200 million rebranding effort of over 700 locations. One of the top five banks in the world, Santander wanted to get a foothold in the U.S., but the brand couldn't simply bring the home bank's Spanish ideals and culture into a U.S. run organization. Walters says, "The bank had to calibrate a culture shift within their branches and focus on deploying the new brand internally and externally. Santander understood they couldn't just jump into the U.S. market and do business the same way they've done in Spain or in other parts of the world. We helped them create and implement new environments and experiences that would be more in tune with the U.S. customer expectations."
What's the most important thing for banks that are merging to keep in mind? Expertise matters. Since many banks may not have key employees who were part of transitioning their banks in the past, bringing in a partner company that is outside the organization often helps smooth the choppy merger waters. Beardsworth says, "When banks bring in an outside expert, they are ensuring that a facilitator with an eye on best practice will help inform good decision-making. When we come in, we aren't as concerned about the political environment at the bank. We focus on taking on the role of the mediator. Often times, we just become that resource for banks and help them solve their internal misalignments and the challenges they may have with getting the new brand approach and culture implemented."
For more information about best practices for mergers and acquisitions, contact Adrenaline at info@adrenalineagency.com.
GEN Z: A RETAIL PRIMER
Seamless retail experiences that address the underlying values of this generation of retail upstarts will be key to creating engaging spaces for Gen Z.
IS THE INTERNET OF THINGS DEAD?
Following the disruption that digital has presented to brick-and-mortar, assumptions would be made that brands simply move away from the in-person customer experience. But that's not what we're seeing in banking or retail. Now big digital brands are ushering in what we're calling the experience of things.
SHOP SAVVY: RETAIL'S INNOVATION ICONS
Unshackled by older legacy brands like department stores, smaller boutique and distinct style brick and mortar retail brands are driving innovation through design, merchandising and experiences to win customer hearts while creating whole new retail categories.


Quotes About Affection – Affection is Always Greater than Perfections… We have collected a lot of interesting quote here. This quote is an image that you can take. Click on any image in the gallery below. We hope you enjoy it. Thanks.


I consider myself to be an extremely blessed man. Having spiritually grown up around the Copeland family has been the highlight of my life. The insight into ministry and God's Word through Brother and Sister Copeland over these last 42 years has prepared me for what I am doing today. What an honor. What a thrill. What a ride!
In January 2017, Brother Copeland gave Pastor Terri and I a mandate to serve as the Executive Leaders of Kenneth Copeland Ministries (KCM). It is an honor to oversee the operations of the ministry as its Chief Executive Officer.


The diocesan offices at Cathedral Place in Hamilton will be closed on Monday, April 16. All scheduled meetings are canceled.
The weekend's ice storm continues to impact much of the area with poor driving conditions, localized flooding and power outages.
Please stay safe and check on vulnerable neighbours.


text:
New heights of happiness
After honeymooning in New Zealand, Fendi and Rozanna Jalalludin knew they had to return.
Hi my name is Fendi, I am from Singapore and we have been living in New Zealand for about five years now.
Um, when I got married I told my wife we shall go to New Zealand for a honeymoon, and she just fell in love with it and she said, "okay when we have kids most probably we would come back here and start living. "
So yeah, we came to New Zealand, and ah, I went to look for a job, it wasn't, it wasn't fairly easy but I managed to get a job but that was down in Whakatane as a diesel mechanic. But then I decided I didn't want to stay as a mechanic for long - I like to go a level up, so I applied to be an inspector with VINZ and they put me down in Dunedin. And then they asked me to come up to Nelson, and um, I was promoted to site service manager here.
Well - VINZ assist us in, with all the um ... relocations. First reason I chose that house in Mapua is because I am thinking of the kids walking to school, because Rose she hasn't got her driving licence yet, and it's off the same street whereby they don't have to cross a road, and I found out there was a Mapua wharf there which is good for fishing and my son loves fishing - so I think this is just me and I have got my name on it.
I find it quite, quite easy to be a Muslim here in New Zealand because most Kiwis they accept us and um, so far I don't have any problems with that. Ah, there is ample time and space and places for us to do our practices here and ah, like I said it is just a way of life.
For Rose she is still, ah yes, trying to cope with chill. From ah, from thirty degrees we went down to, ah, twenty degrees in Auckland, and then down to zero degrees in Dunedin! Ah, thank God the kids, they adapted much quicker than we do.
In Singapore to own a pad - a house with a patio and, and some gardens, it's ah - you have to be a millionaire - but, it is possible here in New Zealand. You can have your own garden, you can have your own garage, and we are thinking of buying a house so, but our option is still, we love Mapua and we will probably stay there.
Singapore-born Fendi Jalalludin and his family dreamed of living in the shadow of mountains – they've found that, and much more, since settling in Nelson.
When Fendi Jalalludin and wife Rozanna were thinking about moving from their native Singapore to New Zealand, they dreamed of the majestic mountains of the Volcanic Plateau and Queenstown. After living in three other parts of the country, the mountains around Nelson have become their daily backdrop – and they have no plans to move.
Unexpected dreams are also coming closer to fruition: for instance, when they buy a house, Fendi will be able to have a "man cave" (a room or shed dedicated to a guy's hobbies). In Singapore, where the family lived before, Fendi says you must be a millionaire to have a house with a patio, garden or a man cave.
"But it is possible here in New Zealand. You can have your own garden, you can have your own garage to turn into a man cave. Here there are a lot of DIY (do-it-yourself) opportunities; most of us in Singapore just buy things and somebody will come and fix it for you, and that's it," he says.
"I'd like to build a treehouse for the kids, I'd like to build my own car. All my tools are there, just waiting."
Fendi, Rozanna, and nine-year-old twins Dewi and Dewa have been living in New Zealand since early 2010. Fendi works for Vehicle Inspection New Zealand (VINZ) in Nelson as a site service manager – a world away from when he first came here, posted to Waiouru Military Camp for a few months in 2002 while working for the Singaporean army. The views of Mount Ruapehu drew him back.
"When I got married, I told my wife, 'We shall go to New Zealand for a honeymoon.' So we went to Queenstown and she just fell in love with it. She said, 'Okay, when we have kids, probably we would come back here to live."
They did just that after Fendi's military service ended. Fendi found work as a diesel mechanic in Whakatane and then Auckland. His next job was for VINZ, as a vehicle inspector in Dunedin, then the company transferred him to Nelson in June this year.
Shifting from tropical Singapore to the colder climates of New Zealand took some getting used to. "From 30 degrees, we went down to 20 degrees in Auckland, and then down to zero degrees in Dunedin. It was a bit of a shocker but the kids adapted much quicker than we do. We just have to do more exercise to get warm," laughs Fendi. "Rozanna is still trying to cope with the chill. Nelson is too cold for her, she puts on layers and layers and layers."
The internet was their best friend while researching their move to Nelson: the couple looked at houses to rent on Trade Me and Google Maps, and read ERO (Education Review Office) reports to decide on a school for the children.
They've settled in Mapua, a seaside town 20 minutes' drive west of Nelson, where Fendi works. The children walk to school, and since they grew up speaking English in Singapore, language isn't a problem. In summer, the family plans to tackle the cycling tracks around Nelson and go fishing on the nearby wharf.
Don't get Fendi talking about the tropical fruits that were so readily available in Singapore, though – one mention of Thai mangoes and durian and he begins pining for the sweet fruits.
Problems with ISIS in the Middle East have affected how Muslims are treated in some countries, but Fendi hasn't experienced that here. "I find it quite easy to be a Muslim here in New Zealand because most Kiwis accept us and so far I haven't had any problems," he says.
Finding halal meat and food is fairly easy. Nelson currently doesn't have a mosque, but the Muslim community there rents a hall in which they gather to say their Friday prayers.
Fendi warns prospective migrants that moving here will probably bring them a pleasant surprise. "Just be prepared that you will have more time to spend with your family, and for yourself," he says. "In Singapore, we won't have time to just go for a cycle on the weekend with the family."
He's glad the family took a chance and got on that plane in 2010. "For those who, like me, came here and then looked for a job, I would say in the end everything will be fine – because if it is not, it is not the end. We just have to try our best."
Julian Ramirez-Luna
Living life to the full
Nicholina Adjei
The fruits of her labour


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Knox County boys hoping to be bad dudes on the court
Austin Miller @AustinMillerKDE
Zach Short has seen a lot of extra success in coaching at Knox County with the help of mottos for his team.
The softball team rode "Hit Bombs" to the Final Four last year and another solid season this fall. The boys basketball team bought in with "We Grind" as the rallying cry last season as they battled injuries and still accomplished a lot.
But there is no motto for the boys hoops team so far, something Short hopes to rectify soon.
"I love this team, but these guys are so indecisive with stuff like that," said Short with a laugh. "I put them on that in June and here we are. I knew when I'd be talking with (the media) that I'd want to get it out there, and we just don't have it. Hopefully, we'll have something by Tuesday. Everyone wants something different, so I think I'll have to make a power play and decide."
They probably won't use the same proverb as they did a year ago, but the Eagles enter the season in a similar situation. Knox has been without three of its top players as they still nurse injuries from football season.
Junior scorer Conner Hayes has been out with a shoulder injury, same with junior Elliott Ogden. And senior big man Robert Mauck is still dealing with a high ankle sprain after becoming Knox's all-time tackles leader.
And Short says it's kind of a waiting game early. Hayes, who set a new Knox record for 3-pointers in a season last year, should be good to go for Tuesday's opener with Canton. Mauck is highly doubtful since Short doesn't want to rush him back with an injury that could linger or worsen. And Ogden is out until after Thanksgiving, at the least.
Leaving Short with a lot of young players getting reps at practice. Tanner Gillaspy is a sophomore who's gotten a lot of time in practice due to those injuries, along with freshmen Rylan Roberts and Blake Parrish. Sophomore skyscraper Jacob Becker is a known commodity after last year. And then there's Braydon Miller, who only appeared in seven games last year as a freshman, but has really shown flashes to Short.
"Those are a handful of guys between the freshmen and sophomore class where varsity minutes have been really good for them with the reps that they're getting," Short said. "They've shown me a lot. They're bringing it and they're getting better every day, so I'm excited about that. Right away, they're going to have to be ready, but going forward, we're going to see how they really adjust to the varsity game. Any experience now will pay off down the road when it matters."
But Short also has experienced upperclassmen who he is relying on right now. Junior Coltin Morrow will anchor more point guard duties this season, especially as Hayes is still getting his legs back. And senior Trent Klocke has really stepped up as more of a vocal leader this year.
Klocke emerged relatively unscathed from football and Short thinks he's primed for a big year. And a good season out of Klocke should result in a good season in Edina.
"I don't know if everything with Trent will be numbers-wise," Short said. "I know he's capable of scoring, but I would look for him to improve on his 12-point, six-rebound average from last year. But I think a big year for Trent would be to make the guys around him better. We know he's good, but can he now create for other people? When he gets extra attention, can he make that good pass to someone?"


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https://www.wsj.com/articles/showdown-looms-at-consumer-financial-protection-bureau-1511745899
CFPB Official Sues Trump Administration Over Agency Leadership
Leadership contest is the latest battle to control agency's direction
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Richard Cordray reflects on the new balance of power in Washington and how it will affect the future of his agency and its rulemaking and enforcement agenda. (Originally Published January 24, 2017)
By Yuka Hayashi
Updated Nov. 26, 2017 11:34 pm ET
WASHINGTON—An Obama-era official at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau sued the Trump administration on Sunday night to block budget director Mick Mulvaney from taking control of the agency.
Leandra English, a career staffer appointed Friday to lead the CFPB by former director Richard Cordray, filed the lawsuit in federal court the night before the bureau was set to reopen with dueling temporary leaders vying to take it over. In doing so, she touched off a legal fight that will trigger court interpretations on how different statutes regarding succession apply to the unusual struggle over control of a federal agency.
Alec Baldwin to Be Charged With Involuntary Manslaughter in 'Rust' Shooting
U.S. Nears Debt Ceiling, Begins Extraordinary Measures to Avoid Default
This 265-Pound Man Ran the Wildest 98 Yards in the NFL Playoffs (and Actually Ran More)
When It's Time to Pull a Prince Harry and Burn That Bridge
Airlines Are Bumping a Lot More Passengers Lately


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← The show will go on
Fully Open for Easter →
Apedale Road Station is Open
Posted on 13th April 2014
The Moseley Railway Trust is delighted to announce that the new railway station at Apedale Road was opened to the public on Saturday 12thApril 2014.
The Apedale Road station is on the 2'0" gauge Apedale Valley Light Railway, which is owned and operated by volunteer members of the Moseley Railway Trust. The station was declared open during the first public operating day for the railway in 2014. The new station was part-funded by a grant from the Co-Operative Community Fund. In recognition of this, the opening was carried out by Mr Steve Ward, the manager of the Co-Op store local to the railway in Chesterton, Newcastle-under-Lyme.
Phil Robinson, Chairman of the Moseley Railway Trust, said "We are delighted to open this new station. This is a key step along the path of extending our railway, and is an important milestone in the Trust's development of the site at Apedale. For the first time, our visitors can alight at the far end of the railway. We've stopped being just a train ride and become a proper railway to transport people! We would like to extend our gratitude to the team at the Co-Op Community Fund for their assistance with this project".
The new station is adjacent to Apedale Road, and allows visitors to access the adjacent Apedale Community Country Park.
The Apedale Valley Light Railway will now be open every Saturday, Bank Holiday and some Sundays until the end of October. There is a regular programme of special events through the year, including a three-day event in September marking the centenary of the start of the First World War. Full details can be found on the Trust's websites,here or here.


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How Alberta's iGEM students are persevering through COVID-19
COVID | June 4, 2020
Guest post by Patrick Wu a Life Science Marketing Consultant based in Alberta.
Normally at this point in the year, students around the world would be hard at work in the lab, getting ready for the iGEM competition. Teams competing at this synthetic biology event are trying to find ways to engineer biology to solve real-life problems.
Of course, the COVID-19 pandemic has made this year anything but "normal." Most universities, schools, and labs are currently closed and it's still too early to tell if any of them will be opening in the fall.
That hasn't stopped three Alberta teams from participating this year, though. The University of Calgary, University of Lethbridge, and Lethbridge high school teams are all still competing despite not being physically together.
But how exactly do you do synthetic biology work when a virus is (ironically) stopping you from going into the lab?
iGEM has changed a few things about the competition in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Notably, iGEM has modified the medal requirements to give teams a chance to earn a Gold medal without wetlab work. As well, many teams have elected to take advantage of iGEM's new two-phase project option this year. Teams usually tackle a new problem each year, but the two-phase project means they can research, design, and plan their projects in the first year and leave the actual lab experiments for the next.
"We are thinking of doing a longer-term project this time around," says Dia Koupantsis, a student in the University of Lethbridge team. They are engineering antimicrobial peptides in potatoes to help protect them from disease. Koupantsis says that this first year is an excellent time to lay down the groundwork for next year.
Just because students aren't doing lab work doesn't mean that obtaining a medal is any easier, though.
"Modelling still requires a lot of thought and work," says Jalyce Heller, instructor and advisor for the Lethbridge high school team. Effective models need the same research and analytical skills that are useful in the lab. These high schoolers have been learning bioinformatics and molecular dynamics simulations to help them develop a better pectin-degradation pathway for at-home composting.
Along with modelling, teams are also considering the Human Practices aspects of their project. Human Practices is iGEM's term for the social, ethical, legal, and environmental aspects surrounding a team's project. Historically, Alberta's teams have excelled in this area as they meet with end-users and stakeholders to help guide their projects. Just last year, the Calgary team (who were also First Runner-Up overall) won Best Integrated Human Practices for their in-depth collaboration with the canola industry. They hope to continue their success this year.
"There's so much to the social aspect to this [year's project]," says Christian Emond, one of the Calgary team's advisors. The team is exploring how to produce carotenoids (such as vitamin A) in yeast, using waste cellulose feedstock. They plan on speaking with anthropologists and other experts to better understand the impact this project could have on developing nations.
But the pandemic does create a few challenges. For one, students can't interact with the community in the same way as they used to. The high schoolers, for example, wanted to meet with local restaurants to learn more about their composting programs. Unfortunately, the reduced economic activity from the pandemic has slowed this down. Heller notes that fundraising for her team has also been challenging because of the slower economy.
Despite this, the teams have been getting creative on how to navigate it. The Calgary team has been using Trello boards to make sure everyone stays on the same page. Members are paired up to ensure they're completing their tasks. (Emond refers to them as "accountabilibuddies.")
"We're actually doing much better than we expected, " says Michaella Atienza, a member of the Calgary team. "Collaborations are easier now because everything is digital."
Teams have also been finding ways to stay socially connected. The Lethbridge high schoolers recently held a music recital over Zoom with friends and family. Their undergraduate counterparts are holding online game nights. And the Calgary team has been engrossed in the "Synbio Olympics," where three smaller teams compete in things like scavenger hunts, tomato plant gardening, and debates about superheroes.
Considering how iGEM teaches students to be creative in the face of big challenges, it's no surprise that these students are figuring it out. It's going to take a lot more than a global pandemic to stop them from tackling the big problems of the world.


Be advised of the location if two submarine cables in the North Pacific located off the coast of Bandon, Oregon. The TPC-5 cable system consists of two submarine cables that extend off the continental shelf from Long Beach Landing at Bandon. AT&T, as one of the owners of this cable system is announcing its installation to the commercial fishing industry in order to avoid potential conflict with their gear and the cable.
Fishermen are advised to exercise prudent seamanship in the vicinity of charted submarine cables. Trawling or dredging over cables may cause entanglement, causing lost gear, fishing time and damage to the vital international communication cable.
Be advised that a new high capacity fiber optic submarine cable (China-US) has been installed on or in the seafloor across the continental shelf of the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Bandon, Oregon. AT&T, as one of the owners of this cable system is announcing its installation to the commercial fishing industry in order to avoid potential conflict with their gear and the cable.


The Gang of Three has always loved to set up camp in their local forest. In the summer, siblings Victoria, Francis, and little Louise trek into the woods and form themselves a campsite at which they enjoy a small feast until it is time to head on home. One day, they are stopped in their tracks by whom they believe to be a 'wild man'. Dressed entirely in Green and introducing himself as Dan The Park Ranger, the 'wild man' instructs them to put their fire out, as he believes it to be a safety hazard. When plucky Victoria exclaims her qualifying her fire-maker's badge, Dan is dumbfounded to have stumbled across such safety conscious and self-aware youngsters, but he upholds that their fire lighting is incredibly dangerous. When The Gang of Three's mother arrives, Dan decides that they can all help each other- he can ensure that they are fully trained to stay safe in the outdoors, and they in turn can show other children how to do the same. This collaboration sets a good example for children in primary schools to follow- it is often a good idea to welcome the involvement of a newcomer- whether this be receiving fun ideas from a new friend or the advice of somebody a little older and wiser. In this case, Dan's presence as an adult makes him a very positive influence. Although initially alarmed by his fiery findings, he chooses not to judge the Gang of Three's decisions and get angry, but to help them. As a kind of guardian, he is not there to spoil their fun but to enhance it and make it safer. This will help listeners to see adults as a more positive influence in this manner, and to respect their own elders. Although the children in this story are sensible and careful (and therefore good role models for listeners), they are still too young to be controlling fire, as it is so dangerous- something that is also an important point for assembly attendees to take note of. This tale also showcases children truly immersing themselves in adventures in nature- inspiring, perhaps, listeners to adopt healthier habits and choosing to be in the outdoors and to revel in the joy it brings like the Gang of Four do.


Bugs with sticky surface or just lint?
HELP please! Just found bed bugs and larvae!
Do I have bedbugs or am I just paranoid?
Lint balls or bugs with sticky coat?
Do any bugs have a sticky surface that could attract lint?
I keep taking pictures and enlarging and they all appear to be fuzz balls. I wear a lot of black clothing which doesn't help. I may be paranoid but we have been vigilant ever since a BB scare last year (made the mistake of having a canine handler come. Dog sat a couple of times but visual inspection did not find anything. Later found evidence of carpet beetles including a couple of live ones; all bedrooms since treated).
I laughed off the lint balls at first, but I'm seeing this often enough that I'm starting to wonder if there could be tiny bugs inside. Sofa, desk chair and sometimes bed feeling crawly at times. One possible bite.
I get sent enough lint balls I could open a museum.
There is nothing about bedbug physiology that a thread could attach to apart from the claw parts of the feet and then they would never roll around and around enough to get spun up in it.
If you are look at this level of detail in the correct laces and cant find anything its unlikely you have bedbugs but I would watch the videos to make sure your looking in the correct places and considering monitoring as a more efficient way to be certain.


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Home: Religion: Shamanism: Shamanic Practice, Tools and Ritual.
The term 'Shaman' has been used to describe spiritual community leaders and medicine men historically known as the intellectual and spiritual leaders in their community.
Different forms of shamanism are found around the world, and practitioners are also known as medicine men or women, and witch doctors.
Is its believed that Shamans can communicate with these spirits to diagnose and cure victims of witchcraft. Some societies distinguish shamans who cure from sorcerers who harm; others believe that all shamans have the power to both cure and kill; that is, shamans are in some societies also witches. The shaman usually enjoys great power and prestige in the community but may also be suspected of harming others and thus feared. Most shamans are men, but there are societies in which women may be shamans (in Old Norse culture, as mentioned above, only women; for men to practice shamanism was shameful).
Note: For more on the subject, see: Native American Shamanism and the Medicine Man.
In some societies male shamans exhibit a "two-spirit" identity, assuming the dress and attributes of a woman from a young age, including taking on the role of a wife in an otherwise ordinary marriage; this practice is common, and found among the Chukchee, Sea Dyak, Patagonians, Aruacanians, Arapaho, Cheyenne, Navaho, Lakota, and Ute, as well as other Native American tribes. Such two-spirit shamans are thought to be especially powerful. They are highly respected and sought out by men in their tribes, as they will bring high status to their husbands.
Not all traditional peoples approve of the use of shaman as a generic term, given that the word comes from a specific place and people. It has replaced the older English language term witch doctor, a highly descriptive term which unites the two stereotypical functions of the shaman: knowledge of magical and other lore; and the ability to cure a person and mend a situation.
Shamanic practice continues not only in wild areas but in cities, towns, suburbs and shantytowns all over the world, not only in the tundras or the jungles or deserts.
Different forms of shamanism are found around the world, and practitioners are also known as medicine men or women, and witch doctors. It has been especially common among circumpolar peoples; in Old Norse Religion, however, shamanism was seen as un-manly and practiced mainly by women, see Volvas and Wiccas (although in Old Norse mythology, the supreme god Odin was also seen as the foremost shaman). These shamans were seen as a threat by organized religion, and condemned as "witches."
Ayahuasca Quechua for "Vine of the Dead"
Shamans often observe special fasts and taboos particular to their vocation. Oftentimes the shaman has, or acquires, one or more familiars, usually spirits in animal form, or (sometimes) those of departed shamans.
In engaging this work the shaman exposes himself to significant personal risk, both from the spirits as well as from the means employed to alter his state of consciousness. Certain of the plant materials used can kill, and the out-of-body journey itself can lead to non-returning and physical death.


Whenever a pastor these days announces to the blogosphere that the music of his church is going change from conservative and traditional to progressive and contemporary, he receives both supportive and critical responses from his readers. The blogs that support his decision to change the music lend public credibility to that decision. The comments that criticize his decision give him the opportunity to defend it. This very scenario is happening more and more often. However, such a change in policy really is the wrong kind of change to make in the light of scripture. Many who defend the trend to modify the music at church say that the arguments against it involve matters of "preference" rather than applications of Bible principles. They say that critics of the change are against it really because they don't like the music, and the discussion is ultimately about what kind of church music one prefers. The fact is, however, that there are several Bible principles that militate against switching to the new music style in church. Serious mistakes are being made as I write by pastors who are not considering certain Bible truths in their decision-making process.
The prophet Jeremiah spoke boldly against the trends among God's people in his day to conform to the pagan ways of the nations around them. They looked to Egypt for solutions to their problems, and were influenced by the ways of their old taskmasters. They also sought the favor of Assyria, and were drawn into their religious and cultural practices. God asked them through the prophet, "Why gladdest thou about so much to change thy way?" (Jeremiah 2:36-37) They would come to "be ashamed" of the wrong changes they were making, and would "not prosper in them" because God "rejected thy confidences" and would not bless the changes.
When a pastor changes the church music to the popular "contemporary" style he should consider the seriousness of the decision he is making and ponder in the light of scriptural principle if he is making a mistake. The error in such a change may be found in at least four missteps he is taking.
He is making a subtle but serious change in his philosophy of ministry.
They were idolaters not only because they offered sacrifice to a statue but also because what the people were doing in the name of worship was not genuine adoration of deity; it was "play." They were feasting to satisfy their own desires, and they were singing and dancing to amuse themselves (Exodus 32:17-19). It was not really worship; it was entertainment. When churches switch to the "contemporary" music styles on the platform, are they not also switching to the entertainment model of religious services?
The meetings of the early Christian churches had the congregation involved in "doctrine [teaching] and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers" (Acts 2:42). There was also singing (First Corinthians 14:15, Ephesians 5:18-19, Colossians 3:16), but it appears to have been mostly congregational singing and not performances by talented people up front. The fact is that the churches of those early days did not have services that were dedicated to what we call worship. Worship was a matter of the heart, practiced by Christians in their daily life, and not an activity practiced by going to a place of worship or a church service (Read carefully what Jesus said in John 4:19-24). Believers did indeed worship God in the church meetings (See First Corinthians 14:23-25), but the meetings were not dedicated to worship, or designated "worship services," and the worship that happened was not defined in terms of music. The Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) gave the disciples of Jesus plenty to do when they gathered together to disciple and teach the believers. The activity of church meetings was not centered on the singing and "worship," and it was not led by a "worship team." The focus of the meeting was Bible teaching and praying. Worship was happening, but worship was not defined as going to a certain place and enjoying the music.
Churches that change to contemporary music soon change their meetings into entertainment-based services not at all like the meetings prescribed by the New Testament. They are called "contemporary churches" because it is not only the music standards that change; it is the purpose of church that changes, too. This is proven by the fact that after the people become used to the new music, they cannot bear to go back to the traditional-service style of the past. If you remove the new music, the whole thing collapses. The purpose of church becomes entertainment, and the "contemporary" music is the entertainment the people want.
The philosophy of evangelism also changes with the music change. The book of Galatians opens with a rebuke of teachers who pervert the true and original Gospel. In arguing the point, the apostle Paul (by the Spirit) makes an astonishing statement about how to approach evangelism.
The right philosophy in winning people to God is founded on persuading God before trying to persuade men. Now Paul did seek to persuade men to turn to Christ (Second Corinthians 5:11), and on some level he also sought to please men in order to win them (First Corinthians 10:32-33). But his philosophy of evangelism was essentially vertical in its view rather than horizontal. It was not, "How can I conform my ways to the ways of the world in order not to offend the people of the world?" It was, "How can I have God's blessing and power as I faithfully proclaim His Gospel?" In the Acts of the Apostles, mighty harvests of souls were preceded by intense prayer meetings. The secret to winning the lost is to look to God, not to conform to the world. When pastors and churches cave to the pressure to use popular-style religious music (rock, rap, country, new-age, American-Idol-type), they are buying into the philosophy that to win the world we must conform to the world, which, of course, is unscriptural (Romans 12:1-2).
He is pointing his people in the wrong direction.
Ephesians 5 teaches the children of light to distinguish themselves from those still in darkness. They are not to do what the unsaved do (verses 1-7). And they are not to endorse the sinful things they do.
Some defend the decision to use "contemporary Christian music" (CCM) in their churches by denying that singing a song written or performed by a certain artist or composer implies endorsement of the doctrines he believes or the life that he lives. However, the problem of association will indeed undermine the Christian lives of the church members when use of this music draws them into the CCM world of show-business.
CCM is show business. "Christian music" and "Gospel music" and other contemporary styles (in contrast with hymns) are classifications given to recorded performances in the "music business." Who doesn't know this? CCM songs are associated with their writers and performers in a way that the hymns were never associated with theirs. Did anybody ever ask, "Have you heard the latest Isaac Watts hit?" Did nineteenth-century Christians rave about how a Robert Lowry song was rising up the charts? The writers of hymns and Gospel songs over the years were never viewed as show-business personalities as CCM artists are today. The association of the new music with the creators and purveyors of the songs is very real in the minds of the listeners. And the truth is that many of the CCM stars have histories of moral failure, serious behavior inconsistencies, and doctrinal deviations that do affect the many who become their followers through their music. Their lives and beliefs are associated with their songs in the real world.
Shall a pastor point his people to the world of CCM show business? He cannot prevent doing so as long as he uses these songs in church.
He is forgetting the undeniable meaning of rock music.
The book of Titus (along with other sections of scripture) teaches us that there is a certain attitude and certain behavior that go along with sound doctrine.
The atmosphere of a doctrinally-sound church ought to be charged with virtues that go along with ("become") the truth that is taught. Certain virtues are held forth in the book of Titus as those that are becoming to sound doctrine: sobriety, temperance (restraint), discretion, family-orientation, chastity, subjection to authority, respect, godliness, zeal for God, and rejection of worldliness. The mood and spirit of a church meeting dominated by rock music is not of this sort. It is actually destructive of the attitudes that uphold the truth of God, and that emanate from it. The church meeting ought to represent accurately what God is like. Services that suggest He is "non-judgmental" (in the current understanding of that concept), "easy-going" (in the sense of not demanding much commitment), "cool" (in the sense of enjoying the celebration of sensual pleasures), and compliant with our wishes (in contradiction of His advancing His own perfect will) misrepresent the true God.
It isn't hard to find out what the message of rock music is. And what is euphemistically called "contemporary Christian music" is really rock music with religious lyrics. The rock 'n' roll style came to dominate popular music in America as our culture declined morally. Robert Bork's authoritative and ground-breaking book on the decline of American culture, Slouching Towards Gomorrah, devoted a chapter to the music of that decline. He identifies it as rock music, deteriorating into hard rock, heavy metal, punk rock, and rap. Judge Bork, of course, was no fundamentalist preacher. He was one of the great legal scholars and social scientists of our time. Among many other things, he said of rock music, that "these songs reflect a generalized rage, particularly rage against social authority." He points out that "fixation on self first became obvious [in the decline of the culture] with rock 'n' roll." He insisted that this style of music had a profound effect on the young audiences that come to hear it. Rock music arose as an expression of rebellion, selfishness, and sexuality, as everyone in the 1950s and 1960s knew, and as the creators of it admitted and boasted.
All art has a message. The writing of the history of art always includes the meaning and message that was conveyed by the painting, the poetry, the writing, and the music of certain types and eras. Rock music reflected and generated a movement against standards, morals, authority, and religion. The message was in the style as well as in the words.
Bloom was a highly-respected scholar, professor, thinker, and author, and was not a fundamentalist preacher. Yet he, as well as Bork, saw the insidious nature of the music of our times, and the dangerous effects it has had. The vile words corresponded to the perverse music style of rock music, which appeared on the scene both as an effect and a cause of our rapid moral and cultural decline. Strangely, many of the evangelical thinkers who advocated the introduction of rock to church audiences have read both Bork and Bloom. Many more are aware of the effect the rock music style had on the minds of its fans. It is mysterious why any Christian leader would propose an alliance with this Ahab in the battle for the Lord. Younger men who have grown up with rock music in their lives may miss the moral and mental effects it has, but it still does work against the very things pastors are seeking to accomplish through the preaching of the Word of God.
Further evidence regarding the nature of the music style is the almost inevitable decline in modesty, restraint, commitment, and holiness in churches that use it. Now is the time for the pastor to open his eyes and see that this is not a change that should be made.
He is neglecting the resources we have in Christ.
The pastor and many of the members of his church want to liven up the miserably dead services that they seem to have again and again. This is one of the main reasons churches decide to change the music. However, the principle of Romans 8:6 will warn us against trying to bring life to our meetings by the use of sensual, self-gratifying, entertainment-oriented, beat-driven music.
The flesh always produces death (See also Galatians 6:7-8), and the Spirit produces life. The Holy Spirit is called "the Spirit of life" in Romans 8:2. To appeal to the flesh as the focus of a church service is to dispense death to the congregation. To give the Spirit control of a meeting is to bring life to the service. Now even death can be exciting, but it is death, because "to be carnally [fleshly] minded is death; but to be spiritually minded [led by the Holy Spirit] is life and peace." Dead services lack the participation of God's Spirit. They are not improved by the use of carnally-minded music. They get more exciting, but they do not get better until we forsake the flesh (see John 6:63) and are filled with the Spirit.
Our spiritual forbearers did really face the same challenges that we do in seeking to bring men to Christ. They often ran into the brick wall of the offense of the cross when they conducted evangelistic campaigns and labored to win the sinner in their towns. Sinners were never comfortable with the holy living Christianity demanded, or with the fearless denunciation of their sins that they heard from the pulpit. They never dressed as we dress, enjoyed what we enjoy, and sang the songs we love, or took an interest in the Word of God. But the old-timers did not resort to changing our ways in order supposedly to eliminate these barriers. The standard that guided them was the will of God revealed in the scriptures, regardless of whether men around them liked how they lived and preached and believed or not. The old revivalists resorted not to change when they ran into a brick wall, but rather to earnest prayer. Isn't this how Elijah reached the people of the wicked time in which he lived? Wasn't this the practice of the apostles? The change needed in the churches today can be defined in terms of revival. We must seek the Lord, believing that He will be found. We can have His blessing and power in spreading His Gospel if we will conform absolutely to His will and way. The answer is in the revival prayer meeting, and not in the praise band. A change is needed to bring life to our dead churches, but it is not the change that our enemy is so relentlessly suggesting to the pastors.
The concern Christian leaders have had for years about the standards and style of the music used in regular church services and in evangelistic efforts was not unfounded or unnecessary. They knew what rock music was, and they saw the travesty in bringing it into the church. Pastors today must consider the issues in this matter very carefully before dismissing the warnings of older preachers as purely the product of preference. The Bible has a lot to say about church, and much of it relates to the kind of singing we do in church. The challenges of our times call for believers in Christ to re-adopt the vertical view, and seek the blessing of God instead of adopting the approach of the world to growth and success. When churches do this, God will bless them, and will be glorified in the fruit that will be borne.


My 13 yo daughter left me a death threat this morning.
Today my husband gets to be reminded of what he married a year ago..
My favourite barber shop review.
While flying on a plane..
Neighbors had a party last night, found this in my yard.
Handed my teenage son a caulk gun and told him to put caulk all over the plywood. I think he misheard me.
Saw this at the diner this morning.
Went upstairs to get water and..
My watch reflects my personality.
I put googly eyes on my pooper-scooper so I can chase the dogs around the yard with it saying "Give me your poopy!".


Over the weekend, Hugh found himself in posession of a wood pile, a sharp object, a little time and a Museum of London book. Always a dangerous combination. He's turned into a stamp making machine.
Hugh has done his own write-up with a stack of photos on his group's forum here.
Here's a couple of examples. This pair together were about 2 hours' work.
Stamped decoration for a leather girdle.
Click on either photo or here to go to the full set of stamp photos.
Hugh and I both use Australian hardwood for our stamps, Europeans and Americans can use a close-grained hardwood like ash. I've found American Oak to be too open and ended up with the imprint of the end-grain on the leather.
Give it a go, it doesn't take long and you may enjoy it.
This entry was posted in Accessories and Personal Items, Early Medieval, Early Modern, Late Medieval and tagged home made punches, Stamps. Bookmark the permalink.
That is quite excellent and enlightening guys!
Nice work! What was your chosen sharp object? It's funny, you know, but with the huge pile of wax carving tools I possess, I tend to end up using my $2 set of screwdrivers. Those ones you use to tighten up the screws in glasses.
Hugh's chosen sharp object was a diamond awl, augmented with scalpel, Stanley knife (box cutter in the US) and file. I use my whatever comes to hand, chisels, files, most of my fine toolkit from my days in the electronics industry, scrap bits of metal and for long straight lines, the back of a butter knife.
Aaah, thanks for that, and also for making it clear that you're not Hugh! Got a little confuzzled there for a sec. For another sec I thought you might be a tad schizo 😀 So who might be the name behind the Reverend?
It might be… Wayne. I might also be a tad schitzo, but the Reverend bit comes from me wearing black. At work I occasionally (about once a week) get called Johnny after Johnny Cash.
lol thanks Johnny. Thought you may have been from Company of the Staple seeing as how you let Hugh within a few metres 😉 Seems we may not have met after all but it's a small world. I discovered your site via Racaire's in Germany (?) when she linked to this article. Unless there's a regular medieval event that we both go to?
Nope, I'm a bit of a maverick, for ECW I'm with the Pike and Musket in Sydney – I'm the one in black with the flat-topped hat and the shiny armour. We also do 7-8th century Saxon and 1st C Romano-British on our own and have a few other periods that are hang-overs from my past. I'm also building up to Mary Rose re-enactment by stealth. Were you at any of the conferentions?
I tried using cherry wood and found it to be too soft. I am planning on trying again with something Purple Heartwood. Just thought I would FYI here in case someone thought to try it themselves.
BTW Thank you so much for sharing this and all the other info!!
I don't pretend to know much about (or be able to afford) what we consider to be exotic timbers. Purple Heart has a good reputation for toughness, possibly hickory would also do a good job. The advantage with Australian timbers is that many are as strong as wrought iron and have a reputation for being able to tear the teeth off a saw.


text:
Q: Mercurial: Share a repo without putting it on a server? I am working in a student group with several other people. We would like to use Mercurial as our version control system, but some of our files can't be put online in a public hosting service like Google Projects or Codeplex. Is there some way that we can host a repo on our own machines, passing the files/changesets between each other as necessary, without creating a horribly conflicted mess?
I know that Mercurial has a bundle command that can be used to package a repo. If I do that, and send the bundle someone else, and they want to get the changes back to me, what's the best way to do that? Send me a bundle back?
I have a shared hosting account on a server. Is there any chance I could run Mercurial off that box? How would I find this out?

A: The bundle command packages changesets, not necessarily a full repository.  The --base option lets you specify the earliest version the other people have (it's okay if you bundle more than needed).  So you can send bundles back and forth, it should work essentially the same as if you used a server.  Either way, if a merge is required, it will tell you when you try hg update.
You would have to talk to your host to see if it's supported.

A: There is no need to have a central repo.  That's one of the advantages of a distributed version control system.  Each developer has his own repository on his machine, and you exchange changesets by email or by connecting to each others' machines, if that's possible.
If one of your machines is accessible to all others, it can serve as the "central" repository if you think that this will ease the logistics of coordinating everyone's work.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
typedef enum {  TOP, HOUR, MIN, BOTTOM, DEV } TextLayerId ;

typedef struct {
  Window *window;
  Layer *window_layer;
  WatchfaceBackground *background;
  TextLayer **text_layers;

} WatchfaceView;

// Constructor
WatchfaceView* watchface_view_init();
// Destructor
void watchface_view_deinit(WatchfaceView*);

WatchfaceView* view_show_random_background(WatchfaceView*);

WatchfaceView* view_push_window(WatchfaceView*);

WatchfaceView* view_hour_text_update(WatchfaceView* view, char* text);

WatchfaceView* view_minute_text_update(WatchfaceView* view, char* text);

WatchfaceView* view_bottom_text_show(WatchfaceView* view);
WatchfaceView* view_bottom_text_hide(WatchfaceView* view);
WatchfaceView* view_bottom_text_update(WatchfaceView* view, char* text);

WatchfaceView* view_top_text_show(WatchfaceView* view);
WatchfaceView* view_top_text_hide(WatchfaceView* view);
WatchfaceView* view_top_text_update(WatchfaceView*, int percent, bool is_charging);


text:
(-) Integrated care
(-) Better Care Fund
(-) General election 2017
How to build effective teams in general practice
This guide draws on insights from our research, policy analysis and leadership practice to outline ways in which practices can create and sustain effective teams, as they come together to form primary care networks.
By Beccy Baird et al - 9 January 2020
What does improving population health really mean?
Everybody in NHS policy seems to be talking about population health. But what does it really mean and how can we improve it?
Health and wellbeing boards and integrated care systems
In the last several years there have been significant changes in how the NHS works across different services and with external partners such as local government. Richard Humphries explores how this has impacted health and wellbeing boards, and what the future holds for them.
By Richard Humphries - 13 November 2019
Insights from the spread of the primary care home
This report was commissioned by the National Association of Primary Care (NAPC) and explores the factors that contributed to the spread of the primary care home.
By Durka Dougall et al - 19 June 2019
NHS long-term plan: legislative proposals inquiry: Written submission to the Health and Social Care Committee
Our response to the Health and Social Care Committee's legislative proposals inquiry. We support the spirit of these proposals, which are intended to make it easier for local NHS bodies to work together to improve the health and care of their populations.
The false promise of the self-improving health system
There is an urgent need to reform the system for paying and contracting for services in the NHS but new complex financial incentive schemes are not the answer, writes Ben Collins for HSJ.
By Ben Collins - 1 April 2019
Payments and contracting for integrated care: The false promise of the self-improving health system
Why should the new payment systems being developed to support integrated care be any more successful than previous ones? This new report calls for urgent reform of the system for paying and contracting services in the NHS.
Sustainability and transformation partnerships in London: An independent review
Our report, commissioned by the Mayor of London, reviews the progress made over the past year by London's five sustainability and transformation partnerships (STPs).
By Matthew Kershaw et al - 16 October 2018
A year of integrated care systems: reviewing the journey so far
Integrated care systems represent a fundamental and far-reaching change in how the NHS works across different services and with external partners. This report is based on interviews with eight of the 'first wave' ICSs to understand how they are developing and to identify lessons for local systems and national policy-makers.
By Anna Charles et al - 20 September 2018
Joined-up listening: integrated care and patient insight
In this article, we articulate the opportunity that integrated care presents for using insight from people and populations to design services that meet their needs and reflect their priorities.
By Dan Wellings et al - 30 August 2018
The Montefiore Health System in New York: a case study
The Montefiore Health System in the Bronx, New York, has found ways of helping even the most deprived by stepping beyond the bounds of conventional health services. Our report explores the system in detail.
By Ben Collins - 27 July 2018
The NHS 10-year plan: how should the extra funding be spent?
The government has announced increases in NHS funding and has asked the NHS to come up with a 10-year plan for how this funding will be used. After eight years of austerity, there is now an opportunity to tackle the issues that matter most to patients and communities and to improve health and care.
By Professor Sir Chris Ham et al - 12 July 2018
Leading across health and social care in Scotland: learning from chief officers' experiences, planning next steps
This report, commissioned by the Scottish Government in collaboration with the chief officers of integration authorities, looks how the chief officers have developed their role in the Scottish health and social care system so far.
By Alex Baylis et al - 21 June 2018
Integrated care has the potential to improve health outcomes
Chris Ham and Anna Charles outline the findings and recommendations of the Health and Social Care Committee's review of integrated care development in the NHS.
By Anna Charles et al - 11 June 2018
The Montefiore Health System in New York: integrated care and the fight for social justice
The Montefiore Health System in the Bronx, New York, has found ways of helping even the most deprived by stepping beyond the bounds of conventional health services.
By Ben Collins - 25 April 2018


eorge MacDonald Fraser of Flashman fame produced this fine little historian's guide to movies in 1988 and happily revised in 1996 (which means Braveheart made it into the book (and, as a Scot, he slams it)).
Has it really been that long since that awful movie?
Regardless, this is a review of books, not movies. And this book, The Hollywood History of the World, is every bit as grand and wide-screen as the art it reviews (the pages measure 9"x9"). But Fraser sticks to his historical roots, moving chronologically (per history, not Hollywood) forward, from ancient times to the present. And in this, he looks at our movies and the history they tell our masses.
So, yes, this is a great old book. It's a shame Frasier has since passed away – I'd to have loved reading his cranky Scot's prose as he ripped 300 (and that god-awful sequel they did).
A truth, I suppose. Or possibly an alternative fact.
What a world we're in.


A Living Trust is a legal form devised and drafted to transfer a person's assets to designated beneficiaries when that person dies. Living Trusts are well-known estate planning devices for families. A Living Trust is designed especially for the survivors to avoid probate. Download free Living Trust forms online fast.
After the person dies, the trust allows a person's assets to be transferred without delay. Most of the time, disbursement of assets lasts no more than a few weeks and can save the family money and time.
Living Trusts are also known as Inter Vivos Trusts and there are two types: Revocable Living Trusts and Irrevocable Living Trusts. The distinction between the two being that a Revocable Living Trust can be changed and an Irrevocable Living Trust cannot be changed.
The Grantor, or person creating the trust, transfers any of his or her assets to a Living Trust while he or she is still alive. The Living Trust now becomes the owner of the property.
Fill out and print your free Living Trust forms in just minutes online.
This person who created the trust is now the Grantor, Successor Trustee and Beneficiary of the Living Trust and still retains control of all property placed in the trust. These assets include real property, vehicles, banking accounts, stocks, bonds and more.
A Living Trust may be amended in any way prior to the Grantor's death. In the event the Grantor wants to cancel or revoke the Living Trust, he or she can at any time. This is why a Living Trust is also sometimes called a Revocable Living Trust.
When the Grantor passes away, the Living Trust becomes irrevocable. This means that the document cannot be changed in any way and the named Successor Trustee in the trust assumes management of the Living Trust.
The Successor Trustee will now commence the distribution of all the assets that were placed in the Living Trust by the Grantor to all of the Beneficiaries that were named in the trust. Once the assets have been distributed, the Living Trust is then dissolved.
That being said, drafting a Will is still highly recommended. There may be property that you have forgotten, neglected or acquired after creating your Living Trust.
Any assets left out of the trust will be subjected to probate. A Pour Over Will is helpful in these cases. Pour Over Wills are not probated and work by "pouring" any assets you own at death into your Living Trust.
There are two types of Living Trusts; Revocable Living Trusts and Irrevocable Living Trusts. The difference between the two is very straightforward.
The most popular type of Living Trust is a Revocable Living Trust. A Revocable Living Trust is fairly easy to draft and can be changed at any time. It can also be revoked and canceled whenever the Grantor decides.
An Irrevocable Living Trust, on the other hand, cannot be changed or revoked. Irrevocable Living Trusts contain lots of paperwork and are used mostly to avoid taxes. If you happen to go the Irrevocable Living Trust route, it is advisable to consult an attorney.
Remember, for your free Living Trust forms to be valid, it must be signed and notarized in the presence of a Notary Public. In most states, you will need to take two forms of identification and your Living Trust documents.
First, the notary will observe you sign and date the documents. Then the notary will sign, date and stamp your Living Trust with the notarial seal. Your Living Trust will now be valid.


Here are some casual spots that are favorites of Receta's crew. They're the sorts of places locals go to eat (you probably won't find them listed in most tourist guides), and most of them offer just a few dishes. You can bet your beer that the menu (when there is one) won't include a burger and fries, and that a meal won't break the bank.
Check back often, since I'll be adding to this list regularly.
Shiann's is easily overlooked amongst its upscale restaurant neighbors on Cipriani Blvd. in the Newtown section of Port of Spain. Look for a small, nondescript pink house with a very modest sign out front, and join the line of downtown workers at the counter inside – always long at lunchtime – for a fantastic roti. When it's your turn, the counterperson lays one of the hubcap-sized roti skins on a platter and then you direct him or her to fill it with your choice of curried meat (chicken or goat, say) and vegetables. When it's on offer, the curried mango is a must, as is the sweet stewed pumpkin. Eating one of these overstuffed packages with one's hands is an art – but you'll be marked as a foreigner if you ask for cutlery. Steve and I usually order a buss-up-shut, essentially a deconstructed roti: A rich flaky flatbread is beaten with paddles to break it up into strips (like ragged cloth; hence the name, which derives from "burst up shirt"), which are then used to scoop up the curries served alongside. Open daily except Sundays until 3 pm. 3 Cipriani Blvd., Port of Spain; 868-625-1735.
Describing doubles as curried chickpeas sandwiched between two pieces of fried East Indian bara bread doesn't come close to doing them justice. Each bite of a well-made doubles (like the ones at the airport) delivers an irresistible (yes, addictive) contrast in textures and flavors – the thin, freshly made bara dissolving in your mouth, the chickpeas melting into their curry sauce, the combo sharpened by its topping of kuchela (a spicy green-mango relish) and quick blast of pepper heat. (A word to the wise: Ask for "slight pepper" unless you like your food really hot.) Available sporadically day and night, seven days a week. As one vendor runs out, another usually takes his place.
Our choice, hands down, is at a panyard lime – which translates to a casual party held at the outdoor practice area that a steelpan band calls home. The beer is super-cold and super-cheap, hearty snack food is available (the likes of corn soup, bake and shark, souse, and geera pork or chicken), and the music… well, we think there's no better way to experience first-class pan up close and personal. There will likely be some tables and chairs, but you'll want to be on your feet like the band's other supporters, moving from vantage point to vantage point, to check out the various players (and everyone else at the party). Watch the local papers for announcements of these limes. Or, as Carnival approaches and the bands practice nightly, hire a driver to take you "liming" to several different panyards. A memorable, and typically Trini, night out.
The Old Plantation Yard in Vieux Fort, at the southern tip of St. Lucia, makes a good lunch stop on the way to or from Hewannora International Airport. A quick glance at its chalkboard of daily specials, with traditional Kwéyòl dishes such as salted pig-snout bouillon (a one-pot stew), is all it takes to tell you this place has a local clientele. Vieux Fort is one of the island's main fishing ports, so there is usually fresh fish on offer – say, dorado simmered with green herbs over a coalpot – for the less adventurous. Miss Bessie was tending the coalpots on the day we visited, and without me even having to ask, joined us at our table under a long-fingered breadfruit tree in the courtyard to tell us how she prepared the fish. www.oldplantationyard.com; 758-454-6040.
Every Friday night, the village of Gros Islet, just north of Rodney Bay, hosts a "jump-up". Music blares from huge speakers set up on the main street, mouthwatering smoke rises from charcoal grills, and impromptu restaurants and bars sprout along the sidewalks. (The village has rough edges, so don't stray by yourself too far from the street-party area.) When you start feeling peckish, there are dozens of places to buy grilled fish and barbecued chicken, but a tip from a friend had us searching out Jimmy and Morella Joseph's cooking. (Go down the main street to the "bandstand," turn left, and their stand is about three down on the left; ask and someone will point you to them.) We had our stomachs set on Morella's octopus (which our friend described as "amazing"), but her husband told us "she vex," because the fishermen didn't have any octopus for her this week. So instead, we consoled ourselves with her kingfish steaks, cooked in their marinade in foil "boats" on the grill, then topped with her splendid green sauce (like an herb vinaigrette, strong with sive and thyme). Alongside the kingfish, she loaded our plates with cabbage salad, sautéed veg (christophene, green beans, and carrots), green banana salad (yum), rice, and just in case we still didn't have enough carbs, hefty slices of provision: breadfruit, sweet potato, dasheen, and sweet plantain. I confess I ate everything. The Gros Islet jump-up starts slowly around 7ish, and goes until very late.
More islands and more eating places coming soon!