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Reading has become a part of me, through dedication and perseverance. I am not one of those whose home overflowed with books. There was none, almost. Not that my parents were illiterates. They weren't. My mother retired as a Principal Nursing Officer. No problem. But that was the days nurses were almost paid in coins and so there were more important things to think about than filling-up a bookshelf with fiction. First, there was school, good but affordable school, to consider. If you thought my father who described himself as a farmer, with no commercial farm, was an illiterate you should see his signature; his handwriting is a thing to envy, the best in the family. He thought us how to read. My reading book - the school-text - was defaced and plastered all over such that even with a microscope you cannot identify the colour nor the text on the cover. If books could cry, that 'Here is Aku' book could have wept gallons. Hang on, I am not reviewing my family. I am review
The Commonwealth Short Story Prize
About the Prize Commonwealth Writers has re-focused its prizes to concentrate only on the Short Story. It will no longer offer the Commonwealth Book Prize. The Commonwealth Short Story Prize is part of Commonwealth Writers the cultural initiative from the Commonwealth Foundation . Commonwealth Writers develops the craft of individual writers and builds communities of emerging voices which can influence the decision-making processes affecting their lives. The Prize aims to identify talented writers who will go on to inspire their local communities. There will be five winners, one from each region. One regional winner will be selected as the overall winner. The overall winner of the Commonwealth Short Story Prize will receive £5,000 and the remaining four regional winners £2,500. If the winning short story is a translation into English, the translator will receive additional prize money: £2,000 for the overall winning story and £1,000 for a regional winning story.
Readers' Top Ten - Kinna Reads
Last week I introduced a new series I wanted to run on ImageNations called Readers' Top Ten . I said one of its aims was to introduce readers to the rich literature Africa has to offer. The series begins today with Kinna Reads. About Kinna: Kinna is a book blogger at Kinna Reads among many other things. On her blog Kinna says I grew up in literary, bookish household. I love books, reading, nurturing and developing my appreciation for the art form. I read mostly fiction, both contemporary and classic. I really enjoy world literature. I'm partial to women writers and their works, especially African women writers. Below is Kinna's Top Ten . Note that I have linked the titles and authors to posts within ImageNations, where available. My views and Kinna's might not be the same and so beware when reading them. ____________________________ Where do I begin? So first, I consider this blog's owner, Nana Fredua, a friend. He is reader kin. And the best ki
254. A Review Interview of 'A Heart's Quest by Elikplim Akorli'
This interview is meant to replace the usual review I do for books I have read. There are several reasons for this but the chief one is that I failed to make notes when I read. This will not be a routine. How do you introduce yourself to people, especially the literary side of you? Hmmm, basically I'm simple and down to earth. With literary side of me, I would say I was not trained to write. Writing came to me when nothing else would. I found writing young. It wasn't my first love though; sketching was though I have not developed it as much as I would have loved to. When I write, I write to set myself free irrespective of whatever someone may think or feel. That was the way writing started for me. The more I wrote and experienced life, the more I discovered there were other things to talk about apart from using writing as a personal tool. I write articles and essays sometimes apart from poetry which I consider my usual domain. I have tried short stories but not yet compl
Readers' Top Ten is a series that will feature the top 10 African books - written by Africans - as selected by identified readers. Each participating reader will pick his or her top 10 favourite African books and briefly discuss the books - why he or she like it, what it means to him or her (if any) etc. The reader will make his or her own decision considering the definition of an African. At ImageNations it includes citizenship of an African country, naturalisation, or dual citizenship. Also if an author has African ancestry and do identify himself or herself to the continent, she or he is considered an African. The other condition is that the book should have a literary merit, even if it is non-fiction. No other imposition is made and this literary merit will be determined by the selector and not ImageNations. The aim of this project is to introduce to readers of ImageNations the rich literature the continent has to offer. It is meant to move beyond the 'one-novel Af
NLNG Longlist
The Advisory Board of the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas, NLNG, sponsor of the Nigeria Prize Literature, on Monday announced a shortlist of 11 books out of 201 books submitted for the 2013 edition of the prize. This year, the biggest literary prize on the continent, will focus on poetry. The list was arrived after after months of intensive scrutiny by a panel of judges led by renowned poet and literary critic Prof. Romanus Egudu of Godfrey Okoye University, Enugu. The shortlisted books are: Letter Home and Biafran Nights by Akeh Afam Symphony of Becoming by Eke Iquo Birthcry by Nwakanma Obi Wild Letters by Ogochukwu Promise Globetrotter and Hitler's Children by Ede Amatoritsero Marsh Boy and Other Poems by Egbewo G'ebinyo Length of Eyes by Gomba Obari The Sahara Testaments by Ipadeola Tade Seven Stations up the Stairwel by Launko Kinba (pen name for Femi Osofisan) Through the Window of a Sandcastle by Nnadi Amu Sea of My Mind by Raji Remi The winner of the US$
253. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy*
"All happy families resemble one another, but each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way" are the famous opening words of the tragic love story Anna Karenina (FP: 1877; 813) by Leo Tolstoy. This is perhaps the most famous first line one would read. Anna Karenina is a novel of many dimensions with ebbs and troughs. Set in Russia around the time of the liberation of the serfs, the novel deals with society: the people, the laws and the government. The main story revolves around Anna Karenina, the eponymous character of the novel. Anna Karenina had returned from Moscow, where she had been to solve a problem between her brother, Oblonsky, and her wife, Dolly [Darya], after the former had cheated on the latter with his children's English governess and the marriage seemed destined for disaster. Initially, one would have thought that the story revolves around the Oblonsky family. However, it quickly settles on the Karenins. In Moscow Anna had met the playboy Vronsky, w
#Quotes: Quotes from Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina*
All happy families resemble one another, but each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. [1] Yet, as often happens between men who have chosen different pursuits, each, while in argument justifying the other's activity, despised it in the depth of his heart. [16] The aim of civilisation is to enable us to get enjoyment out of everything. [35] Oh, you moralist! But just consider, here are two women: one insists only on her rights, and her rights are your love, which you cannot give her; and the other sacrifices herself and demands nothing. What are you to do? How are you to act? It is a terrible tragedy. [41] You know that capitalism oppresses the workers. Our workmen the peasants bear the whole burden of labour, but are so placed that, work as they may, they cannot escape from their degrading condition. All the profits on their labour, by which they might better their condition, give themselves some leisure, and consequently gain some education, all this surplus
Chibundu (left) at Sytris As I stated in my review of July's Reading and Literary Activities, I attended a fair number of book readings. One beautiful thing about attending a book reading is that you get to meet the author, ask him or her questions and then finally, and most importantly, you get autographed copies of the books. Autograph copies for readers is the 'thing'. Reading a book whose author you have met adds a different 'vibe' to the reading. I am digressing. I purchased the following two books at a reading I attended at the PAWA (Pan-African Writers Association) House, which was organised by Invisible Borders under their Trans-African Project: The Spider King's Daughter by Chibundu Onuzo . This book was buzzing all over the book blogging community on the internet. From the blurb: Seventeen-year-old Abike Johnson is the favourite of her wealthy father. She lives in a sprawling mansion in Lagos, protected by armed guards. A world away from Abike
NEW PUBLICATION: Brave Music of a Distant Drum by Manu Herbstein
Brave Music from a Distant Drum by Manu Herbstein is a sequel to Ama - a story of the Atlantic Slave Trade . In my review of the first book, I stated that this is a book that needs to be read by all. It is an introduction to an understanding of what really went on during the slave trade. It takes the story away from statistics and figures - this number of people were taken, that number of people died. It shows you the human dimension of that unpardonable activity. It shows you that slaves were not taken out of Africa; rather people were taken out and made slaves. It is a human story with unrestrained treatment. I expect the sequel to follow similar lines. To continue the story and to peel off the wounds. For instance, one would want to know what happened to Ama after the death of Tomba. And will their son be as rebellious as the two of them were? The following are some reviews of the sequel: [ Glenys Bichan, Cambridge High School Library, New Zealand, May 23, 2012 ] Today Ghana i
252. God Dies by the Nile by Nawal El Saadawi
God Dies by the Nile* (Zed Books, FP: 1976; 175) by Nawal El Saadawi is a compendium of political, cultural, social, and religious oppression of a people by a demagogue through a supposed ruling class whom he gets to do what he wants. In this book, Nawal El Saadawi, whose subject of interest revolves around [religious] oppression in a patriarchal society, discusses how a people blinded by religion could become delusional in their depravity and even deemed it the will of God. In this story, set in the village of Kafr El Teen, the Mayor is God, his word is law, and his passions reign supreme. And when this lascivious Mayor set his eyes on the children of an old woman, Zakeya, there was nothing anyone could do but to submit, even if it had to take the Sheikh to turn the words of Allah around to deceive the masses and an unfortunate and helpless woman. Everyone was blinded to the Mayor's deeds and all worked to not only protect him but also praise him to the hilt so that in gro
254. A Review Interview of 'A Heart's Quest by Eli...
NEW PUBLICATION: Brave Music of a Distant Drum by ...
#Quotes: Quotes from Nawal El Saadawi's God Dies b...
July in Review, Projections for August


Oceans and Coastal Processes Research captures those elements of PMEL's integrated research agenda that do not fall easily into the borad categories of climate or ecosystems, but still comprise important contributions to NOAA's mission. Elements captured in this theme include an understanding of ocean physics and interactions between the ocean and both the seafloor and atmosphere.
NOAA Center for Tsunami Research (NCTR) - This PMEL group is developing and testing new and improved modeling capabilities for both real-time tsunami forecast, for use during tsunami warning operations, and community-based tsunami hazard assessment efforts. New generation tsunami models will provide estimates of currents resulting from tsunamis in ports and harbors, and incorporate the stage of the tide into predictions to increase timeliness and accuracy of tsunami forecasts.
Ocean Tracer - They make chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) and SF6 measurements on Repeat Hydrography and other ocean research cruises to detect changes in water mass formation rates and to improve estimates of the uptake and storage of anthropogenic CO2 in the ocean on a global scale.
Earth-Ocean Interactions (EOI) - EOI operates a helium isotope laboratory that has analyzed several thousand deep ocean samples for helium isotopes, many of them as part of the World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE) tracer project. In the deep ocean, the conservative tracer helium-3 3He has been extremely useful for delineating the patterns of mixing and circulation for detection of volcanic gases and submarine hydrothermal fluids. The group also engages in collaborative ocean exploration and research with NOAA's Ocean Exploration and Research Program office.
Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis (DART) Easy to Deploy buoy.
A CTD rosette is used to collect water then used to measure for ocean tracers like CFC.


I'm so grateful that I was invited back for the second year in a row as the Show Ambassador of the London & Hamilton Boat, Fishing & Outdoor Shows! This year's shows have come and gone in what seems like a flash and that's because it was so much fun! I'm thankful to connect with anglers all around the world through social media daily but I especially enjoy meeting in person and chatting fishing face-to-face. The fishing and outdoor community is truly special and it amazes me how easily conversations flow when we're chatting about what we love.
My banner at the London Show entrance.
If you follow my social media pages, you likely saw a bunch of posts leading up to the shows. The first of the two shows was held in London (Ontario) at the Western Fair District. My primary role during this event was emceeing the seminar stage. We had quite a line-up of talented anglers covering a wide variety of seminar topics. Speakers included: Jason Barnucz of The Reel Angle, Dave Harris of Angling Sports, Captain Paul Powis, Cindy and Dean Franklin of the Tri-Bay Bass Association, Matt Sawrie of Torpedo Divers, and Kyle Moxon of Moxon's Guide Service. We also held a panel each day of the show providing the audience an opportunity to ask questions making for a very interactive presentation.
The panel included: some of the seminar speakers mentioned above, staff from Angling Sports, along with members from the Forest City Fly Fishing Club and the Thames River Anglers Association.
Some familiar faces I was happy to see!
From left: Alicia Raytrowsky, myself, and Cindy Franklin. These two women are not only skilled anglers but they're as genuine as they come.
Over the years it's been inspiring to see not only the increase in women working at fishing/outdoor trade shows sharing their knowledge and passion, but also more women and families attending. Fishing is a sport without boundaries that we can all enjoy!
I had the chance to chat with these wonderful ladies from the Forest City Fly Fishing Club.
I hosted a few live videos on my Facebook page throughout the weekend including this one from the Alumacraft booth.
From left: Joe Rodriges, Matt Pezzetta, Heather Bochek, Brent Bochek, and myself.
I had the opportunity to do a quick on-air interview with KX 94.7 live from the show floor.
My article inside the Show Guide.
Don't tell my boat but…. the brand new Alumacraft XB 200 was on the floor and I just had to get behind the wheel!
Brent Bochek with a nice little largemouth! A cool feature at the Hamilton Show this year was the Fishing Friendzy live largemouth bass pond!
A huge thank you goes out to all that came by the shows to say hello! It wouldn't have been such a fun experience without your company! And that's a wrap on fishing trade shows for me this year! There are lots of exciting projects in the works for the year ahead and lots of fishy posts. Please subscribe below to stay updated.


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Next Economics
Next Labour Economics
Labour Economics 9780815704997-01-000 9780815704997-01-000 9780815704997
https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/reconsidering-retirement-how-losses-and-layoffs-affect-older-workers/courtney-c-coile/phillip-b-levine/hardback/9780815704997-01-000.html
Reconsidering Retirement How Losses and Layoffs Affect Older Workers
By Courtney C. Coile (Author), Phillip B. Levine (Author)
https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/reconsidering-retirement-how-losses-and-layoffs-affect-older-workers/courtney-c-coile/phillip-b-levine/hardback/9780815704997-01-000.html £24.73 rrp £25.50 Save £0.77 (3%)
The economic downturn that began in 2008, the most severe in decades, has hit older Americans hard. Many have seen huge losses to their 401(k)s. In numerous cases the value of homes -the largest investment most older Americans have ever made -has diminished considerably. In addition, large numbers of American workers, including those 50 and older, have lost their jobs and may have difficulty replacing them. Suddenly the future seems a whole lot less certain, throwing years of planning into doubt. In Reconsidering Retirement , economists Courtney Coile and Phillip Levine go beyond the headlines to explain how the economic crisis will affect the future plans and well-being of older Americans. Amid well-publicized reports that older workers needed to stay on the job because of the crisis, the number of U.S. workers claiming Social Security retirement benefits actually rose substantially from 2008 to 2009. The authors maintain that job loss has been the culprit, leading to premature retirement, and while this trend may have been less noticed, it is perhaps the more significant outcome of the crisis. Coile and Levine examine the three major characteristics of the recession thought to influence retirement behavior: decline in the stock market, reduced housing values, and a weak labor market. The authors find that lower home prices did not actually affect retirement behavior but that the decline in the stock market did lead some workers to delay retirement, while a weakened labor market actually forced more older workers with fewer skills into retirement. As a result, these early retirees, who rely on Social Security, face a lifetime of lower benefits. "Workers affected by weak labor markets are more numerous than those affected by poor stock market returns, are more likely to have low socioeconomic status, and have a more substantially reduced income for the rest of their lives." -From the introduction "Public discussion has focused on the effects of the stock market crash and has failed to recognize that most of the workers who are affected by stock losses come from the upper tail of the income distribution. Similarly, falling house prices have received considerable attention although they have had little impact on workers' retirement decisions. The most pressing problem older workers currently face is the labor market, which has received little attention." -From chapter 8 The legacy of recessions is that those most in need usually are last to reap the benefits of an economic recovery. While the lion's share of media coverage after the economic downturn of 2008-09 has gone to the plight of older workers who remain employed, Courtney Coile and Phillip Levine examine the effects of the economic crisis on all workers approaching retirement age. Some of their findings are counterintuitive and will surprise many analysts and readers. In particular, they shine a light on lesser-skilled workers forced into early retirement -a number estimated at 378,000 workers. These workers will be forced into early involuntary retirement, drawing from Social Security sooner and receiving lower retirement income. This important book provides a complete picture of older workers today, how they will transition into retirement, and what we can do to assist them as the recession persists.
Courtney C. Coile is the Class of 1966 Associate Professor in the Department of Economics at Wellesley College, a research associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), and a member of the National Academy of Social Insurance (NASI). She serves as an editor of the Journal of Pension Economics and Finance and has published numerous articles on retirement behavior. Phillip B. Levine is the Catherine Coman and A. Barton Hepburn Professor in the Department of Economics at Wellesley, an NBER research associate, a research affiliate of the National Poverty Center, and a member of NASI. From 1996 to 1997, he served as a senior economist at the White House Council of Economic Advisers. His publications include an undergraduate econometrics textbook and Sex and Consequences: Abortion, Public Policy, and the Economics of Fertility (Princeton, 2004).
Contributor: Courtney C. Coile
Imprint: Brookings Institution
Publisher: Brookings Institution
Biography: Courtney C. Coile is the Class of 1966 Associate Professor in the Department of Economics at Wellesley College, a research associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), and a member of the National Academy of Social Insurance (NASI). She serves as an editor of the Journal of Pension Economics and Finance and has published numerous articles on retirement behavior. Phillip B. Levine is the Catherine Coman and A. Barton Hepburn Professor in the Department of Economics at Wellesley, an NBER research associate, a research affiliate of the National Poverty Center, and a member of NASI. From 1996 to 1997, he served as a senior economist at the White House Council of Economic Advisers. His publications include an undergraduate econometrics textbook and Sex and Consequences: Abortion, Public Policy, and the Economics of Fertility (Princeton, 2004).
Courtney C. Coile
https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/reconsidering-retirement-how-losses-and-layoffs-affect-older-workers/courtney-c-coile/phillip-b-levine/hardback/9780815704997.html £24.73 rrp £25.50 Save £0.77 (3%)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai has repeatedly emphasised the need for Malaysia to take urgent, collaborative action and next year will see both Government and Industry take significant steps to help promote balanced and healthy lifestyles to help prevent this growing trend.
As part of the broader approach to tackling NCDs, leading food industry players in Malaysia have been working collaboratively with the Ministry of Health to develop responsible advertising to children guidelines. These guidelines aim to shift childrens' exposure towards food and beverage that support a healthy, balanced lifestyle with signatories committing not to advertise their products to children under 12 years, unless they fulfill company specific nutrition criteria.
The Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) has been working closely with the Malaysia Ministry of Health to develop these commitments and presented the concept, alongside Ministry of Health Government officials, to the Minister of Health at the annual MOH Council (MKMPK) meeting earlier in December. During the meeting, the Minister officially endorsed the FMM's proposal to formalise a "Malaysia Pledge – Responsible Advertising to Children".
Liow highlighted that the FMM had volunteered to implement these guidelines.
"This is an industry Pledge and they will work with advertising associations to make sure products that do not meet the criteria of nutritional value are not marketed to children aged 12 and below," he said after chairing the meeting.
FMM Food Group Chairman Mohd Shah Hashim said that the FMM is currently working through the mechanisms for the Pledge and is aiming to implement the commitments in the first quarter of 2013 "in collaboration with the Health Ministry".
In addition to this collaboration with the industry, the Government is also launching awareness raising initiatives in 2013 to help encourage Malaysians to adopt healthy, balanced lifestyles. Liow highlighted that the Health Ministry is giving special focus to helping people understand more about the impacts of NCDs and the steps they can take to prevent them.
One of these initiatives – the First 1,000 Days Programme – will focus on ensuring that children receive proper nutrition to help them establish good eating habits later in life.
Liow said: "Obesity is getting younger, moving from older Malaysians in the past to adolescence now" and highlighted the importance of teaching people about good nutrition from a young age.
Building on these initiatives, Malaysia will also be launching Medik TV Live Now – a channel that provides information on health – nationwide next year and holding its first Non-Communicable Disease Conference in Kuala Lumpur in March 2013.


Allen Marr who was competing in the Scottish National Indoor Masters 3000m event.
Leven Las Vegas Running Club veteran Allen Marr scored a major championship success at the weekend.
Marr, representing his Scottish Athletics club PH Racing Club, was competing at the Scottish National Indoor Masters 3000m held at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow where he won a gold medal in the over-60 age category and set a new personal best in the process.
Having only taken up running less than three years ago, it was his first-ever appearance on an indoor track and his first national championship victory.
After the event the local runner said: "It was an amazing experience to run in such a fantastic arena alongside some of the best athletes in the country.
"I was pretty nervous while I warmed up and made my way to the start but once the gun went I felt great and was able to settle in at a good pace among the front runners.
Three of the recent graduates from Leven Las Vegas' hugely successful Couch to 5k running program took part in their first official running event on Sunday when they navigated the challenging course at the first race in the Skull Mountain Winter Challenge series held at Balbirnie Park in Markinch. Dawn Watson, Lynsay Bell and Jenni Johnston overcame the icy trails and stream crossings in great style.
Also running for LLV were Chris Russell, who finished in third place, and fellow member Jim Dunstan.
Karen Britten escaped the winter weather by jetting off to Florida to take part in the Disney Challenge event.
Karen successfully accomplished the fantastic feat of completing both a half-marathon and a full marathon while in the States.
On New Years Day at Beveridge Park in Kirkcaldy there were PBs for Kevin Hughes and Teresa Guild.
Kevin followed this up on Saturday morning at the same venue by further improving his best time.
Also on Saturday morning at St Andrews parkrun, Caroline Robertson who is another Couch to 5k graduate set her best time so far.


Whoever will labor to get rid of self, to deny himself according to the instructions of Christ, strikes at once at the root of every evil, and finds the germ of every good.
One of the grandest things in having rights is, that though they are your rights you may give them up.
There are three requisites to the proper enjoyment of earthly blessings: a thankful reflection, on the goodness of the giver; a deep sense of our own unworthiness; and a recollection of the uncertainty of our long possessing them. The first will make us grateful; the second, humble; and the third, moderate.
Humility and love are precisely the graces which the men of the world can understand, if they do not comprehend doctrines. They are the graces about which there is no mystery, and they are within reach of all classes. The poorest Christian can every day find occasion for practicing love and humility.


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Mar 16, 2006 (CIDRAP News) – Afghanistan and Myanmar have joined the company of countries hit by H5N1 avian influenza with the confirmation today of the virus in chickens in both countries, according to news service reports.A United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) laboratory in Italy detected the virus in chickens from Afghanistan's capital, Kabul, and the eastern province of Nangahar, according to an Agence France-Presse (AFP) report. Afghan officials had reported finding an H5 virus in poultry and wild birds 4 days ago.A joint statement from the FAO and the Afghan government said birds in the affected areas would be killed immediately, their owners would be compensated, and poultry markets would be closed and disinfected, AFP reported.The story said the FAO warned last month that avian flu would be "virtually unavoidable" in Afghanistan because of its location on bird migration routes.Pakistan, which borders Afghanistan on the south and east, recently reported an H5 virus in chickens on two farms in its Northwest Frontier province. Pakistani officials are awaiting confirmatory test results from a European Union laboratory and have said the virus is highly likely to be H5N1, according to the AFP report.H5N1 avian flu has also been reported in Iran, Afghanistan's neighbor to the west. Iranian officials reported in mid-February that the virus had killed 153 swans in a wetland area.Tests by an FAO lab in Bangkok today confirmed the H5N1 outbreak in Myanmar, according to another AFP report.Myanmar's military government reported Mar 13 that an H5N1 outbreak had been discovered in the central town of Mandalay. The government had run its own lab tests but also sent samples to labs in Thailand and Australia, according to AFP.A veterinary official in Mandalay said the virus might have come from migratory birds or chickens imported from China, the story said.Health officials have destroyed 12,500 chickens and quarantined 43 farms near Mandalay since the outbreak was found, AFP reported. The government lifted its news blackout today and printed a full page of information about avian flu in a state-run newspaper.The FAO and the World Health Organization (WHO) said they were sending experts to Mandalay, and the WHO said it had given the government enough oseltamivir (Tamiflu) to treat 100 people, though no human cases have been reported, according to AFP.A Myanmar-based WHO official, who declined to be named, told AFP, "We are also giving them equipment including masks and gloves. We are very satisfied with their work. They've done their best. They are stepping up surveillance measures."In other news:Malaysia today reported a new outbreak of H5N1 in an "eco-park" and a village in the northern state of Perak, according to AFP. Last month Malaysia reported H5N1 on one chicken farm, the country's first outbreak since late 2004.Initial tests pointed to avian flu in the deaths of hundreds of poultry in a kibbutz in southern Israel, AFP reported. Dead chickens were also found in communities near the kibbutz in the Negev desert, the story said. Israel has had no confirmed H5N1 outbreaks.
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HOW: Storytelling is the key to a good marketing message to bring a customer to yourself


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Q: Room: observe LiveData to trigger SyncAdapter I want to request a sync of my sync adapter every time a change happens to some of my data. Having LiveData I wonder if the correct way would be to bind a observer to the data within the application lifecycle.
Does anyone know what the "official" way of doing this is?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Caratteristiche tecniche
Il suo ruolo è quello di centrocampista offensivo, ma può giocare anche come ala.

Carriera

Club
Bertos comincia la sua carriera nella squadra delle riserve del Barnsley. Debutta in prima squadra il 16 aprile 2001 in un match finito con una sconfitta per 4-0 contro il Preston North End e pochi giorni dopo viene incluso nella rosa della prima squadra. Subisce un brutto infortunio al ginocchio mentre gioca una partita a Tenerife, ma dopo due analisi risulta che l'infortunio non è così grave come previsto.

Successivamente gioca due buone stagioni con il Rochdale, ma dopo un po' perde la fiducia della società e viene ceduto. Nel 2005 disputa una stagione incolore con il Chester City, non riuscendo a impressionare nessun club di categoria superiore e deve così ripartire dal Non-League football.

Dopo aver giocato nelle serie minori del campionato inglese con varie squadre, nel 2006 si trasferisce alla squadra australiana Perth Glory, militante nella A-League, dove dovrebbe sostituire il migliore centrocampista della squadra, Nick Ward, passato al Queens Park Rangers. Nella sua prima stagione gioca tutte le 21 partite e totalizza nove assist, che lo rendono il miglior assistman della stagione. Nel periodo di pausa tra la stagione 2006 e quella successiva viene preso in prova dai greci dello Škoda Xanthī, che tuttavia decidono di non acquistarlo. Nella sua seconda stagione con il Perth Glory gioca 14 partite e realizza un gol e due assist.

Nel 2008, svincolato dal Perth Glory, viene ingaggiato dal Wellington Phoenix, squadra neozelandese che però gioca nella A-League. Debutta con la nuova maglia nella prima partita della stagione, contro il Brisbane Roar. Il suo primo gol con i neozelandesi arriva invece nella partita contro il Sydney FC. In totale gioca 16 partite con due gol e quattro assist. Nella stagione 2010 si consacra come uno dei principali giocatori della squadra, guidandola per la prima volta nella sua storia alle finali della A-League. Prende parte a 23 partite, segna due gol e realizza quattro assist, diventando il recordman della squadra con 12 assist.

Nazionale
Dopo aver rappresentato la nazionale under-23 neozelandese, ha debuttato nella nazionale maggiore nel 2003 in un match contro l'Iran. Ha anche partecipato alla Confederations Cup 2009 e al Mondiale 2010 in Sudafrica, giocando in entrambe le occasioni tutte e tre le partite disputate dalla sua nazionale.

Note

Altri progetti

Collegamenti esterni

Calciatori della Nazionale neozelandese

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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First Meeting from Fly by Night ~ A Love Under the Sun Romance by Dellani Oakes
I am a big fan of first meetings. These often set the tone for the relationship, and tell us a lot about how the couple will interact with one another later in the story.
In Fly by Night, I honestly hadn't intended Elam to take the male lead. I had intended the ghostly apparition of Malachi to be the one who swept her off her feet, but it simply didn't happen that way. Blythe met Elam and that was that, she was hooked and so was he. The two of them meet at the hospital after Blythe has a car accident. Fortunately, she isn't badly hurt, but decided it was prudent to be checked by a doctor before going home.
"Blythe Donovan?" An orderly stood next to her with a wheelchair. He was blond, blue eyed and had lovely dimples in both cheeks. "Hello. I'm Elam, your ride to radiology," he said with a smile. "Have a seat and we'll head out in style." He winked at her, his mouth twitching as he tried to suppress a grin.
"We'll be here when you get back," her mother said, sobbing.
Blythe said nothing until the doors closed behind her. "You'd think I'd been half killed," she muttered. "Which is why I didn't want Jason to call them."
"Is Jason your boyfriend? Fiancé?"
Blythe glanced at him over her shoulder. He was tall, broad shouldered and handsome. His short, blond hair was wavy and his eyes were a mysterious shade.
"My brother. Why?"
He chuckled. "Cause you're very pretty and I'd hate to think you're taken."
"The engagement ring isn't a give away?" She wiggled her finger at him.
"Which is why I asked. So, where is the guy who goes with the ring?"
"Arlington National Cemetery."
"Wow, walked hard into that wall. I'm so sorry."
"Thank you." She looked at the ring. "I suppose I should take the ring off. It's been a year."
"You take it off when you're ready," he said softly. "And I am sorry. Just, you're the prettiest woman to roll into my ER."
"Are you trying to ask me out?"
He chuckled, nodding. "Yeah, well—I'm a guy. Sue me."
He swung the chair around a corner, slithered past an old man with a janitor's cart, and guided the chair into the radiology department.
"I'll be waiting when you're done," he said.
"I'd give you a tip, but I left my purse with my mother."
He chuckled, touching his forehead as he gave a deferential bow. "I live but to serve, miss."
"Elam, are you flirting with a patient?" the technician teased.
"You caught me. Take good care of this one," he said with a grin.
"I'll do my best. Scoot."
He went into the hall, closing the door behind him.
The technician took a series of films for the doctor to examine. When she was done, she opened the door. True to his word, Elam was waiting for them. He helped Blythe settle in the wheelchair and took off at a brisk pace.
"I'd give you a tour, but I think you're presence is required elsewhere."
"Thank you. I've seen more of the hospital today than I've ever seen."
"It's like a rabbit warren. I know all the best places to hide from the nurses and catch a nap—"
"Or hook up with a hot nurse?"
"Don't let Grey's Anatomy fool you. Most of our doctors and nurses are too busy looking after the patients to hump in the on-call rooms. Believe it or not, people actually sleep there." He gasped a little for effect, taking the last turn so quickly, the chair tipped. He never lost control, righting it safely.
Blythe gave out a little Eep of surprise. Giggling, she thanked him for the ride. He bowed again, handing her a piece of paper with his name and number neatly printed on it.
"For when you decide to take off the ring," he murmured. "Take your time." He kissed her hand once more, before going back through the double doors separating them from the rest of the hospital.


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The Playdate's first season of games won't hit every handheld at the same time
August 4, 2021 In Computer Games, Technology By Ian Carlos Campbell
Photo: Panic
One of the most intriguing aspects of Panic's Playdate — besides its lovely crank — is the unique game delivery method that will bring 24 free games to the device. Panic plans to release a season of games (Season One), two games at a time each week. In a new FAQ released on Wednesday, Panic explains a bit more about how that'll work and reveals that, due to limited manufacturing capacity, not everyone will be playing new games at the same time.
All Playdates will download new games weekly on "New Game Day" as long they're connected to Wi-Fi, starting with the first two games when you connect your device. The catch is that not everyone will connect their Playdate to the internet on day one due to limited preorders. That means rather than…
Panic PlaydatePlaydate


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Startup Culture
Bio & Life Sciences Society
The Politics Behind Parkinson's Research
By Udayan Gupta | October 22, 2015, 9:05 PM | Techonomy Exclusive
Monkeys with symptoms of Parkinson's disease recreated a dense network of neural pathways (right) after treatment with a type of non-embryonic stem cells. (photo courtesy International Stem Cell Corp.)
Planned Parenthood's ongoing problem with anti‐abortionists may have an unintended victim: research into Parkinson's Disease.
Much stem cell research has nothing to do with aborted fetuses. But the lack of clarity and public understanding about the term has meant that research involving all stem cells – embryonic or fetal – is jeopardized. Appropriations are halted. Research gets reduced. Investors walk away.
The irony is that tremendous advances have been made in the research on Parkinson's using stem cells in the United States and abroad, especially Japan. And the freedom to work with embryonic stem cells could accelerate new discoveries and solutions. No other source of stem cells – such as umbilical cord blood, amniocentesis or adult stem cells –can be as effective in research, experts say.
Over the last decade, stem cell therapy has emerged as a promising strategy to treat Parkinson's. And much of the research is conducted with cells that are not from embryos. But the perception that the cells are always derived from human embryos has been a major impediment to sustained research, says Dr. D. Eugene Redmond Jr., professor of psychiatry and of neurosurgery at the Yale University School of Medicine. He has used fetal tissue and stem cells in his own research into Parkinson's. And although the handful of small companies that are working on Parkinson's with stem cells have been restricted to using a few federally "approved" cell lines in order to obtain retain federal funding, the specter of controversy over abortion continues to affect their research. It also has driven away tens of millions in federal funds and investor capital.
Every time there is a controversy over abortion and the use of stem cells in research, the restrictions on conducting research sets back stem cell research dramatically, notes Congresswoman Diana DeGette (D, Colorado) in her book Sex Science and Stem Cells.
This issue has been entangled in politics for decades. The original Reagan‐ era "moratorium" on funding of research with fetal cadavers was lifted by the Clinton administration in the early 1990's. Then bipartisan congressional action set strict rules. President George W. Bush's 2001 executive order restricting research on human embryonic stem cell lines "killed most publicly funded embryonic stem cell research in the United States from that point forward," notes DeGette. And although in 2009 President Obama lifted many of the restrictions, ethical and moral objections to stem cell and fetal tissue research have continued to plague researchers and restrict or eliminate appropriations.
Demographics is Parkinson's big enemy. Most patients diagnosed with Parkinson's are 50 or older, an age group big drug makers may be less likely to target. As many as one million Americans live with Parkinson's Disease, more than the combined number diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and Lou Gehrig's disease. And another 50‐ 60,000 new Parkinson's cases are diagnosed each year. The worldwide picture is much worse. An estimated seven to ten million people suffer from the disease.
Parkinson's is a common neurodegenerative disease characterized, mainly, by a significant reduction in the number of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra, a part of the basal ganglia. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) says the brain cells that produce dopamine are destroyed because of Parkinson's. Without dopamine, motor movement is impossible.
Starting in the early 2000s, International Stem Cell Corporation (ISCO), a Carlsbad, California biotech company, began exploring stem cell therapies for a number of diseases. What the company found was that stem cells looked particularly promising in regenerating the dopamine destroyed by Parkinson's. But in a politically‐ charged environment, finding the stem cells was extremely problematic. It finally settled on getting its cells from human parthenogenesis –unfertilized eggs. Deriving stem cells in this way does not require destroying an embryo.
But using the parthenogenesis cells, ISCO now has finished conducting animal trials that not only have shown success in restoring cells to produce dopamine but also in restoring normal health to the animals being tested (see illustrations). With a supportive regulatory climate and additional capital, ISCO could significantly accelerate the development process and the time to market for drugs to treat Parkinson's. Its method does not in any way involve embryos, and might more rapidly move forward if not for its association with the phrase "stem cells."
In Japan, Shinya Yamanaka, director of the Center for iPS Cell Research and Applications at Kyoto University, has avoided the fetal cell controversy by working with a type of stem cells known as induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. These cells are created by inserting certain genes into the DNA of adult cells to reprogram them back to an embryonic‐like state. In 2012 Yamanaka received the Nobel Prize for his work. To treat Parkinson's, some researchers extract cells from bone marrow (mesenchymal stem cells) and reprogram them.
One of the main advantages of the iPS cells is that they can be obtained from the patient's own cells, avoiding possible immune rejection. But the risks are that such cells might carry a genetic defect that led to Parkinson's in the first place. It would also be very difficult and expensive to create and safety‐test that kind of individual cell line for each patient.
Researchers are working around embryonic stem cells with substitutes. But the process is slower, more imperfect and complicated. Greater access to embryonic stem cells could make a world of difference to Parkinson's sufferers.
The irony about Parkinson's is that we may be closer to a cure than ever, especially because of recent advances in stem cell research and genomics. But to reach the goal, methods must continue to be explored that are above ethical controversy. That could happen if federal funders were to accelerate funding for Parkinson's research.
We may be able to find more ways to progress that do not involve embryonic cells. A second way is for more investors to step up. They need to better understand the risks of research and the potential returns from a treatment for Parkinson's. Perhaps most important is for regulators to accept stem cell research as a mature science with legitimate goals.
Tags: parkinson's, planned parenthood, stem cell corporation, stem cells, yamanaka
Could Reprogrammed Cells Fight "Untreatable" Diseases?August 22, 2014
Jeanne Loring: Stem Cells: What We Know and What We Don'tMarch 30, 2015
$10 Million Genomics X Prize Is CanceledAugust 23, 2013
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Paul Peter van de Werf (8 maart 1961) is een Nederlandse sterrenkundige.

Levensloop
Van der Werf promoveerde in 1989 aan de Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, onder begeleiding van W. Miller Goss en Renzo Sancisi. Hierna ging hij naar Garching in Duitsland, waar hij bij het Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik en voor ESO werkte. In 1994 kwam hij terug naar Nederland, waar hij als lid van de KNAW aan de slag ging bij de Sterrewacht Leiden. Aan de Universiteit Leiden werd hij vervolgens in 1997 universitair docent en in 2003 universitair hoofddocent.

Sinds november 2012 is hij hoogleraar extragalactische astrofysica aan de Universiteit Leiden. Hij onderzoekt infrarood sterrenstelsels en hun evolutie, technieken (zoals adaptieve optiek) en instrumentatie om deze sterrenstelsels waar te nemen en het galactische en extragalactische interstellaire medium.

Publicatie

 A HI study of H II regions and dark clouds, 1989, Groningen (proefschrift)

Externe links

 Profielpagina Universiteit Leiden
 Stafpagina Universiteit Leiden

Nederlands astronoom
Hoogleraar aan de Universiteit Leiden


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38 ensuite rooms. Licensed. Indoor Heated swimming pool. Pets welcome in some rooms.
Superb restaurant also offering excellent accommodation. Great views overlooking Place Fell.
Hotel on Ullswater in stunning lake shore location. 20 ensuite bedrooms. 3 rosette restaurant.


GW came away with the Atlantic 10's highest individual men's and women's basketball awards, both released in the last week.
The A-10 named both Shawnta Rogers and Noelia Gomez conference Players of the Year Feb. 25 and March 2, respectively.
Rogers is the first player ever to lead the A-10 in scoring, assists and steals. The 5-4 point guard averaged 20.1 points, 6.9 assists and 3.7 steals per game. Named A-10 Player of the Week four times this season, Rogers might have nailed down player of the year honors with his buzzer-beating shot against Xavier Saturday, his third game-winner of the season.
Rogers ranks first all-time at GW with 618 assists and sixth in scoring with 1,623 career points.
Gomez ranked second in the A-10 and 33rd nationally in scoring with 19.7 points per game. The senior forward took A-10 Player of the Week honors four times on the season. Gomez scored more than 20 points in 14 games this season and led the Colonial women in scoring in 18 of 26 games this season.
Gomez ranks sixth in GW women's history with 1,600 points.
In Gomez's two NCAA Tournament appearances with the Colonial women, the team went 4-2. This season GW is on the bubble with a 19-9 record and a 12-4 conference mark. With a Ratings Power Index of 51 and a schedule strength of 60, the Colonial women are borderline for the tournament.
Last year the Colonial women received an at-large bid as a No. 10 seed and defeated seventh-seeded Georgia 74-72.
This article appeared in the March 4, 1999 issue of the Hatchet.


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Auto industry to start on India's largest blockchain implementation
Sunny Sen	Anand Murali	July 11, 2018 5 min
In one of the biggest open ledger initiatives in India to date, automakers and component companies have decided to implement a successful vendor management system on blockchain technology, potentially porting some two billion transactions a year to the new platform.
This is the first such initiative involving a large industry: automobile manufacturing revenues in India touch almost Rs 700,000 crore, with another Rs 300,000 crore registered by auto components makers.
The blockchain development plan follows pilots done by Mahindra Group and Bajaj Electricals.
In January this year, Vijay Sethi, chief information officer of Hero MotoCorp was at Bajaj's manufacturing plant in Pune, holding discussions with a few auto industry stakeholders. The discussion was about taking autoDX – a cloud-based platform for invoices, purchase orders and shipping notices – to the next level by putting it on a blockchain.
"We are looking at how to put this on the blockchain," said Sethi, in an interview with FactorDaily. "Discussions on putting things on blockchain has started – this will be on an industry-wide scale."
Blockchain is a decentralised, distributed, digital ledger maintained across a network of computers, called nodes. Think of it as a large record book shared and updated by many people. No data on the blockchain can be modified without everyone agreeing to the change. Also, the record book is not stored in one place but instead is distributed among the bookkeepers ensuring that there is no single point – as in the case of a centralised database – where the records can be tampered. This makes blockchain virtually unhackable, secure, and, importantly for government use cases, leakage proof. Cryptocurrencies, like Bitcoin, are built on blockchain technology but this story is not on them.
Sethi has his reasons why a company-agnostic blockchain works. "Why would a Bajaj agree with Hero (MotoCorp)'s way of working," he asked. That is why an industry-wide standardisation finds takers, besides obvious costs benefits over the cost of individually building platforms.
When automobile makers (also known as OEMs, short for original equipment manufacturers) and component manufacturers are brought onto the blockchain, it is expected to bring clear end-to-end supply chain visibility to everyone involved. For example, a component manufacturer having visibility of an OEM's manufacturing line and plans will be able to better plan its overall inventory management and supply chain — thereby improving efficiency.
"We are looking at how to put this on the blockchain," saidVijay Sethi, chief information officer of Hero MotoCorp. "Discussions on putting things on blockchain has started – this will be on an industry-wide scale."
"Such implementations will be far more successful and bring value to the sector if top OEMs get together and create a joint approach towards blockchain for auto components," said Sreeram Ananthasayanam, partner at consultancy firm PwC.
In the past three years, according to research firm Gartner, investments of $1.7 billion has gone into building blockchain solutions globally and is expected to reach $175 billion by 2025. In India, the deployments of blockchain are at a nascent stage.
Vendor management on blockchain
autoDX is not new. Auto industry lobby groups, Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) and Auto Components Manufacturers Association (ACMA) came together as early as 2010 and decided to build it with the help of technology firm IBM. Sethi chairs SIAM's information technology committee.
So how does the platform work?
A mid-to-large sized component maker on an average sells to 10 to 20 automakers or in some instances, even more. Most of them used different software to run the same function – and, in some cases, different systems at different factories within the same OEM.
It was important to standardise the communication between OEMs and suppliers. Whether it is a purchase order from Hero's end or any other company, it should be in the same format, some of the auto companies had proposed. "We had to standardise what are the things that should be there in a purchase order," said Sethi.
Finally, at the 2014 edition of industry event Auto Expo, autoDX was launched. A purchase order from an OEM is automatically docked into its component maker's system. The moment it is accepted, it automatically creates a sales order without any manual intervention. "The material code and the material invoicing cannot be mistaken. All inefficiencies and inaccuracies go out," said Sethi.
Today, over 60 companies are on autoDX and the platform has registered two billion transactions in the last one year.
Vendor management, invoices, and supply chain management, and other related costs make for between 1% and 5% of total cost (including wages, leakages and technology) for OEMs — close to 80% of this cost has been shaved off with the autoDX automation.
On to the next stage
While companies like Mahindra and Bajaj have already started building their own blockchain technology, having one blockchain for the OEMs and component companies takes the technology to a much larger scale — imagine two billion transactions annually on a blockchain just to start with.
"The discussions (on the blockchain) are on and the technologies are changing very fast," said Vinnie Mehta, director general of ACMA. "We need to keep updating to stay relevant."
Hero's Sethi explained that a universal blockchain also takes away the cost and time from individual companies to build a blockchain. The same blockchain architecture can be used by all autoDX members. "There will one universal blockchain for the supply chain," he said.
The idea is to extend it to payments and financial transactions.
The project won't be easy to implement, an expert said. "Like any other tech development talent is always a challenge, even in blockchain. While building and scaling (up) will not be much of problem, key management will be an issue," said Nilesh Trivedi, founder of Indium, an Ethereum-compatible blockchain network.
Visuals by: Rajesh Subramanian
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Updated at 05:53 am on July 16, 2018	to correct language in the copy.
Disclosure: FactorDaily is owned by SourceCode Media, which counts Accel Partners, Blume Ventures and Vijay Shekhar Sharma among its investors. Accel Partners is an early investor in Flipkart. Vijay Shekhar Sharma is the founder of Paytm. None of FactorDaily's investors have any influence on its reporting about India's technology and startup ecosystem.
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Milind Bansia
How Cryptocurrencies will upset nation states
If cryptocurrency adoption grows, governments won't be able to effectively use any of the monetary tools at their disposal to control the economy.
September 20, 2018	 Future
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Bengaluru hiring company SpringRole wants to be a LinkedIn on blockchain
Verifying credentials and work references are two of the biggest challenges for a recruiter and who would know it better …
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Blockchain is the buzzword when it comes to announcing new projects, especially public, government-backed ones, in India in recent months. …
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Naval Ravikant, the AngelList founder and an early stage investor in some of Silicon Valley's most successful startups such as …
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Q: Does $\mu_n (B) \to \mu(B)$ for all Borel set $B$ implies $\mu_n \to \mu$ in Lévy–Prokhorov metric? Let $(X, d)$ be a metric space and $\mathcal{P} :=\mathcal{P}(X)$ the set of all Borel probability measures on $X$. Let $d_P$ be the Prokhorov metric on $\mathcal{M}$. Let $\mu,\mu_1,\mu_2,\ldots \in \mathcal P$.
(a) $\mu_n \to \mu$ weakly.
(b) $\mu_n \to \mu$ in $d_P$.
(c) $\mu_n(B) \to \mu(B)$ for all $B \in \mathcal B(X)$.
We have (b) implies (a). Also, (c) implies (a). On the other hand, (b) does not imply (c). An example is as follows. Let $X := \mathbb R$ and $\mu_n := \delta_{1/n}$. Let $\mu$ be the Lebesgue measure on $[0, 1]$. Then $\mu_n \to \mu$ weakly. Because $\mathbb R$ is separable, we also have $\mu_n \to \mu$ in $d_P$. However, $1=\mu_n(\mathbb Q) \not\to \mu(\mathbb Q)=0$.
Can we prove that (c) implies (b), or at least for a subsequence in (b)?


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Home science Sunburst Arc Doppelgangers Captured in Distant Region of the Universe – SciTechDaily
Sunburst Arc Doppelgangers Captured in Distant Region of the Universe – SciTechDaily
Gil Barndollar
This image, taken with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, shows a massive galaxy cluster, about 4.6 billion light years away. Along its borders four bright arcs are visible; these are copies of the same distant galaxy, nicknamed the Sunburst Arc.
The Sunburst Arc galaxy is almost 11 billion light-years away and the light from it is being lensed into multiple images by gravitational lensing. The Sunburst Arc is among the brightest lensed galaxies known and its image is visible at least 12 times within the four arcs.
Three arcs are visible in the top right of the image, the fourth arc in the lower left. The last one is partially obscured by a bright foreground star, which is located in the Milky Way. Credit: ESA/Hubble, NASA, Rivera-Thorsen et al.
Astronomers using the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope have observed a galaxy in the distant regions of the Universe which appears duplicated at least 12 times on the night sky. This unique sight, created by strong gravitational lensing, helps astronomers get a better understanding of the cosmic era known as the epoch of reionization.
This new image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope shows an astronomical object whose image is multiplied by the effect of strong gravitational lensing. The galaxy, nicknamed the Sunburst Arc, is almost 11 billion light-years away from Earth and has been lensed into multiple images by a massive cluster of galaxies 4.6 billion light-years away[1].
The mass of the galaxy cluster is large enough to bend and magnify the light from the more distant galaxy behind it. This process leads not only to a deformation of the light from the object, but also to a multiplication of the image of the lensed galaxy.
In the case of the Sunburst Arc the lensing effect led to at least 12 images of the galaxy, distributed over four major arcs. Three of these arcs are visible in the top right of the image, while one counterarc is visible in the lower left — partially obscured by a bright foreground star within the Milky Way.
Hubble uses these cosmic magnifying glasses to study objects otherwise too faint and too small for even its extraordinarily sensitive instruments. The Sunburst Arc is no exception, despite being one of the brightest gravitationally lensed galaxies known.
The lens makes various images of the Sunburst Arc between 10 and 30 times brighter. This allows Hubble to view structures as small as 520 light-years across — a rare detailed observation for an object that distant. This compares reasonably well with star forming regions in galaxies in the local Universe, allowing astronomers to study the galaxy and its environment in great detail.
Hubble's observations showed that the Sunburst Arc is an analog of galaxies that existed at a much earlier time in the history of the Universe: a period known as the epoch of reionization — an era which began only 150 million years after the Big Bang[2].
This image, taken with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, shows one of four arcs formed of the light from the galaxy nicknamed the Sunburst Arc. Created by strong gravitational lensing, this bright arc of light consists of at least six copies of the image of a single galaxy. Credit: ESA/Hubble, NASA, Rivera-Thorsen et al.
This image, taken with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, shows one of four arcs formed of the light from the galaxy nicknamed the Sunburst Arc. Created by strong gravitational lensing, this bright arc of light consists of at least four copies of the image of a single galaxy. The lensed galaxy is about 11 billion light-years away. Credit: ESA/Hubble, NASA, Rivera-Thorsen et al.
This image, taken with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, shows one of four arcs formed of the light from the galaxy nicknamed the Sunburst Arc. Created by strong gravitational lensing, this bright arc of light shows at least one copy of the image of the galaxy — several more copies are visible in the other three arcs. Credit: ESA/Hubble, NASA, Rivera-Thorsen et al.
The epoch of reionisation was a key era in the early Universe, one which ended the "dark ages", the epoch before the first stars were created when the Universe was dark and filled with neutral hydrogen[3]. Once the first stars formed, they started to radiate light, producing the high-energy photons required to ionize the neutral hydrogen[4].
This converted the intergalactic matter into the mostly ionized form in which it exists today. However, to ionize intergalactic hydrogen, high-energy radiation from these early stars would have had to escape their host galaxies without first being absorbed by interstellar matter. So far only a small number of galaxies have been found to "leak" high-energy photons into deep space. How this light escaped from the early galaxies remains a mystery.
This wide field view of the night sky shows the region in which the galaxy nicknamed the Sunburst Arc is located. Credit: ESA/Digitized Sky Survey 2. Acknowledgment: Davide De Martin
The analysis of the Sunburst Arc helps astronomers to add another piece to the puzzle — it seems that at least some photons can leave the galaxy through narrow channels in a gas rich neutral medium. This is the first observation of a long-theorized process[5]. While this process is unlikely to be the main mechanism that led the Universe to become reionized, it may very well have provided a decisive push.
[1] The official designation of the Sunburst Arc galaxy is PSZ1 G311.65-18.48.
[2] The further we look into space, the further back we look in time. This allows astronomers to study different epochs of the Universe, by studying objects at different distances.
[3] Ionization is the process of gaining or losing electrons to leave electrically charged particles. The era is known as reionisation because, after the Big Bang, matter formed first into protons and electrons. Then, during the era of recombination — about 380 000 years after the Big Bang — neutral hydrogen formed from these particles for the first time.
[4] While an ionised hydrogen atom consists of only the core of the atom (one proton) a neutral hydrogen atom contains a nucleus of one proton which is orbited by one electron.
[5] The paper outlining these observations will appear in Science on 8 November 2019.
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Heads up: Two satellites might collide in space 559 miles above Pittsburgh – USA TODAY
NASA's next big space observatory will likely miss its target launch date — again – The Verge
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How To Combat The Myth Of Angry Black Woman Syndrome (ABWS) In The Workplace
WHY NOW IS THE BEST TIME IN HISTORY FOR BLACK WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS
Meet The Black Entrepreneurs Who Are Transforming The Beauty Industry
26-Year Old Black Woman Entrepreneur Launches Low Cost Organic Grocery Store
These Black Millennials Have A Big Business Goal: Black Women Running Fortune 500 Companies
Many black women who have worked in a professional setting have had to deal with being labeled "hostile."
#BlackGirlMagic. #BlackGirlsRock. #BlackExcellence.
These hashtags have been trending heavily in social media over the past few months due to the incredible strides that people of color, especially women, have been making in music, movies, sports, etc. Though African-Americans have been very successful in the arts and entertainment recently (Nielsen Music reported last month that hip-hop and R&B are the dominant musical genre in the U.S. for the first time ever—#WINNING), one area that we struggle to make strides in is in Corporate America. Since the inception of the Fortune 500, there have only been 15 African-American CEOs, and only one of them have been a woman (Ursula Burns, CEO of Xerox, who recently stepped down in January 2017). Of the 16.2 million management positions reported to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 6.7 percent of them are held by African-Americans (a fraction of which are African-American women), though we make up twice that amount of the U.S. population.
So what is the catalyst behind why so many people of color, especially women, have a hard time climbing the corporate ladder? Well, it's not for lack of work ethic or lack of leadership ability, as the number of black-women owned businesses have tripled since 1997, making black women the fastest growing group of entrepreneurs in the United States. Some feel the reason for the barrier that black women face climbing the corporate ladder is due to lack of mentors/executive sponsors to advocate on their behalf, as well as the view that some of the achievements that black women make in the workplace go unnoticed.
Often times black women don't feel comfortable enough to speak up or "toot their own horn" out of fear of being labeled as being afflicted with ABWS, also known as "Angry Black Woman Syndrome." Many black women who have worked in a professional setting have had to deal with being labeled "hostile" when they have disagreed with something in a meeting, or have been labeled "intimidating" when being assertive in their communication. In the past, the advice black women have been given to combat ABWS is to be "more agreeable" and to "put your head down and let your work do the talking." However, this type of behavior tends to be more detrimental than helpful in the long run, as it reinforces the false narrative that something is "wrong" with black women being their true self, and that they must dim their light to get ahead.
Here are some ways that you can diffuse the myth of ABWS, and still stay true to yourself at the same time.
Define Racism vs. Unconscious Bias (for others as well as yourself)
If the 2016 election has taught us nothing else, it has taught us to (a) NEVER underestimate your opponent, and (b) racism is still alive and kicking. Though the race relations in this country seem to be at a fever pitch, every seemingly negative comment or action taken against a person of color is not always rooted in racism. It may actually be due to ignorance (i.e. literally not knowing any better) or it may be due to unconscious (or implicit) bias.
Unconscious bias is defined as bias that happens automatically and is triggered by our brain making quick judgements of people and situations based on our background, cultural environment and personal experiences. In other words, unconscious bias is caused by stereotypes (for reference, think back to how people were hypersensitive when they would see a Muslim or someone of middle-eastern decent right after 9/11). Though unconscious bias is still wrong, it typically doesn't come from a place of malice or hatred like racism. It can be corrected by bringing to light the fact that unconscious bias exists and is occurring in the workplace (many people …
Please read original article- How To Combat The Myth Of Angry Black Woman Syndrome (ABWS) In The Workplace
Related Topics:Angry Black Woman Syndrome, Black Women Entrepreneurs
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The big news for me about Adobe AIR 2.6 is that the graphic rendering system for iOS has been brought more inline with Android taking better advantage of the GPU. I was really keen to package my application for iPhone but disappointed that there was no integration into Flash CS5. Fortunately you can package for iOS from the command line and its not too difficult. Here's what I did for PC (Mac will be similar).
We had previously considered side-lining our game app for iOS as it wasn't as fast and smooth as on the Android (Samsung Galaxy S). After re-packaging it for iOS using AIR 2.6 we've seen a huge speed increase. Where previously the game struggled at 25FPS it now runs smooth even at 50FPS (testing done on iPad).
Thx 'just new'. A small mistake there. I actually meant "SWF file MyApp.swf" all on one line. I've corrected it to just MyApp.swf.


Dar Al Atta'a's annual charity dinner was a glittering event held at the Al Bustan Palace hotel, in the presence of the Chief Guest His Highness Sayyid Taimur bin Asad bin Tariq Al Said.
At the event, held at the five-star hotel run by Ritz-Carlton on Tuesday evening, Dar Al Atta'a announced and awarded some of their biggest sponsors throughout the year, who have supported the organisation with a range of different programmes.
"The generous donations received last year enabled Dar Al Atta'a to grow its programme and execute a number of noteworthy projects, including, and not limited to, building six houses and renovating 57 others in 29 Wilayats, which is a remarkable milestone and new achievement in the track record of our association," said May Al Bayat, spokesperson for Dar Al Atta'a, while addressing the audience.
"This would not have been possible without the 'One-Team' spirit of our colleagues at the association and of course your great support and trust." A video highlighting some of the organisation's milestone achievements was also shown to the attendees. Another video showing the lack of space in Dar Al Atta'a current building was shown to raise funds for new premises for the charity.
Since the establishment of Dar Al Atta'a in 2002, the association has been working hard to deliver several charity projects under various programmes that were not only financed, but also managed and supervised by the association.
Many of these programmes are aimed at empowering families in need to overcome difficulties what they may face in their lives and help provide them with sustainable and honourable living standards.
"It is our pleasure to come together tonight with our kind and generous sponsors and supporters, who are instrumental in allowing us the opportunity to develop, grow and progress. Thank you to all our partners and sponsors for all your support and dedication to help us be where we are today, your commitment has been powering the progress of our journey," Al Bayat said further.


I had a really hard time getting into this book. As a big fan of Ethan and Merit, I had high hopes for the reunion brought on by the events of Drink Deep. Granted, I wasn't overly excited by the prospect of the Mallory arc, but that turned out to be a moot issue anyway, since very little of the book is about her. Let me back up.
This book begins right where the last one left off, with Ethan and Merit in pursuit of Mallory and the dark book she covets. There are a lot of longing looks and lingering emotions, but they can't act on them because of the pressing nature of their mission. They actually apprehend Mallory pretty fast. She's not the Big Bad after all. The real bad guy (who I won't name so I don't spoil you) quickly takes center stage as Merit, Ethan, and the gang try to figure out how to defeat him.
As for the action-arc, it was fairly good, though nothing entirely earth shattering. I felt more anxious about the looming judgement from the GP on the future of Cadogen House than any real danger from the bad guy. I mean, what's the worst he could do? After we survived Chloe Neill killing Ethan, any other worst-case scenario is going to seem tame by comparison.
Things do pick up in the last third of the book. That's when we get the big showdowns in both the emotional and physical aspects of the story. Both were pretty good, but I think I spent so much time being underwhelmed, it may have just been too late. The book wasn't bad. It's just that I have seen what this series is capable of and… it's better than this.
Very interesting review. I was debating about even reading this book. I enjoyed the series at the beginning, but didn't like where the series seemed to be going. I'm still not sure if I'm going to read this book or give up on the series. At this point, it doesn't look good.
I wish I had better news… though I've seen several 4 & 5 star reviews on Goodreads.
Sadly, yes. I'm interested to hear what you think after you read it.
I just finished it and while the continued back and forth of Ethan and Merit perturbed me it fleshed out the story for me. I'm with you on the house issues drawing me in more than the "villain" of the book that's definitely going to help with the series and well as the other sups developments. I just love Ethan and Merit can't get enough of them. So I really liked the book!!
We'll catch up on Monday!!!


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For Mike THE DIFFERENCE
is a new arm and a new way of life.
Prosthetic Patient
Mike Bond was working as a machinist when he suffered a tragic workplace injury. After his sleeve got caught in machinery, his arm was severed—changing Mike's life forever.
"I guess I was running on adrenaline, because I didn't feel any pain. I didn't even realize my arm was gone at first," Mike added. "But I could tell from the look on my co-workers' faces something was wrong."
Mike's supervisor applied a tourniquet and rushed him to CVPH where he was treated by board certified hand surgeon, Dr. Marissa Matarrese of CVPH Plastic, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery.
With the CVPH on-site hand clinic Dr. Matarrese is able to better care for her patients like Mike, who lost more than his arm. He had also lost his confidence. Under Dr. Matarrese's care and with the help of Rebecca McCamridge, a certified hand therapist and senior occupational therapist at the CVPH Hand Clinic, Mike was able to regain that confidence. When Rebecca realized Mike could still contract some of his finger muscles, she knew he could benefit from a high-tech prosthesis and he was motivated to give it a try.
"As a music lover, part of me had died. I began to ask myself if I'd ever be able to hold my guitar again."
Learn more about our region's trauma center
Learn more about our rehab services
Read more emergency department stories
"I thought Michael would be a good candidate for a myoelectric hand versus a standard (cable-style) system, so I started researching," Rebecca said.
More advanced than traditional prosthetics, myoelectric hands, which are tailor made for each client, offer Mike seven types of movement. "It's a huge advancement to the older style prosthetics," Rebecca added.
The myoelectric hand is used for general grasp and release activities like driving or holding a warm cup of coffee. But more than anything, it's about giving Mike the ability to do the things he loves again.
Mike continues to work with the CVPH Hand Clinic to improve his daily activities. He has two different attachments to his myoelectric prosthetic—the hook and the hand. Today he's doing things he never thought he'd do again, like driving or picking up a coffee cup. But more than anything, Mike's doing the things he loves— like picking up a guitar. And that's made all the difference in his life.
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text:
Natural Resources Litigation & International Arbitration
Princeton University, B.S.E., high honors (1969)
University of New Mexico, J.D., magna cum laude (1975)
University of Stockholm, Graduate Diploma in Law (1978)
St. John's College, M.A. (1997)
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico
John B. Draper
VIEW MATTHEW E. DRAPER'S BIO >>
john.draper@draperllc.com
John B. Draper has 35 years experience representing clients in natural resources matters. For most of that time he has focused on water rights issues, including before the U.S. Supreme Court. For eleven years, Chambers & Partners has awarded John top rankings, including "Senior Statesman" and "Star Individual". Chambers USA 2018 calls John "a preeminent water law and natural resources attorney," adding that he "is widely acknowledged by market commentators as an 'excellent lawyer' who has taken on 'very large and high-profile water law cases nationally.'" Previous editions of Chambers USA have noted that John "stands out for the quality and depth of his work" (2015) and that "Clients appreciate [John's] 'encyclopedic knowledge of case law' and 'great trial skills,'" with one client commenting that "'[he'd] hire him again in a heartbeat.'" (2014).
John has been counsel for one or more states before the U.S. Supreme Court continuously since 1990, and has argued before the Justices three times. He has had some 300 days of trial before Supreme Court-appointed Special Masters. John is currently counsel to states in three ongoing interstate water disputes before the U.S. Supreme Court.
He also represents private parties in water matters. Chambers USA 2014 states that "John Draper is recognized as 'the preeminent water lawyer'" in New Mexico. He regularly appears before the New Mexico State Engineer in administrative proceedings and appeals, court adjudications of water rights. He also handles the purchase and sale of privately held water rights.
Before co-founding Draper & Draper in 2014, John was a shareholder for more than 30 years in the Santa Fe law firm of Montgomery & Andrews. John continues to collaborate closely with Montgomery & Andrews.
John holds numerous leadership positions in the natural resources legal bar. He has served as the co-chair of the annual New Mexico Water Law Conference for more than 20 years. He is a member of the Trustee Council of the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation. He is a member of the Board of Advisors of the National Judicial College's Dividing the Waters program. John was the first chair of the New Mexico State Bar Natural Resources Specialization Subcommittee, and he has served on the Advisory Board of the Utton Transboundary Center at the University of New Mexico.
John is admitted to practice in New Mexico state court, the Federal district court for the District of New Mexico, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court.
John is also an active supporter of numerous educational and arts institutions. He serves as a member of the Presidents' Council of St. John's College (with campuses in Santa Fe and Annapolis) and currently President of the Board of the International Folk Art Foundation, which supports the International Folk Art Museum in Santa Fe. He was the 2005 commencement speaker at St. John's College in Santa Fe.
John grew up in Albuquerque. He is a graduate of Highland High School. He obtained an Electrical Engineering degree from Princeton University (High Honors) and a law degree magna cum laude from the University of New Mexico. At the University of New Mexico, John served as the Editor-in-Chief of both the New Mexico Law Review and the Natural Resources Journal.
John was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship and a fellowship from the American Scandinavian Foundation to study law in Sweden. He also has a Graduate Degree in the Liberal Arts from St. John's College. He holds a Diploma in Graduate Legal Studies from the University of Stockholm and is co-author with Professor Ulf Bernitz of Consumer Protection in Sweden: Legislation, Institutions, and Practice (2d. ed. 1986, Univ. of Stockholm).
Notable representations include:
Kansas v. Colorado, No. 105, Orig., U.S. Supreme Court
Kansas v. Nebraska & Colorado, No. 126, Orig., U.S. Supreme Court
Montana v. Wyoming & North Dakota, No. 137 Orig., U.S. Supreme Court
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(EBC; November 05, 2018) – Based on the reforms introduced since recent times Prime Minster Dr. Abiy appoints Shimels Abdisa has been appointed as chief of staff of Ethiopian Prime minister's office.
Billene Siyoum is also appointed as press Secretary of the Prime Minister's Office.
Shimels will be in charge of leading office of press Secretariat among others in the Prime Minister office.
The newly established press Secretary will undertake all the duty of former Government Communications Affairs Office.
Launching the newly founded office today at Prime Minister's Office, the press secretary, Billene Siyoum, said that the office would work towards ensuring transparency in the media.


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The Best Things To See and Do in Vanuatu
Vanuatu is consistently named as one of the least visited countries in the world, but is among the most beautiful | © holgs / Getty Images
Antonia Paget
Living up to its nickname as 'the isles of smiles', Vanuatu is sure to put a grin on any visitor's face. From exploring untouched jungle and pristine tropical beaches to standing on the edge of a lava-spurting volcano, these are the top things to do in this South Pacific paradise.
With its blue lagoons, shipwrecks and spectacular beaches, it is a surprise more people haven't visited Vanuatu. Each year, the South Pacific nation is named as one of the least visited countries in the world by the United Nations World Tourism Organization. But the Republic of Vanuatu, a Y-shaped archipelago of 83 islands, should be at the top of every bucket list. The country is home to incredible active volcanoes, thriving coral reefs, ancient tribes and lush, tropical jungles. The people of Vanuatu, known as Ni-Van, are also some of the happiest, friendliest people in the world. It is no mistake that the country is nicknamed 'the isles of smiles'. Do not miss these gems when planning a trip to Vanuatu.
Stand on the edge of an active volcano
Mount Yasur on Tanna Island is said to be the most accessible active volcano in the world. It is possible to reach the 361m (1,184ft) summit on foot, but many people choose to save their legs and drive up in a 4WD vehicle. But all are left weak in the knees when they stand on the edge of the crater rim and listen to the ground rumbling beneath them while watching the lava fireworks below. The glowing crater is a particularly spectacular sight at night, when the burning embers are bright against the dark sky. The journey to the volcano is a sight in itself. Visitors are driven across a plain of black, steaming ash, formed over years from eruptions raining down from the volcano.
Mount Yasur on Tanna Island is the most accessible active volcano in the world | © David Kirkland / Design Pics / Getty Images
Lounge on Vanuatu's epic beaches
An image of the South Pacific is incomplete without picturing the azure blue waters of the Pacific Ocean, and with more than 2,500km (1,553mi) of coastline, it is no surprise that Vanuatu is home to some stunning beaches. The palm-tree fringed Champagne Beach on Espiritu Santo has soft white sand that feels like flour beneath your toes. In the south, Tanna Island has spectacular black sand beaches at the foot of active volcano Mount Yasur. Just be aware that most beaches are owned and maintained by locals and charge a small entry fee that goes toward supporting their village, so remember to have cash handy.
Champagne Beach on Espiritu Santo is one of the nation's most beautiful beaches | © mvaligursky / Getty Images
Rope swing into crystal-clear blue holes
Beautiful beaches are not the only idyllic swimming spots in Vanuatu. The country has several deep, turquoise blue holes hidden in the jungle. Matevulu blue hole on Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu's largest island, is surrounded by lush greenery and impressive trees dotted with rope swings. The water comes from underground limestone caves, which naturally filters the water clean of all impurities. Because of its purity, the water is a breathtaking shade of blue, and so clear it is possible to see every leaf and stick on the sandy bottom. Malo Island to the south of Espiritu Santo also has a blue hole filled with tropical fish – a perfect place for a dip.
Learn to speak pidgin
Vanuatu is the most linguistically diverse country on the planet, with more than 100 recognised languages. But one of the most commonly spoken languages is Bislama – a form of pidgin English. Bislama is a Creole language that evolved from Ni-Van's interactions with European traders. It began as a simplified form of phonetic English. For English-speakers, the language is often easier to understand when said out loud. Or if you missed it the first time, say: "Mi no savee", meaning "I don't understand".
Watch a kastom dance
Kastom is the lifeblood of Vanuatu and once governed every aspect of traditional Melanesian life. It is a Bislama word used to refer to traditional culture and covers everything from religion and economics to art and even magic. In cultures where language is unwritten, traditions of the kastom way of life are passed on orally, either through stories or, often, in the form of dance. Kastom trails and traditional villages can be found across Vanuatu and offer visitors a glimpse into the past and Vanuatu's rich cultural heritage. Over the decades it has been faithfully passed down from generation to generation and is still an integral part of modern Ni-Van life. "Vanuatu has a mysterious and mystical heart," says Lea Faccarello, of the Vanuatu Tourism office. "Spiritualism and kastom are still alive and well here, with sculpted tam-tams adorning almost every village."
Vanuatan women perform a traditional dance during Sawagoro cultural festival | © Mike Robinson / Alamy Stock Photo
See the original bungee jumpers at Pentecost island
Kiwi AJ Hackett is often credited with being the father of bungee jumping, but long before he popularised the sport, the Ni-Van on Pentecost island were hurling themselves off giant structures with only a vine tied around their ankle. The original adrenaline junkies made the terrifying leaps of faith as part of a unique kastom ritual at the time of the annual yam harvest. Men and boys as young as seven jump would from a 20-30m (66-98ft)-high tower, which would take weeks to build using wood and vines from the jungle. The tradition remains strong, and the Pentecost Island 'land divers' still perform the ritual – known as Nagol or N'gol – every Saturday between April and June.
Visit the island where people worship Prince Philip
Yes, strange as it sounds, there is a village on Tanna Island where Prince Philip is worshipped as a god. Yaohnanen is one of several 'cargo cults' in Vanuatu, the name given to unusual religions that started in tribal and isolated societies after they had had an encounter with a more technologically advanced society. Prince Philip's run as deity started in 1974 when the Queen and Duke made a visit to Vanuatu, and a warrior named Chief Jack Naiva became convinced that Prince Philip was the descendant of a Tanna spiritual ancestor. Although the chief died in 2009, the village still worships the Duke and hopes that he will one day return to their island.
Try kava
Drinking kava is a centuries-old tradition in South Pacific cultures. In Vanuatu it is an integral part of kastom rituals, exchanged as a gift at important gatherings like births, deaths and marriages. Kava is a tropical evergreen plant that is a distant relative of the pepper plant. The drink is made from either drying out the plant's roots and grinding them into a powder or paste, or chewing the root into a pulp and spitting it out. This is then mixed with water to make a drink. "With 80 of the 118 species of kava growing in Vanuatu, kava use is a way of life in both historical and contemporary ceremonies," Lea says. "The roots of the plant are used to produce a drink with sedative, anesthetic and euphoria properties, and is drunk daily by a shell at kava bars, or Nakamals as they are called in Vanuatu."
Scuba dive among WWII shipwrecks
Vanuatu is a scuba diver's dream because of the huge numbers of accessible shipwrecks in the country's waters. During World War II, Vanuatu was the site of the biggest US base in the South Pacific. The ships sunk during the war are now home to thriving coral and diverse marine life. The most famous shipwreck in Vanuatu is the USS President Coolidge scuttled off the coast of Espiritu Santo. The enormous ship is over 180m (591ft) long, and divers have been exploring the 30-60m (98-196ft)-depth wreck since the 1980s. Lea says: "Considered by many divers to be the best wreck dive in the world, the SS Coolidge is still very much intact with reminders of her glorious days as a cruise liner and the remnants of her days as a troop ship." Efate Island is also home to two accessible wrecks – the Bonzer and Semele Federesen.
All sort of amazing marine life can be found surrounding the USS President Coolidge wreck | © Brandi Mueller / Getty Images
Search for dugongs
Vanuatu is home to a whole host of interesting creatures, including a rare species of bird that incubates their eggs by burying them in hot volcanic sand. But none are more interesting than dugongs, or sea cows. These giant mammals are endangered in many parts of the world, but their population numbers are high in Vanuatu. Called kowfis (cow fish) in Bislama, they are so named because they are the only marine mammal that is herbivorous – they graze on seagrass. Lea says: "Vanuatu is one of the few places where you can swim with dugongs in their natural seagrass habitat. Traditionally hunted for their meat, conservation efforts have stepped up in recent years." Although some travellers report sightings near Port Vila, these are rare. "The best places to spot them are the outer islands, especially the seagrass meadows off Malakula, and Lamen Bay on Epi."
Dugong population numbers are extremely high in Vanuatu – rare for an endangered species | © lemga / Getty Images


- Two cuffs 1/8"x 6" in 18 gauge (meaning lighter weight).
- Cuffs in pictures shows inked letters, plain letters are available as well!
- Cuffs are very flexible and can mold to almost all wrists! If your wrist is under 6", please message me so I can size down cuff.
- Available in either Silver Aluminum, Gold Plated Brass, Sterling Silver, or 14k Gold Filled.


A lovely Wallace and Gromit resin figurine.
When Wallace meets Wendolene from A Close Shave movie.
This beautiful Wallace and Wendolene figurine is made of resin.
It represents the meeting between Wallace and Wendolene from the Wallace and Gromit movie, A Close Shave.
This small figure is a perfect collectible item for fans.