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Mindanao Earthquake – Veronica's Story
Posted on March 23, 2020 by MikeGreenslade
In October 2019, three powerful earthquakes shook Mindanao Island in the Philippines, damaging and destroying buildings. Thousands of people were forced to leave their homes, staying in evacuation centres or with host families. Those who had been hit the hardest stayed in makeshift shelters and were not expected to return home for up to six months.
Veronica lives at the very top of a mountainous barangay in Mindanao. Along with her family, she was one of the thousands of people affected by the earthquakes. Speaking to the ShelterBox team when they returned to Mindanao to do post-distribution monitoring in December 2019, Veronica said she is proud of where she lives. She added that it is very beautiful with two rivers flowing either side of her home and lots of colourful flowers surrounding it.
The team were unable to get to see her homesite as it was still unsafe for vehicles other than motorbikes to get up there. Fortunately, Veronica's husband Rodolfo was able to go to up on his motorbike and capture some images of their home that had been rebuilt using ShelterBox tools and tarpaulin.
Veronica told the team she was in her home when the earthquake, which measured 6.6 magnitude, hit on the 29th of October at 9am. She first felt the shaking and then cement started to fall from the ceilings and from the walls. She instantly ran outside until the initial shaking stopped. Her priority was then to run to the school further down the hill to go and see how her youngest daughter was. "I was so scared not knowing how the earthquake had hit the school," she said. "I ran as fast as I could to get there."
The school had been severely damaged with parts of it collapsing. The teachers left to go home and see if their families were OK, and what might have happened to their homes.
"Many of us here thought that as Christmas was near, no more earthquakes would hit us," said Veronica.
At the time of the earthquake Rodolfo was working on their farm. The farm was badly affected, and a large crack appeared through the land. Fortunately, he was able to return to the family unharmed.
"Our house was unsafe to live in," Veronica explained. "Two walls had collapsed, and the aftershocks meant that cement kept falling from the ceiling." After the earthquake, the only form of shelter the family had was one tarpaulin. To ensure the whole family was protected from the weather they had to borrow another tarpaulin from Veronica's brother. This meant they were living in cramped conditions.
Two weeks after the earthquakes hit, the family received aid items from ShelterBox. This included a shelter kit with two tarpaulins, two solar lights, two blankets and a bag to put everything in. They used these items to build a new shelter close to their damaged home until it was safe to return.
"We are so grateful for the ShelterBox tarpaulins as they are so much better than the ones we had," said Veronica. "We feel that come rain or shine we are able to feel comfortable inside the home we have made with them and as a result we are now sleeping better."
Despite the hot weather the tarpaulins keep her family cooler in the day. Veronica said that all the community members at the top of the barangay had used their aid items. Their community does have electricity, but they experience frequent black outs, so the solar lights are used a lot. In case of another earthquake, Veronica said she has prepared a grab bag for the family to take: "We used the bag to carry items back from the distribution, but now we store emergency clothing and other important items in it, just in case another earthquake happens, and we have to leave the area quickly."
They are not too sure what the future holds for them as they cannot access the farm due to the risk of landslides. But now that they have somewhere to live, her husband is able to focus on looking for a temporary job until the farmland becomes safe or they find an alternative site.
ShelterBox eNewsletter March 2020
All of our lives are being affected by Covid-19 in some way, but those living in refugee camps or in makeshift settlements are particularly vulnerable.
We live in strange and challenging times. The Covid-19 outbreak is affecting everyone to some degree. Rightly, our priority is the health of our staff, volunteers and supporters. We encourage everyone to follow directives from government sources, stay safe and healthy.
Here in Australia, we are lucky: we are well-resourced and have a world-class health system; we are able to self-quarantine at home and care for ourselves and each other. But for people who are already homeless due to conflict or disaster and no access to healthcare, Corona virus is a new and deadly threat.
How can we help? Tents and shelter are now more important than ever to help people isolate themselves when they have lost their homes and help to limit the spread of Coronavirus. ShelterBox remains committed to reaching the most remote communities and to support them to get through the current outbreak.
Much of our protracted work is largely unaffected in the short-term: our work continues in Syria and Somaliland and upcoming projects in Cameroon and Ethiopia remain on course. Travel restrictions may affect our ability to respond to sudden-onset disasters, but we have aid strategically pre-positioned and our deployable roles are set-up to work remotely.
So, challenging times ahead; but as a disaster relief agency, we are determined to maintain and protect our ability to respond.
This month's quote comes from Jimi Hendrix, ""Before you start pointing fingers, make sure your hands are clean."
Many thanks for your support
Mike Greenslade
CEO ShelterBox Australia
Philippines – Typhoon Kammuri
A response team member demonstrates how to use a Luminaid solar light.
In early December Typhoon Kammuri, known locally as Typhoon Tisoy, ripped through the Philippines and many people across Northern Samar were severely affected. Coastal communities were hit the most and beaches were covered in the debris of destroyed homes. Electricity was wiped out, roads washed away and scores of fishing boats, the main source of livelihoods, were smashed to pieces.
Working through our Philippines office and local Rotary clubs, we supported over 2,500 families whose homes were either damaged or totally destroyed. NSW-based Response Team volunteer, Anthony Keating has recently returned from Northern Samar as part of a Monitoring Evaluation and Learning (MEAL) team.
The team undertook post-distribution monitoring activities, including surveys and conducting focus group discussions with communities who received a ShelterBox aid package. They were also able to evaluate the cash element of the project with communities who received a cash component.
Unfortunately, due to restrictions introduced by the Philippines due to Coronavirus, the team were unable to visit some of the communities where they had planned to undertake PDM activities. Due to this, the team departed early before areas of the Philippines entered a lock down period.
Somaliland – Drought
Ongoing drought and conflict have forced communities to move increasingly large distances to find fresh food for their animals, creating an estimated 2.6million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
The first phase of distributions to 1,200 households is now complete. A second phase is planned to support around 540 households, with the aid for the second phase currently in transit.
A team recently deployed to Somaliland to review the response and consider the changing context with our project partner ActionAid, as well as with the government and other humanitarian agencies. The team also joined a distribution of ShelterBox aid with the ActionAid team.
Syria – Conflict
The ongoing civil war in Syria has left over 13 million people in Syria in need of humanitarian assistance. In 2020, there has been renewed air-strikes and artillery incursions focused on the last rebel stronghold, Idlib. This has resulted in additional mass displacement of civilians fleeing from the violence in Idlib. A ceasefire has been in place since early March, which is currently still holding. Since 1st Dec 2019, it is reported that 950,000 people have been displaced.
ShelterBox has helped over 50,000 families fleeing the conflict and plans are well underway to support a further 4,233 households. Work will continue with our partners, Relief Aid and Bahar Organisation.
Safiya's Story
"We lost our livestock", said 40-year-old Safiya as she sits next to her temporary house. Speaking to ActionAid, ShelterBox's implementing partner in Somaliland, she said she had to carry their limp bodies from her home out to a field every time they passed away. The harshest drought to hit the Horn of Africa in two decades has killed off all of her sheep and goats. "Even our donkeys have died", said Safiya.
Dharyaalay village in the eastern part of the Togdheer region of Somaliland, where Safiya had lived for the past 20 years, suffered from the most extreme drought in recent history. The drought resulted in hundreds of thousands of vulnerable rural communities in Somaliland losing their livelihoods.
"We've had droughts there in the past, but I don't remember one as bad as the one that has forced me to become displaced", said Safiya as she pointed towards her temporary house.
Safiya is living with hundreds of families in a camp for internally displaced people. She said they all agreed that they are used to seeing a shortage or lack of rain, but insist that they have never experienced one as hostile as the one that has killed their livestock and forced them leave their homes.
"We have no proper shelter. Until only recently have we been able to build a temporary house out of cartons and plastic bags", she said.
Safiya has nine children, five daughters and four boys. They find it difficult to sleep in their current shelter. They either sleep outside under the stars, or together inside with no comfort or privacy.
"I have no choice, it's me alone who is the head of the house and takes care of the children". Her husband passed away four years before, but she gets some help from her relatives. With this help she manages to get the basic necessities of life including water and food. "Sometimes we don't get enough money to buy batteries for the small torch we use for lighting", said Safiya.
"We had two blankets only and we used to share them. Every night there were disputes as everyone needed a blanket to keep them warm. At times, I did not sleep day and night as my house was not protecting me from the cold and the two blankets were being used by my children. I used to worry whenever the sky collects clouds fearing the rain would smash my temporary house."
In August 2019, Safiya collected a ShelterBox which contained two tarpaulins, rope, solar lights, mosquito nets, five blankets, a water filter and a kitchen set. Upon collecting the aid item, she said:
"This has helped my family a lot in getting light, giving enough blankets, and preventing security risks. Now I don't have to worry as everyone has a blanket, the whole family can gather in one place and chat each with the help of the solar lights, thank you to those who donated this important kit."
Support families affected by disaster and crisis. Please ………..
EFT: Bendigo Bank: ShelterBox Australia: BSB 633 000: Account no. 166 780 163 (please email sbaoffice@shelterbox.org.au to notify us of your donation and receive your tax receipt).
Cheques can be mailed to: ShelterBox Australia, PO Box 254, Parramatta, NSW, 2124All donations above $2 are fully tax-deductible.
ShelterBox and Rotary celebrate the power of partnership
Emergency shelter charity ShelterBox is celebrating signing up for another 3 years as Rotary International's Project Partner in Disaster Relief. For almost 20 years, this unique humanitarian alliance has supported families with a place to call home after disaster.
ShelterBox provides emergency shelters and other essential items to support families who have lost their homes in disaster. Rotary is a global network whose members take action to make a lasting difference in their communities – and worldwide.
Working with Rotary in the Philippines
What began as a local connection with one Cornish Rotary Club has led to an international movement that's has responded to over 280 disasters in 95+ countries.
First adopted as a millennium project by the Rotary Club of Helston-Lizard in 2000, the support of Rotary members and clubs around the world saw ShelterBox become Rotary's Project Partner in Disaster Relief in 2012. Since then, the partnership has helped transform ShelterBox into an internationally recognised disaster relief charity, supporting families with emergency shelter after disaster.
ShelterBox and Rotary in the Philippines
The partnership extends far beyond financial support. Around 1,000 Rotary members are involved in ShelterBox as volunteers, staff or response team members. And clubs worldwide offer valuable, practical assistance to help ShelterBox reach more families fleeing disaster or conflict.
This has recently included support for families in Malawi flooded from their homes by Cyclone Idai and communities in Lombok devastated by the 2018 earthquake and tsunami (quotes and details at the end of this release).
Caroline White, interim Chief Executive at ShelterBox, said: 'Whenever disaster strikes, Rotary is beside us. From the earliest planning stages to final evaluations, Rotary members help ShelterBox make community contacts, organise logistics, and reach disaster-affected families in remote areas who might otherwise go without.
'This partnership has helped ShelterBox become who we are today. Our global network of 17 ShelterBox affiliates, who raise funds and awareness worldwide, evolved from Rotary relationships.'
At the Rotary International Convention, Toronto 2017
Speaking about the partnership renewal, General Secretary of Rotary International John Hewko said:
'ShelterBox has been Rotary's Project Partner in Disaster Relief since 2012, and we are excited to renew the partnership for another three years.
'Through this project partnership, Rotary members around the globe can collaborate with ShelterBox to support communities in desperate need of emergency temporary shelter and vital supplies following natural disasters. Additionally, Rotary and ShelterBox will continue to expand cooperation efforts through preparedness training and stockpiles of prepositioned aide in disaster-prone regions.'
Rotary club presidents around the world have also commented:
Ace Robin, President of the Mataram Rotary Club, Indonesia, was caught up in the deadly earthquakes that hit Lombok in 2018. Her home survived, but many around her were destroyed. Through an agreement with the government-led response, Ace's club was central to bringing ShelterBox aid to Indonesia.
Thanks to their support, vulnerable members of the community received vital emergency shelter, including families with elderly relatives, pregnant women or new mothers.
Ace said: 'Working with ShelterBox taught us a lot – they showed us how to build shelter and select families to help. It also gave us a chance to show what Rotary is to local people.'
Lombok 2018
After floods triggered by Cyclone Idai left tens of thousands homeless in Malawi this March, Rotary members connected ShelterBox with communities in the Blantyre region, helping them understand local needs and culture. Members helped deliver emergency shelter to almost 2,000 families. And ShelterBox supported the Rotary Club of Limbe to join the wider disaster response, enabling the club to deliver food to communities whose entire crops had been destroyed by the floods.
Rotary Club of Limbe President Eric Chinkanda said: 'It was a great experience to work with ShelterBox. We have not only walked a mile in reaching out to the many Malawians who faced hardship, but we restored confidence in the displaced people that all was not lost!'
ShelterBoxes collected by beneficiaries. The delivery lorry can be seen in the back ground.
James Kingston, Club President of the Rotary Club of Helston-Lizard, in Cornwall, said: 'The members of Helston-Lizard Rotary are delighted that Rotary International continues to recognise ShelterBox.
'I joined the club a few months before the Millennium Project began, and I'm so pleased we're still involved. It has been wonderful to see the charity grow into an internationally recognised, professional disaster relief organisation.'
Last year ShelterBox Australia received support from 279 Rotary Clubs throughout Australia
THE POWER OF PARTNERSHIP: SHELTERBOX AND ROTARY EXTENDING OUR PARTNERSHIP IN THE PHILIPPINES
Posted on October 10, 2018 by MikeGreenslade
ShelterBox and Rotary International are Project Partners in Disaster Relief. By working together, we are ensuring that no family is left without shelter after disaster. Not only do Rotary and Rotaract clubs around the world support ShelterBox financially, but on many of ShelterBox's deployments local Rotarians, Rotaractors and Response Teams work closely together at an operational level. Rotarians often have great connections with communities and authorities that can help Response Teams understand the situation and respond better together.
Recently, in the Philippines, ShelterBox and Rotary have taken this partnership to the next level. ShelterBox has responded in the Philippines on twenty-five separate occasions. We are always looking for ways to innovate and improve our responses. One way to innovate our responses in the Philippines was to set up ShelterBox Operations Philippines as an in-country organization with aid stored locally so that we can respond more effectively.
Dave Ray, Horizon's Lead at ShelterBox said: "Rotary has been involved in the creation of the new agency in the Philippines since way before its actual invention. We have worked with Rotary in all of our responses in the past in the Philippines and so it is a very natural thing for us to go to Rotary and to ask for their advice when we were beginning the process."
ShelterBox Operations Philippines, a locally registered ShelterBox office was set up with a plan to create a network of local Rotarian Coordinators. In this way, when a disaster hits in the Philippines our response can begin almost immediately.
When Tropical Storm Urduja hit the Philippines it caused flash flooding, landslides and destruction. The Rotary Club of Biliran Island started their response shortly after the storm passed providing food, water, and health kits. They were quickly in contact with the Local Coordinators who "coordinated with HQ Operations and the in-country Response team, who then started the ShelterBox Operations Philippines response".
The Club also began planning for a Village Project, which would give transitional housing to sixty families. Dindin Morillo, Past President of the Rotary Club of Biliran Island said:
"Although we had already identified the next phase of the response for transitional shelter solutions, ShelterBox's timely arrival provided emergency shelters and rebuilding tools which we recognized as an immediate solution. Without ShelterBox it would have taken time to find interim shelter solutions."
As families were sleeping in crowded schools and public buildings, without adequate space, privacy or supplies, having immediate emergency shelter was very important. Fifty-seven families were provided with ShelterBox tents as well as blankets, mosquito nets, solar lights, kitchen sets, tool kits, water carriers and more.
Our Oase tents are specifically designed for use in the Tropics
A further nine-hundred families received ShelterKits to start rebuilding their homes as well as blankets, solar lights, mosquito nets, and water carriers. The Rotary Club of Biliran Island was instrumental in the distribution of this vital aid, as their local knowledge insured ShelterBox could reach the most remote and most vulnerable families.
Enisa with her solar lights
Greg Pastor is the President of the Rotary Club of Biliran Island. Of the partnership between ShelterBox and the Rotary Club of Biliran Island, Greg said:
"ShelterBox's response to Tropical Storm Urduja sets the bar on the level of relief operations and assistance for affected families. The kind of assistance ShelterBox gave to the affected families prepares us to plan and implement the Rotary Village Project as continuing support for these families. Because of honest and genuine service, ShelterBox and Rotary were able to deliver effective and swift assistance to affected families."
This response was made more effective because ShelterBox Operations Philippines was in place, so aid was already stored in the Philippines, and we were able to start the response immediately. Dindin Morillo said: "ShelterBox extended help that meets the needs of the people. We Rotarians, especially those on Biliran Island have local knowledge of whom to help, including who to talk to in order to bring the help in a timely manner. Thus, rather than being sucked into bureaucratic processes, working together expedited the help and we are very thankful."
Dindin Morillo, Anna Dixie, Greg Pastor and Jane Diu at the Almeria Tent Site
Whilst this alone is a great example of how effective the partnership between ShelterBox and Rotary can be, responding immediately to disasters with high quality emergency shelter aid, on this response, we were able to take the partnership one step further.
The Village Project run by the Rotary Club of Biliran Island involved legally procuring land, construction of sixty transitional shelters, hands on training, and legal ownership documentation for families receiving the homes. Families were provided with technical training through TESDA (Technical Education and Skills Development Authority) to build their homes. In this way, not only will they have a safe place to live, but they also will have accredited training and a certificate which can help them gain employment in construction.
Workers building the Almeria transitional homes which they will live in.
The Rotary Club of Biliran Island helped secure the land, and provided the funding for the materials. ShelterBox was able to provide the roofing sheets for one of the Rotary Village sites, further strengthening our partnership while helping families recover.
Jane Diu, Dindin Morillo and Stephanie Christensen at the Almeria Rotary Village Site
Disaster recovery is a process. When ShelterBox and Rotary work together after disasters, having ShelterBox's technical expertise, and Rotary's community connections and knowledge side by side, mean that families are given the best tools and support that they need through each step of the process to recover and rebuild.
ShelterBox is currently busy in the Philippines once again, this time responding to Super Typhoon Mangkhut in Luzon.
ShelterBox is a registered charity independent of Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation. ShelterBox and Rotary are project partners in disaster relief.
ShelterBox and Rotary – inspiring young people to take action
'Do it!' – Young people call other young people to join them in humanitarian volunteering with Rotary and ShelterBox
Does charity work appeal to young people? Organisations such as Rotary and ShelterBox may have an adult profile, but the momentum is growing among a younger generation to generate the next big humanitarian wave. Meet four people who enthuse about a youthful future for volunteering.
'Do it! I would encourage any young person to look further into this.' That is the rallying cry from Katelyn Winkworth, a young Australian who has recently qualified as a ShelterBox response volunteer, and keenly awaits her first deployment to help families caught up in war or natural disaster.
Aged 23 when she attended the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards in 2014, Katelyn subsequently set up a Rotaract club in Brisbane with colleagues. Rotaract – literally Rotary in Action – had its roots in American universities and local communities, beginning in North Carolina in 1968. Now it has over 11,000 clubs worldwide and 253,000 members. For young men and women aged 18 to 30, it is badged as 'a global effort to bring peace and international understanding to the world.'
Katelyn on completion of her pre-deployment training with Shelterbox
Katelyn's enthusiasm for humanitarian work began with Rotary. 'My Rotaract Club volunteered to help at a fundraiser for ShelterBox. When I learnt about the work that Rotary and ShelterBox were doing together, I immediately wanted to become further involved. A Rotary mentor passed on the details of an Australian Shelterbox contact, and my journey began.'
'Humanitarian work can be very specialised and it can feel hard to get involved, but these organisations are well established, with support all around the world. ShelterBox can go into nearly any country, and be assured that there are Rotarians there who will provide invaluable support for their humanitarian work. Both organisations are supportive and provide incredible training opportunities.'
Does Katelyn feel that enough is done to attract young people to the cause? 'Bridging the gap between older members and younger members is important! It can be a good idea to support any young person that wishes to come along to Rotary, perhaps dedicating a Rotarian to make a special effort to welcome newcomers.'
Katelyn adds that young people may assume they have to be a lot more experienced or progressed in their career before joining the ShelterBox team or volunteering. But, in fact, a quarter of ShelterBox staff are aged under 30, and two thirds under 40. She thinks visibility is key. 'For both ShelterBox and Rotary more advertising and promotion is required, as people won't get involved in things they simply don't know about! Getting the word out is important.'
'It's so important to engage young people'
ShelterBox had its origins in the Rotary movement eighteen years ago, and now is Rotary's global project partner in Disaster Relief. Rotary clubs have plenty of outreach programmes which support young people. The Rotary Club of Truro Satellite often meets at ShelterBox HQ, and it has had particular success in taking school computer equipment and furniture to the Romanian city of Targoviste.
Cathie Shipwright, Secretary of the Rotary Evolution Club of Truro, says, 'From a Rotary perspective it has been a hard sell to engage young people in getting involved with a longstanding international service organisation. With the support of Rotary International, we are able to offer a different approach to Rotary membership – with a monthly Saturday morning meeting over coffee and cake. We then get involved with other charities in supporting them with events such as collecting, marshalling etc.'
Rotary clubs have been active in the international eradication of polio, and on the creative side hold art and photography competitions at local schools.
'I believe in this modern world of technology, instant communication and social media that young people are much more aware of issues locally and internationally, and we have to find ways that allow them to get involved and engaged in an innovative and interesting way. Life for young people is very busy and they find it difficult to commit regularly, but anything that allows them to dip in and out is useful.'
'With regard to ShelterBox – this is a great example of how Rotary can make things happen. It has become a worldwide phenomenon. The nature of its work I believe appeals to younger people and the chance to work and volunteer with the organisation is a great opportunity.'
'Both organisations give me an opportunity to help society and people in need, which gives me immense satisfaction.'
Ashish (left) and his Rotaract colleagues were instrumental in ShelterBox's response to the 2015 Nepal earthquakes
Ashish Chaulagain lives and works in Kathmandu, Nepal, and first became aware of ShelterBox in 2007 at the age of 19. He explains, 'My home club the Rotaract Club of Kathmandu had helped a ShelterBox deployment in the far western region of Nepal to support families affected by flooding. Later in 2008, when there was another flood in the country, I contacted ShelterBox HQ asking for help. ShelterBox sent a response team of four with 624 ShelterBoxes to the flood affected victims.'
Ashish was also first to notify ShelterBox in 2015 when a massive earthquake struck Nepal. Now a Head of Department at Thames International College in Kathmandu, he has also been a team leader on Rotary's literacy mission in Nepal, and presented a paper entitled the 'Call of Youth' at the World Forum Conference in 2014.
Asish's connections with ShelterBox continue today, and he is one of the most enthusiastic advocates of attracting young people to humanitarian ethics. He says, 'ShelterBox is an amazing organisation to work with. I know of only a few organisations that push themselves beyond their boundaries to help people in need, and ShelterBox is one such organisation.'
'I give most of my free time to Rotary and ShelterBox. Both organisations give me an opportunity to help society and people in need, which in fact gives me immense satisfaction. I have made my family and employers clear on my passion for community service, so it's easy for me to get time from them and from my other appointments. They are also proud of my involvement.'
Ashish feels he brings the particular skills of communication, cross-cultural adaptability, negotiation, and above all, friendliness. Looking to the future for both Rotary and ShelterBox he sees, 'More opportunity to involve more youngsters, with the right communication and training and development for them.'
Yanni found working at ShelterBox HQ inspirartional
Yannis Commino, from Newcastle in Australia, is one of ten Interns that ShelterBox has offered training to in the last year. He says, 'I was presented with the opportunity of a lifetime. During my New Generations Service Exchange at the headquarters of ShelterBox International in Truro, Cornwall, I gained priceless insight and first-hand experience in disaster relief management.'
'As I walked through the doors of ShelterBox headquarters, I was greeted by a youthful, vibrant, and enthusiastic team. I was impressed by their morning meetings, as they sit in front of four large television screens analysing the current deployments and tracking global news of the day.'
'I truly believe this was the beginning of a lifetime of experiences.'
New Generations Service Exchange is a Rotary short-term programme for young university students or young professionals up to age 30, who are interested in humanitarian work. More details here.
All these young people, and thousands more like them, are discovering that working or volunteering in the humanitarian sector is exciting and fulfilling. As Yannis says, 'This kind of work will enable me to merge my two passions: helping others and exploring new destinations and cultures.'
ShelterBox and Rotary are project partners for international disaster response. A registered charity, ShelterBox is independent of Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation.
To find out about volunteering with ShelterBox Australia, please visit:
https://www.shelterboxaustralia.org.au/volunteer-with-us/
ShelterBox Nominated For Nobel Peace Prize
We've had a lot of questions and enthusiasm about the news that ShelterBox has been nominated for this year's Nobel Peace Prize. We are truly honoured to be able to confirm that this is true.
We'll keep you updated with any further news – the winner is announced in October 2018.
Building Peace
Every minute, more families – just like yours – lose everything in the chaos of conflict. Their homes, their livelihoods, and even family members are brutally snatched away.
When missiles and mortars leave cities in ruins, when troops storm villages, when families fear for their lives – we believe that shelter can cut through the chaos.
Shelter is more than a roof. It is protection from the cold, the rain, the sun, dangerous animals, disease. It is the foundation for life, for family, for community. It's a space to feel safe, to have privacy, to heal and start the long road to recovery.
Right now, we're providing aid to families with houses left in tatters by bombs and fighting. We're helping families caught in some of the world's most extreme conflict zones, including the Syrian conflict and the Lake Chad Basin, and also in some of the world's largest refugee camps like Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh.
Our work keeps families and communities together, increasing feelings of stability and togetherness during a time of unprecedented global conflict and displacement.
We can't give back what was lost, but we can provide the tools for families and communities to start their own recovery, promoting stability in the face of such huge trauma.
We can give tents, tarpaulins, ropes and nails and other vital tools to rebuild a home. Solar lights so children can see their parents in the dark night and communities can combat isolation at night. Blankets to keep warm; mosquito nets, water filters and containers to protect from disease; cooking pots to provide meals.
All vitally important when suddenly you have nothing and you need to rebuild your home and your place in the world.
https://www.shelterboxaustralia.org.au
Unexpected lessons from my disaster relief experience
Posted on April 12, 2018 by MikeGreenslade
Here's a great little story that involves the The Rotary Club of Morisset , NSW and the Rotary Club of Truro, Cornwall via ShelterBox Australia and ShelterBox HQ ……..
Yannis Comino with ShelterBox aid supplies.
By Yannis Comino
Over my summer break at the University of Newcastle in New South Wales, I decided to trade in the warmer weather of Australia for an English winter. Why, you might ask, would I do such a thing? Well, the only way I can explain it is — I was presented with the opportunity of a lifetime. During my New Generations Service Exchange at the headquarters of ShelterBox International in Truro, Cornwall, I gained priceless insight and first-hand experience in disaster relief management.
World Rotary Day 2018 – Thank You Rotary!
Posted on February 23, 2018 by MikeGreenslade
Rotary was integral to our response to hurricanes in the Caribbean in 2017
ShelterBox began life as a Rotary Club project back in 2000. Since its humble beginnings, with the help of Rotary International and Rotarians around the world, it has grown to become a world leader in emergency shelter provision . In 2011, ShelterBox was granted Project Partnership status by Rotary International, cementing the special relationship between the two organsiations.
ShelterBox Australia's CEO, Mike Greenslade, a Rotarian from the Alstonville club in Northern NSW, said,
"I've been involved as ShelterBox Response Team member since 2006 and have deployed 22 times with ShelterBox. On nearly all of those deployments, Rotary have been essential partners on the ground, providing useful local knowledge, accommodation, transport, translators, warehousing and personnel. Moreover, Rotarians always offer us warm hospitality wherever we go. In fact, the first Rotary club meeting I attended was in Rabaul, Papua New Guinea, on my first deployment; we shared a meal and great camaraderie and talked about customs clearance and transport options. Nothing would have happened in PNG without Rotary.'
Help from the Rotary Club of Rabaul was essential in PNG in 2006
'The support we get from Rotary Clubs in Australia is no less important. Most of our volunteers are Rotarians and clubs give a significant amount of our funding. Today is a day to say 'thank you Rotary!' There are over 1.2 million disaster-affected families that are better off because of you!"
Thanks to all our Rotary Ambassadors and volunteers!
ShelterBox establishes its first operations base outside the UK in time for typhoons in Philippines
Posted on February 5, 2018 by MikeGreenslade
New Philippines base in the path of Typhoon Alley has 'already improved our ability to respond to this season's storms'
Disaster relief agency ShelterBox set up its new operations base in the Philippines in time for tropical storms Kai Tak and Tembin.
A team from ShelterBox has been working with the Philippines Government and the Rotary Club of Biliran Island, focusing on the municipalities of Caibiran, Almeria, Naval and Biliran which suffered serious flooding, mudslides and loss of homes and livelihoods when two months of rainfall fell within two days. ShelterBox aid distributions have been carried out on the island of Biliran, providing families with vital weather-resilient tents, shelter kits for waterproofing damaged properties, and other desperately needed items including solar lights, water carriers, blankets and mosquito nets.
ShelterBox and Rotary worked together to help those affected by Tropical Storms Kai Tak and Tembin
The more than 7,000 islands of the Philippines sit right in the firing line of one of the world's most deadly storm systems, known by meteorologists as 'Typhoon Alley'. On average, ShelterBox responds to disasters here around twice a year and it is intended that the new office 'ShelterBox Operations Philippines' sited at Cebu, the first of its kind for the UK-based organisation, will help get vital emergency shelter to vulnerable families even more quickly.
Dave Ray, an experienced member of the UK-based Operations team, has recently returned from Biliran Island, and says, 'Since Typhoon Haiyan in 2013 the Philippine Government has strongly favoured agencies that are registered and sited in the Philippines, as well as those sourcing their aid from within the country. ShelterBox Operations Philippines, with its aid supplies for 1,000 to 2,000 families, has already improved our ability to respond to this season's storms, and when it is fully staffed and operational later this year its local expertise will make us even more efficient and effective.'
'Of course, it was always likely we would be called into action before our new office was fully open. The pre-positioned aid items and local contacts were already there, and our response team was on the ground with Rotary partners able to act faster because of our new in-country status. A new Philippines project Office Development Manager has also joined the organisation recently.'
Shelterbox camp at Biliran
ShelterBox is a UK-based international disaster relief charity specialising in emergency shelter.,Since its start in 2000 it has helped more than 1.1 million people worldwide rebuild their lives, and it has fundraising affiliates cross the world. However, whilst ShelterBox pre-positions aid in storage hubs such as Panama, Dubai and Malaysia, all operational activity including deploying aid and volunteers to disasters zones has always been coordinated from the UK headquarters in Truro.
ShelterBox has responded to catastrophes in the Philippines more frequently than to any other country in the world – 24 times in the last 13 years. Located on the island of Cebu, one of the areas worst hit by the record-breaking Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, ShelterBox Operations Philippines already stores enough shelter items to help around 2,000 families, with capacity for far more in the future.
ShelterBox Chief Executive, Chris Warham says,'This is a first for ShelterBox, and a huge achievement. It shows ShelterBox's flexible and agile model at work. We have assessed and understood the situation of some of the most vulnerable communities in the world, and come up with a different approach to make sure we are best placed to help quickly whenever disaster strikes. As a charity with limited resources, having teams and aid ready where and when they are needed will be more efficient, which is also an absolute priority for us.'
Aid is deployed by any means necessary. "Whatever it takes"
ShelterBox Operations Philippines was created by working closely with local Rotary groups. ShelterBox is Rotary International's official Project Partner in disaster relief, and together they form one of the world's most effective humanitarian collaborations, with many Rotarians around the world volunteering and raising money for ShelterBox. The fully trained team for the new base will be in position soon, a new arm of the HQ Operations staff in the UK.
Meteorologists refer to the West Pacific as 'Typhoon Alley' with good reason. Tropical storms gather out at sea with almost no landfall to slow them down before they hit South East Asia. Between 2000 and 2014, 41 super typhoons were recorded there. That's almost four times as many as are generated in the Atlantic.
Typhoon Haiyan in November 2013, the deadliest typhoon on record killing 6,300 people, triggered major changes in how the Philippines responds to its constant barrage of tropical storms. The Philippine Government now requests international assistance less often, limiting tax-free importing. They also now strongly favour agencies that are registered and sited in the Philippines, as well as those locating their aid from within the country.
You can support those affected by disaster by donating here: ShelterBox Australia


At least 161 members of the House of Representatives are yet to sponsor a bill more than two years after assuming office, Daily Trust findings have shown.
Of the 360 members in the House, only 199 have sponsored at least a bill since their inauguration on June 9, 2015.
They have spent 26 months out of their 4-year tenure, with only 22 months left.
Within the period, the 161 lawmakers pocketed at least N32 billion in allowances and salaries, investigation by this newspaper has revealed.
Each lawmaker gets N7.6 million as running/overhead cost and additional N660, 000 as salary monthly, which amounts to N8.26m monthly.
In the 26 months they spent so far, each lawmaker has pocketed about N214.7m each, totalling N34.576bn.
There are 1066 before the House, with 53 of them coming from the Executive arm, and 23 forwarded from the Senate.
Official records of lawmakers without bills obtained by Daily Trust showed that the North West has the highest where 60 of its 91 members have not turned in any bill. Of the 72 members from the South West, 32 have no bills to their names.
The North East has 48 members, 25 members of whom have no bills, while out of the 55 lawmakers from the South South, 19 failed to sponsor a bill.
Similarly, the North Central, with a total of 49 members, 16 members fail to sponsor a bill, while only 8 members out of 43 from the South East do not have a bill in their name. Only one member out of the two from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) sponsored bills.
The breakdown showed that Chief Whip, Alhassan Ado Doguwa from Kano State, who is the leader of the North West Caucus in the House, has no bill in his name. Others from Kano are Ibrahim Sani Umar, Abdullahi Mohammed Gaya, Garba Umar Durbunde, Nasiru Baballe Ila, Suleiman Aliyu Romo, Sani Mohammed Rano, Munir Babba Dan-Agundi, Nasiru Ali Ahmed, Shehu Usman Aliyu, Musa Ado Tsamiya, Mustapha Bala Dawaki and Badamasi Ayuba. Only 11 members out of 24 have bills from the state.
In Katsina State, there are 12 members without bill. They are Saidu Sani Fago, Kabir Shuaibu, Danlami Kurfi, Ahmed Dayyabu Safana, Murtala Isa, Ibrahim Murtala, Amiru Tukur, Muntari Dandutse, Suleiman Salisu, Babangida Ibrahim and Mansir Ali Mashi. Jigawa is next where nine members out of 11 have no bill. They are Adamu Mohammed, Magaji Aliyu Da'u, Abubakar Hassan Fulata, Yuguda Hassan Kila, Rabiu Garba Kaugama, Usman Ibrahim Auyo, Mohammed Gudaji Kazaure, Mohammed Gausu Boyi and Ibrahim Abdullahi Dutse.
In Kaduna State with 16 members, seven lawmakers namely: Lawal Mohammed Rabiu, Sunday Marshall Katung, Yakubu Umar Barde, Simon Arabo, Muhammad Musa Soba, Mohammed Abubakar and Yusuf Bala Ikara have no bills.
The lawmakers without a bill from Sokoto State are Hassan Bala Abubakar, Aminu Sani Isa, Kabiru Marafa Achida, Bashir Isa Salihu, Mohammed Sa'adu and Shehu Aliyu. There are 11 members from the state.
There are six lawmakers from Kebbi State out of 8 without bill. They are Aliyu Danladi, Bello Dantani, Suleiman Hussaini Kangiwa, Abdullahi Hassan Suru, Salisu Garba Koko and Mohammed Dantani.
Only one member from Zamfara State has sponsored a bill.The six without bills are Lawali Hassan Anka, Abdulmalik Bungudu, Aminu Sani Jaji, Yahaya Chado, Ibrahim Isah and Lawal Mu'azu.
In the South West, Lagos has the highest members without bill, 10 of them out of 24. They are Joseph Adebayo, Diya Babafemi, Olufemi Adebanjo, Taofeek Abiodun, Abiola Olatunji, Bolaji Ayinla, Raji Olawale, Tajudeen Obasa, Abayomi Danda Kako and Nurudeen Akinwumi, a new comer who replaced late Adewale Elijah who had a bill before his demise.
In Ondo State, six members have no bill out of nine. They are Afe Oluwookere, Babatunde Kolawole, Olemija Friday, Akinfolarin Samuel, Akinlaja Joseph, Baderinwa Bamidele. The same thing obtains in Oyo State where six out of 14 members, namely: Adedapo Lam-Adesina, Segun Ogunwuyi, Olasupo Abiodun, Olugbemi Samson, Ayoade Olugbenga and Sunday Adepoju have no bills.
Five out of the nine members from Ogun State have no bills. They are Akinlade Adekunle, Adekoya Adesegun, Ojugbele Olusola, Mukaila Kazzim and Williams Olusegun. There are three out of six lawmakers from Ekiti State, namely Akinyele Awodumila, Thedeous Akinola and Agboola Emmanuel Kehinde, without a bill.
Osun has two out of 10 without a bill. They are Akintayo Gafaru Amere and Albert Abiodun Adeogun.
In the North East, seven members out of 10 from Borno State have no bill. They are Mahmud Lawan Maina, Jibrin Santumari, Mohammed Nur Sheriff, Mukhtar Betara, Mohammed Sanda, Mallam Bukar Gana and Abdulkadir Rahis.
Bauchi has six out of 12 without bills, namely Tata Omar, Halliru Dauda Jika, Adamu Gurai, Isa Hassan, Aliyu Musa and Lawal Yahaya Gumau.
Also, out of the six members from Taraba State, four, namely: Danladi Tijo, Aminu Malle, Garba Hamman Julde and Danjuma Usman Shiddi have no bill. The same thing obtains in Yobe State where four out of six members have no bill. They are: Ismaila Ahmed Gadaka, Sabo Garba, Sidi Yakubu Karasuwa and Abdullahi Kukawa, who, last year, replaced Khadijah Bukar Ibrahim, now a minister.
In Gombe State, two members out of six have no bills. They are Ismaila Hassan and Yaya Bauchi, both of whom replaced Barambu Kawuwa and Khamis Mailantarki respectively. Also, two lawmakers out of eight from Adamawa State have bill, namely: Gutuwa Philip and Talatu Yohana, who replaced Laori Bitrus last year.
In the South South, nine members out of 13 from Rivers State have no bill. They are Dagomie Abiante, Gogo Bright Tamuno, Blessing Ibiba, Randolph Brown, Boma Goodhead, Jerome Amadi, Barry Mpigi, Chidi Wihoka and Maurice Pronen. Our correspondent reports that most of the Rivers lawmakers did not spend much time in the House as their elections were nullified. They only returned recently, while Mpigi, Wihoka and Pronen are new in the House.
Of the 10 members from Akwa Ibom State, four do not have a bill. They are Owoidighe Ekpoatai, Iboro Ekanem, Emmanuel Ukoete and Michael Enyong.
Similarly, out of nine members from Edo State, three members, namely Omosede Igbinedion, Aisowieren Patrick and Johnson Oghuma have no bills. Oghuma was sworn in last February, replacing Philip Shuaibu, who became deputy governor of Edo State.
Bayelsa, Cross River and Delta have one member each without bills and they are Jephthah Foingha, Christopher Ngoro and Julius Pondi respectively.
In the North Central, six members out of 10 from Niger State have no bill. They are Abubakar Lado, Abubakar Chika Adamu, Muhammad Bala Faruk, Umar Rofia, Abdullahi Garba and Salisu Shadafi.
Benue and Kogi have three each, namely Hassan Saleh, Adamu Entonu and Adaji Ezekiel (Benue) and Kabir Ajanah, Abdullahi Bello and Ikani Benjamin (Kogi).
Kwara and Nasarawa have two each, namely: Tope Olayonu and Olufunke Adedoyin (Kwara), Abubakar Sarki Dahiru and Mohammed Jafaru (Nasarawa). Jafaru replaced late Musa Onwana mid last year.
All the eight members from Plateau State have sponsored at least a bill.
In the South East, of the 11 members from Anambra State, four, namely: Okechukwu Eze, Anayo Nnebe, Chris Azubogu and Anohu Chukwuemeka have no bills. Three members out of the six from Ebonyi have no bills. They are Anayo Edwin, Nwazunku Chukwuma and Ogbee Lazarus.
Only Nkole Ndukwe out of the eight members from Abia State has no bill, all the members from Imo (10) and Enugu (8) have sponsored different bills.
Similarly, Zakari Angulu from the FCT has no bill to his name.
Lawmakers with the highest number of bills on regional basis are Rep Uzoma Nkem-Abonta (PDP, Abia/South East), 50 bills; Rep Ossai Nicholas Ossai, (PDP, Delta/South South), 46 bills and Edward Pwajok, (APC, Plateau/North Central) 41 bills.
Others are Gideon Gwani (PDP, Kaduna/North West), 20; Femi Gbajabiamila, (APC, Lagos/South West), 14.
Mohammed Tahir Monguno from Borno State (North East) has nine. Speaker Yakubu Dogara has 10 while his deputy Yussuf Suleiman Lasun has one.
The Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, told Daily Trust that the lawmakers' inability to sponsor bills was because they lack capacity.
"It's unfortunate that they spent two years collecting tax payers' money. They should be accountable for all they have collected. Part of the reason for their being inactive is because they didn't prepare for the job, so they lack the capacity. They don't also understand the legislative work and they're not ready to learn.
"They're just in the legislature for their personal interest and not to make laws. But let's even look at the ones that sponsored bills. Some of them don't even know how to go about sponsoring a bill. Look at the bills to undermine CSOs, encourage looting, grant immunity to themselves, whittle down the powers of CCT and EFCC and the rest.
"Nigerians must confront the lawmakers to do the work they were elected to do. Those that are doing nothing must wake up from their slumber," he said.


Want the best of both worlds? Get prime position fireworks viewing and VIP treatment all night. Here is your ticket to make NYE 2018 truly memorable!
– an exclusive boardwalk area with uninterrupted view of Sydney's world famous New Years Eve fireworks, the Harbour Bridge, Opera House and harbour.


Alright, it's time to have a serious chat, so if you can just excuse me for a minute. You can grab your coffee, or tea, or chocolate milk since I saw that seems to be a popular beverage of choice in our introductions, because if we were having this chat face to face we would definitely be at a coffee shop or in my home, in big, comfy chairs, with our souls and minds intent on a good heart to heart, on speaking the truth and speaking life to one another. I'm just going to warn you from the start that this heart to heart is going to be hard, but it's going to be good too. It's going to call you out and hopefully it's going to call you to action for the sake of your future and for the sake of Delight's future.
This is the third week of Advent. (already!?) This year threw me off a little bit, since Christmas is on a Sunday this year and Advent began earlier. This week, our focus is joy. Broken and marred by sin, this world was and is in desperate need of our perfect King to come. We marvel at the incredible gift that God would send His Son into this world. Last week, we focused on preparing our hearts for His coming. And this week, we marvel with joy and great expectant hope that He is coming despite our sin. Despite our brokenness. And despite our failures. Even though we live in a world filled with sorrow and pain, we are comforted that our coming King comes despite those things.


This year's Open Minds Experience will see students taking part in a variety of adventurous activities in the beautiful surroundings of Aragon's mountains. Students should be prepared to embrace the landscape and the endless opportunities for education and exploration that it provides. To ensure students' maximum enjoyment of the trip, preparing for the environment is essential. The sierra de Guara sits on the boundary between the warm and dry Mediterranean climate to the east and the wetter climate to the north and west. It is however nestled in the rain shadow of the Pyrenees meaning that warm, dry weather is common, even in winter. This said, as with any mountain environment, we must always be prepared for anything the elements may throw at us.
Below is a list of recommended items to bring. The items in bold are particularly important.
An Open Mind and adventurous spirit!


text:
JCR's experience can benefit the kids at Barnet
Jamal Campbell-Ryce is relishing the opportunity to help bring on Barnet's youngsters next season after agreeing a new contract at The Hive.
The experienced winger, who initially joined the Bees on a one-year deal from Sheffield United last summer, recently confirmed an extension to his stay.
Currently working towards his UEFA B coaching licence, Campbell-Ryce has one eye on the future – but he is keen to continue his role as an influential senior pro for the moment.
"I really enjoy that role," he told barnetfc.com. "Over the years you find yourself adapting to it and trying to look after the younger players.
"In the past I always used to have that – when I was starting out at Charlton senior players like Scott Parker and Paolo di Canio would be bending my ear.
"Training and playing with people like that was a fantastic experience and the young lads know they can come to me now and chat about things.
"I think the coaching course is part and parcel of helping the younger players. This is a road I can maybe go down, coaching or managing, and who knows, that could be at Barnet one day."
Londoner Campbell-Ryce has spent a large part of his 15-year career further afield, turning out for the likes of Rotherham, Southend, Barnsley, Bristol City and Notts County.
So the decision to prolong his stay in the capital with Barnet was a straightforward one – also helped by the club's appointment of head coach Rossi Eames on a permanent basis.
"Rossi was the Under-23s' manager when I arrived, but as soon as I came in the building we struck up a good rapport and I'm delighted that he got the job," added Campbell-Ryce.
"It'll be great playing under him again. I can genuinely say that I'm enjoying my football and the set-up at Barnet made it such an easy decision for me to put pen to paper.
"I'm a London lad, but I hadn't played here for a while, so signing for Barnet felt like coming home. The foundations of the club are fantastic and everything's in place for us to do some really good things."
Tim Flowers reacts to Boreham Wood defeat
Tim Flowers gives his assessment following our defeat to Boreham Wood.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
COP27 climate change conference: urgent action needed for Africa and the world
Chris Zielinski Centre for Global Health, Faculty of Health and Wellbeing, UK Health Alliance on Climate Change, London, UK PubMed articlesGoogle scholar articles
on behalf of the authorship group listed below
Google scholar articles
Correspondence to Dr Chris Zielinski, UK Health Alliance on Climate Change, London, UK; chris.zielinski{at}ukhealthalliance.org
Zielinski C on behalf of the authorship group listed below
BMJ Health & Care Informatics 2022;29:e100690. doi: 10.1136/bmjhci-2022-100690
First published October 18, 2022.
© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. Re-use permitted under CC BY. Published by BMJ. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/This is an open access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Unported (CC BY 4.0) license, which permits others to copy, redistribute, remix, transform and build upon this work for any purpose, provided the original work is properly cited, a link to the licence is given, and indication of whether changes were made. See: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.


text:
Palm Coast Thursday, Aug. 23, 2012 6 years ago
Palm Harbor Home Sells for $480,000
by: Toby Tobin Contributing Writer
For the second consecutive week, a Palm Harbor salt water canal home topped the sales list for Flagler County residential real estate transactions for the week of July 30 to Aug. 3. William and Maria Golden, of Palm Coast, sold the home at 43 Cottonwood Court to Lawrence and Audrey Butler, also of Palm Coast. Built by the sellers in 2002, it has three bedrooms, a pool, a dock and 1,923 square feet of living area.
THE HAMMOCK
Cinnamon Beach
Paul and Danielle Pappas, of Plantation, sold condominium Unit #151 of Cinnamon Beach at Ocean Hammock, 200 Cinnamon Beach Way, to Andrew and Beverly Kovachik, of Monroe, Conn., for $395,000. Built in 2005, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,003 square feet of living area. It sold in 2005 for $806,100.
Edward and Joanne Smith, of Palm Coast, sold the home at 35 Nantucket Drive to Robert and Martha Agnew, of Palm Coast, for $277,000. Built in 1986, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,842 square feet of living area. It sold in 2000 for $165,000.
Michael and Patricia Cato, of Flagler Beach, sold Unit 6, Sea Watch Villa Condominium, 1770 Central Ave. S., to Robert Grundvig and Heidi Buhlman-Grundvig, of Menomonie, Wis., for $209,000. Built in 1981, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,080 square feet of living area. It sold in 2010 for $153,000.
Judith Heartwell, of Flagler Beach, sold the home at 2299 Central Ave. N. to Frank and Patricia DeVico, of Flagler Beach, for $191,000. Built in 1958, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,500 square feet of living area. It sold in 1998 for $79,500.
Belle Terre
Juvenal and Leanne Estrada, of Palm Coast, sold the home at 126 Pepperdine Drive to Maranda Clark, of Flagler Beach, for $75,000. Built in 1991, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,226 square feet of living area. It sold in 2006 for $172,500.
Andrey Krasovskiy and Liudmila Krasovskaya, of Moscow, sold the home at 30 Princess Dolores Lane to Victor and Paula Gomes, of Cranston, R.I., for $129,000. Built in 2001, it has four bedrooms, two baths and 1,980 square feet of living area. It sold in 2009 for $149,000.
Cypress Knoll
John and Barbara Watkins, of Oxford, Md., sold the home at 42 Emerson Drive to Francisco Baez, of Palm Coast, for $137,000. Built in 2003, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,683 square feet of living area. It sold in 2005 for $215,000.
Antonietta Tripoli, of Elmont, N.Y., sold the home at 192 Eric Drive to Thomas Cooney and Phyllis Corcoran, of Palm Coast, for $131,600. Built in 1999, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,319 square feet of living area. It sold in 2005 for $231,000.
Charles and Antoinette DeNise, of Toms River, N.J., sold the home at 90 Front St. to Zinaida Olkovetsky, of Palm Coast, for $230,000. Built in 2002, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,150 square feet of living area. It sold in 2006 for $475,000.
Elena Abaimova, of Palm Coast, sold the home at 20 Hidden Lake Way, to Peter Zhermoskiy and Olga Nova, of Houston, for $280,000. Built in 2005, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,636 square feet of living area. It sold in 2006 for $385,000.
Indian Trails
Fannie Mae sold the home at 6 Barrington Drive to Denver Miller and Dallas Miller, of Sarasota, for $111,000. Built in 2000, it has four bedrooms, two baths and 1,953 square feet of living area.
Phillip and Dorothy Cochran, of Radford, Va., sold the home at 9 Beaverdam Road to JKR Investment Group Inc., of Palm Coast, for $83,500. Built in 1987, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,481 square feet of living area. It sold in 1995 for $77,000.
Lehigh Woods
Fannie Mae sold the home at 11 Raintree Place to Mid Florida Housing Partnership, of Daytona Beach, for $100,000. Built in 2003, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,535 square feet of living area. It sold in 2003 for $98,900.
Duane and Elizabeth Quintern, of Palm Coast, sold the home at 5 Ralph Place to Roe and Margaret Adams, of Purcellville, Va., for $195,000. Built in 2005, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,872 square feet of living area. It sold in 2005 for $159,400.
Matanzas Woods
Mamuka Tatishvili and Olga Kevlishvili, of Arlington Heights, Ill., sold the home at 4 Lynn Place to Liliya Temnorod, of Palm Coast, for $95,000. Built in 2005, it has four bedrooms, two baths and 2,242 square feet of living area. It sold in 2005 for $205,600.
Francis and Judy McElroy, of Pawling, N.Y., sold the home at 88 Lindsay Drive to Marie Giglio, of Palm Coast, for $155,000. Built in 2004, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,239 square feet of living area. It sold in 2009 for $140,000.
Palm Coast Plantation
Holland Martin, of Palm Coast, sold the home at 97 Heron Drive to Gerald and Dawn Maxwell, of Youngstown, Ohio, for $468,500. Built in 2006, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a summer kitchen, a pool and 3,578 square feet of living area.
Wells Fargo Bank sold the home at 5 Clee Way to James and Darlene Vieldhouse, of Palm Coast, for $243,200. Built in 1986, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool, a boat dock and 2,315 square feet of living area. It sold in 2007 for $412,200.
Richard and Antoinette Allen and Saverio Russo, of Palm Coast, sold the home at 17 Fordney Place to Teresa Brown, of Palm Coast, for $116,500. Built in 1992, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,784 square feet of living area. It sold in 2006 for $235,000.
Eugene and Mary Graybosch, of Palm Coast, sold the home at 13 Powder Horn Drive to Donald and Irene Appelhans, of Palm Coast, for $100,000. Built in 1988, it has two bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,334 square feet of living area. It sold in 1999 for $65,000. The pool was added in 2002.
Shinnecock Properties LLC, of Palm Coast, sold the home at 2 Pointer Place to Mark and Vickie Granam, of Palm Coast, for $152,500. Built in 1987, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,917 square feet of living area. It sold in April 2012 for $95,000.
Pine Lakes
Edilson Presiblski and Jacqueline Da Silva, of Hillside, N.J., sold the home at 5 Woodfalon Place to Rosemary Wright, of Levittown, Pa., for $125,000. Built in 2000, it has four bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,276 square feet of living area. It sold in 2008 for $237,000.
Thomas and Amanda Bilotti, of Highland, N.Y., sold the home at 7 Karas Trail to Robert and Margaret Clothier, of Palm Coast, for $125,000. Built in 2006, it has four bedrooms, two baths and 2,184 square feet of living area. It sold in 2011 for $114,000.
Freddie Mac sold condominium Unit 2114 of Tidelands, 115 Riverview Bend S., to Terrance and Carol Brenn, of Warren, Mich., for $111,900. Built in 2006, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,254 square feet of living area. It sold in 2007 for $349,900.
Robert and Frances Maguire, of Amelia Island, sold condominium Unit #1544 at Tidelands, 85 Riverview Bend S., to Rod MacDonald and Rhonda MacDonald, of Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, for $109,900. Built in 2006, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,283 square feet of living area. It sold in 2007 for $185,000.
Palm Harbor home: $470,000


text:
China's new virus cases fall again, deaths now exceed 1,100
XINHUA VIA AP
A police officer operates a drone carrying a QR code placard near an expressway toll station in Shenzhen in southern China's Guangdong Province. As a measure to help prevent and control novel coronavirus, an online register system for vehicles coming back to Shenzhen has been put into use since Saturday. To increase the efficiency, local police officers used drones to carry a QR code at the expressway exits for drivers to get registered with less contact with other people.
BEIJING >> China on Wednesday reported another drop in the number of new cases of a viral infection and 97 more deaths, pushing the total dead past 1,100 even as the country remains largely closed down to prevent the spread of the disease.
The National Health Commission on Wednesday said 2,015 new cases had been reported over the last 24 hours, declining for a second day. The total number of cases in mainland China is 44,653, although many experts say a large number of others infected have gone uncounted.
The 97 additional deaths from the virus raised the mainland toll to 1,113.
Despite the official end of the extended Lunar New Year holiday, China remained mostly closed for business as many remained at home, with some 60 million people under virtual quarantine.
The World Health Organization has named the disease caused by the virus as COVID-19, avoiding any animal or geographic designation to avoid stigmatization and to show the disease comes from a new coronavirus discovered in 2019.
The illness was first reported in December and connected to a food market in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, where the outbreak has largely been concentrated.
China's official media reported Tuesday that the top health officials in Hubei province, of which Wuhan is the capital, have been relieved of their duties. No reasons were given, although the province's initial response was deemed slow and ineffective. Speculation that higher-level officials could be sacked has simmered, but doing so could spark political infighting and be a tacit admission of responsibility.
The virus outbreak has become the latest political challenge for the party and its leader, Xi Jinping, who despite accruing more political power than any Chinese leader since Mao Zedong, has struggled to handle crises on multiple fronts. These include a sharply slowing domestic economy, the trade war with the U.S. and push-back on China's increasingly aggressive foreign policies.
Zhong Nanshan, a leading Chinese epidemiologist, said that while the virus outbreak in China may peak this month, the situation at the center of the crisis remains more challenging.
"We still need more time of hard working in Wuhan," he said, describing the isolation of infected patients there a priorityon.
"We have to stop more people from being infected," he said. "The problem of human to human transmission has not yet been resolved."
Without enough facilities to handle the number of cases, Wuhan has been building prefabricated hospitals and converting a gym and other large spaces to house patients and try to isolate them from others.
The restart of business poses a risk of further spreading the virus, but China has little recourse, said Cong Liang, secretary general of the National Development and Reform Commission, the country's main economic planning body.
"Without the reopening of businesses, in the short term, it will affect the supply of medical material and … in the long run, it will affect the supply of all kinds of production and life materials and will make the control and prevention efforts on the front line unsustainable. The target of defeating the epidemic will not be reached," Cong said at a news conference.
In Hong Kong, authorities evacuated part of an apartment block after cases among its residents raised suspicion the virus may be spreading through the building's plumbing. Three residents in one apartment were confirmed to have the virus days after a resident who lives 10 floors above them.
During the 2002-03 outbreak of SARS, an illness caused by a related virus, a number of infections in Hong Kong were linked to one building's sewage pipes.
Hong Kong has confirmed 49 cases in the current outbreak.
Postal operators in the United States, China, Singapore and elsewhere said the suspension of flights to slow the virus spread was having a major impact on the global flow of letters and parcels.
The United States Postal Service informed its counterparts around the world on Tuesday that it was "experiencing significant difficulties" in dispatching letters, parcels and express mail to China, including Hong Kong and Macau, because airlines have suspended flights to those destinations.
It said the USPS said can no longer accept items destined for China "until sufficient transport capacity becomes available."
The Universal Postal Union, a U.N. agency for postal cooperation between its 192 member countries, said the flight suspensions would impact mail delivery "for the foreseeable future."
The Chinese mail service, China Post, said it was disinfecting postal offices, processing centers and vehicles to ensure the virus doesn't spread via the mail and to protect postal staff.
The virus does "not survive for long on objects. It is therefore safe to receive postal items from China," China Post said.
Honolulu Zoo completes repairs to 2 bird exhibits
Bernie Sanders narrowly edges moderate rival Pete Buttigieg in New Hampshire primary
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More Coronavirus Outbreak
Hawaii COVID-19 positivity rate at 6.0%; 11 more deaths recorded
Chief justice cites innovations born from COVID restrictions
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Lo 48 °F NWS forecast: Rain showers likely. Cloudy, with a low around 48. Southeast wind around 1 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Empire Prairie: Cloudy in the morning, becoming mostly cloudy in the afternoon. Patchy light fog in the morning. A chance of rain. High 66°. UV index up to 5. Wind east-southeast around 2 mph in the morning, becoming south-southwest in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation 30 percent. Precipitation mostly less than a tenth of an inch.
Hi 68 °F NWS forecast: Rain showers likely before 10am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 68. Southeast wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Empire Prairie: Fair in the evening, becoming clear after midnight. Moderate fog after midnight. Low 44°. Wind south around 3 mph.
Lo 49 °F NWS forecast: Mostly clear, with a low around 49. South wind around 6 mph.
Empire Prairie: Mostly sunny in the morning, becoming partly to mostly sunny in the afternoon. Moderate fog in the morning. High 70°. UV index up to 7. Wind north-northwest around 7 mph, gusting to 19 mph, in the morning, becoming 13 mph, gusting to 23 mph, in the afternoon.
Hi 70 °F NWS forecast: Mostly sunny, with a high near 70. Northwest wind 5 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.
Empire Prairie: Mostly clear in the evening, becoming clear after midnight. Low 44°. Wind north-northwest around 6 mph, gusting to 18 mph.
Lo 45 °F NWS forecast: Mostly clear, with a low around 45. Northwest wind 5 to 13 mph.
Empire Prairie: Sunny. High 73°. UV index up to 7. Wind north-northwest around 5 mph in the morning, becoming south-southeast in the afternoon.
Hi 69 °F NWS forecast: Mostly sunny, with a high near 69.
Empire Prairie: Partly to mostly cloudy in the evening, becoming cloudy after midnight. Patchy light fog after midnight. Rain likely after midnight. Low 50°. Wind south around 9 mph, gusting to 18 mph. Chance of precipitation 70 percent. Precipitation mostly around half an inch.
Lo 52 °F NWS forecast: Rain showers likely between 1am and 4am, then showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 52. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Empire Prairie: Mostly cloudy in the morning, becoming partly to mostly sunny in the afternoon. Patchy light fog in the morning. Windy. High 65°. UV index up to 6. Wind southwest around 16 mph, gusting to 30 mph, in the morning, becoming west-northwest around 24 mph, gusting to 35 mph, in the afternoon.
Hi 70 °F NWS forecast: Showers and thunderstorms likely before 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 70. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Empire Prairie: Fair in the evening, becoming mostly clear after midnight. Low 39°. Wind northwest around 16 mph, gusting to 31 mph, in the evening, becoming 5 mph, gusting to 17 mph, after midnight.
Lo 40 °F NWS forecast: Partly cloudy, with a low around 40.
Empire Prairie: Sunny. High 61°. UV index up to 7. Wind southeast around 5 mph, gusting to 17 mph, in the morning, becoming 11 mph, gusting to 19 mph, in the afternoon.


The definitive Mexican food truck in the Chilterns.
Meaning the Diner, El Comenzal, is a street food truck on a mission to provide authentic, sustainable and delicious Mexican street food. Our menu shows off a variety of regional Mexican cuisine. We have over 30 recipes currently in rotation on our menu although we are constantly looking to develop new recipes. In order to bring as much, mouth-watering tasty, Mexican food to our local area as possible.
We are available for private event hire, and want to cater your next event. Our wide knowledge of Mexican cuisine and large recipe book allows us to create menus bespoke to you and your event.Contact us today for more information. Based in Aylesbury, we focus primarily on the counties of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Oxfordshire, although we have been known to go further afield.
Our food and our business is sustainable, palm-oil free, allergen friendly and Vegan/Vegetarian friendly. We are attempting to go plastic free and have eliminated plastics from our packaging and our beverage cups.


1  Solomon decided to build a Temple to honor the name of the LORD, and also a royal palace for himself. 2  He enlisted a force of 70,000 laborers, 80,000 men to quarry stone in the hill country, and 3,600 foremen.
"Send me cedar logs as you did for my father, David, when he was building his palace. 4 I am about to build a Temple to honor the name of the LORD my God. It will be a place set apart to burn fragrant incense before him, to display the special sacrificial bread, and to sacrifice burnt offerings each morning and evening, on the Sabbaths, at new moon celebrations, and at the other appointed festivals of the LORD our God. He has commanded Israel to do these things forever.
5 "This must be a magnificent Temple because our God is greater than all other gods. 6 But who can really build him a worthy home? Not even the highest heavens can contain him! So who am I to consider building a Temple for him, except as a place to burn sacrifices to him?
7 "So send me a master craftsman who can work with gold, silver, bronze, and iron, as well as with purple, scarlet, and blue cloth. He must be a skilled engraver who can work with the craftsmen of Judah and Jerusalem who were selected by my father, David.
8 "Also send me cedar, cypress, and red sandalwood  logs from Lebanon, for I know that your men are without equal at cutting timber in Lebanon. I will send my men to help them. 9 An immense amount of timber will be needed, for the Temple I am going to build will be very large and magnificent. 10 In payment for your woodcutters, I will send 100,000 bushels of crushed wheat, 100,000 bushels of barley,  110,000 gallons of wine, and 110,000 gallons of olive oil.  "
"It is because the LORD loves his people that he has made you their king! 12 Praise the LORD, the God of Israel, who made the heavens and the earth! He has given King David a wise son, gifted with skill and understanding, who will build a Temple for the LORD and a royal palace for himself.
13 "I am sending you a master craftsman named Huram-abi, who is extremely talented. 14 His mother is from the tribe of Dan in Israel, and his father is from Tyre. He is skillful at making things from gold, silver, bronze, and iron, and he also works with stone and wood. He can work with purple, blue, and scarlet cloth and fine linen. He is also an engraver and can follow any design given to him. He will work with your craftsmen and those appointed by my lord David, your father.
15 "Send along the wheat, barley, olive oil, and wine that my lord has mentioned. 16 We will cut whatever timber you need from the Lebanon mountains and will float the logs in rafts down the coast of the Mediterranean Sea  to Joppa. From there you can transport the logs up to Jerusalem."
17 Solomon took a census of all foreigners in the land of Israel, like the census his father had taken, and he counted 153,600. 18 He assigned 70,000 of them as common laborers, 80,000 as quarry workers in the hill country, and 3,600 as foremen.
<< 2:1 Verse 2:1 is numbered 1:18 in Hebrew text.
<< 2:2 Verses 2:2-18 are numbered 2:1-17 in Hebrew text.
<< 2:3 Hebrew Huram, a variant spelling of Hiram; also in 2:11.
<< 2:8 Or juniper; Hebrew reads algum, perhaps a variant spelling of almug; compare 9:10-11 and parallel text at 1 Kgs 10:11-12.
<< 2:10a Hebrew 20,000 cors [3,640 kiloliters] of crushed wheat, 20,000 cors of barley. 2:10b Hebrew 20,000 baths [420 kiloliters] of wine, and 20,000 baths of olive oil.
<< 2:16 Hebrew the sea.


text:
Tag / creative
May 30, 2018 May 30, 2018 by whyididntwritetoday
Seeing the big picture – the creativity hack you often overlook…
creative, creativity, design, inspo
Growing up, I lived in the countryside – which meant I was used to country roads and the pace that life moved at.
So, when I started driving, I was a little nervous about motorways and dual carriageways.
"Why?" asked my driving instructor, "if anything it's easier. The more you can see of the road ahead, the more you can be ready for".
And he's right.
It's like that with creativity.
The more you can see of the big picture, the easier it is to plan.
But I go one step further than this, I take it literally.
So I bought an A3 drawing pad. A nice big space for me to draft out and plan what I do.
Too often I see people writing on their phones.
Sure that's okay for a Tinder message or a Whatsapp. But if you're crafting sentences, writing paragraphs it's better to see the whole page.
The bigger picture. It's good.
February 6, 2018 February 6, 2018 by whyididntwritetoday
Was Jung right?
creative, jung, philosophy
"There is rarely a creative man who does not have to pay a high price for the divine spark of his great gifts… the human element is frequently bled for the benefit of the creative element" – Carl Jung.
November 19, 2017 November 19, 2017 by whyididntwritetoday
computers, creative, creativity, poetry
Creativity is connecting things.
Connecting things is creativity.
Connecting things.
Catch an idea and tie it to something else.
Finish it.
October 16, 2017 October 16, 2017 by whyididntwritetoday
How kitchen roll taught me that creativity can be simple
creative, creativity, design, writer
Some 20 years ago, my first school was one of many schools that were entered into a competition.
It was run by one of the big kitchen roll companies – I can't recall which one.
Basically they wanted us to do a special design for some limited edition packaging.
Yep, instead of using a design firm they decided to skip costs and get eager kids to do it…
Being a creative nipper I was excited by this. But, back then, creativity to me meant that you had to try and be as far outside of the box as possible.
I didn't think practically or subtly. And so my design looked like it had been put together by Andy Warhol after an acid flashback.
In terms of the client brief and brand it didn't fit.
And, of course, I didn't win.
But my best friend did. He had come up with a fairly simplistic (yet polished) design and they lapped it up.
I jealously watched as he won a shedload of plaudits and even nailed a newspaper interview.
Nowadays he channels that skill as a design engineer.
And, after learning a lot, I eventually got a break as a copywriter.
There's a lesson here for us all. Creativity is about connecting things and sticking true to what your client or your audience will respond to and want.
There's no such thing as simple. Not really, anyway. It's just about having a good idea. Whether that idea is plain and conservative, or rainbow coloured – it's about what fits.
That's what creativity is. It can be simple. It just needs to fit the purpose.
(Photo credit: Daily Express)
September 28, 2017 September 28, 2017 by whyididntwritetoday
Genghis Khan on creative leadership….
creative, history, leadership
There are thousands upon thousands of articles out there on leadership. All full of 'important' yet often conflicting information.
But one thing that most of them agree on is that, to make it in business, you need have a ruthless streak.
There are leaders like Steve Jobs and Richard Branson.
And then there are leaders like Genghis Khan. If you've not heard of him, then you must have skipped history at school.
He lived from 1162 to 1227 (which was old for those times) and is most notably known for being the founder of the Mongol empire. He was a ferocious, fearless leader who wasn't afraid to massacre whole tribes to get where he wanted.
Sure, not exactly a nice guy…but damned successful at getting what he wanted.
As an aside – I always find it interesting that, even though he's one of the biggest historical figures ever, there's no official record of what he looked like. Some reports say he was tall and thin, some say short and stout…while others claim that he was (unusually for the Mongol empire) a ginger chap.
But, as ruthless as he was, Genghis Khan had an eye for talent. Which is something any leader…creative or otherwise…should have. And, he was reasonable enough to put this eye for talent ahead of his own personal feelings.
Let me tell you a story that highlights this well…
It was 1201 and Genghis was embroiled in a battle with the nearby Taijut tribe. It was a bloody, nasty business and he was lucky to win.
As the best leaders do Genghis led by example and rode into battle along with his troops and lieutenants.
He was a skilled warrior, but in this particular battle he nearly fucked up.
An arrow slammed into his horse and he was thrown off, he hit the ground and narrowly missed being slayed by the Taijut.
As Genghis Khan's fortune would have it the Mongol tribe won.
He was furious that he'd come so close to death, and afterwards he addressed the Taijut prisoners and asked them who it was who fired the offending the arrow. Of course, as he did so, he didn't expect for a minute that the culprit would come forward.
But he did.
A Taijut archer stepped forward and claimed responsibility.
Khan's initial reaction was to kill the man where he stood. But then, he thought better of it. It was an incredible shot to hit his horse from such a distance…the archer must have been talented.
So, stirred by the archer's boldness and in awe of his talent, Genghis Khan offered him a job.
He went on to become one of the Mongol's most esteemed field commanders.
So there we have it. A lesson from history. Don't let personal feelings get in the way of admiring and recruiting talent. Just because someone doesn't agree with you at first, doesn't mean that you can't reach them eventually.
…don't you just love loose metaphors?
As a side-note, Genghis Khan created one of the world's first ever postal systems – so he was definitely more than just a barbarian!
September 26, 2017 by whyididntwritetoday
Ever dealt with a client from hell?
clients, creative, designer, freelance
If so…you might like to have a look here:
https://clientsfromhell.net
Genuienly hilarious site I've been following for years.
It'll make you feel more sane as a freelancer. Promise.
September 2, 2017 September 2, 2017 by whyididntwritetoday
Calvin harris, creative, dance, music
"The trouble with making music as a job is that I have no outside interests. All I can do to wind down is go to sleep." – Calvin Harris
He makes a good point.
For many people who aren't creatives in their day job, their creative discipline is usually just a hobby or a side-job.
Often they do it because it's very therapeutic.
And it begs the question…how would you manage your down time if your hobby becomes your day job?
I guess for some of us that's the dream…
August 31, 2017 August 31, 2017 by whyididntwritetoday
Of Sherlock, Larsson & Terry Pratchett.
creative, larsson, pratchett, sherlock holmes, stories
I read this article from 'The Verge' today, and it made me think about the legacies that creatives leave behind them.
I'm sure you'll have heard of Terry Pratchett – one of the most celebrated authors of our generation. Sadly, he died in 2015, after a long battle with Alzheimer's – over the years he sold 85 million books worldwide, and they were translated into 37 different languages.
Quite the legacy.
The other legacy that Pratchett left behind was ten unpublished/unfinished novels that were stored on his hard drive.
So, what did he want done with these books? Did he want them published? Did he want someone to ghost-write them and finish them for him?
Nope. He asked for the hard drive to be destroyed by Lord Jericho.
Lord Jericho being a vintage steam roller.
And so away went Pratchett's unfinished legacy, never to grace his worldwide readership. Meaning that no editors or ghostwriters would be able to change his work after his death.
Which, for him, was the perfect outcome.
However, not every creative is so lucky. Take for example, Steig Larsson.
Larsson burst onto the scene in the early noughties. His 'Millenium' trilogy became a worldwide sensation – and, if you haven't read the three books, I firmly implore you to give them a go.
Sadly, Larsson died of a sudden heart attack in 2004. At that time his three novels were sat on his computer – unpublished. In 2005 the first one was released.
But, Larsson would never know that. Which I find realy sad. He was an activist and a journalist by trade, and had often hinted to colleagues and friends that he was writing some novels that would be his 'retirement fund'.
What's worse is that Larsson's sudden death caused problems with his estate and where the royalties and copyright should go. Whether it should go to his reportedly 'estranged' family or to his partner, Eva – the debate still rages on now – over ten years later.
Since then a couple of other books have been released in the series, written by a completely different writer – and done so without the blessings of Larsson's partner.
And, you have to wonder, how would he feel about this? Should a writer's work go with the writer, or should it stay?
I wonder what Sir Arthur Conan Doyle would think of the 'Sherlock' TV series, and who knows what HP Lovecraft would think of the many films and novels that his stories spawned.
June 10, 2017 June 10, 2017 by whyididntwritetoday
It's nice to be beside the seaside…
beach, creative, inspo, writing
Today I didn't write because I went to the seaside.
There's something in the saying "oh I do like to be beside the seaside".
There's something about the air and the sun as it twinkles off the water.
A cleansing, blow-out-the-cobwebs experience.
It made me feel creative.
I know us artists and writers can often be indoor types but crisp, clean and fresh air should never be discounted as a remedy for the creative block.
Drop the fear…
creative, fear, quotes


Gets or sets a Boolean that specifies that an SSL connection should be used.
true if control and data transmissions are encrypted; otherwise, false. The default value is false.
The connection to the FTP server has already been established.
The following code example uses an encrypted connection to download the directory listing from an FTP server.
// The serverUri should start with the ftp:// scheme.
// Get the ServicePoint object used for this request, and limit it to one connection.
// or select a value that works best for your application.
// The following streams are used to read the data returned from the server.
// Display the data received from the server.
Unless the EnableSsl property is true, all data and commands, including your user name and password information, are sent to the server in clear text. Anyone monitoring network traffic can view your credentials and use them to connect to the server. If you are connecting to an FTP server that requires credentials and supports SSL, you should set EnableSsl to true.
The "AUTH TLS" command is sent to the server to request an encrypted session. If the server does not recognize this command, you receive a WebException exception.


Soldier of Fortune on Dreamcast!
Discussion in 'Archived Threads 2001-2004' started by Jeff Adams, Jul 26, 2001.
Has anyone played this yet on the Dreacast? I really want to go pick this one up. I have been looking for a game that is like Goldeneye, or Syphon filter for along time. Is this what I have been waiting for? Or is it just another mindless shoot em up kill everything in site game like Quake or Unreal Tournament? Not that there is anything wrong wth shoot em up games, but I want a little more strategy.
I had it on the PC and wasn't that impressed, plenty of gore and action for sure but not much in the way of strategy.
I also am looking forward to checking this game out. I've seen it on PC (never played it, my computer would self-destruct trying to handle it) and it sounds like the DC version could be decent. The other reason I wanna check it out is because one of the programmer's from Raven software gave a lecture at my summer class, and he was saying how this is the first console game they'd worked on. Raven is in Madison, so I gotta support the local boys.
But this game keeps getting delayed...it was due out on July 4th, then the 25th, and now it's the 27th and I still can't get it. I hope it doesn't follow the path of the DC Half-Life.
Hey Jason, great news. I picked up a copy of SOF last night at my local Babbages. They had plenty of copies. And let me tell you, that is such a fun game. I love it. I played it for 3 1/2 hours last night. There is just something about walking right up to a bad guy and putting a bullet between his eyes. Replay value on this is very high. The story line on this game is actually pretty good. I was just messing around with this game last night, I cant wait to actually get serious and start working my way through the levels. This game makes Duke Nukem, Quake and Resident Evil look like childrens game. It is very graphic and realistic. Cool!
That is great news, Jeff! I ordered one for myself thru work, haven't received it yet, though. Hopefully I'll have it next week. Thanks for the update!


These free to enter events have something for everyone with the latest Yamaha models on display, action events, test rides and much more.
The Revs Your Heart Tour is ready to roll and the time has come for you to experience a wide range of the latest Yamaha models, including Hyper Naked, Supersport, Sport Touring and Sport Heritage models.
Visiting seven UK cities during 2017, the Revs Your Heart Tour will be a unique opportunity for all types of rider to experience the latest Yamaha machines.
All motorcyclists and non-motorcyclists are welcome – no matter what you ride!
See the Revs Your Heart Tour truck with clothing and accessories displays.
New models on display – ride the new MT-09 and the race inspired new YZF-R6 plus the latest MT-10 SP.
Fleet of new models available to test ride* on our road route, including the latest 2017 model MT-10, plus the multi award winning MT-07. With many demo bikes fitted with Genuine Yamaha Accessories, you can try the 'Comfort Seat' option or Sport Screen or even the billet aluminium rearsets and Ackrapovic exhaust. Riders must bring their MC Licence to join the road rides.
A1 and A2 Riding Experience – aimed at new ridersour instructors will teach you to ride the new MT-125 and MT-07 35kW will be available on a closed course. These A1 and A2 licence compliant machines are perfect for new riders and novices. With expert tuition from our instructors and riding gear available to borrow, you can try them out even if you have never ridden before or you do not yet have a full Motorcycle Licence. No licence necessary* (Not available at Haynes Motor Museum, Green Welly Cafe and Motorcycle Live).
Refreshments available from on-site catering companies.
No booking required. Motorcycle parking available on site.
Note the Revs Your Heart Tour at MCN Festival - Peterborough, Llan Bike Fest and at 2017 Motorcycle Live is located within the controlled event site and an event entrance ticket is required to reach the Revs Your Heart Tour and tour attractions.
All Test Ride bookings should be made on the day at the event. Test ride bookings can be made at the Revs Your Heart Tour marquee.
Some flexibility may be required on the day as timings may vary. Yamaha UK reserve the right to refuse a test ride. For the road riding you will need a valid, full motorcycle licence – you must bring your licence to the event. Terms & Conditions apply.
The Revs Your Heart Tour will visit some of the best known motorcycle friendly venues around the UK including a stop at 2017 Motorcycle Live at the NEC. Each venue has been selected to allow the Roadshow to be easy to get to but also with some outstanding local roads for the Revs Your Heart Demo Ride route.
The Revs Your Heart Demo Rides will depart from and return to the Revs Your Heart Tour venue and test rides will be escorted on a special route designed to allow you to get the feel for your selected Yamaha model.
The Revs Your Heart Tour events are free to enter events (excluding MCN Festival and Motorcycle Live events) and everyone is welcome. Yamaha Motor however reserves the right to refuse admission to the Revs Your Heart Tour attractions.
Demo rides follow a predetermined road route and groups are led by outriders.
Test Ride slots can only be booked at the event for the same day.
The organisers reserve the right to move or change test ride bookings during the event subject to circumstances.
To ride a Yamaha test bike on the road riders must be a minimum of 18 years old and hold a full valid UK Motorcycle Licence. Yamaha Motor Europe NV, branch UK and Focused Events reserve the right to refuse a test ride to any person.
The instructions of the organisers and the guide riders must be followed at all times.
Riders must NOT be under the influence of drink or drugs to participate in the test rides and riders must obey the normal rules and regulations of the highway.
Test ride insurance cover will be provided but riders should have their own personal medical cover.
Riders must disclose to the organisers the relevant level of skill and experience they have before the test ride.
Riders should be phisically able to ride the selected machine and must disclose any injury or disability including sight and hearing that might affect their ability to control the machine.
Extreme Wheelie machine rides are undertaken at the participants' risk and the rider must follow the instructions of the machine operator.
The Dave Coates Stunt Show is a motorsport activity and as such is potentially dangerous. Spectators must observe the safety procedures and respect the boundaries of the display area.
All data collected at the Revs Your Heart event will be available for Yamaha Motor Europe NV, branch UK to use at a later date for marketing purposes and participation in the event is taken as an understanding and agreement that the personal data collected can be used.
Some activates may be dangerous Yamaha Motor Europe NV, branch UK is in no way liable or responsible for the actions of suppliers.
The schedule, organisations and attractions at each event may vary and may change without notice. The listed attractions and activities are for description only and are not as such a contracted offer to the event visitor. Availability of rides and activities may be limited and can be subject to local weather conditions.


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The online Dental niche is highly competitive and has a tendency to keep growing. As the demand and the offer increases, search engines also increase their website's ranking criteria to best attend user's expectations. In addition, the rules are very rigid on this field and this is why a specialized service for your Dental business is vital for the dental digital marketing strategy of your business.
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