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A-Next (1998-1999)
The Next Generation of Avengers! Meet Speedball, Jubilee, Stinger and MORE on their very first mission together!
Alpha Flight (1983-1994)
Introducing Canada's premiere superhero team, Alpha Flight, as they take on the dimensional beast Tundra!
Contains two amazing stories! Spider-Man: Freak! Public Menace! Peter Parker tries to continue a show biz career as Spider-Man, yet J. Jonah Jameson's editorials slamming him as a menace makes it hard to find work. Spider-Man vs. the Chameleon! The criminal Chameleon breaks into a military building dressed as Spider-Man to steal missile plans. He is confronted by security officers who place
Amazing Spider-Man Epic Collection
Collects Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #326-333 & Annual #24, Spectacular Spider-Man #158-160 & Annual #10, Web of Spider-Man #59-61 & Annual #6. With great power comes great responsibility but what happens with unlimited cosmic power? When a science experiment goes wrong, Peter Parker's spider-powers are enhanced to an unbelievable degree! And the timing can't be beat - because with a cabal of dea
Magneto is alone in the shadows, reminiscing about Charles Xavier. Nightcrawler appears and tells Magneto that he believes Bishop is a plant for Apocalypse. Magneto says he's more afraid that Bishop represents the truth. He tells Nightcrawler about the night Xavier died, and how he saw a black man on the periphery who later vanished. That night Erik made a promise to Charles that he would make the
Avengers (1963-1996)
The first of a star-studded series of book-length epics featuring some of earth's greatest super-heroes! Brought to you by the legendary creative team of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby!
Avengers Spotlight (1989-1991)
The ACTS OF VENGEANCE crossover saga begins here! One of the most powerful villains in the Marvel Universe has a long-standing grudge against the Avengers. This time he's come up with the ultimate plan to destroy them! Plus: Hawkeye and Iron Man embark on a desperate rescue mission to free guards trapped in The Vault!
Avengers West Coast (1985-1994)
The Avengers make their West Coast debut! Newlyweds Hawkeye and Mockingbird check out a California compound while awaiting the arrival of their team. Enter the mysterious Shroud! Plus, Tigra and Iron Man join the Cali-crew!
Black Panther (1977-1979)
Marvel legend Jack Kirby presents Black Panther in his first ongoing series!
Cable (1993-2002)
Cable must return to the past. But what deadly path must be trave to claim the Temporal Device known as...The Timex!
Terrorists have holed up inside the Lincoln Memorial. Their demands don't include getaways or money - they simply want Captain America. And if their demands aren't met, they'll blow themselves up, along with everyone inside the memorial!
Captain Marvel (1968-1979)
Captain Mar-Vell of the Kree Imperial Militia is sent to observe the planet Earth as it is developing technology to travel into space. But, Mar-Vell eventually wearies of his superiors' malign intent and allies himself with Earth as the Kree Empire brands him a traitor as Mar-Vell fights to protect Earth from all threats.
Captain Marvel: Starforce
Collects Fantastic Four (1961) #65, Ms. Marvel (1977) #1, Marvel Super-Heroes (1967) #12, Captain Marvel (1968) #52, Quasar #10, Avengers (1963) #346, Captain America (1998) #8, material from Captain America (1968) #399 and more. They're set to wow you in theaters, but who are the Kree warriors known as Starforce? Get to know Captain Marvel and her spacefaring allies with these classic adventur
Champions (1975-1978)
Meet Marvel's most eclectic super hero team! With the Avengers defending the East Coast, the Champions rise to defend the West. The team assembles for the very first time…amidst a skirmish of the Olympian Gods! Hercules and Venus are being hard-pressed into a plot to overthrow Zeus. Will Black Widow, Ghost Rider, Iceman and Angel, join Hercules in this battle for Olympus?
Cloak and Dagger (1983)
Cloak and Dagger, who wield the powers of darkness and light, set out to fight crime in New York City. But when a stray bullet from a street battle gone wrong harms a civilian, the superhuman duo may be forced to question their vigilante methodology...
The origin of Daredevil, The Man Without Fear! Matt Murdock is blinded but gains super power abilities he uses to patrol Hell's Kitchen.
It's the end of an era. The end of the Eisner-Award winning Bendis/Maleev run is here, and you'll have to see it to believe it! The team that outed Matt Murdock will leave you awestruck with a major change in the life of the Man Without Fear. A major, major change. 'Nuff said! Guest-starring everyone!
Deadly Foes of Spider-Man (1991)
Collects Deadly Foes of Spider-Man #1-4 and Lethal Foes of Spider-Man #1-4. Spider-Man's greatest villains take the spotlight, struggling to make their way against heroes and rival villains alike! Featuring the Beetle and Speed Demon, later of the Thunderbolts! Dr. Octopus! The Vulture! Stegron! Swarm! Hydro-Man! The Rhino! The Kingpin! The Answer! And more! And guest-starring Spidey, natch!
Defenders (1972-1986)
The Defenders are cast across the globe in this explosive annual! In Washington D.C., Doctor Strange must convince the President that Nebulon's Mind Control Movement is not in the public's best interest. Power Man and Valkyrie investigate mysterious deaths in India, while Nighthawk and Red Guardian take on a violent faction in France!
Doctor Strange (1974-1987)
When Dr. Stephen Strange, a once gifted but egotistical surgeon, seeks out the Ancient One to heal himself, he sets himself down a path to become Dr. Strange, the Sorceror Supreme!
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme (1988-1996)
When dangers from the occult and mystical realms rear their ugly heads, Doctor Stephen Strange, the Sorceror Supreme, is there to protect our reality from forces that would aim to end or enslave it.
Drax: Guardian Of The Galaxy
Collects Iron Man (1968) #55; Captain Marvel (1968) #27-33, 43-44, 58-62; Warlock (1972) #15; Marvel Spotlight (1979) #1-2; Avengers (1963) #219-220; material from Logan's Run #6, Thor (1966) #314, Marvel Graphic Novel #1. Follow the path of an Earth man whose destiny lies in the stars. It's a story of death and rebirth as Arthur Douglas is transformed into Drax the Destroyer. He has one purpos
Excalibur (1988-1998)
The world believes the X-Men have fallen, but this is only the beginning! Kitty Pryde, Rachel Summers, and Nightcrawler form Excalibur, premiere super hero team of the United Kingdom! Captain Britain leads the pack with shape-shifting lover Meggan. Will the team survive the coming days of terror?
Factor X
Sinister plans to leave Apocalypse's side to pursue his own goals. Havok plans to take command, believing his brother Cyclops to be too weak to lead. Can Apocalypse's army hold it together or will it crumble from within?
Fantastic Four (1961-1996)
Meet Marvel's First Family: Mr. Fantastic, the Invisible Girl, the Human Torch, and The Thing. In this first issue, the FF must confront the menace known as the Mole Man and his giant underground monsters, as they attack atomic plants all over the world.
Fantastic Four: The Lost Adventure (2008)
Collects The Last Fantastic Four Story, Fantastic Four: The Lost Adventure, Fantastic Four (1961) #296 & #543. Stan's back, and he's brought the Fantastic Four with him! Stan Lee and Jack Kirby made pop-culture history during the 1960s with their landmark run on FANTASTIC FOUR. Unabridged for 102 consecutive issues, the legacy of their work together has influenced the imaginations of comic-book
Fantastic Four: The World's Greatest Comics Magazine (2001-2002)
Collects Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Comics Magazine #1-12. Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's legendary run on FANTASTIC FOUR lasted more than one hundred issues — and ended all too soon! Now, witness the continuing adventures of Marvel's First Family, told as if Stan and Jack never left the book! Some of comics' most talented creators join forces in this time-tossed tribute to the original Imag
Fear Itself: Sin's Past (2011)
The Origin of Sin, daughter of the Red Skull - and some of the quirkiest Cap stories ever told! Captain America, regressed to a 98-pound weakling, vs. a teenage death cult and the Sisters of Sin! Battle Star and the Falcon, together against the Serpent Society! Featuring a special guest-appearance by the voluptuous Sersi!
Gambit & The X-Ternals
The Infinites have Jubilee right where they want her! That is, until the X-Ternals show up to rescue her!


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13 December 2021 in Proptech
Stapsgewijze integratie van intelligentie in gebouwen
Het samenbrengen van de drie administraties van het RIZIV, FAGG en FOD Volksgezondheid onder één dak, is geen puur verhuisverhaal, maar een integratie- en optimalisatieverhaal.
Process optimisation requires intelligence
Many support services were provided by three separate teams. After the integration, these activities had to be entrusted to a single team. This exercise makes it possible to simultaneously examine and adapt the processes, as well as to determine which tasks are better organised internally and which can be outsourced.
Furthermore, it was investigated how the space could be used optimally by applying flexible workstations. "How can maximum comfort be created?"
This led to the realisation that the building would need some intelligence to achieve the set targets. After all, the office complex of tomorrow uses 'integrated workplace management solutions' (IWMS).
Ideally, such an approach would be fed by data coming from both the users and the building.
Ideally, the decision to aim for a Smart Building is made in the preliminary stages of a project. In this project, however, the decision was only taken when the refurbishment work was already in full swing. Even though this is not the ideal scenario, there is often still "low hanging fruit" to be harvested, so that with minimal additional investment, large profits can be made. It is then important to perfectly map out the possibilities and optimization points. That is why Freestone has already worked for many years with Ingenium, an engineering company which specialises in, among other things, building and installation audits.
Tangible benefits of comfort optimisation
The benefits of comfort optimisation are more difficult to express in euros. But the benefits are numerous: greater productivity, less sick leave, more creativity, greater motivation, and so on.
The analysis in the context of making the Galilee building "smart", was noticed by the management team. For budgetary reasons, the investments will be made gradually.
It is not necessary to carry out all the desired changes at once. However, it is important that choices made today are part of a broader, future-oriented strategy.
Read here the full interview with Freestone and Ingenium

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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SahBabii Showcases His Love for Animals on New Song "Marsupial Superstars"
Lindsey India
SahBabii has had a life-changing year and he's stopping at nothing to make sure the success carpet keeps rolling out. The Atlanta rapper released a brand new song for fans called "Marsupial Superstars," which is a dedication to his passion and love for animals, featuring a guest verse from his older brother T3. Listen to it below.
The two spread their autotune vocals all over the upbeat trap-infused instrumental, with the song being a bonus track from SahBabii's upcoming re-release of his S.A.N.D.A.S. mixtape dropping June 2. Rather than making the word "marsupial" into a noun, the entertainer redefined the phrase into being an adjective that describes something big. The artwork will even bring out the nostalgia of 1990s babies, as it incorporates both SahBabii and T3 into being Mario Kart characters.
It's been a great year for SahBabii so far, as he not only landed himself a smash hit with his breakout "Pull Up Wit Ah Stick" record, but also landed himself a sweet record deal with Warner Bros. back in April.
This week, the rapper garnered attention on social media after taking shots at Migos following Offset's comments about rappers wearing chains with upside-down crosses. The two artists went back and forth online, but fans are hoping they can put their differences aside so things don't escalate any further.
Listen to SahBabii's new "Marsupial Superstars" record below.
Fans Name Rappers They Think Will Blow Up This Year
Filed Under: Bangers, SahBabii
Categories: Music, New Music, News


How do I Improve Employee Performance Through Leadership?
Improving employee performance through leadership requires skill, patience and creativity.
Raising and maintaining high performance among your work force is an essential element to your business reaching its goals and objectives. Your leadership team--supervisors, managers and executives--plays a vital role in ensuring employee performance levels remain high. This is a challenge for many leaders; however, it's one that can be resolved. With effective leadership, your work force can prove to be your organization's most valuable resource.
Mayhew, Ruth. "How do I Improve Employee Performance Through Leadership?" Small Business - Chron.com, http://smallbusiness.chron.com/improve-employee-performance-through-leadership-1957.html. Accessed 22 April 2019.


Destination weddings are becoming more and more popular with couples today. This 'eloping with a crowd' kind of wedding appeals to those that want to run away and get married, but at the same time, want to share the experience with friends and family. We have put together some of the top reasons couples are opting to get married away rather than have an at-home traditional wedding and to also show you how affordable, convenient, stress-free and easy to plan a destination wedding can be.
Destination weddings can be far less expensive for couples than a traditional wedding at home.
The stress of planning your wedding falls to your DestinationVows Specialist and your resort wedding co-ordinator.
You get a chance to spend some quality time with family and friends in a more intimate setting and – not just for a day as with a traditional wedding at home.
Barefoot on a beautiful sugar-sand beach? Surrounded by lush tropical gardens? Or perhaps in a gazebo overlooking the turquoise waters of the sea? These are just a few of the breath-taking venue choices for destination weddings at most resorts.
No time wasted travelling to the church, to a park or garden for pictures, then on to the reception. From the walk down the aisle to the last dance, everything can be found at your resort.
Not only do your family and friends get to witness and celebrate your vows, after the ceremony, everyone gets to relax and enjoy a vacation too!
Due to monetary reasons or time constraints, attending a destination wedding may not be for everyone and those that do usually attend, are those that are most dear to you.
A destination wedding provides an equal playing field between families and more importantly, no uncomfortable decisions for couples to make that may cause a sticky situation between families.
And The Guys Like It Too!
Guys seem to get more excited about a destination wedding and even the groom becomes more involved in the planning process. Organizing smaller events such as golfing or sailing for his buddies, makes him a lot more happier than picking out table centerpieces, that's for sure!
The honeymoon begins immediately after the ceremony. No early morning planes to catch, no time wasted travelling and the big one – no additional costs!


….A Time to Give | Infrastructure Engineering, Inc.
Each year, there are hardships that communities and individuals face; adversities that prompt us to give of ourselves and do something for those who can really use a helping hand. At IEI, we choose annually to acknowledge our thanks on Valentine's Day.
We are proud that our firm and staff volunteers their time and dollars towards a number of philanthropic organizations that support our local communities. These organizations' commitment toward meeting community needs is an ongoing effort that happens all year long. It is in this spirit of looking back at a rewarding year and expressing thanks to our clients, industry colleagues and communities for enabling us to give back and share the love.
Click here for client appreciation card.


I have a love-hate relationship with coconut water. I'd basically shunned it altogether after a series of name-brand purchases left me with nothing but a slimy mouth and unfinished bottle, with the taste just not worth the calories or hydration. Needless to say I was less than thrilled when, on my second cleanse ever (Cooler Cleanse), I had a bottle of it as part of my day 2 afternoon regime. Drum-roll… I loved it! It tasted nothing like the grocery store boxes lined up in rows, and I found myself addicted and looking forward to it even more than the lemonades it often replaced. I loved it so much I thought I'd give the grocery store options a second chance, again with the money and water going down the drain.
The raw, freshed-pressed coconut water is such a nutty and refreshing experience so different from the mass-marketed products, and I've finally found a raw juice available on its own through various outlets (I can confirm Whole Foods, and Amazon has it listed, though out of stock). Harmless Harvest Coconut Water promises all the raw goodness without the need to purchase the 1, 3 or 5 day cleanse or spend $10/bottle from the cleanse companies. It's not cheap, I'll say that, at $5.99 for a large bottle, but for a more affordable hydration boost (or treat, in my case), it's worth giving a try. All the unheated, fresh-pressed goodness.
Note: Cooler Cleanse and Organic Avenue offer awesome coconut waters through their online menus and cleanses.


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Bust of Minerva. Parian marble. Specimens of Ancient Sculpture.
Bust of Minerva
Bust of Minerva.
The eyes are now filled with plaster, but originally, no doubt, were formed of onyx or some similar material, in imitation of the natural eye. The hair flow away from the forehead, and falls behind the neck in one solid tress, not unlike the hair on some of the caryatides. This arrangement is one of the most common characteristics of this goddes. The ears have been pierced for the reception of era-rings.
The original and pure character of the head of Minerva is shown by a broad and smooth forehead, a long and finely-shaped nose, and a cast of countenance about the mouth and cheeks slightly stern; a somewhat angular chin; the eyes not fully opened, but slightly downcast, with the hair artlessly carried back along the brow, falling down upon neck.
Many busts similar to this may be recognized in the collections of Europe; perhaps that in the Villa Albani, at Rome, most nearly resembles the one under review. In general character, too, there is much coincidence between this bust and the so-called Athene Skiras, now in the Casino Rospigliosi at Rome. The helmet and the drapery, which are restored in bronze, are said to have been copied, with some variations, by Albacini from an ancient bust of Minerva, engraved in the six volume of Visconti`s Museo Pio Clementino; and the holes to which an ancient bronze helmet was once attached still remain. The head on a statue in the Louvre, called the Minerva of Vellétri, and also on that attributed to Antiochus, a sculptor of Athens, now in the library of the Villa Ludovisi at Rome, exhibit much analogy with this bust.
This bust was found in the year 1784 in the villa Casali, among ruins supposed to have belonged to the baths of Olypiodorus. It has been engraved in the Specimens of Ancient Sculpture, published by the Society of Dilettanti.
The head only is antique; the nose and the under part of each eye have been restored; it is in Parian marble *); and its entire height, without the pedestal, 2 feet 3 inches.
*) Parian marble is a fine-grained, white marble from the Greek island of Paros. Pliny names him in his Naturalis historia and uses the term lychnites. Among the famous ancient sculptors who worked with Parian marble is Praxiteles. The most famous statue made of Parian marble is probably the Venus of Milo. The temple of Apollo in Delphi as well as the gable sculptures of the temple of Aphaiat on Aegina are among the important antique buildings with Parian marble.
Source: A description of the collection of ancient Marbles in the British Museum by Combe Taylor, London 1861.
Asiatic Female with head-dress Cidaris. Persian Phoenician origin.
Head of Minerva with helmet, slightly inclined to the right.
Bust of a young and beardless satyr, with the pointed ears of a goat.
Roman emperor Septimus Severus in Paludamentum and Circular Fibula.
Female bust of a Bacchante. Maenad of Dionysiac cycle.
Bust of Apollo of great beauty, crowned with a narrow diadem.
Juno crowned with an indented diadem, usually called Stephane.
How Greek women dressed. The female dress of the classical period.
Filed under Ancient, Ancient Greece, Headdresses, Roman
Tagged Ancient Greek helmets, Ancient sculpture
Previous PostJuno crowned with an indented diadem, usually called Stephane.
Next PostStatue of Roman Emperor Hadrian in full military costume.
Vestments of a Gaelic family around 1 AD.
Greek Lady. Ancient Greece Costumes.
Byzantine silk fabric by the mantle of St. Fridolin
Merovingian king Clovis as founder of St. Genevieve.
Ancient Greek Helmets. Grecian and Syrian helmets.
Assyrian, Babylonian costume history. Mesopotamia.


This gorgeous 3,163 sqft, 5 bed, 3 bath home, is situated on a peaceful hillside preserve lot in Crimson Canyon – Ahwatukee Foothills. This home offers a large kitchen featuring rich, dark stained cabinets, over-sized granite island, stainless-steel appliances, walk-in pantry, with backyard views of the preserve. The kitchen opens to a spacious family room, with 18' vaulted ceilings and tiled fireplace. The first floor has a spacious bedroom and connected full bath. The upstairs features a large master suite with spacious walk-in closet, an open master bath with dual sinks, a private toilet, and walk-in shower and an oversize soaking tub. The upstairs includes 3 addl. bedrooms, a full bath w/ dual sinks and tub w/ glass door. This home offers a large formal living room and dining area.
Two front bedrooms access a balcony providing great mountain views. Large laundry room with cabinetry and wash sink. Additional upgrades include: travertine style tile, new carpet throughout, granite-top bar area, plantations shutters, bronze-oil fixtures, pendant lighting, neutral two-tone paint and energy saving hot water re-circulation. Two HVAC units have 2 years remaining on a 10-year warranty. The lush backyard and brick patios are ideal for entertaining and relaxing, while taking in the gorgeous mountain preserve views. Location is near academically acclaimed schools, grocery/drugstore, restaurants, shopping, hardware, hiking/biking/walking trails, and the Desert Foothills Park.


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There's no question which shooting discipline is now the favorite of Wolford School sophomore Hannah Walsh.
Competing in just her second and third pistol matches, Walsh placed 55th out of 71 women in the National Junior Olympic Air Pistol competition April 10 and 11 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.
The experience was awe-inspiring for the up-and-comer.
Wolford School sophomore Hannah Walsh (left) poses with two-time Olympic gold medalist Lones Wigger and Wolford assistant coach Melissa Langer at the National Junior Olympic Air Pistol competition earlier this month.
"That was just incredible," Walsh said. "It was so different and everything was so big and well put together. It was really professional and great to be at a place where people go to work as the pride of America."
Walsh had a two-day total of 630 out of a possible 800. The winning score was 769 by Lydia Paterson of Kansas. The difference separating Walsh and a top-50 spot was just 16 points.
"I think she did great," Wolford coach Bill Langer said. "In all honesty, going to the National Junior Olympic Championship and shooting the second and third match of your air pistol career is an awesome thing. The best thing is her scores went up each time. It was a great experience for a young shooter and for a coach."
Walsh received an invitation to the event as an at-large selection after posting a one-round score of 294 at the state championship in Minot in January. At nationals, she shot 308 and 322.
In Colorado, she was shooting on electronic targets in one of the nicest facilities the sport has to offer.
"Some of the best advice was to just keep going," Walsh said. "No matter what I shot the first day or the second day, that's all behind me and keep pushing and the next score will be better."
Walsh received advice from national coaches, Olympians, range officers and other athletes.
"One thing is she's dedicated," Langer said. "She practices, she listens to coaching, she takes advice. If something doesn't work she asks about it. She's very coachable. She wants to improve and she hasn't been shooting long enough to have any bad habits."
Langer joined Walsh on the trip along with her mother and sister. She prepared by practicing about five days week following the invitation in early February. She also competes in rifle, but feels more comfortable with pistol and now knows what it takes to compete at the national level.
"It was extremely educational and a really great trip," Walsh said. "The experience I got and the advice I got from a lot of people really motivated me to continue and move forward with it."


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Die Kirche St. Georg des alten Zisterzienser-Klosters Raitenhaslach steht im ehemaligen Klosterbezirk von Raitenhaslach, in der Stadt Burghausen. Sie war jahrhundertelang die berühmteste altbayrische Adelsgrablege. Zum 600-jährigen Klosterjubiläum 1743 erhielt die Wandpfeilerkirche ihre heute noch vorhandene Rokoko-Ausstattung, die sie zu einem der prächtigsten Barockbauten Süddeutschlands macht. Nach der Säkularisation wurde sie zur Pfarrkirche umgewidmet.

Geschichte

Die erste Klosterkirche wurde 1186 eingeweiht. Es war eine romanische dreischiffige Pfeilerbasilika mit einer Innenlänge von 60 Metern und einer Breite von 17,60 Metern. Das Hochschiff war mit einem Kreuzgratgewölbe überspannt.
Zum 600-jährigen Ordensjubiläum der Zisterzienser im Jahr 1698 wurde die Kirche in einen einschiffigen Wandpfeilerbau mit sechs Jochen umgebaut, mit einem den gesamten Raum überspannenden Tonnengewölbe und mit Quertonnen über den Seitenaltären.
Im Jahr 1743, zum 600. Klosterjubiläum, wurden die Altäre neu gestaltet, die Gewölbe mit Fresken und Stuck ausgeschmückt und eine neue Orgel gebaut.
In den Jahren 1751/1752 wurde durch den Baumeister Franz Alois Mayr eine neue Westfassade vorgeblendet. Nach der Säkularisation des Klosters am 1. April 1803 wurde die Abteikirche 1806 zur Pfarrkirche umgewidmet.

Ausstattung

Hochaltar
Der Hochaltar wurde 1738 von Johannes Zick geschaffen. Er stellt Mariä Himmelfahrt dar. Die Stuckarbeiten im Chorraum sind von Johann Baptist Zimmermann oder vielleicht von seinem Schüler Alexius Bader aus München.

Seitenaltäre
Die zehn Seitenaltäre sind paarweise aufeinander abgestimmt:
 Ausanius- und Concordiaaltar, in die die Reliquien des Märtyrerehepaars 1698 übertragen wurden,
 Marien- und Josefaltar
 Benedikt- und Bernhardaltar
 Sebastian- und Bartholomäusaltar
 Kreuz- und 14-Nothelferaltar

Fresken
Die Fresken stammen von Johannes Zick.
Das Hauptdeckenfresko erstreckt sich über drei Joche und stellt die Lebensgeschichte des Ordensheiligen Bernhard dar.
Auf der nebenstehenden Abbildung sieht man:
 unten: Bernhard empfängt die Muttermilch Mariens und das Blut des Gekreuzigten (Lactatio)
 oben: Bernhard bekehrt Petrus Abaelard
 links: Viktor IV., Gegenpapst zu Innozenz II., legt durch Vermittlung Bernhards sein Amt nieder
 rechts: Heinrich von England huldigt Innozenz II.

Orgel

Die Orgel mit 22 Registern auf zwei Manualen und Pedal wurde von Johann Konrad Brandenstein geschaffen. Er übernahm dabei viele Pfeifen des Vorgängerinstruments, das der berühmte Salzburger Hoforgelmacher Christoph Egedacher 1697 vollendet hatte, und von dem u. a. noch das Prospekt-Prinzipal erhalten geblieben ist. 1743 stellte Brandenstein die Orgel fertig, worauf das Chronogramm in der Stuck-Kartusche an der Empore hinweist:LaVDent  VnIVersI  noMen  eIVs  In  Choro,  psaLterIo,  organIs,  tVbIsqVe  benesonan  tIbVs.(Alle mögen seinen Namen loben im Wohlklang des Chores, der Psalmen, der Orgel und Posaunen).Sie hatte folgende Disposition:

 Koppeln: Manualkoppel (OW/HW) und "Tutti" (= HW/P)

Reparaturen und Umbauten

1799 wurde die Orgel von Georg Fux (Burghausen) repariert, weitere Reparaturen sind dokumentiert für die Jahre 1844 (Ferdinand Hörmüller, Tittmoning), 1847 (Josef Schöglmann, Burghausen), 1856 (Joseph Frosch, München) und 1876 von Franz Borgias Maerz, der die Disposition wiedergab, wobei er allerdings ein Register "vergaß", weswegen sie fehlerhaft tradiert wurde.

Im Jahr 1904 hat Martin Hechenberger einen freistehenden Spieltisch gebaut, die Orgel auf pneumatische Spiel- und Registertraktur mit Kegelladen umgestellt und einige Register verändert. Seitdem lautet die
Disposition:

 Koppeln: II/I, Superoktavkoppel II/I, I/P, II/P
 Spielhilfen: Piano, Forte, Pleno
 Bemerkungen: Kegellade, pneumatische Spiel- und Registertraktur, freistehender Spieltisch

2021: Brandenstein-Orgel ist "… akut gefährdet."

Trotz der Umbauten verfügt die Orgel über den größten Bestand an originalen Brandenstein- und Egedacher-Pfeifen: ca. 72 % der historischen Pfeifen sind erhalten geblieben. Während des I. Weltkriegs wurden die Orgel-Prospektpfeifen nicht wie sonst üblich beschlagnahmt, sondern wurden "wegen Altertumswert" von der Requirierung befreit.

Allerdings "leidet" die Orgel am pneumatischen Umbau durch Hechenberger. Anfang 2021 wurde bekannt, dass trotz gegenteiliger Expertisen keine Restaurierung der Orgel, sondern lediglich eine überteuerte Renovierung des gegenwärtigen Zustandes der Orgel angestrebt wird. Namhafte Orgelfachleute protestieren und haben sich seither für eine Wiederherstellung der Brandenstein-Orgel ausgesprochen: "Es darf nicht sein, dass hier die einmalige Chance vertan wird, […] eine süddeutsche Barockorgel mit zwei Manualen und 22 Registern wiederzugewinnen!" In die gleiche Kerbe schlagen u. a. Christian Brembeck (Berlin, 17. Februar 2021), Prof. Wolfgang Zerer (Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg, 20. Februar 2021) und Peter Planyavsky (Wien, 27. Oktober 2021), indem sie Petitionen an Dr. Nikolaus Könner vom Bayerischen Landesamt für Denkmalpflege gerichtet haben.
In diese Richtung – und gegen seine ureigensten Geschäftsinteressen – hat schon ein Orgelbauer 2018 argumentiert, der auf die Restaurierung von pneumatischen Orgel spezialisiert ist. Er meinte, dass bei […] "diesem Instrument […] alle Fakten für eine Rückführung auf 1740" sprechen.

Grablege
Raitenhaslach diente einigen Wittelsbachern als Grablege, wie Ludwig VII. von Bayern oder Hedwig Jagiellonica (1457–1502), der Ehefrau von Herzog Georg dem Reichen. Das Wittelsbacher Hochgrab wurde nach der Säkularisation abgetragen. Es ist nur noch die Deckplatte davon erhalten, die jetzt ebenerdig mitten in der Kirche eingelassen ist. An den Wandpfeilern befinden sich 136 Wappen von Adelsfamilien, die die Kirche als Grablege hatten. Insgesamt sind 700 Personen aus 170 adligen Familien bekannt, die in der Kirche bestattet sind.

Glocken
Die Kirche verfügt über sechs Glocken aus Bronze:

Literatur
 Wolfgang Hopfgartner: St. Georg – Raitenhaslach: Ehemalige Zisterzienserabteikirche. Passau 2005, ISBN 3-89643-602-3. (PEDA Kunstführer 602).

Einzelnachweise

Weblinks

 Kirche St. Georg, offizielle Seite des Pfarrverbandes

Kirchengebäude im Landkreis Altötting
Pfarrkirche des Bistums Passau
Barockbauwerk in Bayern
Rokokokirche
Georgskirche
Klosterkirche in Deutschland
Disposition einer Orgel
Ehemalige Zisterzienserkirche
Kirchengebäude in Europa
Sakralbau in Burghausen
Baudenkmal in Burghausen
Geläut
Kloster Raitenhaslach

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Revenue of the cosmetic industry in the U.S.
Value of the leading 10 textile exporters worldwide
Vegetable oils: global consumption by oil type 2013/14 to 2018/2019
Cocoa bean production worldwide 2012/2013-2017/2018, by country
World coffee per capita consumption: major consumer countries
Cosmetics Industry in the U.S. - Statistics & Facts
Coca-Cola Company - Statistics & Facts
Consumer Goods & FMCG›
Non-alcoholic Beverages›
Modes of energy drink consumption in the U.S. 2016, by age
Modes of energy drink consumption in the United States in 2016, by age
by Statista Research Department, last edited Sep 27, 2016
This statistic shows the modes of energy drink consumption in the United States in 2016, by age. During the survey, 33 percent of the respondents aged 30 to 39 years answered that they usually mix energy drinks with liquor.
August 31, 2016 to September 11, 2016
1,491 respondents
Consume energy drinks at least every few months
Margin of error +/- 2.6 percent
The original question was phrased as follows: Do you usually consume energy drinks on their own or do you mix them with something else?
Multiple answers were possible.
Energy drink consumption frequency in the U.S. 2016, by age
Energy drink consumption frequency in the U.S. 2016, by gender
Energy drink brands consumed in the U.S. 2016, by age
Reasons for consuming energy drinks in the U.S. 2016
Energy drinks in the United States (Statista Survey)
Everything On "Energy drinks in the United States (Statista Survey)" in One Document: Edited and Divided into Handy Chapters. Including Detailed References.
Statistics on "Energy drinks in the United States (Statista Survey)"
Consumption frequency
Modes of consumption
Time preference for consumption
Brand preference
Reasons for consumption
Purchase channels
Energy drink consumption frequency in the United States in 2016Energy drink consumption frequency in the U.S. 2016
Energy drink consumption frequency in the United States in 2016, by ageEnergy drink consumption frequency in the U.S. 2016, by age
Energy drink consumption frequency in the United States in 2016, by genderEnergy drink consumption frequency in the U.S. 2016, by gender
Weekly energy drink consumption frequency in the United States in 2016Weekly energy drink consumption frequency in the U.S. 2016
Weekly energy drink consumption frequency in the United States in 2016, by ageWeekly energy drink consumption frequency in the U.S. 2016, by age
Modes of energy drink consumption in the United States in 2016Modes of energy drink consumption in the U.S. 2016
Modes of energy drink consumption in the United States in 2016, by ageModes of energy drink consumption in the U.S. 2016, by age
Modes of energy drink consumption in the United States in 2016, by genderModes of energy drink consumption in the U.S. 2016, by gender
Days on which energy drinks are consumed in the United States in 2016Days on which energy drinks are consumed in the U.S. 2016
Days on which energy drinks are consumed in the United States in 2016, by ageDays on which energy drinks are consumed in the U.S. 2016, by age
Days on which energy drinks are consumed in the United States in 2016, by genderDays on which energy drinks are consumed in the U.S. 2016, by gender
Times of day when energy drinks are consumed in the United States in 2016Times of day when energy drinks are consumed in the U.S. 2016
Energy drink brands consumed in the United States in 2016Energy drink brands consumed in the U.S. 2016
Energy drink brands consumed in the United States in 2016, by ageEnergy drink brands consumed in the U.S. 2016, by age
Energy drink brands consumed in the United States in 2016, by genderEnergy drink brands consumed in the U.S. 2016, by gender
Reasons for consuming energy drinks in the United States in 2016, by ageReasons for consuming energy drinks in the U.S. 2016, by age
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Reasons for consuming energy drinks in the United States in 2016, by genderReasons for consuming energy drinks in the U.S. 2016, by gender
Channels where energy drinks are purchased in the United States in 2016Channels where energy drinks are purchased in the U.S. 2016
Channels where energy drinks are purchased in the United States in 2016, by ageChannels where energy drinks are purchased in the U.S. 2016, by age
Channels where energy drinks are purchased in the United States in 2016, by genderChannels where energy drinks are purchased in the U.S. 2016, by gender
Consumer attitudes toward energy drink consumption in the United States in 2016U.S. consumer attitudes toward energy drink consumption 2016
Consumer attitudes toward energy drink consumption in the United States in 2016, by ageU.S. consumer attitudes toward energy drink consumption 2016, by age
Consumer attitudes toward energy drink consumption in the United States in 2016, by genderU.S. consumer attitudes toward energy drink consumption 2016, by gender
Price vs. brand: factors U.S. consumers consider when purchasing energy drinks in 2016Important factors U.S. consumers consider when purchasing energy drinks 2016
Important energy drink attributes according to U.S. consumers in 2016Important energy drink attributes according to U.S. consumers 2016
Important energy drink attributes according to U.S. consumers in 2016, by genderImportant energy drink attributes according to U.S. consumers 2016, by gender
Important energy drink ingredients according to U.S. consumers in 2016Important energy drink ingredients according to U.S. consumers 2016
Health concerns about energy drinks among consumers in the United States in 2016Health concerns about energy drinks among U.S. consumers 2016
Places and situations in energy drinks are consumed in the U.S. 2016, by age
Times of day when energy drinks are consumed in the U.S. 2016, by age
Health concerns about energy drinks among U.S. consumers 2016, by race/ethnicity
Sports & exercise: reasons for consuming energy drinks in the U.S. 2016, by age
Places and situations in energy drinks are consumed in the U.S. 2016, by ethnicity
Preferred energy drink brands among U.S. consumers 2016, by age
Sports & exercise: reasons for consuming energy drinks in the U.S. 2016, by ethnicity
Times of day when energy drinks are consumed in the U.S. 2016, by gender
Important factors U.S. consumers consider when purchasing energy drinks 2016, by age
U.S. consumer attitudes toward energy drink consumption 2016, by race/ethnicity
Energy drinks consumption: consumers of energy drinks in the United States in 2018
Proportion of sugary drinks consumed in an average week in Scotland in 2016
Dollar sales of energy drink beverages and shots in the U.S. 2011-2015
U.S. emergency department visits following energy drink consumption 2005-2011
Online audience distribution of wetransfer.com in GB 2017, by age group and gender
Museum visitors South Korea 2018, by age group
Number of employed persons aged 60-64 New Zealand 2016-2017
Cocaine users in Austria 2017, by age group
Necessity of flexible work schedules in South Korea 2017, by age group
Spirits Market in Canada
Beer market in Canada
Alcohol consumption in Canada
Wine Market in Canada
Carbonated soft drinks in the UK
Soft drinks consumption in the UK (Kantar Media TGI)
Sugar tax and soft drinks in the UK
Soft drinks consumption in Spain (Kantar Media TGI)
Soft drinks and non-alcoholic beverages in the UK
Monster Beverage
Beverage industry in Italy
Nationaal koffie- en theeonderzoek 2018
Nationaal wateronderzoek 2017
Coffee market in Germany
Soft drinks in Canada
Non-alcoholic beverages in Canada
Beverages in India
Energy drink consumption frequency in the United States in 2016
Energy drink consumption frequency in the United States in 2016, by age
Energy drink consumption frequency in the United States in 2016, by gender
Weekly energy drink consumption frequency in the United States in 2016
Weekly energy drink consumption frequency in the United States in 2016, by age
Modes of energy drink consumption in the United States in 2016
Modes of energy drink consumption in the United States in 2016, by gender
Days on which energy drinks are consumed in the United States in 2016
Days on which energy drinks are consumed in the United States in 2016, by age
Days on which energy drinks are consumed in the United States in 2016, by gender
Times of day when energy drinks are consumed in the United States in 2016
Energy drink brands consumed in the United States in 2016
Energy drink brands consumed in the United States in 2016, by age
Energy drink brands consumed in the United States in 2016, by gender
Reasons for consuming energy drinks in the United States in 2016, by age
Reasons for consuming energy drinks in the United States in 2016
Reasons for consuming energy drinks in the United States in 2016, by gender
Channels where energy drinks are purchased in the United States in 2016
Channels where energy drinks are purchased in the United States in 2016, by age
Channels where energy drinks are purchased in the United States in 2016, by gender
Consumer attitudes toward energy drink consumption in the United States in 2016
Consumer attitudes toward energy drink consumption in the United States in 2016, by age
Consumer attitudes toward energy drink consumption in the United States in 2016, by gender
Price vs. brand: factors U.S. consumers consider when purchasing energy drinks in 2016
Important energy drink attributes according to U.S. consumers in 2016
Important energy drink attributes according to U.S. consumers in 2016, by gender
Important energy drink ingredients according to U.S. consumers in 2016
Health concerns about energy drinks among consumers in the United States in 2016
Health concerns about energy drinks among consumers in the United States in 2016, by age
Health concerns about energy drinks among consumers in the United States in 2016, by gender
Places and situations in which energy drinks are consumed in the United States in 2016, by age
Times of day when energy drinks are consumed in the United States in 2016, by age
Health concerns about energy drinks among consumers in the United States in 2016, by race/ethnicity
Reasons for consuming energy drinks before, during or after playing sports/exercising in the United States in 2016, by age
Places and situations in which energy drinks are consumed in the United States in 2016, by race/ethnicity
Preferred energy drink brands among consumers in the United States in 2016, by age
Reasons for consuming energy drinks before, during or after playing sports/exercising in the United States in 2016, by race/ethnicity
Times of day when energy drinks are consumed in the United States in 2016, by gender
Price vs. brand: factors U.S. consumers consider when purchasing energy drinks in 2016, by age
Consumer attitudes toward energy drink consumption in the United States in 2016, by race/ethnicity
Consumers of energy drinks in the United States in 2018, by age
Dollar sales of energy drink beverages and shots in the United States from 2011 to 2015 (in billion U.S. dollars)
Energy drink-related emergency department (ED) visits in the United States from 2005 to 2011 (number of visits)
Distribution of the online audience of wetransfer.com in Great Britain (GB) in 2017, by age group and gender
Share of people who visited museums in South Korea in 2018, by age group
Number of employed persons aged 60 to 64 in New Zealand from 1st quarter 2016 to 1st quarter 2017 (in thousands)
Distribution of Cocaine users in Austria in 2017, by age group
Share of individuals who claim that flexible work arrangements are necessary in South Korea as of November 2017, by age group


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Have we forgotten how to flatten the curve?
Gosh, deciding what to blog about this week has been hard; ECIC has given me a whole list! I don't know about you but I'm starting to feel a little overwhelmed with the amount of Covid-19 we are seeing in the UK. I thought it would help me to just sit back and try and take stock of where we are up to and what it all means… maybe it will help you too…. I'll tackle ECIC's list another time…
The new variant
So, many countries are calling this the "UK variant", and it is often the way that a new pathogen is named after the place it was first detected. Remember back in January when we were calling SARS CoV2 the "Wuhan Virus"? At the moment there isn't any hard evidence to suggest that the UK variant definitely did originate in the UK but it is possible. What we can say is that the UK has probably the best systems in the World in place to spot this type of problem and identify the cause, especially in terms of genomic analysis. Often those that look for things find things, those that don't say they haven't got it!
Having warned the rest of the World that this new variant existed, and having everyone shut their doors to us, it turns out that so far 45 other countries already have this new variant. In the US there have been cases in Colorado in people who have not travelled outside of Colorado and who have no contact with any known cases, as well as other cases, all unrelated, in the states of California, Florida, Pennsylvania, New York and Georgia.
After further work in the UK it appears the new variant was already circulating back in September, but it didn't take off until December. This new variant is meant to be "more transmissible" but as there is little evidence for these claims I feel there are also other less "great sound bite" factors in play e.g. lack of cooperation with restrictions or environmental factors.
I suspect the spread of the new variant probably has more to do with "non-genetic" factors such as it originally arising or being introduced into a population that had inadequate restrictions in place to prevent spread. I think if we hadn't responded so effectively in the first wave, we might have seen the same potential for "exponential transmission", but in the first wave we got the R0 down, everyone then was talking about R0. If you remember the "second wave" coincided with the discovery of the "new variant" which started in the South East which was in Tier 2… and from my experience when we were in Tier 2 the local restrictions were not really being applied, in fact there wasn't actually much "restricting" at all; the local area was as busy as normal! On top of that we came into winter when viruses transmit more effectively due to indoor crowding and decreased humidity facilitating greater droplet transmission. Think back to the summer when all the experts where saying they were worried about going from autumn into winter… they were right, everything did go wrong, it's no surprise really!
So, case numbers have exploded and we're now back in a National lockdown.
National lockdown and social restrictions
The Government have been talking about having to possibly impose even tighter restrictions on the UK population to get the massive surge of Covid-19 cases under control. It's hard to see how much tighter they can be? Stay at home, schools closed to all bar essential worker's children and only essential shops to open! But IS this really what is happening? Do we need tighter restrictions or is better compliance required?
I live on a road that should be pretty quiet, it doesn't really go anywhere except to some open moorlands and woods (lovely I know!) and yet it is just as busy as before anyone had even heard of a coronavirus. There are lots of images from over the weekend of people mixing in parks, playing team sports and generally ignoring the current lockdown rules to "stay at home".
Let's turn this around and think of this a bit like herd immunity… stick with me! Herd immunity suggests that if enough of a population is immune to a disease then the disease cannot circulate; in the case of a lockdown if enough people stay at home they are not circulating and it therefore stops the virus circulating. If enough of the population do this, then the virus can't spread from one family or individual to another, providing protection or "herd protection". We can't have the situation where everyone stays at home because "keyworkers" have to work (they are key after all), however if enough of the rest of the population do stay at home (and I mean in the home) then viral transmission will be interrupted, and case numbers will go down.
At the moment we just don't have enough people following the stay at home rule and so case numbers are likely to continue to rise.
I wonder if this may be because of the over emphasis of the "good news story" vaccine message delivered in December by the Government and media channels. Just look at the holiday booking bonanza announced today, holiday bookings soar from the over 50s… "I've had my vaccine, now where's my passport", come on guys… really… your priority is a week in Spain!? Those working in the NHS would just like to be able to TAKE any of their annual leave!!! ALL our annual leave is cancelled; we can't even have a week off to stay at home!!!
Whilst I do agree that a successful vaccine is the way out of this Covid-19 mess I do wonder if putting such a positive spin on the story back in December has led to a high degree of complacency in the population. I regularly overhear conversations which go along the lines of "I'm not worried about Covid-19 anymore because we have a vaccine now". NOOOOOOOOOO…….!
Eventually we will have enough people vaccinated to limit the spread of Covid-19 BUT we are nowhere near that level yet. According to the Government nearly 1.5 million people have been vaccinated in the UK, that's only about 2% of the population. You only have to look at the daily figures for new cases to realise that this has made ABSOLUTELY NO DIFFERENCE to the rate of transmission of SARS CoV2 yet. Remember a previous blog saying that to get immunity you need around 90% of the population vaccinated, that means 60 million people in the UK need to be vaccinated!
So, yes we have vaccines, and yes they are being given to people, but nowhere near enough to prevent transmission of SARS CoV2 and nowhere near enough to prevent anyone getting infected. The answer to preventing transmission (whether it is highly transmissible or just transmissible) is to comply with infection control precautions and stay away from other people. I heard a great quote that "the most effective thing to stop transmission is your front door"; basically STAY AT HOME. The other message we hear a lot of is "otherwise the NHS will be overwhelmed"… NEWS FLASH "the NHS is already overwhelmed" but we are not allowed to say this officially because it would cause pandemonium and there would be no toilet rolls on the shelves again! Just look at the USA, they are now triaging patients for "access into A&E" and who they'll save the oxygen for! This is happening, this is real.
Hospital occupancy
The NHS is taking a hammering from Covid-19! Case numbers are a lot more than during the earlier peak in April 2020. The graph shows cases in hospital up until 4th January (the latest figures on the Department of Health website) when they were lower than they are now… now we have 50% more hospitalised patients with Covid-19 than in April 2020.
It's not just overall numbers that are the problem. Staff are tired… REALLY tired. Not just physically but mentally as well. Normally people come into hospital and we make them better, sometimes that doesn't happen but in general we "win", they come in sick, we look after them and get to know them and then they go home better and we get a box of chocolates (if we are lucky) that gives everyone a feel good factor for the job. Consider now, they come in sick, we look after them and get to know them and then they get worse, and we see their fright and pain, some don't make it! There is very little "feel good factor" especially as their bed is quickly filled with the same scenario. I do wonder how many of us are going to burnout as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic; I think it will be a lot. There was a study published just recently that found "45% met the threshold for probable clinical significance on at least one of the following measures: severe depression (6%), PTSD (40%), severe anxiety (11%) or problem drinking (7%), and 13% reported frequent thoughts of being better off dead, or of hurting themselves in the past 2 weeks". Yet in the same study over half (59%) reported "good well-being", so surely we are actually just "deceiving" ourselves? Almost half of ITU staff are struggling to cope mentally and physically. I suspect many are holding on whilst the pandemic lasts so they don't let their friends and colleagues down, but when cases start to drop how many will say "enough is enough"?
Whilst it's hard to say it, I do wonder how many NHS staff feel let down when they see the pictures of people flaunting the lockdown rules whilst they're working to the limit trying to treat people in hospital? How many in the NHS feel frustrated at yet more restrictions or cancellations of annual leave, bank holidays, and days off, when they see groups of people mixing and enjoying the nice weather in various parks around the country? OK, I'll say it, I DO; I resent those people's behaviour!
Oh, stop being so negative, we can now treat Covid-19
Well, in fact we still don't have any particularly good treatments for Covid-19. The only things that really make much of a difference are steroids and possibly Tocilizumab, and then only in those with the severe inflammatory response and who are otherwise fit enough to survive long enough for the medicine to work. Many frail, and some not-so-frail, patients are still dying from this infection even with these "treatments"; there are about 700 Covid-19 related deaths a day in the UK at the moment (that's the bed count of a large District General Hospital every day!) This is a bit less than during April, but it is still a lot and worrying when you consider the virus "killed off" many of the most vulnerable in the first wave, these deaths are those that might be considered "less vulnerable". So we have some treatments but they're not that good; we have a better option it's called "prevention" and that is still better than cure.
So, we're in a bit of a mess really. Covid-19 is causing havoc within the population and the NHS and there is so far no evidence that things are getting better. We have to start "flattening the curve" again and in my mind the only way this will happen is if people start to respect this infection again and start complying with the restrictions that prevent its spread.
And if all that fails, the NHS will have to rely on giving the "gift" of a cuppa coffee to a struggling colleague and eating chocolates; these seem the only sure way to hold up our struggling optimism… now where is my bag of Minstrels?
Buried under Brexit or an early Christmas present?
So, something happened at the end of last year and you will be forgiven for missing it as there were no fanfares, press releases or overly optimistic news stories… no I'm not going to talk about a "Tier 4 lockdown Christmas" or how we didn't all "crash and burn" (yet) on the stroke of 11 as we "Brexited". In fact, it is that Pfizer actually published some vaccine data in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) just before Christmas!
So, was this an early Christmas present, an opportunity to hide the data in the Christmas furore or did Brexit just swamp our news channels. Let's have a look and see….
New variant SARS CoV2 in the UK just in time to ruin Christmas
Okay, it's all over the news. The UK has pretty much become a Pariah where the rest of the World is concerned with many countries closing their borders to us because of a new variant of SARS CoV2 causing a lot of infections across London, the East and South East. As if that weren't enough it's led to the Government effectively banning Christmas… not that I mind too much as I'm working anyway… but I feel sorry for those who were looking forward to a celebration at the end of such a horrible year!
So, what is the new variant and what does it mean for us in the UK?
Essentially the new variant of SARS CoV2 has acquired a number of mutations (23 in total!) that make it possible for it to spread more efficiently than the original SARS CoV2 virus that was first identified in China a year ago (yes, it really has only been 1 year since this all began). But it's not surprising to see mutations in RNA viruses, they are pretty rubbish at maintaining stability in their genomes, and we have already seen this happen this year.
Mink-related mutations
Between June and November a number of European countries experienced outbreaks of Covid-19 with new variants of SARS CoV2 associated with mink farms (see the Microbiology Nuts & Bolts Bug Blog for more details). The Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden all had new variants of the virus which occurred after humans working with mink spread the virus to the mink, the virus mutated in the animals and then transferred back to humans.
In Denmark there were 214 human cases associated with the mink variant. You may remember the news story where the Denmark Government wanted to cull the 17 million mink in its farms to control the outbreak… we didn't close our border to them though… just saying (although hospitals were meant to look out for possible mink-related cases… but none have yet been reported). Don't forget viruses mutate and migrate this is normal; there is also evidence of a new variant that originated in Spain which was introduced into the UK multiple times due to travel from Spain in the summer, and also a new variant originating in Scotland which is now circulating in Europe! "Many thousands of mutations have already arisen in the SARS-CoV2 genome since the virus emerged in late 2019; …the vast majority of mutations have no apparent effect on the virus" (Covid Genomics UK Consortium)
In the Denmark mink farm outbreak there were two main variants of SARS CoV2. The first variant had a mutation that increased the affinity of SARS CoV2 for the host cell's ACE2 receptor which allows the virus to "enter the cell". As the ACE2 receptor in mink is slightly different to that of human's, the virus mutated to a new variant that then allowed it to better access into the mink's cells. It is thought that this mutation lead to increased ability for SARS CoV2 to spread in mink. When this mutated variant transferred back to human's it was also found to be better able to bind to human ACE2 as well, which potentially made this variant more infectious in humans.
The other variant they found in the Denmark mink had 4 mutations. These particular mutations affected the spike protein which helps the virus "bind to host cells". The new spike protein altered the body's immune response which may not recognise the new variant as these spike proteins are the main target for both natural and vaccine induced antibodies against SARS CoV2. It was found that in 9 patients who had previously recovered from Covid-19 this variant appeared to make the virus 4 times less susceptible to naturally derived antibodies. There were 12 human cases of this antibody resistant variant identified in people with close contact with mink farming. Fortunately, their disease followed the same course as the original Covid-19 cases, no better no worse.
The problem in the UK now is that the new variant has acquired a lot of mutations ALL at the same time in the same variant (23 mutations in total). The details are still sketchy but from what I have been able to piece together this is what we have been told so far.
It is thought that this new variant may have arisen in someone with impaired immunity who had become chronically infected with SARS CoV2 and who therefore had the virus for a long enough time for multiple mutations to occur before passing it on to someone new.
Remember, viruses can only mutate whilst they are reproducing and they can only reproduce inside a host cell not in the environment. In addition, SARS CoV2 mutates very slowly for an RNA virus at about 20 or so mutations per year. So, for SARS CoV2 to mutate 23 times "in one go" it has to have been inside a host cell for a very long time and maybe even up to a year if the normal mutation rate is still correct.
The combination of mutations in the new variant is associated with laboratory evidence of:
Increased affinity for the ACE2 receptor – making it better able to bind to ACE2 which may allow more virus to get into cells to cause an infection and/or may result in needing less virus to cause an infection in the first place as small numbers of virus become more efficient at setting up infections
Immune evasion – making it less recognisable to pre-existing immune responses such as antibodies and reactive T cells
False negative laboratory tests – the mutated spike protein is not detected in a few assays that only target the spike protein
Escape from some monoclonal antibodies – some manufactured monoclonal antibodies that have been trialled in the treatment of Covid-19 do not recognise the new variant spike protein and so do not have any treatment benefit
Faster growth – the virus appears to replicate faster in cells and therefore could have a shortened incubation period
There is increasing evidence that the new variant of SARS CoV2 in the UK does have increased ability to cause infection. A figure of "70% more transmissible" is quoted in the media… but who knows what that really means!? Is it that the infectious dose is 70% less, or does an infected person infect 70% more people or is the incubation period 70% shorter? Added to this, whether the new variant is able to escape the immune response in people who have had the infection before or who have been vaccinated is not yet known. However, reassuringly, most laboratory tests use multiple targets for detecting SARS CoV2, not just the spike protein, so most laboratory tests will still detect the new variant of SARS CoV2 including those used in the Lighthouse Laboratories.
At the moment there is a lot we just don't know about the new variant of SARS CoV2 but there are lot of people looking at what these mutations mean and how they are going to affect the course of the pandemic, clinical disease and the effectiveness of post infection immunity and vaccination. Now I accept that a new mutation may sound alarming, and the media is promoting the story, and France has closed the border (is this a Brexit negotiation strategy?!?!?!) BUT let's not panic just yet and wait and see where the science takes us… goodness knows we've all had enough of "Science by Press Release" this year after all!
The most important thing we all need to remember is that the simple things work. It doesn't matter that the virus has become a bit easier to transmit; we can still stop it transmitting if we do the basics well:
Strict attention to hand hygiene
Isolation of patients with suspected or confirmed Covid-19
Limiting contacts and crowds (no mixing outside of support bubbles)
Physical ("social") distancing (2 metres)
Face masks in indoor spaces
Try and have a good Christmas, whatever restrictions you are under, and we'll see what the New Year brings us….
The Oxford (and Cambridge) Race for a Vaccine
Okay, so I could be accused of doing a lot of vaccine bashing over the past few weeks. I have been very open with my concerns about how quickly we are rolling out vaccination programs across the World with vaccines that haven't finished clinical trials and for which there is no published data (I'm looking at you Pfizer!).
So, what about vaccines where there is published data? Well so far there is only one vaccine that I am aware of where data has been published in a peer review journal, and that is the Oxford vaccine made by AstraZeneca (based in Cambridge!) in collaboration with Oxford University in the UK (don't Oxford and Cambridge normally compete in boats against each other?).
V-day; am I the only one concerned?
Before I start I'd like to state that I am pro-vaccination and have nothing personal against any drug companies or the Department of Health; but I am deeply concerned about how fast the new Covid-19 vaccination program is being rolled out. I realise there may be some people who will think I'm being irresponsible questioning the vaccination program for Covid-19 but I really am concerned about it. If you want the Covid-19 vaccine or have had it already then that's okay, please don't let me cause you to second guess yourselves. This is just my opinion and not that of any organisation I'm otherwise affiliated to, but I have been asked my own opinion many times so here it is.
PPE - If it doesn't help, perhaps we could try and ditch it?
Earlier this year we all went into lockdown… remember? Not like the current lockdown where most people seem to be carrying on regardless, I mean when the streets were eerily quiet, and our capital cities looked like a set from a post-apocalyptic movie.
During this time, I remember seeing news stories about the positive impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the environment as everyone moved indoors, cars stayed off the roads and heavy industry shut down. There were striking pictures of Nitric Oxide levels over China showing a massive reduction in the production of greenhouse gases. It seemed that something good may come out of the pandemic, almost as if the Earth was pressing the reset button and taking back control.
Source: https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/146362/airborne-nitrogen-dioxide-plummets-over-china
Mink coat or Texan Stetson, what is your coronavirus wearing?
They look so cute and cuddly! I'm not talking about the Giant Microbes SARS CoV2 toys (gosh they do make great bugs, don't they?!). No, I'm talking about mink! Well I like them…But personally, I think mink coats look better on mink!
Maybe Covid-19 is going to finally put an end to the production of fur coats… I can but hope. What am I talking about? This is a microbiology blog, not a rant against animal fur in fashion… or is it?
So last week, before all the vaccine shenanigans (Congrats to Oxford; at least their vaccine interim results are published in the Lancet not just the BBC!), I was going to write a blog about Covid-19 and mink. So, what was this all about?
Last week it was reported that there was a new strain of SARS CoV2 which had transferred from mink into humans, and that there was no protection even if you had had Covid-19. The way it was reported would have us all believing that another new pandemic was about to start….
"Vaccine against Covid-19…" - end of the pandemic is nigh!
"Today is a great day for science and humanity. The first set of results from our Phase 3 COVID-19 vaccine trial provides the initial evidence of our vaccine's ability to prevent COVID-19," said Dr. Albert Bourla, Pfizer Chairman and CEO on 09/11/2020. "We are reaching this critical milestone in our vaccine development program at a time when the world needs it most with infection rates setting new records, hospitals nearing over-capacity and economies struggling to reopen. With today's news, we are a significant step closer to providing people around the world with a much-needed breakthrough to help bring an end to this global health crisis."
Or perhaps in other words "the end of the pandemic is nigh!"
Covid-19 - What will the "new normal" look like?
We're all waiting for a vaccine against SARS Cov2, right? Once we have a vaccine, we can all get back to normal and 2020 will be a period of time that we look back on as a bad time in our lives. Well this is what I hear a lot of people saying… SPOILER ALERT! I think we need a reality check; the new normal is NOT going to look like the old normal.


text:
In addition to the Cybersecurity Law of the People's Republic of China (PRC), enacted on 1 June 2017, the American International School of Guangzhou (AISG) has developed its own standards of proprietary data protection of both the School's and its students, families, and employees.
Data Collected and purpose
Data Retention and Removal
Exemptions to Right of Access
Appendix A: Terms and Conditions of Contracts with Third Parties
The School holds personal data on its students, including: contact details, assessment/examination results, attendance information, behavior, and characteristics such as ethnic group, special educational needs, any relevant medical information, photographs, and/or video footage.
The data is used in order to support the education of the students, to monitor and report on their progress, to provide appropriate personal and social care, and to assess the performance of the school as a whole, together with any other uses normally associated with this provision in an independent school environment.
The School may make use of limited personal data (such as contact details) relating to students, their parents, or guardians for fundraising, marketing, or promotional purposes and to maintain relationships with students of the School.
Data is shared as necessary with third party companies to provide extended services; examples include transport, medical, catering, travel services, and online services such as email.
In particular, the School may:
1. Make available information to any internal organization or society set up for the purpose of maintaining contact with students or for administration, fundraising, marketing, or promotional purposes relating to the school, e.g. alumni. The School will remain as the data controller and this policy will govern data usage;
2. Make use of photographs, videos, and/or sound recordings of students in School publications, the School website, school social media channels, and other official School communication channels. Photographs, videos, and/or sound recordings of students will not be used in publicity campaigns placed with external media outlets without the express permission of the relevant family;
3. Make personal data, including sensitive personal data, available to staff for planning activities and trips, both in and outside of the PRC;
4. Retain and use personal data after a student has graduated to provide references, educational history, and alumni services consistent with an independent School environment.
The School is committed to the following security measures:
1. Implementing appropriate security measures to protect personal data against accidental or unlawful destruction or accidental loss, alteration, unauthorized disclosure, or access, in particular when the processing of data involves the transmission or storage on or within a network;
2. Notifying data subjects about any accidental or unauthorized access of their data that may lead to damage or harm.
The School undertakes that it shall only keep the data collected as long as is necessary to provide the services outlined above.
Regarding access to personal data, the School retains the right to refuse access to:
Opinion data kept for evaluative purposes;
Examination papers or the results of examinations;
Confidential references written to support a student's application to other educational institutions or courses;
Data or material that provides personal data about other individuals in violation of this policy.
In a variety of instances, AISG may share personal data with third parties for the purposes of the third party providing a relevant service to the School. Examples of these services include, but are not limited to, transport, catering, travel services, accommodation, and medical.
The School will only share data for the purposes of eliciting a necessary service from these third-party organizations and not, or ever, for commercial gain.
Where the School signs explicit contracts with third party organizations, it will include clauses from Appendix A: Terms and Conditions of Contracts with Third Parties rules and guidelines to ensure that the organization is using the data purely for the intended purpose of providing the required service and that it is taking appropriate precautions to safeguard the data.
In some instances, for example, for online services provided by companies outside of the PRC, explicit signed contracts do not exist. In these instances, the School will ensure that the terms and conditions of the service include clauses that:
The School remains the owner of any data;
The service provider is not entitled to use any data held on its service for any purpose other than to provide the required service being contracted;
The service provider is taking reasonable precautions to ensure the security of the data;
And provides material proof of that security upon demand of the School;
4. Once the School terminates its agreement with the service provider, that any and all data held will be deleted and not used for any other purpose.
This deletion is due no later than seven (7) working days after termination of the contract, unless mutually agreed upon.
When signing contracts with any third-party organizations that the School will share personal data with the contract should include the following clauses or entries to the same effect.
The School collects and uses personal data about staff, students, and families as a function of maintaining its quality data. Only School leaders may have access to personal data about the School's employees, students (faculty exception), parents, and/or other contacts. They are bound to ensure that employees, agents, sub-contractors, and representatives will keep all such data secure and protected against improper disclosure or use as detailed in this agreement.
The School will incorporate the following Terms and Conditions into each signed contract undertaken:
1. 'Personal data' shall refer to data, whether true or not, about an individual who can be identified from that data; or from that data and other information to which the organization has, or is likely to have, access and all other data protected by the School;
2. 'The School' shall refer to the entity that transfers the data to be used, and is the 'Client' of the contract;
3. 'The company' shall mean the processor or third-party agency that agrees to accept the School's personal data intended for processing and use in accordance with this agreement. The company also guarantees protection of said data.
Data Use Terms and Conditions Verbiage
The company agrees and warrants:
1. That any personal data shared by the School or collected by the company as a result of providing the services covered in this agreement will be used solely for the purposes of providing the service detailed in this agreement;
2. That no personal data collected or shared will be used to offer or solicit further services from the individuals concerned;
3. To process the personal data only on behalf of the School and in compliance with its instructions;
4. That the processing, including the transfer itself, of the personal data has been and will continue to be carried out in accordance with the relevant provisions of the applicable data protection law(s) of the nation where the company resides and does not violate any relevant laws of the nation in which the School resides;
5. That it shall promptly notify the School about any request for disclosure received directly from any authority or individual.
Data Security Terms and Conditions Verbiage
1. To implement appropriate security measures to protect personal data against accidental or unlawful destruction or accidental loss, alteration, unauthorized disclosure, or access, in particular when the processing of data involves the transmission or storage on or within a network;
2. That it shall promptly notify the School about any accidental or unauthorized access of the data, or any loss of the data whether leading to unauthorized access or not.
Data Retention - Obligations After the Termination of Contract or Services
1. That on the termination of the contract or services that required data processing services, that the company shall at the request of the School transfer all the data transferred and copies thereof to the data exporter or shall destroy all the personal data and certify that he has done so, unless legislation imposed on the data importer prevents it from returning or destroying all or part of the data transferred;
2. In the case of legislation initiation, the company warrants that it will guarantee the confidentiality of the personal data and will not actively process any personal data processing. Once the legal requirement for retention has passed, the company warrants that it will destroy all data retained.
Data Correctness and Right of Correction
1. To provide the School, upon request, all the personal details of individuals that have been collected as the result of this agreement and to amend or delete such data on request within the lifetime of the agreement within seven (7) working days.
All parties agree that if one party is held liable for a violation of the clauses committed by the other party in violation of agreed upon terms or the People's Republic of China Cybersecurity law enacted on 1 June 2017, the offending party will, to the extent it is liable, indemnify the first party from any cost, charge, damages, expenses, or losses it has incurred.


They can see the "why." It provides the most accurate snapshot of who they are – their personal system of motives that drive their behaviours.
They learn to honour differences. It offers insight into the unique ways they value different strengths and how they interpret the actions of others.
They can depersonalize conflict. A non-threatening method for effectively dealing with conflict.
They can apply what they learn. It's not just good in theory, it works in practice! TotalSDI assessments include practical ways to recognize and communicate with different motivational styles.
It's memorable. It creates a common language for understanding and discussing motives and relationships by using easy to remember illustrations, terms, and colours.
It paints a team portrait. Team results are shown in one easy to understand graphic.
When it comes to TotalSDI, the triangle provides the perfect way to illustrate the results from a powerful and meaningful tool that's distinct from other assessments.
It breaks away from the norm. People in organizations aren't pigeonholed in a particular box. Instead, they see their results represented as an arrow that indicates how frequently they are motivated by a concern for people, performance, and process.
It covers two conditions. The TotalSDI shows the degree and the nature of changes when things are going well and when there is a conflict.
It's about interactions. When team members experience the TotalSDI, it creates a picture of the differences in motivational values and triggers for conflict. It makes it easy for everyone to understand their results, talk about them, and learn from them.
The Strength Deployment Inventory® (SDI®) is the foundational assessment of TotalSDI. The SDI is based upon 40 years of rigorous research by famed Psychologist Dr. Elias Porter.
Behaviour is driven by motives. WHY we do things is just as important as WHAT we do. TotalSDI provides a methodology for understanding a person's Motivational Value System – the motives that drive behaviour and provide an understanding of why people do what they do.
Motives change in conflict. We feel and act differently during conflict, and we want different things. TotalSDI demonstrates these changes in motives as conflict progresses – including the related changes in behaviour. It guides people toward developing ways to prevent and manage conflict more productively.
Strengths can be overdone. We all have the potential to apply our strengths in non-productive ways. It is the perception of these overdone strengths that usually creates conflict for people.
Filters influence perception. What we see is influenced by who we are and what motivates us. Our Motivational Value System acts as a lens through which we view the world and judge ourselves and others.
The SDI helps people see their motives in light of their relative focus on three critical business priorities.
The importance of learning how to balance these three priorities, at the individual, team and organizational levels, is the key focus of TotalSDI.
While opinions regarding the requisite skills, qualities, and behaviours of leaders are many and diverse, most have one common thread – leadership requires managing relationships. At all organization levels, people are in roles where their performance is measured not only on results but, as importantly, on how they manage their relationships with others.
Recent research suggests that relationships, while often considered a "soft" skill, actually play a more direct role in organizational and team performance. New goals, different team members, and changing roles, structures and accountabilities are realities in today's workplace that generate stress, conflict and other relationship issues at all levels of an organization.
Faulty work relationships often result in conflict that impacts every aspect of a business; from board and executive relations to customer relationship management, supplier partnerships, and employee and labour relations.
Conflict impacts leaders, teams and individuals, and frequently is the underlying cause of the typical issues that arise in today's work environments. Studies show that more than 65 percent of performance issues result from strained relationships – up, down, and across the organization. It is not the lack of knowledge, skills or motivation, but the mismanagement of relationships that creates the greatest cost to organizations. TotalSDI can diagnose the root causes of these issues to enable sustainable change in the ways people work with and lead others.
TotalSDI assessments are available in 26 languages – but what is more important is the language these tools teach. When it comes to work relationships, everyone speaks a different "motivational language". TotalSDI helps each person understand their own language, and the languages other people speak. It provides a further understanding of how those languages change during a conflict and, in turn, how to prevent, manage and resolve it.
It reveals motives. TotalSDI goes beyond behaviours to motivation – what DRIVES those behaviours. We are all driven by the need to be valued by ourselves and others, for the things that are important to us. TotalSDI gets to the heart of what people value and, as a result, provides an important foundation for constructive dialogue and mutual respect.
It is bi-conditional. Today's work environments are comprised of human systems. By their very nature, the people within these systems experience conflict in response to the stress associated with constant change and ambiguity in the workplace. People experience two conditions that can be described as "going well" and "in conflict". Under these two conditions, our motives and reactions can change. TotalSDI is the only methodology that guides people toward understanding why this natural shift in motivation occurs, how it can impact individuals and teams, and what we can do about it.
It strengthens a weakness. Most leadership assessments don't show you when a strength, taken too far, becomes a weakness. Focusing only on a person's "strengths" or "weaknesses" ignores the fact that strengths can be overdone, underdone or misapplied. There are times when we can over-use our "go to" strengths and times when strengths we use less frequently can be a better option in a different context. TotalSDI guides people toward recognizing those times when we may need to choose different strengths to get better results.
It's a system of its own. TotalSDI insights lead to improved organizational, team and personal performance. It provides a systemic methodology for people to work productively together, within and across teams, at all levels of the organization.


A name for the Version Distinction. May be expressed in multiple languages. Repeat the element to express names with different content, for example different names for different systems.
A display label for the Version Distinction. May be expressed in multiple languages. Repeat for labels with different content, for example, labels with differing length limitations.
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Allows the version structure to be defined by a regular expression.


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Home » Latest News in Nigeria » Our airports can't grow without splitting FAAN -Lawmaker
Our airports can't grow without splitting FAAN -Lawmaker
Nnaji Nnolim, chairman, house of representatives committee on aviation, says the aviation sector will remain in a "pitiable state" until the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) is unbundled.
The lawmaker said this while speaking at the 2019 colloquium of Nigeria Travel Smart, entitled: "Airports Concession and Options for Airports Development in Nigeria."
He said FAAN, as presently constituted, is too complex to allow for growth and efficiency in the country's aviation sector.
The guest speaker said FAAN should be split into three agencies namely: Nigeria Airport Development Agency, Airport Management Company, PLC and Federal Airports Property Company Limited respectively, for optimum growth.
"The Act that set up FAAN, giving it the power to dominate in an area that can be open for private sector has to be reviewed," he said.
The lawmaker representing Nkanu east/west federal constituency of Enugu said there's need for synergy between the public and private sector in order to address deficiencies in the country's aviation sector.
"The airport is the first port of call for international visitors to the country and also the last port of call on departure, so the impression an airport creates in the visitor's mind gives a greater outlook of a country," he said.
Patrick Musa, senior transport engineer, African Development Bank (AFDB), Nnaji, Tumba, Olumide, and Ali Magashi, CEO, Kitari Consult Limited, at the event
"It is glaring fact that our airports are not just underdeveloped but also grossly underutilized. In aviation today, the modern trend is that airports have become huge sources of revenue generation.
"Revenues accrue from both aeronautical and non-aeronautical sources, with non-aeronautical revenues now becoming the dominant sources of airport development, stability and aviation sustainability. Airports are now big business hubs with hotels and other ancillary entities springing up in major international airports across the globe.
"In Nigeria, we have not exploited even up to 10 percent of the possible non-aeronautical revenues because our airports are not yet developed to the level of harnessing the revenue potentials available on the land side (non-aeronautical sources of revenue).
"The unbundling of FAAN may lead to a more efficient and progressive airport development and an enabling environment that will attract private sector investments and tourism development in Nigeria."
Reacting, Dapo Olumide, chief executive officer of Ropeways Transport Limited, said the last 33-year experiment of Nigerian airports under government has not recorded much progress, hence the need to "change the status quo".
"Concession of Airports does not mean complete privatization but allowing the private sector to come in and ensure global standard," he said.
"We have been doing the same thing for the last three decades, going round the circle."
He however, opposed the lawmaker's call for the devolution of FAAN into three units, saying such would only continue the complex structures of the agency.
In his welcome address, Simon Tumba, convener of the colloquium, lamented over the parlous state of Nigerian airports despite the presence of huge prospects for economic growth.
"For decades we have seen the state of our airports, especially our major gateways in Lagos, Abuja, Enugu, Port Harcourt, Kaduna and Kano. Over the last few years the Federal government has made investments to enhance the customer experience in these airports. Truth be told; we are lagging behind, despite the efforts of the Federal Airports of Authority /FAAN)," he said.
"The Federal government has approved N14 billion to renovate the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, which is nearly $40 million.
"Taking cognizance to the dwindling revenue of the government, very demanding social needs and the increase of our debt profile as a nation, one may say the government is doing its best. However $40 million is not enough for an emerging market like Nigeria, a country with every potential to be a global hub. The government needs to think out of the box!
"Our humble opinion in NTM is that the government should explore a Public Private Partnership (PPP) and Concession our airports carrying along the workforce at FAAN. With Nigeria's God given natural and Human Resources, and a solid leapfrogging plan and strategy, we should be aiming for a futuristic airport of $2-5billion. We have the population, the market and geographic position to make and realize such aspirations.
"The aviation unions who are averse to concession of our airports are merely shooting themselves in the foot, and in the long run, may end in regret and bitter cries."
Angel October 25, 2019 at 6:16 PM
I totally agree


Hey there and welcome to Dirt In My Shoes!
My name is Ash and I am a former park ranger…..I guess you could say that my love for the national parks runs incredibly deep!
Actually, that's definitely an understatement.
Today I wanted to take a minute and share some of my favorite national park gifts with you (mostly things I've bought for myself over the years haha). I'm doing this because I really want to help you find the perfect gift for the national park adventurer in your life!
Or…if you happen to be a national park enthusiast yourself, this list is a great thing to pass on to your family and friends come Christmas or birthday time! You know, give them a little nudge in the right direction :).
Give the gift of adventure with the America the Beautiful Annual Pass — it provides entry into all National Parks for a year! This pass is a fantastic way to give your friends and family the freedom to explore the wonders of the America wilderness without breaking the bank.
This should definitely be at the top of your list!! Why? Anyone who loves the national parks will be absolutely thrilled to receive it!
With this annual pass, you can visit all of your favorites parks and discover some new amazing places as well — you will run out of days in the year before you run out of possibilities with this pass!
These stylish shirts, sweaters, and hats are awesome for the modern adventurer. Any one who loves the national parks will have fun showing off this gear and representing their favorite park!
The best part? Each time that you purchase clothing from Parks Project, they donate money to fund habitat restoration, visitor programs, wildlife conservation, and youth education in the national parks — and that's something we all can be proud of.
Have you ever dreamed of owning a piece of a national parks? Now you can! Try out this fun and exciting take on the classic board game Monopoly — national park style.
You can acquire all your favorite parks from Acadia to Yellowstone to the Great Smoky Mountains and develop camp sites and ranger stations. This twist is sure to be a hit for all your park-loving friends. Plus, a portion of your purchase is donated to the National Parks Foundation, the official non-profit partner of the NPS to support projects in the parks.
If Monopoly isn't your strong suit, other national park-themed options are also available, such as Jenga or Yahtzee.
Believe it or not, now you can actually give someone a fully planned out vacation itinerary to their favorite national park! A Dirt In My Shoes itinerary is all it takes to have an absolutely phenomenal vacation!
You and your loved ones want to share breathtaking memories as you visit the national parks, but planning and carrying out a trip is stressful! With these itineraries, I'll show you how to avoid the crowds, organize your time, and see the BEST that the park has to offer. You'll also get my favorite dining and lodging recommendations!
This leaves time for you to focus more on the important things — exploring the beautiful national parks with the people that mean the most to you.
You can find the itineraries here — or if you are wondering if an itinerary is right for you, check out these Dirt In My Shoes itinerary reviews.
Celebrate a different park each month of the year with this National Parks 2019 Calendar. With compelling images from some of the most iconic landscapes in America, this calendar is a beautiful way to organize your schedule and plan your events.
This item is created by the National Park Foundation — all profits from this product are used to support America's national parks!
You can click here to get a preview of the monthly photos. This calendar is available on Amazon.
Chacos are my hiking sandal of choice, and now they come with national park themed straps!
These shoes are fabulous for hiking, swimming, rafting…basically any outdoor activity that doesn't require a closed toe. The sole provides great support and the straps are comfortable.
I've had my Chacos for 10 years now and I'm just now starting to think about replacing them with a new pair. They've come to Alaska, Wyoming, and Utah with me as I've moved around for my park ranger jobs and have shown very little wear.
Whether you are looking to know more about the history of the national parks, searching for your next dream adventure, or just want to admire stunning photography, this book will inspire you!
Celebrating the first 100 years of the national parks, The National Parks: An Illustrated History takes you on the journey the history of these inspiring places, and the people who have made them into what they are today. Interwoven with the very best of National Geographic's photography, this book is the ultimate guide to the history of the parks.
Now you and your friends can show off a gorgeous national park every time you reach for your water bottle!
I've used Camelbak bottles and hydration packs for years and have found them to be well-made, functional, and durable. These designs are perfect for anyone who wants to proclaim that they love the national parks!
Check out the prints for parks such as Joshua Tree, Grand Canyon, Mount Rainier, and Redwood on Amazon.
The National Parks: America's Best Idea is an Emmy award winning series that highlights the history of the national parks. Telling the story as only Ken Burns can, this series of 6 episodes is rich in detail, showing the evolution of the parks over the past 150 years.
With magnificent images of the parks and a compelling story, it's easy for the national park explorer to fall in love with this beautiful gift.
You can find this documentary on Amazon.
Perhaps the best thing you can give a national park enthusiast is something that will help them keep track of their travels! That's why I love this National Parks Scratch Off Travel Map.
It's easy to see where you've gone and where you still need to go with this map! This gift is sure to be something that you will cherish for years to come.
National Park Scented Candles: REI || Good & Well Supply Co.
I hope this list helps you give the perfect gift this year. Next step….convincing your national park loving friend to take you along on their upcoming adventures! Happy trails!
Do you have any comments, questions, or suggestions regarding this list of national park gifts? Let me know in the comments below!
If your looking for a passport book I would recommend Passport To Your National Park Collectors Edition, it has more places and a wider variety than any other book I've seen.
Awesome thanks for the info Scott!
Great list! You should totally add Jeremy Collins' calendar and shirts that also feature is amazing NPS artwork sold through Meridian Line!!
Thanks for the recommendation…I'll take a look!
I wish there was a t-shirt that had an pictorial illustration of all the national parks in the United States. I saw a jigsaw puzzle that had one and had wished that pictorial illustration could have been found on t-shirts.
By the way, I love your website! I have done 30 national park visits in my lifetime with more to go.
Very cool! I've only seen shirts with a list of the parks…not pictures. I'll keep an eye out though!
Haha awesome! I'll have to look it up!