*Disclaimer: The following post is just me relating my personal experiences and my son's particular health situation. I am in no way promoting any health advice. Please consult your health professional concerning your own health needs.
Nearly two years ago, my son began having frequent bouts of anaphylaxis. We had to take him to the ER several times in a month. We had absolutely no idea what was causing his severe allergic reactions, but suspected some food was the culprit. I brought him to an allergist as soon as possible. Many tests later, the allergist diagnosed my son with a severe form of Oral Allergy Syndrome called Celery Spice Syndrome.
Although the condition seemed to come on suddenly, it had been building over the years, and my son just did not realize that the less severe reactions he was having weren't normal. The list of foods he was allergic to grew very long and includes: wheat, celery, parsley, cilantro, citrus, apples, pears, cherries, nuts, peanuts, cumin, curry, lettuce… And the list goes on and on.
As a gardener, it was natural for me to begin researching out which plant families his major allergies were related to. Through my research, I discovered that some of his allergies were linked to a whole plant family, some were genus specific and some are limited to a species. I was determined to find foods he might be able to try that were outside those plant groups.
One fabulous thing I have learned along the way is that the world is full of all sorts of varieties of foods that we never eat in a typical American diet. After careful study, consideration and consultation with my son's allergist, I felt ready to try some different greens, fruits and vegetables that he might be able to safely eat. I sourced seeds and plant starts for these plants, and grew tester seedlings one by one. We slowly, carefully began to have my son try a tiny bit of each new food to see if he would react. A few times we were unpleasantly surprised when he did react to a food I was not expecting. Then we would step back, research again, and begin our trials again.
I am happy to report that we have found many foods my son CAN eat. Happy, happy, happy.
Just a few weeks ago, our garden was finally producing enough greens for my son to have a full salad. Imagine this teenage boy so excited to eat a SALAD for dinner! Sometimes life throws us a curveball that, while difficult to get through, helps us to appreciate the simple and small pleasures in life.
This is a partial list of some of the foods we have tried; some have been successful cooked, some raw, either way, I am so glad to have an expanded variety of foods to feed my son.
Way to be an awesome mom who would go to all that effort to find healthy garden fresh food for her son despite his allergies 🙂 Good job, mom!
That is awesome! I am the adult that has OAS and have never put in the time and effort to keep trying things to see if they react or not. You are an amazing mom.


Today is a very special day. Not only is it Friday, but it's also the Friday before July 4th (translate: 4-day weekend for me), and is the day my iPad2 case arrived! To be exact, my "iPad Extreme Sleeve™ 2" arrived. It sounds high tech, because it is high tech. It's made of a lightweight, foamy kind of material that, when impacted, hardens on a molecular level and protects what's inside. Crazeballs. I've tested it out with my iPad2 and it fits like a glove like an iPad2 case should fit: Perfectly snug.
Some quick back story: John "Champion Boyfriend" Kennedy got me an iPad2 for my birthday with the green Apple Smart Cover. I'm highly skilled at dropping things, so the next day I bought a protective film for the screen and a pink Speck Smartshell for the back. I'm not sure if I've mentioned it before, but I'm extremely talented at dropping things. So I also wanted to buy an iPad2 carrying case to be triple protected. Oh my gawd, there are a lot of iPad2 cases on the market. I put a lot of thought and research into it, but after watching this video from the team at G-Force, I just wasn't going to be happy with any other product.
Here's the thing: I guess G-Form only just started making these sleeves, so they weren't ready to ship them out when the iPad2 came out. So they took pre-orders and kept in touch with customers through comments on their website. The sleeves were meant to ship out on June 15th, but due to a delay in shipping, G-Form wasn't going to be able to send them out for about another week. To make up for this delay, G-Form sent out an email to me and other pre-ordering customers explaining the situation and offering a free additional item from their website up to $39.99 value. Whatever item I chose, they would ship with my iPad2 sleeve, so it would be like getting two presents at once!
I'm ordering the iPad 2 sleeve, and got your free gift email. I would like my free gift to be a pair of your swanky Brake Hood Over-Grips.
But wait! That's not all! Since you are offering a free gift up to $39.99, and the brake hood over-grips are only $9.99, would it also be possible to get a Saddle Gel Kit? Combined, that only makes $24.98! That's a steal for both of us! It's a win-win! Pretty please with a cherry on top? My bike pants could really use the extra company. They don't really get along with my bike seat. Same story with my bike gloves and handlebars – all I want to do is go for a ride, you know? But instead, all I get is drama, drama, drama. Such a pain in my arse. Literally.
Can't wait to see my iPad2 sleeve by the way, I am SUPER excited about it!
I never hear back from G-Form (They were doubtlessly too busy coming up with new awesome extreme products), but I've been wondering since that day what might turn up when UPS came to my door. Today I got the package, and check it out – I got the iPad2 sleeve, the brake hood over-grips, AND the saddle gel kit! What a sweet deal!
G-Form didn't have to reward my greediness by sending me both free gifts, but they did, and I really appreciate it. And because of that, I'm already deciding what else I can buy from them (I have a snowboarding brother). Oh, did I mention that G-Form is also charitable in other ways too? Last month the company raised over $120,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Pretty cool stuff.
Snug as a bug - iPad2 fits perfectly!
So if you have an iPad2 or a laptop that needs protecting, I would seriously recommend checking out G-Form's iPad Extreme Sleeve™ 2 (also their website has much better pictures). It's an effective, innovative product, and now I can finally leave the house with my iPad2!


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Media Advisory - Technical Briefing and Announcement Regarding Budget 2016 Investments in Water/Wastewater and progress on elimination of long-term Drinking Water Advisories Français
Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada
OTTAWA, March 8, 2017 /CNW/ - Please be advised that Ministers Bennett and Philpott will announce progress made on eliminating long-term drinking water advisories and improving water/wastewater infrastructure on reserve. The Ministers will then be available to answer questions from the media.
The announcement will be preceded by a Technical Briefing by representatives for the Department of Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada and Health Canada.
Date: Thursday, March 9, 2017
Technical Briefing:
Time: 9:45 a.m. (EST)
** Documents to be handed out at 9:30 a.m.
Location: National Press Theater
Dial-in information:
Media can participate by phone by dialing :
Conference ID # : 7086361
to get a copy of the documents
Time: 12:15 p.m. (EST)
Location: House of Commons Foyer
Centre Block
Follow us on Twitter: @GCIndigenous
(https://twitter.com/@GCIndigenous)
SOURCE Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada
For further information: Sabrina Williams, Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Carolyn Bennett, (613) 697-8316, INAC Media Relations, (819) 953-1160, [email protected]; Andrew MacKendrick, Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Jane Philpott, (613) 957-0200
Statement from the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada on...
Statement by Minister Chagger on Raoul Wallenberg Day...
Statement by the Prime Minister on Raoul Wallenberg Day...

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
OpEdNews Op Eds 2/2/2011 at 15:34:11 H3'ed 2/2/11
The Catholic Church and Italian Politics
By Carlo Ungaro (Page 1 of 2 pages) (# of views) No comments
(The author of this submission is a retired senior Italian diplomatic officer)
Rome, Italy, February 2 2011
Much has been written about the tragicomic aspects of the current Italian political crisis. As so often happens, Italian politics have become embroiled in a combination of Greek Tragedy and Comic Opera: Shakespeare rewritten by Feydeau.
Last December, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi survived a Parliamentary "no confidence" motion by the scantiest of margins. As a result, his position has remained shaky, and the Italian situation appears unhealthy or, at the very least incongruous and likely to keep the country adrift on a sea of inaction where strong measures would be needed .
Few, however, have shifted the focus of their analysis on the role played by the Roman Catholic Church, embodied by the Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI), whose interference in Italian political life has become increasingly pervasive and forceful, filling, as it were, a preoccupying political and institutional void.
An overall evaluation of the Italian political situation, which, in spite of appearances, is actually neither amusing nor immune from the risk of resurgent neo-fascist nostalgia, has to take into account the extent of the permanent and mainly negative influence that the Roman Catholic Church, the Vatican and the Holy See (three very distinct realities) exert on the Italian political, cultural and social scene. The origins of this phenomenon have deep historical roots, but the effects are readily visible, as is the realisation that, with the present Pontificate, the Church's interference has been steadily growing..
Long before becoming Pope, Joseph Ratzinger had repeatedly preached against "relativism", viewed as a dangerous deviation from the absolute truths contained in the Teachings of the Church. He has continued on that theme also after his election as Supreme Pontiff, and it would be safe to say that "anti-relativism" constitutes one of his most cherished doctrinal points.
It could therefore appear ironic that he, of all people, should now reign at the head of one of the world's most politically pragmatic organisations. Symbols of this pragmatism abound and are evident all over Rome: The Church, for example, has always been and still is adamantly opposed to homosexuality, and yet two self confessed homosexuals, who, while in Rome, led scandalously open love lives, are very ostentatiously buried within Saint Peter's Basilica. I refer, of course, to Queen Christina of Sweden (1689) and Charles Edward, the last heir to the Stuart throne, known also as "Bonnie Prince Charlie" or "The Young Pretender", who died in 1788.
This spirit of pragmatism was put to extremely good use in the first years of the Fascist regime in Italy, in the early 1920's. In the space of about six years, Benito Mussolini, an anti-Catholic, blaspheming womanizer, and an avowed atheist, was transformed into "the man sent to us by Divine Providence" and proceeded to "normalise" the relations between the Church and the Italian state, which had been very strained at least since 1861, by signing the "Lateran Pacts", or the "Concordat", in February 1929.
What was shown then, and is now being repeated with chilling analogy, was the masterful way in which Catholic Church manipulates political life in Italy more than it does in other Catholic countries. The technique used then, and still used today is of disarming simplicity and is limited to meting out reprimands and rewards with the aim of bringing the erring Government to heel.
It could therefore be argued that Silvio Berlusconi, with his growingly erratic behaviour, has actually played into the hands of the Catholic Hierarchy, who, with a sagacious use of the many Catholic media outlets, have alternated sharp words of criticism with warm praise for the Government's readiness to toe the line in matters of interest to the Catholic Church, gaining, in a moment of drastic financial cutbacks, substantial subsidies for "private" (i.e. Catholic) schools..
There is, however, a growing perception that a large part of the Catholic electorate has been profoundly shocked by the latest information on the Prime Minister's activities, and that this sense of disquiet has filtered up, through the Parishes, to the Bishop's Conference and, finally, to the Holy See and the Pope himself. As a result, the Supreme Pontiff and leading personalities in the Church have come up with formal statements -" couched, of course, in extremely cautious and indirect terms -" critical of the lack of moral sensibility on the part of "those elected to high government office". It was interesting, almost amusing, to not the haste with which the Prime Minister's political party assured the public that those words "are not addressed to us."
For many years the Roman Catholic Hierarchy has been outspoken in its support for right-wing governments in Italy, particularly those formed by Berlusconi, and, therefore, bland as they were, the words spoken by high ranking prelates have to be taken into consideration. In spite of this unquestionable support, there is a strong possibility that, in the future, the Church may abandon Berlusconi and prefer sustaining a prominent Catholic political figure. On the other hand, the Church may use the occasion to increase the pressure on the Prime Minister thus bringing the Italian Government even closer to the approved Catholic ideology.
The question remains as to why Italian political leaders should be so sensitive to the pressures of the Church, considering that the Italian population is not particularly devout in its adherence to Catholicism.
This is a very interesting issue which would deserve closer scrutiny, but the paradox remains in the sense that the "immoral" behaviour of the Prime Minister and the subsequent Catholic reaction could end up further reducing Italy's status as a secular state.
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WECT features falling happening at Old Baldy.
National Lighthouse Day is featured on WWAY.
UNC TV stopped by Old Baldy's 200th Birthday. Watch their footage here.
Click here to see WWAY's coverage of Old Baldy's 200th Birthday Party.
Click here to see pictures from Star News from the Birthday Party.
The Star New attended the Gala in White. Click here to see pictures.
WBTV traveled to Bald Head from Charlotte to take part in National Lighthouse Day. View their story here.
View photos of National Lighthouse Day Festival and The Run for the Light by Thatcher Photography, LLC.
Old Baldy receives a generous donation of a museum case from Leslie and Brian Black.
The Old Baldy Foundation announces the 2nd annual North Carolina Treasures Weekend!
Announcing the 2018 Old Baldy Foundation calendar of events.


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Autonomous driving will create a $US7 Trillion passenger Economy: Intel
Staff Writers/ June 5, 2017
Home > Industrial Internet > Autonomous driving will create a $US7 Trillion passenger Economy: Intel
Staff Writers 2017-06-05
A vast and extraordinary new market worth $US7 Trillion is set to emerge over the next 30 years as the world's drivers become passengers with the advent of autonomous vehicles.
That's the headline finding from a new study commissioned by Intel Corporation that explores the yet-to-be-realized economic potential of this new opportunity.
Called the "Passenger Economy" by Intel and prepared by analyst firm Strategy Analytics, the study predicts an explosive economic trajectory growing from US$800 billion in 2035 to US$7 trillion by 2050.
The authors argue that historically technology is the catalyst for massive societal transformation and that businesses need to adapt or risk failure, or worse, extinction. They cite new digital business models ushered in by personal computing, the internet, ubiquitous connectivity and smartphones as examples.
Autonomous driving will do the same, they say.
Key report highlights include:
Business use of Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) is expected to generate US$3 trillion in revenues, or 43 percent of the total passenger economy.
Consumer use of Mobility-as-a-Service offerings is expected to account for US$3.7 trillion in revenue or nearly 55 percent of the total passenger economy.
US$200 billion of revenue is expected to be generated from rising consumer use of new innovative applications and services that will emerge as pilotless vehicle services expand and evolve.
Conservatively, 585,000 lives can be saved due to self-driving vehicles in the era of the Passenger Economy from 2035 to 2045.
Self-driving vehicles are expected to free more than 250 million hours of consumers' commuting time per year in the most congested cities in the world.
Reductions in public safety costs related to traffic accidents could amount to more than US$234 billion over the Passenger Economy era from 2035-2045
According to Intel CEO Brian Krzanich , "Companies should start thinking about their autonomous strategy now. "
"Less than a decade ago, no one was talking about the potential of a soon-to-emerge app or sharing economy because no one saw it coming. This is why we started the conversation around the Passenger Economy early, to wake people up to the opportunity streams that will emerge when cars become the most powerful mobile data generating devices we use and people swap driving for riding."
Autonomous driving and smart city technologies will enable the new Passenger Economy, gradually reconfiguring entire industries and inventing new ones thanks to the time and cognitive surplus it will unlock.
Read the Report: Accelerating the Future: The Economic Impact of the Emerging Passenger Economy
"Not unlike the space race of the 1960s, today's announcement is a rallying cry to the world to put its best minds on this challenge," said Greg Lindsay, urbanist and mobility futurist. "The future of mobility, economic advancement and the emergence of new growth opportunities like the Passenger Economy demand ongoing dialogue. I am excited to partner with Intel, take this discussion on the road and look at solutions through the lens of the diverse industries that will shape our future – from automakers to investors and policy makers to startups."
The new report frames the value of the economic opportunity through both a consumer and business lens and begins to build use cases designed to enable decision-makers to develop actionable change strategies.
"Autonomous technology will drive change across a range of industries and define a new landscape, the first green shoots of which will appear in the business-to-business sector," said study co-author Harvey Cohen, president, Strategy Analytics. "The emergence of pilotless vehicle options will first appear in developed markets and will reinvent the package delivery and long-haul transportation sectors. This will relieve driver shortages around the world and account for two-thirds of initial projected revenues."
The research firm further points out that autonomously operated vehicles commercialization will gain steam by 2040 – generating an increasingly large share of the projected value and heralding the emergence of instantaneously personalized services.
The study also identifies a set of future scenarios including;
Car-venience: From onboard beauty salons to touch-screen tables for remote collaboration, fast-casual dining, remote vending, mobile healthcare clinics and treatment pods, and even platooning pod hotels, vehicles will become transportation experience pods.
Movable movies: Media and content producers will develop custom content formats to match short and long travel times.
Location-based advertising: Location-based advertising will become more keenly relevant, and advertisers and agencies will be presented with a new realm of possibilities for presenting content brands and location.
Mobility-as-a-perk: Employers, office buildings, apartment complexes, university campuses and housing estates will offer MaaS to add value to and distinguish their offer from competitors or as part of their compensation package.
The Passenger Economy report was sponsored by Intel and developed by Strategy Analytics. To read the full report and see additional materials, visit newsroom.intel.com/autonomous.
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On my day off from work, I decided to have lunch with my grandparents. Since I was down that way, I figured I'd check out the Jackson library as I hadn't been before. It's quite bright and cheerful. Not to mention they're around the corner from a really super looking park for kids. I almost wanted to stop and play on it, but I didn't want to frighten the children already there!


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Words for Worship
WorshipWeb
By Erica Shadowsong
an original retelling
Daedalus was a brilliant inventor, and he had made a career, even a legend of himself for being able to create the seemingly impossible. So when he decided to escape from his tower prison by flying over the ocean like a bird, his son, Icarus, had no doubt he would do it.
It took him only a little while, and Daedalus did the thing that no one else had ever been able to do. He created two sets of wings that for all intents and purposes looked like they could have come from a very large bird, with a wingspan twice his and his son's own heights. Daedalus was ready to fly.
At any other time in his life, that would be it; he would take off, no matter how dangerous the risk, with the untested creation, and somehow beat odds impossible for anyone else. But Daedalus was older now, and he'd had his share of trouble. His proclivity for trouble had landed him in this prison, after all. And because he now had a son, he could no longer do anything without first weighing the consequences. And he worried, now...something he had hardly ever done for himself in his own youth and prime.
When the wings were finished, Daedalus showed them to his son and gave him careful instruction.
"When we set out over the ocean, you must take care not to fly too high, because if you do, the heat of the son will melt the wax holding these wings together, and you will fall into the sea, and I won't be able to save you. But you also must not fly too low, because the ocean spray will soak the feathers, and drag you down into its depths. Be sure to follow me and do what I do, until we safely reach the shore."
Icarus agreed; his father knew everything. So they attached the wings to themselves one day and lept out of the high tower window, catching the wind and sailing high over the endless ocean.
At first, Icarus did exactly as his father instructed. But as they continued to travel for what seemed hours, he naturally was a fast learner, and he began to fly playfully, imitating the sea birds shrieking in the sky. He flew faster than his father, who was flying more carefully. Every now and then, he'd hear his father call out to him to remind him to take care not to fly too high or too low.
He stayed well away from the ocean spray. But he could not resist flying higher and higher to see how far he could go, and the enormous sun was so very far away; surely there was more than enough height for him to go before there was danger from it. And he probably would have been right, if it were not for the fact that, as he saw the tiny silhouettes of birds flying across the great bright sun over the ocean, he found himself hypnotized by its beauty and enormity. He couldn't help it.
Watching the sun and the birds flying seemingly so close to it, he naturally rose higher and higher. And he began to entertain what he knew was impossible; he began to think about what it would be like to touch the sun! He heard his father's voice calling behind him, so far away, and could hear the terror in it. But he was mesmerized by the sun, and sure enough, as his father had said, the wax holding his wings together began to melt it its heat, and still he rose higher, still he kept his eyes on the horizon, toward the great sun.
And as his wings came apart, and he plunged to his death in the sea, his father watching, helpless to be able to save him, could it be that he knew he was about to die for flying too close to the sun? And could it be that he simply decided, it was worth it?
Erica Shadowsong
Erica Shadowsong (she/her) is a multidisciplinary artist who discovered storytelling through her graduate studies in English, folklore, and music.
For more information contact worshipweb@uua.org.
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Can I do it again? Do I even dare? Do I have the strength?
Because the cradle might be empty—again.


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National Trails System Act
Published on October 2, 2021 October 1, 2021 by Kathy Cherry
The National Trails System Act created the National Trails System back today in 1968. The Act created national trails to promote the enjoyment and appreciation of trails while encouraging greater public access. The Act established four classes of trails: national scenic trails, national historic trails, national recreation trails, and side or connecting trails.
The first two national scenic trails established under the Act were the Appalachian and the Pacific Crest trails. These two trails cover almost 5,000 miles between the two trails and go through some of our nation's most beautiful areas. Today, the system consists of more than 60,000 miles.
Enjoy a fun map! Click here for a map of all the trails in the system.
To celebrate this 53rd anniversary, go and get out on a trail today!
Devils Postpile National Monument, CA
Categories Uncategorized•Tags California national parks, children's books, Devils Postpile, hiking, Holidays, national park service, national parks, national trails system, national trails system act, travel
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Feb. 27-March 29—Gallery Nucleus hosts "Curiouser and Curiouser: Inspired by Alice in Wonderland," with an opening reception on Feb. 27 from 7 to 11 p.m. The exhibition runs from Feb. 27 to March 29.
Since its publication in 1865, Lewis Carroll's 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' has enchanted the world with its curious characters and its even curiouser tale. It has been over more than a century and the fantastic world of Alice continues to captivate children and adults. With the highly anticipated film adaptation by Tim Burton hitting theaters later this month, the gallery invited artists of the feature film and beyond to create their vision of the iconic story and celebrate it's lasting legacy.
Gallery Nucleus is located at 210 E. Main St. in Alhambra. For more information call (626) 458-7482 or visit www.gallerynucleus.com.


New York City garage-surf group Beach Arabs just released a new video for their song "Drifters" off last year's Wild Movement, which we are proud to be premiering here at Impose. Unlike the frenetic angular guitar and haunting background vocals on the new track "Ridge", "Drifters" is a super happy-sounding track to the tune of anthemic garage surf rock song structuring. In between dreamy guitar leads and simple instrumental build-ups, Liz Hogg sings downer lyrics like "people drift and cowards break hearts, opportunities missed then we're dead" to add some counterweight to the saccharine fuzz.
The video, which was edited by Augusto Lima, is a compilation of clips of swimmers, beach-goers, and hula dancers from 34 different B-movies, with a general theme of "summer." And maybe "buildings," too. The video comes out as Liz Hogg gets ready to head off to Europe to play some solo + Beach Arabs dates—and to storm some beaches, no doubt—which you can check out (along with the video) below.
Beach Arabs – "Drifters" from Mouca on Vimeo.


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Tag: Politics
Removing the barriers to encourage a diverse and representative audience into public life
Our guest post comes from Deputy Presiding Officer, Ann Jones AM as we mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on 3 December.
Having been a politician for many years, I've been faced with numerous obstacles. Some of these have been due to my disability and I've worked hard to overcome these barriers. I've been lucky enough to have received a great deal of support from my family, colleagues and in the workplace which has had a big impact on my life.
I know first-hand that the barriers facing disabled people can be very off-putting and can discourage people from taking part in public life and politics. These are barriers that we need to remove in order to encourage a diverse and representative audience into public life.
Barriers which disabled people encounter may include:
Perceptual – based upon their views of accessibility or other people's views of disabled people;
Environmental – based upon the accessibility of a physical space; or
Procedural – based upon the policies and procedures in place.
My mother was an inspiration to me and she made sure I was given all the opportunities that those without a disability had. This is what we need to do for the wider public, by breaking down these barriers.
A commitment to promoting diversity
I feel very privileged to be the Deputy Presiding Officer at the National Assembly for Wales. I've been keen to use my role to highlight issues of importance. The two themes which I've focused on to date include 'Women in Politics' and 'Promoting an accessible Assembly'. Over the years, the Assembly has been awarded numerous prestigious awards for its commitment to inclusion and diversity.
These include, but are not limited to:
Stonewall's Workplace Equality Index, where the Assembly is recognised as the Top Employer in the UK in 2018 and as one of the Top UK Employers for LGBT people each year since 2009
National Autism Society Autism Friendly Award
Ranked in the top ten UK employers, accredited by the Top Employers for Working Families organisation
Age Employer Champion Status
Action on Hearing Loss Louder Than Words charter mark, and Service Excellence Awards.
The Assembly is committed to promoting diversity, inclusion and equality of opportunity for staff and the people of Wales. There's a dedicated Diversity and Inclusion team within the Assembly Commission along with an Assembly Committee (Equality, Local Government and Communities) that tackle these issues daily. Further to this, a report has been commissioned by the Assembly's Remuneration Board to identify barriers and incentives for disabled people standing for election.
We are proud to have an accessible building and the policies, procedures and training in place to ensure that disabled people can fully participate in our democracy. Whether this be as an Assembly Member, a member of staff or a visitor.
But this has certainly been a journey. We have worked hard over a number of years to continue to improve the accessibility of our buildings and the support that we have in place for disabled people.
Designing an inclusive home from the inside out
When the architect of the Senedd was putting plans in place, I noticed that some of the design features weren't taking disabilities into consideration. The big glass walls were completely transparent, making it very difficult for a person with a visual impairment to see. I put forth my idea to include visual aids such as large dots on the glass surfaces. I had to push the idea numerous times before it was agreed. After all, if it's right for a person with a disability, it's right for everyone. These are the small changes which make a big difference.
In 2017 I was fortunate enough to attend the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association's inaugural conference for parliamentarians with disabilities in Nova Scotia, Canada. It was inspiring to hear the struggles and successes that people from all over the Commonwealth have experienced. I was very pleased to showcase Wales and our exemplar Parliament building. This has now been established as a standalone network by the name of Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities (CPwD). I hope that this will drive positive change throughout the Commonwealth and indeed the world, in politics and across public life.
Ann Jones AM with Kevin Murphy MLA, Speaker of the Nova Scotia Legislative Assembly in Canada
I would encourage all disabled people reading this blog to consider what role you can play in public life, whether through volunteering in your community, applying for a public role or by standing as an Assembly Member.
It's important that on this International Day of Persons with a Disability we remember that disabled people have a voice that needs to be heard and that any barriers to participation should be challenged and removed. We all have a role to play in helping to identify and remove barriers for disabled people.
Elected Members have an important role to play, whether disabled or not, to give a voice to the needs of disabled people. Having campaigners and advocates are also very important but the value of having elected representatives who have experienced difficulties and tackled them is invaluable. This is why more needs to be done, to strive for equality and inclusion in all aspects of life.
Welsh Assembly
Accounts Scrutiny – What's it all about?
The Public Accounts Committee will spend a significant part of the Autumn term undertaking accounts scrutiny for the Welsh Government, National Assembly for Wales Commission, Public Services Ombudsman for Wales, and the National Museums Wales.
What is Account Scrutiny?
The annual scrutiny of accounts by the Public Accounts Committee involves the consideration of the accounts and annual reports of different public funded bodies, to consider see whether there are any unusual or unclear items of expenditure of public money. In addition to looking at how these organisations spend money, the Committee also considers how they are run and whether their governance arrangements are appropriate and accountable.
Although this approach can appear a little dull, this is an important piece of work because it ensures that there is scrutiny of how public money is being spent. It also provides an opportunity to hold to account those tasked with the responsibility of overseeing the expenditure of public money.
Accounts and Annual reports not only provide an important snapshot of the financial health of these publicly funded organisations they also tell a story about how the organisation is being run and whether there are robust governance structures and working practices in place or not.
By undertaking this scrutiny annually, the Committee has been able to build a deterrence factor into its work, with organisations responsible for spending our money knowing they could be called before the Committee to face public scrutiny.
The Committee has been doing this work for a number of years now, and generally we have seen an improvement in the information available, and in ensuring that it is more accessible. In particular, many organisations have risen to the challenge of presenting this often complex information in a more understandable format.
In addition to the more general improvements, the Committee has also brought to light a number of areas of concern which have been subject to greater scrutiny and ultimately an improvement in practices – and have generated media coverage such as:
£104k assembly cash paid into fraudulent bank account
National Library criticised for spending taxpayers' cash on suing company behind fire
Big pay-offs to museum bosses criticised by AMs
Welsh Government's 'avoidable' £1.25m compensation payout
National Library of Wales in denial about cuts, AMs warn
Why consider these bodies?
At the beginning of the fifth Assembly, the Committee agreed to consider the accounts and annual report of the Welsh Government and the Assembly Commission annually. It took this decision because the Welsh Government has an annual budget of over £15 billion, which is a significant sum of public money. While the Assembly Commission is the corporate body which provides support for the National Assembly for Wales, and its Members, (so ultimately the Committee) – and so the Committee felt it was important to not sit above scrutiny.
For 2017-18, the Committee will be considering the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales Annual Report and Accounts and National Museum Wales. The Committee has previously considered the Accounts and Annual Report of these two organisations. Hopefully, the recommendations by the previous Public Accounts Committee will have helped these organisations to make improvements and there will now be a positive story to tell.
Do you have any questions you would like asked about how these organisations have been run over the last year?
Do you have any concerns about how funds have been allocated?
What question would you ask those responsible for spending public money?
Let us know: @seneddpac / @seneddarchwilio
Seneddpac@assembly.wales
Our Accounts Scrutiny starts on Monday 8 October 2018 when we look at the Accounts and Annual Report of the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales and the Assembly Commission.
Public Accounts
Welsh politics
Hitting the Right Note: Inquiry Into Funding For and Access to Music Education
An interview with Bethan Sayed AM, Chair of the Culture, Welsh Language and Communications Committee.
Introduce yourself briefly explain the remit of the Culture, Welsh Language and Communications Committee.
My name is Bethan Sayed, and I chair the Culture, Welsh Language and Communications committee in the National Assembly for Wales.
Bethan Sayed AM, Chair of the Committee, speaking at the report launch event.
We scrutinise government ministers in relation to their portfolio. For example, we've recently done an investigation into radio in Wales. We've looked at the Welsh language and we've also looked at the historical environment as well as non-public funding of the Arts.
It's been good to be able to have a remit that includes communications so that we can look at the broadcasting landscape of Wales and scrutinise that effectively also.
The Culture, Welsh Language and Communications committee has just launched its report on its inquiry into funding for and access to music education in Wales. The topic of this inquiry was chosen through quite an innovative and slightly unusual way. Could you explain the background and what led the Committee to look at this particular issue?
After being on committees for quite some time that, of course Assembly Members have their own ideas and bring ideas for future work to the table, which is valid but it could obviously be based on our own pet subjects.
I thought it would be interesting to go to the public to ask them exactly what type of investigation they would like us to look into what the population wanted us to focus on, and what were the key priority areas.
We did a public poll and it came out that people wanted us to look at music in education the music tuition that people receive in schools and in our communities and how that can be improved and developed.
It was really good to launch this public poll because then people could engage with a committee in a very different way. So I was happy that our committee was the first to try this and perhaps we could do it again to come up with other ideas for the future.
What were the key themes that the inquiry covered?
They were very keen for us to look at music services in schools. We were seeing, constituents coming to our offices saying that there were problems with the funding of this sector. We were seeing that music services by local authorities were being cut.
So we wanted to get to grips with what was important and come up with solutions to see how we could aid the sector.
We didn't look at the curriculum, because music education in relation to the provision of tutoring was very different to that. That's something that we could look at in future. But that's not what we focused on this time.
During the inquiry the Committee heard from a wide range of witnesses and due to your own experiences as a musician this topic must be very close to your heart – Was there anything that came up through the course of the inquiry that was a particular surprise?
When we went to Ysgol Pengam, we found that they were doing very structured work in the rock and pop field, and they were competing in competitions in England, but they weren't able to do that in Wales and there was no ensemble. There's an ensemble for the orchestra, here in Wales but no rock and pop ensembles.
Maya Morris from Lewis School Pengam performing at the event
So I guess what did surprise me, perhaps because I've come from the more classical side, is that there was such an enthusiasm to set up this ensemble so that people who wanted to go into the rock industry or the pop industry could do that through their school structures.
So that was quite enlightening, but also pleasing to see, because orchestras and ensembles is not always going to suit everybody You don't necessarily have to be able to read music to take part in those types of activities, so it would open up a new avenue.
In relation to funding streams, that didn't surprise me, because my sister is 18 and she's attended orchestras, and I know from my interest in this issue that this downward trend of the provision of services was not new.
The report says that music services must be protected, nurtured and accessible to all. The Committee also states that it welcomes the Welsh Government's Commitment to put creative activity on an equal basis to other areas of learning and experience. Why is music education so important? What are the benefits?
I think a lot of schools get it in relation to music because they understand that it's a transferable skill – it's working as a team, it's discipline, it's allowing people to be creative and allowing their wellbeing aims to be met. But some schools, unless the head teacher really understands the value of music, then it might not permeate throughout the school.
As somebody who's played the piano, viola and violin from an early age, I think it has to be seen as something that isn't niche, that isn't exclusive, that is accessible – because it can aid you in so many different ways in life.
For example, an orchestra course would allow me to become independent. It would allow me to make new friends. You've got to learn to listen to others and to be able to be respectful of others, and so is not all to do with the music that's on the paper – it's about how you want to progress as an individual.
People who go into music at a young age can take their skills elsewhere and you will meet doctors, you'll meet scientists, you'll meet politicians who have used music in ways in which they can be quite focused on what they want to do in life.
I think we need to encourage more schools to understand that it's not just this fluffy thing about listening or playing music for an hour a day, it's about how that can be seen as a core part of the curriculum in every shape and form. I hope that through this report that we can convince people that we can grow and develop music in our schools.
With all those potential benefits it must have been troubling for the Committee to hear some witnesses characterising the position of music in Welsh education as in 'crisis'. In July 2015, the Welsh Government commissioned a report into music services in Wales – What has been the Committee's conclusion about the progress made in the 3 years since the publication of that report – is the Welsh Government doing enough to prevent this 'crisis' from developing?
It was very troubling to hear people such as Owain Arwel Hughes, a renowned conductor, Tim Rhys-Evans, who conducts Only Men Allowed, say these things, because I don't believe that they would use the word 'crisis' lightly.
The Committee received evidence from Tim Rhys-Evans, founder and director of Only Men Allowed
It troubles me that Wales is associated with music and song, and they were saying we may not be the land of song anymore if we allow this, music services are being cut, and may even disappear in parts of Wales. In fact, we've seen with the national ensembles, less people have been auditioning for them this year so there is that worry.
Also with regard to the report that was commissioned, , I feel that once certain ministers had left – that it wasn't a priority for some local authorities. I think that's why we've said so clearly in the report that there needs to be a national guidance and national strategy, because you cannot simply rely on local authorities.
I think some people, to be fair, said 'well perhaps that's going a bit too far, we don't want to scaremonger'. But again, sometimes using those types of phrases can actually say 'well now is the time to make sure that we don't get to the point where those services don't exist anymore'. I hope that our support has allowed for that discussion to happen at the right time before more music services are cut or disappear altogether.
The report itself covers 16 recommendations but what's the most important issue to take from the findings?
Well, we wanted to come up with solutions because, it's been close to my heart for many, many years. Perhaps there's a lack of coming together in the past of people from different walks of life in the music service to say, 'well actually, how can we make this happen and how can we improve on this?'
I welcomed the Welsh Government investment in relation to the endowment fund, in relation to the music amnesty and in relation to putting music on the political agenda again. But without structural change, things are not going to improve. So the most important recommendation for us has been to say that we need to establish a national arm's length body for music services in Wales. We simply cannot rely anymore on individual local authorities deciding whether they prioritise it or not. We would need to make sure that it was properly funded, and that there would be a regional element to its delivery on a ground level.
At the moment you're seeing the national ensembles work in a different type of landscape to the work that's happening on the ground in our communities. It's called 'the pyramid', so you would have the school orchestras, then you would have the community orchestras, then you would have the national ensembles. If you had one national body – they would be identifying young people to come through the system, and that's what we're not seeing at the moment.
There was discussion about whether it could be done in a different way, but I think ultimately we came to the conclusion – especially as we were calling for a national music strategy – that one national body to deal with this particular element of the educational workforce would be integral to its future. I think as a committee we want it to be forward looking, we wanted to put a recommendation out there that would challenge people's minds and that they would look outside the box somewhat to current funding and current structures.
We wouldn't want to let any of those particular areas get left behind as well. We didn't want to be too prescriptive but we wanted to put our marker down and say 'this has to be a national system now'.
To download Hitting the Right Note: Inquiry Into Funding For and Access to Music Education, click here.
For the latest updates from the Culture, Welsh Language and Communications Committee, follow @SeneddCWLC on Twitter.


Floss Flower is an annual herb, 30-80 cm. Stems are erect to prostrate, sparsely to densely hairy. Leaf blades are triangular to ovate, mostly 3-8 x 2.5-4 cm, margins toothed, lower faces sparsely to densely hairy, not evidently gland-dotted. Flower-cluster-stalks are sticky-finely velvet-hairy, hairy, and stipitate-glandular. Involucres about 4 x 5–6 mm. Phyllaries narrowly lanceshaped, 0.601 mm wide, stipitate-glandular, sparsely to densely hairy, efringed with hairs or inprominently fringed with hairs, tips gradually tapering, indurate-subulate, 0.8–2 mm. Flowers are usually lavender to purple, rarely white. Floss Flower is native to C. America, widely naturalized in India and elsewhere. Flowering: June-October.


text:
Championship clubs chase Northern Ireland duo McAuley and Boyce
By Steven Beacom
31 August 2018 9:54 AM
Gareth McAuley and Liam Boyce are attracting interest from the Championship.
Northern Ireland defender Gareth McAuley has emerged as a target for the Championship's bottom club Ipswich Town.
McAuley is not the only wanted man in Michael O'Neill's squad for next month's home matches with Bosnia & Herzegovina and Israel with Bolton Wanderers keen to sign Liam Boyce.
Read more: Conor Washington's QPR contract terminated ahead of move to Championship rivals
Such is Burton Albion's desire to keep hold of Boyce at the moment, however, Bolton may have to wait until January to snap up the former Cliftonville hero.
The window for permanent transfers is already closed in England and the loan window slams shut today.
Having started the Championship superbly, Bolton wanted to bring Boyce in on loan to maintain their push for promotion and sign him on a long-term deal during the next transfer window.
As the Belfast Telegraph revealed earlier this month, Burton, relegated from League One last season, value Boyce at £1m-plus and don't want to lose him as he is the ace in their pack and adored by the fans.
Could Liam Boyce be set for a £1m move back to the Championship?
It is understood that last night no agreement had been reached by Bolton and Burton and unless the deal is resurrected today, any prospective move will have to wait until 2019.
McAuley (38) does not have a club at present having left West Brom in the summer and as a free agent transfer windows mean nothing to him.
There has been interest from Scotland in the shape of Rangers, Hearts and Aberdeen and the suggestion from east Anglia is that Ipswich are chasing him too.
McAuley was a popular player for the Portman Road outfit between 2008 and 2011. Given their poor start, they could do with a player of his experience and quality, though as McAuley recently told this newspaper, he won't make any rash decisions.
"The last thing I want to do is sign and go somewhere and think a few months down the line that this is wrong. I have to do what's right for me and my family," he said.
Bailey Peacock-Farrell wanted by Premier League side to replace England international
Watch: Northern Ireland fan makes himself heard at Wimbledon as Murray and Williams beaten
Newcastle urged to bring Michael O'Neill to Tyneside as Benitez's successor
Wanted man: Gareth McAuley is interesting old club Ipswich
Upward curve: Liam Boyce


text:
Q: a data structure with key as a cluster of words and value as a single word or string I want to create a data structure that is able to map a cluster or group of words to a single word or string , it can be thought as of a reverse of what a dictionary does in python .

A: You can use a regular dict:
targetword = "good"
wordmap = {
    "best": targetword,
    "positive": targetword,
    "awesome": targetword,
    "fantastic": targetword
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Muhammed Damar (Berlín, 9 de abril de 2004) es un futbolista alemán que juega en la demarcación de centrocampista para el TSG 1899 Hoffenheim de la Bundesliga.

Biografía
Tras formarse en las filas inferiores del 1. FC Schöneberg, Hertha Zehlendorf, Hertha BSC y Eintracht Frankfurt, se marchó traspasado el 7 de julio de 2022 al TSG 1899 Hoffenheim. Debutó el 6 de agosto de 2022 en un encuentro de la Bundesliga contra el Borussia Mönchengladbach que finalizó con un resultado de 3-1 a favor del Borussia tras los goles de Rami Bensebaini, Marcus Thuram y Nico Elvedi para el Borussia Mönchengladbach y de Robert Skov para el Hoffenheim.

Clubes

Referencias

Enlaces externos
 Ficha del jugador en footballdatabase
 Ficha del jugador en soccerway

Futbolistas de la selección de fútbol sub-18 de Alemania
Futbolistas del TSG 1899 Hoffenheim II
Futbolistas del TSG 1899 Hoffenheim en los años 2020

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


SCIENCE students are hoping to develop solar energy at their school as part of a project to raise awareness about environmental issues.
Pupils at Durham Johnston School are working on the project thanks to a donation by Langley Moor company Reprotec.
Managing director John Holmes, who is a former pupil of the school, decided to work with current students after winning an award, presented by North East Process Industries Cluster (NEPIC).
As well as looking at using solar energy, the school will be working with primary schools in the area to increase confidence of younger pupils in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects.
Louise Gwynne-Jones, from NEPIC said: "The NEPIC awards celebrate industry's best companies and brightest talent from across the North-East. However, the real magic happens when our winning companies engage with their nominated schools and provide vital support to promote STEM education and careers in industry.
"The success of our industry relies heavily on inspiring and attracting the workforce of the future."


text:
News Another İstanbul church attacked amid growing hostility toward Christians: report
Another İstanbul church attacked amid growing hostility toward Christians: report
Another church has been attacked amid growing hostility towards Christians in Turkey, which includes arrests, mysterious disappearances, unresolved murders and a history of rights violations, the Asia Times news website reported.
Last Saturday, a man ripped the cross from the gate of the Armenian Surp Krikor Lusaroviç (Saint Gregory the Illuminator) Church in the Kuzguncuk district, on the Asian side of İstanbul.
The man was detained by police on Friday, according to the Turkish media.
In the meantime, church officials have taken steps to repair the damage, replacing the old cross with a new one.
The latest attack against a Christian target reflects a growing climate of hostility and repression towards minority groups in Turkey under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Earlier this month, the pro-government magazine Gerçek Hayat published a special 176-page edition that accused Armenians and other Christians in Turkey of terrorist activities and blamed them for participating in a failed coup in 2016, according to the Ahval news website.
Garo Paylan, an Armenian member of the Turkish parliament for the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) tweeted that "attacks continue on our churches. The cross of our Surp Krikor Lusaroviç Armenian Church was removed and thrown away. Hate speech by the ruling power normalizes hate crimes."
CCTV footage captured the attack. Around 7:20 p.m., a man is seen looking at the security cameras for a while, perhaps in an act of defiance, and then removing the cross, Edvart Ayvazyan, head of the church foundation, told the Bianet news website.
Less than three weeks ago the Surp Asdvadzadzin Patriarchal Church was attacked.
On May 8 a man tried to set fire to the door of the building and was later arrested. (turkishminute.com)


text:
Who are Veterans for Britain?
You can't understand Brexit without understanding Veterans for Britain.
Adam Ramsay
Former cabinet minister & PR agent Priti Patel at Veterans for Britain's final campaign event event before the referendum. Image, Hannah McKay, PA images, all rights reserved.
This is a story about the establishment that brought you Brexit.
It's a story about a cast of extraordinary characters. Kemp, the loud colonel: a grammar school boy from Essex and self-described "thug", rallying the troops through Twitter and the tabloids; Walton, the former Metropolitan police commander who left to become "an independent consultant" in the wake of criticism in parliament and press; Banks, the "communications consultant specialising in corporate reputation" who used to work in Dubai. And Guthrie, the Anglo-Scottish aristocrat and Field Marshal, who these days dabbles in private intelligence and mining: for gold, for oil, and for data.
It's a story which exposes the first lie of Brexit.
Many of the spokespeople for Euroscepticism like to talk about representing "ordinary, decent people". They are the so-called "bad boys" who dared to stand up to the elites. Speaking at a Trump rally last year, Nigel Farage claimed, "we made June 23 our independence day when we smashed the establishment."
The fascinating details I have found while investigating the people who make up a key pro-Brexit group, Veterans for Britain, make one thing clearer than ever. The Brexit movement was led by Establishment England.
Part I: The Commission investigates
Last month, an Electoral Commission press release announced a new investigation into two donations at the heart of the Brexit campaign.
The first was made to Veterans for Britain. The organisation, set up "to put forward the Defence and Security arguments for the UK to vote to leave the European Union," told the Commission they got £100,000 from Vote Leave Ltd in May 2016, and spent £100,000 with the then obscure Canadian data analytics firm AggregateIQ. The second went to a 23 year old called Darren Grimes, a student with no previous campaigning experience who ran the BeLeave pro-Brexit campaign, and claimed that a sudden £623,000 payment from Vote Leave to AggregateIQ was made on his behalf.
The Commission is interrogating whether each of the three groups – Vote Leave, Veterans for Britain, and Grimes – "delivered a return that was incorrect" in relation to these donations and, consequently, "whether or not Vote Leave exceeded its spending limit".
Vote Leave Ltd, as the designated lead campaigner, had a spending limit of £7m, and spent around £6.8m itself. But, according to Commission guidelines, "When you work together in a joint campaign with a designated lead campaigner all the spending counts towards the lead campaign group's spending limit."
The guidelines specify that "Making donations to another campaigner is not working together". However, if they are "spending money as part of a coordinated plan or arrangement", then it's "working together". So the question is, was Vote Leave Ltd "working together" with Grimes and Veterans for Britain on how all this money was spent.
The issue was further complicated late last month. Vote Leave Ltd's Dominic Cummings had previously claimed that the organisation got a letter from the Electoral Commission, signing off on these donations. But Carole Cadwalladr revealed in the Observer that the Commission (finally) told her "we can't find any record of any exchange with us on the subject of donations between them from that period".
We've written before about the close relationship that the 23-year old Grimes seemed to have with Vote Leave. But Veterans for Britain appears to have been even closer. Lee Rotherham, who was director of special projects for Vote Leave, took up the job of Executive Director of Veterans for Britain in October 2016.
According to the Vote Leave submission to the Electoral Commission when it was bidding to be the officially designated Leave campaign, Rotherham's role with them included: "coordinating with specialist researchers working in parallel for allied think tanks and groups… and maintaining formal and informal outreach across the wider Eurosceptic movement."
What the Electoral Commission will have to decide is whether Lee Rotherham "co-ordinating with… allied groups" counted as "working together" as defined by Commission rules, and if it included such co-ordination with Veterans for Britain, of which Rotherham would soon become executive director.
Rotherham, who uses the Twitter handle "DrBrexit", is a long term Eurosceptic, former Army reservist and military history enthusiast, who claims to have advised three foreign secretaries, and also to have worked "in defence". He has previously been associated with the right wing groups the Taxpayers' Alliance and the Freedom Association, and now has his own think-tank, The Red Cell.
He told openDemocracy that during his time working for Vote Leave, he "was in touch with a range of Eurosceptic campaigners, of which VfB [Veterans for Britain] was one group" – which in itself breaks no rules. He denies all allegations of co-ordinating campaign activities and expenditure, denies referring AggregateIQ to the group, and denies being behind the £100,000 donation.
The only other donation Veterans for Britain declared is £50,000 from Arron Banks' firm "Better for the Country Ltd, which is also the subject of an Electoral Commission investigation (you can read openDemocracy's close look at his affairs here).
Part II: the Field Marshal, the private sector spooks and the all-seeing stone
Field Marshal Lord Guthrie in 1997. Image, public domain.Charles Ronald Llewelyn Guthrie took on a new role this year. In August, the firm Arcanum Global announced that he had joined them as a senior adviser to its chairman. Arcanum is Latin for "the secret", and calls itself "a global intelligence company that provides a host of bespoke strategic intelligence services to government entities and the private sector".
The company was at the centre of a Financial Times investigation in September into private intelligence agencies. According to the paper's correspondent, Tom Burgis, Arcanum's research "reveals how the mercenaries of the information age are shaping the fate of nations."
Guthrie – or, to give him his full title, Field Marshal Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank, GCB, LVO, OBE, DL, Colonel of The Life Guards, Gold Stick to The Queen, Colonel Commandant of the SAS – was head of the British army from 1994-1997 and then chief of defence staff from 1997-2001. He was sometimes given another title by the media: "Tony's General" due to his alleged close relationship with Blair, and his early support for the Iraq war, although he later revised his views.
As well as being an advisor to Arcanum's chairman, he is also listed as a member of the advisory board of Veterans for Britain.
According to Arcanum's website, its chair – the man Guthrie advises – is Ron Wahid, "an industry leader in the fields of international business, finance and intelligence" who "has been the lead advisor to oil supermajors and multinational corporations" and "was an advisor to the Bush-Cheney Transition team". Shortly after the European referendum, Wahid wrote in USA Today that "Brexit is an opportunity for American businesses". He told the Financial Times that the Kazakhstan government was one of his company's clients.
Its vice chairman, Keith Bristow, is a former director of the National Crime Agency and chaired the controversial Five Eyes Law Enforcement Group.
Other advisers to the chairman, according to the company's website, include the former US Director of National Intelligence and former head of the French intelligence service. The late Meir Dagan, the former Mossad head, credited with transforming the Israeli intelligence agency, also worked for the firm before he died last year. It is one of a number of firms which, the FT says, "have benefited from the growth in outsourcing by the law enforcement and spy agencies of the US and its allies".
In late September or early October 2014, Guthrie declared that he had become a shareholder in two companies. One of them is Palantir Technologies, a data analysis firm co-founded by the US billionaire Peter Thiel, who was also co-founder of Paypal and a board member of (and the first major investor in) Facebook. Thiel is known for his major donations to Donald Trump and other parts of the American 'libertarian' right, reportedly turned down a job as chair of Trump's intelligence advisory board, and famously argued in 2009 that "the extension of the franchise to women" has "rendered the notion of 'capitalist democracy' into an oxymoron", that "capitalism simply is not that popular with the crowd" and therefore that his fellow libertarians must focus on developing the technology that will ensure that it is capitalism, rather than democracy, which wins that struggle: "The fate of our world may depend" he wrote "on the effort of a single person who builds or propagates the machinery of freedom that makes the world safe for capitalism".
Thiel's company, in which Guthrie owns shares, is said to be named after the all-seeing stone in the Lord of the Rings, and described by The Guardian as the "'special ops' tech giant that wields as much real-world power as Google". The firm's founders, according to Jacques Peretti in the book Done: The Secret Deals That Are Changing Our World, aimed to "create a company that took Big Data somewhere no one else dared to go". As a start-up, they secured support from the CIA, and the Intercept revealed earlier this year that they now work with a string of government agencies, including America's NSA, Britain's GCHQ, and Australia's Defence Signals Directorate and, (according to Haaretz) with the Israeli government.
But the firm doesn't just work for government agencies. It works with anyone wanting vast data processing power. It's a protagonist in Carole Cadwalladr's now legendary article, "The Great British Brexit Robbery", which looks at the role of big data analysis firms like Palantir, AggregateIQ and Cambridge Analytica in Brexit, with terrifying implications for modern democracy.
One final detail on Palantir. It isn't a publicly listed company. It's privately owned. openDemocracy has attempted to contact Field Marshal Lord Guthrie to ask him how and when were he was introduced to Palantir, and why he chose to invest in it. He has so far not responded.
According to company records, Guthrie was also a non-executive director of Gulf Keystone Petroleum from 2012 to 2015 (although House of Lords register of interests says he held this position from 2000), Gulf Keystone Petroleum is a company founded in 2001 and registered in Bermuda but operating primarily in Iraqi Kurdistan, where it has worked since 2007 and discovered a major oil field in 2009. Guthrie was paid nearly £400,000, and was granted £250,000 worth of "options" under a company share options plan "subject to performance conditions and holding period", according to its annual reports.
From 2008 to 2015, he was also director of Petropavlovsk, a London based company which mines gold in the far east of Russia, for which he was paid more than £800,000 according to the company's annual reports over that period. And from 2002 to July this year, he was on the board of Colt Defence, the small-arms manufacturer famous as the original producer of the M16 rifle, which nearly went bankrupt in 2015, forcing it to release papers which, as The Intercept revealed, showed the firm was paying money to the anti-gun control lobbyists the National Rifle Association.
Guthrie has had a number of advisory and board roles including with major financial service companies and with Rivada Networks and was a board member of the Moscow school of political studies and of Ben Gurion University in Israel, and is Chancellor of Liverpool Hope University. Like many leading Brexit supporters, he has links to the Gulf, having been on three separate "advisory trips" to Oman, paid for by the Sultan of Oman, who took his job from his father in a British backed coup in 1970 and who, the famous Snowden leaks revealed, hosts three GCHQ bases in his country.
openDemocracy has tried to contact Field Marshal Lord Guthrie in order to ask about his membership of the Veterans for Britain advisory board. We have not yet had a response to our enquiries.
Part III: The colonel and the professor
Richard Kemp speaking at a law of war conference in Israel. Image: YouTube, fair use.
Also listed on Veterans for Britain advisory board is the celebrity militarist Colonel Richard Kemp, a former member of Cobra, the government's top-level crisis management committee. Kemp commanded British forces during the Afghanistan campaign, and is an author and frequent commentator in the right-wing media.
Kemp made headlines as one of a number of military figures who criticised Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn in the run up to the 2017 election, saying of Corbyn that "He would rather support the likes of Hamas – every bit as fundamentalist as Islamic State – than oppose these extremists."
In an interview with the Saudi magazine Majalla, posted on his website, Kemp talks about his own close relationship with the Islamist Saudi Arabian regime, and his support for their war in Yemen.
In the interview, he says:
"My experience with Saudi Arabia goes right the way back to 1977 when I first joined the army and trained at Sandhurst. We had Saudi Arabian army officers training with us and I have had contact with the Saudi military over the years since then. The greatest level of contact was during the Gulf War between 1990 and 1991 when I was stationed in Saudi Arabia for 6 months. I dealt with the Saudi forces on a day-to-day basis and since then through my work in various intelligence and security roles I have worked with Saudi Arabia and their police, military and intelligence services."
"I find it objectionable that people want to condemn Saudi Arabia for what is it doing in the Yemen campaign and I strongly suspect their political motivation for doing that. You often get human rights groups stating boldly and clearly that Saudi Arabia is committing war crimes in Yemen – but they have no realistic basis for saying that."
A prolific media commentator, Kemp can be found espousing opinions on a wide range of subjects, including his argument that the UK should open a version of Guantanamo Bay, his complaints about refugees being allowed into the UK and US, frequent comments complaining that the government is too concerned about civilian casualties to defeat ISIS and criticism of the idea that women should be allowed into front-line combat roles in the military. Last month, the Times of Israel had to publish an apology and pay 'substantial damages' to Tory peer Sayeeda Warsi for defamatory remarks Kemp made about her in a column for the paper.
Kemp regularly makes comments in defence of the Israeli military and state. In 2009, he spoke at a special UN session on the Goldstone Report into the military action, defending Israel's actions. His Twitter feed indicates support for a broad range of causes popular with the alt-right, for example retweeting a message saying that people "with 'gender confusion' would be the first I'd pass over for a job", sharing an article from the hard-right Israeli publication Arutz Sheva, which is linked to the Settler movement, calling for what Kemp calls "a two state solution" for France's "Islamic explosion", and saying, in an exchange with the human rights investigator Iain Overton: "Of course I would and have risked killing civilians", and that he has "smelt and caused" the smell of burning flesh. When Overton suggested that this was quite a confession from a senior military commander, he replied with a gif about how bored the complaints made him, 'joking' about Overton's love life, and tweeting: "Send me to the Hague. Put up or shut up."
He has also been highly critical of Saudi Arabia's key opponents Qatar and Iran, spoke at a rally against Obama's Iran peace deal in 2015, and has written a number of times in defence of Donald Trump.
openDemocracy offered Colonel Kemp the chance to comment, which he has declined.
Gwythian Prins, the Charity Commission and the Global Warming Policy Foundation
Also on Veterans for Britain advisory board is Gwythian Prins, an emeritus professor at LSE and visiting professor at the University of Buckingham, the UK's first private university. Prins is also listed on its website as having been a member of the academic advisory council of the climate change-sceptic campaign group the Global Warming Policy Foundation, about whom openDemocracy has previously written – he tells us he left the organisation in 2012.
In 2010 he was lead author of a paper critical of the Kyoto Protocol which was part-funded by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association. Prins was a vocal supporter of the Iraq war, telling openDemocracy "I certainly supported the liberation of Iraq on condition that there was a proper plan for reconstruction, which in the event there was not."
He has also been a board member of the Charity Commission, a role in which he caused some controversy in the run up to the referendum. The Commission had issued guidance about charity conduct ahead of the vote, which was criticised as heavy handed in restricting charities and those in high profile positions in them from expressing their opinions on Brexit. Prins, who as a board member held a prominent position in the body enforcing the rules, wrote an essay in support of Brexit, which was seen by some as breaching the impartiality he, as part of the Commission, was involved in imposing on others. Prins told openDemocracy that the "Cabinet Office examined the complaints and dismissed them as being without merit". The Commission eventually changed the wording of its guidance.
Part IV: The Iraq generals and the Tweeting Admiral
Lieutenant General Jonathan Riley, another advisor to Veterans for Britain, played a key role in the Iraq war, having commanded a multinational division in the south of the country between November 2004 and August 2005. Riley gave evidence to the Iraq Inquiry, in which he defended the controversial decision to break up the Iraqi army after the invasion. You can read his testimony here.
After leaving the army, Riley was appointed as Master of the Royal Armouries, meaning he was in charge of the UK's oldest museum whose base, famously, is in the Tower of London. However, according to the minutes of a meeting the board of trustees of the Royal Armouries in 2012: "Allegations were made relating to the regularity of certain actions which led to the suspension of Jonathon Riley whilst investigations were undertaken". Specifically, "two potential conflicts of interest came to light and were subject to independent investigation", and "appropriate documentation was not held on file to explain why pay awards were made outside the civil service pay guidance. Consequently it has not been possible to confirm that these pay awards were regular." The minutes go on to say "Lt Gen Jonathon Riley resigned with effect from 19 November 2012. He received £23,750 pay in lieu of notice in line with his contractual terms and £500 contribution to legal costs."
openDemocracy has tried to contact Lieutenant General Jonathan Riley for comment.
Also listed as a member of the advisory board of Veterans for Britain is Major General Tim Cross. Cross was the most senior British official involved in the now controversial post-war planning for the war in Iraq. You can read his testimony to the Iraq War inquiry here.
Rear Admiral Roger Lane-Nott, another member of the Advisory Board, is a retired submarine commander who, among other things, served in the Falklands war, as senior Naval officer in the Middle East, and as commander of all NATO submarines in the East Atlantic. After leaving the military, he worked as chief executive of the Centre for Marine and Petroleum Technology, and has held senior positions in motor racing, including being FIA Race Director and Safety Delegate for Grand Prix racing and secretary of the British Racing Drivers' Club. You can see some examples from his Twitter feed in the run up to the referendum below.
Part V: the police commander and the Macpherson Inquiry
The final person who was listed on the Veterans for Britain website as a member of their advisory board – Richard Walton – denied to openDemocracy that he is a member of it, and they have subsequently changed their description of him to "report contributor".
In February this year Veterans for Britain published a high profile report by Walton, who is a former Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism Commander, which was covered comprehensively by the Daily Mail.
Walton has himself been involved in a number of prominent inquiries into the police. In July 2012, then Home Secretary Theresa May commissioned Mark Ellison QC to conduct what she called "a review examining allegations of corruption surrounding the initial, deeply flawed, investigation of the murder of Stephen Lawrence". May added "I also asked Mr Ellison to examine whether the Metropolitan Police had evidence of corruption that it did not disclose to the Macpherson Inquiry."
Speaking in Parliament about the Ellison Review's conclusions two years later, May said:
"Ellison reports on a… 'wholly inappropriate' use of an undercover officer during the Macpherson Inquiry. Ellison finds that an officer, referred to as N81, had been deployed into one of the groups seeking to influence the Lawrence family campaign, while the Macpherson Inquiry was ongoing. Ellison refers to N81 as 'an MPS spy in the Lawrence family camp during the course of judicial proceedings in which the family was the primary party in opposition to the MPS'.
"As part of his deployment, N81 reported back to the SDS (Special Demonstration Squad) personal information about the Lawrence family, as well as what is described as 'tactical intelligence' around the Inquiry. In August 1998, the SDS arranged for N81 to meet Richard Walton, then a Detective Inspector involved in writing the Met's submissions to the Macpherson Inquiry. SDS files record that they had a 'fascinating and valuable exchange'.
"Mr Speaker, Ellison finds that the opening of this channel of communication was 'completely improper'. He finds no discernible public benefit to the meeting taking place, and says that – had it been disclosed at the time of the Inquiry – 'it would have been seen as the MPS trying to achieve some secret advantage in the Inquiry from SDS undercover deployment'. If it had been made public in 1998, Ellison finds, 'serious public disorder of the very kind so feared by the MPS might well have followed'".
Walton was referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission, though the Met concluded that he had done nothing wrong.
The IPCC interviewed Walton and concluded in its report on 14th January 2016: "it is the investigator's opinion that Richard Walton has a case to answer for misconduct". Six days later, on 19 January 2016, Walton retired from the Met, leaving Lawrence's father 'heartbroken'.
No decision or finding of any wrongdoing was ever upheld against Walton.
Walton told openDemocracy that "the IPCC were informed by me (by letter) of my impending retirement two months before I retired yet chose to act as if they were powerless to stop me retiring in the days leading to my departure. Not only had the matter been concluded, but the IPCC then acted unethically in suggesting that I was retiring hastily to avoid sanction. I wrote to the Home Secretary to complain." He added "the Met rejected the IPCC's conclusions. There was, therefore, no outstanding allegation against me when I retired". Walton said this would be confirmed in a future public inquiry.
He added: "I have quite simply done nothing wrong, either in 1998 or recently."
Walton also played a minor role in the Leveson inquiry into phone hacking. In 2009, he was staff officer to the then Metropolitan Police Commissioner Paul Stephenson – a role reported at the time as being his right-hand man. Stephenson was forced to resign as a result of the phone hacking scandal, and his connection to Neil Wallis, a former executive editor of the News of the World. Walton attended the meeting at which the Met decided not to investigate the Guardian's initial phone hacking allegations, and his name appears twice in the official documents released by the Leveson Inquiry. There is no suggestion that he himself did anything wrong.
After retiring from the Met, Walton set himself up as a counterterrorism consultant and commentator.
Veterans for Britain was originally registered by David Banks, who these days works as its Head of Communications. Banks, in common with a number of leading Brexit supporters, has strong links to the Gulf, having lived in the United Arab Emirates for four years and worked in media relations 'across the Middle East'.
The organisation's chairman is the retired Major General Julian Howard Atherden Thompson, whose time in the army dates back to the imperial struggles of the mid-1960s.
Veterans for Britain only declared two donations to the Electoral Commission in the papers it filed after the referendum. One of these was the £100,000 from Vote Leave, now being investigated by the Commission. The other was £50,000 from Arron Banks' firm Better for the Country Ltd, which is at the centre of another Commission investigation into "whether or not Better for the Country Limited was the true source of donations made to referendum campaigners in its name, or if it was acting as an agent."
Whatever the Commission concludes in each of these investigations, our research into Veterans for Britain has confirmed something much more profound.
At core, Brexit was two things: an anguished cry of imperial nostalgia, and a home-coming for disaster capitalism. A key part of the former is the sociological impact of declining military might, a scar slicing across the heart of a country which once ran much of the world. A key part of the latter is the rise of private intelligence and security, the adoption by the private sector of the one thing which used to be the sole preserve of government: the deep state. Starting to untangle just this one organisation, we begin see how the two strands of Brexit sit so neatly side by side. And that this movement was as establishment as they come.
[1] And its chief finance officer is called Mr Economides.
Legatum: the Brexiteers' favourite think tank. Who is behind them?
Did the DUP's controversial Brexit donors break the law – by refusing to reveal the secret source of their cash?
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Written by: Alastair Sloan All articles by: Alastair Sloan
Written by: Iain Campbell All articles by: Iain Campbell
Mystery deepens over secret source of Brexit 'dark money'
Secretive DUP Brexit donor links to the Saudi intelligence service
The strange link between the DUP Brexit donation and a notorious Indian gun running trial


text:
/*
 * MinIO .NET Library for Amazon S3 Compatible Cloud Storage, (C) 2017 MinIO, Inc.
 *
 * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
 * You may obtain a copy of the License at
 *
 *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
 *
 * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
 * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
 * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
 * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 * limitations under the License.
 */

using System;
using System.Xml.Serialization;

namespace Minio.DataModel
{
    /// <summary>
    /// LambdaConfig carries one single cloudfunction notification configuration
    /// </summary>
    [Serializable]
    public class LambdaConfig : NotificationConfiguration
    {
        [XmlElement("CloudFunction")]
        public string Lambda { get; set; }
        public LambdaConfig() : base()
        {
        }

        public LambdaConfig(string arn) : base(arn)
        {
            this.Lambda = arn;
        }

        public LambdaConfig(Arn arn) : base(arn)
        {
            this.Lambda = arn.ToString();
        }

        // Implement equality for this object
        public override bool Equals(object obj)
        {
            LambdaConfig other = (LambdaConfig)obj;
            // If parameter is null return false.
            if ((obj == null) || ((LambdaConfig)obj == null))
            {
                return false;
            }
            return other.Lambda.Equals(this.Lambda);
        }

        public override int GetHashCode() => this.Lambda.GetHashCode();
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Have a question, concern, or just want to chat? Hit me up! You can fill out the contact form below, or e-mail me directly. If you prefer more informal conversation, feel free to direct message me on Facebook or Instagram!


text:
Former French winger Dominici dies
Christophe Dominici on the run for France during the 2007 Rugby World Cup bronze final against Argentina. Photo: Getty Images
Former France and Stade Francais player Christophe Dominici, whose dazzling runs made him one of the country's best wingers, has died aged 48.
"It is with immense sadness that Stade Francais learns of the death of Christophe Dominici," Stade Francais said in a statement.
Dominici won 67 caps for France between 1998 and 2007, scoring a memorable try in France's stunning 43-31 victory against New Zealand in the 1999 World Cup.
He started his club career at RC La Valette in 1991 before joining Toulon in 1993 and Stade Francais in 1997 until he ended his career 11 years later.
French winger Christophe Dominici scores against the All Blacks in the 1999 Rugby World Cup semifinal upset at Twickenham. Photo: Getty Images
He won five French national titles with Stade Francais and four Six Nations titles with Les Bleus, including two grand slams in 1998 and 2004.
"So much sadness. Christophe Dominici was an immense player, an artist, a funambulist. His sudden death is a shock," sports minister Roxana Maracineanu said.
"I'm devastated. With his crappy physique, he beat all the best defences in the world. It really sucks to lose him at 48," his former France and Stade Francais team mate Sylvain Marconnet said.
Discarded McKay signed by Crusaders
Coaching requirements have changed
Ellison replaces Jones on coaching staff at the Crusaders
Highlanders get back into training
Martin has blue and gold around him in Boston
Highlanders all at sea in latest team building exercise
England star banned for swearing at referee
Chiefs assistant coach signs on long-term
Confidence imports will play in south this year
US equity firm seeks stake in NZ Rugby - report
Former Otago rugby coach dies
The first season of the Landers


Tom (Homepage) wrote: Bellissima l'Alpe di Siusi, splendidi colori qui!
Marcie (Homepage) wrote: Perfect!! Love that singular cloud..and how it acts as a guide.
Benjamin Madison (Homepage) wrote: This is very nice. A very interesting composition with the little cloud on the right balancing the cliffs on the left and a very nice sense of space.
Calusarus (Homepage) wrote: Really nice colors for this landscape. Congratulations. Did you use a pola filter ?


Colin HayesIf you run, walk, or do almost any kind of exercise, your hamstrings can get sore and tight. That can make the backs of your legs (where the hamstrings are located) hurt, lead to poor posture, and cause back and neck pain. The best way to stretch them? No, it isnt the old lean-over-and-touch-your-toes move.
Experts at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago found that the stretches are the most effective for lengthening the muscles in the backs of your thighs while maximizing muscle and knee flexibility, both of which help diminish or prevent pain. Choose your favorite, and do 3 sets at least 3 times a week—after working out.
Passive stretch (top left) Lie on your back in a doorway with your left heel against the wall. Bend your hip to a 90-degree angle with your leg as close to straight as possible; your right leg should be on the floor, through the doorway. Move closer to the wall as your hamstring begins to stretch out. Hold for 30 seconds, then switch legs and repeat to complete 1 set.
Assisted stretch (top right) Begin in the Passive Stretch starting position, and place a strap, towel, or belt over the ball of your raised foot. Gently pull down on the strap and back toward your head until you feel a good stretch, then slowly point your toes upward. Continue for 30 seconds, then switch legs and repeat to complete 1 set.


Patty McKernan is the Chief Product Officer of Reserve Trust. Patty has more than 25 years of experience in the financial services industry, building products and solving problems for consumer and commercial clients. She has authored two patents for money transfer methods and has launched new products in the global prepaid and payments space. She leverages her passion for understanding customer needs and her knowledge of complex technology to provide innovative solutions to delight our customers. Patty has led product development initiatives at American Express, Western UnionThe Western Union Company is a US financial services company with headquarters in Englewood, Colorado with offices and agents all over the world offering services such as money transfers (P2P, P2B and B2B, money orders, and other business & commercial services. With close to 12,000 employees, more than 500,000 agent locations in over 200 countries and territories, Western Union is... want more? and PayPal.


Radio Active Kids August 4! Interview with Steve Elci!
We're back to our regular music mix on Radio Active Kids this week, featuring an interview with Steve Elci and Friends, who have a new album called #JumpInThePuddles!
Also, tons of new and new-to-the-show stuff from Parental Petulance, The Deedle Deedle Dees, The Green Orbs, Janie Next Door – Jane Christison, FATHER GOOSE, Patinetas en banda, Mista Cookie Jar & Uncle Dox, The Uncle Devin Show, The Listies, PlaySoundz and Human-Tim + Robot-Tim!!


The two areas covered here are often believed to have been an aviation backwater, but this is by no means a true picture: both played major roles in both World Wars. In 1914 - 18 they were home to training bases and, in the coastal regions, maritime patrol bases that were vital in procecting shipping against U-boats.
During World War Two the maritime role was once again dominant and the exploits of the Coastal Command Strike Wings were legendary; less well known but equally vital were the thousands of hours of patrols hunting or gathering weather information. Training was once again a major function as the region's airfields were reasonably safe from air attack. During the Cold War these areas remained crucial, Shackletons and later Nimrods provided maritime cover as the Russian submarine threat increased and fighters at places such as Leuchars held 'Q' [alert] to prevent Russian nuclear bombers making pre-emptive strikes.
" Whilst the majority of the information is available in various public records and published works, the beauty of this series is that it brings it all together in a single volume that can be carried in a car glove box or rucksack. The author is to be congratulated on completing this massive undertaking. This series will be the standard field reference work for airfield researchers for many years to come. "
" To summarise, this is a well-produced, sensibly laid out and inexpensive reference tool, which would be a useful addition to any enthusiast's bookshelf or glovebox. "


text:
Country/Language English
Reference & Pricing Data
Display & Delivery Capabilities
clearit
The SIX Podcast
Stay on top of what's trending with the magazines from SIX.
Positive Trend for ETFs & ETPs
Discover the latest edition of the comprehensive «ETP & Indexing Guide 2019/2020» (in German), published by payoff and the Swiss Stock Exchange.
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The milestone of 1'500 listed ETFs reached by the Swiss Stock Exchange in May 2019 is obvious evidence of the continued growth in the popularity of exchange-traded investment products. In order to keep track of the growing range of ETFs, ETPs and tracker certificates, we recommend reading the current ETP & Indexing Guide 2019/2020 (in German) with two articles by representatives of the Swiss Stock Exchange.
New Growth Impulses Thanks to Crypto ETPs
The popularity of ETPs listed on the Swiss Stock Exchange received a boost with the launch of Amun's first crypto ETP, ETP HODL, on the Crypto Basket Index on 21 November 2018. Since then, further new listings have offered investors additional opportunities to participate in the development of crypto currencies and crypto indices. With 14'000 transactions and a turnover of CHF 340 million generated by these products as of 31 August 2019, the Swiss Stock Exchange is currently the world's leading regulated trading venue for crypto products.
Imminent Milestones
The next milestones are already emerging. In 2020, the Swiss Stock Exchange will celebrate two anniversaries: 20 years of ETFs and 10 years of ETPs. Further growth can be expected in both product segments along the way. The unbroken demand for passive investment instruments is driving the increase in the number and variety of products, invested assets and trading stats.
Sustained Momentum in the ETF Segment
In his foreword, Christian Reuss, Head of Sales in the Securities & Exchanges business unit of SIX, discusses the ETF record and explains how the Swiss Stock Exchange has developed into one of the leading global ETF destinations since the launch of the segment in 2000, and is one of Europe's top 3 trading venues today. Christian Reuss also discusses current product trends such as sustainability and Smart Beta.
Open for Innovation
The growing selection and current trends are also the subject of an interview with Danielle Reischuk, Senior ETFs & ETPs Sales Manager in the Securities & Exchanges business unit of SIX. She lists the strengths of the Swiss financial centre, including the outstanding trading conditions and the attractive mix of products, liquidity and market participants on the Swiss Stock Exchange. Danielle Reischuk also provides insights into recently introduced new features such as the introduction of a closing auction and Iceberg orders for ETFs.
You can order your copy of the ETP & Indexing Guide on the payoff website. Further publications from SIX about ETFs are available on our website.
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