text:
The South Seas Mandate, officially the Mandate for the German Possessions in the Pacific Ocean Lying North of the Equator, was a League of Nations mandate in the "South Seas" given to the Empire of Japan by the League of Nations following World War I. The mandate consisted of islands in the north Pacific Ocean that had been part of German New Guinea within the German colonial empire until they were occupied by Japan during World War I. Japan governed the islands under the mandate as part of the Japanese colonial empire until World War II, when the United States captured the islands. The islands then became the United Nations–established Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands governed by the United States. The islands are now part of Palau, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Marshall Islands.

In Japan, the territory is known as  and was governed by the .

Origin
Japanese interest in what it called the  began in the 19th century, prior to its imperial expansion into Korea and China. By 1875, ships from the newly established Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) began to hold training missions in the area. Shiga Shigetaka, a writer who accompanied a Navy cruise to the region in 1886, published his  in 1887, marking the first time a Japanese civilian published a firsthand account of Micronesia. Three years later, Shiga advocated for annexation of the area by claiming that doing so would "excite an expeditionary spirit in the demoralized Japanese race." Despite the appeal imperialism had for the Japanese public at the time, neither the Meiji government nor the Navy seized any pretexts to fulfill this popular aspiration. It was through the commercial operations of fisherman and traders that the Japanese first began to make a wider presence in the region, which continued to grow despite challenges from competing German commercial interests. Although the Japanese public's enthusiasm for southward expansion had abated by the turn of the century, a number of important intellectuals, businessmen, and military officials continued to advocate for it.  Among them were Admiral Satō Tetsutarō and Diet member Takekoshi Yosaburō. The latter declared that the future of Japan "lies not in the north, but in the south, not on the continent, but on the ocean" and that its "great task" was to "turn the Pacific into a Japanese lake."

By the outbreak of World War I the empire included Taiwan, Korea, the Ryukyu Islands, the southern half of Sakhalin island (Karafuto Prefecture), the Kuril Islands, and Port Arthur (Kwantung Leased Territory). The policy of Nanshin-ron ("Southern Expansion Doctrine"), popular with the IJN, held that Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands were the area of greatest potential value to the Japanese Empire for economic and territorial expansion.

The Anglo-Japanese Alliance of 1902 had been signed primarily to serve Britain's and Japan's common interest of opposing Russian expansion. Amongst other provisions the treaty called on each party to support the other in a war against more than one power, although it did not require a signatory state to go to war to aid the other. Within hours of Britain's declaration of war on Germany in 1914, Japan invoked the treaty and offered to declare war on the German Empire if it could take German territories in China and the South Pacific. The British government officially asked Japan for assistance in destroying the raiders from the Imperial German Navy in and around Chinese waters, and Japan sent Germany an ultimatum demanding that it vacate China and the Marshall, Marianas and Caroline Islands. The ultimatum went unanswered and Japan formally declared war on Germany on 23 August 1914.

Japan participated in a joint operation with British forces in autumn 1914 in the Siege of Tsingtao (Qingdao) to capture the Kiautschou Bay concession in China's Shandong Province. The Japanese Navy was tasked with pursuing and destroying the German East Asiatic Squadron and protection of the shipping lanes for Allied commerce in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. During the course of this operation, the Japanese Navy seized the German possessions in the Marianas, Carolines, Marshall Islands and Palau groups by October 1914.

After the end of World War I, the protectorate of German New Guinea was divided amongst the war's victors by the Treaty of Versailles. The southern part of the protectorate was mandated to come under Australian administration as the Territory of New Guinea, consisting of Kaiser-Wilhelmsland (the German territory on the island of New Guinea) and the German-controlled islands south of the equator. Meanwhile, Japanese occupation of the northern part of the protectorate, consisting of the Micronesian islands north of the equator, was formally recognised by the treaty. Japan was given a League of Nations Class C mandate to govern them, the C Class being assigned because the Mandates Commission regarded the islands as having "low cultural, economic and political development". The terms of the Mandate specified that the islands should be demilitarised and Japan should not extend its influence further into the Pacific. The Mandate was initially subject to yearly scrutiny by the Permanent Mandates Commission of the League of Nations in Geneva, though by the late 1920s Tokyo was rejecting requests for official visitation or international inspection. In 1933 Japan gave notice of withdrawal from the League of Nations, the withdrawal becoming effective two years later.

Administration
Following the initial Japanese occupation of the islands, a policy of secrecy was adopted. Japan made it plain that it did not welcome the entry of foreign ships into Micronesian waters, even those of its wartime allies. During the first five years that Japan occupied the islands, it consolidated its presence and the islands became a virtual Japanese colony. The IJN divided the territory into five naval districts in Palau, Saipan, Truk, Ponape and Jaluit Atoll, all reporting to a rear admiral at the naval headquarters at Truk.

A proposal at the Versailles Conference to allow trade and migration between those islands to be administered by Japan and those to be administered by Australia and New Zealand was rejected. Japan was able to continue administering the islands as if they were colonial possessions, keeping their waters off-limits to foreigners. When the islands became legally a League of Nations Mandate, their Class C status gave Japan direct control over their domestic legal system. Japan administered them as Japanese territory and as part of the Japanese Empire. This situation continued even after Japan withdrew from the League of Nations in 1935 and lost its legal claim to administer the islands.

Militarily and economically, Saipan, in the Marianas archipelago, was the most important island in the South Seas Mandate and became the center of subsequent Japanese settlement. The towns of Garapan (on Saipan), Koror (on Palau) and Colony (on Ponape) were developed to resemble small towns in Japan, with cinemas, restaurants, beauty parlours and geisha houses. Another important island was Truk in the Carolines archipelago, which was fortified into a major navy base by the IJN.

Between 1914 and 1920 the islands began the slow transition from naval to civilian administration. By 1920 all authority had been transferred from the Naval Defense Force to the Civil Affairs Bureau which was directly responsible to the Navy Ministry. Initially based in Truk, the Civil Affairs Bureau was moved to Koror in the Palau islands in 1921. The naval garrisons were disbanded to comply with the terms of the Mandate. In April 1922 a civilian government was established in each of the six administrative districts (Saipan, Palau, Yap, Truk, Ponape and Jaluit) in the form of a civil administration department which still reported to the local naval garrison commander. At the same time a post of Governor of the South Seas Mandate was created. Governors were mostly admirals or vice-admirals as the administration was initially still the responsibility of the IJN. The Governor reported directly to the Prime Minister of Japan. After the establishment of the Ministry of Colonial Affairs in June 1929, the Governor reported to the Minister of Colonial Affairs instead. The establishment of the "South Seas Government" or "Nan'yo-Cho" in March 1932 finally put the government of the islands under a purely civilian administration. When the Ministry of Colonial Affairs was absorbed into the Ministry of Greater East Asia in November 1942, the primacy of the IJN was again recognized by the appointment of an admiral as the Governor. Furthermore, the six administrative districts were reduced to three in November 1943: North, East, and West.

Significance

The population of the South Seas Mandate was too small to provide significant markets and the indigenous people had very limited financial resources for the purchase of imported goods. The major significance of the territory to the Empire of Japan was its strategic location, which dominated sea lanes across the Pacific Ocean and provided convenient provisioning locations for sailing vessels in need of water, fresh fruit, vegetables and meat.

As a signatory of the 1922 Washington Naval Treaty, Japan agreed not to build new naval and air stations on the islands and it did not begin direct military preparations in the Mandate until the late 1930s. Nevertheless, the territory provided important coaling stations for steam-powered vessels and its possession gave an impetus to the Nanshin-ron doctrine of "southward advance".

Population

The population of the islands increased during the period of the mandate as a result of Japanese settlement in Micronesia. Settlers were initially drawn from Okinawa Island and the other Ryukyu Islands, but immigrants subsequently came from other parts of Japan, particularly the economically deprived Tōhoku region. Agricultural workers were followed by shopkeepers, restaurant, geisha house and brothel-keepers, expanding former German settlements into Japanese boom towns. The initial population figures (1919-1920) for the mandated territories included around 50,000 islanders, made up from the indigenous peoples of Oceania. Japanese immigration led to the population growing from under 4,000 in 1920 to 70,000 inhabitants in 1930, and more than 80,000 in 1933. By 1935 the Japanese population alone was more than 50,000. By 1937 almost 90 percent of the population on Saipan was Japanese  (42,547 out of 46,748). In the census of December 1939, the total population was 129,104, of which 77,257 were Japanese (including ethnic Chinese and Koreans), 51,723 indigenous islanders and 124 foreigners. While the settler population was growing, the indigenous Micronesian population in some areas was declining. The rights and status of the indigenous population differed from those of Japanese imperial subjects. Employment prospects for Micronesians were more restricted, with unequal labor conditions and pay.

The government of the Mandate built and maintained hospitals and schools, and free education was provided for Micronesian children aged 8–15. However, Micronesian children attended separate schools from those used by Japanese children, and the schooling provided in them was more limited and of shorter duration. Micronesian children often attended boarding schools where compulsory schooling was used to promote Japanese state religion and Shinto rituals. A Shinto shrine known as the Nan'yō Shrine was established on Koror in 1940. Christian mission schools were prohibited from taking Micronesian pupils where government schools existed.

Economy
Japanese economic involvement in Micronesia began in the late 19th century. Before the establishment of the Mandate, small groups of Japanese entrepreneurs established commercial ventures in German Micronesia and came to control a significant proportion of the trade. However, the economic development of the area was hampered by the distances separating the islands, their small land areas and their small market sizes. The mandate was initially a financial liability for the Japanese government, requiring an annual subsidy from Tokyo. The cash crop of the islands was copra, which was used in many commercial products at the time. During the 1920s and 1930s, the Japanese government pursued a policy of encouraging monopolies that paired private initiative with government capital. This strategy was intended to maximise the number of Japanese colonists. Until the late 1930s, the development of the islands was undertaken primarily to assist the Japanese civilian economy.

Sugar cane had become increasingly sought-after in Japan, and Japanese trading companies led the development of the industry in the islands. The Japanese entrepreneur Haruji Matsue arrived on Saipan in 1920 and formed the South Seas Development Company, which became the largest commercial enterprise in Micronesia. He significantly expanded the quantities of sugar cane produced in the islands, with over  under cultivation by 1925. By the early 1930s the sugar-related industries accounted for more than 60% of the mandate's revenues. At its peak the company maintained over  of sugar plantations using tenant farmers, as well as operating sugar mills on Saipan, Tinian and Rota. Bananas, pineapples, taro, coconuts, manioc, coffee and other tropical farming products were also grown, putting the islands on a par with Taiwan. The islands also provided bases for the Japanese fishing fleet which was centred at Koror. Fishing formed one of the most profitable industries in the islands. Large fleets of boats were used and fish processing plants were set up on many islands. Harbour improvement works were undertaken at Tanaha (Japanese: 棚葉) in Saipan and Malakal Island in Palau in the late 1920s. By the end of the 1920s the mandate became self-sufficient, no longer needing subsidy and financially contributing to the Japanese Empire.

The phosphate resources of the islands were exploited by Japanese mining companies, which took over the German phosphate mines on Angaur island and expanded them. Smaller phosphate mines on neighbouring islands were also opened. Total exports to Japan eventually reached around 200,000 tonnes per year. Angaur island alone produced some 60,000 tonnes per year. The phosphates were used for farming. Bauxite was another mineral product of the colonial economic structure, although the mineral was only present in the Palau group. In 1937 the mother-of-pearl industry became lucrative and large quantities of pearls, both natural and cultured, were extracted from the islands.

The South Seas Trading Company had an exclusive contract from 1915 with the IJN to provide freight, passenger, and mail services to the Empire as well as between the islands. The route between the Empire and the islands was subsequently taken over by the Japanese Mail Steamship Company (Nippon Yusen Kaisha), the largest steamship line in the Empire. The luxurious amenities offered on board some of the company's vessels brought about the beginning of Japanese tourism to the islands.

The flying boat was the principal type of aircraft used for commercial aviation due to the shortage of flat land available for airfields. Imperial Japanese Airways began some commercial flights in 1935 using the long-range Kawanishi H6K2-L seaplane. Regular commercial flights were begun in 1940 and a regular service commenced in 1941. Commercial services ceased shortly after the start of Pacific War, but the widespread network of seaplane bases continued to be used during wartime.

Pacific War

The terms of the mandate required Japan not to fortify the islands. However, these terms were ambiguous and poorly-defined, specifying only that Japan should not build "fortifications" or construct "military or naval bases". From 1921 the Japanese military began making surveys and plans so that rapid military deployment to the islands would be possible in case of war.

During the 1930s, the IJN began construction of airfields, fortifications, ports, and other military projects in the islands controlled under the mandate, viewing the islands as "unsinkable aircraft carriers" with a critical role to play in the defense of the Japanese home islands against potential US invasion. These became important staging grounds for Japanese air and naval offensives in the Pacific War.
 Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands was a major base supporting the attack on Pearl Harbor and the Battle of Wake Island.
 Palau was used to support the invasion of the Philippines by Japan.
 Saipan in the Mariana Islands supported the Battle of Guam.
 Truk in the Caroline Islands became the base for amphibious landings on Tarawa and Makin in the Gilberts during Japanese occupation of the Gilbert Islands, as well as Rabaul in the Australian mandate Territory of New Guinea.
 Kosrae was used to relocate Ocean Island workers evacuated
 Majuro in the Marshall Islands was used in air strikes against Howland Island.
 Jaluit Atoll, also in the Marshall Islands, was the base from which the IJN seized Nauru and Ocean Island (now known as Banaba Island).

The Imperial Japanese Army also utilized the islands to support air and land detachments.

In order to capture the islands from Japan, the United States military employed a "leapfrogging" strategy which involved conducting amphibious assaults on selected Japanese island fortresses, subjecting some to air attack only and entirely skipping over others. This strategy caused the Japanese Empire to lose control of its Pacific possessions between 1943 and 1945.

The League of Nations mandate was formally revoked by the United Nations on 18 July 1947 pursuant to Security Council Resolution 21, making the United States responsible for administration of the islands under the terms of a United Nations trusteeship agreement which established the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. Most of the islands subsequently became part of independent states.

See also

 Boshirō Hosogaya
 Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere
 Nanshin-ron (Southern Expansion Doctrine)
 Structure of the Imperial Japanese forces in the South Seas Mandate
 Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands

Citations

References

Further reading
 Arnold, Bruce Makoto. "Conflicted Childhoods in the South Seas: The Failure of Racial Assimilation in the Nan'yo". The Tufts Historical Review Vol 4, No. 11 (Spring 2011)
 Childress, David Hatcher, The Lost City of Lemuria & The Pacific, 1988. Chapter 10 "The Pohnpei Island, in finding of sunken city"(p. 204-229)
 Cressey George B. Asia's Lands and Peoples, X Chapter: "Natural Basis of Japan" (pp. 196–285), section "South Seas" (p. 276-277).,1946
 Annual report to the League of Nations on the administration of the South Sea islands under Japanese Mandate. [Tokyo]: Japanese Government. (Years 1921 to 1938)
 Tze M. Loo, "Islands for an Anxious Empire: Japan's Pacific Island Mandate", The American Historical Review, Volume 124, Issue 5, December 2019, pp. 1699–1703. .
 Herbert Rittlinger, Der Masslose Ozean, Stuttgart, Germany, 1939
 Sion, Jules. Asie des Moussons, Paris Librarie Armand Colin, (1928) I, 189–266, Chapter X "The Nature of Japan", section XIII "Japanese Colonial Empire" (pp. 294–324), and section IV "Formosa and Southern Islands" (pp. 314–320)
 Book Asia, Chapter X "Japanese Empire" (pp. 633–716), section "The Japanese Islands in South Seas".

External links

1919 establishments in the Japanese colonial empire
1947 disestablishments in Japan
1947 disestablishments in Oceania
Former colonies in Oceania
Former Japanese colonies
History of Micronesia
History of Palau
History of the Federated States of Micronesia
History of the Marshall Islands
History of the Northern Mariana Islands
League of Nations mandates
States and territories disestablished in 1947
States and territories established in 1919
World War II sites

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Zastava was founded in 1853, as a cannon manufacturer in Serbia. They have stayed in business through world wars and changes in countries. They continue in business today as the number one manufacturer of firearms and artillery in Serbia.
We currently have their products that were manufactured while Yugoslavia still existed. We will be adding more of their products as they become available.


To keep pace with the mortgage application volume and turn time requirements, many lenders chose to outsource certain functions.
If you've outsourced a contract mortgage underwriter, there are some oversight considerations and tips you need to know. We'll go through them in this infographic.


This entry was posted on December 27, 2012 at 5:04 pm	and is filed under Bible, Catholic, Christ, Devotional Resources, fathers of the church, Notes on 1 John, Notes on the Lectionary, Quotes, Scripture. Tagged: Bible, Catholic, lectionary, liturgy, Notes on 1 John, Patristics, Scripture, St Augustine. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.


text:
Burkina Faso: a 2022 marked by coups d'état
posted on January 4, 2023 by Maria Javierre
Sabanci University Tagged With: Burkina Faso, Coup d'etat, dictatorship, military dictatorship
The two military coups occurred in 2022 in Burkina Faso lead to some conclusions about the development of authoritarian systems
On 29 November 2015, general elections were held in Burkina Faso, in which, with 53.5% of the vote, Roch Marc Christian Kaboré was appointed president.
However, on 23 January 2022, following the outbreak of gunfire in front of different military barracks in the capital, Ouagadougou, and in front of the presidential residence, a coup d'état took place. The president was arrested by the soldiers, and the military declared that the Parliament, the Government and the Constitution had been dissolved. On 24 January, a military government headed by Paul Henri Sandaogo Damiba was installed.
This dictatorial movement, although completely undemocratic, was welcomed by many in the country, as the government had become unable to deal with the jihadist insurgency in Burkina Faso, a huge citizen concern.
A few months later, on 30 September 2022, another coup occurred in the country. The day began with shooting in the capital and, after some hours of uncertainty, ended with a clarification in the national public media. Fifteen soldiers, all wearing camouflage suits and some of them hooded, announced in radio booths and on national television channels the dismissal of Colonel Damiba and his replacement by Captain Ibrahim Traoré.
With this action, the military coup leaders demonstrated their belief that Damiba was deviating from the ideals of the military junta that took power in January, and that he was not ending the insecurity caused by jihadist terrorism, which in principle was their main objective.
In addition, the putschists dissolved the Government, suspended the Constitution and closed the land and air borders of the country, evoking continuously "the continuous deterioration of the security situation" in Burkina Faso.
Again, citizen support was high, as the country had witnessed the tremendous increase in bloody attacks by jihadist groups over the last few months, and they were therefore tremendously dissatisfied with Paul Henri Sandaogo Damiba.
The events explained lead us to certain clear conclusions. First, we can say that, especially when we talk about a polarized country, voters prefer democracy to be threatened before someone who goes against their interests is legally and democratically governing. It is clear that this has happened in Burkina Faso, where many citizens were not against the coup d'état if, in that way, their needs were finally going to be defended.
On the other hand, an important fact in the study of the fall of democracies is that, in reality, and contrary to what most people think, the majority of dictatorships replace other authoritarian systems. This is easily observable in the case explained, in which the coup d'état of September 2022 was carried out to replace an earlier dictatorship.
Thirdly and finally, it is necessary to refer to the fact that most dictatorships are installed by military groups, something that, again, can be seen in the case of Burkina Faso. Military officers have an advantage in the use of violence, so they have greater ease in threatening and ending the government.
Therefore, and taking into account the explanations and arguments proposed above, it can be said that the events of 2022 in Burkina Faso are a clear example of how dictatorships are usually imposed on other dictatorships and why citizens support anti-democratic movements.
Bang, Sunday Owen. The Emerging Realities in Military Coups in Africa: An Explanation. KIU Journal of Humanities, [S.l.], v. 7, n. 2, p. 139-146, july 2022. ISSN 2522-2821.
Bettina Engels (2022) Transition now? Another coup d'état in Burkina Faso, Review of African Political Economy, 49:172, 315-326
Makunya, T.M., Appiagyei-Atua, K. (2022). Soldiers in Civilian Uniforms: The Role of the Military in the Pursuit of Third-Termism. In: Adeola, A., Mutua, M.W. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Democracy, Governance and Justice in Africa. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-74014-6_5

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Do you want to invest money online in peer to peer lending platforms? Check our guide with the best p2p lending sites in Europe, featuring updated information for 2019.
If you are here coming from an organic search, you probably have a reasonable idea of what is a p2p lending site. But, to neutralize any possible doubt, p2p sites or peer to peer lending platforms are basically website that allow you to lend money to individuals and earn interest rate when the money is paid back. Peer to peer lending sites are actually booming not only in Europe, but around the world.
There are many p2p lending platforms in Europe and they serve loans of all types of purposes. Some of them are personal loans, car loans and even agricultural loans. In other cases, you might also find invoice financing type of loans and even real estate loans.
The level of safety regarding p2p lending platforms in Europe is variable. Usually, the higher is the return, the higher is the risk of a default, but that is not always the case. Many peer 2 peer lending platforms and other crowdfunding websites have different levels of guarantees.
Mintos is at the moment, one of the most popular p2p lending platforms in Europe at the moment. It started in 2015 in Latvia, and has now a leading role in this niche. Read our full Mintos review here.
Apart from its very clean and smooth platform and a good customer support, Mintos has a number of other important advantages. First of all, you don't need to live in Europe to invest in Mintos, and the sign-up process is pretty straightforward. Other than that, Mintos is expanding out of Europe, so you can also invest through Mintos on loans in countries like Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kenya and many others.
By using the link above you will get 1% of your average daily balance which is paid in 3 installments for the first 90 days.
Grupeer is another option for people willing to invest in p2p lending in Europe. They have different types of loans, including property developments, which are very attractive.
By the time this post was updated, it had development projects in Belarus, Norway and Germany. Apart from that, they have other types of loans from various European countries, including Latvia, Estonia and Russia.
If you want more details on this peer to peer lending platform, you can also read our full Grupeer review here.
Great average return on investment.
Diversify projects and loans to invest, including real estate.
Limited number of real estate projects available.
IUVO is another option incorporated in Estonia, probably the most friendly jurisdiction for fintech companies. The company is growing exponentially with opportunities to invest in loans in various countries, including Bulgaria, Georgia, Poland and others. Loans are available in euros and other local currencies such as the Bulgarian leva.
If you want more details on this peer to peer lending platform, you can also read our full IUVO review here.
Great returns – the platform has annual returns of up to 15.22% and an average of 9.2%. You can also choose to invest in high interest loans only.
Multiple currencies – investors can choose to invest in Euro loans, Bulgarian Lev (BGN) or Romanian Leu (RON).
Large number of available loans – the platform has a large volume of loans to choose from.
Buyback guarantee only covers the principle and not the interests.
The secondary market is not free; the platform charges 1% of the announced amount.
Bitbond is another excellent option if you want to start with peer 2 peer platforms. This company unites two of the fastest growing trends in the fintech industry: peer 2 peer lending and cryptocurrencies.
With Bitbond you can provide lends using Bitcoins. You deposit your Bitcoins on the website and earn interest on loans provided by them. Even better, while some loans are based on the Bitcoin price, there are also other fiat currency based loans with US dollar, Euro and Pounds.
Bitbond is one of the fastest growing peer to peer platforms, and there are many opportunities to invest not only for Europeans, but worldwide. The company is based in Germany.
Another option you may want to consider if you are looking for a new peer to peer platform to invest is Envestio. It is based in the Baltics, like many of the best peer to peer lending platforms in Europe.
While Envestio does not have a large variety of loans to invest in, they do have pretty interesting possibilities. Most of the loans on Envestio are in business projects. As of 2018, some of the projects were in the crypto mining sector while others were in real estate and in the energy sector.
If you want to read more about Envestio, check our Envestio review.
Above the average earning for crowd investing platforms.
Relatively low number of projects.
No Auto Invest tool as of 2019.
LinkedFinance is a peer 2 peer platform based in Ireland. Apart from allowing investors from outside Ireland itself, this platform has a pretty interesting feature. In LinkedFinance, you can provide loans to business, and have detailed access to each of their business models. This renders the LinkedFinance platform not only good for P2P lending, but also if you are looking for new business ideas.
EstateGuru is a mix of P2P lending platform and also a real estate crowdfunding platform. Basic from the Baltics (like Mintos), on EstateGuru you will be lending money for real estate projects icon. I personally recommend the projects being developed in Estonia, which is having a pretty strong financial growth in recent years.
PeerBerry also deserves a place among the best peer to peer lending platform currently operating in Europe. The company operates with various loan originators from Europe, mostly with short term loans. Among them, there are originators from Poland, Denmark and Ukraine. By the time this article was published, PeerBerry also provided an opportunity to invest in one real estate project in Lithuania.
The amount you can earn will definitely vary depending on a number of factors. Some of the key factors are: the type of loan, how secure it is and the currency in which the loan was provided. It is also important to count that there are fees for depositing and withdrawing from the platform (usually charged by the bank) and often also platform maintenance fees. Finally, in most cases you will be also required to pay taxes on the income earned.
But, despite of the costs involved in the operation, you can except to have a return from 5% to 15% per annum with peer 2 peer lending in European platforms. If we take the fees out, one can probably reach results from 4% to 13% – but that is a rough estimate. Even inside the same platform you will find different kinds of returns, depending on the type of loan, loan issuer, risk and other factors.
If you want to invest in p2p loans you might also want to check real estate crowdfunding platforms. Check our list of the best real estate crowdfunding platforms in Europe.
Are you also using some of this p2p lending platforms in Europe? Or do you want to give it a try? Leave your thoughts and questions on the comment box below.
Out of all your mentioned platforms, I've invested in 4 of them (Mintos, Estateguru, Grupeer and Envestio). So far so good!
I'd probably add Viainvest and Bulkestate to the list as well.
I think that the development of the peer-to-peer industry is a good thing for both investors and borrowers. The greatest issue is that the industry in its current form and size has not been tested. It is only then that investors will discover how easy it is to access funds, how much the safeguards cover and what the maximum potential loss could be.


Sangram Singh Ranawat, a Mewar prince or nobleman, rides a well-groomed stallion on his hawking expedition. The attendants carrying his shield and weapons form a statuesque group. The leading attendant and a huntsman gesture forward, as the hawk seizes a fowl in flight and brings it to the ground (as in the previous work Maharana Amar Singh hunting sarus crane [LI118.76]).


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text:
//
//  EbolaMapView.m
//  Ebola
//
//  Created by Peter on 10/30/14.
//  Copyright (c) 2014 Peter Kazazes. All rights reserved.
//

#import "EbolaMapView.h"
#import "LocalizedOutbreak.h"
#import "EbolaDataManager.h"
#import "UIImage+Overlay.h"
#import "UIImage+Extensions.h"

const float COORDINATE_RANDOM_MODULUS = 0.0004f;

@interface EbolaMapView ()

@end

@implementation EbolaMapView

/*
// Only override drawRect: if you perform custom drawing.
// An empty implementation adversely affects performance during animation.
- (void)drawRect:(CGRect)rect {
    // Drawing code
}
*/

- (id)initWithFrame:(CGRect)frame andTilesource:(id<RMTileSource>)newTilesource {
    if (self = [super initWithFrame:frame andTilesource:newTilesource]) {
        self.lastMapMove = [NSDate date];
        [[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] addObserver:self selector:@selector(updatedDatapoints:) name:@"UpdatedDatapoints" object:nil];
    }

    return self;
}

- (void) layoutSubviews {
    if ([CLLocationManager locationServicesEnabled]) {
        self.showsUserLocation = YES;
    } else {
        self.showsUserLocation = NO;
    }
    [super layoutSubviews];
}

- (void)updatedDatapoints:(NSNotification *)notification {
    __block NSMutableArray *annotationsArray = [NSMutableArray array];
    for (LocalizedOutbreak *l in [[EbolaDataManager sharedEbolaDataManager] getLocalizedOutbreaks]) {
        // add randomized data at mass points
        int j = 0;
        int casesAdded = 0;
        int deathsAdded = 0;
        while (j < [l.cases intValue] && j <= 50) {
            int rand = arc4random_uniform(100) - 50;
            float xMod = rand * COORDINATE_RANDOM_MODULUS * j / 3;
            rand = arc4random_uniform(100) - 50;
            float yMod = rand * COORDINATE_RANDOM_MODULUS * j / 3;;
            CLLocationCoordinate2D coord = CLLocationCoordinate2DMake(l.coordinate.latitude + xMod, l.coordinate.longitude + yMod);
            RMAnnotation *annotation = [[RMAnnotation alloc] initWithMapView:self coordinate:coord andTitle:l.country];
            if (j < [l.deaths intValue] && deathsAdded <= 25) {
                annotation.annotationType = @"death";
                deathsAdded++;
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    [self removeAllAnnotations];
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- (RMMapLayer *)mapView:(RMMapView *)mapView layerForAnnotation:(RMAnnotation *)annotation {
    if (annotation.isUserLocationAnnotation)
        return nil;

    UIImage *annotationImage;
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        annotationImage = [UIImage imageNamed:@"Skull"];
    } else if ([annotation.annotationType isEqualToString:@"case"]) {
        annotationImage = [UIImage imageNamed:@"Biohazard"];
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    RMMarker *marker = [[RMMarker alloc] initWithUIImage:annotationImage];

    return marker;
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- (void)afterMapMove:(RMMapView *)map byUser:(BOOL)wasUserAction {
    if (wasUserAction)
        self.lastMapMove = [NSDate date];
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- (void)afterMapZoom:(RMMapView *)map byUser:(BOOL)wasUserAction {
    if (wasUserAction)
        self.lastMapMove = [NSDate date];
}

@end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Erika Howe Shuts Down Montreal in Do-or-Die Situation
Sports by Louis Pringle — Published March 11, 2019 | Comments
Les Canadiennes dropped their second game of their series versus Markham on Saturday night. File Photo Caroline Marsh
Montreal's Les Canadiennes took on the Markham Thunder in game two of the CWHL playoffs on Saturday night a Brossard's Bell Sports Complex. The Fabs were coming into this one up 1-0 in the series, following a dominant 3-0 win on Friday.
Saturday night's game was also the scene of a domination, but this time, it was the Thunder who put on a clinic. Markham was able to keep the Fabs at bay for most of the game. Breakouts were very difficult for the home team and they had just as much difficulty setting up anything offensively.
The visitors opened scoring quickly in the first. A Victoria Bach shot from the point deflected on multiple occasions before ending up in the back of Emerance Maschmeyer's net. Jenna McParland was credited with the goal on the sequence.
The early tally was an obvious setback for the home side. The little momentum they managed to set up in the first minute had completely crumbled in the aftermath of that first power play goal.
It didn't take long for Makham to extend the lead as McParland added her second power play goal of the game just over four minutes later.
Special teams were key in this one. The Fabs benefited from four opportunities on the player advantage without ever being able to build any type of momentum. At the opposite end, the visitors were able to beat Maschmeyer on their first four power plays.
"We definitely want to take less penalties than we did tonight," said co-head coach Caroline Ouellette. "It's always a physical game against Markham. We'll have to look back on certain aspects of our penalty kill to make sure that we are more efficient tomorrow."
Montreal were still able to create some menacing chances despite being outplayed in front of their own fans. The Fabs ended the game with an impressive total of 43 shots. They also came close to adding three more shots, but these shots ended up hitting the post.
McParland completed her hat-trick on a precise one-timer just under Maschmeyer's glove. Not a bad return to the series after collecting a 10-minute misconduct in game one.
"Our mindset was to not worry about what happened on Friday," said McParland. "We wanted to come into this game with a clean slate and try to get pucks on net. I think that's what we did."
Montreal finally showed signs of life on the scoresheet, responding to the McParland third goal only 12 seconds later. Hilary Knight was credited with the goal after a melee in Erika Howe's crease.
The Markham netminder was clearly upset by the referee's decision to allow the goal as she rushed towards the striped jersey in anger. The decision was upheld and Montreal were finally pulling in closer after getting fully outplayed.
Ella Matteucci scored the eventual game winner with four minutes left in the second period. Montreal inability to stop Markham's power play early in the game was what ultimately led to their demise in game two.
The Thunder were awarded another power play almost midway through the third. Montreal's defender Lauriane Rougeau headed to the penalty box for body checking.
As they did on their previous four opportunities, Markham didn't waste time finding the back of the net. Laura Stacey thought she collected her first goal of the playoffs, but the referees reversed the call because of a contact with Maschmeyer.
The Fabs were finally getting a break in a game were they couldn't manage to get the bounces going for them.
Montreal's push back came in just a bit too late in the game. Hilary Knight led the way for her squad with an absolute laser beam beating Howe over the blocker. The American's sniper came off a pass from teammate Mélodie Desrochers who was making a return to the lineup.
With 1:49 left in the game, Montreal was holding on to hopes of a comeback as Karell Emard brought Les Canadiennes within one goal of tying things up, only 41 seconds after Knight's second of the night.
Despite their inability to fully mount the comeback, the Canadiennes showed some strong will and persistence late in the game. The momentum will have to carry into the ultimate game in order to give Montreal a real chance to reach the Clarkson Cup final.
"It's huge," said Ouellette. "It helps set the tone for next game. We want to start the way we finished today. I think it gives us a mental edge and that the way you want to feel after a game like today."
Montreal 5, Thunder 0: Domination From Top to Bottom
Dustin Kagan-Fleming


A stunning ring in the style of the art deco period, set with 3 slightly raised, claw set graduating brilliant cut diamonds within a surmount of 4 rubover set baguette cut diamonds and 12 smaller grain set brilliant cut diamonds, The 19 diamonds weigh 1.01 cts in total. All mounted in White. Metal tested as 18ct Gold.


Pilates is my hobby, my passion.
I qualified as a teacher two years ago and have taught at a variety of Fitness Centres.
Eighteen months ago, I began conducting my own classes in Adelaide's CBD.
I hire space at a city location and teach one lunchtime a week. OK, it's small fry but hey, it's not the day job! However, I have a core following (no pun intended) with a regular influx of new clients to the extent that my classes are now regularly booked out. I limited numbers to 20 in a class and often have a waiting list.
I think some of my experiences would be helpful to those for whom Pilates *is* the day job!
With that in mind, thought I'd share my tips on a variety of areas (see contents listing on the left).
BTW, by day I'm a professional IT Geek. I've also compiled a separate section with a swag of tips (sans the IT jargon) that may be of use/interest.


Dehumidifiers are essential products, especially for people with allergies and sensitivities to humid air, so that last thing that you need is for the appliance to stop functioning efficiently, for want of a simple replacement filter every so often. While modern technology has made installation of the dehumidifier filter an easy task, it's important that you don't take quality for granted when searching for the products. After all, it's only by using the best that your dehumidifier will function to its best capacity.
Especially for those people who need to regularly replace their dehumidifier, our team has sourced the best dehumidifier options on the market, manufactured by some of the leading brands in air conditioning.
Top of our list is this dehumidifier filter pack from Frigidaire, one of the world's best known names in the sector of cooling and air conditioning.
Honeywell is another of the leading names in air conditioning, and the manufacturer of some of the world's best air conditioning appliances. This replacement filter pack will be suitable for owners of the DR120 dehumidifiers from Honeywell.
If you're the owner of a Santa Fe Force Dehumidifier, this replacement filter will be exactly what you're looking for.
Santa Fe is on our list for the second time with this eight-filter MERV set, one of the best dehumidifier filters available on the market.
Head right this way when you're ready to replace the filter in your Honeywell HC26P Whole House appliance.
This air filter pack will be exactly what you're looking for when the time comes to replace the filter in your Frigidaire 5304471801 dehumidifier appliance.
This MERV 8 filter pack is suitable for the Santa Fe Compact 2 Dehumidifier appliance, and possibly other appliances with the 9″ x 11″ x 1″ dimensions.
Finally, rounding off our mini round-up of the best dehumidifier filters is this three-pace from Essick Air for the AIRCARE HDC311 appliance.


text:
Biografia
Nacque a Dieppe (Francia) il 17 settembre 1804 figlio di Giuseppe e di Paola Mantelli, ed appartenente a famiglia originaria del Piemonte, all'età di quattordici anni venne ammesso, come soldato volontario, nella Brigata "Saluzzo". Nel 1824 fu promosso sottotenente assegnato al 2º Battaglione provvisorio di linea della neocostituita Brigata "Pinerolo".
Divenne tenente nel gennaio 1832 inl forza al 1º Reggimento della brigata e capitano  nel febbraio 1839, passando in servizio nel 2º Reggimento, al comando del colonnello Michele Bes.
Allo scoppio della guerra con l'Austria nel 1848 assunse il comando della 2ª Compagnia del 14º Reggimento, e si distinse nel combattimento del 30 aprile, sulla strada da Desenzano a Pastrengo, venendo decorato con una Medaglia d'argento al valor militare per aver respinto l'attacco portato da una colonna austriaca che con una sortita da Peschiera aveva cercato di accerchiare le fanterie piemontesi.
Si segnalò anche nei successivi combattimenti, specialmente il 22 luglio quando partecipò alla disperata difesa tentata dal reggimento a Monte Baldo e sul pianoro di Rivoli, contro un nemico molto superiore di numero. Si distinse particolarmente nell'attacco a Volta Mantovana e nei successivi combattimenti succedutisi dal 23 al 25 luglio, trattenendo l'attacco nemico e dando il tempo al II Corpo d'armata di ripiegare ordinatamente. Per queste azioni fu decorato con la Medaglia d'oro al valor militare e promosso maggiore nell'ottobre 1848, entrando in servizio nel 3º Reggimento fanteria. Durante la successiva ripresa delle ostilità, avvenuta nel 1849, si distinse come comandante di battaglione durante la battaglia di Novara venendo insignito del titolo della Croce di Cavaliere dell'Ordine dei Santi Maurizio e Lazzaro.

Promosso colonnello nel 1856, divenne maggior generale nel 1859, assumendo il comando della Brigata "Aosta". Durante la seconda guerra d'indipendenza ottenne una Menzione onorevole il 30 maggio, e poi prese parte alla battaglia di San Martino dove rimase gravemente ferito il 24 giugno.
Con Regio Decreto del 30 gennaio 1860 fu insignito della Croce di Grande Ufficiale dell'Ordine militare di Savoia.
Allo scoppio della terza guerra d'indipendenza assunse il comando della comandò la 1ª Divisione, assegnata al I Corpo d'armata del generale Giovanni Durando. Durante il corso della battaglia di Custoza rimase nuovamente ferito in maniera grave a Oliosi, vicino a Valeggio tanto da dover lasciare definitivamente il servizio attivo. Si spense a Urago d'Oglio, provincia di Brescia, il 6 ottobre 1873.

Onorificenze

Note

Annotazioni

Fonti

Bibliografia

Periodici

Generali sabaudi
Militari sabaudi
Commendatori dell'Ordine militare di Savoia
Grandi ufficiali dell'Ordine militare di Savoia
Medaglie d'oro al valor militare
Medaglie d'argento al valor militare
Medaglie di bronzo al valor militare
Cavalieri dell'Ordine dei Santi Maurizio e Lazzaro
Persone della terza guerra d'indipendenza italiana


text:
No. 58 (Oct.)
by et al., J. Krollpfeiffer
In April of 1996, Senators Boxer (CA) and Spector (PA) gifted $1 million to Steven Spielberg for his Shoah Holocaust project where the money would be used to pay for recording 50,000 holocaust survivor voices around the world—the money came out of the House Appropriations Committee Library Funds—education funds intended for the libraries (see Washington Post editions, April 1996.) It was a direct "award." He did not have to apply for the funds. The House Appropriations Committee denied me funding for the country's first documentary outlining the internment of German-Americans on American soil during WWII years. An internment few know about and which an apology from our government has never been made. In testimony for the Japanese internment, German-Americans were censored, denied congressional testimony. I had to fill out all kinds of documents and get support from Senators Spector and Boxer, only to find out that my proposal was never submitted by Spector. Did they favor Spielberg? Apparently so, because he got his $1 million over my conservative $75,000 request. Perhaps I should submit a grant request to Spielberg.
That would be another story for you. Thanks for your ear, keep up the good work!
J. Krollpfeiffer (e-mail)
Your $250,000 is safe. Not even for a million would they put your message out for 90 minutes on national television.
Doyal Gudgel, WA
Regarding my inquiry of three days ago about not having received the August issue of SR: the September issue of SR arrived today as issue #57. My last issue, #56, is for July. Being an astute individual, I deduced that there was no issue for August, therefore, none is missing. If this is correct, all is well.
John D. Fesmire NY
[Astute indeed! Eleven issues a year. No August issue. Another demonstration of why the intellect of SR readers is consistently judged to be in the top three percentile of all intellectual and demographic groupings everywhere.]
Running the $250,000 challenge to the ADL in college newspapers across America is a Million Dollar idea. I was so excited about its prospects I sent photocopies of SR 57 containing your ad, with my cover letter, to Charley Reese (King Features), Joseph Sobran (Universal Press Syndicate), Pat Buchanan (Tribune Media Service), and Samuel Francis (also Tribune Media Service). If things develop right, maybe one of them will use it in his column. Your efforts are being rewarded!
Ray Ivens, OK
There are so many issues demanding center-stage now, one wonders if it's wise to continue supporting the course of publicizing the "Holocaust" fraud. Please get some kind of shelter, dear brother. God is kinder to us than we are to ourselves.
Evelyn K. S. Judge, VA
It's true—there are so many issues. No issue can be discussed without intellectual freedom. When I made the decision to work with the Holocaust controversy, I came at it from the same perspective that I approached my run-in with the Feds 40 years ago when I was prosecuted for selling Henry Miller's Tropic Of Cancer, which at that time was banned by the U.S. Government. In the 1960's I held that students, and the rest of us, have the right to read radical literary works. Today, in the 1990s, I hold that they, we, have the right to read radical papers on historical controversies. Intellectual freedom, and freedom to doubt the Jewish Holocaust story, are not two different issues. They're the same issue. Revisionism raises a moral issue, in that intellectual freedom exists only when all of us have it. Christian and pagan, black and white, Jew and German. Revisionism then is a moral quest for an open society. It isn't "fraud" that is interesting or deep, but the ideal of a culture in which we are all free to reveal what we think and feel as we will. In that respect, revisionism represents a move toward brotherhood.
Author(s): et al. , J. Krollpfeiffer
Sources: Smith's Report, no. 58, October 1998, pp. 7f.
Bradley Smith: comments


Ousmane Dembele has been given the medical all-clear by Barcelona, meaning the forward is available to face Manchester United in the Champions League.
Dembele has not played since he suffered a torn hamstring after coming off the bench against Lyon in the last round on March 13.
Barca boss Ernesto Valverde accepted he had risked Dembele's fitness and the France international was expected to miss both legs of the quarter-final against United.
But the forward returned to training earlier than anticipated and he was included in Barca's travelling squad for Wednesday's first leg at Old Trafford.
He has now been passed fit for the game following a training session on Tuesday.
The 21-year-old's return is a welcome boost for Barca as they seek to win the treble, having reached the Copa del Rey final and all-but guaranteed the LaLiga title by defeating nearest rivals Atletico Madrid at the weekend.
Dembele has scored eight LaLiga goals and a further three in the Champions League this term, with Barca seeking to reach their first final in the competition since 2015.


The decision to have plastic surgery is one of the most important decisions you will make. We at W Aesthetic Plastic Surgery are dedicated to assuring you the best possible outcome in a private, confidential, friendly and professional environment.
Our Plastic Surgeon, Dr Wong Chin Ho is a fully qualified plastic surgeon accredited by the Ministry of Health of Singapore and a fellow of the Academy of Medicine of Singapore (Plastic Surgery). A team of nurses and patient coordinator that complements his work philosophy has been carefully selected to provide our patients with the best possible care.
To provide optimal care requires that the surgeon possesses sound clinical judgment in addition to technical surgical skill. Techniques are constantly evolving. It is vital to keep pace with developments and to evaluate, present and publish the outcome of one's own work in order to learn, develop skills and offer patients the best possible advice.
It is vital that the surgeon has a range of procedures at his disposal to treat variations of similar conditions. This requires a broad training and the acquisition of experience. Above all, we aim to care for our patients and offer the support they need in a professional and friendly manner from first consultation, through a surgical procedure and in the necessary after care. Dr Wong, his nursing and administrative staff are committed to offering contemporary, accurate advice in a relaxed but efficient manner and strive to provide the best possible surgical care.


as the title say mari0 SE crashed!
when i downloaded love 0.8.0 to play some love games I couldn't play it mari0 SE start crash.
i think i must delete it but the mari0 save data will be deleted but anyway i don't know how to delete love.
i'm a beginner in LÖVE things.
SE things go in SE thread.


text:
Indie Cover Designs
2 Free Audiobooks?
Brian's Book Blog
May 25th New and Notable Audiobooks on Brian's Book Blog
Welcome to Brian's Book Blog's weekly New and Notable Post for the Week of May 25th
Comment below on any I missed or what you're excited about!
Authors, narrators, producers, and publishers — any of the books featured here are prime candidates for review.
If you see yourself featured here, I would love to review your audiobook! Click the button to submit your book for review.
Book covers and bolded titles may have affiliate links to Amazon (where you can buy the Audible version).
Clicking these helps support this site, so thank you if you do.
New to Audible or Audiobooks in general? Welcome!
Get 2 FREE Audiobooks (instead of one) by clicking on the banner or here.
Vessel by Lisa A. Nichols
Narrated by Lisa Flanagan & George Newbern
An astronaut returns to Earth after losing her entire crew to an inexplicable disaster, but is her version of what happened in space the truth? Or is there more to the story….
A tense, psychological thriller perfect for fans of Dark Matter and The Martian.
After Catherine Wells' ship experiences a deadly incident in deep space and loses contact with NASA, the entire world believes her dead. Miraculously – and mysteriously – she survived, but with little memory of what happened.
Her reentry after a decade away is a turbulent one: Her husband has moved on with another woman, and the young daughter she left behind has grown into a teenager she barely recognizes. Catherine, too, is different. The long years alone changed her, and as she readjusts to being home, sometimes she feels disconnected and even, at times, deep rage toward her family and colleagues. There are periods of time she can't account for, too, and she begins waking up in increasingly strange and worrisome locations, like restricted areas of NASA.
Suddenly, she's questioning everything that happened up in space: how her crewmates died, how she survived, and now, what's happening to her back on Earth.
Smart, gripping, and compelling, this pause-resisting sci-fi thriller will leave you breathless.
Girl Gone Viral by Arvin Ahmadi
Narrated by Jorjeana Marie
Perfect for fans of Warcross and Black Mirror, Girl Gone Viral is the inventive and timely story of a 17-year-old coder's catapult to stardom.
For 17-year-old Opal Hopper, code is magic. She builds entire worlds from scratch: Mars craters, shimmering lakes, any virtual experience her heart desires.
But she can't code her dad back into her life. When he disappeared after her 10th birthday, leaving only a cryptic note, Opal tried desperately to find him. And when he never turned up, she enrolled at a boarding school for technical prodigies and tried to forget.
Until now. Because WAVE, the world's biggest virtual reality platform, has announced a contest where the winner gets to meet its billionaire founder. The same billionaire who worked closely with Opal's dad. The one she always believed might know where he went. The one who maybe even murdered him.
What begins as a small data hack to win the contest spirals out of control when Opal goes viral, digging her deeper into a hole of lies, hacks, and manipulation. How far will Opal go for the answers – or is it the attention – she's wanted for years?
Rolling in the Deep by Mira Grant
Narrated by Teri Schnaubelt
When the Imagine Network commissioned a documentary on mermaids, to be filmed from the cruise ship Atargatis, they expected what they had always received before: an assortment of eyewitness reports that proved nothing, some footage that proved even less, and the kind of ratings that only came from peddling imaginary creatures to the masses.
They didn't expect actual mermaids. They certainly didn't expect those mermaids to have teeth.
This is the story of the Atargatis, lost at sea with all hands. Some have called it a hoax; others have called it a maritime tragedy. Whatever the truth may be, it will only be found below the bathypelagic zone in the Mariana Trench…and the depths are very good at keeping secrets.
Evolution: A Science Fiction Thriller by Gerald M. Kilby
Narrated by Steven Jay Cohen
Commander Scott McNabb and the remaining crew of the ill-fated Hermes survey ship, journey to Earth to an area formally known as Death Valley, now an irradiated wasteland. Their mission is to connect the quantum intelligence, Athena, into the pan-solar communications network, enabling the QIs to rollback control of Earth by the seven and their AI servants.
But their shuttle is damaged as it enters Earth's atmosphere and it lands far from their intended location. Worse, it has been spotted by the AI that controls the region, and security drones are now searching the area to find it. With little hope of repairing the shuttle, Scott makes the fateful decision for them to journey through the wasteland on foot, even though some of the crew argue that this would be reckless.
But Scott is driven by a deeper motivation. One forged by the singular desire to find out what happened to flight officer Miranda Lee and the child she was carrying. This is because Aria has made him a promise. The QI has assured him that once Athena is reconnected it can then analyze Earth's vast data-stacks and find her location and, more importantly, find out if she is alive or dead.
Now, nothing else matters to Scott. He is willing to risk everything to achieve the mission and ultimately find Miranda – even if that means risking the lives of his friends.
Ghost Mine by Hunter Shea
Narrated by John Chancer
Previously titled Hell Hole.
Deep in a Wyoming mine, hell awaits. Nat Blackburn is given an offer he can't refuse by President Teddy Roosevelt. Tales of gold in the abandoned mining town of Hecla abound. The only problem – those who go seeking their fortune never return.
Along with his constant companion, Teta, a hired gun with a thirst for adventure, Nat travels to a barren land where even animals dare not tread. Black-eyed children, strange lights, and ferocious wild men venture from the deep, dark ghost mine…as well as a sinister force hungry for fresh souls.
The Gemini Experiment by Brian Pinkerton
Narrated by Lance C. Fuller
In a secret lab, a team of doctors and scientists funded by a mysterious billionaire create the first human replica entirely from technology. The robot is prepared to host the digitized consciousness of Tom Nolan, a family man suffering from a terminal illness.
But when Tom's replica escapes before the transfer can take place, he is faced with the horrors of an alter ego bent on death and destruction. When the experiment draws the attraction of spies, Tom is caught up in an international crisis with a showdown that could change the course of the world.
Flame Tree Press is the new fiction imprint of Flame Tree Publishing. Launched in 2018, the list brings together brilliant new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices.
The Island by Ragnar Jonasson
Narrated by Amanda Redman
"Narrator Amanda Redman gives an adept performance as she takes on the various characters in this Icelandic thriller." (AudioFile Magazine)
The newest superstar on the Icelandic crime fiction scene has arrived with a superb follow-up to The Darkness.
Short-listed for the Crime Novel of the Year Award in Iceland
Third Place, Novel of the Year Award 2016 in Iceland, selected by booksellers
One of the best-selling novels in Iceland in 2016
Autumn of 1987 takes a young couple on a romantic trip in the Westfjords holiday – a trip that gets an unexpected ending and has catastrophic consequences.
Ten years later a small group of friends go for a weekend in an old hunting lodge in Elliðaey. A place completely cut off from the outside world, to reconnect. But one of them isn't going to make it out alive. And Detective Inspector Hulda Hermannsdóttir is determined to find the truth in the darkness.
Ragnar Jonasson burst onto the American scene with Snowblind and Nightblind, the first two novels in the Ari Thor thriller series, and the praise was overwhelming. With The Darkness, he launched a new series featuring a completely new sleuth, Detective Inspector Hulda Hermannsdottir of the Reykjavik police department. The Island is the second audiobook in this series.
The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers
Narrated by Rachel Dulude
The acclaimed modern science-fiction masterpiece, included on Library Journal's Best SFF of 2016, the Barnes & Nobles Sci-Fi Fantasy Blog Best Books of 2015, the Tor.com Best Books of 2015, Reader's Choice, as well as nominated for the Arthur C. Clarke Award, the Kitschie, and the Bailey's Women's Prize.
Follow a motley crew on an exciting journey through space – and one adventurous young explorer who discovers the meaning of family in the far reaches of the universe – in this lighthearted debut space opera from a rising sci-fi star.
Rosemary Harper doesn't expect much when she joins the crew of the aging Wayfarer. While the patched-up ship has seen better days, it offers her a bed, a chance to explore the far-off corners of the galaxy, and most importantly, some distance from her past. An introspective young woman who learned early to keep to herself, she's never met anyone remotely like the ship's diverse crew, including Sissix, the exotic reptilian pilot, chatty engineers Kizzy and Jenks, who keep the ship running, and Ashby, their noble captain.
Life aboard the Wayfarer is chaotic and crazy – exactly what Rosemary wants. It's also about to get extremely dangerous when the crew is offered the job of a lifetime. Tunneling wormholes through space to a distant planet is definitely lucrative and will keep them comfortable for years. But risking her life wasn't part of the plan. In the far reaches of deep space, the tiny Wayfarer crew will confront a host of unexpected mishaps and thrilling adventures that force them to depend on each other. To survive, Rosemary's got to learn how to rely on this assortment of oddballs – an experience that teaches her about love and trust and that having a family isn't necessarily the worst thing in the universe.
Lying Next to Me by Gregg Olsen
Narrated by Karen Peakes, Scott Merriman, Katie Koster, P. J. Ochlan
No matter what you see, no matter what you've heard, assume nothing.
Adam and Sophie Warner and their three-year-old daughter are vacationing in Washington State's Hood Canal for Memorial Day weekend. It's the perfect getaway to unplug – and to calm an uneasy marriage. But on Adam's first day out on the water, he sees Sophie abducted by a stranger. A hundred yards from shore, Adam can't save her. And Sophie disappears.
In a nearby cabin is another couple, Kristen and Connor Moss. Unfortunately, beyond what they've heard in the news, they're in the dark when it comes to Sophie's disappearance. For Adam, at least there's comfort in knowing that Mason County detective Lee Husemann is an old friend of his. She'll do everything she can to help. She must.
But as Adam's paranoia about his missing wife escalates, Lee puts together the pieces of a puzzle. The lives of the two couples are converging in unpredictable ways, and the picture is unsettling. Lee suspects that not everyone is telling the truth about what they know – or they have yet to reveal all the lies they've hidden from the strangers they married.
The Dark Bones by Loreth Anne White
Narrated by Emily Sutton-Smith
She's come back to solve the mystery of her father's death and confront her own dark past.
When Detective Rebecca North left her rural hometown, she vowed never to return. Her father's apparent suicide has changed that. The official report is that retired cop Noah North shot himself, knocked over a lantern, and set his isolated cabin ablaze. But Rebecca cannot believe he killed himself.
To prove it, she needs the help of Ash Haugen, the man she left behind. But Rebecca and Ash share more than broken hearts. Something darker lies between them, and the investigation is stirring it back to life. Clues lead them to the home of Olivia West and her deeply troubled twelve-year-old daughter, Tori. The child knows more about the murder than anyone can imagine, but she's too terrified to say a word.
And as a cold-blooded killer resurfaces from the past, Rebecca and Ash begin to fear that their own secrets may be even harder to survive.
Galaxy on Fire: Publisher's Pack by Craig Robertson
Narrated by Scott Aiello
Galaxy on Fire: Publisher's Pack contains Books 1 and 2 of the Galaxy on Fire series.
Embers, Book 1:
Jon Ryan was supposed to be dead. He wanted to be dead. But Jon wakes up in the far future with an alien burrowing in his chest for salvage. Someone was going to pay for this. Check that. Lots of people were going to pay for this. Jon was the first astronaut to download to an android host to find the population of doomed Earth a new home. But that was so long time ago. He is now literally lost in time.
The far flung future is dominated by an unstoppable species, the Adamant. They have conquered most of the galaxy. No civilization has successfully resisted them. Brutally efficient, selflessly devoted to their empire, and callous to all other forms of life, the Adamant have advanced without boundaries. But they are about to run into a major problem. One very pissed off Jon Ryan stands in their way. He escapes their prison ship, rescues two teenage shapeshifters, and intends to protect them at all costs. Jon, Mirraya, and Slapgren race across the galaxy always just one step ahead of disaster. But the combined evil forces that pursue them tear the trio apart. The teens must fend on their own in a hostile universe. All the while, Jon runs for his life, hoping against all hope to locate the teens. In a galaxy burning with war, genocide, and hidden magic, can Jon Ryan pull of one more miracle?
Flames, Book 2:
For Jon Ryan, it always seems to be the hard way. But he likes it like that. When he finally wins, it's all the more satisfying. A cataclysmic fight with his evil twin leaves Jon marooned on a desolate planet. He has no ship, no radio, and no one knows he's there. Meanwhile the shapeshifter teens are spirited to the court of the Adamant emperor himself. Malraff, his torture master, takes control of the teens and is bent on finding the secret of their ability to transform. She will do anything to find out the truth, and she will revels in their suffering.
Somehow Jon must find his way out of his imprisonment and rescue the teens. But will there be anything left for him to save even if he can escape? A galaxy on fire with the destructive conquests of the Adamant empire still stands between Jon and any for chance of success. Without allies, recourses, or any reason for hope, his only path is to release the darkness that he is capable of. But can Jon triumph and and still be worthy of that victory?
I've loved reading since I was little when my dad would read me Dr. Suess books. Fast-forward a little and I noticed that he was always reading on his lunch breaks at work, and I wondered why.Then, I found a book that took me to another place and time, to another feeling,another sense of "being".It was the first book that I ever fell in love with, and I've been chasing that feeling ever since.
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There are multiple benefits of solar panels simply due to the fact that they make clean energy from the natural elements on our planet. In addition to this, they are a renewable energy source (which means it's a resource that'll never run out) which is an added bonus. So if you have been pondering over whether to install solar panels or not you should continue reading this article to find out more.
If you want to see how easy it is to build your own solar panels at home, read this article. Of course, you do need to have some DIY skills, in that you need to be handy with a soldering iron and to be able to handle a saw, but other than that you can have a solar panel ready in no time at all. Basically, you will need solar cells, which can be found online, wood to build the container, Plexiglas for the cover and some equipment. You will have to use caulk to attach your solar cells to your wooden container. If you can find solar cells that already have the tabs on them it will make wiring them up easier. If you can not find solar panels with tabs you will have to solder on the tabs before you glue them in place.
Installing solar panels will not only benefit you in terms of savings, but it will also help the environment. Most of the electricity being produced today is done through processes that have a significantly negative impact on the environment, through waste and pollution. But when it comes to solar power there are no by-products or pollutants that will harm the environment. And because it uses the light from the sun to produce energy, it's totally renewable so it won't run out, whereas oil will. Even though the positive effects of clean energy on the environment might not be currently visible, the more they are used the better the environment will do. The effects in the long-term will be incredible and your children and grandchildren will feel the effects. But at the rate of destruction we're currently going at, our children and grandchildren wouldn't be able to experience the environment like how we do today.
The cost of installing a solar panel system plays on many people's minds, which is why they've not taken action yet. Their main worry is that the expenses will be very high when compared with the saving they'll make on their electricity bill. But the good news is you can cut the costs by simply making your own solar panels. You can save around half the money by doing this, and most of the things you need are for sale on the internet, which includes solar cells that are on sites like eBay. And in addition to this, if you do some research you may find that the area you live in provides tax incentives and special rebates for installing solar panels. The reason behind this is the government would like to see lots of people using clean energy sources for their energy needs, so builders can get large tax breaks to encourage them to put up solar panels. You must place solar panels on top of your building or home so that they can receive sunlight and power your home at the same time. People use solar panels to heat their homes, especially if they live in a region that is particularly cold.
Cash & Check Our Grand Rapids Our Solar Installation Experts accept all forms of cash and check payments.
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Book Review: The Storm by Arif Anwar
Book Name: The Storm
Author: Arif Anwar
Publisher: Aleph
Book Blurb: Inspired by the 1970 Bhola cyclone, in which half a million people perished overnight, The Storm seamlessly interweaves five love stories that, together, chronicle sixty years of Bangladeshi history. ~ Shahryar, a recent PhD graduate and the father of nine-year-old Anna, must leave the US when his visa expires. In their last remaining weeks together, we learn his story, beginning in a village on the Bay of Bengal, where a poor fisherman and his wife are preparing to face a storm of historic proportions. Their story intersects with those of a Japanese fighter pilot, a British female doctor stationed in Burma during World War II and a privileged couple in Calcutta who leave everything behind to move to East Pakistan following the Partition of India. The structure of this riveting novel mimics the storm itself—building to a series of revelatory and moving climaxes as it explores the many ways in which families love, betray, honor and sacrifice for one another. At once grounded in history and fantastically imaginative, The Storm is a sweeping epic in the tradition of Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner and Rohinton Mistry's A Fine Balance, by an immensely talented new voice in international fiction.
Review: Arif Anwar's The Storm is a unique take on love and relationships. The writer has captured the emotional turmoil in relationships very well.
The primary story revolves around Shahryar and his daughter Anna. Faced with bleak future prospects, Shahryar must find a job to remain in the US or face deportation and the possibility of not meeting his daughter again. He tries everything and becomes involved in a mess trying to find a job. Other stories complete the novel but in my opinion, the book would have done well to solely explore this unique story rather than being an amalgamation of many such stories. This is the biggest shortcoming of this otherwise lovely book. The narrative becomes difficult to follow and you tend to lose interest. I read it in parts completing each individual story which made the reading experience less harrowing.
There are no direct accusations or motives in The Storm but each individual is a victim of circumstance, sometimes of their own making and very often they come across as an unwilling participant. The tales are morbid no doubt but also explore sacrifices and the tendency of humans to make the best of what they are offered.
"It brings him joy to see her interest in writing Bangla, to see her work on the project un-prodded."
Arif is a powerful writer and his lyrical prose never falters. The relationships between Shahryar and Anna is explored very well and you cannot help but empathise with their plight. The whole work could have been a lot better had the author focused on just one story.
Tags: Aleph Arif Anwar Storm
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Articles House of Dysfunction, House of Gucci
Local Reading
House of Dysfunction, House of Gucci
Written By: Gabriel Garcia
All-star cast headed by Lady Gaga takes the helm in Ridley Scott's new House of Gucci film, showcasing the dysfunction behind the world-famous fashion brand. Gabriel from 1079 Life went to see the film rumored to be up for Oscar's contention. All opinions are his own.
Now I confess I know next to nothing about fashion. I know of the fashion brand Gucci but never have bought anything from them. I definitely didn't know about the company's story. So when I saw the promo for House of Gucci, the new film by director Ridley Scott, I wasn't particularly interested.
But hey, during a time of Covid there is little in the form of things to do so I picked myself up New Years Day and dragged myself to the cinema to see the film while promising to keep an open mind.
House of Gucci depicts the relationship between one Patrizia Reggiani (played by Lady Gaga) and the heir to the Gucci line, Maurizio Gucci (played by Adam Driver). It starts off like a typical girl meets guy and then quickly veers into dysfunction and decay. For the House of Gucci is filled with people with big egos and very big ambitions. And none have either traits bigger than Patrizia Reggiani.
Adam Driver and Lady Gaga as Maurizio Gucci and Patrizia Reggiani
Without going into too many details, Patrizia sets her mind to control Gucci. A daughter of a father who owns a trucking company (with possible links to the mafia), Patrizia sees the relationship between Maurizio Gucci as a way to move up in the world. To be seen, to be noticed, and to be adored.
And she is not the type of lady to take no for an answer.
The rest of the Gucci clan is made up of brothers and co-owners Rodolfo Gucci (played by Jeremy Irons) and Aldo Gucci (played by Al Pacino). Aldo's son Paolo Gucci (played by Jared Leto) is another player within the Gucci clan, though with far less clout and is often seen as the black sheep of the family. The three characters' personalities range from conservative and boring, to eccentric and bonkers.
Now in terms of production quality, the film is top tier. From the settings to the costumes you can really tell that the production team really put a lot of effort into making the film as authentically true as possible to the time in which the film is set. The cast themselves look quite similar to their real-life counterparts.
However, the biggest problem with House of Gucci is that, despite the high profile cast, director, and top-tier production values, the film is boring. And when a film is over two and a half hours long then you got problems.
The characters, with the arguable exception of Lady Gaga's Patrizia, are one-dimensional cutouts with absolutely no character arc or depth to them.
Jeremy Irons looks as bored as hell throughout the entire film (which makes his character's death oddly convenient for both the viewer and arguably the actor). Al Pacino's character is as forgettable as the final season of Game of Thrones. Jared Leto's character comes across as the incompetent dreamer and I am not surprised he is the least trusted family member when it comes to business matters.
I wouldn't trust the guy to run a school canteen.
Jared Leto as Paolo Gucci
Adam Driver's Maurizio seems to follow in his dad's footsteps in being absolutely boring. With his wife stirring up conflict within the family and basically performing a one-woman coup on the family company you would think Maurizio would be enraged. Indeed he is, but you would be forgiven to miss it.
Instead, Driver comes across as a man doing his time before something more interesting comes along.
As for Lady Gaga, this was the first film I have actually seen her in. Now singers turned actors and actors turned singers don't always turn out well. But Lady Gaga has already proven she can hold her own and in this film, she does just that.
In saying that her Patrizia completely lacks anything redeemable. Her courting of Maurizio is supposed to be cute and endearing I assume but comes across as stalkerish (is that even a word) and obsessional. Throughout the entire film, the character completely fails to elicit any real sympathy, and even when she does try to do what's good for the family and the Gucci company it seems fake and contrived.
Now all the cast mentioned are decent actors. Several, including Lady Gaga, Jeremy Irons, and Al Pacino are award-winning actors. So, in my opinion, the problem lies more with the film's script rather than the actors themselves.
It is also possible to argue that the cast has been miscast. That the director and production team decided to go with star power to help sell an arguably unknown story rather than ensuring the actors matched their given role.
Overall House of Gucci is a film that tries to tell a story of a dysfunctional family trying to run a high-end fashion label that ultimately fails to be anything more than a very long and very tedious soap opera filled with unrelatable characters.
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Darren Stevenson is a solicitor at McGill and Co.. Prior to joining the firm in 2008, Darren spent 6 years working at the Home Office with what was then the UK Border Agency, including representing the Secretary of State at tribunal hearings. Darren has extensive experience in all areas of UK immigration law with particular expertise in navigating difficult and technically complex areas, including the Points Based System, EC law and British nationality law.


House or flat? Full-time home or weekend residence? Garage or annex? Protect your home, family and what is dear to you with a customised alarm system from A&E Security. This way your family will get the peace of mind they deserve. You will make intruders think again. Or catch them red-handed, so that they can be arrested quickly. And the damage you suffer is minimal.
You are unique and so is your security solution. We listen to your wishes, and analyse your risks. In doing so, we take your family situation and lifestyle into account. The result: a watertight and user-friendly security plan which only makes things difficult for intruders. You can set your mind at ease.


It's one of those ten-dollar anthology specials of untried talent that DC plops out every now and again. Truth be told, I enjoy looking at these. Maybe you will, too; check out some preview pages below and see what you think!


Brand/Manufacturer: Don Francisco's F. Gavina & Sons, Inc.
Coffee (Water, Coffee Extract), Skim Milk, Cane Sugar, Corn Syrup, Cream, contains 2% or less of: Gellan Gum, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Carrageenan.
Coffee (water, coffee extract), concentrated almond milk (water, almonds), sugar, soy protein isolate, contains less than 2% of natural and artificial flavor, vitamin a palmitate, vitamin e acetate, calcium carbonate, carrageenan, gellan gum, potassium bicarbonate, sodium phosphate, sunflower and soy lecithin.contains: almond, soy.
Coffee (water, coffee extract), concentrated almond milk (water, almonds), sugar, soy protein isolate, contains less than 2% of cocoa and breakfast cocoa processed with alkali, artificial flavor, vitamin a palmitate, vitamin e acetate, calcium carbonate, carrageenan, gellan gum, potassium bicarbonate, sodium phosphate, sunflower and soy lecithin.contains: almond, soy.


Yes! The Seven Minute Difference is now available in audio format.
Change happens in an instant. It is true you can be different tomorrow than you are today. The Seven Minute Difference is a Productivity and Time Management book that has been designed for salespeople and corporate executives who are ready to look for new ideas and new ways to grow. Allyson's objective is to revitalize each person who reads this book and attends this course. By giving concrete examples and actionable ideas, you can put her information to work immediately. John Maxwell says " We are the way we are, because that's the way we want to be." Don't be the same, choose to be different…choose to be better.


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Superhero Hackathon
22 November 2017 18:30-19:30, London, United Kingdom
Panellists Raychelle Burks, Suze Kundu and Danielle Lee will discuss the science behind their favourite superheroes, then the audience will get involved in designing a completely new, next level superhero.
What's the current state of the superhero field?
What superhero traits and skills should we keep?
What new traits and skills do we want?
Our team of superhero-loving scientists will lead this ambitious superhero upgrade project with lots of help from the audience and a live illustrator.
Our team of superhero-loving scientists:
Raychelle Burks
An analytical chemist, Dr. Raychelle Burks enjoys the challenge of developing field-ready sensing systems. Or, as Dr. Burks would say, "making tricorders". A passionate member of many fandoms, she often speaks and writes on the science of sci-fi, fantasy, and horror genres. She writes a monthly column for Chemistry World called "Trace Analysis" and can be found on twitter at @DrRubidium.
Danielle N Lee
Dr. Danielle N Lee studies animal behavior and ecology at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. With heavy doses of pop culture, she engages broader audiences in science and technology experiences, online and in person. Dr. Lee is TED Fellow (2015), National Geographic Explorer (2017), and you can follow her commentary about science, education and diversity in the sciences on Twitter at @DNLee5.
Suze Kundu
The world around us is made of 'stuff.' From a very early age, I have been fascinated by this stuff, often breaking things apart to try and figure out how everything worked. Luckily science has enabled me to turn this destructive curiosity into a career, first through a BSc in Chemistry, then an MSc in Analytical Chemistry and finally a PhD in Materials Chemistry at University College London in 2012. Fulfilling my destiny as an eternal student, I have since studied for a teaching qualification, and am now a Teaching Fellow, previously in the Department of Materials at Imperial College London and now at the University of Surrey's Chemical and Process Engineering Department. Although my research area is functional nanomaterials, as a science communicator I am able to delve into the wider applications of chemistry, physics and materials science and engineering all around us, and love sharing this through live lectures, on TV (Discovery Channel) and radio, and at Forbes Science and Standard Issue magazines. I am also the author of one of the chapters of the book "the Secret Science of Superheroes".
Raychelle Burks United States
Danielle Lee United States
Suze Kundu United Kingdom
The Royal Society of Chemistry
The Royal Society of Chemistry, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London, W1J 0BA, United Kingdom
RSC Public Engagement


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Meijer looks to hire 4,800 new workers in Michigan
Photo courtesy Meijer
By The News-Herald |
PUBLISHED: September 2, 2014 at 10:00 p.m. | UPDATED: June 17, 2021 at 11:34 a.m.
Meijer is looking to hire 4,800 workers in Michigan as it prepares for the holiday season.
The hiring spree in the state is part of a plan to hire more than 10,000 Meijer team members in the Midwest.
"Meijer is always looking for good people," said Janet Emerson, executive vice president of operations for Meijer. "Our continued growth provides a great opportunity to find new team members who will help deliver on the Meijer promise of providing exceptional customer service."
Meijer stores are open 24 hours, and only close on Christmas Day. While staffing needs vary from store to store, positions are available at all Meijer stores.
Interested candidates are asked to complete an online application at http://jobs.meijer.com/. During the online application process, prospective team members can search for openings in their area and indicate their store preference. Candidates may also complete an online application at the employment kiosks located at the front of most Meijer stores. Local store management will then follow up with qualified candidates.
"While most of these opportunities are part time and seasonal, these jobs can provide a gateway to a full-time career at Meijer," said Michael Rotelle, senior vice president of human resources. "As we continue to grow, we are frequently looking to fill our on-going part-time and full-time needs. These positions provide an opportunity for people to begin a retail career within a growing company."
While traditional retail positions such as stockers and cashiers are needed, there are also opportunities in more specialized roles such as meat cutters and cake decorators.
The News-Herald
Downriver native to showcase theatrical memoir 'Mrs. Kelly's Journey Home'


Our new SS18 collection has arrived. Taking inspiration from the Bohemian and psychedelic movements of the 1960's the collection embraces the key colours for the season; warm mustard hues, classic navys and rich burgundys. Layering is key with textured polo knits, printed shirts, suede jackets and the iconic fishtail parka.


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To save Iraq, arm the Kurds
Marcus, Apostolou Oct 12, 2015 10:17 AM ET
If American policy wants to be truly effective, it should do more than just give a few weapons and limited training. Instead, the United States must help Kurdistan to organize, train and equip a nonpolitical Kurdish army. The United States can do this by greatly increasing its support to the Ministry of Pesh Merga Affairs' program dedicated to building nonpartisan units. The program requires that new recruits join the nonpolitical units as individuals, not party members. The ministry has managed to raise one nonparty brigade, and needs additional support to increase the number of units.
The United States can turn these nonparty brigades into the nucleus of a new Kurdish army by providing the necessary weapons and training to make them effective, which will in turn encourage further recruitment. An American-assisted Kurdish army could make Kurdistan more stable by depriving politicians of control over military units. And a politically independent army reduces the risk of the K.D.P. and P.U.K. turning their guns against each other again. Furthermore, American involvement in the Kurdish army would keep the Kurds focused on the Islamic State rather than any domestic agenda.
Turkey should not be a problem. Although it is currently fighting its own Kurdish population, it has close relations with the Iraqi Kurds. And though Turkey would have much to gain from a stable Kurdistan — indeed, Turkey has strong commercial and security ties with the Iraqi Kurds — the United States should make support for an Iraqi Kurdish army conditional on no bid for independence.
Read More From Marcus, Apostolou
National School Board Association 'at risk of total collapse'


Leader Skill: Increases the Resistance of ally monsters by 41%.
Skill 1: Mega Smash [(265+ Spdx1.25)%]: Attacks with magical powers and inflicts continuous damage for 2 turns with a 50% chance. The damage increases according to Attack Speed.


This experience is designed to be viewed in a virtual reality headset. A special thanks to our Kickstarter backers for supporting this project, without their contributions it would not have been possible.
Step 1: Download and open the YouTube app and start playing any video.
Step 2: Tap the three-dot "More" icon in the upper-right corner of the screen.
Step 3: Tap Cardboard, then insert your phone into your VR headset.


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JUL 08, 2015 4:56 AM PDT
Finding Ways To Keep the Buzz Going
WRITTEN BY: Brenda Kelley Kim
For years now, environmentalists, entomologists and other scientists have been watching the decline of the honeybee and warning that if left unchecked, many honeybee species could be in danger of becoming extinct, which would be a disaster for many crops.
Over 30% of the world's food crops and 90% of wild plants are pollinated and thus kept alive by bees. The reduction in the numbers of bees is already having an impact on crops and plants and experts advise that it will only get worse if something isn't done.
In the United States, scientists from the US Dept of Agriculture are looking into the phenomenon of Colony Collapse Disorder or CCD. While the cause is unknown, a colony that has fallen victim to this has no live adult bees, except for the queen and some immature drone bees that do not reproduce. Sometimes honey is present, but the colony is not sustainable. Pesticides, invasive fungi, viruses and destruction of bee habitats are all possible reasons for CCD, or it could be a combination of these factors and others that have lead to the devastation of so many bee colonies. In a press release, Jeff Pettis, research leader of the Bee Research Laboratory in Beltsville, said,
"We know more now than we did a few years ago, but CCD has really been a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle, and the best I can say is that a lot of pieces have been turned over. The problem is that they have almost all been blue-sky pieces-frame but no center picture." Pettis had previously been the lead researcher on the USDA's Agricultural Research Service investigation into CCD.
The problem exists in Europe as well. The EU has banned three specific pesticides that contain neonicotinoids (clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiametoxam) but this ban is due to expire at the end of 2015. European farmers reported a dramatic increase in pests and had to use older pesticides that had harmful human side effects and were not as efficient. France has extended the ban on these pesticides because farmers believe that the neonicotinoids not only kill bees directly, but also weaken their immune systems, leaving them vulnerable to viruses and infections from other countries.
Most recently, there was a research study done in the UK that mapped the DNA of bees by capturing a variety of the insects in different locations, extracting their DNA and combining it in a kind of "bee soup." This combination was then entered into a DNA sequencing program and compared with existing examples of bee mitochondria so researchers could see where bees were declining and which specific species were at risk. It's much faster than the traditional methods of having to collect bees and examine them under a microscope. It's also more accurate.
As more countries attempt to figure out why bee populations are declining, more efficient monitoring methods are going to be needed. For now though, it seems that bringing back the bees is a priority for many governments and that often means more regulation, more study and more controversy over what exactly the cause is and how the decline of the bee species can be halted.
Check out the video below for more information on how France is approaching the issue
Sources: Science Daily, Euronews
Brenda Kelley Kim
I'm a writer living in the Boston area. My interests include cancer research, cardiology and neuroscience. I want to be part of using the Internet and social media to educate professionals and patients in a collaborative environment.
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