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Ever wondered how democracy levels correlate with LGBT and human rights? Let us show you…
Aman Pathiara
Category: Gender Studies, Politics and International Studies
It is often stated that for democracy to flourish citizens have to enjoy a certain level of equality in law. It is also stated that people must have human rights protections to allow voting and debate to take place free of corruption and manipulation.
We decided to take a closer look at the relationship between democracy and human rights and LGBT equality around the world.
We have compiled – and compared – data from three different sources, all publicly available, and created some handy graphics that let you explore country by country.
We have also looked into how the data was compiled and whether or not it is based on fact or is speculative.
Democracy Score
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What is the Democracy Score?
It is based on the Democracy Index, calculated by the Economist Intelligence Unit, which measures the level of democracy in countries across the world based on 60 indicators.
Human Rights Protection Score

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What is the Human Rights Protection Score?
It is a score based on the human rights practices in a country.
Equality Index

What is the Equality Index?
It is a rating issued by Equaldex based on the legal rights of LGBT people in different countries.
The Equality Index is an experimental rating to help visualise the legal rights and public attitudes towards LGBT people in each region.
Currently, the index only applies to written law — not necessarily practiced law — and only takes public opinion into account when data is available.
Examining the data
We collected the data from each of the sources and plotted the Democracy Score against the Equality Index and Human Rights Protection Score:
Democracy V Human Rights Protection Score

The data shows a string positive correlation between higher levels of democracy and a higher amount of human rights protection meaning that on average a higher level of democracy in a country equates to better human rights protection.
Democracy V Equality Index

The data indicates a positive correlation between a higher Democracy Score and a higher score on the Equality Index meaning that on average a higher level of democracy in a country equates to a more rights for LGBT people.
So what do these comparisons tell us?
The study finds a strong positive correlation between equality for LGBT people and the level of democracy in countries. Those with the highest Democracy Score, as calculated by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), tend also to have the highest scores in an Equality Index compiled by the collaborative knowledge database Equaldex. This is based on LGBT rights laid out in the written laws of each country.
The correlation between countries' democracy ratings and legal equality scores was clear. For instance, Norway, which had the highest democracy score (9.93 out of a possible 10), was near the top of the equality rankings (scoring 9.5 out of a possible 10). On the other hand, North Korea, which had the lowest democratic rating (1.08), also had the joint-lowest LGBT equality rating (0.25). In general, according to the data Western countries tend to do better than other countries on both the democracy and equality scales.
Another set of data is analysed: The Human Rights Protection Score for different countries, using information compiled by the CIRI Human Rights Data Project. The CIRI data, mostly based on details provided by Amnesty International and the US State Department, judges to what extent governments respect or ignore/flout human rights.
There is a correlation between the EIU's democratic scores and the Human Rights Protection Score for different countries. For example, Iceland, with the highest human rights score (3.93), has a high democratic score of 9.5. Sudan has the lowest human rights score (-2.11) and a low democratic score of 2.37. According to the data, Western countries tend to fare better than others under both the democratic and human rights measures.
But what about the data used? What doubts are there about its compilation and usage? And is there perhaps a bias in favour of awarding high democratic, LGBT equality and human rights scores to Western countries?
We have judged the reliability and usefulness of the sources studied according to whether the information they gave was "factual" or "speculative".
First, the EIU's Democracy Index, applying to countries around the world, relies on 60 separate indicators. These include factual information, such as electoral participation levels. But the index also looks at subjective elements, including "political culture" and levels of "corruption", as defined by "experts". No indication is given by the EIU as to who these people are.
The EIU itself acknowledges there is "no consensus on how to measure democracy", with definitions "contested". However, the use of data from organisations such as Asian Barometer, Latin American Barometer and Afrobarometer suggests at least some non-Western sources are considered and consulted. In total, the EIU's information is judged to be partially speculative.
Second, the Human Rights Protection Score is based on the CIRI database, which uses US State Department and Amnesty International data as its primary sources. This does not prove Western bias in the research but allows the possibility that it occurred. This study finds the Human Rights Protection Score to be partially speculative.
Third, the study looks at how the Equality Index is compiled. The information Equaldex has gathered can be considered factual, rather than speculative. This is because the Equality Index score for each country was based on easily comparable written laws regarding LGBT people. These cover areas such as whether homosexuality was legal, whether LGBT people could serve in the military, and the laws governing change of gender, age of consent and employment discrimination.
However, the Equality Index looks only at written – rather than practised – law. So there could be differences between its findings and reality for the treatment of LGBT people, particularly in countries where laws are ignored or not enforced.
Despite these methodological concerns, the research so far provides useful food for thought on the relationship between LGBT rights and democracy. The results of this experiment are in no way definitive, with a clearer sense needed of how the data was compiled.
Yet there is a strong enough correlation between human rights and equality enjoyed by LGBT people in different countries and the way those countries are governed to suggest further research should be carried out.
It raises questions over whether democratic freedoms bring about better human rights and greater equality for LGBT people.
And it would be worth looking in more detail into whether improved human rights and recognition of LGBT communities helps promote the creation of inclusive, well-functioning democracies.
How is it calculated?
The democracy index is a weighted average compiled from the answers to 60 questions in 5 categories:
Electoral process and pluralism
The functioning of government
Political culture
These questions are answered by a combination of experts (no details provided about who they are) and results from public-opinion surveys such as the World Values Survey, Eurobarometer surveys, Gallup polls, Asian Barometer, Latin American Barometer and Afrobarometer.
A dichotomous 1-0 scoring system (1 for a yes and 0 for a no answer) is used for some questions but for the majority a 3-point scoring system is used with 0.5 used also.
Is it factual or speculative?
The section of the whitepaper that describes the method for this study opens with the line:
There is no consensus on how to measure democracy. Definitions of democracy are contested, and
there is a lively debate on the subject.
Some of the questions asked have factual answers such as:
Voter participation/turn-out for national elections.
(Average turnout in parliamentary elections since 2000. Turnout as a proportion of population of
voting age.)
1 if above 70%.
0.5 if 50%-70%.
0 if below 50%.
But some questions rely on opinion, for example:
How pervasive is corruption?
1: Corruption is not a major problem.
0.5: Corruption is a significant issue.
0: Pervasive corruption exists.
This obviously means that there is some conjecture to the scores awarded for some questions and because of that, the final score can be considered partially speculative, however, the simplistic 3-point scoring system does allow for less variance than if a higher range of scores were available.
Could there be any Western bias associated with the data?
As details about the experts that answer the questions that are used to compile the democracy Index are not publicly available, we can not be sure about that part of the data however the fact that data from organisations such as Asian Barometer, Latin American Barometer and Afrobarometer is used suggests that non-Western sources are considered.
https://www.eiu.com/topic/democracy-index
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy_Index
Human Rights Protections Score
It is generated using a dynamic ordinal item-response theory model which is described in detail here:
http://cfariss.com/documents/SchnakenbergFariss2014PSRM.pdf
It is a way to apply a measurement model to the CIRI human rights dataset.
Is the data factual or speculative?
The CIRI data assigned a rating of 0-2 to human rights practices of governments around the world:
0= Frequent violations of this right
1= Some violations of this right
2= No reported violations of this right
As there is some interpretation involved the data could be considered to be partially speculative.
Primary sources for The CIRI database were annual country reports from the US State Department and Amnesty International so there could be a possibility of Western bias.
http://www.humanrightsdata.com/p/data-documentation.html
http://humanrightsscores.org/
The score is calculated by aggregating scores based on the legal rights of LGBT people with regard to:
Changing Gender
Donating Blood
It takes into consideration whether or not each one is legal and the severity of punishment where applicable and assigns a score.
The data is based on the written laws of each country and therefore is can be considered factual.
As above, because the scores are based on the written laws of each country the data can be considered factual.
http://www.equaldex.com/
If you are planning to go to university soon, have a look at our unique set of Undergraduate Degrees, and Postgraduate Degrees.


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Gemini Cameron Winklevoss Issues an Open Letter to DCG CEO
Demand for Arbitration Filed Against Genesis Global Capital, DCG — Firm Accused of 'Ochestrating a Sham Transaction' – Bitcoin News
Ripple CTO Slams Self-Proclaimed Satoshi for Attacking XRP
ViaBTC Capital Gathers Momentum and Delivers Win-win Results – Press release Bitcoin News
Grayscale Liquidation Could Heavily Impact These Altcoins
Proof-of-Reserve Isn't Good Enough, Says Industry
The crypto space is rife with exchanges that have been hacked, lost customer funds, or even ended up being elaborate scams. The collapse of FTX due to a liquidity crisis in recent weeks has been the most famous catastrophe to date.
In response to these clear deficiencies, many exchanges have taken steps to increase transparency and trust amongst their users. Proof-of-reserves is one such measure, with many leading exchanges now implementing this process. In simple terms, proof-of-reserve is a process by which an exchange verifies that it has sufficient reserves (in this case, fiat and cryptocurrency) to back its customers' balances.
Proof of Reserve hit the headlines in recent weeks following the FTX collapse. In a Nov. 8 tweet, before the exchange filed for bankruptcy, CZ pledged to implement proof-of-reserve to provide "full transparency." On Friday, November 25th, Binance published a new site to explain its proof-of-reserves system. Currently, Binance has a reserve ratio of 101%. In theory, this should mean Binance has enough to cover its user's deposits.
All crypto exchanges should do merkle-tree proof-of-reserves.
Banks run on fractional reserves.
Crypto exchanges should not.@Binance will start to do proof-of-reserves soon. Full transparency.
— CZ 🔶 Binance (@cz_binance) November 8, 2022
What is Proof-of-Reserve?
Proof-of-reserve is not a new concept in the financial world. A similar method is already used by banks around the globe to prove to their customers that they have sufficient funds to cover their deposits.
In a crypto context, proof-of-reserve is a method used to verify that the fiat and cryptocurrency assets held by an exchange are sufficient to cover the funds owed to its customers. This is done by generating a cryptographic hash of the amount held. Which is then published on the exchange's website alongside a link to a verified third-party audit report. In addition to providing transparency, this also offers a degree of protection against exchange employees misappropriating funds. Since the audit report verifies that the published data is accurate and the hash matches the funds held, the probability of an exchange committing fraud is reduced.
How Does Proof-of-Reserve Work?
The first step is for the exchange to create a cryptographic hash of the number of funds they have on hand. They then publish that hash alongside the number of funds held on their website. The accompanying link leads to a third-party audit report, which verifies that the published hash matches the funds held by the exchange. The hash is generated using a computer program that randomly selects a number between 0 and 100,000,000.
The exchange then takes this number and adds it to the number of funds held. Creating a new hash that can be published on their site. Now, if an exchange employee were to misappropriate funds, they would have to guess the number that would be added to the funds held. This would be incredibly difficult to do and would raise serious red flags among the exchange's employees. Since the hash is publicly available, any discrepancy between the published hash and the funds held would be highly suspicious.
Proof of Reserves Aren't Enough, Says Industry
However, there is emerging skepticism about the use of proof-of-reserves to safeguard user funds. Jesse Powell, CEO, and co-founder of US-based exchange Kraken called the practice "pointless" without exchanges including liabilities – or how much an exchange owes. He said: "Putting a hash on a row ID is worthless without everything else."
I'm sorry but no. This is not By. This is either ignorance or intentional misrepresentation.
The merkle tree is just hand wavey bullshit without an auditor to make sure you didn't include accounts with negative balances. The statement of assets is pointless without liabilities. https://t.co/b5KSr2XKLB
— Jesse Powell (@jespow) November 25, 2022
And he is not the only one to raise the alarm about safeguarding funds. For many, the solution can be found by returning to a basic premise of crypto: that you cannot trust centralized entities. "Proof of reserves is not necessarily a bad solution, but it still doesn't paint a full picture of an exchange's solvency or change the underlying fundamental truths," says Omer Sadika, Co-Founder of Odsy Network. "Centralized exchanges can try to manipulate their proof of reserves, and to date, exchanges have largely withheld other critical information such as their total liabilities. Without an accompanying breakdown of liabilities, an exchange's proof of reserves alone is insufficient."
Better And More Independent Audits Are Needed
In multiple conversations with the industry, BeInCrypto has been told that Proof-Of-Reserves simply isn't enough. Centralized exchanges – in particular – need to do more. In some cases, we have been told that even including liabilities will fall short. "An exchange could have lots of assets, but have used them as collateral for a loan that gives a lender first claim," says Mark Lurie, CEO, and co-founder of Shipyard Software.
"Proof of liabilities would help, but liabilities aren't on-chain, which means proof-of-liabilities would have to come from an independent auditor. At that point, it becomes the same proof that all public and regulated companies have to provide – audited financial statements. Perhaps we are relearning the lessons of TradFi, which is that centralized financial institutions should be reporting their balance sheet to someone; either the public or a regulator."
It is worth noting that before its collapse, FTX was audited by two separate firms, Armani and Prager Metis. However, neither are members of the Big Four accounting firms. Also, neither has audited companies of the size and complexity as FTX. Because of their size, the audit regulator, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB), inspects them only once every three years.
Of course, giant institutions like centralized crypto exchanges rarely choose transparency without being forced. Despite operating in an ecosystem that supposedly treasures openness, users aren't yet in full revolt. Mark adds: "Why add the reporting burden if it's not required by law and if users aren't leaving?"
Users Need Trust Restored
Why has it taken this long for big players in the industry to spotlight transparency? "For a start, cryptocurrencies are still experiencing unprecedented rates of adoption. For us, that's the main reason that transparency has become so talked about. The need for it is real if the space is to move forward," says Antoni Trenchev, co-managing partner of nexus. "When markets are growing and the global economy is booming, it's easy to get caught up in an illusion that only great times lie ahead and be naive of trend reversals."
As the crypto space continues to grow, it's becoming increasingly important to protect investors from fraudulent exchanges. Proof-of-reserve is certainly a step in the right direction. But there are still several improvements that could be made to enhance transparency and trust. It is crucial for investors to have access to information about an exchange's financials. This includes information about how the business is structured and how it generates revenue. As well as details about its employees and shareholders.
"Part of the reason it has taken so long for big players to adopt transparency by default is that they are just a replica of the contemporary mainstream financial system," says Don Gossen, CEO, and co-founder of Nevermined. "The CEX's simple argument is that their competition isn't transparent, so why should they be."
Maybe it's time to start expecting more.
For BeInCrypto's latest Bitcoin (BTC) analysis, click here
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Ancestor Nowa Cumig (Dennis Banks) of the American Indian Movement (A.I.M.)
Since the beginning, native people lived a life of being in harmony with all that surrounds us. It is a belief that all human kind are related to each other…we believe we are related to all living species: the winged ones, the four-legged, the plant life, and the elements of life — air - fire -water. The sun, moon and stars are there to guide us…
—Dennis J. Banks
A-APRP Honors Ancestor Nowa Cumig (Dennis Banks)
The All-African People's Revolutionary Party (A-APRP) is truly saddened by the death of our Comrade Nowa Cumig (Dennis Banks), co-founder of the American Indian Movement (A.I.M.). Nowa Cumig (which means "in the center of the Universe"), made his transition on 29 October 2017 at the age of 80. Born on the Leech Lake Reservation in Federal Dam, Minnesota, he was like millions of this territory, a victim of American settler-colonialism. While in the Air Force and stationed in Japan, Nowa Cumig was inspired by the plight of the Japanese farmers fighting to save their land. He was also inspired by the relentless struggle of African people in America during the 1960's.
Nowa Cumig dedicated his life to the uplift and liberation of humanity from the land grabbing white supremacy tyranny of capitalism and imperialism. This was especially true of his work for the many indigenous communities, in the U.S. and globally. It was in this capacity that he co-founded A.I.M. in 1968 along with Clyde Bellecourt and Russell Means. His willingness to do what was necessary is evident by the many cultural and political actions he lead, such as the Longest Walk in 1972 and the Wounded Knee stand-off in 1973. These actions brought the people a real sense of pride in being indigenous!
The A-APRP is especially proud of our long-standing relationship with A.I.M. and Nowa Cumig. The A-APRP was present and supported some of the historic actions taken by A.I.M. such as the occupation of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) in 1972. Likewise, A.I.M. stood up for Africa and joined in resistance to the travel ban to Libya in 1986.
A.I.M. Spiritual Leader Fred Short (l) with A-APRP Comrades Akubundu and Bandele at Homegoing Ceremonies for Nowa Cumig 4th November 2017
It was a great honor for the A-APRP to have been present on Friday and Saturday (3-4 November, 2017) on the Leech Lake Reservation in Minnesota for the Celebration of Life and funeral services of Elder, Brother and Comrade Nowa Cumig (Dennis James Banks). The ceremonies, which were held from Wednesday (1st November 2017) to Saturday (4th November, 2017) were attended by Indigenous Nations, friends and supporters from throughout the world, including from as far away as Japan. Many of the messages were prayers for Nowa Cumig's journey to the Spirit world and for the youth and the Indigenous communities ongoing fight against drugs and health issues – concerns Brother Dennis was committed to during his life. The atmosphere in the gatherings were filled with the warrior spirit as the elders shared their stories of resistance, friendship, and commitment to community. During the Celebration of Life, the A.I.M. song of commitment was sung by Dennis's granddaughters and great granddaughters. As the community joined in the song, those in attendance could feel the determination to continue the path and the way Nowa Cumig had lived.
Part of the full house at the Battle Point Community Center in Federal Dam, Minnesota, U.S. during Homegoing for Nowa Cumig on 4th November 2017
More Photos and Videos can be seen here
Leech Lake Indian Reservation, Minnesota, United States
Transitioned October 29, 2017 (aged 80)
Nationality Ojibwe
Other names Nowa Cumig
Occupation Teacher, lecturer, activist, author
Music, Film and Books
In 2012, Banks joined forces with Golden Globe and Grammy Award-winning artist Kitaro in celebration of the Earth on the CD Let Mother Earth Speak. The project contains a message of international peace intertwined with stories and life lessons from Banks featuring the music of Kitaro. The album was released on September 11, 2012, on Domo Records.
War Party - Ben Crowkiller / Dead Crow Chief (1988)
The Last of the Mohicans - Ongewasgone (1992)
Older Than America - Pete Goodfeather (2008)
American Experience - TV Series documentary - "We Shall Remain: Part V - Wounded Knee" - Himself (2009)
A Good Day to Die - Documentary - Himself (2010)
Nowa Cumig: The Drum Will Never Stop (2011 film) - Documentary - Himself (2011)
Banks, Dennis and Richard Erdoes (2004). Ojibwa Warrior: Dennis Banks and the Rise of the American Indian Movement, Norman, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 0-8061-3580-8


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Home > Multimedia
Nestle executive forecasts growth in bottled water despite environmental concerns
April 4, 2013		 | By Marie Wood |
The consumption of bottled water will overtake that of carbonated soft drinks in the next five or six years, according to Kim Jeffery, chairman of Nestle Waters of North America, at a National Press Club Newsmaker April 4.
"The ascendancy of a water-drinking generation is one of the biggest things to happen in this country in the last 50 years, beginning now, "Jeffery said.
"Over 73 percent of America drinks bottled water." Jeffery added, "while the percentage of Americans drinking soft drinks continues to decrease."
"Bottled water is the only packaged beverage which has negatively affected soft drink consumption in the last forty years. This is good for Americans because of the looming health crisis of obesity."
Jeffery elaborated on the rise of obesity in America and its attendant health problems, including the fact that today, 65 percent of Americans are officially overweight or obese. A CDC study estimates one in every three children born after the year 2000 will be diagnosed with diabetes at some point in their lifetime.
Jeffery refused to favor bottled water or tap water: "Whether its bottled water or tap water, we believe drinking water is good," Jeffery said.
As to charges regarding the negative impact of bottled water on the environment, Jeffery claimed, "Only two NGOs which are not solution-based organizations are the primary detractors of bottled water. They use hyperbole and numbers which lack context … and they won't engage us in ways to help us become better companies."
Without context, Jeffrey claimed, numbers are meaningless. "We use the the equivalent of one million barrels of oil per year to make the packages for our products. The U.S. uses 20 million barrels of oil every single day, and 80 percent of it is used in our cars. Our use equals .01 percent of oil."
"Nestle also emits 2 million metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. But in the U.S. we use 7.5 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. So context again is important."
"Four eight-ounce bottles of bottled water equal one Gatorade bottle", Jeffery said, "but we don't hear about the impact of these other beverages, just bottled water."
Jeffery addressed the recent controversy over the town of Concord, Mass, which banned the sale of water citing environmental concerns over plastic bottles: "There is a lot of noise of plastic waste but this is because more people are buying more bottled water but fewer carbonated soft drinks, which has a carbon footprint twice that of bottled water."
In fact, bottled water has the lightest environmental footprint and the least amount of carbon of any packaged beverage in America, according to Jeffery. "Fifty percent of the materials Nestle uses in bottled water can be recycled. We can use the materials again if we can get them back," he said. He conceded that "as a societal issue we should work as an industry to do better."
Jeffery estimates about 90 college campuses have also banned bottle water. Even though many of those schools' students just go off campus for the bottled water, Jeffrey concedes that  "We have to figure out how to be wise about the resources we have available."
In his talk Jeffrey reminded his audience that bottled water protects people as a critical second source when tap water supplies are interrupted by natural disasters. When we see natural disasters we see FEMA bringing in cases of bottled water to people, he said. During the hurricane in Texas or Hurricane Sandy, Nestle has been one of the first responders for the last 20 years, according to  Jeffrey.
Finally, from a business aspect Jeffrey believes the market will continue to grow, especially in the United States and Canada, and producers will have to work five to ten years out to look at spring sources and to match supply and demand.
Jeffrey has served as chairman of Nestle Waters North America for 20 years, the longest serving CEO of a beverage company in America. Nestle is the third largest non-alcoholic beverage company in North America.


Nearly 900 million Euro of European and national funds are available to Romanian farmers for investments over the next seven years. Integrated projects will have priority in the new National Programme for Rural Development (PNDR) 2014-2020; the Rural Investments Financing Agency (AFIR) will select the winners based on quality criteria, issuing monthly or quarterly reports.
Top priority will be given to projects that integrate processing of farm production, State Secretary George Turtoi of the Ministry of Agriculture told Agerpres. Funding begins at 50 percent and can reach 90 percent; 20 percent are added, for instance, based on criteria like belonging to a cooperative.
Projects are accepted anytime, with AFIR reporting frequency adapted to the inflow, says Agerpres.
Initial documentation is much simpler under the new PNDR. Subsequently, applicants have six to eight months to submit their technical projects and obtain the necessary approvals before contracting.
The initial list includes a feasibility study or a justification memo, the financing request form, the urban planning certificate and the proof of land ownership; other approvals can be requested later, to avoid spending before knowing the project is selected. Beneficiaries should, however, make an early assessment of the possibility of getting the approvals, Turtoi explained.
Upon being accepted into the system, beneficiaries will get a 50 percent upfront payment. They must also provide a firm credit contract or a bank statement to prove the necessary co-financing is covered. Further normative acts should specify the deadlines, and not meeting them will result in the termination of the project.
Agriculture Minister Daniel Constantin explained that Romania has a certain degree of freedom about the steps taken in the new PNDR, until March, when the European Commission will issue an unofficial approval. These measures concern the investments and the young farmers.
Overall allocations to the 2014-2020 PNDR amount to 9.363 billion Euro, including 8.015 billion in European Funds. Romania has to contribute 1.347 billion Euro on its own.
For the next seven years, 892.32 million Euro are earmarked for farm investments, including a national contribution of 134.35 million Euro.


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ABJ Staff – Austin Business Journal – Oct. 3, 2019
Imagine in your mind's eye a Central Texas nonprofit — do you think of an electrical utility providing power to thousands of customers spread across the Hill Country?
Perhaps not. But Pedernales Electric Cooperative Inc. is a nonprofit, and a successful one at that. It serves more than 320,000 accounts and provides electricity to more than 1 million residents. Since Julie Caruthers Parsley took over as CEO in late 2017, PEC has added more than 14,000 meters.
PEC is the largest distribution electric cooperative in the United States, and one of the country's fastest-growing electric cooperatives. For some context of Pedernales' size, consider that it had more than 700 employees in 2017. As of 2018, PEC had more than $1.7 billion in plant assets and posted a net margin of more than $60 million. Total revenue topped $638 million.
Parsley hasn't simply been content with the status quo at PEC. She made over the nonprofit's executive team, eliminating silos to foster more collaboration. To create more transparency she hired an executive vice president role to oversee public affairs, communications, community engagement and legislative affairs.
READ THE FULL ARTICLE AT THE AUSTIN BUSINESS JOURNAL »


Britain will not set a deadline for withdrawing troops from Afghanistan, the foreign minister said Saturday, after arriving in Kabul with a warning that the British government wanted to pull out as soon as possible.
William Hague, along with Defence Secretary Liam Fox and International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell met President Hamid Karzai on their first visit to the country since the new coalition government took power in London this month.
They had made clear to Karzai that Britain expected to see his government make progress to match the international strategy for ending Afghanistan's long insurgency, he said.
"We are urgently taking stock of the situation, but in the sense not of deciding whether to support that strategy but of how to support that strategy in the coming months and years," he told reporters.
"There isn't going to be an arbitrary or artificial timetable. We have to give the strategy that has been set out the time and support to succeed (and) that does need and require Britain's continued military involvement."
Britain has 10,000 troops in Afghanistan, the second biggest commitment behind the US in a force of 130,000 fighting the Taliban insurgency under NATO command.
The number of foreign troops is set to rise to 150,000 by August as part of a US-led counter-insurgency strategy aimed at speeding the end of the war now well into its ninth year.
The ministerial visit coincided with the death of a Royal Marine in southern Afghanistan on Friday, bringing to 286 the number of British soldiers killed in the country since 2001.
It also came as The Times newspaper published an interview with Fox, in which he said the visit would focus on speeding up the withdrawal of British forces, and that no new troops would be deployed.
"We need to accept we are at the limit of numbers now and I would like the forces to come back as soon as possible," he was quoted as saying.
Speaking to reporters in Kabul, Fox said the answer to the question of whether Britain needs to be in Afghanistan was "an unequivocal yes".
"We are here primarily for reasons of our own national security. We don't want to see instability in Afghanistan, which could again become a failed state, which is a safe haven for terror groups which could launch attacks internationally," he said.
"We don't wish to be here any longer than we have to, to achieve that situation," he said.
Karzai has pledged that Afghan security forces will be able to take responsibility for the country's security by 2014, with the help of his Western backers in bankrolling and training the police and army.
Hague said bilateral discussions had focussed on ensuring this commitment is met.
London also supported Karzai's plans for a "peace jirga," or conference, set for May 29 on ending the war and possibly holding peace talks with the Taliban.
Hague said the jirga, along with an international conference slated for late July and parliamentary election due in September were milestones for gauging Afghanistan's commitment to standing alone.
"Our objective is to reach a situation where Afghans are able to look after their own security and their own affairs without any danger being presented to the rest of the world from this country," he said.
"It is not possible to say when we will reach that objective but it is possible to hope that we will see some serious political progress through the peace jirga, the Kabul conference and the parliamentary elections during the course of this year."
The importance of Afghanistan to Britain was underscored last Saturday when Karzai became the first foreign leader to meet Prime Minister David Cameron.
Britain's Conservative-Liberal Democrat government has said it wants to cut the defence budget by at least 25 percent but has pledged to support the forces in Afghanistan.
In the Times interview, Fox said British troops stationed in southern Helmand province would not relocate to neighbouring Kandahar, where the US is leading what they hope will be a final fight to eradicate the Taliban.
NATO announced Friday that about 8,000 British troops in Helmand are to come under US operational control, as part of a restructuring of NATO forces in the south, the Taliban heartland where fighting is fiercest.


I recently flew Spirit Airlines twice within a few weeks. I normally stay away from this airline due to their reputation of service. However, I have learned that if you go into your flight experience knowing what to expect you may not mind flying so cheaply.
Join the club – You can join their $9 fare club for $19.95 for a 60 day trial or $59.95 for an annual membership. If you are booking Spirit flights often it may be worth your while to join. You can use the cheaper flight rates for you and up to 8 passengers on your itinerary. Passengers must be reserved on the same booking confirmation number as the $9 fare club member in order to receive membership benefits, but hey, they are saving by traveling with you! You can join here!
No reclining seats on new planes – The reclining feature of seats weighs more per chair and is more likely to brake so they now use no reclining seats to keep the cost of gas while flying lower.
Different tray tables – Tray tables do not pull out toward you and some are half the size of normal tray tables.
They charge for water – about $3 for a bottle of water in flight. Read tips below for further savings ideas.
You cannot choose a seat for free – When booking or checking into your flight, Spirit does not allow you to choose your seat assignment for free. You can save money by taking a chance on waiting until you get to the airport to see if they have seats together (if your traveling with someone) or a coveted emergency exit row. The agents at the airport can change your seat assignment for free.
Baggage weight limit – Forget everything you know about domestic travel and the standard 50 lb checked bag rule. Spirit has a 40 lb weight limit for checked baggage! If it weights more then 40 lbs an additional fee will be charged for the overage.
Purchase baggage when you book your flight – you will receive the cheapest rate for your baggage during the booking process. Once the flight is booked the baggage fees increase.
They will try to up sell you on EVERYTHING – when booking your flight through Spirit, know that they will try to charge you for everything extra in the booking process.
You can view more information on Spirit Airline's fees here.
Spirit Baggage sizer at gate.
Free Boarding Pass – You can print your boarding pass at the kiosk for FREE! They charge $10 to print your boarding pass with a gate agent, so make sure to walk up to the Spirit kiosk first to print out your ticket.
Free Water – Bring an empty water bottle though security and fill it up (at a water fountain or an airport restaurant) once you clear security. Spirit charges $3 for water on the plane. It is NOT free like other airlines so arriving prepared can save you even more towards your total cost. By bringing an empty water container you are avoiding paying for a water in the airport stores and on board the plane.
Bring your own snack – They charge for everything on the flight including food (and probably peanuts).
Free Baggage – Pack LIGHT and bring only a personal item (like a purse or backpack) on board 16"x 14"x 12" in size to receive free "baggage". I saved over $40 total on my round trip cost from Dallas to Kansas City by only bringing one personal item. Probably one of the hardest things I have ever done, but I DID IT!
By the way, my total round trip cost was $86.18 (without $9 fare club membership and including taxes/fees) from DFW to MCI and it was a nonstop flight! I like to think of this airline as À la carte, pay for what you want and save on what you don't. More info here.
I just booked this airline and it will be my first time flying on this type of fare. Where the seat uncomfortable?
Ema the new chairs are just slightly less comfortable. I always reclined my seats even though they only go back an inch. And now I cannot even do that, so I usually get a window seat to lean on the window instead.
Thanks for the review and information – really helpful! I always love good travel tips. Also, thanks for the follow!
Christine I'm glad you found it helpful. I learned a lot flying with them. NP on the follow! Happy blogging!
I've never flown with Spirit but good for you for doing your research and traveling lightly – it sounds like it paid off!
WH thanks! It did pay off too!
Michael that is insane! $50! El Salvador here we come lol! The country exit fee is probably more expensive haha. Anyway so true on the customer service, it's known for being bad. However, my past few experiences with them have been surprisingly good. Perhaps they are working on it! Here's to hoping! Happy travels Michael!


Quality is quite good and there are a lot of European internet-retailers shipping to the States.
: : I notice on the Web that the Virgin mega stores in the UK are selling DVD's of BDB. Are they shipping to the States? Any feedback on the quality of these discs?


If you followed me on twitter, you already know my take.
The biggest winners were first Ted Cruz (who was brilliant), then Ben Carson (surprisingly good), and Marco Rubio (very presidential).
The biggest loser was Donald Trump, who came off as a mean, angry buffoon.
I will say this: after tonight's debate I have — for the first time in all these dark years — hope for the future of America.
Read all of my comments here.


Dr. Kelly Barbour-Conerty is a mother, teacher, marathoner, and Amazon #1 bestselling author of "The Grieving Parents Club: How to Survive, Cope, and Heal After the Death of a Child," a book dedicated to her beautiful daughter, Lexi, who died more than 10 years ago in a car crash.
Since the day Kelly was painfully initiated into the Grieving Parents Club, other members have been there to help, support, and encourage her in the darkest hours. Now, with this book, Kelly hopes to offer hope to other grieving parents and make sure they know they're never alone in their journey.
Kelly lives with her family in east central Illinois and recently formed a non-profit organization called "The Grieving Parents Club (www.GrievingParentsClub.org) based on the powerful love and support that grieving parents show each other on a daily basis.


text:
Yoko Ono's Prophetic Vision of Self-Care
Light a match and watch till it goes out. Go to the middle of Central Park Pond and drop all your jewelry. Scream against the sky. When a young Yoko Ono formulated these actions in the 1950s and 1960s, they heralded a bracingly quirky vision for the arts as a therapeutic practice of everyday life – a vision that anticipated an ethos of self-care that's widely embraced today.
Self-care, which refers to what individuals do every day to stay mentally, emotionally and physically healthy, has diverse origins in medical research and in the Black liberation movements of the 1960s and 1970s. The practice has become more popular over the past decades, so much so that the beauty and fitness industries have co-opted it as a powerful marketing tactic.
To Ono, however, self-care means more than just spa indulgence. Instead, it possesses myriad dimensions: focusing the mind, gathering energy for action, connecting one's imagination with the world, finding empowerment by connecting with others, and stimulating thought through humor and play.
The Young Artist and the Refugee
Ono's celebrity marriage to John Lennon has often overshadowed her individual work and career.
When I came across a cache of poems that Ono had written as a young woman in the 1950s, I knew almost nothing about her personal history and philosophies. The works were mysteriously stashed in the archives of a German-Jewish refugee classical composer named Stefan Wolpe, whose life and work I was studying.
As a teenager after World War I, Wolpe had lived on the streets of Berlin until he made his way to the Bauhaus, the experimental progressive art school, where he embraced ideas of art therapy espoused by social worker-psychotherapist Steff Bornstein and artists Friedl Dicker, Johannes Itten and Gertrud Grunow.
Wolpe, forced to flee Germany in 1933 as the Nazis came to power, was separated from most of his family, including his daughter, who spent World War II in a Swiss orphanage.
After the war, Wolpe drew on his education as a resource, turning to music composition as an imaginative realm to model the wonder of fragile beginnings in the midst of dire constraint and unfathomable loss.
Stefan Wolpe. Archiv der Akademie der Künste, Berlin, CC BY-NC-SA
Around 1957, Ono befriended Wolpe, who was over 30 years her senior, and his wife, the poet Hilda Morley. Ono enjoyed tea in their Morningside Heights home in New York City, indulging in "the intellectual, warm, and definitely European atmosphere the two of them created."
Ono would later write that she was "surprised by how complex, precise, yet emotional his works were. I don't know of any other composer of the time who represented atonal music so brilliantly."
United by Trauma and Displacement
Ono's poems, which evoked scenes of hunger, terror and beauty in a snow-filled landscape, seemed strangely resonant with the life of Wolpe, who was haunted by his traumatic flight from Germany. Later, I realized his experiences were connected with Ono's own story of displacement and violence.
As an adolescent, Ono had begun to discover her own calling as an artist in the cold countryside outside of Nagano, Japan, where she and her family had fled as refugees after the Tokyo fire bombings in 1945.
This was the imaginative terrain of the poems she shared with Wolpe:
When day comes, we ask ourselves:
Where can we find light
In this never-ending shade?
The loss we carry, a sea we must wade.
Without food or adequate shelter, she had spent her days with her younger brother conjuring alternatives to the hopeless circumstances around her. As she recounted in an interview with curator and Asia scholar Alexandra Munroe, "lying on our backs, looking up at the sky through an opening in the roof [of a barn], we exchanged menus in the air and used our powers of visualization to survive."
Ono came to recognize imaginative acts as necessities in life. Under these desperate conditions, she wrote, "we needed new rituals, in order to keep our sanity."
Around the time she met Wolpe, Ono was estranged from her parents after she had made the unconventional choice as a woman to pursue a career in the arts.
Later, writing and sharing poetry with Wolpe would be one example of such an imaginative ritual – an instance of care both for herself and for her émigré friend. Wolpe and Morley preserved Ono's own typewritten poems as cherished documents, even rescuing them from a terrible apartment fire.
Sharing Rituals of Care
Ono's commitment to regenerative rituals would form the basis for her career in the arts.
At first, these exercises were private and personal. Imagining a menu would stave off hunger. Screaming against the sky would give shape to extreme emotions. Lighting a match and watching its flame extinguish would quiet the mind.
Eventually Ono would come to disclose such rituals to the public, inventing a new form of art in the process. Equipped with these exercises – what she called "instruction pieces" – she established herself as a founding mother of the 1960s performance and conceptual art movements. As a Japanese woman artist and peace activist, she frequently confronted gender and racial bias. But her ethos of art as survival sustained her.
Ono's book "Grapefruit," first published in 1964, is a cult classic dedicated to the idea of art as a form of self-care. Written in the imperative mood, it instructs readers in how to realign their perceptions, imaginations and actions in relation to the world.
Ono's directions mix together the earnestly mindful, the psychedelic and the wry:
"Imagine one thousand suns in the sky at the same time. Let them shine for one hour. Then, let them gradually melt into the sky. Make one tunafish sandwich and eat."
The Art of Survival, Then and Now
Ono's ideas are often far out and witty. Yet the relevance of her ethos of art – and even her instruction to eat a sandwich – is serious.
According to the American Psychological Association, in the U.S., "32% of all adults are so stressed" that they "cannot make basic decisions such as what to eat or what to wear."
These numbers are far higher for people of color and young adults who, like women, face disproportionate economic insecurity and other forms of hardship. These facts call out for rethinking what self-care actually means and how it pertains to the arts.
During the current pandemic, it is no surprise that art therapy has become a focus of debate and experimentation. The tools of this practice, which include coloring books and emotion wheels, may seem galaxies away from the museum world that celebrates Ono's legacy. Yet, from a certain perspective, it is oddly close to her spirit.
In an era of political turmoil and economic instability, I believe such an accessible vision of art as Ono's can be a resource for psychic survival, community and resilience – connecting people with prior struggles in ways they might not have imagined.
Such an approach to engaging with the world can help individuals to shift perspective to simply get through the day, or it can lead to dazzling, incongruous visions that transform ideas about what the future may hold.
Written by Brigid Cohen, Associate Professor of Music, New York University for
Yoko Ono's Prophetic Vision of Self-Care is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. The Conversation is a nonprofit, independent news organization dedicated to unlocking the knowledge of experts for the public good.
Top photo by Stuart Hampton
Second image courtesy of Library of Congress
Collage Journal Practice With Sarah Greenman
Undeniable Link Between Inspired Creativity And Changing The World
Have You Fallen for the Myth of 'I Can't Draw'? Do it Anyway – and Reap the Rewards
July 27, 2022 epswriter


Great list, the main problem with it is that all issues/solutions have the same weight, which in real life they really don't. I guess some sort off stack-exchange like voting system is necessary to prioritise.
This page was last modified on 10 December 2012, at 23:37.


text:
Robinia pseudoacacia - L.
Common Name Black Locust, Yellow Locust
Family Fabaceae or Leguminosae
Known Hazards All parts of the plant (except the flowers) and especially the bark, should be considered to be toxic[4, 65, 76]. The toxins are destroyed by heat[65].
Habitats Woods and thickets[43], especially in deep well-drained calcareous soils[149].
Range Eastern N. America - Appalachian and Ozark mountain ranges. Naturalized in Britain[17].
Doronenko wikimedia.org
Bogdan wikimedia.org
Bloom Color: White. Main Bloom Time: Early spring, Late spring, Mid spring. Form: Oval, Upright or erect.
Robinia pseudoacacia is a deciduous Tree growing to 25 m (82ft) by 15 m (49ft) at a fast rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 3. It is in flower in June, and the seeds ripen from November to March. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees.
It can fix Nitrogen.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought. It can tolerate atmospheric pollution.
Woodland Garden Canopy;
Edible Parts: Flowers Oil Seed Seedpod
Edible Uses: Condiment Drink Oil
Seed - cooked[2, 55, 61]. Oily[161]. They are boiled and used like peas[183]. After boiling the seeds lose their acid taste[213]. The seed is about 4mm long and is produced in pods up to 10cm long that contain 4 - 8 seeds[82]. A nutritional analysis is available[218]. Young seedpods - cooked[105]. The pods contain a sweetish pulp that is safe to eat and is relished by small children[201]. (This report is quite probably mistaken, having been confused with the honey locust, Gleditsia spp[K].) A strong, narcotic and intoxicating drink is made from the skin of the fruit[13]. Piperonal is extracted from the plant, it is used as a vanilla substitute[105]. No further details. All the above entries should be treated with some caution, see the notes at the top of the page regarding toxicity. Flowers - cooked. A fragrant aroma, they are used in making jams and pancakes[7, 183]. They can also be made into a pleasant drink[183].
Figures in grams (g) or miligrams (mg) per 100g of food.
Seed (Dry weight)
0 Calories per 100g
Water : 0%
Protein: 21g; Fat: 3g; Carbohydrate: 0g; Fibre: 28g; Ash: 6.8g;
Minerals - Calcium: 1400mg; Phosphorus: 0.3mg; Iron: 0mg; Magnesium: 0mg; Sodium: 0mg; Potassium: 0mg; Zinc: 0mg;
Vitamins - A: 0mg; Thiamine (B1): 0mg; Riboflavin (B2): 0mg; Niacin: 0mg; B6: 0mg; C: 0mg;
Reference: [ 218, 269]
Antispasmodic Antiviral Aromatic Cancer Cholagogue Diuretic Emetic Emollient
Febrifuge Laxative Narcotic Purgative Tonic
Febrifuge[13, 46]. The flowers are antispasmodic, aromatic, diuretic, emollient and laxative[218]. They are cooked and eaten for the treatment of eye ailments[218]. The flower is said to contain the antitumor compound benzoaldehyde[269]. The inner bark and the root bark are emetic, purgative and tonic[4, 7, 218, 257]. The root bark has been chewed to induce vomiting, or held in the mouth to allay toothache[222, 257], though it is rarely if ever prescribed as a therapeutic agent in Britain[4]. The fruit is narcotic[13]. This probably refers to the seedpod. The leaves are cholagogue and emetic[7]. The leaf juice inhibits viruses[218].
Dye Essential Fibre Fodder Fuel Oil Soil stabilization Wood
Agroforestry Uses: This species has been widely planted for shelterbelts and windbreaks, and is also used to produce woody biomass for energy production[1050 ]. It suckers freely, especially if coppiced, and can be used for stabilizing banks etc[200 , 226 ]. It is used in restoration and rehabilitation projects because its extensive root system holds and stabilizes the soil surface, it sprouts vigorously and prolifically, it increases soil fertility through nitrogen fixation, and it forms a leaf litter that protects the soil. Its main use has been in the rehabilitation of former surface mine sites and for erosion control, but it is also used to rehabilitate contaminated soils, depleted soils, gravel pits, and logged areas, and to stabilize railroad embankments and highway edges[1050 ]. The plant is often found as a pioneer on old fields, burned areas, and lands strip-mined for coal[418 ]. The leaves are rich in tannin and other substances which inhibit the growth of other plants[13 ]. The flowers are a rich source of nectar. Honey produced from this nectar is considered to be of high quality and fetches a price premium. Other Uses: A drying oil is obtained from the seed[2 , 7 ]. An essential oil is obtained from the flowers. Highly valued, it is used in perfumery[7 , 57 , 100 ]. A yellow dye is obtained from the bark[223 ]. Robinetin is a strong dyestuff yielding with different mordants different shades similar to those obtained with fisetin, quercetin, and myricetin; with aluminum mordant, it dyes cotton to a brown-orange shade[269 ]. The bark contains tannin, but not in sufficient quantity for utilization[223 ]. On a 10% moisture basis, the bark contains 7.2% tannin and the heartwood of young trees 5.7%[223 ]. The bark is used to make paper and is a substitute for silk and wool[13 ]. The wood is close-grained, exceedingly hard, heavy, very strong (due to a high lignin content), resists shock and is very durable in contact with the soil. It weighs 45lb per cubic foot. It does not shrink much when drying. The wood is used in shipbuilding and for making fence posts, tree nails, flooring, furniture, woodenware etc[4 , 7 , 11 , 13 , 46 , 61 , 82 , 149 , 171 , 227 , 418 , 1050 ]. The wood of Robinia pseudoacacia var. rectissima, the so called 'Long Island' or 'Shipmast' locust, has a greater resistance to decay and wood borers, outlasting other locust posts and stakes by 50 - 100%[269 ]. A very good fuel[82 , 418 ], but it should be used with caution because it flares up and projects sparks[226 ]. The wood is also used for making charcoal[418 ]. A dynamic accumulator gathering minerals or nutrients from the soil and storing them in a more bioavailable form - used as fertilizer or to improve mulch.
Attracts Wildlife Carbon Farming Dynamic accumulator Food Forest Nitrogen Fixer Scented Plants
Agroforestry Services: Nitrogen Agroforestry Services: Windbreak Fodder: Bank Industrial Crop: Biomass Management: Coppice Management: Standard Minor Global Crop Other Systems: SRC
Landscape Uses:Erosion control, Firewood, Aggressive surface roots possible. Succeeds in any well-drained soil, preferring one that is not too rich[1, 200]. Succeeds in dry barren sites, tolerating drought and atmospheric pollution[60, 200]. Succeeds in a hot dry position. The plant is reported to tolerate an annual precipitation in the range of 61 to 191cm, an annual temperature in the range of 7.6 to 20.3°C and a pH of 6.0 to 7.0[269]. A fast-growing tree for the first 30 years of its life[188, 269], it can begin to flower when only 6 years old, though 10 - 12 years is more normal[229]. The flowers are a rich source of nectar and are very fragrant[82] with a vanilla-like scent[245]. The branches are brittle and very liable to wind damage[200]. When plants are grown in rich soils they produce coarse and rank growth which is even more liable to wind damage[11, 200]. The plants sucker freely and often form dense thickets, the suckers have vicious thorns[226]. There are some named varieties selected for their ornamental value[188], some of these are thornless[226]. Any pruning should be done in late summer in order to reduce the risk of bleeding[200]. The leaves are rich in tannin and other substances which inhibit the growth of other plants[13]. A very greedy tree, tending to impoverish the soil[13]. (Although a legume, I believe it does not fix atmospheric nitrogen[K]) A very good bee plant[7, 13, 20, 201]. This species is notably resistant to honey fungus[88, 200]. Special Features: North American native, Invasive, Naturalizing, All or parts of this plant are poisonous, Attracts butterflies, Fragrant flowers, Blooms are very showy. The plant is heat tolerant in zones 9 through 3. (Plant Hardiness Zones show how well plants withstand cold winter temperatures. Plant Heat Zones show when plants would start suffering from the heat. The Plant Heat Zone map is based on the number of "heat days" experienced in a given area where the temperature climbs to over 86 degrees F (30°C). At this temperature, many plants begin to suffer physiological damage. Heat Zones range from 1 (no heat days) to 12 (210 or more heat days). For example Heat Zone. 11-1 indicates that the plant is heat tolerant in zones 11 through 1.) For polyculture design as well as the above-ground architecture (form - tree, shrub etc. and size shown above) information on the habit and root pattern is also useful and given here if available. A sprouting standard sending up shoots from the base [1-2]. The root pattern is flat with shallow roots forming a plate near the soil surface [1-2]. The root pattern is suckering with new plants from underground runners away from the plant [1-2].
Agroforestry Services: Nitrogen Plants that contribute to nitrogen fixation include the legume family – Fabaceae.
Agroforestry Services: Windbreak Linear plantings of trees and shrubs designed to enhance crop production, protect people and livestock and benefit soil and water conservation.
Fodder: Bank Fodder banks are plantings of high-quality fodder species. Their goal is to maintain healthy productive animals. They can be utilized all year, but are designed to bridge the forage scarcity of annual dry seasons. Fodder bank plants are usually trees or shrubs, and often legumes. The relatively deep roots of these woody perennials allow them to reach soil nutrients and moisture not available to grasses and herbaceous plants.
Industrial Crop: Biomass Three broad categories: bamboos, resprouting woody plants, and giant grasses. uses include: protein, materials (paper, building materials, fibers, biochar etc.), chemicals (biobased chemicals), energy - biofuels
Management: Coppice Cut to the ground repeatedly - resprouting vigorously. Non-destructive management systems maintaining the soil organic carbon.
Management: Standard Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.
Other Systems: SRC Short-rotation coppice.
Seed - pre-soak for 48 hours in warm water and sow the seed in late winter in a cold frame[80]. A short stratification improves germination rates and time[80]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in the following summer. Other reports say that the seed can be sown in an outdoor seedbed in spring[78, 98]. The seed stores for over 10 years[113]. Suckers taken during the dormant season.
Robinia fertilis Bristly Locust Shrub 2.0 4-8 M LMH N DM 0 0 2
Robinia flava Tree 0.0 - LMH SN DM 1 0 2
Robinia hispida Bristly locust, Rose-acacia, or Moss locust Shrub 3.5 4-8 F LMH N DM 0 1 3
Robinia luxurians New Mexico locust Tree 8.0 4-8 LMH SN DM 1 0 3
Robinia neomexicana New Mexico Locust, Rusby's locust, Locust Tree 2.0 4-8 M LMH SN DM 1 1 3
Robinia viscosa Clammy Locust, Hartweg's locust Tree 13.0 3-7 M LMH SN DM 0 0 3
Klaus Dichtel Tue Dec 25 17:22:37 2001
I wonder how Ken comes to believe it doesn`t fix atmospheric nitrogen. All other sources are telling the opposite, e.g. Martin Crawford/"Nitrogen-fixing Plants"
Klaus Dichtel Sat Jan 5 21:26:03 2002
In the german PC-mailinglist, Jürgen Wahl (j.orca@t-online.de) says that he saw nodulatet roots and N-loving plants nearby such as utrica ssp., galium aparine and sambucus nigra. Here his original message:"...Bis jetzt hatte jede Robinie der ich an die Wurzeln gegangen bin Knöllchen +die sind bei allenLeguminosen ort derSymbiose die N aus der Luft bindet. Fernerhabe ich bis heute in jedem Robiniengehölz eine N-liebende Begleitflora gefunden(Brennnessel,Klettenlabkraut,Hollunderetc.)..."
Miroslav Schlossberg Tue May 24 17:42:19 2005
I could not find any health related info about Robinia pseudoacacia flovers (Flores). Where I live, it is named Akacija (read: Acacia, the same, only without "j"). All I could find is similar plant familly: Leguminosae/Mimosaceae Lat: Acacia senegal. Here, in Craotia, where I live, people is making tea of flowers. Do you have any data about its influences on human body?
Greetings from Croatia!
rabbe Mon Jan 2 2006
Altough most parts of Robinia pseudoacacia are toxic for humans. It can be used as a tree fodder. See for example an article about silvopasture in Greece: Forage production of woody fodder species and herbaceous vegetation in a silvopastoral system in northern Greece, by Ainalis and Tsiouvaras
An addition to my previous comment. Robinia pseudoacacia is toxic for horses and highly toxic for chicken! The following study is available on internet: Evaluation of Robinia pseudoacacia L. as Browse for Meat Goat Production in the Southeastern USA http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/theses/available/etd-11242003-154755/unrestricted/etd.pdf
john walker Sat Jul 11 2009
why might Frisia type of Robinia Pseudo be dieing in large numbers. This is occurring after the leaves fall off early and don't renew the following year?
Dec 28 2010 12:00AM
Greatings, in my opinion these is one of the most adaptable plants i know. I've found it from southern Portugal to eastern Poland, from the stepic areas of central spain to the rainy slopes of french Pireneys and suiss pre-alps. Is quite abundant in southern France beeing a common sight everywere. As a pyoneer speeces it can prepare soils and ecossistems for more demanding tree speeces forming woods that atract wildlife as a refuge and feeding area. J.Ferro
http://plants.usda.gov/java/charProfile?symbol=ROPS&format=print — gives details on Robinia pseudoacacia. Feb 10 2016 12:00AM
According to the USDA plant database, this tree fixes nitrogen at a medium rate, which translates to 85-160 lb. N/acre/year. See http://plants.usda.gov/java/charProfile?symbol=ROPS&format=print.
USDA plant database
Subject : Robinia pseudoacacia


text:
Q: Error while adding library https://github.com/Romancha/android-material-play-pause-view-button Unable to resolve dependency for ':app@debugUnitTest/compileClasspath': Could not resolve com.github.romancha:MaterialPlayPauseViewButton:1.0.1.
Show Details
Affected Modules: app
Unable to resolve dependency for ':app@debugAndroidTest/compileClasspath': Could not resolve com.github.romancha:MaterialPlayPauseViewButton:1.0.1.
Show Details
Affected Modules: app
Unable to resolve dependency for ':app@debug/compileClasspath': Could not resolve com.github.romancha:MaterialPlayPauseViewButton:1.0.1.
Show Details
Affected Modules: app
repositories {
        google()
        mavenCentral()
        maven { url 'https://jitpack.io' }
        maven { url 'https://maven.google.com' }
        maven { url 'https://maven.fabric.io/public' }
    }
    dependencies {
        classpath 'com.android.tools.build:gradle:4.2.1'
        classpath "org.jetbrains.kotlin:kotlin-gradle-plugin:$kotlin_version"

        // NOTE: Do not place your application dependencies here; they belong
        // in the individual module build.gradle files
        classpath 'com.google.gms:google-services:4.3.8'
        classpath 'com.novoda:bintray-release:0.8.1'
    }

i have tried invalid caches/restart and also gradle offline toogle even restarting project.But showing same error.
I have two dependency for the same
//PlayButton
    implementation 'com.github.romancha:MaterialPlayPauseViewButton:1.0.1'
    implementation 'com.github.Romancha:android-material-play-pause-view-button:-SNAPSHOT'

i have used both alternatively but having error for the same. The snapshot dependancy i took from (https://jitpack.io/#Romancha/android-material-play-pause-view-button/-SNAPSHOT).

A: Bintray and version 1.0+ is no more available.
Try from readme https://github.com/Romancha/android-material-play-pause-view-button
Add the following to your project level build.gradle
allprojects {
    repositories {
        maven {
            url 'https://jitpack.io'
        }
    }
}

Add this to your app build.gradle:
dependencies {
    implementation 'com.github.Romancha:android-material-play-pause-view-button:2.3'
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Once a luxurious Mediterranean villa, the Hotel Poseidon in Positano is located in the very heart of the charming town of the Amalfi coast, a short walk from the Spiaggia Grande and its picturesque workshops. Set in a green area, it offers its guests a unique view of Positano with its alleys and cobbled streets, often covered by colored bougainvillea pergolas. It's a dreaming place, loved for its tranquility, glamour and romantic scenery.
For over 50 years the Aonzo family runs the Hotel Poseidon in Positano, welcoming its guests with a discreet and refined hospitality.
All 48 rooms, furnished with taste and elegance, have the typical features of the Mediterranean architecture; wide and sunny, they are decorated with majolica tiles from Vietri sul mare, wrought iron headboards, antique frames and period furniture, which contribute to make a warm and comfortable atmosphere. They are equipped with balcony or private terrace with sea view or overlooking the garden or the historical center of the town.
The panoramic terrace of the Hotel Poseidon is the ideal place for spending relaxing moments, swimming in the pool, sunbathing in the solarium or sipping a cocktail at the snack bar; from here it is possible to enjoy both a fresh sea breeze and a superb view of the bay and Li Galli islands (home of the Homeric sirens).
Best culinary specialties of the Campania region, prepared with fresh local ingredients, can be enjoyed at the hotel dining room or, during the summer, under a flowered pergola, candlelight, admiring the natural beauty of the Divine coast. The restaurant of the Hotel Poseidon "Il Tridente" could also be the perfect setting for your love dream, saying your "I do" in one of the most beautiful and romantic location in the world!
Our guests can relax their body and mind at the health and beauty centre of the Hotel Poseidon, enjoying the benefits of the Turkish bath, dug into the rock, the sun-shower, the Shiatsu room, a wide selection of body and face massages.
The strategic position of the Hotel Poseidon in Positano makes it an ideal starting point for excursions to the other famous towns of the Amalfi coast (such as Amalfi, Ravello, Praiano, Cetara and Conca de' Marini), the Sorrento Peninsula and the islands of Capri and Ischia.
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Welcome to Head Junk, a dispensary of somewhat insightful garbage from the mind of your host, Ty Crisp.
As an extension of my personal blog, this podcast is an experimental foray into a new medium of expression. I hope to reach a wider audience with my many spiritual, philosophical, and mystical ruminations. The player above will be regularly updated with the most recent episode. You can find Head Junk on major streaming services, such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Anchor, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, etc.
Episodes can also be found on Breaker, RadioPublic, Overcast, and Google Podcasts.


Donald Trump called the shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue "a wicked act of mass murder" and decried antisemitism in all forms. He staged a campaign rally in Illinois as scheduled.
"Please know that justice in this case will be swift and it will be severe," Scott Brady, the chief federal prosecutor in western Pennsylvania, said at a news conference, characterizing the slaughter as a "terrible and unspeakable act of hate".
The identities of the dead were not immediately released but Wendell Hissrich, Pittsburgh's public safety director, told an afternoon news conference no children were killed. The toll of wounded did not include the suspect, he said.
The suspect appeared to have far-right views. In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, the local CBS affiliate KDJA reported that a "white male [with] a beard … walked in yelling 'All Jews must die'." Social media accounts in the name of Robert Bowers contained antisemitic rants.
"Today the nightmare has hit home here in the city of Pittsburgh," Hissrich said.
Bob Jones, FBI special agent in charge, said the suspect was leaving the synagogue when he was engaged by the officers, having carried out the shootings inside. He retreated into the building, where two officers were injured before the suspect's surrender.
Jones said the suspect had an assault rifle and three handguns. He could not confirm all were used. Bowers was not previously known to law enforcement, Jones said, adding that though people had been "brutally murdered by a gunman targeting them simply because of their faith", the gunman's full motive was not yet known.
"We've never had any threats," Eisenberg said, adding that the synagogue had nonetheless consulted the Department of Homeland Security and other synagogues about precautions. Finkelstein told reporters there had been "lots of training on things like active shooters, and we've looked at hardening facilities as much as possible".
Trump also said people who carried out mass shootings were "wackos" and said he thought the death penalty should be brought "into vogue".
Trump spoke a day after an avowed supporter of his policies was arrested in Florida and charged over pipe bombs sent to prominent Democrats and critics of the president's policies.
At a Future Farmers of America event in Indianapolis, Trump strongly condemned the shooting as antisemitic, an "act of pure evil". Later, speaking to a big crowd at an airport hangar in southern Illinois, he said he was staging the rally because to cancel it would have made "sick, demented people important". Trump told reporters before the event the suspect was "no supporter of mine", and said he would visit Pittsburgh. He did not say when.
The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, expressed his sympathy while his minister of the diaspora, Naftali Bennett, tweeted that he was "flying to Pittsburgh to be with our sisters and brothers on their darkest hour".
Locally, the epithet "Squirrel Hill Jew" has long been used to describe people from this tight-knit liberal enclave, blocks away from Carnegie Mellon University.
"I'm sure everybody in the community feels like it's an attack on them," Diamond said, adding that he had feared such an attack for years.
"There are issues we need to address like gun control and people need to keep this in mind when they go to the polls in November," he said.
A Squirrel Hill resident, a graduate student from Germany who did not wish to be named, said it was "the second time I've been near the scene of a mass shooting". The student said she had previously lived near the scene of the 2014 Isla Vista shooting in California, in which six people died.


The ultra compact combustor is a high performance gas turbine design concept that portends reduced weight for future weapons platforms. A natural outcome of the design is the continual presence of fuel-rich air in the turbine component of the engine. Because modern cooling schemes for hot section turbine blades involve injecting cool, oxygen-rich air adjacent to the surface, the potential arises for reaction with the unconsumed radicals in the mainstream ow and augmented heat transfer to the blade. This outcome is contrary to the purpose of lm cooling, and can lead to early life-cycle turbine failure. This study examined the effects of multiple cooling hole geometries on downstream heat transfer. It demonstrated schemes that allow reactions to take place at a standoff distance from the wall being cooled and provide effective downstream cooling. Additionally, the research characterized the time scales involved in the reactions through temperature measurements and imaging.
Robertson, Jacob J., "Film Cooling in Fuel Rich Environments" (2013). Theses and Dissertations. 841.


text:
Teixeira Soares is een gemeente in de Braziliaanse deelstaat Paraná. De gemeente telt 10.548 inwoners (schatting 2009).

Aangrenzende gemeenten
De gemeente grenst aan Fernandes Pinheiro, Imbituva, Ipiranga, Palmeira en Ponta Grossa.

Gemeente in Paraná (staat)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Eisenach, Germany
Eisenach is a city in Thuringia, Germany. It is situated between the northern foothills of the Thuringian Forest and the Hainich National Park. Population: 44,200 (2001).
4 External link
The history of Eisenach is linked with the Wartburg castle, which was according to legend built in 1067. There were at least three settlements below the castle, that merged to a common city in the second half of the 12th century. This town, Eisenach, was first mentioned in 1180.
Several now legendary events took place on the Wartburg in the following decades, best known is the "Singers' Contest on the Wartburg" (which is part of the Tannh�user legend).
After the Thuringian War of Succession (1247-1264) Eisenach became subject to the Wettin dynasty of Meissen. Later several mini states were established in what is now Thuringia, and Eisenach became a principality on its own in 1521. In 1751 Eisenach lost its independency and became part of the duchy of Saxony-Weimar.
Eisenach was the place where Martin Luther lived as a child, although he was not born there, and later for his receiving protection after having been pursued for his religious views. It was while he was staying in the Wartburg castle above the town that he translated the Bible into German.
The town is famous as the birthplace of Johann Sebastian Bach as well.
The Social Democratic Party of Germany was founded in 1869 in Eisenach.
Automobile manufacturing is an important part of Eisenach economy:
Opel, as part of the overseas operations of General Motors Corporation built an entirely new plant in the northwest of the town, after the Wartburg cars plant had ceased operations in 1989. The plant opened in 1992 and was toured by President Clinton, accompanied by Federal Chancellor Helmut Kohl in May 1998 as a token of American support in the redevelopment of the Eastern part of Germany.
BMW manufactures tools and dies in the town.
The Wartburg castle is by far the most popular tourist attraction. Following is a selection of other sights in Eisenach:
the birth house of Johann Sebastian Bach
the Stadtschloss (city castle) was built in 1742; today it houses the Thuringian Museum (arts and crafts)
Nikolaikirche (a church) and Nikolaitor (the only surviving town gate), about 1180
Georgenkirche, about 1180
the dwelling house of Martin Luther
town hall, built in 1564 as a wine cellar, has acted as town hall since 1596
Official website (German, English)\n


E called the grey playdough, "moondough", because it looked like the moon when I rolled it into a ball and she does like all things 'space'. I added silver glitter to that one.
I also made blue and yellow. It keeps really well in zip-lock bags in the fridge.


text:
from __future__ import absolute_import, division, print_function
__metaclass__ = type

ANSIBLE_METADATA = {'metadata_version': '1.1',
                    'status': ['preview'],
                    'supported_by': 'core'}

DOCUMENTATION = r'''
module: meta
short_description: Execute Ansible 'actions'
version_added: '1.2'
description:
    - Meta tasks are a special kind of task which can influence Ansible internal execution or state.
    - Prior to Ansible 2.0, the only meta option available was C(flush_handlers).
    - As of Ansible 2.2, there are five meta tasks which can be used.
    - Meta tasks can be used anywhere within your playbook.
    - This module is also supported for Windows targets.
options:
  free_form:
    description:
        - This module takes a free form command, as a string. There is not an actual option named "free form".  See the examples!
        - C(flush_handlers) makes Ansible run any handler tasks which have thus far been notified. Ansible inserts these tasks internally at certain
          points to implicitly trigger handler runs (after pre/post tasks, the final role execution, and the main tasks section of your plays).
        - C(refresh_inventory) (added in Ansible 2.0) forces the reload of the inventory, which in the case of dynamic inventory scripts means they will be
          re-executed. If the dynamic inventory script is using a cache, Ansible cannot know this and has no way of refreshing it (you can disable the cache
          or, if available for your specific inventory datasource (e.g. aws), you can use the an inventory plugin instead of an inventory script).
          This is mainly useful when additional hosts are created and users wish to use them instead of using the M(add_host) module.
        - C(noop) (added in Ansible 2.0) This literally does 'nothing'. It is mainly used internally and not recommended for general use.
        - C(clear_facts) (added in Ansible 2.1) causes the gathered facts for the hosts specified in the play's list of hosts to be cleared,
          including the fact cache.
        - C(clear_host_errors) (added in Ansible 2.1) clears the failed state (if any) from hosts specified in the play's list of hosts.
        - C(end_play) (added in Ansible 2.2) causes the play to end without failing the host(s). Note that this affects all hosts.
        - C(reset_connection) (added in Ansible 2.3) interrupts a persistent connection (i.e. ssh + control persist)
        - C(end_host) (added in Ansible 2.8) is a per-host variation of C(end_play). Causes the play to end for the current host without failing it.
    choices: [ clear_facts, clear_host_errors, end_host, end_play, flush_handlers, noop, refresh_inventory, reset_connection ]
    required: true
notes:
    - C(meta) is not really a module nor action_plugin as such it cannot be overwritten.
    - C(clear_facts) will remove the persistent facts from M(set_fact) using C(cacheable=True),
      but not the current host variable it creates for the current run.
    - This module is also supported for Windows targets.
seealso:
- module: assert
- module: fail
author:
    - Ansible Core Team
'''

EXAMPLES = r'''
# Example showing flushing handlers on demand, not at end of play
- template:
    src: new.j2
    dest: /etc/config.txt
  notify: myhandler

- name: Force all notified handlers to run at this point, not waiting for normal sync points
  meta: flush_handlers

# Example showing how to refresh inventory during play
- name: Reload inventory, useful with dynamic inventories when play makes changes to the existing hosts
  cloud_guest:            # this is fake module
    name: newhost
    state: present

- name: Refresh inventory to ensure new instances exist in inventory
  meta: refresh_inventory

# Example showing how to clear all existing facts of targetted hosts
- name: Clear gathered facts from all currently targeted hosts
  meta: clear_facts

# Example showing how to continue using a failed target
- name: Bring host back to play after failure
  copy:
    src: file
    dest: /etc/file
  remote_user: imightnothavepermission

- meta: clear_host_errors

# Example showing how to reset an existing connection
- user:
    name: '{{ ansible_user }}'
    groups: input

- name: Reset ssh connection to allow user changes to affect 'current login user'
  meta: reset_connection

# Example showing how to end the play for specific targets
- name: End the play for hosts that run CentOS 6
  meta: end_host
  when:
  - ansible_distribution == 'CentOS'
  - ansible_distribution_major_version == '6'
'''

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Hi Ho Silver Resources Provides MCTO Update
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 15, 2021) - Hi Ho Silver Resources Inc. (CSE: HHS) (OTC Pink: HHSRF) (FSE: H9T1) ("Hi Ho" or the "Company") provides an update with respect to the previously announced management cease trade order (the "MCTO") issued by the British Columbia Securities Commission on December 1, 2020. The MCTO as issued in connection with the delay by the Company in filing its annual financial statements, management's discussion and analysis and related officer certifications for the financial year ended July 31, 2020 (collectively, the "Required Filings") before the prescribed deadline of November 30, 2020.
Snowy Owl Gold Corp. Announces Listing on Canadian Securities Exchange, Trading to Commence
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 15, 2021) - Snowy Owl Gold Corp. (CSE: SNOW) ("Snowy Owl Gold" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has received final approval to list the common shares of the Company on the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "CSE").
Deveron Announces Option Grant
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 15, 2021) - Deveron Corp. (TSXV: FARM) ("Deveron" or the "Company") a leading agriculture digital services and analytics provider in North America, is pleased to announce that it has granted an aggregate of 1,225,000 options to purchase common shares of the Company exercisable at a price of $0.43 per common share and expiring on January 15, 2024, to officers, directors and employees of the Company. The common shares issuable upon exercise of the options are subject to a four-month hold period from the original date of grant.
Neovasc Responds to FDA Not-Approvable Letter Regarding Neovasc Reducer(TM)
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 15, 2021) - Neovasc Inc. (NASDAQ: NVCN) (TSX: NVCN) ("Neovasc" or the "Company") announced today that it has received a "not-approvable" letter from U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) regarding its PMA submission for the Neovasc Reducer™ (Reducer).
Cypherpunk Holdings Inc. Announces Closing of Oversubscribed Non-Brokered Private Placement
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 15, 2021) - Cypherpunk Holdings Inc. (CSE: HODL) ("Cypherpunk" or the "Company") a sector leader for privacy-technology investments is pleased to announce that, further to its press release of December 23, 2020 it has closed an oversubscribed, non-brokered private placement offering (the "Offering") through the issuance of 19,867,470 Units ("Units") at a price of C$0.15 per Unit for gross proceeds of C$2,980,120. Each Unit is comprised of one common share (each a, "Common Share") in the capital of the Company and one half of one whole Common Share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one additional Common Share at an exercise price of C$0.25 until January 15, 2023.
Relay Medical Announces Closing of Second Tranche for Gross Proceeds of over $2,725,000
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 15, 2021) - Relay Medical Corp. (CSE: RELA) (OTCQB: RYMDF) (FSE: EIY2) ("Relay" or the "Company"), is pleased to announce that further to its press releases of December 18, 2020, and January 8, 2021, the Company has completed the second tranche of its non-brokered private placement financing (the "Offering") through the issuance of 13,625,000 units (each, a "Unit") at a price of $0.20 per Unit for gross proceeds of $2,725,000. The aggregate gross proceeds raised pursuant to the first and second tranches of the Offering is $7,800,000 through the issuance of 39,000,000 Units.
Global Crossing Airlines Announces Financing to Complete Certification
Miami, Florida--(Newsfile Corp. - January 15, 2021) - Global Crossing Airlines Group Inc. (TSXV: JET) (OTCQB: JETMF) (the "Company" or "GlobalX") announces that it intends to undertake a non-brokered private placement to raise up to a maximum of US$5.0 million (the "Offering"). The Offering consists of units issued at US$0.62 (approx. Cdn$0.80) per unit (each a "Unit"). Each Unit consists of one share of common stock (each a "Share") and one warrant (each a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase an additional Share for US$1.00 (approx. Cdn$1.27) for a period of 27 months after closing.
West High Yield Announces Completion of Shares-For-Debt Settlement Transactions
Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - January 15, 2021) - West High Yield (W.H.Y.) Resources Ltd. (TSXV: WHY) ("West High Yield" or the "Company") announces that it has completed the settlement of CAD$28,946.40 of indebtedness (the " Debt Settlement") as originally announced on December 22, 2020. To effect the Debt Settlement, the Company issued 144,732 Common Shares (the "Common Shares") at a deemed price of CAD$0.20 per Common Share to two creditors of the Company. The Debt Settlement was approved by the TSX Venture Exchange on January 14, 2021.
Black Mountain Gold USA Corp. Appoints New Director and Officers
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 15, 2021) - Black Mountain Gold USA Corp. (TSXV: BMG) ("BMG" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the appointments of Mr. Luke Norman as a Director of the Company, Max Missiouk as Chief Financial Officer and Brian Morrison as Corporate Secretary.
Media Central Announces Debt Conversion
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 15, 2021) - Media Central Capital Corporation (the "Corporation") is pleased to announce that it has negotiated various debt conversion agreements (collectively, the "Debt Agreements") with five (5) creditors (collectively, the "Creditors") of which four (4) are arm's length parties to the Corporation and one (1) is a non-arm's length party as he is a director and/or officer of the Corporation.
Commander Identifies Gold Zone at Sabin Property, Ontario
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 15, 2021) - Commander Resources Ltd. (TSXV: CMD) ("Commander") is pleased to provide results from a sampling program on the Sabin zinc-copper-silver-gold volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) project (the "Sabin Property") located in northwest Ontario, Canada, some ten kilometres north of the community of Savant Lake. Work was conducted in the fall of 2020 and focused on first pass prospecting of conductor targets identified from a recent VTEM survey completed in late 2018. The project is primarily centred on extensive VMS- style alteration and mineralization however work during this program identified a bulk tonnage-style gold target within the Patterson Lake Stock where sampling returned gold values up to 1.4 g/t from grab samples.
Algold Resources Files Notice of Intention to Make a Proposal
Montreal, Quebec--(Newsfile Corp. - January 15, 2021) - Algold Resources Ltd. (TSXV: ALG) ("Algold") announced today that it has filed a Notice of Intention to Make a Proposal ("NOI").
Vitreous Glass Announces Dividend
Airdrie, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - January 15, 2021) - Vitreous Glass Inc. (the "Corporation") is pleased to announce that the Corporation declared a cash dividend (the "Dividend") today of $0.21 per common share to be paid on February 15, 2021 to the shareholders of record as of the close of business on February 1, 2021. Although this is a special Dividend, depending on the results of business, the Corporation hopes to be able to continue to pay dividends on a regular basis.
ALYI Announces All ReVolt Electric Motorcycle Pre-Orders Taken - Still Opportunity To Sign-Up For Waitlist
Dallas, Texas--(Newsfile Corp. - January 15, 2021) - Alternet Systems, Inc. (OTC Pink: ALYI), an electric vehicle innovation company headquartered in Dallas, Texas, today announced all available pre-order slots for the first 200 Retro ReVolt Electric Motorcycles have been taken. The company indicated the pre-order form on the company website remains open at this time for people to get on a waitlist in the event an opening in the first 200 pre-orders comes up, or to be notified when more Retro ReVolt Elelectric Motorcycles are available.
What's Happening from Start-Up to Small Cap: SEC's Small Business Advocate to Host Capital Call Feb. 4
Washington, D.C.--(Newsfile Corp. - January 15, 2021) - The Securities and Exchange Commission's Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation will host its second annual Capital Call on Feb. 4, 2020, at 1 p.m. ET, where the office will talk about what's happening with capital raising from startup to small cap. The Capital Call is styled after public companies' earnings release calls and will include discussion and an opportunity to ask questions about the office's recent Annual Report to Congress and the Commission. During the virtual event, office staff members will discuss what has been happening with capital raising across the country, including a spotlight on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the unique challenges faced by underrepresented businesses, the office's work in supporting small businesses and their investors, and the policy recommendations the office has developed in response.
TrustBIX Inc. Announces Upsizing of Previously Announced Private Placement to $2,000,000 with Insiders Participation
Edmonton, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - January 15, 2021) - TrustBIX Inc. (TSXV: TBIX) ("TrustBIX") is pleased to announce that due to strong investor demand it has increased the size of the previously announced non-brokered private placement offering of units ("Units") to $2,000,000, or up to 10,000,000 Units, at a price of $0.20 per Unit, subject to regulatory approval. Each Unit is comprised of one (1) common share in the capital of TrustBIX ("Common Share") and one (1) Common Share purchase warrant ("Warrant"), whereby each Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one (1) Common Share at a price of $0.30 for a period of one (1) year from the date of closing. If the closing price of the Common Shares on the principal market on which such shares trade is equal to or exceeds $0.50 per Common Share for twenty (20) consecutive trading days, TrustBIX will have the right to accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants.
Usewalter Announces Completion of Private Placement
Montreal, Quebec--(Newsfile Corp. - January 15, 2021) - GOLO Mobile Inc., doing business as Usewalter (TSXV: WLTR) ("Usewalter" or "the Company"), is pleased to announce that it has completed today its previously announced non-brokered private placement (the "Private Placement") of 45,833,331 common shares of the Company ("Common Shares") at a price of C$0.09 per Common Share to certain insiders and related parties of the Company, resulting in gross proceeds of C$4.125 million.
ALYI Announces RevoltTOKEN ICO Update
Dallas, Texas--(Newsfile Corp. - January 15, 2021) - Alternet Systems, Inc. (OTC Pink: ALYI) today announced an update from its finance partner, RevoltTOKEN published by the RevoltTOKEN CEO, Henryk Dabrowski. The update is included in its entirety below:
Washington, D.C.--(Newsfile Corp. - January 15, 2021) - The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that starting on February 25, 2021, the fee rates applicable to most securities transactions will be set at $5.10 per million dollars.