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Atomulykken i Tjernobyl var en ulykke, der indtraf lørdag den 26. april kl 01:23 1986 på Tjernobyl-atomkraftværket i Ukraine i det daværende Sovjetunionen. Ved ulykken, der regnes som den værste i atomkraftens historie, eksploderede reaktor nr. 4, og da reaktoren ikke var omgivet af en indkapsling (en solid beton- eller stålindkapsling som en "sidste barriere", hvis noget skulle gå galt i selve reaktoren), sendte eksplosionen en sky af radioaktivt materiale ud i atmosfæren. Dette materiale drev med vind og nedbør ud over dele af det vestlige Sovjetunionen, Europa, Skandinavien og helt til det østlige USA. Store dele af Hviderusland, Rusland og Ukraine blev slemt forurenet, og 336.000 mennesker måtte evakueres og genhuses andre steder.

Mængden og spredningen af radioaktiv forurening hersker der tvivl om; i en schweizisk rapport er anført, at 60% af forureningen landede i Hviderusland, mens Europas grønne partier og bevægelser har udsendt en rapport, der hævder, at halvdelen af nedfaldet endte uden for de tre tidligere sovjetrepublikker. Tjernobyl-ulykken udløste mere end fire hundrede gange den radioaktive forurening, der kom af atombomben over Hiroshima.

Ulykken gav anledning til bekymring for Sovjetunionens atomkraftanlæg, lagde en dæmper på udbygningen af atomkraft i en årrække og tvang den sovjetiske ledelse til at være mindre hemmelighedsfuld. I dag er Rusland, Hviderusland og Ukraine uafhængige stater, men de har arvet en tung økonomisk byrde med at rydde op og behandle mennesker for skader fra ulykken. Det er svært at sætte et tal på dødsofrene for begivenhederne i Tjernobyl, eftersom sovjettidens hemmelighedskræmmeri gør det svært at spore de enkelte ofre. De sovjetiske myndigheder forbød læger at angive "stråling" som dødsårsag, og ukomplette lister over ofre blev offentliggjort. Men de mange dødsfald som følge af især kræft som man forventede på længere sigt efter ulykken, har endnu ikke vist sig, og hvis de gør, bliver det svært med sikkerhed at udpege atomulykken som årsagen. Ifølge en rapport fra 2005 udarbejdet under ledelse af IAEA og WHO er antallet af døde som følge af Tjernobyl 56; 47 arbejdere, der ryddede op på anlægget efter ulykken, samt ni dødsfald som følge af kræft i skjoldbruskkirtlen hos børn, og dertil forventes det, at 9000 ud af de ca. 6,6 millioner berørte mennesker på sigt vil dø af en eller anden form for kræft. På den anden side sætter Greenpeace antallet af dødsofre til 93.000, men henviser til at nyligt offentliggjorte statistikker tyder på yderligere 200.000 dødsfald i perioden fra 1990 til 2004.

Atomkraftværket

Tjernobyl-atomkraftværket (Чернобыльская АЭС им. В.И.Ленина – "Tjernobyl Atomkraftværk i V. I. Lenins navn") ligger på 51°23'14" nord, 30°06'41" øst ved byen Pripjat i Ukraine; 18 kilometer nordvest for byen Tjernobyl, 16 kilometer fra grænsen til Hviderusland og ca. 110 kilometer nord for Kyiv. Anlægget bestod af fire atomreaktorer, som hver havde en effekt på 1 gigawatt elektricitet (ud fra 3,2 gigawatt varmeenergi), og på den tid, hvor ulykken indtraf, dækkede disse fire reaktorer en tiendedel af Ukraines elektricitetsbehov. Dertil var yderligere to reaktorer af samme type, kaldet RBMK-1000, under opførelse. Efter ulykken blev disse to aldrig færdiggjort.

Ulykken
Den 26. april 1986 klokken 1:23 lokal tid indtraf en katastrofal dampeksplosion i reaktor nr. 4, som udløste en brand i den grafit der udgjorde reaktorens neutron-moderator, flere efterfølgende eksplosioner og endelig nuklear nedsmeltning.

Årsager
Der er officielt fremsat to modstridende teorier om, hvad der gik galt: Den første kom i august 1986 og placerede ansvaret hos de teknikere, der betjente anlægget, mens Valeri Legasov fremsatte en anden teori, der pegede på nogle uheldige egenskaber ved reaktorens indretning, specielt kontrolstængerne som hovedårsag til ulykken. Begge teorier havde deres fortalere, og der opstod lobbyfraktioner blandt forskellige grupper, herunder de der havde designet reaktoren, personalet på kraftværket og sovjetregeringen. En del uafhængige eksperter mener i dag, at ingen af teorierne helt præcist beskriver, hvad der skete.

En anden omstændighed, der bidrog til ulykken, var, at personalet ikke var blevet informeret om nogle problematiske egenskaber ved RBMK-reaktorernes indretning. Ifølge én af medarbejderne, Anatolij Djatlov, vidste reaktordesignerne, at reaktoren var farlig under bestemte betingelser, men de hemmeligholdt bevidst denne oplysning.
 Reaktoren har en faretruende høj positiv boblekoefficient; hvis der dannes dampbobler i det kølevand, der cirkulerer i reaktoren, accelererer kerneprocesserne i atombrændslet, og reaktoren kan på den måde "løbe løbsk", hvis der ikke gribes ind i tide. Hvis reaktoren arbejder ved "lavt blus", var der ikke nogen faktorer, der kunne gribe ind i denne løbske proces. At en reaktor er mere farlig, når den kører på lav frem for fuld ydelse, ses ikke intuitivt, og Tjernobyl-personalet var ikke blevet informeret om denne fare.
 En mere alvorlig fejl ved reaktoren lå i de såkaldte kontrolstænger: Disse stænger findes i alle atomreaktorer og bruges til at regulere reaktorens ydelse. Stængerne består normalt af et materiale, der absorberer de neutroner, der er vitale for de nukleare kædereaktioner i reaktoren, så ved at flytte kontrolstængerne lidt længere ind i eller ud af reaktoren kan man regulere dens energiproduktion. Kontrolstængerne i Tjernobyls RBMK-reaktorer havde imidlertid et endestykke lavet af grafit; noget der stik imod kontrolstængernes formål accelererer kædeprocesserne. I de første få sekunder, mens kontrolstængerne føres længere ind i reaktoren, ville processerne derinde modsat hensigten intensiveres. Dette var personalet heller ikke gjort opmærksom på.
 Delvis som en konsekvens af personalets mangelfulde viden blev sikkerhedsprocedurerne på stedet tilsidesat. På ulykkestidspunktet var man i gang med et eksperiment, som indebar, at en række sikkerhedsforanstaltninger blev sat ud af kraft, og kommunikationen mellem sikkerhedspersonale og de teknikere, der forestod eksperimentet, var utilstrækkelig. På et tidspunkt var alle på nær syv af reaktorens i alt 211 kontrolstænger trukket ud af reaktoren ("fuldt blus"-stillingen); føromtalte sikkerhedsprocedurer forbød drift af reaktoren med mindre end 15 kontrolstænger i reaktorkernen.

Ledelsen på Tjernobyl-værket var ikke specifikt uddannet i at drive et atomkraftværk; direktør V. P. Brjukhanov havde erfaring fra kulfyrede kraftværker, og chefingeniør Nikolai Fomin havde heller ikke arbejdet på andet end "konventionelle" kraftværker. Anatolij Djatlov, der var afdelingsingeniør for reaktor nr. 3 og 4, havde kun "nogen erfaring med små reaktorer", mere præcist små versioner af den VVER-reaktor, der oprindeligt var beregnet til brug i Sovjetunionens atomubåde.

Forløb
Den 25. april skulle reaktor nr. 4 planmæssigt lukkes ned med henblik på vedligeholdelsesarbejde, og ved den lejlighed havde man besluttet sig for at afprøve, om værkets turbiner og elektriske generatorer kunne levere den fornødne strøm til bl.a. reaktorens egne kølevandspumper under en eventuel nødstandsning af reaktoren. Man havde et par dieseldrevne generatorer til at tage over for det tilfældes skyld, at der heller ikke kom elektricitet fra elnettet udefra den dag, et sådant nød-stop blev aktuelt, men da det i bedste fald tager nogle sekunder at starte dieselgeneratorerne op, kunne man risikere at stå uden strøm til kølevandspumperne. Men lige efter at reaktoren bliver standset, vil dampturbinerne og generatorerne stadig snurre som følge af deres inertimoment og kun gradvist "tabe omdrejningstal" i sekunderne efter standsningen — måske blev der derved produceret tilstrækkelig strøm til at drive kølevandspumperne. Dette var tidligere blevet afprøvet på en anden reaktor af samme type, i øvrigt under iagttagelse af alle sikkerhedsforskrifter, med det resultat at turbinerne ikke leverede strøm nok til pumperne. Derpå havde man modificeret turbinerne på Tjernobyl-værket og ønskede nu at gentage forsøget.

Efter planen skulle reaktoren reguleres ned fra de maksimale 3200 megawatt varmeenergi til 1000 megawatt for at gennemføre forsøget under mere sikre forhold. Imidlertid steg behovet for elektricitet uventet netop den fredag eftermiddag, så forsøget blev udskudt til ud på aftenen.

Da forsøget blev iværksat, blev reaktorens ydelse sænket for hurtigt, så den endte helt nede på 30 megawatt: Ved så lav en ydelse ophobes isotopen xenon-135 i reaktoren, et stof, der absorberer de neutroner, der indgår i reaktorens tilsigtede kædereaktioner og dermed yderligere "bremser" reaktorens ydelse. Selv om denne "hårde opbremsning" var på kanten af, hvad sikkerhedsprocedurerne tillod, valgte de ledende medarbejdere at fortsætte med eksperimentet frem for at standse reaktoren. Men i stedet for de planlagte 1000 megawatt besluttede man at udføre eksperimentet ved 200 megawatt.

For at kompensere for de xenon-135 der "bremsede" reaktoren, trak man kontrolstængerne ud; længere end sikkerhedsforskrifterne tillader under normale forhold.

Som en del af planen for forsøget blev den gruppe kølevandspumper, der skulle drives af turbinen og generatoren, startet klokken 1:05; derved overskred gennemstrømningen af kølevand de grænser, der var fastlagt i sikkerhedsprocedurerne. Klokken 1:19 øgedes gennemstrømningen yderligere, og eftersom vand også bidrager til at absorbere neutroner og derved hæmmer kernereaktionerne, måtte man trække flere kontrolstænger ud for at holde reaktoren i gang — en temmelig ustabil og farlig driftstilstand for reaktoren.

Klokken 1:23:04 var der ingen indikationer i kontrolrummet på reaktorens ustabile tilstand, og der er intet der tyder på, at de tilstedeværende har været klar over situationens alvor. Den eksterne strømforsyning til kølevandspumperne var slået fra, så de nu fortsatte på strømmen fra de endnu snurrende generatorer og turbiner; herved faldt vandgennemstrømningen.

Da reaktoren blev koblet fra turbinen, øgedes mængden af damp i reaktorkernen, og da kølevandets temperatur steg, begyndte det at koge og danne dampbobler i kølevandsrørene. Dampbobler har ikke det flydende vands evne til at absorbere neutroner, og især i RBMK-reaktoren medvirker dette til pludseligt at sætte fart i kerneprocesserne.

Klokken 1:23:40 aktiverede personalet "AZ-5"-knappen ("Hurtig nødværge 5"), som stopper reaktoren ved at skubbe samtlige kontrolstænger, inklusive dem der tidligere var blevet trukket ud manuelt, helt ind i reaktoren. Man ved ikke, om det skete som reaktion på, at "noget var galt", eller reaktoren blot blev standset, efter at forsøget var gennemført. Det formodes, at stoppet blev udløst som "svar" på den pludselige og uventede stigning i reaktoreffekten, men føromtalte afdelingsingeniør Dyatlov skriver i sin bog om hændelsen:

Da det tager 18-20 sekunder for automatikken at skubbe kontrolstængerne helt ind, fik kontrolstængernes grafitspidser i nogle sekunder processen til at accelerere. På grund af den forøgede varmeudvikling blev de kanaler i reaktoren, som kontrolstængerne stikkes ind i, vredet skæve. Stængerne satte sig fast, da de endnu kun var nået en tredjedel af vejen ind i reaktoren, og derefter var der intet, der kunne standse kerneprocesserne. Klokken 1:23:47 steg ydelsen til omkring 30 gigawatt, 10 gange den effekt der var normalt for reaktoren. Brændselsstavene begyndte at smelte, og damptrykket steg, indtil reaktoren gav efter og eksploderede. Eksplosionen rev "låget" over reaktoren løs og sendte det op igennem reaktorbygningens tag og rev kølevandsrørene over.

Eftersom Tjernobyls forholdsvis store reaktorer ikke var omgivet af en komplet indkapsling, kunne det radioaktive materiale undslippe den skadede reaktor. Hullet i loftet gav adgang for ilten i den atmosfæriske luft, så der nu udbrød brand i de glohede rester af reaktorens grafitmoderator. Denne brand var stærkt medvirkende til spredningen af radioaktivt materiale til omgivelserne. Beboere omkring værket så den radioaktive sky; den havde en markant "selvlysende" glød.

Der er en del uenighed om det præcise hændelsesforløb, eftersom øjenvidneforklaringer og de data, der blev registreret på selve værket, er i indbyrdes modstrid på visse punkter. De fleste er enige om den udlægning, der er givet ovenfor; ifølge denne teori indtraf den første eksplosion lige omkring klokken 1:23:47, syv sekunder efter at AZ-5-standsningen blev iværksat. Andre kilder, herunder den kommission som Sovjetregeringen nedsatte til at undersøge ulykken, hævder, at den første eksplosion skete enten før eller lige omkring tidspunktet, hvor reaktoren blev standset.
Disse få sekunders forskel er afgørende, for hvis reaktoren "løb løbsk" efter forsøget på at standse den, må ulykken tilskrives kontrolstængerne og deres grafitspidser, mens en eksplosion omtrent samtidig med nødstoppet ville placere ansvaret på personalet. Faktisk blev der registreret, hvad der svarer til et jordskælv på 2,5 på den åbne Richterskala i området omkring Tjernobyl klokken 1:23:39. Situationen kompliceres af, at der blev trykket på AZ-5-stopknappen flere gange, og at den person, der trykkede på den, døde af strålesyge to uger efter ulykken.

I januar 1993 udgav IAEA en revideret analyse af ulykken, hvori hovedårsagen tilskrives reaktorens indretning og ikke fejl begået af personalet. I deres analyse fra 1986 var konklusionen den stik modsatte, nemlig at personalets handlinger var den primære årsag til ulykken.

Efterspillet på Tjernobyl-værket

Tragedien blev forværret af, at administrationen på værket hverken var forberedt på eller havde udstyr til at håndtere en sådan ulykke. Med to undtagelser havde samtlige dosimetre i hele reaktor 4's område en topgrænse på 1 milli-røntgen per sekund; de to undtagelser kunne måle indtil 1000 røntgen i sekundet, men det ene instrument lå i ruinerne og var således uden for rækkevidde, og det andet gik i stykker, så snart man tændte for det. Personalet kunne således kun gætte på, at strålingsniveauet i det meste af reaktorbygningen måtte være over 4 røntgen pr. time, om end de faktiske værdier sine steder var op til 20.000 røntgen i timen — dødelig dosis er et sted omkring 500 røntgen fordelt over 5 timer.
De antagede 4 røntgen i timen gav lederen Alexander Akimov anledning til at tro, at reaktoren stadig var intakt, til trods for at der lå stumper af grafit og atombrændsel rundt omkring værket. Målinger lavet med et andet dosimeter, der blev bragt ind i bygningen kl. 4:30, blev ignoreret under henvisning til, at instrumentet måtte være defekt. Akimov og hans hold blev i reaktorbygningen indtil næste morgen og forsøgte at pumpe vand ind i reaktoren. Ingen af dem bar beskyttelsesudstyr, og de fleste, herunder Akimov selv, døde indenfor de første tre uger efter ulykken.

Kort efter ulykken ankom brandfolk og forsøgte at slukke brandene. De første var en gruppe under ledelse af løjtnant Vladimir Pravik (der døde den 9. maj 1986). Den fik ikke noget at vide om farerne ved radioaktiviteten i røgen og vragdelene, så da ilden var slukket omkring klokken 5, havde mange brandfolk modtaget enorme doser stråling. En af dem nåede, inden han døde, at fortælle om radioaktivitetens "metalliske smag" og fornemmelsen af utallige små "nålestik" i ansigtet.

De såkaldte "likvidatorer", soldater og arbejdere der fik ordre på at rydde op på værket, pådrog sig store strålingsdoser. Ifølge sovjetiske oplysninger var mellem 300.000 og 600.000 af disse mennesker involveret i oprydningsarbejdet inden for en zone indtil 30 kilometer fra værket — mange af disse startede dog først deres arbejde to år efter ulykken.

Det vand, der var pumpet ind i reaktoren i et forgæves forsøg på at slukke branden, var løbet ned under gulvet i reaktorhallen og havde samlet sig i hulrum nedenunder. Brændende materiale på reaktorgulvet truede med at "brænde igennem" gulvet og nå ned til vandet; skete dette ville vandet komme i kog og muligvis udløse endnu større dampeksplosioner end den indledende ulykke. Sand og andre materialer, der var blevet nedkastet fra helikoptere, havde blot forværret denne krise. To af disse blev sendt ind med våddragter for at dræne det opsamlede og stærkt radioaktive vand for derved at undgå den truende eksplosion.

De mest radioaktive murbrokker blev indsamlet fra, hvad der var tilbage af selve reaktoren. I løbet af den første uge efter ulykken blev reaktoren begravet i 5000 ton sand, bly og borsyre, nedkastet fra helikoptere.

Mange af de køretøjer, som "likvidatorerne" benyttede, står den dag i dag spredt rundt omkring i området, da køretøjerne er stærkt radioaktive.

Sarkofagen

I et forsøg på at afskærme omgivelserne fra den radioaktive stråling i resterne af reaktoren blev der i al hast opført den såkaldte sarkofag af stål og beton omkring den, oven i ruinerne af reaktorbygningen, og undertiden ved hjælp af fjernstyrede robotter — den stod færdig i december 1986. Den har aldrig været beregnet til at holde de 100.000 år, det vil tage for radioaktiviteten at "klinge af".

To store bjælker der bærer taget, hviler i sig selv på den beskadigede vestlige væg af reaktorhallen. De værste huller i taget bliver repareret, men sarkofagen er langt fra vand- eller lufttæt. Alligevel kan den holde på en varm, fugtig luft, som eroderer materialerne i sarkofagen. Radioaktivt støv i luften derinde er også et voksende problem, som kun blev delvis afhjulpet med et luftfiltreringsanlæg, man installerede i 2001.

Der trænger til stadighed vand ind gennem afskærmningen, og dette vand transporterer den radioaktive forurening med sig og spreder den i den ødelagte reaktorhal og kan muligvis ende med at forurene grundvandet. Kælderen under reaktorhallen fyldes langsomt med vand, der er forurenet nok til at klassificeres som højradioaktivt affald.

En anden risiko er det "låg" over reaktoren, som ved den indledende eksplosion blev skudt oven ud af reaktoren, hvorefter det faldt ned og satte sig fast i en vinkel cirka 15 grader fra lodret — fastholdt alene af nogle murbrokker og rester af reaktorhallen. Hvis den falder ned, kan den i værste fald få hele sarkofagen til at styrte sammen. Hvis det sker, risikerer man et nyt udslip, denne gang i form af radioaktivt støv til omgivelserne.

The Chernobyl Fund
Fondet The Chernobyl Fund blev etableret på et G7-topmøde i 1997 med henblik på at stabilisere reaktoren og sarkofagen og derefter opføre en ny indkapsling omkring begge dele. Ifølge det oprindelige budget ville prisen blive 768 millioner amerikanske dollars. Den nye afskærmning spænder over 270 meter og bliver det største flytbare objekt, der nogensinde er konstrueret; den skal bygges et stykke fra selve værket for at undgå strålingen og derefter "køres i stilling" over den eksisterende sarkofag.

Sovjetregeringens handlinger

En regeringskomité under ledelse af Valri Legasov blev nedsat om aftenen den 26. april med henblik på at undersøge ulykken. På det tidspunkt var to døde og andre 52 hospitalsindlagt, så i løbet af natten mellem den 26. og 27. april, mere end et døgn efter eksplosionen, måtte komitéen erkende, at reaktoren var ødelagt og følgelig beordre den nærliggende by Pripjat evakueret — dette blev iværksat 12 timer senere. For at begrænse mængden af bagage fik beboerne at vide, at der var tale om en midlertidig foranstaltning af omtrent 3 dages varighed. I dag findes der stadig personlige ejendele i Pripjat, der ikke kan fjernes derfra på grund af strålingen.

Radioaktivt udslip
Nedsmeltningen udløste en radioaktiv sky, der bredte sig over Rusland, Hviderusland, Ukraine, dele af Tyrkiet, Moldova, Rumænien, Litauen, Finland, Danmark, Norge, Sverige, Østrig, Ungarn, Tjekkiet, Slovakiet, Slovenien, Polen, Schweiz, Tyskland, Italien, Frankrig, Storbritannien og helt over til Canada. Selv i en sø i Japan blev der opdaget meget radioaktivitet.

Sovjetiske videnskabsfolk meddelte, at reaktor 4 på Tjernobyl-værket indeholdt 180-190 tons atombrændsel i form af urandioxid samt fissionsprodukter. Estimaterne over, hvor meget af dette der blev slynget ud ved eksplosionerne, varierer mellem 5 og 30 procent, men visse "likvidatorer", der selv har været på stedet, hævder, at højst 5 til 10% stadig ligger i resterne af reaktoren. Billeder derfra viser en tom reaktorskal.

Det "oprindelige" udslip af radioaktivt materiale afhang hovedsageligt af de enkelte stoffers kogepunkter:
 Alle ædelgasser, herunder krypton og xenon, i reaktoren blev øjeblikkelig frigivet ved den første dampeksplosion.
 Cirka 44% af det radioaktive jod blev frigivet i form af dampe, partikler på fast form, samt som jodholdige organiske forbindelser.
 Cæsium og tellur blev frigivet i form af aerosoler.

Der blev frigivet radioaktive partikler i to størrelser; nogle små der målte fra 0,3 til 1,5 mikrometer, og nogle større på 10 mikrometer. De store partikler indeholder omkring 80-90% af de ikke-flygtige radioisotoper der slap ud.

Ved eksplosionen undslap ikke blot partikler fra atombrændslet, men også langt farligere radioisotoper som cæsium-137, jod-131, strontium-90, plutonium-241 med flere.

Forureningen fra Tjernobylulykken er meget ujævnt fordelt på de omkringliggende landområder, samlet i "klumper" afhængig af vind og nedbør i dagene efter ulykken.

Den stråling, man kan måle i det fri omkring ulykkesstedet, kommer fra forskellige radioisotoper afhængigt af, på hvilket tidspunkt efter ulykken man måler strålingen: De stoffer, der oprindeligt slap ud af reaktoren, er siden henfaldet til andre stoffer, der udsender deres egen radioaktivitet og selv henfalder til atter andre isotoper.

Antallet af dræbte ved ulykken
Der er stærkt delte meninger om, hvor mange dødsofre Tjernobylulykken krævede. Forskellige kilder angiver vidt forskellige bud på, hvor mange der er døde og vil dø som en direkte konsekvens af ulykken.

Chernobyl Forum-rapporten
I september 2005 udkom en rapport fra The Chernobyl Forum, bestående af flere FN-organisationer samt regeringerne i Hviderusland, Rusland og Ukraine. Ifølge den bliver det samlede antal døde som følge af ulykken 4000. Dette omfatter de 47 oprydningsarbejdere og redningsfolk, der døde af akut strålesyge, 9 tilfælde af kræft i skjoldbruskkirtlen hos børn, samt 4000 "ekstra" kræfttilfælde blandt de 600.000 mennesker, der deltog i oprydningen. Hertil forudsiger rapporten 5000 "nye" dødsfald i de værst forurenede områder i de tre tidligere sovjetrepublikker. I alt 9000 dødsfald ud af de 6.8 millioner påvirkede sovjetborgere.

TORCH 2006-rapporten
Det tyske medlem af Europaparlamentet Rebecca Harms bestilte en rapport, TORCH (The Other Report on Chernobyl) i 2006 som "modsvar" til Chernobyl Forum-rapporten: I den står:

"Målt på areal blev Hviderusland (22% af landarealet) og Østrig (13%) mest påvirket af forhøjede mængder af forurening. Andre lande blev alvorligt ramt; for eksempel blev mere end 5% af Ukraine, Finland og Sverige stærkt forurenet (over 40.000 Bq/m² cæsium-137). Mere end 80% af Moldova, den europæiske del af Tyrkiet, Slovenien, Schweiz, Østrig og Slovakiet blev forurenet i mindre grad (mere end 4000 Bq/m² cæsium-137). Og 44% af Tyskland og 34% af Storbritannien blev tilsvarende forurenet."

FN-rapporten betragtede områder med mere end 40.000 Bq/m² mens TORCH-rapporten også inkluderede områder med stråling ned til 4000 Bq/m² fra cæsium-137.

Ifølge TORCH-rapporten landede mere end halvdelen af den mængde jod-131, der undslap fra Tjernobyl, udenfor de tre tidligere sovjetrepublikker. Mulige stigninger i antallet af tilfælde af kræft i skjoldbruskkirtlen er blevet konstateret i Tjekkiet og Storbritannien, men at der kræves yderligere undersøgelser, før man kan sige noget om tilfælde i Vesteuropa af kræft i skjoldbruskkirtlen i forhold til Tjernobylulykken. Rapporten forudsiger mellem 30.000 og 60.000 "ekstra" dødsfald som følge af kræft, men advarer om, at disse forudsigelser afhænger stærkt af nogle risikofaktorer, man kun kan gisne om; alene af den grund varierer "forudsigelserne" af disse kræftdødsfald mellem 18.000 og 66.000.

Greenpeace
Greenpeace hævdede at have opdaget uoverensstemmelser i Chernobyl Forum-rapporten og citerede en rapport fra 1998 udgivet af WHO, som forudsagde 212 dødsfald blandt 72.000 oprydningsarbejdere og redningsfolk. I deres egen rapport hævdede Greenpeace, at der vil være 270.000 tilfælde af kræft, som kan tilskrives Tjernobylulykken, og at 93.000 af disse vil være dødelige. Men rapporten advarer om, at de seneste statistiske data fra de tre tidligere sovjetrepublikker tyder på, at yderligere 200.000 muligvis er døde i perioden fra 1990 til 2004. Ifølge kampagneleder Blake Lee-Harwood hos Greenpeace vil kræfttilfældene være årsag til mindre end halvdelen af dødsfaldene; de andre skyldes problemer med organer og kirtler, hjerte og blodkredsløb, vejrtrækningen og svækket immunforsvar.

IPPNW-rapporten fra 2006
Ifølge en rapport udgivet i april 2006 af den tyske afdeling af International Physicians for Prevention og Nuclear Warfare (IPPNW) under titlen "Health Effects of Chernobyl" lider mere end 10.000 mennesker af kræft i skjoldbruskkirtlen, og man forventer 50.000 tilfælde. Rapporten forudsiger titusindvis af dødsfald blandt de, der ryddede op i ruinerne lige efter ulykken. Den hævder, at der i Europa er observeret 10.000 misdannelser hos nyfødte som en konsekvens af udslippet fra Tjernobyl med 5000 dødsfald blandt disse nyfødte til følge. Endvidere skal hundredtusinder af de, der arbejdede på ulykkesstedet i dag være syge som følge af stråling, og titusinder blandt dem er døde.

Andre undersøgelser

 Ukraines sundhedsminister hævdede i 2006, at mere end 2,4 millioner ukrainere, herunder 428.000 børn, har helbredsproblemer som følge af ulykken. Ligesom i FN-rapporten peges der på de psykologiske eftervirkninger blandt de, der blev tvunget til at flytte.
 Ifølge en undersøgelse er dødsraten steget i Sverige som følge af ulykken.
 Union Chernobyl, der er hovedorganisationen for de "likvidatorer", der blev sat til at rydde op på værket, hævder, at 10% af de oprindelige 600.000 nu er døde, og at andre 165.000 er blevet handicappede.

Umiddelbare konsekvenser
De allerførste indikationer i udlandet på, at der var sket noget med et atomkraftværk i Sovjetunionen, kom fra Sverige, hvor man den 27. april fandt radioaktive partikler i tøjet på medarbejdere ved atomkraftværket i Forsmark. Efter at have ledt forgæves efter lækager eller andre problemer i Forsmarks reaktorer opstod mistanken om en større ulykke et sted i den vestlige del af Sovjetunionen.
I Frankrig hævdede man fra statslig side, at den radioaktive sky var standset ved den tysk-italienske grænse, så selv om visse fødevarer var blevet forbudt i Italien, tog den franske administration ikke tilsvarende initiativer for at undgå at sprede frygt i befolkningen.

Langsigtede konsekvenser
Umiddelbart efter ulykken var det primære sundhedsmæssige problem radioaktivt jod med en halveringstid på otte dage (hvilket betyder, at stoffet afgiver sin radioaktivitet hurtigt og intenst). Visse børn i de forurenede områder blev udsat for høje doser af op til 50 Gray på grund af radioaktivt jod-131 de fik i sig via lokalt fremstillet mælk. Talrige undersøgelser viser stærkt forhøjede forekomster af kræft i skjoldbruskkirtlen hos børn i Hviderusland, Rusland og Ukraine. Indtil videre har ulykken ikke vist sig i statistikkerne for leukæmi, men det forventes indenfor få år, sammen med andre kræftformer der dog ikke vil slå nær så tydeligt igennem i statistikkerne.

I dag er det største sundhedsmæssige problem forurening af jorden med strontium-90 og cæsium-137, der har halveringstider omkring 30 år. De største koncentrationer findes i jordens overfladelag, hvorfra planter, insekter og svampe optager dem og bringer dem ind i fødekæden. Nogle videnskabsfolk frygter, at strålingen vil påvirke den lokale befolkning i talrige generationer fremover.

Spørgsmålet om langtidsvirkningerne af Tjernobylulykken er kontroversielt. I alt blev over 300.000 mennesker genhuset udenfor området, men millioner boede og bor stadig i forurenede områder. På den anden side modtager mange af dem så små "ekstra" strålingsdoser derved, at man ikke ser nogen sikre tegn på forøgede dødelighed eller forekomst af kræft eller medfødte defekter som følge af strålingen. Ifølge en videnskabelig undersøgelse har Tjernobyl-ulykkens radioaktive stråling givet i hvert fald træerne varige mén.
Ifølge en anden undersøgelse har fugle fået mindre hjerner, end før ulykken.

Bureaukratiet og hemmelighedskræmmeriet "døde" ikke helt sammen med Sovjetunionen. I Hviderusland blev videnskabsmanden Juryj Bandazjevskij kendt skyldig og dømt for bestikkelse, efter han i 1999 udgav en rapport, der var kritisk overfor den officielle undersøgelse af ulykken. Bl.a. har han rejst kritik af de officielle tal for ulykkens konsekvenser og af den officielle strålingsgrænse på 1000 becquerel per kilogram.

Fødevarerestriktioner
Tyve år efter ulykken er der stadig regler i kraft vedrørende produktion, transport og brug af fødevarer, der er forurenet med radioaktivitet fra Tjernobyl. I dele af Sverige og Finland er der regler for husdyr, herunder rensdyr, der lever i naturlige eller nær ved naturlige omgivelser. Ifølge TORCH 2006-rapporten kan radioaktiviteten fra cæsium-137 i svampe, bær og rovfisk fra visse egne af Tyskland, Østrig, Sverige, Finland, Litauen og Polen nå op på flere tusinde becquerel per kilogram, og i vildsvinekød fra Tyskland er der målt indtil 40.000 Bq/kg. Gennemsnittet er 6800 Bq/kg.; mere end 10 gange EU's grænseværdi. Som følge heraf har EU-kommissionen meddelt, at restriktionerne på visse fødevarer fra visse medlemslande derfor fortsat må opretholdes i mange år endnu.
Pr. 2006 er 200.000 får på 374 gårde i Storbritannien stadig underlagt regler, der kræver, at de bliver undersøgt for stråling og muligvis ikke får lov til at indgå i fødevareforsyningen.

I Norge blev samerne ramt af forureningen ved, at deres rensdyr havde spist lav, som er særlig følsomt overfor radioaktivitet.

Tjernobyl-værket afvikles
Problemerne på Tjernobyl-kraftværket endte ikke med ulykken i reaktor nr. 4. Den ødelagte reaktor blev afskærmet, og 200 meter beton blev anbragt mellem reaktor 4 og de dele af anlægget, der stadig var i brug. Ukraines regering lod de tre tilbageværende reaktorer fortsætte driften på grund af energimangel i landet. I 1991 udbrød der brand i reaktor nr. 2, som derefter blev opgivet og taget ud af drift. Reaktor nr. 1 blev dekommissioneret i november 1996 som en del af en aftale med internationale organisationer, herunder IAEA. Og i november 2000 slukkede Ukraines præsident Leonid Kuchma personligt for reaktor nr. 3 under en officiel ceremoni og lukkede dermed for hele kraftværket.

Sammenligning med andre ulykker
Tjernobyl-ulykken er blevet sammenlignet med Bhopalulykken i 1984, hvor en kemisk fabrik i Bhopal i Indien lækkede 40 tons giftig metylisocyanat, hvorved 15.000 mennesker blev dræbt, og mellem 150.000 og 600.000 andre kom til skade.

Andre menneskeskabte ulykker med store dødstal er:
 Oversvømmelsen i Johnstown i 1889; 2209 dræbte.
 Banqiao-dæmningen, 1975; 171.000 dræbte.
 Great Smog of 1952 i London; omkring 12.000 dræbte.

Andre atomulykker og ulykker med radioaktiv stråling er forekommet gennem årene, om end ingen i omfang nærmer sig Tjernobylulykkens omfang. Andre kendte dødsulykker indenfor civil atomkraft har omfattet en eller to omkomne. Ved branden i Windscale i 1957 og nedsmeltningen på Tremileøen i 1979 var der ingen dødsfald.

Tjernobyl-ulykken er blevet filmatiseret i HBO serien "Chernobyl" fra 2019

Programmet "inside the Sarcophagus"

I starten af det nye årtusind viste kanalen UK Horizon dele af ældre optagelser, samt nyere, inde fra sarkofagen. I programmet udtaler en nu pensioneret atomforsker, at sarkofagen er så korroderet, at der indenfor de næste 20 år er 90% risiko for, at sarkofagen falder sammen. Der er i dag ifølge dette program to store trusler fra Tjernobyl. Den ene trussel er de celler, der under nedsmeltningen som sammen med sand og dannede store glaskugler, der er ekstremt radioaktive (i tv programmet fortæller man om stråling på over 200 røntgen). Disse glasklumper er i dag ved at nedbrydes og kan slippe det dødsensfarlige materiale ud. Der er en stigende frygt for, at det vil nå grundvandet. En anden mere akut problemstilling er den forfaldne sarkofag, der er fyldt med store mængder radioaktivt støv, som ved en sammenstyrtning vil blive sendt ud over et stort område.

Programmet konkluderer, at sarkofagen skal være en konstruktion, der kan holde i 100.000 år, ca. 10 gange længere end pyramiderne.

Noter

Eksterne henvisninger

 Om Tjernobyl på DR Bonanza
 DR Tema – Tjernobyl
 Fotos fra et besøg i Pripjat april 2006

Se også
 "Den største masseforgiftning af en befolkning i historien", arsen i drikkevandet
 Den røde skov

Kernekraftulykker


Seems really fun! I prefer kids to learn this way through games and interaction. They seem to be engaged and absorb the lessons better.
Lovely place! So much fun! Go. go again...keep trying! I am sure you'll get to the top next time.
You gonna join me or not?
This is totally cool! Teamwork and fun learning. We have nothing like this here.
Wonderful program - looks like fun too.
This is fun, exciting and good way to learn, full participation and being involved. I am sure the kids learn faster, understand better and learn better without being reprimanded all the time. So did you sign up for the full package?
Nowadays, children education is done in very creative ways and makes learning a lot more interesting and fun. Lucky you!
I love all of this fun parks they've developed to keep kids active and safe these days.
In reply to your query on my post, It is not a DIY but mobile icecream cart and the vendor.
Where you Mama got the lobang from?
Nice la. But I'm lazy to bring my kiddo for such things where I have to wait. While waiting have to handle the other kiddo. I prefer activities both can join. Even then, LAZY part still applies. And my hubby is even lazier. So I will just read and enjoy activities through you lah.
Been here. Just to look-see. Plenty of nice activities for kids to let them sweat and enjoy themselves.
Fuiyoh, can go playland, nice.. My Kz and G also like going to the playland.. But ours is more economy, RM5 only per first 20 minutes. Nice way to play and learn, syiok !
Not VIP la...VIP were during Saturday where they had their grand opening.
This one kecil peanuts only.
Lol...our side just starting la.
What a fun way to learn even for mmmm active kids!
So much fun.... That's nice!
Really a fun place to be for children!
That is neat.....It's great to see events such as this which are entertainment for kids --but also educates them... SO important and very very special.
This way they can remember too.
Looks so much fun!! Great way to exercise as well.
I like ur socks and shoes, lil kitten ... Love, cat.
This place is on our to-do list! It looks great: safe and good exercise!


Balance Your Life (BYL) hosted Caitlin Boyle, founder of the Operation Beautiful movement, as the keynote speaker for a body positivity presentation in Goddard Chapel on the evening of Oct. 15.
Boyle's Operation Beautiful is a movement that strives "to end negative self-talk" by leaving positive, anonymous notes in public places, according to the movement's website.
BYL co-presidents Jenny Lu and Kinsey Drake said it was important to bring Boyle to Tufts in order to continue the dialogue about body positivity on campus.
Around 25 to 30 people attended the event, according to Drake, a sophomore.
At the event, Boyle spoke about how she wants students to hone in on their behavioral thought processes and understand how consumerism that directly affects one's self image.
"The big point of my Operation Beautiful presentation is that I really want students to think about why they have certain standards and how that influences their behavior, particularly in the realm of consumerism," she said.
Boyle's presentation referenced Photoshop examples to prove how businesses latch on to someone's emotional insecurity in order to sell products.
Boyle explained that it is important to recognize that, as consumers, people have the power to determine the standards of beauty.
"It can be very freeing to realize that it's important to define [beauty standards] for yourself for numerous reasons, but there [are] lots of big forces at play here, and I think it's really powerful to acknowledge it," she added.
Boyle said that in order to effectively educate others, it is important to explain the media's effect on young girls' body image and to challenge people to think critically.
Drake said she agreed with Boyle's sentiments about seizing mental power from businesses and the media to increase one's self-esteem.
BYL plans to incorporate more body positivity efforts into the club's overall operation, Drake said.
Lu added that BYL's goals align with that of Operation Beautiful's, and that this year BYL plans to diversify its goals and include other aspects of health.
"Our focus for BYL this year is to especially branch out and incorporate other aspects of health, such as mental health and emotional wellness, into our mission target as well," she said.
The philosophy of balancing one's life is relevant to campus living, since much of the campus culture revolves around over-exertion, Lu said.


This paper analyses police, liquor licensing and socio-demographic data to investigate whether the number of locations where alcohol is sold is associated with rates of assault and violence in various NSW Local Government Areas. It discusses the effect of concentrations of liquor licences on domestic and non-domestic assault rates.
Aim: To investigate the relationship between liquor licence concentrations and assault rates in Local Government Areas (LGAs) in New South Wales.
Method: Police, liquor licensing and socio-demographic data were analysed. Spatial regression analyses were conducted to measure associations between liquor licence concentrations and domestic violence (DV) and non-domestic violence (non-DV) assault rates.
Results: The concentration of hotel licences in an LGA, particularly at higher density levels, was strongly predictive of both DV and non-DV assault rates. A similar, but slightly weaker, association was found for the concentration of packaged licences and DV and non-DV assault rates. On-premises concentrations also predicted DV and non-DV assault rates at the LGA level but, unlike hotel concentration effects, in this case there was no evidence of stronger effects at higher density levels. A significant relationship between DV assault rates and the concentration of clubs was also found, but the association between the concentration of clubs and the non-DV assault rate was not as strong.
Conclusion: Regulatory authorities should be concerned about increases in liquor outlet density. In particular, increases in the density of hotels above 2 per 1,000 residents are of greater concern than increases in the density of premises with other types of liquor licence.


For the launch of our new Community section we're thrilled to feature four different creators that have put together delicious and easy to recreate Soar Organics matcha recipes. Check out their individual websites and Instagram pages for more healthy recipe inspiration!
Hi my name is Christina and I am a Registered Holistic Nutritionist living in Winnipeg, Manitoba. I am the owner of Eats By Tee, which is a nutrition consulting business and blog. I work 1:1 with my clients, navigating them back to optimum health by educating them on the importance of nutrition, and addressing the root causes of one's health. I help guide my clients to feeling themselves again, by using a holistic approach. I also focus on recipe development and have provided a delicious gluten-free matcha cookie recipe below.
I love matcha because of the natural caffeine it contains and the calming effect it has afterwards from the amino acid L-theanine. I used to drink about 3-4 cups of coffee a day my first year of university to get me through those long classes and nights staying up late writing papers, only to crash and burn myself out. I haven't had coffee in over 3 years and just stick to my Soar Organics matcha. I find it very relaxing and soul filling when enjoying a warm cup of matcha in the morning. Matcha has so many wonderful health properties and you can always add more by making it into a matcha latte and adding healthy fats like coconut butter. I am so glad I found Soar Organics!
Line cookie sheet with parchment paper or use cooking spray.
Combine all wet ingredients into a bowl and all dry ingredients into another bowl. Once mixed, combine the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until dough forms.
Fold in white chocolate chips and roll cookie dough into balls.
Press the balls down into cookies and bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
Hi everyone! I'm Vivian from @tinyteathings. I started both my blog and later my Instagram as a way to heal myself from the inside out while I was dealing with some mental health issues. I turned to tea for its healing properties and its warmth, which calmed my stress and stomach issues that arose, as well as gave me something to focus my energies and thoughts on. My blog and Instagram evolved to include healthy recipes, as well, because so much of mental health starts in the gut.
I'm so happy that I started using Soar Organics because the brand is clean, delicious, and affordable. The owners are some of the kindest people (Megan, you are a gem!) and are always supportive of my work. I love matcha for its slow energy supply. I tend to get too wired up and dehydrated when I drink coffee. Matcha is the perfect substitute. It also is packed with antioxidants and L-theanine, which helps with memory and relaxation!
Mix together the coconut and almond milk, chia seeds, and matcha in a bowl. Leave on the counter for 10 minutes.
Stir the chia pudding mixture again. Cover and store in fridge overnight (2-4 hours will also work, but leaving it overnight makes it thicker). Stir again when done.
In another bowl, mix together the yogurt and beet powder.
Layer the chia pudding and yogurt mixture in a cup. Place strawberries for decoration.
Hi there! My name is Gaby and I have a food blog by the name of Veggie World Recipes! Two and a half years ago, I became vegan for animal equality and environmental reasons. Prior to being vegan, I could BARELY cook for myself. After becoming vegan, I started reading recipes and experimenting with food, and I found that I LOVED it! I started blogging because I wanted to share my recipes and maybe even inspire people to live a healthier life. It has been my favourite hobby since and I absolutely love the amazing community of people I've met online!
One of my favourite products that I've discovered since becoming so passionate about health has been matcha, which is why I absolutely love collaborating on recipes with Soar Organics. They have such high-quality matcha and really care about their products being produced in a sustainable way, which is very important to me. I used to be a HUGE coffee drinker (I'm talking 3-4 cups a day), but I found that it made me anxious and jittery. I wanted to try something that still gave me energy, but without all of the side effects. I started replacing my morning coffee with a matcha latte and found it offered so many amazing benefits. Matcha gives me a steady energy boost all day without the coffee crash, and has an amazing effect on my mood too. I start every day with my favourite healthy, dairy-free and refined sugar-free matcha latte, and I want to share it with you so you can make it too!
I'll be honest, I get really excited about almost everything. But there are few things that I am deeply passionate about. You might even say borderline obsessed. These are the things that I could not/would not want to live without. They are: dogs, yoga, produce, healthy eats, healthy treats, and matcha. Absolutely no morning goes by without my daily matcha latte. The ritual of making my matcha at the start of each new day has become something I have grown to find sacred. It means a moment for myself, to prepare for whatever the day may bring. And if it's a good day, would involve all my other passions. That not usually being the case, matcha is my way of ensuring a little cup of bliss every morning.
I truly believe that how I eat, and the way I nourish my body with food, directly effects how I feel. My morning matcha is the first step of my healthy diet. While, I am always experimenting with what types of food make me feel best, whole foods and natural ingredients are always integral with my diet. Currently, most of my meals are plates filled with lots of simply cooked, seasonal veggies. Lots of fresh water. And of course, healthy desserts.
Make the chocolate layer by mixing together all chocolate layer ingredients, and pour half equally into the bottom of muffin tin liners (leaving the other half for top layer). Put in freezer, about 5 mins.
Mix matcha layer and pour evenly into the 6 cups over the chocolate. Put back in freezer.
Pour remaining chocolate over the matcha layer, put back in the freezer one more time and that's it!


New York mayor Bill de Blasio recently visited the border, because apparently all of New York City's problems have been solved. However, while he was there, he violated border policy. Anyone surprised?
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and his security detail violated both Mexican and US immigration laws by crossing the border on foot during a visit near El Paso, Texas, US Customs and Border Protection alleges in a letter obtained by the Associated Press.
De Blasio, a fierce critic of the Trump administration's immigration policies, went to the Texas border with about 20 other mayors from around the country on June 21, the day after President Donald Trump signed an order stopping family separations at the border.
More than 2,300 families were separated as a result of the administration's "zero tolerance" policy, which criminally prosecutes anyone caught crossing illegally. The mayors said Trump had failed to address a humanitarian crisis of his own making.
De Blasio went to a holding facility for immigrant children but was denied entry. He then went to Mexico and crossed into the US to get a view of the facility. The New York Police Department runs de Blasio's security detail.
This is all political theater, motivated by de Blasio's intention to run for president in 2020.


The Swedish elementary school, Drumsö lågstadieskola, received a royal guest on Wednesday morning.
Prince Daniel of Sweden arrived to study the Finnish government's national program, Finnish Schools on the Move, that aims to increase physical activity among the children.
It was a misty morning, and the children were waiting in the schoolyard, warming up for their day while waving Finnish flags and performing occasional bows. They were smiling a lot and, any gloominess among the hard-boiled reporters was swept away from such cheerful energy.
"They have been practicing this for a week," said a teacher that was smiling next to them.
Prince Daniel arrived with the Swedish Minister for Health and Social Affairs Annika Strandhäll. His delegation was quite big. The official umbrella holders were ready to cover the prince if any raindrops would start falling, but there weren't any. Others were carrying briefcases, trying to look as important as the prince.
Prince Daniel and Minister Strandhäll visited classrooms, where the children were told to continue the day as usual, and there was such a crowd around him that it was hard to see what the prince and the minister were doing there.
Judging from the stomps, giggles and claps, the children for sure weren't sitting. And that's exactly the point.
Finnish Schools on the Move programme started with a pilot phase (2010-2012). In May 2017, more than 90 percent of municipalities and 80 percent of comprehensive schools (2, 000 schools) are involved in the program.
The goal of the government is that the Schools on the Move project will be expanded across the country to ensure one hour of physical activity each day.
The Swedish guests appeared impressed for sure.


It probably sounds funny to you, but that's exactly what is happening here at the ranch. Classes don't have to be in a classroom with a board, but outside working on a new shed. Our new challenge was to build an extra stored cabin to organize all the stuff we need for the summer and still do some English work, like in any other ESL lesson. The idea was to go from the practical side to the theory side. Indeed usually we talk about the vocabulary and the main expressions about something and then use it. This time we would do it the other around. Practice first and theory later. As an ESL teacher this was all new to me too, from the beginning to the end, as I had no experiences at all in carpentry work. In the other hand my student Annina, had worked in the construction field before. This was a new experience and we all learn from these in the end. I also thought it would put me on the same level of my student because she always starts a new lesson without a clue of what is going to happen next. This time I would be just like her.
Our leader, called Carl, has been building and fixing things for his whole life. He doesn't talk much, but when he does it's either to tell a story or advice, both are very valuable in the long run. Let's talk about our construction. First, we nailed 2x4 planks together in a same measured length. We used big common nails and fixed the walls on the existing wood base. When the walls were erected it was important to check that they were level. The next step was to fix the OSB boards from outside the cabin. We cut the board to the right size with a circular saw and fixed them with nails too. Then we made one pattern as a template for the roof truss. We nailed 2 planks together in order to reach a length of 120 inches. We marked the measure with 2 nails. We had never worked with inches before, this was very special. Then we took 2x4 planks and laid them down on the pattern to make a triangular shape. Then we had to set the degrees of the roof with a square. The angle we used for every bevel was 12x6 inches. We cut 2 planks so that the roof top was in the middle (that means 60 inches). Then we had 25 planks that needed to be cut exactly like our template, with the same length and incision. Then we nailed all the planks together by 2. It's better to ensure every time that the planks fit properly. Otherwise it may happen that the whole production is wrong.
After that we set the roof truss on the top and fixed it with toe nailing. That was a very good team work and highlight for all of us.
We enjoyed doing it very much. It put everything into a new perspective. Everything has a new meaning at the ranch, any new experience is part of another bigger one. As a student Annina started to wish again that someday she would build her own little house, shed or shop.
Watching Annina and Carl together made me realize how much communication is not only about talking. Let's keep our lessons outside now that the summer is coming. It's much more fun to learn about how to ask proper questions with a hammer and nails in our hands.


text:
File for Divorce in Los Angeles
Protecting Your Rights, Assets & Best Interests
Lavinsky Law recognizes that we do not only deal with the law. We are helping manage the lives and protecting the rights of individuals who are often enduring the most emotionally tumultuous time of their lives.
Why You Should Choose Lavinsky Law
We Believe in Honesty
We do not know how much your case is going to cost until we are able to assess your matter
We will be upfront about how certain approaches can impact your case and your wallet
We Explain the Good, the Bad & the Ugly
We do not believe in unexpected surprises for our clients
We Are Here When You Need Us
We are available when you need us
Each case has its own support member and we are always reachable by email and live answering service during after hours
We Have a Proven Track Record
Our family law firm in Los Angeles is proud of our long history of upholding the rights of parties in many areas of divorce law
Lavinsky Law is proud to help individuals in the Los Angeles area successfully move on to the next chapter of their lives. If you need assistance with a legal issue, we are here to help.
The significant difference between being legally separated and legally divorced is as follows:
When you are legally separated, you cannot remarry
When you are legally divorced, you can remarry
Moving out of the home is not a legal separation. You must take note of the date, however, as this is the date that will be used on your legal separation documents.
Grounds for Filing for Divorce in California
In the state of California, the most common reason for filing for divorce is irreconcilable differences.
There are two benefits to this filing:
You have the right to having your divorce granted at some point in time
You do not need to wait for another person to sign
Choosing to file on other grounds can complicate your situation and the divorce process. If you have significant problems with the other party and want to file for a different reason, it is important to speak with an experienced attorney.
How Long Does It Take to Finalize a Divorce?
Every case will be different, depending on all of the circumstances involved. Highly contentious divorces, involving custody battles or a high amount of assets could take much longer than a divorce where both spouses don't have high-net-worth or do not share children. At minimum, there is a six month waiting period for you and your spouse to come to an agreement. Beyond that, the case may need to go to court to settle any additional matters in trial.
Who Pays for a Divorce?
In California, the family code (and the code when one is filing for paternity) is supposed to be determined based on the relative circumstances of the parties. The court requires both parties to fill out an income-and-expense declaration.
This declaration will:
Lay out the financial situation and conditions of both parties
Give the court the ability to assess the financial standing of both parties
The court can "level the playing field," meaning that the party who has greater means (meaning that they have more money to pay for a lawyer) cannot out-litigate the other party.
When it comes to paying attorney's fees, both community property or separate property and assets can be sold to pay for your attorney's fees.
Equitable Distribution of Property
Equitable distribution is all about being "fair." The court determines "fairness" not necessarily by taking a 50/50 approach, but it will look at factors such as what the parties have been doing and what the future needs of both parties are.
Non-Marital Assets
Non-marital assets typically fall into one of two categories (or both):
Assets acquired prior to marriage
Assets acquired through inheritance
What you have acquired prior to the marriage and after the date of separation are non-marital assets. Generally, anything acquired during the time of your marriage is considered to be community property.
Assessing the Proper Value of an Estate
If the value of an estate is at stake, our lawyer work closely with a variety of experts including forensic accountants, business appraisers, and real estate experts.
Some of the documents we may require include:
Divorce mediation is when parties utilize a third-party to try to settle the issues that arise in their divorce.
In our state, both parties must use some form of alternative dispute resolution, or a mediator such as a court-appointed mediator, a private retired judge, or a judge sitting in the courthouse for the purpose of mandatory settlement conferences.
It is the policy of the state of California to have people settle cases as much as they can to avoid trial, such as:
Family Code, Section 217 provides sanctions against a party that is obstreperous or interfering or prohibiting the settlement of cases.
What both parties are unable to settle in mediation can then be turned over for the court to determine, such as:
Attorney's fees
Enlisting the Help of a Divorce Attorney
A lot of your rights are on the table during a divorce. It is imperative that you understand the process and that you are alright with what is happening so that your rights are fully protected.
Custody is one example of losing your rights without being properly represented. You may initially agree to what you believe is a baseline custody order that will only last for a short amount of time. But as a lawyer will explain, even the earliest agreements made in court can result in a long uphill battle which may result in you missing out on events and memories with your children.
Choosing Lavinsky Law
Call (310) 929-6411 for a free initial consultation with a divorce lawyer!
Extensive Experience in Los Angeles Divorce Cases
Divorce cases are unique within the world of law. Family court has its own rules of procedure, its own section of the California legal code, and its own case law. Divorce cases also involve a level of personal investment that doesn't exist in other fields, requiring the help of lawyer who treat their clients with compassion while also possessing the skills of a tough negotiator and seasoned trial attorney.
If you are considering filing for divorce in California and need an attorney's help, contact the seasoned, effective, and dedicated lawyer at Lavinsky Law for a free initial consultation at (310) 929-6411. We can help you with all your family law needs, and brighter days are ahead!
Alexandra not only provided a lot of legal advice, but she helped me stay calm.
"Amazing Lawyer"
One of the best experiences with a lawyer I have ever had
"She really cares and looks out for your best interests not to mention has a lot of experience in family law."
After interviewing three attorneys she was the only one that treated me like a person and not a client.
"Excellent Attorney, Honest and Sincere. Highly Recommend!"
Former Client

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Once you arrive at Madrid Barajas airport (MAD) your private taxi driver will greet you. Having a sign with your name on it, he will be waiting for you at the right terminal. Regardless of whether your flight to Madrid airport is delayed, you should not worry. Welcome Pickups keeps updated tracks of every single flight and assures a pleasant trip to the city of Madrid. Both you and your driver will head right away to the vehicle that you chose for your transportation and he will also assist you with carrying your suitcases. While he is driving you to your desired destination, the driver will give you a couple of tips and suggestions on what to do in the course of your stay. Our drivers are carefully selected and they all know how to speak the English language. Thus, you should not be worried about experiencing communication issues with the local drivers regarding your transportation. Just enjoy the relaxed and comfortable trip from Madrid airport to central Madrid or your hotel.
The airport taxi services of Welcome Pickups at Madrid airport (MAD) can meet the needs of small and large groups of travelers since you can choose between a sedan and minivan vehicle. If you are travelling with a family of 4, a sedan vehicle is going to pick you up from the airport. In the event that you are travelling with a large group of people (up to 8), a minivan can simply handle your ride in the most convenient way.
Madrid Barajas airport, officially called Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport (MAD), is the busiest airport in Madrid and the largest one in Europe. When the traffic flow is moderate, a taxi trip from Madrid airport to the downtown area of Madrid takes approximately 20 minutes. The airport of Madrid is 18 km away from the city centre. As soon as your taxi journey begins, you will take M-40 highway to get to Av. del Mediterráneo. From there, you will use the local streets in order to reach the exact location of your destination.
The only thing you want after a long flight is to get to your accommodation as soon as possible. Welcome Pickups is the best option since it provides personalized and easy taxi rides from Madrid airport (MAD). Moreover, Welcome gives you the opportunity to avoid the overcharging by the local drivers and provides you with a personal driver who will be waiting for you at the arrivals hall, ready to greet you and assist you with your luggage.
The most convenient and safe method of travelling from Madrid airport (MAD) to your hotel in the city is by hiring an airport taxi. Madrid airport taxis are available at any time of the day and they are known for providing fast services. On the other hand, struggling with your suitcases through the public means of transport can be difficult, dangerous and time consuming.
It is always better to book in advance your taxi ride from the airport. However, you should know that if you take a regular taxi from Madrid airport (MAD) to the city of Madrid there is a flat fee of 30€, both during the day or night.
Welcome raises the bar for the standard taxi services as the first company to deliver a holistic, in-destination travel experience. In fact, upon your arrival at Madrid airport (MAD), Welcome is going to take care of all your travel needs, such as transportation, travel products and things-to-do in the most convenient, friendly and personalized way.
Is a Welcome Madrid Airport Taxi Transfer operated by an authorized Driver?
Yes. At Welcome Pickups we make sure that all of our drivers are licensed and eligible to drive a Madrid airport taxi sedan or minivan vehicle. Therefore, you can select any type of vehicle that suits your needs to operate your transfer from the airport.
After you reserve your taxi you will receive a first e-mail concerning all the details of your booking and a second e-mail, 4 days before your Madrid airport taxi transfer, with all the information of your driver, such as name, phone number and a photo for making it easier for you to recognize him.
Your Madrid airport taxi ride is just the start. With Welcome, you can book in advance your "Skip-the-line" tickets for the most well known attractions of Madrid, such as the Prado Museum and the Royal Palace. Your tickets will be given to you by your driver in order to avoid the big line ups at the ticket counters. Moreover, Welcome offers private and shared experiences in Madrid at very good prices. In fact, Welcome hand-picks just 5-star providers so that you can pre-book your stunning experience based on real customer reviews.


Because no national student tests focus on spelling only, experts can't say how widespread spelling problems are. But ask any teacher, and she will tell you many, many children learn to spell with difficulty or depend on phonetic spellings.
If you are the parent or teacher of such a child, what do you do?
Teaching spelling rules rarely works. When students see a worksheet or test on one aspect of spelling, they can do okay. That's because they are focusing on one rule of spelling. But if you test on several rules, or wait a week to retest on one rule, a poor speller makes numerous mistakes. And if you ask the child to write a few sentences with words which use some of these spelling rules, spelling errors abound. It's as if you never taught the rules.
Having the child memorize often used words can work if the word is simple. But not always. Many children spell "went" as "whent," or confuse "then" and "than," or use "b" for "d," or spell "was" as "saw." These children might have great visual memories for colors and landmarks, but not for spelling. Experts think this is because the brain's "wiring" for spelling is part of the language processing part of the brain. Poor spelling is one sign of underlying language processing problems.
Accommodations, especially allowing the child to use electronic writing equipment, reduce some but not all spelling errors. Spellcheck alerts the child that a word has been misspelled. She can click on the misspelled word and the correct spelling appears. She clicks on the correct spelling and eliminates the problem. You might think: but then she will never learn correct spelling. But how about you? When you make a spelling error on your computer or phone, don't you click and replace? So why shouldn't a student? Because of ubiquitous technology, the same rules which applied to us when we were students shouldn't necessarily apply to students today. The SAT allows calculators. It didn't when I took the test.
Teachers who limit the number of points off for spelling errors would lessen the stress on poor spellers. What if teachers would limit the percentage of a writing grade devoted to spelling to 5%, no matter how many words are misspelled? Spelling is a way of delivering a message, the same as sentence structure and vocabulary and type faces. If teachers would focus more on the content of writing, on its organization and message, and focus less on spelling and handwriting, poor spelling would be less of an issue.
If a child focuses on learning the spelling of the 100 or 200 most commonly used words in English, and ignores the rest, her spelling would improve. If those "most used" words were posted in the classroom as a universal word bank available to any child any time, spelling would improve. Or those words could be offered to each child in a little booklet which the child could keep in her desk and refer to at any time. Why not? Do you remember every one of your relative's phone numbers anymore? Or do you let your smart phone remember for you? Is it "cheating" for you to press a name rather than to key in a ten-digit phone number? Then why can't a child look up a spelling word?
English is a tough language to spell–maybe the toughest. So many rules, so many exemptions. Let's take away some of the energy that goes into spelling correctly and put it into more important skills, like writing well.
Very good ideas here. Learning the most commonly used words makes so much sense. As the child gets older, I think the emphasis should be on vocabulary. As an art teacher I stressed vocabulary. Collage or college…which one are we doing in art class today?


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Cutting Edge Pharmacy by Tetsuya Matsumoto conceal high-tech minimalism with serene interiors
Tetsuya Matsumoto's Cutting Edge Pharmacy in Japan reflects patients' trust in advanced medicine with a welcoming and essential architecture and linear interiors.
architecture health interior design Japan japan 2017 linear minimal pharmacy tetsuya matsumoto WAF 2017
Cutting Edge Pharmacy by Tetsuya Matsumoto Art Works – All photos by ©Stirling Elmendorf -courtesy of Tetsuya Matsumoto Art Works.
WAF 2017 – Cutting Edge Pharmacy by Tetsuya Matsumoto Art Works combines a sharp high-tech image with a reassuring sense of piece. The façade overlooking the street is totally glazed and contoured by protracted sharp edges. Wrapped by metallic panels, the structure welcomes guests into a minimal interior design.
RELATED STORIES: Discover more architecture and design from Japan on Archipanic…
"The project reflects the high-tech sharp environment that patients expect from advanced medical care." Says at Tetsuya Matsumoto Art Works to Archipanic. "Indeed, the simple fact of coming to a medical institution lays on the trust that the patient puts on modern medicine, but also the need for a human-based and professional service".
Cutting Edge Pharmacy is located along one of the most important streets of Himeji City. The 150 sqm one floor building stands next to a hospital and supplies both guests and visitors. "The idea of this project is to promote the hospital by giving it a new image as it is subject to strong competitiveness".
Protracted sharp edges frame a side-to-side, floor-to-ceiling glass facade. The edges are also projected into the minimalist white interior demarcated by a black cross. The horizontal line is a console for exhibiting key products. The vertical line of the cross is the gate towards the backyard where the prescriptions are prepared.
The entrance is on the left side of the building in the direction of the hospital liberating the glazed façade from unnecessary additional lines. The minimalistic interiors are designed in clean straight lines and enhanced with indirect lighting slits creating the high-tech sharp image that the patient expects from an advanced medical care.
In traditional dispensing pharmacies patients handle their prescriptions at the reception counter; the chemist then prepares the medicines in the backyard whilst the guests sit in a waiting space. Once done, the customers are called again to the counter to get explanations about the prescription.
At the Cutting Edge Pharmacy patients are not called to the counter again. Instead, the pharmacist meets them in the waiting lounge furnished in transparent chairs and minimalist tables. "These small attentions can make a big difference by providing an image of High Quality services inducing the process of healing" add at Tetsuya Matsumoto Art Works.
World Architecture Festival has has shortlisted the project for the WAF 2017 Award which will be announced this November in Berlin. Cutting Edge Farmacy will first compete for in Health architecture category for completed buildings.
RELATED STORIES: Read more about 2017 World Architecture Festival on Archipanic…
All photos by ©Stirling Elmendorf, courtesy of Tetsuya Matsumoto Art Works.
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Greater Albania and the Balkans
By Dr. Binoy Kampmark
Global Research, May 05, 2017
Theme: History, Police State & Civil Rights
In-depth Report: THE BALKANS
The Balkans has always been cursed by a recurring theme: that each entity within it can, at some point, become greater and more consuming in territory than the next neighbour. Each nation has, and in some instances continues, to nurse dreams of enlargement, pecking away at borders and assuming that few will notice.
Strategies of expansion tend to have one problem: they are hard to evaluate in the way of conventional agreement, contract or conspiracy. For decades, historians of various shades would attribute to Imperial Germany a conscious, global goal of conquest, mistaking the plans of contingent invasion with actual policy.
In the Albanian context, the gnawing phenomenon, one of a terrier insistent on chewing away at the sinews of a larger opponent, has been taking place since Yugoslavia imploded in spectacularly bloody fashion in the early 1990s.
A cementing aspect of the old project of unity, one that saw the creation of Tito's Yugoslavia, was Kosovo; central to the current Albanian project of consolidation and security is the increasing influence of figures within southern Serbia and Macedonia, generally Albanian nationalists of various colours of severity who dare to dream. With Serbia the tainted bogeyman of Europe, their chances are better than ever.
The writing is already being scribbled on the wall – with feverish enthusiasm. Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama had expressed the view that an Albanian-Kosovo union would be very much on the cards if the EU were to make admission more challenging. Kosovo's President Hashim Thaçi [former leader of the KLA, on the Interpol list] was even blunter, his words having the effect of a threateningly deployed mallet:
"all Albanians in the region will live in a single, united country so that the integration into the European family may continue".[1]
The fear to Serbia's north, in Belgrade, is amply reflected by Serbian cabinet minister Aleksandar Vulin:
"Pristina and Tirana have clearly said what their goal is, it is a 'Greater Albania' and unification of all Albanians, regardless of where they live, into a single ethnic area."
Accordingly, this could "only be accomplished through a great Balkan war, and Brussels (EU) must be clear on all of this."[2] Given the current obsession with the unraveling of the EU, best indicated by the groans of Brexit, it is unlikely whether any eyes are being peeled on that score.
Members of a nation, as opposed to the idea of a state, remain the great problem international relations after the First World War. No better illustration of this was offered than the nationalist gymnastics that unfolded in the aftermath of a destroyed Europe.
Demography has become central in these latest disputes. In southern Serbia, where the breath of Greater Albania blows, ethnic Serbs are in demographic retreat before their more virile Albanian neighbours. This situation seems calm, but is actually electric, a surface energy that may well only resolve itself by the power of the gun.
In its broader theatre, Albanian leaders are cunningly playing the pro-Western card to keep western powers on side. This is to be expected, given the shrewdness that resourcefulness entails. As the Albanian foreign minister Ditmir Bushati explained in his April visit to Washington, his country provided an appropriate, stern bastion against Russian influence in the Balkans.
These broader ambitions are not to be taken lightly. Technically, it could see Serbia amputated as far as Niš. This point is perceived as another territorial reassertion, given the expulsion of Albanians from the area during the Serbian campaigns of the 1870s.
Municipalities in southern Serbia have griped and groaned over the nationalist issue, centred upon Preševo, Medveđa and Bujanovac. Hot heads, from time to time, reach for their flags with heart. Editorials of irritation, barely tempered, are written.
The issue of secessionist violence is far from a moot point, given the insurgency in the Prešovo Valley from 1999 to 2001 mounted by the Liberal Army of Preševo, Medveđa and Bujanovac. The violence reached such levels that the then Yugoslav President Vojislav Koštunica urged the NATO-led KFOR to intervene, given the handbrake that had been applied to Serbian freedom of action.
In Macedonia, a country with a strong Albanian voice, similar issues are on the march. A vigorous Albanian push (some argue putsch) remains a persistent reality for the Macedonian majority. The fraying began last December with the opposition Social Democrats achieving a parliamentary majority by going into coalition with parties representing ethnic-Albanian interests.
The long standing VMRO-DPMNE government, backed by President Gjorge Ivanov, refused to budge, fearing the new power arrangements. Matters duly got violent with a coalition attempt to elect a new parliamentary speaker.
The deputy leader of the Social Democrats, Radmila Šekerinska, deemed by Balkan Insight to be "Brussels' favourite Macedonian", was duly assaulted when Parliament was stormed by 200 protestors on April 27. Social Democratic Union leader Zoran Zaev and lawmaker Ziadin Sela, leader of the Albanian Alliance, were also injured.
The government beef was an ethnic one. It was claimed by such figures as Ivanov that too much was in the offing by way of concessions to Macedonia's Albanians, who were exerting a natural gravitational pull on the Social Democrats.
Šekerinska insists that that issue is tactical, designed to obscure the need to create "a new reform-oriented government" that would hold various politicians accountable for criminal theft and corruption.[3] Prime Minister Nikola Guevski and his associates, claims Jove Kekenovski,
"are ready to do anything, including ethnic conflict, to escape jail."[4]
Some of that is bound to be true, though blood tends to be thicker than reform in Balkan politics. A resort to the gun over the boardroom; this is the Balkan vice, tainted by active or cynical indifference from outside powers.
Dr. Binoy Kampmark was a Commonwealth Scholar at Selwyn College, Cambridge. He lectures at RMIT University, Melbourne. Email: [email protected]
[1] https://europeanwesternbalkans.com/2017/04/20/thaci-albanians-to-unite-if-eu-closes-door-to-kosovo/
[2] https://inserbia.info/today/2017/04/vulin-eu-must-know-that-greater-albania-means-great-war-in-balkans/
[3] http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-39799208
[4] http://www.politico.eu/article/post-election-limbo-deepens-macedonian-stand-off-gjorge-ivanov/
Copyright © Dr. Binoy Kampmark, Global Research, 2017
Articles by: Dr. Binoy Kampmark


Warriors new 2016 SUPER Silent models.
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Whether you're experiencing record sales at your fast food restaurant or find yourself in a slump, you can use various techniques to increase your sales. The fast food industry is highly competitive so you need to position yourself as a leader in your community to maintain a high level of loyalty. The effective use of promotions and marketing campaigns can help you grab a bigger share of the market and improve your top line.
Target the population that frequents fast food restaurants the most with campaigns aimed at their interests. According to Franchise Direct, the population that is most likely to eat at your stores is between 12 and 30. Use popular movies and video game tie-ins for promotions, sponsor local school sports teams and concerts, and advertise online instead of in newspapers and magazines that your target market mostly ignores.
Train your drive-through and counter employees to ask customers if they would like to add a bigger or other item to their orders to increase the ticket size. For example, if a customer orders a regular size fries, ask if he would like to make it a large order of fries for a little bit more money. Or ask if he would like to add a drink to his order. Motivate employees to make the offers with energy and persuasion by offering bonuses or other incentives for the increased sales.
Use your website and social media platforms to draw more customers. In addition to posting your specials for the day on your site, include tidbits of trivia that keep your posts interesting. Include your phone number, location and hours of operation on every piece of trivia or Web page you export. Let visitors download coupons for discounts or free drinks to motivate them to visit your restaurant.
Set up an online ordering system so customers can place their orders and drive through or walk in and pick up their food with no waiting. Participate in mobile applications that offer coupons and discounts to smart-phone users.
Counter the negative health image of fast food by adding healthy options to your menu such as salads, whole grain breads and low-fat options. The choices will attract customers who might not have frequented your store because of the lack of healthy options. According to QSR, the quick serve restaurant industry magazine, one of the reasons McDonalds continues to hold the top fast food sales post is because it has added a number of healthy options to its menus.
Add amenities such as an outdoor seating area, covered for inclement weather, a playground for kids or free wi-fi to improve your restaurant's atmosphere and boost its sales. Make your layout more inviting and comfortable so customers can relax and enjoy their meals.
Don't turn young, environmentally aware consumers away. Use recyclable carry-out containers and recycled paper products. The trend in fast food, as in most other retail and restaurant operations, is to "go green." You could lose sales if you don't get on the bandwagon. Exploit your initiatives by getting the local media to cover them. Post your initiatives online and on your social media platforms. Create signage in your restaurant that tells customers about your eco-friendly restaurant.


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Rebuilding the construction industry: Why R&D tax relief can no longer be an afterthought
Home > Insights > Expert Opinion > Rebuilding the construction industry: Why R&D tax relief can no longer be an afterthought
Construction projects are as difficult to predict as the English weather.
One second it's smooth sailing in the sunshine. The next it's flash flood rain and panic stations.
An unexploded World War II bomb, an ancient mass burial site or a medieval mansion could all be unveiled by the most seemingly straightforward of construction projects – and in a moment the whole approach to a project has to be reconsidered.
Luckily, construction firms have something of an umbrella to shield them from potential downpours: R&D tax incentives.
These incentives are of vital importance now that the forecast for the industry looks uncertain, and perhaps somewhat stormy. Despite the fact that growth in the construction sector hit a seven-month high in October 2016, slowing order books and soaring costs, associated with a weak pound, are hitting the sector. Costs need to be kept in check and cash flow managed, and effective use of R&D tax credits is a tool to achieve this.
But for this to become a reality, the construction industry's approach to R&D has to change.
There is a long-standing perception that research and development is restricted to people in white lab coats. This simply is not the case, and in fact HMRC actively encourages the construction industry to pursue these incentives. The last year has seen an increase in their adoption, but whilst construction accounts for 6.1 per cent of UK GDP, it still only constitutes 2.71 per cent of total R&D tax credit claims.
Even less well understood though, is the important point about how best to use the initiatives. The current approach tends to be retrospective – claims are submitted after a project is complete. Whilst a lump sum pay-out is welcome at any time, this cannot be used strategically unless it is factored in as part of the tender process and then accounted for in real-time during a project.
In this way, the cash-back from these activities can be included in cash flow modelling and the budget of an individual project from the outset. Construction firms can then make their pricing more competitive, or even consider a project that might not have otherwise appeared profitable. Given that the contribution could be anything from 8 to33 pence back from every eligible pound spent, this could give them a significant edge over the competition.
But how should companies review their approach to R&D?
For many, factoring in R&D at the tender process is a completely new way of thinking. In a large part, it's simply a case of educating staff to think differently and approach the tender process from a new perspective. Management teams need to understand the rules and understand what constitutes R&D including, for example:
Advances in engineering to develop new or unique materials;
Design and build of specialist machinery, or modification of existing equipment;
Adaptation of existing construction methods or designs to overcome site challenges, such as restricted access;
Introduction of environmentally friendly processes, such as significant reduction of waste.
Beyond that it's a case of identifying the areas that are likely to qualify for R&D tax relief up front, and making the appropriate calculations; then, adoption of real-time tracking and recording of qualifying R&D activities and expenditure. A seemingly straightforward project could be hiding a host of challenges forcing plans to change and on-the-job improvisations. These innovations should be tracked and recorded as they happen – in fact HMRC encourage real-time tracking – to ensure that businesses are claiming every penny they can. Of course, this approach carries a small risk, because you're making calculations against claims that have not yet been approved, but if the process is well-understood, that risk is mitigated.
Properly used, HMRC's R&D tax incentives can be a powerful and strategic tool enabling more competitive pricing and bolder business decisions. But the impact of rethinking R&D incentives does not stop at a company level. Tight margins and challenging projects are becoming the norm in the current socio-economic climate. But, by factoring in R&D tax incentives at tender stage across the board, businesses can take on more complex projects rather than having to water them down, keeping the industry moving forward.
Ultimately, construction forms a crucial part of the backbone of the UK economy and a strong construction sector is central to a strong and prosperous Britain. Construction output in the UK is more than £110 billion per year and contributes *6.1 per cent of GDP. With HS2, the Heathrow runway expansion and a potential residential housebuilding boom, the industry has an opportunity to lead by example during this challenging period for UK business. The future will undoubtedly present a perfect storm of challenges but if the industry utilises the tools at its disposal, including R&D tax credits, it should be able to not just weather the storm, but come out dry.
This article has been published in:
Building.co.uk
UK Construction


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Kobierski (feminine Kobierska) is a Polish surname. Notable people with the surname include:

 Janusz Adam Kobierski (born 1947), Polish priest and poet
 Marcin Kobierski (born 1977), Polish canoer
 Stanislaus Kobierski (1910–1972), German footballer

Polish-language surnames

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According to reliable source Michael Ausiello of Entertainment Weekly, Pushing Daisies has extended David Arquette's forthcoming stint as "freshcort" Randy Mann.
Look for Arquette to debuts on next Wednesday's episode. He'll then return later this season "to have a nice little romance with Kristin Chenoweth," said series creator Bryan Fuller.
Chuck: Do you believe in reincarnation?
Vivian: Charlotte was a nice girl.
Lily: With the exception of puberty.
Vivian: Which was when Lily was going through a change of life.
Lily: Impolite to talk about one's menopause in mixed company.