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Arif Gursel strides up the steps into the MetLife building's marbled atrium, a few floors above the coworking and event space he's opening in May. The Union, as he calls it, will cater specifically to Black professionals and students. Photo by Avi Loud
At the Intersection of Tech, Culture and Commerce
From a nucleus in downtown Seattle, Arif Gursel stakes out space for a new wave of Black empowerment.
by Jonathan Zwickel March 27, 2018
It's late morning at Afrotech and Arif Gursel is ready to take the stage. He's come to San Francisco's Pier 27, a new event space on the Embarcadero, to rep Heroku, the SF-based cloud-computing company where he's director of product and ecosystem partnerships—one of a handful of professional titles and roles he bundles under a single designation: entrepreneur.
Gursel's November appearance at this two-year-old conference uniting Black tech founders, executives, engineers and students is one stop among a string of business dates that's taking the ever-hustling 39-year-old to 16 cities over 30 days through the beginning of 2018. Amid panels and talks with honchos from Pinterest and Reddit, progressive celebs like Jesse Williams and Kehlani and stylish UX designers from Uber and Airbnb, Gursel delivers a presentation titled "Developing Cloud (PaaS) Extensions: Secure the Bag." But as always, he has a grander vision in mind.
Dressed in an ivory cable-knit sweater with leather patches on the elbows and the letters TU in crimson appliqué on the chest, he bounds onstage with a "What up, Afrotech!" and quickly shouts out Tuskegee University, his alma mater and one of America's 101 historically Black colleges and universities, or HBCUs. The crowd hollers back.
Audience properly roused, he continues.
"How many of y'all know what the cloud is?" Murmurs, a show of hands.
"How many of y'all have built something for the cloud?" Further buzz. "That's dope. How many people have actually used a cloud extension or built a cloud extension? Even doper."
During his 25-minute talk at Afrotech, Gursel effortlessly, authoritatively dances between impenetrable coder jargon, empowering life-coach affirmation, hype-man fervor and hip-hop-head erudition. The apex of his dexterous performance is what he calls The Six Code Commandments, which he illustrates with a PowerPoint image of the cover of Jay-Z's album The Blueprint and a paraphrase of the Notorious B.I.G.
"I've been in this game for years," Gursel says, gesturing to the crowd. "It made me an animal."
Someone shouts back: "I wrote you a manual!"
Gursel, grinning: "A step-by-step booklet for you to get your game on track—not your code pushed back!" He laughs. "You gotta love a Jay-Z slide with a Biggie verse, y'all! This is Afrotech—I don't get to do this anywhere else."
They'd love it even more if they knew that, in the 1990s, Gursel grew up a few doors down from Biggie, back when the future superstar went by Christopher Wallace and St. James Place was still a rough part of Brooklyn. To this day Gursel credits his former neighbor with sparking the first flame of self-actualization in his mind. Biggie wasn't the kingpin he rapped about, Gursel will tell you, just a fat kid doing his thing. Not even the best rapper on the block. But he wrote his own script.
Another rapper from the day, Bronx-born KRS-One, coined the term "edutainment" to describe the lessons on Black history, civil rights and contemporary politics he called out over Scott La Rock beats. No doubt KRS would be impressed by the blend of technical skill, business acumen, motivational enthusiasm and rock-star charisma that Gursel shares in his public speaking and beyond, in his work as an investor, teacher and mentor.
Essentially, Gursel is a connector. He's accumulated a tight, accomplished circle of Black engineers, artists, investors, thinkers, dreamers and doers. And right now he's deploying all of his experience and all of his connections—plus a significant portion of his personal wealth—into an ambitious new project in Seattle. Its physical home is downtown but its impact, as Gursel sees it unfolding in the future, will be worldwide.
Keeping up with a man who turned down a record deal to go to college and become an architect, who dropped out of college to work as an engineer at Microsoft, who later attended University of Chicago and left with an MBA, who then went on to found a pair of million-dollar companies—a man I've seen with two cell phones pressed to his head at the same time—isn't easy. We're diving into the life mission of a highly driven, demonstrably capable polymath.
"It's not a mission," Gursel tells me, "it's our purpose for being. Missions are things that you may fail at, right? Purpose is what we wake up to do."
We're standing in a newly refurbished space on the ground floor of the 55-story MetLife building on Third Avenue and University Street. Gursel calls it the Union, and it's one very tangible realization of his purpose.
When it opens in May, the Union will be a hub for educational programs, digital media production, coworking and cultural events—all for Black people, who Gursel prefers to call Pan-Africans—in the heart of Seattle. ("Pan-Africanism is a movement in what you call the Conscious Black Ethos," Gursel explains, "where everyone around the globe can trace their ancestry back to the African continent. So Black people of African descent have a shared experience ultimately.")
"The Black community is at the bottom of the totem pole 400 years after slavery," says Gursel, standing in what will be the coworking and event space portion of the Union. "What we're trying to do in PACE is close that gap." Photo by Avi Loud
The idea for the Union germinated in early 2017, as Gursel taught a boot camp for Black coders out of his 700-square-foot former office in Belltown. Floodgate Academy, an offshoot of a nonprofit based in Oakland, Calif., operated from an overcrowded room that saw 30 students at a time scrawling code on every surface available—the wall, the bar, the refrigerator. While teaching classes and placing Floodgate grads in tech companies like Microsoft and The Maven, Gursel was seeking a larger, more centralized space and being offered far-flung options by real estate agents and arts organizations he declines to mention.
"I'm like, did you really just fucking try to redline me? Did you really just tell me to move to the South End in one of your other buildings and not the prime real estate I want for my community to be able to participate in the growth of this city? That's totally ignoring what you're hearing in my mission statement and my message. If I have the money and I'm telling you this is where I want to be, don't tell me where you think I should be."
This sort of casual racism is exactly what he plans to erase at the Union. The name is a nod to student unions, specifically the Black-by-default unions on HBCU campuses. Gursel wants to create the same Black-by-default experience here.
The Union has its own entrance on Second Avenue, safe from potential hassles that security might give Black students and freelancers coming through the building's main entrance. Members will have 24-hour access to the facility, as well as access to all the building's public areas—marble-floored, high-ceilinged meeting spaces, lounge areas and workspaces. The symbolism of walk-up, ground-floor access is powerful. The array of students, mentors and peers that Gursel works with doesn't fit a particular profile, but authority figures—whether front-desk security or potential investors—often see them in a particular way.
"They're people of African descent. That's the only constant. I've had unemployed, homeless, engineer backgrounds, career switchers, re-trainers, single parents. Think about sub-communities of African descent: African American, descendants of slaves, first-generation refugees, second-generation refugees. And the one common denominator is that they're all Black," he laughs. "My success stories are all over the place, so there's no demographic that I could really focus on other than ambition and hustle. And do you have the fire burning inside of you to want to change your life? Do you have the will to want to give back to the community?"
Aided by David Harris, startup advocate for the Seattle Office of Economic Development, Gursel learned that the MetLife building, the second-tallest in the city, is required by the City to lease this first-floor location to a social service. The 2,000-square-foot space the Union now occupies was formerly a daycare that sat vacant for years. It'll be one of fewer than a dozen Black coworking spaces across the U.S.—a variation of specialized locales like the Riveter, a women-focused coworking space on Capitol Hill.
New carpet was recently installed and the walls painted, but as of mid-March the Union is mostly still a blank slate. Near one entrance is a reception area and pair of small rooms that'll be dedicated to audio recording and podcasting. An adjoining portion of the facility will be decked out with couches and coffee tables as a coworking and event space open to members, sporting "that WeWork feel but more culturally relevant," Gursel says. He's lined up the founders of WeSolv, three women of color, as the first cadre in an ongoing Entrepreneur in Residence program. You Had Me at Black, a podcast crew based in Oakland, will host one of the first events. He envisions other social gatherings—dinners, cocktail parties, film screenings—in this area, too.
"He has the brain of an artist—he taught himself to play guitar; he sees the world in that vision—but he was also trained in social engagement and activism."
Near the other entrance is the main classroom, which will house Gursel's proprietary rebrand of Floodgate called KOYA Academy. It'll accommodate a couple dozen students seated at workstations, plus several high-powered PCs for digital animation courses. Classes will be available online for free; volunteer teachers at the Union will provide in-person assistance and mentorship. "The curriculum is not the valuable part, the instruction is," Gursel says.
Coding, digital animation, music production, podcasting: Creating their own content, Gursel believes, is crucial for Black people to not only tell their own stories, but to take control of their professional destinies. It's an outlook he shares with LaSean Smith, a colleague from Gursel's Microsoft days who now manages a mixed-reality studio for Microsoft Windows, and who developed KOYA's animation curriculum. Smith excels in the application of augmented and virtual reality in commercial and consumer spaces, and sees animation as an under-resourced category in the tech sector, a scalable skill that could provide livelihoods as well as platforms for creative expression.
"What if we take some of this innovation in VR and AR and apply that to people who don't wanna be software developers but they wanna tell a great story?" Smith asks. "This is a career path to do that. What I want is a population, a wave of storytellers here in the Seattle area. As I look into how to recruit them, the conclusion I came to is I need to be a facilitator, a teacher. I need to invest in talent so that they're good enough that I don't have to import people from LA and Vancouver. This is my way to create a better reality."
The Union and its programming are part of an overarching nonprofit called PACE, or the Pan-African Center for Empowerment. PACE revolves around Gursel's redefinition of the educational philosophy known as STEAM, which traditionally emphasizes science, technology, engineering, art and math. Gursel's version integrates entrepreneurship and media. He describes PACE as a nonprofit run like a startup, and its interweaving of streams is precisely on-brand.
The arts have always been significant in Gursel's life. Growing up in New York, his mom, Gail Boyd, was an attorney with one foot in litigation and another in entertainment law—all the while involved in diversity and inclusion training. When he was 17, she convinced him to abandon his burgeoning rap career for college; now she sits on the board of PACE. His first startup, VIBEHEAVY, was launched in 2012 with the help of his cousin, Ali Shaheed Muhammad of A Tribe Called Quest. It began as a music discovery service and has since transitioned into fashion and branding. His wife, dancer and choreographer Jade Solomon Curtis, is creative director at PACE, where she's folded her company, Solo Magic, and her own work into the organization's outreach initiatives in order to bring them to audiences around the world.
All these disciplines are means to an end: Everything he's doing, he says, is about changing lives.
"He's taking what he learned at the University of Chicago and doing social entrepreneurship. He's a genius in that and I'm gonna do everything I can do help him," Boyd says. "He has the brain of an artist—he taught himself to play guitar; he sees the world in that vision—but he was also trained in social engagement and activism. That's something I was engaged in my whole life, and he grew up going to various protests with me and I was a lawyer for community activists and things like that. That's part of his life, doing something not just for himself but for his community."
That community is now opening pathways to opportunity within a system that historically has been stacked against it. "People that have to survive—they build muscles to thrive," says Harris, from the Office of Economic Development. "But there's always a level of survival because we're never satisfied with the way things are. That's what activates both sides of the brain. You could call it creative or tech but at the end of the day, at the human-centered perspective, it's people that are always in this cycle striving to survive and thrive. Figuring out how to crack the code then making it better."
As it stands now the tech economy is a hyperactive wealth machine consuming itself as it grows, benefitting a few to the detriment of many. Everyone knows it, but few are doing something about it.
"I wasn't always like this—I was a traditional capitalist," Gursel says. "I was out here trying to make money, start businesses. I wasn't thinking about my community and a way to give back, even though that's how I was raised. It took me selling some companies and being at a certain level of comfort and frustration to say, let me focus on giving back. I'm doing the work with the hope that I touch enough people."
As of this writing Gursel had recently returned to Seattle from three days at South by Southwest Interactive. He was there to launch another of PACE's initiatives called Black Tech Union, by night hosting parties and by day speaking on panels and plugging HBCU students into on-location job interviews with tech companies. For the moment he's happy to have time with his wife and two young daughters. But the hustle continues: What will the Union's furniture look like? How will he scale up the educational programming? Where's the next round of PACE funding come from? How will he make the nonprofit profitable?
"Who knows, man?" Gursel laughs. "That's the fun part."


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Home > About TFO Canada > Our Mission
Trade Facilitation Office (TFO) Canada is a non-profit organization whose mission is to improve lives by creating sustainable trade partnerships for exporters from developing countries with Canadian and foreign buyers. TFO Canada assists Small and Medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and Trade Support Institutions (TSIs) from developing countries to access international markets through information, advice and contact services. Since 1980, TFO Canada's internationally experienced project staff and sectoral experts have been providing trade promotion and capacity building services to tens of thousands of SMEs and TSIs from Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
TFO Canada improves lives through the creation of sustainable trade partnerships for exporters from developing countries with Canadian and foreign buyers.
TFO Canada is a recognized leader at improving lives through facilitating sustainable international trade opportunities for small and medium enterprises in developing countries
TFO Canada's Values
Canadian Perspectives: We ground our views in Canada's culture, reputation and ethics to bring added value to our stakeholders.
Sustainable Growth: We bring solutions that enhance the well-being of individuals and communities now and into the future.
Gender Equality: We know that communities are enriched when women are empowered to make positive change.
Commitment to Partnerships: We leverage the expertise of our partners and harness local knowledge for greater social impact.
Dedication: We bring a sense of higher purpose to our work.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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ATFA
Assistive Technology for All
Sign our e-petition
About assistive technology
The AT funding gap
The National Injury Insurance Scheme (NIIS)
The Commonwealth Continuity of Support Programme
The aged care system
State-based aids and equipment programs
The assistive technology funding gap
The current assistive technology funding gap
Funding for assistive technology for people who are excluded from the NDIS is spread across multiple state and federal government departments and not-for-profits. This makes it hard for people to know where to go to access the assistive technology they need. Check out the funding map that's been developed by the Australian Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology Association to see just how confusing things are.
Unfortunately, confusion isn't the only issue.
None of the funding pathways outside the NDIS currently provide people with appropriate access to the assistive technology they need.
Long waiting lists and high costs mean that people are forced to:
go without the assistive technology they need
self-fund assistive technology, often at significant personal cost
go without other supports they need so they can cover the cost of their assistive technology
use outdated or inappropriate aids which do not meet their personal needs
go without individual therapist support and advice, equipment trials and demonstrations—this may mean they end up with assistive technology that does not meet their needs
go without training to enable them to gain the maximum benefit from their assistive technology.
A woman with a walker looks across a trench representing assistive technology funding gap, to a sign that says 'needs met'.
The main funding pathways that were promised to provide support to people with disability who are excluded from the NDIS are set out under the following links. Follow these links to find out how each system is falling short of peoples needs.
The National Injury Insurance Scheme (NIIS)
The Commonwealth Continuity of Support Programme (CoS)
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Belated party for Aria. Loose ends at the house. Both cars service and MoT.
Up early as I had a couple of other things I wanted to do on the way, but still didn't want to be late arriving (Pat would be out as usual at dancing). Very good run north (apart from the torrential downpour just south of Shap), getting in far quicker than expected. Dropped in at the "Smart" dealership to arrange service and MoT for my car.
Friday was another beautiful day. Found out from the maintenance staff that the water leak had been fixed earlier in the week - disappointing that no message was sent to moorers. Routine chores - washing (finally), collected more coal. Collected possible fix for wifi, but again found it wasn't compatible, so once again it was returned.
Beautiful weather continued over the weekend, although dulling over Sunday afternoon. Topped up water and got another batch of washing done (it had backed-up slightly with the leak situation and not knowing when the supply was on or off). Otherwise a quiet time.
Decided I'd have a break from the mental "strain" with a short trip to the house. I can take in the belated birthday party for Aria (she had taken ill the day before the planned one at her birthday). Monday spent preparing - not shutting down fridge or freezer this time as intending only to be away a short time. Mostly a good day, but we did get a short rain shower just after lunch.
Very heavy rain and strong wind overnight into Friday. Researching combination of alternatives for wifi and internet (3G or 4G, range extender or "mesh" system, better technology router etc). Rain cleared by after lunch so trip to local phone provider for discussion. Work on the leak under the road at the marina postponed to Monday as it was too waterlogged to excavate.
More rain and wind overnight, but rain had cleared by breakfast. Wind died mid-afternoon Saturday. Heavy rain again overnight into Sunday. New mifi/router box arrived Sunday afternoon, but I found it needed a different size of SIM card.
Lovely day, Monday - beautiful sunshine and reasonably warm. Went into Lichfield to get replacement (T-Mobile) SIM, easy enough, but found it wasn't recognised by the new router. Return trip to Lichfield and got new contract card from EE (rather than the legacy T-Mobile) - it wasn't recognised either! Item packaged up and, with a further trip into Lichfield, returned as faulty. Replacement requested (assuming they would send it to the same address). No luck, they were going to send it to Fife! Phonecall to Amazon sorted it out (I hope - we'll see tomorrow). Work on the leak resumed, but no information yet as to results.
Tuesday dawned another nice day - not quite so sunny and a little cooler. Routine shopping and chores. Replacement mifi/router collected but too late to start testing.
Another beautiful day on Wednesday. Spent the whole day working on the comms system. The new router box gave no better performance than the old one (so upgrading technology isn't the answer). It did give marginally better speeds on 4G over 3G, but is it worth the extra cost in contract fees? The "mesh" system (TP-Link Deco 5) arrived early, so also got that tested. The set-up was very simple, it tested its connection to internet once the first node was installed and eventually gave an excellent network inside the boat. Although supplied with mains power adapters, their output is actually 12v so suitable for fitting in boats. Unfortunately, as soon as it had tested its internet connection, it dropped it - the router was still reporting connected, but the new network wasn't able to access it. Not happy (it may be that with different router setup, it could be a very good system, just not fitting my needs). Stripped everything out ready to start again.
After a cooler night, Thursday dawned with fog that burned off quickly giving yet another beautiful day. All items packaged and returned for refund. Old system set up again - back to square one! More research - let's look at trying to get a better signal from the marina wifi.
A slightly warmer start to February (although still pretty cold, with ice over the basin and canal). Outlook for the weekend pretty grim, so stocked up with coal and topped up water. After occasional bright spells, flurries of fine snow arrived on a rising bitter wind.
Saturday dawned with wall-2-wall sunshine. Although still quite cold, the basin had started to thaw. Wind had died out quickly overnight. Sunday was back to cold again - frozen hard overnight. Generally pottered over the weekend.
Massive thaw overnight into Monday, with heavy rain in the early hours. Woke to an outside temperature of +6°C. Took a trip to chandlers for a few items. The damp start to the day slowly cleared to a beautiful 'warm' sunny afternoon.
Generally pottered around Tuesday. Weather reasonable.
Heavy rain overnight into Wednesday brought a warm day with plenty of sun. Took a drive to Burton to arrange drydock for our stern-tube leak - booked for 12th April, the first available. In the afternoon, took "Paws" for a trip to the services berth for fuel. Found out that the site water was being turned off Thursday to fix a large leak, and that there would be restrictions on the roadways due excavations - topped up the water and put the car in the main carpark. Had a chat with Adrian on "Al Dina" a couple of berths along.
Weather deteriorated overnight again into Thursday, bringing very heavy rain and stronger winds which lasted well through the morning. By after lunch, it had cleared somewhat so made return visit to Shobnall with extra details for the drydock. By mid-afternoon it had turned into a sunny day, but the forecast is for more rain.


text:
Joshua Bolten
This biographical article does not give any references or sources. Please help by adding reliable sources. Information about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed very quickly, especially if it could cause arguments or harm.
Find sources: (Joshua Bolten – news, books, scholar) (June 2017)
Joshua Brewster Bolten
22nd White House Chief of Staff
April 14, 2006 – January 20, 2009
Andrew Card
Lawyer from Kentucky
Joshua Brewster Bolten (born August 16, 1954) was the White House Chief of Staff serving U.S. President George W. Bush. Bolten replaced Andrew Card on April 14, 2006.
White House Chiefs of Staff
John R. Steelman • Sherman Adams • Wilton Persons • W. Marvin Watson • H. R. Haldeman • Alexander Haig • Donald Rumsfeld • Dick Cheney • Hamilton Jordan • Jack Watson • James Baker • Donald Regan • Howard Baker • Kenneth Duberstein • John H. Sununu • Samuel K. Skinner • James Baker • Mack McLarty • Leon Panetta • Erskine Bowles • John Podesta • Andrew Card • Joshua Bolten • Rahm Emanuel • William M. Daley • Jack Lew • Denis McDonough • Reince Priebus • John F. Kelly • Mick Mulvaney (acting)
Cabinet of President George W. Bush (2001–2009)
Richard B. Cheney (2001–2009)
Colin Powell (2001–2005) • Condoleezza Rice (2005–2009)
Secretary of the Treasury
Paul O'Neill (2001–2002) • John Snow (2002–2006) • Henry Paulson (2006–2009)
Secretary of Defense
Donald Rumsfeld (2001–2006) • Robert Gates (2006–2009)
John Ashcroft (2001–2005) • Alberto Gonzales (2005–2007) • Michael Mukasey (2007–2009)
Secretary of the Interior
Gale Norton (2001–2006) • Dirk Kempthorne (2006–2009)
Secretary of the Agriculture
Ann Veneman (2001–2005) • Mike Johanns (2005–2007) • Ed Schafer (2008–2009)
Secretary of Commerce
Donald Evans (2001–2005) • Carlos Gutierrez (2005–2009)
Secretary of Labor
Elaine Chao (2001–2009)
Secretary of
Tommy Thompson (2001–2005) • Mike Leavitt (2005–2009)
Secretary of Education
Rod Paige (2001–2005) • Margaret Spellings (2005–2009)
Mel Martinez (2001–2003) • Alphonso Jackson (2003–2008) • Steve Preston (2008–2009)
Secretary of Transportation
Norman Mineta (2001–2006) • Mary Peters (2006–2009)
Secretary of Energy
Spencer Abraham (2001–2005) • Samuel Bodman (2005–2009)
Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Anthony Principi (2001–2005) • Jim Nicholson (2005–2007) • James Peake (2007–2009)
Secretary of Homeland Security
Tom Ridge (2003–2005) • Michael Chertoff (2005–2009)
Andrew Card (2001–2006) • Joshua Bolten (2006–2009)
Administrator of the
Christine Todd Whitman (2001–2003) • Mike Leavitt (2003–2005) • Stephen Johnson (2005–2009)
Director of the
Mitch Daniels (2001–2003) • Joshua Bolten (2003–2006) • Rob Portman (2006–2007) • Jim Nussle (2007–2009)
National Drug Control Policy
John Walters (2001–2009)
Trade Representative
Robert Zoellick (2001–2005) • Rob Portman (2005–2006) • Susan Schwab (2006-2009)
Directors of the United States Office of Management and Budget
D.W. Bell
Brundage
D.E. Bell
Zwick
Darman
Panetta
Rivlin
Bolten
Nussle
Orszag
Burwell
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text:
Home Elections 2022 Politics Kenya World Entertainment People Business Swahili Weekly Edition Sports
Raila beats Uhuru in latest opinion poll three weeks to General Election
Wednesday, July 19, 2017 at 6:47 PM by Muyela Roberto
- Raila Odinga would beat Uhuru Kenyatta should elections be held today, a new poll shows
- But there would be a runoff between the two as Raila would garner 47% of the votes and Uhuru 46%
- The survey by a US pollster John Zogby shows 47% of the undecided voters would vote for Raila while only 27% would vote in Uhuru
NASA presidential candidate Raila Odinga has beaten President Uhuru Kenyatta for the first time in a poll.
Although the survey revealed that there would be a runoff between the two should elections be held today,Raila would win in round one with 47.7% of the votes while Uhuru would get the support of 46.7%.
For one to be declared winner in round one of the presidential vote, they ought to garner 50% plus one of the total votes cast otherwise a runoff is inevitable between the two most popular candidates.
Raila.
READ ALSO: Kenya Airways careers
The pollster said that 47% of the undecided voters are likely to vote for Raila while only 27% in that group are willing to give Uhuru their votes.
The survey conducted by a US pollster John Zogby and paid for by NASA indicated that Uhuru's support has been dented by corruption and a bad economy.
The results were released on Wednesday July 19 during a teleconference with the pollster.
Uhuru.
The poll conducted between July 8 and 13 showed that 42% of Kenyans think the country is heading in the wrong direction while another 42% remained concerned with the poor performance of the economy.
At the same time, 56% said they are concerned with the high level of unemployment while 70% of Kenyans think corruption has worsened in the last four years of Jubilee leadership.
The poll also revealed that a whopping 88% think graft plays a large role in contributing to unemployment while a similar number said corruption was contributing to the high cost of living.
Another 82% blamed corruption to the shortage of food commodities in the country.
A recent poll conducted by Infotrak on June 24 and 27, 2017 showed Uhuru enjoys a 48% likability while Raila is admired by 43% of the voters also suggesting a possible run-off between the two.
And General Nkaissery faded...
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William Ruto's Nyanza, Western Visits Throw Raila Odinga in Political Tailspin
Nairobi Driver of Posh Discovery Car Puzzles Kenyans after Buying KSh 10k Fuel, Speeding-off without Paying
US trade shifts on Covid and China tensions, but no 'decoupling' yet
Kenya's Supreme Court Rules Come-We-Stay Isn't Marriage: "Don't Impose Marriage on Unwilling Persons"


People freak out when they hear the word calories. This word has gained such bad reputation on causing weight gain that people think it is best to avoid calories at all cost. You gain weight when you take in too much calories more than you burn through physical activities.
Calorie is a unit of energy a food provides for your body. Foods that contain fats and carbohydrates are your main dietary sources of energy and the amount of energy they provide is counted as calories. As a general rule of thumb, an average person should have a calorie intake of 2,000 grams per day.
But, for an older adult with decreased physical activities and slower metabolic rate, you may need to lower your daily calorie intake.
How Much Calorie Do Adults Over 50 Needs?
Your daily calorie intake varies depending on your daily physical activities. Remember that unused energy will be stored as fats and too much fat is not good for your body. You should not eat more than you can burn.
For a woman over 50 who is not physically active, you need to a daily calorie intake of 1,600 grams. If you are fairly active, you need 1,880 grams of calorie per day. If you're highly active, you need 2,000 to 2,200 grams of calorie per day.
If you're a man with a sedentary lifestyle, your daily recommended calorie intake is 2,000 grams. If you're a bit active, you need 3,000 to 2,200 calories per day. If you maintain a very active lifestyle, you need a calorie intake of 2,400 to 2,800 calories per day.
If you aim to be physically active, exercise at least 150 minutes per week. Brisk walking, swimming, and jogging are great aerobic exercises for older adults. Aerobic exercises will help you burn calories and it is also good for the heart.
To make it easier for you, you can divide the 150 minutes into about 25 minutes per day then split the 25 minutes in two by exercising for 15 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes in the afternoon. Whatever suits your schedule. But before you start any exercise program, ask your doctor first especially if you suffer from medical conditions or recently underwent surgery.
Apart from controlling your calorie intake, you should also be concerned on what foods you get your calories from.
There are three main dietary sources of calories, carbohydrates, fats, and protein. According to diet experts, you should get 55 percent of your daily calorie need from carbohydrates which contain four calories per gram.
When inside your gut, carbohydrates break down into simple or complex sugars. Foods with simple sugars or simple carbs are white bread and pasta, candies, soft drinks, pastries, and some fruits. Since simple carbohydrates are easily broken down and absorbed into the blood stream, they are likely to cause sugar spikes. To add, simple carbohydrates are mostly made of refined grains which are stripped off of fiber and other important nutrients during the refining process.
Simple carbohydrates are not ideal sources of calories. Choose to eat foods containing complex carbohydrates instead. These foods include whole grains, barley, brown rice, sweet potatoes, and lentils.
Your next source of calories is fats. This nutrient is vital for vitamin absorption and it is used by your body to form cell membranes. Dietary guidelines recommend that 30 percent of your daily calorie intake should come from fats which contain 9 calorie per gram.
Choose foods rich in unsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, such as nuts, seeds, oils, and fatty fish. Avoid high consumption of dairy and dairy products because they are rich in saturated fats. Too much saturated fat can increase your cholesterol levels which are bad for your heart.
You will get the remaining 15 percent of your daily calorie need from protein. The primary source of protein is meat, but you can also get it from plant foods such as soy, grains, nuts, and seeds.
When creating your diet plan based on your daily calorie intake, you should also consider getting other key nutrients your body needs. It is best to include varied food sources mainly consisting of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Avoid processed foods that are far less nutritious and high in sugar.


I just bought a 1999 Ford for my wife's sister who is a Florida resident.I got the car from the state auction here in NJ an have licensed it in my name in New Jersey. I'm taking it to Florida after Christmas to give to her and she will be putting Florida tags on it. Since its an out of state car with a NJ title is there a vehicle inspection in Florida?
No inspection, but, a DMV person will go to it and check the VIN.
Thanks everyone. My wife's sister just lost her husband due to an illness and she is going through a rough time right now. This car is a step in the right direction for her.
Samuel, My philosophy on politics is simple, If the currant politics in your area make your life miserable then move to a state that there currant politics fit your life style.
Mike has an interesting point, if they check the vin, then what is the case in a engine swap that may have happened 75 years ago? Are you sol?
Rion, This is a 1999 Ford Taurus. Not to worried about the engine. Now if it was a T The paperwork would need to match the engine stamping, If there was a mismatch then just grind and re stamp the numbers to match the paperwork.


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Free trade takes a beating in 2016
Free trade Republicans must confront globalization's disadvantages head on to defend its tremendous benefits.
Free trade takes a beating in 2016 Free trade Republicans must confront globalization's disadvantages head on to defend its tremendous benefits. Check out this story on wisconsinrapidstribune.com: https://wrtnews.co/28qgqoA
Mack McLarty and Nelson Cunningham Published 11:38 a.m. CT June 10, 2016 | Updated 11:44 a.m. CT June 10, 2016
Maria Martinez of Chihuahua City crosses back into Mexico on the Paso del Norte Bridge carrying goods, including two box fans, she bought in El Paso stores. More than two decades after the adoption of the North American Free Trade Agreement, controversy continues.(Photo: USA TODAY NETWORK)
Free trade is taking a beating this presidential primary season, and not just from one side. As the campaigns head toward the party conventions, criticism of trade deals has provided a rare spot of common ground for Donald Trump, Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton.
It's too early to say whether this alignment among starkly different candidates signals a lasting shift in the politics of trade. At the very least it's a serious challenge for those who believe that open markets and negotiated rules for global commerce are vital to American economic well-being and U.S. leadership in the world.
Supporters of free trade have fought back by reciting its benefits and by trying to debunk inaccuracies and, in some cases, bald untruths about its negative effects. But by itself this is unlikely to alter the debate. One thing supporters can do better is show that they recognize and can respond effectively to legitimate concerns that are making trade policy a target of voters' anger, angst and distrust.
This requires a pivot in how we talk about and implement trade agreements. It's increasingly hard to imagine a constructive approach to trade that doesn't specifically address middle-class incomes and doesn't include results-based programs for helping those whose jobs are upended by changing global economics.
Trade deals have vaulted to the top of the campaign agenda because candidates and voters have linked them to broad, negative trends in the economy. Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton have blamed trade deals for stagnant wages and manufacturing job losses and for contributing to income inequality. Both oppose the Trans Pacific Partnership, a historic pact that Clinton spoke about positively as secretary of state.
Donald Trump launched his campaign by declaring that foreign countries "beat us all the time" because "we have incompetent people negotiating trade." Trump has promised to renegotiate or revoke the North American Free Trade Agreement with Mexico and Canada and threatened to impose a 45 percent tax on imports from China, moves that would target our top three trading partners. Commenting on fears that he would spark a trade war, Trump said in May, "Who the hell cares if there's a trade war?"
Economists have issued dire warnings that Trump's positions on trade would have disastrous fallout. Fact-checkers have given his claims failing grades. Yet Trump's relentless focus on trade shows its potency in his brand of populism. Trade is a complex issue that can be simplified into a narrative about a rigged system, a foreign menace taking advantage of a weak America and the need for walls to keep us safe.
But dismissing Trump and his supporters as simply ill informed is to ignore deep changes in attitudes on trade among Republicans. For decades, Republicans in Congress have been a reliable backbone for passage of free trade deals. That era may be at risk. In a March survey by the Pew Research Center, only 38 percent of Republicans said free trade agreements are good for the United States. Nearly half of Republicans said their family finances have been hurt by trade deals. Support for free trade is stronger among Democrats, and especially young voters.
Supporters of free trade can draw several lessons from current debate. The first is that the economic costs of trade are often more visible than the benefits. Portraits of shuttered factories and laid off workers when jobs move overseas are real and painful and illustrate a compelling political argument.
Harder to see are the 11.5 million American jobs that depend on exports. The same is true of increases in competitiveness among U.S. businesses or lower prices for consumers. Trade is a vital tool of foreign policy, cementing alliances and creating leverage with rivals, in ways that can't be captured in a single image.
Advocates of free trade who focus only on its net effect — more benefits than costs — can overlook those left behind. Studies indicate that Trade Adjustment Assistance, a program designed to support workers and communities where job losses occur due to trade, could be better funded and more effective in reaching those who need it.
Another lesson is that building public support for free trade will only occur if we meet head on the challenges raised by globalization and technology, forces that are transforming the workplace. We need straight talk on trade as part of a national policy discussion dealing with the impact of globalization on jobs, wages, education and the quality of life. As Hillary Clinton noted in March, "There are people in both parties who think we can somehow shut ourselves off from the world. But even if the United States never signs another trade deal, globalization isn't going away."
Trade deals are essential for navigating the global economy and protecting our security interests. While we must do better to reduce their costs at home, abandoning these important tools would leave us adrift while others write the rules. We would be trading away our future.
Mack McLarty, who served as White House chief of staff and special envoy for the Americas under President Bill Clinton, is chairman of McLarty Associates and McLarty Companies. Nelson Cunningham is president of McLarty Associates.
Read or Share this story: https://wrtnews.co/28qgqoA


There are many variations of health care systems around the world.The goals for health systems, according to the World Health Report 2000 Health systems: improving performance (WHO, 2000), are good health, responsiveness to the expectations of the population, and fair financial contribution.
Even though the long term health effects can be stated with certainty, it easy to eliminate the risk, because potassium bromate is not an essential ingredient and many companies have eliminated it from their products. Early in college, Rene began creating small businesses out of his ideas, one of which was a manufacturing company for products that he himself invented, designed, and marketed.
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Even before I claimed the title "minimalist" I sought to have a minimalist wedding. Why? Mainly because I didn't want the stress of a big production. Planning a big event is exhausting and I wanted to enjoy myself, not try to remember a million different things.
Besides that, we didn't want to enter into our marriage with wedding debt – or burden our parents with wedding debt either. Brian and I were both in our mid-twenties when we got married and opted not to ask our parents to pay for anything. In the end, we spent less than $1,000 on our wedding (including the rings), which meant we could splurge on our honeymoon – total win!
Make decisions based on the couples enjoyment. Not to impress people. There is no need to invite every person your family has ever known, or have a certain style of wedding just because Aunt Shirley would be offended if we didn't, or my friends will be mad if they're not invited. This is for and about the couple who are tying the knot. It's not about anyone else.
Eliminate the unnecessary so you can focus on the important. That's what minimalism is all about! So what is important to you, on your big day? Is a nice honeymoon more important than the ceremony? Each couple is going to have different priorities, expectations and desires. Talk it out- decide what each of you find important and leave the rest out of the celebration.
Have a budget. After you've decided what is important, figure out how much each item will cost and then add everything up. Do you have enough money in the budget for it? If not, decide what steps you want to take to avoid going into debt (i.e. taking on a second job, asking family to contribute to certain things, researching cheaper options, compromising, etc.).
Forgo tradition. With non-traditional options, it's easy to simplify: email or Facebook invites, instead of printing, labeling, sending… Keep the service simple and put more work into the reception. Keep the guest list to immediate family members- or elope!
Keep it simple. Dress, suit, cake, reception, decor (or none at all), flowers. Imagine everything and then scale it back times 10. Think it through: which image do you prefer?
Guests. The smaller the crowd, the easier it is to plan for… and remember: This is your day. Invite people who you want to join you during this next season of your life.
Bridal party. You technically don't need anyone to stand with you- you just need someone to sign the marriage license as a witness. They can sit in the audience and still "witness" it.
Location. If you are a member of a church, the member price is often cheaper, but if you want to avoid decor, nontraditional makes it easier: public parks, zoos, beaches, public or private gardens, wilderness areas, roadside chapels, vacation cabins, bed & breakfasts. If you live in the city, consider a small town nearby over the big city venues.
Limit the venue to one. If you have an intimate wedding in mind, consider using a banquet hall from a nice restaurant, have a quick ceremony and then sit down with your guests for a meal. Near us, there are a variety of places that can seat 20 and have a lovely fireplace at one end of the private room.
Service. Consider skipping a traditional ceremony, going to the Justice Of The Peace and then inviting all your guests to meet you for a reception to celebrate.
Bridal Attire. For the groom- go with something he'll use again, nice slacks and a white shirt are perfect, even purchasing a nice suit is often similar in cost to renting a tuxedo, and he can use it again. A quick search on Etsy.com can bring up simple and elegant vintage wedding dresses and if you want something of this years style- consider renting your dress from Rent The Runway.
Flowers & Bouquet. There are many flowers that can be simple and elegant- consider a small bouquet of lavender, lily of the valley or carrying a single stem of your favorite flower.
Rings. When you look at rings, get what you want, not what is expected by family or friends. Many men feel that to prove their love they need to produce an extravagant rock to draw attention. True love means being honest with your spouse-to-be, in what you want as well as respecting each other's desires (Guys- if she wants something simple, let her have simple!).
Reception. Keeping your party small means you can just make reservations at your favorite restaurant and not worry about planning a reception. If you want informal, consider a potluck or BBQ at someone's home, or a local park.
Gifts. There are some pretty cool options these days with SoKind Registry, and online cash registries, people can even help cover the cost of a fabulous honeymoon, which far more fun than an extra toaster, right?!
Favors. To be honest, all the favors I ever picked up at weddings ended up in the landfill, so let's save the earth a little and skip those altogether.
In the end, the wedding is about the couple getting hitched. It's not about everyone else. It's a celebration of your relationship with each other. If you want that celebration extravagant, go for it. If you want it simple and intimate with a handful of special people around you, give yourself permission to celebrate your relationship the way you want.
In what ways will you/did you incorporate your minimalist philosophy in your wedding?
Our wedding 19 years ago was very simple – long before I was a minimalist. Mostly out of necessity to keep costs down, we went against so many traditions. 90% of the flowers came out of friends' gardens, the bridesmaids dresses came from a regular store, our reception resembled a potluck more than a sit-down dinner and more.
Just prior to reading your post I read an article about two thrifters who dressed an entire bridal party (bride, bridesmaids, mother of bride and flower girl) for a total of $20. It takes creativity and time, but the marriage is more important than the wedding. I'm hoping my own daughters embrace this philosophy when it's time for their weddings!
Thanks Jill! And that is seriously impressive to outfit the entire party for $20. In our small town, I don't know that we could find as much at the thrift stores, but I visited thrift stores in Portland OR and there would be so many options there! That's really cool.
I was at the hairdresser's last weekend and a bride was having her hair done before her SURPRISE wedding. They had simply invited their friends/family to a BBQ cook-out but planned to surprise the guests with the ceremony! This way no guest felt the need to dress too fancy or bring gifts! I thought it was genius and memorable.
Basically, figure out what is important to you at the end of the day. If I had mine to do-over I would have splurged on a budding photographer.
Seven and a half years ago we met with our pastor for marriage counseling and had no plan for a wedding. 3 weeks later our wedding was planned from top to bottom and executed another 3 weeks later! Our friend owns a restaurant so we held a reception dinner in the dining room. We had one friend make cookies and cupcakes for the cost of the supplies instead of a cake and another friend took photos for us for free. The church was already decorated for Christmas (the wedding was December 23rd) so we didn't need any flowers and I didn't carry any down the aisle because I was holding both of my children's hands (this was my second marriage and they gave me away). I didn't have a DJ because I just wanted everyone to hang out and talk. The restaurant musak was sufficient. I had a second-hand wedding ring and a dress I had for years. Our entire wedding and reception for 50 people cost about $1000 total. The funny thing is that although my parents had paid for my first wedding and I was a full grown adult, my dad still wanted to help pay for dinner. He's a gem. This was before my minimalist days but I was still frugal and I just wanted to be married! We had a beautiful time and have wonderful memories. What we don't have is debt from our wedding! That's the best wedding gift ever.
We ended up making our own favors. We made tea bags and honey sticks that we put inside of paper boxes that we made ourselves. I can agree that most favors end up in the landfill. I thought it was more personal to make our own.
My husband and I got married in a flower shop next to our house. We didn't invite anyone, since it was just for us. My parents were totally fine with it, but my husband's mom was really upset. My husband told her that if she wanted a big wedding for us, that she could pay for it. In the end, we were able to persuade her to some cost saving measures. We got the "wedding cake" from a local renowned bakery (we had three regular cakes on a tier display, in different signature flavors so everyone got what they liked). We had the wedding at a B&B – location and food in one. I made my own dress, and I got the flowers from the florist where we got married. I didn't have any bridesmaids or maid of honor, though my husband did have a best man. It turned out tp be very nice, and we had a great time. And then we spent all the money that we had saved on the NICEST honeymoon!
I'm saving this for future reference! I am entirely single now, but with another round of friends getting married recently, I've been thinking a lot about how I'd like to do my wedding (should I have one). I'm in favor of no attendants, inviting any of my friends who want to come along and help me get ready (so as not to miss out on the traditional bridal activities), and I've long been planning to do a cupcake bar with a small cake for the cutting purposes. My guest list would be minimal (family members – those by blood and those I have chosen). I wouldn't bother with save the dates (isn't an invitation the same thing?!), and I've rarely seen wedding favors that were anything exciting (although I wouldn't be opposed to some small food item). I know my sisters will think I am insane but I don't care – it'll be what I want.
So the wedding is all planned…just waiting for the groom!
I like the idea of keeping things simple. Like you said, I don't have to impress eveyone with my wedding, it's just a celebration. I will admit that I would like a pretty bouquet, though. It's important to realize what things are important to you when you're planning a budget wedding. The bouquet doesn't have to be super expensive either.
That's a good idea to keep things simple. For my wedding I want to have a fun, non-fussy reception afterwards. It may not be traditional to not have a big fancy cake, but I don't want one. No one likes eating fondant anyway. I've been thinking about having one of those "cakes" made out of cut watermelon with fruit decorations. It will go well with a hot summer outdoor wedding. It's all about what you want at your party.
The wedding flowers were hanging baskets on homemade pedestals at different heights. Later, we attached the hangers and gave them as gifts to people who had helped us with the wedding. We also kept some for an instant flowery entry to our new home.
The bridesmaids and I carried simple wildflowers (my favourite) and some garden varieties.
My husband bought a suit that he was able to wear in the coming years in his role as a pastor.
No wedding cake. Instead, both our mothers made large pans of their famous black forest tortes and it was served as dessert after the dinner.
We had the Salvation Army chef school cater the dinner. The food and service was fabulous for a fraction of the cost, and all the money went to a great cause!
Our party favours were a variety of home-cultured tiny ivy plants in terra-cotta pots with simple raffia to dress them up. A few of our guests still have theirs. When we cleaned out my husband's grandfather's house after he passed, we took home his ivy from our wedding.
LOVE this blog. I'm a year into the decluttering and getting rid of, and still have a long way to go, but I am seeing the difference it's making in our family's life and that and your blog keep me going.
Thanks Heidi! Those are lovely ideas. The hanging baskets especially sound very nice.
Our wedding was just another party and it was fun and low key like one! We got married in our new home with a notary and only immediate family for the legal part. No rings. And then we cracked open champagne while an amazing playlist played in the background (all our childhood memories' songs) and just had a mini party with nice bubbly and snacks for about 2 hours. Photos happened during this time. Then our band arrived (jazz trio) and then our best friends brought the food we had pre-ordered. (Sushi and Chinese food) then the band started playing and the guests arrived. All my friends are artist's so my photographer was my friend, my florist, my caterer, my band, my cake maker. All professionals. I paid them but they were still a part of it. We asked for no gifts, just bring a bottle of wine. And party gifts were fun items purchased at a kitchen store wrapped in clear wrap placed in a picnic basket to take as our guests would leave. We drank, ate, and had so much fun!


In the last couple years, working with clay and paint has broadened my visual expressions. Clay in my hands makes me go through a grounding, centering process... I started with the mask, the other part of me, and then progressed to the woman's torso and her back. In the process of creating "Androgyny" and "Fragmented", chance was definitely my partner because one broke and the other exploded in the kiln. I was moved to bring all the pieces back together. It became a visual expedition.
I was born in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, and currently I live in Tempe, Arizona.
I began taking photographs at 15 after making my first pinhole camera.
an interdisciplinary major in psychology and art with an emphasis in photography.
the person's favorite family photos made into slides and a projector.
what's already on the roll, and re-expose it by taking portraits of my family members.
a life of their own. I'm also fascinated by the layering of time.
attributed to New Mexico's Anasazi and those created by the Tainos in Puerto Rico.
symbols and visual language from thousands of years ago.
Chaco Canyon and Acoma Pueblo.
Nancy Turner-Smith and Trine Wejp-Olsen.
Perspectives is part of The Feminist Art Project, a national exhibition program celebrating the Feminist Art Movement, bringing public attention to women artists� significant impact on contemporary art practice, and guaranteeing their inclusion in the cultural record, past, present, and future.
"Mesa Cliffs & Acoma Pueblo"
"La Mujer de Caguana Petroglyph"


Ca' d'Andrea is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Cremona in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 90 kilometres (56 mi) southeast of Milan and about 20 kilometres (12 mi) east of Cremona.
Ca' d'Andrea borders the following municipalities: Cappella de' Picenardi, Cingia de' Botti, Derovere, San Martino del Lago, Torre de' Picenardi, Voltido.
This article on a location in the Province of Cremona is a stub. You can help Infogalactic by expanding it.
This page was last modified on 31 January 2015, at 15:58.


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Der Ministerpräsident von Finnland (finnisch: Suomen pääministeri, schwedisch: Finlands statsminister) ist der Regierungschef der Republik Finnland und damit der Chef der finnischen Regierung. Amtierende Ministerpräsidentin ist seit dem 10. Dezember 2019 Sanna Marin.

Kompetenzen und Befugnisse
Laut Paragraf 66 der finnischen Verfassung von 1999 hat der Ministerpräsident die folgenden Kompetenzen und Befugnisse:
 Leitung der Tätigkeiten des Staatsrates
 sorgt für Abstimmung der Vorbereitung und Beratung der dem Staatsrat obliegenden Angelegenheiten
 Leitung der Beratung der Angelegenheiten in der Plenarsitzung des Staatsrates

Ernennung und Wahl
Das Parlament wählt den Ministerpräsidenten, den der Präsident der Republik für diese Aufgabe ernennt. Die anderen Minister ernennt der Präsident nach dem Vorschlag des zum Ministerpräsidenten gewählten. Vor der Wahl des Ministerpräsidenten beraten die Parlamentsfraktionen über das Regierungsprogramm und die Zusammensetzung des Staatsrates. Aufgrund der Ergebnisse dieser Beratungen und nach Anhörung des Parlamentspräsidenten teilt der Präsident der Republik dem Parlament den Ministerpräsidentkandidaten mit. Der Kandidat wird zum Ministerpräsidenten gewählt, wenn bei offener Abstimmung im Parlament mehr als die Hälfte der abgegebenen Stimmen seiner Wahl zugestimmt hat. Erhält der Kandidat nicht die erforderliche Mehrheit, wird nach dem gleichen Verfahren ein neuer Ministerpräsidentkandidat aufgestellt. Erhält auch der neue Kandidat nicht mehr als die Hälfte der abgegebenen Stimmen, wird im Parlament die Wahl des Ministerpräsidenten als offene Abstimmung ausgeführt. Gewählt wird dann die Person, die die meisten Stimmen erhalten hat. Bei der Ernennung des Staatsrates und einer bedeutenden Veränderung seiner Zusammensetzung soll das Parlament versammelt sein.

Stellvertreter
Nach Paragraf 66 der finnischen Verfassung, kann der Ministerpräsident einen Stellvertreter bestimmen, der im Verhinderungsfall die Aufgaben fortführen soll. Sollte auch der Stellvertretende Ministerpräsident verhindert sein, so wird der dienstälteste Minister mit der Wahrnehmung der Amtsgeschäfte beauftragt. Amtierende Stellvertreterin ist Annika Saarikko von der Zentrumspartei.

Siehe auch
 Liste der Ministerpräsidenten Finnlands
 Politisches System Finnlands

Weblinks
 Offizielle Website des Ministerpräsidenten (finnisch, schwedisch und englisch)

Einzelnachweise

Finnland

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Exerting effort can get you far in many areas of life. Want to run a marathon? Train hard. Earn better grades? Study hard. Land a new promotion? Work hard.
To achieve goals, hard work and determination are often required. But what if the goal is to be happier? How much effort is required to live a more joyful life and to feel happier?
An initial Google search of "how to be happy" may give the impression that the answer to this question requires a great amount of effort. Countless websites and blogs are devoted to providing suggestions on how to obtain happiness. Many provide how-to lists that guarantee you'll be happy after checking them off.
Thousands of books have been written on the subject, providing readers with a wide range of suggestions from changing mindsets to switching jobs. But who's to say what makes one person happy will do the same for another? Must you read as many books as you can and try out all the suggested methods until you find the one that sticks?
And what if your efforts to become happier aren't always effective? (Which, by the way, is entirely normal and understanding). A problem that can arise when pursuing self-improvement is people often strive to feel positive emotions only and avoid negative ones at all costs. Even worse, they may find themselves riddled with immense guilt for feeling anything other than the happiness they so desperately are trying to achieve.
While happiness may look different for everyone, two concepts ring true for us all. One, happiness is best attained when you fully indulge in enjoyable experiences while also effectively coping with the more difficult ones. You automatically set yourself up for misery when you set unrealistic goals such as, "I will be happy 100 percent of the time" or "I refuse to feel any negative emotions." Fully embracing the highs and lows that make up the human experience instead of running from or refusing to welcome any of the negative will lead to a happier, healthier existence.
Two, it is not enough to "think" yourself happy or to simply "read" yourself happy. Locking yourself in a room full of self-help books and articles simply won't suffice. According to a 2014 article in Psychology Today, it is difficult to think yourself into a happier mood without first changing your behavior. In short, happiness requires action. The article goes on to explain that when you do something new or different, you boost feelings of happiness.
Behavior activation, a low-cost behavior therapy used to treat people suffering from depression and other mood disorders, is based on this idea that mood and behavior are related. It proposes that when you change your behavior, your mood changes. Practitioners often use a form of therapy called cognitive behavioral therapy, which helps patients change negative thought patterns. While important, behavior activation focuses on physically engaging in activities that meet personal values such as exercising, meeting friends for dinner, or working on a job-related goal.
Perhaps it comes as no surprise that helping others often leaves you feeling better than you were feeling beforehand. A 2016 study published in Psychosomatic Medicine found that both giving and receiving social support correlates with a reduction in negative psychological outcomes. Moreover, fMRI tests revealed that giving, but not receiving, reduced stress-related activity in the brain. It also revealed greater reward-related activity.
Helping others can take many forms. Donate your time to a cause you deem important or simply lend a listening ear to a friend who may be struggling.
In the same way taking care of your body (i.e., exercising, eating clean, etc.) will lead to increased feelings of happiness, so will tending to your relationships. In 1938, Harvard scientists documented the emotional and physical well-being of 268 male students in a study that spanned over the course of 75 years. The findings? Good relationships are vital to our health and happiness. According to the study, the quality of your relationships matters more than the quantity.
As most of us are well aware, relationships require work, whether it'd be with a romantic partner, a friend, or family member. Be willing to put in the necessary work to keeping your current relationships healthy while remaining open to new ones.
It may seem obvious that positive relationships and experiences make for a happier life, but it's a truth that can be often easily forgotten. Humans tend to gravitate toward what feels safe and uncomfortable, whether it has a positive influence on their lives or not. You may be in unhealthy relationships or repeating unhealthy habits (e.g., constantly checking social media) without even realizing it.
Think of the people you're closest to. Do they add positivity to your life? Or do they leave you feeling depleted and discouraged? The people you surround yourself with have a huge impact on your health and happiness, so if you can think of people who aren't adding to it, it may be time to cut ties.
Additionally, your daily habits play a big role in determining your general mood. If your days consist of repeating one negative habit after the next, it will inevitably impact how you feel about yourself and the world you live in. Think of the habits you'd like to change. Perhaps you spend too much time on Facebook or have a habit of putting off important tasks. We are all guilty of having unhealthy habits. What matters is that you can identify and then modify them into more positive, beneficial behaviors.


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HomeMarket3 Things to Watch By Investing.com
3 Things to Watch By Investing.com
By Liz Moyer
Investing.com — Stocks turned red on Thursday after the Federal Reserve raised interest rates again and made it clear there was more work to be done to tame inflation.
Investors had been hoping for a sign the Fed was nearing an end to its aggressive rate hikes, but the central bank only suggested that future increases could get smaller than the four consecutive increases it just did, not that it would pause entirely.
While parts of the economy have cooled — notably the housing market — there are persistent areas that haven't. Food prices remain elevated from last year, and consumers are heading into the holiday shopping season facing uncertainty that could change their shopping patterns. The labor market continues to be tight, with fewer than expected new last week coming just ahead of the October jobs report on Friday.
With the bulk of tech earnings now behind it, the market will get its next batch of earnings from major retailers, who are expected to put more clarity on their outlooks for retail sales this season.
Here are three things that could affect markets tomorrow.
1. Duke Energy earnings
Electric utility giant Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:) is expected to report profit of $1.88 a share on revenue of $7.36 billion.
2. Hershey earnings
Candy maker Hershey Co (NYSE:) is seen reporting earnings of $2.10 a share on revenue of $2.6 billion.
3. Nonfarm payrolls
The much anticipated jobs report for October is due out at 8:30 ET (12:30 GMT). Analysts are expecting that the economy added 200,000 last month, which would be down from 263,000 the prior month.
Saints WR Michael Thomas to undergo toe surgery, not expected to play again this season
Louisville college basketball ruling shows joke is on NCAA once again


Broad light is just the opposite of Short light. In the Broad Light setup, THe side that is getting the most light is the side turning towards the camera. This setup is less commonly used for portraits as it tends to make people look chubby. See the diagram for setup.
Lets look at Winnie again. This picture was taken at the same focal length (135mm with 1.5 crop factor D70's sensor). This time Winnie looks very chubby. Oh Winnie! what have you been eating? Also note how the picture looks a bit flatter. There are not allot of light and shade plays.
For both types of light you can use a fill light at the opposite side to the main light, or do as I did and use a reflector at 45 deg. (see diagrams).
More or less flattering is vague, and like much PC speak, is not helpful. The same lighting that makes a face thinner also highlights wrinkles, which could be said to be less flattering. Many other things could be said to be more or less flattering.


text:
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15 Best Languages for Programming in 2020
#Programming #Trends
In order to assemble this list, we naturally needed to do some research. Everything from the latest updates, popularity, number of repositories on GitHub to the talent pool and developer feedback was taken into account. It's important to address that the positions on the list don't mean one language is objectively better than the next. Some languages are more niche and others are general-purpose. It largely depends on the type of work you need to do. Without any further ado, let's get to the list.
1. Python
Python has proven itself to be one of the best languages for programming currently available due to the range of its uses and functionality. It first appeared on monitors in 1990 thanks to a Dutch programmer Guido van Rossum. With more than 115 thousand repositories on GitHub and an ever-increasing interest trend, there is no sign of Python slowing down anytime soon.
Web, Desktop
Numeric and scientific operations
Artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data science
Flexible.
Open-source.
Wide range of support libraries.
Intuitive code readability.
Supports a large number of platforms.
Plenty of official documentation and tutorials for help.
Adheres to Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) principles.
Improves coder's productivity.
Easy scalability even for complex applications.
It offers an environment useful for testing out ideas and designing prototypes.
A huge community that is constantly growing.
Primitive database functionality.
Not fit for mobile development.
Lack of some programming basics at the start.
Due to Python being an interpreted programming language, it is slower.
Global Interpreter Lock (GIL) makes threading worse.
2. JavaScript
JavaScript is a high-level programming language that has been a staple of web development for years. It was created by Brandan Eich and first released in 1995. It was considered to be limited to just front-end however with frameworks such as Node.JS it is capable of powerful server-side programming as well. JS remains one of the most popular languages with more than 125 thousand projects on GitHub at the start of 2020.
Web, Mobile
Easy learning process.
All-around flexible and diverse.
Very fast, especially on the client-side.
Implementation is simple.
Works well with other programming languages.
Executable snippets support via Greasemonkey and other addons.
It provides tools to design more detailed web interfaces.
JavaScript apps have a reduced load on the servers.
ECMAScript specification results in regular updates.
Massive community support.
It doesn't allow multiple inheritances.
Different browsers interpret JavaScript differently.
No copy or equivalent method.
A percentage of users disable JavaScript in their browsers.
3. Java
In 1995 James Gosling created a general-purpose programming language named Java. that would adhere to the WORA principle (Write Once, Run Anywhere). Ever since It remained a solid choice for many companies in need of software. It's traditionally favored more by big organizations due to its stability. As of the date of writing there is over 86k repositories on GitHub. Despite the slight decrease in popularity it still remains one of the most used languages today.
Web, Desktop, Mobile
Adheres to OOP principles.
A large number of APIs and open-source libraries for a variety of tasks.
Open-source tools for Rapid Application Development (RAD).
A good starting point to develop the programmer way of thinking.
Runs on most operating systems and able to access the file system, sound, and graphics.
Automatic garbage collection.
Stack and memory allocation systems.
Java Virtual Machine (JVM) offers cross-platform independence.
A combination of access to classes with a security manager and explicit pointer execution ensures a higher degree of security.
Multithreading support.
A fantastic choice for distributed programming.
Complicated vocabulary.
Memory management is expensive.
A limiting lack of templates.
Slower than some other languages such as C/C++
C is a veteran among programming languages. Released in 1972 by Dennis Ritchie, it has seen many iterations and became a starting point for the creation of other languages such as C++ and C#. It's still relevant though. In fact, the TIOBE rating named it the programming language of 2019.
Desktop, Mobile, Embedded
IoT and real-time systems
AI, machine learning and deep learning
Efficient and comprehensible.
Fast program execution.
Suitable for learning the basics of coding at a low hardware level.
Access to hidden and blocked by other languages objects.
Enhanced portability.
Easy testing and debugging process.
Hard to learn for a beginner because of a complicated syntax.
Lack of support for program namespace.
Somewhat outdated and incapable of solving some modern problems.
High-level constructs have to be created manually.
No garbage collection or memory allocation.
Lack of run-time checking.
Absence of strict type-checking functionality.
Limited default library.
Frequent memory corruption and buffer overflow.
5. C#
This general-purpose programming language released in 2000 has the backing of Microsoft. It is a part of its .NET initiative that is still going strong to this day. It's widely used for backend programming, enterprise software, and game development via Unity. With over 21 thousand repositories on GitHub, it has cemented its place as a reliable programming tool.
Desktop, Web, Mobile
Server-side programming
Adheres to object-oriented and component-oriented paradigms.
An easy learning process for anyone familiar with C.
Works extremely well on Windows-based platforms.
Integration with a robust .NET platform with its variety of libraries extending the possibilities of this language
The time required for compilation and execution is lower than for most other languages.
C# provides a more secure environment than both C and C++ by virtue of not allowing pointer types and providing type safety support.
It's possible to work with shared codebases.
It has a great degree of scalability.
A wide variety of data types and library functions.
Unsafe blocks still allow pointers.
If you're not already familiar with the C family of languages the learning process is quite difficult.
Implicit memory deallocation.
The error handling process is complicated.
Less flexible than C++.
6. C++
Created in 1983 by Bjarne Stroustrup, a computer scientist from Denmark, as an extension of C. Since then it has matured into a viable standalone high-level programming language. The quickness and stability of C++ along with the STL collection of libraries makes it a great choice for the development of reliable software.
Graphic compilers
A lot of libraries and compilers to choose from.
Minimal level of obstruction by virtue of running close to the hardware.
Considered to have a greater level of control compared to most other languages.
Possibility for cross-platform development.
Function overload and exception handling features.
The standard library is fairly small.
Basic object orientation in comparison to other languages.
7. Go
Here's a programming language that's on the rise. It was created at Google by Robert Griesemer, Rob Pike, and Ken Thompson in 2009. It already has more than 35 thousand repositories on GitHub, which shows how rapidly it grows. With a massive corporation such as Google backing it, it's a good time to jump on board.
Desktop, Mobile, Web
Single-page applications (SPA)
Utilities for consoles
Message-passing concurrency via CSP.
One of the faster languages because of compilation straight to the machine code.
Easy concurrent programming.
Enhanced security by virtue of it being a statically-typed language.
Beginner-friendly. Minimalist and easy to learn syntax.
The standard library makes working with primitive types is easier.
Go has the support of Google behind it.
Well-written documentation.
No centralized dependency management.
No virtual machine functionality.
Lacking library support such as GUI support.
Implicit interface implementation.
Less flexible than other popular languages.
8. PHP
Created in 1995 by Rasmus Lerdorf, PHP has been one of the most relevant general-purpose backend programming languages for years. While it has been declining in popularity in recent years, it still has a lot to offer and a lot of mature large corporations still actively use it to this day. The large talent pool and over 52k GitHub repositories are the proof of that.
CMS system development
Server-side web development
Standalone web development
eCommerce apps
Supports the paradigms of functional programming.
PHP is easy to run.
Huge community with open-source projects.
There is a wide range of frameworks expanding PHP's functionality.
Decent system for automatic testing and deployment.
Xdebug is considered to be one of the best tools for debugging.
No tools for handling errors.
Considered by some to be less secure than other languages.
A comparatively slow development process.
Needs extra extensions to use PHP to its full potential.
9. Swift
Swift is the go-to programming language for Apple platforms. Created by an internal team lead by Chris Lattner in 2014, it has been used for the development of their apps ever since. Despite this platform limitation, Apple products continue to grow in popularity. As a result, Swift managed to attract many developers that look to the future.
Mobile, Desktop, Web
Mobile development for iOS
WebAssembly-enabled client-side development
Easy to read language because of the similarity to natural English.
A fast development process, especially when used for both front-end and back-end.
Memory leak safeguards by virtue of the robust Automatic Memory Management.
It allows developers to add and expand upon Swift's features making it scalable.
Works well with Objective-C.
Server-side integration is possible with any platforms.
The code is easy to share.
Swift has the backing of Apple.
Unstable due to frequent updates.
A smaller community compared to more mature languages.
Swift doesn't support legacy apps older than iOS7.
10. Ruby
Ruby is a general-purpose language that was built with an idea of combining the best features of Eiffel, Perl, Smalltalk, and other languages. Designed in 1995 by Yukihiro Matsumoto, it's considered to be somewhat of a niche option since it's not as widespread as Python or JavaScript, for example. However, it still has a strong community thanks to it's acclaimed Ruby on Rails framework.
Backend web development
Flexible and open-source.
Easily readable syntax with no special vocabulary.
Garbage collection capability.
Framework and tooling support.
Extremely quick development speed.
The final code is usually more compact in comparison to other languages.
Dedicated support community.
A large number of libraries and "gems".
Difficult to get used to the original coding language.
Ruby generates errors in runtime and is generally hard to debug.
Slow runtime speed.
11. R
R programming language has found its niche in being one of the go-to environments for data science and machine learning. It was designed in 1995 by Robert Gentleman and Ross Ihaka. While it's not a general-purpose language like many on this list it is considered to be one of the best when it comes to statistics and data analytics.
Statistical computing
Great for statistical analysis.
Easy coding process for a statistical language.
It is completely open-source.
Extensible and adjustable to your requirements.
Support for Linux/GNU-based development.
Platform-agnostic language.
Actively growing community.
A strong package ecosystem.
Lower quality of some packages.
Can eat up all available memory due to poor memory management capabilities.
R lacks some security features.
No standard programming guidelines.
12. TypeScript
TypeScript is a programming language designed at Microsoft in 2012 as a superset of JavaScript. It has been one of the fastest-growing technologies on GitHub with more than 30 thousand repositories already. TypeScript was bound to gain traction by improving upon the well-established JavaScript without major alterations.
The language is open-source.
Works seamlessly well with JavaScript.
Easy to pick up for anybody familiar with JavaScript.
Strict and structural types of typing.
Introduces elements of object-oriented programming.
You benefit from the massive JavaScript support community.
Absence of a package manager.
The typing system is complicated and difficult to get used to.
Mandatory compilation.
Despite the many checks in place, it's not 100% secure.
13. Rust
Rust is a programming language based on the syntax of C++. It was created in 2012 by Graydon Hoare at Mozilla with a focus on safety and performance. After the release, it has been steadily growing in popularity and was named StackOverflow's most loved language for every year since 2016.
High level of security achieved by restricted access to unnecessary memory parts.
Focus on the speed of development.
Rust works well on different operating systems.
Robust error handling.
Built upon the best qualities of C++.
Despite being at its best in low-level programming, it has plenty of high-level techniques as well.
Steeper learning curve than many other languages.
Rust is a relatively young programming language with a small support community.
It doesn't have any garbage collection functionality.
Rust outputs large size files.
Compilation takes comparatively more time.
14. Scala
Scala is a general-purpose language developed in 2004 by Martin Odersky. The main driving force behind it was improving upon Java. As a result, its fixed drawbacks and the ability of two languages to work together made it popular among the community of Java developers.
Data tooling
It has a robust virtual machine.
Scala is built with the best features of Java in mind.
The language allows for easy concurrent programming.
A strong-typed programming language, which makes it more bug-resistant.
It has customizable data types.
Steep learning curve.
The community is fairly small and the talent pool is limited.
When compared to Java, many of Scala's tools aren't mature enough.
15. MATLAB
MATLAB is a powerful tool and a programming language finely tuned for data analysis and matrix manipulation. It is one of the oldest on this list with the first working versions going back to the late 1970s but it is still just as relevant and innovative. The latest stable release at the moment of writing was in March of 2020.
GUI development
Scientific simulations
It comes with an extensive library.
Works well with and converts to other languages such as Python, C, C++, and Java.
A wide range of toolboxes that extend the possibilities of this language.
It works regardless of the platform.
MATLAB doesn't need to compile the code before execution.
It has inbuilt tools for debugging and visualization of data.
Good official support and documentation.
MATLAB is proprietary and requires an expensive license to use.
It's a niche language that doesn't offer much outside of it's targeted field.
The speed is lower by virtue of it being an interpreted language.
Rounding It Up
Staying up-to-date with the latest developments in the technology field is crucial for any software development company. The same can be said about keeping up with the best languages for programming. Each one is different the same way no two projects are identical. Picking the correct tool for the job is a prerequisite of success. That's why being aware of all the releases, updates, and what they entail allows us at Digital Skynet to create custom software in the most efficient manner.
The Unstoppable March of XaaS: Anything as a Service
#WebDevelopment #Technology #Trends #Business
Ionic vs Flutter vs React Native: Comparative Analysis
#CrossPlatform #Programming #SoftwareDevelopment #Technology
13 Technology Trends for 2020
#Technology #Trends
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Russia – perhaps more restrained and less powerful than you think?
Without Russian gas and hit by separatist violence that has disrupted its own coal mining, Ukraine has been forced to introduce widespread power cuts.
The energy ministry had expected flows from Russia to resume on Monday. Hard frosts have boosted consumption to record volumes in recent weeks.
"Russian gas will start flowing to Ukraine on December 11," Ukrtransgaz spokesman Maxim Belyavsky told Reuters.
Ukraine transferred $378 million to Russia's Gazprom on Friday to buy one billion cubic metre (bcm) of Russian gas in December. A Gazprom spokesman said the Russian giant monopoly had received the money from Ukraine and was ready to start pumping gas.
A cold snap is draining Ukraine's winter natural gas reserves, which have fallen by more than 20 percent since the heating season began in October to 13.3 bcm, Ukrtransgaz said on Monday.
Energy Minister Voldymyr Demchyshyn said Ukraine was consuming more than 200 million cubic metres (mcm) of gas per day, 55 million of which came from limited domestic production, 120 million from reserves and the rest from so-called "reverse flow" supplies from neighbouring European Union countries.
On Monday the energy ministry said it had granted state energy company Ukrinterenergo permission to import electricity from Russia to help address power shortages.
Turning to Russia for electricity supplies is a blow for Kiev, whose relations with the Kremlin are at an all-time low following Russia's annexation of Crimea and fighting in the east.
State power firm Ukrenergo said on Monday it had imposed further restrictions on electricity consumption to heavy industry and households to balance supply and demand. Ukraine estimate it is short of slightly more than 10 percent of the electricity it needs.


text:
Teenage godchildren helped Jackie Collins perfect new book
Top author JACKIE COLLINS had no problems conjuring up teenage angst for her latest novel, Lucky: Confessions of a Wild Child - she turned to her godchildren for help and inspiration.
The new book, a prequel to her Lucky Santiago collection, centres on the life of a 15-year-old girl, and, while many may feel a 76 year old is ill-equipped to focus on a teen's issues, Collins insists she knew what she was doing.
She tells the Los Angeles Times, "I had a couple of godchildren who were staying here at my home who were both 18 and they would come with stories every night, talking about going to clubs with their fake IDs and blah blah blah.
"They had all this energy that I picked up on and tried to channel. And I would read them bits. But their energy definitely helped me remember what it was like and how the thought process is different."
The book has already landed Collins a film deal with Amber Entertainment.


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Difference between revisions of "Sweden"
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|name =''Konungariket Sverige''
|map	=Sweden rel96.jpg
|flag	=Flag of Sweden.png
|arms	=Arms of Sweden.png
|capital	=Stockholm
|capital-raw	=
|government	=Constitutional monarchy
|government-raw	=
|language	=Swedish
|king	=Carl XVI Gustaf
|queen	=
|monarch-raw	=
|president	=
|president-raw	=
|chancellor	=
|chancellor-raw	=
|pm	=Fredrik Reinfeldt
|pm-raw	=
|area	=173,732 sq mi
|pop	=9,142,8174 (2007)
|pop-basis	=
|gdp	=
|gdp-year	=$291 billion (2006)
|gdp-pc	=$32,200 (2006)
|currency	=Swedish krona
|idd	=
|tld =
'''Sweden''' is a country in [[Scandinavia]]. The capital city is [[Stockholm]], which is also the largest city. Sweden has approximately 9 million inhabitants. With an area of 173,750 square miles (450,000 square kilometers).
Sweden is a constitutional [[monarchy]] and a parliamentary [[democracy]]. The prime minister of Sweden is 41 year old Fredrik Reinfeldt, leader of the Moderates. The Swedish parliament has 349 seats. [[Carl XVI Gustaf]] is the current king.
== Swedish Viking History ==
In Sweden the [[Viking]] Age was getting under way by the 9th century, and vast repositories of Roman, Byzantine and Arab coins attest to the wealth and power Swedish Vikings accumulated over the next century. Vikings traveled mostly to the east, making their mark in Russia, as well as trading with (and pillaging) Byzantine territories. They also traveled west and there is considerable evidence of artifacts (such as coins) on the North American continent. Vikings pillaged villages all over Ireland, and are the antecedents of many living Irish men and women, such as the former Taoiseach of Ireland, Charles Haughey and his cousin Sile de Valera, pop stars Bob Geldof and Phil Lynott, and artist Charlie Whisker. Remnants of a small settlement (called Ektorp) exist on Newfoundland which include the remains of small dwellings, deteriorated furniture and cooking utensils.
Christianity only took root in the 11th century.
== History ==
Sweden officially remained neutral throughout [[World War II]], although it helped both sides during the war. During the period 1939-1943 when the Axis powers looked like the winning side Sweden supplied Germany with much needed Iron ore. The Iron ore made sure that the German war machine could keep on going and become such an issue that Great Britain considered invading Sweden to destroy the mines up north in Kiruna. Sweden also transported German soldiers on leave from Norway and reinforcements going to Finland. After 1943 when Germany started to face defeat after defeat and it became clear that Germany would not win the war Sweden started to help the Allies by providing them with intelligence. Sweden also began to take some steps toward rescuing [[Jews]] around 1944. One of the most significant of these actions was the sending of diplomat [[Raoul Wallenberg]] to German-occupied territory to obtain passports for Jews.
== Christianity in Sweden ==
80% of the inhabitants belong to the Evangelical [[Lutheran Church]] of Sweden named The Swedish Church (Svenska kyrkan in Swedish). This church is very different to other churches because it has decided to marry [[homosexuality|homosexuals]]. This Church is considered a [[liberal]] Church and does not protest against abortions, divorce, and other conservative issues. About 5% of the Swedish population belong to "conservative" Christian churches. Many Swedes are [[atheists]].
Sweden has 18 weeks of free [[abortion]] and 4 weeks during which women need to get special permission to be allowed an abortion. Swedish politicians are currently discussing whether foreign women should be allowed to have an late term abortion in Sweden, and much suggests that the parliament will vote in favor of that proposition. In the 1960's the government decided to reduce in school education about [[Christianity]]. In 2000, the Evangelical [[Lutheran Church]] and the government were separated. Before that, all children were born members of the church, except those whose parents took an active decision against it and both left the church. Even if a child were not christened, he or she became a member for life, having to pay a small tax to the church.
In 2005 a Swedish Baptist priest, [[Ake Green|Åke Green]], was charged with, and found guilty of hate speech, when preaching Biblical teachings regarding homosexuality. He was imprisoned for one month and then acquitted.
== Politics ==
Sweden has high taxes and strong trade unions. Despite recently electing a new government, is still a country where socialism is strong. Fredrik Reinfeldt says that he is not going to destroy the Swedish model - in fact he says he likes that model - he only wants make some small changes. Although one of the parties in the government alliance is named "The Christian Democrats", no decisions have been made to make Christianity stronger in Sweden.
Swedes are paying approximately 30% in taxes and additional 20-25% if ones salary exceeds 300 000 SEK (1$=6.75SEK) a year - approximately the same rate of income tax and social security tax as in the [[United States]].
A lot of the money that comes from taxes goes to social welfare. Everyone in Sweden has the right to a home, food, water and clothes.
== Economy ==
Major economic sectors include the iron and steel industry, shipbuilding, motor manufacturing (notably the Saab and Volvo corporations), and 'forest industries' (timber, woodpulp, paper and packaging). The Swedish company IKEA has achieved worldwide reach (and inspired imitators) with its inexpensive 'Scandinavian style' furniture and housewares
== Culture ==
A typical Swede is taciturn, calm and polite. This is often misinterpreted as coldness, arrogance, stupidity and general lack of knowledge. All though that is sometimes true, it is rarely the case. Swedes behave in this way as being polite and to give the other person some space which is very important in Sweden. Boasting and general loud-mouthnes is generally frowned upon in Sweden.
Bigotry is not accepted at all in Sweden, with two notable exceptions:
Americans are generally seen as stupid, loud-mouthed and arrogant. There is several reasons for this but the history of Jingoism and modern day activities that are viewed as "world policing" such as the war in Iraq has greatly contributed to this. This view of Americans is also very common in all other Scandinavian countries.
Immigrants are viewed with suspicion by a large portion of the population due to the recent successes of semi-racist parties like Sverige Demokraterna (Swedish democrats)
==Some Notable Swedes==
* [[Alfred Nobel]], instigator of the [[Nobel Prize]]
* Greta Garbo, actress
* ABBA - comprised of Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Agnetha Fältskog. At one time ABBA were considered the largest corportion in Sweden, and bigger than Volvo.
* Roxette
* Dag Hammarskjöld
* [[Anders Celsius]]
* Astrid Lindgren
* Carl von Linné
* Fredrik Ljungberg
* Henrik Larsson
* Stellan Skarsgård
* Saint Bridgid
* Lars Magnus Ericsson
* Gustavus Adolphus (king, founder of Gothenburg etc, died 1632 in the Thirty Years War)
* Björn Borg, tennis player
* Olof Palme
* Ingemar Bergman
*[http://www.sweden.se SWEDEN.SE]
*[http://www.svenskakyrkan.se Svenska Kyrkan]
*http://www.lo.se
*http://www.moderaterna.se
*http://www.gp.se/gp/jsp/Crosslink.jsp?d=913&a=324428
*http://www.gluefox.com
*[http://www.historyofnations.net/europe/sweden.html History of Sweden]
* Forte, Angelo. Oram, Richard. Pedersen, Frederik. ''Viking Empires''. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005
* Hudson, Benjamin. ''Viking Pirates and Christian Princes: Dynasty, Religion, and Empire in North America''. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005.
* http://www.livetsord.se/default.aspx?idStructure=918
* http://perkornhall.se/LivetsOrd/index-eng.htm
* http://www.skattebetalarna.se
* http://www.engdahl.oilgeopolitics.net/History/MacKinder/mackinder.html
* http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/UK-NWE-Norway/index.html
* http://www.sweden.se/templates/cs/Article____12355.aspx
[[Category:European Countries]]
[[Category:EU Members]]
[[Category:Scandinavian Countries]]
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