High up in the air, Ji Hao pointed the Pan Gu sword at Shixin and his brothers. Instead of using the Pan Gu bell as a protection, he now had it held in his left hand like a weapon. The bell seemed to feel the strong will of fighting in Ji Hao's heart and buzzed deeply without being rung.
Every buzz of the bell would stir up waves of space ripples around Ji Hao's body. The space was quaking, and all the others felt as if invisible electric currents were going through their bodies, numbing their bodies and souls. Their power flows were disordered, no longer under their full control.
Shixin and his brother seriously looked at the Pan Gu bell. Earlier, they had done a few quick move exchanges with Ji Hao. But back then, they only knew the bell had an amazing defensive power, but never thought it could also be so effective as a weapon.
They silently did a rough calculation, and found that as a result of their disordered power flows, they were weakened by at least forty percent!
"Ji Hao kid, you're just relying on the treasure..." The long-bearded priest who challenged Ji Hao just now abruptly pointed at him and shouted out loud, "Do not bring humiliation to your Shifu. Do you dare to fight me with your true power?"
The priest's eyes shone brightly, and the group of priests around him each showed a weird smile.
How many years had Ji Hao lived for? He wasn't even a hundred years old! But, these priests were all old cultivators who lived since the prehistorical era, measurelessly powerful. If Ji Hao truly gave up on using the bell and fought them with his own power, that would be like smashing a giant stone with an egg, that the long-bearded priest could easily win!
As the group of priests were doing their wishful thinking, Ji Hao laughed out loud and said, "Pah! Are you qualified to wrestle me? You're just a bunch of featherless pheasants. How dare you fly at the same height as a phoenix? I, as a divine emperor, have already lowered myself by talking to you. How dare you make this excessive demand?"
The fiery cloud treading under Ji Hao's feet sparkled, then a clear light flashed across his forehead. The golden bridge brought him next to the long-bearded priest instantly, then the Pan Gu sword was swung at the latter. The long-bearded priest never thought that Ji Hao would attack so suddenly because he showed no sign of attacking earlier. As a result, he didn't manage to react and could just watch the approaching sword while issuing a despairing scream.
These priests were powerful, but speaking of close combat, they were far weaker than Ji Hao. Shixin reacted pretty fast, that the moment Ji Hao moved, he had already brandished his meteor hammer. The giant hammerhead brought up eighteen beams of frosty light while swishing towards the Pan Gu sword.
The hammerhead landed heavily on the sword when the sword edge was still about half an inch away from the priest's robe.
Ji Hao's wrist shook, and the Pan Gu sword emitted a water-like, flowing sword light while airily moving between the cold light of the hammer. Suddenly, Ji Hao let out a deep shout. Following his voice, a three-feet-long beam of sword light shone out of the sword tip and cut the giant hammerhead of Shixin's meteor hammer into two, causing a bright crack.
A series of complicated spell symbols flew out of the broken hammerhead. Shixin's face, which was thickly covered in dark scales, blushed instantly. He gave a muffled snort, then let out a mouthful of blood while shambling back for quite a few steps.
"My moon-chasing wind-splitting hammer!" Shixin roared with a heart pain. This meteor hammer was a great pre-world supreme treasure, found by the dragon ancestor in the Chaos. It had been with Shixin ever since he was born; this weapon never left his side. This meteor hammer had killed countless lives and destroyed numberless treasures. Back in the ancient time, Shixin became so famous with its help. Nevertheless, just then, it was cut open so easily by the Pan Gu sword.
"Great sword!" Standing aside, Shican burst into a wild growl, "It broke big brother's moon-chasing wind-splitting hammer. What a great sword! I'll take it!"
While roaring, Shican pulled out a longsword which was dazzling with lightning bolts from the sheath carried on his back. He swung the sword straight down to Ji Hao's head, leaving shreds of afterimages behind. Shixin cried for his hammer and Shican pulled out his sword to attack, two things that happened almost at the same time. Before Ji Hao could kill the long-bearded priest, Shican's sword light had reached his head.
With a mere glance, he figured out that Shican wasn't a sword master. However, he had super strength and great agility, for which reason, his sword move was especially quick and heavy. Along with the fierce movement of this sword, his sword light poured violently down like a waterfall.
Ji Hao was a cultivator of Yu Yu's sword of Dao. To him, Shican's sword art could only be described with a word like 'coarse'. With his top-grade strength and speed, Shican was able to defeat average cultivators with this 'coarse' sword art, but Ji Hao wasn't average. Even without using the sky-opening move, Ji Hao had already found countless weaknesses in his sword move!
"Want my sword? Do you even deserve it?" Ji Hao didn't even launch a counterattack. Instead, he simply straightened the sword and pointed it at the sky. Next, all the others on the scene watched Shican swing the sword down with full strength, after which his arm strangely fell straight on the tip of the Pan Gu sword, and was penetrated.
"My arm!" Shican howled shrilly. He dropped his sword and pulled his arm away from the Pan Gu sword with some effort. But, before he could cover the wound, his right arm blasted. The destructive sword intent delivered by the Pan Gu sword shredded his entire right arm bit by bit like thousands of sharp blades.
Shican was injured severely. His right arm was entirely gone, and a cold sharp sword intent lingered in his wound, drilling into his internal organs. Because of the pain, Shican was soon soaked in cold sweat. He stepped back quickly, his eyes filled with panic. This almost magical sword move made by Ji Hao had thoroughly crushed his confidence!
Perhaps, for the rest of his life, Shican wouldn't dare to pull out his sword ever again in front of Ji Hao.
"Not anyone with strength can use a sword!" Ji Hao said coldly to Shican. Next, he turned to Shixin and taunted, "You too, not anyone with a strength can use a meteor hammer! You stupid nine, you have a great strength, but you're nothing aside from that!"
While talking, Ji Hao made tens of sword moves in a row. Tens of priests didn't manage to dodge, nor cast any magic, and ended up dead under his sword light. Their defensive treasures activated automatically to protect their owners, but were all cut into pieces by the all-conquering edge of Pan Gu sword.
The Pan Gu sword had merged with that giant axe that Saint Pan Gu used to create this world. How could these priests ever imagine its power?
About thirty priests moved swiftly. Witnessing the miserable death of their brothers and sisters, they screamed out loud while fleeing desperately backward, staring at Ji Hao as if he were a ghost.
Shixin and his brothers roared with rage. They rushed up and attempted to start a serious battle against Ji Hao. But right at this moment, a strong, brutish power could suddenly be sensed, and a voice, which was as cold and sharp as a blade, echoed through the clouds.
"Don't you wanna live anymore? You can't stop his sword...Boys, step back and let your mother deal with him!"
The faces of Qiu Niu and Ao Bai paled immediately. "Amma!" They kneeled on the cloud, then kowtowed deferentially and exclaimed.
Ji Hao raised his head and saw a well-dressed woman, standing with a cold look on her face.
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Our Populist Pope
by R. R. Reno 12 . 2 . 13
Now it's certain. This will be a populist papacy. Denunciations of unfettered free market economics in Evangelii Gaudium —"an economy of exclusion and inequality"—attracted a great deal of attention in the secular press. But for the most part commentators ignore the fact that Francis' populism has a very strong ecclesial dimension as well.
He calls for a renewed commitment to evangelization. It's something we all can do. This does not require a capacity for acute theological analysis or familiarity with subtle apologetic arguments. Instead, what's needed is a lively faith.
He exhibits a similar ecclesiastical populism when it comes to clergy. In a long section, perhaps the longest in the document, he details the many things that go into the preparation and delivery of good homilies. None require specialized expertise. All grow out of basic Christian virtues. The everyday priest can make an outsized difference—if he gives himself to Christ and his people.
In these and other ways, Pope Francis expresses a fundamental trust in the ability of ordinary Christians to be effective missionaries. He speaks of "the people's mysticism." The Church's most powerful witness often comes from below—if we will but allow them to be heard.
When Pope Francis takes up social issues he largely employs on a similar populism. We are by now familiar with his views of free market capitalism: idolatry of money, rejections of "the absolute autonomy of markets and financial speculation," and so forth.
I find most of these generalizations overheated. But his intuitions are sound. Before the collapse of the Soviet Union global realities were framed by the conflict between the two super-powers. Today, world politics is being shaped by global capitalism. It's China's rapidly rising GDP that is the game changer, not its ideology.
The powerful forces of capitalism are transforming societies, including our own. (It is always destroying as it creates.) Some of these transformations bring great benefits. Life expectancies rise in the developing world. But it's foolish to imagine they don't bring all sorts of evils.
Because global capitalism often destroys traditional forms of social organization, it tends to make people more vulnerable, especially the poor, even when they're less poor than they used to be. It's foolish to imagine that ready availability of TVs in the slums of Buenos Aires makes up for the loss of the finely woven social safety net of a traditional village, however impoverished. Yes, people move there because they rightly see the modern market economy as the source for greater material well-being. But they also rightly want to be an integral part of a larger society in which their voices are heard and needs addressed.
By my reckoning, it's this vulnerability—the danger of becoming an anonymous, throw-away person in a global economic machine—that Pope Francis wants us to see. He urges that we "eliminate the structural causes of poverty." That's been tried, without success. More germane to the social problem is his call for "small daily acts of solidarity." We may not be able to win a war on poverty. But we can share our lives—and our society—with the poor.
Evangelii Gaudium suffers from the usual dangers of populism. Pope Francis tends to overestimate the latent power of the people. Yes, we're all called to be missionaries for Christ. But for the most part we're ineffective without the inspiration and leadership of faithful nuns, priests, and brothers.
The same goes for social problems. The framers of the Constitution recognized the need for virtue. Only a self-governing people can govern themselves. But they accounted for human weakness and designed a system of checks and balances to neutralize as much as possible vice's bad consequences. We need the Church to exhort us to overcome our bondage to self-interest, but it's unwise to build a political philosophy on the assumption that we will.
Moreover, populism often encourages harsh and unbalanced denunciations of the status quo. After all, somebody must be suppressing the latent wisdom and virtue of the people! Wicked Wall Street. The Cross of Gold. Jewish Bankers. Capitalist Roaders.
In his own way Pope Francis succumbs to this tendency of populism. He consistently talks about the Church in semi-Manichean terms: the hide-bound, self-protective institutional church on one side and the innovative church-of-the-people on the other. He also participates in the populist view that poverty is caused by "financial speculation." He's even said elsewhere that financial powerbrokers decide who lives and dies. But capitalism is a complex system that blends into politics and culture, which is why today the problems of global capitalism can't be localized. They increasingly have to do with who we are, not just as individual nations, but as a global community, as the Pope suggests in other passages.
Missteps and rhetorical exaggerations aside, Evangelii Gaudium reflects Francis's discernment of the signs of the times. He intuits the ways in which globalization is dissolving old certainties, old social forms, old modes of being. This is plain to see in economics and politics. It's even happening in the Church, which is very much in this world even if she is not of it.
I'm generally ambivalent about populism. But for a long time we have subscribed to the cult of the expert. Today we have a global elite—not just financial, but also scientific, cultural, and political—that presents itself as the solution to problems created by globalization. Think Davos. Under such circumstances I'm more than happy to endure some of the dangers of populism.
R.R. Reno is editor of First Things . He is the general editor of the Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible and author of the volume on Genesis . His previous "On the Square" articles can be found here . Image via Wikimedia Commons.
Become a fan of First Things on Facebook , subscribe to First Things via RSS , and follow First Things on Twitter .
Articles by R. R. Reno

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Hip-Hop Trio Known for "Ayy Ladies," "Bring It Back" & "Make It Rain"
Live Event: $20,000 - $30,000
Arts & Humanities, Music, Speakers by Industry
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Discover our special insurance solutions for newborns and cross-border commuters.
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PRIMEO
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Solid all-round cover with a guaranteed upgrade option.
COMPLETA supplementary healthcare insurance
COMPLETA offers all-round cover at an attractive price. It allows you to close any major gaps in coverage under your basic insurance with just a single supplementary insurance policy: complementary medicine, emergency and planned treatment abroad, gym memberships, spectacle lenses and contact lenses, vaccinations, check-ups, medications, medical aids, transport and rescue costs, non-medical psychotherapy and much more.
For the highest standards: all-round cover for every life situation.
With COMPLETA supplementary healthcare insurance, you receive the following insurance benefits in addition to those provided under statutory basic insurance:
Complementary (alternative medicine) 75% of the costs (outpatient), 100% up to CHF 5000.- (inpatient)
For longer-term treatments, we will examine the medical necessity and request a report from your doctor or therapist.
You receive 75% of the costs of complementary medicines and therapies, such as osteopathy, kinesiology, acupuncture massage and Bach flower therapy, provided there is an established medical necessity.
You receive 100% of the costs of complementary medicines and therapies, provided there is an established medical necessity, up to CHF 5,000 per calendar year.
Your doctor, naturopath or complementary therapist is recognised by us.
The therapy method is recognised by us and to find on the list "Recognised special forms of treatment" or "Recognised therapeutic methods in complementary medicine".
The medicine is provided or prescribed by a doctor or by a naturopath recognised by us and are approved by the Swiss Agency for Therapeutic Products Swissmedic for the treatment of the existing illness. (Medications on the list of pharmaceutical products with a special application (LPPV) are excluded).
The inpatient treatment is prescribed by a doctor and is performed in a medical institution or convalescent facility recognised by us.
Recognised naturopaths and complementary therapists
Recognised therapeutic methods in complementary medicine
What does basic insurance cover?
Only five alternative treatment methods are covered. All other methods must be paid for by patients themselves.
In addition, basic insurance only covers treatment that is provided by a physician who is a member of the Swiss Medical Association (FMH). COMPLETA also covers treatment provided by recognised naturopaths and complementary therapists.
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Abroad 100% of excess costs
Emergency treatment abroad (outpatient)
You can reach the emergency call centre 24 hours a day on +41 58 340 16 11. They will coordinate medical care locally and take care of all the necessary formalities.
For outpatient emergency treatment during a temporary stay abroad of up to 12 months you will receive 100% of the costs that exceed the cover provided by basic insurance.
A journey home or transportation to Switzerland is not reasonable.
You arrange for our emergency call centre to handle the organisation at every stage.
In EU/EFTA countries, basic insurance covers the costs in accordance with the social tariff of the respective country.
In other countries, it covers a maximum of twice the cost of the same treatment had it been provided in Switzerland (tariff of the canton of residence). This is nowhere near enough in some countries, such as the US, Canada, Japan and Australia.
Emergency treatment abroad (inpatient)
For inpatient emergency treatment during a temporary stay abroad of up to 12 months you will receive all of the costs in a general ward that exceed the cover provided by basic insurance.
The Swiss Health Insurance Act applies as the basis for cost reimbursement.
Please contact our customer service team abroad on 058 340 13 55 to obtain a confirmation of cost reimbursement.
You will receive 90% of costs for planned outpatient treatment abroad, up to CHF 1,000 per calendar year.
Alternative medicine and dental treatments are excluded.
Costs are not covered by basic insurance. Patients must pay for planned outpatient treatment abroad themselves.
Aids to vision (spectacle lenses and contact lenses) 90% up to CHF 300 per year.
You get 90% of the costs of spectacle lenses and contact lenses up to CHF 300 per calendar year.
Children and young people up to the age of 18 receive CHF 180 per year towards spectacle lenses and contact lenses. Adults have to pay for these themselves.
Health promotion 75% up to CHF 200
Fitness offers
Choose a course and a provider that is recognised by us.
The total amount for all four areas is CHF 500.--per calendar year.
You will receive 75% of costs up to CHF 200.-- per calendar year for health-promoting fitness offers, such as weight and endurance training (fitness centre membership), and fitness courses (aquafitness, gymnastics etc.).
The course, the provider and the fitness centre, respectively, are recognised by us
Fitness center in offices of physiotherapists, hospitals, doctors and chiropractors are recognized by us
Recognised health promotion courses
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Costs are not covered by basic insurance.
Back and body-wellness courses
The total amount for all four areas is CHF 500 per calendar year.
You receive 75% of costs up to CHF 200 per calendar year for selected back and body wellness courses (Alexander technique, pelvic floor training, Feldenkrais).
The course and the provider is recognised by us
The course is run by physiotherapists
Courses offered by Helsana and its partners
Choose a course, a programme or a seminar that is recognised by us.
The total amount for all four areas is CHF 500.-- per calendar year.
You receive 75% of the costs of various health seminars, healthy eating and weight reduction courses (e.g. Weight Watchers),eight weeks MSBR courses and fall prevention programmes etc., up to CHF 200.-- per calendar year.
The course, the programme, the seminar is recognised by us
MBSR courses are carried out by recognised teachers
Recognised MBSR teachers
Birth preparation
Choose a course, that is approved by us.
You receive 75% of the costs of various courses up to CHF 500.-- per calendar year.
The course is approved by us
The course is provided by an accredited midwife, a provider or a physiotherapist recognised by us or the course takes place in the hospital
Note: CHF 150.-- of the costs of childbirth classes provided by midwives are covered by basic insurance.
The sum of CHF 500 is to be used in its entirety for health-related measures in connection with the pregnancy, such as birth preparation courses and antenatal and postnatal gymnastics.
You receive 75% of the costs of pregnancy exercise up to CHF 500 per calendar year.
The course is recognised by us.
The course is carried out by a recognised midwife, by a recognised course instructor or in a hospital.
Recovery gymnastics
Les 500 francs sont valables globalement pour les quatre domaines de la promotion de la santé:
Ecole du dos et du corps
Offres de fitness
Cours d'Helsana ou de partenaires de coopération
Grossesse, p. ex. cours de préparation à l'accouchement, gymnastique prénatale et postnatale
You receive 75% of the costs of post-natal recovery gymnastics up to CHF 500 per calendar year.
The programme is recognised by us.
The programme is run by a course leader recognised by us.
Prevention (preventive medical care) 90% up to CHF 750
Preventive medical care
You receive 90% of the costs, up to CHF 750 per calendar year, for preventive measures (PDF, 12KB) such as vaccinations, cardiovascular checks, ultrasound examinations, examinations for the early detection of cancer, stopping smoking.
The procedure is recognised by us.
The procedure is performed or prescribed by a doctor.
Only certain preventative measures are supported – such as examinations for the early detection of illnesses and vaccinations prescribed or carried out by a physician. All other preventative measures must be paid for by the patients themselves.
Doctors not under contract 90%
A non-panel doctor or a doctor who is not under contract is deemed to be a doctor who has refused to provide treatment under the terms of the Health Insurance Act (KVG). For this reason, the costs of treatment provided by these doctors are not covered by basic insurance.
You receive 90% of the costs of outpatient treatment carried out by a non-panel doctor (doctor who is not under contract). Psychotherapy is excluded.
Costs are not covered by basic insurance. Patients have to pay for treatment by non-contract medical practitioners themselves.
Medicines 90% medications conventional, 75% medications complementary
You receive 90% of the costs of medically prescribed conventional and 75% of the costs of medically prescribed complementary medications that are not covered by basic insurance ("non-reimbursed medications").
This is subject to the condition that the medication is approved by the Swiss Agency for Therapeutic Products Swissmedic for the treatment of the existing illness.
Medications on the list of pharmaceutical products with special application (LPPV) are excluded.
List of pharmaceutical products with special application (LPPV)
LPPV supplementary list
Only medically prescribed medications that are on the specialities list (SL) are covered. Patients have to pay for any medications not covered by statutory health insurance themselves – even if it was prescribed by a physician.
Transport and rescue in Switzerland CHF 100'000.–
Transport at home
In addition to the transportation benefits provided by the basic insurance, you receive CHF 100,000 per calendar year for transportation that is required on medical grounds within Switzerland.
The total amount is payable to cover all rescue, recovery, relocation and emergency transportation services.
Only 50% of the costs are covered, with an annual maximum of CHF 500 for transport and an annual maximum of CHF 5,000 for rescue.
Rescue at home
CHF 100,000 is the total amount payable to cover all rescue, recovery, relocation and emergency transportation services.
Transport and rescue abroad (personal assistance) 100%
Transport abroad
You receive the costs overall for transportation to the nearest suitable hospital.
You have to organise the necessary through the emergency call centre.
Costs are not covered by basic insurance. Patients have to pay all costs themselves.
Rescue abroad
For rescue abroad it is necessary to organise the necessary through the emergency call centre. You can reach the emergency call centre 24 hours a day on +41 58 340 16 11. They will coordinate medical care at the location and take care of all the necessary formalities.
For rescue you receive the overall costs for transportation to the nearest suitable hospital.
Your health is our top priority – including if you become ill or suffer an accident abroad. Our emergency call centre is available around the clock on +41 58 340 16 11.
They will coordinate medical care at the location and take care of all the necessary formalities.
You receive all of the costs of repatriation to your place of residence or to a hospital in Switzerland.
A doctor authorised by us confirms that your repatriation is a necessity.
Costs are not covered by basic insurance. Patients have to pay all costs themselves. However, repatriation often costs tens of thousands of francs – for example, when a patient needs to be repatriated by air in an ambulance jet.
If you have to spend more than seven days in a foreign hospital, our emergency call centre will organise and pay for round-trip travel for a close friend or relative (proven costs, up to a maximum of the price of one economy flight). You will also receive the proven costs of up to CHF 200 per day and CHF 1,000 per event for your visitor's room and board.
You allow our emergency call centre to organise every stage of the visit.
Return journeys
If you are prevented by hospitalisation from boarding your return flight, you will receive the flight re-scheduling fees for your return flight. If you cannot be booked onto another flight, you will receive the fees for a return flight in economy class.
You submit your expired return flight ticket.
Treatment of tooth misalignment 75% up to CHF 10'000.–
Tooth or jaw misalignment refers to the positioning of one or more teeth or the jaw outside of the ideal dental arch . Dental braces or surgical interventions can correct such misaligned teeth or jaws.
If you undergo this treatment abroad, you can claim the actual costs up to the amount which the treatment would have cost in Switzerland. Treatment in Switzerland is subject to the scale of fees published by the Swiss Association of Dentists (SSO)
Until you reach the age of 20, you receive 75% of the costs up to CHF 10,000 per calendar year for the treatment of misaligned teeth (e.g. dental braces).
Our contribution will be reduced by any contribution to costs that you have received from school or youth dental care programmes in Switzerland.
You are not entitled to any contribution for dental products such as toothbrushes, toothpaste or dental floss.
Costs are not covered by basic insurance. Patients have to pay for planned corrective measure for misaligned teeth themselves. However, braces can cost thousands of francs per year.
Medical aids and equipment 90% up to CHF 1,500 / Fixed amount
You receive 90% of the costs of medically prescribed aids and equipment that improve restricted body functions, such as blood pressure monitors and orthopaedic shoe inserts, up to CHF 1,500 per year.
This is on condition that the aids and equipment are recognised by us.
For reusable aids, you receive costs up to the fixed amount. You can find these in the list of reusable aids and equipment.
Aids and equipment
Reusable aids and equipment
Only the statutorily defined maximum costs for medical aids and equipment prescribed by a doctor that is included on the list of aids and equipment (MiGeL) are covered
Special forms of treatment 75% up to CHF 4,500
CHF 4,500 is the total amount payable to cover all special forms of treatment.
You can claim 75% of the costs up to CHF 4,500 per calendar year for special forms of treatment. Non-medical psychotherapy belongs to this group.
The therapy is prescribed by a doctor.
The therapy is carried out by a psychotherapist recognised by us.
Search for recognised psychotherapists
Recognised special forms of treatment
Costs are not covered by basic insurance. Patients have to pay for these treatments themselves.
You can claim 75% of the costs up to CHF 4,500 per calendar year for special forms of treatment. Sterilisation is one of them.
The CHF 4,500 limit applies to all special forms of treatment.
You receive 75% of the costs up to CHF 4,500 per calendar year for special forms of treatment. Vasectomy is one of them.
Foot care for med. purposes
75% of the costs for medical foot care, podology, shall be covered (for a flat-rate attendance fee of no more than CHF 110).
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Treatment has been prescribed by a doctor.
The precise diagnosis is stated in the prescription.
If you do not have diabetes and need foot treatments, please ask us in advance whether and under what conditions you would receive a contribution to help cover the costs from your supplementary insurance policies.
Healthcare and foreign legal expenses insurance Up to CHF 250,000 per case
Legal protection in health matters
Legal advice and representation for legal disputes.
You can claim up to CHF 250,000 per dispute (or CHF 50,000 in cases outside Europe) to cover lawyers' fees, court and procedural expenses, expert witnesses, court fees and compensation for the other party.
This policy covers disputes with doctors, hospitals and providers of social insurance and private liability insurance.
Costs are not covered by basic insurance. The insured parties have to pay for legal protection benefits themselves.
Legal Protection Abroad
The policy covers disputes in your capacity as the driver, hirer or user of transportation or as a pedestrian during holidays and while attending foreign schools (including transport to and from the school).
Travelcheck Inclusive
You benefit from free telephone travel advice from Travelcheck. This service provides you with 24-hour individual information about health risks in the country you are visiting: +41 43 340 16 22.
Travelcheck travel information platform
Costs are not covered by basic insurance. The insured parties have to pay for this service themselves.
W-P-COMPLETA-EN - Praemienwidget
Answers to frequently asked questions about COMPLETA supplementary healthcare insurance:
Why do I need supplementary healthcare insurance?
Many treatments are covered only partially, if at all, by basic insurance, even though many really need them. This is why it is often a good idea to take out one or more supplementary insurance policies for outpatient treatment – also known as supplementary healthcare insurance. These not only cover the cost of conventional outpatient treatment, but also pay contributions towards the cost of fitness courses and gym memberships, cover abroad, medication, dental treatment and much more.
In short, by taking out supplementary insurance you can expand the benefits you receive under basic insurance based on your needs and can fill important gaps in coverage.
Is it worth upgrading to COMPLETA if I already have TOP and SANA?
COMPLETA supplementary healthcare insurance combines the advantages of TOP and SANA. However, the reimbursements are often much more generous, such as for medical aids and preventative measures. For glasses and contact lenses, you even receive twice as much money back as you do under TOP. COMPLETA also covers planned treatment provided abroad or by non-contract medical practitioners.
So an upgrade to COMPLETA is worth it for you if higher reimbursements or additional benefits are important to you.
Who can take out this insurance?
You can take out this insurance if you meet the following conditions:
You have your official place of residence in Switzerland.
You are under the age of 65 when you take out the policy.
We accept your application. For the purposes of risk assessment, we require you to fill in a health declaration.
How and when can I terminate the insurance?
The minimum term is one year.
The contract is automatically renewed each year on the expiry date for a further year.
You can terminate the policy on 31 December of each year, subject to three months' notice.
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You can also take out a multi-year policy for three or five years. That way, you benefit from a premium discount and other notice periods apply.
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Is there a waiting period?
The waiting period is the period between the date on which the insurance cover under your policy begins and the date from which you can claim benefits.
For maternity benefits, there is a waiting period of 365 days. That means you cannot claim these benefits before the end of the first insurance year.
However, you are covered from the start of insurance for benefits paid as a result of illness or accident.
Is there a discount? How can I save on premiums?
If you conclude a three or five-year insurance policy, you receive a premium discount of 3% or 5% respectively.
If you have equivalent accident insurance, you can exclude the accident cover and reduce your premium by 10%.
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For two or more family members insured under the same contract we grant a family discount of 5% on this and other supplementary insurance; for three or more insured family members the discount is 10%.
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text:
A Thousand Li: The First Step: A Cultivation Novel
A Thousand Li, Book 1
By: Tao Wong
Narrated by: Travis Baldree
Series: A Thousand Li Series, Book 1
Categories: Science Fiction & Fantasy, Fantasy
A Thousand Li: The First Stop
Thousand Li, Book 2
Best-selling author Tao Wong presents the second novel in the Thousand Li series.
Wish the book was longer.
By David on 12-03-19
Mother of Learning Arc 1
Mother of Learning, Book 1
By: nobody103, Domagoj Kurmaic
Narrated by: Jack Voraces
A teenage mage of humble birth and slightly above-average skill, Zorian is attending his third year of education at Cyoria's magical academy. A driven and quiet young man, he is consumed by a desire to ensure his own future and free himself of the influence of his family, resenting the Kazinskis for favoring his brothers over him. Consequently, Zorian has no time for pointless distractions, much less other people's problems.
Fantastic Start
By: nobody103, and others
Unsouled
By: Will Wight
Sacred artists follow a thousand Paths to power, using their souls to control the forces of the natural world. Lindon is Unsouled, forbidden to learn the sacred arts of his clan. When faced with a looming fate he cannot ignore, he must rise beyond anything he's ever known...and forge his own Path.
Buy Then Binge! Worth every penny
Jake's Magical Market
By: J.R. Mathews
Jake is working at the neighborhood market under his apartment when the world ends. He expected nuclear war, a computer virus, or even climate change burning everyone to a crisp to bring about the downfall of civilization. But cruel and arbitrary gods from another world? Who would have guessed that? When these cruel gods shuffled Earth like a deck of cards, nothing was in the same place anymore. Monsters, dungeons, and magical items appear scattered across the globe. And suddenly, everyone has access to a new, strange magical card system that gives them magical powers.
great progression story
By cory on 11-30-21
The Land of the Undying Lord
The Infinite World, Book 1
By: J.T. Wright
Narrated by: Tim Campbell
Monsters and beasts roamed the earth and were slain by soldiers and adventurers who were, in turn, killed by stronger threats. Heroes and villains created new epics and were forgotten when their successors appeared. This was the way of the Infinite World. Summoned into this chaotic place, a young boy with no name and no past must learn to survive. Bound to a master who doesn't care whether he lives or dies, he must become stronger. The question is: how?
80% annoying mess MC is shoved in by useless girls
Defiance of the Fall 3
A LitRPG Adventure
By: TheFirstDefier, JF Brink
Narrated by: Pavi Proczko
After traversing the dangerous Dead Zone, Zac has finally managed to save his sister and bring her back to Port Atwood. But Zac knows he can't relax. Not if he wants to keep her safe. The foreign factions keep spreading their influence, and ancient foes have set their sights on Earth. With his newfound abilities, Zac has joined the Limited Hunt to gain the strength needed to protect his family and his world. However, the System is unwilling to let Zac train in peace, and the hunt is not what it seems...
ignore the reviews
By Chasen on 12-04-21
By: TheFirstDefier, and others
He Who Fights with Monsters: A LitRPG Adventure
He Who Fights with Monsters, Book 1
By: Shirtaloon, Travis Deverell
Narrated by: Heath Miller
It's not easy making the career jump from office-supplies-store middle manager to heroic interdimensional adventurer. At least, Jason tries to be heroic, but it's hard to be good when all your powers are evil. He'll face off against cannibals, cultists, wizards, monsters...and that's just on the first day. He's going to need courage, he's going to need wit, and he's going to need some magic powers of his own. But first, he's going to need pants.
By tb3 on 03-10-21
By: Shirtaloon, and others
Artorian's Archives Omnibus: Books 1-3 in a Divine Dungeon Series
Artorian's Archives Boxset, Book 1
By: Dennis Vanderkerken, Dakota Krout
After his town is put to the sword and the children are taken to replace the fallen, an old man is out for revenge. He's ready to fail at the most difficult challenge in the world: cultivation. Too corrupted to even take the first steps, the sly old elder simply agreed with those who told him that it was impossible. Then he quietly ignored them, rubbed his hands together, and started anyway.
The Problem with Artorian Stories
By Arthur Bradley on 12-15-21
By: Dennis Vanderkerken, and others
Oh, Great! I Was Reincarnated as a Farmer
By: Benjamin Kerei
Accidentally murdered by a cleric in another universe during a botched resurrection, Arnold, a semi-pro gamer, wakes upon an altar to find himself incarnated into the overweight body of a farmer who could have been his fatter twin. He's not the hero. He's not the villain. He's certainly not the chosen one who is there to save the world. He's a clerical error. It could be a bad joke, but apparently, it happens so often that they have a standard procedure for returning you.
Not bad, but not as good as the hype suggests.
Soulhome
The Weirkey Chronicles, Book 1
By: Sarah Lin
Theo's adventure ended with his mentor's hands around his neck. The betrayal cost him his friends, allies and everything he had built...but not his life. Though broken and powerless, Theo has one last chance to enter the Nine Worlds, wielding the knowledge and expertise of his first life. This time, he needs more than just power, he needs to unravel the deception that killed him once...and is coming for him again.
I love the magic system
By Michael on 12-11-21
A Xianxia Cultivation Series (Threads of Fate, Book 1)
By: Michael Head
Jim was thrust back in time, returned to his body at the moment he started cultivating. Anyone else might have given up, but Jim doesn't have that option. He's already made the mistakes that doomed him in his first life, and he knows what to do to make it right. Jim wants to right the wrongs of the past...or future? All while a pair of angry gods torture him through lack of sleep.
6 OUT OF 5 STARS!
By Bee Yang on 02-19-21
Street Cultivation
Street Cultivation, Book 1
The days of traveling martial artists and mountaintop masters are over. Power is controlled by corporations, modernized martial arts sects, and governments. Those at the bottom of society struggle as second class citizens in a world in which power is a commodity. Rick is a young fighter in this world. He doesn't dream of immortality or becoming the strongest, just of building a better life for himself and his sister, who suffers from a spiritual illness. Unfortunately, life isn't that easy.
By Austin on 01-13-20
A Thousand Li: The Favored Son
A Cultivation Short Story
Length: 41 mins
Winter is a time of reflection and cultivation for the Verdant Green Waters Sect. For Wu Ying, this peaceful interlude is interrupted by a new assignment that pits him against the mortal world's conventions of class and privilege.
a fun tiny trip
By STEPHEN PESSOTTI on 10-27-20
Ritualist
Completionist Chronicles, Book 1
By: Dakota Krout
Narrated by: Vikas Adam
The decision to start a new life is never an easy one, but for Joe the transition was far from figurative. Becoming a permanent addition to a game world, it doesn't take long to learn that people with his abilities are actively hunted. In fact, if the wrong people gained knowledge of what he was capable of, assassins would appear in droves.
Why Elon Musk?
Life in the North: An Apocalyptic LitRPG
The System Apocalypse, Book 1
All John wanted to do was get away for his life in Kluane National Park for a weekend. Hike, camp, and chill. Instead, the world comes to an end in a series of blue boxes, animals start evolving, and monsters start spawning. Now, he has to survive the apocalypse, get back to civilization, and not lose his mind. Life in the North is book one of the System Apocalypse, a litRPG apocalypse series that combines modern day life, science fiction, and fantasy elements along with game mechanics.
should have read the reviews
Shade's First Rule: A Fantasy LitRPG Adventure
Divine Apostasy, Book 1
By: A. F. Kay
It's Ruwen's Ascension Day, and he finally dies for the first time. His newly revived body can learn spells and abilities for the class given him by the Goddess Uru, and dying is no longer permanent. Ruwen's high intelligence makes becoming a Mage inevitable. With his new powers, he will locate his parents and clear their family name. But nothing goes as Ruwen imagined, and when a rival God tries to kill Ruwen shortly after his disastrous Ascension, his focus turns from his future to just surviving.
MC is
Adventures on Brad, Books 1 - 3
A LitRPG Boxset
Narrated by: Eric Martin
Daniel Chai only ever wanted to be an Adventurer. Born with a gift of healing that steals his memories and past experiences as its fuel source, Daniel must weigh his heart's desire with his gift as he attempts to clear his first ever dungeon. This bundle includes audiobooks one to three in the series.
As fun as it gets
By Andy L on 06-13-19
The Heavenly Throne: Publisher's Pack
The Heavenly Throne, Books 1-2
By: Yuri Ajin
Narrated by: Kirby Heyborne
Contains books one and two of the hit Russian LitRPG series The Heavenly Throne: Force Cultivation and The Way of the Force.
By Donald on 12-04-20
Long Wu Ying never expected to join a Sect or become a real cultivator. His days were spent studying, planting rice on the family farm and spending time with his friends. Fate, however, has different plans for Wu Ying and when the army arrives at his village, he and many other members of the village are conscripted. Given the opportunity to join the Verdant Green Waters Sect, Wu Ying must decide between his pedestrian, common life and the exciting, blood soaked life of a cultivator.
Join Wu Ying as he takes his first step on his Thousand Li journey to become an immortal cultivator.
©2019 Tao Wong (P)2019 Tantor
Historical Paranormal
The Second Storm: A Xianxia Fantasy Epic
Town Under
Lord January
Battlefield Reclaimer
What listeners say about A Thousand Li: The First Step: A Cultivation Novel
Not quite Will Wight, but good enough.
PSA: Chi in this case is pronounced chur as that is how it sounds in Chinese. I've seen many reviews complaining about this as if the narrator is saying it incorrectly. However, the author is Chinese and has obviously instructed that the words be pronounced as such. So don't be confused when you randomly hear Churrr all the time. hopefully this will get people to stop with the false accusations that the narrator is incompetent, because he is one of the best.
Worldbuilding amazing, character not so much
Let's start with what I liked. The worldbuilding. The lore. The culture. The history. This book was rich with all of those things. The way the chi worked and how you 'leveled up' was interesting and I would love to go even deeper into just that element. The fact that each move of battle had its own names, 'Dragon Unsheathes Its Claws'--fascinating and again, I could read a whole book just on these different combat poses and moves. I loved how cultivation could take you in so many different directions, from elemental to healing. It was fascinating. There was no lack of depth in the worldbuilding and culture.
Now to the problems I had. Our main character Long Wu Ying is a simple peasant at the start, but that soon changes. He almost has no personality and it changes little throughout the book. At the end, you could say he's more courageous. But otherwise, I found it rather flat and a little unbelievable. He seems to rise up the ranks with ease with everything piled against him. In the some battles, he literally has broken bones, pounded to the ground, yet he can think with clarity. I think the author could've done more by giving Wu Ying a few more flaws, give him a harder time.
I also didn't love how women were portrayed here. Yes, there were a few female cultivators, but almost all the focus of women was regarding their body shape, their beauty, them as a distraction. That didn't set well with me.
I want to read the next book because of the world, magic system, and lore, but I'm not too sure I will.
short but packed
solid take on the cultivation genre. wish there was more but the story was fulfilling.
STEPHEN PESSOTTI
This is a Fantastic martial arts book!
If your like me and like Marrial arts or old Martial art movies then your going to love this book.
The world is interesting and something I hope we learn even more next time.
The characters are enjoyable though I'll admit listening to it now and then some names got hard to remember.
The martial arts are fantastic I do regret how some bits felt fast forwarded. However closing my eyes and hearing the names of the different styles and attacks i could make up my own picture of what was happening.
I highly recommend if even any of what i have said caught your interest.
In the mean time I'll hope we get a second book soon.
Steven Don Porto Carero
nice cultivation book
If you like books with a cultivation theme like the Cradle series then you will most likely like this one. good story and good narration.
Chris Buzon
probably the best cultivation novel I've read
this is a 'pure' cultivation novel. protagonist isnt overpowered, acts human, and is engaging. honestly worth picking this one up!
Love this book and hope the next book drops soon
I am so into the cultivating genre right now and there are good ones and bad ones and okay ones. This is a good one probably third behind The Ten Relms Series and Cradle Series. I was excited to see that the writer of the System Apocalypses series decided to try his hand at this newish genre. Also we get the fantastic narrator from the Cradle series to narrate it. Seriously if you like the genre pick this one up. Not as good as Unsouled or Two Week Curse when it comes to starting the series. You kinda just get thrown right into it with no world building. By chapter three the world building gets good and you catch on to what is going on. I don't think this is a big enough of a deal to drop a star so there you go.
It's nothing but leveling up.
So I waited until listening to the first 2 books in this series before writing this, hoping that the second book would help improve things. And while it does get better, I really just don't find this series enjoyable.
While I'm relatively new to the Cultivation genre of stories, the elements of it share a lot with the LitRPG genre in my opinion. And that is the Leveling Up aspect of the story. And frankly, this book is nothing but Leveling Up. There really isn't any plot, other than everyone crapping all over the protagonist for the sin of simply existing. But other than that, it's just him training....and training...and training...and hitting a new level/threshold....and training some more, etc etc. It's just dull. The book starts out as a straight Mulan reference, of the villagers being drafted to fight in the war, and you get a very brief glimpse at the life of the commoners, and how it is for them. Then the protagonist is wisked off to Magical Martial Arts School, and there is zero connection to the establishing events. What about his friends from the village? What about his family? What about the war? All of those plot threads are just dropped, for what boils down to a karate/sports film from the 80s. Complete with stereotypical bully squad like they came right out of Cobra Kai.
The Leveling Up aspect of Cultivation books, and LitRPG books, is a huge flaw in my opinion. The writers spend hours of story time, simply describing stats and telling us "and then the hero got stronger." Without really developing anything dramatic, or interesting.
The second book gets a bit better, but only marginally in this regard. It's still almost entirely just Leveling Up details, nothing more. The interpersonal dialogue is improved, as the banter between the main characters is actually quite funny, but it wasn't enough to hold me.
The narrator was great. Nothing but props on his performance, I just think the material isn't all that well written.
A very well written book, insightful and broad in scope. Reminiscent of lit rpg with an eastern flare.
treytgranger
very good read
I was sucked in very quickly it's a very fast paced read and I was found the only issue being able to keep up with the names and which character was which. other than that I am looking forward to the next book.
I devoured the whole book in one go the only issue I had was the names as a native English speaker the names being multiple words long in combination very foreign names made it very difficult to keep track of who was who something to keep in mind for future books written and read or even translated to English
I loved this novel. The story flows easily. The MC isn't overpowered. He is humble and his main quality is his perseverance.
chefrock
A great first book can't wait for more
reminds me of the cradle series, excellent narration and very easy to listen to. if your a fan of a mc working hard to get to the top look no further.
Really easy and enjoyable listen.
The book was well paced. It was refreshing for the MC not have everything given to them. You really felt the MC deserved the fortunes that came his way!
good book t and here is a part in chapter 17 that made me laugh out loud.
Liam B.
Surprising and Superb
Loved it. Best book I've encountered in the last couple of years. A must read for fantasy and high fantasy enthusiasts.
A great intro to the genre
I fully recommend this book. The main character's journey is littered with injustice, making it equal parts frustrating and satisfying as he works through the problems set before him.
I'm also fond of the setting; Ancient China has a different feeling to Feudal Japan and the English Chivalric era. The Chinese magic system has a lot to do with this, as it's hierarchical nature allows it to be baked into the social structure.
Xuanxia, while great stories, tend to be difficult to access due jarring cultural differences and awkward translations.
This book was either written in English or has been masterfully translated. The cultural differences are less pronounced too.
james mcadam
great cultivation story .great characters and very well written. excellent narration and carnt wait for the next one
Great start to a cultivation novel
Very similar to a manga novel. Tao did a great job as the book is filled with fighting and cultivation. Author creates vivid images and makes you want to listen to more.
If you like fighting, cultivation and competition this is for you. Will be listening to the next book
Mostly good
I'm enjoying the book and will be buying the next. I just don't like how the MC is a bit of a wet noodle whipping boy, he always turns the other cheek. I understand why but it's a bit difficult to be sympathetic for a weak person without a backbone, which it's bizarre because in anything else he is determined and strong willed
very good was defintely worth the read would recommend a decent try had you thinking diffeent ideas all the time
Alexander Devitt
This novel encompasses everything I expect from the title. It allows me to indulge some of my favourite tropes. As always, a masterful narration by Travis Baldree.


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Top 10 Atlassian Partners - 2020
As a leading enterprise software company developing products for software developers, project managers, and content management, Atlassian is now a leader in their field, with an exclusive range of products and services. Most widely used for its Service Desk incident management and project management tools, Atlassian fits seamlessly with agile workflow processes, making it incredibly accessible across several industries.
One of the fundamental reasons why Atlassian has become a leader in this field is—integration capability. In terms of versatility and integration options, Atlassian's potential is widely regarded as one of the best in the industry, with continually improving software enhancements, which maximizes its plug-in potential. Besides, with a one-time platform for development and support teams, Atlassian offers a user-friendly environment, which seamlessly operates alongside other integral features. Amid this scenario, numerous enterprises have begun to work with Atlassian products and their agile methodology to achieve their business goals.
On an equal note, Atlassian partners are ushering in a new era of digital transformation through various Atlassian Products. The products empower enterprises to effortlessly blend digital and physical customer experiences while enhancing operational efficiencies and organizational performance. Adjacently, the right partner can also help increase automation, improve collaboration and achieve new competitive advantages. On that note, with a broad understanding of the latest developments in the Atlassian products space, a distinguished panel of selectors comprising CEOs, CIOs, VCs, and the editorial board of CIOApplications Europe has compiled a list of the leading Atlassian partners. We hope this edition offers you a broad understanding of the best Atlassian partner you can choose to augment your business operations.
We present to you CIOApplications Europe's "Top 10 Atlassian Partners - 2020."
Our subscribers nominate the companies with whom they have collaborated and gotten results. If you think there is a company that deserves to be on our upcoming prestigious annual list of Top 10 Atlassian Partners , please write to us about them and the reasons you think they need to be on the list
Your nomination request for upcoming annual list of "Top 10 Atlassian Partners " has been Successfully Sent . We will be in touch with you shortly.
Top Atlassian Partners
Adaptavist
Adaptavist is helping businesses stitch their patchwork systems together around Atlassian tools, thereby helping them instil a robust, agile culture throughout the organization. To this end, along with managing the Atlassian platform for large organizations, Adaptavist has developed multiple Atlassian Marketplace Apps and extensions for Atlassian products such as Jira, Confluence, Trello, and others. One of these product families—ScriptRunner—requires a special mention. ScriptRunner is an automation and integration tool that clients can download from the Atlassian Marketplace and use as a plug-in for Jira, Confluence, and Bitbucket to automate, customize, and extend functionality with third-party integrations. Using the well-known Groovy language, they can build multi-step automation flows with bespoke logic, loops and variables, archive issues, update and validate custom fields across projects, and save hundreds of hours on repetitive tasks
www.adaptavist.com
beecom
beecom AG is one of the first Atlassian partners worldwide and has been offering collaboration solutions based on Atlassian products for over 16 years.The company offers all-round service in the areas of consulting, development, licensing, and hosting of Atlassian products for all industries and team sizes. beecom also possesses deep knowledgein implementing migrations to both cloud and data center deployments. With the COVID-19 pandemic, the company was able to help many clients react quickly to the rapid changes harnessing its experience in enabling digital team collaboration and subject matter expertise in required systems, structures, and methodologies
beecom.ch
Catapult CX
Catapult CX's support and consultancy services allow customers to concentrate on what's important - improving productivity, generating growth, building quality software and delivering excellent services to customers. Whether clients are looking to buy, implement or configure their Atlassian products, or get more from their investment, Catapult CX offers an end-to-end solution to take the hassle out of managing their Atlassian stack. By implementing Atlassian products with better ways of working—such as Agile, DevOps and Site Reliability Engineering (SRE)—Catapult CX accelerates digital transformation, enabling IT development teams to be more efficient and productive
catapult.cx
Marvelution®
The company develops apps for Atlassian Products to help users optimise the DevOps processes, be it open or closed source. Starting as a mere hobby for its founder, Mark Rekveld, to share his coding work with the world—Marvelution has since grown into a company with fruitful business endeavour with its roots in the Jira-Hudson Integration project
www.marvelution.com
bitvoodoo
bitvoodoo ag is the leading Swiss provider for the design and development of collaborative workplace solutions, empowering teams to get their work done effectively. As an Atlassian Platinum Solution Partner based in Zurich, bitvoodoo ag offers a range of customised products and enterprise solutions, including social intranets, knowledge-sharing platforms and wikis, ticketing and issue tracking systems
Blended Perspectives
Blended Perspectives is an Atlassian Expert Partner providing full lifecycle support for JIRA, Confluence and a range of Atlassian tools, including: requirements definition, design, implementation and hosting services. Blended Perspectives provides a wide range of knowledge management consulting services from knowledge audits to collaboration tool selection, implementation and support
Cprime
An Alten Company, Cprime is a global consulting firm helping transforming businesses get in sync. Cprime is the partner of choice for Fortune 100 companies looking to achieve value and agility. The company helps visionary business leaders compose solutions, execute implementations, and exceed business goals. With its key partnership recognitions, including Atlassian Platinum, AWS Advanced, and SAFe Gold SPCT partner, Cprime's industry-leading software and services work in synergy to deliver transformations
eficode
Eficode is a DevOps, software, automation, and design company with offices in Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, and Germany. With over 300 experts on board, at Eficode the company believes the future of software development is fun, creative, and automated! For over a decade, Eficode has been helping companies build software more effectively
Nagarro helps to transform, adapt, and build new ways into the future through a forward thinking, agile and caring mindset. The company excels at digital product engineering and delivers on its promise of thinking breakthroughs
Tecnofor
Tecnofor is an IT consulting and training company specialized in helping its clients manage their technology projects and transform the way their organizations work. The company's differential value is its deep knowledge of methodologies and process frameworks, both traditional and agile, that allows it to help clients in designing the best workflows for their business. Tecnofor is an expert in design, implementation, support,and licensing for Jira, Confluence, and the rest of the Atlassian ecosystem
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It's the event you've all been waiting for! Rodgers & Hammerstein's The King and I will be heading to Pantages Theatre on Thursday 12th January 2017 for a very special show that you'll be glad you didn't miss! This is entertainment at its finest!


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Multiple Arrests, Charges, and Warrants Stem From Major Drug Investigation
The West Hazleton Police Department, the Hazleton City Police Department and the Luzerne County Drug Task Force announce the following arrests following a narcotics investigation throughout the months of March and April in 2019:
Dawn Cragle, 43, of West Hazleton charged with 4 felony counts of Delivery of a Controlled Substance(Methamphetamine), 2 felony counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Deliver(Fentanyl and Methamphetamine) and 4 felony counts of Criminal Use of a Communication Facility.
Brian Dickinson, 37, of West Hazleton charged with one felony count of Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Deliver(Fentanyl)
Timothy Pendergast, 25, of Hazle Township charged with one Felony count of Delivery of a Controlled Substance(Methamphetamine) and 1 felony count of Criminal Use of a Communication Facility.
Scott Wanamaker, 42, of Weston charged with 2 counts of possession of a Controlled Substance(methamphetamine and heroin). Wanamaker also had a bench warrant issued by Schullykill County.
John Lorah, 39, of Shenandoah charged with Firearm not be carried without a license, 1 count of possession of a controlled substance(methamphetamine) and count of possession of drug paraphernalia.
Arrest warrants issued for the following:
Brittany Hinkle, 24, of McAdoo charged with 1 felony count of Delivery of a Controlled Substance and 1 felony count of Criminal Use of a Communication Facility for a delivery of methamphetamine.
Charges to be filed against the following:
Gianna Julian, 21, of Mahanoy City charged with misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance(fentanyl), possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a small amount of marijuana.
Christina Klick, 44, of West Hazleton charged with possession of a controlled substance(fentanyl) and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Austin Calarco, 21, of West Hazleton charged with possession of a controlled substance(marijuana) and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Bruce Nelligan, 29, of Orrtanna charged with possession of a controlled substance(methamphetamine) and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Details of Investigation:
Throughout March and April of 2019 Investigators conducted several controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Dawn Cragle and Brian Dickinson's residence at 418-420 West Green Street in the borough of West Hazleton. This investigation led up to a search warrant being executed at Cragle's residence on April 03, 2019 as well as warrants being served at the Hazleton Motor Inn Room 102 in the City of Hazleton. Just prior to the search warrant Cragle and Dickinson were taken into custody during a traffic stop where they were found to be in possession of 30.2 grams of packaged fentanyl and several grams of methamphetamine. Several grams of methamphetamine were purchased from the residence as well. Cragle would serve customers and arrange the sales to customers via telephone.
As investigators served the warrant on Green Street a team served the warrant on The Hazleton Motor Inn Room 102 where Scott Wanamaker was attempting to flush methamphetamine down the toilet and was also taken into custody.
Cragle, Dickinson, Wanamaker and Pendergast were all taken to the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for overnight arraignment.
This joint investigation was conducted by Investigators from the West Hazleton Police Department, The Hazleton City Police Department and the Luzerne County Drug Task Force.
Also assisting were members from the West Hazleton Police Department Patrol Division, The Hazleton City Police Department Patrol Division, The Hazleton City Police Department Special Operations Group, The Sugarloaf Township Police Department and the Butler Township Police Department.


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Make wine not war! It's environmentally friendly
Posted by argentumvulgaris in News. Tagged: Argentina, grapes, wine bottles. Leave a comment
As tensions heighten in the Falklands, Argentinian vineyard sends grapes to English winemakers to produce unique cross-border vintage.
Amid the diplomatic sabre-rattling overshadowing the anniversary of the Falkland's war, there is one area of Anglo-Argentinian relations we can all raise a glass to.
British and Argentinean vineyards have responded to the crisis by forming a unique collaboration to 'make wine not war.'
In what even the producers admitted was a 'madcap' idea, two tonnes of grapes were transported 7,000 miles from a red wine vineyard on the foothills of the Argentinian Andes to a sparkling white wine producer in the Home Counties.
United by wine: Two tonnes of grapes were transported 7,000 miles from a red wine vineyard on the foothills of the Argentinian Andes to Chapel Down winery in Kent
Chapel Down winery in Tenterden, Kent has now created 1,300 bottles the world's first cross-border wine created from foreign grapes imported to the UK which will be available later this month.
Andrew Maidment, European head of wines of Argentina, said: 'The wine industry is all about collaboration but nothing like this has ever been done before.
'When I approached the British wine makers, they said 'It sounds completely crazy but we'll give it a go.'
Madcap: The grapes were flown over from a vineyard in Mendoza, Argentina
It's something unique which makes it very exciting.
'It was also a big risk though – we didn't know what was going to happen with it whether it would be a fantastic bottle or whether it would be undrinkable.'
Celebration: The final product symbolises unity between Argentine and British industries
Staff from Chapel Down visited the vineyard in Mendoza, which lies 3,500 ft above sea level, last April and chose the grapes they wanted harvested which had to be flown to the UK within five days to keep them fresh.
Mr Maidment said: 'It was very important was that, while the grapes came from Argentina, this wine wasn't made by Argentina.
'It was produced completely by the British vineyard, with no one telling them what to do.
It's a bit of a madcap idea, but it worked as a celebration of the two industries working together.
'It wasn't conceived with anything political in mind, but in the current climate I think everyone would be happier to have people making wine than making war.'
After a year of production, the Chapel Down Malbec red is now complete and Mr Maidment described it 'elegant and not too in your face.'
'It's got an Argentinian influence but is unmistakably restrained English style. I'm really happy with it.
'It's a fusion of the two countries but is truly English, very elegant, young and fresh.
Source: MailOnline Read more about timings and distribution
And the last paragraph… It's a good environmental policy
'It's actually far cheaper and far more environmentally friendly to produce wine this way rather than import ready made wine, because you don't have to fly the bottles over.
'Transporting grapes is a lot easier to do.'


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Home Social Media Co-Founder of Popular Atheist Facebook Group Accused of Predatory Behavior
Co-Founder of Popular Atheist Facebook Group Accused of Predatory Behavior
beat10z
The co-founder of a popular atheist Facebook group is accused by several women of using his position to coerce and manipulate them for sexual purposes.
Paul Herbert Dunkley, known by his online alias Paul Stickman, is the co-founder of the 4,000-member Godless Maniacs, an offshoot of We Fucking Love Atheism. I actually spoke with Stickman last year, when I covered the Facebook page's closure and eventual return from the dead.
On Oct. 4, I received a mass message claiming that Stickman had been "systematically abusing his position of power and respect to groom, deceive, and emotionally abuse vulnerable femme-presenting" people within the atheist community.
"Until recently, he has been able to prevent his victims from communicating with each other through classic manipulation tactics of triangulation, but several of them recently broke through his deception and started comparing notes," said the message, written and organized by a group of "over 60 people who are aware of" the claims.
The letter included several specific allegations, but none of them related to physical abuse or sexual assault. Instead, the claims focused on manipulative behaviors online, including grooming behavior and gaslighting. They also alleged that Paul had misrepresented the relationship with his fiancée as "open" and used that as leverage to stage sexual conversations.
In response to the allegations, Stickman posted a denial to a Godless Maniacs Facebook group.
"As some may have seen, there is currently an orchestrated effort to attack my character by a group of up to 70 people, based mostly on out of context screenshots and intentional misinformation," he wrote. "Due to this situation, some group features will have to be disabled or adjusted for a while."
That comment from Stickman accompanied a change in the group: it became "secret."
Some members in the group had negative reactions to the changes and Stickman's post denying the accusations.
"You need to explain your situation, or, as is the case, I will side with the accusers," one commenter wrote. "Censoring it only seems to prove your guilt."
Another group member said they aren't aware of the details but have concerns about how the allegations had been handled.
"I don't know what happened," they wrote. "But deleting posts and changing the group to secret? Doesn't make you look good at all. Just saying."
Here are some other comments from that secret group thread:
Many members of the Godless Maniacs group joined their own group, Third Wave Godlessness, after the allegations surfaced.
Stickman has consistently denied the allegations, stating that the screenshots that have been circulating represent consensual conversations. It's worth noting that several of the screenshots I've seen depict extremely violent fantasies involving the women, like this one:
It's also important to recognize that, at this time, it doesn't appear as though any criminal allegations have been made. That also means, of course, that no charges were filed.
Stickman has deactivated his Facebook account, and his page and groups appear down at the time of writing. I wasn't able to reach him for comment.
Godless Maniacs
No Sacred Cows
Paul Stickman
Predatory
We Fucking Love Atheism
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Best Seafood Restaurant: SqWires
Obvious statement No. 1: Unless you count prairie oysters, the Midwest is not a region celebrated for its seafood. Obvious statement No. 2: We live in an age of speedy transportation and efficient refrigeration. Obvious statement No. 3: Too few restaurants in St. Louis bother to take advantage of the wonders of our modern age. And then there is SqWires. Every afternoon at happy hour, you can wander in and purchase a freshly shucked oyster or two or three for a dollar a pop. You can slurp the meat from the shell and taste the briny waters of the Pacific Ocean, specifically those off the Washington and Oregon coast, where, until yesterday, the oyster was peacefully pursuing its motionless existence. SqWires serves shrimp and mussels and fish, too, all from Bob's Seafood, St. Louis' best source of good things as direct from the sea as the vagaries of air travel will allow. Those actually from the Washington and Oregon coast may scorn your enthusiasm, but then, what the hell are they doing at a seafood restaurant in St. Louis anyway?
SqWires
1415 S 18th St, St. Louis St. Louis - Lafayette Square
Kelly English Steakhouse
DeMun Oyster Bar
Farmhaus
Oceano Bistro
Wapango
St. Louis Fish Market
Cardwell's at the Plaza
Arthur Clay's
R.L. Steamers
Best 3 a.m. Bar: Jack Patrick's Bar & Grill
There's a saying among St. Louis barflies: "Nothing good ever happens after 1:30 a.m." — a reference to the closing time of most watering holes on the Missouri side of the river. Evidently these folks haven't been to Jack Patrick's. The downtown establishment (located at Olive and Tenth streets) has a pronounced sports-bar feel, thanks to numerous television sets blasting ESPN, plenty of old-school sports pennants and patrons sporting Cardinals gear. But non-fans have every reason to feel comfortable too; the music blaring is often mopey alt-rock and modern indie rock, while mismatched furniture gives the place a funky feel. Better yet, Jack Patrick's is never crowded late at night, offers plenty of free parking and always features cheap, well-poured drinks (including Guinness on tap!). Throw in friendly bartenders — including a few members of local indie band the Hibernauts — who make sure their patrons are well taken care of, and Jack Patrick's is the perfect place for a nightcap.
Jack Patrick's Bar & Grill
1000 Olive St., St. Louis St. Louis - Downtown
Best All-Ages Venue: Fubar
If you're sixteen and looking for a place for your band to play its first real show outside a garage or basement — and if your musical chops can hold their own against your peers' — Fubar might just be the place for you. Looking to fill out its near-nightly lineup of live music, the newly minted midtown venue quickly became known for giving chances to new bands to open for national and regional touring acts. On any given night, the under-21 crowd nearly equals the beer drinkers on the other side of the drinkers' fence. The venue has now moved beyond its "new Creepy Crawl" rep, thanks to a slew of solid shows and a comfortable atmosphere for teenagers and tattooed rock vets alike.
3108 Locust St, St. Louis St. Louis - Midtown
Best Asian Market: Olive Farmers' Market
The pig is the unquestioned star of the contemporary food scene, but until you have visited the Olive Farmers' Market — not a farmers' market at all, but one of the area's biggest Asian grocery stores — you have absolutely no idea just how diverse Porky's culinary offerings are. Here you will find everything from the gently folded pork face that we lovingly call snoots to dark red bricks of coagulated pork blood to pork intestines to, yes, pork uteri. (They are excellent in hot pots. Apparently.) That extraordinary variety extends to the entire selection at the Olive Farmers' Market. Here you can sample drinks in unexpected flavors (chrysanthemum, anyone?) and enough different kinds of ramen noodles that you might be able to feed yourself through college without any repeats. And while the market might not gleam like the newest supermarkets, you can't feel any closer to your food: Nothing separates you from the whole fish laid out on ice, and the live crabs scuttle over an open pen, their claws snapping at your curious fingers.
Olive Farmers' Market
8041 Olive Blvd., University City University City
Best Bagels: Pratzel's Bakery
A real bagel, a true bagel, is made with yeast and malt, and — and this is perhaps most crucial of all — is boiled before it is baked. That's right: The dough, after being allowed to rise, should be dropped into boiling water. Anything else is just round bread with a hole in the center. For a real bagel, a boiled bagel, a bagel with an inside that is tender and soft but not doughy, and an outside that is chewy without being tough, go to Pratzel's.
Pratzel's Bakery
10405 Old Olive St., Creve Coeur Creve Coeur
Best Bakery: 222 Artisan Bakery
Three cheers for three twos: 222 Artisan Bakery is worth the drive to Edwardsville. Plan a Saturday morning around the trip, but don't dawdle: the bakery closes at noon on Saturday. Or play hooky from work. You won't be disappointed, whether you're starting your day with a cup of one of 222's terrific single-origin or blended coffees (sold as Goshen Coffee there and in the area) and a pastry or getting a loaf of bread for dinner. The name refers to the address, of course, but the key term is "artisan." Owners Debbie Sultan and Matt Herren approach their craft with seriousness born of a love for great, honest food. Choose among numerous different breads, from rustic sourdough and French baguettes — crusty without being brittle; chewy without being tough — to special varieties like cranberry-walnut, spinach-cheese. Pastries will satisfy both sweet and savory tooths — the plump, flavorful muffins, especially, are a meal unto themselves. As if that's not enough, 222 offers a lunch menu of sandwiches Monday through Thursday, and the bakery's pizzas, served only on Friday, are rapidly gaining a cult following among area foodies.
222 Artisan Bakery
222 N. Main St., Edwardsville Collinsville/ Edwardsville
Best Bar Bar: Rosie's Place
Rosie's is located in the heart of the Central West End, across the street from glitzy joints Moxy and Chez Leon, but it could easily pass for the bluest-collared watering hole in town. Crammed into a single narrow room, the establishment is, simply put, a drinking person's bar. A place where people booze, laugh and commiserate. The air is smoky as hell, the drinks are stiff and cheap, and there's no beer on tap, only $1.50 bottles of Bud all night long. A plastic-tipped dartboard is crammed into one corner. An old-fashioned jukebox, heavy on soul and '80s music, provides the soundtrack. Depending on the day of the week, the bartender is either a heavyweight MMA fighter who can chug a beer faster than you can say, "Please don't hurt me," or a loud and thoroughly entertaining woman who may or may not be Rosie herself (she usually talks in the third person, as in, "Rosie only takes cash.") Be on the lookout for a couple of regulars who spontaneously break into a choreographed dance straight out of Godard's Bande à part.
Rosie's Place
4573 Laclede Ave., St. Louis St. Louis - Central West End
Best Bar Food: Tip Top Food & Spirits
To have great bar food, you first need to find a great bar. You're not going to get the munchies if you don't hang around for a drink or four. Tip Top Food & Spirits is a great bar in the old-school St. Louis style: a small, smoky neighborhood joint in a mostly residential area of Soulard. Owner Djordje "George" Korac's nods to both halves of his Serbian American heritage. Enjoy a shot and a beer with a plate of the delicious Serbian sausages called cevapcici or sample some of the city's finest fried chicken. The "Tip Topper" burger, served with "Serbian slaw" on Texas toast, is sure to satisfy your hunger, and the appetizer menu features all the nibbles you could want — from hummus to jalapeño poppers — to accompany an evening's revelry.
Tip Top Food & Spirits
2501 S. 9th St., St. Louis St. Louis - Soulard
Best Barbecue: Pappy's Smokehouse
The most important thing at Pappy's Smokehouse — after the smoker, of course — is the dry-erase board. Here the restaurant lists which meats have sold out for the day. You see, owner Mike Emerson doesn't believe you should reheat barbecue. He wants you to have Pappy's pulled pork or pork ribs or beef brisket at its best or not at all. And, oh baby, is this barbecue at its best. Dry-rubbed and cooked slow and low (up to fourteen hours) over apple and cherry wood. The result is meat as tender as a farewell and full of rich, natural flavor lightly accented by smoke. The sauce is where it should be: on the side, in squeeze bottles. Pappy's offers three varieties: regular, spicy and sweet. Each is excellent, but it's meant to be dabbed, not poured. Not sure which sauce is best with which meat, or which meats don't need sauce at all? Don't worry. You'll be back again and again.
3106 Olive St., St. Louis St. Louis - Midtown
Best Barista: Eric Schaefer
How many baristas can say they actually roasted the French roast being sipped by their customers? In St. Louis, Eric Schaefer of the Central West End branch of Northwest Coffee Roasters might be the only one. Three days a week Schaefer tends to the shop's antique German roasting machine, feeding batches of green coffee beans into the cooker and listening carefully for the telltale cracking of a perfectly roasted batch. The other two days, he steps behind the bar and turns those beautifully blackened blends into espresso and coffee. Short of moving to Costa Rica to pick the beans himself, Schaefer does just about everything a barista can do to provide customers the perfect pour.
Northwest Coffee Roasting Company
Best Bartender: Ted Kilgore
Ted Kilgore doesn't know your name. It's not that Monarch's bar manager is unsociable; his focus just lies elsewhere — namely, on the drink he's about to pour for you. No matter what you decide on, this cocktailophile knows the drink's history, all of its variations and everything else you can think to ask. That's when Kilgore's on top of his game: when he's talking, mixing and inventing that drink. In doing so, he's created quite a buzz: Beverage Media tapped him as one of this year's "10 Trendsetting Mixologists," and in the past both Food & Wine and Wine Enthusiast featured his original concoctions. Friend and coworker T.J. Vytlacil believes all Kilgore needs to know is your clothing or dating style and he'll have a blueprint of your palate mapped out in his head. "He's very carefully creative," Vytlacil says. "He puts a lot of thought into each drink." And in Kilgore's case, it's definitely the thought that counts.
Monarch Event Space
7401 Manchester Road, Maplewood Maplewood


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How "Trickle-up Charity" Can Save the World
By Moshe Hecht
Today's mega-rich philanthropists – Warren Buffet, Bill and Melinda Gates, Mark Zuckerberg – are putting billions towards advancing our world and solving some of its most pressing problems.
But while huge sums benefit countless people, the facts show that the giant hole of need is actually growing faster than it can be filled. Relatively speaking, to quote Melinda Gates, the billionaires' "pocket of money is quite small." Sure, philanthropists are doing their part to "save the world," but it's only becoming more obvious that more money is needed.
The question is, from whom?
While we've all been taught that those with enormous wealth hold the power to "save the world," giving trends in the United States suggest a different solution – one that might surprise you.
Statistically, the wealthiest Americans give an average of 1.3% of their income to charitable causes. The middle class gives on average of 3% of their income to help others. The poorest Americans – households earning less than $20,000 – give away the greatest percentage of their income: up to 4.5%, to charity. Could it be? How surprising! The less one earns, the more they give!
Now, before we try to hit rich people over the head and demand that they match the poor in percentage-of-income given, we must also consider this undeniable truth: more money doesn't always mean more impact. And it certainly doesn't always mean the smartest impact.
In 2010, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg pledged a staggering $100 million to revamp the Newark, New Jersey public school system. But this noble effort saw millions of dollars squandered on outside consultants, analysts and "experts," each of whom was paid an average of a thousand dollars a day. As Vivian Cox Fraser, president of the Urban League of Essex County, observed to The New Yorker, "Everybody's getting paid, but Raheem still can't read."
Zuckerberg has since acknowledged that he and then-Mayor Cory Booker moved too quickly to do too much, superimposing their own ideas of improvement on a system that really needed different solutions.
Apparently, the age-old adage "money doesn't solve problems" is even true for altruistic billionaires hell-bent on improving the world.
Besides, the world's wealthiest lack strong motivators to give more. A wealthy person will often give to earn good PR, gain entry into the "scene," or earn the very title of "philanthropist." But they can earn that applause with a mega-donation that doesn't make any dent in their net worth. This leaves little incentive to give away more than one percent of their income.
And while individual philanthropists are making a huge positive difference in our world, many thousands more are giving well below 1%. And they are not particularly driven to increase that number.
So, where should we turn? How do we create a system of great giving with great impact?
The answer must isolate no one, and empower even the poorest people. It must drive the needy to have more input into how they are helped, which will in turn make nonprofits more accountable for how they use their money. And yes, it must reward major donors for giving more so that resources finally catch up to the actual need.
The answer is crowdfunding.
Propelled by platforms such as GoFundMe, Indiegogo and Razoo, the internet has revolutionized charitable giving. A decade ago, a small donor could not witness the impact of his small contribution. Today for the first time, we are witnessing what I like to call "people power": millions of dollars raised by millions of people,every day.
Consider the presidential campaigns of Senators Barack Obama in 2008 and Bernie Sanders in 2016. Both went from being political underdogs to raising the largest number of individual donations with the smallest average amounts in history.
In 2015 alone, online giving grew by 9.2 %, proving that one does not have to be rich – or the CEO of a major corporation – to make a difference. As it turns out, the seemingly "sweet" concept touted to us since Kindergarten – that our small acts can indeed make a huge impact – is not only very real, but now becoming a trend that is the new paradigm for making a difference, for changing the world.
Amazingly, crowdfunding is having a massive impact on major philanthropy too. With small givers empowered to give more to causes they benefit from, they ultimately inspire large givers to step up their giving too. The philanthropists are inspired to respond to an army of "tiny givers."
Let's call this Trickle-Up Charity – a revolution in charitable giving driven by the poorest people in society. For the first time, $18 donors have the same decision-making privileges as foundations and philanthropists.
Sure, it's counterintuitive. Most of us thought it would happen the other way around: that the little people would go where the big boys go. Yet, when Zuckerberg announced that he and his wife would give an estimated $45 billion to charity during their lifetimes, the internet's applause was thunderous for only a fleeting moment. As much as we admire the gesture, we know it's barely a dent for them. It doesn't exactly motivate those of us living check-to-check to increase our giving.
It's people living on the most limited means, who have the power to inspire, inform and influence those with the major giving power. How? By example. When we incrementally nudge our giving upward, the wealthier do too.
So think of the Trickle-Up Challenge as a gratifying way to find out what moves you and gives you a sense of purpose in life, outside of your career and family. Take comfort in knowing that your seemingly small contributions are the new world order for giving. That you are even inspiring billionaires. I invite you to join me and get on board with the Trickle-Up Challenge. If you give 3% of your income to charity now, how about raising that number to 4% or 5% this year? Find charitable causes you care about and reputable charities to invest in.
When we hear the "crowdfunding call" and participate in its deeper "from the bottom up" message, we will create an inspiring environment where more people are giving more, and giving more often. Only in this way can we can all consider ourselves to be on the side of world progress – not just watching billionaires do the right thing. Together we will look back at the growth, healing, and advancement within our communities – and the world at large – and be amazed how all it took was the small yet inspiring contributions from me and you.
Moshe Hecht is chief innovation officer at Charidy. An entrepreneur whose passion lies at the intersection of technology and charitable giving, Moshe personifies the company's "why" and is a driving force in its vision and success. @moshehecht @wearecharidy