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Turkish markets, lira soar ahead of central bank meeting
by Daily Sabah with Reuters
ISTANBUL Economy
Jul 24, 2018 12:00 am GMT+3
Jul 24, 2018 12:00 am
The Turkish lira firmed up yesterday after comments from Treasury and Finance Minister Berat Albayrak created expectations of an interest rate hike by the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey (CBRT) at a monetary policy meeting today.
The lira rose 0.8 percent against the U.S. dollar and traded below 4.75, leading emerging currency gains, ahead of today's central bank meeting. Markets expect rates to rise 100-125 basis points after inflation hit a 14-year high in June.
Those expectations were strengthened when Minister Albayrak was quoted as saying that Turkey would not fight with markets but pursue a "win-win" relationship with them.
Rabobank strategist Piotr Matys said Albayrak's comments were "constructive," highlighting his defense of central bank independence and economic reforms.
Turkish stocks also rose, gaining 1.4 percent to hit a two-week high while the banking sector rallied 2.3 percent.
Meanwhile, Minister Albayrak met with some economists, columnists and bankers in Istanbul yesterday and exchanged views on the Turkish economy.
It was reported that the minister provided a general evaluation of his meetings at the G20 finance ministers' meeting over the weekend.
At its latest meeting last month, the CBRT's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) ramped up interest rates for the second time in two weeks as it hiked its policy rate, also known as one-week repo auction rate, by 125 basis points.
The MPC decided to increase the policy rate from 16.5 percent to 17.75 percent, the statement by the CBRT said.
The decision came after the central bank hiked its late liquidity window rate by 300 basis points to 16.5 from 13.5 percent on May 23 after an extraordinary meeting in order to stem the slide in the Turkish lira, which fell to 4.93 against the dollar on the same day.
The CBRT has raised interest rates by 500 basis points since April 25. With its latest move, the interest rate increase carried out by the bank since the beginning of 2017 has reached 950 basis points.
The bank's move was designed to tamp down inflation and stabilize the Turkish lira, while also sending a strong message to markets about its future policies whereby it will take necessary measures to control inflation and declining lira.


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These five directions also form the major sections of Xu's review article, providing a detailed discussion of materials and processes associated with the nanofluidic devices having well-defined nanochannel structures.
1) Membranes of new materials – such as carbon nanotubes and two-dimensional (2D) materials – can be directly used as nanofluidic devices without using expensive nanolithography technologies and are promising for applications such as separation, water purification, and high-efficient energy harvesting, but nanofluidic devices fabricated on solid-state substrates (such as glass) possess advantages in the ease of integration into a lot of available analytical methodologies and instruments, which would bring innovative devices and applications serving a variety of chemical, biological, and medical purposes.
The development of new materials, low-cost nanolithography, and nonlithography technologies allowing the flexible fabrication of large-scale, high-throughput, 3D, solid-state in-plane nanochannels are required to broaden the commercial products and applications of the solid-state nanofluidic devices in the future.
2) Clogging and fouling are critical issues occur in almost all applications of nanofluidics, due to the ultrasmall and closed feature of nanochannels. For fundamental studies on ionic transport in nanochannels, the use of ultrapure water and ultrapure solvents during the experiments as well as careful rinsing and drying after experiments is quite effective to avoid or alleviate clogging and fouling in nanochannels.
However, for handling biological and nanoscale materials, clogging and fouling will frequently occur, due to the characteristic lengths of many biological and nanoscale materials are comparable to the dimensions of nanochannels.
Clogging and fouling may be alleviated by delicate design of nanochannel structures and coating of channel walls to decrease interactions between these nanomaterials and channel walls as well as nonspecific adsorption of biomolecules. Coating with polymers widely used microfluidics usually bring about severe clogging, so coating with small molecules will be a feasible strategy. Therefore, synthesis of small molecules enabling to modulate surface energy and suppress nonspecific adsorption in nano channels will be important in the future.
3) To reach the goal of single cell omics which is a large-scale task in current biology and medicine, abilities allowing high-throughput manipulation and detection of subcellular entities are required. Nano fluidic devices are promising tools for these purposes due to sub cellular volumes of nanochannels.
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Date Uploaded: April 1, 2015, 2:46 p.m.


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Deciphering gut microbiome 'chatter' to combat IBD
Scientists at the Earlham Institute, Quadram Institute and University of East Anglia on the Norwich Research Park, have collaboratively developed a new computational biology method to better understand IBD for targeted clinical treatments. By analysing specific differences in gut cell types, the study deciphers cellular crosstalk to identify how beneficial bacteria communicate with our immune system to treat IBD and reduce gut inflammation.
Around 500,000 people in the UK live with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), a life-long, chronic condition characterised by sporadic bouts of gut inflammation causing debilitating symptoms. Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis – the latter affecting around 1 in 400 people – are the two most common types of IBD. Current treatments are ineffective and seriously impact the quality of life of the patients and those of their families.
The human gut harbours a community of microbes, known collectively as the microbiome, which is crucial to maintaining good health. A disrupted microbiome can cause gut-related conditions including IBD, an immune-linked inflammatory disease that causes abdominal pain, diarrhoea and extreme fatigue.
People with IBD tend to have reduced diversity or a change in the balance in their gut microbiome, especially of Bacteroides and Firmicutes bacteria. However, we still don't know how exactly this translates to the triggering and progression of IBD. By understanding how these bacteria interact with the gut lining, and the immune system, and how this differs in IBD, we can better understand the causes and start developing targeted, effective treatments.
But to decipher this crosstalk across the different kingdoms of life, you need to understand how bacteria communicate, and then how human cells react to that information. This quest united microbiologist and immunologist Professor Simon Carding from the Quadram Institute and UEA, with Dr Tamás Korcsmáros, a systems biologist whose expertise lies in cellular signalling networks from the Earlham and the Quadram Institutes.
Professor Carding and his team have been investigating Bacterial Extracellular Vesicles (BEVs), which are tiny packages created by bacteria that they fill with various molecules and release from the cell. They can cross the gut lining, reaching cells of the immune system where they are recognised by receptors. The contents of the BEVs are molecular signals that then trigger the immune cells to react, with that signal potentially cascading into widespread effects.
In a healthy gut, BEVs and their cargo can contribute to anti-inflammatory responses of the immune system, but in an inflamed IBD patient's gut, this response is lost. BEVs could therefore be used as a potential new therapy. But currently, we don't understand enough about how they interact with the complex immune system. Our immune response relies on different types of cells monitoring for a plethora of different signals and interacting with each other to respond appropriately to a perceived threat of infection locally, and systematically across the body.
To address this knowledge gap, Dr Tamás Korcsmáros and his team used a previously published dataset about which genes are actively making proteins in 51 types of colon cells, from either healthy conditions or under the effect of ulcerative colitis. Uniquely, this dataset contained inflamed and uninflamed data from the same patients, allowing investigation of the effect of inflammation and not only the complex disease.
The team also analysed and characterised all of the cargo proteins obtained from BEVs made by the common gut bacterium Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron (Bt).
They then combined these datasets using an experimentally verified computational pipeline (called MicrobioLink) that predicts the interactions between microbial and host proteins, and how these triggers complex networks of cascading signalling systems. From this they could build up an overall picture of which microbial proteins were able to interact with which human proteins in the different types of immune cell and identify the differences between these networks in a healthy gut and in IBD.
This model, called an interactome, provides a snapshot of the constant communication between gut bacteria and our own immune system. From this the researchers could get an idea of the biological processes affected by microbial proteins – in healthy and inflamed UC conditions.
Their findings were published recently in the prestigious Journal of Extracellular Vesicles, one of the leading journals covering vesicle-mediated biological communication. The study was funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).
Many interactions were identified common across cell types, but the research uncovered many biological processes that were specific to one type of immune cell. Focussing specifically on one pathway known to be important in immunity and inflammation, they were also able to identify differences between the same cell types in healthy and ulcerative colitis conditions. Experiments using cell cultures grown together with BEVs validated the predictions from the computational modelling.
"The finding that BEVs affect the immune system's pathways in a cell-type specific manner, and that they are altered in inflammatory bowel disease is an important step to understanding the condition, and potentially could help in developing BEVs as a therapeutic system" said Lejla Gul, first author on the paper and an iCASE PhD student at the Earlham Institute and the Quadram Institute, supported by the BBSRC Norwich Research Park Biosciences Doctoral Training Partnership.
"Studying interkingdom connections with BEVs in a cell-type specific resolution requires multi-disciplinary expertise and various 'omics datasets. Then you need a computational pipeline to analyse the data from different patients. Besides the actual scientific results, in the paper we introduce an open-source pipeline that others can use to analyse their data" said Dr Tamás Korcsmáros. "We hope that what we have demonstrated here in this study will be applied by others for understanding the mechanisms how other bacterial species communicate with our cells, and how it may be altered in other diseases."
"This study highlights the importance and impact of laboratory scientists working with bioinformaticians to develop the means and tools for understanding the highly complex nature of the interactions between our gut microbes and cells of our body that is central to maintaining our health" said Professor Simon Carding. "The insights gained from studies such as this will be invaluable in developing new interventions aimed at maintaining health by promoting beneficial interactions with gut microbes and preventing harmful ones that can lead to diseases such as IBD."
"Extracellular vesicles produced by the human commensal gut bacterium Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron affect host immune pathways in a cell-type specific manner that are altered in inflammatory bowel disease" is published in the Journal of Extracellular Vesicles.
Above image: Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron cell releasing Bacterial Extracellular Vesicles (BEVs), which are tiny packages created by bacteria that they fill with various molecules and release from the cell. Image by Rokas Juodeikis (Quadram Institute) and Ian Brown (University of Kent)


"Those who control the present, control the past. And those who control the past control the future."
That's what they say, anyway, but maybe they are wrong. Who knows? If you were able to go back in time and take the risk of changing everything you know, would you do it?
"A Timely Intervention" is an innovative role-playing game featuring spectacular battle visuals, polished gameplay mechanisms, an intricate storyline and a cast of colourful characters.


COLUMBUS, Ohio – Heavy rains forced the Buckeyes indoors Friday for their last practice before Saturday's jersey scrimmage at Ohio Stadium, which is closed to the public.
For those unfamiliar, the winner of the jersey scrimmage between the offense and defense earns the right to wear the scarlet jerseys for the rest of spring practice and into fall camp before the next jersey scrimmage in August. Presently, the defense is donning the scarlet, though some of the offensive players this week have indicated they're determined to win them back. Check out OhioStateBuckeyes.com Saturday to find out which unit came out victorious.
After practice today, quarterbacks and tight ends stopped and met with reporters. To no surprise, junior Terrelle Pryor received most of the attention.
Pryor is coming off his best performance to date in leading Ohio State to a 26-17 win over Oregon in the Rose Bowl and taking home game MVP honors. Pryor, 19-3 in his career as a starter, passed for a career-high 266 yards and two touchdowns in that game and ran for 72, setting an Ohio State bowl game record with 338 yards of total offense. In all, he passed for 2,094 yards, piled up 779 yards on the ground and accounted for 25 of Ohio State's 39 offensive touchdowns last season.
His Rose Bowl performance on the national stage has created a positive buzz this offseason and has all of Buckeye nation wondering if that game was a sign of what to expect in 2010.
"I think anytime you have a good performance in any atmosphere, whether it's the Rose Bowl or the Michigan game, it builds confidence," quarterbacks coach Nick Siciliano said. "I think he's looking for some more good things this year and hopefully he'll progress at the same rate.
Also on hand after practice was sophomore tight end Jake Stoneburner, who has looked solid this spring as he prepares to take over for the departed Jake Ballard. The Dublin Coffman native has made several nice catches these first couple weeks, displaying excellent hands and snagging bullets over the middle – some of them coming in traffic around two or three defenders.
Tight ends caught only 15 passes last season and 11 the year before, but all signs indicate those numbers may be on the rise this season.
Entering his third year as a starter, Pryor has gained a solid command of the offense, according to his teammates and coaches. And with opposing defenses focusing in on shutting down returning wideouts Dane Sanzenbacher and DeVier Posey, it should open up opportunities down the middle for Stoneburner and the tight ends.
"I think (the tight end not being utilized as much) had to do with a lot," Stoneburner said. "Terrelle was young, obviously, and maybe we just didn't call a lot of those plays down the seam or whatever to help keep it simple. But I definitely think we'll see more of that this season. I think Terrelle is looking more to get me the ball because he trusts me.
Click the audio links above more more interviews from Friday's practice.


text:
Q: Swift - UICollectionViewCells with dynamic height I'm developing a chat app and I can't figure out how to make the UICollectionViewCells' height dynamic, depending on how large the UITextView's text is.
Here's what I've been testing;
class ViewController: UIViewController {
    @IBOutlet var cv: UICollectionView!

    let arr = ["hi hello", "func collectionView(_ collectionView: UICollectionView, cellForItemAt indexPath: IndexPath) -> UICollectionViewCell", "func collectionView", "// Do any additional setup after loading the view.", "extension ViewController: UICollectionViewDelegate, UICollectionViewDataSource extension ViewController: UICollectionViewDelegate, UICollectionViewDataSource"]

    override func viewDidLoad() {
        super.viewDidLoad()
        // Do any additional setup after loading the view.

        if let flowLayout = cv.collectionViewLayout as? UICollectionViewFlowLayout {
            flowLayout.estimatedItemSize = UICollectionViewFlowLayout.automaticSize
            flowLayout.itemSize = UICollectionViewFlowLayout.automaticSize
        }

        // setup cv constraints here
    }

extension ViewController: UICollectionViewDataSource, UICollectionViewDelegateFlowLayout {
    func collectionView(_ collectionView: UICollectionView, numberOfItemsInSection section: Int) -> Int {
        return arr.count
    }

    func collectionView(_ collectionView: UICollectionView, cellForItemAt indexPath: IndexPath) -> UICollectionViewCell {
        let cell = collectionView.dequeueReusableCell(withReuseIdentifier: "mm", for: indexPath) as! MessageCollectionViewCell
        cell.setup(text: arr[indexPath.row])

        return cell
    }
}

And here's my cell's code;
class MessageCollectionViewCell: UICollectionViewCell {
    @IBOutlet var tv: UITextView!

    func setup(text: String) {
        tv.text = text
        tv.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false

        NSLayoutConstraint.activate([
            tv.topAnchor.constraint(equalTo: self.contentView.topAnchor, constant: 0),
            tv.leadingAnchor.constraint(equalTo: self.contentView.leadingAnchor, constant: 8),
            tv.trailingAnchor.constraint(equalTo: self.contentView.trailingAnchor, constant: -8),
            tv.bottomAnchor.constraint(equalTo: self.contentView.bottomAnchor, constant: 0)
        ])
    }
}

That's the end result;

Any idea what I've been missing?

A: I finally fixed it! All I should do, was to add a width constraint to the cell itself, so it wouldn't get bigger horizontally that it needed!
NSLayoutConstraint.activate([
   self.contentView.widthAnchor.constraint(equalToConstant: maxDeviceWidth)
])

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Each individual in an organisation brings with them a diverse set of perspectives, work and life experiences, as well as religious and cultural differences. The power of diversity can only be unleashed and its benefits reaped when we recognise these differences and learn to respect and value each individual irrelevant of their background. At Global Diversity Practice, we help organisations to implement diversity policies that will help instil inclusion, respect and appreciation across the entire workforce.
The process of inclusion engages each individual and makes people feel valued as being essential to the success of the organisation. Evidence shows that when people feel valued, they function at full capacity and feel part of the organisation's mission. This culture shift creates higher performing organizations where motivation and morale soar.
Openness to diversity widens our access to the best talent. Inclusion allows us to engage talent effectively. Together, this leads to enhanced innovation, creativity, productivity, reputation, engagement and results.
Businesses with a healthy balance of men and women are 21% more likely to outperform their competitors1.
Businesses with a good mix of ethnic backgrounds are 33% more likely to outperform their competitors1.
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Why do we need D&I in our workplace?
Organisations need to allocate the required resources and training in order to attract the right employees with the best minds and skills. In today's war for talent, this may require you to look beyond the traditional recruitment pool. This is what we mean by diversity in the workplace.
The onset of globalisation has led to a demographic shift, with increased mobility in migrant workers travelling to the four corners of the globe for career progression, and the need for a talented and skilled workforce resulting in diversity becoming a key driver in economic growth across the world.
The benefits of a diverse workforce not only provides social harmony at work for the employees, but also increases productivity and profitability that will help the organisation to succeed in the global marketplace.


excellent book. brand new. I can whatsapp photo to genuine buyers.
Physics around us "How and why things work"
Very good condition. Many others available and also a few A-Level textbooks. WhatsApp or call me for more details.
It is used but with perfect condition. If you buy this dictionary, it will have OXFORD Advanced Learner English to Chinese Dictionary and a small handy Chinese dictionary for free.
Collect at any LRT stations, LowYat Plaza, Midvalley, Petaling Street.
New Unused book. Very well kept.
Award-winning teacher Linda Alston strives to help educators generate their own joy, passion, creativity, and love of their profession.
The readers will find peace and inspiration as Alston helps them realize what a difference their teaching makes for children and their families.
Each chapter includes a remarkable story from the author's classroom, a brief reflection on its significance, and an affirmation that others can use to transform their own teaching and the lives of their student. Author Linda Alston's affirmations aim to reduce stress, create joy, and help teachers embrace a rich teaching life with abundant promise.


We collect information from you when you register for an account on BackLinks.com.
When registering on our website, as appropriate, you may be asked to enter your: name, e-mail address, mailing address, phone number. You may, however, visit our site anonymously.
The email address you provided during registration may be used to send updates pertaining to your account as well as occasional newsletters. You may opt out of the newsletters at any time by using the link at the bottom email.
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Your personal data is encrypted into our Database to be only accessed by those authorized with special access rights to our systems, and are required to keep the information confidential.


Today we are excited to introduce new APIs to the PDFTron SDK for Android for creating stamps with custom appearances, creating measurement annotations, creating callout annotations, and more.
In addition to creating pre-defined stamps in RubberStampCreate tool introduced in v6.8.5, today we have expanded its functionality with the ability to create custom appearances.
Looking to measure distance on documents? Similar to the WebViewer sample, this is now also supported on Android through the new RulerCreate tool. It supports three different units of measurement (cm, inches, yards), for fast measurement of any distance on any document. Measurement tools are often used in the construction space, especially for estimating materials. For example, you might want to measure the length of a wall in a blueprint, to estimate the amount of material needed to build that wall. As a result, measurement tools are a vital part of keeping construction projects within budget.
Lastly, the latest tool in the collection is CalloutCreate which creates callout annotations that can be used whenever you'd like to comment on a specific part of a PDF page, and have your comment appear on the page itself (instead of in a separate comment displayed outside the page). For example, you might want to add a comment to a blueprint, pointing out where a building's construction went wrong. Or you might want to point out a part of a sentence that's misspelled, suggesting an alternative.
For a full list of changes, please see the changelog for PDFTron 6.8.6 for Android.


text:
In our 102nd year of service\, please join us for the presentation of the Conrad B. Duberstein Memorial Award\, and the Leadership in Credit Education Awards. We look forward to seeing you for networking\, dinner\, and a presentation you won'\;t want to miss!
The Honorable Alan S. Trust ascended to the bench on April 2\, 2008\, and sits in the Eastern District of New York. He is an adjunct professor of law at the St. John&rsquo\;s University School of Law\, a past Chair of the Bankruptcy Law Section of the Federal Bar Association\, a member of the Board of Directors of that Section\, and has served as the CLE Committee chair. He is also President of the Eastern District of New York Chapter of the Federal Bar Association\, and serves as CLE Committee co-chair. \;Read more here...
For more than 45 years\, Bill Brandt has been a fixture on the national stage in the fields of business\, civic and political endeavors. A talented business strategist and political counselor\, he is the founder and Executive Chairman of Development Specialists\, Inc.\, better known worldwide as DSI and widely recognized as one of the foremost firms in the corporate restructuring industry. \;Read more here...
Michael Eisenband is the Global Co-Leader of the FTI Consulting Corporate Finance &\; Restructuring segment and the leader of Restructuring Services\, and is based in New York. With more than 30 years of experience\, Mr. Eisenband is renowned nationally as an industry leader in providing restructuring advice to creditors and companies in complex Chapter 11 and out-of-court workout situations. Mr. Eisenband is a member of the firm&rsquo\;s Executive Committee. \;Read more here...
We have secured a small room block at the New York Hilton Midtown at a rate of $319.00 per room.
Rooms will be held until Monday\, April 27th\, 2020. \;
To book your room\, you can either call 212-586-7000 and reference NYIC-Room Block OR use this personalized web link to reserve a room online.
LOCATION:1335 Avenue of the Americas New York NY 10019 UID:e.1140.112206 SEQUENCE:3 DTSTAMP:20200117T125009Z URL:https://business.instituteofcredit.org/event-calendar/Details/102nd-annual-banquet-awards-126445?sourceTypeId=Hub END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR


text:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<layout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools">

    <LinearLayout
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="match_parent"
        android:orientation="vertical">

        <View
            android:id="@+id/statusBar"
            android:layout_width="match_parent"
            android:layout_height="0dp"
            tools:layout_height="25dp"
            android:background="@color/colorPrimaryDark"/>

        <androidx.appcompat.widget.Toolbar
            android:id="@+id/toolbar"
            android:layout_width="match_parent"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:minHeight="?attr/actionBarSize"
            android:background="@color/colorPrimary"
            app:titleTextAppearance="@style/Toolbar.TitleText"
            app:theme="@style/ThemeOverlay.AppCompat.Dark.ActionBar" />

        <FrameLayout
            android:id="@+id/contentFrame"
            android:layout_width="match_parent"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content" />

    </LinearLayout>

</layout>

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Editorial structure
Study would explore changes to protections for seals and sea lions
Posted 01/17/2018 by Derrick Nunnally
As wildlife managers work to recover Puget Sound's diminished Chinook population, a proposed white paper is expected to review the impacts of some of the salmon's chief predators. The study would include a section on potential management of seals and sea lions, prompting open discussion of a long taboo subject: Could officials seek to revise the Marine Mammal Protection Act — or even conduct lethal or non-lethal removal of seals and sea lions in some cases? Such actions are hypothetical, but we look at some of the ongoing discussions around the issue as prompted by a new resolution from the Puget Sound Leadership Council.
Harbor Seals sunning on intertidal rocks of Puget Sound. Photo: Tony Cyphert (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) https://www.flickr.com/photos/tony717/14630242564
Tribal leaders as well as the Puget Sound Leadership Council, the governing body of the state's Puget Sound Partnership, are calling for a study of "targeted management" of seals and sea lions that would include a look at potential revisions to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). The resolution is spurred by recent scientific findings that say harbor seals are flourishing to the point that they and, to a lesser extent, sea lions may be harming the size of populations of young Chinook in Puget Sound.
Predation of West Coast Chinook has risen six-fold since 1975, according to a recent paper in the journal Scientific Reports. That could be undercutting salmon recovery efforts, the paper said, also harming endangered southern resident orcas that rely almost exclusively on Chinook for food.
Related: Seals and sea lions may be slowing salmon recovery, hurting orcas
Increased consumption of Chinook salmon by seals and sea lions in the Salish Sea "could be masking the success of coastwide salmon recovery efforts," according to a 2017 study published in the journal Scientific Reports. Endangered resident orcas are said to be declining in part due to a lack of available Chinook, the orcas' preferred prey.
Some see it as a classic food web trade-off pitting predator against predator, something that is increasingly urgent as the local orca population declines to 76 animals, its lowest level in three decades.
Much of the discussion centers around the growth in Puget Sound's harbor seal population. Once hunted for bounties and sport, their numbers have greatly increased since the establishment of the MMPA in 1972. There are now more than 50,000 harbor seals living in the Salish Sea, making this among the most densely populated areas for the pinnipeds in the world. Harbor seals far outnumber the region's sea lions and eat the most salmon of the two groups.
The Puget Sound Partnership's Leadership Council has pledged to take a hard look at the subject. In a Nov. 1, 2017 meeting, the Leadership Council approved a formal resolution to boost Chinook recovery work and a list of regional priorities approved by tribal officials and the Salmon Recovery Council.
The list includes a wide variety of recommended "bold actions" — from protection of salmon habitat to improvements to water quality. It also takes on the issue of predation, calling for a white paper analyzing the impacts of pinnipeds and looking at potential law changes "to allow targeted management of pinnipeds on salmon" according to a document approved last September (PDF).
What "targeted management" means has yet to be defined, but some say it could include a wide variety of options — among them lethal and non-lethal removal of seals and sea lions in certain cases. Such options are currently not allowed under the MMPA and would require congressional action to become legal.
"I imagine it could include lethal removal," said David Herrera, chair of the tribal management conference and a member of the Puget Sound Salmon Recovery Council. "But maybe there's other actions we can take with it where you don't have to go there." Non-lethal options might be numerous, he speculated, such as providing alternate food resources or making vulnerable Chinook areas uncomfortable for predators.
A fraught subject
In theory, such actions would help revive the Chinook population, providing more food for endangered southern resident orcas, while not harming the viability of the populations of harbor seals and sea lions that have rebounded under the MMPA. But the idea of lethal government measures against any marine mammals remains a fraught subject.
"We're not necessarily coming out here and saying we need to start getting rid of pinnipeds," Herrera said. "What we're saying is that we think it's an issue."
State wildlife officials say they are aware of the studies showing the potential impacts of pinnipeds on salmon, but are quick to point out that they don't know what form of predator management might be implemented, if any.
"We're still in the exploration stage. We're not ready for management action is my sense at the moment," said Scott Pearson, a research scientist with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
That wait and see approach was echoed by U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer, co-founder of the Puget Sound Recovery Caucus. "While it's clear more needs to be done to ensure more wild salmon can make it home to spawn every year, I don't think our community has reached consensus on the best pathway forward," Kilmer wrote in a statement to Salish Sea Currents. "It's important to me that we find a solution that is based on the best-available science and that adequately protects the wildlife that is so important to our region's economy and identity."
Puget Sound Partnership Executive Director Sheida Sahandy also said it was too early to make any judgments. "It is not yet clear what actions would be most effective and appropriate to reduce predation on threatened and endangered species like Chinook salmon," she said. "We are gathering additional scientific information on the problem and possible solutions and will work with our partners to decide which options to pursue, based on scientific, economic and social considerations."
Despite the large amounts of Chinook being consumed by seals, scientists say there are still many questions about the specific impacts. Pearson said studies have not concluded definitively that predation is the kind of dominant factor in the survival rates of young Chinook to justify population controls. He uses steelhead as an example. Those populations have shown some problems with parasites and genetic issues that could be influencing the amount that get consumed by marine mammals.
"If you have a predation issue, is it a result of the fact that the fish are not in good shape and therefore are easy to catch?" he said. "Or is it just the fact that there are too many predators out there?"
The question is further complicated by the fact that there are just as many if not more pinniped predators in Alaska where the salmon populations are more robust and scientists say pinniped predation is not an issue.
Harbor seals also eat upwards of 60 species of fish, not just salmon. Would changes in harbor seal populations impact other aspects of regional biodiversity?
Species profile: Harbor seal
Harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) are the most commonly seen marine mammals in the Salish Sea and can be found throughout the region year round. They have been intensively studied within the Salish Sea and this species profile provides an overview of what is known about them. It was produced for the Encyclopedia of Puget Sound by the SeaDoc Society.
A call for more studies
If targeted management did occur, the scope of potential ways wildlife managers might try to cut down predation rates could be broad, officials said. Hypothetically, problem predators could be given alternate food resources. The way salmon are released from hatcheries could be changed. Or if there's a way to make a vulnerable Chinook area uncomfortable for mammals without simply shifting the predation to a different spot, that too might happen. Understanding "the potential management options" would be explored in the proposed study called for by the Leadership Council in its November resolution.
While revision of the MMPA may only be speculation at this point in Puget Sound, it's been done elsewhere. Sea lions on the Columbia River can be trapped and euthanized by state officials because of the high predation rates there. However, the Sound is a different ecosystem to manage than a river where all the fish have to pass through a single fish ladder.
"In Puget Sound, you have many different rivers coming onto that system, and all of those rivers have different ecosystem effects," Pearson said.
Sea lions take over a float along the Columbia River in Astoria, OR. Photo: Judd Hall (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) https://www.flickr.com/photos/judsonhall/2853871040
While discussion in Puget Sound has been evolving, a simultaneous political development has been gaining momentum elsewhere.
A bill in Congress, filed by U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler last July, would expand removal of California sea lions to give tribes the ability to take the animals on more of the Columbia and its tributaries. The bill cites findings that up to 3,000 California sea lions have been foraging along the lower 145 miles of the Columbia, and taking at least 20 percent of the spring Chinook run.
If passed as written, the legislation would enable the killing of up to 100 sea lions there.
David Herrera said he and other tribal officials learned of the Columbia River sea lion bill while they were assessing how predation factored into the priorities for salmon restoration. He said it offered some precedent for building a case for population management in the Sound as well.
"We looked at that and said, if we need to, somebody's taken the lead on that," Herrera said.
But Puget Sound presents a different quandary than targeting specific predator sea lions across 145 miles of river.
Eric Ward, an ecologist with NOAA's Northwest Fisheries Science Center, said the complexities of trying to weigh pinniped protection against the needs of Chinook salmon — and the humans and orcas that harvest them — are magnified by the expanse of the Sound.
"You don't have a pinch point where you can remove some pinnipeds and have an impact on the predation issue," Ward said.
Potential controversy
The idea of killing animals of one species to promote the viability of others has also provoked controversy. The Humane Society has attempted to use lawsuits to block efforts to cull the predatory sea lion population on the Columbia River, saying that natural predator-prey behavior is being blamed for human-caused salmon mortality.
Sherrie Duncan, a Tacoma marine biologist, said the idea of removing some of the Puget Sound's flourishing population of harbor seals could have unintended consequences for the rest of the ecosystem, and compared the situation to the removal and reintroduction of wolves in Yellowstone National Park.
Yellowstone wolves chasing a bull elk (2007). Photo: Doug Smith (public domain) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wolves_and_elk.jpg
"The top predators are part of a functioning ecosystem," Duncan said. She noted that transient orcas have returned to South Sound waters more frequently in recent years, as the seal population has grown.
"It seems to me it (lethal pinniped population management) would further imbalance the ecosystem, because it's just another Band-Aid fix," Duncan said.
State officials said there is no set timetable for when or if a policy change might be formally contemplated. The process is complex; scientific studies are required before a law change is drafted to allow population-control efforts in theory. Government work to decide how to take action would only follow that.
Tribal representatives say "This list of actions we put together, we feel like there's an urgency to all of these," said Herrera, chair of the tribal management conference. "Our Chinook populations continue to decline. Despite our best efforts, they're not recovering. So there is an urgency."
Derrick Nunnally has written about governance and the environment for Pacific Northwest news organizations since 2015. As a staff writer for The (Tacoma) News Tribune, the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, he has covered public-policy debates at the local, regional and national levels. He holds bachelor's and master's degrees from Columbia University and lives in Tacoma.
Salish Sea Currents
Story licensed under Creative Commons. You are free to copy and redistribute per CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.
Posted in EoPS:
Topic Editor:
Joe Gaydos
Mammals, Species and food webs, Fishes, Harbor seals, Implementation Strategies, Food web, Killer whales, Salish Sea Currents magazine, Salmonids, Species of concern
Study says predators may play major role in chinook salmon declines
WA DFW: Columbia River Sea Lion Management
Press Release: Jaime Herrera Beutler's Bill to Protect Salmon and Steelhead Approved by Congressional Committee
OregonLive: NOAA authorizes Oregon to continue killing sea lions to save endangered fish
Scientific Reports: Competing tradeoffs between increasing marine mammal predation and fisheries harvest of Chinook salmon
TMC: Recommended Priorities for Salmon Recovery and the Chinook Implementation Strategy
Harbor seal swallows a salmon
Video of Harbor seal swallows a salmon
How Are Seals Different from Sea Lions?
Video of How Are Seals Different from Sea Lions?
Giant Sea Lions and Seals (High Def)
Video of Giant Sea Lions and Seals (High Def)
Hoss off the Grid SEA LIONS PSA 1
Video of Hoss off the Grid SEA LIONS PSA 1
Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)
Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina)
Steller Sea Lion (Eumetopias jubatus)
California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus)


Swift, at the level of the grasping reflex, the detention of three persons, released on 25 August, 2018 on the Red square in honor of the 50th anniversary of the protest against the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia, captures the transformation of the red square is a sacred place, where the authorities allow only activity organized from the top. Manifestation of independent civic positions and 50 years later is regarded as a gross violation.
On Saturday on red square the police detained Sergei Sharov-Delaunay, a cousin of Vadim Delaunay, one of the demonstrators of the eight dissidents on 25 August 1968, and politician Leonid Gozman with a poster from 50 years ago "For our and your freedom". Soon, the police arrested near the place of execution Anna Krasovitsky granddaughter of the late Natalya Gorbanevskaya participated in a demonstration on 25 August 1968, went to Red square to support starving more than 100 days Director Oleg Sentsov.
It is possible to speculate about the relevance of the famous slogan of the dissidents, continuity of generations and the softening of manners (the detainees were soon released from the police with the obligation to appear in court for the trial of administrative cases on violation of order of holding rallies), but it probably is not the case, and status locations for demonstrations.
Since November, 1927, when in a demonstration in honor of the 10th anniversary of the revolution wedged a large group of Trotskyists, may 1990, when on may day demonstration left column of the alternative trade unions and anarchists from the anti-Soviet and anti-Communist slogans, the Red square was a place of military parades and demonstrations of the loyalty of the masses of the party and the government. In the last months of the Soviet Union and the first post-Soviet years the situation has changed: the protesters walked around the Kremlin, staged sit-ins, rally near the Mausoleum, smashed in front of the Kremlin campgrounds with a variety of slogans.
Now the power returns again carefully the red square the status of the sacred site, designed exclusively for public celebrations and the "right" of expression like a concert in honor of the annexation of Crimea. In December 2013, after the scandal due to the installation of a stylized suitcase Louis Vuitton as told then Manager of President Vladimir Kozhin, Vladimir Putin has issued a decree about the obligatory coordination of actions on the red square with the presidential administration. As far as this order conforms to the 31st article of the Constitution on freedom of Assembly — the question is rather rhetorical.


Obama embraces offshore drilling in Brazil by giving billions of $ in loans to the State owned oil company. But Obama is against offshore drilling in the US to promote US energy independence. Thursday, August 18, 2009.
This is truly amazing. I think even the liberals can now admit that the Obama administration has no interest in American Energy Independence from middle eastern oil. They are opposed to anything to do with fossil fuel exploration in the US. The environmentalists have them by the throat.
The Ex-Im Bank says this was done so US companies can have the opportunity to sell drilling equipment to Brazil. Does any one else in the world have the best offshore drilling equipment to sell to anyone? I don't think so.
It turns out that the real loan could grow to $10 billion and George Soros, one of the largest contributors to the left wing and the Obama administration, has invested $811 million in cash. This $811 million represents 22% of the "Soros Fund Management, LLC total capital of $3.68 billion.
Hey; this sounds like a good deal. Can I put some money in this deal? How does Soros invest in a state owned oil company? I thought state owned oil companies were owned by Countries, not people? To top off this Obama hypocrisy and fraud, Brasil will sell all the produced to China.


This is a one-day seminar (6 hours) and is addressed to baristas who are interested in learning the basic latte art principles. It includes theory on milk as well as practice of the basic latte art shapes.
Taf gives you the possibility to acquire the SCA Barista Skills Foundation, participating at the seminars that take place on a regular basis with Yiannis Taloumis and Stefanos Domatiotis as authorized trainers at taf's SCA Premier Training Campus. This certification is from the Specialty Coffee Association and is recommended for baristas and people in the coffee sector. Candidates who successfully pass the certification will receive the SCA "Barista Skills Foundation" diploma. This diploma is designed to introduce core barista skills to baristas with no previous experience. The certification includes a written test as well as practical test. These tests are given in English but there is a possibility to translate the test for those that are not so familiar with the English language. The written test includes basic knowledge regarding coffee. Candidates should know some basic facts regarding botany, appropriate use of the machine as well as the coffee grinder and basic hygienic rules regarding the machine and the coffee grinder. They should also have basic knowledge regarding dosing, tamping, espresso preparation as well as milk based beverages preparation.
This is a one-day seminar and is addressed to baristas with professional experience who want to develop their skills and are interested in the SCA Barista Foundation Skills Certification. The second day includes only examinations (written and practical).
Taf gives you the possibility to acquire the SCA Barista Intermiediate Skills Certification, participating at the seminars that take place on a regular basis with Yiannis Taloumis as an authorized trainer at taf's SCA Premier Training Campus. This certification is from the Specialty Coffee Association and is recommended for professional baristas working for six months or more. This diploma is designed to introduce core barista skills to baristas with no previous experience. The certification includes a presentation, a written as well as practical test. These tests are given in English but there is a possibility to translate the test for those that are not so familiar with the English language. Designed to test key core and more advanced skills and understanding expected from a competent barista with working experience of 6 months or more. Candidates should be able to prepare a full range of drinks with quality and speed as well as understand the basic requirements of customer service.
This is a one-day seminar (total 8 hours) and is addressed to baristas with professional experience who want to develop their skills and are interested in the SCA Barista Intermediate Skills Certification. The second day includes only examinations (written and practical).
This is a three day seminar (total 24 hours, 8 hours/day) and is addressed to experienced barista interested in the SCA Barista Professional Skills Certification.
The third day includes only examinations (written and practical).


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October 09, 2012 London UK Europe
Fortnum & Mason: Delicatessen at its Best in the Heart of London
Phone Number: +44 20 7734 8040
Address: 181 Piccadilly London W1A 1ER
Website: http://www.fortnumandmason.com/
Price Range: 0-0 $
Ambiance / Music: 9/10
Architecture / Interior: 9/10
Value for money: 6/10
Fortnum & Mason often shortened to just "Fortnum's", is a department store situated in central London, with two other branches in Japan. Its headquarters is located at 181 Piccadilly, where it was established in 1707 by William Fortnum and Hugh Mason.
Founded as a grocery store, Fortnum's reputation was built on supplying quality food, and saw rapid growth throughout the Victorian era. Though Fortnum's developed into a department store, it continues to focus on stocking a variety of exotic, speciality and also 'basic' provisions. The store has since opened several other departments, such as the Gentlemen's department on the top floor. It is also the location of a celebrated tea shop and several restaurants.
Discovering mouthwatering stuff on every aisle made in-house by Fortnum's: Chocolates, desserts, tea, mustard, Toffee, fudge, liquorice, jelly beans, Salted Caramel Pebbles, liquorice allsorts, lemon bonbons, dolly mixtures, glacé fruits, chocolate-covered ginger, Biscuits, Condiments, Turkish delight are few of things you can find. Superior chutneys and pickles stand next to gorgeous olive oils, sticky fruit cakes square up to Chocolossus biscuits and Shropshire honey pairs up with English strawberry jam. Whether it's a truckle of cheese, a fillet of salmon or a hand-raised pork pie all produced by artisans using traditional methods and local ingredients, every item is at the top of its class.
The Famous Hampers: Fortnum & Mason is famed for its loose-leaf tea and its world-renowned luxury picnic hampers, which the store first distributed to Victorian High Society for events such as the Henley Regatta and Ascot Races. These hampers – which contain luxury items such as Stilton cheese, champagne, Quails eggs and smoked salmon – remain popular today, especially at Christmas time and can cost anything from £35 up to £25,000.
The Clock and the nicely decorated building: To celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, Fortnum & Mason decorated the building from top to toe. They chose ten Beasts taken from the royal family coats of arms: The Lion of England, The unicorn of Scotland, the Dragon of Wales, the griffin of Edward 3, the Falcon of Plantagenets, the Black Bull of Clarence, the Yale of Beaufort, the Lion of Mortimer, the Greyhound of Richmond and the Horse of Hanover. A colourful dancing vitrine. The clock on the front of the building chimes every 15 minutes, and on the hour, figures of Mr Fortnum and Mr Mason make their appearance. There are 18 bells in the clock which were cast at the same foundry as Westminster's Big Ben.
The food hall: Lower Ground Floor: Cheese, Charcuterie, Deli, Take away service, Flowers, Fruit and vegetables, Wines Ground Floor: Bakery, Chocolates, Confectionary, Biscuits, Cakes, Tea, Preserves, The Fountain Restaurant, The Gallery Restaurant
Delicatessen at its Best in the Heart of London... A must visit store full of wonders and discoveries. A food lovers paradise... A land of wonders...
Tags: london united kingdom Wines UK Bakery Desserts Charcuterie Fruit and vegetables The Fountain Restaurant The Gallery Restaurant
Categories: Spotted Stories
Suitable For: Take Away
Food Blogger Connect, London 2012: Day3
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Rainbow Bagels: Look Out for the Colorful Trend
Yummy Treats to Celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee!
Abou Daoud Bakery, Jdeideh: One of the Best Manakish Ever!
Lebanon's Chateau Belle-Vue Launches La Renaissance and Le Chateau 2007


Summary: Hope in a Ballet Shoe tells the story of Michaela DePrince. Growing up in war-torn Sierra Leone, she witnesses atrocities that no child ever should. Her father is killed by rebels and her mother dies of famine. Sent to an orphanage, Michaela is mistreated and she sees the brutal murder of her favourite teacher.
I am reading it now. It is well written and easy to read. I cannot put it down. What I like the most are the pictures that are in the middle of the book. Real pictures of this girl, since she was a little girl at the orphanage. I truly recommend it.
I loved it. I truly felt all through the book the power of love. The simple and childish language makes the terrible things happened to Michaela even more dreadful. It is a beautiful, harsh, and inspiring story that tells a lot about luck, love and what it means to be born on the wrong side of the world. Highly recommended.


Officials in Cameroon have called on the public to donate blood to assist with the treatment of 600 wounded people.
The 600 people sustained serious wounds as a result of a deadly train crash that occurred Friday, October 21, 2016 in that country.
Eleven more bodies were recovered Sunday, taking the death toll to 80.
One high-profile donor was France's Ambassador to Cameroon who donated blood and urged others to follow suit.
The passenger train was travelling from the Cameroonian Capital, Yaounde, to the port city of Douala when carriages flipped over at high speed.
President Paul Biya told State TV that the victims' medical costs would be paid for by the state.
He said an "in-depth inquiry" into the causes of the accident had been or-dered.
A day of mourning is being observed in the country with flags flying at half-mast, BBC Richard Onanena in Yaounde says.
Efforts are still underway at Yaoundé's central hospital to identify some of the dead, our correspondent adds.
The wounded are being treated in hospitals in both Yaounde and Douala, the two main Cameroonian cities.
To cope with the emergency, at least 20,000 sachets of blood are needed, which officials hope to secure through the appeal.
"This is unprecedented and it came suddenly. Treating the wounded involves a considerable number of physicians," Vice-Chairman of the National Order of Physicians, Tetani Ekwe, told BBC Afrique.
"We can't afford to pay for the blood we need, so citizens have to donate their blood," Mr Ekwe added.
The National Order of Physicians has called on all medical professionals to go and offer their help at the hospitals, where the wounded have been taken.


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Hospitalizations From Confirmed Coronavirus Cases Are Falling In Colorado
By Colorado Public Radio Staff
· May 8, 2020, 4:31 pm
Hart Van Denburg/CPR News
Front-line health care workers check in people for drive-through coronavirus tests at the Auraria Campus in Denver in April.
The number of people reported hospitalized in Colorado with confirmed cases of COVID-19 fell Friday for the sixth day in a row, to the lowest point since April 1.
New numbers released by the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment show that 610 people are now hospitalized with confirmed cases. The numbers come from reports filed with the state by 95 percent of the state's hospitals.
Another 211 people are hospitalized "under investigation" with suspected symptoms of COVID-19. That number had been falling too until May 6, and has now risen slightly three days in a row.
Gov. Jared Polis on Friday acknowledged the progress the state's residents have made at beating back the spread of the virus, but as metro Denver counties take the first steps toward re-opening this weekend, he cautioned that Coloradans should maintain precautions.
"All Coloradans should be wearing masks in public, it's the smart thing to do and Coloradans are very smart," Polis said. "Not only are masks critical for protecting ourselves and those around us, they are a key to safely opening up more and more of our economy and society. We are going to be in this for the long haul, and wearing masks is an easy step for all of us to take."
The daily difference in the total number of COVID-19 deaths reported to the state has also slowed in the last week. A total of 960 deaths have now been reported from the disease. The number of daily deaths fell from 11 on May 4 to five on May 6, though there is often a lag in time between the date of death and the report to the state.


Getting your brand's name out there and known to the public has never been more important than it is in today's competitive market. Sure you can pass out hundreds (or more like thousands) of business cards, but a business card can easily be uploaded to a contact database and then forgotten; however, if a promotional item, for example a custom padfolio, were handed out instead (or even in conjunction with a business card) then your name—and, more importantly, your brand—will have a greater chance of being retained by your potential clients.
In year's past, companies would slap their logo on everything and pass it out to entice people to use their brand. There is not as many promotional products being pushed today; however, the practice remains an important aspect of marketing.
Not sold on the idea of having promotional products made to pass out to potential clients? Well, consider these 4 benefits.
Passing out padholders to your clients (and potential clients) is a benefit because they provide you with a substantial promotional product that your client can physically hold in their hands and use for a practical use rather than be thrown in a drawer and forgotten.
There isn't likely to be a time where business cards (at least in some form) aren't a part of the business world. However, let's be honest about how easy it is to lose a business card or how unmemorable they can be. Now imagine you have a tangible product (like a padholder) to leave with your business card. This act is likely to make your business a whole lot more memorable. One benefit to leaving something as large as a padholder is there is a lot of space to showcase your brand.
Promotional products are capable of helping you to spread this brand image that you've worked so hard to cultivate. If your business is not able to develop a brand that is memorable enough that people continually come back, then you need to rethink your marketing strategies. Padholders are an excellent venue for this as padholders provide a product your clients can use every day that has your brand on it. This will keep your business on your client's mind, which is especially important if you're running a small business.
In the grand scheme of things (when you think of how much other means of marketing cost), purchasing padholders with your brand's logo on them is cheap; however, this large of a promotional product is not right for each business. You'll have to analyze to decide just what product will give you the greatest return on investment.
For the physical body of padfolios, they're typically constructed of rigid chipboard encased in vinyl. There are various options for vinyl colors, including both standard colors and premium upgrades (like Castilian vinyl). You also have the option of having a rigid, sturdy foam padded board for the front and back panels.
There are two common sizes for padfolios. These are standard letter and junior. Additionally, we can custom build a padfolio to fit any size pad you'd like to use.
All of our padfolios feature horizontal half pockets on the inside front and back covers by default. These pockets allow the chipboard backing of notepads to securely slide into the padfolio. You also have the option to add business card holders to the front pocket. Additionally, you can have Clear View pockets added to the front or back for further customization.
Customization can go even further with the addition of screen printing. You can have your logo or any other image screen printed onto the padfolio using the 4-color process. If you're ordering less than 1,000 padfolios, we recommend using the Entrapment method for 4-color process designs. Additionally, you also have the option of including gold or silver foil stamped designs or your design can be debossed if you choose the Castilian vinyl option.
If you don't like the idea of a horizontal back pocket, you have the option of having metal clips installed on the back panel. If you're using a glue bound notepad (especially one that doesn't have a firm binding combined with a perforated top) these metal clips can come in handy.
Here at Binders Inc., we pride ourselves on being able to provide high quality professional binders, index tabs and custom padfolios to help our clients succeed in the world. This extends to the creation and distribution of promotional items to help spread brand identity. Give us a call today to discuss you options with our experts.


From Fayetteville take Hwy 54 through Peachtree City and across the intersection of Hwy 74. Stay on Hwy. 54 a couple of miles until it splits. Bear to the right onto Hwy. 34 and go just past Immanuel Bible College to Fischer Rd. and turn left. Take an immediate left into the driveway to the college. (Look for our sign) Presently there is no access to the college off Hwy 34 .
From Newnan take Hwy. 34 and go to Fischer Rd. and turn right. Take an immediate left into the driveway of Immanuel Bible College. (Look for our sign) Presently there is no access to the college off Hwy 34.


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ArtShop Tsukibae
Artist Story
Our Desire
Varieties of art have always been a part of our lifestyle here in Kanazawa. Wares such as Kutani and Wajima Lacquer have been well-beloved in our daily lives. However, we feel artworks are currently only seen in museums or galleries, and we have little opportunity to actually feel close to art.
"Tsukibae" specializes artworks produced by artists having a certain kinship with Kanazawa's art. By having these works near at hand, and by sharing with you the perspective, space, and time of these artworks, we'd like to offer you an enriched lifestyle. Like music being a part of our daily lives, we offer artworks to be the same, and we'd like to give an opportunity to share the world of our artworks.
When we touch an artwork stimulating our five senses, we use senses we don't normally use. We sometimes feel comforted when we use a different sense from what we normally do. Artworks can provide various messages like comfort, or a renewed sense of value.
"Tsukibae" renovated a traditional house built in the Meiji Period.
There is a magnificent stone basin in the garden, which is normally where you wash and purify your hands at a tea party. There is a magnificent stone basin in the garden, which is normally where you wash and purify your hands at a tea party. The stone basin placed there since the Meiji Period has surely reflected many moons in the past. We hope the artworks we will be handling here will become a presence like the reflecting moon.
Like the moon showing more presence when reflecting in the basin, this ArtShop is named after our wish to strengthen the presence of young artists, and encourage their success by providing young artists' works familiar to home.
Japanease
〒 920-0854 18-10, Yasuecho, Kanazawa-shi, Ishikawa, Japan
Tel : (+81)-76-256-5371
CopyrightArtShop Tsukibae. All Rights Reserved.


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Stop Western Governors' Association's War on Community Cats!
community cat
April 13, 2018 - Posted by Eric Phelps
TAG: cats, take action
The Western Governors' Association (WGA) has just gone all out to criminalize animals and plants whose only crime was to be born or sprouted as a result of human oversight, laziness, or idiocy. The WGA is even planting misinformation and stirring hatred against our nation's beloved community cats. Its representatives cannot get away with taking potshots against our four-legged friends. We must tear down WGA's hateful "wanted" poster against cats!
WGA member states include Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. The organization claims it works "for bipartisan policy development, information exchange and collective action on issues of critical importance to the Western United States."
The WGA just released its first ever Top 50 Invasive Species in the West list, which includes 25 aquatic species and 25 terrestrial species. Surprisingly, humans aren't number one on the list. In fact, humans don't appear anywhere on the list, which is outrageous considering that we humans have by far the hardest negative impact on native wild animals and plants. Sickeningly, cats are posted on the detestable list - at unlucky number 13. WGA calls them "feral" and has the nerve to even include community cats who have been "fixed" through a trap-neuter-return program.
This is a slap in the face to those of us who love community cats, work to protect them, and ensure their numbers are humanely reduced through trap-neuter-return programs. Also, since no animal protection groups were consulted or asked for input on WGA's list - the scientific basis for the inclusion of "feral" cats is dubious at best.
Scapegoating cats and other animals gets them killed and it's not just community cats whose lives are at stake. Companion cats have been killed thanks to the demonization of "feral" cats. The grotesque killing of Tiger the housecat with a bow and arrow by a veterinarian triggered righteous condemnation from the international community. She posted a picture of herself holding Tiger's body up by an arrow through his head, proclaiming, "The only good feral tomcat is one with an arrow through it's [sic] head. Vet of the year award… gladly accepted."
Labeling cats an invasive species and claiming, as WGA's Bill Whitacre did in an interview with the Associated Press, that, "They have huge impacts to native bird species," is simply misleading. Cats are pretty far down the list of things that have a significant impact on native bird species in the US. In fact, habitat destruction and habitat loss; collisions with windows, communication towers, high tension lines, cars, and wind turbines; pesticides; and pollution, each alone kill far more birds than cats could ever harm. All of these are human-caused killers of birds that WGA is blatantly ignoring.
We must take responsibility for our own impact on native species and stop blaming the animal victims who we are ultimately responsible for creating instead. Act now to stop the WGA spreading false information and encouraging vigilantes to harm community cats!
Please contact the representatives from the Western Governors' Association by phone and by email and ask for the removal of feral cats and the addition of humans to the top of the list of invasive species.
1) Please make brief and polite phone calls. You can simply say,
"Since we humans cause way more damage than any animals or plants including feral cats, I am requesting that you take feral cats off the list and additionally that you put humans at the very top of the list."
James Ogsbury
Holly Propst
Deputy Executive Director, Policy Director
Troy Timmons
Director of Strategic Initiatives
Bill Whitacre
Lauren DeNinno
Britta Beckstead
Ward Scott
Zach Bodhane
2) Send our letter.
Ready or Not, Kitten Season is Here
Please Support IDA Today
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Don't Silence Animal Advocates Through Anti-Net Neutrality!
Don't Let Animal Abusers Hide Behind USDA Blackout
Stop the Yellowstone Bison Massacre
Flea Treatment for Dog or Cat
Adopt & Save A Life Cat Button
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California summers don't just bring us sunshine and great vacation spots – they also bring us a plethora of beautiful flowers!
California farmers continue to provide our florists with plenty of flowers to choose from even during these heated months! To show you a glimpse of what summer has to offer we've rounded up a few beautiful blooms from some of our CSFA Growers!
When you think of summer one of the first flowers that comes to mind is the sunflower! These big and bright flowers are the closest we'll get to holding sunshine in our hands! Catch these sunny blooms at Kendall Farms all summer long!
Looking for a flower this summer with a little bit of an edge? These Rose Spoon protea from Mellano and Company are beautiful and edgy! A perfect addition to your next arrangement or bouquet!
Yes lilies are widely considered a spring flower but they are also a summer flower here in California! Evergreen Nursery has stunning day lilies in lovely summer shades!
Did you know that tulips are available year round in the golden state? Yep! That's 365 days of sweet, sweet tulips! Just look at that Holland America flower field – simply breathtaking!
Seriously guys – the Aster Matsumoto from Sun Valley Floral Farms is the perfect combination of sassiness and happiness! I think we found our summer love!
Bring on the gerbera daisies! Ever-Bloom has pretty much perfected the gerbera and not only is this wonderful flower in season during the summer; it's available all year round!
Looking for a flower that emulates the summer sun? Calla Co's Mandarin Parfait calla lilies do just that! These blooms are just what our summer loving hearts have been looking for!
Whether you want a bloom that's sweet and simple or unique and vibrant our growers have it! These are just a few of the many flowers available to us during the summer! To find out which other flowers are in season check out our beautiful catalogue of California flowers!


Business Continuity Tips : "Appreciating assets"
"Our people are our greatest asset" is a popular phrase. And it's true that many organisations do indeed value their people. But it's also true that, sometimes, the degree of consideration shown to staff during recovery from a disaster or major incident is not as high as during "business as usual".
In the heat of battle it can be easy to forget that people are only human. Whilst many will perform above and beyond the call of duty when called upon, people generally don't like being taken for granted.
Experience has shown that despite a successful recovery, in a number of cases, the organisation concerned has subsequently lost many good people because they didn't feel valued. This is particularly true of staff deemed "non-critical" and therefore not directly involved in the early stages of recovery. The main complaints were that they felt unimportant or ignored and didn't really know what was going on.
So avoid using terms like "critical" & "non-critical" in your continuity plans. Think carefully, before the event, about how best to deploy people post-disaster. Don't assume that people are happy to sit at home and twiddle their thumbs indefinitely. Ensure people know what's expected of them and why. And, if you do ever need to invoke your recovery plans, make sure that people are, as far as possible, kept involved and kept informed.
Your people may well be your greatest asset, particularly when it comes to business continuity. So look after them if you want them to look after you.