text:
Roberts: The Legacy of the English-Speaking Peoples
Speech to the Institute of Public Affairs, The Grand Hyatt Hotel, Melbourne, Australia Ladies and gentlemen,
It's a great honour for me to address the Institute of Public Affairs, whose fame reaches well beyond Australia as a paladin fighting for free-market ideas and political liberty. Since the Glorious Revolution of 1688 in Britain - from whence Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the British West Indies also derive their constitutional structures and assumptions - and the American Revolution of 1776, from which the United States' derives her's, the legacy of the English-speaking peoples has been the story of political freedom and limited government.
We believe in representative institutions; no soldier-dictators posing as politicians have ruled over our peoples. Plenty of soldiers have held high office – one thinks of the Duke of Wellington, Teddy Roosevelt, Winston Churchill and JFK – but none have come to power with the threat of armed men at their back. Yet in Continental Europe in the 20th century, let alone in Africa or Asia, one constantly finds men who have derived their power solely due to naked force.
Of course this is partly due to Britain's lucky geography, which has meant that she has stayed uninvaded for centuries. Since 1789 Britain has developed in an evolutionary way, as a constitutional monarchy. In that same period France has had five republics, three monarchies and two empires: their Assemblée Nationale has been opened and closed more often than a dodgy street-vendors' suitcase.
Similarly, the English-speaking peoples have been governed by the rule of a Common Law that has evolved through the use of precedent even since Magna Carta, in stark contrast to most European, Eurasian, African and Asian countries. This too has been epicentral to the sense of trust necessary for her economic development.
Religious toleration has proved of inestimable advantage to the English-speaking peoples; there has been prejudice, sadly, but no actual persecution beyond some anti-semitism in southern Ireland at the turn of the 19th century. We have had no equivalent of Germany's Kulturkampf or France's Dreyfus Affair. The result can be seen in the brain drain of Jews from the Third Reich, and its effect on American science, economics and culture. Between 1901 and Hitler coming to power, Germany won 25 Nobel Prizes in science against America's five; from 1950 to 2000 Germany won only 16 to the United States' 67.
Free Speech and freedom of the press were largely the constructs of the English-speaking peoples, supported by Law in Britain and the First Amendement in America, and it has done more than any other single factor to fight political corruption.
The free market economic model preferred by at least the conservative elements of the English-speaking peoples has ensured that while they only make up 7.5% of the world's population, they nonetheless produce some 35% of global GDP. By allowing the market to unleash human potential far better than any other economic model, and with societies that encourage the open interplay of ideas, the English-speaking peoples have been in the very forefront of every single technological innovation since the Industrial Revolution of the 1760s, most recently those of the automotive, aeronautics, computer technology, finance, biotech, IT and Internet industries.
Now, the English-speaking peoples cannot claim to have invented all the ideas that have come together to make them great. The Romans invented Law; the Greeks came up with Democracy; Protestantism came from Germany, just as the Enlightenment was French, and modern Capitalism stems from Holland. Yet the English-speaking peoples did brilliantly adapt those ideas to the values of the 1688 and 1776 revolutions.
Although England only covers 1.3% of the world's land surface, the English tongue is comprehensible to 25% of the global population. Presently there are almost as many Chinese learning it as their second language as there are people who speak it as their first language. This will permits, for the first time in the history of Mankind, a world conversation to be held, and our lingua franca, ironically enough, will be English. French attempts to defend and protect their tongue against the English onslaught by recourse to laws like the Loi Toibon have uniformly ended in farce and failure.
Of course, all this Civilisation, Law, Pre-Eminent Language and political Liberty is utterly worthless unless one is prepared to fight to defend it. In the past century alone there have been four great assaults on the primacy of the English-speaking peoples, and I fear I see a fifth fast developing. The first came from proto-Fascist Wilhelmine Germany; the second from Nazi aggression; the third from the Red Fascism of Soviet Communism, and the fourth and most recent mutation of Fascism, from Islamic fundamentalist totalitarianism. And the witness of history is testament to the fact that it is not wealth but willpower that determines who wins. Romans were richer than the Huns, the Ottoman Turks than the Mongols, the Romanovs than the revolutionaries, Weimar than the Nazis. Being rich is not enough.
Greatness tends to lead to attacks: it was true of Ancient Rome, of the Bitish Empire, and is now true of the United States. Envy, that most barren of all vices, is also one of the most common: to hate the top dog world power is part of the human condition. 'I never spend five minutes in inquiring if we are unpopular,' the Viceroy of India, Lord Curzon, wrote in 1900. 'The answer is written in red ink on the map of the globe. No, I would count everywhere on the individual hostility of all the GPs, but would endeavour to arrange things that they were not united against me. And the first condition of success in such a policy is, in my opinion, to be as strong in small things as in big.' Constantly to seek popularity is an unmanly and ultimately self-defeating policy in a Great Power. Too much introspection is unhealthy, even degenerate.
The attacks on the English-speaking peoples usually come from a clear blue sky, and see early defeats. Black week in the Boer War, the Schlieffen Plan in 1914, the invasion of Poland, the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Berlin Blockade of 1948 and the building of the Wall there in 1961, North Korea's invasion of the South, the Suez Crisis, the invasion of the Falklands, the Gulf War and 9/11. Almost all were surprise attacks. 'The most surprising thing about surprise attacks,' Paul Wolfowitz has said, 'is that we're still surprised by them.' Occasionally, pre-emptive action has been required by the English-speaking peoples, as when Nelson attacked the Danish fleet at Copenhagen in 1801, Churchill attacked the Dardanelles Outer Forts without a declaration of war in November 1914, Churchill sinking our ally France's fleet at Oran in July 1940, and George W. Bush attacking Saddam Hussein in Iraq.
Great Power status has often been lost because of small, insignificant nations: tiny Serbia versus giant Austria-Hungary in 1914, North Vietnam humiliating France at Dien Bien Phu in 1954, two years later the British Empire was humbled by paltry Egypt at Suez, just as the Afghans drew attention to Russian weakness in Afghanistan in the decade after 1979. The moral is very that of Lord Curzon: 'Be as strong in small things as in big.'
If the ESP had been more united after the First World War, if the USA had abjured isolationism, joined the League of Nations and taken part – or even the lead – in vigorous collective action against Nazi Germany from 1933 onwards, perhaps the second great global conflagration of that century might also have been avoided. As it was, much of Europe fell prey to Fascism, and those parts that escaped it fell prey to appeasement and pacifism. 'It is the English-speaking nations who, almost alone, keep alight the torch of Freedom,' said Winston Churchill in 1938. 'These things are a powerful incentive to collaboration. With nations, as with individuals, if you care deeply for the same things, and these things are threatened, it is natural to work together to preserve them.'
When the English-speaking peoples are united, we win: when not – at Suez, for example, or Vietnam - things have tended not to go so well. Fortunately in Iraq and Afghanistan, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and now David Cameron have stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the rest of the English-speaking peoples (except of course for pacifist-neutral Ireland). It cost Blair his premiership, ultimately. Other modern heroes of the English-speaking peoples, such as John Howard – surely Australia's greatest premier since Sir Robert Menzies – as well as Canada's Steven Harper.
Today, when one looks at the vanguard of the struggle between Civilization and Barbarism, on the front-line in Afghanistan, one still sees the English-speaking peoples providing the bulk of the foreign troops. One hopes that they will prove equal to the challenges of the future. That will only be possible if they continue to cleave to the values that made them great. Yet an even worse existential threat than Islamic totalitarian fundamentalism faces them in the future.
I think Clive Bell's definition of Civilization is as good as any, taken from his book Civilization published in 1928, in which he defined it as: 'A taste for truth and beauty, tolerance, intellectual honesty, fastidiousness, a sense of humour, good manners, curiosity, a dislike of vulgarity, brutality and over-emphasis, freedom from superstition and prudery, a fearless acceptance of the good things of life, a desire for complete self-expression and a liberal education, a contempt for utilitarianism and philistinism'.
I believe the fifth great challenge of the future, not just to the English-speaking peoples but to Western Civilization itself, is well underway, and it does not come from the coming nuclearization of Iran or the terrorism of Al Qu'ida, viciously destabilizing as both of those undoubtedly are. For, judged by Bell's definition, and for all its undoubted high civilisation in the distant days of Ming porcelain and the invention of printing, today's China is very far from a civilized country, and looks set to move yet further away from the kind of civilisation as defined by Bell in the foreseeable future.
Should China ever achieve hegemony over our planet – something that is certainly not inconceivable on present trends, and might well happen in our children's lifetimes, if not our own, then the prospect for the survival of the legacy of the English-speaking peoples, of all those liberal values of which I have been speaking, would be terrifyingly bleak. All that would stretch forward in the life of this planet would be a new Dark Age, in which the global whip-hand belonged to one of the most unpleasant totalitarian regimes on today's planet, one whose leaders are activated by instincts diametrically opposed to the generous, open, enlightened ones I have been describing.
For the post-revolutionary clique that controls China does not believe in any of those values that made the English-speaking peoples great – except one, which is currently making them great. They despise representative institutions, waive the rule of law, persecute religious faiths and crush free speech. Only to Capitalism do they adhere, at least for as long as it serves their purposes. They can also learn from the past and not challenge the English-speaking peoples militarily, at least too soon. Instead, as with Oriental martial arts, they will use their opponents' very strength – in our case our free market beliefs – against us.
The English-speaking peoples have become powerful since the Industrial Revolution because we produced the goods and services the rest of the world wanted at prices they could afford; today China is doing that instead.
There is absolutely nothing about human affairs that suggests that democracy must triumph over dictatorship, Civilization over barbarism, good over evil. As John Stuart Mill warned in his book On Liberty: 'It is a piece of idle sentimentality that truth, merely as truth, has any inherent power denied to error, of prevailing against the dungeon and the stake.' Modern China is the country of the dungeon – with its vast hidden gulag complex of political prisons – and of the stake, with its world record in the number of people it executes, as Amnesty International stated in a recent report, 'extensively, arbitrarily and frequently as a result of political interference'.
Great civilisations of the past – one thinks of the Romans crushed by Attila, the Aztecs and Incas falling before the Conquistadores, the Spanish Moors expelled by Ferdinand and Isabella – have succumbed to the energy and might of their enemies, for multifarious reasons adumbrated by historians such as Edward Gibbon and William Prescott. So there is nothing inevitable in the future triumph either of Democracy or the English-speaking peoples. Indeed, as 'earth's proud empires pass away', it is perhaps more likely that the power of the English-speaking peoples is on the wane now, two and half centuries after the Industrial Revolution. Meanwhile China has entered the 21st century with a burgeoning economy, a totalitarian political system, a vast army, and a regime which boasts the doleful combination of a resentful historical memory and a quiet but implacable determination to succeed.
If you think that I am merely playing the role of the Fat Boy in the Pickwick Papers, who 'wants to make your flesh creep', consider these seemingly random facts that plucked almost at random from recent news stories which, taken singly, might not individually amount to much, but which I believe that taken together provides us with a scenario for the future that should indeed worry us about how much longer the English-speaking peoples can enjoy their place in the sun.
The latest IMF report that states that China could be the world's largest economy by 2016. Although the accounting for this requires adjustments for the purchasing power of the two countries' currencies, the date is not that much retarded even taking that into account. The Economist predicts it will happen in 2019, for example. Although the average American is 10 times richer than the average Chinese, China has over $3 trillion in foreign reserves.
At the risk of sounding like another H.W. Segar, predicting the end of China's long sleep as far back as 1907, in March 2011 China has become the world's leading manufacturer by output, returning the country to the position it occupied in the early 19th century and ending the United States' 110 year run at the top. The next month, in April, we learnt that China first-quarter GDP grew at a higher than expected 9.7%. We can only dream of numbers like that. Your outgoing ambassador to Beijing, Dr Geoff Raby, has stated in his farewell address that the Chinese economy will double in the next ten years.
In the last 30 years, China had doubled its GDP three times. The only historical precedent for this was Britain in the industrial revolution and America in the last fifty years of the 19th century, which doubled their GDP, but once only in half a century, not thrice in 3 decades. The first foreign trip made by Dilma Rousseff, the new president of Brazil, was to China, not the US, as countries all over the world are starting subtly to realign in order to reflect the new economic reality.
Yet for all its being an economic success story, everything else about China flies in the face of civilized values. Cardinal Joseph Zen, former bishop of Hong Kong and advisor to Pope Benedict XVI on matters Chinese, has been speaking up about the way artists, lawyers and bloggers have 'disappeared' in China since the Middle Eastern democracy movement took down the Tunisian and Egyptian regimes in February. 'They want a Catholic church completely obedient to the government,' he warns, 'and they are succeeding.' Meanwhile, the methods used against the non-political, non-violent sect Falun Gong, including mass imprisonment, public book-burnings, beatings, cigarette-end burnings, hot iron branding, and scores of other well-documented acts of torture, have led to the deaths of over one thousand people. 'Torture and ill-treatment remain widespread,' reports Amnesty, while in the US the Congressional Women's Caucus has drawn attention to 'China's appalling human rights record, and its practice of female infanticide, forced abortion, and the abortion of female foetuses.'
China also has an appalling environmental record, as pollution often goes hand in hand with corruption. The Three Gorges Dam project on the Yangtze River forced no fewer than 700,000 people to leave their homes, yet water quality on one stretch of the river near Chongqing, it was discovered, was unfit for human consumption and there is now the prospect 'of the 140 mile stretch of the river along the Three Gorges turning into a giant cesspool'.
Consider too, China's automatic response to issues like SARS and Avian Flu is to lie and cover up as much as possible. A Chinese artist has recently been released after three months in gaol simply for naming the children who were killed in a recent earthquake. China has the world's largest programme of Internet censorship, all too often aided by software produced by Western countries. In his recent speech to the Shanghai International Film Festival Rupert Murdoch pointed out how China only allows a quota of only 20 foreign films to be imported into China a year. And it's never a good sign when you can't collect your Nobel Prize, as Liu Xiaobo was prevented from doing in 2010, because you're banged up in gaol for demanding basic human rights.
With no external military threat to guard against whatsoever, China nonetheless maintains a People's Liberation Army of over three million men. Its development of drones, building of aircraft carriers and huge increases in defence expenditure is already tipping the balance of power in the South China Seas and creating deliberate volatility in the Sprattly Islands. Meanwhile, China's vastly expanding Space programme has very clear military applications. Try to imagine a war in which one power was able to use GPS and its antagonist could not.
In 2009 the 'Aurora' attacks against Google and other American information technology companies and US government agencies was followed by the 'Night Dragon' cyber-attacks on oil and gas companies. Australian defence contractors and the US electricity grid have also been attacked, which can give no-one any commercial advantage. This is China flexing its cyber-muscles.
'Whether you like it or not, history is on our side,' a threatening Nikita Khruschev warned a group of Western diplomats in Moscow in 1956: 'We will bury you.' Recent events should warn us that, although the Soviet Union never succeeded in burying the West, China might. A second Boxer Rising has begun, but this time it is being fought by means of trade surpluses, low wages, and exported unemployment.
The world will be a very different, and far more uncomfortable place, for the English-speaking peoples when China becomes the global top dog power, displacing the United States, as she is now set to do economically, and ultimately, I believe, in the other vital criteria too. One can debate exactly when, sometime between Pearl Harbour and D-Day, the Britain Commonwealth handed the imperial baton over to the United States – or had it taken from her – but whenever it happened at least the successor power spoke our language, shared our laws, traditions and values, and were twice our war-tested allies.
If China does eclipse the United States in our lifetimes, we may come to regard Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger's opening up of China in 1973 not as we do today, as a brilliant way of outmanoeuvring the USSR in the Cold War and bringing a stable force into the world economy for the first time since the early 1930s, but instead the opening of a Pandora's Box full of terrible new threats to face Mankind.
Apologists for Chinese totalitarianism argue that a country of 1.3 billion people cannot be ruled democratically, yet neighbouring India, with 1.15 billion, has managed it well enough. As the Taiwanese showed when peacefully bringing Kuomintang rule to end on their island, it's nonsense to argue that Chinese people are somehow incapable of working representative institutions. The 20th century was called 'the American Century' with some reason, but with China's ceaseless sabre-rattling against democratic Taiwan, her boot on the neck of Tibet, threats against Vietnam and the Philippines in the South China Sea, and her enabler relationship with North Korea over its nuclear weapons programme, China's international behaviour hardly augurs well for a peaceful Chinese Century.
China is now the only empire left in the world, in the sense of a multicultural entity held together by force, and soon the most powerful nation in the world will not be a liberal democracy, but instead an authoritarian, totalitarian nominally-Communist dictatorship. This will inevitably call into question whether Western-style liberty really is the best form of government. Historically, rich middle classes have demanded a say in their own government, but in the case of China what if they're so happy at this astounding economic growth that they don't want to jeopardize it by importing Democracy?
Perhaps the Sinophiles – of whom we must expect many more in our society, culture and media, because opportunists always gravitate towards the strong – are right when they claim that China has no interest in translating its economic power into hard, or even soft power, that the days of the Great Khans are over and the Chinese are too sophisticated and Zen-like to lust for backward Western concepts like imperium and hegemony. All I can say is that the witness of history bears testament to this: when the leaders of a nation find they can exercise soft or indeed hard power without significant drawbacks, they tend to do so. China's behaviour towards each of its neighbours – except of course the psychologically-disturbed North Korea - suggests that while soft power corrupts, hard power will corrupt absolutely.
Here in Australia, you are on the front line of this terrifying new existential threat against the English-speaking peoples. In twenty years time there could be as many as a dozen Chinese cities with populations as big as present-day Australia. Immigration will become a vital issue, and indeed a weapon, and if the lion's share of your business is done with China by 2025, you will find it next to impossible to refuse China's demands to export population, and the old cry of 'racist' will of course be directed against anyone who tries. Foreign Direct Investment in Australia from China has grown twelve times between mid-2007 and mid-2009. Your Foreign Investment Review Board has accepted 230 proposals worth $60 billion but only imposed any conditions on six of them. The Chinese are beating the English-speaking peoples at our own game – red-in-tooth-and-claw Capitalism – we have no Plan B.
Of course there are grounds for hope that the Chinese threat might implode before my dystopian vision becomes a reality. Only last week there were riots in three provinces with cars being set on fire, although these were met with murderous force from a regime that has no intention of apologizing for killing five thousand of its own citizens in its capital's central square on one day. As Gideon Rachman recently pointed out in the Financial Times: 'The US has a global reach and a technological sophistication that China is nowhere near matching. The US is also ahead on soft power. China, as yet, has no equivalents to Hollywood, Silicon Valley or "the American dream".'
Moreover, there were 118 boys born in China for every 100 girls in 2010, an increase on the 2000 imbalance, so in 20 to 25 years' time there will be not enough brides for one-fifth of today's baby boys, with potentially hugely destabilizing social consequences. As well as demographic problems, China faces formidable political, regional, environmental and ethnic ones, and presumably its present astonishing 8 to 10% annual growth rates must tail off at some point.
China's seemingly inexorable rise is no reason why we should make China's path to greatness easier or quicker for it; indeed it should be a reason for the West to retard the day when China overtakes us. Yet President Obama pursues a foreign policy that denies the existence of rivals, acknowledging only partners. It's the 1968 Woodstock approach to international relations, in which strangers are merely friends you haven't met yet. To treat China like that is impossibly naïve. Far from trying to put off that dismal day of our overtaking, the English-speaking peoples are doing all in their power to stoke up their own funeral pyre. By not demanding a true conversion rate for the Chinese currency; by not expelling the scores of espionage agents in Chinese embassies around the world (in a manner they never baulked at doing to do to KGB agents in the Cold War); by refusing to acknowledge where these cyber-attacks are really coming from; by exporting our call-centres and production facilities; by training thousands of Chinese scientists in sensitive research areas at MIT, Harvard, Yale, Oxford, Cambridge, Melbourne and dozens of other great Western seats of learning, by turning a blind eye to the huge swathes of Africa and Asia being bought up by the Chinese for their raw materials, the West is, as Lenin said the capitalists would do, 'selling us the rope with which we shall hang them'. By adopting free-market Capitalism in their coastal provinces, at least for as long as it suits them, the Beijing regime has even de-fanged the West ideologically, while not altering its revolutionary nomenklatura one iota. One can admire their genius while denouncing their ruthlessness and cynicism.
The writer and philosopher Umberto Eco has spotted this process clearly, writing in La Repubblica about how 'It has become clear that the next great confrontation foreseen by the US will be with China. There is no reason to suppose that this will take the form of a war but it will certainly be an economic and demographic conflict. You only have to visit an American university to see how Asian students are taking more and more of the scholarships and research positions.' Here in Australia you have your most important economic relationship with China, but your most important military relationship with the US, as does Japan and South Korea. Sooner or later these must diverge, and so you will find yourself in the vanguard of the next great struggle of the English-speaking peoples. It will be made all the more difficult and confusing and morally challenging because it will not be a military struggle of the kind that simplified the anti-totalitarianism struggles for earlier generations of Australians.
Civilisation is, as Evelyn Waugh reminded us when writing of Rudyard Kipling, 'the work of centuries' which is 'laboriously achieved' but only 'precariously defended'. When the Chinese are in the global driving seat, we will look back in loving nostalgia to the 'boyish tyranny', and the once-lustrous but by then utterly moribund legacy of the English-speaking peoples.
#AndrewRoberts #Speeches


Mature Horses: 10 grams (2 rounded teaspoons or 1 round tablespoon) per head per day.
Recovering or stressed animals:15 to 20 grams (1.5 to 2 rounded tablespoons) per head per day.
Young stock: 5 grams ( 1 rounded teaspoon) per head per day.
Active Dried Yeast (Saccharomyces Cerevisiae), Calcium Carbonate, Yeast Culture, Enzyme Pack, Sodium Silico Aluminate.


text:
The defibrator is a thermo mechanical pulping refiner in which the pulp material, such as wood chips, is ground in an environment of steam between a rotating grinding disc (rotor) and a stationary disc (stator) each with radial grooves that provides the grinding surface. Wood chips are fed into the centre and are broken down as the centrifugal force pushes them towards the circumference of the discs where the grooves are finer to produce wood fibre. The size of the refined fibres can to some extent be controlled by altering the distance between the discs where a closer distance produces finer fibres but also requires higher grinding force. The capacity per machine is largely determined by the size of the machine, as well as the motor speed 1500 rpm or 1800 rpm.

History
In 1931 the Swedish engineer Arne Asplund filed a patent on a method to defibrate wood chips. As opposed to the Masonite-method, the defibrator-method (also known as the Asplund-method) uses pressurised steam to soften the wood chips, then grinding discs to pull the wood fibres apart. This grinding unit is what Asplund called the defibrator. It became the key product of his company, AB Defibrator. The Defibrator trademark is now held by Valmet, the successor of AB Defibrator, for its line of refiners for the panelboard industry.

References

Papermaking
Pulp and paper industry

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Free Online Games - Zuckr.com
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Khan Wars Review
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TYPE: Browser game
COMPANY: XS Software
Khan Wars is a medieval online multiplayer strategy browser game. The game consists mainly of text and images (this is not a negative thing since it's well designed) and it has a medieval theme.
Players can choose between nine different nations (each having its own bonuses) and they start with an empty village. The servers have a finite time limit and they reset after a certain number of days, like in Travian.
You might start with an empty village, but three buildings can be constructed at the same time, which speeds up the game. Players can also construct mines, gather resources and -of course- train armies to conquer enemy territories so they can claim victory. They can also form alliances with other players.
The game includes sixteen (16) different battle and siege units, eleven (11) unique units and thirteen (13) skills. Finally, Khan Wars it's completely free to play and it has thousands of players from around the world.
View gameplay video
Edgeworld
Edgeworld is a science-fiction browser-based mmo strategy game. In the year 2711, the (somewhat unstable) galactic...
Scarlet Blade is a free to play action-packed MMORPG. The story is that mankind almost completely wiped out...
Dark Blood is a PvP fighting game created by Outspark, wher you get to compete against other players in an...
Damoria is a free to play, medieval-themed, browser-based strategy game. You start with a single castle, and you...
League of Legends (or LoL) is a 3D fantasy MMO strategy game, which is quite similar to the popular DotA...
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Zuckr.com contains reviews and news for the best free multiplayer online games. Zuckr's goal is to list and present every single free to play (F2P) massively multiplayer online (MMO) game around the net, so the users can easily find new and fun free games to play. You can also find screenshots and videos of the games. Zuckr.com speaks both English and Greek.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


SKU: HPBD008. Category: Hand Puppets, Interactive Resources, Puppets.
A fat green caterpillar which compliments the story 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' wonderfully. You can almost see this caterpillar slowly moving along with the ripple effect on its back munching away at everything in sight! Add the butterfly hand puppet to complete the story.
This hand puppet is made with cotton material and has a very soft filling for its back. The eyes are hand appliquéd. Fully safe for children. A great asset for teachers and parents at story telling time. Every hand puppet is hand made, and unique.


This class is perfect for those who prefer not to get down on the floor, who have difficulty with balance, who have some limitations in strength, or who want to ease in to yoga. We build strength, flexibility and balance as we do in our regular gentle yoga classes, but this class is done seated in a chair and using the chair for support during standing poses. Relaxing and restorative!


Windhorse Publications have released four new volumes of the The Complete Works of Sangharakshita. A way to celebrate the 50 year anniversary of the Triratna Buddhist Order is to celebrate writings and teachings of the founder of the movement. The Complete Works include all previously published work by Sangharakshita, as well as talks, seminars and writings published for the first time.
By Munisha on Tue, 27 Jan, 2015 - 15:59Sunday 11th January saw the opening of the Sangharakshita Library at Adhisthana.
Hattie Johnson, of the Adhisthana team, writes: "About 80 people gathered to mark the opening of the Sangharakshita Library. Vajragupta welcomed us all and rejoiced in the many people who have brought the Library into being, particularly Ratnadharini, Ajjavin and Yashodeva.


I have always been easily upset about things around me. When I was growing up, I did not like my things taken without my permission, I feel they think I cannot stop them from taking my things; I got angry when my younger ones refuse to take instructions and very sad when things don't turn out the way I want them, I was always moody. I lived in a house full of people, that includes my brothers and sister, my cousins and some sales boys that worked for my Dad. Everyday, I will surely be upset about something and there was nothing so miserable like being unhappy.
When one is sad, you emit bad energy, you fall sick easily, you are always alone and unfortunately sad things follow you everywhere (I think is more of ones perception of events). I am a grown woman with kids now and cannot afford to live a miserable life and have decided to pursue peace and happiness with all men.
This brings me to my topic today, can people change? of course they can. First you have to be aware that something is wrong and figure out what it is. Being aware of your short comings helps you seek solutions to them.
Secondly, get help from the right place. For me I sought help in the word of God and that opened my eyes to ways and opportunities on how to find happiness. Surely the fear (respect, continuous awareness of God's presence, reverence ) of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the Holy one is understanding. Proverbs 9:10.
Thirdly, you have to be determined to change. Changing is not always easy but you have to make up your mind about it.
Fourthly, this one cannot be overemphasized, you need to develop a positive attitude towards this change. You have to see it as a positive thing in your life.


Slimming down and getting rid of excess body fat is a goal almost everyone has at one point or another in their lives. After all, what looks younger or better than a slender body?
Some people achieve this through surgical procedures designed to shrink the stomach. Others can do so with a rigid diet and exercise.
However, some folks worry about what this does to their bodies and, more importantly, overall health. Are there any concerns to have about losing weight too fast?
Here's a few concerns to keep in mind. Let's dig in, and see how you can maintain a happy and healthy body no matter what you're going through.
Fast weight loss is considered over two pounds per week. While many people consider losing a lot of weight at once a blessing, losing any more than this is too much for the body.
If you're still trying to lose weight and want to avoid potenital problems, aim for no more than two pounds a week. Anything more than that and you'll start running into problems, such as those outlined below.
Many people assume a quick weight loss means metabolism is on the rise and therefore, on your side. The opposite is true, and it can make it difficult to lose weight again if it suddenly creeps back on.
A slower metabolism means it takes longer to process food. This could mean anything, from cutting the overall calories consumed in a day, to cutting out sources of protein.
Going forward, try to keep eating either several small meals a day, or choose well-balanced foods that contain the protein your body needs to sustain itself.
Another problem with rapid weight loss is what happens to your muscle. Individuals who have diets that offer too few calories (very low as opposed to simply low) lose a lot of muscle.
This can leave your body looking "skinny fat". You'll still look slender, but you won't have the defined look that accentuates muscle on a healthy and toned body.
It's possible to rebuild muscle, but it does take time. Working out, toning, and eating balanced meals while avoiding losing too much weight are the best ways to handle this problem.
Remember that muscle weighs more than fat. Consider this the next time you step on the scale and aren't happy with the number you see.
Many people report better results when they use a tape measure to track their progress than a scale. If you find yourself fitting into favorite clothes again but notice the weight isn't going down as drastically, you'll know you're on the right step to maintaining a healthy and balanced diet.
Slower metabolism and muscle that's no longer there aren't the only problems you'll run into when dealing with rapid weight loss. Here are a few other common problems that aren't as well known, but can still have detrimental outcomes for your body and the way you look.
Don't mistake these symptoms for an "off day" if you've recently experienced a sudden weight loss.
If you're looking for a safer and better way to get the weight loss results you want, click here for more information.
Besides the side effects discussed above, there are other problems that can be long-term, and leave adverse effects on your body. If you've never had a sudden weight loss before, this can feel unsettling to deal with.
Nonetheless, it's important to recognize the signs and address them with a professional, before they turn into something more. This isn't a comprehensive list, but it can give you an idea of what's to come if left untreated.
Hair Loss: Because your body isn't getting the calories it needs, its harder for your hair to grow full and long. If you're noticing rapid hair loss that's more than normal, coupled with a change in weight, it's time to step back and reexamine your diet.
Bone Issues: Losing weight and not getting enough calcium in your diet can cause problems related to bone loss. Make sure you're getting enough calcium to prevent this from happening.
Tired: Extreme fatigue or other problems related to feeling overly tired can happen after a sudden weight loss. Speak to a doctor on how to take care of yourself if you're noticing this problem.
Immune Problems: Not getting proper nutrition or having your body feel overly tired because of extreme weight loss can wreak havoc on your immune system. Take care of yourself, and don't be afraid to eat a little extra so you're not missing out on essential vitamins.
If you're not sure on the best way to lose weight and don't know how to get started, consult with your doctor. They can help you develop a diet and exercise plan that can give you safe and gradual results.
Remember that although fast results are what everyone wants, slow and steady is the way to go. It's sustainable and prevents you from dealing with problems like sagging skin or premature wrinkles.
Losing weight too fast can present many problems that range from short-term annoyances, such as feeling tired, to more long-term problems, like potential bone loss. It's important to work with a doctor and develop a plan that includes eating a healthy diet and working out in moderation.
Avoiding these issues goes a long way in staying healthy and developing the type of lifestyle needed for long-term health and consistent results.
Looking for different ways to exercise while building muscle? Check out our article about how to use resistance bands in your next workout.


Dessert in Princeton dining halls is already pretty good, but taking a few extra minutes can make it a thousand times better. There are many easy and delicious ways to satisfy that sweet tooth of yours. All of the ingredients used in the following creations were found in Whitman and Wu dining halls at Princeton, although most can be made in any campus dining facility. Here are some of the best tricks for creating deluxe desserts in the dining halls.
To make this mouth-watering dessert, first mix three large spoonfuls of peanut butter with two spoonfuls of hot chocolate and two spoonfuls of coffee. Scoop it out onto a plate and use the back of a spoon to spread it into a circle. Then, spread peanut butter in between two brownies, line up some marshmallows, add some whip cream, chocolate sauce and sprinkles and BOOM! It's a chocolate miracle.
This dessert is very easy to make, tastes great, and is even semi-healthy! Take the best-looking apple you can find and slice it into five or six pieces. Spread peanut butter generously in between each layer and "re-make" the apple; it's like a puzzle but better! Then comes the chocolate syrup and all of the rainbow sprinkles your heart desires.
Did I just say dessert for breakfast? Start off with two pieces of French toast. Take the bottom piece and spread the delicious dining-hall-made strawberry syrup and chocolate syrup on top. Then, put the top piece on and continue to go crazy with the chocolate syrup. Slice up some strawberries, sprinkle some powdered sugar, and enjoy!
Isn't it pretty? Mix four spoons of hot water and three large spoons of peanut butter to make the bottom layer. Find the fluffiest, most scrumptious-looking donut to place on top and fill the middle with strawberry jelly. Slice a strawberry or two to make the flower on top. Finally, drizzle honey on top.
The simplest ideas are often the best. If the dining halls are serving cookies for dessert, grab two of your choice and stick a scoop of your favorite ice cream smack in the middle. Or, if you're desperate for some cookies, you can always purchase some in Frist Campus Center, they are great!
There will be some point in your life when you're craving a banana split. Now you will be prepared to create one at any moment. After testing the many ice cream flavors Princeton dining has to offer, I can promise that every flavor perfectly complements bananas. Side note: You would not believe the amount of bananas that are eaten at Princeton on a daily basis.
Clearly, breakfast at Princeton has more dessert options than you could have imagined. Let's just say the dining hall waffle maker is a gold mine. Be sure to generously drizzle chocolate and maple syrup over the waffles and your favorite ice cream flavors, and sprinkle cinnamon on top to finish it off. You can also go the extra mile and add some whip cream!
Ice Cream Sundaes: There are SO many topping options for ice cream sundaes. Some of the best you can find are in the cereal and granola section. Fruit, dried cranberries from the salad bar, and honey are awesome as well. Using ice cream for soda or hot chocolate floats as well as milkshakes never fails. And never forget, chocolate and peanut butter taste great with just about anything.


One of the cornerstones of our chapter's mission is to contribute to both local and global conservation efforts through fundraising. Annually the members of our chapter nominate conservation organizations they believe in, then vote as a chapter to select one or two organizations to support for that year.
The mission of Action for Cheetahs in Kenya is to promote the conservation of cheetahs in Kenya through research, awareness, and community participation.
Andean bears inhabit the cloud forests of the Andean Mountains in South America. Because of their reclusive nature and because they live at such high elevations, this species of bear can be very difficult to study. Little is known about Andean bears relative to other bear species, and without a thorough understanding of their needs, conservation is impossible. The Andean Bear Conservation Project is working to save the Andean bear from extinction through in-field research and the release of rehabilitated bears. Though this organization is a leader in the radio-monitoring of wild Andean bears, it relies on volunteers and donations to remain functional.
Free the Bears focuses on rescuing three Asian bear species – the sun bear, sloth bear and Asiatic black bear – from gruesome conditions. Some of these bears are kept in tiny cages with permanent devices inserted into their gall bladders to "milk" them of their bile. The bile is used in traditional Asian medical practices. Other bears in this region of the world are used for human entertainment. They are trained, using cruel practices, to "dance" on the streets. Free the Bears spearheads rescue projects in Cambodia, India, Laos, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam. Most of the bears rescued are not able to return to the wild, so they are set up in natural sanctuary settings where they can live the remainders of their lives as bears.
The International Rhino Foundation (IRF) is dedicated to the survival of the world's rhino species through conservation and research. IRF provides the technical (scientific, educational, administrative) and financial resources necessary to facilitate the conservation of rhinos. The IRF focuses on the species most in need of, and most appropriate for, intensive protection and management. IRF works where conservation will have its most significant impact, and when possible, is a catalyst and facilitator, working with like-minded partners. Additionally, the IRF helps to provide linkages between captive and wild populations of rhinos, with the ultimate objective of helping captive populations become truly viable and hence an integral part of conservation strategies for rhinos.
The Lewa Wildlife Conservancy aims to work as a catalyst for the conservation of wildlife and its habitat through the protection and management of species, the initiation and support of community conservation and development programmes, and the education of neighboring communities in the value of wildlife. One of Lewa's fundamental objectives is to conserve threatened species within its area of operation by providing protected habitat for these species under pressure.
AAZK is a nonprofit volunteer organization (U.S. 501c3) made up of professional zoo keepers and other interested persons dedicated to professional animal care and conservation.
AAZK's purpose is to foster a professional attitude in animal keepers and aquarists by encouraging them to become active members of professional teams at today's zoos and aquariums. AAZK supports the promotion and implementation of zookeeper education and strives to make the general public aware of our concern for all deserving conservation projects and the need for the preservation of our natural resources and the species that depend on those resources.
Dedicated to the conservation, protection, and care of otters. Because the otter lives, feeds, and plays on land and in the water and is at the peak of the food chain it is an ambassador species to a first class environment. IOSF was set up to protect and help the 13 species of otter worldwide through a combination of compassion and science. We support projects to protect otters, which will also ensure that we have a healthy environment for all species, including our own.
Bornean orangutans have called the Phoenix Zoo home virtually since it opened in 1962. Duchess, one of the oldest orangutans in the United States, is the matriarch of a unique family that resides at the Zoo. And this family desperately needs a new home.
We are committed to inspiring participation and awareness in the preservation of fragile ecosystems by providing opportunities for personal direct action to save the diversity of life on Earth. Since 1988 we have focused our efforts on protecting entire ecosystems and natural communities, not just individual species, to ensure a long term conservation strategy. We raise donations and awareness for these biologically diverse ecosystems through our Adoption Programs, Conservation Meters and Insect Discovery Lab. We partner with schools, universities, zoos, aquariums, botanical gardens, natural history museums, and science centers worldwide to protect wildlife and nature. We work in collaboration with businesses, and corporations to ensure the conservation of ecosystems for all future generations.
The Run for the Cheetah is a fun and competitive event for runners/walkers and families alike to raise awareness about the endangered cheetah and to raise funds to support the Cheetah Conservation Fund's programs to ensure the survival of the cheetah in the wild. CCF'S mission is to be the internationally recognized centre of excellence in the conservation of cheetahs and their ecosystems. CCF will work with all stakeholders to develop best practices in research, education, and land use to benefit all species, including people.
Amphibians are an important component of the global ecosystem, as indicators of environmental health and contributors to human health. They watched the dinosaurs come and go, but today almost half of them are themselves threatened with extinction. Addressing the amphibian extinction crisis represents the greatest species conservation challenge in the history of humanity. The global conservation community has formulated a response in the Amphibian Conservation Action Plan, and an integral part of that response is the Amphibian Ark, in which select species that would otherwise go extinct will be maintained in captivity until they can be secured in the wild. Without immediate captive management as a stopgap component of an integrated conservation effort, hundreds of species could become extinct.
Sky Island Alliance is a grassroots organization dedicated to the protection and restoration of the rich natural heritage of native species and habitats in the Sky Island region of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. Working with volunteers, scientists, land owners, public officials, and government agencies they establish protected areas, restore healthy landscapes, and promote public appreciation of the region's unique biological diversity.
The African Wild Dog Conservancy (AWD Conservancy), started in 2001, is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to working with local communities, and national and international stakeholders to conserve wild dogs through scientific research and education.
The Borneo Orangutan Survival (BOS) Foundation is the largest primate rescue project in the world, with nearly 1000 orangutans in its care. BOS actively rescues wild orangutans from oil-palm plantations, as well as rehabilitating orphaned orangutans, displaced as a result of the relentless devastation of their habitat to clear land for palm oil production. BOS is committed to protecting the orangutan and its rainforest habitat, and relies entirely on donations to achieve this.


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February 20, 2020 4:56 pm AEDTDate Time
City welcomes 10,000 visitors for NSW Touch event
The second edition of NSW Touch Association's Junior State Cup Southern Conference start in Wagga Wagga tomorrow (Friday 20 February) with almost 10,000 players and spectators in the city for the major event.
The carnival at Jubilee Park means there will be increased traffic and changes to normal conditions in the area and motorists are advised to allow extra time if travelling south of the city during this weekend.
Mayor of the City of Wagga Wagga Councillor Greg Conkey OAM said traffic management was in place around the precinct and he expected there would be no issues as it was well planned in advance.
"We know what to expect after last year's inaugural carnival and we've made improvements in many areas," Cr Conkey said.
"I expect the plans we have in place for traffic management will work well in the area for those attending the event … there may be some inconvenience but we thank the community for their patience and understanding.
"This is a major event for the city – we will host it again next year – which attracts many thousands of visitors to our city and that is fantastic for local businesses and the economy."
NSW Touch Association General Manager Dean Russell commended Wagga City Council staff who have ensured the facility and grounds is fully prepared for an elite State sporting event.
"The grounds look superb … this is a fantastic facility and venue for the event," Mr Russell said.
"Full credit to all involved."
Games started at 9am Friday and progress through to finals on Sunday which will start from 2pm. The prestigious Girls 18's and Boys 18's will be played at 3pm and 3.30pm respectively.
The top four teams from each division in each conference will participate in the State Finals on Saturday, 7 March in Penrith.
Wagga Touch Association has strong representation across all age groups.
"I wish participants all the best and hope they enjoy the city's hospitality during their stay," Cr Conkey said.
There will be a number of changes to traffic conditions near Jubilee Park during the Junior State Cup Southern Conference this weekend.
Red Hill Road will be closed to eastbound traffic between the Bourke Street and Glenfield Road roundabouts, with detours via Bruce Street. Bourke Street between Bourkelands Drive and Red Hill Road roundabout will also be closed, with detours via Berembee Road, Bourkelands Drive and Holbrook Road
Road closures will be in place from 6am to 7pm each day. Detours will be signposted.
Download a traffic management plan at wagga.nsw.gov.au/roadclosures
Tags:Bourke, Bruce, community, conference, council, Dean, Economy, Holbrook, local council, NSW, Penrith, Red Hill, Russell, southern, travel, Wagga Wagga, Wagga Wagga City Council, Wagga Wagga Council
Social distancing is going to be needed for some time yet Burnet's Director and CEO,…
The Department of Health has today reported two new cases of COVID-19 in Western Australia,…


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Q: Python Pandas Series gives NaN data when passing a dict with large index values I am trying to build a Pandas series by passing it a dictionary containing index and data pairs. While doing so I noticed an interesting quirk. If the index of the data pair is a very large integer the data will show up as NaN. This is fixed by reducing the size of the index values, or creating the Series using two lists instead of a single dict. I have large index values because I am using time-stamps in microseconds-since-1970 format. Am I doing something wrong or is this a bug?
Here's an example:
import pandas as pd

test_series_time = [1357230060000000, 1357230180000000, 1357230300000000]
test_series_value = [1, 2, 3]
series = pd.Series(test_series_value, test_series_time, name="this works")

test_series_dict = {1357230060000000: 1, 1357230180000000: 2, 1357230300000000: 3}
series2 = pd.Series(test_series_dict, name="this doesn't")

test_series_dict_smaller_index = {1357230060: 1, 1357230180: 2, 1357230300: 3}
series3 = pd.Series(test_series_dict_smaller_index, name="this does")

print series
print series2
print series3

and the output:
1357230060000000    1
1357230180000000    2
1357230300000000    3
Name: this works

1357230060000000   NaN
1357230180000000   NaN
1357230300000000   NaN
Name: this doesn't

1357230060    1
1357230180    2
1357230300    3
Name: this does

So what's up with this?

A: I bet you are on 32-bit; on 64-bit this works fine. In 0.10.1, the default of creation via dicts is to use the default numpy integer creation, which is system dependent (e.g. int32 on 32-bit, and int64 on 64-bit). You are overflowing the dtype, which results in unpredictable behavior.
In 0.11 (coming out this week!), this will work as it will default to creating int64s regardless of the system.
In [12]: np.iinfo(np.int32).max
Out[12]: 2147483647

In [13]: np.iinfo(np.int64).max
Out[13]: 9223372036854775807

Convert your microseconds to Timestamps (multiply by 1000 to put in nanoseconds which is what Timestamp accepts as an integer input, then you are good to go
In [5]: pd.Series(test_series_value,
        [ pd.Timestamp(k*1000) for k in test_series_time ])
Out[5]:
2013-01-03 16:21:00    1
2013-01-03 16:23:00    2
2013-01-03 16:25:00    3

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Amy Winehouse's Black to Black album
April 10, 2021 By Alice O'Donnell
I have not listened to Amy Winehouse for a tragically long period of time. After her death in 2011, my family did what most people seemed to do and bought her final album, the result of a strange morbid curiosity mixed with macabre-like guilt. As with all promising stars who dwindle away from drugs, the public always seems to bear an unspoken sense of responsibility – a collective thought of could we have treated her better? as the recently deceased's images swim on the news, before we collectively, as the public switch channels back to MTV again. And then the darker side of that guilt, a knowledge that their creative output has reached its duration, the twisted resentfulness in the knowledge there'll be no more new work to consume.
So in 2011, in the months after her death, Back to Black became the UK's best-selling album. And it subsequently became the go-to album playing in our car for a year. Don't get me wrong, I adored the songs. The upbeat mix, the jazzy undertones, Amy's raspy lyrics. It's only now that I listen to them and am mildly horrified at the lyrics I was singing along to with no understanding of their meaning. But hey, no harm done right?
One evening, my flatmate had a throwback 2010s hits playlist on, and You Know I'm No Good started playing. Well, what a blast from the past that was! The next day, I decided to rediscover my long-forgotten love of Amy Winehouse's Back to Black album.
And guess what album I've had on repeat for the past three weeks?
The album is full of some great hits, catchy and incredibly easy to sing along to. In what seemed to have been a talent of Winehouse's, her songs balance the fine line between upbeat and tragic impossibly well. Look no further for an example than 'Rehab'. Winehouse managed to spin an arguably soul-destroying point in her life (being advised to go to rehab) into a catchy, upbeat tune. Yet at points, lines of the song are just so moving, such as "I don't ever want to drink again. I just… need a friend."
'You Know I'm No Good' and 'Tears Dry On Their Own' are songs that strike a similar chord. Wonderfully upbeat, really fun songs to bop to, and yet under the layer of cheerfulness is a current of sadness. I mean, if nothing else the titles alone hint to this fascinating dichotomy.
I've had 'Love is a Losing Game' on repeat this last week. There's something deeply unjust in that fact it's one of her lesser-known songs – I would argue that it is her best. There's a devastating vulnerability to the song. A gentle plea of the heart, regret rife in the soft melody dancing with Amy's deep vocals.
As I was researching the song, I realised with a shock Amy was around my age when she penned the song 'Love is a Losing Game'. I won't lie, I did shed a tear or two. I sat on my student-accommodation couch and cried. Because I tried to imagine living through 21 years of life that made me pen the words "Love is a losing game", and fully believing them to be true. For the first time, I felt like I finally was seeing Amy Winehouse. Not just listening to her music, but seeing the glimpse of her character that lingers on in her music.
When I was 11, 27 seemed like a fantastically old age. I didn't see the vulnerable woman behind the popstar, I couldn't fully understand that these songs I listened to weren't just catchy music, but an insight into Amy Winehouse herself. Not the star, not the brand with the over-the-top hair and massively emphasised eyeliner wings, but a young woman who had so much promise and sadly suffered so much.
I'm not going to go making any great or grandiose statements on Amy Winehouse's legacy. She seems to have been an incredibly complex woman, full of both promise and flaws. To try and sum her down to a concluding line would be cheap and untrue. And also, impossible. So I'll simply end with recommending the Black to Black album. As I sit here writing this article, I'm listening to You Know I'm No Good, and I really am so glad that I rediscovered the album.
Alice O'Donnell
https://sin.ie/author/alice-odonnell/
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Irish representation at the ultimate frisbee European Championships 2021


text:
A selection of recent sermons can be found on this page to be played directly from this page, or downloaded if you wish.
You may also wish to subscribe to our podcast.
Active filter: Service: Sunday Evening (x)
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Date: 2015 (43), 2016 (47), 2017 (44), 2018 (40), 2019 (40), 2020 (3)
Romans 7:2-8:25 (Part of the Special Occasion series).
https://www.bethlehemchurch.co.uk/sermons/?show&file_name=200119%20Jeremy%20Bailey%20-%20The%20Weight%20of%20Glory%20-%20PM.mp3
Preached by Jeremy Bailey on 19th January 2020 (Sunday Evening).
Evening Service
(Part of the Visiting Speakers series).
https://www.bethlehemchurch.co.uk/sermons/?show&file_name=200112%20Gareth%20Edwards%20-%20Evening%20Service%20-%20PM.mp3
Preached by Gareth Edwards on 12th January 2020 (Sunday Evening).
What is a preacher for, then?
John 1:6-9 (Part of the Special Occasion series).
https://www.bethlehemchurch.co.uk/sermons/?show&file_name=200105%20Jeremy%20Bailey%20-%20What%20is%20a%20preacher%20for%2C%20then%20-%20PM.mp3
Preached by Jeremy Bailey on 5th January 2020 (Sunday Evening).
Prophets Tell of Christ's Coming - Part 4
Matthew 2:1-12 (Part of the Prophets Tell of Christ's Coming series).
https://www.bethlehemchurch.co.uk/sermons/?show&file_name=191222%20Jeremy%20Bailey%20-%20Prophets%20Tell%20of%20Christs%20Coming%20-%20Part%204%20-%20PM%20.mp3
Preached by Jeremy Bailey on 22nd December 2019 (Sunday Evening).
1 Chronicles 17:1-26 (Part of the Prophets Tell of Christ's Coming series).
https://www.bethlehemchurch.co.uk/sermons/?show&file_name=191215%20Jeremy%20Bailey%20-%20Prophets%20Tell%20of%20Christs%20Coming%20-%20Part%203%20-%20PM.mp3
Preached by Jeremy Bailey on 15th December 2019 (Sunday Evening).
Numbers 24:1-25 (Part of the Prophets Tell of Christ's Coming series).
Preached by Jeremy Bailey on 8th December 2019 (Sunday Evening).
Genesis 3:1-24 (Part of the Prophets Tell of Christ's Coming series).
Preached by Jeremy Bailey on 1st December 2019 (Sunday Evening).
I Am The Resurrection & The Life
John 11:17-24 (Part of the Visiting Speakers series).
https://www.bethlehemchurch.co.uk/sermons/?show&file_name=191124%20Gareth%20Edwards%20-%20I%20am%20The%20Resurrection%20%26%20The%20Life.mp3
Preached by Gareth Edwards on 24th November 2019 (Sunday Evening).
Bethlehem Evangelical Church, Ysguthan Road, Aberavon, Port Talbot, SA12 6NE


forward as you feel appropriate.
we have adequate security for specimens of high value.
done to deter plant thefts.
Although this is a terrible tragedy I do have some questions. Do you have a security staff? Are there locking exterior gates? If you have staff present at night does someone do a walkthrough ?
home because I know very valuable specimens were stolen from Fairchild.
Although this is a terrible tragedy I do have some questions.


Other references: National Woman's Party papers, PDF; Article about Grandmother Edna Kearns that appeared in a Long Island paper. Other sources: an award-winning story about how Edna risked her life for Votes for Women, and an article in New York History.
Her family history: Parents to grandparents. Great grandparents to great-great grandparents.
Above photo: Edna Kearns, far left, with family members and her parents, to the far right.
Subscribe to Suffrage Wagon News Channel.
When will grandmother's wagon be in exhibit again?
I'm learning as I go along. Keep the stories coming. I love it!
Of all the searches I did, couldn't find anything as intriguing as your suffrage wagon blog.
There's something truly special in this site. Thank you for such hard work.
There's so much written about the leaders at the top, and relatively little about the women who marched in those parades, sold newspapers on the streets, planned and attended meetings. To attach a name and face to these women, which is what you're doing with Edna, is a way to make a bridge and connection that lasts.


text:
Devon County Council
Number of children being suspended in Devon schools reaches highest level in 10 years
'Extreme concern' has been raised over record level suspensions which are being linked to the funding crisis and cuts to local children's services
Anita Merritt
The number of primary children being suspended in Devon schools has reached the highest level in 10 years prompting plans to find out why to reduce the numbers.
In the county, excluding Plymouth, figures by the Department for Education have also revealed suspensions for assaults against teachers is also at record levels.
The rise is being blamed by a teaching body on the school funding crisis and cuts
to local children's services meaning less support for pupils.
Primary pupils in Devon were suspended on 898 occasions in 2016/17, the highest number since at least 2006/07. It was a rise of 11 per cent from 2015/16. The figures also showed 410 pupils were suspended on more than one occasion during 2016/17.
Yellow Alert for Devon with 80mm of rain and 50mph winds
The number of suspensions given to primary pupils in Devon for attacking adults in the school rose to its highest level in at least a decade, with 361 incidences in 2016/17.
Primary school pupils in Devon were expelled from school on 43 occasions in 2016/17.
In secondary schools there were 2,997 fixed term exclusions in Devon, a 23 per cent rise from 2,439 in 2015/16. The rate of suspensions is equivalent to one for every 13 pupils. Expulsion figures were 87 during the same period.
Figures have also risen at school in Plymouth. In the city's schools primary pupils were suspended on 149 occasions in 2016/17, a rise of four per cent from 2015/16. Of those, 72 pupils suspended on more than one occasion during the year.
Pupils were expelled from school on four occasions.
In secondary schools in Plymouth there were 1,370 fixed term, a 10 per cent rise from 2015/16, and 1.9 times higher than the number five years before in 2012/13. The rate of suspensions is equivalent to one for every 12 pupils. There were 15 expulsions during the year.
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Councillor Jon Taylor, Plymouth City Council's cabinet member responsible for education, said: "I'm extremely concerned about the rising exclusion levels in Plymouth and we're working with our schools to understand the causes and find solutions that keep children in school.
"We know there are many different reasons for an increase in exclusion figures, some of which relate to a lack of local government and schools funding, which is making it increasingly difficult to provide a comprehensive and universal early help offer in and out of schools, and some which may be driven by new behaviour policies being adopted by schools.
"This is one reason why last week I made a formal request to the Education and Children's Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee to examine the impact of behaviour policies in our schools. However, the bottom line here is there simply isn't enough money to support the additional work that needs to be done to support children and families where there are challenges. This is evident nationally and we are seeing the consequences locally.
"Every child is entitled to an education and it's important to remember that exclusion nearly always has serious and negative repercussions for a child, parent and school. Exclusion is something that has to be used as a last resort. I would like to think that all decisions to exclude are never taken lightly, however as cuts to education and local government budgets are really beginning to bite, schools tell me they are finding it increasingly difficult to support young people with challenging behaviour."
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Exeter shop owner's anger over his b...
Concern has also been raised by the Association of School and College Leaders.
Its general secretary Geoff Barton, said: "We are extremely concerned that this increase in exclusions is a result of the school funding crisis and cuts to local children's services.
"Schools have had to cut back on the individual support they are able to give students making it more difficult to provide early intervention and prevent behavioural problems from escalating. At the same time council support services for vulnerable families have been cut back meaning that schools are having to pick up the pieces.
"Schools only exclude pupils as a last resort and when all other avenues have been exhausted. The government needs to provide the funding that is necessary to provide support at an early stage."
Across England, the number of children being expelled from primary school has hit a 14 year high. Children were expelled from state primary schools in England 1,255
times in 2016/17. This was the highest number of expulsions in 13 years, since 1,270 in 2002/03, and the number of primary school expulsions has almost
doubled in five years, from 665 in 2012/13. The figures include 45 children age under 5.
As well as rising expulsions, primary school children were suspended from school on 64,340 occasions in 2016/17, the highest number on record.
No comment was received by Devon County Council.
Plymouth City Council
TransportStagecoach cuts Devon bus services amid driver shortageThe reduction to services come after rail operator South Western Railway also announced changes to its timetable


The setting up of a Forex company is more complex than the setting up of an ordinary company as it is then classed as a Cypriot Investment Firm (CIF) and must comply with the laws regulating such activities as well as the Cyprus Companies Law.
The first step must be the incorporation of a normal company and after this, an application must be made for obtaining a Forex Trading Company Licence, which is governed by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CYSEC).
The first step would be to apply for approval for the name of a normal company and after this, an application must be made in order to obtain a CIF (Cyprus Investment Firm) Licence, which is governed by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CYSEC).
Our fees for the registration of the company and the actual application to the CYSEC for a licence for the Forex Company would be in the region of €23,000, plus disbursements, which could be in the region of €5-10,000.
It is difficult to provide you with a completely accurate time frame for the incorporation of your company and for obtaining the required licence but we estimate that it will take approximately 2-4 months from commencing the procedure until the issuing of the licence which will allow you to operate. It is worth noting that under the laws here in Cyprus, the relevant authorities are obliged to decide whether to accept the application within a period of 6 months.
Cyprus has numerous tax advantages, it has a low set up and operational cost for forex companies and is also in a favourable position because of its regulatory body which makes the forex companies more reliable and it is a more prestigious and trusted location due to the fact that it is in Europe and more strictly regulated than many other offshore jurisdictions.
In February 2014, Law 193(I)/2014 Article 10 (Law of the Investment Services and Activities and Regulated Markets) was amended, whereby the initial capital requirements of CIFs have been reduced significantly in order to attract further investment in Cyprus.
(b) at least forty thousand euro (€40.000) and professional indemnity insurance covering all member states or some other comparable guarantee against liability arising from professional negligence, provided that it takes out insurance cover for an amount of at least one million euro (€1.000.000), per claim, and on aggregate, at least one million five hundred thousand euro (€1.500.000) per year for all claims.
Once we have incorporated the Cyprus company, we will have to set up a bank account for you with a bank here in Cyprus and pay in the amount which you require for the share capital of the company.
Any Cyprus company wishing to conduct the business of Forex trading has to apply for a licence from the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (Cysec).
The applicant company must fulfill the minimum capital requirements, as set out above.
At least one director who is resident in Cyprus should act as an Executive Director and who passes the fit and 'proper test'.
The company should have a physical office space in Cyprus.
The company must set up an internal control mechanism, ie. Cysec will want to see that the company has in place internal rules and procedures to oversee potential problem areas, contingency plans, server protection, client protection, etc.
The suitability of the shareholders - as with the directors, the shareholders need to pass a fit and proper test, especially a background check, whereby Cysec is satisfied that they have a clean criminal record as well as experience in the business.
Cysec must be satisfied that the company has internal procedures that will avoid any potential conflict of interest with its clients.


You can see more picture of Toyota Prius Hybrid in our photo gallery. Click on the links below to view them. Also we have full gallery of Toyota Prius Hybrid on this page which you can see.
It was necessary to wait a day to see appear a roadster version of the mighty McLaren MP4-12C. Now, however, the British manufacturer unveiled on the Net, after a teaser, the first official pictures of this seductive convertible that can only accommodate two passengers. At McLaren, we opted for a hardtop that takes que17 seconds to deploy. A solution which generates a surplus weight 40 kilos.


Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TOKYO:4502/NYSE:TAK), ("Takeda") today announced that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the company's second submission for its new plasma manufacturing facility near Covington, Georgia for the production of FLEXBUMIN 25% [Albumin (Human)], USP, 25% Solution, indicated for hypovolemia, hypoalbuminemia, (burns, Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), and nephrosis), cardiopulmonary bypass surgery, and hemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN). Albumin is not indicated as an intravenous nutrient. The Georgia facility received its first FDA approval, to manufacture GAMMAGARD LIQUID [Immune Globulin Infusion (Human)] 10% Solution, in June 2018.
"Following the acquisition of Shire, Takeda created a Business Unit dedicated to meeting the large and growing demand for plasma-derived products, essential for treating patients with a variety of rare, life-threatening, chronic and genetic diseases. Our strategic focus and increased investment in plasma innovation and our world-class plasma collection and production capabilities will enable us to expand our broad, differentiated portfolio of medicines and serve more patients. Our Georgia facility is a key part of these plans," added Julie Kim, President of Plasma-Derived Therapies at Takeda.
The Georgia facility currently employs more than 1,000 full-time and contract employees, and continues to hire to fill additional roles in manufacturing, quality, engineering, maintenance, utilities, warehouse, and various support and facility roles.
Severe anemia or cardiac failure with normal or increased intravascular volume.
Hypersensitivity Reactions: have been observed (including anaphylactic reactions). If hypersensitivity reaction is suspected, discontinue administration immediately and implement appropriate standard medical treatment.
Hypervolemia/Hemodilution: Under conditions where hypervolemia and/or hemodilution may occur, adjust the dose and rate of infusion to the patient's volume status. When administering large volumes, monitor hemodynamic parameters. Ensure adequate substitution of other blood constituents and monitor electrolyte balance. Discontinue administration at the first clinical signs of cardiovascular overload.
Hemodynamics: Closely monitor hemodynamic parameters after administration for evidence of cardiac or respiratory failure, renal failure or increasing intracranial pressure.
Blood Pressure: Monitor blood pressure in trauma patients and postoperative surgery patients in order to detect re-bleeding secondary to clot disruption.
Hemolysis: Do not dilute with Sterile Water for Injection, as there is potential risk of fatal hemolysis and acute renal failure in recipients.
Transmission of Infectious Agents: Because FLEXBUMIN 25% is made from human plasma it may carry a risk of transmitting infectious agents (e.g., viruses, other pathogens). No cases of transmission of viral diseases, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) or variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) have ever been identified.
Please click for Full Prescribing Information.
GAMMAGARD LIQUID is indicated as replacement therapy for primary humoral immunodeficiency (PI) in adult and pediatric patients ≥2 years.
Thrombosis may occur with immune globulin (IG) products, including GAMMAGARD LIQUID. Risk factors may include advanced age, prolonged immobilization, hypercoagulable conditions, history of venous or arterial thrombosis, use of estrogens, indwelling vascular catheters, hyperviscosity, and cardiovascular risk factors. Thrombosis may occur in the absence of known risk factors.
Renal dysfunction, acute renal failure, osmotic nephrosis, and death may occur in predisposed patients with immune globulin intravenous (IGIV) products. Patients predisposed to renal dysfunction include those with any degree of pre-existing renal insufficiency, diabetes mellitus, age greater than 65, volume depletion, sepsis, paraproteinemia, or patients receiving known nephrotoxic drugs. Renal dysfunction and acute renal failure occur more commonly in patients receiving IGIV products containing sucrose. GAMMAGARD LIQUID does not contain sucrose.
For patients at risk of thrombosis, administer GAMMAGARD LIQUID at the minimum dose and infusion rate practicable. Ensure adequate hydration in patients before administration. Monitor for signs and symptoms of thrombosis and assess blood viscosity in patients at risk of hyperviscosity.
IgA-deficient patients with antibodies to IgA and a history of hypersensitivity to human IG. Anaphylaxis has been reported with intravenous (IV) use of GAMMAGARD LIQUID.
Hypersensitivity: Severe hypersensitivity reactions may occur, even in patients who have tolerated previous treatment with human IG. If a hypersensitivity reaction occurs, discontinue infusion immediately and institute appropriate treatment. IgA-deficient patients with antibodies to IgA are at greater risk of developing potentially severe hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylaxis.
Renal Dysfunction/Failure: Acute renal dysfunction/failure, acute tubular necrosis, proximal tubular nephropathy, osmotic nephrosis, and death may occur with IV use of IG products, especially those containing sucrose. Ensure patients are not volume depleted prior to infusion. In patients at risk due to pre-existing renal insufficiency or predisposition to acute renal failure, assess renal function before initiation and throughout treatment, and use the minimum infusion rate practicable for IV administration. If renal function deteriorates, consider discontinuation.
Hyperproteinemia, increased serum viscosity, and hyponatremia may occur. It is critical to distinguish true hyponatremia from a pseudohyponatremia because certain treatments may lead to volume depletion, a further increase in serum viscosity, and a predisposition to thromboembolic events.
Thrombosis: May occur following treatment with IG products and in the absence of known risk factors. In patients at risk, administer at the minimum dose and infusion rate practicable. Ensure adequate hydration before administration. Monitor for signs and symptoms of thrombosis and assess blood viscosity in patients at risk for hyperviscosity.
Aseptic Meningitis Syndrome: Has been reported with use of IG and may occur more frequently in females. Conduct a thorough neurological exam on patients exhibiting signs and symptoms, to rule out other causes of meningitis. Discontinuing IG treatment has resulted in remission within several days without sequelae.
Hemolysis: GAMMAGARD LIQUID contains blood group antibodies, which may cause a positive direct antiglobulin reaction and hemolysis. Monitor patients for signs and symptoms of hemolysis and delayed hemolytic anemia and, if present, perform appropriate confirmatory lab testing.
Transfusion-Related Acute Lung Injury: Non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema may occur with IV administered IG. Monitor patients for pulmonary adverse reactions. If suspected, perform appropriate tests for presence of anti-neutrophil and anti-HLA antibodies in both product and patient serum. May be managed using oxygen therapy with adequate ventilatory support.
Transmittable Infectious Agents: Because GAMMAGARD LIQUID is made from human plasma, it may carry a risk of transmitting infectious agents (e.g., viruses, other pathogens). No confirmed cases of viral transmission or variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) have been associated with GAMMAGARD LIQUID.
Interference with Lab Tests: False positive serological test results and certain assay readings, with the potential for misleading interpretation, may occur as the result of passively transferred antibodies.
IV administration for PI: The serious adverse reaction seen during IV clinical studies was aseptic meningitis. The most common adverse reactions observed in ≥5% of subjects were headache, fatigue, pyrexia, nausea, chills, rigors, pain in extremity, diarrhea, migraine, dizziness, vomiting, cough, urticaria, asthma, pharyngolaryngeal pain, rash, arthralgia, myalgia, oedema peripheral, pruritus, and cardiac murmur.
Subcutaneous administration for PI: The most common adverse reactions observed in ≥5% of subjects were infusion site (local) event (rash, erythema, edema, hemorrhage, and irritation), headache, fatigue, heart rate increased, pyrexia, abdominal pain upper, nausea, vomiting, asthma, blood pressure systolic increased, diarrhea, ear pain, aphthous stomatitis, migraine, oropharyngeal pain, and pain in extremity.
Passive transfer of antibodies may transiently interfere with immune responses to live attenuated virus vaccines (e.g., measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella).
Please click for Full Prescribing Information, including Boxed Warning regarding Thrombosis, Renal Dysfunction and Acute Renal Failure.
Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TOKYO:4502/NYSE:TAK) is a global, values-based, R&D-driven biopharmaceutical leader headquartered in Japan, committed to bringing Better Health and a Brighter Future to patients by translating science into highly-innovative medicines. Takeda focuses its R&D efforts on four therapeutic areas: Oncology, Gastroenterology (GI), Neuroscience, and Rare Diseases. We also make targeted R&D investments in Plasma-Derived Therapies and Vaccines. We are focusing on developing highly innovative medicines that contribute to making a difference in people's lives by advancing the frontier of new treatment options and leveraging our enhanced collaborative R&D engine and capabilities to create a robust, modality-diverse pipeline. Our employees are committed to improving quality of life for patients and to working with our partners in health care in approximately 80 countries and regions.


Scottish folk hero or delicious drink?
With the huge number of cocktails out in the world, it's not surprising that a few fall through the cracks. There are hidden gems in those lost cocktails, delicious drinks that everybody would probably enjoy. This week we're focusing on The Rob Roy.
The Rob Roy is a cocktail created in 1894 by a bartender at the Waldorf Astoria in Manhatten, NY. Originally made to commemorate the premiere of an operetta about the Scotish folk hero Rob Roy McGregor, this cocktail quickly became a hit. If you're someone who likes a Manhatten, you'd probably like this too. Where the Manhatten is typically made with rye or bourbon, the Rob Roy is made with Scotish Whisky.
Place all ingredients into a mixing glass together.
Stir until the drink is chilled.
Strain into a cocktail glass (or a chilled coupe).
Garnish with a brandied cherry or a lemon twist depending on your personal taste.
What do you think of The Rob Roy? Let us know in the comments below or on social media!