text:
Catlin grows third-party reinsurance capital managed to $350m
10th February 2015 - Author: Artemis
Catlin, the global specialty property casualty insurance and reinsurance firm currently going through a merger with XL Group, has continued to grow its third-party reinsurance capital programme to almost $350m of investor capital for 2015.
Catlin has a number of third-party reinsurance capital initiatives currently, which it has been running for around three years now. These provide it with collateralised reinsurance, while giving investors a way to access the Catlin books returns and Catlin has been steadily growing investor contributions, reaching $300m for 2014 and now increasing that again to $350m for the 2015 underwriting year.
The vehicles include Special Purpose Syndicates (SPS) at Lloyd's of London, which offer a way for investors to access a whole-account quota share of Catlin's syndicate at Lloyd's while providing the syndicate with collateralised reinsurance.
Catlin also has its Portfolio Participation Vehicle (PPV), which provides it with collateralised reinsurance protection for its non-Lloyd's underwriting entities, while giving the investors a way to access the returns of that business.
These vehicles provide a similar service to Catlin as a reinsurance sidecar would, but also offer investors access to different business to that which is more typical in the insurance-linked securities (ILS) and reinsurance linked investments space.
The third-party capital programme at Catlin is paying dividends as well, growing its contribution significantly in 2014. Catlin reports that it received commissions and fees amounting to $66 million in 2014, up from $28 million in 2013, from these third-party capital arrangements.
This is all part of Catlin's approach to leveraging lower-cost capital from third-party investors within its business, as part of its capital management strategy.
The $350m of third-party capital managed within the SPS' and PPV, are joined by third-party and non-traditional reinsurance capacity that participates in Catlin's risk transfer program. Catlin said that the risk transfer program includes traditional and non-traditional reinsurers as well as its catastrophe bond issuances.
The firm recently closed its latest catastrophe bond, the $300m Galileo Re Ltd. (Series 2015-1), meaning that cat bonds now contribute $600m of its risk transfer including the also $300m the $300m Galileo Re Ltd. (Series 2013-1) .
The use of third-party capital has resulted in Catlin increasing the amount of reinsurance it cedes, up to $1.62 billion in 2014, reflecting increased amounts ceded during 2014 to third-party capital providers, including through the SPS' and PPV.
Catlin says that the use of third-party capital is benefiting it in a number of ways. Firstly by the addition of fees from management expenses and commissions to its bottom line. Secondly, by providing the firm with the flexibility to respond quickly to changing market circumstances. Thirdly, by reducing the total volatility of its earnings from first-party capital relative to its business volumes. Finally, by enabling more efficient capital provision, particularly through an adverse development cover that the firm has in place which also taps third-party capital.
All of the third-party capital arrangements give Catlin increased flexibility of its capital structure and enhance the firm's strategic options for taking on more third-party capital when market conditions allow.
As a result, Catlin says that it continues to "search proactively for lower-cost sources of capital", including other potential third-party capital structures which might benefit it.
Overall Catlin's results were in line with analysts expectations, although it reported a 13% before tax profits increase to $488m which is impressive in the current market.
The focus will now move to its takeover by XL Group, which is expected to come into effect in the middle of 2015. The combined entity will have a large third-party capital management footprint, bringing New Ocean Capital Management Limited and Catlin's activities together, as well as a broad use of alternative capital for its own risk transfer needs. It will be interesting to watch how the combined firm develops its activities in this area.
– Catlin's Galileo Re 2015-1 cat bond closes at upsized $300m.
– XL Catlin deal a sign of how bad the reinsurance market really is: KBW.
– Combined XL – Catlin a "perfect partner" for third-party capital: McGavick.
– Third-party capital could grow to 30% of Catlin business: Jardine.
– Catlin doubles contribution from third-party reinsurance capital.
Tagged as: Alternative reinsurance capital, capital markets, Catastrophe bond, Collateralized reinsurance, insurance linked securities, reinsurance, Reinsurance linked investment, third-party reinsurance capital
← Older article Blue Capital hits $790m, collateralized business grows at Montpelier Re
Blue Capital hits $790m, collateralized business grows at Montpelier Re
Blue Capital Management Ltd., the third-party reinsurance capital investment manager of Bermudian reinsurer Montpelier Re, has grown its assets under...


SINGAPORE - A key benchmark local interest rate jumped on Wednesday to a level not seen since 2008.
The three-month Singapore interbank offered rate, or Sibor, which is the rate that banks lend to one another and use as a base rate in mortgages, rose to 0.87934 per cent on Wednesday, up 4 per cent from the previous day.
It has risen by 8.2 per cent since last Friday, when the United States announced it created 295,000 jobs last month, above consensus expectations for a rise of 240,000.
Growing strength in the US economy gives the Federal Reserve leeway to hike interest rates, which have been stuck at ultra-low record levels in a bid to spur growth.
The Sibor, in turn, is closely correlated to the US Fed funds rate, so any expectations of a hike there would move interest rates here higher.
A weaker Singdollar against the greenback would also move Sibor higher as a higher interest rate is needed to compensate investors in Singdollar-denominated assets.
Historically, this has been the case for much of the Sibor's movements.
Sibor started moving up in 2004, rising to above 1 per cent, a leap from the trough of around 0.54 per cent in 2003.
It rose to a peak of 3.5625 per cent in the middle of 2006.
Rates in the US began rising in June as growth there picked up after the onset of recession in 2001 brought about by the dot.com bust and the September 11 attacks.
A stronger economy helps to boost confidence among consumers and businesses who are more willing to spend and borrow more, driving up interest rates as demand increases.
Central banks like the Fed also hiked interest rates to prevent inflation from soaring.
There were 17 Fed fund hike increases by the Fed from June 2004 to June 2006, hitting 5.25 per cent in June 2006.
Singapore's economy also expanded rapidly over this period, growing 9.2 per cent in 2004, 7.4 per cent in 2005 and 8.6 per cent in 2006.
2007 saw the start of Sibor's dramatic eight-year decline to near zero.
Sibor fell from a high of 3.5 per cent in 2007 to to below 2.75 per cent in the same year as a purring economy that grew 9 per cent that year saw huge amounts of cash sloshing about in the financial system.
The higher supply drove interest rates lower.
Elsewhere, worries that toxic sub-prime housing loans in the US could take a toll on banks weighed on markets and the economy.
The Fed reversed course and started cutting interest rate from August 2007 to 4.25 per cent by the end of the year.
It slashed rates another seven times in 2008 to 0.25 per cent by December after the Global Financial Crisis took hold with the collapse of investment bank Lehman Brothers in September.
Sibor fell below 1 per cent in 2008, though it shot up to 2.23 per cent in September that year as credit markets globally froze with lenders unwilling to issue loans, demanding higher interest rate for the risk.
The Fed then injected capital markets with unprecedented liquidity through its quantitative easing (QE) programme to make loans cheaper and revive its moribund economy.
It also pledged to keep interest rates at record lows until the economy recovers.
This drove effective interest rates in the US close to zero while the Sibor fell to a record low of 0.25 per cent in September 2011.
The swap offer rate, or SOR, which is commonly used in commercial loans, even dropped into negative territory for the first time in history to a low of -0.6987 in August 2011.
A negative rate implies savers pay the bank to keep their money while borrowers are paid to take out loans as investors stuck with cash look for safe havens like Singapore to park their money.
Sibor started creeping up towards the end of 2014, staying near 0.4 per cent.
It made a sudden upturn in January this year, breaking past 0.5 per cent and gaining strength steadily since to be just shy of the 0.9 per cent mark.
Speculation that the first US rate hike in almost a decade could take place sooner - perhaps as early as June instead of nearer the end of the year - and a stronger greenback drove up interest rates here.
The US dollar traded at 1.3876 against the Singdollar late on Wednesday, a lofty level not seen since July 2010.
Economists here have forecast that Sibor could hit 1 per cent by the end of the year.


text:
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Arkhip Ivanovich Kuindzhi
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Arkhip Ivanovich Kuindzhi:
Russian Painter, 1842-1910 Ukrainian painter, active in Russia. Initially self-taught as an artist, he twice failed the St Petersburg Academy's entrance examination, despite coaching by the marine painter Ivan Aivazovsky. In 1868, however, he was accepted as an external student. He persevered against conservative prejudice and poverty throughout his early career, supplementing his income by retouching photographs. In his early landscape paintings he often sought to capture seasonal moods, as in Autumn Mud (1872; St Petersburg, Rus. Mus.). A more human focus, however, is noticeable after 1874, when he joined the travelling exhibitions society the WANDERERS: the village houses dominate the landscape setting in Evening in Ukraine (1878; St Petersburg, Rus. Mus.). Kuindzhi's principal interest, however, was in lighting, and he obtained striking effects by using vivid colours, chiaroscuro contrasts and simple but cleverly conceived designs. Spectacular paintings, such as the Birch Grove (1879; Moscow, Tret'yakov Gal.), greatly moved contemporary viewers. Through years of experimentation, Kuindzhi developed a highly original technique, which he applied to an increasingly typical, at times almost visionary, treatment of subjects such as snow-covered mountains and moonlight (e.g. Elbnis: Moonlit Night, 1890-95; Moscow, Tret'yakov Gal.). Due to imperfections in the paints he used, many of his canvases soon darkened.
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Software, hardware, cloud, hybrid, managed solutions and services to protect and defend the information trusted to an enterprise by its customers; the enterprise's own valuable information assets; and the reliable operation of their IT infrastructure to ensure business continuity.
IT Security, Information Security or Information Assurance, is about taking care of the information within your customer's organisation, and ensuring that their business can continue to operate and survive any accidental or malicious attacks on the information or IT systems.
Valuable information within an organisation would typically include customer and commercial information, perhaps also intellectual property. This information is at risk, and every organisation experiences accidental leaks by internal staff or processes. This is ever more pertinent given the plethora of new tools and working practices employed by organisations today, from cloud and social media applications, to new mobile devices.
Deliberate theft or destruction by less than loyal employees or ex-employees is also a real and commonplace occurrence. Witnessed today with greatly increasing frequency, scope and volume, the theft or destruction of information by external parties is now a serious issue for all organisations large or small, originating from organised crime, activists, foreign governments and unscrupulous competitors.
There is also the responsibility of information held about customers or on their behalf, and the duties an organisation has to ensure it is also kept safe. Your customers need to have faith in your knowledge, ability and competency, or they may not remain customers for too long. Reputational damage can also prove costly, and often fatal for businesses.
Your customer's critical IT systems are of course imperative for their organisation's continued operation, existence and success. The loss of these, even temporarily, will directly impact their business, and in many cases can prove terminal.
Particularly for the information held about customers, there are a number of safeguards that they are required to implement to protect it. The Data Protection Act applies if they are holding any information about individuals, enforced by the Information Commissioners Office with significant penalty fines. If they are processing payment cards, then PCI DSS compliance is a must, with hefty fines from the credit card companies if they are not meeting their minimum care requirements.
For an organisation's information and health, information security is a critical risk responsibility for corporate governance, but increasingly a pre-requisite for doing business at all in many areas. There are published a number of assistive guidelines, or 'frameworks' to help guide organisations in putting protections in place, as well as different product certification schemes to ensure effectiveness. Some of these are led by governments, some of them independent, and some more commercially oriented. Most if not all are useful, some they will need. They range from covering basic first steps and minimum requirements, such as Cyber Essentials, to the more comprehensive or quite detailed such as 10 Steps to Cyber Security, ISO27001, SANS 20 Critical Security Controls, NIST Security Controls and CyberSecurity Framework, ISFOGP, IASME, COBIT 5, ITIL, just to get you started.


text:
Trump pulls tariff exemption for bifacial panels — again
Proclamation issued Oct. 10 cites impact of imported bifacial panels on U.S. solar manufacturing, while also raising the scheduled fourth-year tariff rate from 15% to 18%.
October 12, 2020 K Kaufmann
Image: Werner Slocum/NREL
With the election just weeks away, President Donald Trump has issued a proclamation once again imposing trade tariffs on bifacial solar panels, effectively rolling back the exemption he originally granted in June of 2019. As previously reported, the proclamation is the latest skirmish in the president's ongoing battle with the U.S. solar industry over the panels, which produce power on both sides and are increasingly used in large utility-scale projects.
Quietly released on Oct. 10, the proclamation's main argument is that "bifacial modules are likely to account for a greater share of the market in the future and can substitute for monofacial products in the various market segments, such that exempting imports of bifacial modules from the safeguard tariff would apply significant downward pressure on prices of domestically produced (bifacial) modules."
Trump also cited the impact of bifacial's growing share of the U.S. market as his reason for putting a hold on the fourth year step-down of the solar tariffs from 20% to 15%, resetting the rate for all imported solar panels instead at 18%. When first imposed in 2018 as part of Trump's trade war with China, the tariffs were set at 30%, to be decreased 5% each year for four years.
Quoted in Bloomberg, Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), said Trump's proclamation "counters critical needs of our country right now, jeopardizing jobs, economic recovery in the face of a pandemic and a clean environment." SEIA would, she said, "evaluate every option to reverse this harmful approach."
Nextracker CEO Dan Shugar called the tariffs, "an outright tax on consumers of solar energy in the U.S," in recent testimony to Congress.
Conflicts over the tariff exemption for bifacial panels started almost as soon as it was granted, with the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) removing the exemption four months later, in October 2019. But, the U.S. Court of International Trade upheld the exemption two months later.
The USTR made another run at lifting the exemption in April, but was again rebuffed by the trade court in June.
Trump's new proclamation is scheduled to go into effect on Oct. 25 — 15 days after it was issued — but, again, with the election looming, what its impact will be remains uncertain. The tariffs have slowed price reductions on panels in the U.S. and, according to SEIA, cost the industry 62,000 jobs, even as some Chinese solar companies set up shop in the U.S.
Still, with solar now recovering from its Covid-19 downturn in the second quarter, industry forecasts remain optimistic. SEIA's most recent market outlook with analyst Wood Mackenzie anticipates 100 GW of new solar to be installed in the U.S. between 2021 and 2025.
K Kaufmann
More articles from K Kaufmann
I can't wait to get back to a sane timeline.
Maybe Trump should have traded a few military toilets for a new GW scale PV manufacturing facility.


As marketers, incorporating iconic American symbols and ideals into our campaigns has been relatively easy in the past. You know, things like apple pie, grandma, baseball, pickup trucks, happy families, and iced tea. But, given the unprecedented amount of strife and division in our country, are these symbols still a valid representation of the American spirit? Could patriotism be considered polarizing? It's sad to say, but it seems that patriotism has become politically incorrect (my most hated term) in some circles.
But isn't patriotism, in its truest sense, the right and ability to disagree? Of course it is. It's about free speech, equality, and opportunity, among others. The media, social included, have fueled discord and a lack of tolerance. Just because someone says something loudly, doesn't make it true. It also doesn't make someone else's opinion wrong. But, that's the climate we're in and it can become dicey for brands that aren't paying attention.
As the country observed Veteran's Day on Saturday (there are 18.5 million veterans living in the United States as of 2016, according to the Census Bureau), and the recent heightened sensitivity to our National Anthem, it's caused me to take a deeper look at the holiday and why patriotism seems to be under attack.
"Mutual understanding between nations," also means that same understanding should be extended among America's citizens.
As the NFL protests have reminded us, patriotism has a unique meaning to many Americans. Americans are sharply divided on the protests. In a CNN poll, 46% say protesting during the anthem is disrespectful to the freedoms the anthem represents. An almost equal 45% say such protests demonstrate those freedoms.
It's safe to say that through all of this, we've learned that "patriotism" comes in many forms. The recent presidential election has politicized everything, including American values such as patriotism. It's amplified how people think about a myriad of social issues.
In the end, "patriotism" is hard to define and its meaning depends on who you ask.
Patriotism runs deep with veterans and their families. Showing disrespect for the flag, the National Anthem or other American values can come as a slap in the face to these vested Americans.
Patriotism used to be easy because everyone felt a similar amount of pride about the country. Post World War I and II, we were all patriots. And in the months after September 11, 2001, the country bonded over our shared grief and anger of being invaded. When Americans were asked to name the time in their lives when they felt most proud of their country, the top answer was during the national response to 9/11.
But, the heated political landscape lessened that patriotic spirit as sides were taken on many issues, fueled by the media and Internet.
Gallup polls revealed that Democrats were consistently less likely than Republicans to feel "extremely" or "very" proud to be Americans.
Last year, only 52% of American adults told Gallup they were "extremely proud" of their country, the lowest number in 16 years.
While many people still believe in the ideals America represents, many others complain bitterly about Washington and the overall mistrust of government leaders.
Appealing to American core values shouldn't be an area where brands need to tread lightly. However, given the ebb and flow of social and political sensitivity, marketers need to be aware of the different ways consumers define patriotism and certain triggers their messaging may trip.


Quiet solo piano in 3 parts with additional percussion bit adding in more and more to the end. My normal "feels" that are used to classify pieces are largely inadequate for this piece, as are the genres. In other words... I have no idea what this is.


text:
Q: CardSpaceException: No version of the CardSpace service was found to be installed on the machine first of all, I don't have clue, what am I doing. I'm a Java dev and I have to fix a C# program somebody else wrote.
We had to update and move a web services to another machine. The update included a change to https.
The tool I have to fix is used to upload files to the web service and is running on the same machine as the service.
The communication is over SOAP (I think) using a wsdl file.
The SSL-certificate is self signed but stored in the trusted cert storage.
First I tried to just change the paths to the new server but the upload tool complained about the change to https. Unfortunately, I don't have the exception anymore.
Then I re-imported the new wsdl and now I'm getting:

System.IdentityModel.Selectors.CardSpaceException: No version of the CardSpace service was found to be installed on the machine. Please install CardSpace and retry the operation.
Server stack trace:    at
System.IdentityModel.Selectors.CardSpaceShim.GetCardSpaceImplementationDll()
at
System.IdentityModel.Selectors.CardSpaceShim.InitializeIfNecessary()
at
System.IdentityModel.Selectors.CardSpaceSelector.GetToken(CardSpacePolicyElement[]
policyChain, SecurityTokenSerializer tokenSerializer)    at
System.ServiceModel.Description.ClientCredentials.GetInfoCardSecurityToken(Boolean
requiresInfoCard, CardSpacePolicyElement[] chain,
SecurityTokenSerializer tokenSerializer)    at
System.Runtime.Remoting.Messaging.StackBuilderSink._PrivateProcessMessage(IntPtr
md, Object[] args, Object server, Object[]& outArgs)    at
System.Runtime.Remoting.Messaging.StackBuilderSink.AsyncProcessMessage(IMessage
msg, IMessageSink replySink)
Exception rethrown at [0]:    at
System.Runtime.AsyncResult.End[TAsyncResult](IAsyncResult result)
at
System.ServiceModel.Channels.ServiceChannel.DisplayInitializationUI()
at
System.ServiceModel.Channels.ServiceChannel.CallDisplayUIOnce.System.ServiceModel.Channels.ServiceChannel.ICallOnce.Call(ServiceChannel
channel, TimeSpan timeout)    at
System.ServiceModel.Channels.ServiceChannel.CallOnceManager.CallOnce(TimeSpan
timeout, CallOnceManager cascade)    at
System.ServiceModel.Channels.ServiceChannel.EnsureDisplayUI()    at
System.ServiceModel.Channels.ServiceChannel.Call(String action,
Boolean oneway, ProxyOperationRuntime operation, Object[] ins,
Object[] outs, TimeSpan timeout)    at
System.ServiceModel.Channels.ServiceChannelProxy.InvokeService(IMethodCallMessage
methodCall, ProxyOperationRuntime operation)    at
System.ServiceModel.Channels.ServiceChannelProxy.Invoke(IMessage
message)
Exception rethrown at [1]:    at
System.Runtime.Remoting.Proxies.RealProxy.HandleReturnMessage(IMessage
reqMsg, IMessage retMsg)    at
System.Runtime.Remoting.Proxies.RealProxy.PrivateInvoke(MessageData&
msgData, Int32 type)    at
CLIIkarosImport.ImportUploadService.IImportUploadService.UploadFile(FileUploadMessage
request)    at
CLIIkarosImport.ImportUploadService.ImportUploadServiceClient.CLIIkarosImport.ImportUploadService.IImportUploadService.UploadFile(FileUploadMessage
request) in C:\projekte_c#\CLIIkarosImport\CLIIkarosImport\Service
References\ImportUploadService\Reference.cs:line 194    at
CLIIkarosImport.ImportUploadService.ImportUploadServiceClient.UploadFile(Int64
FileSize, String OriginalFileName, String UserIpV4, String UserIpV6,
String UserName, Stream FileStream, String& FileId, String& Message)
in C:\projekte_c#\CLIIkarosImport\CLIIkarosImport\Service
References\ImportUploadService\Reference.cs:line 205    at
CLIIkarosImport.Webservice.Import.ImportServiceModule.<>c__DisplayClass0_0.<.ctor>b__2(Object
x) in
C:\projekte_c#\CLIIkarosImport\CLIIkarosImport\Webservice\Import\ImportServiceModule.cs:line
86

         Get["/ImportFromPublicLocation/{path}"] = x =>
         {
                string newPath = x.path;
                newPath = newPath.Replace("-*-", ".");
                newPath = newPath.Replace("-#-", @"\");

                var path = Uri.UnescapeDataString(newPath);
                Console.WriteLine($"Given path is {path}");

                if (!File.Exists(path))
                {
                    Console.WriteLine("File doesn't exist!");
                    return new Response() {StatusCode = HttpStatusCode.NoContent};
                }

                var response = new CustomResponse();

                using (var client = new ImportUploadServiceClient())
                {
                    var fileName = Path.GetFileName(path);
                    var fStream = new FileStream(path, FileMode.Open);

                    string id, message;
                    ServicePointManager.ServerCertificateValidationCallback += (sender, certificate, chain, sslPolicyErrors) => true;
                    try
                    {
                        var fResponse = client.UploadFile(fStream.Length, fileName, "", "", "Import", fStream, out id, out message);
                        Console.WriteLine($"Response is {fResponse}");
                    }
                    catch (Exception e)
                    {
                        Console.WriteLine(e);
                        throw;
                    }

                    response.JobId = id;
                    response.Message = message;
                }

                return new JsonResponse<CustomResponse>(response, defaultJsonSerializer);
            };

I don't know if the change to https is the issue, or the move to the new server. I don't know if my predecessor did any changes to the old machine to make it work.
Let me know, if you need any further information.
EDIT:
I think its an issue within the application itself. I get the same Exception if the webserver is shut down and I can't find any calls to the api-server in wireshark

A: In the end it was a security issue in user authentication with STS (AD FS or FS-STS) and I had to use classes from a DLL provided by the service provider to connect to the service.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Sten Gustaf Winblad, född 25 maj 1909 i Västervik, död 25 april 1987, var en svensk läkare, professor i klinisk bakteriologi, och kommunpolitiker.

Biografi
Efter studentexamen i Lund 1927 skrevs han samma år in i Smålands nation vid Lunds universitet för att studera medicin. Efter att han avlagt medicine kandidatexamen i december 1930 bytte han emellertid till Lunds nation, vars vice sexmästare han var vårterminen 1931. Han var även nationens ledamot i Akademiska föreningens överstyrelse 1931–1933, och satt även i styrelsen för Lunds universitets tennishall 1931–1936. Utöver detta beklädde han dessutom ett antal mindre ämbeten i studentlivet; han var ledamot av Akademiska föreningens överstyrelses biblioteksutskott 1933–1937, och var ledamot av Lunds studentkårs intressebyrå 1936-1937. Han blev marinläkare i reserven 1934, avlade medicine licentiatexamen 1936 och disputerade för medicine doktorsgraden år 1941 på avhandlingen Studies in haemolytic streptococcus fibrinolysin, antifibrinolysin and antistreptolysin, with particular reference to rheumatic fever.

Winblads karriär inom akademien inleddes redan höstterminen 1929, då han i ett år tjänstgjorde som extra ordinarie amanuens vid anatomisalen på Anatomiska institutionen. Efter medicine licentiatexamen tjänstgjorde han i tur och ordning som amanuens vid Institutionen för makroskopisk anatomi höstterminen 1934, vid Patologiska institutionen 1936–1937, och vid Rättsmedicinska institutionen 1940–1942. Tjänsten som amanuens vid Patologiska institutionen uppgraderades 1937 till en assistenttjänst, vilken han upprätthöll till 1941, då han blev docent i bakteriologi. Han befordrades till professor i klinisk bakteriologi 1957, även det vid Lunds universitet, och beklädde den posten till sin emeritering 1975.

Parallellt med sin akademiska karriär tjänstgjorde Winblad även som läkare, först vid epidemisjukhusets radiologiska och invärtesmedicinska kliniker 1941–1943, och från 1944 som överläkare på patologisk-bakteriologiska respektive bakteriologiska avdelningarna på Malmö allmänna sjukhus. Även överläkartjänsten behöll han fram till sin pensionering 1975.

Winblad var även aktiv som kommunpolitiker i Malmö; han var ledamot av stadsfullmäktige 1955–1962, och var vice ordförande för stadens allmänna försäkringskassa 1956–1965, socialnämnd 1956–1965, och pensionsdelegation 1959–1966. Han valdes 1957 till ledamot av Kungliga fysiografiska sällskapet i Lund, och var Malmö nations proinspektor 1960 och 1964, samt inspektor 1965–1969.

Winblad var son till bankdirektören Gustaf Winblad. Han gifte sig 1938 med Anna-Stina Edlund.

Utmärkelser
   Riddare av Kungliga Nordstjärneorden
   Svenska Röda Korsets förtjänstmedalj i silver
   Svenska Röda Korsets förtjänsttecken

Referenser

Noter

Tryckta källor
 Åke Davidsson (red.). Vem är vem? Skåne, Halland, Blekinge. 2. uppl. Stockholm: Vem är vem, 1966 (Länk)
 Lunds kungl. universitets katalog för höst-terminen 1927. Lund: Akademiska föreningen, 1927 (Libris)
 Lunds kungl. universitets katalog för höst-terminen 1929. Lund: Akademiska föreningen, 1929 (Libris)
 Lunds kungl. universitets katalog för höst-terminen 1930. Lund: Akademiska föreningen, 1930 (Libris)
 Lunds kungl. universitets katalog för vår-terminen 1931. Lund: Akademiska föreningen, 1931 (Libris)
 Lunds kungl. universitets katalog för vår-terminen 1933. Lund: Akademiska föreningen, 1933 (Libris)
 Lunds kungl. universitets katalog för höst-terminen 1934. Lund: Akademiska föreningen, 1934 (Libris)
 Lunds kungl. universitets katalog för vår-terminen 1936. Lund: Akademiska föreningen, 1936 (Libris)
 Lunds kungl. universitets katalog för höst-terminen 1936. Lund: Akademiska föreningen, 1936 (Libris)
 Lunds kungl. universitets katalog för vår-terminen 1937. Lund: Akademiska föreningen, 1937 (Libris)
 Lunds kungl. universitets katalog för vår-terminen 1940. Lund: Akademiska föreningen, 1940 (Libris)
 Lunds kungl. universitets katalog för höst-terminen 1942. Lund: Akademiska föreningen, 1942 (Libris)
 Hans Uddling & Katrin Paabo (red.). Vem är det : Svensk biografisk handbok 1993. Stockholm: Norstedts Förlag AB, 1992 (Länk)
 Vem är det : Svensk biografisk handbok 1985. Stockholm: P A Norstedt & Söners Förlag, 1984 (Länk)
 Sten Winblad. Studies in haemolytic streptococcus fibrinolysin, antifibrinolysin and antistreptolysin, with particular reference to rheumatic fever. Köpenhamn: E. Munksgaard, 1941 (Libris)

Födda 1909
Avlidna 1987
Personer från Västervik
Personer verksamma vid Lunds universitet
Svenska professorer i klinisk bakteriologi
Svenska läkare under 1900-talet
Kommunalpolitiker i Malmö
Ledamöter av Kungliga Fysiografiska Sällskapet i Lund
Riddare av Nordstjärneorden
Män

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Metacheiromys ("next to Cheiromys") is an extinct genus of palaeanodont mammal from the paraphyletic subfamily Metacheiromyinae within paraphyletic family Metacheiromyidae, that lived in North America (what is now Wyoming) during the early to middle Eocene.

Metacheiromys was a small creature, and measured around  long. It had long claws and a narrow head similar in shape to that of an armadillo or an anteater (though it was actually related to the modern pangolins). The shape of its claws suggests that it probably dug through the soil in search of food, most likely small invertebrates. Unlike modern anteaters or pangolins, it had powerful canine teeth, but only a very few cheek teeth, instead using horny pads in its mouth to crush its food.

The generic name means "next to Cheiromys" because the scientist who saw the bones mistakenly thought that the animal was a primate with hands like those of the aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis), one synonym being Cheiromys.

Metacheiromys and its relatives, including the enigmatic Ernanodon, constitute the order Palaeanodonta, thought to be the sister taxon of pangolins.

Phylogenetic tree
The phylogenetic relationships of genus Metacheiromys is shown in the following cladogram:

References

Palaeanodonta
Eocene mammals
Eocene mammals of North America


I photographed a beautiful wedding at the wonderful Bowden Hall Hotel, Gloucester, Gloucestershire on 1st August 2014.
I'd met Bonnie & Sam at Bowden Hall prior to their wedding where we discussed the day in detail and spoke about their expectations from their wedding photography. We walked around the stunning Gloucestershire venue of Bowden Hall and talked about what they liked about the venue and how we'd incorporate those aspects into the big day.
The Wedding Day started at Bowden Hall with the bride and bridesmaid having their hair and makeup done in the bridal suite, with large sash windows it allowed for plenty of natural light to pour through!! Within the grounds we had chance to shoot some groom and best man shots before the ceremony.
We were fortunate with the weather that we were able to shoot some wonderful group shots, using the hotel as the backdrop. The grounds were superb for photographs of the bride and groom, as you can see!!
Please take a look at me wedding portfolio and packages if you are getting married soon, I cover Gloucestershire, The South West, South Wales and the UK with my documentary wedding photography.
Thanks for looking and please feel free to comment at the bottom / share!


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Retirement / 401K
The Pension Is Dead — Is the 401(k) Next?
By John Csiszar
TimArbaev / Getty Images/iStockphoto
If you're younger than 40 years old, you may not even know what a pension is. Also called defined benefit plans, pensions used to be the primary source of retirement funding for American workers. Employers were completely in control of and responsible for pensions, which would guarantee specific payments to retired workers. Starting in the 1980s, pensions rapidly began disappearing, as the defined contribution 401(k) plan dominated. Unlike with pensions, 401(k) plans don't offer guaranteed retirement payouts, which are instead determined by the performance of the 401(k) investments. New rumblings in 2021 from the Biden administration, however, threaten to change the 401(k) plan as we now know it. Although the 401(k) plan isn't likely to go the way of the pension plan, there may be significant changes ahead.
See: Jaw-Dropping Stats About the State of Retirement in America
Read More: All You Need To Know About Collecting Social Security While Still Working
The Demise of the Pension
From the 1940s until 1987, the number of workers covered by a pension plan grew from 4 million to 40 million. But by the late 1980s, the 401(k) plan, which was created in 1978, was charging full steam ahead, changing the worker retirement landscape forever. As of March 2020, while 67% of full-time workers had access to a retirement plan, only 3% had access to a defined benefit plan only, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Retire Comfortably
There are two primary reasons why the 401(k) plan helped bring about the end of the pension-dominated retirement plan era. First, employers were able to shift the burden of retirement funding, and most of the cost, to employees. Rather than having to fund an investment account that could provide lifetime payouts to an entire workforce, employers could now simply set up 401(k) plans that employees themselves would contribute to. Although most large employers do make limited matching contributions to employee accounts, they're no longer responsible for funding an employee's entire retirement.
The second reason for the rise in popularity of the 401(k) is that employees generally wanted it. With a 401(k) plan, an employee can choose how much they want to contribute and what they want to invest in, rather than trusting that an employer will handle all of these decisions for them.
See: $1M Is No Longer the Standard Nest Egg – Here's How Much Most Americans Think You Actually Need To Retire
The Demise of the 401(k)?
One of the signature benefits of the 401(k) plan is the tax deduction that employees receive for making contributions. Combined with the investment choices and matching contributions workers get from their employees, this tax deduction is one of the main reasons that 401(k) plans are so popular. Yet, rumblings from the Biden administration suggest that this tax break might be altered in the future.
Find Out: The Average Retirement Age in Every State
Biden's Proposed Modification of the 401(k) Tax Deduction
The Biden administration's proposal would change the current 401(k) tax deduction into a tax credit. Whereas a tax deduction reduces your taxable income, a tax credit directly reduces your tax liability via a dollar-for-dollar reduction of the tax you owe. The Biden proposal would level the amount of this tax credit to a flat 26% across the board, regardless of your current marginal tax bracket.
Here's why that matters. If you're in the 37% tax bracket and contribute $10,000 to your 401(k) plan, you're entitled to a $3,700 tax deduction currently. But those in the lowest 10% tax bracket would only receive a tax deduction of $1,000 for the same $10,000 contribution. The Biden proposal would adjust that to a $2,600 tax credit for any taxpayer making a $10,000 contribution, regardless of their tax bracket.
Read: 15 Retirement Mistakes and Why They'll Shrink Your Nest Egg
Does This Mean the End of the 401(k) Plan?
Even if the Biden administration were to successfully enact its proposals, 401(k) plans aren't going away anytime soon. In fact, for some workers, the proposed changes will amount to a huge windfall. The workers who are targeted in this proposal are those earning high incomes, as their contributions currently garner higher tax write-offs. The Biden administration views its proposed changes as "leveling the playing field," offering even lower-income workers access to the tax benefits that 401(k) contributions provide. It may also encourage these workers to begin contributing to a 401(k) plan, something that will help them down the road in their retirement years.
Easy Things You Can Do to Start Preparing for Retirement Now
Worried About Social Security Not Being Enough?
The 5 Fastest Ways To Become Rich, According To Experts
How Much You Need To Be 'Rich' in 50 Major US Cities
Top Bank Account Promotions for January 2022 – Avoid Fees and Earn Up To $1,500
The Top 10 Best Travel Hacks To Save the Most Money
How Much Can the Average Senior Citizen Expect To Benefit From Social Security?
31 Surprising Facts About Retiring You Probably Didn't Know
Social Security 2022: How the COLA Will Increase Benefits for the Average Senior Couple
When Social Security Runs Out: What the Program Will Look Like in 2035
Semi-Retirement: The New Job Trend Among Baby Boomers
Check Out Our Free Newsletters!
Every day, get fresh ideas on how to save and make money and achieve your financial goals.
Social Security Scams: How to Handle Calls Claiming There's a Problem with Your Account
By Georgina Tzanetos
Social Security scams have been on the rise recently, and some experts say it's only going to get worse in 2022. Scams range from mail fraud to callers pretending to be Social Security officials...
Future of Social Security: Why Experts Say Not To Worry, but Still Plan For Less 'Substantial' Payments
By Josephine Nesbit
Each year, the Social Security Board of Trustees releases its report on the current and projected financial status of Social Security and Medicare programs. According to its latest report,...
How To Boost Your Social Security Benefit With Supplemental Security Income
The Supplemental Security Income program provides a monthly benefit to adults and children with a disability or blindness and resources below specific financial limits. SSI payments are also made to...
All the States That Don't Tax Social Security
Some retirees are surprised to learn that the federal government, in certain circumstances, taxes Social Security benefits. Even more surprising to some is that certain individual states also apply...
Social Security: How You Can Work and Still Receive Benefits
According to the Social Security Administration, you can receive retirement benefits and still work at the same time. The catch is that if you are younger than full retirement age, and earn more than...
Is Traditional Retirement a Thing of the Past? Experts Weigh In
The dream of retirement is eternal, but the expectations of post-career life as a senior in America have evolved since the time of the gold watch and the employee pension. The pandemic has forced...
The 30 Greatest Threats to Your Retirement
By Roger Wohlner
Saving for retirement is difficult enough if all goes according to plan. Read: 25 Ways To Maximize Your Retirement Benefits Regions: The Cost To Retire in...
Social Security Schedule: When the First COLA Checks Will Arrive in January 2022
The Social Security Administration has released the schedule of Social Security payments for 2022. These payments will include the cost-of-living adjustment.


In our last 2 lessons, you learned how to create tapered channels using an arc ruler and today, you'll learn how to create parallel channels using an arc ruler. This is very similar to creating parallel channels with a straight line ruler, so this should prove pretty easy for you. I will be using my PTD 12 arc ruler for this, but use whatever arc ruler you have lying around. We will be working inside the lower 4 inch wide border on the sandwich you made earlier.
When you hyperquilt a quilted design, it adds a bit of flair, or a highlight, especially if it's stitched in a high contrast thread. For feathers and featherettes, it always creates areas that are almost "electrified" if you use a gold or silver rayon or polyester thread. This is because you have to repeatedly bring your stitching line back to the spine (in a feather), or back to a center base (in a featherette.) Having these areas where there is increased density of thread being laid down is what causes the highlighting. In general, if you have a border design that you like but you think it's a bit ho-hum, think of hyperquilting a section of it because it will almost always bring that design newfound life!
For me, the easiest way to build "featherette skills" is to draw a few isoscoles triangles on a piece of scrap paper. (An isosceles triangle has 2 sides that are equal.) If you look at the space created with ruler work that holds each featherette above, can you see that the space is actually is a triangle? If you go intro the challenge of drawing a freehand featherette with the goal of filling the entire space inside the triangle with plumes, it's not so hard to do this. Begin by drawing a teardrop whose base is in the dead center of the triangle and stretch that teardrop/plume so it reaches the top of the center of that space, then carry the pencil all the way back to the center base again. Now swing up and out and to the right and draw a "hook" shape that eventually meets up w/that center plume. Carefully backtrack just a bit over the "tip" of the hook you've just stitched, then swing out to the right and down to that center base point again, and you've just added another plume. If you are working inside a triangle that is roughly the same size as the triangle inside the ruler work arched swag you should have space for 1 more plume on that first side. I would sneak out, creeping along then next to the baseline, then swing up and stitch the final hook shape. Now you can carefully backtrack down your already stitched line to arrive back at the center point. Once there, you can repeat the same process on the opposite side.
*****The key to this coming out and appearing symmetric is that you are filling the exact same shape on either side of that center plume. So, if you hold yourself "accountable" to stretching/contracting your plumes so they fill the entire space, you should end up with a featherette that is symmetric! If there is a part of you wondering if this is using the bumpback feather technique, you are correct!
I'm not going to repeat previous posts here, but if you're wanting to learn how to quilt various featherettes, you can find an old post by clicking here.
There's a lot of info in this post and if you're feeling overwhelmed, skip the featherette part and stitch with creating the ruler work framework. Patience, grasshopper!
Filed under Free Motion Quilting, ruler work on a HDSM.
Brilliant once again! Many thanks Patsy.
Thank you so much for doing this course! I am enjoying it immensely and learning SO much. I'm no longer as intimidated by the rulers.
All content Copyright © 2006 - 2019 Patsy Thompson and Ernie Bode.
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I won a Raspberry Pi B+ from a Microsoft event, so I took some time to learn about the Pi to understand more about all the fuzz around IoT. The experience I had is very fun and excited. I study and work mainly on software engineering, so hacking the virtual world is much more familiar to me that hacking those hardware and devices in the real world. However, Raspberry Pi turned out to be the perfect device for me to learn more about this IoT area by providing a bridge between high level programming language (such as Python) and all the "complicated" GPIO and I2C stuffs. In other words, you can write Python instead of C++ or Assembly to communicate with so many electrical boards and devices. There are many interesting and easy to follow tutorials on Adafruit that I strongly recommend you to take a look and give it a try.
With the introduction of Windows 10 on Raspberry Pi 2, the small computing box becomes even more interesting to me. The Pi can now run Universal Windows apps and communicate with devices such as Xbox controller. Therefore, I have decided to buy a new Pi 2 and give Windows 10 IoT a try with a new project: a running robot that is remotely controlled with a Xbox Controller.


When you install VirtueMart on a multi language Joomla! website or a website that is using other language than English you have to install a VirtueMart language pack.
A new version (3.6.0) of Hera virtuemart template is now available and is packed with many new features, these features are user requests we collected the last months and also features that users payed to be added.
Version 3.5.0 has been released with some new features that are explained below.
Version 3.4.0 of Hera template has been released and is updated for the latest VirtueMart 3.0.12. To find details about the changes and bug fixes in the change log, please visit the template page.


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Babylon [Video Review]
The Pale Blue Eye | Review
The Fabelmans | Review
Don't Worry Darling | Review
Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar [Video Review]
The Florida Project: Wiig & Mumolo Wax Weird and Wacky in Bizarro Comedy
While we've grown accustomed to normalizing predictability in mainstream comedies, there's still room for surprise and effervescence, at least judging from Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar, reuniting actors and scribes Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo, who penned the 2011 hit Bridesmaids.
Initially unfolding in the vein of a familiar SNL themed skit harpooning Midwestern attitudes and accents a la the Coen Bros., Josh Greenbaum's narrative debut eventually takes a dive into the sublimely strange, like an edible kicking in just when you suspected it wasn't nearly potent enough. A candy-coated mixture of gonzo musical numbers, fascinating cameos and a comic book inspired villain, it plays like some forgotten 80s time capsule where all the odd elements somehow work.
Best friends Barb (Mumolo) and Star (Wiig) have never left their small-town Nebraskan clime. They've depended on each other for everything since Barb's husband died and Star's spouse left her for another woman, but when they're laid off at work and kicked out of their rigid social club, a tip from an old friend (Wendi McLendon-Covey) brings the duo on their first vacation, to the sun dappled Floridian coastal resort town Vista Del Mar. Not everything goes according to plan, as both women fall for the handsome Edgar (Jamie Dornan), who is in the town on an insidious mission for the vengeful woman he works for, Dr. Lady (also Wiig), who wishes to ruin the residents of the city due to a traumatic incident she experienced as a teenager. But Edgar finds himself drawn to Star while Barb begins to break out of her shell. Dr. Lady's having none of it, and refuses to allow this ill-timed romance to ruin her murderous plot to unleash genetically modified mosquitoes on Vista Del Mar during its annual Shrimp Jam.
Shot by Toby Oliver (Get Out, 2017), Barb and Star is a brightly lit Floridian fantasy with a narrative as light as gossamer. In truth, it's entirely predictable given the nonsensical set-up and begins on a note which suggests it's doomed to fail. But Mumolo and Wiig feel effortless in their ability to laugh at themselves while also caring for the closed off women they're playing. Their downy, feathered hair and exaggerated accents might grate, but they settle into a silly groove, aided by Jamie Dornan (who's never seemed to be having as much fun as he does here) as the lovelorn Edgar.
Wiig's evil alter ego, Dr. Lady, who looks like a Tim Burton villain mixed with something from Zoolander (Will Ferrell and Adam McKay serve as producers, which might mislead some into what they'd expect from the material) has her own moments with sidekick Yoyo (Reyn Doi, opening the film with a fun lip synch to "Guilty" by Barbra Streisand and Barry Gibb).
An impressive array of talent is at the narrative's disposal, each with their own dash of energy (only Damon Wayans Jr. as the blundering Darlie Bunkle feels a bit underutilized). If you like your innuendo sweet and weird with a dash of obvious emotional manipulation, you'll likely crush hard on Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar.
★★★½/☆☆☆☆☆
Related Topics:Adam McKay, Annie Mumolo, Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar, Christopher Lennertz, Damon Wayans Jr., Dara Taylor, Fortune Feimster, Ian Gomez, Jamie Dornan, Jessica Elbaum, Jonathan McCoy, Josh Greenbaum, Kristen Wiig, Kwame Patterson, Margot Hand, Michael Hitchcock, Phyllis Smith, Reyn Doi, Steve Welch, Studio Film Review, Toby Oliver, top-stories, Vanessa Bayer, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Will Ferrell
The World to Come | Review
Jumbo | Review


Weather today: on Wednesday morning mostly clear, afternoon mostly cloudy, evening cloudy.
Temperature from 43℉ to 52℉.
Weather tomorrow : on Thursday morning mostly clear, during the day rain, evening heavy rain.
Weather on Friday morning cloudy, during the day mostly clear, evening fair. Windy.


A nearly 70-year-old hotel will be demolished to become a Delray Beach oceanfront condo called "Ocean Delray." The new three-story building will have 19 homes that will be priced in the high-$4 million range.
The Wright family sold their oceanfront property, the 29-room Wright by the Sea at 1901 S. Ocean Blvd., to National Realty Investment Advisors and U.S. Construction, Inc. in October for $25 million.
It was one of the few remaining small beach-side hotels that still had windows to open to enjoy the sea air, according to the Greater Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce website. It was originally built in 1950 to become the family homestead.
The Wright by the Sea is expected to be demolished in early 2019, according to a spokeswoman for Ocean Delray. Completion is expected for the fourth quarter of 2010. The homes with glass-panel balcony railings will range from 3,300 square feet to more than 4,600 square feet. Each home will have a private, enclosed and air-conditioned garage – with electric car charging units. Private elevators will take residents from their individual garages to to their residences. Ocean Delray's residents also will have access to private beach lockers and poolside cabanas, according to a spokeswoman for Ocean Delray.
(Learn more about Ocean Delray here).


Its well kwon that Qatar developed in the last few years on several levels, which made it an attractive area to live in for people whom are looking to make a kind of change in their life.
Many people came from several countries around the world including Iran, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Unfortunately not all of them where able to get jobs or even houses therefore, they became homeless or sleep in their work areas.
Some of them sleep in parks other may sleep in some stores they work illegally in, and their situation is so miserable. Most of the times they sleep on the ground in an unhealthy environment. This lead some of them to suffer from various types of diseases.
It happens that many foreign workers can't get a proper accommodation.
Some of them may work with people that accept the fact that they are illegal workers, but they keep the issue secret. Other may stand beside a mall for example and they take whatever people would give them.
Homeless people in Doha live a different type of life. Policemen are always following them, and there is a possibility that they could be arrested and prisoner each and every minute. So they stay up all night and whenever they hear any police car they run away directly. Especially that most of them don't have any kind of documents.
Since they have no shelter, many of those people, have a real danger all the time. Some of them may got mugged or face several types of violence.
Those people left their countries to work, but they today are suffering and no member of their families knows about their bad situation. But the case is, as they say always, that their families need money therefore they should provide it.
The rate of visitors to Qatar in 2016 decreased by 6% from 2015 to be 1.4 million visitors in the first six months of the year and that is because of Ramadan. But official expects that the rate of visitors will increase due to this month's summer festival, as well as the upcoming cruise season. For example, the festival has tied in with local hotels, retail establishments, and mage sporting events to encourage more tourists to visit the country. Also in the last quarter of the year there are expectations that number of tourists will increase when the cruise season begins in October.


And 113664. Can these games get deleted now.. I've been o out for months and they are still in active games.
-Fortune favours the bold, but I'm too paranoid to test that theory.
We need the creator to say if he wants them deleted. I know it sounds silly, but clearly they have been suspended for some reason and the deadline moved out a year, but presumably there was a reason for that at the time. If the reason is no longer relevant then of course we can kill them.
The creator was Mhsmith01 for the gunboat tournament but people joined as the wrong countries so he made new games. Those games are no longer needed, but you may need to hear it from him.
OK, Mike confirmed, I have killed them.


The Roller Derby Aerio Q60 Inline Skates are great for recreational inline skating and will serve the beginner to intermediate skater well. They come with contoured, foam liners that will shape to your specific feet to enhance comfort and the polyester and mesh soft boot will provide good air flow to reduce moisture buildup. Aluminum frames will ensure stability while skating and the 80mm wheels with ABEC7 bearings provide an easy roll.
The skates are visually appealing and very sturdy. They are true to size and rather comfortable.


We've got tons of men's boots… a whole wall of them to be precise! While the majority of our boot selection changes with the seasons, we've got a few classic styles that we carry year round.
Low rise, boot cut, flatters curves.
Welcome to Cowtown Online. Cowtown is many things to the prairies. We are a service driven business with many divisions. With stores in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Alberta we offer many things to many people.
Each Cowtown store matches different products to it's local communities. If you are visiting Regina, Weyburn, Saskatoon, Moose Jaw, Swift Current, Edmonton or Brandon, be sure to contact the Cowtown in your area to be sure they have what you are looking for.
Have a look around our Clothing department, Pet department and view the Animal Health area.


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Japan & International Child Abduction: An Update
The article below updates Japan's attempt to handle the issue of international child abduction. It highlights the fact that there is substantial misunderstanding within Japan concerning the entire issue of child custody and how the country's accession to the Hague Convention would work. There is a very long way to go until Japan returns abducted children.
TOKYO, Feb. 24 KYODO
Japan is struggling to address international child custody issues amid renewed pressure from the United States and other countries to join a convention to deal with the problems that arise when failed international marriages result in children wrongfully being taken to Japan by one parent.
What also makes Japan wary is facing possible criticism that it is harsh in its condemnation of North Korea for abducting Japanese in the past but lags behind in dealing with the so-called ''parental child abduction'' often conducted by its own citizens.
Japan is currently considering joining the convention which provides a procedure for the prompt return of such ''abducted'' children to their habitual country of residence and secures protection of rights of access to parents to their children.
Complaints are growing over cases in which a Japanese parent, often mothers, bring a child home without the consent of the other foreign parent, or regardless of custody determination in other countries, and denies the other parent access to the child.
The problem is not new. In 2006, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper raised the issue with then Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. Most recently, ambassadors of eight countries, including the United States, Britain, France and Australia, jointly submitted concerns, and Kurt Campbell, U.S. assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, also called on Japan to work on the issue during his visit to Tokyo earlier this month.
''The issue is only going to continue to grow by leaps and bounds if you will, simply because Japanese are marrying more and more with foreigners,'' Raymond Baca, consul general at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, said in an interview with Kyodo News.
''This is a multilateral issue. And it affects the world community,'' he also stressed, citing that a total of 81 countries have so far signed the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.
As of Wednesday, the Japanese Foreign Ministry has received complaints on 77 cases from the United States, 37 cases each from Britain and Canada, and 35 cases from France, according to a ministry official dealing with the issue.
As part of efforts to address the issue, the ministry set up in December the Division for Issues Related to Child Custody, and has engaged in separate bilateral talks with the United States and France to deal with specific disputes.
The ministry has also held a briefing session for the embassies of countries interested in the issue and plans to hold a closed-door seminar in March in which experts from several countries are expected to gather for discussion on the issue, the official said.
''The issue needs to be considered with haste inside the Foreign Ministry and also inside the government,'' Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada said in his e-mail newsletter released Feb. 5.
But he said that acceding to the convention may ''take a little more time'' and also noted the need to take into consideration the differences of legal system between Japan and the United States, or Europe.
''In Japan, basically there is an idea of not letting authorities intervene in family affairs, except for child abuse cases. Therefore, there is no means for coercion. But in Europe and the United States, that may sound strange,'' he said.
There are also differences on parental rights, with Japan's law giving a single parent, often mothers, full custody of children in divorce, while the United States and Europe allow joint custody.
Japan's Civil Code also does not mention about the visitation rights for noncustodial parent and many Japanese mothers are known to refuse the divorced parent to meet the child.
''I understand our two nations' approaches to divorce and child custody are very different, but, as a result, American left behind parents have little or no access to their children once abducted to Japan,'' Campbell, the top U.S. diplomat for Asia, said in Tokyo.
''The U.S. government...strongly believes that children should grow up with access to both parents,'' he also said, noting that leaving the issue unresolved may raise concerns on the positive nature of U.S.-Japan relations.
Foreign Ministry Press Secretary Kazuo Kodama said that the ministry would ''carefully'' handle the issue so as not to impair the relations with its key security ally, shrugging off the possibility of the issue becoming a diplomatic flashpoint.
But some Foreign Ministry officials are concerned that the discussion starts to have a linkage with the issue of North Korea's abductions of Japanese nationals.
''When Japan calls for the resolution of (North Korea's) abductions, we may be asked, 'So what is your country doing (in the area of child abduction)?','' a senior ministry official said.
''And if we answer that it is a cultural issue, Japan may be regarded as a selfish country,'' the official said, responding on condition of anonymity.
Indicating Japan's awkward position, several diplomatic sources said that Campbell warned senior Japanese Foreign Ministry officials during his February visit to Japan that its failure to join the convention may have adverse effects on Washington's assistance to Tokyo in trying to resolve the North Korean abduction issue.
The Foreign Ministry official dealing with the child custody issue said Japan basically has no objection to the convention's idea of setting procedures to restore the status quo before the wrongful removal has taken place, without making any custody determination.
But still government officials appear uncertain on whether they can gain full understanding from the public at the moment on the issue of Japan's accession to the treaty.
A Justice Ministry official said that the government has to be able to respond to concerns especially in relation to cases when Japanese women flee from an abusive foreign husband.
While the convention has safeguards to prevent children to return to an abusive environment, the official at the civil affairs bureau said interpretations seem to vary among countries on whether the safeguards apply to cases when the abuse is seen only toward the mother and not to the child.
The Foreign Ministry official dealing with the issue also said that there may be a misunderstanding among the public that a child's return order issued in line with the convention means that the child would have to be there forever.
While saying that the historic change of government in Japan may serve as a momentum for Japan to improve the situation, the official also said, ''To tell the truth, we have yet to come up with a good solution.''
Posted by Jeremy Morley at 7:57 AM
Morocco – Norway International Child Abduction Int...
Child custody fights could hurt US-Japan ties


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NORTHEAST TECHNOLOGY NEWS
Wednesday March 6 2019
Clicksco announces senior appointments to drive growth of Carbon platform
Global one-to-one marketing specialist, Clicksco Group has announced a series of senior promotions across its data science, product and commercial teams, following an industry-first joint venture between its data management platform, Carbon and media investment business, National World.
Established to lead Carbon through its next stage of growth, with revenue anticipated to increase 100% by 2021, the senior team boasts over 90 years' collective industry experience.
Former head of data and compliance, David Snocken, now becomes director of data and strategy while head of data science and machine learning, Alistair McLean, has been promoted to chief technology officer. Head of product, Graham Morley and head of operations, Adam Paxton, each move into director roles respectively.
Data analytics and visualisation expert David Snocken, has been instrumental in navigating Carbon through the GDPR minefield while aligning the cloud-based technology, which uses first and third-party intent data, to an ethical by design principle. His extensive experience forged over three decades in the software, data and IT sectors, makes him a safe pair of hands when it comes to responsible data management - evidenced by Clicksco's ISO 27001 accreditation and recent affiliations with the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) and IAB Transparency and Consent Framework.
Based from Clicksco's central London operations, having embedded robust processes to ensure Carbon offers a transparent and open approach to data handling, David will contribute to shaping the business; adding value as a senior leader.
Spearheading new features and technologies to improve Carbon's functionality, are North East-based user experience (UX) specialist Graham Morley and artificial intelligence (AI) expert Alistair McLean.
Part of the original team that created the innovative technology, the duo lead the product development and data science teams, supported by several schemes that tap into industry knowledge and the North East talent pool.
These projects include a unique KTP (Knowledge Transfer Partnership) led by Alistair, in partnership with Durham University. Focused on machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) advancements, the KTP combines Clicksco's digital data specialisms with the statistical knowledge of Durham University, with the aim to create innovative tools to better understand customer behaviour in the digital marketing sector.
With 20 years dedicated to the technology industry at digital agencies, SMEs and technology start-ups, as director of product, Graham leads on expanding Carbon's capabilities. For example, building on an upcoming release which will enable publishers to automatically identify highly engaged audiences then create bespoke customer segments that are most relevant to what advertisers are looking for, to maximise revenues.
Teesside-based Pete Danks, who heads up the Carbon team as divisional CEO, said: "Our recent partnership with National World has seen Carbon mark a significant point in its history, after launching just 12 months ago. With media magnate David Montgomery at the helm of this unique joint venture, coupled with our senior team's ability to seamlessly collaborate across digital marketing, data management and data science, it's more important than ever that we continue to push the boundaries of what has been achieved so far. Over 2,200 sites (with combined 285m monthly uniques) currently benefit from Carbon's reliable, accurate, and intent-driven audience tools and thanks to the expertise we have in place, we believe this innovative technology will become the leading AI-driven intent data platform.
"These promotions have also enabled our junior team members to progress to the next stage of their careers, reaffirming our commitment to developing tech skills within the North East's burgeoning digital ecosystem."
Offering advertisers, publishers, and platforms intelligent, actionable insights to improve personalised online experiences and more profitable audience data monetization, Carbon uses data science and ML to unify audience data across the digital ecosystem. This data can then be used to gain a rich understanding of online consumer needs, behaviours and intent, in real-time.
For more information, visit www.clicksco.com and keep up to date with the latest news via LinkedIn and Twitter.
"These promotions have also enabled our junior team members to progress to the next stage of their careers, reaffirming our commitment to developing tech skills within the North East."
Pete Danks
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Technology Product Owner
Role: Technology Product Owner Location: Newcastle Salary: £60,000 -70,000 Benefits: Bonus at target, PMI, 24-26 days holiday, Life Assurance, Income Protection, 10% non-contributory pension, This is an exciting permanent opportunity for an experienced Product Owner with a strong background in technology and experience of Agile methodology .
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Nick Jonas To Host The 2015 Kids Choice Awards!
The very talented Nick Jonas will be hosting the 2015 Kids Choice Awards. The show will be March 28, 2015. So mark your calendars and make sure you vote for your favorite choices for the upcoming awards show!.
Debby Ryan To Host Teen Vogue's 'Back To School Saturday' Event!
Great news for all fans of great music and fun in the sun! Debby Ryan will be hosting Teen Vogue's 'Back To School Saturday' event at The Grove in Los Angeles, California. The Grove will have special events planned Friday, August 8th at 8:30pm and Saturday, August 9th from 1:00pm – 5:00pm. The Janoskians will also be performing!
Be sure to keep an eye on TI as well as Teen Vogue's website for the latest updates, set times, and more celebs to be announced soon!


text:
Q: Linq query combining ADO.Net entities from a database connection and a data service reference? I'm not even quite sure how to properly word this, but here goes.
I have two .net web applications.  One provides a WCF data service ("DEPT_DataService") which provides access to a number of entity sets ("DEPT_Entities").  The other is an MVC2 application which provides a web interface, and also has its own ADO.net entities which are backed by a local MSSQL database.
Using an overly-basic structure to illustrate:
Let's say the WCF data service application includes a single entity set, "Departments", backed by a "Departments" table in its local SQL database.  This contains a list of all the departments in the company, along with the employee ID of the primary contact for that department.
Let's also say that the MVC2 application includes a single entity set, "Employees", which contains a list of a bunch of people, including their name and their employee ID.
I've got DEPT_Entities added to the MVC2 application as a Service Reference, "DEPT".  When I look at that service reference in the Object Browser, I see "DEPT_Entities" and "Departments".
What I want to do is define a relationship that allows me, via Linq, to refer to something like this:
Employee firstEmployee = db.Employees.First();
Department[] firstEmployeesDepts = firstEmployee.Departments.toList();

...in other words, I essentially want a navigation property that provides a one-to-many relationship between the Employee entities found in the local database and the Department entities found in the remote data service.
Is this doable?  How?
Thanks!

A: If you want to access the databases directly without a webservice:
You can use SQL Server tricks (Remote Query inside of a View to a Linked Server) to make Linq2SQL be able to query the remote table. Essentially, you simulate that the remote table is just an ordinary local table (a view, but L2S does not care).
This will work but it will not be pretty.
If you want to have a webservice in front of one of the tables: This will not work because L2S does not understand webservices.
In fact, I would architecturally advise against hinding the fact that you are calling a webservice.


text:
The Kid Laroi/Justin Bieber
contests Your chance to win tickets to see Lizzo!
Your chance to win tickets to see Lizzo!
Just listen to Mix 105.1 on the Audacy app or stream us online!
Photo credit FPC Live
Log In and Listen to Mix 105.1 on the Audacy app or on Mix1051fm.com for your chance to win a pair of tickets to see Lizzo at the Fiserv Forum on May 16, 2023! Each hour of listening earns you an additional entry. The more you listen, the more chances to win.
Ticket info HERE!
January 19, 2023 at 12:00am CT through February 5, 2023 at 11:59pm CT
For the Log In & Listen Lizzo Concert Ticket Contest, enter between 12:00am CT on January 19, 2023 and 11:59pm CT on February 5, 2023 (the "Entry Period") by logging into your Audacy account on the Audacy app or the Audacy.com website and then searching for Mix 105.1, clicking such participating radio station logo, and clicking the "Play" button to listen to such participating radio station for at least one (1) hour during the Entry Period. On or about Monday, February 6, 2023, one (1) entrant will be randomly selected from among all eligible entries, and upon verification, receive two (2) tickets to Lizzo at the Fiserv Forum on May 16, 2023, prize is valued at approximately $79, and is courtesy of Live Nation. You will receive one (1) entry per one (1) cumulative hour that you have listened to Mix 105.1 on the Audacy app or on the Audacy website. You will receive one (1) bonus entry for each additional one (1) cumulative hour listened to when you listen to Mix 105.1 on the Audacy app or on Audacy.com while being logged into your account. There is a maximum of eight (8) entries per person per day and per Audacy account. FREE Audacy USER ACCOUNT REQUIRED TO ENTER. IMPORTANT! The entry process may ONLY be completed using the FREE Audacy app (available via the Apple App Store or Google Play) on a supported mobile device (i.e., a smartphone running either the Apple iOS or Android operating system) OR online at mix1051fm.com by being logged into your FREE Audacy account. Individuals CANNOT enter this contest by means of a smartspeaker, smart TV, smart automobile dashboard, or any other device or operating system not listed above.
The winner and any guest(s) must comply with any and all COVID-19 vaccination, screening, testing, safety and related requirements imposed or required by (if applicable) the Station, the venue, event promoter, sponsors, travel providers, hotels, governmental authorities or others in connection with the receipt, use and redemption of the prize. These restrictions are not subject to negotiation. Refusal to comply with the applicable COVID-19 requirements will result in forfeiture of the prize and no replacement or alternate prize be provided. All cancellations are deemed beyond the control of the Station and its sponsors. This includes, but is not limited to, event cancellations due to any pandemic or epidemic constituting a public health emergency, including those subject to government mandated quarantines, travel restrictions, or stay-at-home orders. The station and sponsors are not responsible for replacing or reimbursing any Winner with any form of compensation for events that are cancelled, nor will any alternate prize be provided. Redeeming and/or using the prize(s) in this contest requires for the winner(s) to have a valid email address. Redeeming and using the prize(s) in this contest requires for the winner(s) (i) to have a valid email address and an app-enabled mobile device capable of downloading and running a third-party mobile ticketing app (e.g., Ticketmaster, AXS, MLB, etc.); (ii) to install, or have already installed, such mobile ticketing app on their app-enabled mobile device; and (iii) to login into an existing user account or to sign up for a free user account with the third-party operating such mobile ticketing app by completing a form with all required information, including at a minimum first name, last name, and valid email address. THE PRIZE(S) IN THIS CONTEST CANNOT BE REDEEMED OR USED BY ANY MEANS OTHER THAN THE DESIGNATED THIRD-PARTY MOBILE TICKETING APP FOR THIS PRIZE. INDIVIDUALS WHO DO NOT HAVE A VALID EMAIL ADDRESS, ACCESS TO AN APP-ENABLED MOBILE DEVICE AND/OR DO NOT COMPLY WITH THE FOREGOING REQUIREMENTS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO REDEEM OR USE THE PRIZE(S) IN THIS CONTEST SHOULD THEY BE SELECTED AND VERIFIED AS A WINNER, WILL NOT RECEIVE A SUBSTITUTE PRIZE, AND SHOULD NOT ENTER THIS CONTEST.
Except as otherwise stated herein, WMHX general contest rules apply and are available by clicking HERE.


Solihull Carers Centre has been providing support to unpaid carers of all ages across Solihull for 15 years. Each year the charity works with around 1,000 carers providing a range of emotional and practical support to help them in their caring role and improve their wellbeing. The centre also provides information, advice and awareness raising to a further 2,000 carers and many staff and volunteers working with them.
Brandon Scott-Omenka joined Solihull Carers Centre as chief executive during an uncertain time for many voluntary sector organisations adapting to changes in the commissioning and procurement landscape.
"It was important for us to position ourselves in the best possible way in a highly competitive and changing funding environment but in order to do this, the vision, goals and strategic plan for our organisation needed attention," said Brandon.
It was the timely launch of Community Enterprise for Success (CEFS), a new business development programme, that enabled Solihull Carers Centre to fast track some of the priorities identified during an organisational review with a business adviser.
"It was useful having someone with a fresh set of questions working alongside myself and the trustees, in many ways as a consultant, offering tremendous knowledge and expertise of the sector and local operating environment.
"Workshops on financial planning, board development, bid writing and social media were valuable opportunities to test and update our knowledge. Next we'll be focusing on an organisational re-brand, a marketing strategy and refocussing our bidding for new contract opportunities," added Brandon.
Over the past 18 months, Solihull Carers Centre has continued to work with CEFS and other initiatives to expand its board, recruit more staff, implement a new database and a successful fundraising strategy, doubling the amount raised on the previous year.
The investment in developing the organisation has seen Solihull Carers Centre exceed its contractual targets by an average of 11% – carers assessments and support plans, networking and befriending, social activities and wellbeing training, one to one support and targeted case work all increased in 2016-17.
A record number of new registrations from adult carers has been achieved and the launch of a new mentoring and befriending scheme for young carers has received over 200 referrals.
There are approximately 24,000 carers in Solihull.
Across the UK seven million people are carers of which 700,000 are young carers.
Solihull Carers Centre is a Network Partner of the Carers Trust and has achieved their top accreditation, the Centre of Excellence quality award.


There is a parking station located at Imperial Shopping Centre, enter via William St for Lower ground parking or enter via Erina St East for Upper parking. 1 hour street parking is also available on Mann street, Donnison Street and William Street.
Exit at Gosford imperial Centre or Gosford Interchange.
Gosford Family Dentist is located close to Gosford Train Station and Gosford Interchange approximately 4mins walk on Mann Street.


One of my favorite quotes comes from Socrates – "The unexamined life is not worth living." For many years I lived an unexamined life, caught up in the time consuming world of a career, family and everything else that prevented me from really stepping back into some quiet moments and trying to figure out, what is life really all about? When I did find those quiet moments, I discovered I had buried so many wonderful treasures of my inner self that were now dying to come out. I found I needed to do some housecleaning in my life, in the manner of ending my marriage, ending my career, and living life on my own terms that I had pushed aside for so long. Not everyone needs to go through such drastic life changes to examine their lives, but it is important that we not only focus on our loved ones, but also on ourselves, in an unselfish act of love.
These are my kind of people!
Pushing forward – land ho!
We can navigate our way out of them blindfolded!


Aim. To study the antimicrobial properties of the surface-active agents (surfactants) Acinetobacter calcoaceticus IMV B-7241 depending on the availability of yeast autolysate and trace elements in the composition of ethanol-, n-hexadecane- and glycerol-containing media. Methods. Antimicrobial against bacteria (Escherichia coli IEM-1, Bacillus subtilis BT-2), and yeast (Candida albicans D-6) properties of the surfactant was determined by index of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). Surfactants were extracted from supernatant of cultural liquid by mixture of chloroform and methanol (2 : 1). Results. The removal from cultivation medium yeast autolysate and trace element mix and replacing them by copper sulfate and iron sulphate in the medium with ethanol and n-hexadecane, and in the medium with glycerol - by potassium chloride, zinc sulfate and copper sulfate accompanied by decreasing antimicrobial properties of surfactants. The most effective antimicrobial agents were surfactant synthesized on ethanol in the presence of yeast autolysate and trace elements (MIC 9-20 μ/ml), whereas the surfactant obtained under similar cultivation conditions on glycerol and n-hexadecane, inhibited growth of tested bacteria and yeast at higher (9 - 68 and 27 - 54 μ/ml, respectively) concentrations. The minimum inhibitory concentration of surfactant, synthesized in a medium with ethanol (glycerol, n-hexadecane), yeast autolysate and trace elements, correlated with the activity of NADP+-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase - a key enzyme of aminolipids biosynthesis (610 ± 30, 395 ± 24, 397 ± 24 nM min-1·mg-1 protein, respectively). Conclusions. The higher activity of NADP+-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase when growing the strain IMV B-7241 in a medium with ethanol (n-hexadecane), yeast autolysates and trace elements compared to that in a medium with copper sulfate and iron sulfate, as well as an increase enzyme activity in the presence of zinc cations suggests the possibility of increasing synthesis aminolipids by introducing Zn2+ in the medium with ethanol and n-hexadecan. The obtained data indicate the need for studies depending on biological properties of surfactants of the cultivation conditions of producer.
Key words: Acinetobacter calcoaceticus ІМВ В-7241, surfactants, conditions of cultivation, antimicrobial properties.
Pirog T.P., Berehova Kh.A., Savenko I.V., Shevchuk T.A, Iutynska H.O. Antymikrobna diya poverkhnevo-aktyvnykh rechovyn Nocardia vaccinii IMV V-7405. Mikrobiol. Z. 2015; 77(6):2-10.
Pirog T.P., Konon A.D., Sofilkanych A.P., Skochko A.B. Diya poverkhnevo-aktyvnykh rechovyn Acinetobacter calcoaceticus K-4 ta Rhodococcus erythropolis EK-1 na deyaki mikroorhanizmy. Mikrobiol. Z. 2011; 73(3):14-20.
Pirog T.P., Shevchuk T.A., Berehova Kh.A., Kudrya N.V. Osoblyvosti metabolizmu hlyukozy i hlitserolu u Nocardia vaccinii IMV V-7405 - produtsenta poverkhnevo-aktyvnykh rechovyn. Ukr. Biochem. J. 2015; 87(2):66-75.
Pirog T.P., Shevchuk T.A., Mashchenko O.Yu., Parfenyuk S.A., Iutinskaya GA. Vliyanie faktorov rosta i nekotorykh mikroelementov na sintez poverkhnostno-aktivnykh veshchestv Acinetobacter calcoaceticus IMV V-7241. Mikrobiol. Z. 2013; 75(5):19-27.
Rufino R., Luna J., Sarubbo L., Rodrigues L., Teixeira J., Campos-Takaki G. Antimicrobial and anti-adhesive potential of a biosurfactants produced by Candida species. Curr. Microbiol. 2012; 24(8):245-256.


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My childhood years were never boring. Treasured moments abound. Having grown up in Nkolokosa Township in Blantyre, adventures were at every turn. As shared in the previous article, parents understood the need for us to explore our world. But they were also aware of the dangers that some places or events posed on our little souls. Despite being strongly discouraged to go to the so-called forbidden land, our incessant itch to discover was too much to ignore. In the end, the curiosity prevailed over the possibility of getting a reprimand, being grounded or occasionally getting a lash. In our little minds, it was worth taking the risk.
One such forbidden land were the city dams. Blantyre City, being hilly, has many rivers and over the years, the city council constructed dams for various purposes. The closest to us was Chimwankhunda down located at the bottom of Soche Hill. As a matter of fact, the dam stood between us and the hill. The second dam was much further away. Chiwembe Dam (it has another English name, which I can't recall at the moment) was towards the east of Soche Hill, and was at the boundary of the Chiwembe neighbourhood. The last dam of interest was Mudi Dam, the official reservoir for Blantyre Water Board. It was located in Ndirande, probably the most popular township in the city.
No one was allowed access to these dams, and security patrolled them day and night. The older boys, from time to time, would dare a breach and venture into the restricted areas. On one occasion, we witnessed some boys going merry-go-round with the guards. They made sure they were constantly moving, and kept the guards on the other side of the dam as much as possible. It was silly but it was fun. We could only watch the proceedings from a safe distance away.
Then for whatever reason, the guarding services at two of the dams became erratic. This was a lifetime opportunity to visit the aquatic paradise. As usual, the older boys – Kondwani and Fred Lisimba, who happened to be my next door neighbours – went for an exploratory trip. They came back with stories of fishing, swimming and water games at Chimwankhunda Dam. What's more, they managed to convince my mom that there was a shallow side, where little ones like myself could partake somewhat of the goodness of the dam. Reluctantly, my mum let go with strict instructions to Kondwani.
Chimwankhunda was indeed a paradise. Partly covered at the inlet by a type of reeds that gave off a sweet powdery fruit, it boasted of clear waters and had plenty of fish. Others ate the fruit as a snack, but the one I sampled was not sweet at all. The fruit was shaped like a double lollipop. Apparently, the sweet one was the one at the top of the stalk, but then boys from other neighbourhoods had an early entrance to the party and had wiped out the sweet ones before we showed up.
We went there several times, and I gave a try at fishing. When I accidentally dropped my line near where I was standing in the shallow waters, a little fish caught my hook. I yanked it up, and it was a tiny silver shimmering tube at the end of the fishing line. Being so lucky early in the day, I awaited for a bigger catch. The catch never came. And when we got chased by a guard, I became a little reluctant to return the following day. I think the tiny, little detail of guards chasing us as trespassers was left out when Kondwani was getting permission from my mum.
One Saturday morning the weather was perfect for a fishing trip. I wanted to join the older boys for another day of fun at the dam. Unfortunately, there was a day trip to the village, and that opportunity could not be missed. Thondwe, my dad's home village in Zomba, was a house of plenty. There was a dambo (valley) full of sweet, sweet sugarcane, and grandmother always let me eat to my fill. There was bananas, guavas, mangoes, pomegranates, pawpaws, avocado pears, and nthema (wild round fruit). And then there were stories from my one late uncle, Uncle Gerald, and lots of cousins (led by George) of hunting mice and birds, and the occasional illegal traps for village chickens – told in secret with glee like someone returning from a trip from Mars.
On my return from the village, I was met with shocking news. Someone from our neighbourhood had drowned at Chimwankhunda Dam. Permissions were stripped off, and once again, it became a forbidden land.
After some time, our quest turned from fishing to keeping fish in makeshift, outdoor, local aquaria. We could also keep the live fish in bottles made from empty plastic juice bottles. Those with little talent would use used cooking oil bottles, but these were difficult to clean in the first place and usually small. That changed when Kukoma cooking oil started coming in 5 litre bottles. Then those with super talent learnt how to thoroughly clean the bottles, and made sure there was no layer of oil floating in the water. We had already figured out that the layer of oil was killing the fish. Actually, before Chimwankhunda Dam became briefly "accessible", keeping live fish was much preferable to fishing. So this was basically returning to our roots.
In comes Chiwembe Dam into the picture. Again, the elder boys, led by the versatile team of brothers, Kondwani and Fred, opened the grail and found their way to the mouth of the outlet of Chiwembe Dam. By all accounts, this was a much more dangerous place to visit even by our standards. The dam was covered in namasipuni. This species of water hyacinth had commandeered the entire surface of the dam, and made it difficult to gauge the depth of the waters. And others added to the perceived threat by claiming that the weeds would trap its victim by engulfing you, sucking you under and suffocating you to death.
However, the outlet had terraced steps with mostly concrete surface. The few places where the water had dug through, were usually visible, and generally not very deep. There was plenty of fingerlings. So when the first party of the scouts came with the tales of the new adventure, and backed by solid evidence, there was only one thing to do. I jumped into the bandwagon the followed day and started off on the longish journey to Chiwembe. This time we didn't even bother try to seek for permission. We knew what the answer would be. For some reason I took off my shoes, and later on stepped on a fallen branch of vicious thorns locally called chiwomba muluzi. These guys turn white when fully grown, and will easily pierce through even a tough cloth. Given an exposed skin, they did a mighty job and forced me to sit down with my foot hanging in the air and tears in my eyes. Kondwani or Fred did the honours of taking off the army of thorns, and after a while I wiped off the tears on my face, and happily resumed our quest.
Chiwembe Dam was everything I had dreamed of. I had never caught so much fish before, and even since. We packed them in as many bottles as we could carry. We returned home triumphant. We dug a communal pool at my neighbours' house and deposited all the fish in it. Later on I sneaked, and helped myself to a few fingerlings for my private collection. Being successful at it, I went for it again and again, until Chikondi, one of the sisters, caught me in the act. I talked out of it, but no one was convinced with the alibi. This is one of the very few cases where I stole something from anyone. Such was the allure for keeping fish in an aquarium. This perhaps was the most successful adventure we ever took in our neighbourhood. It gave us many days of pleasure, and the fish looked gorgeous in the makeshift pool that the Lisimba boys had made in the ground.
Mudi Dam was much further away, heavily guarded and only available to those who were looking for fishing big fish. This was above our punching weight. Without parents speaking against it, we had already declared it a forbidden land. I suppose anyone caught going there would have earned himself a thousand lashes – so I think.